[Locals Only is a weekly feature where the Stranger Dance staff focus on the best and brightest of the San Francisco Bay Area music scene. Feel free to hit us up with any information on local bands, musicians, shows, and other music-related events and projects.]

Highlights this week include two musical crown jewels of the Bay Area (John Vanderslice and the Morning Benders) and the SF Popfest.

Tuesday, May 19th:

• John Vanderslice (record release) and the Morning Benders at the Rickshaw Stop. 7:30 p.m., $16, all ages, presented by Another Planet Entertainment

It’s time to celebrate yet another stellar album from Mr. John Vanderslice. Fetal Horses Romanian Names comes out Tuesday, May 19th on Dead Oceans, and the release party takes place at the Rickshaw that same night. Opening the show will be the Morning Benders, a band that offers up some of the best indie pop in the Bay Area (and beyond!).

And here are the rest of our picks for local acts this week, including the Thursday/Friday/Saturday/Sunday SF Popfest events:

All acts listed are Bay Area-based unless noted otherwise (in parenthesis).

Wednesday, May 20th:

• Birds & Batteries, VsTHEM, and Faith in Phantoms (with Cat Caspar) at Cafe du Nord. 7:00 p.m., $10-$20 suggestion donation (to benefit Little Kids Rock), all ages, presented by Noise Pop
• Judgement Day (with Dredg and Torche) at Bimbo’s 365 Club. 8:00, $20, 18+

Thursday, May 21st:

• Loquat (third installment of the band’s May residency), the Union Trade, Aim Low Kid, DJ Amplive at Cafe du Nord. 9:30 p.m., $10, 21+
• SF Popfest Thursday lineup: Still Flyin’ (with Suburban Kids with Biblical Names, Oh No Oh My, Pelle Calberg) at the Rickshaw Stop. 7:30 p.m., $13/advance, $15/door, all ages

Friday, May 22nd:

• Bart Davenport, Kelley Stoltz, Hot Lunch (with Big Eagle) at Cafe du Nord. 9:30 p.m., $10/advance, $12/door, 21+
• Mist and Mast, B and Not B at the Make-Out Room. 7:30 p.m., $7, 21+
• SF Popfest Friday lineup: The Hot Toddies, the Orange Peels (with the Tartans, ballboy, Bunnygrunt, Springfactory) at Annie’s Social Club. 7:30 p.m., $13/advance, $15/door, 21+

Saturday, May 23rd:

• SF Popfest Saturday lineup (afternoon show): Brilliant Colors, Sourpatch (with Gregory Webster and Champagne Riot) at House of Shields. 4:00 p.m., $6, 21+
• SF Popfest Saturday lineup: Magic Bullets (with Tullycraft, Northern Portrait, My Teenage Stride, the Smittens) at the Rickshaw Stop.8:00, $13/advance, $15/door, all ages

Sunday, May 24th:

• SF Popfest Sunday lineup (afternoon picnic show): Antarctica Takes It!, Apple Orchard (with Let’s Whisper, Pocketbooks, Gregory Webster, Land of Ill Earthquakes) at Dolores Park. 1:00 p.m., free, all ages
• SF Popfest Sunday lineup: the Botticellis, Eux Autres, Birds of California (with Dear Nora, Cheap Red) *

* This lineup originally included a Hidden Cameras solo spot, but now features the Botticellis as headliners.

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