Wallpaper is back this Friday! Though they weren't gone for long (just a few weeks), this time they're coming back with a longer set. Hell yes! Wallpaper is Eric Frederic from Oakland, joined by Arjun Singh on drums. "I saw that classic Bay Area sound resurfacing," Frederic says, "that same psychedelic, drippy, care-free, funky approach that reigned from Sly Stone to Digital Underground." We had a blast earlier this month when Wallpaper played Noise Pop......

This week there's a recommendation every night at a different venue - talk about a great week of music. Starting with Monday, MGMT, the super-hyped duo from Brooklyn, will be playing Bottom of the Hill. MGMT is: Andrew Vanwyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, two psychic pilgrims whose paths first intersected in the green pastures of Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, circa 2002. After a post-college "existential crisis" they decided to create their masterpiece, Oracular Spectacular, released......

Wow, one show on Monday and twelve on Friday. This week we definitely start off a bit slow, but by the end of the week, we have a ton of choices. Wednesday, there is the sold-out Ingrid Michaelson show that had to be moved from Cafe du Nord to Slim's because apparently everyone is into "librarian chic" right now. Though it's sold-out, you can still find tickets on craigslist; the prices aren't too inflated, yet.......

Back in December, The Lovemakers, a glam-rock outfit from Oakland, decided to stay put and forego their national tour to record their next full-length album entitled "Love is Dead." (For a band called "The Lovemakers," that's quite a title!) According to their blog, they've also decided to "be a 3-piece [band] again for the next while live. Scott, Lisa and Michael Urbano on drums. Back to basics. Very cool. Very fun." What we didn't......

The Bay Area should be proud of at least two high profile record releases from local artists this week. Oakland's own The Lovemakers drop their major label debut Times of Romance on Interscope Records, and San Francisco's John Vanderslice keeps it real by releasing his latest, Pixel Revolt, on indie stalwart Barsuk Records. Even if you can't afford to rush to the CD store on Tuesday, we wouldn't want you to go without some local......

Our concert picks for the week of 7/28-8/3. This week offers you chances to see spanking new UK rockers, hiphop's underground acts and chart-toppers, and yet another show by Tegan and Sara. We love those cute lil' Canadians, but how many times have they played San Francisco this year? Tonight starts early with a free performance by Nine Black Alps at Amoeba. The young lads of the UK's band-of-the-moment will rock you later at Popscene......

Our concert picks for the week of 4/14-4/20. Even a slow week in San Francisco presents discerning music fans with many good choices. Tonight Popscene invites fans of the Doves and Snow Patrol to check out music by Longview. Waifish British boys singing wistfully over jangly guitars -- now that's cutting edge! After an eight year hiatus, The Wedding Present returns with a new record entitled Take Fountain. Catch this rare opportunity to see them......

Join us tonight at 111 Minna for an art show curated by Aaron Burtch, entitled "Five Ways To See." When he's not making great music with Grandaddy, Burtch is making great paintings and pictures, which he'll be showing alongside artwork from Souther Salazar, Alexander Cheves, Jeffery Harland, Joel Elrod. Afterward, your music options include the oft-recommended Neko Case with The Sadies at Bimbo's, the electro-pop of locals The Lovemakers at Popscene, or the gentle Brit-pop......