These dates need legwork

These things seem to come in cycles, but a lot of live music is flying across my radar right now, so many djs and bands (and, at times, bands-as-djs) will be rocking - so to speak - through San Francisco over the next couple of months. For example, earlier today - yes, today!, although earlier, so you may already know this fine news - Cut Copy and The Presets announced their next North American tour:

SAT 9/13 - Monolith Festival - Denver, CO
MON 9/15 - The Record Bar - Kansas City, MO
TUES 9/16 - Fine Line Music Cafe- Minneaplis, MN
WED 9/17 - Metro - Chicago, IL
FRI 9/19 - Sound Academy - Toronto, Ontario
SAT 9/20 - Club Soda - Montreal, Quebec
SUN 9/21 - Webster Hall - New York City, NY
MON 9/22 - Webster Hall - New York City, NY
TUE 9/23 - Paradise - Boston, MA
THURS 9/25 - The Trocadero Theater - Philadelphia, PA
FRI 9/26 - 9:30 Club - Washington D.C.
SAT 9/27 - Masquerade - Atlanta, GA
MON 9/29 - Emo's Alternative Lounge - Austin, TX
TUES 9/30 - Granada Theater - Dallas, TX
FRI 10/3 - The Glass House - Pomona, CA
SUN 10/5 - Mezzanine - San Francisco, CA
TUES 10/7 - Hawthorne Theater - Portland, OR
WED 10/8 - Showbox At The Market - Seattle, WA
THURS 10/9 - Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, B.C.

I saw Cut Copy (and Simian Mobile Disco) at Mezzanine last time they came through town, and it was, for sure, the top show that I've seen this year. The short version of the "why" is that I love their last album, "In Ghost Colours", on its own - I will play it in all sorts of moods, from gettin'-ready-to-go-out to atmospherizizin'-the-kitchen-while-cookin'.. but seeing them live brought the music another level (yes, a totalcheese description, I know); still, the lights were a'strobin' and the bodies a'throbbin' (in a good way - ha!). The real kicker is that I went with a few folks that were also into the music from the get-go; a little preparty at my apartment got the night starts and we rocked it through 'til the lights came on. Too cool.

In any case, I'll almost definitely see them again, especially as they are coming 'round with The Presets - the *other* Austrailian in-fashiony-dancily group that's been getting a lot of great press (and remix treatment).

Yeah, so on October 5th, Cut Copy and crew will be back at Mezzanine.. but as you can see above, that's just one stop on a great big US tour.. so maybe this shebang be a good excuse to get to travelin'. I mean, September *is* a nice time to visit the city (NYC). We'll see; if you're interested in going to any of those shows, let me know. ;)

In other concert news, I mentioned earlier that Sam Sparro will be coming to town in order to blue-eye-electro-neo-soul us at The Independent on September 9th; are you ready? Yes, since then, ticket went on sale; and I bought mines; you should too. It's gonna be a superfun sing-along sort of show. And I'm really looking forward to it..

Speaking of sing-alongs, the 2008 season of Midnight Mass (hosted by Peaches Christ) has been going for a few weeks now.. and this full weekend calendar of midnight movies has, so far, included gems like Showgirls and Barbarella. But I think the real gold is still to, um, come..

This Saturday, for example, find exploitation of all stripes in the cult-classic, Starrbooty; apparently, Starrbooty producer, writer, and star, RuPaul Charles will be at the theater live and in-person (in drag or not?)! Mid-August, indulge in your horror fantasies via a weekend of Nightmare on Elm Street(s): the crowd pleasing original and the third one, set 6 years later (and featuring quite a few later-to-be-well-known actors). I hear there is supposed to be some sort of "wet section" in the audience, but I have no clue what that means; I'd just remind you to bring a hanky (good advice, regardless, given the track record of these Midnight Mass folks). ;)

But as far as I'm concerned, the piece d'resistance of the summer will be a showing of the sing-along version of Purple Rain, playing both August 1st and August 2nd.. at midnight, natch. I caught Purple Rain last time it came to town a few years ago, and I really didn't know what I was in for. I mean, I liked Prince and all (and still do - even moreso), but I didn't realize at the time that some people *live* Prince. For reals. haha. And that's awesome for an event like this; it's all part of the spectacle to dress up (if you feel like it), to sing-along (if you feel like it), and maybe come to the theater with a few drinks in you (*not* if you feel like it; you have to do this). haha. Like I said (or implied), the scene is very silly, but very fun; Prince sorta call out for the "right crowd" for this sort of thing. And when the Purple One and crew start breaking into song during the movie, ignore any ruffley shirts on the screen for a few minutes (if you can!) and just keep following that bouncing ball..

Whew!

Where was I?

Alright, let me just drop a few other music dates on you; and I'll let you do the legwork yourself. ;)

July 25th: Does It Offend You Yeah? + Steed Lord @ 330 Ritch
July 25th: The Black Ghosts @ The Independent
July 26th: Starrbooty (film) @ The Clay Theater
July 29th: Chromeo @ The Fillmore
July 30th: Joy Division double-feature (films) @ 330 Ritch
August 1st: Purple Rain (film/sing-along)@ The Clay Theater
August 2nd: Purple Rain (film/sing-along)@ The Clay Theater
September 5th: Lebowskifest + Extra Action Marching Band @ Mezzanine
September 9th: Sam Sparro @ The Independent
October 5th: Cut Copy + The Presets @ Mezzanine