Apiary, El Vez, Brian Setzer, Andre Nickatina & Spirits of X-Mas
 PICK WED THU FRI SAT SUN MON TUE UPCOMING
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Fri. Dec. 22, 9pm
Slim's
333 11th St., San Francisco
415.522.0333
$16
BUY TICKETS
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The Vandals
THOSE DARN PUNKS:
OC punk veterans The Vandals are coming and, since they only tour about once every three years or so, get off the couch and score some tickets because The Vandals are absolute legends in the punk scene, their live shows f**cking rock and they're, personally, one of our favorite bands. Instead of hitting political bends in their witty, fast and loud songs, The Vandals rock straight comical nerd punk with cuts about lying that your girlfriends dead, mullets, hot chicks at Hotdog on a Stick, fourteen year old girls, anarchy in a deli, soccer moms, the plight of tuna and are responsible for the best Christmas album ever made, Oi to the World. Damn, they're good.
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Wed. Dec. 20, 9pm
The Blank Club
44 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose
408.292.5265
No Cover
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The Shoguns
HONOR CODE:
The Shoguns take classic rock and roll influences and blend them through the mixer of surf rock style with a healthy dose of pop to produce witty songs with more than enough zip to pull asses out of the seats and on to the dance floor. The Shoguns, as a group, are relatively new, but rip out chords with the musical chops of true veterans owing to the fact that they've kicked around in a band or two before Nick Nielson, Jeremy Pollett and Josh Gardner coalesced as the three-strong Shoguns. Davenport Totem and Chillin' Dogs open up this free show at The Blank with the Shoguns headlining.
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Wed. Dec. 20, 9:30pm
VooDoo Lounge
14 S. Second St., San Jose
408.286.8636
$5
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Apiary
CHAOS IN A CAGE:
Apiary represents fully the direction of metal that has been incubating on the West Coast for the past few years marked by fast and technically solid riffs, vocals that can range from a menacing growl to melodic harmonizing and a rhythm section that drives the whole ball of fury. The five-strong band hails from San Jose, but, since their 2006 release Lost in Focus, has gained worldwide acclaim, so it probably won't be long that you can catch Apiary in your hometown digs for a five spot. Dryline and The Funeral Pyre lay down the thrash metal before Apiary takes the stage.
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Thu. Dec. 21, 8pm
Slim's
333 11th St., San Francisco
415.255.0333
$19
BUY TICKETS
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El Vez w/ The Groovie Ghoulies
MERRY MEX-A-MAS:
This may seem like an odd pairing, Sacramento necro-punks the Groovie Ghoulies sharing the stage for the Mexican Elvis, El Vez, but upon further reflection, neither of these bands have never done quite what's expected of them. Although we've seen El Vez--who doesn't just impersonate The King, but becomes him utilizing both Elvis' music and mannerisms and projecting them through his own farcical modern take on culture and music and his backing dancers and band are more akin to a burlesque show than anything else--and the Ghoulies separately many times, they've never hinted at anything like this, but surprises are what the holidays are for. El Vez hasn't done his Latino Santa tour in a while so, if you've never caught him--especially around the this time of year--make it up to Slim's...or, be cool with a lump of coal this year.
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Thu. Dec. 21, 7:30pm
Fox Theatre
2215 Broadway, Redwood City
408.961.5858
$60 - $85
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Brian Setzer Orchestra
JIVE AROUND THE TREE:
In the swingingest holiday tradition, the Brian Setzer Orchestra rides their big band, rockabilly sleigh into town for a night of retro rock, swing and jazz that's seriously one of the most highly acclaimed shows of the year. BSO is one of the few remaining retro swing bands that still has a huge following and the uncanny ability to never go out of style, even when oscillating between straight rockabilly numbers or swingin' jazz Christmas carols. Setzer himself is still one of the hippest cats on the scene and can rip that old Gretsch like nobody's business seamlessly weaving old Stray Cats hits with Big Band sass.
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Thu. Dec. 21, 10pm
Crash Nightclub
34 Mason St., San Francisco
877.342.7274
$20
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For the Children @ Crash
TOYS FOR TOTS, BEATS FOR YOU:
Crash Nightclub hosts a special event tonight, For the Children, to lend a much needed hand to the San Francisco and Bay Area Firefighter Association's Toys for Tots campaign. An impressive slate of local DJs will be spinning including David Savior, Jerry Ross and DJ Hanna with a special guest after-hours set from Audio Distortion, DJ Seven and Atimatik. Entry to Crash is free if you bring a toy worth over $10 or a cool Jackson at the door without. Seriously kids, it's meant to be a toy drive...bring one.
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Fri. Dec. 22, 9pm
The Blank Club
44 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose
408.292.5265
$5
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Otto w/ My Monster & Trigger Renegade
PRE-HOLIDAY HEAVIES:
This is an early holiday gift if ever there was one. Tonight at The Blank you can catch one of the hardest rocking outfits ever to come out of the local scene, Otto, sharing the stage with tight indie alt-rock chops of My Monster. For those of you that may be unfamiliar with Otto, the quartet lays down hard driving beats that threaten to shake your bones to pieces before the intense vocals of Tony Cantu take aim and repeatedly pull the trigger like a sonic machinegun trained on your skull. My Monster hits a more melodic tone with blazing dual guitar licks flying high over the pounding serenity of the bass and drums that blend together evoking a different intensity that cuts deep. Complimenting the above local heavies is Trigger Renegade, straight metal from Santa Cruz.
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Fri. Dec. 22, 9pm
Ruby Skye
420 Mason St., San Francisco
415.693.0777
$15
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Doc Martin
LEGENDARY STOMPER:
More than just a one-note house DJ, SF's own Doc Martin returns to the city that made him famous for a special turn on the Ruby Skye decks. Doc Martin has that unique ability to weave a number of different genres into his full dance sets mixing everything from house to acid, funk and tribal creating a euphoric sense on the floor and often spinning for well over 8 hours. Tonight, however, Doc doesn't have to go it alone as he'll be getting some help from bay Area local fave DJ M3, DJ Proof, Rueben and Anthony Mansfield with Izzy.
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Fri. Dec. 22, 9pm
Angels Ultra Lounge
400 S. First St., San Jose
408.885.9588
Usual Cover
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Flawless @ Angels
LIKE A WELL WRAPPED PRESENT:
All right kids, you know it's going to be a full weekend of ultra lounge Christmas parties and such, so if they all start to run together or all start to sound the same, we at Metroactive apologize beforehand for any redundancy. The Flawless party--subtext, Models and Bottles--makes its way to Angels Ultra Lounge tonight with drink specials and DJs and all that other swanky jazz that goes into a night out of drinking and dancing in San Jo's nightclub culture.
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Fri. Dec. 22, 9pm
Taste Ultra Lounge
87 N. San Pedro St., San Jose
408.885.1016
Usual Cover
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Red Light District @ Taste
IS RUDOLPH GOING:
DJs Pat Allen and Brotha Reese helm the Red Light District--subtext, Naughty Christmas in Red--party tonight at Taste Ultra Lounge laying down the hip-hop and dance club tracks to kick your weekend off right. Of course, there will be drink specials brought to you by the Taste Ultra Lounge slingers in, we're sure, a grand holiday tradition and the Taste girls will be there as well, making their lists, checking them twice and placing everyone in the naughty category.
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Sat. Dec. 23, 9pm
Johnny V's
31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose
408.947.8470
$5
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The Rivals
BACK TO FINISH WHAT THEY STARTED:
Hardcore punkers from the great garlic fields of Gilroy, the Rivals scream into the Johnny V's tonight to unleash their awesome sonic assault on Downtown. The Rivals are really what modern punk should be‹we still have an affinity for the heydays before corporate America found out they could make money off of punk's inherent anarchist attitude and wholly subversive nature‹loud, fast and hard with a working-class everyman vision of us against the system. It's hard to find bands today, in a musical scene awash in emo and pop, that embody the foundations of true punk, but the Rivals with their rousing F-you to the powers that be more than fit the hardcore punk bill.
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Sat. Dec. 23, 9pm
Studio 8
8 S. First St., San Jose
408.279.4444
Usual Cover
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Christmas Bash @ Studio 8
GET IT OUT NOW:
Tonight's the night that you've got to get your nightclub dance on because most likely tomorrow you're just going to be kicking it with family and, while sometimes they can be fun, it ain't going to measure up to a night out with your friends. At Studio 8 tonight catch DJ Devious Dave going head to head on the turntables with P-One laying down the hip-hop, house and club hits while you scope the scene, the dancers and the drinks before having what's probably going to be a lame day full of stale football and dry turkey.
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Sat., Dec. 23, 9pm
SoFA Lounge
372 S. First St., San Jose
408.294.7632
Usual Cover
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X-Mas Ball @ SoFA Lounge
HOUSES LAST STAND:
Attention all of you San Jose house heads...this is the second to last weekend for SoFA Lounge--that, unfortunately, has to shut its doors pending renovations and may or may not open them up again--so, you owe it to yourself to drink, dance and mingle in one of the best nightclubs in Downtown while you still can (for more information check this week's Metro). SoFA is pulling out all the stops these last weeks and tonight you can catch a live performance by Kid Guch with DJ Marc Stretch in the mix.
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Sat., Dec. 23, 9pm
Cuccini's
72 N. Almaden Ave., San Jose
408.287.1737
Usual Cover
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XXX-Mas @ Cuccini
THE NAUGHTY LIST:
Wild 94.9 will be chillin' at Cuccini's tonight for their XXX-Mas Bash with on-air personality Joe Breezy pulling MC duties and DJ J. Espinoza rockin' the turntables all night long. As can be expected with Christmas time nightclub events, there's gonna be plenty of drink specials, some hot ladies vying for space on Santa's other list and local DJs laying down tracks to get your booty shakin'.
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Sat., Dec. 23, 9pm
Slim's
333 11th St., San Francisco
415.255.0333
$15
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Jeremy Enigk
EMO KING:
The world needn't wait any longer--Jeremy Enigk, singer and songwriter for emo rock bands Sunny Day Real Estate and the Fire Theft, has released a new solo album, World Waits, almost a decade after his first solo album, Return of the Frog Queen. According to Enigk legend, the singer left Sunny Day Real Estate following a spiritual awakening. On Return of the Frog Queen, post-awakening, Enigk managed to presage the angsty folk of Bright Eyes and the symphonic experimentalism of Sufjan Stevens, but his statement was so subdued as to go virtually unnoticed. His latest album is lamely derivative, purportedly influenced by pop stars like the Beatles and U2, but seemingly inspired by a Richard Marxist manifesto of sucktastickness. Nevertheless, die-hard fans (and there are plenty) blog about his current tour as "amazing" and "brilliant." Probably so much hyperbole, but if there's anything left of the old Enigk, there might be a grain of truth to the heralded frog queen's return.
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Sat. Dec. 23, 9pm
Great American Music Hall
859 O'Farrell St., San Francisco
415.885.0750
$20
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The Mother Hips
MISLABELED HIPPIES:
The Mother Hips were once favorite sons of the neo-California alt-soul rock movement, but unfortunately got tagged with a hippie jam band label due to the fact that their music is inspiring, earthy, roots-based rock and is best listened to outside, downing a beer in the sun. After a hiatus, in which The Hips disbanded to follow some solo projects and other avenues unrelated to music, they're back playing gigs together with more energy and persistence than ever before in their long careers. This is the second of two shows with the Mother Hips with the Antiques and Etienne de Rocher opening up.
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Sun. Dec. 24, 6pm
Johnny V's
31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose
408.947.8470
No Cover
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Christmas Eve Drinking @ Johnny V's
RING THE YULETIDE CHEER:
Whether it's tonight or tomorrow night (the same holds true of Monday's pick, Mission Ale House) you can find friends, music and booze at Johnny V's if you're a little tired of familial company. Besides, along with the Cinebar and Caravan, Johnny V's and Mission are probably the only bars that we can definitely guarantee will be open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day--along with Chinese restaurants and movie theaters--to take a load off and forget about the holiday stresses. So, make full use of what Downtown has to offer during the holidays and, remember, they post security guards at Christmas in the Park, so don't get any funny ideas.
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Mon. Dec. 25, 6pm
Mission Ale House
97 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose
408.292.4058
No Cover
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Christmas Day Drinking @ Mission Ale House
GET IN THE SPIRITS:
Well, this could just be a rehash of the Sunday pick--you know, nothing much really happens music and club wise during the holidays--but, at least a few spots will be open for you to take a well deserved holiday break at. If the family is dragging your spirits down, you can't stomach another Christmas watching the TNT marathon of A Christmas Story (well, watching a few times is nothing less than a cult tradition), have already caught the lame holiday movie offerings in the theater and need to be among like-minded friends...hit Mission Ale House, 'cause the taps will be flowing, the music will be loud and their be people partaking in the sort of Christmas cheer you don't readily hear about at midnight mass.
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Mon. Dec. 25, 9pm
SoFA Lounge
372 S. First St., San Jose
408.294.7632
Usual Cover
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Merry Chris-Smiths Party
NEW WAVE X-MAS:
You may be wondering to yourself why SoFA Lounge appears in this newsletter twice...well, the simple answer is because they will be shutting the doors at the end of the year, so you only have a few more nights to indulge in one of Downtown's best bars before the bureaucracy of San Jose has their way. Tonight at SoFA, DJ David Q will be manning the decks laying down '80s and '90s alt, rock, and indie tracks while Tim and the gang serve up drink specials and the amicable atmosphere that SoFA Lounge--in its too short two years--has become known for.
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Tue. Dec. 26, 9pm
Fahrenheit Ultra Lounge
99 E. San Fernando St.,
San Jose
408.998.9998
No Cover
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High Society Social @ Fahrenheit
TUESDAY TRYOUT:
All right, the holidays are over--well, the Christmas portion of them anyway--and, if you've survived, it's time to head on down to Fahrenheit Ultra Lounge for their High Society Social that sees the swank doors being thrown open for everyone, no cover and happy hour drink specials all night long. DJ Spindizzy hits the turntables all night long laying down the club hits and, really, no one really has much work to do in the week between X-Mas and New Year's, so partying on a Tuesday shouldn't present much of a problem.
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Fri. Dec. 29, 9pm
The Blank Club
44 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose
408.292.5265
$8
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The Forgotten
PUNK VETS:
Renowned veterans of the local punk scene and old-school statesmen of the original hardcore wave, The Forgotten rip it up tonight at The Blank Club with a pre-New Year's Eve throwdown that will either act as a primer for tomorrow or be an amped up sonic H-bomb that'll reverb far into the new year. For the past year, The Forgotten have been laying down new studio cuts, so some fresh material may show up in the set list, but ya'll know it'll still kick with the blazing fury of true punk rock laden with style and substance. The Forgotten tear up the stage tonight with another band that's no stranger to the local scene, The Odd Numbers who've played every gritty dive and rocked every stage from here to hell, always preferring to plug in and crank the amps in their hometown digs Downtown. Also at The Blank tonight will be one of the best guitar slingers ever to pick up a six-string, Jonny Manak and the Depressives, open this f*cking rad night of all local noise junkies playing fast, loud, booze soaked and dangerous.
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Sun. Dec. 31, 9pm
VooDoo Lounge
14 S. Second St., San Jose
408.286.8636
$35/ $40
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Flipsyde w/ Insolence & Starving Millionaires
THE TRUE PARTY:
Fresh off their tour with the Black Eyed Peas and the Pussycat Dolls, Oakland's style smashing hard rock/ hip-hop blended outfit Flipsyde brings their dub heavy and socially poignant skills to San Jo's VooDoo Lounge for a New Year's Eve party like no other. Flipsyde has mad skills, plain and simple, they can throw down blazing rock riffs over break beats with a flowing style of the best MCs in the biz and top it off with underdog political bitch slap to your head. And, the Oaktown quartet isn't just spitting rhymes over someone else's work. Also hitting the VooDoo stage is true San Jose local rockers Insolence that blend a unique style of hip-hop, reggae and hard core riffs that easily turns the best amps into a pile of destroyed parts. Hitting the stage first and kicking out witty punk infused rock with heavy reggae dub rhythms and vocals, are the Starving Millionaires hitting with a three-strong blowout full of up-tempo swagger mixed with angst and poured as a straight shot to your skull. This is seriously going to be a raucous, boozed up party, so screw all those ritzy plans you made for dinner and a balloon drop, kick your so call class to the curb and come get loaded at VooDoo...just make sure you've got a ride home.
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--This week's newsletter by: RO, MC & CT
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