Sound Menu September 16 2000 Wed week out

Noted acts for Wednesday, Sept. 20


CHRISTINA AGUILERA — See article. Lakewood Amphitheatre (Whitaker)

BITCH & ANIMAL, STELLA ZINE, HUBCAP CITY — A wonderfully offbeat bill, this lineup features bizarre duo Bitch & Animal (a New York combo with a most appropriate stage name) and ersatz twosome Hubcap City (featuring Atlanta music legend Bill Taft and Will Fratesi of Smoke), with confrontational performance artist Stella Zine (the voice of Pagan Holiday) sandwiched in between them. The Earl (Nicoll)

DESTINY'S CHILD — Fans will likely show up not just to hear Destiny's Child — now a trio — rattle off their string of hits (including "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Say My Name"), but also to see who's actually left in the group, which has changed personnel twice in a matter of six months. A couple more disputes and group leader Beyoncé Knowles will be a solo act (some argue she already is). Lakewood Amphitheatre (Baraka)

DEXTER FREEBISH — With their debut album, A Life of Saturdays, out this month on Capitol Records, young rock act Dexter Freebish fishes for a buzz with this introductory small-club tour. Winners of the 1999's John Lennon Songwriting Contest for their "Leaving Town," the group can write catchy songs better than most modern rock acts, though the CD is marred by that over-produced sameness of so many current radio hits. Smith's Olde Bar (Sarig)

ANI DIFRANCO — Ani DiFranco combines many of the more redeeming qualities of both folk music and first generation punk rock — but without the sentiment or nostalgia that often accompanies the former and with a self-effacing humanity that undercuts the vitriol of the latter. She's sexy, but not glamorous; warm and funny, but also frankly serious about her craft; an artist and an individual. This tour, in support of her To the Teeth recording, which features Maceo Parker and Prince, is her first with a horn section. The bill also includes opening act Kurt Swinghammer; a portion of ticket sales go to the Southern Center for Human Rights. Fox Theatre (Powell)

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, VAST — See Queens of the Stone Age review. Vast, fronted by songwriter Jon Crosby, sounds more like vintage Echo and the Bunnymen than a 21st century group from rural California. An odd but effective conglomeration of droning guitars, strings and Crosby's haunting baritone voice, Vast's Music for the People is getting lots of college radio play (you may have heard it in heavy rotation on WRAS). The live show could be a mixed bag — they look and dress like a metal band, yet wear their souls on their sleeves in sensitive songs such as "What Else Do I Need." Worth a gander. Cotton Club (York)

SHONALI & MICHELLE, JOEL BURKHARDT, KEITH LEE, GREG THUM, MOLLY BANCROFT — The Echo hosts another episode of their most welcome and entertaining series of bandleaders-without-bands. Tonight's mish-mash finds Ultrababyfat's Shonali and Michelle cookin' up some low 'Fat goodies; Bully's Burkhardt plays his wonderfully negative tunes of life as a regular guy; the beautiful Liar Lee offers interesting observations on the human psyche; Fancy-pants Thum and the always uplifting Bancroft make solo turns as well. Echo Lounge (Smith)

Also performing:

b>40 WATT CLUB-ATHENS: John Mayer

BASIL'S CAFÉ: Showtyme Jazz Duo

BLIND WILLIE'S: Houserocker Johnson and The Shadows

BRANDYHOUSE: 3DK with Everyday People

BRIDGES: Piano with Bruce

BUFFALO'S-KENNESAW: Keren Leppo

CAFÉ TU TU TANGO: Live Reggae with Poshtoner

CAJUN KITCHEN: SuperPHATural Assembly hosted by Mike Tolcher

THE CHAMBER: Lovebreak with DJ Biff

CHIP'S: Randy McAlister and the El Loco Texans

CHURCHILL GROUNDS JAZZ CAFÉ: The Mahluli Workshop

CJ'S LANDING: Open mic

COTTON CLUB: Like Hell, Queens of the Stone Age, Vast

CULTURE CLUB: Apollo Night

DEUX PLEX: Buzz Factory

DIXIE TAVERN-MARIETTA: Paul Sforza

DOTTIE'S: Rick F. Dang's Mondo Electric Mondo Open-mic Night

THE EARL: Bitch & Animal (NYC), Stella Zine, Hubcap City

ECLIPSE DI LUNA: Kim Rushing

EDDIE'S ATTIC: Paul Malancon, Sue Witty, Tammy Fowler

FAT MATT'S RIB SHACK: The Electromatics

FOX THEATER: Ani Difranco, Kurt Swinghammer

FUZZY'S: Lou;s Blues Revue

GEORGIA THEATRE-ATHENS: Project Logic featuring DJ Logic

LAKEWOOD AMPHITHEATER: Christina Aguilera

MASQUERADE: The Pilfers in Heaven; Raising Hell Wednesday

PEASANT UPTOWN: Steven Charles Jazz Duo

POPPERS: Eric Austin open-mic night

RAY'S ON THE RIVER: Mina

SMITH'S OLDE BAR: Dexter Freebish, Something 5; YG downstairs