SF locals The Soft White Sixties start the summer strong at The Indy

Photos by Marc Fong ~ Written by Kevin Quandt

There isn’t much of a better manner to release a new album than by selling out a heralded room in your hometown, and that’s exactly what the Soft White Sixties pulled off this past Friday. Since making waves at SXSW this year, the Sixties have got their aim set on success this summer, and the release of their latest effort, Get Right, is sure to garner further buzz. The band’s sound is dubbed ‘Working Class Soul’, an amalgamation of classic R&B/soul vocal sentiment layered over a driving pop-rock formula with tinges of funky grooves and mild psychedelia, a winning formula in a town like San Francisco.

Octavio Genera commands a crowd like a champion – his stage presence will likely be a big factor in their impending summer, as well as the success gained from a sizable Western US tour schedule, starting tonight and ending with Outside Lands in August. His enthusiasm is evident, and this bolsters the sound created by his talented band, roughing the edges of their pop sound, just enough. A responsive, dedicated crowd stayed till the last notes, and Genera never slowed down, obviously hoping for this night to not fade away too quickly. This show at The Independent was a clear sign that the Sixties have arrived, and are willing to take it to the next level.

Other local up-starts, Sioux City Kid, took the honors of officially opening for their fellow City brethren, performing an energetic set of patented whiskey-soaked, boot-stomping modern Americana. It was clear that a great percentage of the crowd were already familiar with this act, and the band took advantage of the captive crowd, likely winning over new devotees with a rambunctious play on countrified blues-rock. Expect a big season from this lot.

Quote-Worthy: “We’re trying to make it feel like our backyard. Come on over.”
-Octavio Genera from The Soft White Sixties, in reference to the stage design.