From classical to salsa, guitarists will play it all.

Byline: Carolyn Lamberson The Register-Guard

Two top-notch finger-style guitarists, Dorian Michael and Larry Pattis, will come together at Cafe Paradiso tonight for a night of folk, classical, blues, salsa, Celtic, rock - whatever strikes their fancy.

Michael, a veteran singer-songwriter who hails from California, has released two solo albums and a DVD, "Acoustic Blues.'

Pattis has two CDs under his belt, "Random Chance" and `Hands of Time." He was raised in Chicago and lived in Utah before relocating recently to Eugene.

Before settling on a music career, Pattis worked as a gymnastics coach, delicatessen manager, concert producer and guitar store owner. He even spent a year in medical school.

The show will begin at 8 p.m. Admission is $10 advance and $12 at the door.

Cafe Paradiso is at 115 W. Broadway.

Seksu Roba

There aren't many bands that come through Eugene bearing press materials that drop references to Giorgio Moroder, Ennio Morricone and the Beach Boys.

The theremin-wielding Los Angeles duo Seksu Roba does just that. The fact that the band's name means "sex donkey" in Japanese is a bonus.

Japanese artist-designer-vocalist Lun*na Menoh and Korean producer-thereminist Sukho Lee will get their electronic groove on when they hit John Henry's, 77 W. Broadway, at 9 p.m. Monday.

The L.A. Weekly says the duo's latest release, "Pleasure Vibrations," "oozes with spacy coolness, but it's also exotic and ... thoroughly modern."

Three bucks will get you in the door. Evolution Control Committee is the headliner, and Atrial Flutter will get the festivities started.

Holly Figueroa

In one of those `necessity breeds invention' moments, Seattle alt-country artist Holly Figueroa learned to play guitar in July 1999 after her guitarist broke his hip shortly before they were scheduled for their first festival appearance.

From those early three-chord gigs, Figueroa has gone on to perform across the United States, greeting fans with her bluesy, alt-country sound.

Eugene fans can get a piece of that action at 8 p.m. Saturday when Figueroa plays at Cafe Paradiso. She's touring in support of her most recent release, "How It Is."

The cover is $8.

JGB featuring Melvin Seals

Keyboardist Melvin Seals was with the Jerry Garcia Band for 15 years, until Garcia's death in 1995.

A year later, Seals formed JGB and took the act on the road, touring the United States extensively in 1996 and '97. The band will continue to keep the music alive when JGB stops by the Jungle, 23 W. Sixth Ave., for an 8 p.m. show on Wednesday.

JGB now features Seals, Cheryl Rucker on vocals, Shirley Starks on vocals, Stu Allen on guitar, Marty Holland on bass and Dave Roda on drums.

Tickets are $13. They are available at the Jungle, CD World, House of Records or any TicketsWest location.

Calvin Johnson 

Calvin Johnson is known for many things.

He worked at alt-rock icon Sub Pop back when it was just a fanzine. He helped ignite the lo-fi sound of 1980s Olympia with his band Beat Happening. His record label, K Records, helped launch Beck and Built to Spill.

But when he's not playing with Beat Happening, Dub Narcotic Sound System or Halo Benders, he's a solo artist with an off-key baritone voice that lends itself to a sleepy growl.

Curious? Check it out for yourself when the Downtown Initiative for the Visual Arts and Stonehenge present Johnson in concert at 10 p.m. today at DIVA, 110 W. Broadway. Also on the bill are the Seattle duo Emma Zunz and a to-be-announced local artist.

Admission is $3 to $5.

Vance Gilbert

Vance Gilbert is an ex-jazz singer who knocked 'em dead when he started hitting the open-mike nights at Boston folk clubs in the early '90s. Word quickly spread, and soon he was opening for Shawn Colvin on her "Fat City" tour.

Now this singer-songwriter is touring on his own, in support of "Unfamiliar Moon." The Boston Globe says, "He is that rare performer for whom people lean forward in their seats as eagerly between songs as they do during them."

He'll stop by Cafe P at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets are $11 advance or $13 day of show.

Complicated

It could be complicated getting six women in one band and performing everything from rock and country to torch songs and rap.

It is, in fact, Complicated. This six-piece band - vocalist Amy Picard, guitarist-keyboardist Lisa Hellemn, guitarist Julie Rudolph, bassist Karm Hagedorn, keyboardist Sydney Sharps and drummer Danielle Sinjem - will land at Cozmic Pizza, 199 W. Eighth Ave., for an 8 p.m. show Saturday. Admission is $5.

Hangar 18

The hip-hop combo Hangar 18 will come in for a landing at the WOW Hall on Thursday.

The three piece features Alaska, Windnbreez and paWL. The have released a single and put out "The Shameless Self-Promotion Mix" CD. They also wrote the theme song to VH1's "Hip-Hop Babylon."

Joining `the Hangar' will be One Be Lo with Majestic Legend and Eugene's own 3 Blind Mics. Admission is $7 at the door.

Show time is at 8:30 p.m. The WOW Hall is at 291 W. Eighth Ave.

Jerry Marotta

and Tom Griesgraber

When Jerry Marotta and Tom Griesgraber team up for their show at Cafe Paradiso on Thursday, there's a good chance they'll sound like a bigger band.

Marotta will be on drums - an instrument he's played for artists such as Peter Gabriel, Elvis Costello, Paul McCartney, Sarah McLachlan, Ani DiFranco and Trey Anastasio.

Griesgraber will be on something called a Chapman Stick, a 12-string hybrid of guitar, bass and synthesizer that can sound like all three instrument families at once.

The show begins at 8 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door.

French Kicks

Tonight at the WOW Hall, it's a triple dose of indie rock.

Headlining the evening will be French Kicks, a four-piece based in New York City. They're touring in support of "The Trial of the Century," on which they've concentrated their formula into a potent combination of guitar rock, synth pop and Motown soul.

Also on the 8:30 p.m. bill are dios malos and Eugene's own Yeltsin.

Tickets are $10 at the door and $8 in advance, available at CD & Game Exchange, CD World, House of Records, Taco Loco and the Erb Memorial Union ticket office.

CAPTION(S):

Jerry Marotta (left) and Tom Griesgraber play Thursday. French Kicks, an indie rock quartet based in New York City, will headline a show tonight at the WOW Hall. Also on the bill are dios malos and Eugene's own Yeltsin.