Best show of January: Silian Rail, Japandi, Lanterns, Planets @ The Bike Kitchen 1/11

Live-music fiends typically wouldn't expect much from a show housed in a grimy, makeshift bicycle repair shop. But San Francisco's The Bike Kitchen, a firmly underground venue tucked covertly in an alley off of Mission Street that's more a pisser's paradise than indie rock hangout, put on the best concert of January. The somewhat disturbing sight of two guys cloaked in form-fitting white suits, complete with Mexican wrestler masks veiling their faces, launched a night that bursted with quality noise and tight, rhythmic rock complexity. The mysterious bass/drums duo Planets' visual spectacle straddled the border of artistic and silly - a projector transmitted random images and color patterns onto both a wall and the guys themselves, while corny jokes tendered amusing between-song banter. Bulletproof song execution became the evening standard. Headlining San Francisco two-piece Silian Rail created a whole lotta ruckus with minimal instrumentation in taut and thoughtful arrangements; and San Diego aggressive-progressive instrumentalists Japandi, whose drummer almost killed himself during the penultimate song by playing the drums really, really, really hard, flaunted impressive technical skill. But the standout performance came from San Diego's Lanterns, four guys just out of high school who play really catchy shoegaze-noise rock ala Sonic Youth. Lanterns are the goofball garage band who endearingly have no clue how amazing they sound. While the rhythm guitarist and the bassist trade off on vocals - kind of shouted like the old (good) Modest Mouse - and the drummer holds the fort with dynamic rhythms or circus beats, a second guitarist supplies an ethereal wall of noise to round out the wholly original, but melodious, racket. With the oldest member barely 21, the band is still very green and a bit sloppy, but their strong songwriting chops and youthful energy evokes a feeling that's downright magical. My new favorite band had me at hello. Christmas lights adorning amps and bicycles looming over the "stage," which swayed threateningly when bumped by thrashing members of the crowd, complemented The Bike Kitchen's ambiance. "I love that a surprise member of the audience gets up to play in the next band," a friend whispered in my ear before the show ended. Despite preconceptions of cliquish hipster snobs, the underground music community actually fosters an equality lacking in more mainstream circles. Where else can you party among your 50 best friends with the most exciting music around as your soundtrack? Check out some raw video of Lanterns playing "Sweet Weapons" in a 2007 set at San Diego's Che Cafe: