Tuesday, June 8th, unwind from a stressful mid-term Election Day with some rockin’ local bands at Cafe Royale. Here’s the skinny:

Artist/Event:  Songwriters’ Circle
Venue:  Cafe Royale, 800 Post Street (@ Leavenworth)
Genre:  Acoustic/Americana/Folk/Pop/Rock/Singer-Songwriter
Time:  8:00 p.m.
Anything Else?:  The featured artists are David Luning, KC Turner, Wish Inflicted, and Jeff Campbell. If you’re a fan of singer/songwriter music, complete with catchy guitar riffs and pop-flavored lyrics, this is your show!  Plus, check out these artists’ pages; there’s some serious eye candy action goin’ on here! And, if you’re lucky, Jeff Campbell will sing “Thank You” — his awesome acoustic cover of Led Zeppelin’s gorgeous, soulful tune that I just can’t get enough of these days! True, the venue doesn’t exactly have great parking anywhere nearby, so public transportation is highly recommended, and no fewer than five Muni bus lines stop within two blocks of the place (altho’ BART is — yikes! — eight blocks away). This’ll be a great, foot-stompin’, American beer-swillin’ kind of night. Who knows? You might run into The Scene while you’re there! (You never know; it could happen.) One more nice thing to note: the venue is a bar AND a cafe, so all ages are welcome!

Well, gang, as previously promised, T-Licious Thursday is back, which means that The Scene gets another opportunity to review the incomparable Theresa Perez! Here are the details:

Who: Theresa Perez (T-Licious Thursday)

What: Latin Fusion, Funk, Soul, Jam Session

Where: Duboce Park Cafe, 2 Sanchez Street (at Duboce Avenue)

When: 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Anything Else?: For more information about Theresa Perez, the host of T-Licious Thursdays, check out this interview The Scene did with her last November. Also, if you are a musician at pretty much any level and love to jam, come along for the ride! This group of musicians and performers are hugely welcoming; there’s no better place to play!

O.K., kiddies, need to blow off some steam in preparation for next week’s festivities? Dreading the proposition of spending several hours with — gasp! — your family and need a little palate cleanser beforehand? Then here are some live music shows that will be sure to pump you up and put you in the party mood:

Friday, December 18th

Who: The Younger Lovers, The Butts, Fast Love
Where: BrainWash Cafe & Laundromat
When: 8 p.m. — ?
What: Rock/Garage/Indie/Punk/Power Pop
Anything Else?: Note that this is an all-ages show.

Who: KFJC 50th Anniversary Party
Where: Cafe du Nord
When: 7 p.m. — ?
What: Rock/Indie/Psychedelic/Freestyle/Progressive/Experimental/Punk
Anything Else?: Bands slated to perform include Al Qaeda, Pink Mountain, T.I.T.S., and Arrington de Dionyso, among others.

Who: Bayonics
Where: Rockit Room
When: 9 p.m. — ?
What: Hip-Hop/Funk/Latin
Anything Else?: This is a big-ass group of musicians, with a live horn section and all!

Saturday, December 19th

Who: Maniacal Rejects, Bullet 66, United Defiance
Where: Thee Parkside
When: 3 p.m. — 8 p.m.
What: Rock
Anything Else?: Please note that this is a happy hour concert, and is all-ages. Also, the venue’s Web site says that United Defiance is playing, but the event flyer says that War of Aggression is playing. Guess we’ll find out!

Who: EpiscoDisco
Where: Grace Cathedral
When: 7 p.m. — ?
What: Gothic/Americana/Folk
Anything Else?: This is a sort of art/cultural event featuring a multi-media installation and a performance by Pale Hoarse.

Who: Doni Harvey
Where: Skip’s Tavern
When: 9:30 p.m. — 1 a.m.
What: Blues
Anything Else?: Nope!

Sunday, December 20th

Who: Sunday Sessions w/Wil Blades
Where: Madrone Lounge
When: 6 p.m. — 12 a.m.
What: Jazz/Jam Session
Anything Else?: The first set is a performance by the band, and then the second set opens up as a jazz jam session for all levels of musicians. Note that you must be 21 or older!

Who: Twang Sunday w/The Poontones
Where: Thee Parkside
When: 4 p.m. — ?
What: Acoustic/Americana
Anything Else?: This is an all-ages benefit show with proceeds going to breast cancer charities; there’s a $5 BBQ.

Who: Singin’ Sundays w/Roger Niner Karaoke Extravaganza
Where: Butter
When: 9 p.m. — ?
What: Karaoke
Anything Else?: I know, I know — karaoke! Still, sometimes a person just needs to get sloshed and stand in front of a few dozen strangers and belt out “I Will Survive” before heading home for the holidays. Just sayin’…

UPDATED 12/05/2009:

Hey, gang! I’ve got some good news and some bad news. First, the bad, ’cause I’m a rip-off-the-Band-Aid kind of gal:

There will not be a December 12th T-Licious Thursday event.

But here’s the good news: the reason the event has been canceled — or, as I like to think of it, postponed until January — is because Theresa Perez has been asked to perform at the Nobel Prize ceremony in Oslo! How cool is that?

So, while we may justifiably be disappointed that we won’t get our monthly dose of feel-good, positive-vibin’, funky latin soul jam music this month, we may also be truly delighted that one of our city’s best is being offered this fantastic opportunity.

Congratulations, Theresa!

——————————————

So, I know that I had T-Licious Thursdays listed as a “Coming Up” event back in November, and that I never actually posted the review, but there’s a good reason for that: Due to a scheduling conflict, I missed Theresa Perez’s solo set. So, while I could tell you quite a bit about T-Licious Thursdays itself — and believe me, it’s worth knowing! — I still want to hold to my commitment to specifically give you a review of Ms. Perez’s music and her performance. Therefore, I am once again happily going to be at T-Licious Thursdays for December! And if you like a feel-good sing-along time, or music with a positive vibe that makes you wanna move, you’ll be there, too!

The Lowdown

Who: The Mission Three
When: November 19, 2009
Where: Revolution Cafe
Hidden Costs: Artists “pass the hat” to accept tips/donations

The Take-Away

Venue: See this review I did about a month ago. Additionally, you’ll be glad to know that, as the weather gets colder, the cafe has these awesome heaters that are suspended from the patio’s overhang. These heaters not only keep the patio nice and toasty, but generate some residual warmth for the interior, as well — yay, heaters! — which means that you don’t have to sit all bundled up in your full regalia in order to keep warm while enjoying both your libations and the show.

Artist: The Mission Three are truly a local treasure, full of catchy tunes, groan-inducing jokes, and kick-ass musicianship. Check out their MySpace site for updates and touring dates. As for upcoming shows in San Francisco, you can find them at the Mojo Bicycle Cafe on December 7th and 21st and January 18th; back at the Revolution Cafe on December 17th and January 16th; and at Ireland’s 32 on December 27th. For the better part of January, the band will be on a Southwest Tour of Nevada and Arizona. (Again, see their site for more info).

The Review

On November 19th, I had the pleasure of seeing The Mission Three perform at the Revolution Cafe, which is a venue that I have previously reviewed.

The following is a little blurb that I excerpted from the group’s MySpace site:

The Mission Three consist of three San Francisco Musicians that reside in the Mission District. They tour and play with tons of local musicians but when they get together the stars align!!

Misisipi Mike Wolf — guitar and vocals. He hails from Mississippi and has been here in the bay area for 10 years

Cree Rider — guitar and vocals. He hails from St. Louis and has been here in the bay area for 4 years

Jimmy Sweetwater — washboard, harmonica and vocals. He hails from the swamps of Florida and has been in the bay area for 20 years

As for my experience with The Mission Three…well, put simply, it was everything I was hoping it would be! I came to this show looking for good roots music with a solid blues foundation, colored with a playful sense of humor, and this is precisely what the group brings to the table. Add to that musicianship that is neither self-conscious nor pretentious (as can all-too-easily be the case), and you’ve got yourself an evening of foot-stompin’, grin-inducin’, whisky-swiggin’ glee.

The guys kicked things off with “Ramblin’ On My Mind,” a blues-flavored rockin’ tune featuring a wailing harmonica (Jimmy Sweetwater) and vocals (Cree Rider) that make you feel like you’ve climbed into the singer’s restless soul.

One note on Jimmy’s harmonica playing: unlike so many harp players, Jimmy is able to phrase a musical line with the harmonica without overindulging in frilly arpeggios and needless riffs. He really understands the instrument, using its unique timbre to paint a picture, so that it becomes a true vessel of storytelling, rather than just some cool trick that the Percussion Guy can do. And at one point during the show, Jimmy broke out his self-proclaimed “Fun Machine,” a seemingly homemade contraption comprised of a Fender washboard fitted with various acoustic happy-making accoutrement, including a bicycle bell and a tambourine.

Similarly, when Cree sings, you’re getting more than a lyrical yet layered tenor voice. Cree believes the words he’s singing, and nowhere was this more evident than when he sang lead on a gorgeous cover of The Band’s ”King Harvest (Has Surely Come).” As I listened to Cree tell the story of this poor farmer on the verge of losing everything, I could almost see that man standing right before me. I could hear the wind through the grain, feel the heat of the southern August sun. It was some powerful storytelling.

And talk about a sweet lead guitar! Misisipi Mike seamlessly transitions from supporting rhythm player to chorused lead guitarist, deftly picking out runs up and down the scale as his left hand does a ballet over the fretboard. No buzzing notes here, kids! And, much like Jimmy on the harmonica, Misisipi Mike’s phrasing is eloquent without being self-important. He’s a joy to watch, making impeccable picking seem effortless.

The thing that’s so great about The Mission Three is that there is a consistency to the music, regardless of the theme or the genre of origin. Whether it be “Whisky Warm and Mellow,” a playful jaunty sing-along type of tune that Jimmy claims is a favorite of George Clooney’s, or a kick-ass cover of The Kink’s “Sunny Afternoon,” The Mission Three deliver a performance that is cohesive and has a good flow. You never get burnt out on a particular hook or tempo; these guys craft a set with care and thoughtfulness, giving the listener a superlative live music experience.

Perhaps just as importantly, the members of the band don’t try to complicate their respective roles, which I believe allows them to really refine their particular skill sets so as to best contribute to the band’s signature playful and heartfelt style. All three take turns on lead vocals, in an almost round-robin kind of way. Misisipi Mike Wolf plays a steel string electric acoustic lead guitar; Cree Rider plays a nylon string electric acoustic guitar; and Jimmy Sweetwater plays the harmonica and the Fun Machine.

In the end, though, these guys love the music they’re playing, and get their whole bodies into their performance, literally shaking the floorboards with their foot stomping, swaying to the tempo, leaning into the lyrics. You get the feeling that you’re hanging out with your friends you grew up with on the front porch of your auntie’s country home, and these friends just happen to be exceptional musicians with a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of roots music. Throw in a little Southern Rock with almost a funk flavor, maybe some Folk Pop, and the odd Django Reinhardt jazz-influenced guitar hook, and you’ve got yourself an evening of music worth coming out in the cold for.

The Mission Three will be performing four more dates before the end of this year, and have a few dates in January already scheduled. At that point, they will begin a mini Southwest tour, and will also be hitting Louisiana and Washington State, but will return to the city shortly thereafter. They also will be recording their second album in January; the first one is available for $10 at any live show.

A quick heads-up:

For those of you who are East Bay bound, The Scene has it on good authority that Blair Hansen is holding a CD release party at Caffe Trieste at their Berkeley location on Friday, Nov. 20th (tomorrow night). Other artists lending their support for this event include the Bittersweet Trio and Judea Eden, who The Scene has previously reviewed.

Go check it out and hear some great chick rock chock full o’ purpose-driven lyric.

Who: The Mission Three
When: Thursday, November 19th @ 8:45 p.m.
Where: Revolution Cafe, 3248 22nd St.
Anything Else?: Nope! Hope to see you there!

Mat Kearney will be doing an acoustic performance and CD signing Thursday, November 5th, at the Peet’s Coffee & Tea in the San Francisco Ferry Building starting at 12:30 p.m. Just tho’t you may wanna know. And, hey, what I know, you know! That’s how we roll.

Next Thursday (November 12th), I will be going to the T-Licious show at Duboce Park Cafe to review Theresa Perez. Plus, Ms. Perez has been gracious enough to agree to do an interview a couple of days beforehand. Got any questions for her? Send an e-mail to info@hearfreelivemusic.com by 5 p.m. on Sunday, November 8, 2009.

Peace, lovelies!

Who: Judea Eden Band
When: October 23, 2009
Where: Dolores Park Cafe
Hidden Costs: “Suggested” donation at door on a sliding scale of $8 — $10

The Take-Away

Venue: This venue was very well-kept and clean, featuring reasonably priced eats, coffee/espresso-based drinks, beer, and wine. Plus, they serve breakfast all day — my kind of cafe! The staff was busy but friendly, and the sound system was good. No weird dress code to worry about, and the place had a good, upbeat crowd. Plus, it’s literally right across the street from Dolores Park, and would be perfect for people-watching. All-in-all, I’d come to this place just to hang and drink coffee, even if there wasn’t live music.

Artists: Bottom line is that this band knows how to have fun! They’ll give you some good old-fashioned growling, rock-chick-driven rock ‘n’ roll. But perhaps most importantly, they have a great chemistry and obviously love to play together, which makes it feel like you’re in on something special. If you’re down for some straight up, bop-in-your-seat-’til-you-have-to-get-up-and-dance music, go see this band.

The Review

The first thing I thought to myself when I pulled up to the corner of 18th and Dolores Streets was, “Oh, shit! Where the hell am I gonna park?” I drove around for at least a good 20 minutes, determined to stay within a two-block radius in a neighborhood pretty widely known for its abysmal parking situation. But, being a woman of great determination, and a believer in wishful thinking, I persisted — which eventually paid off (got a spot kitty-corner to the cafe).

All of that being said, I do NOT recommend that you use my methodology. One, it’s completely unreliable. Two, it’s really not at all difficult to find public transportation to this particular corner of the city. There’s like a gazillion buses that go through there, not to mention MUNI railcars.

As I walked to the front door of the cafe, small cliques of women were lined up outside the cafe’s giant picture windows, chatting and flirting with each other, having a perfect Friday Unwind, and interspersed with the occasional straight couple. Everyone outside was laughing and/or deep in conversation; but inside, the crowd was caught up in the gorgeous harmonies and tight guitar hooks spilling forth from Bittersweet (an all-women folk rock trio whose members also play with the Judea Eden Band, including Judea Eden herself). After paying my suggested donation of $10 to go hear the music, I started to look around the place to see what I could see. (And, by the way, the word “suggested” is largely a euphemism. It’s pretty clear that anyone that came there to hear music was expected to donate something, preferably somewhere in the $8 to $10 range. When I asked point blank, I was told, yes, technically the show was free, but…y’know…)

 The Dolores Park Cafe was a lovely contemporary cafe that was very well kept and well lit without being overly bright (i.e. you could see what was going on but didn’t feel like everyone was staring at you as you watched the show). The ceilings were nice and high, giving an otherwise intimate space a feeling of expansive openess. On display along the walls were pieces of local art for sale (on this particular night there were close-up photographs of everyday items such as typewriter keys, crayons, nails, etc., with tiny little “men at work” figures on them). The seating in the audience area was largely family style, with long tables set out with chairs placed alongside, facing the stage area.

I decided that I’d get myself something to drink, and maybe try something to eat. I looked to my left at the busy staff behind the U-shaped counter, looking to see where the menus were. Hmm…not there, no…not there, either…hm, not there…where the hell are the menus? I noticed that there was a chalkboard to the right of where you were supposed to order, but in the dim light, I couldn’t tell if this was the menu. After much squinting and tilting of my head, I realized that it was pretty much a list of drinks (i.e. coffee drinks), and not a full menu.

Weird.

Oh, well.

(Oh, by the way, I did eventually find the menu — that’s right, “menu,” singular. There was a giant sign mounted to one wall on the 18th Street side of the cafe which had the full listing of items, ranging from coffee/espresso-based beverages to a variety of salads and sandwiches. The placement of the menu was sorta counterintuitive, if you ask me, but not really an issue, aside from the fact that now I won’t get to tell you anything about the food ’cause I didn’t see it ’til I was leaving.)

I gave up the hunt, and since I hadn’t really seen any empty chairs in the main seating area, I decided to grab a stool at the end of the counter from which I could see the band performing on the opposite side of the cafe. Now, I know this may sound like it was a crappy place to be sitting for a music show, but honestly, the way the place was laid out, the fact that it wasn’t huge, and the quality sound system made the placement of my seat choice a non-issue: I could see and hear everything.

One of the super busy staff members took the time to head over my way and ask me if I wanted anything — which I did — so I got one of the four beers they offered (a Fat Tire, $4) and settled in for the start of the Judea Eden Band’s set.

The band itself was fully fleshed out. They had a keyboard player, who also sang back-up; a rhythm guitarist; a bass guitarist; a lead guitarist; a drummer who used this cool standing drum kit; a back-up/lead vocalist; and, of course, frontperson and lead vocalist Judea Eden herself, who also played some electric acoustic guitar.

So, what, you may ask, was the Judea Eden Band experience like? In a word: Rock! This band was all about feel-good and thought-provoking rock ‘n’ roll. Their originals were personal and ran the gamut from down-in-the-ground dirty (“All Sexed Up”) to heartbreakingly melodic (“Wayside”). And, to top it all off, their covers were amazing and powerful (“Rock and Roll” by Led Zeppelin; “Sweet Emotion” by Aerosmith). And did I mention that all of the vocals were done by women? Talk about kicking ass!

But the best thing about seeing this band was that they obviously LOVED playing together! They knew each other so well and were so good at listening to each other that, regardless of the song or tempo or style, they would just Bring It (to coin an overfranchised phrase). The women’s vocals and harmonies were gorgeous and tight, and in perfect balance, and their musicianship was unparalleled. Judea Eden brought her kick-ass, Linda Perry vocal stylings into the mix, combined with a genuine sense of playfulness and humor, alternatingly poignant and impish.

And the men definitely held their own amongst the superlative women musicians: The bass player was a funkmaster, bringing a swinging joyfulness to the overall sound. The drummer was amazing, accurate, steady, and borderline acrobatic in his full-body playing style. The lead guitarist was agile on the fretboard, and had this sick wah-wah going on “All Sexed Up”; it was almost “Shaft”-esque, although his volume levels could’ve stood to be brought up just a little bit when he soloed.

Bottom line? The whole band was comprised of impeccable musicians who melded together in a tight-knit fashion that showcased the music in a fun and unassuming way. And the crowd loved them, getting up out of their seats and dancing, clapping along, whooping and hollering, ear-to-ear grins splayed across their collective faces. (Hm, yeah, all right, I may have been one of those people.)