8 Days a Week

Nov. 26-Dec. 3, 2003

A CYNIC MIGHT argue that media conglomeration has had a salutary effect on local hip-hop: after all, the independent scene here is bubbling. In truth, we owe the underground's success to organizations like True Skool, which represents the voices that are neglected, or muzzled by commercial radio. Founded in 1999 by Renoir Salgado – the Bay Area's vinyl archaeologist – True Skool highlights old-school and independent music and preserves the populist spirit of hip-hop by offering low-cost shows and political updates on its Web site. Since it began as a weekly club, the organization has brought such legends as Afrika Bambaata, the Last Poets, and Grandmaster Flash to the Bay Area, along with hot underground acts like Wildchild, Medusa, and Heltah Skeltah. Few heads would debate that True Skool's fourth-anniversary party is gonna be off the chain, featuring a live performance by jazzy East Bay group Crown City Rockers, plus freestyles by some of the dopest lyricists in town: Azeem, Spaztik, Marc Stretch, Rashaan Ahmaad, Psychokinetics, and members of Felonious. With Ren and Coop D'ville holding down the ones and twos, be ready for a night of skronky funk and junk-your-trunk beats. Fri/28, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., Milk, 1840 Haight, S.F. $15. (415) 387-6455, www.true-skool.org. (Rachel Swan)

Nov. 26

Wednesday

Duck, duck, goose The pasty alt-rap peddlers of Ugly Duckling – Andycat, Young Einstein, and Dizzy Dustin – obviously found a lot to chew on during their time behind a fast-food counter (where, legend has it, the L.A. yucksters met). This year's Taste the Secret, their concept album on Emperor Norton, takes the industry, irate customers, and rival vegetarians to task at a zany little imaginary joint called Meat Shake. And for those who like a tasty jam and lots of cheese with their turkey shake and skits, there's plenty of that via infectious tracks ("Pass It On"), comic raps about profanity ("Potty Mouth") and bad girls ("Daisy"), at least one gospel chorus, and jaunty De La Soul-ful grooves that sound like they were generated on the most toylike of keyboards. This Cali Comm show also includes Grouch and Eligh, Lyrics Born, Abstract Rude, and Pigeon John. 9 p.m., Fillmore, 1805 Geary, S.F. $20. (415) 421-TIXS or (415) 346-6000. (Kimberly Chun)

Color me casual Formed in response to a call to arms for artists and activists at 2002's Ladyfest D.C., the Casual Dots have become the District's newest organic supergroup. Although they had never played together before, Christina Billotte (Slant 6, Quix*o*tic), Kathi Wilcox (Bikini Kill, the Frumpies), and Steve Dore (Deep Lust) meshed sonically like the friends and contemporaries they had been for years. Each member's continued involvement in the fest's organization has solidified the merger as more than merely a studio/side project. Bringing bits of each of their former bands to the table, the Dots have developed and perfected a sound that walks the line between '50s soul, stripped-down garage rock, and sugary sweet bubblegum pop. Kill Rock Stars' newest signees have been recording their still unnamed debut LP while sharpening their teeth as a live band by playing only a handful of shows in select cities along the West Coast. Join them tonight, along with San Francisco's bloodthirsty darlings the Husbands. 10 p.m., Hemlock Tavern, 1131 Polk, S.F. $6. (415) 923-0923. (John Lombardo)

Nov. 27

Thursday

Born to gobble The day has come. You'll probably eat too much and indulge in excessive helpings of someone's famous pie. Before you start putting on extra holiday pounds, why not run some off at the first annual Turkey Beach Trot? It will definitely get your blood pumping and give you the perfect excuse to lie on the couch and watch football for the rest of the day. The race offers up prizes that include turkeys, pumpkin pies, wine, gym memberships, and gift certificates for a whole slew of winners – so maybe you can even be the hero at dinner when you arrive with your bounty. A special note for parents: all kid runners get special treats and awards. 8 a.m., Ocean Beach, Great Highway at Balboa, S.F. $23. (415) 595-6934, www.woohoo.org. (Cindy Emch)

Nov. 28

Friday

Trash kompakter Skip the same ol' deep-house snooze and thrill to techno by some of the world's finest purveyors of four on the floor that isn't a snore, namely Richard Mayer and Reinhard Voigt of Kompakt Records. The German label began as a Cologne record shop that quickly developed its own scene, drawing fans in search of its infectious energy from all over the world. Expect plenty of schaffel goodness (think techno versus Gary Glitter or T. Rex) from Mayer while Voigt goes live with his own take on Detroit and Chicago via Cologne. San Francisco's minimal masters Broker/Dealer warm up the decks. 10 p.m.-4 a.m., Club Six, 60 Sixth St., S.F. $12. (415) 863-1221. (Peter Nicholson)

Jolly time Thanksgiving is over, and the shopping orgy is soon to begin. Before you get all flustered and cranky about the commercialism of the holiday, taste the cheer at the 39th annual Ghirardelli Square Tree Lighting Ceremony. This year the San Francisco Cable Car Chorus breaks out the classic carols and the young Mystic Pixies acrobats charm with whimsical flips and spins choreographed to holiday tunes. Of course, the immense and awe-inducing 50-foot evergreen will be dazzlingly illuminated – and rumor has it that Santa and the missus will be on hand to pass out chocolate to both the naughty and the nice. Entertainment 1-5 p.m.; tree lighting 5:30 p.m., Ghirardelli Square, West Plaza, 900 North Point, S.F. Free. (415) 775-5500. (Emch)

Left in a Lerche Shallow hipsters peg Norwegian singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche as a folk-pop heartbreaker, so it's nice to know his heart can be broken as well – while listening to Burt Bacharach sing the opening lines to "The Windows of the World" onstage alongside Ron Isley, two weeks ago in New York. So blogged the 19-year-old Lerche, taking a break from mixing songs of his own. Until the release of those tunes, there's his first, lauded 2002 album, Faces Down (Astralwerks), and his latest EP, Don't Be Shallow (Astralwerks), which dives into studio and live rarities including a cover of Cole Porter's "Night and Day." Lerche is that kind of classicist, falling into step with the standards, though he'll never live down that soft spot for local heroes A-ha. Rachael Yamagata and David Berkeley also perform. 9 p.m., Cafe du Nord, 2170 Market, S.F. $10. (415) 861-5016. (Chun)

Nov. 29

Saturday

Gospel truth No matter your religious affiliation, the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre's magnificent annual production of Langston Hughes's gospel musical Black Nativity is not to be missed. Hughes created this retelling of the traditional Christmas story in 1961, intent on showcasing the energy and passion of gospel music and its place at the heart of the urban church. Black Nativity is a tapestry of song, poetry, and dance that is thrilling and energizing. This year's Lorraine Hansberry production keeps the show fresh with new song selections, including "O Holy Night," "I Made It Over," and "Peace on Earth." Overall, it provides the perfect opportunity to feel the true joy and love that are the reasons for the season. Through Dec. 21. Opens tonight, 8 p.m. Runs Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 4 p.m., Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, 620 Sutter, S.F. $25-$32. (415) 474-8800, www.ticketweb.com. (Emch)

Masters of disaster Tsunamis. Grizzly bears. Raiders fans. There are some things that must be experienced firsthand before their overwhelming force can be comprehended. In the musical realm, Banyan is one of them. This all-star wrecking crew of intense and energized musicians unleashes a primal fury during live performances that is earthshaking, heart stopping, and absolutely mesmerizing. Punk legend Mike Watt (Firehose, the Minutemen) rumbles on bass and adds occasional vocal spasms, allowing Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction) – whose calisthenics on the drum kit alternate between violence and restraint – the duty of bandleader. Nels Cline (Crater, Nels Cline Singers) adds layers of abstract guitar, while Willie Waldman (Ratdog, Snoop Dogg) blankets it all in a glaze of screaming trumpet. Time off from their regular projects allows these stars the opportunity for serious fun and total experimentation. Fayvorlove and DJ Motion Potion open. 9 p.m., Great American Music Hall, 859 O'Farrell, S.F. $20. (415) 552-7788. (Jonathan Zwickel)

Nov. 30

Sunday

Human league The artists associated with Berlin label Morr Music confound Teutonic (and electronic) stereotypes by making music that's emotionally warm and harmonically lush. On their debut, No P. or D., Ms. John Soda (Micha Acher of the Notwist and Stefanie Böhm of Couch) mix downtempo twitter/chirp with gentle pop hooks. That sound has undergone a revamp on the recent EP While Talking: Böhm mumbles like Nico aping Kim Gordon while gnarly guitars, plucked strings, and light-industrial noisescapes rumble and chime around her. B. Fleischmann is more your standard electro auteur – slippery loops, bubbling synths, lots of texture – but the sound he gets from his machines is more harmony bath than rhythm assault. Chicago cut-and-paster Jel opens; label curator Thomas Morr also delivers a DJ set that might shed light on the bands' robots-have-feelings-too aesthetic. 8 p.m., Cafe du Nord, 2170 Market, S.F. $10. (415) 861-5016. (Gabriel Roth)

Dec. 1

Monday

Out of the cloister If Thelonious Monk's music, which sounds patched together by edgy climaxes and irregular intervals, gets you up in the morning, you might enjoy a dose of "Ugly Beauty" to go with your "Epistrophy." Those tunes get a chipper treatment on Monk's Music Trio's recently released Harmony of Odd Numbers (CMB). Composed of Bay Area veterans Chuck Bernstein on drums, Si Perkoff on piano, and Frank Passantino on bass, the group perform uncluttered variations on Monk standards with a bright, tropical ambience. Perkoff's hands sprint across the keys while Passantino's chunky bass and Bernstein's swooshing drums add pulse. Together they sound dissonant in a straightforward way, with unnerving amounts of inner detail. The threesome play at Simple Pleasures Cafe on the first and third Mondays of every month. 8 p.m., Simple Pleasures Cafe, 3434 Balboa, S.F. Free. (415) 387-4022. (Daniel King)

Dec. 2

Tuesday

Hawaiian punch Since bustin' out at age 25 in the 1960s, guitarist Taj Mahal has developed into a peppy musician who wraps Delta blues, Caribbean folk, and down-home reggae into one enchilada. He produces a sheer, cheery sound with an organic, delightful feel, and unlike guitarists who rely on feedback to articulate, or bury, an idea, his chords retain nuance. Plus, Congress declared 2003 the Year of the Blues, and Martin Scorsese just released an attention-grabbin' blues documentary featuring Mahal, so it's a great time to celebrate the musician's style alongside his longtime bandmates, drummer Kester Smith and bassist Bill Rich. Through Dec. 7. Mon.-Sat., 8 and 10 p.m.; Sun., 2 and 8 p.m., Yoshi's, 510 Embarcadero West, Jack London Square, Oakl. $5-$26. (510) 238-9200. (King)

Dec. 3

Wednesday

Care and share With the weather growing nippy and the Bay Area jazz scene in full flower again, why not join two causes into one powerhouse event and call it a Gimme Shelter Clothing Drive? The programmers at the sleekly designed Club Jazz Nouveau, which opened this past July to sustained applause, have just the thing in mind. They've wrangled up piano player Ricardo Scales to anchor the fundraising festivities, and if you're familiar with his smooth style of music – his spirited, mellow introductions and breezy, decorative outbursts – you can probably guess there's fun in store. House rules (and moral obligation) require you to bring at least one article of clothing for donation. 5 p.m., Club Jazz Nouveau, 2801 Leavenworth, S.F. $25 (plus clothing donation). (415) 921-2100. (King)