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SoFA Swan Song Downtown San Jose street fair prepares for final party By Sarah Quelland A SAN JOSE TRADITION is coming to an end. Though described by the San Jose Downtown Association as "the hottest and hippest art and music event in Silicon Valley," this year marks the 10th and final year of the annual SoFA Street Fair. On Sept. 16, downtown San Jose will teem with music and art lovers checking out the live music, dance and theater. And yes, there will be real sofa couches lining the streets, a custom that got lost about five years ago and has been missed ever since. There will be at least three outdoor stages, and the downtown clubs will be stocked with up-and-coming and established bands. Zero is in charge of booking its own outdoor stage, and the local mag has confirmed punk legends X (featuring John Doe, Exene, Billy Zoom and DJ Bonebrake) to headline, with No Use for a Name serving as main support. Insolence is also scheduled to fly in for a performance. The Usual's tentative lineup includes the return of Crack, along with Triple Seven, downside, Ones and Zeros, the Secrets and the Blind. ... Triple Seven and downside are also playing this Saturday (Aug. 25) at the Gaslighter Theater in Campbell with 7th Standard, Throat Culture and others (Remoter was scheduled to play, but they had to cancel). Since the closing of the beloved Saddle Rack has displaced all the cowboys (both the real and the sidewalk varieties), the Usual is two-stepping in with a weekly country night. Presented by Riva's Rock'n Rodeo and KRTY-FM (95.3), Wild at Heart will perform Saturday (Aug. 25). Doors open at 7pm, and dance lessons run 7-9pm. Get in free before 8pm or pay a $5 cover after. Dancing in the Street hits Post Street in downtown San Jose this Sunday (Aug. 26). Organized by the creators of the Post St. Mardi Gras and Post St. New Year's celebrations, the event boasts five stages with more than 30 DJs spinning house, electronic, hip-hop and reggae music noon-10pm. Those scheduled to appear include Mark Johns, M3, Julius Papp, Markie Mark, Garth, Kendra French, DJ JSPN, Richard Summerhayes, DJ Melanie, DJ Sahid, DJ MODA, Moody Eva & Cameron, Mike Fugaletti, Rusto, Gabe & Alex, Rauser, Adam12, Klassic, Jazzy C, Henry, Spinbad, Kaos, Jeff B and Gabrielle & Andy Average. Tickets are $10, and proceeds will be donated to the urban dance troupe Visual Rhythm Dance Company. Visit www.PostSt.com for more info. The annual Fat Fry Blues Festival will be held Sept. 1-2 at Aptos Village Park. On Saturday (Sept. 1) Dickey Betts Band, Susan Tedeschi, Son Seals Blues Band, John Mooney, Bluesiana and C.J. Chenier and His Red Hot Louisiana Band perform, while Sunday (Sept. 2) features Jimmie Vaughan, Delbert McClinton, Bernard Allison, Joe Louis Walker & the Bosstalkers and Little Charlie & the Nightcats. Gates open at 10:30am, with performances running 11am-7pm. Tickets are $28 for general seating or $45 for premium seating (or buy a two-day pass for $50 and $80, respectively). Grand Fanali celebrates five years of promoting all-ages concerts this Friday (Aug. 24) at the Outhouse in Los Gatos. Monkey, Sneaky Creekans and Solemite are scheduled to perform. ... Sunday (Aug. 26), Ian Brennan presents Jello Biafra, Ramblin Jack Elliott, the Holmes Brothers, Peaches, Cellophane Masses, Santiago Jimenez Jr., Tom Ammiano and more in a free show at Crissy Field in San Francisco that runs noon-7pm. The concert event is designed to support the campaign for public power in San Francisco and Brisbane. ... The annual Bridge School Benefit will be held at Shoreline Amphitheatre Oct. 20-21. So far, Neil Young, Pearl Jam and R.E.M. are confirmed. ... The Stevie Nicks concert scheduled for last Tuesday (Aug. 14) at Shoreline Amphitheatre was postponed due to illness. The rescheduled date for Shoreline is Sept. 30. ... The Pledge of Allegiance Tour featuring Slipknot, Mudvayne, Rammstein, System of a Down and No One stops at the Compaq Center on Sept. 28. ... For the first time, Cypress Hill's Smoke Out festival comes up to the Bay Area. Busta Rhymes, Deftones, Method Man and Redman, Fear Factory and more, along with a special 4:20 guest, join Cypress Hill at the Oakland Coliseum on Oct. 13. Metro's Music in the Park continues this Thursday (Aug. 23) with Dave Meniketti and Ones and Zeros. The free concert will run 5-8:15pm at Plaza de Cesar Chavez. Next week's concert (held Aug. 30) features Pete Yorn. PLAN AHEAD: Insolence, Adema and Corporate Avenger, Aug. 23 at Slim's in San Francisco; Movement, Motiv, Local ODdity and Revolution Smile, Aug. 24 at the Cactus Club; Andalusia and Penny Harlot, Aug. 29 at Fuel; Weezer, Sept. 11 at the SJSU Event Center; They Might Be Giants, Sept. 18 at the Usual. [ San Jose | Metroactive Central | Archives ]