Ms. Led — a Seattle band that doesn’t shy away from politics — comes to town, appearing tonight in an evening of no-nonsense rock that also features The Yes Gos, Chix Pack and Tell Tale Heartbreakers. The show is at Thee Parkside, 1600 17th St., San Francisco. Doors open at 9 p.m. Tickets are $6. Call (415) 503-0393 or visit www.theeparkside.com.

Science is golden

Natalie Angier, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and New York Times science writer, talks about her book, “The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science.” The appearance is at 7:30 p.m. today at Kepler’s Books and Magazines, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. Call (650) 324-4321.