Metro editors' picks:  Minus the Bear Elvis Costello & the Imposters Blues Week
pick wed thu fri sat sun mon tue upcoming
| editorialpick |
Fri. & Sat., May 4-5, 9pm
The Blank Club
44 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose
408.292.5265
$10
|  |
Firme
WILL IT BLEND:
Firme defies conventional classification, putting myriad styles into the aural blender. (Will it blend? Yes, yes it will). Part ska/reggae, part salsa-tinged jazz and all rock (don't bother doing the math), Firme takes the stage eight strong and delivers a severe East Side San Jo combo punch for the booty shakers on the dance floor, followed by an uppercut to party music purists. Firme produces a get-up-and-get-down sound that few bands can even dream of creating. The local rockers rip it up at the Blank for Cinco de Mayo weekend with Kill the Softface opening on Friday and the Good Hustle getting the nod on Saturday.
|
|
| |
 |
Wed. May 2, 8pm
The Catalyst
1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz
831.423.1338
$18
buy tickets
| |
A BETTER EMO:
In a lot of ways, Seattle's Minus the Bear is a throwback to a kinder, gentler emo, before Victory Records got their hands on it and major labels sent it into the ProTools compression chamber. There's no residual nu-metal posturing here; instead, the band rose out of the ashes of hardcore touchstone Botch, but you won't find many traces of Botch's bludgeoning sound--instead Minus the Bear opt for a much lighter touch, churning out synth-laden bedroom anthems that are nearly too polite for their own good. They're touring behind the remix album, Interpretationes del Oso, which brings the electronic flourishes even further to the forefront, but Minus the Bear are basically a shockingly effective straight-up emo act, and deserve credit for breathing some life into a genre that's been coasting more than Law and Order in recent years. As an added bonus, song titles like "Just Kickin' It Like a Wild Donkey," "Booyah Achieved" and "Lemurs, Man, Lemurs" never fail to amuse. (Paul Davis)
|
Wed. May 2, 3:30pm
Tower Lawn: SJSU
San Jose State University
No Phone
Free
| |
INQ
SJSU CELEBRATION:
What better way to take advantage of warm weather than with serious rocking on the SJSU Tower Lawn on a Wednesday afternoon? INQ brings their Bay Area rock to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of SJSU all afternoon for the whopping cost of FREE. The university is a staple of downtown and worthy of celebration by everyone, not just the students skipping class to see the show. INQ's dynamic alternative rock is sure to draw a crowd of dedicated fans, students, perhaps faculty of the university and anyone within hearing distance. Bring a blanket and a bottle--of sunscreen?--to celebrate SJSU's birthday with rock.
|
 |
Thu. May 3, 7:30pm
HP Pavilion
525 W. Santa Clara St.,
San Jose
408.998.TIXS
$15 - $65
buy tickets
| |
Wild 94.9 The Bomb
FALLOUT THUG:
Time to stock up on canned food and first-aid supplies, because Wild 94.9 is dropping the Bomb on San Jose. Wait, our intern has just informed me they mean "da" bomb, which is totally different. Still, Wild 94.9 claims to be delivering "all your favorite artists on one stage," which apparently means that in addition to Bone Thugs 'N Harmony, Ciara, Omarion, Bow Wow, T-Pain, Mims, Deepside, Lloyd and DJ Unk, the show will also feature Billie Holiday, the Velvet Underground, Miles Davis, Pavement, N.W.A. and about 500 others. Finally!
|
Thu. May 3, 7:30pm
Slim's
333 11th St., San Francisco
415.255.0333
$18
buy tickets
| |
MxPx
GOD ROCK:
Sure, they're considered a "Christian Rock" band, but if there's one outfit that doesn't deserve to be cast into this grotesquely misunderstood genre of rock & roll, it's the boys from MxPx. Ambitious from the start, these guys started rocking before they were old enough to drive cars. Their second album, 1995's Teenage Politics, caught fire at high schools nationwide and propelled the band toward mainstream stardom. With plenty of attitude and youthful recklessness, MxPx soon rose to the forefront of the '90s punk revival. Like a good bottle of wine, the group only matured with age, and the highly anticipated release of their 10th studio album, Secret Weapon, proves that these guys are here to stay, regardless of their assigned genre.
|
Thu. May 3, 7pm
The Warfield
982 Market St., San Francisco
408.998.TIXS
$49.50 - $75
buy tickets
| |
HIS AIM IS TRUE:
A gifted songwriter with a deep-rooted legacy in the post-Beatles pop rock era, Costello's talent is compared with giants like Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. His 1977 debut album, My Aim Is True, melded the newly emerging genres of punk and New Wave to create a wholly unique sound that would instantly render him legions of devoted fans. Three decades later, Costello continues to impress critics with an array of dazzling creativity in both music and lyrics. The 2001 release, The Very Best of Elvis Costello, was a huge commercial success, and the 2006 R&B-inspired album, The River in Reverse, displays the eclectic nature of Costello's approach to songwriting. Catch the rock & roll icon in the flesh tonight at the Warfield. (Garrett Wheeler)
|
 |
Fri. May 4, 9pm
Johnny V's
31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose
408.947.8470
$5
| |
Security
LOCAL METAL'S BACK, AGAIN:
One of the sickest metal outfits on the scene today and definitely in the Top 5 as far as local San Jo bands go, the ass-kicking rock lords of Security rip it up at Johnny V's tonight with their awesome brand of hard rock and metal noise. Security is back after a needed hiatus and has been finding their solid groove again at several shows around the Bay. This intense four-piece rocks the hell out of joints and blows crowds away with their full-bore sound. Sim Sala Bim and more open for a show that any hard-rock junkie has to see.
|
Fri. May 4, 9pm
Vivid
8 S. First St., San Jose
408.279.4444
Usual Cover
| |
Angel @ Vivid
COVER GIRL:
Angel Clivillés, from the pop and freestyle group The Cover Girls, comes to Vivid to perform her club hits live. The pre-Cinco de Mayo celebration has $1 drinks until 10:30pm, so getting there early is highly advised. When Angel isn't performing, the DJs at Vivid will be keeping the party going with Top 40, house, hip-hop and reggaeton for a serious night of dancing. Vivid's prime location makes it the perfect place to party for Cinco de Mayo all weekend and Angel's live performance is sure to fill up the club. Get there early to avoid the crowds.
|
Fri. May 4, 9pm
C&J's Sports Bar
1550 Lafayette St., Santa Clara
408.423.9013
No Cover
| |
NVS, FTB & Down & Durdy
DURDY BIRDS:
It's become clear where all the free punk shows moved when San Jose venues started charging: Santa Clara's dive bars. C&J's Sports Bar takes on their dive bar duty of hosting local bands that still know how to rock out like real punks. NVS will give the crowd a taste of a little bit of everything from metal and pop to punk rock. The Down and Durdy threesome brings funky rock to the table, and F.T.B. (it stands for F*ck the Band) turns up the heat with even more funky rock and a taste of ska. It hasn't always been the case, but it seems that C&J's is the place to be lately for getting your face rocked off free of charge. Save that cover charge cash and bring it to C&J's for an extra drink and free music.
|
Fri. May 4, 9pm
Fahrenheit Ultra Lounge
99 E. San Fernando St.,
San Jose
408.998.9998
No Cover
| |
Glamorous @ Fahrenheit
GLAMOUR SHOTS:
It's that time of the month again--Fahrenheit gets glam with giveaways and DJs spinning amazing dance music. The Glamorous event will have DJ Fabian mixing things up with Top 40 and house, and Funky B gets things even hotter on the turntables throughout the night. This is the chance to avoid the crowds celebrating Cinco de Mayo early to attend an upscale party that still knows how to have a good time. Make sure to get glam for this event because "dress to impress" is the way to go at Fahrenheit. Forget about dancing in the streets, it's a way better idea to be dancing in Fahrenheit on Friday night.
|
 |
Sat. May 5, 7pm
The Warfield
982 Market St., San Francisco
408.998.TIXS
$55 - $60
buy tickets
| |
Velvet Revolver
REHAB ROCK OUT:
In case you've been living under a rock for the last few years (or under a drug- and alcohol-induced haze), Velvet Revolver is the product of disbanded rock legends Guns N' Roses and '90s alt-rock combo Stone Temple Pilots. After losing their appetite for the self-destructive Axl Rose, the remaining members went their separate ways for the better part of a decade. Then, a G&R reunion in 2001 sparked rumors of a new album and a possible reunion of the '80s rock gods. The rumors, however, were unfounded. It soon became clear that the band, minus Axl, was looking for a fix--a new lead singer. After a highly publicized try-out process, the group opted for ex-STP frontman Scott Wyland. The result was Velvet Revolver, and their debut album, Contraband, was an uncompromising display of exciting, blues-based hard rock that flourished artistically and commercially. Guitar hero Slash relentlessly pushes the boundaries with his gritty trademark style and Wyland's barking vocals embody the sultry harmony of bad-ass rock & roll. With a sound that captures five lifetimes of rock stardom and excessive indulgence, Velvet Revolver is a super-group bound for glory, as long as they can keep out of rehab.
|
Sat. May 5, 9pm
Agenda Lounge
399 S. First St., San Jose
408.287.3991
Usual Cover
| |
Rhumba @ Agenda
SEXY DE MAYO:
It's not just Cinco de Mayo anymore--it's Sexy de Mayo at Agenda Lounge. Rhumba will be making the most of the annual celebration for Mexico's victory in the battle of Puebla--see, it isn't just a drinking holiday--with specials on shots of Patron, Corona and more. All three rooms of the Agenda Lounge will be packed with a total of six DJs spinning Top 40, house, hip-hop and, of course, lots of Latin house and reggaeton. Nasty Nick, David Q and Jammin J will be on the main tables while DJ Matancero, DJ Louie and Baldo B take care of the second room. Rhumba looks like one of Cinco de Mayo--oh, wait--Sexy de Mayo's hottest fiestas.
|
Sat. May 5, 9pm
Britannia Arms: Cupertino
1087 De Anza Blvd., San Jose
408.252.7262
$5
| |
My Former Self
BIG DEAL:
Undoubtedly one of San Jose's biggest unsigned talents, My Former Self comes to Britannia Arms, Cupertino tonight to prove exactly why this pop-punk quartet deserves a major-label record deal. With catchy punk riffs and cooing vocals, the group's sound is as tight and appealing as any band getting airplay on major radio stations. Not that the band isn't getting noticed--they already have high-profile gigs like the Warped Tour and openings for Yellowcard and Fall Out Boy under their metal-studded belts. The impressive musicianship of their debut album, All We Can Ask for Is the Truth, along with explosive live performances have earned My Former Self a steadily growing multitude of teenage fans. It seems only a matter of time before the numbers speak for themselves--and warrant a big fat paycheck.
|
Sat. May 5, 8pm
The Fillmore
1805 Geary, San Francisco
408.998.TIXS
$20
buy tickets
| |
Animal Liberation Orchestra
JAM IN THE CITY:
Liberate your inner animal! The group from San Francisco who, despite their misleading name, are a band of musicians, not a band of Robin Hood hippies, headline the Fillmore tonight for an evening of laid-back jam-rock. After releasing several independent albums, the quartet was signed to Brushfire Records, and their latest effort, Fly Between Falls, generated a positive buzz both in public and critics' circles. The group's sound is crisp and tight, and catchy melodies are evidence of the band's brilliant songwriting. And they've had plenty of time to polish their act--Zack Gill (keyboards/vocals), Steve Adams (bass guitar/vocals) and Dan Lebowitz (guitar) have been playing together since high school. Fueled by the momentum of their latest tour supporting Jack Johnson, ALO cruises into the Bay Area to induce in their fans a little bit of euphoria, no prescription needed.
|
 |
Sun. May 6, 8pm
Johnny V's
31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose
408.947.8470
$5
| |
Toowamp
NO CHEWY CENTER:
San Jose's underground metal scene comes to life, or, er...death, as local heavies Toowamp descend upon the stage at Johnny V's Sunday night. The hardcore hellions crank up the amps and deliver tripped-out thrash-metal for a night of high-energy power rock. Screaming vocals, darker-than-night guitar riffs and pounding war-drums bubble and boil in a black cauldron of nightmarish sound. Oh, and get ready to slam it out in the mosh pit from start to finish--these guys wouldn't dare play a ballad, or a major scale for that matter, if their lives depended on it.
|
 |
 |
Tue. May 8, 8pm
Johnny V's
31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose
408.947.8470
$5
| |
Patryk de Rosa
VINTAGE CHOPS:
Among virtuosic guitar heroes, Patryk de Rosa stands out as probably one of the least progressive, which in my opinion happens to be a good thing. His music sounds like amusingly low-budget '70s garage sale rock, or better yet, a high school heavy metal band, that was tragically overlooked in its day but rediscovered later as ironic hilarity. Thing is, de Rosa's music is brand new and sounds sincere, which begs the question: is this guy for real? Given the musician's obvious skill, it's clear that the simplistic arrangements are intentional. But ultimately, it's like asking if Andrew W. K. is being sincere--his music is way too much fun to care.
|
 coming up |
Mon. May 7-Sun. May 13
various venues in San Jose
| |
Blues Week
IF "CHEF" Ramon Johnson were a beat poet, his "Howl" would sound like the blues, and it would cry out for artists to revive the souls of their cities with music and theater and dance. Johnson has lived in the area since 1963, and says he honed his live music chops in Campbell--yes, Campbell--in the late '70s and early '80s. "At a place called the Outlook, you got booked for a week," says Johnson, "So you worked there usually Tuesday through Saturday, and that gave a band time to get to know people, develop a work ethic and develop [its] craft." Not so anymore--Campbell, for one, is still recovering from the reign of a certain anti-nightlife police chief, and musicians everywhere face the Catch-22 situation in which they can't develop their craft without frequent performances, but they can't perform frequently without well-developed craft. Johnson, who hosts the Friday morning radio show The Blues Cafe on KSJS, is on a mission to fix the broken wheel. He's doing his part as the organizer of San Jose Blues Week, a series of performances, discussions and parties beginning on May 7 that leads up to the Metro Fountain Blues Festival.
This year's FBF, on May 12, is packed full of talent, with Chicago blues legend Buddy Guy headlining, and support from Sista Monica, Jimmy Thackery & the Drivers, Jasson Ricci & New Blood, the JC Smith Band and the Lara Price Band. Now in its 27th year, the festival has become something of a South Bay institution, but it has yet to turn San Jose into a city known for its live blues--or live anything, for that matter. With Blues Week, Johnson hopes to change that. "This is called San Jose Blues Week," says Johnson, "but it's really about all live music and venues. If we don't support them, what's going to happen? All the artistic talent is going to leave. The idea is to build a bridge from the yniversity to the city, and the vision is to be a fun town, to be like an Austin, Texas--to be like some of these towns that support live music." Johnson has near religious enthusiasm for the live music gospel he's preaching, believing it to be a salve capable of curing societal ills like homelessness and youth violence. Having been homeless himself with undiagnosed schizophrenia, Johnson is acutely sympathetic to the city's overlooked and downtrodden citizens, and believes that the collaborative process of art has the power to socialize people to be more sympathetic and caring. "Society is crazy," says Johnson. "Arts give you a moment to slow down and enjoy something." Johnson has also teamed up with Goodwill and added a shoe drive to Blues Week. "Blues is about community, and one of the things I thought was very important was to add some caregiving, to have a nonprofit involved." To Johnson, it's all part of the bigger picture--one that he's drawing as he goes. He even wrote something he calls the S.O.U.L.M.A.N. Manifesto--the acronym stands for "Save Our Undervalued Live Music and Arts Nightlife." It's a call to action that urges us to take our city back from "politicians and developers." Indeed, the city's most visible efforts to nurture a sense of a common culture in the South Bay often revolve around sports teams, which create camaraderie that Johnson feels is important, but only a piece of the larger puzzle. "The soul of a city is in its art," says Johnson, "and if you lose your art, you lose your soul." (Mike Connor)
Blues Week Events
True Blues: May 7 at 7pm at JJ's Blues Club, 3429 Stevens Creek Blvd., San Jose, 408.243.6441. Free barbecue and blues from Dog House Riley and Dennis Dove.
Blues Night Out: May 8 at 7pm at JJ's Blues Club, 3429 Stevens Creek Blvd., San Jose, 408.243.6441. Official San Jose Blues Week kick-off party with Rene Solis (pictured) and free barbecue.
Chef Ramon's Talking Blues: May 9 at 6-10pm at Hall Todd Theatre, SJSU. Free appetizers and panel discussion about Chicago blues featuring Dr. Ethel Walker, Dr. Brad Stone and Brad Kava, plus live performances by Rene Solis, J.C. Smith, Lara Price, Laura Chavez, Gary Smith, Nitecry, Willie Roland and more.
Smokin' Blues: May 10 at 6-10pm at Smoke Tiki Lounge, 152 Post St., San Jose, 408.292.4266. Featuring Amy Lou's Blues.
Festival Pre-Parties: May 11 at 6-10pm at Poor House Bistro, 91 S. Autumn St., San Jose, 408.292.5837. Ron Thompson and Cindy Chen. May 11 at 9-1:30pm at Clarion Hotel, 1355 N. Fourth St., San Jose, 408.392.2426 Featuring Dog House Riley.
Metro Fountain Blues Festival: May 12 at 12:30-8pm at San Carlos Plaza, SJSU. $5 suggested donation. Buddy Guy, Sista Monica, Jimmy Thackery, Jason Ricci, the J.C. Smith Band, the Lara Price Band.
Festival Post-Party: May 12 at 9-1:30pm at Clarion Hotel, 1355 N. Fourth St., San Jose, 408.392.2426. Featuring the Lara Price Band.
Mother's Day Blues: May 13 at noon-4pm at Poor House Bistro, 91 S. Autumn St., San Jose, 408.292.5837. Featuring Mitch Woods.
Blue To The Bitter End: May 13 at 7pm at JJ's Blues Club, 3429 Stevens Creek Blvd., San Jose, 408.243.6441. Featuring Alvin Draper.
|
| coming up |
Wed. May 16, 8pm
San Jose State Event Center
7th and San Carlos Sts., SJSU Campus
408.998.TIXS
$35
buy tickets
| |
Modest Mouse
MOUSEKETEERS:
A band? A cult? An intellectual socialist group? Just what exactly Modest Mouse is seems to elude even the most informed music buffs, but one thing's for sure--outlandish personalities and an unmistakable sound have made their name synonymous with indie-rock itself. Case in point: appearing in the two "you've-made-it-to-the-top" positions of the music industry: MTV and car commercials. But still, one has to wonder; why the astounding success? Well, for one, they make some damn good music, appealing to a worldwide fan base of emo-kids and generations X-ers fed up with the glam-pop and hip-slop pouring out of FM radio these days. Let's just say P-Diddy can only hold so much allure for suburb Sam, and the N'sync-ers are sick of getting picked on in gym class. Thankfully, a new emergence of sentimental alt-rock has surfaced upon the shoulders of bands like The Shins, Death Cab for Cutie, and The Flaming Lips. So forget trying to figure the band out, just focus on Isaac Brock's brooding melodies and lyrical quirks--it's only a matter of time before you catch on to the cynical brilliance of Modest Mouse.
|
--Capsules that were taken from the Metroactive Club Newsletter were written by: RO, AL, GW, MC, PD & HVT
SEARCH UPCOMING MUSIC EVENTS METROACTIVE CLUB GALLERY MUSIC CALENDAR PICKS BAY AREA TICKETS
|
 ©Copyright 2007 Metro Newspapers. All rights reserved. |
|
|
