Mandy Moore, Public Enemy, Yeah Yeah Yeahs & Rock the Bells
 PICK WED THU FRI SAT SUN MON TUE UPCOMING
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Thu. Aug. 16, 5:30pm
Music in the Park
Plaza de Cesar Chavez,
Market St. and Park Ave.,
San Jose
Free
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Mandy Moore
MORE MOORE:
Before Disney cashed in on the pop airwaves with the likes of Hilary Duff, Aly & AJ and pretty much every teen who starred in High School Musical, Mandy Moore grabbed the MTV teen idols arena with the single "Candy," riding on the coattails of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson in the late '90s. Moore dropped a few other minor hits ("I Wanna Be With You," "In My Pocket"), but opted to focus her talents on acting, starring in the tearjerker A Walk to Remember before setting her sights on quirkier film fare, such as Saved! with Macauley Culkin and American Dreamz. But Moore continued to pump out music, recently reaching the No. 25 position on Billboard's adult Top 40 charts with the song "Extraordinary" from her album Wild Hope, much of which was co-written by folk act the Weepies. The double-threat starlet performs Thursday night at Metro's Music in the Park series with opener MiGGs.
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Wed. Aug. 15, 7:30pm
Mountain Winery
14831 Pierce Road, Saratoga
408.998.TIXS
$45-$65
BUY TICKETS
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Los Lonely Boys
TEX MEX:
Tex Mex rock at its finest comes from the boys from San Angelo, Texas, who have been causing quite a commotion on the pop charts, landing plenty of success with their Grammy-winning, eponymous debut album. Now touring in support of their highly anticipated sophomore follow-up, Sacred, the three hermanos of Los Lonely Boys have once again struck gold, climbing to the top of the Billboard charts and surely admiring the view. With a unique blend of classic rock and a cultural flavor they call "Texican," Los Lonely Boys have captured a devoted fan base that crosses oceans and borders. Get ready for a rock & roll fiesta presented by the one of the biggest Latin rock bands since Santana.
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Wed. Aug. 15, 8pm
Davies Symphony Hall
201 Van Ness Ave.,
San Francisco
$75-$125
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Diana Krall
CLASSIC JAZZ:
The lovely atmosphere of Davies Symphony Hall complements Grammy winner Diana Krall's brand of smooth, classic jazz. A gifted pianist from the age of 4, Canadian-born Krall is heavily influenced by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. Touring for her new album, From This Moment On, Krall delivers an upbeat attitude reflecting the joy of marriage to fellow musician Elvis Costello and the birth of her two twin boys.
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Wed. Aug. 15, 10pm
Angels Ultra Lounge & Cabaret
400 S. First St., San Jose
408.885.9588
Usual Cover
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Questlove of The Roots @ Angels
ROOTS BEATS:
Known best as the drummer of hip-hop group the Roots, Questlove is coming to Angels to do a DJ set. The drummer and DJ has worked with great artists such as Jay-Z, Joss Stone and Christina Aguilera, among others, demonstrating his musical prowess. Questlove will be spinning hip-hop, Top 40, rap and R&B for some serious dancing. Resident DJ Remy Reminisce will also be doing his thing to warm up the crowd. Check out Questlove's epic 'fro and get ready to get down at Angels on a Wednesday night.
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Thu. Aug. 16, 8:30pm
Montalvo's Garden Theatre
15400 Montalvo Road., Saratoga
408.998.TIXS
$75-$100
BUY TICKETS
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Patti LaBelle
GUINNESS GIRL:
Sure, Patti LaBelle is a Grammy winner. Kind of impressive, but you know who else won a Grammy? Black Eyed Peas for "My Humps." But Patti LaBelle also allegedly made it into the Guinness Book of World Records (I couldn't find my copy to confirm it) for her unusually high vocal range. But even if she's not a world record holder, her voice is about as distinctive as they come, and LaBelle has skated through genres with it, from gospel, R&B and soul singing to disco and, eventually, adult contemporary music. But even in the tame world of AC, LaBelle's voice cuts through the bland underpinnings and emerges ear-splittingly victorious.
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Fri. Aug. 17, 9pm
The Blank Club
44 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose
408.29.BLANK
$10
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The ShitKickers
WHISKEY A GO-GO:
The ShitKickers are hard to define, but if you took a punk band and tossed them in a swamp, whatever came stumbling out would probably sound like the ShitKickers. Some crazy mixture of bluegrass, punk and whiskey are no doubt responsible for their sound. Their latest album, Noon's Moonlight, was recorded at Memphis' Sun Studio where some of music's biggest acts, like Elvis, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis, have cut albums. Los Duggans and The Burning Embers open on Friday night. Since the show's only $10, you should have plenty of cash leftover for gratuitous amounts of whiskey.
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Fri. Aug. 17, 6pm
The Attic
931 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz
831.460.1800
$15-$18
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Camper van Beethoven
HAPPY TOGETHER:
Why has Camper van Beethoven aced the reunion circuit while even more influential bands like the Velvet Underground and the Sex Pistols have failed? Because David Lowery and company truly love to play these songs with each other. They just hosted an event several months ago called "The Cracker and Camper van Beethoven Camp Out" where all the people from Cracker and Camper spent two nights playing in various lineups for their fans. Camper are a group that, before they splintered into various other projects, were about togetherness, drawing on all of their individual strengths to create music that's not quite like anything before or (though it's endlessly imitated) since. The proof is in the incredible songs that sound even better now in these reunion shows than they did when the group first worked itself up into cult stardom in the '80s: "She Divines Water," "All Her Favorite Fruit," "Sweethearts" and many more. At least a couple of the songs from the new record, New Roman Times, already fit seamlessly into the set list, which is a good sign that togetherness still suits them well.
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Fri. Aug. 17, 9pm
Splash
65 Post St., San Jose
408.993.0861
Usual Cover
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Club Furia @ Splash
VIVE LA CLUB:
Legions of beautiful men dance to the sexy sounds of Latin beats mixed by DJ Eclipse and DJ Insanity on Friday, when Splash hosts Club Furia. Florida's DJ Eclipse spins hardcore beats seductively laced with Latin flavor as DJ Insanity spins techno and house with a Latin essence as well. Splash is one of the premier gay nightclubs in San Jose and is rich with history, sitting in one of San Jose's oldest buildings. Splash entices packs of San Jose's ready-to-dance gay crowd, so come before 10pm for a better price at the door.
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Fri. Aug. 17, 10pm
Caravan
98 Almaden Ave, San Jose
408.995.6220
No Cover
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The Devil Himself and Europa
YOUNG FOLKS:
Santa Cruz natives The Devil Himself will be rocking downtown San Jose with their progressive metal garage-band sound. The dynamism and range of Europa, a San Jo three-piece, is mind-boggling. Having only been together for a couple of years, Europa still kicks out honest rock straight from the gut that pays homage to the first alternative wave of the early '90s, but at the same time cuts revolutionary tracks through the modern musical landscape. Their initial self-produced release has garnered some buzz, along with local respect.
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Fri. Aug. 17, 9pm
Johnny V's
31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose
408.947.8470
$5
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12 Steps to Nothing
ROCKING OUT:
Though they just formed in 2004, 12 Steps to Nothing is already a staple of San Jose's hardcore punk scene. The band has worked their way up in the music scene, playing more than 200 shows in the Bay Area and releasing three albums over the past three years. That's a lot of rocking out. This 21-and-up show is sure to slam Johnny V's, especially since it's only $5. Cylinder and Broken Path support--if sending the crowd into a frenzy is what you call supportive.
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Fri. Aug. 17, 6pm
MACLA
510 S. First St., San Jose
408.998.2783
$10-$12
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Metalfest
FEAST ON IT:
Doing their part to rock San Jose, MACLA is hosting an all-ages Metalfest on Friday with Sol Asunder, Catastroph, Battle Axe Rampage and Lost in Apathy. The four bands will bring on plenty of hair-shaking, head-banging fun to the young faces of San Jose. Sol Asunder has been cutting their teeth in the South Bay music scene since 2003 and are known for their brutal music and thrashing shows. The other bands are also equally metal--it is Metalfest after all--and by the end of the evening long hair will turn scraggly with copious amounts of metal sweat. Mmm, metal.
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Sat. Aug. 18, 9pm
The Blank Club
44 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose
408.29.BLANK
$10
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Detroit Cobras
DETROIT ROCK CITY:
It's time to take it back to garage rock, where many bands get their start. Garage rockers Detroit Cobras, Willoz and rockabilly musician Dan Sartian gather together to play the Blank Club on Saturday. Influenced by Motown and other retro soul music, Detroit Cobras are made up of two powerhouse females and a few good men. Adding a bit of a different flavor to the show is the Birmingham-based rockabilly artist Dan Sartian. Willoz also plays, adding their garage rock that incorporates '60s blues and soul for a smooth yet edgy sound. If you don't like driving to the city to see your favorite bands, be happy that these bands are hitting San Jo for $5 less.
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Sat. Aug. 18, Noon
McCovey Cove Parking lot
Third and King streets,
San Francisco
408.998.TIXS
$76-$151
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Rock the Bells
RAP AGAINST THE MACHINE:
If there's one hip-hop show to catch this summer, it's Rock the Bells--sort of a one-stop-shop to satisfy a craving for radically rebellious rappers. Headlining are the militant left-wing rap-rock group Rage Against the Machine, who aren't any bigger or better than most of the other acts, but their confrontational style is bound to spark the latent activism in their eminent tour mates, including Wu-Tang Clan, Cypress Hill, The Roots, Mos Def, Nas, Public Enemy, Blackalicious and Sage Francis.
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Sat. Aug. 18, 9pm
Vivid
8 S. First St., San Jose
408.279.4444
Usual Cover
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Dollhouse @ Vivid
WHO WEARS SHORT SKIRTS?
An ultra lounge event where mini-skirts are not only accepted but encouraged to be worn by ladies--who woulda thunk it? As a matter of fact, the Dollhouse mini-skirt madness happens monthly at Vivid. Several house DJs turn the tables while watching the fine San Jose ladies pop, lock and drop it in their micro minis. Hip-hop, reggaetone and house will be spinning all night long for the Dollhouse party and the drinks will be flowing, so join in on the fun early.
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Sat. Aug. 18, 9pm
Ruby Skye
420 Mason St., San Francisco
415.693.0777
$15
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Donald Glaude and DJ Jelo
WILD STYLE:
The living definition of West Coast house, Donald Glaude spins in the city tonight as part of a special 2x4 set. 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--head for the hip and swanky confines of Ruby Skye, because the best way to experience a one-of-a-kind DJ isn't through your iPod. Glaude leads the turntable attack tonight with help from DJ Jelo for an all-night party.
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Sat. Aug. 18, 4pm
Streetlight Records
980 S. Bascom Ave., San Jose
408.292.1404
Free
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The Weather Underground
INDIE IN-STORE:
With no label, no distribution and no real way to get out their new EP, the Weather Underground has taken to touring to win over fans (and EP buyers) with their uppity indie rock. Incorporating horn, banjo and piano into the usual guitar, bass and drums combination, the four guys are cooling down the summer with a hefty helping of soul mixed into their musical stew. The in-store Streetlight Records show on Saturday is followed by an Oakland show at Roosters for fans who couldn't get enough of the band in the daylight hours.
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Sat. Aug. 18, 9:30pm
Café du Nord
2170 Market St., San Francisco
415.861.5016
$10
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Birdmonster
OVERNIGHT SUCCESS:
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 in actuality the road from near obscurity to indie rock critics' darlings took more than 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 as anything you're likely to hear these days.
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Sat, Aug 18, 7pm
San Jose Skate
397 Blossom Hill Road,
San Jose
408.226.1155
$10
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Flip the Switch
ROLLER SKATE OR DIE:
There aren't many things better than skating to live music--roller skating, that is--but being able to catch Flip the Switch, Trouble in Paradise, Aught 7, Forever Temporary and Blood and Water for a $10 cover that includes skating takes it to a new level. Flip the Switch is an eight-piece ska band from Sacramento whose high-energy shows are perfect for jamming around the roller skating rink or to enjoy while taking a break from wheelin'. I'm not a mathematician, but five bands for $10 sounds like one sweet deal.
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Sun. Aug. 19, 7pm
HP Pavilion
525 W. Santa Clara St.,
San Jose
408.287.9200
$55-$90
BUY TICKETS
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Ana Gabriel
LATIN QUEEN:
The Latin pop queen wasted no time establishing a music career, making her onstage debut at the age of 6. As a teenager, Gabriel hit the road, arriving in Tijuana to study accounting and take a stab at the big time. Within a few years, she struck gold, scoring a record deal with CBS Mexico after singing at a local music festival. Her sensual vocals and energetic performances won over the hearts of fans across Mexico, and later, the world. Her fourth album, 1990's Quien Como Tu, reached No. 1 on the Latin charts, and remains a definitive example of Gabriel's passionate dance-pop.
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Sun. Aug. 19, 7pm
The Catalyst
1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz
831.423.1338
$22-$27
BUY TICKETS
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Public Enemy
LOUDER THAN A BOMB:
Though all the attention now seems to be on rapper-turned-reality-TV-star Flava Flav, at one time it was Public Enemy the hip-hop group that shined in the media spotlight. Ever controversial and unquestionably influential, Public Enemy rose to power in the late '80s with their innovative hardcore sound and politically driven lyrics. The group's production team, known as the Bomb Squad, was itself revolutionary, ushering in a hip-hop era filled with turntables and an array of sampling techniques. Though Flav was always the aesthetic focal point of the group, it was Chuck D's intense baritone rhymes that drove Public Enemy's music to the iconic status it now holds. Proving their lifelong bond to hip-hop, Public Enemy continues to release fresh material, and their 2007 release, How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul?, proves the band still has what it takes to bring the noise.
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Mon. Aug. 20, 7pm
Mountain Winery
14831 Pierce Road, Saratoga
408.998.TIXS
$50-$85
BUY TICKETS
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Hippiefest
SUMMER OF LOVE:
Attention hippies: put down what you're smoking and truck on out to Saratoga's Mountain Winery for a flashback concert held in the spirit of the peace and love days, otherwise known as the '60s. Remember the Southern California folk rock outfit The Turtles? Well, even if your memory's a little hazy (and hey, who can blame you?), trust us when we say it's going to one helluva flashback when you see Flo and Eddie take the stage once again and belt out their 1967 smash, "Happy Together." Also on the bill for the evening is the überhippie himself, Country Joe McDonald, as well as Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, the Zombies, Mountain and Iron Butterfly, among others. The night will be nothing short of a '60s hit parade of songs, so get ready to let your hair down and relive the Summer of Love.
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Tue. Aug. 21, 8pm
The Fillmore
1805 Geary, San Francisco
415.346.6000
$27.50
BUY TICKETS
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Yeah Yeah Yeahs
THE BIGGER, THE BETTER:
Formed in NYC in 2000, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have come a long way in a short time, mostly on the strength of Karen O's charisma--a quality sorely lacking in turn-of-the-millennium indie rock, which was often an ironically detached, inert and sexless Converse-clad beast. She transcends that stereotype with ferociously blatant sexuality, smothering "Bang"--from their eponymous debut EP--with feverish cries of "I need the real thing tonight" and pouting moans of "the bigger, the better." But most beguiling is that she can deliver it all live with wild and reckless abandon, egged on by the crunchy, energetic and mostly danceable garage rock, courtesy of guitarist Nick Zinner and drummer Brian Chase, who more than compensate for the fact that the trio lacks a bassist. Now two albums and two EPs deep, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have parlayed garage-size art rock into stadium-size popularity. To see what kind of rock stars they're inspiring their fans to be, check out their "Cheated Hearts" video (on Yahoo! Music), for which they enlisted their fans to do their best Yeah Yeah Yeahs interpretive performance. Things get weird quick, but it's never boring.
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Tue. Aug. 21, 7:30pm
Mountain Winery
14831 Pierce Road, Saratoga
408.998.TIXS
$45-$69.50
BUY TICKETS
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India.Arie
NEO-SOUL:
Touring in support of her third album, Testimony: Vol 1, Life & Relationship, neosoulstress India.Arie is back on the pop charts, this time reaching No. 1 for the 2006 release. There's little doubt why fans and critics alike find Arie's latest effort her best--her collision of urban swagger and self-reflective depth results in a truly remarkable work of art. Musically, Arie has always had a gift with her sheer vocal talent and acoustic guitar work, selling 2 million copies right out of the gate with her debut album, Acoustic Soul. Her present explorations prove that Arie is not slowing down after garnering initial success; instead, the R&B sensation seems poised to develop into one of contemporary soul's most sensational heirs.
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--This week's newsletter by: RO, DB, MC, GW, AL, CT, SP
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