Tsunami of sound hits SA this week

It's hard to keep up with so many local bands releasing new (and good) albums. This week you can't miss The Rafiki Project's CD release party for Greener Grasses (8pm, Feb 4 at Jack's, 3030 Thousand Oaks, Ste 101), in a solid bill that includes Egshan, Achachay (Austin), and the Offbeats. The album is a groovy dub-reggae collection that should be terrific live.

The problem is: that same night We Leave at Midnight presents their own eponymous CD with a show at Limelight (2718 N St. Mary's), and that album is also a must. I hear We Leave at Midnight is the last on the bill, so theoretically you could go to Jack's and then go to Limelight, but there's another problem; three, actually: Education, Cartographers, and Chris Maddin are sharing the bill at Limelight. So what to do? I'll leave it up to you guys. But these sorts of problems are welcome. I'd rather take too much than too little, anytime.

Then you have two events on Monday, February 6: the hip-hop Red Bull Skooled Tour stops in San Antonio 9 p.m. at On The Half Shell (202 Navarro) and features A.Dd+ (Dallas), the Niceguys (Houston), Worldwide (San Antonio), Kydd Jones (Austin), and DJ Sober (Dallas), with DJ Michael 5000 Watts headlining the event (more info at redbullusa.com).

Also on Monday: the No Idea Fest ($10, 8pm, SMART Art Project Space, 1906 S Flores) "aspires to connect creative musicians, providing the space and time where artistic process can flourish, leading towards new areas and approaches in the music," according to the festival's website. It is a unique traveling festival mixing music (from electronica to avant garde), film, dance, and percussion. The SA lineup includes Italian-born, New York resident Gill Arnò (a sound/visual artist and performer), Korean Bonnie Jones (writer, improvising electronica musician, and performer), Jason Lescalleet (a sound artist from Maine), Bhob Rainey (sax player from New Orleans and a member of Nmperign, which mixes electronica, environmental sounds, and free improvisation), Greg Kelley (Boston avant garde/experimental trumpet player), Chris Cogburn (Austin percussionist and the festival's curator since 2003), Bryan Eubanks (electronic musician from Pasco, Wash.), and Vic Rawlings (amplified cello player from Boston). Given the fact that San Antonio is systematically skipped when it comes to most cool, significant touring events, the least we could do is show up for this one. Find more info on noideafestival.com.

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