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Are You Experienced? For its sixth year, Metro's annual charity benefit joins up with the newly revamped SoFA festival By Heather Zimmerman SINCE 1995, on one Thursday night in early spring, four downtown San Jose clubs have donated their spaces and Bay Area bands have donated their talents to a multiclub benefit concert for local charities, Metro's South First Music Experience (SFMX). Last year's lineup even included then up-and-comers Papa Roach. One ticket provided admission to all four clubs and to as many performances as you could possibly catch in one evening. For SFMX6, the format hasn't changed at all, just the date: the fundraiser was always held in the first weeks of spring, around the same time as those chilly April showers--and last year, unbelievably, hail. The possible effects of global warming aside, rescheduling the 2000 edition of the South First Music Experience for mid-September should guarantee a kinder climate for club-hopping, but the best part of the move is that it teams the benefit concert with another event that focuses on music and community: the SoFA Music Experience, formerly known as the SoFA Festival. On Thursday night, SFMX6 will help kick off this year's newly expanded festival with a showcase of 12 Bay Area bands performing at four SoFA district clubs. Through the Metro Foundation, proceeds from the $10 ticket price will benefit these local charities: Second Harvest Food Bank, Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence, the Child Assault Prevention Program, ARIS (AIDS Resources, Information and Services of Santa Clara County), Meals on Wheels, A Place for Teens and the Live Oak Nutrition Center. Doors for SFMX6 open at 8pm and bands start at 8:30pm sharp. Tickets are $10, available in advance at www.SoFAMX.com or the day of the show in the official ticket booth in the parking lot at the corner of South First and San Salvador streets. 21 and older; 18-20 at Cactus Club only. The Usual, 400 S. First St, San Jose Mighty Aphrodites: Artful rock quintet Venus Bleeding distinguishes itself with a captivating stage presence and powerful modern New Wave and punk-tinged music. Also on the bill at the Usual: SWARM, a hard-edged rock and roll band that has a reputation for extremely intense live performances. Dura-Delinquent, an unorthodox band that turns out raunchy rock music with an unruly punk quality. The Abductors, a monster hard-rock group known for outrageous live performances. Agenda, 399 S. First St, San Jose Buck Shots: With frantic hillbilly abandon and a smirking sense of humor, beer-swillin' honky-tonk rebels Joe Buck know how to raise a ruckus in the barroom. Also on the bill at Agenda: Red Meat, a sextet that serves up juicy Americana, Western swing and country folk with tasty harmonies. The Bootcuts, a bluegrass and rockabilly band that gets feet stompin' with country tunes and good-timin' lyrics. Polly Esther's, 396 S/ First St, San Jose Big Wigs: Decked out in fly clothes and wigs, the Wonderbread 5 has expanded its repertoire from its initial Jackson 5/Michael Jackson cover tunes to a variety of hits from the '60s to the '90s. Cactus Club, 417 S. First St, San Jose M.I.R.V.-alous: Punk-funk tricksters M.I.R.V. never fail to entertain with wacky comic schtick, stage banter and a famous operatic interlude. Also on the bill at the Cactus Club: Los Bastardos de Amor, a group of veteran musicians that delivers punchy power rock with an added hard-pop bite. Luxt, an industrial-metal group that incorporates complex layers of electronics, heavy guitars and dance beats. Stitch, an aggressive percussion-driven band that plays fast and furious metal with heavy grooves and atmospheric distortion. [ San Jose | Metroactive Central | Archives ]