Dub and doobies invade the Wild West

It's easy to hear why high-profile singles and remixes by Josh Gabriel and Dave Dresden are exploding in clubs internationally. The S.F. duo possesses the keen ability to craft tracks drawing from house, techno, and trance without falling victim to genre clichés. Gabriel and Dresden are re-releasing their self-titled album, and they'll also perform live on the lucky evening of Friday, April 13, at Ruby Skye at 9 p.m. Admission is $15; call 693-0777 or visit www.rubyskye.com for more info. — Tamara Palmer

San Francisco loves a Digital Underground show, so much so that the group is trading its normal local venue for one with larger capacity. Trust that the consummate live-performing hip-hop group — originally from Oakland, now residing in various parts of the state — offers new surprises each time it hits the stage in the form of new verses, arrangements, and crowd participation activities. Check out the original progenitors of "the Humpty Dance" on Wednesday, April 18, at Ruby Skye at 8 p.m. Admission is $20; call 693-0777 or visit www.rubyskye.com for more info. — T.P.

While New York City, Los Angeles, and London continue as the main lynchpins for the global recording industry, a major contender resides locally: Six Degrees Records. Rejecting any "purist" viewpoint, Six Degrees' specialty is international folk, jazz, and pop merged with electronica and dance grooves. Among its roster are neo-bossa babe Bebel Gilberto, jazz saxophonist/conceptualist Roy Nathanson, the U.K.'s the Real Tuesday Weld, and home teamers Michael Franti and DJ Cheb I Sabbah. To commemorate 10 years in business, Six Degrees is hosting a multiculti anniversary bash at SupperClub — U.K. duo Bombay Dub Orchestra and Japan's sampledelic Makyo spin whilst space-age belly dancers E-chan and Milla trip the light fantastic. Get globalized on Wednesday, April 18, at the SupperClub at 10 p.m. Admission is $10; call 348-0900 or visit www.supperclub.com for more info. — Mark Keresman

When the Wild West Dub Tour hits S.F., pay attention to the sound board as well as the stage. Legendary dubmaster Scientist — a disciple of the late King Tubby, and one of the top-ranking mix engineers from Jamaica — will be at the controls for what promises to be a dubtastic evening of heavy bass, reverberating echoes, and massive clouds of ganja smoke. Scientist has already saved the world from space invaders and the curse of the evil vampires (to paraphrase two of his more famous dub treatises), so channeling electro-roots vibrations should be a piece of cake. Old-school chanter Big Youth (aka Jah Youth) headlines a Wild lineup that also includes Jawaiian dancehall star Hawaiian Lyon, Turtleman, and backing from the Raggasouljah band. Catch the Wild West Dub Tour on Wednesday, April 18, at the Independent at 9 p.m. Admission is $20; call 771-1422 or visit www.independentsf.com for more info. — Eric K. Arnold