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Got on the SoFA Young bands from near and far gather for South First Music Experience By Sarah Quelland LAST YEAR I HEARD a lot of bellyaching about the largely local lineup at Metro's fifth annual South First Music Experience. So, to those of you that complained that you could catch those bands any week of the month at another local venue, this one's for you. Metro's SFMX multiclub music showcase and benefit concert has joined forces with other event coordinators for the newly expanded SoFA Music Experience (Sept. 14-17). This year's lineup for Metro's Thursday Night Showcase (Sept. 14) features the hottest bands from San Jose to San Francisco to Sacramento to the East Bay. We're determined to jump-start this event with some fresh blood. Keep in mind that this is a fundraiser for the Metro Foundation, which distributes money to local charities, including Meals on Wheels, Second Harvest Food Bank, the Child Assault Prevention Program, Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence and ARIS (AIDS Resources, Information and Services). These bands are being kind enough to donate their performances for the night, and most are traveling many miles to do so. It's a great service to our community, and we encourage everyone to come early (most clubs start at 8:30pm sharp) and support all the bands. Metro's Thursday Night Showcase helps kick off the four-day SoFA Music Experience and will be held at four downtown nightclubs. For the roots/rockabilly crowd, Agenda Lounge is the place to be, with some of the hippest cats from San Francisco--Joe Buck, Red Meat and the Bootcuts--riding into town for the night. The Cactus Club hosts a melting pot of rock music: M.I.R.V. brings its wacky funk-punk comic shtick back to the area; Sacramento's female-fronted Luxt makes a brutal attack with its seductive industrial sounds; Stitch delivers a chunky metal assault; and Los Bastardos de Amor (featuring Jimmy Arceneaux) presents its catchy brand of hard-pop. The Usual has some really exciting artists as well. San Francisco's Swarm (featuring former members of Death Angel) graces the marquee as the headliner. The East Bay's Venus Bleeding--an intriguing female-led five-piece that incorporates the electric violin into its heated performances--serves as main support. After making the rounds in San Francisco, Dura-Delinquent makes its long-overdue South Bay debut. Outrageous rockers the Abductors kick off the night. We've also got one of the most entertaining cover bands on the circuit--the Wonderbread 5--doing two sets at Polly Esther's. Tickets to the Thursday night showcase are $10 for access to all four venues. Advance tickets are available at Donovan's Hair Salon (380 S. First St., San Jose), or online at www.SoFAMX.com, or the day of the show at the ticket booth in the parking lot at South First and San Salvador streets. Four-day passes will be sold for $25, and a VIP pass is available for $40. Call 408.279.1775, ext. 43 for information on bands, venues and tickets. Tapestry in Talent will be held Saturday-Monday (Sept. 2-4) at downtown San Jose locations. The event, which runs 10am-6pm daily, features five stages showcasing rock, jazz, salsa, folk and other styles of music. ... Salmon has a five-show run supporting Suicidal Tendencies. Area stops include Maritime Hall on Sept. 1 with the Sick, and Palookaville on Sept. 3 with Adverse Side-FX. ... 5 Against 1 is searching for a second guitarist. Email [email protected] for details. ... Circle of 5ths is also looking for a guitarist. Email [email protected] or call Steve at 916.967.5585. PLAN AHEAD: King's X and Podunk Sept. 1 at the Usual; Krenshaw, Peeled Back and others, Sept. 2 at the Gaslighter Theater in Campbell; Cannibal Corpse, Sept. 2 at the Cactus Club; Slightly Stoopid, Sept. 2 at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz; Ellis and others, Sept. 3 at the Gaslighter Theater; Duran Duran, Sept. 3 at Paramount's Great America; Breach, Krenshaw and 419, Sept. 5 at the Usual; A Perfect Circle, Sept. 6 a the Warfield in San Francisco; Zero2, Sept. 7 at the Quarter Note in Sunnyvale; Groovie Ghoulies, Smalltime Napoleons, Moodfrye and others, Sept. 8 at the Cactus; Red Hot Chili Peppers and Stone Temple Pilots, Sept. 9 at Shoreline Amphitheater; the John Doe Thing, Sept. 10 at Cubberley Community Center in Palo Alto; Andalusia, Sept. 13 at Fuel; Man or Astroman?, Sept. 15 at the Cactus; Iron Maiden, Queensrÿche and Halford, Sept. 16 at Shoreline; Moby, Sept. 16-17 at the Warfield; AC/DC and Slash's Snakepit Sept. 19 at the San Jose Arena; Phish, Oct. 6-7 at Shoreline. [ San Jose | Metroactive Central | Archives ]