There are two very special 'local band does good' (REAL good) gigs that you should definitely check out this week. First though, a word about tomorrow night:
It's no secret to these here digital pages that Showy loves him the Afrobeat music. From Antibalas to Femi Kuti, nothin' makes me rock out like a thundering blast of funk horns and thumping African percussion. The best new Afrobeat band I've seen in years has to be Budos Band from Brooklyn, and tomorrow night they're making a super rare appearance here at the Independent. I'll be there, and you should too.
Local Band Does Good #1: Our good friends Swoop Unit have landed their best gig so far this year, and if you wanna get the hell on down this Friday night, for cheap, there will be no better room in the city than Mojito in North Beach. Details are below, but this is a really important night for the boys and I hope I'll see your sexy ass hoppin' to the beat. Plus, it's just five bucks, and at that price you can even afford cab fare.
Local Band Does Good (REAL Good) #2: Saturday, Jazz Mafia Kingpin Adam Theis will bring together his most ambitious project yet: Beats, Brass, and Bows at the Palace of Fine Arts. With a coveted Emerging Composers Grant, Adam has put together a 60-piece ensemble (yeah SIXTY) with funky hip-hop wizard Lyrics Born for what is sure to be a mind-blowing evening (and afternoon) of genre-bending musicality.
Now as a token of my affection for you, loyal reader, there are two FREE TICKETS I have to give away for a show in this email. You'll just have to read on to find out which one. I guarantee, it'll be worth your while...
|||||| TUESDAY 4/14 ||||||
Dark Star Orchestra @ Great American Music Hall - $35
Tues & Weds shows. There is a reason why this tribute band is $35—they're fantastic. DSO recreates entire Grateful Dead shows, literally, only, well... their playing and singing is probably better. I saw them once at Great American and it was truly amazing, they played a show from my favorite era ('72ish) and just destroyed the place. Like the Dead on a really really really hot night.
http://www.darkstarorchestra.
|||||| WEDNESDAY 4/15 ||||||
the Budos Band @ the Independent - $15
Quite literally, an 11-piece WALL of funky, soulful, heavy-hittin' Afrobeat music. These guys knocked me dead at High Sierra Music Fest last year with a set that burned down the Vaudeville Stage, and I've been dying to see them again ever since. Featuring some members of Sharon Jones' Dap Kings, and Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, along with rippin' sax player Cochemea Gastalum (Robert Walter's 20th Congress), they are a serious force to be reckoned with. I'm totally there and you're outta your mind if you're not with me.
http://www.myspace.com/
Dark Star Orchestra @ Great American Music Hall - $35
Tues & Weds shows. See above.
http://www.darkstarorchestra.
|||||| FRIDAY 4/17 ||||||
Swoop Unit @ Mojito - $5
Our boys are bringin' the heat to North Beach this Friday, let's get out there and rock with 'em! With seven veteran funky jazz players on one tiny stage, the conditions are just right for the most burnin' Swoop Unit gig ever. And if that ain't enough, just take some drugs and get lost in the sparkly gold depths of Mr. Willis' new drum kit... Not sayin' I would ever do that mind you, no, no, not me. But if you do, who am I to judge..?
http://swoopunit.com/
|||||| SATURDAY 4/18 ||||||
Beats, Brass, and Bows: Realistic Orchestra w/ Lyrics Born @ Palace of Fine Arts - $10 (3pm) - $25 (8pm)
Alright kids, this is it, time for some FREE TICKET Showy love! I have one ticket for the 3pm matinee and one to join me for the 8pm evening show. Choice of the tickets go the FIRST TWO PEOPLE to email me with the names of just THREE out of the SIXTY musicians that are playing this gig. I've already given you two, it won't be hard... I have no doubt this show will be amazing. With the creative innovation that Adam Theis has demonstrated time and time again put to use on such a grand scale, well, I can't wait to see what kind of epic hip-hop, breakbeat, symphonic madness ensues this Saturday. And I've never seen rapper Lyrics Born, whose music I love, so color me stoked upon stoked for this. Sure to be a great afterparty as well, since it's an early gig, so hit me up if you wanna catch that bit of the madness later on.
http://www.sfjazz.org/
http://www.jazzmafia.com/
