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Metroactive Clubs Newsletter
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Volume 1, Number 41 - February 14, 2007 - San Jose, CA



Taste of Chaos, STS9, Jucifer, Spundae & V-Day Survival Guide

PICK  WED  THU  FRI  SAT  SUN  MON  TUE  UPCOMING

editorialpick
rivals
Wed. Feb. 14, 9pm
VooDoo Lounge
14 S. Second St., San Jose
408.286.8636
$10

Rivals, Ragweed, Last Chordz & Medicated Motherf*ckers

PUNK ROCK LOVE SONGS: If you feel like putting love in a headlock and beating it senseless, this is the show for you. Cranking the amps at VooDoo tonight are four bands full of raw power, intense licks and classic punk fury. On the bill are the Rivals, Ragweed, the Last Chordz and the Medicated Motherf*ckers, seriously good music for the "I don't give a shit" in all of us. Checking with our handy Love to Buzz meter, love is a possibility with so many likeminded individuals moshing in front of the stage to some loud as hell punk, but, unfortunately, that's also the reason why love may remain elusive at this show. However, catching a buzz tonight at the VooDoo is as close to a done deal as you're likely to find...ever.

Check below for other V-Day picks...

 
metroactive
sik luv
Wed. Feb. 14, 9pm
Johnny V's
31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose
408.947.8470
$5

Sik Luv

V-DAY MASSACRE: If you've been duped by Cupid (the little winged bastard) before, you really can't find a better show on V-Day than Sik Luv tearing it up at Johnny V's. With sped up rockabilly riffs from one of the best outfits on the local scene and some burlesque dancing from the Sparkly Devil show, this is the perfect place to find a potential significant other that still has a rebellious streak. On the Love/ Buzz meter, you'll definitely get out what you put in to this show on both respects...the buzz factor may have a slight edge though.

mission ale house
Wed. Feb. 14, 9pm
Mission Ale House
97 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose
408.292.4058
No Cover

Anti-Valentine's Day @ Mission

HAPPY TRAILS: If you're ready to get back on the love horse for the night or you just want to remember what the petting zoo was like, hit Mission Ale House for their Anti-Valentine's Day party. With the potency of every cocktail that flows from the bar at this Downtown stalwart and the ever-present singles scene at Mission; this is probably your best bet for quick V-Day success. Although love may be a crapshoot at Mission tonight, the social wheels will be well, um, greased and, the buzz factor is as close to a guarantee as our boss will allow us to give...just make sure to keep the beer goggle variable in check.

sound tribe sector 9
Wed. Feb. 14, 7:30pm
The Catalyst
1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz
831.423.1336
$25
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Sound Tribe Sector 9

THE SCIENCE OF JAM: Sound Tribe Sector 9 is hitting their hometown digs at the Catalyst tonight before embarking on their usual heavy spring and summer touring schedule, so if you haven't had your live STS9 fix in a while, tonight's the night to cruise over the hill. Known for their live performances, STS9 kicks out highly ambient and experimental electronic rock based dance music in a jam band style with plenty of drum and bass that wholly defies genre classification through lengthy descriptions by longwinded writers. So, to stave off the risk of falling into that particular journalistic trap, we'll simply say that if you've never heard STS9, they're like nothing you've ever heard--how's that for circuitous logic.

taste ultra lounge
Wed. Feb. 14, 9pm
Taste Ultra Lounge
87 N. San Pedro St., San Jose
408.885.1016
Usual Cover

Looking for Love @ Taste

THE SEARCH BEGINS: If you're serious about scoping out the potential love scene in Downtown tonight instead of riding the sofa like your normal Wednesday night (hey, Lost just returned, who could blame you), hit up the "Ultimate Singles Party" at Taste Ultra Lounge. Apparently the nightclub will forgo the cover charge until 11pm for the evening (a nice touch) with the turntable stylings of Jose Melendez and DJ Remedy hitting the decks. The potential for love is certainly here at Taste tonight, same with catching a decent buzz...however, being that it's an ultra lounge, watch your tab or at the end of the night, even your wallet won't sleep with you.

Smoke Tiki Lounge
metroactive
the rocketz
Thu. Feb. 15, 9pm
VooDoo Lounge
14 S. Second St., San Jose
408.286.8636
$10

The Rocketz w/ Henchmen & Divinium Diablos

SO-CAL MADMEN: The Rocketz are a hard-hitting trio from So-Cal that play sped up garage style psychobilly ripping with the distinctive fury of punk rock. Known for their relentless touring, kinetic live shows and lightning fast licks in every bar and roadside dive in the rockabilly scene, the Rocketz hit the VooDoo Lounge tonight with the pure and raw sounds of fellow So-Cal greasers the Henchmen and, to round out the bill with souped up sounds straight from the Devil's playlist, Divinium Diablos. Grab a handful of pomade, cuff your jeans up high and hit VooDoo for a gassed up psychobilly showcase tonight...don't tell your parents.

cradle of filth
Thu. Feb. 15, 7:30pm
The Fillmore
1805 Geary, San Francisco
408.998.TIXS
$25
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Cradle of Filth

MONOCHROME METAL: One of the most successful black metal bands ever, even though most of their early fan base and sometimes even the band itself deny this classification, Cradle of Filth (catchy name though) bring their highly symphonic and tongue in cheek Satanism to the Fillmore tonight. Although debates as to genre classification reign in the fictional underworld of Cradle of Filth, what's undeniable is the band's addiction to throwing down speed metal licks over lyrical imagery rife with horror, death, destruction, the devil and all things that go bump in the night...plus, for Fangoria celeb cool, that creepy dude that plays Pinhead in the Hellraiser films does voice work on some tracks. The 69 Eyes and 3 Inches of Blood open.

maya azucena
Thu. Feb. 15, 9pm
Milk Bar
1840 Haight St., San Francisco
415.387.6455
$10
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Maya Azucena @ Luv Supreme

BROOKLYN SONGSTRESS: Indie songbird, Maya Azucena, hits a R&B and jazz vibe melding with killer hip-hop beats that flow under her towering vocals; stunning work that has gained the Brooklyn native international acclaim and legit diva status. Having worked with myriad artists since breaking onto the scene, Maya Azucena has hit with a ton of success and her honest lyrical content and style gains her new fans daily. Maya Azucena will be hitting the Milk Bar tonight on her West Coast tour in conjunction with the Luv Supreme post V-Day event that also features Sucka Free's lyricist Melina Jones along with the twin turntable attack of DJ Derrick D and Big G.

metroactive
featuredpick
jucifer
Fri. Feb. 16, 9pm
The Blank Club
44 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose
408.292.5265
$8

Jucifer w/ Chelsea Smiles & Trigger Renegade

BREAKFAST IN HELL: Jucifer, a hot duo out of indie mecca Athens, GA--although now they've taken wholly to life on the road in their rockin' Winnebago--that completely abuse their instruments and tap the likes of Portishead, My Bloody Valentine, Sabbath and Slayer for inspiration rock the Blank Club this coming Friday. Jucifer probably doesn't come up on many people's radars, even though their stuff is just killer, eminently listenable, loud, raucous and fast to the point of explosion. The probable reason is because they don't fit neatly into a category, but that's the singularity that makes Jucifer so damn good. When Amber Valentine plugs in and Edgar Livengood begins insanely pounding the kit, it's like a sonic train wreck that was touched by some musical divinity. Jucifer will be tearing up the stage, blowing amps and ears with the Chelsea Smiles (who put on a simply phenomenal performance here a few weeks ago) and local rockers Trigger Renegade.

 
the obsessors
Fri. Feb. 16, 8pm
Johnny V's
31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose
408.947.8470
$5

The Obsessors w/ Butterface & Misdaringers

HOOKS AND HOOKS: Suburban subversives with more hooks in their music than a pro fisherman has in his tacklebox, the Obsessors are hitting Johnny V's with their retro infused punk rock and the amps cranked. The Obsessors just hit that certain throwback edge that's reminiscent of new wave mashed willingly with the sped up chops of punk that could've sat comfortably in the revolutionary musical age of the early Œ80s, but is thankfully being belted out at a dive bar near you. Catch the Obsessors tonight with hardcore thrashers Butterface and the Misdaringers.

nvs
Fri. Feb. 16, 8:30pm
C&J's
1550 Lafayette St., Santa Clara
408.423.9013
No Cover

12 Steps to Nothing & NVS

AMPLIFIER JUNKIES: Probably the hardest working local punk band around, 12 Steps to Nothing tear up C&J's tonight with their signature driving sound that easily ranks them as a punk outfit to watch for in the scene. Sometimes it seems as though the days of the three-piece, loud as hell punk band has gone away as more and more bands attempt to elevate their sound with more members and instruments to limited success. Well 12 Steps to Nothing knows the formula for punk rock supremacy, keep it simple, powerful, honest and fast and don't give a damn if anyone's listening or not. Also on the bill tonight is NVS (pictured) who rip out some of the smartest punk rock with heavy rock overtones that we've ever heard. NVS has created a damn near perfect sound that sits comfortably in your head and has the sonic tenacity of a pitbull on crack.

day one symphony
Fri. Feb. 16, 8:30pm
Bottom of the Hill
1233 17th St., San Francisco
415.621.4455
$10

Day One Symphony

AURAL THERAPY: One of the most talented bands ever to come out of San Jose, Day One Symphony plays Bottom of the Hill tonight for an 18+ performance. For those of you attuned to the local scene, DOS needs no introduction to their mind-bending musical works; for those unfamiliar, you need to seriously check out this San Jo four piece. This show sees a rejuvenated Day One Symphony--tight, melodic and ambient alt-rock experimentalists--hitting the City and resuming their touring while finishing up work on their latest cut.

foreigner
Fri. Feb. 15, 8pm
The Catalyst
1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz
831.423.1336
$49
BUY TICKETS

Foreigner

URGENT (CARE): Ahh, Foreigner, the band responsible for the one song that made nearly every mullet-haired, middle-American boy want to grow up to be a rockstar, is hitting the Catalyst tonight and it's probably a safe bet that there'll be at least one '76 Trans Am parked out front. After their early '80s success, Foreigner released a string of albums--ironically each worse than the last--with lineup changes in vain attempts to recapture the magic of the aforementioned "Jukebox Hero" and "Hot Blooded" days. But, the transition from rockers to balladeers proved to be a pitted road, so expect a healthy dose of the classics 'cause Foreigners seminal album, 4, just got the old remastering touch.

the chop tops
Fri. Feb. 16, 9:30pm
Moe's Alley
1535 Commercial Way,
Santa Cruz
831.479.1854
$20

The Chop Tops

GASSED UP LICKS: Revved up rockabilly rebels, the Chop Tops, will be tearing up their Santa Cruz digs tonight at Moe's Alley. These greased up throwbacks kick straight rockabilly of the tight as hell, neo-sinner, three-piece variety with a pomped stand up drummer/ vocalist, mad bass slapper and a Gretsch wielding guitar slinger with chops that would make aspiring strummers weep. The Chop Tops, in one blazing song, can rip you back in their sonic '57 Chevy to times when all you needed was an open stretch of road, a girl by your side and a roadside honky-tonk on Route 66. The Chop Tops rockabilly style blasts you off the barstool in a hail of gas, grease and liquor, and they're hitting the stage tonight with another sick rockabilly outfit, the Blasters.

blank & jones
Fri. Feb. 16, 8pm
Ruby Skye
420 Mason St., San Francisco
415.693.0777
$20
BUY TICKETS

Spundae 14-Year Anniversary w/ Blank & Jones

PREMIERE DJ CO: World famous German DJs, Blank & Jones, are stopping by Ruby Skye on Friday night to celebrate Spundae's 14th Anniversary. Alain Octavo will kick off the night and resident DJs HOJ, Jeffrey Allen and Syd Gris will be spinning in the other rooms of the club. As if it could get any better, the party will be Mardi Gras themed which means a huge Mardi Gras Hollywood Theatrical Production. Beautiful women in abundance and some of the best house music in the world will make Ruby Skye the premier club to be at on Friday night.

mark grant
Fri. Feb. 16, 9pm
Blue Monkey Lounge
1 E. San Fernando St., San Jose
408.275.6600
$5
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Mark Grant

WINDY CITY SPIN: Multi-talented Chicago native, Mark Grant, will be spinning at Blue Monkey for a Soul Central and Karma event. The deep house vibes Mark Grant creates doesn't mean that club goers will feel like they're in a basement, but rather they're on top of the world. Joining the very attractive Mark Grant on the roster of DJs for this event will be Jaime Gonzalez and Mike Slim. The three DJs will be a main attraction in downtown San Jose on Friday, so when the crowd collects outside the Blue Monkey, don't be surprised.

whisper at cuccini
Fri. Feb. 16, 9pm
Club Cuccini
72 N. Almaden Ave., San Jose
408.287.1737
Usual Cover

Whisper @ Cuccini

SHHH: Two floors and a full bar on each floor at Cuccini's plus the large heated patio and full hookah bar make the club a prime location to party at. The exclusive party on Friday night, Whisper, will feature amazing drink specials until 11:30pm with $3 shots, beers and well dinks. Dynasty Girls, the Faded crew and others will be hosting the event and also celebrating a birthday. House DJs will be spinning hip-hop and house with special guest DJ Juan Burgandy. Club Cuccini has everyone's party needs covered.

Smoke Tiki Lounge
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editorialpick
taste of chaos tour
Sat. Feb. 17, 6pm
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
99 Grove St., San Francisco
408.998.TIXS
$28
BUY TICKETS

Rockstar: Taste of Chaos Tour

SCREAMO "METAL": Local band, My Former Self, will be one of the bands on the Taste of Chaos Tour thanks to winning a battle of the bands for the honor. San Francisco is the second stop on the tour and there's no doubt that My Former Self fans will turn out in droves. Headlining the tour, The Used, 30 Seconds to Mars--thank you, Jared Leto, PETA's sexiest vegetarian--and Senses Fail. The black, asymmetric haired bands will be joined by some guys who still have normal haircuts and also play rocking music: Saosin, Chiodos and Evaline. Watch out for Aiden, they rock hard with the black hair and makeup look. Expect real chaos from the tour, and keep in mind that wearing a mouth guard, although never cool, could be essential.

 
donald glaude
Sat. Feb. 17, 9pm
Vault Ultra Lounge
81 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose
408.298.1112
Usual Cover

Donald Glaude

WHIRLING DERVISH: The spinning definition of West Coast house, Donald Glaude spins at the Vault tonight as part of the Diva pre Mardi Gras party. And if you've never caught a set of his far reaching and vibrant spinning style--jumping up on the decks, pumping up the crowd, scratching with his tongue--hit the hip and swanky confines of Downtown's premiere ultra lounge because the best way to experience a one of a kind DJ isn't over your I-pod. Donald Glaude leads the turntable attack tonight with help from DJ Atomatik in the main room with Vault resident DJ Mein rocking the decks in back.

solar powered people
Sat. Feb. 17, 9:30pm
C&J's
1550 Lafayette St., Santa Clara
408.423.9013
No Cover

Solar Powered People

WALL OF SOUND: Blending the late Œ80s alternative shoegazer rock mentality with a healthy dose of psychadelia and straight ahead rock, Modesto's Solar Powered People bring their moody melodies and fuzzy guitars to C&J's tonight. For those unfamiliar with the shoegazer style of alt rock, just pick up anything by My Bloody Valentine, the Jesus and Mary Chain or basically anything with a wall of sound and plenty of distortion from the guitars to keep the listener guessing. What Solar Powered People have sonically done here is take that sound and filtered it for modern consumption with a rich aural atmosphere and an almost hypnotizing pull that still rocks when it counts.

the smithereens
Sat. Feb. 17, 7:30pm
Red Devil Lounge
1695 Polk St., San Francisco
415.921.1695
$25
BUY TICKETS

The Smithereens

RETRO KICK: The Smithereens never really hit the top of the charts even in their late '80s heyday, but good musical sense tells us that climbing the corporate record label ladder does not necessarily a make a good band or produce listenable music--both of which are distinct elements of the Smithereens. Sure, there are those that rock harder, but the roots based throwback style of the Smithereens on tracks like "Yesterday Girl," "Blood and Roses" and "A Girl Like You" will always rest comfortably in our heads.

lavish at angels ultra lounge
Sat. Feb. 17, 10pm
Angels Ultra Lounge
400 S. First St., San Jose
408.885.9588
Usual Cover

Lavish @ Angels

THE PARTY BEFORE: Angels will be letting loose with a special Mardi Gras edition of Lavish presented by Sugarbeats. The ultra lounge will be going all out to have a Mardi Gras style party with beads and the whole nine yards. Hurricanes will be only $5 all night long and DJs Huski and Billy Ruckus will be on the turntables all night long. Some of the best mashups, hip-hop, R&B, top 40 and more will be bumping the club courtesy of DJ Huski. Now is the time to pre-party for Mardi Gras, because one day of pre-Lent celebration just isn't enough.

metroactive
pauly shore
Sun. Feb. 18, 7pm
Improv Comedy Club
62 S. Second St., San Jose
408.280.7475
$25

Pauly Shore

THE WEIZ LIVES: Sure, you can catch him on Friday or Saturday night here as well, but why not wait until the Weasel is properly warmed up? Don't worry about him sounding stale--he's beyond that now, to the point of being comforting, like taking a hit from your first bong you got back in high school. And naturally, he's turned to self-deprecation, mocking himself as a former mockery of a stoner. It's all very meta, until his "dude"- and "bro"-filled riffs on Hollywood drop, and then you know it's the same old Wiez, even if he has gotten Internet savvy by staging video of himself getting knocked out by a heckler that's bound to rank right up there with Glenn Danzig getting his clock cleaned in the You Tube "best of" lexicon (which they should totally start). Eeh, who are we kidding? The Wiez has still got it.

wallpaper
Sun. Feb. 18, 7:30pm
Bottom of the Hill
1233 17th St., San Francisco
415.621.4455
$8

Wallpaper

INDIE RELEASE: There's really nothing better to o on a Sunday night than go to the CD release party of Wallpaper's new single, "A Million Dollars." The Batrays, who include Passage and Bomarr of Anticon, will be opening for Wallpaper. The single and all the music from Wallpaper is meant to mock the general American ideal, hence the "A Million Dollars" that most kids would ask for as opposed to one million dollars. Both bands play a sort of experimental indie that has something to say and just happens to be paired with music. It will be entertaining. It will be music. It's something to do on a Sunday night.

metroactive
ben kweller
Mon. Feb. 19, 8pm
Great American Music Hall
859 O'Farrell St., San Francisco
415.885.0750
$17

Ben Kweller

GUITAR MOONIE: Somewhere along the line this round-faced Ben Kweller kid made a name for himself and got famous by playing an amalgamation of rock and folk. He's part of the new rise of folk music with more energy, a sort of laid-back surf rock that was brought mainstream by Jack Johnson and then John Mayer. Not to be confused with Ben Lee, Ben Harper, Ben Folds--you get the idea--Ben Kweller's folk rock is still sometimes sad things paired with upbeat music. For fans of any of the Ben's, Kweller's show will be worth the 17 bucks it takes to get in.

jade of days
Mon. Feb. 19, 6pm
The Attic
931 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz
831.460.1800
$10

Jade of Days

ALTERNATIVE VISION: Jade of Days play that style of music that, when you hear the first chord drop, pick up the blazing guitar and the driving bass and drums then hear vocalist Dana Kelley's delicate lilting voice over the beat, you think to yourself that this is what every alt band should sound like. Kelley's melodic and emotional vocal chops perfectly compliment the amazing musicianship of guitarist Paul Borges, bassist Nelson Medeiros and drummer Junior Medeiros--the sound is clean, amazingly harmonized and spans musical styles ranging from hard hitting punk inspired choruses to driving rock solos to intelligent alt indie numbers that meld into a sound rarely heard these days. This is one of the last shows to catch Jade of Days before they take a hiatus to work new material, but, if you can't make it over the hill tonight, they'll be hitting some Downtown gigs soon.

metroactive
san jose mardi gras
Tue. Feb. 20, 8pm
Various Locations
Downtown San Jose

Mardi Gras

FAT TUESDAY CELEBRATIONS: It's that time of the year again and bar oriented Fat Tuesday celebrations will take over Downtown. In years past, Mardi Gras celebrations in San Jose have oscillated between controlled and completely uncontrollable, but we're advocating a happy medium. There'll be plenty going on at nearly every San Jo watering hole, so, by all means, go out, enjoy the night, give beads, get beads, indulge in some fun, but just do it responsibly...because no one wants to start out Lent in the drunk tank.

zen lounge
Tue. Feb. 20, 8pm
Zen Lounge
251 Castro St., Mountain View
650.969.4847
No Cover

Mardi Gras @ Zen Lounge

THE LAST DAYS: Mardi Gras party goers who are looking to avoid the hoopla of downtown San Jose can also cut the costs of a good night out by heading to Zen Lounge--formerly Buddha Lounge--in Mountain View. There's no cover charge but there will still be plenty of beads and go-go dancers to give the partiers on the dance floor something to look at. DJ Real Deal will be spinning some of the best hip-hop and dance music to keep the party going late into the night. Drink specials beat anything in downtown San Jose with $3 hurricanes and beers. Don't neglect Mardi Gras if downtown is too wild. Bring the wild to Zen Lounge for an awesome celebration.

Smoke Tiki Lounge

metroactivecoming up
the struggle
Wed. Feb. 21, 8pm
VooDoo Lounge
14 S. Second St., San Jose
408.286.8636
$5

The Struggle

SONIC ASSAULT: Straight metal mayhem invades VooDoo tonight with locally grown screaming metal outfit, the Struggle, ripping up the stage. Members of the Struggle have been kicking around the San Jose live music scene for years--drummer Mando was a founding member of San Jo's Insolence--and have now coalesced into one tight and sick metal outfit that will definitely get your blood running. The Struggle plugs in tonight with another heavy local outfit, Stagnant pulling opening duties.

shitkickers
Sat. Feb. 24, 9pm
The Blank Club
44 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose
408.292.5265
$10

The Shitkickers

DIVE BAR TWANG: The Shitkickers are back and you all know that means loads of booze and rampant uncivilized behavior--but, heck, that's why we love 'em. These urban hillbillies always throw down a rocking hootenanny spitting out banjo licks and singing about drunken infidelity while shotgunning a can of Hamms and, while Shitkicker shows are always a full-tilt, loud and raucous, this turn at the Blank--with Old Bull and Axton Kincaid--should be one for the dive bar record books and just throw another heapin' pile 'o praise to their ever-growing urban cow-punk legend.

cinequest
Sat. Mar. 3, 9pm
Tres Gringos
83 S. Second St., San Jose
408.278.9888
No Cover
BUY TICKETS

Metroactive Mindbenders Bar Crawl

DRINKING FILMS: We know this is a few weeks away, but we feel compelled to get the word out early so all of our loyal Metro and Metroactive readers can gear up for a little bar crawling and movie watching at this year's Cinequest film festival. We'll be hitting Tres Gringos starting at 9pm on Saturday, March 3 and then moving the whole party over to the Blue Monkey Lounge before cruising to Camera 12 Cinemas--and hopefully not stumbling too bad--to catch the Mindbenders shorts series starting at midnight. Drinks and indie flicks with your buddies at Metroactive...what could possibly be better?

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


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