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MAR 23 - MAR 29
The bushmen and bushwomen of the Kalahari know a thing or two about legends, as do the witches that are said to brew up elixirs of mushrooms and buzzing flies. In ancient times, a comet portended grave consequences and a unicorn was a sign of the divine, which makes us think that momentous times are upon the city this week; after all, our roster's full of historic notables, from Joan of Arc to Chaucer's singing rooster. Of course, if you'd rather live untethered by the past, or invent future folklore for a world designed by robots, that works too. Invent a tradition, pick a parable, and spread it. |
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Shake off your winter skin. Feel the thaw in your bones. Leave the bitterness of winter behind and celebrate the sweetness of spring. These designs are inspired by tree rings; measures of the seasons themselves. Download your ABSOLUT wallpapers now and bring the warmth of spring to your desktop. |
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| | If you thought that Condoleezza Rice was just the name of a Chevron oil tanker, think again. In Bushwomen: Tales of a Cynical Species, published by the leftist academic press Verso, San Francisco-based radio talk show host Laura Flanders examines how the women in Bush's inner circle — Karen Hughes, Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, and Jessica Simpson's favorite, Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton — have exploited a softer, gentler image to push a rightist agenda. Flanders' introduction may help you decide for yourself whether the voters should be helping Bushwomen find new jobs in November. (SB)
  
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| | Blonde Redhead's similarities to noise-pop pioneers Sonic Youth have never been particularly detrimental to the band; after all, Sonic Youth's drummer Steve Shelley signed the group to his Smells Like label until the band jumped to Touch and Go in 1997 (accompanied by bassist Vern Rumsey of Unwound — another band that's logged plenty of mileage on Sonic Youth's roads). But Blonde Redhead's new album, Misery Is a Butterfly, is quite a different beast, smoothing over the clang and twang with keyboards and harpsichords, and mapping the melancholy terrain of Radiohead. Live, you can still expect 'em to turn it out with blistering force, but don't be surprised to glimpse an unfamiliar light at the end of the wind tunnel. (PS)
 Blonde Redhead members Amadeo and Simone are twins. Name another band that features twins — the first two correct answers each win a pair of tickets to the show.
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| | Choreographer Jirí Kylián's mesmerizing blend of ballet and modern dance has propelled Nederlands Dans Theatre to the top echelon of dance. A high point of the spring season, NDT bring five West Coast premieres (in two different programs) that showcase the exhilaration and theatricality of Kylián's choreography and the troupe's gorgeous dancers. Program A (Wednesday and Thursday) features three recent Kylián works set to the electronic scores of Dirk Haubrich. Program B (Friday and Saturday) includes two Kylián favorites and NDT alumnus Johan Inger's funny battle of the sexes, Walking Mad. (CS)
How do you say "jump" or "leap" in Dutch? The first two correct answers each win a pair of tickets to the Thursday performance at 8pm.
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| | One of only a handful of Pistols-era UK art school bands still kicking out the jams, the Mekons have always managed to be artier, braver, and somehow still funnier than their contemporaries. From 1977's working class anti-anthem "Never Been in a Riot" to this year's full-length reimagining Punk Rock (with Mekons tribute band Eaglebauer helping out on a track), Jon Langford, Tom Greenhalgh, and crew likely owe their longevity to their relentless self-effacement. The long and winding amble — shambolic smirk to honkey-tonk slide and back again — begs the question: can passionate intensity really lack all conviction? Find out how. (MJ)
Where did the Mekons' name originate? The first two correct answers each win a pair of tickets to the show.
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| | Veterans of SF's beat heyday must be shaking their heads in disbelief that Om Records' Mark Farina is performing this rare downtempo set at Milk. Back in the early '90s, when a club night called Mushroom Jazz packed the house every Monday, Farina fused the latest in West Coast jazzy rhythms with a classic Chicago sound. Thanks to Farina, a new revolution in beats had begun. Tonight, for just $5, you can get a nostalgic dose of downtempo goodness and not feel guilty about it in the morning — just like back in the day! (JC)
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DANCE
Dance Elixir - Frequency
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| when: | Thur 3.25 - Sat 3.27 (8pm) |
| where: | Venue 9 (252 9th St, 415.289.2000) |
| price: | $10-15 (sliding scale) |
| links: |
Dance Elixir | Venue 9 |
| | Choreographer Leyya Tawil has bobbed just under the radar for the last couple years. She's shown her work, in collaboration with digital composer Christopher Keyes, at various showcases around town, always to great reviews. Regarded as an up-and-comer in the modern dance community, her efforts have earned her both a talented company and a residency at Venue 9. The fruits of that residency are two pieces, one solo and one group work, which premiere at Dance Elixir's three-weekend engagement in the Footloose Women on the Way Series. The themes of the new pieces are daily urban life and the graffiti of Detroit, respectively. The company also performs Useless (2002) and Gravel (2002). This weekend's guest performer is voice/physical theater performer Rasmus Jørgensen. (JU)
Note: Tickets on Thur 3.25 are two for $15.
Tell us a time when gravel would be useless. The most interesting answer wins a pair of tickets to the Fri 3.26 performance.
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| | After 18 months of hype in the UK music press and one UK-only album release, SF indie rock lovers finally get a chance to assess NME darlings the Cooper Temple Clause for themselves. The six-piece band is touring the US for the first time in support of its eclectic new album, Kick Up the Fire and Let the Flames Break Loose. The band's psychedelic, guitar-heavy rock channels the Super Furry Animals as served in a hazy, Spiritualized-influenced wrapper. NYC's neo shoegazers Calla share their dark melodies as openers. (EC)
CTC's bassist Didz must have one of the most concise names in rock history. Name three other one-named rockers (excluding Cher, Prince, and Madonna); the first two correct answers each win a pair of tickets to the show.
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DJ
Ben Watt CD Release Party
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| when: | Thur 3.25 (9pm) |
| where: | 111 Minna Gallery (111 Minna St, 415.974.1719) |
| price: | $25 |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | Excitement has been building around the launch of Ben Watt's latest mix CD, Buzzin' Fly Volume 01: Replenishing Music for the Modern Soul. His first since the last Lazy Dog project, the mix showcases Buzzin' Fly Records, Watt's new deep house label. Watt's transition from Everything But the Girl moper to club icon is well documented, and Buzzin' Fly's 11 butter-smooth tracks represent the culmination of the process. If anything, he's reinvented the San Francisco sound. If that moves you, there's no better way to spend tonight than dancing to Watt's soulful selections. (SSS)
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| | San Francisco experimental rock darlings Erase Errata pack a strange and potent punch live; their set lists ride improvisational waves and no two shows are the same. All the cerebral challenges these women throw at their listeners on record are repackaged and reimagined right there in the moment, redefining kinetic energy for anyone within earshot. This show in particular ups the emotional ante, as it's their last with founding guitarist Sara Jaffe. Never fear: following this show, Jenny Hoyston, Ellie Erickson, and Bianca Sparta will keep Erase Errata alive as a trio, but don't miss this chance to see a ground-breaking band light up the stage as a four-piece for the last time. (KD)
What is the name of the side project of Erase Errata's lead singer? The third correct answer wins a pair of tickets to the show.
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| | Just how influential is Jack White? Since Rolling Stone heralded the White Stripes frontman as the best thing since Jimmy Page, White's retro light has shone again, this time in his Motor City neighbor, the Von Bondies. Formed in 2000, word quickly spread of the band's fiery live performances (often opening for the White Stripes). While singer/guitarist Jason Stollsteimer's recent beatdown at the hands of White may have hurt, the publicity didn't. Mixing the aching heart of raw blues with gritty garage rock, the Von Bondies strive to emulate their former producer's trademarks: bass-heavy chords, ferocious percussion, and feisty vocals. (SNS)
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| | Former Chicago indie band Cap'n Jazz begat two offspring: '90s emo mainstays the Promise Ring and Joan of Arc. JoA stayed true to their emo roots as well, but evolved by adding an experimental post-rock touch replete with atmospheric sound effects and general moodiness courtesy frontman Tim Kinsella's abrasive, heartbreaking weight-of-the-world vocals. Kinsella doesn't mind taking himself too seriously (witness song titles like "What If We Are Not After All, All Destined"), and the stranger and darker he gets, the more difficult it can be to listen. But JoA make some beautiful melodies, too, and the live translations are typically powerful to behold. (JS)
Which Hitchcock leading lady also portrayed Joan of Arc? The first correct answer wins a pair of tickets to the show.
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| | If it weren't for New York's Acute Records, few people would know about Metal Urbain, a French punk group with the gall to fuse drum machines with minimalist power chords and gruffly shouted vocals, long before Steve Albini had the idea. Last year's Anarchy in Paris! collected the best of the group's late-'70s releases (and paved the way for this year's reissue of Metal Boys, Metal Urbain's synthpunk/industrial offshoot). The band's reunited members are no longer the skinny young punks they once were, but the band's recent shows are reportedly tight, loud, and energetic. Come see if they can still kick out les jams. (PS)
Who is your favorite French punk? Our favorite answer wins a pair of tickets to the show.
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MUSIC: Electronica
ZENtertainment
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| when: | Fri 3.26 (10pm-4am) |
| where: | Mezzanine (444 Jessie St, 415.820.9669) |
| price: | $20 |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | While Ninja Tune's indiscriminant plunder of music's past as sample-fodder has yielded innumerable classic recordings through the years (check the recent ZEN retrospective releases on CD and DVD), perhaps the label's greatest contribution to electronic music has been the crew's DJing. No lazy, genre-bound mixing here — these Brits infuse wildly eclectic sets with infectious enthusiasm and undeniable skills. This evening's bill is topped by lovable virtuoso phonographer Kid Koala and drum 'n bass rhythmnaut Amon Tobin. As for the new jacks of wax that open the show, Bonobo has a lock on best name and best downtempo disc of last year, and recent American signees Diplo and Blockhead drop hip hop soundscapery that's sure to have heads noddin' and mugs grinnin'. (JL)
What is the name of Diplo's cohort in Hollertronix? The first two correct answers each win a pair of tickets and a ZENtertainment 2004 sampler CD.
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ART
Untethered
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| when: | Sat 3.27 (11am-5pm) |
| where: | Southern Exposure (401 Alabama St, 415.863.2141) |
| price: |  FREE |
| links: |
Event Info |
| | Granted, art is an end in itself, but wouldn't it be especially attractive if it served you coffee or darned your socks? Nomadic artists' projects convene on the sidewalk outside Southern Exposure for a day-long event featuring works that interact with the public. Mark Horowitz's Mobile Coffee Unit offers java and community information; Reap What You Sew is Michael Swain's mobile sewing cart; and Slingshot offers Satellite, a portable mini gallery. The Roadside Show and Tell is a traveling side-show tent by Alison Pebworth — combining the imagery of nomads and circuses, it's a fitting summation of Untethered's unusual pleasures. (SAS)
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| | Although the exact history of the Unicorns is ambiguous, the band most likely started as a secret club for the geeky and freaky kids at recess. Having moved from Vancouver to Montreal (and becoming a buzz band in the process), the Unicorns now play their unstructured, raucous, and hook-filled pop at clubs like Café du Nord rather than the garage or treehouse. Self-aware of their own wackiness, the Unicorns choose to celebrate it with costumes, puppets, and stage antics. The group plays two shows alongside avant-rapper Beans (one-third of Antipop Consortium) and the well-intentioned rockers the Natural History. (CT)
What is the name of the Unicorns upcoming seven-inch on Suicide Squeeze? The first four correct answers each win a pair of tickets to one of these shows.
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| | Imagine a gourmet grocery that stays open after hours and invites its customers to prove their talent with the shop's high-end utensils and ingredients. That's a bit like Robotspeak's monthly Sessions — but swap out the chopping blocks and mixing bowls for PowerBooks, MIDI consoles, and umpteen varieties of the music software that is Robotspeak's specialty. Tonight's one-year anniversary of the popular monthly features some of the city's top electronic-music makers showing off works in progress — Broker/Dealer with Delray, Mochipet, Mork Cholad, Chris de Giere, and Cybrid — supported by a host of VJs and DJs. Tonight's celebration also has a somber tone — it's one of the last-ever performances to be held at Beta Lounge's 1072 Illinois space, so come make a last few memories. (SK)
What does the electronic-music acronym "ADSR" stand for, and what does it refer to? The first two correct answers each win a Robotspeak T-shirt.
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MUSIC: Experimental
Experimental Sound: Alex Mendizibal, CMAU, and Norman Long
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| when: | Sun 3.28 (8pm) |
| where: | 21 Grand (449B 23rd St, Oakland, 510.444.7263) |
| price: | $6-10 |
| links: |
Event Info | CMAU |
| | Three groups of artists would like to extend an invitation for a night of "Experimental Sound on the Subtle Side." Italian artist Alex Mendizibal brings you "blind cinema," an aesthetic experiment set to seduce both aural and visual senses. Mendizibal marries instruments from the txistu (a Basque flute) to voice transmitters with his daguerrosound of images and movies. The CMAU quartet continues the night by using homemade instruments and found objects (such as dry ice and cracked cymbals) that are woven together through live-computer synthesis and processing. Rounding out this triumvirate is Norman Long, whose heavy use of layering creates environmental stimuli yeilding restrained soundscapes designed for open interpretation and reflection. (TS)
What is the difference between a Daguerrotype and a tintype? The first two correct answers each win a pair of tickets to the event.
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| | Is it possible for a UK band to write revolutionary Marxist lyrics, sung in French, against the melodic backdrop of jazzy bossa nova riffs, lo-fi experimentation, and hypnotic dance beats? Still reeling from the tragic death of bandmember Mary Hansen, Stereolab remain firmly anchored with romantically linked co-founders Tim Gane and Laetitia Sadier. After forming in the early '90s, Stereolab, borrowing their name from an old record-mastering device, churned out albums with reckless abandon; the group's latest, Margerine Eclipse, is a testament to their signature, ever-evolving sound. With Canada's Manitoba providing the evening's introductory folktronic pop, Stereolab are set to bring the emperor, tomato, and ketchup — a feast for fans. (SNS)
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| | Tonight the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players collaborate with Bay Area choral stars Chanticleer for an evening of world premieres and contemporary masterworks. The program opens with the work of the mathematical theorist and wizard Iannis Xenakis, who revisits the myth of the Argonauts via Seneca's Roman tragedy in Medea Senecae. Also featured is the premiere of Israeli composer Betty Olivero's classical Islamic chamber suite, Bashrav. Three Sacred Songs of Italian visionary Giacinto Scelsi looks beyond individual faith toward a transcendent spirit of human consciousness. And Bay Area-transplanted tango composer Pablo Ortiz adapts the verse of Mission poet Francisco Alarcón in the premiere of Oscuro. (SS)
Note: This program repeats on Fri 4.2 at First Congregational Church in Berkeley.
For which German silent film classic did Betty Olivero compose a new score recently to great critical acclaim? The third correct answer wins a pair of tickets to the 4.2 performance.
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| | It's no small feat that Yves Béhar brought Birkenstock into the world of hip, fashionable footwear with his Architect Collection, which owes more to the stylings of John Fluevog than to any flower child. This exhibit showcases more than 30 products and architectural environments that illustrate the designer's talent for addressing a brand's emotional potential. Witness his chic, hip accessories for the Mini Cooper: a watch with a face that can switch orientation to best suit the wearer's view, and a Gore-Tex jacket that holds the intrepid traveler's maps, contains a detachable travel bag, and can become a portable seat — the perfect travel accessory for design-obsessed travelers. (EC)
What is your ideal travel accessory? Our two favorite answers each win a pair of tickets to the show.
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| CD REVIEW: Blonde Redhead, Misery Is a Butterfly |
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4AD Records
Released March 23 2004
$13.99 (Amazon)
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Blonde Redhead have been around a while, slowly building an audience and honing a craft. The safety-first approach pays dividends on Misery Is a Butterfly, simply one of the most jaw-dropping, heart-stealing, and unflinchingly original records released so far this year. Their sound is based on strong musicianship, with clarinets and guitars used liberally over electronics and live percussion. Most striking is the band's gift with melodies — the 11 tracks sound both familiar and unknown in an instant. This album, from a trio focused on a fearless future, is one to seek out and devour. (ND)
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| PRETTY MUSIC: Virtu |
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Virtu is a brand-new type of subscription service for modern music aficionados — especially those with room on their coffee tables. Virtu's premise is to publish three double CDs per year that can serve as a primer of quality alternative music artists across genres (but perhaps erring a bit on electronica's side). An equally important element of the Virtu music package is the packaging itself — each edition comes in a lushly bound book that also provides the listener with ample background on each featured artist. The first issue, published this February, lives up to the virtue of variety, including the Cinematic Orchestra, Metro Area, Wax Poetic, Múm, Rjd2, the Notwist, Arto Lindsay, Akufen, and others. Investigate their site to see what they've got planned for Issue 2, and to purchase subscriptions or one-off issues. (DM)
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| STREAMS: dublab |
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Don't you think the OK Corral should have been called the Okey Dokey Corral? That would have been much cuter. In those old Wild West shoot 'em ups it was hard to tell the bad dudes from the good ones. They all had on such similar hats. However, in the world of music division, lines are clearer. We all know vampire mega-corporations are sucking the life out of creative sound exploration. That's why it's so important for each and every one of us to raise our freak flags and fight back. The Labrats have been streaming revolutionary music for half a decade. Join dublab's positive music mission and the world will sound brighter every day.
*The dublab Spring Proton Drive is on now. Help the Labrats defeat boring music. Donate some dough today.
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| CREDITS |
| Header Design: |
| Phoenix | Levitated Studio | | |
| Staff: |
| Hermes | Philip Sherburne | | Achilles | Sascha Lewis | | Manticore | Mark Mangan | | Hippogriff | Peter D Stepek | | |
ABOUT US
flavorpill SF is a free weekly mailer covering music, arts, and cultural events in San Francisco. All listings are researched and written based on what we think has flavor. As always, feel free to send in any and all feedback — comments, questions, ideas, or rants. Spread the flavor...
EVENT SUBMISSIONS
Please send all interesting event information (press releases, links, etc.) to events. |
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| Contributors: |
| Kraken | Husani Oakley | | Falcore | Jocelyn K Glei | | Tyr | Christopher Hampton | | Adrastus | Jen Bachman | | Tryfuss | Paul Laster | | Kelpie | Lisa Rosman | | Proteus | Sam Smith | | Amazons | Sarah S Sung | | Cerberus | Scott Benbow | | Demeter | Caitlin Sims | | Kirin | Kevin Dick | | Sarasvati | Jenni Updenkelder | | Minotaur | Jeremy Sampson | | Apollo | Stuart A Sheldon | | Nike | Erika Christiansen | | Pegasus | frosty |
| Gryphon | David Morrow | | Loki | Todd Sills | | Cyclops | Sebastian Koch | | Legba | Jimmy Carson | | Psyche | Cheryl Taruc | | Medusa | Nick Doherty | | Unicorn | Lisa Won | | Tiresias | Sam N Shah | | Basilisk | Mike Janson | | Quetzalcoatl | Jake Lancaster |
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DESIGNERS WANTED
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