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Thursday, Thursday, THURSDAY! The monsters of instrumental hip hop invade San Francisco when Sixtoo and DJ Signify roll into town. As Nova Scotia's finest rapper/producer, Sixtoo hits the road in support of his latest, Chewing on Glass and Other Miracle Cures (Ninja Tune). He'll be joined by NYC's DJ Signify, fresh from the release of his debut, Sleep No More (Lex Records). These two longtime friends and collaborators are known for moody beats and stark soundscapes, but the seasoned turntablists also put on a hell of a show, mixing and scratching their sets together on the fly. Along for the ride are Ninja labelmates Blockhead and DJ P-Love, and multi-instrumentalist Mike Kelly. Expect Blockhead to open with a DJ mix, while Sixtoo, Signify, P-Love, and Kelly perform a live set on turntables, bass, Fender Rhodes, sampler, shaker egg, and stylophone. Yes, stylophone. The beats start popping on Thursday, Sept. 9, at the Bottom of the Hill; call 621-4455 or go to www.bottomofthehill.com.
-- Anna Klafter

It's unlikely there's a frat house in the Western world that hasn't blasted Dave Matthews' world- and jazz-flavored pop through its party-size speakers. Along with Eddie Vedder, Matthews changed the way mainstream musicians pronounce the letter "R" (more like a pirate, less like an emotional diva), and he's been touring virtually nonstop for the past decade. Dave's last studio album, 2003's Some Devil, found the troubadour toning things down a bit and preferring the slow strum to the extended jam his band usually purveys. But an outside date in the summertime means only one thing: DMB and its upbeat instrumentals echoing off thousands of joyful, bouncing fans, who will feel especially great knowing that this particular show benefits, according to the band's Web site, "Bay Area community charities addressing issues of homelessness among single adults, youth and families, pediatric AIDS and other terminal childhood maladies, Bay Area park improvement and music education resources." The rock goes down at noon on Sunday, Sept. 12, at the Polo Fields in Golden Gate Park; go to www.dmband.com for more info.
-- Abigail Clouseau