Since this week gives us both Valentine’s Day and President’s Day, I am going to create a theme to all our recommended shows list: Every single show listed features a performer that has had an affair with a sitting president of a country. The person that guesses which member of which band band for each show listed gets a special surprise! Please leave your guesses under the comments section.
Wednesday, February 10th
T.I.T.S., Eats Tapes, Houndsound at Elbo Room, 9 PM
First of all, this is a benefit for Haitian earthquake victims. I know a few people are sick of hearing about it, but there is still a lot of damage to be fixed up, so going to this show will make you feel good. It’s also sliding scale, so if you only have $2 to donate, you still get to see T.I.T.S. play, which is worth way more than $2. What do they do? Fun rock music inspired by the no-wave movement, but only if no wave didn’t mean anti-fun. Because, well, TITS are fun.
Eyedea & Abilities, dosh, Cubik & Origami at Bottom Of The Hill, 9 PM
BTW: Today is also writer Marie Carney’s birthday, so if you feel inclined, tell her how awesome she is in the comments section of a few of her pieces.
Thursday, February 11th
Mumford & Sons at 330 Ritch (Popscene), 10 PM
The latest britpop saviours are hitting stateside tonight. It’s technically sold out, but they are selling a few tickets at the door, and since we all love lining up outside for hours on end in San Francisco in July, this is bound to be a good time for all. But seriously folks, this is one of those “I Saw Them Back When…” shows, and for all of you that are still pissed that they didn’t see Muse at Popscene in 1999, when only like 50 people showed, then you should attend this one.
Alice In Chains, Creature With The Atom Brain at Fox Theater — Oakland, 8 PM
Just to talk to the haters that think that these guys shouldn’t try without Layne, but this line up of AIC is bloody great, and quite frankly, sobriety is really good for the live shows.
Friday, Feburary 12th
Van Dyke Parks, Clare & The Reasons, Josh Mease at Swedish American Hall, 7:30 PM
Van Dyke Parks is a genius. His amazing gift for arrangements has helped out acts as wide ranging as Gene Kelly, The Byrds, Silverchair, and Joanna Newsom to name a few, but his real claim to fame is as Brian Wilson’s primarily collaborator during the Pet Sounds/Smile are of the Beach Boys, arguably the most creative period of the band. He has also produced many excellent solo records that are eclipsed by his superstar collaborations.
The Album Leaf w/ The Magik*Magik String Quartet, Sea Wolf at Great American Music Hall, 9 PM
Saturday, February 13th
Justin Townes Earle, Joe Pug at Great American Music Hall, 9 PM
One might expect that being named Justin Townes Earle would be an impossible distinction to live up to. Here we have a man named after two of the greatest songwriters to ever come out of this fine nation, and he actually lives up to the hype, and in time, may even surpass the greatness of Townes Van Zandt & Steve Earle.
Mystic Knights Of The Cobra, Jellyfish Kiss Burlesque, Bobby Joe Ebola & The Chicken Macnuggits at Uptown Nightclub, 9 PM
Sunday, February 14th
The Damned, Hewhocannotbenamed, The Generators at Slim’s, 9 PM
So, if you are dating someone, and you say, “Hey, Let’s Spend Valentine’s Day at a Damned concert!” and your significant other has negative feelings about that, then I think you need to break up. If the person you are dating asks you this, and all you think about is how gross and unromantic that is, then please let that person go. It wasn’t meant to be.
The Entrance Band, Sic Alps, LIGHTS at The Independent, 8 PM
Monday, February 15th
MC Frontalot, Brandon Patton, Ken Flagg at Cafe du Nord, 8 PM
His bio merely proclaims: Nerdcore Hip-hop’s inventor and still its Final Boss. Good enough reason for me.
Tuesday, February 16th
Motion City Soundtrack, Set Your Goals, This Providence, The Swellers at The Regency Ballroom, 6:30 PM
The best thing about pop/punk bands getting older is that they learn to embrace other genres of music in the best way possible. MCS have been getting better & more interesting with every album, which might be why they’ve managed to stay together for so long, despite never reaching the super star status that other bands have reached by copying what they’ve done. But, since Fall Out Boy are now taking some time off, maybe it’s time for these guys to finally reach the status that they deserve.
Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Zigaboo Modeliste & The New Aahkesstra at The Independent, 8 PM
Every year, I always forget about Mardi Gras.
Hey, what about The Album Leaf? Or is that breaking from your theme?
Nope. I said that every bill has at least one member of a band that had an affair with a sitting president. And I think in that case, it was a member of Sea Wolf.