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The "Cali Comm"tour is an annual forum for independent artists from our fair state to show there's more to hip hop than is seen on television or heard on the commercial airwaves, especially where the West Coast is concerned. With Oakland's Del Tha Funky Homosapien, Zion I, and newcomers Bukue Onealongside Northern/Southern California collaboration Haiku D'Etat (Freestyle Fellowship's Aceyalone and Mikah 9 with Abstract Tribe Unique's Abstract Rude) on the bill, you can expect educated wordplay that's refreshingly not up its own ass -- even when it goes completely intergalactic and crazy, as in Del's hands. Lyricists who know how to rock a party with more than just bling-bling and boasts might seem like an endangered species elsewhere, but in Cali their skills are just a necessity for survival. "Cali Comm 2004" goes down on Wednesday, Nov. 24, at the Fillmore; call 346-6000 or go to www.thefillmore.com.
-- Tamara Palmer

Five things to love about Norway: No. 1: Viking helmets. No. 2: Edvard Munch. No. 3: NordicTrack. No. 4: Environmental group Fuck for Forest, whose members had sex onstage at this summer's Quart music festival. No. 5: Songwriting wunderkind Sondre Lerche, whose Beach Boysinspired pop is prompting taste-makers to say, "Screw the Hives and Sahara Hotnights, Norway is the new Sweden." Following in the footsteps of fellow Scandinavians A-Ha, Lerche (pronounced "LAIR-kay") started making waves across the pond when he was just 18, landing a Norwegian Grammy for Best New Act. Since then he's taken his indie rock dreamboat looks (oh, and his massive, precocious talent) on the road with the likes of Air and Stereolab in support of his sophomore disc, Two Way Monologue. Let the 21-year-old sing you a lullaby -- or at least give your indie cred a boost -- this Tuesday, Nov. 30, at Slim's; call 255-0333 or visit www.slims-sf.com for more info.
-- Maya Kroth