8 Days a Week

March 17-24, 2004

NOT SINCE THE Streets has such a fuss been made over a rapper from the U.K. But in Dizzee Rascal's case, the furor is well deserved. This 20-year-old East Londoner's debut album, Boy in da Corner (XL/Matador), won the 2003 Mercury Prize (over bands like Radiohead and the Darkness) and landed on countless critics' year-end top 10s, but, all media buzz aside, his starkly inventive music is the real reason to show up and take notice. Falling somewhere under the umbrella of U.K. garage (sub-pigeonhole = grime, for these keeping score), Dizzee's tortured Cockney yelp rides sparse, analog keyboard stabs and gut-wrenching bass lines that sound like video games for the criminally insane. Sweet 'n' lovely it ain't, but the rhymes have a raw emotional honesty rare in today's bland, made-for-MTV rap. With unapologetic tales of teenage pregnancy and allusions to his run-ins with the law, Dizzee manages to keep it real without glorifying the dirty, awkward life he lives. Though it'll be hard to top his recent New York City show at Volume (where he appeared rhyming atop an exhaust-belching truck), with San Francisco's Gold Chains, Daly Situations featuring UFO!, and the Compression crew all warming up Mezzanine's appropriately awesome sound system, there should be plenty of smoke. Wed/17, 9 p.m., Mezzanine, 444 Jessie, S.F. $15. (415) 820-9669. (Peter Nicholson)

March 17

Wednesday

Green is good Why wait till tonight to start celebrating the luck o' the Irish? Head over to the Oakland City Center's St. Patrick's Day Celebration at noon for some danceable Irish tunes by traditional Celtic band Driving with Fergus. It's not every day that one gets to see the bodhran, the Irish flute, and the uilleann pipes in action under the sun, so turn out for this jig-worthy gig. Presumably, you'll still be sober enough to enjoy it, even if the rest of tonight's rabble-rousing vanishes in a haze of green beer and Jameson's. Noon-1 p.m., Oakland City Center Plaza, 500 12th St., Oakl. Free. (510) 628-8490, www.oaklandcitycenter.com. (Cheryl Eddy)

March 18

Thursday

Striking the empire A corner sign for Bush Street half-covered by a big "Dictator" sticker is just one of the details in 'We Interrupt This Empire ...' 's portrait of March 20, 2003's antiwar protests. Clocking in at a TV-ready 52 minutes, the San Francisco Video Activist Network's doc digs deep and moves beyond that day in history to address critical matters: Bechtel's, Halliburton's, and the Carlyle Group's political ties and war profiteering; the mainstream media's parroting of Pentagon propaganda; this era's anti-Muslim version of internment camps; and most of all, continued U.S.-sanctioned violence against Iraq. Not just a pie in the eye of jolly imperialists, "We Interrupt" offers visions of the Bay Area's voices of resistance. As campaign strains of patriotism befoul the airwaves, it's a needed reminder that activism is crucial – right now. 7:15 and 9:30 p.m., Red Vic Movie House, 1727 Haight, S.F. $6.50. (415) 668-3994, www.videoactivism.org/empire.html. (Johnny Ray Huston)

Twice as nice Jumping into the Bay Area dance scene two years ago has only propelled Janice Garrett and Dancers into raising the barre. The fact that Garrett has been choreographing for over 15 years more than prepared this gifted artist to take on the courageous job of starting a company of her own. Its second-anniversary season features three world premieres, Talking with the Dead, One Two One, and Rumpus – as well as Laulu Palju, first seen at last year's Summerfest. The work is set to music by Estonian composer Valjo Tormis, who hails from an area of the world for which Garret seems to have a particular affinity. Through Sun/21. 8 p.m., Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna, S.F. $18-$25. (415) 345-7575. (Rita Felciano)

March 19

Friday

Likes wow I first saw Dani Siciliano work her musical magic as a DJ on a Tuesday night at Casanova Lounge on Valencia Street. Not exactly the glamorous big time, but she still rocked the spot with all eight of us in the crowd, half of whom were other DJs waiting their turn. Ten years later, Siciliano has moved on to greener pastures, recently releasing her stunningly beautiful debut, Likes ... (!K7). An album that's at once intimate, intricate, and full of quirky, intense grooves, Likes ... reveals a musician at ease with herself apart from her partnership with Matthew Herbert, crafting gently clicking and swaying songs that bend the heart. Soft Pink Truth and $lotmachine open. 9 p.m., Great American Music Hall, 859 O'Farrell, S.F. $13. (415) 885-0750. (Peter Nicholson)

March 20

Saturday

Body language Honor women – and all of their various unique parts – at the second annual International Clitoris Day Celebration, an upbeat evening of music, dance, and monologues hosted by performer and activist Sia Amma. No euphemisms here: the show mixes honesty and humor with straightforward talk about sexuality and the cultural contexts of female circumcision. Theater luminary Rhodessa Jones heads up the cast of participants, which also includes Nigerian poet Uchechi Kalu, hula and African dancers, drummers, and others. The event benefits Global Women Intact, which counts among its goals helping children (especially girls) get an education in unstable countries like Sierra Leone, New Guinea, and Amma's homeland, Liberia. 8 p.m., Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission, S.F. $20-$35. (415) 978-2787, www.celebrateclitoris.com. (Eddy)

Yee-haw! Never heard of the Legendary Stardust Cowboy? Ever heard of a guy named David Bowie? Well, rumor has it that when Bowie heard the former's debut single, "Paralyzed," he liked it so much that he took part of the performer's name and came up with his now classic alter ego, Ziggy Stardust. The rock icon's love for the "Ledge" has apparently continued over the years, as he recently recorded an LSC tune, "I Took a Trip on a Gemini Spaceship," for his cover-heavy 2002 album, Heathen (Sony). But don't just take Bowie's word for it – LSC (born Norman Carl Odam) is one of a kind, a cowboy who has a twisted take on the traditional style and sound of country music. He doesn't really sing, in the normal sense of the word; his vocals are more of a rapid-fire speak-sing, with plenty of hooting, howling, and hollering, and the lyrics are generally a little bit out of this world (you can clearly hear where the Cramps got some of their influences). So get along, little doggie – grab yer Stetson and yer boots and head on down to Thee Parkside for a night of cotton-pickin' good times. 10 p.m., Parkside, 1600 17th St., S.F. $7. (415) 503-0393. (Sean McCourt)

Make-out tunes San Francisco may not have the constant big-ticket parties of a city like New York, but it does have its share of solid smaller events with shit-hot music. Misturada is one such night, where DJ Vanka of Stellar Trax holds down the decks and serves up a spicy blend that ranges from salsa to soca to Latin house. Celebrating two years of the "good good," Vanka is joined tonight by L.A.'s Very Be Careful playing cumbia and vallento, as well as DJs Rascue and Waltdigz. 9 p.m., Make-Out Room, 3225 22nd St., S.F. $8. (415) 647-2888. (Nicholson)

Equal rights amendment The Michigan Womyn's Music Festival, a fixture for nearly 30 years, provides a late-summer week's worth of outdoor concerts, workshops, film screenings, and other activities – not to mention a sense of community to all who attend. But the fest's rigid females-only policy is upsetting to transexual women, who are barred from attending. Accordingly, in 1991 a group supporting the rights of transgendered women, intersexed folks, and others excluded by the rule started pitching Camp Trans outside the festival's gates in protest. Lend your voice (and donations) to the cause at Happy Campers, a benefit for Camp Trans hosted by Julia Serano and Bay Guardian contributor Michelle Tea. The lineup includes authors Dave Eggers, Erika Lopez, and Carol Queen, poet kari edwards, comedians, burlesque dancers, rockers Lipstick Conspiracy, and many others. 3-8 p.m., El Rio, 3158 Mission, S.F. $7-$12. (415) 282-3325, www.elriosf.com. (Eddy)

March 21

Sunday

Open range You're not alone if your knowledge of Chinese opera doesn't extend far beyond what's imparted in Farewell My Concubine or selected martial arts films (like Tsui Hark's Peking Opera Blues). Get a closer look at the traditional artform at 'Music in Drama: Regional Chinese Traditions,' an afternoon of traditional music, opera, and dance presented by the San Francisco Gu-Zheng Music Society. The show highlights 12 kinds of performances, including Peking, Kunqu, Yue, Cantonese, Taiwan Gezai folk, Anhur folk, and Qing operas. Expect colorful costumes, striking makeup, stellar vocal and instrumental prowess, and tales of love lost, love found, and love from beyond the grave. 3-5 p.m., Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness, S.F. $18-$55. (415) 203-8331 or (415) 392-4400, www.guzheng.org. (Eddy)

March 22

Monday

Fair game If you haven't yet had a chance to pick up Erik Larson's fascinating book The Devil in the White City, it's now in paperback for your reading pleasure. Set against the backdrop of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, the tale follows the struggles and triumphs of two men: the fair's architect, Daniel Hudson Burnham, who prevailed despite natural disasters, the death of his partner, ridiculous time restraints, and other obstacles; and handsome serial murderer Henry H. Holmes, who constructed a hotel for fair guests (especially lonely young women) that conveniently featured a gas chamber and a crematorium. Though it's a meticulously researched work of nonfiction, the book reads as juicily as a novel; Larson keeps the pace moving and drops in the kind of random historical tidbits (who knew the World's Fair was where the Ferris wheel, Shredded Wheat, and Pabst Blue Ribbon were all unveiled?) you'll remember long after you turn the last page. The Seattle-based author hits town today for a reading and signing. 7 p.m., A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books, 601 Van Ness, S.F. Free. (415) 441-6670, www.bookstore.com. (Eddy)

March 23

Tuesday

Extreme makeover Having recently attempted to start a band with six members and struggling with the mess of personalities therein, I've gained new respect for sprawling collectives that manage to accomplish anything. Time will tell with Polyphonic Spree, but old-school punk groups like Chumbawamba and the Mekons managed to operate into the 21st century unscathed. A 25th anniversary for any band has the potential to come off as a historical reenactment, like a leftist version of the Commitments, but the Mekons have kept mutating their mission, even curating group art shows. Their latest record, Punk Rock (Quarterstick/Touch and Go), has them giving their earliest songs a good working over, though their second album, Devils Rats and Piggies (reissued on Touch and Go), was so ahead of its time that it hardly needs Botox. If it were true that only people who write about music listen to the group's records, as Chuck Eddy wrote in the liner notes for New York, on the Road in 1987, then there are a lot more of us than he (or they) could have imagined. 9 p.m., Starry Plough, 3101 Shattuck, Berk. $15. (415) 841-2082. (George Chen)

Flying high Some call Pelican stoner metal, but if the Chicago quartet – who create pulsating, intricate orchestrations – are really under the influence, then these dudes have some extraordinary attention spans. Focused and poignant, Pelican deconstruct metal standards to build a Neurosis-like wall of sound, reinforced by melodic guitar sludge and compounding drums. Fellow instrumental jammers, San Francisco's Subarachnoid Space open with a set of ever-morphing psychedelic improvisation. Appreciation also play. 9 p.m., Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St., S.F. $7. (415) 621-4455. (Ethan Goldwater)

March 24

Wednesday

Book nerd Author Nicholson Baker is now back to merrily writing footnote-laden novels about topics like belly-button lint and human mortality, but San Francisco will always remember him for his infamous 1996 New Yorker article. You know the one: the San Francisco Public Library moves into its sparkly new building only to discover that it actually has less space for books than the old one. (Someone was counting the empty space in the rotunda as usable book storage – oops!) Rather than fessing up about its mistake, the library sent a few thousand books straight to the landfill, and a mighty, mighty scandal occured. Baker discusses his new novel, A Box of Matches (about the aforementioned belly-button lint), with host Barbara Lane. 6 p.m., Commonwealth Club of California, 595 Market, second floor, S.F. $15. (415) 597-6705. (Heather Smith)