Monday mornings are always the same, aren’t they? You’re groggily sitting in your cubicle, asking your coworkers what they did this weekend. Slowly your mind begins to clear and you focus on the task at hand: deciding how you’re going to stick it to the man this week. As always, SFist has your back in all career and life decisions. We suggest you begin by going out tonight. That’s right on a school night. We promise that we really do have your best interest in heart because Sloan is playing the Independent tonight. We don’t like to boast, but SFist has seen a lot of bands over the years, and Sloan continues to be one of the best live shows out there. Plus we really can’t stop listening "Right or Wrong" off of their new album, "Never Hear the End of it". Check them out. End your slavery to the man! Need more motivation? How about feeling like Sloan is your new BFF? They probably will be after you read Patrick Pentland’s (guitar and vocals) take on the SFist interview experience below. Extra credit if you read this band history, which will be sure to impress that babe at the club you’ve been dying to meet.

Best show you've played and what made it great?:
Osaka, Japan, 1998. Playing our first show, so far from home, not knowing what to expect, and having the crowd go from sitting politely still to berserk with the first chord.

The best fans are:
Knowledgeable, polite, financially generous, seriously hot.

Favorite Venue?:
One with clean, private bathrooms, open bar, appropriate stage, powerful monitors, just small enough to make it crammed.

Lamest crowd request?:
It often costs between $15-$25 a ticket to see us play. Baby sitters, parking, food, drinks, a hang-over the next day at work, all of these things are issues an audience member takes into account when they come to see us, and most do time after time. Therefore there are no lame crowd requests. At the same time, we don't necessarily grant any requests at all. See " The best fans are:"

What do you attribute your longevity as a band to?:
Desperation, passive aggressiveness, hard work, smart work, unrivaled support team, love, addiction, chips on shoulders, chips on tables, things to prove, opportunities to be exploited, life long dreams to be lived out, etc.

Any advice to aspiring musicians out there?:
Play as much as you can, don't undervalue yourself and what you do, seek out the right people to work with, and sorry, these amps aren't moving anywhere.

What's your favorite song to perform?:
It still blows me away that we can create (individually, or together) music that people want to hear enough to yell their heads off about. When it comes to music I'm a people pleaser. When it comes to life I'm a selfish prick.

Where can we see you next?:
The next time Sloan play The Independent in SF, on Monday, April 30th

What Made Milwaukee Famous just want to make your day a little better with their bouncing rhythms, pop melodies and plinking pianos. What, are you in a mood again? They've got something for that too. Just give them a listen and come as you are on Tuesday night when they play Cafe Du Nord. We're giving away a pair of tickets to one lucky winner.

Tonight, the UK invades Popscene with Klaxons and Amy Winehouse. We've only seen Winehouse on Letterman (watch) and Leno (watch), and she's that kind of riveting performer who seems on the brink of collapse at any moment and would look right at home in a Tim Burton movie. Her voice, her style and her songs are strong, so let's hope her rumored hard-partying ways don't get the best of her this evening. Also tonight, Cornelius and Honeycut are at Bimbo's and The Decemberists continue their stay in San Francisco with a show at The Warfield.

Anyone who says there are no good bands out there just isn't looking hard enough. Every week when we compile this column we check out a bunch of new music, and this week's discovery is Oakland's own DESA (no, we're not yelling at you, it's just that they write their name in all caps). Their grinding guitars, soaring vocal melodies, and interwoven rhythms aim to grab you by the collar and lift you off the ground. Catch them on Friday night at Bottom of the Hill when they play with Facing New York, who describe themselves as a "psychedelic rhythm & blues band from the year 2020." Download DESA's latest internet-only three-song Sirens and Safety Glass EP and watch this video for "Marvelous Mess":

SFist liked the movie Garden State just fine, and we like the Shins too, but we’ve never been sure if we could buy the line in the movie about the Shins changing our lives. We’re pretty sure that the Shins have changed the lives of Viva Voce. SFist missed the Shin’s three night stand at the Warfield last week—which is too bad. Viva Voce opened for them, and we’ve been hearing great things about their music, and the end of any tour is always a great time to catch live bands. In the midst of wrapping their (we assume) life altering tour with the Shins Kevin Robinson underwent the SFist interview lite.

Photo by Joey Bellville

Best Show ever and what made it great?
The last one we played - because it WAS great. Every show trumps the one before it.

Best venue?
Tie between The Backyard in Austin Texas (Willie Nelsons joint), or the Paradiso in Amsterdam - both are like little slices of paradise for bands on the road.

Which city has the best fans?
Anywhere in the Rockies territory. They're filthy cow folk and are ready to go at any moment. If you could see them through time-traveled lenses, they'd all have guns, horses, and missing a few teeth. All my rowdy friends and all that....

Lamest crowd request ever?
Show me your balls.

Favorite song to perform.
Never My Love - by the Association

We've said this before, but one of our favorite radio bits on local radio is KFOG's Hits From Hell which Dave Morey busts out every Friday the 13th. Hey, you can only hear Melissa Etheridge so many times. Unfortunately, we got stuck doing other things today, but thanks to the handy-dandy KFOG web site, we got the listing of today's show, only to see that it was the opposite of Hits From Hell, more like "Lucky Hits." Gosh darnit-- we were totally dying for some "We Are the World" or "You Light Up My Life."

Anyways, here's the track listing and, well, anytime you hear Stevie Ray Vaughn doing "Voodoo Chile" and Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" you're doing all right.

1. Stevie Wonder - Superstition (BEST OF SET!!)
2. Eddie Floyd - Knock On Wood
3. Tom Petty - You Got Lucky
4. Alison Krauss - The Lucky One
5. Jeff Beck - I Ain't Superstitious
6. CCR - Bad Moon Rising
7. Tommy Castro - Lucky in Love
8. Joan Armatrading - I'm Lucky
9. Stevie Ray Vaughan - Voodoo Chile
10. Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes - Bad Luck

What? No "Just Got Lucky" by the JoBoxers?

PS- the video comes from "Sesame Street" from way back in the day. It goes without saying, it is awesome. And check out the kid in the red shirt rocking out-- he's probably a VP of Business Development today.

This week's shows have an equal emphasis on the old and the new. Mix things up a little by seeing an up-and-comer followed by a living legend or two; it's just the kind of eclectic variety that San Francisco's concert venues have to offer.

On Friday we're delighted about the opportunity to see 80 year old living legend Charlie Louvin play an early show at the Swedish American Hall. The Louvin Brothers had their heyday in the 40s and 50s, but their sound spread to later decades when their style of songwriting, storytelling and gorgeous vocal harmonies influenced artists like Gram Parsons and today's alt-country artists. We're going to guess that opener M.C. Taylor is also a fan, and counts Louvin as an influence for his bands Hiss Golden Messenger and the Court and Spark. It's going to be a heartbreaking night of moving stories and gorgeous voices, and luckily for you there are still tickets available.

Watch a recent performance by Charlie Louvin below (and check out an old performance here, preceded by a saucy exchange with a purple-suited show host.)

After we get our fill of golden country-tinged vocals, we'll conclude our Friday night over at Bottom of the Hill to see our friends in The Life and Times. We pledged our allegiance to singer Allen Epley back in his days with Shiner, and we love the L&T for their dark guitars, dense time signatures and they way they bring it at their live shows. Plus they always offer a new and exciting array of choices at their merch table, so pack an extra 20 bucks.

Listen to The LIfe and Times

On Saturday afternoon, check out a free show by Love of Diagrams at Amoeba. The postpunk trio from Melbourne, Australia, also plays later that night with Ted Leo and The Pharmacists and local band The Dont's at Slim's. Sunday brings you the start of five chances to see another living legend at the Fillmore, when Willie Nelson moves into town. Also on Sunday, check out the new kids in local band Magic Bullets when they open for Say Hi To Your Mom at Bottom of the Hill.

Listen to:
Love of Diagrams
The Dont's
Magic Bullets

Special Friday Night Lights edition

This Friday night in San Francisco offers such a great selection of shows that it's all were going to focus on this week. So here's how to use this week's column:

    Step 1. Decide you're going to see live music on Friday night.
    Step 2. Read about all your choices below, and be sure to listen to the music and watch the videos.
    Step 3. Call up a friend or ten and get them to agree to go out with you. If you can't get anyone to go with you, put on your brave boots and go alone (trust us, it won't kill you, and maybe you'll meet some new concert-going cohorts).
    Step 4. Select your show and get your tickets.
    Step 5. Enjoy.

Here are your choices for Friday, April 6th:
One of our top albums of 2006 came from the Danes in Mew. They're filling The Fillmore with their grandiose rock, complete with proggy dynamics, crashing guitars and a terrifically airy falsetto. We don't really have any idea what they're talking about in the song "Apocalypso" but hearing it always gives us a rush. Listen to "Apocalpyso" via this fairly boring video:

Another one of our all-time favorite bands is in town, but unfortunately they're performing as part of the rodeo at the Cow Palace. After having seen Heart from the side of the stage at the intimate Mountain Winery a couple years ago, this scenario just isn't going to live up for us. But we can attest that they are great live, Ann can still belt like no one else, Nancy still rocks a rare high kick, and there are still good tickets for sale.

    Watch Heart perform "Little Queen" in 1978. It doesn't get any hotter than that.

Mezzanine offers up a night of song-driven electro-embellished adventure. Apparently Whitey opened for Peaches on a recent tour and brought down the house, so they're back to play a giant headlining show with Home Video (who cite Edward Gorey and Massive Attack as influences), Pelaton and guest DJ Sonic Boom of Spacemen 3. We like what we heard on Whitey's MySpace; imagine the laid-back synthy cool of 80's-era Bowie built on a more modern production aesthetic mixed with Casio-esque keyboard sounds.

    Listen:
    Whitey
    Home Video

The rest of Friday night's picks, including more songs and a video from The Gossip, after the jump.