Jamie Foxx, The Shins, Wolfmother, Mos Def & Teddy Wars

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Sat. Apr. 14, 8pm HP Pavilion 525 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose 408.998.TIXS $59.75 - $69.75 buy tickets Jamie Foxx UNPREDICTABLE INDEED: To be honest, his talent is kind of sickening. Hilarious on In Living Color, brilliant in Ray and pretty damn solid as an R&B/soul singer? Sickening. The tour is called Jamie Foxx: Unpredictable, after his double-platinum album of the same name, and features the Oscar-winning actor (and Grammy-nominated singer) in both stand-up comedy mode and smoove R&B mode. We don't know if he'll sing "Gold Digger," but given the ticket prices, there are bound to be plenty of them in the house. If you can't make it over to the Pavilion, Jamie Foxx's official after party is going down at Cuccini (72 N. Almaden Ave, San Jose) right after the show, which Foxx will host.

Wed. Apr. 11, 9pm The Blank Club 44 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose 408.292.5265 $3

Kill The Softface GOOD OLD DAYS: As we recently reported, alternative rock on the airwaves is making a major comeback in the South Bay thanks to the return of Channel 104.9. Enter Kill the Softface and their intense power-pop alt-rock chops. Straight out of San Jose, Kill the Softface sports a sound reminiscent of the late '80s turning point in modern rock when New Wave copulated with punk, resulting in music that evolved beyond the three-chord, two-minute drill, but didn't lose its edge. Local indie rockers Bluepoint also perform.

Wed. Apr.11, 8pm Johnny V's 31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose 408.947.8470 $5

Diesel Finger RED NECK THRASH: Distilling the sounds of metal, hard rock, psychobilly and punk, Diesel Finger rips out blazing red-neck licks that'll turn any joint into a rioting, drunken brawl four chords into their first song. Formed in '05, Diesel Finger has to be one of the most thrashing outfits around; full of liquor, twang and chaos, the trio lays the speedy metal sounds on thick that induce booze-fueled madness, rampant moshing and chicks flashing their assets. Just Diesel Finger rocking the hell out of Johnny V's tonight would be more than enough, but, to knock this one outta the park, the Chop Tops (blistering psychobilly) and local punkers Moto Punx also playing.

Wed. Apr. 11, 9pm First Billiards 420 S. First St., San Jose 408.294.7800 No Cover

Blood on the Tracks INDIE EPIPHANY: When you come across a band like local alt-indie rockers Blood on the Tracks, it makes listening to all the other crap out there immediately meaningful, beautiful and poignant. After all, how could we possibly recognize music on the absolute precipice of greatness if we didn't have to first slog through the rest by listening to countless hours of screaming noise puppets? Blood on the Tracks is that good. Laying down edgy tracks that straddle the line between emotive indie and subversive alt, the local San Jo trio's first EP is a near perfect construction of sound; tight and melodic and without all the posturing and fluff that's become so commonplace on the airwaves.

Thu. Apr. 12, 9pm Fahrenheit Ultra Lounge 99 E. San Fernando St., San Jose 408.998.9998 Usual Cover

Trevor Simpson CONGRATS ON THE DEUCE: The new 99 Degrees Party at Fahrenheit Ultra Lounge gets things started for their 2-year Anniversary celebration-a party that runs through the weekend-with the DJ stylings of Trevor Simpson rocking the decks on Thursday and Friday. Simpson has been mixing for years and is known throughout the dance club circuit as a flawless spinner, always taking his signature deep house grooves higher and higher for the dance club masses. Also lending their skills at the turntables for the Fahrenheit 2-year Anniversary are Roger Moorehouse spinning tonight and turntable sensation DJ Adam Cova hitting the decks with Jaime Gonzales on Saturday.

Thu. Apr. 12, 8pm The Catalyst 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz 831.423.1336 $5 buy tickets

Lloyd Tripp and the Zipguns HEP CAT LICKS: Comb the grease into your pomp and cuff your jeans, because Rockin' Lloyd Tripp and the Zipguns are bringing rockabilly to Santa Cruz tonight for a hoppin' good time. Spectacular bass skills, singing and overall musicianship make Lloyd Tripp and the Zipguns a phenomenal rockabilly act, playing mostly original songs written by Rockin' Lloyd himself. That means no cheesy cover songs-only the best original pieces played by the guys who wrote them. Influenced by Johnny Cash himself, the classically retro rock will knock your socks off, so watch out for flying argyles.

Thu. Apr. 12, 6pm The Saddle Rack 42011 Boscell Rd., Fremont 510.979.0477 $20

Dennis Erectus Benefit ORIGINAL SHOCKER: Dennis Erectus began at KOME in 1977, back when DJs were allowed to do pretty much whatever they wanted. He pushed every boundary and pretty much invented what's now called "shock jock" radio. Howard Stern couldn't hold a rock & roll candle to Dennis in his day. But last Thanksgiving he had a massive heart attack and has been in the hospital ever since, and with no health insurance. At this second benefit for Erectus, expect appearances and performances by Greg Kihn, Full Throttle, Just Truckin', Y&T and Friends, Eric Martin and more.

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Fri. Apr. 13, 9pm The Blank Club 44 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose 408.292.5265 $8 Security METAL DETECTOR: One of the sickest metal outfits on the scene today and definitely in the Top 5 so far as local San Jo bands go, the ass-kicking rock lords of Security rip it up at the Blank tonight with four other hard rock/ metal noise pushers. Security is back after a needed hiatus and has been finding their solid groove again at several shows around the Bay. This intense four-piece rocks the hell out of joints and blows crowds away with their full-bore sound. OTTO, Modern Ruinz, Mudface and Weapons also perform for a show that any hard rock junkie has to see.

Fri. Apr. 13, 9pm Vivid 8 S. First St., San Jose 408.279.4444 Usual Cover

Fredrick's of Hollywood @ Vivid TEDDY WARS: Frederick's of Hollywood doesn't need to keep secrets when they have some of the sexiest and kinkiest lingerie on the market, and Vivid is embracing the undergarments by hosting a Frederick's of Hollywood Lingerie Show. The uber-hot Vivid Vixens dancers are making their first appearance, along with go-go dancers straight from Vegas on the scene, because you can never have enough skin to look at. DJs spinning top 40, house, hip-hop and Latin house music late into the night will keep the drinking going and the party hopping. It's one of Vivid's hottest events yet so hold on to your underwear.

Fri. Apr. 13, 10pm The Caravan 99 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose 408.995.6220 No Cover

Perfect Machines FLAWLESS WORKS: Fully loaded with a dual guitar attack and a classic punk rhythm section, Perfect Machines are built for hellishly brutal speed. Grown in the fertile musical grounds of Santa Cruz, Perfect Machines started as some living-room acoustic sessions by songwriters/guitarists Sam Chase and Benjamin Corey. They tapped fellow SC punkers Lance Lee (bass) and Adam Gooseff (drums) to drive the beats into the danger zone. The sound is clean, hard and strikes a near perfect balance between the modern speed-punk fury of Rise Against and the classic subversive angst of Anti-Flag.

Fri. Apr. 13, 9pm Taste Ultra Lounge 87 N. San Pedro St., San Jose 408.885.1016 Usual Cover guest list

Ladies Night @ Taste FAIR PARADE: Anything goes at Taste Ultra Lounge's Ladies Night, and hopefully for the guys' sake, it's the ladies that are going. The women get spoiled with champagne, wine tasting and goodies from the delicious Taste menu until 11pm. Not that the ladies need any help to look beautiful, but makeup, tanning sessions and make-overs will be given out all night long. DJ Leslie Perez and Jose Melendez will be at the turntables spinning all the best dance music, while a Male Review Show from the Men of Exotica put on-or should we say take off-a performance. Bed and booth bottle service will be available, but ladies, make sure to get there before 11pm for all the good stuff.

Fri. Apr. 13, 8pm Great American Music Hall 859 O'Farrell St., San Francisco 415.885.0750 $35

Cowboy Junkies FAMILY REUNION: Three Canadian siblings and a bassist are all the Cowboy Junkies have needed since their '85 inception. Since then, the Cowboy Junkies have been hard at work touring and perfecting their moody tunes with a little country sound, and playing it on the world circuit for over 20 years. Coming to San Francisco as a preface to their April 17 album release, the band is not about chaps and 10-gallon hats, but rather about folk rock that is the epitome of texture and maturity in music. Family is a huge influence for the band both in their music and personal lives, which makes the Cowboy Junkies' lyrics touching for avid fans. After San Francisco the Junkies will continue their tour up the West Coast once the new album, At the End of Paths, is released.

Sat. Apr. 14, 9pm Johnny V's 31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose 408.947.8470 $5

Booty Chesterfield Trio UNENCUMBERED ROCK: The Booty Chesterfield Trio sounds like they were just ripped out of some liberally dosed psychedelic garage party and plopped down in a dive bar to inflict their bluesy punk-esque indie rock on a fresh crop of boozers. Locally grown, Booty Chesterfield Trio strips anything remotely modern out of their sound to produce a live music experience that's 100-percent pure, straight ahead rock & roll . It comes across like some early Kinks recordscombined with a pinch of the Damned, a dash of the Stooges and a dose of the Hives blended and poured into a tall cool glass of the blues.

Sat. Apr. 14, 9pm Vault Ultra Lounge 81 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose 408.295.9464 Usual Cover guest list

Paparazzi @ Vault STRIKE A POSE: The original Paparazzi Party returns to the Vault Ultra Lounge tonight to remind all the downtown clubbers once again who's really on top of the swanky nightlife mountain. Of course, all you hipsters already know that the Vault brings in the best local photogs to capture all the hot action at Paparazzi, but bet you didn't know that for this edition, DJ Ernan, straight from the hottest clubs in Vegas, is dropping slick dance and deep house beats in the main room. Also on tap for your dancing pleasure is Vault resident DJ Mein keeping things rocking in the back room.

Sat. Apr. 14, 9pm Red Devil Lounge 1695 Polk St., San Francisco 415.921.1695 $15

Los Straitjackets VIVA EL LUCHADOR: Nashville's luchador mask-wearing Los Straitjackets have helped keep alive the underappreciated genre of instrumental rock with swaggering melodies and an offbeat Vaudevillian stage act featuring the lovely go-go dancing Pontani Sisters. The band has also accomplished the impossible. In 1999, Los Straitjackets reworked Celine Dion's ever-so-lame and mushy Titanic love theme into a kickass rock trip that actually made the sappy tune listenable-certainly a Herculean feat for any musician. Catch Los Straitjackets at the Red Devil Lounge tonight with special guest Big Sandy.

Sat. Apr. 14, 9pm Angels Ultra Lounge 400 S. First St., San Jose 408.885.9588 Usual Cover

Fame @ Angels EWE ROUND DEUX: Calling all those confident, aggressive and energetic Aries out there: Fame at the Angels Ultra Lounge is presenting an Aries Birthday Bash tonight and taking the Downtown partying scene up a notch. Bringing DJ Leslie Perez and Nasty Nick to the turntables, Angels will be throbbing with hip-hop, dance, mash-ups and more. Of course Angels will have the necessary go-go dancers to keep up the excitement, not that there's any lag when turntablists man the decks. There's always a ton of SJ party animals at Angels anyway, but watch the nightclub chaos when they get to celebrate their birthday.

Sat. Apr. 14, 8pm The Fillmore 1805 Geary, San Francisco 408.998.TIXS $18.50

Relient K BRING BACK THE PACER: Reveling in the mainstream success of Christian punk-pop artists like MxPx and Slick Shoes, Reliant K wasted no time in climbing the ranks to become the genre's latest sensation. Their 2003 release, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...But Three Do, debuted at number 38 on Billboard's Top 200 album chart, and the band's popularity hasn't waned a bit. Mixing teenage-angst ridden attitude with spiritual enthusiasm, Reliant K delivers passionate punk to a legion of young fans. The group appears for a free acoustic show at the Apple Store in Downtown San Francisco before headlining an evening gig at the Fillmore sure to be filled with excited teens eager to see their "favorite band ever." Mae and Sherwood open.

Sat. Apr. 14, 9pm Café du Nord 2170 Market St., San Francisco 415.861.5016 $12

Every Move A Picture SNAPSHOTS: Following the success of an early three-song demo CD and a subsequent European tour, the San Francisco based dance-rock quartet Every Move a Picture is back in the Bay, appearing live at Café du Nord. Formed around vocalist/guitarist Brent Messenger, Every Move a Picture achieved international acclaim with its high-energy blend of rock and disco. Up-beat rhythms enhanced by synthesizers guide stylish melodies that comprise a unique and appealing sound. Also on the bill tonight at Café du Nord are indie rockers the Grand Marquee and Death of a Party.

Sun. Apr. 15, 8pm The Warfield 982 Market St., San Francisco 408.998.TIXS $30 buy tickets

Wolfmother LUPINE DREAMS: Still riding high on being designated by Rolling Stone as a band to watch in 2006, Australian hard rockers Wolfmother continue to deliver. For anyone that's been living under a rock for the past two years, Wolfmother plays music that harkens back to the glory days of psychedelic/ hard rock. Starting in '04 in Sydney, guitarist/ vocalist Andrew Stockdale, bassist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett caught break after break, tearing up several high profile music festivals down under and in Europe before hitting LA in early '05 to begin their systematic hard rock takeover of the United States.

Sun. Apr. 15, 7pm Slim's 333 11th St., San Francisco 415.255.0333 $17 buy tickets

Saves the Day HERE THEY COME: Riding the success of their 2001 album Stay What You Are, New Jersey's high-energy emo rockers Saves the Day are back in the Bay Area to showcase their latest effort, Sound the Alarm. Their tightest and most aggressive album to date, Sound the Alarm is a rousing onslaught of high-voltage pop-punk that follows in the tradition set by '90s sensations Blink-182 and Green Day. Lead singer/songwriter Chris Conley's passionate vocals co-mingle with Ted Alexander and David Soloway's powerful guitar licks to create musical complexity scarcely found in the pop-punk genre.

Sun. Apr. 15, 7pm The Fillmore 1805 Geary, San Francisco 408.998.TIXS $55 buy tickets

Willie Nelson GUITAR AID: Outlaw country-rocker Willie Nelson twangs his way out west to satisfy the masses of baby-boomer fans he garnered in the '70s. After the success of his 1975 album, The Red Headed Stranger, the Texan songwriter paired up with Waylon Jennings to release a slew of country classics, solidifying his legendary status. Even his guitar, a battered Martin he named "Trigger", became an emblem of American music, and the cowboy-hippie troubadour himself is no less of an iconic figure. Nelson, along with Merle Haggard and Ray Price, arrive in San Francisco to support the trio's newest album, Last of the Breed, which features Nelson's "Back to Earth" and Haggard's "Sweet Jesus". The trio owns the Fillmore tonight through Thursday, April 19.

Mon. Apr. 16, 7pm The Warfield 982 Market St., San Francisco 408.998.TIXS $30 buy tickets

The Shins MUSICAL AWAKENING: Even before Natalie Portman called them a band that "will change your life" in the 2004 emo flick, Garden State, the Shin's wistful indie-pop melodies were enough to earn them a promising reputation. Lush acoustic simplicity evoking the bittersweet encounters of everyday life earned the band a well-deserved and definitive role in the indie rock scene. The Portland-based quartet comes to the Warfield tonight supporting their latest release, Wincing the Night Away. With the success of their third album, the Shins once again demonstrate that while they may not completely change your life, they will at least make it more enjoyable.

Mon. Apr. 16, 7pm Leavey Activities Center Santa Clara Univ., Santa Clara 408.554.5548 $13-$26

Mos Def LAST CHANCES: The amount of time a musical artist spends hanging around on movie sets with Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg seems to be inversely proportional to the quality of his subsequent stage performances. Mos Def is most definitely a textbook example of this phenomenon. The once promising artist, whose early efforts with Talib Kweli and Black Jack Johnson were subsequently eclipsed by Hollywood's lure, has recently put together a slew of listless performances more akin to hip-hop karaoke rather than the rapid-fire street poetry Mos Def used to deliver. With artists like Dead Prez's M1 and Kweli turning in riveting live performances lately, here's hoping Mos Def will put out a little more effort this time around.

Tue. Apr. 17, 8pm HP Pavilion 525 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose 408.998.TIXS $55 - $97.50 buy tickets

Ricky Martin SPANGLISH: In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed, Operation Desert Storm began, Rodney King got the beatdown and Bill Clinton declared his candidacy for President of the United States. Also in 1991, the members of the Latin boy band Menudo held a press conference announcing they were all quitting the band. Adolescent girls around the world were bummed, but the move launched the career of Menudo's most famous alumnus, Ricky Martin. He put out his first English album in 1999 (the one with "Livin' La Vida Loca") and another in 2000 (the one with "She Bangs" on it), which would later launch the career of one William Hung, the rejected American Idol contestant whose album almost went gold and was showered with adoration by fans of his quirky sincerity. And speaking of "gold" and "showers," the 36-year-old Martin told Blender magazine that he enjoys ... well let's not go there.

Tue. Apr. 17, 8pm Great American Music Hall 859 O'Farrell St., San Francisco 415.885.0750 $26

moe. NEO-HIPPIE JAMS: Emerging from the college party scene in upstate New York, Moe (or "moe.", as they'd like us to write) rode the Americana wave of the '90s straight to the main stage, landing gigs at high profile festivals like Tennessee's Bonnaroo, where the band has performed three years running. With tripped out jams and laid back guitar riffs, Moe's amiable sound earned them a devoted following of liberal minded folks keen on recalling the good ol' days when Jerry still sang the blues. So forget your troubles and get ready for some carefree grooves at the Great American Music Hall tonight courtesy of the band called Moe.

coming up

Thu. Apr. 19, 8pm The Warfield 982 Market St., San Francisco 408.998.TIXS $45 buy tickets

Iggy Pop & the Stooges 40 YEARS STRONG: Influential, copied, mocked and revered but never matched, Iggy Pop and the Stooges are probably the most important innovators in rock. Often called the "Grandfather of Punk," Iggy Pop is almost single-handedly responsible for creating not only a sound, but a style that's been imitated by nearly every rock band since the Stooges first hit in 1969. If you've ever wondered where stage dives and other uncivilized onstage behavior originated, you needn't look any further than Iggy.

Thu. Apr. 26, 9pm Ruby Skye 420 Mason St., San Francisco 415.693.0777 $20 buy tickets

KRS-One SCIENCE LESSONS: The essence of the hip-hop MC, KRS-One comes to Ruby Skye 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 could ever come close to the teacher's socially poignant, often political and always controversial takes on modern society. Running solo for some time now, KRS-One's game keeps getting better, and his latest, Life, doesn't pull any punches.

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

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