The Vintage & Handmade Market Wednesday, Nov. 7
PLAN A: Gov’t Mule @ 4th & B. It’s not like Gov’t Mule frontman Warren Haynes is a hottie by any means. He’s short and chubby with ratty hair that reaches down to his lower back. But it’s difficult to resist his charms when he’s wielding a guitar. This is noodling, classic rock ’n’ roll without the annoying posturing. MS/govtmule. PLAN B: Robbers on High Street, Great Northern @ The Casbah. Haunting little indie-rock ditties with guitar hooks that you’ll be humming into next year. They’re supported by the dreamy hum of Great Northern. MS/robbersonhighstreet. PLAN C: Dan Melchoir, Thee Makeout Party @ Tower Bar. Melchoir is a fuzzy troubadour. Listen close for the lyrics and try not to smile at all the alliteration. Thee Makeout Party is a happy-pop five-some with a penchant for funny business. MS/danmelchoir, MS/theemakeoutparty.
Thursday, Nov. 8
PLAN A: The Hold Steady, Art Brut @ ’Canes. Worth the ticket price and much more, The Hold Steady capture the raw energy of bands like The Replacements and the storytelling ways of artists like Bruce Springsteen and the lyrical humor of songwriters like Spoon’s Britt Daniel. They released a deliciously literate album in 2006 called Boys and Girls in America, but the band’s live shows take the recorded music to new places. For Art Brut, see our feature story on this page. MS/theholdsteady, MS/artbrut. PLAN B: Film School @ Beauty Bar. A little mammoth rock ’n’ roll on a Thursday never hurt anyone. Film School plays The Jesus and Mary Chain meets Joy Division doing thriller anthems. MS/filmschool. PLAN C: Kenna @ House of Blues. It would be difficult to guess that Kenna is actually a solo project by Ethiopian-born Kenna Zemedkun. His albums are full of thick dance tracks and catchy dynamics. His live show is hit-or-miss, but the music is worth the trip downtown. MS/kenna. BACKUP PLAN: Henry Rollins @ 4th & B. See our story on Page 84 (MS/henryrollins).
Friday, Nov. 9
PLAN A: Heavy Trash @ The Casbah. He might be the pissiest prima donna in punk rock, but vocalist/guitarist Jon Spencer knows how to play a live show. Spencer takes the frantic noise of Pussy Galore and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and melts it down into a bit of an indie revival for an exuberant, if sweaty, experience. MS/heavytrash. PLAN B: Super Diamond @ Belly Up. Ain’t no party like a cover-band party, and Super Diamond’s been drawing sold-out crowds for years. Come to see the ladies drooling over “Neil” and stay for the frat-party fun that ensues afterward. MS/superdiamond. PLAN C: Maroon 5, Phantom Planet, The Hives @ Cox Arena. Pop is not a four-letter word. This lineup polished up their neo-funk and sugarcoated swagger far better than any pop-tart ever could. MS/maroon5, MS/phantomplanet, MS/thehives.
Saturday, Nov. 10
PLAN A: Feist, VHS or Beta, The Hives @ 4th & B. For their fifth birthday, the rogues over at FM-94/9 enlisted Leslie Feist. The songstress goes far beyond the “1, 2, 3, 4” refrain that iPod has pinned on her. Her sexy sentimentality is augmented by the experimentalists in VHS or Beta and the dance-dance revolution of The Hives. Come early to get your dance on and stay late for a little cathartic reflection. MS/feist, MS/vhsorbeta, MS/thehives. PLAN B: The Walkmen @ The Casbah. These boys don’t play like their New York brethren. The hints of U2 and Pixies make their hits, like “The Rat,” surpass the songs of other The OC-era bands. MS/thewalkmen. PLAN C: Of Montreal @ UCSD’s Mandeville Auditorium. Thank heavens for Athens, Ga. The town churns out inspired, quirky rock bands better than Britney Spears does crazy. Of Montreal is one of those, playing whimsical indie-pop in the vein of Neutral Milk Hotel. MS/ofmontreal. BACKUP PLAN: B-Side Players @ House of Blues. (MS/bsideplayers)
Sunday, Nov. 11
PLAN A: MIA @ ’Canes. Straight outta London via Sri Lanka, this chick isn’t all just neon legwarmers and bright-green eye shadow. Sure, the buzz about her far surpasses the abilities of any real human musician, but if you managed to stay away from some of the chatter, MIA’s dancehall rap is a bright alternative to MTV’s hip-hop scene. With new tracks produced by Timbaland, Blaqstarr and Diplo, MIA’s newest tunes match the baile grime of her freshmen efforts. MS/mia. PLAN B: The Swell Season, Martha Wainwright @ 4th & B. The Swell Season’s Glen Hansard is out on the road with his latest musical project since his success with The Frames and his recent film, Once. Hansard’s bittersweet songs will grab at your throat, much like the folkie tributes of supporter Martha Wainwright. MS/theswellseason, MS/marthawainwright. PLAN C: Octopus Project @ The Casbah. A little Austin-bred experimentalism never hurt anyone. Octopus Project has a pop flavor with a trippy aftertaste. MS/octopusproject.
Monday, Nov. 12
PLAN A: Danzig @ Viejas. Glenn Danzig was (is?) a metal pioneer when metal wasn’t cool. His intense live statements are always an interesting curiosity. Don’t expect a revelation, as this is a tour in support of, basically, a greatest-hits package, but Danzig’s versatile guitarmanship should be more than enough for the drive out to Alpine. MS/danzig. PLAN B: Whiskey Dicks @ The Casbah. The Anti-Monday League never steered us wrong, and with the Whiskey Dicks’ CD release, ye olde hipster hangout will twang a little more than usual. PLAN C: Tim Reynolds @ Belly Up. Guitar virtuosity meets jazz and prog-funk when Reynolds hits the stage. MS/timreynolds.
Tuesday, Nov. 13
PLAN A: Ozomatli @ The Casbah. Mixing a little hip-hop, percussion and salsa attitude, Ozomatli shows are more party than anything else. Who knows how all eight of these guys are even going to fit on the Casbah stage, but if Arcade Fire pulled it off, then this band surely can. Come ready for horns, a little lo-fi dance vibe and a host of catchy hooks. MS/ozomatli. PLAN B: Bayside, The Sleeping, June, A Day to Remember @ House of Blues. For the San Diego stop of Victory Records’ national tour, it will be a night of emo-licious feet shuffling. For fans of Alkaline Trio or Further Seems Forever. MS/bayside, MS/thesleeping, MS/june, MS/adaytoremember.
