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Sisterz are doin' it for themselves. Urban Guide Listings to plan your week by Can't Jail the Spirit Benefit However you do it, find your way to West Oakland this weekend to check out an underground show that will give the goods. The Mandela Arts Center is featuring the Coup, Goapele, Prophets of Rage, the Black Dot Collective, Sisterz of the Underground, and a special surprise hip-hop act. Did I stutter? Whether it's Boots Riley and Pam the Funkstress bringing the party music or Goapele showing off the vocals, expect to leave the night satisfied. Beyond the amazing performances, Can't Jail the Spirit is an all ages benefit show for the Tear Down the Walls Conference in Havana, Cuba. Proceeds will go towards sending local youth and family members of political prisoners to the conference. Don't be antisocial -- take advantage of the evening. Sat/2, 9pm. Mandela Arts Center, 1357 5th St. at Mandela Parkway, West Oakland. $10-$15. 433.0115. (GS) Bangs and collars: hot -- or not? TRON To watch this 1982 cult favorite is to realize how far we've advanced in the last two decades. Fashionwise, that is. The feathered bangs and enormous collars have aged terribly. But the simple shapes, flat shading, and primary colors of the computer animation still look as marvel-lous as ever. The live-action portion of this flick can get tedious. But once the characters literally enter the world of a video game, the movie is visionary, beautiful, and highly compelling. The art design by Jean Giraud and Syd Mead certainly belongs on a short list of the most vividly imagined science fiction environments ever realized. Jeff Bridges shines as a wide-eyed techno-naïf who's secretly the Mes-siah. Bruce Boxleitner is good as the title character. Features a chilly synth score by Wendy Carlos (famous for the Clockwork Orange soundtrack) and several rockin' songs by Journey (famous for "Don't Stop Believin'"). March 1-10. Fri, 7:30pm; Sat, 4:30 & 7:30pm; Sun, 4:30pm. Chabot Observatory, Tien MegaDome Theater, 10000 Skyline, Oakl. 510.336.7300; www.chabotspace.org. (CB) 'The Dante Project' Examine and reaffirm the faith in like punishments for like sins with UC Berkeley's Department of Theater, Dance & Performance Studies. The department sponsors some Divine Comedy with The Dante Project, writer/director Gary Graves's adaptation of Dante's epic poem depicting Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory. Students from UCB helped develop this production using the Joint Stock Theater Group method of collaborative development -- but their view of limbo doesn't at all resemble the flowery shirts and limber dancers the popular "every limbo boy and girl" party song conjures. Celebrate the Catholic holy season with a refreshing glimpse at a traditional and time-honored classic. March 1-10. Zellerbach Playhouse, UC Campus, Bancroft and Telegraph, Berk. $6-$8. 642.9925; http://ls.berkeley.edu/dept/theater/. (JPS) North By Northwest Among the big-name live performers, the Paramount still manages to find room to screen classic movies, which remains a wonderful compliment to the venue. This week it's Alfred Hitchcock's 1959 North By Northwest, and if it's been 20 years since you've seen it, it's time to be reminded what a great action flick it is. Cary Grant plays an advertising executive who is mistaken as a spy, compelling him to take off across America to save his own life. Grant finds himself facing off against his nemesis, James Mason, in some visually astounding American landmarks, such as Mount Rushmore and New York City's UN building. North By Northwest set the standard of suspense for the James Bond series and most other action thrillers to follow. A departure from Vertigo and Psycho, his psychological thrillers of the time, Hitchcock takes a differ-ent angle on suspense, packing these 135 minutes with continuous action. Be reminded of how a master filmmaker shaped today's movies. Fri/1, 7pm. Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakl. $5. 465.6400. (GS) Punk-embodied Rodney Dangerfield. Funeral Diner and The Shivering Hardcore is the Rodney Dangerfield of the Bay Area music scene -- it gets no damn respect. The worst hip-hop outfit on the planet usually gets more attention than many excellent up-and-coming post-punkers. Cases in point: Funeral Diner and The Shivering. For anyone accustomed to dismissing such bands as a bunch of screamers stuck in a punk-rock time warp, these two groups offer a big bundle of surprises. Led by bespectacled frontman Andy Radin (who offers a history of emo, plus some hilarious fashion tips, at www.fourfa.com), Funeral Diner is a group of seriously inventive musicians who know their way around their instruments. Sure, they scream sometimes, but they're also pretty damn melodic. The band (which hails from Half Moon Bay, of all places) has just released a split LP with The Shivering, an excellent San Francisco band that offers a slightly poppier sound. The two bands are teaming up to play a benefit show that also features San Diego emo band The Cause. Proceeds benefit ARDAC, a Bay Area animal protection group. Sat/2, 8pm. 924 Gilman St., 924 Gilman, Berk. $7. 525.9926. (PS) Picks by Chris Baker (CB), John Paul Sekulich (JPS), Gabriel Serpa (GS), and Patrick Sullivan (PS). [ East Bay | Metroactive | Archives ]