Fall of Troy, Avail, Ozomatli, Pigeon John & Avian Phantasms

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Fri. Jan. 19, 9pm Agenda Lounge 399 S. First St., San Jose 408.287.3991 Usual Cover KRS-One SCIENCE LESSON: The essence of the hip-hop MC, KRS-One comes to the Agenda Lounge in downtown San Jo to drop a little lyrical science and a whole shit-ton of knowledge on a scene that could use a little lesson. Easily one of the most highly regarded rappers of all time, KRS-One flows with a style and substance that every MC after him as tried to adopt, but none have ever come close to the Teacher's socially poignant, often political and always controversial takes on modern society.

Wed. Jan. 17, 9pm SCU Bronco Pub 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara 408.554.4000 No Cover

FTB FREE RIDE: Ska punk funk rockers, Funk The Band are hitting the SCU Bronco Pub tonight with fellow funky rockers Relapse for a one-two punch of deep bass and driving guitar that's sure to get the whole campus up. You all know darn well that when FTB plays it's a full night of boozy onstage antics and a signature high-energy sound that can entice the stodgiest butt onto the dance floor. Relapse hits with the same style as FTB, but with a little more rock than funk and with both of them hitting the stage for the unbelievable price of free, you really can't go wrong.

Wed. Jan. 17, 8pm Johnny V's 31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose 408.947.8470 No Cover

Tin Cat & Coyote Slim FEELING SUMMERTIME: Tin Cat's a local outfit that you'd expect to see more at a summer outdoor festival than in mid-winter setting up at Johnny V's, but we here get the feeling that this year is going to be more concerned with musical expansionism rather than sticking stodgily to already professed genres. Formed of four exceptional singer/ songwriters, Tin Cat samples a little bit of everything from alt-pop stylings to bluesy folk county to kicking indie numbers that blend with distinct rock overtones and quirky, heartfelt vocals that's a little bit jam band and a whole lot of groove. Blues rocker Coyote Slim opens up.

Wed. Jan. 17, 9pm VooDoo Lounge 14 S. Second St., San Jose 408.286.8636 $5

Red Menace PINKO INVASION: Tonight at the VooDoo you can catch one of the rising bands in the local scene when Red Menace hits the stage and starts kicking out near retro sounding alt rock licks for the hump day crowds. While certainly not as threatening as a communist insurgency, Red Menace's melodic amplifier distortion and lyrical chops mark connective songs that latch onto the part of your gut that governs the brake switch for your emotional rollercoaster.

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Thu. Jan. 18, 8pm Anno Domini 366 S. First St., San Jose 408.271.5151 Donation Suggested MORE INFO Lisa Dewey @ The Perpetual Motion Roadshow INDIE MOVEMENTS: With a pledge for "No boring readings or your money back!," the Perpetual Motion Roadshow puts its money where its mouth is, but it's hard to say exactly where that mouth has been. The Roadshow, conceived by Canadian novelist Jim Munroe, has been making the rounds up and down the West Coast since 2003, inflicting a new trio of theretofore unassociated "indie performers" of both healthy and ill repute, and varying widely in their chosen media, from writing and cartooning to ranting and singing. This particular incarnation will feature a musician, a poet and a minister of the Church of the Subgenius--kind of a vaudeville show for the punk rock set. San Jose needs no introduction to Lisa Dewey, an ethereal songwriter, musician and singer who has been kicking around the local scene for years and should seriously be considered a San Jose musical treasure. Jane Ormerod, born in England but living in NYC, is a gritty and gutsy postmodern poet. Janor Hypercleats is the aforementioned minister and street performer who's written numerous books about or related to the Church of the Subgenius, a decades-old cult of divine slacking or satirical nonsense, and also performs as Mr. TV.

Thu. Jan. 18, 10pm The Caravan 98 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose 408.995.6220 No Cover

The Last Chordz AMPLIFIER BOMBS: The Last Chordz set up tonight at the Caravan for a retro punk set with local punkers Angry For Life and Dun Bin Had so, get there early, get your drink on and get ready for a little sonic ass kicking. Lately the Last Chordz have been making some serious waves in the punk rock circles with their '80s style DIY mentality and throwback riffs that recall those hardcore heydays of old before pop-punk infiltrated the amp junkie underground, the record companies found out they could make some money and every suburban wannabe subversive thought that some torn jeans and a faux-hawk made you punk.

Thu. Jan. 18, 7:30pm Bottom of the Hill 1233 17th St., San Francisco 415.621.4455 $12

The Fall of Troy IT'S ALL HELEN'S FAULT: Performing with Portugal the Man, Damiera, and Tera Melos, The Fall of Troy will be kicking off their headlining tour with a Thursday night show in the City at Bottom of the Hill. Fall of Troy, a trio hailing from Washington, has been called post-hardcore for their alternating vocals--high-pitched screams to calm singing--and their progressive rock influenced music. Last spring the band toured with Poison the Well and presented shows that blew their fans away night after night. The guys go from all out hard rocking songs to slow jam sessions, the perfect rest for a moshing crowd. Thursday night is the perfect time to catch Fall of Troy while they're still rested and they promise to put on a high action show.

Thu. Jan. 18, 8:30pm Café Du Nord 2170 Market St., San Francisco 415.861.5016 $15

Honeycut SWEETENING THE POT: A band like this could only come out of the City. Honeycut seamlessly weaves variant styles of electronica, soul, experimental pop, rock and syth with hip-hop beats and funky bass that seriously rivals anything put out by other genre splitting outfits. Since breaking new musical ground last year, the electro-savvy three piece has become the underground darlings of critics and fans alike with their quirky beats and near lounge crooner vocals. Honeycut's first full length offering, The Day I Turned to Glass, has already cut out a permanent home in many die hard record collectors personal rotations. Described as the Bay Area answer to both Gnarls Barkley and Gorrilaz, Honeycut kicks out a vibe that's as undeniable as it is unclassifiable.

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Fri. Jan. 19, 9pm Johnny V's 31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose 408.947.8470 $5 The Hysterians GARAGE TESTED: Nothing but souped up and garage tested rock 'n roll at Johnny V's tonight with Les Hormones, The Mothballs and The Hysterians plugging in. While all three bands on the bill tonight ascribe to the time tested sensibilities and sounds of rock, the Hysterians, the Mothballs and Les Hormones all hit noise and content levels that received a good wash in a punk rock makeover tank. All three have that certain rock and roll kick you can only get from a boozy garage band coupled with the razor sharp sting of old school punk.

Fri. Jan. 19, 9pm The Blank Club 44 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose 408.292.5265 $8

Birdmonster SHORT STRANGE TRIP: Making the leap from local openers to band competition winners to nationally recognized legit headliners seemed to happen overnight for San Francisco's Birdmonster, but actually the road from near obscurity to indie rock critics' darlings took just over a year. After stealing the show at the 2005 Live 105 Not So Silent Night as the local act, Birdmonster didn't rest on any laurels through 2006 and now in '07 the kinetic vocals of Peter Acruni and the high-grade musicianship of guitarist David Klien, bassist Justin Tenuto and drummer Zach Winter coalesce into a genre splitting soup of rock, punk and indie that sounds as unique and honest as anything you're likely to hear these days.

Fri. Jan. 19, 10pm The Caravan 98 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose 408.995.6220 Free

The Vex, Something for the Broken & Touch My Rash ON DOWN PUNK WAY: It's a straight up punk rock showcase at the 'Van tonight with three hardcore outfits setting up, blowing amps and cracking skulls. All hailing from San Jose, the Vex, Something for the Broken and Touch My Rash relish in the faster than fast riffs on punk with the angst ridden and witty vocals done like torn jean poets blessed with a sonic pulpit. Playing together in the gritty corner of the Caravan, for free on a Friday smacks of a dream come true scenario for local punked up noise junkies.

Fri. Jan. 19, 7:30pm Mountain Charley's 15 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos 408.395.8880 $15

The Cheeseballs THE NAME SAYS IT ALL: One of the best cover bands in the Bay Area, The Cheeseballs put on a delightful performance of danceable music from the '70s, '80s, 90's, and beyond. Disco greats like "I Will Survive" get everyone dancing--or at least a smile from those who like to sit in the back. The Cheeseballs don retro clothing and their best choreographed dance moves to put on a high energy show. Get ready to dance the night away and get down with your bad self when you see The Cheeseballs rock the stage.

Fri. Jan. 19, 9pm Blue Monkey 1 San Fernando St., San Jose 408.276.8600 $5

Soul Central @ Blue Monkey AURAL HUB: Beginning this Friday, Blue Monkey will be presenting Soul Central every third Friday. Music by Jaime Gonzalez with DJ Fedricio Zabala will provide a night of dancing to "soulful groovin' house" music. The Blue Monkey is the bar you want to wear your dancing shoes to and bring all your best moves so you can get down from the waist down. There will certainly be a great crowd at this event for the uplifting soul music, and probably a few drinks too.

Fri. Jan. 19, 9pm Fahrenheit Ultra Lounge 99 E. San Fernando St., San Jose 408.998.9998 $15

Chris Clouse VARIANT BEATS: Chris Clouse is no modern day coffeehouse beatnik folk singer and as his musical prowess grows, so does his following. Playing everything from fiddle to electric guitar and melodiously blending them with house style break drum beats, Clouse gets his hooks into the crowd right from the first chord. This show, Clouse teams with DJ collaborator Zhaldee and Dave Kim and when these guys start jamming together it sounds like a toned high-five between two seemingly variant musical styles.

Sat. Jan. 20, 9pm Johnny V's 31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose 408.947.8470 $5

INQ INDIE ROCK CRED: Venerable rock outfit, INQ, comes out of studio hiding tonight and to Johnny V's for their first show in San Jose since a killer performance at Music in the Park last August. Their 2005 debut CD, Life Assurance, became an instant classic in Bay Area indie circles for its solid musicianship, catchy vocals and hook laden riffs and the deep welled soul of INQ is far from dry. Their new material still carries INQ's signature hard alt-rock indie vibe blended with good ol' classic rock 'n roll that pulls you along willingly on the quartet's unconventional sonic journey. Kill, the Soft Face, Trigger Renegade and, from Colorado, Angie Stevens open up before INQ re-blazes their San Jo rock trail.

Sat. Jan. 20, 10pm Angels Ultra Lounge 400 S. First St., San Jose 408.885.9588 Usual Cover

Lavish ULTRA SWANK: The Angels Ultra Lounge & Cabaret is a sexy venue for a party, and Lavish will surely live up to expectations. SugarBeats Group will be presenting the club night in the stylish club featuring DJ Huski and DJ Jizza G with their masterful spinning of original mashups, hip-hop, rock, top 40, and reggaeton. GoGo girls by Jessica Rae and Desired Temptations will provide dance visuals, and as if that wasn't enough beautiful women, the ladies of Honey Entertainment and Hype it Up will be hosting Lavish. Beautiful women in a sexy club with good entertainment makes an unbeatable mix at Angels Ultra Lounge on Saturday night.

Sat. Jan. 20, 8pm The Fillmore 1805 Geary, San Francisco 408.998.TIXS $36.50 BUY TICKETS

Tower of Power THE SOUL OF OAKTOWN: Laying down straight East Bay soul and funk since '68 Tower of Power--easily one of the most enduring bands ever--are still kicking it horn-heavy and strong as they rip into the Fillmore tonight for a special performance. The lineup of this venerable outfit really hasn't changed all that much over the years with the core group pretty much in the same incarnation as when TOP first brought the Motown Sound to the Bay. Tower of Power has backed so many other musicians over the years that it's sometimes hard to tell where TOP ends and those other outfits begin, but, rest assured for all you classic R&B fans, this is Tower of Power in all their glory alone and commanding the stage.

Sat. Jan. 20, 8:30pm Bottom of the Hill 1233 17th St., San Francisco 415.621.4455 $12 BUY TICKETS

Pigeon John RULING THE ROOST: Inglewood emcee Pigeon John brings his style of funked, upbeat rap and hip-hop to Bottom of the Hill for an all-ages performance. This appearance for Pigeon John comes on the heels of a brief Australian tour with Lyrics Born and precedes a two-month tour of the western United States. Pigeon John, as always, brings his infectious beats and quirky, positive lyrics referencing everything from David Hasselhoff to Taco Bell, to the City that sits on a completely opposite end of the hip-hop spectrum than most other artists recording today.

Sat. Jan. 20, 9pm Taste Ultra Lounge 87 N. San Pedro St., San Jose 408.885.1016 Usual Cover

Saturday School WEEKEND DETENTION: Taste Ultra Lounge invites all the bad schoolgirls in the Bay Area to wear their sexiest schoolgirl outfits to San Jose's self-proclaimed "hottest theme party," Saturday School. Detention Girls will be in attendance for this event and packing the two bars of Taste. DJ Big Boy and the legendary Leslie Perez, a duo that will have the club jumping in a heartbeat, will spin music all night long. If knee socks and plaid skirts are your thing, so is Saturday School.

Sat. Jan. 20, 8pm Ruby Skye 420 Mason St., San Francisco 415.693.0777 $15

The Scumfrog AMPHIBIAN SPIN: World famous performer and mix master, The Scumfrog--aka Jesse Houk--will be putting on a show that isn't just him spinning records, but will also include his live vocals, percussion, samples, and maybe even more. An Amsterdam native, The Scumfrog worked with David Bowie, Britney Spears, and Missy Elliot doing remixes and productions before he moved on to work on his own project. Several of his songs have won awards and been the top club songs in the UK and US. The Scumfrog's performance on Saturday will be an all night affair lasting until 4am, so be ready to party long and hard.

Sun. Jan. 21, 8pm Moe's Alley 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz 831.479.1854 $10 - $20

Ozomatli BEATS OUT THE SCENE: Alt Latin hip-hop funky rocksters Ozomatli hit Moe's Alley tonight in full world musical style that the 10-man (and sometimes many more) band has become known for since breaking onto the LA scene nearly a decade ago. Ozomatli shows are simply a benevolent riot with loud and crazy beats meshing with rock riffs and funk breaks with the entire crowd getting into it--and Ozomatli members often getting into the crowd--jam band style. This show over the hill tonight is a benefit performance for the Coup with both bands showcasing their unique talents on one stage.

Sun. Jan. 21, 9pm VooDoo Lounge 14 S. Second St., San Jose 408.286.8636 $5

NVS, INFM, The Obsessors & Resistant Me SUBVERSIVE BLENDS: You probably won't be able to find a better show this week than this Sunday night punk laced throwdown at the VooDoo Lounge of all local rockers committed to kicking eardrums. On one stage, for one extremely low price, you can catch the classic anarchy laden three chord anthems of INFM, the wittily fast pop punk stylings of NVS and the anarcho-pop sounds of the Obsessors. Also hitting the raised stage tonight at San Jo's new-found rock venue is the '80s fused power-pop of Resistant Me.

Mon. Jan. 22, 8:30pm Bottom of the Hill 1233 17th St., San Francisco 415.621.4455 $10

Avail WORKINGMAN BLUES: High-octane and melodic punk rock hits Bottom of the Hill tonight with Avail ripping out their signature blue-collar, anti-establishment speed riffs and rants. Coalescing as a cogent group in those tumultuous times of the late '80s moving into the alt heavy '90s, Avail became an instantly classic hardcore punk outfit that fought tooth and nail to keep the naturally occurring subversive nature of punk's roots alive and kicking while many others went the corporate monkey route in order to sell records...yeah, those early '90s were rough. Avail headlines tonight with the Draft and Fabulous Disaster and, in case you can't get enough throwback punk, the same lineup will be hitting the Catalyst tomorrow.

Tue. Jan. 23, 9pm Johnny V's 31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose 408.947.8470 $5

Dominic Miranda and the What Ifs HEARTBREAK GIGS: Rockin' indie folk pop comes out of the caffeine rich coffeehouses of the Valley when Dominic Miranda and the What Ifs hit Johnny V's tonight for a different taste of rock filling up its dive bar confines. But don't think that Miranda and the What Ifs are just some neo-hippie beatniks. The trio's soulful songs carry a definite rock edge like when some of the best alt outfits of the heyday unplugged and tried their collective hands at balladeering except when Miranda begins plucking his acoustic guitar you know instantly that it's an honest aural reflection of a deep emotional void somewhere inside and not just musical posturing.

coming up

Wed. Feb. 7, 8pm The Fillmore 1805 Geary, San Francisco 408.998.TIXS $35 BUY TICKETS

The Roots PHILLY BORN: The legendary Roots crew--who are so far above and beyond any hip-hop artist today and not only for their strict dedication to actually playing instruments and never sampling somebody else's work--make their way back to the Bay tonight. The last time we saw the Roots, the highly influential and critically acclaimed jazz blended hip-hoppers were headlining the Dew Action Sports Tour at HP, but now you can catch MC Black Thought, ?uestlove, Hub, Kamal Gray, F. Knuckles and Cpt. Kirk Douglas droppin' riffs, beats and dope rhymes in their natural on-stage digs.

Fri. Feb. 9, 9pm The Blank Club 44 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose 408.292.5265 $12

Swingin' Utters OLD SCHOOL SF PUNK: Hell, anytime you get a chance to see the Swingin' Utters live, you've got to clear the calendar and make that show. So, in the interest of communal good times, loud ass folk-punk, beer and the undeniable kick of these pure punk revivalists, we're letting you know way in advance about this show at the Blank. With so many side projects--like Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Filthy Thievin' Bastards and Druglords of the Avenue--continuously in the works, touring and blowing amps across the world, it's rare that the Swingin' Utters get a chance to play together. So, take the above recommendation to heart and we'll see ya on the 9th.

--This week's newsletter by: RO, AL & MC

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