11/17/2004: Life goes on in music city...

Good afternoon ladies and germs-

It's shaping up to be a hot music weekend here in
happyland. Leading the pack is the New Music Seminar
happening at the Independent with a phenomenal lineup
of musicians. The only thing they all have in common
is that they all make a living pushing sonic
boundaries. It will be quite a thing to see, without a
doubt.

Here's my pick of the tunes around town...

|||||| WEDNESDAY 11/17 ||||||

Samantha & the Ritual @ Boom Boom Room $7
Catch this one for a healthy serving of soul in your
rock & roll. Samantha fronts it on the mic and guitar
and her band features the smokin' keyboard/organ licks
of Jordan Feinstein.
http://www.samanthamusic.com/

|||||| THURSDAY 11/18 ||||||

Carlos Washington & Friends of Gravity @ Boom Boom
Room $8
A kickin' New Orleans electro-funk band is backing up
the unbelievable trumpet of Carlos Washington. You may
have caught him playing with Karl Denson over the last
couple years, and if you have you know how amazing he
is...
http://www.giantpeople.net/

|||||| FRIDAY 11/19 ||||||

New Music Seminar with Charlie Hunter & Bobby Previte,
Critters Buggin', Russo/Benevento Duo, Lyrics Born,
Matt Haimovitz, Sex Mob Horns, and more @ Independent
$25
Friday and Saturday shows (I'm going Friday). This
should be completely insane, I don't even know where
to start! It's all about new directions in funky
music. Charlie Hunter (phenominal guitarist who plays
basslines and guitar at the same time on an 8-string)
is playing with just a drummer and a DJ; Critters
Buggin' is composed of Skerik, Matt Dillon, and Matt
Chamberlain among other super-bad-asses that rarely
play together; Russo/Benevento is an incredible
acid-jazz organ/drum duo; AND everyone else on the
bill is completely off the hook as well. DO NOT MISS
THIS (if you can help it).
http://www.ropeadope.com/nms/musicians/

Dance Hall Crashers @ Great American Music Hall $18
Just about the best damn ska band I've ever seen (two
chick lead singers don't hurt). These cats have roots
in Operation Ivy and Rancid and they are awesome.
http://www.dancehallcrashers.com/dhc/

Mingus Amongus @ Boom Boom Room $12
Blending cutting-edge hip-hop funkiness with swingin'
jazz is what Mingus Amongus is all about. Gotta love a
band led by an upright bass player, in true Mingus
style.
http://www.mingusamungus.com/

|||||| SATURDAY 11/20 ||||||

New Music Seminar with Charlie Hunter & Bobby Previte,
Critters Buggin', Russo/Benevento Duo, Lyrics Born,
Matt Haimovitz, Sex Mob Horns, and more @ Independent
$25
DO NOT MISS THIS (see above). I'm going Friday.
http://www.ropeadope.com/nms/musicians/

Tower of Power @ Fillmore $32.50
The original East Bay funk band is bringin' the horns
and the soul to the Fillmo'. I'm stoked because I'm
finally getting to see these guys after all these
years!
http://www.bumpcity.com/

AC/DShe & the Lucky Stiffs @ 19 Broadway (Fairfax) $12
How can you go wrong with an all-girl AC/DC cover
band? Kick-ass punks the Lucky Stiffs open up.
http://www.luckystiffs.com/

Sila & the Afro Funk Experience @ Elbo Room $8
Afro-beat to move you all night at the Elbo. Word is
these guys put on a hell of a good funky-ass show.
http://www.victorsila.com/

|||||| TUESDAY 11/23 ||||||

Shotgun Wedding Quintet Symphony @ Bruno's $8
This Jazz Mafia band funky hip-hop band has been on
fire lately. The symphony adds strings to the mix for
a sound that's unlike any other. I think I'll be at
this one so let me know if you wanna get yer Tuesday
night on at Bruno's. $2 Stellas as well...
http://www.shotgunweddingquintet.com/pages/1/index.htm

|||||| UPCOMING ||||||

12/3 Porter, Batiste, Stoltz @ Indpendent
12/3 Ozomatli @ Fillmore
12/4 ALO, Guitaaaaarmageddon @ Independent
12/4 Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey @ 12 Galaxies
12/10-12/11 Particle @ Independent
12/14-12/19 Charlie Hunter @ Yoshi's
12/31 Soulive New Year's (open bar) @ Independent
12/31 Tea Leaf Green/ALO New Year's @ Great American
Music Hall

That's all I've got for now. Hopefully I'll see you up
front and gettin' down!