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

Who are the Fleet Foxes?

While browsing the Craigslist tickets section, as I am prone to in pursuit of what's what this week for shows in the Bay, I happened upon the burgeoning indie powerhouse that is the Fleet Foxes. Everybody and they stepmama seemingly wants a ticket to tonight's show at the Bottom of the Hill. I've seen offers of $77 for what was originally a $10 ticket; beer, food, joke punchlines, virginity (really!) for the chance to catch this show. And in most of these postings, wannabe ticket buyers express the sentiment that this will be the last chance to watch Fleet Foxes play this intimate a venue, as they seem destined for a path of gargantuan theaters and arenas. So, my non-feathered friends, just who are the Fleet Foxes? Well to start, five musicians from Seattle who just released their self-titled debut album on Sub Pop on June 3. They describe their music as "baroque harmonic pop jams," a blend Pitchfork appears to approve of seeing as how they rated the record a 9.0, putting Fleet Foxes in great company as far as debuts go (Wolf Parade, anyone?). And based on a few MySpace samples, like "White Winter Hymnal," which carries a dreamy, laid back Beach Boys type of groove with lots of oohs and acapella sprinklings, and "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song," a plaintive acoustic folk ballad that channels old-school '60s haunted Mamas and the Papas, their sound is certainly clean, catchy and compelling. Not quite rock 'n' roll enough to be deemed awesome in my book, but they've got something. And I betcha much of Fleet Foxes' appeal is that their live presence is as endearing as their MySpace personality -- check out a sampling of their tour schedule:

Aug 18 2008 8:00P	RED BUTTE GARDEN W/ WILCO !!!!! (WTF?????)	SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
Aug 20 2008 8:00P	EAGLE KNOLL WINERY w/ WILCO (How did we get here, seriously, what is going on)	BOISE, ID
Aug 21 2008 8:00P	INB ARTS CENTER W/ WILCO !!! (Still flabbergasted)	SPOKANE, WA
Aug 23 2008 8:00P	LES SCHWAB AMPHITHEATER W / WILCO !!!! (Shock, disbelief)	BEND, OREGON

Fleet Foxes appear genuinely appreciative of their recent success as openers for huge acts like Wilco. Sounds like cool peeps. So good luck to ticket seekers for tonight's mega sold out BOTH show. Or just wait until September when they play the Treasure Island Festival. Fleet Foxes' "White Winter Hymnal":

Rant: "I wah wah wah wah wonder": The corrosive torture that is Del Shannon's "Runaway"

Honey children, I think we've got a Patrick Bateman in our midst. You know, the serial killing type whose penchant for pop music almost disguises a love for penetrating viscera with steak knives, but not really.

I bring this up because here I sit working studiously in a room on the sixth floor of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. library in San Jose, and what is it that's providing the soundtrack to my noble pursuit of rock music news?

Why none other than Del Shannon's 1961 number one Billboard hit "Runaway," on repeat, seven times and counting.

I guess the guy in the next room likes that song. A lot. Sample lyrics:
"And I wonder--
I wah-wah-wah-wah-wonder,
Why,
Why, why, why, why, why she ran away,
Yes, and I wonder"

Coupled with high-pitched staccato keyboard stylings a la "dooo doo doo doo/ dooo doo doo doo / doo doo doo / doodoo doodoo doodoo doodoo doodoo doodoo doodoo doodoo / dooo doo doo doo / dooo doo doo doo / doo doo doo doooooooooooooo," this has got to be the most annoying two minutes of music ever written.

And surprisingly, the guy next door so enamored with Mr. Shannon's ode to love woe is young, clean cut and wearing glasses -- so not visibly insane. I don't know, are people who wear glasses capable of murder?

On the eighth "Runaway" go 'round, library security dropped by to deter the transgressor from a ninth spin, but dude keeps playing it.

Maybe I should offer up my relationship counseling services.

Family, friends: If I don't pick up my cell, 911 ain't no joke.

Sigur Ros to play Greek Theatre Oct. 3, presale Friday

artist website :: myspace :: youtube	Sigur Rós The Greek Theatre Berkeley, CA Friday, October 3rd presale begins friday at 10am! (password = naked)