Legends of doom, of ska, and of Latin jazz all make SF appearances this week: Yob, the Uptones, and Eddie Palmieri. And then there's the indie rock wizard crew, Wilco, which is bringing out fellow legends Cibo Matto and the irreverent Jonathan Richman for its one-two punch of Bay Area shows.

Of course, there are other kinds of icons, there are future-greats in the making (Ringo Deathstarr and Holograms) and events bound to create lasting memories (Bay for the Bayou Benefit) glittered up with even more prestige via Allen Toussaint. Read more »

The long-predictable MTV Music Video Awards aired last week, and I'd venture a guess that many of you didn't tune in, and perhaps an even greater number didn't know it was on. For those who missed it, you didn't miss much, just a lot of vanilla pop stars and one awesome Frank Ocean.

For every big name, shiny-toothed act, there are hundreds better – and weirder – under the radar. Imagine if the award show was packed with acts like Chelsea Wolfe (this week at the Rickshaw Stop), legendary punk band the Zeros (at Brick and Mortar Hall), or Oakland's Metal Mother (at the Rock Make Festival), instead of Taylor Swift, One Direction, Demi Lovato and their ilk. Speaking of the latter, how is “Best Video With a Message” an actual category these days? Read more »

Your prime concert options this week – Lightning Bolt, Les Sins, Roach Gigz, Doe Eye – are about as varied as the shows I attended this past government-sanctioned holiday weekend.

If that sounds like the start of a bad joke, it's not. The shows really were incredibly diverse. My Friday night stop at Oakland Metro was so damn hardcore, a crust punk made fun of me in the bathroom for worrying about the TP attached to her shoe. Sheesh. Read more »

It just so happens that some of the screamiest, gnarliest, most brutal sludge, grindcore, and hardcore acts born of the 1990s (and still out there cracking skulls today) will descend upon the Bay Area this weekend. The list includes Eyehategod, Dropdead, Iron Lung, Bastard Noise, Noothgrush, Citizens Arrest — shockingly, on its first ever West Coast tour — and more. Get ready to go hoarse screaming along, and to return home with less hair and bruises on your toes.

Of course, if you’re not into such death-doom-despair, there are some jazzier (Béla Fleck and Marcus Roberts), folkier (Brown Bird), post-hardcore-rier (Desaparecidos) and discoish (Tiger and Woods) options out there for you as well.  Plus, since the coming weekend is of the elusive three-day variety, I've gone ahead and added in next Monday's epic show too (Hot Snakes!). I aim to please. Read more »

On one end of the spectrum, there are the exquisite singer-songwriters such as Eleni Mandell and Dana Falconberry; on the other end, there's massive metal mayhem aboard the USS Hornet, at an event dubbed Slaughter by the Water. And then there are the Go-Going-Gone Girls, go-go dancing in between the disparate acts.  Read more »

The global spectacle of the Olympics is through for now (see you in Russia 2014!); the local frenzy of Outside Lands 2012 has passed. So what's there to do and see this week? Well, there’s Twin Shadow, Sam Flax, Three Mile Pilot, Midnight Magic, and two free shows: Flosstradamus with Riff Raff and Floating Points, and afternoon with the San Francisco Opera (separate outings). Read more »

Outside Lands is nearly here, and you'll read plenty about that in the paper. But the festival is now sold out, plus I do realize there are many people simply not interested in attending festivals period. For you, those averse to the outside and massive crowds, there are other sonic highs in the Bay Area this week – including Foxygen, Shonen Knife, Redd Kross, new club night Y3K, and, wait for it, Neil Diamond. Read more »

This is a week of ebullient greetings and sorrowful goodbyes. So long Snoop Dogg, welcome Snoop Lion's Reincarnated. Back down on earth – and more pertinent to concert-goers in the Bay Area this week – we'll open our arms to the Yolks, finally on a proper tour. And say nice to see you again to Buraka Som Sistema, and welcome return to Peaking Lights (the duo met here).

And with a single tear rolling down the cheek, we'll shout bon voyage to the current repertoire of Extra Action Marching Band, in this form at least – they'll surely regroup with some magical new production soon enough. Read more »

Total Trash's bodacious two-day barbecue bonanza in Oakland tops the list of must-see live shows this week, but there's plenty more to see, including synth heavy beach-pop created by an ex-choir boy, beat punk girl gangs, and some Adult Swim-approved indie rock. Read more »

Use a selection of mixtapes as a base crust, add a pinch of sweet Young Magic, some crunchy Grass Widow(s), extract of Phono Del Sol and warm Summer Soul, along with a creamy dollop of pastoral My Best Fiend. What have you got? The week in San Francisco sound pie. Stick a fork in it. Read more »