Manu Chao, The New Pornographers, Thievery Corporation, Kanye West

MANU CHAO
It’s easy to get lost in a Manu Chao album. The music for 1998′s Clandestino and 2001′s Próxima Estación: Esperanza was performed by Manu and his band Radio Bemba Sound System. Their albums are full of repeating themes, with lyrics and melodies returning from earlier songs and albums — while samples and sound effects step in and out of the background. The members of Radio Bemba come from bands in Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina. Manu Chao hails from France, by way of Spanish parents, and his goal with Radio Bemba was to replicate the sounds of street and bar music from countries all over the world. On Clandestino, you might hear the Bedoin influence in a ska song or a French folk song sung in Arabic and Portuguese. And the weird thing is that it fits so well, it’s hard to believe that it isn’t the way it always was. (Saturday, 8:30-10:00, Bud Light Stage) –text: Eric Lab Rat

THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS
The New Pornographers may be indie rock’s answer to the Super Friends. Hell, they’d even settle for Canadian Temple Of The Dog if bandleader Carl Newman’s cropped red fro were any match for Chris Cornell’s Jesus-mane. Three albums in and Newman’s Vancouver troupe of 7-plus audio savants have wind-milled a pitched-in-perfect sound of polished ’70s a.m. — anchored in tight chord progressions and rollicking choruses. And did I mention they have Neko Case? No longer leading the poppier songs like she did on Mass Romantic and Electric Version, Case lends her signature sultriness on 2005’s breakout album Twin Cinema, fronting the ballads “These Are The Fables” and “The Bones Of An Idol”. When the Virginia chanteuse takes a breather, Newman brings in his niece, Kathryn Calder, to add backing vocals and keyboards throughout the record. With a bench this deep, it’s like taking out Kobe for LeBron. You’re gonna get scored on either way. (Saturday, 7:30-8:30, Q101 Stage) –text: Sean Foran–photo: Steven Dewal

THIEVERY CORPORATION
Thievery Corporation takes techno to a whole new level. Infusing downtempo electronica with heavy influences of dub, bossa nova, acid jazz and other experimental sounds, Thievery has crafted an extremely well respected stable of music and remixes over the course of five albums in the past nine years — culminating with their newest release, 2006′s Versions. While noted for their primarily instrumental approach to music, they do feature the occasional female singer to add substance and meaning to their groovy dance beats. The band’s music has been featured in films from Garden State to Vanilla Sky — and even in a Tiger Woods 2006 EA Sports Game. Thievery was birthed in 1997 in Washington, D.C. by founding members Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, who also run famed D.C. label ESL Music (named after the ultra hip club Eighteenth Street Lounge that they once owned) — which serves as a training ground for up and coming performers of all genres. (Saturday, 7:30-8:30, Adidas-Champs Stage) –text: Virgil Dickson

KANYE WEST
Long before he stepped out from behind the mixing board and topped the charts, the accelerated soul samples and deep instrumentation of Kanye West’s beats propelled top cuts from superstar MCs Jay-Z, Talib Kweli, Lil’ Kim, and many more. Then two years back, he took to the mic, let his sing-song rhymes have the spotlight and became the biggest hip hop artist to call Chicago home. He’s still way more accomplished working behind the studio glass than spitting out rhymes, but Kanye drops his share of clever lines and knows how to make a hook that works. Specifically, his skill at melding an old R&B vocal snippet into a stellar beat is matched by few. Kanye’s never forgotten his roots and has used his success to boost the careers of other talented Chicago MCs. Now he’s earned his headlining set in front of his hometown skyline. (Saturday, 8:30-10:00, AT&T Stage) –text: Noah Levine–photo: Sarah Friedman