Groovin' and movin'

Happy Fourth of July and a big chant of "U.S.A.! U.S.A.!" to everyone. But too bad this weekend isn't going off like a Piccolo Pete on the live music front. Many clubs are taking tonight off to bask in some red, white and blue.

Also keep in mind that the Friday Night Concerts in the Park series at Cesar Chavez Plaza in downtown Sacramento is taking a break tonight; it will be back next Friday.

So the pickings for live music are on the slimmer side, but that doesn't mean the weekend's a dud. Here's a look at the music that'll be fired up around the area.

Tonight

• Jam on it: The local band Mind X has declared an independence of sorts from any specific musical genre. Check out the band and you'll hear funky rock, Caribbean grooves, bluegrass and maybe even a medley of tunes from Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.

And Mind X sure can jam. The group is renowned for its collaborations with Melvin Seals, the keyboardist from the Jerry Garcia Band. Turn it up, man! Mind X will hold down the July Fourth festivities at the Torch Club (904 15th St., Sacramento); the show starts at 9 p.m.; admission is $8; (916) 443-2797.

• One nation under a groove: So all your fireworks have fizzled out, the keg's run dry and you still want to party. Here's the plan: Get to the Blue Lamp (1400 Alhambra Blvd., Sacramento) and boogie down to DJ Larry Rodriguez's dance party.

Rodriguez is known around town for his percussion work in the experimental group Art Lessing and the Flower Vato. But many of us also give it up to Rodriguez for being one of the best DJs in town, with a deep selection of funky sounds that span from obscure R&B jams to lowrider classics and Latin grooves. The party starts at 9 p.m.; admission is $3; (916) 455-3400.

Saturday

• Totally tubular: Pop Life remembers a Day on the Green concert about, oh, 25 years ago at the Oakland Coliseum. The show featured a new-wave theme and was headlined by David Bowie; it doubled as a stop on his "Serious Moonlight" tour. An early highlight of that mega-show was an opening set from the Bay Area homeboys and hitmakers known as the Tubes.

Led by Fee Waybill, the band landed a string of singles during the Reagan years with "She's a Beauty," "Talk to Ya Later" and the classic "White Punks on Dope." Fast-forward to the present, and the band's still around with Waybill on board – and it's performing at a casino near you. In this case, the Tubes will bring back the days of skinny ties and synthesizers to Club 88 at Cache Creek Casino Resort.

The show starts at 8 p.m.; admission is $20. For more information: (888) 772-2243 or (916) 649-8497 (TicketMaster).

• Encore, encore: Local chanteuse Ricky Berger hosted a hybrid CD- release party and ice cream social last weekend. If you weren't privy to that scoop, here's another chance to see her. The dreamy-sounding singer- songwriter performs at the Fox & Goose (1001 R St., Sacramento) with a bill that also features Justin Farren and Dean Haakenson of Be Brave Bold Robot. Sorry, no ice cream this time.

The gig starts at 9 p.m.; admission is $3; (916) 443-8825.

• The sound of science: We Are Scientists is a band from New York, by way of California, that crafts some quirky and very danceable pop. And it's also put together a nifty time-killer of a Web site (www.wearescientists.com) that even includes an advice column. But hey, get off the laptop and check out We Are Scientists at the Blue Lamp (1400 Alhambra Blvd., Sacramento), with Cut Off Your Hands and the Morning Benders in support.

The show starts at 9 p.m.; admission is $12; (916) 455-3400.

Sunday

• Mix and match: DJ 7evin sent Pop Life a mix recently – and holy crossfaders, his tracks were hot. 7evin specializes in splicing and dicing all kinds of tunes together, like a mash-up of the Beatles, Lily Allen, Radiohead and Unkle that's as imaginative as it is funky. Alicia Keys meshed with Cansei de Ser Sexy? Yup, 7evin can make that sound seamless, too.

7evin will cap the weekend's festivities with his signature mixing at Club Pow!, held inside the Press Club (2030 P St., Sacramento). The show starts at 9 p.m.; call (916) 444-7914 for cover charge.

The Tubes

WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: Cache Creek Casino Resort, 14455 Highway 16, Brooks

TICKETS: $20

INFORMATION: (888) 772-2243, (916) 649-8497 (TicketMaster)

About the writer:

• Call Bee pop music critic Chris Macias, (916) 321-1253. Read his postings on pop music at www.sacbee.com/21Q.