Featured – Showbams

How to Dress Well reinterprets ‘Pour Cyril’ with orchestral backing // LISTEN

March 25, 2015 by Mike Frash Leave a Comment

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

Tom Krell is as close as you can get to a male siren — his voice is simply that beautiful and hauntingly dynamic.

And now we get to listen to a highlight from How to Dress Well’s “What is This Heart?”, “Pour Cyril”, stripped down with assistance from local luminary Minna Choi (from Magik*Magik Orchestra). It’s gorgeous — listen here.

Also, listen to the most recent episode of Song Exploder, in which How to Dress Well deconstructs “Pour Cyril” and tells the story behind the song. This was recorded at Swedish American Hall during Noise Pop.

Filed Under: Featured, Music Story, New Music Tagged With: How to Dress Well, Magik*Magik Orchestra

Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit // Community Review

March 24, 2015 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit //

Has the time come for Courtney Barnett to break out big? Perhaps, she was on “Ellen” last week. Find out what the BAM Team has to say, and leave your own comment/quick review below for the chance to win tickets to shows this week in SF.

BAM TEAM RATING:

It’s always satisfying when a young artist with a quality first album (or a couple EPs in this case) follows it up strongly. Courtney Barnett is now further reassured in her long drawling style of narration. The feel and tone is more widely ranged with Barnett rocking more on the heavy side as compared to A Sea of Split Peas. The album flows nicely from track to track and often sits in a juxtaposition of nonchalant vocals and heavy, poppy guitar riffs (“Aqua Profunda!”). This balance is delightfully unassuming and charming, lending the album to lots of repeat plays. Barnett is sure to start ripping up festival sets and rising up lineups. -Steven Wandrey
4 BAMS // Top Track: “An Illustration of Loneliness”

Courtney Barnett often finds poignancy amongst the mundane, connecting lines of poetic prose that sometimes boarder on non-sequitur logic, and there are also moments of brutal honesty that expose a history of personal crisis as she nakedly exclaims, “I used to hate myself but now I feel alright” on “Small Poppies”. Barnett has created a dynamic work that sequences wisely, bunching together similarly paced songs. “Elevator Operator” and “Pedestrian at Best” knock down the front door with a sledgehammer, then the next set of tracks slow things down and end with the beautiful “Depreston”, which possesses the tone of a would-be Real Estate song. Back come the galloping rock tracks for four songs before “Kim’s Caravan” aids in a post-rock slow burn right into a lullaby that puts the record to bed. The title is appropriate, matching the roller-coaster pacing of this introspection-meets-exhibition work of art. -Mike Frash
4 BAMS // Top Track: “Depreston”

From time to time, the discussion of whether rock ‘n’ roll is dead rises to the surface as there are great shifts in what the music-consuming public will support. For those who buy into that argument, take heart as there are many new artists breaking on the scene to breathe new life into the genre and most prominently Courtney Barnett. The first thing you notice is her vocal style, which is sometimes called “deadpan,” and that would cover part of her charm, but there’s much more to tickle the ears — there is also her songwriting. These tracks are infused with smart and often funny lyrics that flow from her like an endless stream of consciousness. This is a very full and satisfying album stylistically that takes us into many corners of rock ‘n’ roll, from the hard driving of the aforementioned tracks to the sweet pop sounds of “Debbie Downer” and many points between. -Tom Dellinger
4.5 BAMS / Top song: “Kim’s Caravan”

What a fun album! Courtney Barnett’s blend of stream-of-consciousness lyricism over crafty pop hooks makes for a good listen. I haven’t had the first two tracks of an album hit me like that in a while — very infectious. There is certainly a heavy 90’s alt-rock influence, in all of the best ways (think Matthew Sweet, Elastica and some Mazzy Star on the less pop-driven tracks). Perfect for your drive to the beach. -Andrew Pohl
3.5 BAMS // Top Track: “Pedestrian at Best”

What do you think of Courtney Barnett’s Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit? Keep the conversation going below with your quick review or comment! If we like your reply, we’ll hook you up with a free pair of tickets to your choice of show this week in San Francisco.

Write to ShowbamsSubmit@gmail.com if you’d like to write or contribute at Showbams.

Next Week: Carrie & Lowell by Sufjan Stevens.

Filed Under: Community Review, Featured, New Music Tagged With: Community Review, Courtney Barnett, Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit

NYC rappers Talib Kweli & Immortal Technique team up to take on The Fillmore

March 24, 2015 by Marc Fong Leave a Comment

By Marc Fong //

Talib Kweli & Immortal Technique //
The Fillmore – San Francisco
March 22nd, 2015 //

East Coast hip-hop hit SF last Sunday as two of New York City’s finest, Brooklyn-bred emcee Talib Kweli and Harlem native Immortal Technique (born Felipe Andres Coronel), showcased “The Peoples Champions Tour” at The Fillmore to close out the weekend.

With their politically charged material and top-notch lyricism, both Kweli and Coronel have new music on the horizon. Kweli will be dropping his new album Radio Silence later in the year while Coronel also has plans to release a fourth LP entitled The Middle Passage. They were excited to be performing for their Bay Area fans, giving much love and respect to the crowd throughout the show.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Immortal Technique, Talib Kweli, The Fillmore

Outside Lands 2015: Elton John, Mumford & Sons, The Black Keys, Kendrick Lamar are your headliners

March 24, 2015 by Mike Frash 5 Comments

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 7th-9th, 2015 //

The eighth Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival has unleashed its 2015 lineup, and it’s a winner. At first glance, this looks like the best lineup in the history of the fest.

The headliners are Elton John, Mumford and Sons, The Black Keys, Sam Smith, Kendrick Lamar & Wilco.

Other notable acts include Tame Impala, D’Angelo and the Vangaurd, St. Vincent, Hot Chip, Caribou, Mac DeMarco, Toro y Moi, Dan Deacon, First Aid Kit, ODESZA, Laura Marling, Sky Ferreria, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Classixx, Leon Bridges, Strand of Oaks, Green Velvet & Claude VonStroke, Natalie Prass, Django Django, Glass Animals, Speedy Ortiz, Shakey Graves, Lake Street Dive, Giraffage, Allah-Las, Benjamin Booker, METZ, DJ Mustard, The Revivalists, Iration, The Devil Makes Three, Twin Peaks, The Family Crest, Alvvays & Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe.

Also playing at Outside Lands 2015 are Axwell Λ Ingrosso, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Billy Idol, Porter Robinson, G-Easy, Slightly Stoopid, Chet Faker, Misterwives, DJ Mustard, Angus & Julia Stone, Robert DeLong, Ryn Weaver, James Bay, RL Grime, Milky Chance, GIVERS, St. Paul and The Broken Bones, SZA, The Sam Chase, Langhorne Slim & The Law, George Ezra, Fantastic Negrito, Broods, Lindsey Stirling, Nate Ruess, DMA’s, Alex Bleeker & The Freaks, Devon Baldwin, & The Tropics.

Watch the announcement video at Funny or Die and see the full lineup here.

Get your tickets starting Thursday at 10 a.m.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Alex Bleeker & The Freaks, Allah-Las, Alvvays, Angus & Julia Stone, Axwell Λ Ingrosso, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Benjamin Booker, Billy Idol, Broods, Caribou, Chet Faker, Classixx, Dan Deacon, D’Angelo and the Vangaurd, Devon Baldwin, DJ Mustard, Django Django, DMA's, Elton John, Fantastic Negrito, First Aid Kit, G-Easy, George Ezra, Giraffage, Givers, Glass Animals, Green Velvet & Claude VonStroke, Hot Chip, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Iration, James Bay, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Kendrick Lamar, Lake Street Dive, Langhorne Slim & The Law, Laura Marling, Leon Bridges, Lindsey Stirling, Mac Demarco, METZ, Milky Chance, MisterWives, Mumford and Sons, Natalie Prass, Nate Ruess, Odesza, Outside Lands 2015, Porter Robinson, RL Grime, Robert DeLong, Ryn Weaver, Sam Smith, Shakey Graves, Sky Ferreria, Slightly Stoopid, Speedy Ortiz, St. Paul and The Broken Bones, St. Vincent, Strand of Oaks, SZA, Tame Impala, The Black Keys, The Devil Makes Three, The Family Crest, The Revivalists, The Sam Chase, The Tropics, Toro Y Moi, Twin Peaks, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Wilco

Joe Pug sounds as good at The Independent as he does in a studio

March 23, 2015 by Marc Fong Leave a Comment

By Marc Fong //

Joe Pug with Field Report //
The Independent – San Francisco
March 20th, 2015 //

Less than two weeks after releasing his third LP Windfall, Austin-based singer-songwriter Joe Pug brought his energetic, neo-Americana tunes to The Independent on Friday night. Reminiscent of a younger Bruce Springsteen, Pug’s heartfelt, genuine music sounded as good in a live setting as it does in the studio, and it was clear he loves playing it with an acoustic guitar in his hands. Milwaukee folk band Field Report opened the show.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Field Report, Joe Pug, The Independent

Marco Benevento keeps the surprises coming in SF

March 23, 2015 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Photos by Sam Heller // Written by Anthony Presti //

Marco Benevento //
The Independent – San Francisco
March 14th, 2015 //

Marco Benevento took over The Independent and turned it into a dance party on a lively Saturday night. Lying somewhere between jam rock and fusion/experimental jazz, the Marco B band didn’t fail to impress, especially with bassist Dave Dreiwitz (Ween) and drummer Andrew Borger on board. They’ve been Benevento’s touring band for the past three-plus years, and their chemistry hasn’t been better.

Hailing from New York, Benevento has been playing for well over a decade. His sound relies on experimentation with vintage piano instruments like the Hammond organ, Wurlitzer piano and the Optigan (an optical organ from the 1970’s) while mixing in new age samplers and computer effects. What it creates is energetic rhythmic waves of sound that are overlapped by the impressive jazz compositions of Benevento. It’s easy to create a sample and jam to it, but these musicians are well accomplished at their craft, and Benevento creates every sample live instead of just logging them into a sample bank.

For those unfamiliar with Benevento’s sound or live shows, he’s not just some pretentious jazz aficionado. His sound is actually pretty modern, with some tunes sharing a familiar structure with bands like Matt and Kim. He writes catchy hooks, sometimes featuring a chorus with singing over single-note melodies. His live shows are always engaging and usually full of surprises. I’ve seen him a couple times, once joined by Killer Mike to play “Wu Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthin’ Ta Fuck Wit” and another time sporting a giant tiger mascot head. This time around, he pulled up a girl from the crowd to play “RISD” with him, battling back and forth on his signature organ.

Benevento played until about 1 a.m. mainly supporting his latest album Swift. Some of the crowd-pleasers were “At the Show” and the melancholy indie tune “Eye to Eye” from his newest record, the infectious dance tune “Limbs of a Pine” and “Fireworks” from 2012’s TigerFace, “RISD” and the jazzy “Wolf Trap” from 2010’s Between the Needles and Nightfall, “Heartbeats” from 2009’s Me Not Me, the dramatic tune “Bus Ride,” “Atari” and “You Must be a Lion” from 2008’s Invisible Baby.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Marco Benevento, The Independent

Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers take new songs to Terrapin Crossroads

March 20, 2015 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

By Susan J Weiand //

Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers //
Terrapin Crossroads – San Rafael, CA
March 18th, 2015 //

Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers played night two of their month-long “Loved Wild Lost” residency at Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael. Scott Law opened the evening with a solo acoustic set and brought Nicki and Tim Bluhm out to sing on his last number.

The Gramblers’ set was comprised of material off of their soon-to-be-released new CD Loved Wild Lost and some old favorites. Plenty of guests appeared throughout the show: Law, Andy Falco and Jeremy Garrett of The Infamous Stringdusters, and Greg Loiacono of the Mother Hips. Highlights included a cover of The Beatles’ “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window” with Loiacono on guitar, another cover of Ryan Adams’ “Oh My Sweet Carolina” with Garrett on fiddle and the encore with Falco, Law and Loiacono on “Burnt.”

Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers play one more Wednesday next week at Terrapin Crossroads on March 25th when their guest will be Phil Lesh.

Setlist:
Heart Gets Tough
Waiting on Love
Mr. Saturday Night
I’m Your Woman
Stick With Me
Oh My Sweet Carolina #
Till I’m Blue #$
Long Black Veil #$&
She Came in Through the Bathroom Window &
Simpler Times
Love Your Loved Ones
Queen of the Rodeo
Heartache
Jetplane ^

Encore:
Burnt $&^

# – with Jeremy Garrett
$ – with Scott Law
& – with Greg Loiacono
^ – with Andy Falco

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers, phil lesh, Scott Law, Terrapin Crossroads, The Infamous Stringdusters

Tweedy have a full circle moment at The Fillmore

March 19, 2015 by Mike Frash 2 Comments

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

Tweedy //
The Fillmore – San Francisco
March 17th & 18th, 2015 //

Tweedy, the familial duo of Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and his percussive son Spencer, only began touring last year in support of Sukierae, an under-appreciated 20-track LP. The two shows at The Fillmore in SF this week marked a charming, nostalgic occasion for the frontman and living legend.

Jeff Tweedy has long been known for his gifted ability for stage banter, and Tuesday evening was no exception.

He introduced many songs with the band by stating their time measure, perhaps to keep the band focused and on the same page — the patriarch introduced the band with a backhanded but likely truthful comment, saying he brings the handful of young musicians on the road to “keep Spencer company.” To me, the band sounded great most of the night — we can’t all be as good as Nels Cline.

When beginning to introduce his son Spencer on drums, Jeff brought up the documentary “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart,” a fascinating documentary that chronicles the chaotic process of creating and distributing Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Wilco’s seminal album. He recalled his 11-year-old running around The Fillmore in the early aughts as Wilco played some of their best songs before the album had even released. Then, he looked back at his son, now on stage behind the drum kit.

What a full circle moment.

Take a look at this section of the documentary here. Skip ahead to 1:17:30 to see Spencer on the tour bus playing drums on his lap and quizzing his dad on which Wilco song he was playing while Jeff guesses.

The film then goes into Wilco performing “Heavy Metal Drummer” at The Fillmore before Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was released.

The music of Tweedy is essentially Wilco Jr., just as catchy and memorable but simplified. The 30-song setlist was split into two sections, the first half with the full band and the rest solo-acoustic as Jeff played Wilco tunes and covers.

As always, the man has a Mona Lisa stage presence, making it feel like he’s always looking at you. Mr. Tweedy is a man in tune to his surroundings.

He also referenced a handful of children near the front of the stage throughout the night, noting that they only used their earplugs in between songs as a sort of “earmuffs” measure and that their presence made him feel “uncomfortable.”

Perhaps it was the thought of how much time has passed since Spencer was their age that made Mr. Tweedy feel a tad anxious.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Jeff Tweedy, Spencer Tweedy, The Fillmore, Tweedy

CRSSD makes a big splash in debut as 2015 festival season heats up

March 19, 2015 by Josh Herwitt 5 Comments

By Josh Herwitt //

CRSSD Festival //
Waterfront Park – San Diego
March 14th-15th, 2015 //

Music festivals rarely ever run smoothly in their inaugural year. Whether they are poorly timed, disorganized or just not well thought-out, first-time festivals often have their fair share of problems.

But Southern California-based event promoters Goldenvoice and FNGRS CRSSD are quickly changing the game after putting on a nearly flawless first edition of CRSSD Festival at San Diego’s Waterfront Park last weekend.

Bridging the gap between the EDM and alternative electronic worlds much like HARD Events founder and CEO Gary Richards has done with his own festival series, the two-day, 21-and-over event initially caught fans’ eyes with electro-rock bands like Empire of the Sun and Chromeo topping an impressive, dance-oriented bill that also included ODESZA, Flight Facilities, Hot Natured, Classixx, Maceo Plex, Justin Martin, Lee Burridge and Pete Tong.

Then, a month later, CRSSD organizers drew even more attention to the festival when they announced Phase II of the lineup, adding James Murphy, Damian Lazarus & The Ancient Moons and Trippy Turtle to an already stacked list of performers.

And with temperatures hitting the high 80’s on both Saturday and Sunday, CRSSD Festival couldn’t have served as a better warm-up (no pun intended) for Coachella, which, by the way, is only three weeks away.

Here are our awards from the first-ever CRSSD Festival.

Most Epic Set: Empire of the Sun

The Aussie glam-pop giant has been headlining festivals for a while now and continues to do so in epic fashion. Empire of the Sun’s live performance is as much of a spectacle as it is a psychedelic dance party, and when they intertwine the two so fluidly as they did to close out the first day of festivities at CRSSD, they’re able to leave lasting memories for both new and old fans.

Biggest Dance Party: Chromeo

These two childhood friends from Montreal have been igniting dance parties all over the world since dropping their 2004 debut She’s in Control, and while their synthpop sound hasn’t necessarily evolved leaps and bounds over the last decade, they still know how to get a crowd moving, whatever the occasion may be. With the weekend winding down, you could find plenty of festivalgoers all over the grounds grooving to Chromeo’s signature brand of disco funk. We even saw people dancing on their way to the porta potties!

Most Uplifting Set: Classixx

As we found out at Treasure Island Music Festival last fall, LA electronic duo Classixx have come a long way since their early days remixing artists like Phoenix, Mayer Hawthorne and Holy Ghost! Scheduled to play the always-important post-sunset set on the Ocean View Live stage, they stepped up to the challenge and delivered one of the most awe-inspiring shows of the weekend. With their wide range of influences, the sky — especially when it’s tinged orange, red and blue — appears to be the limit for these two beatmakers.

Biggest Surprise: Lido

Quite frankly, we didn’t know anything about Norwegian producer Lido (aka 22-year-old Peder Losnegård) prior to his 4:30 p.m. set on Sunday. Well, maybe we should have. After watching him drop remixes of Bill Withers, The Weeknd and alt-j all while maneuvering between keyboards, electronic drums and a variety of programming equipment, we were thoroughly impressed with this young stud’s skills. Oh, and his pipes aren’t shabby either.

Best Stage Visuals: ODESZA

The Seattle production duo has been on fire of late, and its Sunday night set was easily one of the most anticipated of the weekend thanks to the release of its second full-length album In Return this past September. While “Say My Name” has taken the airwaves by storm over the last few months, it was their stage visuals that really stood out. Artistic and abstract at the same time, you couldn’t help but stare at the huge LED screen directly behind Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight as they worked their magic on us.

Most Enthusiastic Performance: Robert DeLong

Is there a more entertaining live performer in dance music right now than Robert DeLong? Whether he’s singing or banging away ferociously on the drums (his stage setup includes both acoustic and electronic), the 29-year-old Washington state native is one of the most animated acts in electronic music. Fusing house, moombahton and a handful of other EDM sub-genres into his Sunday afternoon slot, he showed an enthusiasm unparalleled to any other artist on the CRSSD lineup.

Best Guest Performance: Flight Facilities

Since their inception in 2009, Australian production duo Flight Facilities have continued to soar by dropping new singles year after year. Exceeding all expectations at The Regency Ballroom in San Francisco during Noise Pop 2015, they arrived at CRSSD on Sunday night and didn’t disappoint, employing guest vocalists like Brooke Addamo (aka Owl Eyes) to engage the crowd and supplement their disco-house grooves.

Most Under-Appreciated Set: STRFKR

Portland electronic quartet STRFKR have been going strong for more than eight years now. With four studio albums to their name, Joshua Hodges, Shawn Glassford, Keil Corcoran and Patrick Morris have continued to build on their synth-heavy sound. Unfortunately with DJ Harvey and Thomas Jack playing sets on the festival’s two other stages at the same time, STRFKR’s rather fun and upbeat performance on Saturday went relatively unnoticed.

Sexiest Stage Presence: Goldroom

We unexpectedly caught Goldroom at Lightning in a Bottle a couple years ago, so we were already familiar with Josh Legg’s breezy, chilled-out arrangements. But somehow we did forget how sexy Mereki Beach can be when she takes over the mic, as she strutted her stuff in her shiny kicks midway through Goldroom’s Saturday afternoon set. With Legg getting the live band back together, fans of the LA-based act should be seeing a lot more of Beach.

Most Mysterious Performance: Slow Magic

One of the biggest enigmas in electronic music these days is the man behind a Technicolor wolf mask. While his identity still remains unknown to most, his fans know him best by his stage name Slow Magic (read our review of his SF show from the fall). Though a small, yet passionate crowd assembled for his early-afternoon set on the main stage Sunday, you had to feel for a guy wearing a mask and playing drums in almost 90-degree heat.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festival Reviews, Festivals Tagged With: Chromeo, Classixx, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, CRSSD, CRSSD 2015, CRSSD Festival, CRSSD Festival 2015, Damian Lazarus & The Ancient Moons, Empire of the Sun, Flight Facilities, FNGRS CRSSD, Goldenvoice, Goldroom, James Murphy, Jason Bentley, Justin Martin, Lee Burridge, Lido, Maceo Plex, Pete Tong, Robert DeLong, Slow Magic, STRFKR, Tensnake, Trippy Turtle, Waterfront Park

Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly // Community Review

March 19, 2015 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly //

We can trace the focus of this remarkable album to Kendrick Lamar’s response to the Ferguson grand jury in early 2015. In an interview with Billboard, Lamar said, “What happened to [Michael Brown] should’ve never happened. Never. But when we don’t have respect for ourselves, how do we expect them to respect us? It starts from within. Don’t start with just a rally, don’t start from looting – it starts from within.”

Lamar received much criticism for this comment. And it seems pretty clear that To Pimp a Butterfly doubles down on how he feels, explaining his intentions in stark, enveloping detail backed up with historical context and passion. Just look at how he reworked “i” from a sunny, summer single that masked the deep lyricism into a passionate plea for reason, dropping the line “the sun gon shine” after “one day at a time …”

With over nine million full plays in the first 24 hours of release on Spotify (a new record by over three million listens), Kendrick Lamar has a chance to influence and be an agent of change like no other musician in decades.

BAM TEAM RATING:

Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly is an essential, landmark work with the potential to bridge racial and cultural divides in an unprecedented way. The sonic direction is often unbalanced and off kilter with the effect of giving a layered listening experience, reflecting the current climate of being a black man in America circa 2015. Lamar owns a rhyming cadence and tells stories with a revolving cast of characters/voices that supports the overall message of self confidence among unease and uncertainty — while at the same time mirroring the jazz-funk hybrid that drives the record (and KDot, FlyLo and Thundercat are the new holy trifecta of contemporary American music.) It’s a narrative that doesn’t represent everyone, which is why Butterfly is so important — the mastery storytelling opens the door for true acknowledgment and empathy at a time when it’s needed for the sake of societal progression. “Although the butterfly and the caterpillar are completely different, they are one and the same.” -Mike Frash
5 BAMS // Top Song: “The Blacker the Berry”

Kendrick Lamar has completely flipped the script with To Pimp a Butterfly, abandoning the West Coast G-funk of Good Kid, M.A.A.D City for a hyper jazz and funk fusion that challenges the listener every step of the way, but rewards multiple listens as you go deeper down the rabbit hole. Lamar is no longer rapping, he’s preaching and we are all witnesses. All hail King Kendrick. -Dale Johnson
 5 BAMS // Top Song: “Hood Politics”

Everybody welcome the new king of rap: Kendrick Lamar. West Coast rap at its finest: laid back, funky, jazzy, charged, personal. Many of the songs take unexpected turns on a dime that breathe unexpected life into already intriguing songs. Lamar’s flow ranges from chill to enraged, witty as ever. This record is a captivating juxtaposition of head-nodding beats and palpably powerful preaching, often at the same time. A top-five rap album of the last five years. -Steve Wandrey
4.5 BAMS: Top Song: “Alright”

Kendrick’s new album is intense, real and in your face. It’s a brutal, honest truth that takes no prisoners. Kendrick is perfecting his fire-spitting craft over some of the most progressive beats to slap our speakers. This album could very well be one of the most important albums of the year when it’s all said and done. All marvel at Kendrick sitting atop Rap Mountain. -Kevin Raos
4 BAMS // “Momma”

Releasing a follow-up to the 2012 masterpiece Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City is no easy task. So what Kendrick Lamar has done is pure genius by dropping an album with no “club bangers,” but instead lacing us up with some serious hip-hop literature to read up on. This album is full of thought-provoking songs that touch on subject matters so fresh in society’s mind that it’s almost too much to wrap your head around. Lamar educates us on black-on-black crime, a history of oppression on African Americans, political schemes, fame and fortune — and he does so in a serious tone. I wouldn’t say this album is dark, but it definitely isn’t happy, so if you’re looking to go out on the town and have fun, I wouldn’t throw this album on. If you’re looking to listen to some conscience hip-hop that is trying push boundaries with both lyricism and jazzy/funky production, then this is for you. To Pimp a Butterfly is for the people, not the clubs. -Pete Mauch
4 BAMS // Top Song: “Mortal Man”

Like chapters in a novel or scenes in a movie, the songs on To Pimp a Butterfly are part of a larger puzzle. Across 16 tracks, Kendrick bottles all the uncomfortable experiences of being young, black and alive in America today and spits them out over a witch’s brew of Southern neo-soul, West Coast funk and experimental jazz. No, To Pimp a Butterfly is not the party rocker many wanted, but it’s the closest that has come to channeling the inner turmoil that swept this country last year as those fires burned in Ferguson and protesters marched for justice from Berkeley to New York. An album this meticulously crafted, starkly introspective and thought-provoking might not start a party, but it could help spark a revolution. -Kevin Smith
4 BAMS // Top Song: “Alright”

This album comes off like a funk-infused audio diary. Throughout the album, you’re brought into Kendrick’s life, illuminating the listener of his journey from Compton to stardom. Very raw and full of emotion, it strikes quick comparisons to Tupac and A Tribe Called Quest. The production quality is fantastic, each track offering choice beats and unique sample use, adding to Kendrick’s dynamic vocal approach and personal lyrics. -Andrew Pohl
4 BAMS // Top Song: “Alright”

An homage to the forefathers of funk, jazz and hip-hop, this hard-hitting manifesto boasts a cast of contributing artists that feature some of Lamar’s direct influences, both alive and making cameos from the afterlife. Beyond exploring new avenues in songwriting and composition, Lamar pushes boundaries lyrically through vocal contortions, various theatrical interludes and several sections of venom-spitting prose and freestyles. “i” and “King Kunta” take a page right out of P-Funk’s hit-making catalog, while the jazz improv and string sections on “For Free” and “Mortal Man” echo the celebrated works of John Coltrane, Charles Mingus and Pharoah Sanders. But the most stunning effort amongst the layers of innovation present on TPAB is Lamar’s decision to cap off the album with a stunning, time-bending interview remix with the late rap icon Tupac Shakur on the second half of “Mortal Man.” Although at times the album is overwhelming due to the amount of ground it tries to cover, it very well might be the torch-bearing hip-hop record of 2015. Paving ground for a new direction within the genre, Lamar’s contemporaries will be following in his footsteps from here on out. -Molly Kish
3.5 BAMS // Top Song: “King Kunta”

Having been underwhelmed by lead single “i,” I wasn’t sure what to expect from Kendrick Lamar’s newest album. How do you follow up what is easily the best, most cohesive hip-hop album in recent memory? I’m not sure To Pimp a Butterfly has the right answer, but nevertheless Kendrick has crafted an ambitious, if at times frustrating, set of tracks. Sonically, the album kicks aside the atmospheric beats of Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City for an odd mixture of soul, jazz and funk. It’s a bit jarring at first, the beats at times feeling like Outkast, D’Angelo or even Flying Lotus (who produced the track “Wesley’s Theory,” which kicks off the album) tracks rather than Lamar’s own. While clearly trying to expand the scope of his sound, I find Kendrick overreaching and some of the songs falling a bit flat; I’m not entirely convinced the jazzy formula works, and the album can be a bit dense at 79 minutes. What ultimately saves the album though, is Kendrick Lamar’s ability as a rapper and the poetry of his socially-conscious, politically-charged lyrics, especially as race relations continue to deteriorate in the U.S. Never has his words been so pointed, and while it can be a little heavy-handed sometimes (that Tupac cameo feels unnecessary), it’s refreshing to see an artist push himself creatively to ask big questions. -Alfonso Solis
3.5 BAMS // Top Song: “Institutionalized”

Keep the conversation going below with your quick review or comment!

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Write to ShowbamsSubmit@gmail.com if you’d like to write for Showbams and contribute quick reviews.

Courtney Barnett – “Depreston” from Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit.

Earl Sweatshirt – “Grief” from I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside

Vetiver – “Current Carry” from Complete Strangers

Filed Under: Community Review, Featured, New Music Tagged With: Community Review, Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly

Phish announce 2015 summer tour and festival

March 18, 2015 by Kevin Raos Leave a Comment

Photo by Sam Heller // Written by Kevin Raos //

Jam-band titans Phish have announced their summer tour plans, including the annual Labor Day run at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Colorado.

Additionally, they have announced their 10th festival, the Magnaball, to be held August 21st-23rd in Watkins Glen, N.Y. Tickets for Magnaball GO ON SALE THIS FRIDAY! All information for this festival can be found here.

All of ticketing information can be found here.

2015 SUMMER TOUR DATES

7/21 Les Schwab Amphitheatre, Bend, OR
7/22 Les Schwab Amphitheatre, Bend, OR
7/24 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA
7/25 The Forum, Los Angeles, CA
7/28 Austin360 Amphitheater, Austin, TX
7/29 Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie, Grand Prairie, TX
7/31 Aaron’s Amphitheater at Lakewood, Atlanta, GA
8/01 Aaron’s Amphitheater at Lakewood, Atlanta, GA
8/02 Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, Tuscaloosa, AL
8/04 Riverfront Park Amphitheater, Nashville, TN
8/05 Starlight Theatre, Kansas City, MO
8/07 Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
8/08 Alpine Valley Music Center, East Troy, WI
8/09 Alpine Valley Music Center, East Troy, WI
8/11 The Mann, Philadelphia, PA
8/12 The Mann, Philadelphia, PA
8/14 Walnut Creek Amphitheater, Raleigh, NC
8/15 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
8/16 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
8/21 Magnaball at Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, NY
8/22 Magnaball at Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, NY
8/23 Magnaball at Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, NY
9/04 Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO
9/05 Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO
9/06 Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO

Filed Under: Featured, Music Story, News Tagged With: Phish

BØRNS charms The Independent after going from opener to last-second headliner

March 17, 2015 by Pedro Paredes 1 Comment

By Pedro Paredes //

BØRNS with Handsome Ghost //
The Independent – San Francisco
March 12th, 2015 //

Sometimes it’s about being in the right place at the right time. For BØRNS, that was the case on Thursday night when New York City indie-pop act MisterWives was expected to headline The Independent.

But with an illness in the band forcing MisterWives to cancel their set, it was BØRNS who was quickly elevated from opening act to the show’s headliner. The Independent did their best to rectify the situation, making the show free for all guests to attend via RSVP and saying that it will honor any tickets that were bought when MisterWives return to SF for their rescheduled show in June.

Nevertheless, the show went on and still sold out in a blink of an eye. There were many, in fact, who had bought tickets to the original show because they wanted to see BØRNS just as much as they wanted to see MisterWives.

Inside the venue, nobody complained about MisterWives’ late scratch. Instead, they gave their full attention to Handsome Ghost, who got the audience warmed up with an acoustic guitar and a variety of electronic arrangements.

By the time BØRNS, Michigan native and current LA transplant Garrett Borns, arrived onstage with his four other bandmates, the crowd was ready to let loose — and let loose they most certainly did as he opened with his hit single “10,000 Emerald Pools” off his 2014 EP Candy. It’s an infectious song that everyone has come to love over the last several months, and coupled with BØRNS’ charismatic stage presence, the room immediately came to life.

Already signed to Interscope Records and on several “Artists to Watch in 2015” lists, BØRNS has yet to release a full-length album. And for that very reason, his show ended up being relatively short. But as many who were there can attest to, it never lacked excitement.

Setlist:
10,000 Emerald Pools
Seeing Stars
Broke
Past Lives
Benny and the Jets (Elton John cover)
The One
American Money
It’s My Party (cover)
Electric Love

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: BØRNS, Handsome Ghost, MisterWives, The Independent

Modest Mouse – Strangers to Ourselves // Community Review

March 17, 2015 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

Modest Mouse – Strangers to Ourselves //

We loved the batch of singles released in the marketing efforts to promote Modest Mouse’s first album since Bush was Pres. But does the long player hold up to the hype?

BAM TEAM RATING:

Eight years between albums can feel like an eternity for any band, but it’s particularly long when you consider that Modest Mouse haven’t taken more than four years to release any of their previous LPs. Frontman Isaac Brock has been through a lot in that time, from a frightening moment in 2007 that left him bleeding profusely from his face to a number of run-ins with the law over the years. Strangers to Ourselves, the band’s sixth studio LP, reminds us why Modest Mouse remain one of the most essential indie-rock outfits over the last two decades. With a run time of nearly an hour, the substantial 15-track Strangers has all the makings of a classic Modest Mouse record with experimental touches sprinkled throughout and a major guest spot from one of Brocks’ longtime friends, James Mercer, who lends a hand in the singing department. As most Modest Mouse fans should be used to by now, it’s an album that requires patience and a willingness to dig deeper than just its singles (see “Lampshades on Fire”), yet one that also proves to be quite rewarding in doing so. -Josh Herwitt
3.5 BAMS // Top Song: “The Ground Walks, With Time in a Box”

Eight long years! Modest Mouse sure took their time with this one. And the marketing campaign has been in full swing for weeks, slowly releasing singles. I’m really enjoying this album and it’s classic Modest Mouse to my ears (that wailing guitar sound — you know the one I’m talking about), but it would have been incredibly hard to live up to the hype that I had built up for it. Although the album drags at times, it’s a joy to hear and there will be many people lining up and salivating at the chance to hear these new tunes live. -Steven Wandrey
4 BAMS // Top Song: “The Ground Walks, With Time in a Box”

There are musical and thematic aspects of all of their discography in this one album. You have the fucked up party anthem “Lampshades on Fire.” You have the unfortunate fact of human impact on the planet with “Coyotes.” You have references to the Wild West and misanthrope “God Is an Indian and You’re an Asshole.” In all, this album feels familiar yet fresh, which is good because I tend to wear out my Modest Mouse albums. -Bridget Stagnitto
4 BAMS // Top Song: “The Ground Walks, With Time in a Box”

This 15-track return to form has a handful of grand slam singles (“The Best Room,” The Ground Walks, With Time In A Box”) along with just as many stinkers that linger beyond the moment they inhabit (“Be Brave,” “Pistol (A. Cunanan, Miami, FL. 1996” in particular). The sequencing makes for a jarring first listen that smooths out as more time is given for the work to acclimate. Strangers to Ourselves fits snugly into the Modest Mouse canon, especially with so much time since the last set of new tunes — and even more music is on the way with a second album allegedly coming soon (which might include a Big Boi collab). The biggest accomplishment here is Modest Mouse pushing their aesthetic boundaries (for better and worse), firing up a passion that continues to drive the group forward. -Mike Frash
3 BAMS // Top Song: “The Best Room”

What do you think of Modest Mouse’s Strangers to Ourselves? Keep the conversation going below with your quick review or comment. We’ll hook you up with a free pair of tickets to your choice of show this week in San Francisco if we like your reply.

Write to ShowbamsSubmit@gmail.com if you’d like to write for Showbams and contribute quick reviews.

Next Co-Review: To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar

Filed Under: Community Review, Featured, New Music Tagged With: Community Review, Modest Mouse, Strangers to Ourselves

Killer Mike’s ‘fuck boy’ chant in response to fuck boy SXSW fan is all time

March 16, 2015 by Mike Frash Leave a Comment

Photos by Alfonso Solis // Written by Mike Frash //

The music portion of SXSW got underway on Monday in Austin, and Run the Jewels were busy continuing their rise to the throne at the Spotify House. Then some shit went down …

Killer Mike was likely having a good day — Kendrick Lamar gave the substantive spitter a massive shout out in his new track, “Hood Politics,” which unleashed on Sunday. In contrast to Kdot’s “Control” verse that took on the genre at large, the praise for Killer Mike is particularly loud due to the lack of shout outs to others.

So as RTJ was firing up “Banana Clipper,” someone from the audience walked up on stage like he owned the place and looked to be on the hunt for El-P.

https://instagram.com/p/0TiTGRDvSV/

Killer Mike takes the role of bouncer with security seemingly minimal and hunts down the stage crasher with gusto.

The most appropriate part: this is the song where Mike later says, “I sent they mom a little cash and a sympathy letter/ Told her she raised a bunch a fuck boys, next time do better/ Bitch.” Mike reiterates this in his response to the situation:

https://instagram.com/p/0Tp-WSTc3Y/

“Fuck boy” is RTJ’s catch all for weak ass phonies, and the phrase is sprinkled throughout their two LPs. It represents everything El & Mike are against in their populist, antics-driven crusade for real. And Mr. Render’s response to the altercation feeds into RTJ’s growing influence and the moment perfectly.

The best part: Mike has El’s back and vice versa. These guys truly are brothers.

Filed Under: Featured, Music Story Tagged With: Kendrick Lamar, Killer Mike, Run The Jewels

Help protect SF music venues from developers & new noise complaints with one minute of your time

March 14, 2015 by Mike Frash 4 Comments

Photo by James Nagel // Written by Mike Frash //

San Francisco is changing. Rapidly. As technology jobs increase every day in the Bay Area, high-income people from all over the world are moving into San Francisco, which has always been a transitory City.

Case in point, the February median price of a one-bedroom apartment:

Supperclub, I-Beam, Cafe Cocomo, Lucky 13 & The Lexington, have all bit the dust or have a significant threat to their existence. There is development in the works near both The Independent & Slim’s…the threat to the arts in San Francisco is real and it’s happening now.

Supervisor London Breed is introducing legislation that to protect nightlife venues from new developments. The legislation prevents venues from being shut down if they are operating within their permits, requires developers to work with venues before they start construction, and ensures that all potential tenants of a new development know about the local venues before they move in.

SF bar & venue owner Ben Bleiman has organized this petition you need to sign (it will a take a couple minutes), which aims to gather support for Breed’s new legislation.

300 more signatures are needed in the next four days to fulfill this petition (at the time of publishing), which will show a unified voice to SF City Hall. It’s the only way to ensure our world-renowned nightlife will continue to thrive throughout this period of rapid change in SF.

Click here to sign the petition.

Bleiman writes:

As a bar/venue owner in San Francisco, I have seen time and time again how one new neighbor or a group of new neighbors from a recently developed “market rate” property can force beloved nightlife venues to endure lawsuits, harassment and even closure. These venues’ only “infraction” was conducting their businesses legally and as they have for years before the new developments. Supervisor London Breed has bravely and rightly proposed a commonsense solution, and I enthusiastically, wholeheartedly support her legislation!

Protect live music in San Francisco by joining this petition and spreading the word.

Filed Under: Featured, Music Story, News Tagged With: #SaveSFNightLife, Live Music, Nightlive, San Francisco

RUMOR: Why not Phil Lesh or Trey Anastasio for additional Fare Thee Well Bay Area shows?

March 14, 2015 by Steven Wandrey 37 Comments

By Steven Wandrey //

After the most hyped shows of our lifetimes sold out instantaneously, a million people (literally) were crestfallen and left without tickets. Scalpers’ prices currently range from insulting to outrageous for the Grateful Dead’s Fare Thee Well shows in Chicago over Fourth of July weekend.

After overseeing a sell out of epic proportions, the Dead 50 camp surely has dollar signs in their eyes. And why shouldn’t they? If they could stand to pocket millions more dollars by playing four to six more shows, they should.

Now that the rumored date additions at Levi’s Stadium and New York City are seemingly close to fruition, the rumored performers for the Santa Clara shows in late June at Levi’s stadium are: Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Jeff Chimenti, Steve Kimock, John Mayer and Mike Gordon.

While John Mayer pulls some mainstream weight, it’s truly a testament to how strong the Chicago demand was that promoters believe this alleged lineup will safely sell out Levi’s for tickets over $100 face value.

Most importantly, why the possible omission of Phil Lesh and Trey Anastasio? It seems like a slam dunk that Lesh would be a part of his homecoming shows, a short drive from his own venue Terrapin Crossroads.

So what changed? The only obvious change is the swapping of Anastasio for Kimock. Does Lesh have a personal problem with Kimock, who has performed with Phil & Friends in the past? Why would Lesh possibly sit this one out? We’ll update as this one continues to develop.

Watch this performance of “Loser” with Bruce Hornsby and band along with Steve Kimock and Phil Lesh from 1998.

Filed Under: Featured, Music Story Tagged With: Fare Thee Well, grateful dead, Grateful Dead 50, Levi's Stadium, Phish, Santa Clara

BROODS dazzle a sold-out Regency Ballroom

March 12, 2015 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

By Scott Martin //

BROODS with Mikky Ekko //
The Regency Ballroom – San Francisco
March 7th, 2015 //

Fresh off their performance on “Conan” last week, New Zealand indie-pop/electronica duo BROODS dazzled The Regency Ballroom on Saturday night while in SF for their 2015 North American tour. Made up by lead vocalist Georgia Nott and multi-instrumentalist Caleb Nott, the brother-and-sister combo dropped its first full-length studio record Evergreen last year after working with producer Joel Little (Lorde, Sam Smith, Ellie Goulding).

Opening the sold-out show was Louisiana artist/record producer Mikky Ekko (aka John Stephen Sudduth), who is best known for being featured on Rihanna’s 2013 single “Stay” and released his own debut album Time on RCA Records in January.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Broods, Mikky Ekko, The Regency Ballroom

High Sierra Music Fest adds Umphrey’s McGee, The Word, Lake Street Dive, Nicki Bluhm, Lotus & more

March 12, 2015 by Mike Frash 2 Comments

Photo by Justin Halgren // Written by Mike Frash //

High Sierra Music Festival //
Quincy, CA
July 2nd-5th, 2015 //

The 25th addition of High Sierra Music Festival is starting to look like a major celebration of the magical four-day fest’s history.

This lineup is arguably stronger than any in the past five years, rewarding the HSMF faithful for years of loyalty. I gotta say, this is not only a great alternative compared to the final Dead shows in Chicago, but it looks much more fun. Dig into the lineup (so far) below.

Also, discover why we keep going back to High Sierra Music Festival.

Phase Two additions include:
Umphrey’s McGee
The John Butler Trio
The Word (John Medeski, Robert Randolph, Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Chris Chew)
Lake Street Dive
Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers
Lotus
The Jeff Austin Band featuring Danny Barnes, Ross Martin, Eric Thorin
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe
BoomBox
The Motet
Papadosio
Fruition
Jennifer Hartswick
The Waifs
Dopapod
The Nth Power
Steve Poltz
Marco Benevento
Nathan Moore
The Main Squeeze
Scott Pemberton
Cabinet
The Black Lillies
Tim Flannery & The Lunatic Fringe
Con Brio
T Sisters
Patchy Sanders
Eagle Rock Gospel Singers
The Nibblers
Michael McNevin
The Sam Chase
Jessica Lurie – Artist-At-Large
Living Folklore

Get your HSMF tickets here.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: High Sierra Music Festival

JMSN jumps to headliner status in one quick year

March 11, 2015 by Nikki de Martini Leave a Comment

Photos by Marc Fong // Written by Nikki DeMartini //

JMSN with Rochelle Jordan, Devon Baldwin //
The Independent – San Francisco
March 2nd, 2015 //

Last March, Christian Berishaj (better known by his stage name JMSN) opened for Crosses at The Independent. And now a year later, he has headlined there!

Dressed in Bermuda cutoffs, an over-sized, striped T-shirt, slip-on kicks and a simple gold cross on a long gold chain, JMSN looked every bit indie, complete with a well-kept beard as he breezed on to the stage. A diverse crowd leisurely mingled following supporting act Rochelle Jordan — the show was sold out by the time the headliner started.

With an exhilarated pep in his step, the Albanian-American singer/songwriter/producer from Detroit kicked things off with “Addicted” from his 2014 self-titled (The Blue) album. Greeting the crowd with a charismatic “how y’all doing?” JMSN came off very friendly and genuine, quick to interact with and introduce his bandmates and coolly connect with his fans.

His R&B singing style, paired with indie back-up bass and drums, gave the spirited set a subtle folk feel with a good-vibe glow. The talented frontman gracefully bopped around the stage all night, delivering a lively show, which pleasantly offset the somberness of the songs.

Compared to the likes of How to Dress Well and Bon Iver, JMSN has undoubtedly mastered a unique technique of blending the soul, indie and R&B genres. Appealing to a wide-ranging fan base, JMSN continues to garner high praises and a growing popularity with a wholehearted ease.

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

Are Umphrey’s McGee LA’s quintessential jam band?

March 11, 2015 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

Umphrey’s McGee feat. special guest Joshua Redman //
The Wiltern – Los Angeles
March 6th, 2015 //

Los Angeles has never been known as a home for jam bands. For as well-rounded as its music scene stands today, LA hasn’t ever been a prominent city for jam bands quite like Denver, San Francisco and other smaller U.S. markets have.

While psychedelic rock thrived in the City of Angels five decades ago thanks to bands like The Doors and The Byrds, much of the counterculture that was born out of the 60’s and remains connected to today’s jam band scene isn’t one many LA bands strive to recreate, whether it be sonically or culturally.

So, in a city with as much music and creativity as LA, how is that there are no well-known jam bands, past or present, that officially call it home?

Maybe it’s because LA’s penchant for glitz and glamor has always been a major turnoff for most jam bands. Or maybe it’s the city’s high cost of living that is just too demanding for many to survive in nowadays.

But if there’s one jam band that could finally transform that notion here in La-la-land, it might be Umphrey’s McGee.

The six-piece originally hailing from South Bend, Ind., isn’t your typical “jam band” in the traditional sense. Umphrey’s, for one, have always had an affinity for progressive rock and heavy metal, with a long list of influences ranging from King Crimson and Pink Floyd to Iron Maiden and Guns N’ Roses. For that very reason, their fan base’s demographics remain fairly widespread — much like another well-known jam band by the name of Widespread Panic, coincidentally enough — from young, tie-dye-wearing hippies to 50-year-old dads with long, shaggy hair who just want to rock out.

That said, it isn’t hard to spot the group’s jam band qualities either. Over the course of their 18-year career, Umphrey’s have demonstrated quite a few of those characteristics, whether it’s been the band’s live improvisation, ever-changing setlists or open taping policy.

That’s not all, though.

With their repertoire of covers, nothing appears to be off-limits for Brendan Bayliss (guitar, vocals), Joel Cummins (keyboards, vocals), Ryan Stasik (bass), Andy Farag (percussion), Jake Cinninger (guitar, vocals) and Kris Myers (drums, vocals) these days.

Consequently, it’s a recipe that continues to draw more and more fans each time Umphrey’s play LA. After graduating from the House of Blues Sunset Strip to The Wiltern last year, the Chicago-based band returned to the historic, art deco venue on Friday night and had the 1,850-capacity theater packed from the front to the back. If the show wasn’t completely sold out, it felt damn near close. And really, when you think about it, that’s not bad for a band — let alone a “jam band” — that only plays LA once a year. Add in the fact that Cummins and now Myers live in LA, and it makes even more sense that Umphrey’s McGee could be well on their way to becoming LA’s quintessential jam band.

Playing two sets and an encore for a total of almost three hours, Umphrey’s performed a number of cuts from their upcoming ninth studio album The London Session, which was recorded in one day at Abbey Road Studios in London. Unlike the year before where they shocked everyone at The Wiltern with a cover of Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough,” there were no big surprises this time around. Instead, we were treated to classics like “Bridgeless,” “In The Kitchen” and “Miss Tinkle’s Overture” as well as a cover of The Police’s “Driven to Tears” to close out the second set, not to mention Joshua Redman’s jazzy saxophone lines at various points throughout the night.

Yet, what was also interesting to hear was Tool’s Ænima being played over the PA system in between sets. Whether that was Umphrey’s choice or the venue’s remains unknown, but the selection definitely said something about the type of music fans who occupied The Wiltern that night.

Formed in LA during the early 90’s, Tool has been one of the most respected rock bands over the last two decades. With multiple Grammy Awards and countless sold-out tours inked on their résumé, Tool’s prog-rock/alt-metal tendencies have won over fans both far and near, garnering one of the strongest cult followings in rock despite the fact that their last album 10,000 Days came out practically nine years ago.

As cultivators of “improg” (live improvisation + progressive rock) and fans of heavy metal, Umphrey’s McGee in many ways fall under the same musical tree, even with all of their “jam band” attributes. Sure, they likely won’t be selling out two nights at Staples Center — much like Tool did in 2006 — anytime soon, but with the audience they’ve been gradually building in LA, they may finally be on to something.

UPDATE: Umphrey’s McGee have confirmed to us that Tool was the band’s choice to play during intermission at The Wiltern.