The Bleeding Edge: 12/3/2018

This will definitely be a busy week. Sadly, it gets off to a somewhat embarrassing start. My attempt a week ago to anticipate tonight’s offering for the Monday Make-Out seems to have misfired on all cylinders. As a result, this installment will begin with a total rewrite of the plans for that gig. On the other hand there are a healthy number of activities this week that have already been given correct accounts! These are the following:

• The first San Francisco concert in the 25th anniversary season of Other Minds, a duo piano recital by Gloria Cheng and Terry Riley on December 5
• The two programs offered by The Lab, the first on December 5 and the second being performed on both December 7 and December 8
• Andy Meyerson’s solo gig, Ritual & Resonance, at the Center for New Music (C4NM) on December 7
• Two additional “busy weekend” events, Derek Schmidt’s Major Arcana project at C4NM on December 8 and new works by Jean Ahn and Robinson McClellan to be performed by San Francisco Choral Artists on December 9

That leaves five more events, three of which will make the coming weekend even busier than anticipated. Specifics (including the Monday Make-Out update) are as follows:

Monday, December 3, 8:30 p.m., Make Out Room: The first set will present “incendiary” guitar improvisations played by Reverend Screaming Fingers. He will be followed by a free improvisation set by the duo of saxophonist Larry Ochs and drummer Donald Robinson. The final set will be an ensemble performance of compositions by Aaron Novik. The performance will be by Novik’s group called Cosimo Lissy in which Novik plays bass clarinet. The other players will be Mia D’Augelli on violin, Kasey Knudsen on saxophone, Mark Clifford on vibraphone, Lisa Mezzacappa on bass, and Jordan Glenn on drums.

The Make Out Room is located at 3225 22nd Street in the Mission, near the southwest corner of Mission Street. The Make Out Room is a bar. That means that tickets are not sold, nor is there a cover charge. Nevertheless, a metaphorical hat is passed between sets; and all donations are accepted, not to mention welcome! Doors will open at 8 p.m.

Thursday, December 6, 8 p.m., Luggage Store Gallery (LSG): This week’s installment of the LSG Creative Music Series will be busier than usual, offering all of four sets, each of which will last for only half an hour. The program will open with the War Hippy Noise duo of Cole Miller and Jess Coble. They will be followed by a solo electronic improvisation set performed by Thomas Dimuzio. The third set will be taken by Names, and the program will wrap up with sound and performance artist Gerritt Wittmer. LSG is located at 1007 Market Street, across from the corner of Golden Gate Avenue and Taylor Street; and admission is on a sliding scale between $8 and $15.

Sunday, December 9, 7 p.m., Institute of Advanced Uncertainty: fo’c’sle will host a release concert for its new album bitter banquet performed by powerdove. The evening will begin with a poetry reading by Jane Hirshfield, followed by a live performance of the album’s tracks. powerdove is led by Annie Lewandowski, a vocalist who also works with keyboards and electronics. The other performers on the album are keyboardist David Yearsley, cellist Theresa Wong, and percussionist Russell Greenberg. For this release concert Wong will join Lewandowski, and the other performer will be guitarist Fred Frith. The Institute of Advanced Uncertainty is located at 296 Ivy Street in Hayes Valley, just to the east of Gough Street between Grove Street and Hayes Street. Admission will be free, and doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, December 9, 7:30 p.m., Musicians Union Hall: More in line with the usual plan, the next SIMM (Static Illusion Methodical Madness) Series concert of adventurously composed music will consist of two sets. In the first set Douglas Katelus’ will perform music from his SOLO ORGAN project on a Hammond B3 instrument, creating what he calls a “heavy free-form wall of sound.” He will be followed by the trio of Kevin CK Lo on prepared piano, vocalist Danishta Rivero, and drummer Kevin Corcoran. The Musicians Union Hall is located at 116 9th Street, near the corner of Mission Street. Admission will be on a sliding scale between $10 and $20.

Sunday, December 9, 8 p.m., Prelinger Library: sfSound will present a free concert of improvisations, interpretations of graphic scores, and other experimental works. The performers will be Benjamin Kreith (violin), Brendan Lai-Tong (trombone), John Ingle (saxophone), Matt Ingalls (clarinets), Diane Grubbe (flute), and Tom Dambly (trumpet). The Prelinger Library is located in Room 215 at 301 8th Street. Unfortunately, the library is not visible from the street. Those wishing to enter can dial 016 on the intercom by the door. (Instructions for access are also on the intercom itself.) Those with cell phones can call 415-252-8166. The library is wheelchair accessible, but space is limited. While the concert is free, the facility is sustained by donations. It is therefore reasonable to expect that such donations will be accepted at the door and will be deeply appreciated.