Eight Days a Week
Jan. 30-Feb. 6, 2002

FORTUNATELY FOR BAY Area audiences, music curator Kevin Chen has a decidedly non-Ken Burns, non-single narrative approach to Intersection for the Arts' jazz series, which runs the first Tuesday of every month throughout the spring. First in the series is kotoist and composer Miya Masaoka, whose recent works have included titillating collaborations with plants, insects, and brain wave activity. Masaoka, who has toured India six times with violinist L. Subramaniam, has developed a technique she describes as "playing the koto as a tabla." Tonight, in an expanded notion of jazz, she performs Thelonius Monk's "Round Midnight" (featured on her Dizim album Monk's Japanese Folk Song, recorded with bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Andrew Cyrille). Using koto, laptop, and lasers, she performs other works with fabulous local percussion duo Tabla Rasa (Tim Witter and Jim Santi Owen) and special guest guitar wizard Will Bernard, knitting a traditional Hindustani tabla repertoire and new techniques on the Japanese wooden and string instrument into unusual, distinctive-sounding pieces. This group is chops-heavy, and with open imagination lubricating the ensemble, grooves, ideas, and artistic food for thought will be had by all. An informal talk with the artists follows the performance. Tues/5, 8 p.m., Intersection for the Arts, 446 Valencia, S.F. $12-$15. (415) 626-3311. (J.H. Tompkins)

Jan. 30

Wednesday

Have fun, will travel It's been nearly 12 years since "Follow Your Heart" enjoyed airplay on alternative radio and 10 years since "Let's Buzz" almost broke the Paladins nationally. But being a silly little rockabilly band played out the only way it really could have, and instead of fame and fortune, Dave Gonzalez and his crew have had to settle for an appreciative cult audience. Not that making it big ever really seemed to be on the band's agenda. For 22 years now the Pals have always been more about hopping into a van for 300 nights to bring the music to the faithful at whatever craphole will have them. With founding bass player Tom Yearsly and drummer Brian Fahey back on board for a second stint and a new album, Palvoline No. 7 (Ruf), it seems that these long-running roots music champions are poised to keep on delivering the goods well into the new millennium. 9 p.m., Elbo Room, 647 Valencia, S.F. $10. (415) 552-7788. (John O'Neill)

Jan. 31

Thursday

Wait, it is dead They've officially broken up, but this show gives you one last chance to say you saw locals Dig That Body Up ... It's Alive back when they were actually still alive. The trio merge the contorted song structures and alien riffs of death metal bands like Gorguts and Suffocation with the falling-all-over-the-place rock abandon of guitarist John Dwyer's other bands, the Coachwhips and Pink and Brown. DTBUIA's shows last all of about 15 minutes (20, tops), yet drummer Oran Canfield invariably reduces himself to an out-of-breath human sweat puddle, and somebody always breaks something – it's a lot of fun. Michigan's Gravitar headline; 400 Blows, 16, and Godstomper are also on the bill. 9 p.m., Great American Music Hall, 859 O'Farrell, S.F. $10. (415) 885-0750. (Will York)

Natural progression Local electro-prog group Crime in Choir parted ways with their drummer, the hellaciously gifted Zach Hill, after recording their debut album. Now the band have finally found a contender to fill the vacated space: its name is Dr. Sample, and it travels light, plays like a pro, and takes direction well. With that out of the way, everything is falling into place for bassist Kenny Hopper (a founding member of the ill-fated At the Drive-In), keyboard player Jesse Reiner, and another ATDI vet, Jarrett Wrenn, the new baritone guitarist. Their self-titled album, a polyrhythmic, mesmerizing concoction of Moog, baritone guitar, and Hill's drumming brings to mind Stereolab and Outhud. It's just out on Omnibus, and the band, with their little machine drummer in tow, are ready to start playing live again. Caesura and Bottled Og also play. 9 p.m., Kimo's, 1351 Polk, S.F. $5. (415) 885-4535. (Deborah Giattina)

Feb. 1

Friday

Show me the money Nearly six years after its conception, Killing My Lobster has established itself as one of the Bay Area's foremost comedy collectives. Driven by the motto "Funny can mean different things to different people," this motley crew of East Coast Ivy League graduates and local recruits has been filling S.F. venues since its first sketch comedy show premiered at the Mission's Grasshopper Palace in 1997. Kicking off what is sure to be a raucous anniversary season (including a nostalgic birthday bash spectacular), the group's latest show, Killing My Lobster Guilty as Sin, takes a hard look at moral corruption, asking the age-old question, does crime pay, and if so, how much? In addition to sketches exposing office-supply kleptomania and time-traveling muggers, KML's signature slapstick musical numbers, and a 12-piece orchestra, the show also features lasers and a fog machine, marking the long-awaited realization of the Lobsters' heavy metal dreams. Through Sun/10. Fri.-Sun., 8 p.m., Brava Theater Center, 2789 24th St., S.F. $10-$15. (415) 267-0642, www.killingmylobster.com. (Meryl Cohen)

Sunrise on Lo-Rise While new house labels are a dime a dozen these days, Lo-Rise Recordings promises to bring a new gloss to a somewhat dull scene. The brainchild of the ever-enterprising DJ Seven (of the 7,500-plus subscriber DJ Seven Pix e-mail guide to the Bay Area club scene), Lo-Rise is off to a promising start with The Hydrophonic E.P., a smooth offering of tech house spiced with breaks from one of Denver's finest, Brad Cavender (Milehighhouse). Come check out the links between California and Colorado as Cavender, DJ Seven, Greg Eversoul (SFO), and others celebrate the label's debut. 9 p.m., Cloud 9 Motel, 34 Seventh St., S.F. $10. (415) 355-9991. (Peter Nicholson)

Angel of Harlem The words of Langston Hughes still reverberate decades after his days of jazz and dreams deferred. And this year the first day of Black History Month marks what would have been his 100th birthday. All over the country people will celebrate the life of this Harlem Renaissance luminary, and in San Francisco the Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation will host 'Let America Be America Again!,' a gala celebration of music, dance, and performance inspired by Hughes's work. Artists such as spoken word performer Will Power, rapper Krushadelic, dancer Betty Ledzepko, and writers Al Young and devorah major will be on hand to read, rap, or otherwise interpret Hughes's words. And to move his legacy beyond the moment, the event will raise money for VONA's Voices, a summer workshop for writers of color. 7:30 p.m., Gershwin Theater, 2350 Turk, S.F. $10-$20. (415) 422-5488, www.vona-voices.org. (Nancy Einhart)

Feb. 2

Saturday

Beyond Bill Murray Until recently, the most glorious moment for Groundhog Day was probably the Bill Murray movie of the same name. But now that we've entered another palindrome year, Groundhog Day falls on the wonderfully melodic 02/02/02. Burt Hashiguchi felt this called for a celebration, so he's turned what was just another night of bands into "a kick-ass night out for you and your shadow." The evening features a handful of indie acts, including the Lonely Kings from Santa Cruz, Pocket for Corduroy from Nevada City, and post-hardcore Oakland outfits the Hills Have Eyes and Cast of Thousands. They'll serve as a soundtrack for the "Indie Comics Corner," an art exhibit showcasing Web and minicomics from local illustrator Hsiao-chen Tsai, San Francisco group Milky Elephant, Brooklyn graphics wizard Jamie Tanner, and others. 9 p.m., Stork Club, 2330 Telegraph, Oakl. $6. (510) 444-6174, www.groundhogfest.org. (Einhart)

Feb. 3

Sunday

Nitty-gritty blues Things that you might find in the Immortal Lee County Killers songbook: cockroaches, trains, grease fires, the devil, graveyards, Jesus, and the blues. Things you will not find: robots, DJs, and existential angst. This two-piece out-grimes all other stripped-down blues outfits, including the Soledad Brothers and the White Stripes – imagine either duo dipped in axle grease, then chicken-fried, and you're getting there. Guitarist-screamer Chetley "El Cheetah" Weise performs with a homemade guitar named MD 20/20 and has a day job as a professor at the University of Alabama. Add drummer J.R.R. Tokien ("The Tokien One"), a jury-rigged monstrosity of amplifiers, and, if the Killers may say so themselves, a healthy dose of "sweat, energy, volume and desperation," and you've got yourself a show. The Killers come out at night to give the true believers some nice nasty foreplay in anticipation of the upcoming Sleazefest. Nebula and Bluebird also perform. 9 p.m., Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St., S.F. $10. (415) 621-4455. (Katje Richstatter)

Unfootball fare Every year, football nonfans are offered numerous alternatives to the Super Bowl. But how many of those Sunday-afternoon options combine queer activism, political campaigning, and Chinese food? Well, there's at least one: the benefit for Harry Britt at Cafe du Nord. Best known as Harvey Milk's successor and a pioneer of rent control, Britt is returning to politics after a lengthy hiatus to campaign for state assembly. Lining up to support his latest venture is a collection of combos that span the queer music movement, including brooding Bay Area balladeer Mark Eitzel and lesbian punk legends Tribe 8, plus Fabulous Disaster, the Pre-teens, and Kevin Army. And, in a fortuitous feat of musical fusion, there's also the Planning Commission, a Pansy Division side project dedicated to lambasting local politics. Free Chinese food comes with the price of admission, so show up early before it's all gone. 4:30-10 p.m., Cafe du Nord, 2170 Market, S.F. $10-$25. (415) 861-5016. (Einhart)

Feb. 4

Monday

Sizzling If you haven't heard of Simon Sheppard, you haven't been reading the right books, sweetie. With his new collection of short stories, Hotter than Hell, Sheppard proves himself to be the most literate and heart-poundingly romantic author to emerge from the naughty queer erotica scene in San Francisco. He's the kind of writer whose characters think about angels and the meaning of philosophy while fisting. Sheppard can get his audience hot by describing the joys of hardcore BDSM or wistfully recollecting his first homoerotic experiences flirting with a lovely young boy at an amusement park. And sometimes Sheppard will surprise you with just how nasty he can get: at one of his recent readings, a young man knelt in front of him, unbuttoned Sheppard's Levis, and re-created the very act that Sheppard was reading about as the story progressed. The point is, you can't miss your chance to see Sheppard read. 8 p.m., Good Vibrations, 1210 Valencia, S.F. Free. (415) 974-8980. (Annalee Newitz)

Feb. 5

Tuesday

Thieves among us Things have calmed down a bit for Thievery Corporation since the media frenzy that surrounded the release of their debut album, The Mirror Conspiracy (Eighteenth Street Lounge). While they've kept busy with remixes, the Washington, D.C., duo recently took time out to compile a choice mix for Blue Note, Sounds from the Verve Hi-Fi, a collection of jazz classics verging on kitsch (how about Astrud Gilberto singing "Light My Fire"?). Check them out as they favor San Francisco with a rare live appearance, along with Blue States and Italy's brilliant bossa nova alchemist Nicola Conte. Through Wed/6. 8 p.m., Ruby Skye, 420 Mason, S.F. $25. (415) 693-0777. (Nicholson)

Feb. 6

Wednesday

Truth cinema Those who missed Kevin Epps's Straight outta Hunters Point when it played local festivals last year can make amends by catching the stellar doc today or tomorrow at the Red Vic. Longtime Hunters Point resident Epps, who won a 2001 Guardian Outstanding Local Discovery award, has earned nothing but glowing notices for his first film, which offers an insider's look at the neighborhood's often deadly turf wars between rival gangs – as well as an inspiring portrait of the community as a whole. The movie also features an outstanding soundtrack of Hunters Point rappers. These special screenings help benefit the Hunters Point Youth Park Foundation and the Helping Hands Foundation; Epps will be on hand for Q&As at the evening shows. Through Thurs/7. 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. (also Wed., 2 p.m.), Red Vic, 1727 Haight, S.F. $8. (415) 668-3994. (Cheryl Eddy)

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