The Soft White Sixties

Photos by Tom Dellinger, Benjamin Wallen & Mike Rosati // Written by Molly Kish //

“Showbams Presents” The Soft White Sixties with Mahgeetah, Coo Coo Birds //
Brick & Mortar Music Hall – San Francisco
January 28th, 2015 //

Capping off a successful month-long residency at Brick & Mortar Music Hall last week, SF’s The Soft White Sixties were joined by opening acts Mahgeetah and Coo Coo Birds in a grand finale of epic proportions, presented by Showbams. Filling the intimate venue to maximum capacity, the sold-out crowd turned the event into a Wednesday night rager.

In combining some equally-enthusiastic fan bases into one room, the show offered a strong portrayal of the Bay Area’s vibrant music scene with three local bands on top of their games at the moment. Showbams couldn’t have been happier to present a night filled with such an impressively-curated lineup of artists — each representing their own unique musical styles — that continue to breach the creative barriers of the indie status quo across the board.

Coo Coo Birds

The three-piece Coo Coo Birds stunned the early-evening crowd, opening the show with their sludgy, psychedelic garage rock. Whether or not it was familiar with the band’s work upon entering Brick & Mortar, the audience quickly filled out the dance floor, drawn in by the trio’s hypnotic set.

Mahgeetah

A highly-anticipated performance from local indie/Americana outfit Mahgeetah marked the halfway point of the evening. By then, Brick & Mortar had already reached full throttle, packed with fans thirsty for their long-awaited live show before breaking out into a lively dance party while Mahgeetah ran through a string of their hits. The performance reached its peak when the band played its raucous cover of “The Seeker” by The Who, prompting a singalong that hit screaming octaves and one that neighborhood residents could easily hear within a few blocks of the venue.

The Soft White Sixties

Lastly, the evening’s headliner and the spotlight artist for their month-long residency, The Soft White Sixties took the stage. Equipped with their own lighting rig and set design, they took full control of the room, making sure that this last performance as the reigning kings of Brick & Mortar was one for the books. Performing for a packed house of friends and family, the band, which started playing together in 2010, brought an intensity and showmanship to the stage that echoed ones of veteran performers.

Coming in hot off the end of a year-long touring schedule in support of their most recent album Get Right, the band seemed as fresh as it was during its kickoff performance last February when it was one of the spotlight acts at Noise Pop 2014.

The Soft White Sixties lead singer Octavio Genera

It’s been a successful year on the road for the TSWS in addition to their many other accomplishments as a band, but this performance was even more special due to the fact that the show was also serving as an unofficial birthday party for lead singer Octavio Genera.

The “Showbams Presents” residency date truly was an amazing night for this website, Brick & Mortar Music Hall and all three bands that we were honored to have perform. It was definitely nothing short of a successful evening and ultimately one huge, epic party to end an amazing month of shows in SF.