8 Days a Week

March 23-30, 2005

THE DOMINATOR! A winner from
Robolympics 2004 strikes a
victory pose.

March 25, Friday

A closer look Author Ward Churchill committed the unforgivable crime of treating Americans to a bitter but oh so necessary dose of reality when, shortly after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, he penned an essay, later developed into a book titled On the Justice of Roosting Chickens: Reflections on the Consequences of U.S. Imperial Arrogance and Criminality. Churchill directed his ire at Americans' hypocrisy in expressing such righteous outrage about the attacks while nonchalantly dismissing – indeed, being complicit in – the deaths of one out of four Iraqi children under the age of 12 as a result of the 1991 U.S. bombing campaigns, to name just one of an extensive list of examples. Americans shouldn't dish out what they can't take, was the gist of his message. And god forbid anyone should publicly make that point and get away with it. Churchill recently became the political punching bag du jour for Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, Colorado governor Bill Owens, and a whole host of patriotic lapdogs. Churchill, one of a handful of tenured Native American professors, was compelled to give up his post as chair of the University of Colorado at Boulder's Ethnic Studies Department, where he taught for more than 20 years. But that hasn't appeased his foes. Come hear Churchill speak for himself, and show that you support free speech and academic freedom, even – no, especially – in the face of such bold totalitarianism. 7 p.m., Women's Building, 3543 18th St., S.F. $10. (510) 208-1700, www.akpress.org. (Camille T. Taiara)

SOUNDS HOOD: U.K. electronic rock band Hood play in
support of their latest release, Outside Closer.

March 26 Saturday

Use your illusion As it turns out, black light does have applications beyond illuminating dorm-room posters and transforming even yellowish sets of choppers into blue-tinged teeth of wonder. As manipulated by the National Black Light Theatre of Prague in its new show, Fantasy Travellers, it allows actors to engage in some pretty amazing behavior, including flying, shrinking to pocket-size proportions, and vanishing in the blink of an eye. Far more kid-friendly than, say, a midnight showing of Laser Floyd, this imaginative performance draws creative inspiration from the classic, ever-so-trippy worlds of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Gulliver's Travels. 3 p.m., Marin Veterans' Memorial Auditorium, Avenue of the Flags at Civic Center, San Rafael. $18-$32. (415) 499-6800, www.ticketmaster.com. (Cheryl Eddy)

March 27 Sunday

Crazy like an ox Some people think of Oxes primarily as a rock band wrapped in a publicity stunt, but you can't really expect anything but pranksterism from members of a group of people who call themselves the Baltimore Rowdy Collective. Performing atop big black boxes and putting out an album (Oxxxes, Monitor, 2002) with a cover that'd appeal to those with bestial tendencies got them some attention. But the three-piece really pulled the rug from under everyone when they released a split 10-inch with Arab on Radar that turned out to be Oxes pretending to be AOR. But for those who forgot, Oxes do play music too, and it's as disruptive and disorderly as their sense of humor – that is, if you find it funny to be doubled over by elaborate, big-balled instru-metal. Appropriate showmates Big Business, a hard rock duo featuring Jared Warren (Karp and the Whip) on bass and vocals and Coady Willis (Murder City Devils) on drums, play with Oxes tonight. These Arms Are Snakes headline, and More Dogs open. 7 p.m., Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St., S.F. $10. (415) 621-4455. (Sarah Han)

March 28 Monday

MAN AND MACHINE: Toronto bass-and-drums duo Death from
Above 1979 make music for robots and humans.

March 29, Tuesday

Tigers and bears While wildcats are usually depicted as ferocious, vicious creatures that occasionally attack unsuspecting hikers and naive zoogoers, Pedro the Lion may just change your attitude toward the king of the jungle, as this cat would probably write you a bittersweet love song rather than eat you for dinner. Fronted by singer-songwriter David Bazan, they sit nicely beside the Doves and Death Cab for Cutie on the would-be peeling park bench of melancholy rock. On their latest release, Achilles Heel (Jade Tree), Bazan's bleak, deadpan vocals resonate with their usual desolate beauty as humming electric guitar riffs and gently thumping drum beats keep the rock sound afloat. Although Pedro's sound is more emo than aggro, the group's soft roar still knows how to a pack a punch. Low co-headline, and Tomorrow and Everyday After open. Also Wed/30 with Kid Dakota. 8:30 p.m., Great American Music Hall, 859 O'Farrell, S.F. $16. (415) 885-0750. (Jacobs)

March 30 Wednesday

Shit hits the fans Hopefully there were no confused fans of San Francisco's gypsy-pirate punks Shitstorm at the Pound-S.F.'s February battle-of-the-bands show, where an up-and-coming "hard-ass metal" band from French Lick, Ind., with the same name was billed to play. The former, a favorite with S.F. underground dirty-folk rockers, is more likely to be hijacking a sand-docked boat in Dolores Park's playground and rocking out with a washboard and a fiddle than shredding guitars with the likes of Shrapnel Krawl. The best time to see them is when they're playing among friends, so bring out a handful of your own and catch them opening for their pals the Eastern Euro-flavored Full Moon Partisans with punk-with-a-twang rockers Trainwreck Riders and the East Bay's gothy Strip Mall Seizures. 9 p.m., Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St., S.F. $7. (415) 621-4455. (Han)

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