8 Days a Week

May 5-12, 2004

DESPITE SAN FRANCISCO'S global reputation as one of house music's hot spots, it can sometimes be hard to find the real, deep, good good here. That's definitely not the case when DJ Said is in town and running his Atmosfere parties. The Nigerian-born DJ and promoter has played host to such luminaries as New York's Joe Clausell and François Kevorkian, as well as S.F.'s David Harness and Miguel Migs. Recently, Said expanded from the party into the studio, with last fall's release of the EP Fatback Villa (Chez Music) and this spring's To Motherland (Wave). "To Motherland," a dubbed-out sax journey with a strong Afrobeat flavor, also kicks off the just-released compilation Deep and Sexy 3 (Wave), mixed by Matthias "Matty" Heilbronn, who's the guest DJ at this installment of Atmosfere. Deep and Sexy 3 is one of the best compilations of deep house in recent history, and Said finds himself in good company, with his track holding its own alongside heavyweights like Eric Kupper and Tom and Joyce. Like the comp, Said's Atmosfere has firm roots in the past while reaching for the future; the basement of Club Six should be a perfect setting for getting down and dirty while reaching for the stars. Mauricio Aviles also performs. Sat/8, 9 p.m.-4 a.m., Club Six, 60 Sixth St., S.F. $10. (415) 863-1221. (Peter Nicholson)

May 5

Wednesday

Slidin' away "Hey, you got your indie rock in my jam band!" "Your jam band sounds like my indie rock!" Truth is, the Slip are more complex and imaginative than any oversimplified genre shortcut can describe, but their bright, swooning explorations are easier to understand with a signpost or two for guidance. Since that fateful day back in '91 when brothers Brad Barr (guitar) and Andrew Barr (drums) met Marc Friedman (bass) during high school Jazz Band 101, this Boston trio have developed an expansive musical vocabulary; they incorporate the intellectual thrill and visceral edge of improvisatory jazz with the emotional depth and bittersweet minor-chord hum of bands like Pavement and Wilco. For now, their virtuoso chops and sonic wanderlust garner them greatest support from the jam and jazz communities, but it's only a matter of time before the indie scene's more open-minded listeners grab hold for good. Intriguing Denver neo-traditional alt rockers Devotchka open. 9 p.m., Independent, 628 Divisadero, S.F. $15. (415) 771-1421. (Jonathan Zwickel)

Elegant finale It took years for modern dancer June Watanabe to realize that being Japanese American gave her a special insight into – and maybe a responsibility to reflect – the American experience. As she was interested in the avant garde and insisted on formal values (she was a pioneer in working with video artists like Doug Rosenberg), she kept her distance from anything with even a whiff of so-called multiculturalism about it. In the process, of course, she redefined and expanded the terminology. Over the years, Watanabe has gradually deepened and broadened the questions she explores in her choreography. With Noh Project II: "Can't" Is "Night" – with which she closes a 22-year performing career – she has come full circle, collaborating with Anshin Uchida, the Japanese Noh master who, among others, became her mentor and teacher. Always an eloquent dance maker, she describes this Buddhist-inspired swan song as "a fluid intersection and synthesis of forms and cultures, in which each is diffused and transformed." Through Thurs/6. 8 p.m., Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission, S.F. $20-$25. (415) 978-2787, www.junewatanabeincompany.com. (Rita Felciano)

Juice is loose If you weren't already familiar with Athens, Ga.-based Jucifer and found yourself at one of their shows, you might be surprised that the band's insanely heavy and thick wall of sound comes from just two people: Amber Valentine on vocals and guitar and Edgar Livengood on drums. Over her sludgy, dense, and noisy guitar work (reminiscent of Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi and the Melvins' King Buzzo), Valentine adds an almost angelic, trancelike vocal style that puts the mix over the top into uncharted territory. Totimoshi and Replicator also play. 8 p.m., Pound-S.F., Pier 96, 100 Cargo Way, S.F. $10. (415) 826-9202. (Sean McCourt)

May 6

Thursday

His and Herms Singer-guitarist Matt Lutz and bassist Alex Tuzin met while living in UC Berkeley's infamously wack Cloyne Court Co-op and came together last year through their common love of foosball and rock and roll. A few months later they set forth toward their rock-star dreams as the Herms, performing for a roomful of naked students rolling around in hundreds of pounds of fudge. In a Berkeley loft they recorded a loose, garagey, five-song demo that speaks in Velvet-y diatribes and Cramps howls and growls, and moves to the whip-cracking of some funk-on-amphetamine bass lines. It all got the attention of Studio 880 (Green Day, Blackalicious), which has just completed recording the group and is now shopping them around to major labels. So get there early and move up front, because Lutz's lip curl wouldn't look the same in a stadium. They open for SeaChange. Pretty Girls Make Graves headline. 9 p.m., Cafe du Nord, 2170 Market, S.F. $10. (415) 861-5016. (Ethan Goldwater)

May 7

Friday

Soulful sound Toots Hibbert is to the Jamaican reggae scene what Otis Redding was to American soul music – minus Redding's early death in an airplane crash, of course. Hibbert's first exposure to stateside audiences came in the early '70s via the famous Harder They Come soundtrack, and along with Jimmy Cliff and the Wailers, he became one of reggae's first American stars. He's recorded about a million albums and could deliver a purely murderous live show. Toots and the Maytals have a new album of Hibbert's old hits ("54-46 That's My Number," "Sweet and Dandy," and "Monkey Man," among them), each rerecorded with (largely unnecessary) contributions from a who's who of non-Jamaican stars (Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Trey Anastasio). I've played it a lot; it's got some great moments. But those songs were recorded in the studio – this show'll prove whether he's still got it onstage. Abdel Wright plays both nights; DJ Jah Yzer opens tonight, and Irie Dole opens Sat/8. 8 p.m., Independent, 628 Divisadero, S.F. $25. (415) 771-1421. (J.H. Tompkins)

Words from the wise Falling into Genny Lim's stream of consciousness, one lands on a stirring, shifting trek through war, Asian identity politics, and spirituality. From sonorous to staccato, her vocal threads tie together improvisational mixtures of poetry, jazz, and traditional Asian instrumentation. Tonight, the performance poet's melodic reading merges selections from her new book, Child of War, and accompaniment by saxophonist Francis Wong, percussionist Karen Stackpole, and percussionist-vocalist Donna Kwon. Lim's new collection arises from the grief of losing a daughter but taps into larger notions of instability and unrest. Presented by Asian Improv Arts, the evening also includes Quest, a dance piece by Melody Takata imbued with movement drawn from Japanese drumming (taiko) and folk dance (odori). 8 p.m., SomArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan, S.F. $12. (415) 353-5732, www.asianimprov.org. (Laurie Koh)

Strange crew Scandalous rumors abounded and a lawsuit emerged last fall when the founders of Athens, Ga.-based indie pop label Kindercore Records jumped ship and it abandoned its future projects. Having experienced the tricks and absurdities of the industry firsthand, the label's former pop-psych champions Of Montreal might have been expected to go mad, bingeing further into their own fantastic, ridiculously histrionic netherworld. But quite to the contrary, the Elephant 6-ers have resurfaced more composed than ever. Maintaining their patented trippy quirks and switches, Satanic Panic in the Attic (Polyvinyl) floats with singer Kevin Barnes's classic melodies in more digestible trippy layers. Where their songs would previously stumble in high school theater-like tangents, Satanic Panic bursts with more upbeat, energetic grooves. Fellow Elephant 6 popsters the Minders, local guitar-folk homeboy Bart Davenport, and Chicken on a Raft open. 9:30 p.m., Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St., S.F. $8. (415) 621-4455. (Goldwater)

Muscle in Do you like circuses and well-muscled males? Galumpha just might be the show for you. It won't challenge you to contemplate the obscure facts of life, but it does promise to entertain in a manner that's formally sophisticated, technically accomplished, and emotionally accessible. Besides, it's a good excuse to get back into Project Artaud Theater, a performance space that deserves more use by dance-based artists than it has gotten in the past couple of years. You can take the kids; if you don't have any, borrow some. The parents will be grateful. Through May 30. Opens tonight, 8 p.m. Runs Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m. (also Sat., 2 p.m.); Sun., 2 and 7 p.m., Project Artaud Theater, 450 Florida, S.F. $15-$25. (415) 392-4400, www.cityboxoffice.com. (Felciano)

May 8

Saturday

Renew or die! Not since the Conan the Librarian animated public service announcements has there been such an aggressive campaign to promote literacy as that of Bloodhag. The hardcore thrash and death metal band out of Seattle, in addition to playing some of the darkest riffs this side of hell, sing about science fiction authors. "Jules Verne," "Octavia Butler," and "William Gibson" are just some of the songs off their CD Necrotic Bibliophilia (Rock and Roleplay), which they hope will inspire people to get their noses back into books. Though they dress like nerdy librarians, watch out for flying paperbacks, pop quizzes, and possible requests to see your library card – for your sake, I hope you have one. Best Friends, eXtreme Elvis, and Nigel Pepper Cock also play. 9 p.m., Elbo Room, 647 Valencia, S.F. $8. (415) 552-7788. (McCourt)

Got it covered The pleasure of a happening music scene with thousands of musicians in hundreds of bands breaking new ground with original material is that you can go to a club with a four-band bill and wind up hating every fucking song except for the 30-second version of a Cheap Trick tune – which, when someone sees you singing along, causes them to roll their eyes, like, "What a loser." All I can say is, don't bring that person to the Mandonna (all-male Madonna tribute band) and Heavy Petty (ditto, Tom Petty) show. I'll be there because I'd give a lot of money to be onstage with Heavy Petty, singing lead on "Listen to Her Heart," especially on the part that goes, "You think you're gonna take her away / With your money and your cocaine." I think that's so cool, but I'd want to rehearse at least once, so it probably won't happen this time. But come on out to the Richmond and have fun, which is why people used to go out to clubs before music got so serious. 9 p.m., Last Day Saloon, 406 Clement, S.F. $10. (415) 387-6344. (Tompkins)

May 9

Sunday

Great Scott Every son has a mother, but few mothers have had a son as movingly devoted as the legendary Jimmy Scott. At the age of 13, Scott was struck by two tragedies: he was diagnosed with Kallman's syndrome, and his beloved mother, Justine, was killed in a car accident. Throughout the 60-plus years since, he's paid tribute to her with the type of wholly unique voice that only fate (and dedicated artistry) can produce. Scott's time-suspending approach to the torch song can be heard on many great albums, including at least two classics – 1962's Falling in Love Is Wonderful and 1969's The Source – and its influence can be felt in both Nancy Wilson's choice of repertoire and her phrasing. When he sings "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child," the whole audience better be ready to get out their handkerchiefs. Madeline Eastman opens. 8 p.m., Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness, S.F. $22-$42. (415) 776-1999. (Johnny Ray Huston)

GWAR is hell Veteran costume rockers GWAR are back! Sexicutioner, Oderus Urungus, BalSac the Jaws of Death, and all the rest of this motley crew are ready to once again hose down adoring audiences with fake blood and other bodily fluids. Maybe you'll have flashbacks to seventh grade, when you thought GWAR ruled – or maybe it'll be your first time seeing them, and you'll discover a new favorite camp classic. Either way, you'll surely have a blast singing along with "Saddam A Go Go," "Slaughterama," or "Gor-Gor" while watching these outer space perverts scamper about onstage. Bad Acid Trip and Watch Them Die open. 8 p.m., DNA Lounge, 375 11th St., S.F. $20. (415) 626-1409. (McCourt)

May 10

Monday

Funny lady It's been nearly two decades since Ishtar became a Hollywood punch line. But take another look: compared to the mounds of money-losing mediocrities that've been shoveled into theaters lately (yep, I'm talking to you, The Alamo), that failed Beatty-Hoffman comedy really doesn't seem like such a disaster. So let's forgive the film's writer-director, the brilliant Elaine May, for that one and instead praise her many other accomplishments: she was a founding member of Chicago's influential Second City comedy troupe, created classic improv skits with creative partner Mike Nichols, and penned a number of well-received screenplays (including The Birdcage and the Oscar-nominated Heaven Can Wait) – not to mention she's one of few women who've achieved legend status in the male-dominated comedy world. The veteran talent chats about her career at this City Arts and Lectures special event. 8 p.m., Herbst Theatre, 410 Van Ness, S.F. $18.50-$21. (415) 392-4400. (Cheryl Eddy)

May 11

Tuesday

Keep rising Worthy of praise for their good work helping battered, non-English-speaking homeless women and their children – and equally worthy of your dollars to help them continue said work – the Asian Women's Shelter hosts its annual fundraiser, Rise Up! Highlights of the event include a pan-Asian buffet, a silent auction, and video segments from Mann Ke Manjeere, a compilation album of empowering songs about women in contemporary India. AWS has been around for 16 years, but funding is tight these days; head out tonight and make sure this multicultural, multilingual nonprofit keeps its doors open. 5:30 p.m., St. Mary's Cathedral Conference Center, 1111 Gough, S.F. $50. (415) 751-7110. (Eddy)

May 12

Wednesday

Devil in the details What's a graphic artist to do when he awakens from a dream certain he's been visited by 1930s jazz dandy Al Bowlly and '60s cult actress Tuesday Weld? Change his name and start a band, of course. British eccentric Stephen Coates's second effort under the moniker the Real Tuesday Weld is the recently released I, Lucifer (Six Degrees), conceived as the soundtrack to Glenn Duncan's novel of the same name. Coates's clever, sultry cabaretronica is inspired equally by creaking Victrola ragtime, breathy Gainsbourgian cocktail poetics, and boudoir beat technique, embodying all the thematic and emotional dynamics of a well-told story. Add clarinet, guitar, upright bass, and drums supplied by an international cast of musicians to Coates's dreamlike production and vocals, and this show – one of only five in North America – will be one of those unique experiences that gets through to the heart via the head. Mark Growden and Noe Venable open. 9 p.m., Cafe du Nord, 2170 Market, S.F. $8. (415) 861-5016. (Zwickel)