September 11, 2002

8 Days a Week

Sept. 11-18, 2002

PUT ON YOUR dandiest suit, grab your best pal and prepare to topple backward in time at the 'Great Nickelodeon Show.' The perfectly cast Castro Theatre is transformed into an authentic, old-timey nickelodeon complete with vaudeville-style acts. Live entertainment includes fantastic illusionist Reed Kirk Rahlmann performing his "Mr. Blockhead" act, Greg Tiede masquerading as director Winsor McCay with his film "Gertie the Dinosaur" (featuring the first animated star), dialogue by the Castro Thespian Ensemble to accompany Georges Méliès's science-fiction fantasy "A Trip to the Moon," and a sing-along, led by Sean Sharp and Lori Leigh Gieleghem and presented with beautiful hand-colored slides. In true nickelodeon fashion, Richard "Scrumbly" Koldewyn hosts the event with musical accompaniment. Also on the program are moving pictures such as D.W. Griffith's "Those Awful Hats" and "The Girl and Her Trust"; "Le spectre rouge," a hand-colored film by Segundo de Chomón; and "The Acrobatic Fly," by Charles Urban. Sat/14, 2, 7, and 9:30 p.m., Castro Theatre, 429 Castro, S.F. $6-$12. (415) 621-6120 (information); (510) 704-4448, ext. 1, or www.ticketweb.com (tickets). (Angie Edwards)

Sept. 11

Wednesday

Reality check We all know what politicians, talk show hosts, and country singers think about last Sept. 11. One year later, open your ears to get some perspective from the local authors who are reading from a new anthology published by Portland, Ore.'s Hawthorne Books, September 11: West Coast Writers Approach Ground Zero. The event at Book Passage is one of several being held up and down the West Coast in honor of the event's anniversary. Bay Area writers Maxine Hong Kingston, Josh Clover, Jess Mowry, and Beth Lisick read from their contributions, and a discussion follows. 7 p.m., Book Passage, 71 Tamal Vista, Corte Madera. Free. (415) 927-0960. (Cheryl Eddy)

Sept. 12

Thursday

Big top Why go see a regular ol' outfit stand around and strum when you could see Professor Terry's Circus Band? The all-star configuration aims to re-create what a circus would be like "if the circus was inside the music," with crazy covers, unusual orchestration, and the added bonus of rhythm dancers, aerialists, and other performers. The group, whose many members include bassoon player Paul Hanson from Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, vocalist Linda Tillery from the Cultural Heritage Choir, and percussionist Keith Terry from Crosspulse, bang out high-energy tunes that mix jazz, funk, world, and other styles into a musical stew pot that's aimed at adults and kids alike. This gig's special attractions include Mira, master of Mongolian contortion, and Zamora the Torture King – so when you get up for the cancan, please mind the swords and flames. Thurs/12-Sat/14, 8 p.m.; Sun/15, 7 p.m., Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna, S.F. $10-$20. (415) 345-7575. (Eddy)

Words worth Lit@JSC brings two exciting Mission-based writers, Cedar Sigo and Cathy Arellano, to the stage. Sigo is an exciting, immensely talented young poet, with a collection – Goodnight Nurse – that was published in 2001 and whose work can be found in a variety of publications. Known all over the world, Arellano is the author of I Will Survive: Women Living with HIV. If you want to know what's happening in an area where it matters, start here. 8 p.m., Jon Sims Center for the Arts, 1519 Mission, S.F. $7-$12 (no one turned away for lack of funds). (415) 554-0402. (J.H. Tompkins)

Not waving Just as some historians view World Wars I and II as a single conflict, it is tempting to argue that the ongoing "'80s revival" doesn't exist: keyboards and interesting belts simply lay low during the '90s, then returned (for good, apparently). Thus, even if Oakland band the Lovemakers do conjure Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, and the Wake, the point is that they know their way around fretboards and smoke machines. Their airtight, stylish, moody songs nail the long, melodic phrases and affected vocals of new wave with a nod and a wink, but you'll remember their set for their superior musicianship, especially Lisa Light's rich, commanding voice and striking violin performances. The Lovemakers play with Western and the Please. 9:30 p.m., Cafe du Nord, 2170 Market, S.F. $6. (415) 861-5016. (Elizabeth Lobsenz)

Sept. 13

Friday

Bark at the moon Perhaps inspired by the coincidental Friday the 13th show date, local low-budget entertainment impresario and drummer extraordinaire Anthony Bedard (Resineaters, ex-Icky Boyfriends) has put together an extra-titillating lineup for this year's second annual Bride of Ozzfest (convenient acronym: BOO). Included on the bill are festival namesakes Bride of Ozzy, a woman-fronted Black Sabbath tribute outfit featuring Bedard on drums, as well as local jump-rope troupe Double Dutchess, making its long-awaited debut performance. The headline attraction is the premiere of the video for Bride of Ozzy's version of the Sabs' "Children of the Grave," an elaborate horror-gore production directed by Hollywood-connected filmmaker Rodney Ascher. As if that weren't enough, the always-in-demand Nate Denver's Neck will also be on hand, offering up a set of his patented demonic yet sensitive and caring folk-metal stylings. 9 p.m., San Francisco Motorcycle Club, 2194 Folsom, S.F. $5. (415) 863-1930. (Will York)

Sept. 14

Saturday

A go-go Get wound up when Toy Symphony and the Cannery host the seventh annual California State Yo-Yo Championships. Whether you're just starting out or are an old hand with this venerable toy, today's event – which is open to all ages and all skill levels – promises something for every level of enthusiast. For a yo-yo contest, these folks are pretty serious: World Yo-Yo Masters David Capurro and Cliff Coleman are the judges of this event, and the 2002 American Yo-Yo Association tricks and rules will be followed. Of course, since the tricks have names like "Dizzy Baby," "Man on Trapeze," and "Boingy Boingy," things probably won't be too straight-faced. If you aren't ready to fling your string for the masses, free instruction and demonstrations by champions are available during the festivities. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (registration 8:30 a.m.), Cannery, 2801 Leavenworth, S.F. Free. (415) 775-7893, www.ayya.org. (Edwards)

M.P. free Now that Napster is pretty much dead in the water, what's the state of the online music-downloading revolution? Civil liberties organization Electronic Frontier Foundation hosts its second annual Share-In to raise awareness about the positive effects of artists sharing their music with fans over the Internet. The festival, a benefit for the EFF's Campaign for Audiovisual Free Expression, is hosted by Grateful Dead associates John Perry Barlow and Mountain Girl Garcia. Bring your recording equipment – taping is encouraged – for performances by the Box Set Duo, the Funkmonsters, Hy Brassyl, Atticus Scout, and Shady Lady. Noon-5 p.m., Music Concourse Bandshell, Golden Gate Park, near Fulton and Eighth Ave., S.F. Free. www.eff.org. (Eddy)

Get fingered If you love dance music but don't know about Larry Heard, a.k.a. Mr. Fingers, pull down your pants and allow me to spank you. While he may have evaded the public consciousness for a few years now, Heard is, hands down, one of the most influential creators of dance music. He was a part of the first generation of producers hailing from Chicago, the birthplace of house music. In the mid '80s he began to release tracks like "Washing Machine," the earliest prototype for acid house, and "Can U Feel It," quite possibly dance music history's finest, most ethereal moment. He has influenced everyone from LTJ Bukem to Carl Craig and is one of the few names in dance music no player haters can argue against. Tonight is a rare opportunity to hear this living legend in the flesh and to get a taste of why the universe went nuts when electronic dance music landed on earth. Also stick around for a live performance by Blaktroniks and DJ sets by Jonah Sharp, Chris Orr, Kevin Koga, and Shobhan. 10 p.m.-4 a.m., Club Six, 60 Sixth St., S.F. $15-$20. (415) 863-1221. (Amanda Nowinski)

Sept. 15

Sunday

Viva Amalia Landmark Latin American dance troupe Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández brings a colorful, lavishly costume- and set-designed production to Berkeley as part of its 50th anniversary season. Hernández, who passed away in 2000, started the company in 1952, schooling her dancers in ballet and modern techniques before bringing Mexican folk dancing into the training. A half-century later the much-decorated Ballet Folklórico is an internationally recognized champion of Mexican dance. This program is a greatest-hits compilation that showcases Hernández's choreography, with pieces including Los matachines, Tunes of Michoacan, Platform Dance from Tixtla (the Tarima), Revolution, and Fiesta de Tlacotalpan. 3 p.m., Zellerbach Hall, Bancroft at Telegraph, UC Berkeley, Berk. $20-$36. (510) 642-9988. (Eddy)

Sept. 16

Monday

Say it oud For eight months Anouar Brahem didn't play a note on the oud, the instrument on which he is a world-renowned virtuoso. So he composed the music for his new CD, Le pas du chat noir (ECM), on piano. Fortunately the 45-year-old Tunisian returned to his North African lute in time to play his impeccable and ingenious improvisations on the CD, with François Couturier rendering the gorgeous piano parts and Jean-Louis Matinier adding exquisite color and atmosphere on accordion. Even with seven ECM albums in his catalog, including brilliant meetings with saxophonist Jan Garbarek (Madar) and reed player John Surman (Thimar), Brahem is only now mounting his first official U.S. tour, in the trio that recorded 2000's Astrakan Café, featuring Turkish clarinetist Barbaros Erkose and Tunisian percussionist Lassad Hosni. 8 p.m., Freight and Salvage Coffee House, 1111 Addison, Berk. $16.50. (510) 548-1761. (Derk Richardson)

Sept. 17

Tuesday

Ladies first Get five memorable performances for the price of one at this week's edition of Women's Work, the ongoing Venue 9 series. Sherry Glaser, who holds the distinction of being the author-star of the longest-running one-woman play in off-Broadway history, presents two comedic pieces, In Touch with Reality and the cleverly titled Oh My Goddess! (a tale of "the great Jewish mother of us all"). Julie Drucker uses words and dance in coming-out story Ms. D, which traces the struggle of a lesbian teacher. Native Louisianan storyteller Wendy Mascaro's Auntie's Panties and Other Stories weaves three autobiographical anecdotes. Finally, a pair of dance pieces – Samantha Giron's A Case of You and Untitled, a dance duet by Christine Cali with Todd Courage – round out the evening. 8 p.m., Venue 9, 252 Ninth St., S.F. $8-$10 sliding scale. (415) 289-2000. (Eddy)

Sept. 18

Wednesday

Typical girls Critics' frequent comparisons of Olympia, Wash.-based the Bangs to Sleater-Kinney are inaccurate and lazy but probably also necessary, where fan demographics are concerned. But for the group's female vocalists, the Bangs' wailing, crunchy guitars and compressed drumbeats would sooner suggest Whitesnake, even Black Sabbath at times. The trio's appreciation of the simpleminded joys of metal and stadium rock is apparent in their songs, which compact the start-stop pop appeal of Olympia indie rock into one driving, messy, animated threat of anthemhood after another. The Bangs play with ex-XBRX member Da Hawnay Troof. 10 p.m., Hemlock Tavern, 1131 Polk, S.F. $6. (415) 923-0923. (Lobsenz)