Mike Frash

Five new songs that show Bon Iver’s magnificent, post-rock influence

June 20, 2014 by Mike Frash 6 Comments

How influential has Justin Vernon been the past five years?

He put Bon Iver on the backburner after exhaustively touring the group’s second record, but you can’t say the guy hasn’t been busy. Volcano Choir has helped us look inward while touring on Repave, while also getting back to blues roots with The Shouting Matches. Vernon curated a stems remix project with Spotify, sponsored whiskey and is now working with James Blake and of course, Kanye West.

Also in the last five years, Vernon’s influence has spread amongst popular and indie music alike. His hallmark vocal sound mixes falsetto with bass-oscilated auto-tone, all while multi-tracking. It’s a synthetic process that somehow instills auditory pleasure that feels organic.

Consider these five new songs if you’re a fan of Vernon.

1. Coldplay – “Midnight”

Coldplay’s new record Ghost Stories has the obvious radio single that won’t be going away anytime soon in “Magic”, along with the Avicii-assisted radio banger “A Sky Full of Stars”. But “Midnight” was the first song Coldplay chose to release in promoting their return to action.

Many were quick to point out that it sounds just like Bon Iver, and they are pretty much right. Martin’s auto-tuned vocals are slightly multi-tracked, and they soar out into the cheesy cosmos like only Coldplay could do. Imitation is the ultimate source of flattery, right? This song, more than any other, has been the centerpiece of divisiveness in criticizing Coldplay’s latest effort, one that favors wallowing over love instead of the usual stadium anthems.

In the end, this song delivers, minimalist design and all.

2. James Vincent McMorrow – “Cavalier”

“I remember my first love…”, a line of reflective emotion that sticks to the mind like no other this year. Why? Because his voice. Meet the best song of 2014 that is getting no attention. By the time the wave of horns join McMorrow in his magnificent introspection mid-way through, the instrumental stylings of Bon Iver begin to bubble up. But pay no mind to this as a possible copycat scenario – just check out James Vincent McMorrow’s Post Tropical inspiration to see for yourself.

3. Ben Khan – “Youth”

First the synth hits, then the wailing guitar takes over, as if calling out to the distance. Then Ben Khan announces himself with cooing ease, and the vocal reverb and tone of Vernon starts to sound familiar. Wait for it….BAM! The song takes off with a screech-blast à la Solange’s “Losing You” combined with the ca-ching! from M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” mixed in with a barrage of pleasurable sounds. Ben Khan’s four-track LP 1992 is out now, but the real question is, what’s next?

4. S. Carey – “Fire-scene”

This pick is a tad obvious, since Sean Carey is actually in Bon Iver as a percussionist and singer. He’s an integral part of the group, and he’s reemerged on his own this year with his new record, Range of Light. But for fans of Bon Iver, look toward “Fire-scene” to get a sense of what S. Carey has to offer. Sure, the video for the song even looks like the breathtaking short for “Holocene“, and his song-stucture sounds straight out of Eau Claire, but his lyrics are more direct. All that said, Carey shows why he deserves solo attention with his remarkable debut.

5. Daughter — “Smother”

Vernon’s influence has impacted beyond the dudes, as is seen with Daughter. She put her spin on “Perth” last year for BBC Radio, mashing it with Hot Chip’s “Ready for the Floor. Since then the impact of the aught’s favorite post-rock behemoth can be heard in Daughters’ original material, especially with “Smother”, off of If You Leave. If you’re a fan of Bon Iver, you likely will dig Daughter too.

What other new songs or artists remind you of Justin Vernon/Bon Iver? Let us know, or call us out…We’ll keep adding good songs to the playlist as long as you’ve got em.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Trends & Culture Tagged With: Ben Khan, Bon Iver, Coldplay, Daughter, James Vincent McMorrow, Justin Vernon, S. Carey, The Shouting Matches, Volcano Choir

tUnE-yArDs eye nonconformity through a glorious lens in SF

June 9, 2014 by Mike Frash 1 Comment

Photos by Pedro Paredes // Written by Mike Frash //

tUnE-yArDs with Sylvan Esso //
The Fillmore – San Francisco
June 6th, 2014 //

“It’s 2014 and we’re playing at the fucking Fillmore!” declared Merrill Garbus early in the set Friday as her eyes flickered with excitement. Known for her commanding gaze, the captivating centerpiece of tUnE-yArDs has fully embraced an eyeball motif in support of the incredibly addictive Nikki Nack. Garbus is surrounded by large eyes on stage, the show poster from the Fillmore features a piercing globular organ growing off a plant where a flower would normally be, and in the joyfully-insane video for “Water Fountain”, almost every shot contains artificial eyes or Garbus’ remarkable optical dexterity.

Accented makeup and glitter frame her sight, an innovative vision and expressive perspective that makes it difficult to take your eyes off her. tUnE-yArDs’ focus on eyes as a motif suitably reflects Garbus’ immaculate confidence and control amid pervasive themes of subverting conformity and growing paranoia, curating a transformative live music experience in the process — just don’t call her the “Real Thing”.

This night felt like a genuine two-for-one deal with fast-rising Sylvan Esso opening. Empowering female vocals and effective repetition was the connecting force between both duos this night, & the first act to perform inspired palpable crowd reactions with their minimalist-glitch approach. Singer Amelia Meath’s voice sparkles with the tone of Feist and the intonation of Regina Spektor, while Nick Sanborn’s live production hits the sweat spot of trending sound in 2014 — the wobbles and looping vocals are somehow familiar and fresh all at once. “H.S.K.T.” provided the most fun, upbeat action in the set, and “Coffee” was a strong example why this is a group to watch going forward.

Sylvan Esso’s engaging stage presence willed the audience to listen, and their expressive body language convinced most folks to move to the music instead of chat, a fate that befalls opening acts more than not. Often exhibiting mid-song patience, taking in each moment of downtempo ambiance, Sylvan Esso was an ideal pairing with tUnE-yArDs, further proven when Meath joined Merrill Garbus during tUnE-yArDs’ encore performance of the vocal-heavy “Rocking Chair”. Poised to break out much bigger in this viral music climate, Sylvan Esso should catapult upward as demand will likely dictate.

The song selection for the tUnE-yArDs set unsurprisingly focused on cuts from Nikki Nack, as almost every track from the record got attention. Flanked by female backup singers, Garbus relies less on looping than in the past, yet this cathartic repetition is still the backbone of most songs. Bringing in additional vocal support allows for a more organic approach to live production than past tours, letting Garbus focus on her powerful stage presence.

Technical precision is one of tUnE-yArDs’ biggest strengths, yet there’s still room for exploratory, drawn out moments. “Powa” extended into incredibly chaotic territory for the song’s outro. “Stop That Man” went on a risky journey that easily paid off with its industrial beats and overwhelming reverb vocals. Many new songs, including “Water Fountain” and “Sink-O”, jump into the refrain right away, contorting traditional strong structure in a way that makes the songs feel like pop music from the future. So many of these new songs give an intended feeling of anxiety, as if you’re being watched.

Driven by percussion, vocals and ecstatic hyperactivity, tUnE-yArDs win with a lighthearted, quirky mentality that skewers conformity. “Real Thing” blissfully critiques the notion of what a woman is supposed to look like while embracing true self. “Why are you afraid about pants size ten? Humadum, rumadum/ They’re chosen girls/ While you worry about chest size 6/ They’re winning the tricks…Ugly one be you, who you are.” Garbus goes out on the proverbial limb, bearing herself for all to see. It’s leadership like this that sets tUnE-yArDs apart.

This show had all the indications of an essential live performance; the music was thoroughly impacting, and the crowd was completely immersed and wide-eyed throughout, taking in tUnE-yArDs’ breathtaking sonic concoctions.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Sylvan Esso, The Fillmore, tUnE-yArDs

FOALS, Cage the Elephant and the art of the co-headlining gig

May 21, 2014 by Mike Frash 2 Comments

Written by Mike Frash // Photos by James Nagel //

FOALS, Cage the Elephant with J Roddy Walston & the Business //
Fox Theater — Oakland, CA
May 20th, 2014 //

FOALS and Cage the Elephant have more in common than it appears at first glance. Both acts have three studio albums, with their first arriving in 2008, and they continue to tour on their massive 2013 efforts. Both alternative rock groups continue to gain in popularity — no less than two Cage the Elephant songs continuously emit from local radio airwaves, while FOALS straight-up headline huge festivals back in the UK. They’ve been sharing the top of the bill since beginning this tour in early May, as the co-headliners have zigzagged across the US together on their way to Sasquatch! Music Festival. So, who goes first when they co-headline a theater show?

Based on the reaction of the crowd, it could have gone either way, as the thrilling performances sparked rabid fan reaction, a palatable excitement that’s often been missing in rock music the past decade. Tickets were sold with FOALS at the top of the bill, and despite marketing efforts that had Cage the Elephant on top, FOALS would be the final act of the night. The dual headliners got it all going after a scorching, way-too-short set from J Roddy Walston & the Business.

Cage the Elephant’s take on rock is rooted in familiar garage-blues stylings, as seen through the recent success of their single “Come a Little Closer”. Virtually every song they perform live is intrinsically catchy and radio-friendly — Cage the Elephant purvey glossy pop that also dabbles in punk & funk. But first and foremost, the Kentucky-based group give a live show that is an ecstatic spectacle, led by captivating lead singer Matthew Shultz. A spark-plug of a front man, he was able to launch himself flying-squirrel-style into the crowd, swim through the sea of people with ease, then get back onto stage and regain composure faster than seemed humanly possible.

The folks at the Fox Theater Tuesday loved every minute of the performance, and for good reason. The band is at its best when delving into upbeat rock crescendos, with lights matching the music and action suitably, and Cage the Elephant exert tons of effort for their adoring fans. Frankly I can’t remember the last time a rock show generated such unbridled enthusiasm, where hands went up without asking and patrons sang-along throughout, losing themselves in the moment.

Shultz is bonafide rock star, and he throws around charisma somewhat akin to Mick Jagger (not to confuse comparable energy with songwriting). Shultz is someone who’s not only comfortable on the pedestal, but he can also impressively swim into a sea of fans to do a goddamn handstand for five plus seconds to end the set, only to casually flop down with a satiated grin on his face.

FOALS signaled a major tonal change from Cage the Elephant; the UK math rockers’ music is darker and more moody, cerebral yet constantly calling out for kinetic energy. FOALS’ live set is rather relentless, where clapping to the build up and pogoing to extended dance-punk freak-outs are the norm.

Lead singer & guitarist Yannis Philippakis was as focused as ever Tuesday, delivering a typically impassioned performance. Though, it’s the guitar work from Jimmy Smith that truly elevates FOALS on stage — the way he’s able to nimbly and tightly play his guitar as if it were a percussive instrument, often on the off-beat or with atypical syncopation, never disappoints. Songs were almost evenly pulled from FOALS’ three studio records; the main set was bookended with “Prelude” & “Inhaler” from Holy Fire, “Spanish Sahara” perfectly slowed things down for a mid-set emotional overload, and an elongated “Two Steps, Twice” brought the house down per usual to end the show. The only complaint: twelve songs didn’t feel like enough.

And that is the drawback of a co-headlining show like this one — you’re only going to get festival-length sets instead of a proper 90 plus minute show. But FOALS and Cage the Elephant are at the top of their game, exhibiting how very excellent they are in a live setting, in their own unique ways.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Cage the Elephant, FOALS, Fox Theater Oakland, J Roddy Walston & the Business

High Sierra Music Festival: Why we keep going back

May 14, 2014 by Mike Frash 7 Comments

By Mike Frash // Photos by Sam Heller & Sterling Munksgard //

High Sierra Music Festival //
Quincy, CA
July 3rd-6th, 2014 //

Festival loyalty not only helps a festival survive, but also thrive. Case in point — High Sierra Music Festival in Quincy, CA. For the 24th consecutive year, the High Sierra faithful have their Fourth of July weekend plans booked for this fest that curates around jam bands, funk, new grass & electronica. But as HSMF veterans know, it’s about so much more than just the music. Here are seven reasons we keep going back.

Take a look at our fest review from 2013 and purchase tickets here.

Listen & follow our High Sierra Music Festival Playlist.

1. The Community & Scene
There’s a sense of community the permeates High Sierra Music Fest and its attendees, where simply being nice has a contagious effect. Some groups come armed with themed camps, helping to create group unity. High Sierra is a place where upgrades happen on a regular basis. And since it is such a thoroughly “professional partying crowd”, it’s permitted to carry around adult beverages in all spaces (but no glass bottles are allowed into the main stage). Hydrated people party harder!

2. Music Mainstays, Pop Up Shows & HSMF Culture
The recurring artists at large, the Artist Playshops, Guitarmagedden, Sunday Gospel, unannounced sets on busses and in camping areas — these year-to-year and random one-off events are cherished. And don’t forget other mondo culture pieces like fire shows, Sunrise Kickball, yoga (including the laughing variety) & pilates, parades, late night shows, night time neon-psychedelic shuttle rides & rage-tastic moments like the 5AM bacon and mimosa party.

3. A Laid Back Vibe Like No Other
With a mentality somewhat akin to Burning Man, most folks are helpful, smiley, fun and prone to sharing. High Sierra is not a place to be seen, or just an “event” (unlike bigger festivals) — rushing and cell phones are left at the door. A consistently respectable atmosphere, many families bring their youngsters (the Rockin’ Nannies are always an option). A wonderfully intimate festival, there aren’t many shows that require you to pre-plan and be there early for a prime spot.

4. Camping Close to the Music
The home camp location can be everything at a festival. How often can you camp right next to the stage, enjoying the music from your campsite? And if you can’t spring for a FestivALL Pass to secure prime real estate, camp should only be a short walk away. There’s something happening at any hour of the day at HSMF, so it’s good to be close.

5. It’s the Little Things…
Brick & mortar showers and toilets are available for those with a visceral fear of port-a-potties. And there’s always plenty of cerebral signage containing wise words of wisdom to send you off on your way with inspiration. And always remember, Frickles are for friends, a McLarry Breakfast Sandwich can cure a brutal hangover and there’s a refreshing pool within a stone’s throw away.

6. Stealth Booking
The headline sets deliver, but it’s the emerging acts that often offer the biggest auditory thrills during the extended holiday weekend. Many bands play two shows, doubling the opportunity to catch breakout performances. Over the past few years, The Lumineers, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Lord Huron and Gary Clark Jr. have occupied the secondary stages for multiple days. This year, Typhoon fits this trend.

7. The Location & Weather
The High Sierras surrounding the festival grounds offer impressive forest scenery, the weather is hot-but-bearable in early July (just as it should be), and some take a break for a day trip to the river (when the water isn’t too high). The smell of wood is ever-present, propelled by a logging facility across the road. Quincy is an ideal location for a NorCal escape.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festivals Tagged With: High Sierra Music Festival

SF Oysterfest gains steam as Edward Sharpe & company fizzle

May 13, 2014 by Mike Frash 1 Comment

Photos by Sterling Munksgard and Marc Fong // Written by Mike Frash //

SF Oysterfest featuring Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Poolside, Ra Ra Riot, Crash
Sharon Meadow, Golden Gate Park — San Francisco
Saturday May 10th, 2014 //

San Francisco Oysterfest scored with warm, breezy weather Saturday, attracting throngs of the City’s young and beautiful ready to spread positive vibes and cultivate a happy scene. There seemed to be an increase in attendance compared to a year ago, the first time Oysterfest was held in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Many people, it seemed, attended to enjoy the pleasant environment, including the social scene & vender options, as much as the music itself — hell, it is called Oysterfest. But when it came to the music, one ascending group took another step up the ladder while a more established ensemble was missing a very important component, setting the stage for a mediocre performance at best, and a train wreck in slow motion at worst.

But first, New Orleans-based Crash got things going, exemplifying how influential Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros have been over the past five years. Their jangly, updated Americana sounded familiar upon first listen. Next up, fans of chamber pop and indie rock geeked out for Ra Ra Riot. The six-piece did their best to impress, throwing passion into every song. Between sets, DJs pumped the bass & nu-disco, juxtaposing the relaxed party atmosphere appropriately.

Poolside have continuously grown in popularity since their first album Pacific Standard Time launched in the Summer of 2012. The partnership between Filip Nikolic & Jeff Paradise has fleshed out to a five-piece outfit on tour, lending additional layers to a unique niche of dance music they have coined “daytime disco”. A perfectly descriptive phrase for the group, Poolside’s briskly-paced instrumentals with a casual, chill tone balanced nicely with decadent-yet laid back nature of the fest.

As the set continued, more and more people gave in to the flow of the set, which included steady churners “Do You Believe?” and “Next to You”, along with the usual cover of Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” and a less usual but excellent take on David Byrne & Brian Eno’s “Strange Overtones”. Poolside showed, once again, they can easily control the vibe of a crowd, especially in open outdoor spaces. On a random note, Filip Nikolic is nicknamed “Turbotito” in his former/other band Ima Robot, which is fronted by the one and only Alex “Edward Sharpe” Ebert.

The headlining set featuring Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros started delightfully enough, as it always has, with “40 Hour Dream”. After a strong opening, it became clear something was unfortunately very different than usual. The Magnetic Zeros were missing their crucial female members, accordion player and vocalist Nora Kirkpatrick & more critically, Ebert’s partner in crime Jade Castrinos. Some songs that heavily involve Castrinos were not included in the set, others had trumpeter & keyboardist Stewart Cole covering her parts.

The back & forth love, laughter & chaos between Jade and Alexander, inspiring as it truly was at High Sierra Music Festival in 2010 or as volatile and crazy as it certainly was at BottleRock 2013 (where Jade went into the audience for 2-3 songs and wouldn’t come back to the stage), almost always provides a dynamic spark. They draw inspiration from each other. They bounce improvisational banter and goofy body language off one another. Jade has her own breathtaking songs like “Fiya Wata”, and her first notes of the show usually elicit palatable excitement from the crowd. All this was missing Saturday. This 100% male version of the Magnetic Zeros showed how important Jade Castrinos is to Edward Sharpe, and that they probably shouldn’t be playing live shows without her.

UPDATE 6/3/14: Jade Castrinos confirmed she was voted off of tour via email.

After a long mid-section collection of cuts from the group’s self-titled record from 2013, many in the crowd lost focus or started heading for the gates. Edward Sharpe was starting to lose ‘em. As the show neared the end, Ebert thanked the “awkward crowd in front” and told one attendee to sell their dog before announcing they would finish with their super-maga hit, “Home”.

For the first time in the 80-minute set, Ebert acknowledged Jane’s absence, only saying, “Things happen, let’s work this out.” No explanation was given for the absence of Castrinos or Kirkpatrick. Edward Sharpe then chose one random man and woman from the crowd and brought them on stage to sing the verses he and Jade normally sing. Let’s just say it didn’t work out well — Ebert had to pick up the vocals for both guests as voices cracked and lyrics were forgotten. The band kept it together well enough, but as the final outro was delivered, the sound uniformly fizzled out as if the power had been pulled.

On a positive note, most everyone jumped up and down and had a big smile on their face during “Home”, despite the karaoke factor. But music criticism aside, Oysterfest was consistently a fun, friendly event at a prime SF location on a lovely day. What else do you really need?

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Crash, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Poolside, Ra Ra Riot, San Francisco Oysterfest, SF Oysterfest

The National showcase natural evolution, continue to inspire

April 28, 2014 by Mike Frash 1 Comment

Photos by James Nagel // Written by Mike Frash //

The National with Portugal. The Man //
Greek Theatre – Berkeley, CA
April 26th, 2014 //

The National’s music can be taken as moody, or perhaps even depressing on the surface level by those not familiar with their work. Some of The National’s most rewarding auditory gems only reveal themselves upon repeat listens, and through this repetition, it’s easier to identify and appreciate the crafty song structures and oddly pleasurable feeling the National can provide. But enigmatic constructs can be thrown out the window when it comes to experiencing The National live. Their performance at the Greek Theatre Saturday showed they have grown to be more comfortable with themselves, evolving for the better while steadfastly staying true to their roots.

So what has changed? One obvious, noteworthy shift is they command theaters now, two nights in a row this past weekend in Berkeley, while eliciting rapturous crowd engagement — silence during the quiet parts while compelling the crowd to carry the load on “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks” to end the show, no small feat at an 8,500 person venue. Frontman Matt Berninger mentioned early on it was good to be back. The last time The National played on the U.C. Berkeley campus was with Modest Mouse and REM in 2008. Now six years later, the performance Saturday offered an experience that was segmented into two distinct halves.

The first section of the concert showcased much of the excellent material from Trouble Will Find Me, The National’s sixth album, released in May 2013. There was a sense of arrival with the new music, that they’ve ‘figured it out’ in their lyrical storytelling. There are more direct statements of clarity and satisfaction, admitting “tiny bubbles hang above me, it’s a sign that someone loves me” to open the show stands in stark contrast to the passive aggressive, latent adolescent state of mind found in “Mr. November”. The newest record is less snarky, more direct, as though the guys in The National have grown up substantially.

The songwriting will never be cheery (and let’s hope it never is), but there is more confidence and awareness lyrically. Berninger may claim that “when I walk into a room, I do not light it up” in “Demons”, but that notion is see-through self-degrading hyperbole in the context of the performances this past weekend.

While there is a slightly brighter outlook to the new words, more “Sea of Love” than “Terrible Love”, Berninger, the Dessner & the Devendorf brothers have banded together to create music more springy and full of life, often faster with a more uplifting tonal quality than previous efforts. Some older tracks are treated through this prism — “England”, a somber song from High Violet, was crisp and faster, allowing the song to soar higher, and to be more inspiring live.

If the performance was front loaded with new material, the second half favored the wants and needs of longtime fans. Unsurprisingly, it’s the older material that inspires Berninger to channel his one of a kind angst-joy spectacle. In “Squalor Victoria”, Berninger added a line about his “little brother the fuck up,” slamming the mic & stand to the floor, a coy plug for his brother Tom’s documentary titled Mistaken By Strangers, chronicling the singer’s little brother being a little fuck up on the National’s High Violet tour. “Abel” was a platform for Berninger to lose himself in punk rock intensity as he used to do more often, while per usual, “Fake Empire” and “Mr. November” found the lead man not only reaching out to the audience, but running through it as well.

Poised and energetic with precise control, The National’s music is more accessible and impactful than ever before, and the group is pulling it off in front of the biggest audiences of their career. Slowly winning over fans for 15 years, The National have earned it.

Show Notes:

•Portugal. The Man, the opener of the night, were an interesting contrast of falsetto versus baritone between Portugal’s John Gourley and The National’s Matt Berninger.

•”About Today” was one of the most poignant songs of the evening toward the end of the first set. The cut from Cherry Tree was a treat.

•The follow up performance Sunday, April 27th featured The Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir for “I Know You Rider” and “Terrible Love” during the encore. Sunday’s setlist included nine songs that weren’t played on Saturday.

•The National uses basic video production equipment in a very effective way. GoPro cameras flank the artists, and the imagery is filtered with glich-filled, broken pixilation, reflecting the fractured feeling of disconnect found in The National’s music.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Greek Theatre Berkeley, Portugal. The Man, The National

Outside Lands 2014 daily lineup highlights

April 17, 2014 by Mike Frash Leave a Comment

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 8th-10th, 2014 //

So, three-day tickets for Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival sold out in record time. Now’s your chance to snag single-day passes for SF’s premier music festival. Get ready: tickets go on sale Thursday, April 17th at 10 a.m.

Still choosing which day might be best for you? Here’s our take on the headliner options, along with choice picks and reasons to get there early this August in Golden Gate Park.

Friday, August 8th

HEADLINER OPTIONS: Kanye West Vs. Arctic Monkeys (or Disclosure)

Yeezus himself will handle headlining duties on day one, but the real question is whether or not Arctic Monkeys or Disclosure will helm Twin Peaks come nightfall. Both acts are worthy of a headlining slot — time will tell.

CHOICE PICKS:

Run the Jewels: El-P + Killer Mike , “Rap’s most dangerous Duo”, are returning to SF after their game changing shows last year at the Independent. Expect top notch beats over future-forward production. In a perfect world they would open for West.

Phosphorescent: Matthew Houck’s understated, twisted take on indie rock is refreshingly breathtaking, exemplified most strikingly by the majestic “Song for Zula”:

Holy Ghost!: Ready for a disco-dance party fed by instrumentals? Yes you are. One of our favorite acts from the last year will set Golden Gate park ablaze.

DIGGING DEEP: (reasons to get there early)

• Mikal Cronin
• Greensky Bluegrass
• Typhoon
• Bear Hands

THE VERDICT: Eclectic with as many rap options as dance choices.

Saturday, August 9th

HEADLINER OPTIONS: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers vs. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

This one’s going to be a pretty simple choice for most folks — the classic rock singalongs versus the contemporary pop-rap anthems. These headliners starkly contrast from one another.

CHOICE PICKS:

SBTRKT: Known to perform with iconic tribal masks, Aaron Jerome fuses innovative electronic production with drums, synth, keys & live singing, usually with help from touring partner Sampha. SBTRKT’s new EP Transitions delves into icy-instrumental territory.

Atmosphere: Slug and Ant are back this year, and they’ve got a new song entitled “Kanye West”, which doesn’t go after the Day 1 headliner, but it does address hip-hop crowd interactions in a playful, positive way.

Tycho: Scott Hansen is as much a visual artist as he is a musician — his projected imagery melds simple geometry and super slow-mo romanticism and works in hand with his newly cemented band’s ambient, yet driving beats. This one deserves a night time slot, say closing down the Panhandle Stage?

DIGGING DEEP: (reasons to get there early)

• Woods
• Jagwar Ma
• Valerie June
• Trails and Ways

THE VERDICT: Save for a handful of rowdy spots (Macklemore, Duck Sauce, Capital Cities), the offerings are relatively mellow.

Sunday, August 10th

HEADLINER OPTIONS: The Killers vs. Tiësto (or The Flaming Lips)

These two options to end the weekend are, once again, clear cut. But here’s hoping Ranger Dave harkens back to the early years and offers a third headliner option in The Flaming Lips. Their drone-psyche spectacle of a freak out deserves darkness and would offer an incredible third option.

CHOICE PICKS:

Cut Copy: Every time these electronic-oriented Australians swing through the Bay Area, we’ll be there. Dan Whitford & Co. will make you dance and reach for the sky.

Lykke Li: The Swedish Songstress is returning to the touring circuit this year, and her first offerings from her forthcoming LP I Never Learn are more sedated than swirling. Li’s ownership of the stage and visceral passion request your attendance.

Flume: Skyrocketing electronic-music amalgamator Harley Streten creates big, bold beats centered by a chill tone. Since releasing his self-titled LP to worldwide acclaim in 2012, he’s brought in a host of top level rhymers to give the music new meaning and fresh life (listen below). We’re excited to see how this influences his live show.

DIGGING DEEP: (reasons to get there early)

• Gold Panda
• Courtney Barnett
• Jonathan Wilson
• Tumbleweed Wanderers

OVERALL VIBE: Sunday has a lot of high-decibel acts. A good day for dance enthusiasts.

Check out our Outside Lands 2014 playlist:

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Arctic Monkeys, Atmosphere, Bear Hands, Courtney Barnett, Cut Copy, Disclosure, Flume, Gold Panda, Greensky Bluegrass, Holy Ghost, Jagwar Ma, Jonathan Wilson, Kanye West, Lykke LI, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Mikal Cronin, Outside Lands, Outside Lands Music Festival 2014, Phosphorescent, Run The Jewels, Sbtrkt, The Flaming Lips, The Killers, Tiësto, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Trails and Ways, Tumbleweed Wanderers, Tycho, Typhoon, Valerie June, Woods

How to Dress Well premiers new songs, live band in SF

March 18, 2014 by Mike Frash Leave a Comment

Photos by Marc Fong // Written by Mike Frash

How to Dress Well & Forest Swords with EN //
The Independent – San Francisco
March 17th, 2014 //

Ambient, experimental production was the uniting factor for How to Dress Well and Forest Sword’s co-headlining gig in San Francisco on Monday, and the show turned out to be an album preview party for Tom Krell’s ironically-named outfit. How to Dress Well premiered eight songs from his forthcoming record with his new backing band at the Independent. The new material is more orchestrated and sophisticated than prior efforts (that were all excellent), overwhelming senses with intensity and precision.

As Krell aptly articulated on Twitter this past week regarding his new live band, “… it sounds massive! new vibes w like mt eerie swells & extreme beauty.” The man can brag because he speaks the truth — Krell and company delivered on this proclamation, signaling How to Dress Well is ready to break out to bigger audiences and rooms. Before the newly minted four-piece though, Forest Swords took SF on an aural journey.

Forest Swords, the production namesake of UK-based Matthew Barnes, procured a set that progressed in one direction, beginning with post-dub ambiance until the set capped with full-throttled noise. Methodically layering samples to build and decompose many tracks from Engravings, Barnes’ production revolves around a brooding tone that is drone-filled, experimental in nature and ultimately cinematic. Suitably subtle imagery and shapes projected over Barnes and his touring mate on bass, until a ghostly apparition of a girl, as in from The Ring, overtook the screen. Still though, the slow-moving image was looped with dissolves over and over, mirroring the repetitious audio conceit. As the sound became more menacing, the concept of repetition toward the point of catharsis became apparent — the idea of finding peace or harmony in terror and chaos.

Expectations are key when going to a show, and Forrest Swords gives a live performance in the vein of Boards of Canada or Actress. “Nobody’s happy here” and “anti-St. Patrick’s day show” were overheard from the crowd mid-set, and while this may look true visually when peering across the crowd, most folks were in their anti-cerebral mind palace. The epic finale acted as a crescendoing exclamation point, blowing the Independent and much of the surrounding neighborhood into the stratosphere, and as we later found out, wakened Tom Krell from a pre-show power nap.

There’s a lot to like about Tom Krell — his one of a kind falsetto, his warm and inviting banter between usually-sad songs, and the way he produces music that fuses R&B with elements of dance and hip hop. Krell’s instrumental backing, in the past, almost exclusively came from his computer. The move toward live instrumentation began last August at the Independent, where How to Dress Well stage-tested some new sounds with the aid of two different musicians (including Minna Choi from Magik*Majik Orchestra). Now virtually all production is created live — his band incorporates drums, keys, violin, background vocals and live sound sampling to craft a richer, more authentically achieved sound.

Krell appeared on stage dressed oddly in GQ office attire, announcing he had just promised his manager that he wouldn’t reveal the new album name or release date (for a moment it looked like he would break the pact). Launching into a (surprise!) sad song about his brother called “Two Years On”, the veil of costuming-evolution was torn from his chest as Krell threw the shirt to the floor, revealing his usual white t-shirt, signifying he’s still the same guy at heart. The difference, though, is that he’s now armed with his best batch of new material yet, aiming to unleash it upon he unsuspecting world.

How to Dress Well specializes in progressive R&B, using jarring glitches and minimalist drops to cut against prevalent ambience. There’s a hip hop cadence to vocals that are clean, crisp and swooning, and lyrics have always been predisposed toward personal tragedy. This is all still the ethos of How to Dress Well. But the new record looks to expand the subject matter, utilizing production that’s more upbeat, enveloping and awe-inspiringly fresh.

The only song that’s been released, lead single “Words I Don’t Remember”, is essentially a majestic post-rock masterpiece. Krell explained the song is inspired by Broken Social Scene’s “Farewell to the Pressure Kids” and the line “do things once, you know you’ll do it twice.” Many of the new songs follow same song structure as this track, offering extended bridges between sections that melds verse & refrain. The bridges in “Words I Don’t Remember” include vocal swells and beat-box breakdowns, and in the end, it’s all wonderfully woven together.

“A Power” is a song akin to “& It Was U” and it’s driving snap-beat. It ended with Krell repeating the phrase “I don’t have the power” as a sun set behind him on-screen, a memorable moment amongst many. Perhaps the best new song, “Face Again” upped the intensity ante significantly, circling around the line “I don’t even know what’s best for me.” The track included a sonic boom smack-to-the-face that stung for the remainder of the evening. Upon the end of the long, immersive song, Krell proclaimed “That was crazy!” It sure was. “What You Wanted”, described as a song about “reverting to being a teenager with your wants and desires,” included a key few lines about being “in love with the chase.” Another new cut, “Childhood Faith In Love (Everything Must Change, Everything Must Stay The Same)”, was introduced as a pop-emo-reggae Animal Collective jam, and it felt like some sort of rollicking, afro-beat conglomeration.

A handful of songs from previous records were elevated a couple notches with the full band. “Cold Nights”, which was written and produced with Matthew Barnes, got the “metal” treatment. “Suicide Dream 1”, “Set It Right” and “Decisions” never felt so full and satisfying. Krell showed some much deserved love for the staff at the Independent as well, saying “Thank everyone that works here. They are so nice” shortly before the end of the 80 minute performance.

Just as he’s done from the beginning, Krell sang a couple a cappella tunes for the encore, staying true to his roots. Before the last number, the audience became a bit unruly, attempting to request the last song. One person called out for R. Kelly’s “I Wish”, then Krell plainly stated “R. Kelly is a total rapist. You can’t sing along to that anymore…”, also mentioning that he can’t believe it was cool to be into the R&B star for a short while. While there were funny moments like this between songs, How to Dress Well’s new formation is performing incredible material that is more emotive, poignant and powerful than ever.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Forest Swords, How to Dress Well, The Independent

San Fermin, Son Lux prove why they should be more popular

March 5, 2014 by Mike Frash Leave a Comment

By Mike Frash //

San Fermin and Son Lux //
The Chapel — San Francisco
March 4th, 2014 //

The Chapel in San Francisco featured two groups Tuesday that need your immediate attention. Both Son Lux & San Fermin released impressive, addictive albums in 2013, records that went largely under the radar. Both groups procure the highs and lows of sound, contrasting orchestrated crescendos with jarring silent breaks, so it makes sense they are touring together. Son Lux proved why they are one of the most exciting live acts on the club-level circuit in SF, while San Fermin showed how a massive theater tour is likely in their near future.

Ryan Lott from Son Lux is a master curator of dynamic sound, using a ghostly combination of soft, wondrous melody and edgy electronic elements to set an eerie tone. Glitchy beats make the quickest impact, but mystical vocal backing that blends with Lott’s stoic yet impassioned voice soon become a soothing center point. It’s no surprise Lorde is offering guest vocals on Son Lux’s breathtaking “Easy” for the group’s Alternate Worlds EP coming out May 27th. Lott’s production thrives on unexpected volume-drops that contrast moments of top-decibel volume.

“Easy” was a song that expanded and opened up when performed live at the Chapel, becoming a bit exploratory and loud before coming back to its simple and super effective refrain. In comparison to the flow of Son Lux’s criminally overlooked Lanterns from last year, the group’s show steers away from focusing on vocal harmonies to hone on aural dynamics through digital looping and live instrumentation. Songs build up to catchy, head-bobbing plateaus while stop-starting along the way, only for the rug to be pulled for complete silence momentarily. This song structure and effect makes it feel like time stretches, elongating the musical experience in a hyper-pleasurable way.

Ryan Lott leads through expressive body movements, almost as is if he’s directing his own mini-symphony. For example, he feigning the shedding of skin in “Alternate World” to the literal lyrics and he later dropped an “OK” hand sign at a pivotal sound break. Lott uses minimal computer backing as a backbone — he sources notes & effects from his keyboard, appropriately angled toward the audience. Two-mic singing is employed (one for echo effect) and his computer is inverted at a forty-five degree angle on a sheet music stand. Impressive live drum and bass playing fill out the rest of Son Lux’s magnificent makeup. It all adds up to musical output that Ryan Lott and Son Lux can claim as truly unique — these guys should be more popular.

By the time Son Lux ended, folks edged in and held fort for the theatrical wonder that is San Fermin. Composer & songwriter Ellis Ludwig-Leone wrote all of San Fermin’s self-titled first record right out of college, in a period of transition, and it functions around a male and female character in dialogue, performed by Allen Tate and Rae Cassidy. Tate’s baritone voice wallows sweetly like Matt Berninger from the National, while Cassidy projects in the vein of Gwen Stefani. On many songs each lead singer gets their own spotlight, but when then the two join forces, the eight piece outfit soars even higher.

The songwriting is about being young — longing, wondering and celebrating love, life and death, ya know, all the important-yet scary things. Ludwig-Leone was the one that addressed the crowd and introducing the players throughout, but San Fermin’s rich sound and growing success is a product fully dependent on each individual part, including digitized break beats, string and horn accompaniment.

They played their only record in full, save for a sprinkling of new songs (including the notable “Parasite”) while cutting transitional tracks. The album is structured in back and forth fashion between the lead male and female characters, putting the spotlight on Tate and Cassidy throughout. Due to this structure, along with operatic choral harmonies, the live show feels like a performance art piece at times, with costumes and acting missing. But sonically, San Fermin is reminiscent of the best emotive parts of Dirty Projectors and Sufjan Stevens, instilling all sorts of armhair-on-end feels.

“Casanova”, “Bar” and “Daedalus (What We Have)”, such moving and ambitious songs, were immaculately performed Tuesday. In fact there were no low moments. Band members moved around the crowded stage in awe, owning their space, connecting with the crowd, killing every moment. San Fermin is locked in with purpose — see them live now before they move up to a massive theater tour.

March 5, 2014: Visalia, CA – The Cellar Door*
March 7, 2014: Los Angeles, CA – The Museum of Natural History*
March 8, 2014: La Jolla, CA – The Loft @ UCSD*
March 18, 2014: New Orleans, LA – Gasa Gasa
March 19, 2014: Tallahassee, FL – Club Downunder at FSU
March 21, 2014: Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
March 22, 2014: Baltimore, MD – Metro Gallery
*With Son Lux

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: San Fermin, Son Lux, The Chapel

Mark Kozelek’s surly banter, control obsession effects at GAMH

March 3, 2014 by Mike Frash 3 Comments

By Mike Frash //

NOISE POP 2014 //
Mark Kozelek (of Sun Kil Moon & Red House Painters) //
Great American Music Hall — San Francisco
Saturday March 1st, 2014 //

“I don’t give a fuck about Noise Pop,” said surly 47-year-old control freak Mark Kozelek at Great American Music Hall Satuday, one of the first piercing, dry stage banter remarks he made. Always honest and amusing in an odd way, much like his music, Kozelek turned between-song breaks into hilarious and awkward moments as a matter of routine.

He was happy to see the audience wasn’t as geriatric as Bob Mould’s Noise Pop show Thusday, which the Sun Kil Moon frontman attended. He noted Mould was in attendance Saturday, along with singer-songwriter Jose Gonzalez, which he mentioned twice. He admitted that being able to walk home 10 blocks and pick up a quick ten thousand dollars for this performance was better than going to “fucking China or dreary old England” to perform. Half man, half alley cat, Kozelek spewed venom at a variety of show-goers and subjects, all in a concerted effort to keep control of the room during his touching, sad songs.

A full media ban was in place — we were warned upon entry that there would be no warning. If phones came out, you would be escorted out of the Great American, no questions asked. It quickly became clear this was Kozelek’s personal wish, even though he didn’t mention the rules of the night. He admitted early that he’s used to “at least one asshole hating and heckling” him, which explains his aggressive nature and the way he makes examples out of those in attendance. He even rewarded someone named Javier with one of everything from the merch table for hushing and stepping in front of two women who had been talking.

Kozelek is so brutally affected by his immediate surroundings. He counted and pointed out 12 men in the front row, harking to the lyrics from “Sunshine in Chicago” (“Now I just sign posters for guys in tennis shoes”). It’s easy to see how he’s constantly inspired to craft songs — based on self-reflective lines from his work and the events of this evening, it’s how he channels his thoughts.

The banter lent a bit of levity against the dead-serious storytelling from his incredible new Sun Kil Moon record Benji, which was almost played in its entirety to start the show (final track “Ben’s My Friend” was the only cut missing). Before launching into “I Watched the Film The Song Remains the Same”, something rather extraordinary happened. He looked at a young male fan in the front and asked why he had headphones on his head. Then Kozelek forcefully stated, “You look like a fucking douchebag”, filling the venue with tension and a bit of laughter. This happened right before playing a track about coming to terms with once bullying a kid on the playground in his youth. In the song he discusses the incident, “though I grinned, deep inside I was hurting.” It appears this whole incident was a creative, effective way to foreshadow and show his contradictory nature, as opposed to him being horribly passive aggressive.

The second half of the show highlighted the rest of Kozelek’s most recent efforts from the past two years. It seems all the selections were related to one of two themes, the Bay Area and death, which was a logical way to continue a show that began with the coping, grimly-themed Benji. Though I’m sure many in attendance would have enjoyed some Red House Painters tunes.

The evening and performance offered a stack of new ammunition for Kozelek to write about after his 10-block walk home. It’s possible the events at Great American might make his next record, as his music is a personal diary inverted, projected to the world, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see it come out sometime later this year. As he said before his last song “Among The Leaves” — “Just don’t follow me home.”

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Great American Music Hall, Mark Kozelek, Sun Kil Moon

Real Estate simply kick off U.S. tour at Noise Pop Fest

March 1, 2014 by Mike Frash 1 Comment

Photos by Sterling Munksgard // Written by Mike Frash //

Noise Pop 2014
Real Estate with The Shilohs & Dream Boys //
The Independent – San Francisco
February 28th, 2014 //

Real Estate played to a solemn, respectfully immersed Independent Friday for their first full show of their North American tour. Sure the indie-rockers played their yet-to-be released record Atlas in its entirety near their home turf in New York Thursday, but they chose Noise Pop Fest to debut their very square stage setup.

The symmetrical grid of squares backing Real Estate’s new live show offers a simple yet effective merging of content & form — the shape is a plane figure, with equal straight sides and angles. Acting as a blank canvas to absorb lighting, the new background suitably reflects Real Estate’s new sound. There isn’t much that’s hidden. There’s little read-between-the-lines meaning, especially with the tracks from Atlas.

The new songs are distinctively more grown up in comparison to the carefree cuts from Days, though their jangly, daytime-chill tone persists. Single “Talking Backwards” already feels uuber-familiar in it’s catchiness and clarity, and it’s a song that fits well into Real Estate’s collection of music. “The Bend” drifts and sways, and it caressed a bit of head-nodding from the sedated feel in the room.

A false start toward the end of the set slowed things down for a moment, but the group is just gearing up and getting familiar with the new numbers live, so it was an easy transgression to forgive.

For the encore, frontman Martin Courtney plainly stated, “Let’s leave it all out on the dance floor” after keeping the banter to a minimum on the night. Quite the ironic statement for a band that stirs an audience as much as at an orchestral symphony — not a person wiggled amongst the packed house, save for the house servers.

Although, “All The Same” capped the show with an incredible swirling psych-jam that could shuffle some feet in a less stoned environment. The lights, for the first time, brought bright white clarity to the stage, reiterating the surface level takeaway. The blaring guitar reverb became dominant, which was actually very pleasurable in the vein of Kurt Vile or Wild Nothing, but it appeared to be unintentional, as Ducktails guitarist Matt Mondanile kept giving hand signals that he had lost control of the effect. Perhaps dabbling a bit more into psych-territory would elevate their live sound.

Are they a bunch of squares now that the guys have hit their 30’s? That’s doubtful — they’re still keeping it real.

The Shilohs & Dream Boys got things started Friday, and photographer extraordinaire Sterling Munksgard was there to capture all the snaps.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Dream Boys, Noise Pop, Real Estate, The Independent, The Shilohs

Arts in Conversation: Son Lux (Ryan Lott) & Magik*Magik Orchestra Performance, Q&A Monday in SF

February 28, 2014 by Mike Frash Leave a Comment

Minna Choi photo by Sam Heller //

Arts In Conversation with Ryan Lott of SON LUX & Magik*Magik String Quartet //
The Verdi Club — San Francisco
March 3rd, 2014, 8PM (Monday) //

The Son Lux performance with San Fermin at The Chapel March 4th may be sold out, but a treat of equal or greater value is in store for fans of Ryan Lott of Son Lux and the Magik*Magik Orchestra Monday, March 3rd in SF.

The event will consist of a performance by Son Lux, a short performance by Magik*Magik String Quartet performing his original compositions, and a 45-min on-stage interview with Ryan Lott conducted by Minna Choi, the music director of M*M, about his creative work, process and life.

Last month we were blown away by Magic*Magic’s 5-year anniversary gala at Fox Theater Oakland, and Son Lux’s 2013 record Lanterns is a breathtaking exercise in contemporary genre-amalgamation. Ryan Lott also has a booming side project with Sufjan Stevens called Sisyphus (formerly s/s/s) that’s obviously worth checking out.

Presented by City Church San Francisco (let’s note that this is not a religious event), this is a showcase for those interested in how artists think, create and draw inspiration. There will be a cash bar available. Doors are at 7:30pm and the Show will be at 8pm. It will be at the Verdi Club at 2424 Mariposa.

There is much to glean from this combination of today’s indie-elite. Audience members will have a chance to ask a question to Ryan, so get those question concepts cooking! This behind-the-scenes intimate event will only have a capacity of 100 people, so be sure to get on this while you can!

Monday, March 3rd at 8pm at the Verdi Club in SF
BUY TICKETS!

Poster designed by Steven Starfas on behalf of official presenter: City Church San Francisco.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Previews Tagged With: City Church San Francisco, Magik*Magik Orchestra, Ryan Lott, Son Lux, The Verdi Club

DARKSIDE reward the patient at The Fillmore

January 27, 2014 by Mike Frash 1 Comment

Photos by James Nagel // Written by Mike Frash //

DARKSIDE with High Water //
The Fillmore — San Francisco
January 24, 2014 //

Word is out on 24-year-old pioneering electronic musician Nicolas Jaar and what he does live. Improvising and looping live instrumentals to craft ambient soundscapes, experimental downtempo beats & ruminative house, Jaar is the king of control, doing it all with a healthy dose of patience.

Teaming up with college friend Dave Harrington to form DARKSIDE presented a new challenge for the Chilean born man that calls Brooklyn home — Jaar had never worked with electric guitar. Nico first brought Harrington into the fold to support his 2011 album Space Is Only Noise on the road, giving the two ample time to test an intermingling of electronic music and the instrument that signifies rock & roll.

On their first US tour as DARKSIDE, Nicolas Jaar & Dave Harrington together are monumental in their minimalist approach to sound, progressive in form, and mind-blowing in combination with suitable visual production.

In true SF fashion, fog filled the stage and the front of the Fillmore prior to the show’s start, and it was still there after the first song, a 22 minute “Freak, Go Home”. The first recognizable part of the track didn’t begin until about 12 minutes in.

In many ways, DARKSIDE function as a jamband. Harrington recently explained to LA Weekly, “…what we do every night is so steeped in improvisation, and that’s what is exciting for us…Once we get through the two or three minutes that we planned, that song will probably go on for another ten or fifteen, and then we take it in whatever direction we see fit at the moment.”

Throughout the evening, the duo played only a handful of recognizable songs, proving improv is more important than preplanning. While improvisation is often a jamband’s calling card, the aspect of this Fillmore performance that was most reminiscent of a good jamband proved to be DARKSIDE’s expert use of tension and release.

Simmering melodic-based atmosphere moved to dramatic slow builds, Jaar would introduce a track along the way — all creating tension. Then well-deserved bass drops revealed themselves in both sneaky and progressive ways, establishing a prolonged release in the form of the crowd losing their shit to four on the floor house beats and body-shaking bass. While jambands release the stress with instrumental jamming, DARKSIDE rewards with a bass-heavy house.

One of the most memorable transitions came deep into “Paper Trails” when the drop developed over four quick beats in a measure, from no bass to full on bass domination. It was a striking example of Jaar’s original, crafty abilities in the moment.

The stage visuals added a positive impact to the overall experience, working ideally with this 21st Century jamband. DARKSIDE used smoke & mirrors to breathtaking effect, creating semi-optical illusions that were most entrancing at the more intense sections of the show.

The lighting was deliberate and paced on track with the methodical yet improvisational nature of the show. It began with contrast-heavy black and white, the two performers backlit by spotlights. An orange hue arrived mid-show, then blue took over for a bit. Banks of floodlights were timed to a big drop during an elongated, magnificent “Paper Trails”, but the effect I referred to as the “Eye of Sauron” stole the show.

A large mirror hanging above the stage was angled toward Jaar for much of the concert, refracting light onto the true right of the stage. But the mirror unsuspectedly swung toward the stage, and once swirling fog spewed around it and a spotlight from the back of the house was pointed directly at it, a portal-like wormhole to another dimension panned back and forth over the crowd. It was trippy, heady, the kind of thing you would expect from a band like STS9. It was pretty amazing.

SF must have been good to DARKSIDE, as we were treated with not one, but two encores. After another ambient, slow building stretch of sound, the crowd showed their love in unison, impressing Jaar to grab his microphone stand one more time. “Golden Arrow” then appeared out of the ether to finish the evening with the long opening track from Psychic.

DARKSIDE provided an experimental aural journey, one that paid off by being as patient as the musicians on stage.

Nico and Dave probably won’t have dance-heads following them from city to city like the Grateful Dead or Phish, but they’re certainly worth seeing more than once.

Darkside at The Fillmore

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Darkside, The Fillmore

Volcano Choir, Justin Vernon want you to Repave at The Fillmore

January 23, 2014 by Mike Frash 1 Comment

Photos by Chaya Frash // Written by Mike Frash //

Volcano Choir with The Cloak Ox //
The Fillmore — San Francisco
January 21, 2014 //

So poetic the prose of preacher Justin Vernon, in fact he performs behind a podium that doubles as a pulpit and modulation center with Volcano Choir. The Bon Iver creator and frontman may still be known for his cabin in the woods triumph turned ten-piece alt-rock behemoth, but not for much longer.

Casting away Bon Iver to the land of hiatus opened the door for Vernon to join forces with a Wisconsin outfit he has always admired, Collections of Colonies of Bees. Based on the group’s second LP Repave, released last year, and their live performance at The Fillmore in San Francisco January 21, the idea of Volcano Choir becoming a permanent band rather than a semi-regular collaboration makes too much sense.

Repave’s core philosophy revolves around rebirth, finding the right path, rediscovering oneself. Vernon explains, “…the changes that we go through personally, metaphorically, and sort of knowing that you have to change if you’re having a tough time in your life or if you’re just hitting walls constantly, or if you keep having bold spiritual questions you can’t answer, it’s usually because there’s not a path for you…”

So it’s not about changing so much, or dealing with the consequence of change. Rather, Repave and subsequently the ethos of this tour attempts to grapple with the process of realization and acceptance prior to change — some might call this self control, others might say it’s embracing personal evolution.

The message is effectively delivered through a vehicle of duality — Volcano Choir specialize in exploring the full range of sound, from minimalist textures to extended crescendos, often with intentionally jarring transitions. The flip side of this mechanism is Vernon’s dedication to avoiding didactic straightforwardness, concentrating on keeping this introspective course correction message mostly subtle.

The show at the Fillmore contained many memorable moments, the first coming with the song “Alaskans”. Nary a peep emerged from the immersed crowd, even as the Charles Bukowski sample from his poem “The Shower” was laced in. The all around reverence must have been unique, as the reaction from Vernon, Daniel Spack and Chris Rosenau exuded glances and smirks that said “Wow, that’s a first.”

Reminiscent of the Bon Iver show at the Greek Theater in 2011, rapturous silence during hushed vocal textures added immense value to each moment. But now with Volcano Choir, Vernon’s vocals are so over-processed and auto-tuned, to the point that his voice acts as a digitized instrument along with the other six performers.

“Still”, confused by many as Bon Iver’s “Woods” (or possibly even Kanye West’s “Lost In The World”), showcased how the group can tamper with sound to the point of creating something completely different and original, all through floaty restraint. This aural rebirth also shined in “Dancepack”, where the line “There’s still a hole in your heart” was repeated for many measures, yet it never sounded quite the same.

The concept of exploring new sound spaces emerged explicitly for the second encore, something that seemed like a rare treat to finish the evening. Likely improvised, the spacey instrumental unfolded as a slow churning jam that imprinted extra heady spiritual undertones onto the performance.

It was these minimalist songs, complimented by reverent crowd silence and attention, that were the highlights of the performance.

But in the prior encore, a Vernon-less instrumental jam offered a monstrous wall of sound slap to the face that contrasted so many of the show’s subtleties. A newer song “Valleyonaire” brought an upbeat, more traditional song structure to the table, helping to balance the set early on.

Also the bombastic singles “Comrade” & “Bygone” offered measured, mostly faithful versions from last year’s album — and speeding up the “legend” part in “Bygone” helped to avoid a narcissistic singalong.

The attempt at discovering new sound spaces is an absolute success for Volcano Choir, making Bon Iver seem almost boring in retrospect. It’s understandable why Vernon said this might be his new band — Bon Iver almost seems superfluous now.

As much as the layered instrumentals from former members from Collections of Colonies of Bees thrives on non-standard form, Vernon’s lyric emphasis focuses on keywords and phrases one wouldn’t quite expect from their live performance.

Vernon’s vocal emphasis plays into the Repave mantra — “Build up that benevolence,” “Behave, behave, behave, behave, behave” and “When all of us are sober” were all phrashes treated with extra clarity of voice to help ingrain fragments of thought into the listener’s brain.

Vernon is willfully taking on the role of guiding preacher. He’s got the pulpit, he actually scorned some in the crowd for being on “more than normal drugs”, and he wants his lost souls to find the right path.

At the end of the set, while the instrumentals for “Almanac” were finishing, Vernon stepped down from the pulpit, bent down on one knee and seemingly prayed, perhaps for his flock of followers.

Volcano Choir’s full sound exploration through an atypical form, including hyper-modulated vocals and pin-pointed phrase emphasis, creates a live music ambiance that ultimately acts as a mirror. The subtle, yet striking delivery allows the message to sink in deeply, maybe affecting some to consider change.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: The Fillmore, Volcano Choir

11 reasons to celebrate five years of Magik*Magik Orchestra at Fox Theater Oakland

January 17, 2014 by Mike Frash 6 Comments

Photos by Sterling Munksgard //

Led & conducted by Minna Choi, Magik*Magik Orchestra and their many contemporaries have prepared an evening for the ages at Fox Theater Oakland January 31. A dynamic group of mostly local performers will join forces over three 45 minute acts to deliver a gala concert to revolve around the theme of childhood, and “collaboration” will be the word of the evening.

Here are 11 reasons why celebrating 5 years of Magik*Magik Orchestra should be in your plans this month. Secure your seats here.

11. Two Gallants
SF-based duo Two Gallants will be joining the festivities — “Fly Low Carrion Crow” from their self titled record might flourish with symphonic backing…

10. The Lonely Forest
The Lonely Forest and Magik*Magik joined forces on “Be Everything”, the first track from the group’s first track on their debut album Arrows. The band has confirmed John Van Deusen will be playing this song and a Peter Gabriel cover with M*MO.

9. Zoe Keating
The one-woman orchestra teamed up with the Magik string section in 2011 for two shows at Great American Music Hall, so Keating should be pretty locked in with the headliners.

8. Geographer
The City’s very own Geographer performed with M*MO at Stern Grove Music Festival last summer, where they opened for Kronos Quartet. Will they simply add a tasty layer of electronic sound or will songs like Geographer’s “Original Sin” get full orchestral support? Maybe both…

7. The event benefits Magik-For-Kids, Outreach & More
Magik-For-Kids is Magik*Magik’s key community project, giving local children access to brass instruments. The initiative also allows kids to compose their own string quartet, build a band, and more. So that’s pretty cool.

6. Rogue Wave
Oakland-based Rogue Wave seem like an obvious choice to include in the experience, and classics like “Eyes” or “California” seem like solid song bets. “Everyone Wants to Be You” from last year’s Nightingale Floors might be a tremendous selection for full Magik backing.

5. The Dodos
Magik have backed The Dodos on their last two records and they performed together at Noise Pop 2010, so they are probably able to send subliminal mind messages to each other at this point. Watch them perform “Substance” below with the stars of the night at Tiny Television in San Francisco.

4. How To Dress Well
Tom Krell is one of the best singers around, and his double mic technique to control vocal echo combined with minimalist, digitized R&B is remarkably haunting. We’ve been promised “Cold Nites” from Total Loss, and the 30-piece Pacific Boychoir will join a 30-piece M*MO for it. Also, let’s hope we get “Talking To You”. Expect goosebumps.

3. Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers
Nicki Bluhm will lend the sole female vocals to the affair, so in this way she is key to the proceedings. Uber-popular locally yet under the radar nationwide, the group’s California Soul will sweeten the overall sound.

2. John Vanderslice
Local luminary & Tiny Television recording studio owner John Vanderslice has collaborated with Minna Choi and Magik*Magik for years — in fact M*MO is the official house orchestra of Tiny Television.

They recorded 2011’s White Wilderness together over 3 days, and joined together again last year on Vanderslice’s incredibly underrated Dagger Beach. Here’s hoping for a glorious live version of “Song for David Berman”. Watch “Promising Actress” from Cellar Door.

1. Celebrating 5 years of Magik*Magik
It’s the Orchestra’s night to shine after five years of providing auditory pleasure backing to over 100 projects. A lineup has been curated that highlights some of the ensemble’s strongest partnerships, so the comfort level and past experiences should set the table for a night to remember.

*BONUS: It’s at Fox Theater Oakland — can you imagine a better setting?

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Previews Tagged With: Fox Theater Oakland, Geographer, How to Dress Well, John Vanderslice, Magik•Magik Orchestra, Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers, Rogue Wave, The Dodos, The Lonely Forest, Tiny Television, Two Gallants, Zoe Keating

Purveyors of fun NVO light up the Independent

January 8, 2014 by Mike Frash Leave a Comment

Photos by Sterling Munksgard // Written by Mike Frash //

Fast-rising purveyors of fun NVO stormed the stage at the Independent January 4th, showcasing why the SF-based collective is poised for a breakthrough year.

It would be foolhardy to label NVO simply as ‘jamtronica’ — certainly shades of STS9 and Big Gigantic come to mind as the group is instrumental in nature, building beats to euphoric plateaus. But included in the sonic equation are obscure sci-fi movie samples, remixes like Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime”, turntable scratching and a fresh auditory dance aesthetic reminiscent of Paper Diamond or Burial.

NVO has hit the bricks hard the past year, playing shows at Elbo Room, Silent Frisco sets and two performances a day at Burning Man, but this one at the Independent was a huge step forward. True to the ethos of Burning Man, the patrons that helped fill SF’s premier emerging artist venue seemed to all know each other and the band. The Saturday night ‘party with your pants off’ mentality was hyper-present with the aid of an incredible light show and a bouncy, high energy performance.

NVO’s biggest strength is they overtly have fun while performing, thereby encouraging the crowd to join along. DJ/producer Justin Ward (aka DUDHAUS) and sampler/scratcher Chuck Jones project unbridled enthusiasm while drummer Greg Maximov thrashes away like Animal from The Muppets and Mike Laglia focuses on effect-laden guitar work.

The lighting provided by Creative Precision was big, bold and oh so very pleasing for the eyes. Carter Adams controls the lights, timing them to the music exquisitely à la Phish’s CK5. The spotlight driven visuals not only enhance NVO’s live performance, but it immediately elevates them to the next level — they are ready for the festival circuit and proper touring in 2014.

The Bay Area’s Materialized performed prior to NVO, and Sterling Munksgard was on hand to capture all the snaps.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Materialized, NVO, The Independent

Jagwar Ma offer intense song expansion at The Independent

December 13, 2013 by Mike Frash 2 Comments

Photos by James Nagel // Written by Mike Frash //

Jagwar Ma with Fascinator //
The Independent – San Francisco
December 11, 2013 //

It’s mind-boggling what two months of touring, an improved venue space and a more engaged crowd can do for a band and their live show. This emerging Aussie group performed their second sold-out show in the City Wednesday — they made their SF debut at Popscene October 3rd — and Jagwar Ma has improved exponentially in the short time between these two shows.

The performance Wednesday at the Independent revealed intense expansion of all songs performed. “Man I Need”, a would-be radio hit that doesn’t get very exploratory on the band’s debut record Howlin, elongated into hybrid dance-jam territory for over eight minutes, leaving more people to internalize the heady sound as opposed to displaying dance party rage.

The group’s intense mix of tripped out classic rock and EDM influences leaves the live listener grappling with the decision to close eyes and float away with the music or attempt to inspire a pogo-pit of dancing.

Through vocals, samples, drum machine use and live instrumental production, Jagwar Ma offer repetition and reverb to the point of transcendental euphoria quite effectively. “Uncertainty” contained a long, improvised outro section that had guitarist and lead singer Gabriel Winterfield surveying the crowd for the room’s pulse. Most everyone at the Indy appeared deeply immersed.

After seeing the group in October, it felt like Jagwar Ma needed to transition songs more effectively as a DJ would to keep the flow of the set going (Jono Ma, a founding member of the band with Winterfield, is essentially the group’s DJ on the road). But the biggest change Jagwar Ma has implemented since October is zealously enhancing the existing songs they have by making them even more epic and overwhelming. This time the breaks between songs allowed for a welcome breather.

No other act mixes psychedelic rock with electronic music that repurposes elements of house, techno and bass quite like Jagwar Ma — yet somehow the output feels sublimely poppy, steeped in musical elements from the past while embracing the future of awe-inspiring sound.

Jagwar Ma are poised to join the Aussie elite with Tame Impala and Cut Copy — this trio is most certainly an act to watch going into 2014.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Fascinator, Jagwar Ma, The Independent

Live music artists ignite the dawn of a smartphone backlash

November 25, 2013 by Mike Frash 4 Comments

By Mike Frash //

Mobile technology and social media have advanced exponentially the past five to ten years, connecting scores of individuals that would have never met a decade ago, enabling us to share narcissistic musings and photos at a moment’s notice. (Unsurprisingly, “Selfie” is the “Word of the Year”.) Bottom line — It’s mostly a glorious thing to live in the age of information and rapidly expanding technology.

But holy shit do we misuse it sometimes. Our social behaviors frankly haven’t caught up to our relatively newfangled devices that are always available in our pockets and purses.

The Pope’s inauguration at the Vatican, in 2005 & 2013.

It’s all changed so quickly, hasn’t it? Communication abilities, access to content & opinions, the structure of web-based writing itself and a pervasive social media mentality have all collided and intermingled magnificently since Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone in 2007. Consequently a massive smartphone market has flourished, and a large majority of us have gotten a bit more ADHD.

Our collective focus and attention span have changed significantly, taking a turn for the horrible. It’s become second nature for many to plug-in to their smartphones while mentally checking out of their immediate surroundings, whether we’re riding the bus, enjoying drinks with friends or experiencing a concert.

Daniel Goleman, author of Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence, recently said, “We have a world that’s been engineered to distract us.” This can’t be denied when a Facebook update, tweet or Instagram upload is always only a finger tap or two away.

One of the most contentious issues revolving around smartphones today is crowd-based photography and videography at shows. A continuous lack of technology awareness from just one individual can inhibit the live music experience for those around the bright screen being held just above eye level. Not only is the screen-addicted cinematographer distracted, but so is everyone else, including the artists on stage.

So is this the new normal, or is this a trend that can be addressed and changed? There are a handful of artists that have spoken out this year, igniting what might be the roots of a mainstream “be where you are” backlash in the world of live music.

In the year that Arcade Fire’s Win Butler crooned, “We fell in love when I was nineteen / And I was staring at a screen,” many artists have fought back against concert camera phone use, putting their proverbial foot down explicitly, politely and absurdly.

UK-based Savages fired the loudest, most forceful warning shot of 2013. The all-female foursome released their debut album Silence Yourself to critical acclaim, taking the ethos of the record on the road with them by banning phones based on the idea of immersion. For every show, they put up signs that read:

Our goal is to discover better ways of living and experiencing music. We believe that the use of phones to film and take pictures during a gig prevents all of us from totally immersing ourselves. Let’s make this evening special. Silence your phones.

That show at the Independent in San Francisco was special because of Savages’ intense, smart use of contrast and due to the room’s communal, energetic focus. The phone ban helped, keeping most devices out of sight.

Savages haven’t been alone this past year shaming phones at shows. Prince threatened to boot any patrons caught playing director on his west coast club tour, and the Artist excluded all media photographers outright. Yeah Yeah Yeah’s phone ban sign was way more punk than Savages’ nuanced approach, advising that ticket holders “PUT THAT SHIT AWAY.” Neko Case stopped her show in Cincinnati multiple times October 22, threatening to end the show early because of flashing phone photos, finally saying “Just put away the cameras. It isn’t going to kill you, but it might kill me.” David Byrne & St. Vincent, She & Him, The Polyphonic Spree & Bjork all prohibited phone photography or asked for devices to be put away mid-show this year as well.

Ever the groundbreaker, Jack White was the one to get the ball rolling in the summer of 2012. Rumor spread that the young living legend demanded that fans avoid social media and not take photos during his show, and the public backlash was surprising brutal. White’s label Third Man Records later clarified, “the only thing that we’ve ever asked of the audience is to not take pictures or videos while holding up their camera phones, etc that block other peoples view or otherwise hinder other fans concert experiences.” The message continued, “Along with that, the bigger idea is for people to experience the event with their own eyes and not watch an entire show through a tiny screen in their hand.”

Father John Misty performed through a giant iPhone on his recently wrapped solo tour. Perhaps J. Tillman wanted to treat the audience to the same visual that has been thrown in his face the past two years. But Father John Misty gets bonus points for referring to himself as “content.”

Some artists are using mobile technology to enhance their live performance. Dan Deacon told his fans to download his interactive app before his show via a projected message at the venue. Then during one song late in the set, he instructed the audience to pull phones out, launch the app, and dance with it. Deacon controlled the color blasts and strobe effects that emanated from scattered smartphones, using the devices to bring the collective attention of the crowd together. Pretty Lights followed suit this year at Outside Lands with a much bigger audience.

So the possibilities for using our pocket computers to enhance the live music experience are out there and will likely gain steam.

Author Daniel Goleman explains the phenomenon quite effectively:

We all are carrying technological devices, our phones, our iPads, and whatever it may be, and they are diabolically designed to take advantage of the weaknesses of our attention system and nab us, and keep us nabbed. And so we’re constantly fighting distractions. That’s why, I think focus is more important than ever.

Certainly there is a difference between popping out your Android for 10 seconds to snap off a couple shots versus literally shooting an entire concert on your smartphone with it’s shitty sound recording capabilities.

The Festival Lawyer explained this best in his Upgrade article:

Maybe you might want to record the whole show on your iPhone (or now iPads? seriously?) and just stand there and focus on getting the best video and pics. I’m not here to judge or scold you. Although I do feel the need to point out that you will NEVER watch that stupid motherfucking shaky video again and you are watching something through a tiny screen that is actually happening really big and loud RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU LIVE!!! (Umm…actually maybe I am judging you a tiny bit. Sorry.)

Ultimately, it’s about finding balance between capturing the moment and immersing in the moment.

When someone is shooting a song-long video during a show, staring through a screen version of their current reality, and thinking about their friends watching it on YouTube later, that person is simply not in the moment.

The musical moments that give us auditory pleasure and ingrain in our memories are significantly more powerful and important than anything that can be captured on a phone.

Just take a look at the Jimmy Kimmel crowd at their outdoor stage…

This is the new normal — we’re all photographers. (Granted, people that go to a free taping in Los Angeles don’t represent a typical concert crowd.)

We are moving toward a world where we are more connected to our phones than each other. Many of us (yes, including myself) are too damned dependent on digital devices.

It’s a bit scary to contemplate a generation born with Facebook accounts. A generation of kids that are given tablets to stop them from crying at a restaurant. A third generation that is routinely fed amphetamine-based drugs when focus is an issue, even though we don’t teach attention-based skill strategies (yet).

In his book, Goleman wrote, “Today’s children are growing up in a new reality, one where they are attuning more to machines and less to people than has ever been true in human history. That’s troubling for several reasons. For one, the social and emotional circuitry of a child’s brain learns from contact and conversation with everyone it encounters over the course of a day. These interactions mold brain circuitry; the fewer hours spent with people— and the more spent staring at a digitized screen— portends deficits.”

The problem here is way bigger than just experiencing a show through a smartphone.

Phone zombies can SnapChat all day if they want to, but it’s critical that we live in the moment as much as possible and enjoy who we are with. The key is to identify screen addiction, set new habits through cognitive control & repetition, and be where you are to the best of your ability in this distracting age of information.

Like Showbams on Facebook and follow Showbams on twitter to stay in touch more Best (or Worst) of 2013 articles.

Filed Under: Best of 2013, Featured, Show Experience Tagged With: Arcade Fire, Bjork, Dan Deacon, Daniel Goleman, David Byrne & St. Vincent, Father John Misty, Focus, Immersion, iPhone, Jack White, Neko Case, Phones, Pretty Lights, Prince, Savages, She & Him, Smartphones, The Festival Lawyer, The Polyphonic Spree, Yeah Yeah Yeah's

WKEND MIXTAPE: Flume – The Mixtape

November 22, 2013 by Mike Frash Leave a Comment

Flume‘s four-disc deluxe edition released earlier this month, and it includes a jam-packed mix tape that layers male hip-hop, R&B and rap vocals over his self-titled debut, an album that has made the Australian DJ one of the fastest rising producers on the planet. Special guests include Killer Mike, How to Dress Well, Ghostface Killah, Autre Ne Veut, Twin Shadow and more.

It’s just over 20 minutes and length, yet it packs a wallop. In many ways, this makes Flume’s original record seem incomplete now that some of today’s fastest rising stars have added song-dominating rhymes — honestly, listening to the Flume originals feels a bit bare and empty after you hear this. Although, these masculine vocal stems should make Harley Streten’s live performance that much better.

TRACKLIST
Intro [feat. Stalley]
Space Cadet [feat. Ghostface Killah & Autre Ne Veut]
Insane [feat. Killer Mike & Moon Holiday]
Stay Close [feat. Boldy James, Alexander Spit & Aaron Cohen]
Holdin On [feat. Freddie Gibbs]
Change [feat. How To Dress Well]
Warm Thoughts [feat. Grande Marshall & Goldie Glo]
Sleepless [feat. Twin Shadow & Jezzabell Doran]
Hermitude: HyperParadise [feat. M.O.P.] (Flume Mixtape Version)

Filed Under: Mixtapes Tagged With: Flume, WKEND MIXTAPE

Steve Aoki gives SF champagne wishes and cake-in-your-face dreams

November 19, 2013 by Mike Frash 1 Comment

Photos by Sterling Munksgard // Written by Mike Frash //

Steve Aoki with Borgore, Waka Flocka Flame, Keys N Krates, Kryoman //
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco
November 16th, 2013 //

Steve Aoki did his best to prove the internet wrong last Saturday in SF by mashing together old favorites with new jams for a hyperactive, sold-out performance on his “Aokify America Tour.” But that’s not to say his Bay Area stop wasn’t layered in sweet and sticky spectacle, too.

In the world of EDM these days, Aoki and cake have become somewhat synonymous as you can see from the crowd signs in our photos below. The genre-bending, Grammy-nominated DJ, who began his music career while in college at UC Santa Barbara, has made a habit out of tossing a huge cake in the face of whoever he thinks deserves it the most.

His cake-lore spread further this past summer at VELD Music Fest when Aoki caked a dude being held up in his wheelchair 80 feet away from the stage. Bullseye! Aoki also brought along his massive neon-lit robots and inflatable rafts for ragers to go on faux whitewater adventures above the crowd.

Israeli multi-hyphenate Borgore, a DJ, producer, singer-songwriter and rapper, preceded Aoki with stage aesthetics that revolved around strippers, poles, pasties and champagne that kept the young crowd in a hyper-sexualized state of mind. Waka Flocka Flame, meanwhile, curated the crazy early on with a high-energy set that forced the Kandi kids and cake heads to pump and jump early.