Tell-Tale Heartbreakers, Bad Boy Bill, Music Machine
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Sat. Nov. 17, 9pm
The Blank Club
44 S. Almaden Ave, San Jose
408.292.5265
$8
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The Tell-Tale Heartbreakers
NEVERMORE:
Inspired by the haunting prose of Edgar Allen Poe and the music of the '80s post-punk era, Santa Clara's Tell-Tale Heartbreakers are putting the fun back into goth. Sure, their music is dark, and often cynical, but that doesn't stop this band from having a good time, especially when they're playing a CD release party in their hometown. The long-awaited debut of their self-titled album is finally upon us, and it's safe to say we're all anxious to hear the final product. Led by front-woman Traci (previously of the Deadutantes), the Tell-Tale Heartbreakers play an infectious style of energetic goth rock spiked with a shot of New Wave and a chaser of psychobilly.
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Thu. Nov. 15 through Sun. Nov. 18. Shows at 8pm, 10pm, 11pm, 7pm
Improv Comedy Club and Restaurant
62 S. Second St, San Jose
408.280.7475
$22
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Pablo Francisco
MR. FUNNYMAN:
Pablo Francisco recently returned from his European tour, and if the mock movie preview of that tour is any indication, he's going deeper undercover with his celebrity impersonations. An astute (if mostly inoffensive) cultural critic, Francisco's friendly style of skewering often takes a back seat to his spot-on impersonations of easy targets like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Al Pacino and Chris Rock—all of whom are kind of caricatures of themselves by now, but his hilarious and innovative imitation of the video game Grand Theft Auto might just be the beginning of a new genre of imitation.
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Fri. Nov. 16, 9pm
Johnny V's
31 E. Santa Clara St, San Jose
408.947.8470
$5
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The Fourfits
GRITTY BLUES:
The Fourfits' latest album release is Knee Deep in Dirty Water, a sordid ensemble of gritty blues riffs and high-octane rock & roll. With distorted guitars turned up way too loud and a vocalist reminiscent of a young Billy Idol, the South Bay quartet pays its full respects to the excessive traditions of rock music. For those convinced the genre is dead or dying, you need only one encounter with a band like the Fourfits to realize that the foundations of rock will never crumble.
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Fri. Nov. 16, 9pm
Vivid Nightclub
8 S. First St., San Jose
408.279.4444
Usual Cover
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Famous
STRIKEFORCE AFTER-PARTY:
Though it's doubtful anyone truly famous will be there (other than host Myke Famous), the Vivid Nightclub official Strikeforce after-party should be goin' off like firecrackers at Chinese New Year. Strikeforce is San Jose's mixed martial arts promotion company headed by champion fighter Frank Shamrock, so be careful to mind your manners—you wouldn't want to wind up having to leave early with a mouthful of loose teeth. But hey, things should be mellow; after all it is the after-party.
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Fri. Nov. 16, 9:30pm
Taste Ultra Lounge
87 N. San Pedro St., San Jose
408.885.1016
Free before 11pm if on guest list
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Recess
SCHOOL'S OUT:
Of course you remember your favorite time at school-recess. Relive those 40 minutes of bliss all night long at Taste Ultra Lounge's monthly Friday night bash. The event features DJs Jose Mendez and Don Lynch on the turntables, so expect to dance till you drop. Just be sure to keep stretch those leg muscles and keep hydrated, because that dreaded second bell ain't gonna ring until three in the morning.
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Fri. Nov. 16, 9pm
MACLA
510 S. First St., San Jose
408.998.2783
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The Velvet Shop Under Ground
CUTTING EDGE:
The kingpins of underground dance in the South Bay team up with MACLA and Universal Grammar to bring you a cutting edge glimpse of the electronic music revolution. The Velvet Shop production showcases the talents of legendary artists like JENO, M3, MJ Gamez, and Prince Eddie P as well as Mark Johns on visuals. If electronic music's your thing, don't miss this crazy collaboration of grassroots musicians, fans, and supporters.
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Fri. Nov. 16, 9pm
MC 510
5580 Monterey Road, Gilroy
$5
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Novice
ALL AGES:
Time to welcome a new all-ages venue into existence. Dubbed MC 510 (which happen to be my initials followed by an appealing number divisible by other appealing numbers like 2, 5, 10 and 51), this brand spankin' new venue will host the Hollister-based dramatic alt-rock band Novice to play at its big opening show, along with Keeping Distance, Ashes Ashes, the Pilot's Wife and Explosion Sauce (which may or may not sting if applied directly to mucous membranes).
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Sat. Nov. 17, 9pm
Motif Restaurant and Club
389 S. First St., San Jose
408.279.1888
$15
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Bad Boy Bill
BANGIN' THE BOX:
Currently on tour promoting his new DVD, Behind the Decks Live, Bad Boy Bill is one of the first "superstar" DJs. Hailing from Chicago, BBB pioneered some bombastic scratches back in the '80s, sometimes using as many as six turntables to knock out the competition at the DMC DJ championships. Buy tickets early to catch the superstar DJ in action.
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Sat. Nov. 17, 9pm
Johnny V's
31 E. Santa Clara St, San Jose
408.947.8470
$5
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My Monster
NOT YOURS:
Rocking hard with a two-front vocal and guitar attack, My Monster roars into Johnny V's tonight. MC Shockey lays down blazing guitar licks beneath calm and melodious vocal work backed by the intensity of Statis Kuo on second guitar, the pulsing bass of Freak Monkey and the pounding serenity of Joey Guthrie on the kit. As far as local indie rockers go, My Monster kicks right to the gut, evoking a raw power and tight, intense sound that's a throwback to more subversive alternative and indie heydays.
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Sat. Nov. 17, 9pm
The Warfield
982 Market St., San Francisco
408.998.TIXS
$19.50
buy tickets
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Cold War Kids
HANG ME UP TO DRY:
Like many jangly indie rock bands these days, Cold War Kids have, with persnickety persistence, embraced the imperfections of old recording equipment to create an unpolished, dated feel in their music that makes it sound like the Velvet Underground. Heavily influenced by Radiohead (and Thom Yorke in particular), the Long Beach-based band writes sparse and bluesy vocal stunners and catchy pop songs that stick in your head. But unlike most songs that get stuck in your head, Cold War Kids' "Hang Me Up to Dry" is actually good. A slower and simpler version of "My Sherona," the song's appeal comes from singer Nathan Willett's androgynous vocal performance, which sounds appealingly like the Pretenders' vocalist Chrissie Hynde belting out showtunes, with a bit of Devendra Banhart's vocal wobble. The band tours in support of Robbers and Cowards.
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Sun. Nov. 18, 7pm
San Jose Stage Company
490 S. First St., San Jose
408.998.TIXS
$15-$25
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Richard Iznaola
CLASSICAL VIRTUOSO:
Just when you thought your guitar skills were reaching a level of borderline competence, Richard Iznaola comes to town to show you that, no, you pretty much suck. Then again, comparing yourself to a man Classical Guitar magazine called a "truly visionary virtuoso who accomplishes gigantic feats where most mortals see only impossibilities" is only going to hurt your self-esteem. So why not embrace the fact that compared to Iznaola, you're nothing but a "Hot Cross Buns"-playing amateur? That way, you'll be in a receptive mindset when you behold the eight-time international award-winning guitar master, composer and lecturer.
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Mon. 19, 8pm
San Jose Center for the Performing Arts
255 Almaden Blvd, San Jose
408.998.TIXS
$35.50-$55.50
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Jewel
SOLO ACOUSTIC:
Jewel Kilcher grew up in Alaska in a house without indoor plumbling, spent her teenage years studying music and busking around the country and recorded her first album, Pieces of You (some of which was recorded live at a coffee shop), when she was only 19—a gritty start for a songwriter who would become a staple of adult contemporary radio. Jewel's poppy folk songs and warbling voice climbed the charts and stayed there, at least until 2003 when she put out a dance-pop album called 0304, restyling herself as a Mariah Carey-esque diva. Not sure what she was thinking, but she fixed it on Goodbye Alice in Wonderland, a return to folk form. Her performance at SJCPA is a solo acoustic show.
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Tue. Nov. 20, 8pm
Montgomery Theater
271 S. Market St, San Jose
925.947.1908
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Hypnotic Santoor
ASTRAL PLANE:
Put simply, Zakir Hussain is an absolute maniac on the tablas. He plays those gulping, tittering Indian hand drums like Buddy Rich played the kit-with phenomenal speed and precision, sure, but also with an unerring sense of rhythm and style that keeps his drumming interesting, playful and even hypnotic. Hussain is easily the most famous practitioner of his craft, having played with heavyweights like George Harrison, Ravi Shankar, Van Morrison, Tito Puente and Pharoah Sanders. He is joined by Rahul Shara, who plays the Indian santoor, a hammered dulcimer-type instrument, sometimes with as many as 100 strings.
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 coming up |
Sun. Dec. 9, 7pm
Little Fox Theater
2209 Broadway, Redwood City
650.369.4119
$18-$20
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Jonathan Richman
ROADRUNNER:
I worry about Jonathan Richman. I know we all like to think of him as Happy Happy Fun Man, singing songs about Little Dinosaurs and Leprechauns and parties in the USA, but there's that other side of him, too--the forlorn, brooding Jonathan Dark Half that reaches all the way back to songs like "Hospital" and "Don't Let Our Youth Go to Waste" from his Modern Lovers years. You can usually see a little bit of this in concert, when Jonathan stares out with a hangdog expression that says, perhaps, "Man, it really was great dancing at the lesbian bar. I sure miss it. A lot." It's just that you're having such a great time at his show that you assume this apparent pathos is really only meant to be entertaining and cute. Is Jonathan in a funk? It's hard to tell when the show itself is still so relentlessly fun.
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--This week's newsletter by: GW, MC, SP, SQ, RO
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