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Tip
sheet
A guide to music in March.
By Kimberly
Chun
March 5
Adam Levy
and Buttermilk Junior Before Adam Levy moved to New York and
became the indispensable guitar-toting side-dude on Norah Jones's
Grammy Award-winning CD, Come Away with Me, and subsequent
tours, he was a fixture in Bay Area jazz circles, playing with Tracy
Chapman and Jenna Mammina. He's back, previewing a new album with
drummer Brannen Temple and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Hammond player Red
Young. 9:30 p.m. Boom Boom Room, 1601 Fillmore, S.F. $6. (415)
673-8000.
March 6
Moore, Neville,
Porter, House The hangover remedy may be in the House, Moore,
Neville, Porter lineup of this Mardi Gras afterglow show. Funky
Meters bass player George Porter Jr. teams with Galactic's vocalist
and drummer, Theryl "Houseman" Declouet and Stanton Moore,
respectively, and Neville Brothers bassist and Xpensive Winos cohort
Ivan Neville. 8 p.m. Slim's, 333 11th St., S.F. $30-$35. (415)
522-0333. (Also without Porter March 5, 8 p.m., Slim's. $30-$35).
Royksopp
Pretenders to the Euro-electro/pop throne of Air? Norwegian
duo Torbjorn Brundtland and Svein Berge, who keep their postcoital
ambient beats '80s-ish, strings-laden, and plenty cozy for all of
those sentimental synth fiends and feral snow bunnies who want to
come in from the cold. 9 p.m. Bimbo's 365 Club, 1025 Columbus,
S.F. Call for price. (415) 474-0365.
March 7
Joan of Arc
After threatening to self-immolate, the Cap 'n Jazz vets of
Joan of Arc keep it together long enough to patch the laid-back
So Much Staying Alive and Lovelessness, all while trying
their best to fracture the melodies so beloved of their Jade Tree
label mates. The Decoration, formerly known as Pinq, and Hella also
perform. 10 p.m. Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St., S.F. $8-$10.
(415) 474-0365.
March 8
Pere Ubu
The original avant-punk grandpappies get back on the road with a
recent SpinArt album, St. Arkansas, in hand. The Swords Project
also play. 9 p.m. Slim's, 333 11th St., S.F. $12. (415) 522-0333.
March 9
Bosco and
Jorge Chicago's Bill Lowman and Brad Gallagher prove John Fahey
does indeed live on – as an inspiration for their guitar instrumentals.
Good for Cows and Xiu Xiu (solo) also play. 10 p.m. Hemlock Tavern,
1131 Polk, S.F. $6. (415) 923-0923.
Chris Robinson
Judging from the love songs on his first solo album, New
Earth Mud, Chris Robinson isn't exactly throwing mud at his
wife's latest performances – as much as they might deserve
it. Instead, the big bird of the Black Crowes is back with electrified,
Van Morrison-esque roots rock. 8 p.m. Slim's, 333 11th St., S.F.
$20. (415) 522-0333.
March 10
Potomac Accord
The St. Louis ensemble ships out some grave, lovely music, accompanied
by Bay Area comrades in sonic sobriety Thee More Shallows, as well
as Anamude. 8:30 p.m. Make-Out Room, 3225 22nd St., S.F. $6.
(415) 647-2888.
Special Goodness
Anthemic cock rock meets sensitive-guy verbiage in the hands
of Special Goodness, the unholy union of Weezer founder Pat Wilson
and Rocket from the Crypt short-timer Atom Willard. The side project
that found its way into Weezer fans' hands and hearts recently released
its debut, Land Air Sea. Loudermilk and the Substitutes also
play. 9 p.m. Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St., S.F. $7. (415)
474-0365.
March 11
Atom and
His Package Armed with his beloved "Package," or sequencer,
Atom Goren turns in his most "mature" release yet, the
aggro Attention! Blah Blah Blah. And feisty punk pop band
Sixty Stories' femmey group sing-along vocals make them sound as
if they absorbed too much WB programming. 60 Stories and Charmless
also perform. 9 p.m. Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St., S.F.
$7. (415) 474-0365.
Ludacris
Russell Simmons has Ludacris's back against Pepsi, and the Atlanta
rapper recently launched a youth-oriented nonprofit, the Ludacris
Foundation – but more important, I don't hear a "What's
Your Fantasy," one of my fave odes to hoochie-dom, or an "Area
Codes," a guilty pleasure of a ho-down, on the man's latest,
Disturbing tha Peace. The second-best candidate: Ludacris's
thug anthem "Break Sumthin'," which cries out to be utilized
during the next storefront-shattering riot. Smilez and Southstar
also perform. 9 p.m. Fillmore, 1805 Geary, S.F. $20. (415) 421-TIXS
or (415) 346-6000.
March 13
Melvin Seals
and Rhythm Factory Old Jerry Garcia Band, Chuck Berry,
and Elvin Bishop crony Melvin Seals strokes the Hammond B-3 with
a bluesy backup band. 9:30 p.m. Boom Boom Room, 1601 Fillmore,
S.F. $8. (415) 673-8000.
Q and Not
U Dischord triad Q and Not U break it down with wacky instrumentation
and off-the-beaten-drum-kit rhythms, coming to town after touring
Japan. Engine Down and Rocky Votolato also play. 9 p.m. Bottom
of the Hill, 1233 17th St., S.F. $7. (415) 474-0365.
March 14
Sea and Cake
The Sea and Cake aren't exactly lounging back with the cool-jazz
ice-tea stylings of their fifth album, Oui. Their gently
colored sixth CD, One Bedroom, is strafed with more feedback,
washed with more synth, and bubbling over with a kind of chilly,
subtly groovy funk that only Sam Prekop, John McEntire, and Archer
Prewitt can cook up. Califone go further out than ex-tour mates
Wilco, suturing spooky delay tricks and treated piano to subdued
arrangements and cosmic-cowpoke vocals by Tim Rutili. 9 p.m.
Fillmore, 1805 Geary, S.F. $20. (415) 421-TIXS or (415) 346-6000.
March 15
DJ Vadim
Ninja Tune Renaissance man DJ Vadim momentarily drops the painting,
promoting, beat excavation, A&R, and producing and indulges in a
tag-team bout with DJ First Rate and a performance with his Russian
Percussion crew. J-Boogie's Dubtronic Science also performs. 10
p.m. Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St., S.F. $10. (415) 474-0365.
Living Legends
Leave it to the Mystik Journeymen's Sunspot Jonz and luckyiam.PSC,
Murs, Eligh, the Grouch, Aesop, OMD, Eyedea and Abilities, and Scarub
to spin their variances with a positive vibe, naming this venture
"The Creative Differences Tour." If one act doesn't work
for you, another one will, because, as one visitor to their Web
site's forum writes, "Each legend is dope in their own way."
9 p.m. Fillmore, 1805 Geary, S.F. $22.50. (415) 421-TIXS or (415)
346-6000.
Mus Northern
California's Darla Records maintains its tireless proppage of all
things poppy and melodic. Dreamy ambient pop duo Mus (Fran Gayo
and Monica Vacas) warble in the Asturian language of northwestern
Spain, standing out amid the equally ethereal Maquiladora and reverby
Lowlights. The Sinking Ships and the California Oranges also play.
9 p.m. Cafe du Nord, 2170 Market, S.F. $12. (415) 861-5016.
March 16
The Blow
Homemade electro, claustrophobically overdubbed vocals, nostalgic
references to New Day Rising – what a tangled web Microphones
player Khaela Maricich, a.k.a. the Blow, weaves on her K Records
release, Bonus Album. Live, expect a theme-propelled operatic
production and pop-cult anagram games, delivered with the recording's
playful, girl-talk intimacy. Anna Oxygen and Janet Pants Dans Theatre
also play. 10 p.m. Hemlock Tavern, 1131 Polk, S.F. $5.
(415) 923-0923.
Common Cast
aside your disgust at Lonnie Rashied Lynn's cringey sapfest of a
"Come Close to Me" video – an oddly suburbanized
appropriation of Don't Look Back – for this "KMEL
House of Soul" show. 8 p.m. Fillmore, 1805 Geary, S.F. $37.50.
(415) 421-TIXS or (415) 346-6000.
March 18
Damo Suzuki
The 50-plus Can man kicks it with his Network, composed of like-minded
musicians. 10 p.m. Hemlock Tavern, 1131 Polk, S.F. $10.
(415) 923-0923.
March 19
Audioslave
Didn't I tell you the '90s revival would be nipping at your
flannel-clad rump? The Rage Against the Machine and Soundgarden
spin-off supergroup grace this summer's return of Lollapalooza,
right after this tour. Burning Brides also play. 8 p.m. Warfield,
982 Market, S.F. $32.25. (415) 421-TIXS or (415) 775-7722. (Also
March 20, 8 p.m. Warfield. $32.25.)
March 20
D4 Wayne
Kramer wouldn't know whether to be proud or litigious. The
New Zealand foursome kick out the rockingest garage punk rave-ups
on the Flying Nun label. Electric Six and Camarosmith also
perform. 9 p.m. Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St., S.F. $10.
(415) 474-0365.
March 21
Palomar Winsome,
women-dominated New York pop group Palomar sprint to the finish
with their short, speedy songs. Fields of Gaffney and Kung Fu USA
also play. 10 p.m. Hemlock Tavern, 1131 Polk, S.F. $5.
(415) 923-0923.
March 22
Cannonball
San Francisco scratch-laden jazz and jam combo Cannonball work it
all out, beautifully, with a certain way with a groove and splashes
of Latin jazz. Throw in a cappella vocals, freestyling forays by
rapper Dublin, and a stray didgeridoo while you're at it. Low-key
funksters might want to touch down with New York City's trancy,
jazzy Moonraker. DJ Aspect also performs. 10 p.m. Elbo Room,
647 Valencia, S.F. $8. (415) 552-7788.
Vines
Have Australia's snottiest-nosed would-be Kurt Cobains grown into
their faux stage trashing? All I know is their first stop in S.F.,
at Slim's, was fraught with growing pains and facial contortions.
They have the songs – maybe by now, as anointed rock heirs
to, err, Silverchair, they might have gotten a little originality
too. Perhaps psych revisionist and hype peers the Music will rise
above the obvious. Youth Group also play. 9 p.m. Fillmore, 1805
Geary, S.F. $20. (415) 421-TIXS or (415) 346-6000.
March 23
Bobi Céspedes
Cuban-born Bay Area-based vocalist and Yoruba-Lucumi priestess
Bobi Céspedes works a kind of sleek magic on her solo debut,
Rezos (Prayers), on San Francisco's Six Degrees
Records. The veteran of Mickey Hart's Planet Drum ensemble put
together an album with Susana Baca producer Greg Landau that teems
with the rhythms of Afro-Cuban son, as well as burbling funk
and hints of sitar, tabla, and electronics. 8 p.m., Brava Studio
Theatre, 2781 24th St., S.F. $22-$25. (415) 647-2822.
March 24
Iron and
Wine Miami wunderkind Sam Beam supplies the Iron and Wine –
and the wistful, slide-laced lo-fi folk. Seattle's Prom provide
the passionate live show, replete with the lush piano on their Barsuk
album, Under the Same Stars, and fellow Northwesterners Carissa's
Weird imbue slow, close, and pretty songs such as "Hated"
and "Ignorant" with a claustrophobic emotional nudity
that would embarrass your garden-variety emo fan. 9 p.m.
Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St., S.F. $8-$10. (415) 474-0365.
March 25
Be Good Tanyas
They're all-girl and they're good at what they do –
namely a twangy, plucky yet well-behaved mélange of folk,
country, and blues. Old Crow Medicine Show also play. 9 p.m.
Elbo Room, 647 Valencia, S.F. $8-$10. (415) 552-7788.
March 27
Pamela Z's
Voci Don't see Pamela Z because she has an amazing voice and
a wild, rangy imagination; go see her because she was once my boss
at a local music brick-and-mortar operation. She also sported a
mean blue Mohawk and has been making music that incorporates video,
performance, and movement, all with formidable cerebral chops, for
ages. Her latest solo multimedia project, "Voci (Voices),"
looks into the possibilities of lung power. 8 p.m. ODC Theater,
3153 17th St., S.F. $12. (415) 863-9834. (Also March 27-29 and April
3-5, 8 p.m., ODC Theater. $12 Thurs., $15 Fri. and Sat.)
March 28
Rahzel The
Roots' beat-boxing heavyweight, Rahzel, branches out on his own
with this appearance with DJ JS-1 and Lifesavas. 9 p.m. Slim's,
333 11th St., S.F. $16. (415) 522-0333.
March 29
Plaid
Warp Records London duo Andy Turner and Ed Handley stave off their
fans with yet another show, and they promise an EP of new material
soon and an album and DVD in the fall. Prefuse 73 and Andrew Weatherall
also perform. 9 p.m. Bimbo's 365 Club, 1025 Columbus, S.F. $20.
(415) 474-0365.
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