Eight Days a Week

Feb. 13-20, 2002

THE GROUP OF New York-based artists and curators behind 'Peepshow 28' decided to call itself No Live Girls because that's exactly what its unusual exhibition has to offer. Visitors to "Peepshow" enter a working peep booth at the Lusty Lady Theater and deposit their money, but in lieu of a live performer, they're treated to 1 of 64 video-art shorts, all of which delve into the fascinating world of sexuality, voyeurism, eroticism, and gender. The goal is to explore how the context in which art is seen affects the viewing experience and to stimulate crossover exposure between the art-viewing public and patrons of adult entertainment. The program includes Exotix 101, a humorous but telling look at Thailand's tourist-driven sex industry, and Show World, a documentary about secret desires filmed in Times Square, as well as work by porn star-performance artist Annie Sprinkle. In conjunction with the exhibit, the San Francisco Art Institute holds a panel discussion, screening, and raffle of toys from Good Vibrations Thurs/14. In addition, Good Vibrations hosts a special screening party with "Peepshow" producers, artists, and cast and crew members Mon/18. "Peepshow 28" Feb. 14-28, 24 hours, Lusty Lady Theater, 1033 Kearny, S.F. Free. www.nolivegirls.org. Discussion Thurs/14, 7 p.m., San Francisco Art Institute, 800 Chestnut, S.F. Free. (415) 749-4546. Screening Mon/18, 8-10 p.m., Good Vibrations, 1210 Valencia, S.F. Free. (415) 974-8980. (Meryl Cohen)

Feb. 13

Wednesday

Word of mouth Four years ago Dallas Black Dance Theater – which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year – blew into town for a single Sunday-night performance courtesy of the Lorraine Hansberry Theater. With no advance publicity, few tickets were sold. Yet the 12 sizzling dancers offered hot fare (in a suffocatingly cramped environment) in front of an audience that barely knew why it was there. That's professionalism. Particularly memorable was a performance of Alonzo King's Land Forms, an astounding duet between a basketball player-size male and a pint-size woman who barely reached his armpits. Now the company is back, performing a matinee show out at City College. Don't miss your chance to check 'em out – take an early lunch or tell your boss you have a headache. You can also see the company on a Saturday if you're willing to travel to Rohnert Park. 11 a.m., City College of San Francisco, Diego Rivera Theater, 50 Phelan, S.F. Free. (415) 239-3580. (Also Sat/23, 8 p.m., Spreckels Performing Arts Center, Nellie W. Codding Theatre, 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. $14-$18. 1-707-588-3400.) (Rita Felciano)

Feb. 14

Thursday

No strings attached As voyeuristic pleasures go, Blind Date and Dismissed do pretty well for themselves. But as an actual dating service, those shows are downright frightening. Fortunately, on Valentine's Day the Odeon Bar is offering an alternative in keeping with February's Puppet Thursday: a Dating Game-style adventure hosted by a puppet. Created by offbeat game-show guru Chicken John, who brought the Bay Area such gems as "What's up My Butt?" and "The Price Is Wrong," the game allows various single audience members to vie for a "fabu-less" prize. After the dating debacle, Vile Jelly Puppet Theater will unveil its latest masterpiece, Jones and His Wives. The troupe has yet to reveal what the performance is about, but with its lyrical legacy and expertly crafted puppets, the V-day performance promises to be intriguing. 9 p.m., Odeon Bar, 3223 Mission, S.F. $5. (415) 648-8627, www.odeonbar.com. (Nancy Einhart)

Videophile The king of camp, John Waters can do it all. Acclaimed for directing cult classics like Pink Flamingos and Hairspray, Waters has also acted in various films and penned numerous screenplays and books. Most recently he has turned his profane creativity loose on the world of photography, honing a unique style rooted in his filmmaking past. The first local exhibition of his photos, titled "Straight to Video," consists entirely of simulated film stills, taken from his own work and other Hollywood "classics," reframed and arranged into sequential Waters-esque narratives. In the tradition of Andy Warhol (one of his major influences), Waters explores the social conceptualization of celebrity but with a distinct emphasis on the unconventional stardom that has permeated his career – such as that of Divine, his notorious leading lady. Adding to the spectacle, Waters will preside over tonight's opening festivities. Through March 16. Reception 5:30-7:30 p.m. (gallery hours, Tues.-Fri., 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.), Rena Bransten Gallery, 77 Geary, S.F. Free. (415) 982-3292, www.renabranstengallery.com. (Meryl Cohen)

Fish lips It's difficult to imagine an octopus in lingerie enjoying a heart-shaped box of chocolates. In fact, the average person knows virtually nothing about the mating habits of octopuses. So this Valentine's Day, before you dim the lights with your dearest, why not learn what the Bay Area's aquatic friends do when they're in the mood? At the Aquarium of the Bay's 'Sex in the Sea' soirée, guests can sip cocktails during a special tour that focuses on the reproductive habits of more than 40 marine animals. After taking in the interactive displays, behind-the-scenes access, and guest speakers addressing everything from sea-creature sex to how to love your beach, revelers can sashay over to Chic's Seafood Restaurant on Pier 39. The somewhat beefy price tag includes cocktails, grub, and good karma: a portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the Marine Mammal Center, the Gulf of the Farallones Marine Sanctuary, and Junior Achievement. 6-11 p.m., Aquarium of the Bay, Embarcadero at Beach, S.F. $60 (reservations required). (415) 623-5301. (Einhart)

Feb. 15

Friday

They're no angels With former members of Screw 32, Fury 66, and Saint James Infirmary making up the core unit of One Time Angels, you'd expect that the outfit would be another half-baked SoCal-meets-D.C. punk band. Instead, last year's debut disc, Sound of a Restless City (Adeline), had a lot more in common with straight-ahead rock and roll with a pop structure. Angst-free and breezy, the Angels' singer and guitarist, Doug Sangalang, writes songs he'd want to hear, rather than writing for a particular audience. While the wind occasionally whispered '80s Minneapolis, fanzine writers were otherwise lost in their attempt to hammer the band's round album into punk's square hole. After a clutch of gigs the three-piece added second guitarist Scotty Hay (Plus Ones) and hit the studio to record their second album in less than a year. Tricks and Dreams (Lookout!) ups the pop ante considerably (it reeks of commercial-breakout potential), with Sangalang's honesty coming through loud and clear. Tonight they anchor a bill alongside Eleventeen, Audiocrush, Counterfeit, and Bikini Bumps. 8 p.m., 924 Gilman, Berk. $5. (510) 525-9926. (John O'Neill)

Feb. 16

Saturday

Laugh it up Since its genesis two years ago, the Oakland Playhouse has brought improv comedy to a variety of unlikely locations, including a bus, the end of a pier, and a doggie fun run in Golden Gate Park. Now, as one of Oaktown's few – if not only – regularly performing improv groups, the troupe spreads spontaneous mayhem at its hour-long gigs at the Black Box every Thursday night. If you've never seen the group before, tonight's the night to break the ice, since it's pulling out all the stops for a special evening-length performance. Come prepared with ideas and enthusiasm, as the players depend on audience suggestions, onstage participation, and any number of other methods of input (secret-sharing, lying, "murderous yelling") to propel the show to its comedic heights. 8 p.m., Black Box, 1928 Telegraph, Oakl. $10. (510) 595-5597, www.blackboxoakland.com. (Cheryl Eddy)

Good deeds happen Three popular Bay Area indie bands lend a little local star power to the benefit for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. UC Berkeley's dorm-room darlings, the Librarians play some smart and catchy tunes. The Len Brown Society perform pretty and stratospheric jazz rock. And the very busy Track Star, who just released a two-song 7-inch on Omnibus, recently toured with Mates of State, and are now getting ready to release another full-length, on Better Looking Records, are sure to cause their usual Wyatt riot. 9 p.m., Kimo's, 1351 Polk, S.F. $5. (415) 885-4535. (Deborah Giattina)

Feb. 17

Sunday

Panty rain Soul-deep R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass used to flat-out own the world of slow jams. From his days as lead singer with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes and early-'70s hits like "If You Don't Know Me by Now" to later work like 1979's "Turn Off the Lights" and 1980's "Love TKO," Pendergrass caused a heat wave every time he performed. He was partially paralyzed in a 1982 auto accident, but after several years of recuperation, he revived his career. His 1990 hit, "It Should Have Been You," was as good as anything he'd done previously. He once had an army of female fans, and I'll bet they turn out for this show. 8 p.m., Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakl. $39.75-$55.25. (510) 465-6400. (J.H. Tompkins)

Feb. 18

Monday

What's cooking? Although she doesn't gig nearly often enough on the Bay Area progressive jazz scene, or release enough recordings to suit those of us who relish the warm, burnished timbers of her violin and the fanciful flights of her improvisatory imagination, when she does surface in the clubs, India Cooke never fails to reinforce the foundation of her reputation. A flexible virtuoso with credentials ranging from classical symphonies to Sun Ra's Arkestra, Cooke commands attention in the aptly named ESP quartet, with kindred spirit and intriguing composer Kimara on piano and electric bass, Kele Nitoto (Black Dot) on percussion, and Toni Pope adding vocals steeped in traditions that reach back beyond jazz roots. 8 and 10 p.m., Yoshi's, 510 Embarcadero West, Jack London Square, Oakl. $8-$10. (510) 238-9200. (Derk Richardson)

Feb. 19

Tuesday

Revealing more As far as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is concerned, a lot of folks just can't get enough. Year after year the company fills Zellerbach Hall with a multiethnic audience the likes of which you don't see many other places. Some people, of course, just go to see Revelations for the 509th time. This year you can choose from three different menus: Program A pays tribute to athlete Florence Griffith Joyner (Here ... Now) and anonymous teenagers whose hormones tell them they gotta move (Dance at the Gym). Program B's centerpiece is Alonzo King's glorious Following the Subtle Current Upstream and is joined by Serving Nia, by Ronald K. Brown. Program C offers a medley of Ailey excerpts and his masterpiece Cry. Revelations? It's on programs A and C. Program A, Tues/19 and Sat/23, 8 p.m.; Sun/24, 3 p.m. Program B, Wed/20 and Fri/22, 8 p.m. Program C, Thurs/21, 8 p.m.; Sat/23, 2 p.m., Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, Bancroft at Telegraph, Berk. $24-$48. (510) 642-9988. (Felciano)

Lone star It's been a long journey to semiobscurity for singer-songwriter David Garza. Texas born and raised on a steady diet of commercial and Mexican-border radio, he kicked around the fertile Austin scene long enough to build a tremendous following, selling a grand total of 30,000 copies of his various self-released albums. And, just as his coronation as Jeff Buckley's heir apparent seemed guaranteed, he signed a deal with Atlantic Records and was promptly left to rot as an eventual tax write-off. Now he resides in Los Angeles, where he gets to hobnob and commiserate with comrades like Jon Brion, Tim Easton, and Aimee Mann at songwriter showcases. A sharp lyricist whose best work is about fuckups and users searching for redemption, Garza is set apart from the pack by his distinct lack of cynicism. Hope, renewal, and humor are common threads, which are all good traits to have – especially when you're forced to endure the whims of bumbling corporate shitheads. Matt Nathanson opens. 9:30 p.m., Cafe du Nord, 2170 Market, S.F. $7. (415) 861-5016. (O'Neill)

Feb. 20

Wednesday

Freaky deaky When military troops start defending themselves with rubber chickens, it can only mean one thing: it's time for some absurdist theater! For the first-ever Classic Absurdity Theatre Festival, Exit Theatre offers a surreal sampler for experts and novices alike. The two-week festival includes three main-stage plays (Wed.-Sat., 8:30 p.m., $12-$20), four staged readings (Sat/23 and March 2, 7 p.m., donations requested), and a few evenings of absurdist sketch comedy (Fri/22-Sat/23 and March 1-2, 10 p.m., $10). The main-stage plays are performed simultaneously on separate stages, so pick three nights and see them all. For a taste of early absurdist influence, check out the modern adaptation of Alfred Jarry's 1896 play Ubu Roi, in which the Keystone Cops meet George Bush and the Polish army takes up the aforementioned chickens. For the more classically absurd, sample Eugene Ionesco's The Bald Soprano, performed and produced by Ireland's Asylum Theater Company, and Fernando Arrabal's existential Condemned Man's Bicycle. Through March 2. Exit Theatre, Exit Stage Left, and Exit Cafe, 156 Eddy, S.F.; Exit on Taylor, 277 Taylor, S.F. For more information call (415) 673-3847 or go to www.sffringe.org. (Einhart)