Week in Preview

There's a bunch going on this weekend, and if you can't choose between these - or the economy's catching up with you - there's always the brilliant, hilarious "Tropic Thunder" down at the multiplex. Whatever you do, don't miss that.

The big word today is that the world's biggest hard rock band - and Bay area homeboys - Metallica has announced a show for December 20 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, and that tickets go on sale this Saturday at 10 a.m. And the word the hardcore fans want to know is "never," the password to get presale tickets starting now. Presale info is available at the click of a link. Again, the password is "never." Tickets bought on presale will include a download of the band's new album AND a download of the actual performance.

Locally, we've got our own rock stars, one or two at least, and one of the biggest is Jackie Greene, who will be headlining the Grove at the Radisson Hotel tonight! Opening the show is local songwriter Christopher Fairman and the excellent local ensemble An Angle. Starts at 6:30, so get over there!

Also tonight are "cool like dat" hip hoppers Digable Planets, who have reinvented themselves as a popular live act. They'll be hitting Harlow's tonight at 9.

If you're a bit mellower, or a lot older, crooner Johnny Mathis plays the Community Center Theatre tomorrow night; or you might be surprised to know that Janis Ian, who shocked 1967 audiences with her interracial dating anthem, "Society's Child," will be playing the Palms Playhouse in Winters on Friday.

And local powerhouse Harley White, Jr. - who started Papa's Culture in the early '90s and went on to do the Original Heads, Daisy Spot, Seventy, the Harley White Jazz Orchestra and about 50 0ther local bands - will be doing his own little mini-festival on Thursday. The White Noise Festival will feature Harley himself at Old Ironsides with his Jazz Orchestra (featuring saxophonist Larry Lanier of Little Richard's original Upsetters) at Old I, with other acts, including members of Papa's Culture, at the same venue. There will also be shows at Java Lounge (featuring the ubiquitous Ross Hammond) and a more hip-hop oriented show at the Distillery.

And I'll be interviewing Harley live on KXJZ's Insight tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. That's at 90.9 FM.

Out of town, there's Janet Jackson at Oracle Arena in Oakland on Saturday, and Counting Crows and Maroon 5 co-headline a show Tuesday at the old Concord Pavillion.

And singer/songwriter Willie Porter plays the Palms on Tuesday. There's also the Bomb's Latino Music Fest on Sunday at the Cove at Cal Expo, featuring reggaeton star Pitbull and a whole bunch of acts that I've never heard a thing about: M.C. Magic, Baby Bash, Nina Sky, Frankie J, Play N Skillz, La La, DJ Flex and others. Will most likely be BUMPIN'. Starts at noon.

Finally, tickets go on sale Saturday for the Trans-Siberia Orchestra's Nov. 15 show at Arco Arena, and on Monday for the Alan Jackson show on Nov. 22, also at Arco.

Whew.

And on top of all that, Saturday is SECOND Saturday, with the art walk downtown and around town. Info on that is all over the place.

I'm owt!