Timothy Norris

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We've just rolled out a new and improved calendar of San Francisco concerts.

Our online music listings are now sortable by artist, venue and price. We've also got a raw, unadulterated, alphabetical list of upcoming shows in the drop-down menus on the righthand side of that page.

And now you can even buy concert tickets directly from our website, with more options on the way.

Take a look. Bang around a little. We're still tweaking, so let us know what you think in the comments below.

[Post updated at 2:55 p.m. 4/11/12*]
After releasing three semi-anonymous free mixtapes online in the last year, secretive R&B artist The Weeknd, aka Toronto's Abel Tesfaye, has finally firmed up plans to perform live in San Francisco. Tesfaye's sparse, midnight-of-the-drugged-out-soul R&B has been a favorite among the online commentariat pretty much since he was discovered. And today, The Weeknd announced its very first tour, which takes place after Coachella and stops in the Bay Area early next month.

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The cover of 1998's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

For some of us, the name Neutral Milk Hotel carries a near-mythic heft, an exalted reputation earned in the wake of the 1998 indie-rock album In the Airplane Over the Sea and other records. And it's a good time of year to be a NMH fan: Jeff Mangum, the main dude behind Neutral Milk Hotel, was already set to perform two shows at the Fox Theater next Monday and Tuesday on his way to Coachella.

Today, Mangum added a third show -- this Sunday, April 8, at the Great American Music Hall.

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The Train arrives this Sunday!

Wildly successful S.F. pop-rock band Train just announced* a very unusual addition to its upcoming week of intimate club shows here in the city.

As a special promotion for its new album, California 37, the band will be performing in exactly 37 different places around San Francisco this Sunday. But although the performances will be live, they won't be seen in person. Instead, the so-called "37 Concert" will be streamed simultaneously through the intercom and public address systems of local businesses such as cafes, major food markets, department stores, and chain restaurants. A statement released by the band hints that the set will feature select songs from the band's new album, as well as Train classics like "Save Me, San Francisco," "Hey, Soul Sister," and "Drops of Jupiter."

"Train fans have long told us that they first heard the band while doing their grocery shopping, waiting at their doctor's office, or eating at restaurants like Chevy's," Train singer Patrick Monahan said in the statement. "Since we view our upcoming album as a sort of return to Train's roots, we thought it would be cool to perform in the places where people have grown very accustomed to listening to our music."

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James Murphy, Nancy Whang, and Pat Mahoney

Pat Mahoney and Nancy Whang -- two of the crucial members of LCD Soundsystem who aren't James Murphy -- are performing a rare joint DJ gig for this Friday's Face Party at Public Works.

While likely to be good, it's also certain to be popular, so if you're dead-set on going, it might be worth grabbing tickets in advance. Find more info and an excellent recent Pat Mahoney DJ mix after the jump.

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Editor's note: Ahead of the four-year anniversary of beloved '90s party Debaser, we invited party DJs Jamie Jams and Stab Master Arson to make a mix of some of the songs we can expect to hear at Saturday's party. What follows is their mix and commentary.

By JAMIE GUZZI

Hip-hop historians note that Public Enemy's 1989 track "Fight the Power" wasn't merely a call to action, it was a critical opening shot of the '90s and the beginning of a continuing narrative of black empowerment in the public consciousness. For many people, hip-hop offered a critical first exposure to the realities of inner-city life, and helped start a dialogue in mainstream America about what this all might mean.

To celebrate Debaser's four-year anniversary, we put together a little companion piece to last year's Singles mixtape, this time structured around the plot of the 1991 film Boyz n the Hood. It's an effort to bring together not only some of the key musical moments in the public's conceptualization of life in the '90s, but also to highlight some of the serious political and moral themes brought to light in the film, as well as the hope, the tragedy, and, of course, the fun.

We hope you all enjoy the mix and pop by and join us at the Debaser four-year anniversary party Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Elbo Room. We're going to be showcasing the talents of our resident photographer and hip-hop impresario Chris Brennan, aka DJ Stab Master Arson, with an all-hip-hop and R&B set upstairs and an all-'90s alternative set downstairs. Before showing up, peep Stretch Arson on the cut and check out my commentary after the jump!

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See you in April, dudes.

[Post updated Feb. 21 at 7 p.m.]
Unless this is some kind of early and ill-timed April fool's joke on us, the week of April 10, 2012, will bring a bland and terrible horror to many hallowed local stages: Train, the San Francisco embarrassment, wine-shilling ruse, and mom-pop juggernaut, is apparently performing that week at Cafe Du Nord (April 10), Great American Music Hall (April 11), Bimbo's (April 12), Slim's (April 13), the Independent (April 14), and the Fillmore (April 15).

What to make of this? Surely the charm offensive is a marketing ploy for Train's new album, the blankly titled California 37, which sees release the following Tuesday. But this isn't the first time Patrick Monahan and his band of bores have held court at a San Francisco venue far smaller than their normal arenas. In 2004, Train melted hearts for five nights in a row at Cafe Du Nord to support My Private Nation, and as you'll see from our predecessor's recap, it was a triumphant affair deserving of reverence and adoration. Ahem.

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Ron Baker

Warren Hellman and his banjo

Some weeks ago, we told you about a concert planned to honor the memory of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass founder Warren Hellman, who passed away in December. The show will feature performances by Emmylou Harris, Robert Earl Keen, Gillian Welch, Steve Earle, and others. And now, a location for the event has been set: Rather than Golden Gate Park's Hellman Hollow, where Hardly Strictly Bluegrass takes place, the tribute concert is happening this Sunday, Feb. 19, on the Great Highway between JFK Drive and Lincoln Ave. -- so basically, at Ocean Beach.

The music will cover two stages operating at staggered timetables and will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Of course, the show is free. However, since there's less space than at Hellman Hollow, the concert organizers are also streaming the show on their website and encouraging fans to watch at home.

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Wikimedia Commons/dbking

Paul Simon, live and in color.

Paul Simon is the marquee name leading the 2012 Black and White Ball at Davies Symphony Hall on June 2. Whether he'll perform career-spanning hits, selections from his recent Songwriter album, or both, hasn't been confirmed. But regardless of the set list, Simon and his touring musicians will have one heck of a backing band: the San Francisco Symphony.

Since 1956, the Black and White Ball has been an annual upscale affair that draws those who enjoy showing off in their penguin suits and evening gowns to raise funds for the Symphony's music education programs. But, significantly, this is the first time the Symphony has actually been involved with the main act.

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Madonna, ridin' high.

Fresh off her headline-generating performance with M.I.A. and a few other people at the Super Bowl this past weekend, Madonna announced a huge run of tour dates today, including a Bay Area show. The Madge will of course be touring behind new effort MDNA, which is out March 26 and includes "Give Me All Your Luvin'," the single that features appearances by M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj.

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