Download Festival, Daddy Yankee, Bryan Adams & Genesis

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Sat. Oct. 6, 2pm Shoreline Amphitheatre 1 Amphitheatre Pkwy., Mountain View 408.998.TIXS $29.50-$75 BUY TICKETS Download Festival ON THE DL FESTIVAL: Curiously enough, this year's Download Festival features a one-off performance by one of our favorite British imports from the '80s, The Cure, which recently canceled its U.S. tour save for this show. Granted, they'll probably reschedule once their new album comes out next year, but there are plenty of other reasons to catch this show. Also performing are A.F.I., Kings of Leon, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, She Wants Revenge, Metric, the Black Angels, 65 Days of Static, Vau De Vire Society and a bunch more. Plus, the festival features Q&As, autograph sessions and even some clinics for musicians with some of the performers. For more details, visit www.downloadfestival.com.

Wed. Oct. 3, 7pm The Saddle Rack 42011 Boscell Road, Fremont 510.979.0535 $25-$35

Vince Neil COWS, COWS, COWS: The Mötley Crüe lead vocalist has had his share of ups and downs since the night Tommy Lee approached him to join the metal act in 1981. In 1983, the band release its first Elektra Records album, Shout at the Devil, which reached multi-platinum status and launched the Crüe into hair-metal infamy. But Neil was fired from Mötley Crüe in 1989, and the band never achieved the same level of mainstream success as it had enjoyed throughout the decadent '80s. The Crüe frontman attempted a solo career in the mid '90s but received little attention. Today, Neil performs occasional shows, including tonight's stint at the Saddle Rack in Fremont.

Thu. Oct. 4, 9pm The Agenda 399 S. First St., San Jose 408.287.3991 Usual Cover GUEST LIST

Best of Underground Hip-Hop FRESH AND CLEAN: It's Thursday night--do you know where you underground hip-hop is? The Agenda has an answer every week at the "Best of Underground Hip-Hop" night, which enjoys a rather hard-core following. While there is some old school and '90s hip-hop in the mix, come prepared to hear fresh sounds you've never heard before.

Thu. Oct. 4, 10pm Angels 400 S. First St., San Jose 408.885.9588 Usual Cover

J. Valentine with DJs Kleen and Ex-Rated SLOW JAMS: Hailing from San Francisco, the self-proclaimed "King of R&Bay" visits his southern brothers in Silicon Valley at tonight's show at Angels to present his triple-threat singing, writing and producing abilities to those searching for a good slow jam. Valentine recently signed with Clive Davis' J Records and is featured in Keyshia Cole's music video for "I Changed My Mind." He also heads up City Boyz Muzik, a Bay Area record label and home to San Francisco native rapper Bailey. Also appearing tonight are Alliance DJs Kleen and Ex-Rated.

Thu. Oct. 4, 10pm Motif 398 S. First St., San Jose 408.318.9950 Usual Cover

Fortune 50/50 BRAND NEW: Tonight marks the grand opening of Motif's ongoing Thursday night dance party, Fortune 50/50. Celebrate the inaugural event in style at downtown's newest lounge, featuring two floors, two bars, a full restaurant and a projection lounge. Hosting Fortune 50/50's kick-off night are DJs David Savior and Momentum, dropping the best in club hits, house, hip-hop and rock into the early morning hours.

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Fri. Oct. 5, 8pm Johnny V's 31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose 408.947.8470 $5 The Eastbay Shitbirds AVIAN FLU: Somewhere between the hideously obscene and the incredibly silly lies The East Bay Shitbirds, a punk-rock outfit with a tough-guy-gone-goofy persona and a stage show wilder than a pack of inbred coyotes. Led by Johnny Shitbird, who also plays guitar and sings in about 10 other bands (okay, just three), the Shitbirds have an old-school Ramones-meets-Anti-Flag sound, all wrapped up in rebellious attitude and self-mocking grandeur. With an in-your-face stage show and a mixed set list of original and cover songs, these guys are sure to defecate all over those pop-punk, Blink-182 bands you can't stand.

Fri. Oct. 5, 9pm The Blank Club 44 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose 408.292.5265 $10

The Odd Numbers LOCAL ODDITIES: The Odd Numbers are one of the South Bay's few lasting acts, celebrating their 19th anniversary this year. Longtime staples of the local rock scene, the trio's Friday show at the Blank Club celebrates the release of their newest EP, High Alert, four distinct but unified tracks laden with tight vocals and simple yet evocative musicianship. The Forgotten and Jonny Manak and the Depressives open.

Fri. Oct. 5, 8pm Paramount Theatre 2025 Broadway, Oakland 408.998.TIXS $43.50 BUY TICKETS

The Black Crowes SOUTHERN STYLE: To be perfectly honest, I haven't noticed the Black Crowes since the release of Amorica, which was notable for its cover: a crotch shot of a woman wearing American flag underwear that didn't fully conceal her pubic hair. Amorica was their third album, and a flop compared to 1990's Shake Your Money Maker and their strong second showing in '92, The Southern Harmony and Music Companion. It was on those two albums that the Black Crowes proved that blues rock was much more than a quaint and trashy relic. Lead vocalist and outspoken marijuana advocate Chris Robinson is still an inimitable vocal stylist and performer, shaming most rock singers and lots of R&B and gospel ones to boot. Combine his voice with the band's Southern-fried, roadhouse-friendly rock and you've got yourself a recipe to charm the panties off the ladies, e.g. Kate Hudson. In August of this year, the Crowes announced that they've finished recording a new album, which they expect will be released next spring.

Fri. Oct. 5, 7pm Shoreline Amphitheatre 1 Amphitheatre Pkwy., Mountain View 408.9998.TIXS $30-$80 BUY TICKETS

Daddy Yankee REGGAETON BOMB: In the world of reggaeton (Latin pop mixed with dancehall reggae), there is one name that stands at the pinnacle of the genre's recent worldwide ascent: Daddy Yankee. After quickly climbing the pop charts with his breakthrough single, 2004's "Gasolina," Yankee wasted no time in capitalizing on the success. The singer/producer virtually transformed himself into a name brand, selling everything from Pepsi to Reebok shoes. He also established his own independent label, El Cartel Records, just in case anybody had any doubts he couldn't get things done on his own. But at this point, with record sales in the millions and an empire to his name, you'd be crazy to remain uncertain.

Sat. Oct. 6, 9pm Vivid Nightclub 8 S. First St., San Jose 408.279.4444 Usual Cover

Stardust DROP IT LIKE IT'S BAHT: Glam it up in gold at tonight's installment of Stardust, Vivid's monthly party full of "glitz, glamour and shine." Celebrate "the fabulous life" with DJs Nasty Nick, Devious Dave, David Q and Sequence spinning Top 40, house, hip-hop, reggaeton and Latin house until 3am. Stick around for the midnight money drop featuring more than $1,000 in cash.

Sat. Oct. 6, 7:30pm Greek Theatre UC-Berkeley, Berkeley 408.998.TIXS $35-$75 BUY TICKETS

Bryan Adams REALLY, REALLY, REALLY: While he didn't exactly dress like one, Bryan Adams' was undoubtedly Canada's biggest rock star of the '80s, exporting his catchy pop tunes worldwide. Usually clad in blue jeans and a white T-shirt, Adams relied on nothing more than a good hook and an up-tempo beat to capture a fanbase so large he spent a record-breaking 16 consecutive weeks atop the U.K. pop charts with his 1991 single "Everything I Do." Adams' uncanny ability to produce the kind of melodies that get stuck in your brain like a malignant tumor eventually led him to become a sought-after Hollywood songwriter, contributing music to blockbuster soundtracks like Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves and Don Juan DeMarco. The latter featured Adams' "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman," leading fans and critics alike to wonder: Have you? Really, really, really?

Sat. Oct. 6, 8pm The Catalyst 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz 831.423.1336 $20 BUY TICKETS

Atmosphere ABOVE GROUND: Conscious hip-hop at its finest comes to Santa Cruz in the form of the not-so-underground-anymore rap group Atmosphere. The Midwestern wordsmiths are centered around rapper Slug (a.k.a. Sean Daley), one of the brightest lyricists to emerge out of the late-'90s anti-gangsta-rap movement. Ushering in the new era of hip-hop, which focused on positivity rather than hostility, Slug and his crew released their debut, Overcast, in 1998. With its fresh artistic approach and complex rhyming, the album quickly became a definitive collection of songs for the new school of rap. Now working on their sixth studio album, When Life Gives You Lemons, Atmosphere continues to lead the way for hip-hop's better half.

Sat. Oct. 6, 6pm MACLA 510 S. First St., San Jose 408.998.2783 $12

HoodsFest HARD TIMES: It's gonna be a heavy metal weekend in San Jose, so start it off right with Hoodsfest 10, a hard-rock marathon concert that includes South Bay metal outfits These Days, For Our Enemies and Lionhart. The Cave Productions has been bringing local fans the hardest rock & roll for more than a decade, so you can trust them to bring the noise this Saturday at San Jose's MACLA. Wet your heavy metal palate at tonight's show, then get ready to do it again the following afternoon. It's like having a black Christmas two days in a row.

Sun. Oct. 7, 4pm-12am B4Twelve Lounge 412 Emerson St., Palo Alto 650.326.7183 Free before 6pm

PASSPORT ANNIVERSARY PARTY: It's an understatement to say the peeps behind PASSPORT are excited about the event's one-year anniversary. To celebrate, they're throwing a huge party glorifying soulful house, funk, R&B and more, with resident DJs Jaime Gonzalez, George DeSoul, Albert Campoy, Federico Zambala, J. Funk, Wen Davis, DJ Remedy, David Q, Cutso and DJ Hollywood keeping the music going for eight straight hours.

Sun. Oct. 7, 9pm VooDoo Lounge 14 S. Second St., San Jose 408.286.VODO No cover GUEST LIST

The Cypher LOCAL MC'S: Anyone interested in San Jo's underground rap scene needs to check out The Cypher hip-hop showcase that goes down every Sunday night at the Voodoo Lounge. The area's most talented MCs, including Lucky Lucianni and Mean ol' Lion, blow up the stage, while an open mic format allows amateurs to take part in the action. Whether you're an aspiring rapper or just a fan of local hip-hop, you don't want to miss the South Bay's finest, this Sunday night at the Voodoo Lounge.

Sun. Oct. 7, 4pm MACLA 510 S. First St., San Jose 408.998.2783 $10-$12

MetalFest HARD-HEADED: How much heavy metal is too much heavy metal? The answer, of course, depends on your degree of metal-headness, which would correspond to things like hair length and the number of Slayer T-shirts you own. Test your love for rock & roll's darkest genre this Sunday at San Jose's Metalfest, where a total of 12 local bands, including Lost in Apathy, A New Prophecy and If Time Fails, will take the stage and compete for your fist-pumping devil horns. The show starts at 4pm, so be prepared for an early start to the 408's own mini-Ozzfest.

Mon. Oct. 8, 7pm The Catalyst 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz 831.423.1336 $15-$18 BUY TICKETS

Black Francis A.K.A.: When you come right down to it, there's not so much difference between Charles Thompson IV playing his Pixies frontman character Black Francis and his later solo alter ego Frank Black. Frank Black has become a deeper songwriter over the years--his more recent classics like "I Burn Today," "If It Takes All Night" and "In the Time of My Ruin" are sorely underappreciated and screaming for rediscovery. Speaking of screaming, Black Francis does a lot more of it, and since his full-throttle bellow has returned on the new album, Bluefinger, it makes sense that he's returned to his Pixies moniker. B.F. is also a better showman, which makes for his most accessible album in at least a decade. There are a lot more guitar rave-ups and bizarre Pixies-type lyrics ("I got threshold apprehension!") The best comparison is ironically his early solo work (you can hear echoes of "Headache," "Men In Black" and more), but all of his fans should be able to agree on this one.

Tue. Oct. 9, 8pm HP Pavilion 525 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose 408.998.TIXS $57.50-$227.50 BUY TICKETS

Genesis TURN IT ON AGAIN: While it may have been a tough road to travel, Genesis' path to rock & roll stardom eventually took them all the way to the top, as the English lads became one of the most successful bands through the '70s, '80s and '90s. Led by the Peter Gabriel/Phil Collins power duo, Genesis developed a progressive rock sound heard 'round the world, earning them a total of 14 Billboard hits and countless album awards. Though the original lineup have since gone their separate ways, Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford are reuniting for a final North American farewell tour. Don't miss your last chance to see one of the biggest rock acts in history tonight at the HP Pavilion.

Tue. Oct. 9, 8-11pm Anno Domini 366 S. First St., San Jose 408.271.5155 Free

Dig Dug VINYL FETISH: Every month, Anno Domini hosts one of the more unique parties around that's not just about listening to music--it's about digging for it and making it your own. It's a listening party and record swap hosted by Nate "Ennui" LeBlanc, but DJ'd by misfits whose interesting and eccentric tastes transcend the understanding of most commercial clubs--but even they'll be digging through the stacks of some well-stocked collectors hawking their vinyl.

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Wed. Oct. 24-Sun. Oct. 28 HP Pavilion 525 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose 408.287.9200 $56-$153 BUY TICKETS

Disney on Ice: High School Musical COOL KIDS: Disney might have even surprised itself with its High School Musical series. High School Musical 2 debuted earlier this summer and was watched by more than 17 million viewers, making it the highest-rated basic cable broadcast ever, and landing the star, Zach Efron, on the cover of Rolling Stone. High School Musical 3 will supposedly be made into a movie, but for now, fans of this cult hit can satisfy themselves by attending the ice version, which version promises to have all the drama, singing and flair of the original, except live on ice--what could be cooler?

Thu. Nov. 29, 7pm San Jose State Events Center 290 S. 7th St., San Jose 408.998.TIXS $30 BUY TICKETS

Fall Out Boy THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES: You saw them at this year's MTV Video Music Awards, now get ready to see Fall Out Boy live and in the flesh this November at the San Jose State Event Center. The pop-punk sensations are currently touring in support of their latest album, Infinity on High, though the support is hardly needed--the record already climbed to numero uno on the pop charts and went platinum in less than a month. Still, Fall Out Boy is on the road, satisfying emo-kids across the nation with their best-selling brand of rock and roll.

--This week's newsletter by: RO, MC, CT, GW, SP PD, JJ & DB

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