8 Days a Week

Jan. 26-Feb. 1, 2005

A FEW YEARS back some unauthorized remixes of Pharell and Nas began starting fires. Pushing the originals deep into more soulful territory with live instrumentation and seriously funky percussion, the white-label 12-inch singles had everybody wondering, "Who did these?" Yam Who? are who. A pair of secretive London producers (known to some as Andy Williams and Desmond Morgan, and sometimes seen behind the counter at Soho record shop Restless), Yam Who? were responsible for the "pirate soul" recordings that stripped the originals of their more commercial elements and stretched them out to DJ-friendly length. Since then they've gone legit and continued to work their magic for artists like Dwele, Alison Crockett, and Little Brother. Their first official "original" track (appropriately enough, a cover of Heatwave's disco classic "Star of the Story") is one of the highlights on Ubiquity Records' forthcoming Rewind! 4 compilation, blending strings, vocals, and a thick-bottomed beat for a soul concoction that surpasses any "neo" pigeonhole. Joining Yam Who?'s Williams behind the turntables are Eug, Tokyo Component, and Hakobo. Fri/28, 10 p.m.-4 a.m., Pink, 2925 16th St., S.F. $10. (415) 431-8889. (Peter Nicholson)

Jan. 26: Wednesday

anime cityTurning Japanese It's not just the rare anime-collecting, latest-Asics-from-Tokyo-sporting otaku who looks to Japanese culture as a gauge for what's new, cool, and hip. It's also the square, corporate yuppies who read Wired magazine's "Japanese Schoolgirl Watch" section to find out about the latest fads and gadgets, the kids in school who collect Yu-Gi-Oh! trading cards, and the teens who copy outrageous fashions straight out of Fruits. Whichever group you identify with, all fans of Japanese culture will appreciate 'Japan's Pop Culture Revolution.' At this panel discussion, author and Bay Guardian contributor Patrick Macias, Giant Robot publisher Eric Nakamura, author Gilles Poitras, and moderator Alvin Lu take a closer look at 2004's trends and themes in Japanese pop culture and how they've affected us. 6 p.m., 312 Sutter, second fl., S.F. $10-$15. (415) 986-4383, www.usajapan.org (RSVP recommended). (Sarah Han)

Jan. 27: Thursday

Better luck tomorrow? The members of Axolotl may have the worst luck of any functioning local band I can think of. William Sabiston was recently mugged on his way to a show, and founder Karl Bauer relocated to San Francisco from New York City after his apartment burned down. Yet function they do, and glowingly. Equipped with drum triggers, tamboura, violin, vocals, and a bevy of effects pedals, the duo (sometimes augmented by guest members) parlay the caboodle into swirling, heady psych-drone jams that don't venture near jam band freak-outs. Theirs is a meditative, minimal, microcosmic swell of acoustic crunch and technological finesse that has stealth on its side. The group's Archons?/Archons! CD-R on Collective Jyrk and their debut self-titled CD on Psych-O-Path plug you into unsettling soundscapes that make you feel like you're sinking in a cotton candy haze too goopy to climb out of, but why would you want to? Askr and Skaters also play. 10 p.m., Hemlock Tavern, 1131 Polk, S.F. $5. (415) 923-0923. (George Chen)

The Typographer's DreamLetter perfect The combination of playwright Adam Bock and San Francisco's Encore Theatre Company has worked magic in the past – witness 2002's production of Five Flights, which earned raves and seemingly endless extensions. The winning formula of Bock and Encore repeats with the West Coast premiere of The Typographer's Dream, a comedy about professions, identities, and professional identities. Bock was initially inspired to pen the play while working at a design firm, where he became fascinated with typography, or text design – and then imagined what would happen if a typographer, a geographer, and a stenographer (although sadly, no pornographer) hung out and got a little tipsy, chatting about life and their careers. Expect snappy, witty dialogue and strong performances from Bay Area theater regulars Aimee Guillot, Jamie Jones, and Michael Shipley. Through Feb. 27. Previews Thurs/27-Sat/29, 8 p.m.; Sun/30, 5 p.m. Opens Mon/31, 8 p.m. Runs Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 5 p.m., Thick House, 1695 18th St., S.F. $15-$20. (415) 821-4849, www.encoretheatrecompany.org. (Cheryl Eddy)

Jan. 28: Friday

Southern comfort The line between influences and contemporaries blurs more every day. No sooner do the music media cry wolf than their self-actualizing predictions create a hundred imitations of a band that don't even know what they sound like. Such was the worry and excitement over the Kings of Leon. Labeled the "Southern Strokes" for their modern twang, the Kings faced expectations from listeners before they knew what to expect from themselves. With the band poised to either go the way of Reef and the Vines or pave their own path, Aha Shake Heartbreak (released in the U.K. in November on Handmedown/RCA) showed critics that the Kings are in control of their own destiny and that it is just about the music. The Kings don't sound like the Stones and the Strokes got stoned and stroked each other; they do what made those bands great: they stand on the strength of what they've created, not imitated. The Features open. 9 p.m., Slim's, 333 11th St., S.F. $16. (415) 255-0333. (Keith Axline)

Jan. 29: Saturday

Aqualung
Aqualung photo by Deidre O’Callaghan
Life aquatic Put those flutes away; Aqualung is no Jethro Tull cover band. Far from it, U.K. singer-songwriter Matt Hales is a one-man Britpop machine who can't seem to escape accusations of being a Chris Martin/Thom Yorke impersonator. Though he shares the soft-voiced, introspective styles of his compatriots, Hales, a classically trained musician, is chock-full of talent and hardly a Coldplay karaoke act. While his first solo effort came out in 2002, Aqualung has been involved in the music scene literally since birth (he was born above his parents' record store in Southampton), and it shows. Hales proves himself to be a master balladist, weaving lilting piano melodies, string ensemble handiwork, melting guitars, and fluid lyrics that occasionally show Aqualung's cheeky side (Hales stealthily slips in, among others, the odd Oasis and Joy Division reference). Chris Gallagher and Etienne de Rocher also play. 8 p.m., Swedish American Hall, 2174 Market, S.F. $10. (415) 861-5016. (Elisa Jacobs)

Goose farts The first guitar chord Leo Kottke played – an E – took him to a world of timeless acoustic timbre. He has made a 37-year career of similarly abducting willing audiences with his live shows and recorded music. A wizard of the fretboard, Kottke does the work of two onstage, leaving audiences to search for the phantom guitarist. Known to wax philosophic in conversation, in concert Kottke is humble and candid with the audience, holding true to his assertion that music, performer, and listener are all equal participants in the performance. Suffering from partial hearing loss in both ears – his left from a childhood cherry bomb incident, his right from military service – Kottke prefers the 12-string guitar for its range of frequencies, though he still drops jaws with his 6-string arrangements. His most recent album, Try and Stop Me (RCA), is mostly instrumental, but Kottke has an extensive catalog of stellar vocals and heartfelt lyrics that enrich his already lush and serene sound. 8 p.m., Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, 3301 Lyon, S.F. $24-$35. 1-888-400-6664. (Axline)

Jan. 30: Sunday

Cyborg vultures The Scissor Sisters' self-titled debut LP (Universal) evokes a host of cinematic images including slow-motion ravers grinding in neon foam and an '80s montage of an exaggerated protagonist stumbling drunk, heartbroken, and unfortunately dressed through the streets of New York. Their album is Beck's Midnight Vultures without the irony, and they've got a live show to back up the sound. If you're not already sold by the Elton John-turned-cyborg arrangements and the uploaded Bee Gees vocals, the Sisters' theatrical presence and psychedelic performance are enough to get anyone with a pulse on the dance floor. The show is not a medium for their music but another vital instrument. Since the boy-band epidemic, most pop music and performance have diverged from the tastes of less lucrative demographics, but the Scissor Sisters are the cavalry for those who thought they'd never be allowed back into the mainstream. 8 p.m., Warfield, 982 Market, S.F. $25. (415) 775-7722. (Axline)

Jan. 31: Monday

They crawl MacGyver fans probably remember "Trumbo's World," the memorable episode in which our hero has to save a Brazilian plantation from a raging horde of hungry army ants. In the episode, people, animals, and crops are eaten in seconds! It's pretty laughable when it's on TV, but did you know that a colony of army ants can really wipe out 1,800 square yards in a single day? Scary stuff. You probably wouldn't want to be there to see that kind of wide-scale devastation, but for those of you who are curious, you can watch the daily feeding of army ants safely behind glass at the California Academy of Sciences' "Ants" exhibit. Daily, 2:15 p.m., California Academy of Sciences, 875 Howard, S.F. Free with $2-$7 museum admission. (415) 321-8000. (Han)

Feb. 1: Tuesday

Hem
Sally Ellyson photo by JoJo Pennebaker
Brooklyn bluegrass In an age when technology is constantly transforming the face of music, it's a welcome change of pace when New York octet Hem dust off the kind of music you could play while sitting on your porch drinking lemonade. Hem are nostalgic Americana at its best, intertwining delicate string instruments (including mandolins and banjos), lazy clarinet, shimmering piano, and the soothing hum of the long-forgotten glockenspiel. Gracing Hem's prairie symphonies are lead singer Sally Ellyson's soft and frilly vocals, which seem to effortlessly drip through the air like honey. Peddling vintage folk that wouldn't sound out of place in the subway, Hem take you back with antique flair. David Mead and Dawn Landes also play. 9 p.m., Cafe du Nord, 2170 Market, S.F. $12. (415) 861-5016. (Jacobs)

Feb. 2: Wednesday

The choir boys You: indie rocker at 24 Hour Fitness. You arrive like clockwork, work out on the elliptical machine, not too cool to dress like a "gym person." Us: admiring your dedication to your exercise regime and the latest moody, proggily orchestral rock CD, The Hoop (Frenetic), by your combo Crime in Choir, which at various times has gathered hella sweet northern California indie musicians like Hella's Zach Hill, the Advantage's Carson McWhirter, Dilute's Jay Pellici, the Quails' Seth Lorinczi, and the Mass's Matt Waters. Just keep pumping – and priming that choir; psst, we're looking forward to the 2005 album. BTW, working out, like skateboarding, is not a crime. SF Sound and Unagi also play. 9 p.m., Elbo Room, 647 Valencia, S.F. $6. (415) 552-7788. (Kimberly Chun)

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