Send in the clones: Live music overload around the Bay Area tonight

Employment commitments and geography will influence my night's entertainment options, but lucky me, there's a smörgåsbord of awesome live rock music transpiring all over the Bay tonight.

Friday night specials:

Oakland - Orphans of Aliens, Hard Labor Fantasy Camp @ Mama Buzz Cafe

San Francisco - Port O'Brien, Builders and the Butchers @ Cafe Du Nord

San Jose - Silian Rail, Bridges, Worker Bee, Judgement Day @ Gingerbread House

Oh, and for those with particularly bad taste in music there's always Billy Bob Thornton at the Phoenix Theatre in Petaluma or Eddie Money at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

So like that decrepit centuries-years-old grail knight spouted in the third Indiana Jones movie, "Choose wisely -- for while the true Grail will bring you life, the false Grail will take it from you."


Thanks, dude.

San Diego's Lanterns puts out ... the Apocalypse Youth EP

For rock heads who find that the frenzied melodic noise of Sonic Youth and Les Savy Fav bring on a bit of the dripping (ewwwww), I recommend yet again to check out the younger and more San Diegoan four-piece Lanterns. Live, they come across like a pack of wild hoodlums --that's a good thing. But what's even better is their apeshit awesome knack for writing an infectious song, layering distorted shoegaze fuzz, pounding beats, shredding licks and singalong shouts over pop hooks. So in reverence for the release of their Apocalypse Youth EP that will be celebrated at a July 19 hometown show at the Che Cafe, check out new tracks "Creation Myth," "Midnight Psalms (Alright!)" and "EndTimes Blues" on Lanterns' MySpace, or two sweet older tracks below. Yum. Lanterns – sweet weapons! Lanterns – Maps and X's