Karina Kristensen

Maribou State feel the love at The Regency Ballroom

October 22, 2019 by Karina Kristensen Leave a Comment

Maribou State with Sea Moya //
The Regency Ballroom – San Francisco
October 16th, 2019 //

On a Wednesday evening in SF, a packed crowd at The Regency Ballroom showered English electronic act Maribou State with love. The duo that consists of Chris Davids and Liam Ivory received quite the reception for a mid-week performance.

While Maribou State released their debut album Portraits in 2015, this tour was specifically in support of their sophomore LP Kingdoms in Colour, which dropped more than a year ago now and features long-standing collaborator Holly Walker on the tracks “Nervous Tics” and “Slow Heat” as well as Texas-based three-piece Khruangbin on “Feel Good” (and yes, it does).

Serving as support was Sea Moya, a kraut-beat combo that energized us with their German-styled aesthetic. Their music was the good kind of weird — the different, yet perfect fun for warming up a crowd.

When Sea Moya concluded, the lights illuminated the crowd that had subtly grown to fill the space and continued to show the sea of bodies getting denser toward the front of the stage as Davids and Ivory began.

Joining Maribou State for much of their set was London-born multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Obi Franky, whose vocals sounded nothing short of incredible and fit perfectly with the feelings you get while listening to Davids’ and Ivory’s music. Past the midway point of the show, she returned to perform “Midas” off Portraits on a stage that radiated pink and we couldn’t have been happier to see Franky do her thing again.

When Maribou State walked off stage for their encore break, it was almost as if the crowd immediately expected an encore. But no one left until they came back out and performed “Turnmills” from Kingdoms in Colour in honor of the London club that closed in 2008. We really couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend a fall night in The City by the Bay.

Setlist:
Feel Good
Nervous Tics
Steal
Glasshouses
Wallflower
Kingdom
Beginner’s Luck
Vale
Midas
November Nights
Rituals
The Clown
Kama

Encore:
Turnmills

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Holly Walker, Khruangbin, Maribou State, Obi Franky, Regency Ballroom, Sea Moya, The Regency Ballroom

Empire of the Sun are walking on more than just a dream after selling out three straight shows in SF

July 1, 2019 by Karina Kristensen Leave a Comment

By Karina Kristensen //

Empire of the Sun //
The Regency Ballroom – San Francisco
June 25th, 2019 //

As they continue to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their debut album Walking on a Dream, Australian synthpop outfit Empire of the Sun hit the West Coast hard during the latter half of June with three-night stands in three different cities, including a trio of sold-out shows in SF at The Regency Ballroom.

We showed up for the second of three Bay Area performances only to find the crowd anxiously awaiting the group’s arrival onstage. When lead vocalist/guitarist Luke Steele finally emerged through all the smoke donning his usual headdress and face paint however, it quickly came to life. Complemented by a pair of backup dancers and plenty of eye-catching on-screen visuals, Empire of the Sun kicked things off appropriately with “Standing on the Shore” and between multiple costume changes and instrument swaps, completely blew us away before uncorking the LP’s title track to close their headlining set.

With fans screaming for more music during a short break, Steele and his cohorts returned to the stage for a two-song encore. Of course, how could they call it a night without performing “Alive” from 2013’s Ice on the Dune?

Naturally, Empire of the Sun couldn’t so they delivered one last taste of Walking on a Dream with “Tiger by My Side” and then sent us home feeling totally “Alive” after only 90 minutes, further proving that they have been walking on more than just a dream for the past decade.

Setlist:
Intro (video segment)
Standing on the Shore
Old Flavours
Half Mast
Breakdown
We Are the People
Way to Go
The World
Chrysalis
High and Low
Delta Bay
(Unknown) (instrumental)
Between Me and You (Brandon Flowers cover)
This Land Is Your Land
Swordfish Hotkiss Night
Without You
Walking on a Dream

Encore:
Tiger by My Side
Alive

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Photos Tagged With: Empire of the Sun, The Regency Ballroom

You Me at Six know how to make their fans go wild as they exhibited at Great American Music Hall

March 13, 2019 by Karina Kristensen Leave a Comment

By Karina Kristensen //

You Me at Six with DREAMERS, machineheart //
Great American Music Hall – San Francisco
March 7th, 2019 //

English rockers You Me at Six paid a visit to SF’s Great American Music Hall last Thursday in support of their sixth studio album VI, which they released back in October.

Kicking things off with a five-song set were machineheart, the Los Angeles-based indie-pop group, and another LA act in DREAMERS as they opened with their 2018 single “Screws” all while lead singer Nick Wold warmed up the crowd with other hits like “Painkiller” and their newest song “Die Happy” to get us ready for You Me at Six.

“On three, everybody jumps!” he yelled.

The whole room started to jump and cause the floor to shake. DREAMERS would eventually close, of course, with their biggest hit “Sweet Disaster” on 2016’s This Album Does Not Exist.

DREAMERS

“This is a song about drinking with people you love,” Wold explained right before we started singing along to the song’s lyrics.

Just as You Me at Six were getting ready to hit the stage, you could tell that the audience was ready to erupt. They began with “Fast Forward” and would perform “Take on the World” off their 2017 LP Night People more than halfway through the show. At one point, frontman Josh Franceshi asked everyone to turn on their phone’s flashlight feature, creating a wave of light throughout the crowd. And before their encore break, “Bite My Tongue” from You Me at Six’s 2011 LP Sinners Never Sleep got even more spectators jumping with their hands in the air.

“You Me at Six!” the crowd constantly screamed, eager for Franceshi and company to return.

The UK five-piece finished with four more songs and left everyone’s ears ringing as we made our way out of the venue — a true sign of a great night for many live music fans.

YOU ME AT SIX

Setlist:
Fast Forward
Lived A Lie
Reckless
Loverboy
Back Again
Night People
Fresh Start Fever
Cold Night
Predictable
Give
3AM
Take on the World
IOU
Bite My Tongue

Encore:
Room to Breathe
No One Does It Better
Straight to My Head
Underdog

DREAMERS

Setlist:
Screws
Fake It Til You Make It
All Washed Out
Die Happy
Wolves
Painkiller
Sweet Disaster

MACHINEHEART

Setlist:
Intro
Overgrown
Do You Love
Chained
Peace of Mind
Who Said
Altar

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: DREAMERS, Great American Music Hall, machineheart, You Me at Six

Max Frost brings ‘The Gold Rush Tour’ to Slim’s for a fun-filled night with Mikey Mike

March 7, 2019 by Karina Kristensen Leave a Comment

Max Frost

By Karina Kristensen //

Max Frost with Mikey Mike //
Slim’s – San Francisco
March 2nd, 2019 //

After turning heads with such hits as “White Lies” and “Adderall” in 2016, Max Frost stopped through SF to showcase a new bag of songs from his 2018 debut album Gold Rush.

Mikey Mike warmed up the crowd at Slim’s, and I mean he really warmed us up. The alt-pop musician performed songs like “Cooler”, “Strange Times” and “Doin’ Me”, all of which have powerful lyrics. But he also had a wheel onstage and brought a few audience members up to spin it. One landed on a dare and had to drink whiskey out of his boot. Another had to drink whiskey out of his belly button. But after another spin, we all got to see Mikey Mike light his chest hair on fire. What could be a better way to get things going on a Saturday night?

Mikey Mike

Frost followed and quickly got his fans singing along. The lights onstage were incredible and full of colors — from green to pink to blue. The talented singer-songwriter is a one-man band and moved between keyboards, guitar and drums as he ran sounds and riffs on loop.

One fan of Frost’s near the front of the stage donned a baseball cap with a GoPro attached to it. Frost didn’t hesitate to take it off his hat, put it on and have the camera face the audience. At one point during his set, he brought his acoustic guitar out to play a few songs, including “Die Young”, which sounded absolutely amazing. He thanked us for a fun night and told us what a great start to “The Gold Rush Tour” it had been before his next West Coast show.

Setlist:
New Confessional
$Dreams
Paranoia
Sometimes
Nice and Slow
Eleven Days
Anxious
A$$hole (No Apologies)
Die Young
Stranger to Me Now
Slow Jamz
Put It on Me
Withdrawal
Money Problems
Adderall
White Lies

Encore:
Let Me Down Easy
Irreplacable (Beyoncé cover)
Good Morning

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Beyonce, Max Frost, Mikey Mike, Slims, The Gold Rush Tour

MØ gets colorful & a bit personal at the Fox Theater Oakland after LPX’s energetic opening set

February 16, 2019 by Karina Kristensen Leave a Comment

By Karina Kristensen //

MØ with LPX //
Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland
February 9th, 2019 //

On a Saturday night, the Bay Area had the pleasure of watching Danish singer-songwriter MØ conclude the North American leg of her world tour in support of last year’s Forever Neverland.

When we arrived at the Fox Theater Oakland, the venue was close to empty, but as soon as LPX stepped onstage, a crowd appeared. For seven years Lizzy Plapinger served as the lead vocalist of MS MR before the indie-pop duo announced that it was going on hiatus a couple years ago so she could focus on her solo project under the name LPX.

But after delivering her 2018 EP Bolt in the Blue more than a year ago, her set was incredibly energetic with lots of lights and smoke. Plus, Plapinger’s cow-patterned outfit and outgoing personality onstage was a great way to get things started.

LPX

MØ’s performance, meanwhile, was even brighter than LPX’s with the colors just completely all over the place and smoke coming from behind her as the lights created larger shadows of the 30-year-old’s body against the back wall. Karen Marie Aagaard Ørsted Andersen went on to perform all five singles — “Imaginary Friend”, “Nostalgia”, “Sun in Our Eyes”, “Blur” and “Way Down” — off her sophomore album and even showcased her 2017 collaboration “Don’t Leave” with British electronic duo Snakehips.

Also known for working with EDM juggernauts such as DJ Snake, Diplo and Cashmere Cat, MØ’s interaction with the crowd during her shows is something that not all artists do these days. She spoke to us, asked questions, stepped onto the platforms in front of the stage and held hands with her fans. There was nothing but smiles across the audience as MØ finished with her popular “Final Song” and took us on one last pass through Forever Neverland.

Because whenever MØ takes the stage in your town, be prepared for a wild ride.

Setlist:
Purple Like the Summer Rain
Imaginary Friend
I Want You
Kamikaze
Pilgrim
Get It Right
Red Wine
Trying to Be Good
Nostalgia
Nights With You
Sun in Our Eyes
Turn My Heart to Stone
Beautiful Wreck
Blur
Mercy
If It’s Over
Way Down
Lean On (Major Lazer cover)
West Hollywood
Don’t Leave (Snakehips & MØ cover)
Final Song

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Photos Tagged With: Fox Theater Oakland, LPX, MO, MS MR

Mother Mother are watching their dreams come true right in front of their very eyes

January 24, 2019 by Karina Kristensen Leave a Comment

By Karina Kristensen //

Mother Mother with Winnetka Bowling League //
Great American Music Hall – San Francisco
January 19th, 2018 //

Vancouver indie-rock band Mother Mother played the sixth show of their current “Dance and Cry Tour” at Great American Music Hall last Saturday. Before they were ever officially Mother Mother in the mid-2000’s though, lead singer/guitarist Ryan Guldemond and his sister Molly Guldemond (keyboards, vocals) used to attend rock concerts together.

“Never in a million years did we think we’d be doing this,” Ryan told those of us in the crowd.

The other members of the quintet are Jasmin Parkin (keyboards, vocals), Ali Siadat (drums) and Mike Young (bass), who replaced Jeremy Page after he left the outfit in 2016. Originally, Mother Mother used to only do acoustic sets, so Ryan brought out his acoustic guitar at one point to “honor that moment” with a tune. They even covered Radiohead’s 1992 hit “Creep” after finishing “Body of Years” from their 2008 sophomore album O My Heart.

Los Angeles-based group Winnetka Bowling League kicked things off and set the tone for the night with some great energetic vibes.

MOTHER MOTHER

Setlist:
I Must Cry Out Loud
Dance and Cry
O My Heart
Let’s Fall in Love
Monkey Tree
Get Out the Way
Bottom Is a Rock
It’s Alright
Body of Years/Creep (Radiohead cover)
Good at Loving You
The Drugs
Family
Dirty Town
So Down
Get Up
Hayloft
Bit by Bit

Encore:
Biting on a Rose
Ghosting
The Stand

WINNETKA BOWLING LEAGUE

Setlist:
Daydreamer
Sixteen
Feeling California
Diane
Something in the Air
Kombucha
Slow Dances
are you okay?
On the 5

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Great American Music Hall, Mother Mother, Radiohead, Winnetka Bowling League

KONGOS kick off their ‘1929 Tour’ in SF & show us why they’ve been together for more than a decade

January 15, 2019 by Karina Kristensen Leave a Comment

By Karina Kristensen //

KONGOS with FITNESS //
Great American Music Hall – San Francisco
January 9th, 2018 //

For the first stop on their “1929 Tour” last Wednesday, KONGOS gave their Bay Area fans an unforgettable performance at Great American Music Hall. The South African alt-rock group now based in Phoenix has been together for 16 years, and the connection it has established onstage in that time frame is quite evident as fans got the opportunity to hear material from its fourth studio album 1929 (Part One), which will be released this week with Part Two and Part Three expected to follow.

The four brothers — Johnny, Jesse, Dylan and Danny — who comprise the band have music in their family and in their blood. Those who were there danced, screamed and sang along to all of their songs, and I wouldn’t expect anything less at KONGOS’ upcoming shows over the next month, including ones in Los Angeles and San Diego down the homestretch.

LA synthpop duo FITNESS got things started, setting the mood for the night with plenty of energy and lots of sweat, as they performed several tracks off their debut LP Karate for the first time.

Setlist:
I Am Not Me
The World Would Run Better
Take It From Me
When You’re Here
Take Me Back
Keep Your Head
Underground
Hey I Don’t Know
Stand Up
Everything Must Go
Real Life
I Don’t Mind
Come With Me Now
I Want to Know
Something New
Birds Do It
Pay for the Weekend