It’s a time for brightly-colored short people this week in The Bay Area – namely, leprechauns and one certain Minneapolan.
St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner. Happily, Celtic punkers Flogging Molly happen to be passing through the Fox Theater in Oakland on their tenth and final Green 17 tour.
And just the next night, Prince will be playing the same stage. You can be sure that the Twin Cities’ favorite son will be bringing quite a few purple guitars to The Fox. Green, then purple! The Joker would be pleased.
Here’s what else is coming up this week.
Thursday, March 13th
• Rick Springfield (solo), Brian Copeland at Yoshi’s, San Francisco
Did you know that the original name in Rick Springfield’s huge hit “Jessie’s Girl” was not Jessie but Gary. Rick claims that he was inspired by Gary’s girl, then had to change the name. That’s too bad, because as every Gary can tell you, we could use some more songs with the name Gary in it.
Friday, March 14th (Pi Day)
• Flogging Molly, Jerry Hannan And the Mad Hannans, Johnny Madcap And the Distractions at the Fox Theater, Oakland
Sometimes, only rip-snortin’ rompin’-stompin’ Celtic punk rock is the only thing that’ll do. Flogging Molly do that. Sing as loud as you can and let the broken mouth of Shane MacGowan smile down upon you on this Pi Day in Oakland.
Saturday, March 16th
• Prince, 3RDEYEGIRL at the Fox Theater, Oakland
That’s right! Just announced! After they take down the green curtain from Friday’s show at The Fox, they can put up a purple one.
• La Plebe, Crimson Scarlet, Poliskitzo (L.A.), The Criminals, Bankrupt District, Nihilist C**t, Arnocorps, The Rinds, Dirty Denim at Thee Parkside, San Francisco
La Plebe play rollicking bilingual ska-punk. See them, then drink beer out on the patio as the weather warms. That’s how Thee Parkside works.
Sunday, March 17th
• Wake The Dead at Studio 55 Marin, San Rafael
Keeping with the green theme, Wake The Dead play Celtic-styled jams of Grateful Dead songs. And they’re playing in San Rafael? Perfect. Can’t get much more Marin County than that for St. Patrick’s.
Monday, March 18th (St. Patrick’s Day)
• Shards of Green, Kevin Roche, Pat Hamilton, at the San Francisco United Irish Cultural Center, San Francisco
Listen, if you’re going to do St. Patrick’s Day in SF, do it right. The SF United Irish Cultural Center is hosting their annual day-long concert. Get some food, sing some songs, make some friends.
Tuesday, March 19th
• Parachute On Fire, Run Amok, Cables And Arms at the Hemlock, San Francisco
Small rooms call for big rock-and-roll. Parachute On Fire are just the band to fill The Hemlock’s small back room with big ol’ peelout-worthy rock-and-roll.
Wednesday, March 20th
• Me First And The Gimme Gimmes at Slim’s, San Francisco
The greatest and best punk rock supergroup of all time and any time, Me First And The Gimme Gimmes are gleeful supercharged color-coordinated cover song machines determined to deliver the Big RockNRoll Fun Time directly into your quivering brain. What they put on on-stage is nothing less than one of the best live concerts that your mortal body will ever experience. That’s right. So put on your dancing shoes, get to Slim’s, and dance madly to songs that you already know.
