Live Previews

Photo by Carl StudnaDANZIG
HEIGHT REQUIREMENT

Pity poor little Glenn Danzig. Not only is he short—and equipped with a Napoleonic complex to match—but he seems destined to receive the metaphorical . . . shortend of the stick. He's certainly had his successes, but he always comes up . . . shortwhenever he tries to get famous on a massive scale. You only need to see the original cinema butt-rock version of the “Mother” video to realize he's at least attempted to reach a wider audience. But yet he always falls . . . short.Mostly, this is because he's refused to slaughter the ultimate, obvious cash cow: a full-band Misfits reunion. But while Danzig risks alienating his bloodthirsty fan base by genre hopping from dark metal blues to industrial, former band mate Jerry Only tours the world playing Danzig's Misfits songs and raking in the filthy lucre. Still, even if the solo career isn't as hot as it used to be, Glenn's got all those fat Hot Topic Misfits merchandise-royalty checks to keep him warm at night. (RexReason)

Danzig, Kataklysm and Eyes of Fire perform at the House of Blues, 1530 S. Disneyland Dr., Anaheim, (714) 778-2583; www.hob.com. Tues., 8 p.m. $30-$33. All ages (under 16 requires adult guardian).

MIA DOI TODD
EERIE AUTHORITY

Although Mia Doi Todd has been dropped from Sony, her latest CD, Manzanita,doesn't seem like much of an artistic retreat. Lacking the Mitchell Froom-produced electronic flourishes of 2002's TheGoldenState,her well-crafted folk pieces continue to assert an eerie authority. Todd's voice is scary; she sings with a disarmingly mature timbre. Watching her perform live is like realizing, mid-conversation, the third-grader you've been speaking with is actually a 68-year-old man with a bizarre genetic disorder. For songs so grubby with love and sex, her vocals leave you with a distinct wistful aftertaste (comparisons to Sandy Denny fit; the ethereal enunciation of White Magic's Mira Billotte is a closer match). This latest batch of material offers a long emotional half-life; think twice about putting on this woman's music if you're engaged in a painful separation or embarking on a dangerous ocean voyage. (SamMcPheeters)

MIA DOI TODD WITH FRAUSDOTS AND MARGO LEE AT DETROIT BAR, 843 W. 19TH ST., COSTA MESA, (949) 642-0600; WWW.DETROITBAR.COM. THURS., MARCH 17, 7 P.M. $6. 21+.

KEB' MO'
BURNING FOR YOU

Why don't I like the new Keb' Mo' album, Peace...BackByPopularDemand,more than I do? It's a covers disc, which is usually good for a few curiosity spins. Every song is in some way connected to social justice, revolution or fuck-the-man pronouncements—”For What It's Worth,” “People Got to Be Free,” “The Times They Are A-Changin',” “What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love and Understanding” and a buncha others. Mo' has a silky, breezy guitar-picking style and a sweet, cool-guy-next-door singing voice. And when he does these tunes at the Coach House this week (he's playing two shows in the SJC, a rarity down there these days), I'm sure everyone will giddily sing and sway along to the veteran bluesman's sonic pie. So just what the hell is our problem? Maybe it's that while we're playing the CD and listening to all these songs about freedom and love and how people need to smile on your brother, everybody get together, time to love one another right now, there is this huge fucking FBI ANTI-PIRACY WARNING LOGO on the back of the case, endorsed by the DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, letting you know that UNAUTHORIZED COPYING IS PUNISHABLE BY DEA . . . er, I mean, UNDER FEDERAL LAW. But hey, the music's good. Want us to burn you a copy? (RichKane)

KEB' MO' At The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, (949) 496-8930. Wed.-Thurs., March 17, 8 p.m. all ages.

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