Live Music Reviews

Neon Indian debut new material at SF’s newest venue Social Hall

October 3, 2015 by Justin Yee 2 Comments

Neon Indian //
Social Hall SF – San Francisco
September 23rd, 2015 //

In what was the second show of a two-night run at SF’s newest concert venue Social Hall, electronic four-piece Neon Indian stuck with new material from their forthcoming album VEGA INTL. Night School with a few fan favorites thrown in for good measure. The new record, which is out October 16th via Mom + Pop Music, is Mexico-born frontman Alan Palomo’s first release since Era Extraña came out in 2011.

I was excited to finally see the band live, not to mention check out what the Social Hall had to offer. This “new” venue, which resides on the lower level of The Regency Ballroom — Mac Miller was actually performing upstairs — isn’t actually new to hosting concerts. I caught a STRFKR and Will Call show at this same spot when it was called The Lodge in 2012, so this feels like more of a re-branding than a grand opening.

Though I can’t speak to how the first sold-out show was the prior night, my expectations for both the band and venue were not met. I was a little salty when I found out that I purchased a $30 ticket off Ticketmaster, only to find out people got in for free through a sponsorship by upstart music app Jukely. I had never heard of this app before, but I would have loved to put that money toward the overpriced drinks I was consuming. The drinks did little to help the muffled sound that was bleeding through the speakers, as I struggled to recognize which songs the band transitioned into without them saying “this song’s called …” before beginning to play. I couldn’t tell if it was the band or the venue’s sound system and its acoustics that were to blame, but I’d give Neon Indian the benefit of the doubt.

The stage setup itself gave off a high school gym vibe that was highlighted by the primarily young, all-ages crowd — the type of crowd that was yelling for the band to play their hit single “Polish Girl” a quarter of the way into their set and was not all that happy I was taking photos with my camera. As expected, the crowd got the rowdiest for “Deadbeat Summer” and “Polish Girl”, which the band played back to back to close out their set and begin their two-song encore. I grabbed a spot near the back left to see the failed crowd-surfing attempts, and a girl dancing on top of a guy’s shoulders. It was easy to maneuver around the venue, which seemed half full, but it was difficult to catch a glimpse of the band due to the low stage.

It will be interesting to see what Goldenvoice is able to do with Social Hall as it tries to attract shows that are on a slightly lower scale in size than The Regency Ballroom. Due to the venue’s underground feel that you get from its low ceilings, I think a DJ or EDM act would be a good fit, turning the place into a “Rave Cave” of sorts. Social Hall will have to compete with the likes of Mezzanine, which is tough to beat, but it’s always nice to have another option in SF.

Setlist:
Dear Skorpio Magazine
Annie
The Glitzy Hive
Terminally Chill
Street Level
61 Cygny Ave
C’est La Vie (Say the Casualties!)
Mind, Drips
Slumlord
Slumlord’s Re-lease
Baby’s Eyes
Deadbeat Summer

Encore:
Polish Girl
News From the Sun

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Goldenvoice, Neon Indian, Social Hall SF, The Regency Ballroom

Empire of the Sun bring a festival-season sampler to Bill Graham Civic with St. Lucia, Holy Ghost!

September 24, 2015 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

Empire of the Sun

Photos by Steve Carlson // Written by Molly Kish //

Empire of the Sun with St. Lucia, Holy Ghost! //
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco
September 19th, 2015 //

The middle of September is a strange time in the Bay Area as the playa dust of Burning Man still lingers in the air and many attempt to keep up with the city’s limitless social calendar amidst the palpable intensity of visiting tech conferences and vacationing crowds. While the rest of the country is in a collective comedown while preparing to transition into fall and the impending holiday season, SF is hitting its fever pitch as festival season draws to a close.

Case in point: last Saturday’s bill of Holy Ghost!, St. Lucia and Empire of the Sun at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.

Holy Ghost!

NYC’s nu-disco torchbearers Holy Ghost! brought the dance party early, opening the show with an unfortunately timed 7:30 p.m. slot. While die-hard fans cut their pregaming short to make the effort to catch their set, the 2015 festival circuit staples definitely had to work extra hard to get the early arrivals on their level. Making the most of the moment, Nick Millhiser and Alex Franke busted out a mini set of crowd favorites with their backing band, prompting the ascending audience members to literally dance their way through the entrance into the auditorium. They called out those unfamiliar with their tunes to start moving, and the band playfully broke up their set with ad libs directed at the crowd, including but not limited to “Let’s go San Francisco! It’s fucking 7 o’clock!”

St. Lucia

St. Lucia took the stage second, amassing a large crowd of indie-pop enthusiasts who were ready to commit fully to a pivotal switch from club-heavy hits to over the top-pop eccentricity. Nothing shy of what you’d visualize while listening to the band’s breakthrough album When the Night, frontman Jean-Philip Grobler’s vocals washed over the venue in a sea of nostalgia-inducing synthpop. Drawing from Grobler’s South African upbringing, St. Lucia’s sound relies heavily on call-and-response choruses, percussion breakdowns and kaiso-calypso influences. Crowd participation was inevitable, which from the opening bars of the band’s set, was coerced by the vivacious frontman with fan-generated wind flowing through his perfectly coiffed hair. St. Lucia ramped it up a notch halfway through their set, delving into extended versions of their songs that mimicked electronic remixing via live instrumentation. The dance floor was at its peak during these moments as Grobler prompted the audience to get completely lost in St. Lucia’s “yacht pop” euphoria.

After a brief interlude and set change, Empire of the Sun took the stage. The anticipation had already been running high, physically manifesting itself as fans came together to represent the “Empyrean” elite with many of them donning homemade head dresses, face masks, body suits, theater make-up and more. Consequently, EOTS shows breed a certain level of spectacular that throughout the years has escalated from just a performance to a fully immersive audience experience.

Empire of the Sun

Setting the bar extremely high with a near cinematic entrance, EOTS frontman Luke Steele emerged from center stage in his full stage regalia and was immediately surrounded by a chorus of Broadway-caliber back-up dancers. With only two full-length albums under their belt, EOTS have always heavily relied on bringing their rock-opera material to life through eccentric live shows and theatrics, all of which was still very much at the forefront, minus Steele’s partner Nick Littlemore.

Though the two have had years of well-documented disputes when it’s come to touring, it’s still disheartening as a longtime fan to only have ever seen a one-man version of EOTS live. Of course, leave it to Steele though to be an absolute professional and still put on an incredible performance even in Littlemore’s absence. While mentioning that they had been working on a brand-new program for this tour and he was beyond excited to perform it in such a place, those paying close attention couldn’t help but be distracted by his partner’s absence in this over-the-top production.

Empire of the Sun

Steele, however, still rose above the occasion and pulled off an incredible show even with a few awkward filler moments and prolonged eccentricities. His vocals were unbelievable, his multi-instrument mastery was impeccable and his all-around stage presence was something that not many contemporaries can compete with. Even in the most difficult moments, I watched a new generation of EOTS fans collectively have their minds blown. Certain parts of the show thinned out the audience, whether it was due to the intrinsically odd nature of the performance or just a lack of familiarity with the material, but if you were amongst the fans who stayed until the very last note was played, you were undoubtedly treated to a strong finish.

As Steele belted out “Alive”, the hit single off the band’s sophomore studio album Ice on the Dune, to close things out, he brought the audience to a transcendent place of exhilaration. Crowd members embraced and danced amongst a like-minded family of people lost in the moment, even if it involved intergalactic creatures dancing in colored smoke and a crowned Emperor playing without his bandmate on stage. EOTS shows are a special kind of magic that regardless of the material’s absurd nature, translate into an experience unlike anything else.

Setlist:
Lux
Old Flavours
DNA
Half Mast
(Unknown) (Del Zamora spoken interlude 1)
We Are the People
Awakening
Concert Pitch
Celebrate
Ice on the Dune
(Unknown)
Surround Sound
Swordfish Hotkiss
I’ll Be Around
Breakdown
Walking on a Dream
Tiger by My Side
Standing on the Shore
(Unknown) (Del Zamora spoken interlude 2)
Alive

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, Empire of the Sun, Holy Ghost, St. Lucia

After almost two decades apart, Failure are making up for lost time now

September 8, 2015 by Andrew Pohl Leave a Comment

Photos by Mike Rosati // Written by Andrew Pohl //

Failure with The New Regime //
Great American Music Hall – San Francisco
August 31st, 2015 //

You know those bands that you discover after they have already broken up, only to find out that they are not only fantastic, but also happen to be tremendously influential?

This has happened to me a few times with Far, Refused and Quicksand, to name a few. Failure is another band on that list, and when I found out that they had decided to get the band back together, I was beyond excited.

After a short tour with the mighty Tool (who happen to be very big fans of theirs), and an extensive North American tour in 2014, the Los Angeles band finalized and released its self-produced album The Heart Is a Monster. This album comes nearly 20 years after their seminal 1996 release Fantastic Planet, which at the time was mostly overlooked but has become known as a highly important alternative-rock album.

I had seen Failure in 2014 at The Great American Music Hall on their first reunion tour, and they were nothing short of incredible, so I was very eager to catch them again, particularly at such a great venue. The New Regime, a project led by notable session drummer Ilan Rubin (Nine Inch Nails, Lost Prophets, Paramore) opened up the show. Their set was tight, mostly centered around a garage, psych-rock sound.

After a brief break, the lights went down, and the eager crowd welcomed Ken Andrews (guitar, bass), Greg Edwards (guitar, bass, keyboards) and Kellii Scott (drums) on stage. Opening their set with one of their famous segues (“Segue 4” to be exact), each member had a special dot matrix lighting screen, which lit up with brilliant visuals, and the group busted into their new album’s first hit “Hot Traveler”. Andrews let out a sly smile when he looked up to see the crowd, and I can understand where it came from as everyone was lit up and rockin’ out.

Failure’s set was a solid mix of tracks from the new album, along with tracks from their back catalog. Sonically, they are a band that just cannot be touched. The production level on all of their albums is top-notch, which is a testament to the fact that Andrews has spent a good deal of his time outside of his bands as a producer and engineer. Live, the band uses the Fractal guitar system for its sounds, which runs direct into the PA, a very non-typical way of doing things. But for Failure, it makes total sense since they use a wide variety of tones, distortions and effects. Edwards, who also performs with Autolux, switched between guitar, bass and keys, while Andrews played guitar or bass. Scott’s drumming was on point, and his animated style was a welcome counter to Andrew’s and Edward’s more stoic nature.

As the set drew to a close, the opening key line to their biggest hit “Stuck on You” got the crowd amped up for a righteous singalong, which I gladly partook in. I was happy to see that the audience was a nice mix of people around my own age — some older and some younger, both men and women, all of which had their faces glued to the stage. It was refreshing to not see a sea of cellphones out. Given that these guys had taken such a long stretch of time between performing on a consistent basis, I am blown away at just how natural it seemed for them, like it hadn’t changed a bit. I have friends who had seen the band back in the 90’s and have said that there really isn’t much a difference between them then and now. The world needs more space rock like Failure, so here’s hoping that they press on.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Failure, Great American Music Hall, The New Regime

Fat Wreck Chords celebrates 25 years of punk rock over two days at SF’s Thee Parkside

August 26, 2015 by Andrew Pohl Leave a Comment

Strung Out

Photos by Jason Taylor // Written by Andrew Pohl //

Fat Wrecked for 25 Years //
Thee Parkside – San Francisco
August 22nd-23rd, 2015 //

During the 90’s, if you were in the know, you knew about Fat Wreck Chords. My first exposure to the record label was discovering the Fat Music for Fat People compilation album while at our area’s local skate shop, which also served as THE place when it came to finding anything in the independent label world. I already knew who NOFX, Rancid, Face to Face, Tilt and No Use for a Name were, but I hadn’t heard of Lagwagon, Propagandhi, Guns ‘N’ Wankers, Strung Out, Good Riddance, 88 Fingers Louie or Bracket.

Twenty-one years later, I’ve been more than exposed to all of these bands and eventually became a very big fan of the majority of them. Fat Wreck Chords was a huge part of my musical journey and have been the home of several bands that I would most certainly say are major influences when it comes to my musical taste and my approach to writing music. I’ve had the pleasure of sharing the stage with a few bands that released albums through Fat Wreck Chords and have seen many of the bands multiple times over the years. When I found out that this festival was happening, I didn’t hesitate one minute to get tickets. The label had mentioned that there would be more bands announced as we got closer to the date of the fest, and they did not disappoint when it came to announcing the final lineup.

Thee Parkside is the ideal place for such a festival. The local rock club hosts a good amount of punk and hardcore shows every month and has become a hangout for many SF musicians associated with Fat Wreck Chords over the years. “Day 0” of the fest took place last Friday, which served as a party to host a pre-screening of the new NOFX documentary “Backstage Passport II”. I was not able to check that out, but I assume it was one hell of a party (Fat Wreck Chords is well known for its partying skills, after all).

On Day 1, as I was walking into the festival, it felt much like the first time I had been to a Warped Tour. Mohawks and beards were plentiful. It was a sea of black clothes paired with patches, studs and the occasional fanny pack. The sun was shining bright, and the beer was flowing. Inside Thee Parkside were a few DJ sets, along with some acoustic sets from the likes of Joey Cape, Chris Cresswell and Sundowner. Outside the venue, we had Toy Guitar, Night Birds, Western Addiction, Bracket, $wingin’ Utter$, Strung Out, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Sick of It All (who were a last-minute replacement for Propagandhi) and NOFX.

Good Riddance

Day 2 kicked off with a bit of a light fare. Spike Slawson of $wingin’ Utter$/Gimme Gimmes fame has a new group, the ever-so-cleverly-named Uke Hunt. Slawson’s smooth vocals fit nicely with his ukulele and some other accompaniment as the band glided through covers of The Carpenters and Hall & Oates. With it being another nice summer day in SF, the crowd was lit up with anticipation for the day ahead. Inside Thee Parkside, a few DJ sets started things off, followed by sets from Pears, Darius Koski and Bad Cop/Bad Cop. Outside after Uke Hunt’s set, Masked Intruder brought the energy level back up and were followed by The Flatliners, Dead to Me, Tilt, Good Riddance, No Use for a Name (with special guests), Lagwagon and once again, NOFX.

Bands like Tilt and Bracket hadn’t performed live for over 10 years (Bracket had played only one other show in that time). Other bands had seen lineup changes, members pass away and hiatuses, but the one thing that most bands on Fat Wreck Chords have in common is that they have pretty much universally only released albums through the label itself. Several bands made it a point of thanking Fat Wreck Chords co-founders Fat Mike (lead vocalist and bassist for NOFX) and Erin Burkett (read our interview with her here), along with the label’s staff for their never-ending support and hard work. The word “family” was thrown out many times, and that’s really the way it should be.

Dead to Me

As for my experience at the show, I had an incredible time. I ran into friends I hadn’t seen in years, plus I got to see a few bands that I had never seen (Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Dead to Me, Uke Hunt) and a few that I never thought I’d ever see again (Tilt, Bracket, No Use for a Name). It was nice to know that Fat Wreck Chords has continued to live up to its tradition of offering something you could count on — just good quality music and good times. I can’t say that I have been a fan of every band that has released an album on Fat Wreck Chords, but I would say that a good 85 percent of them I have enjoyed listening to at some point in my life or another. I personally would have loved to have seen Propagandhi since I have never seen them before. I would have also loved to see a Screw 32 reunion at the festival. Bands like Mad Caddies, Face to Face and American Steel also would have been a treat, and I don’t say that to complain at all since you really could not beat this lineup.

Here are a few highlights after celebrating 25 years of Fat Wreck Chords at Thee Parkside.

NOFX

Given the fact that there was a very strict curfew in place, Fat Mike, who is normally very talkative and always ready to heckle the audience, had to take a back seat with all of that to save time. That didn’t stop him from getting a few good ribs out there, though. My favorite had to be “Hey Dad! Don’t take your 12 year old to a NOFX show!”, which was pointedly said to the father and daughter a few rows back from the barricade on Night 2. Anyone familiar with NOFX’s lyrical content knows exactly what he’s talking about. This was said just prior to the band performing “Louise”, a track from the band’s album Pump Up the Valium, which details the relationship between two lesbians that clearly have a dominant/submissive relationship. The song is “colorful” to say the least.

Lagwagon

While I was in a punk-rock band fresh out of college, Lagwagon was THE band that we were drawing the most inspiration from at the time. I had never really listened to them much before joining this band, but I quickly grew to love them, particularly their album Trashed. When I heard that they were intending to perform that very album from start to finish at this show, I was stoked! As promised, the band ripped right into “Island of Shame”, which got the crowd into a frenzy, and followed with “Lazy” and “Know It All”. But then singer Joey Cape asked the crowd if they’d prefer to hear the album or a bunch of other tunes. The crowd gave a stronger response to the latter, which despite breaking my heart a bit, ended up not being a letdown in any way.

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes

A band I had yet to ever see and was incredibly stoked for, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes had hands down the most fun set of the festival. The notoriously fun cover band features members of various Fat Wreck Chords groups, and this year featured Scott Shiflett filling in for his brother Chris, who was once in No Use for a Name and currently plays with the Foo Fighters. Dressed up in white pants and tropical shirts, the band whipped the crowd into a glorious sing-along, which lasted the entire set. Busting out gems like Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”, Elton John’s “Rocket Man”, Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road” and John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jet Plane”, it was one classic after another. There’s nothing like seeing a sea of punks belting out “Sloop John B” by The Beach Boys at the top of their lungs.

No Use for a Name (with special guests)

The elephant in the room at this show was the fact that Tony Sly, lead singer/guitarist of No Use for Name and also a key figure in the Fat Wreck Chords family, had sadly passed away a few years ago. When it was revealed that the surviving members of NUFAN were going to perform with a rotating cast of singers, I couldn’t help but be moved. I had always liked NUFAN and remember being quite affected by the knowledge of Sly’s passing. Several bands had taken a moment during their sets to give a shout-out to the late singer. Strung Out even covered the NUFAN song “Soulmate” during their set. You could feel the energy when they took the stage; both band and crowd were eager to release, and release they did. Among the guest singers were Joey Cape (Lagwagon), Fat Mike and El Jefe (NOFX), Russ Rankin (Good Riddance), Karina Denike (Dance Hall Crashers), Chris Aiken and Jason Cruz (Strung Out), John Carey (Old Man Markley) and more.

Tilt

Tilt was the band I was most excited to see at the festival for a few reasons. The East Bay quartet was one of the earlier additions to Fat Wreck Chords, releasing four albums through the label. I remember being turned onto Tilt back in high school by a dear friend of mine who has since passed, so the band has always held a place in my heart for not only that reason, but also an old band of mine once shared the stage with them at The Phoenix Theater back in 2001. In what has historically (and tragically) been a boys club, Tilt have always been a good reminder that women fucking rock, too! Cinder Block’s voice was as beautifully raw as ever, and the band whipped through a tight set spanning its entire catalog. It was a treat to see all of the band’s former members come up on stage at one point or another, and Tilt ended their set with “Berkeley Pier” and all of them on stage.

Bracket

Another band that I had shared a stage with at one time, Bracket from Forestville, Calif., made their triumphant return on Saturday. One of the earlier bands to sign with Fat Wreck Chords, Bracket’s sound embodies the melodic side of things. Though the band likely wouldn’t think so (they are all very humble guys), they sounded right on point. I was personally bummed that there wasn’t a bigger crowd for them, as they have always been one of the more unique bands on Fat Wreck Chords and had some of the best songwriting in my opinion. However, this did not stop them from having a killer set, and those in attendance were very stoked to see them to perform.

Masked Intruder

Masked Intruder are one of the more recent groups to join the Fat Wreck Chords lineup, and I hadn’t heard anything from these international men of mystery. I knew about the masks they wear and I had a few friends who had talked them up, so I was eager to see what they were all about. Right off the bat, I was impressed by these guys. Not only was their sound infectious and super tight, but they also brought a cop on stage with them to keep the peace. No joke. OK, so the cop is part of the act, but it’s still hilarious and doesn’t at all take away from the fact that they are writing really great tunes.

Fat Wreck for 25 years - Me First and the Gimme Gimmes

Fat Wreck for 25 years - No Use for a Name

Fat Wreck for 25 years - Masked Intruder

Fat Wreck for 25 years - $wingin' Utter$

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festival Reviews, Festivals, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: $wingin' Utter$, 88 Fingers Louie, Bad Cop/Bad Cop, Bracket, Chris Cresswell, Dance Hall Crashers, Darius Koski, Dead to Me, Erin Burkett, Face to Face, Fat Mike, Fat Wreck Chords, Fat Wrecked for 25 Years, Good Riddance, Guns N' Wankers, Joey Cape, Lagwagon, Masked Intruder, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Night Birds, No Use for a Name, NOFX, Old Man Markley, Pears, Propagandhi, Rancid, Sick of It All, Strung Out, Sundowner, The Flatliners, Thee Parkside, Tilt, Toy Guitar, Uke Hunt, Western Addiction

Jordan and the RituaL, The Humidors, Mickelson flex their homegrown muscle at GAMH

August 25, 2015 by tom dellinger 1 Comment

Jordan and the RituaL

By Tom Dellinger //

Jordan and the RituaL with The Humidors, Mickelson //
Great American Music Hall – San Francisco
August 21st, 2015 //

Last Friday, the Great American Music Hall hosted another showcase featuring all Bay Area bands. As the number of stages in SF has been on the decline in recent years, it’s gratifying to see one of the city’s finest venues presenting local talent.

Last month, the Great American Music Hall hosted the wildly successful Animal Spirit Ball (read our show review here) that featured Royal Jelly Jive, Be Calm Honcho, The Rainbow Girls and Brass Magic. On this night, the stage belonged to three local bands — Jordan and the RituaL, The Humidors and Mickelson — that offered up a high-energy evening of rock, funk, soul and folk. With JATR mixing rock, soul and funk together, The Humidors solidly grounded in funk and Mickelson occupying the alt-folk field, it promised to be a fulfilling evening.

Mickelson

Kicking things off was Mickelson, and for this performance, band leader Scott Mickelson also brought in special guests Brad Brooks (vocals), Kimberly Kenny (vocals), Ralph Carney (horns), Ed Ivey (tuba), Glenn Hartman (accordion) and George Mousa Samaan (trombone) to further expand the group’s sound. Drawing from its most recent studio release Flickering, the band filled the hall with tunes consisting of both rich, lyrical content and dynamic arrangements that gave the band plenty of opportunities to shine and got the night off to a good, solid start.

The Humidors

With a recent gig at The Independent opening for Dumpstaphunk, The Humidors took the stage and demonstrated a superb ability to throw down irresistibly solid grooves that had the house rocking and dancing throughout their set. Lead vocalist Joseph Carter proved to be an engaging frontman as he worked the stage and band, keeping it all at a high level. The band was tight and its energy was focused. Of particular note was the remarkable horn section with Patrick Cress (baritone sax), Mark H. Miller (sax) and Joshua Cambridge (trombone). All three had deep chops that had the crowd screaming in approval a number of times throughout their set. It was a fun, fast-paced performance that held the crowd from start to finish — one where everyone is happy and smiling at the end.

Jordan and the RituaL

No stranger to the SF music scene, keyboardist Jordan Feinstein took the stage with his band Jordan and the RituaL to wrap up the night. Though Feinstein pointed out this was the “lite” version of JATR (he often has several more performers on stage with the band), the sound they put out was not “lite” in any way. Feinstein, best known for keyboards, also nicely handled the lion’s share of the vocals as they presented a program heavy on soul and funk with a little bit of hip-hop courtesy of an appearance from Rafael Sarria of La Gente, another SF band that Feinstein performs with in his spare time. Those familiar with Sarria’s work in La Gente know what a ball of fire he is, and he generated that same energy at the Great American Music Hall. Subsequently, JATR were in a groove and rolled comfortably through their headlining set with many memorable moments along the way. Guitarist A.J. Rivlin had several particularly fine solos, Sarria killed it with his appearance and back-up vocalist/percussionist Daria Johnson also delivered some stunning vocals. Both popular and gifted, Johnson is always a formidable force, and last Friday night, she was absolutely stunning.

With venues declining in SF and the overall landscape of the music business shifting, it’s good to know prime spots like the Great American Music Hall still have room to present the local as well as the better-known touring artist. By once again shining a light on talent in our own backyard, the venerable hall continues to remind us why it remains at the top of our list of favorite venues, and hopefully fans will soon come to recognize that SF artists both deserve and need our support by attending shows such as this.

Jordan and the RituaL with Rafael Sarria

Jordan and the RituaL with Darria Johnson

Jordan and the RituaL with Daria Johnson

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Daria Johnson, Great American Music Hall, Jordan and the RituaL, La Gente, Mickelson, Rafael Sarria, Scott Mickelson, The Humidors

Cold War Kids are finally getting the respect they deserve

August 18, 2015 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

Sound in Focus: Cold War Kids with Other Lives //
Annenberg Space for Photography – Los Angeles
August 15th, 2015 //

Back in 2004 while attending Biola University, a private, evangelical Christian liberal arts college in Southern California, Nathan Willett and Matt Maust met at a friend’s apartment above an Italian restaurant called Mulberry Street Ristorante in Fullerton, Calif. It was there that Maust, influenced by his travels in Eastern Europe, would come up with the name for the band that he would soon start with Willett. Considering both were ones themselves, the name “Cold War Kids” quickly stuck, and it wasn’t long after that they were relocating to Whittier, Calif., to record their first demo.

Now a decade later, with five full-length albums and a handful of EPs (including their debut Mulberry Street) under their belt, Cold War Kids — even with Willett (vocals, piano, guitar, percussion) and Maust (bass) standing as the only two remaining founding members — are finally getting the respect they deserve. Their latest single “First” from 2014’s Hold My Home has become the band’s highest charting single to date, peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, and there’s a good chance that you probably heard it this past spring if you saw any previews for Cameron Crowe’s latest film “Aloha”. Riding that recent wave of popularity, the quintet has continued to grow its fan base thanks to some high-profile festival performances this summer at Lollapalooza and Outside Lands (read our review of the festival here). So, needless to say, things are at an all-time high for these Cold War Kids right now.

But like most bands, Cold War Kids have also faced their own set of challenges along the way. While they moved around Southern California before making Long Beach their official home in 2008, they’ve endured some lineup changes along the way, too. One of them came in 2012 with the departure of founding member and lead guitarist Jonnie Russell, whose apartment served as the original meeting place where the band was first conceived. The other came a year later, when drummer Matt Aveiro left the group before eventually joining LA alt-rock outfit Bootstraps.

Willett and Maust, nonetheless, did one hell of a job in finding their replacements. They went after two former Modest Mouse members in guitarist Dann Gallucci, who also served as the band’s live sound engineer during Russell’s final three years, and drummer Joe Plummer, who also plays in The Shins and just released his first solo album Built in Sun less than two weeks ago. Consequently, it’s created a winning formula, with Cold War Kids sounding better live than they ever have before.

Ringing in the final performance of Sound in Focus, a summer concert series presented by the Annenberg Foundation and KCRW that also featured free-to-the-public performances by TV on the Radio, De La Soul and Dwight Yoakam over the past four weeks, Cold War Kids ripped off 19 songs for an all-ages audience with a mix of fans and families in attendance. The group, of course, has never shied away from showcasing its biggest hits live, and longtime crowd favorites such as “We Used to Vacation” and “Hang Me Up to Dry” came relatively early in its set. But much of Cold War Kids’ newest material from Hold My Home, tracks like slow burner “Harold Bloom”, the symphonic “Nights & Weekends” (the band has been playing live with a pair of backup string players and backup vocalists now, too) and the ska-punk vibe of “Hot Coals”, exuded their own unique energy.

When I caught Cold War Kids back in mid-November at the brand-new Regent Theater (read our venue review here) in downtown LA, it had been only a month since Hold My Home had come out. With the band supporting the album on tour over the last 10 months though, it’s not a surprise to see it operating like a well-oiled machine at this point. Even so, Cold War Kids have never been afraid to switch things up, much like they did during their two-song encore, which started off with a cover of John Lennon’s 1970 single “Well Well Well” and concluded with the irreverent “Saint John” from 2006’s Robbers & Cowards, the album that ultimately put the ball in motion for Willett and Maust. And as that ball continues to roll on now, there’s no telling when it will slow down for these hometown heroes.

Setlist:
Miracle Mile
Minimum Day
We Used to Vacation
Audience
Louder Than Ever
One Song at a Time
Loner Phase
Hang Me Up to Dry
Harold Bloom
Tuxedos
All This Could Be Yours
Drive Desperate
Nights & Weekends
Hot Coals
First
Hospital Beds
Something Is Not Right With Me

Encore:
Well Well Well (John Lennon cover)
Saint John

Sound in Focus - Other Lives & Cold War Kids

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Annenberg Foundation, Annenberg Space for Photography, Cold War Kids, KCRW, Modest Mouse, Other Lives, Regent Theater, Sound in Focus

Hot Chip take their game to the next level at LA’s Greek Theatre

August 14, 2015 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

Hot Chip with !!! (Chk Chk Chk) //
Greek Theatre – Los Angeles
August 11th, 2015 //

It takes a special kind of band that can pack the Greek Theatre on a Tuesday night and ignite a full-blown dance party within minutes, but after spending the last 15 years perfecting their craft, Hot Chip proved to be more than up for the challenge on their latest stop through LA.

Coming off their much-talked-about set at Outside Lands last weekend, the London septet was joined by electronic/synthwave musician Com Truise and longtime dance-punk band !!! (Chk Chk Chk). With the Greek still half empty, !!! lead singer Nic Offer did his best to energize fans with a pair of short shorts and a bag full of flamboyant dance moves. Part of the problem at the Greek has always been that shows are forced to start on the earlier side due to its strict 11 p.m. curfew, but by the time !!! had finished their 40-minute set, most of the seats inside the Greek had been filled with fans eagerly awaiting Hot Chip’s presence.

The house lights dimmed just after 9 p.m., and all seven members — Alexis Taylor (vocals, synthesizer, guitar, percussion, piano), Joe Goddard (vocals, synthesizer, percussion), Owen Clarke (guitar, bass, synthesizer, percussion), Felix Martin (drum machines, synthesizer, programming), Al Doyle (guitar, backing vocals, synthesizer, percussion, bass, flugelhorn, steel pans), Rob Smoughton (guitar, bass, percussion, backing vocals, synthesizer) and Sarah Jones (drums, backing vocals) — took the stage to a roaring applause from an audience of all ages, one with many who looked like they were having the time of their lives. It was the first time the band had been in LA since 2012, and with its most recent album Why Make Sense? less than three months old, they didn’t waste any time diving into their new material.

Hot Chip have been opening with “Huarache Lights”, the first single off Why Make Sense?, on this tour, and they did exactly the same at the Greek before transitioning into another big hit of theirs, this time the title track from their 2010 success One Life Stand. For as well-received as Why Make Sense? has been, Hot Chip didn’t favor it in light of their older songs. But of the tracks they did play from their latest album, all of them resonated with the overjoyed and surprisingly polite audience. From the electro-funk groove that anchors “Easy to Get” to the electropop sounds of “Started Right”, they compelled the crowd no matter which song they played on this night.

When it was time for the encore, Hot Chip dialed it back all the way to 2006, the year their sophomore LP The Warning was nominated for a Mercury Prize. And although “Boy from School” served as one of its earliest hits, the group also decided to pay homage to a couple of its influences, with one being none other than The Boss, aka Bruce Springsteen. The band, in fact, has been covering “Dancing in the Dark” for several months now, but watching it close the show with its own rendition of LCD Soundsystem’s “All My Friends” was just as gratifying in the end. Sure, the song selection may not have been a surprise considering Doyle used to play in James Murphy’s now-defunct dance-punk outfit, but with the way Hot Chip can hold an audience’s attention these days, it may not be long before another band is breathing new life into one of their own songs.

Setlist:
Huarache Lights
One Life Stand
Night & Day
Easy to Get
Started Right
Flutes
Over and Over
Alley Cats
Cry for You
Need You Now
Ready for the Floor
I Feel Better

Encore:
Look at Where We Are
Boy from School
Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen cover)
All My Friends (LCD Soundsystem cover)

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: CHK CHK CHK, Greek Theatre, Hot Chip

Django Django are still their own kind of weird

August 11, 2015 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

Django Django with Beat Connection //
El Rey Theatre – Los Angeles
August 6th, 2015 //

What is it about Django Django that makes them such an intriguing band to see live? Is it their hand-clapping melodies or their strange, unconventional way of writing songs?

Those were the questions I was left pondering as I walked out of the El Rey Theatre just before midnight last Thursday following an exhilarating performance by the London four-piece and a feel-good opening set from Seattle electropop outfit Beat Connection (read our interview with the band here). On a night when a large percentage of LA music fans could be found at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery to see Australian neo-pysch rockers Tame Impala play the first of two sold-out shows, the boys in Django Django were winning over fans with their own brand of neo-psychedelia less than four miles away.

Formed at Edinburgh College of Art in 2009, Django Django have captivated U.S. audiences in a relatively short amount of time, but more interestingly is the way they’ve done it. The band, for all intents and purposes, is really led by drummer and producer David Maclean, who is the brother of musician and director John Maclean (formerly of The Beta Band) and the cousin of singer/keyboardist Lindsey Leven (member of the Scottish band Gulp). While lead singer and guitarist Vincent Neff may be the face that fans most often connect with due to his onstage charisma, it’s Maclean who has served as the leading force and backbone of the artsy band, producing its self-titled debut album, which was nominated for a Mercury Prize in 2012.

Fast forward to 2015, and Django Django were finally back in LA for their first appearance in more than two years, this time touring in support of their sophomore LP Born Under Saturn. The album, with five of its 13 tracks becoming singles, reached No. 15 on the UK Albums Chart this past May, ultimately serving as a strong follow-up for Maclean, Neff, bassist Jimmy Dixon and synthesizer operator Tommy Grace, who also spent several songs behind Maclean’s drum kit assisting with the band’s percussion.

It’s no secret, after all, that Django Django are a heavily percussive act, with a large number of shakers, scrapers, cowbells and other hand percussion instruments in their arsenal. Maclean, meanwhile, had essentially two drum setups on stage, with one being a wooden box — almost reminiscent of a cajón — that he played during acoustic versions of “Love’s Dart” and “Slow West”, a track the band wrote for the indie Western film that came out earlier this year. A few minutes before, the crowd had let out a collective roar as it heard the opening notes of “First Light”, the initial single from Born Under Saturn, and the energy returned to peak level when it was time to hear “Default”, still arguably the group’s most popular song to date and maybe no better indicator of the weirdness that Django Django exhibits sonically both in a recording studio and in a live setting.

With the last six songs of their set coming from Django Django, the band walked off stage for a brief moment, only to return for a two-song encore that was quite unique after a closer look. Wrapping up with the final tracks from both of their albums, Django Django left the crowd yearning for more, even if there wasn’t a whole lot remaining in their catalog to play at that point. While they’re not expected to perform in California again anytime soon, especially with the band members in the next phase of their lives after declining an appearance at Coachella this year, it may be a while before Django Django are back performing in The Golden State. And if so, it certainly felt good to at least catch them this time around.

Setlist:
Introduction
Hail Bop
Storm
Shake and Tremble
First Light
Reflections
Love’s Dart (acoustic)
Slow West (acoustic)
Firewater
Waveforms
Skies Over Cairo
Default
Life’s a Beach
WOR

Encore:
4000 Years
Silver Rays

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Beat Connection, Coachella, Coachella 2015, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2015, Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival 2015, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival 2015, Django Django, El Rey Theatre

Ratatat turn The Regency Ballroom into a multi-instrumental dance party

August 7, 2015 by Brett Ruffenach 1 Comment

Photos by James Nagel // Written by Brett Ruffenach //

Ratatat with Despot //
The Regency Ballroom – San Francisco
August 3rd, 2015 //

Waiting in line to enter The Regency Ballroom, I heard one Ratatat fan say, “Kind of weird it’s not Friday … sure feels like it.”

In a way, this summed up what the evening had in store for us. Due to an unfortunate logistics issue, Ratatat were not able to make their scheduled Friday night show last weekend but managed to quickly recover and put on a performance that certainly felt like a Friday night for a sold-out crowd.

As the duo took the stage, guitarist Mike Stroud began with a glimmering guitar riff to open “Pricks of Brightness”. Evan Mast joined in on bass to along with their familiar thumping, drum-machine rhythms, and the most exciting element of their live show was revealed — at both ends of the stage were two thick, plexiglass displays behind which objects were projected, creating a stunning 3D effect. The projection technique combined with the duo’s anything-but-lacking light and laser production created a thrilling show that perfectly accompanied Ratatat’s crunchy, high-energy electronic tracks.

Thoroughly covering their entire catalog and diving into older tracks like “Loud Pipes” and “Kennedy”, one particularly exciting part of Ratatat’s production is their ability to change up what’s being produced live. Earlier in their set when playing “Grape Juice City”, Stroud manned both a small melodica and his guitar while Mast filled the room with textured percussion and a groovy bass line. With its shimmering chords and foot-stomping beat, “Falcon Jab” was among the most high-energy moments of the night. In the eyes of the crowd, these two could do no wrong — between each track, there was nothing but roaring applause for them.

Ratatat are particularly great at keeping your attention. With nothing more than the occasional “thank-you” in between songs, the band moves quickly from track to track. One notable highlight was near the end of their set when a slide guitar was used as the lights were dimmed, which turned out to be an excellent choice — the slide guitar is a beautiful extension of Ratatat’s sound. Transitioning into the final tracks of the set with “Supreme”, Ratatat showed that they are not limited to one style.

Closing the set with “Seventeen Years” — a track, which to no one’s surprise, everyone went crazy for — served as a nice way to show that Ratatat have always been true to their sound, even now as they approach the 15-year mark. Near the end of the song, Stroud even threw in a small “Aerodynamic”-esque homage that served as a nice touch considering the ever-present influence of Daft Punk in the group’s music.

The pair left the stage briefly only to come out for a two-song encore, closing with nothing but Ratatat’s adrenaline-fueled, slot-machine dance party known as “Shempi”. As a huge fan of this track, I was immensely satisfied with their choice to close the show with this song.

As we all left the insanely hot and sweaty venue, a sense of amazement pulsed through the crowd only to realize that, though Ratatat made it feel like it was, it certainly was not a Friday, and we all got work tomorrow.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Despot, Ratatat, The Regency Ballroom

The Chemical Brothers melt faces at The Armory for the premiere of HARD SF

August 5, 2015 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

Photos by Justin Yee // Written by Molly Kish //

HARD SF featuring The Chemical Brothers, Claude VonStroke & J.Phlip //
The Armory – San Francisco
July 30th, 2015 //

During this time of the year, Bay Area residents are inundated with opportunities to catch some of the best musical talent filtering through their local venues, awarding those fortunate to acquire tickets the chance to see some of the circuit’s top headliners as they pass through town amid their summer festival appearances.

However, one of the most anticipated artists playing on the main stage at several top EDM festivals throughout Europe, Asia and the United States wasn’t slated to perform anywhere near the Bay Area — that is until HARD Presents decided to book an extremely rare, quintessentially “San Francisco” performance by The Chemical Brothers at The Armory last Thursday for its Northern California debut.

Claude VonStroke

The original lineup also consisted of local female DJ J.Phlip and French producer Brodinski, but due to a last-minute schedule change, the Bromance Records owner was swapped out for Dirtybird Records founder Claude VonStroke. Enthusiastic about the late addition, crowds filled the historic venue early, if not to simply get a glimpse at the 100-year-old Kink.com “Porn Palace”, then at least to catch a bass-thumping, back-to-back throw down by two of the Bay Area’s finest.

Eagerly awaiting the first of only two Chemical Brothers appearances on the West Coast this summer, the audience was able to traverse the National Guard Arsenal-turned-S&M fortress. HARD, the Los Angeles-based event company founded by music executive, concert promoter and DJ Gary Richards (aka Destructo), couldn’t have picked a more ominous, fetishistic and tongue-in-cheek venue to have allured in the massive swarm of locals, either familiar or intrigued by the Kink.com residence. While the dungeons were closed off and private tours were suspended for the evening, the dense aura of the Moorish castle ran deep. Especially noticeable was the lack of air conditioning and ventilation, forcing the bustling crowds to hit the amply-stocked bars before the dance-floor temperatures peaked during the sauna stages of the night.

The Chemical Brothers

After what many crowd members referred to as the “DJ Change Over” in reference to the show’s flyer image, The Chemical Brothers hit the stage full force. While the opening acts most likely kept their set to a bare minimum as far as design and lighting to not detract from the main performance, The Chemical Brothers lived up to their live-show theatrics well beyond anyone’s expectations. Known for their incredible arena-style stage shows, the electronic archetypes blew away the crowd with mind-melting imagery, hypnotic light sequencing and yes, two giant mechanical robots with laser beams shooting out of their eyes.

Directly following their dramatic entrance to a recording of Junior Parker’s epic “Tomorrow Never Knows”, the duo kicked off their career-spanning set with crowd favorite “Hey Boy, Hey Girl” from 1999’s Surrender. They launched into a full-blown frenzy from that moment on, and the UK dance legends went hard (no pun intended) throughout the rest of their two-hour performance, debuting live remixes of new material from their 2015 release Born in the Echoes while interspersing nostalgia-inducing EDM classics off their seven previous albums.

https://instagram.com/p/5y2reIJ59j/

The crowd, although 18-and-over, was absent of the stereotypical amateur-level ravers who often frequent HARD events. Everyone who was there that evening came solely to immerse themselves in the overwhelming euphoria that only a veteran electronic act like The Chemical Brothers could produce, and plenty of sweaty, ecstatic dance enthusiasts had to ultimately feel like they got their money’s worth. Because in the end, amongst elated peers, adult entertainers and electronic music purists, SF most definitely went HARD on this night.

Setlist:
Intro: Tomorrow Never Knows (Junior Parker song)
1. Hey Boy Hey Girl
2. EML Ritual
3. Do It Again (With acapella of “Get Yourself High”)
4. Go (“Edge of Control” version)
5. Swoon
6. Star Guitar
7. Sometimes I Feel So Deserted / Chemical Beats
8. Acid Children / Setting Sun
9. Setting Sun / Out of Control / It Doesn’t Matter
10. Saturate
11. Elektrobank
12. I’ll See You There
13. Believe
14. The Sunshine Underground
15. Escape Velocity (contains snippet of “The Golden Path”)
16. Don’t Think
17. The Golden Path
18. Under the Influence
19. Galvanize (contains snippet of “Music: Response”)
20. Block Rockin’ Beats

Encore:
21. The Private Psychedelic Reel (with “Sympathy for the Devil” breakdown)

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Claude VonStroke, HARD, HARD SF, J. Phlip, The Armory, The Chemical Brothers

The Kills make the long road to Pomona well worth it

July 30, 2015 by Josh Herwitt 2 Comments

By Josh Herwitt //

The Kills //
The Glass House – Pomona, CA
July 28th, 2015 //

It can take a lot to convince someone to drive 45 miles into the depths of LA’s eastern edge to see a show on a weeknight in late July. But there I was, cruising along Interstate 10 on my way to Pomona, one of Southern California’s often forgotten-about live music outposts amid the more plentiful and prestigious concert venues throughout LA.

I had only made the trek to Pomona for a show one other time, and to be quite honest, I didn’t think I would again — not because I had an unpleasant experience the first time, but more because there hadn’t been the need or desire to do so. With LA serving largely as Southern California’s musical hotbed, there has been little reason to ever venture outside its borders in order to see live music.

Often times when bands tour now, they will play a gig within LA’s city limits and also book shows in a surrounding city, whether it be farther out east in Pomona or down south in Santa Ana. But with The Kills in town for only two nights during their relatively short, 13-date tour across North America this summer, I was left with little choice but to choose the road less taken, so off I went.

It’s worth mentioning that The Kills haven’t put out an album in more than four years, with their latest release Blood Pressures coming out in 2011. But frontwoman Alison Mosshart is getting ready to drop a new record with Jack White and The Dead Weather this September, and guitarist Jamie Hince has had his hands full this month in preparing for the divorce from his wife and celebrity model Kate Moss. So, with a new album still being written and worked on at the moment, why on Earth were The Kills stopping in Pomona of all places before taking off for Montreal to play Osheaga Music and Arts Festival just a few days later?

If anything, this mini-tour has given the London duo a chance to reconnect onstage and test out some new material while on the road. The previous night at LA’s El Rey Theatre, Mosshart and Hince debuted three new songs in fact, with “Impossible Tracks” and “Echo Home” being played back-to-back midway through their set before “Doing It to Death” came a few songs later, right after fan favorite “Baby Says”. And the same went for the sold-out crowd at The Glass House, the 800-person room that came to life quickly when the house lights dimmed and Mosshart and Hince emerged with an ensemble of drummers just after 9 p.m. on Tuesday.

I had seen The Kills perform nine months earlier, when they served as one of three openers for Queens of the Stone Age’s Halloween bash at The Forum this past October. And while they put on a strong showing then, things — believe it or not — were actually taken up a notch in Pomona. Running through all of their hits, starting with “Future Starts Slow” and finishing with “Fried My Little Brains” from 2005’s No Wow to conclude their three-song encore, The Kills, for lack of a better phrase, killed it, leaving nothing on the table after 90 minutes.

Mosshart, tall and slender, strutted her way through just about all of it, displaying a bravado that exudes both sex and confidence, while Hince handled his axe like a bona fide rock star, eventually playing some slide guitar during the gritty, blues-infused track “Pots and Pans” that got the crowd roaring after it was over. After all, it’s that blues/garage-rock overlap, along with the chemistry exhibited between Mosshart and Hince onstage, that makes The Kills such a captivating rock ‘n’ roll act to see live these days. And if that meant going the extra distance to witness it first hand, well then, it was damn well worth it.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Jack White, Queens of the Stone Age, The Dead Weather, The Forum, The Glass House, The Kills

Spirit animals rule the night at Great American Music Hall as Royal Jelly Jive come roaring to life

July 29, 2015 by tom dellinger 2 Comments

Royal Jelly Jive

By Tom Dellinger //

The Great American Spirit Ball featuring Royal Jelly Jive, Be Calm Honcho, Rainbow Girls, Brass Magic & The Jelly Roll Dancers //
Great American Music Hall – San Francisco
July 25th, 2015 //

A seed was planted last Saturday at The Great American Music Hall as the site for the first Great American Spirit Ball, where fans were encouraged to join the performers and come dressed as their favorite spirit animal. The brainchild of Lauren Bjelde and Jesse Lemme Adams from Bay Area band Royal Jelly Jive, it was an event that embodied the very best of SF’s music history.

More than a show featuring four bands, it was a package — a unique experience that took the participant on a magic ride that was both a visual and aural feast. Upon entry into the venerable hall, you found it had been decorated with strands of light bulbs and long strands of line with triangular flags that had been strung from the stage to the balcony facades and created something akin to a circus atmosphere from an earlier time.

Brass Magic

Unlike most shows with a multi-band format, the energy and vibe of the evening never waned between sets as the time was filled with performances on the floor in front of the stage that featured Oakland eight-piece horn dance band Brass Magic, which jammed on funky grooves that kept the crowd engaged, and a group of Aztec dancers led by San Jose-based Cipacteo Herrera. Also joining Brass Magic during their set were some wonderfully costumed dancers on stilts from the group Jelly Roll Dancers, adding immensely to the “spectacle” aspect of the evening.

Rainbow Girls

While the action on the floor was wildly entertaining and kept things on a high note, the action onstage gradually ramped up throughout the evening with an over-the-top closing set from Royal Jelly Jive. The opening set began with Santa Barbara/Sebastopol-based band Rainbow Girls, a group that’s been building a steady following in the Bay Area. The girls played a tasty set drawing from their recent release Perceptronium with many fine grooves that moved through rock, funk and a few points between.

Be Calm Honcho

After more fun on the floor with Brass Magic and the Jelly Roll Dancers, local favorite Be Calm Honcho took the stage. Having caught them at a recent date where they opened for Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas and now seeing them for the second time, it’s becoming obvious they’re a band with a repertoire that could take them places. Drawing heavily from their release Honcho Dreams, their songs are catchy, fun and artistically satisfying. Keyboardist and lead vocalist Shannon Harney has an irresistibly magnetic personality with a fine voice that sits beautifully in the mix. It was an excellent performance from them and well worth seeing whenever possible.

Royal Jelly Jive

As the spectacle and joy of it all had increased to a steady boil, SF’s Royal Jelly Jive hit the stage and blew the lid off the place with a romping, stomping and fast-driving set of their remarkable catalog. The band came onstage much like an entourage that was clearly excited and ready to seize the moment. It was time to unleash their inner animal, which they quickly proceeded to do as they tore through their catalog with a passion rarely seen.

Royal Jelly Jive

For those familiar with Royal Jelly Jive’s work, a listen to their most recent CD reveals performances that are more studied, well-crafted and restrained. But on this night, they came roaring to life as they played it all at an uptempo pace compared to their recordings. One could hear previously unheard textures from the drums that were nothing short of mind-blowing. The horns section was tight and ripping with Adams ever so cool on the accordion and keyboards. Bjelde, whose vocals often range between the alluringly sweet and the gritty, laid into the mic with style, grace and power. Rarely the quiet voice, she was in top form and she knew she had something magical to share with us, which is exactly what she did. And, it was truly stunning to behold.

Now that the dust has settled, it’s easy to see this venture was a great success. At the end of the night, as Royal Jelly Jive played right up to midnight and didn’t have enough time to play an encore, the crowd cried for more. It was one of those nights where no one in the house wanted it to end. As mentioned earlier, a show such as this, because of its groundbreaking uniqueness and the quality of performers, honors the musical legacy of SF. Perhaps if we’re lucky, the spirit animal in us all will come out to play once again someday.

Great American Spirit Ball - Be Calm Honcho

Great American Spirit Ball - Rainbow Girls

Great American Spirit Ball - Brass Magic

Great American Spirit Ball - Jelly Roll Dancers

Great American Spirit Ball - Aztec Dancers

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Be Calm Honcho, Brass Magic, Cipacteo Herrera, Great American Music Hall, Great American Spirit Ball, Jelly Roll Dancers, Rainbow Girls, Royal Jelly Jive

A one-man pop machine, Penguin Prison basks in the spotlight while energizing The Independent

July 28, 2015 by Nik Crossman Leave a Comment

Photo by Shane Killian // Written by Nik Crossman //

Penguin Prison (Live) //
The Independent – San Francisco
July 23rd, 2015 //

Better known under the alias Penguin Prison, this Upper East Side New Yorker-turned-producer, remix artist, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist began his musical journey at age 10 when he sung alongside Alicia Keys in their school’s gospel choir.

Continuing to pursue the spotlight, Chris Glover joined a punk band in high school and formed a boy band in college named The Smartest People at Bard. Glover’s relentlessness, surpassed only by the whim of his journey, finally paid off in 2009 when Neon Gold Records released Penguin Prison’s Animal Animal/A Funny Thing EP.

After making a name for himself as a synthpop wunderkind from New York, Glover released a self-titled, full-length album in 2011 and proceeded to demonstrate his musical prowess by producing remixes for Ellie Goulding, Imagine Dragons, Marina & The Diamonds and more. He dropped Penguin Prison’s second and latest album Lost in New York in early May.

Last Thursday, Glover basked in the spotlight once again with a rare, live performance at The Independent. Accompanied by a full band wearing all black, Glover stood out in a plain white tee, white jeans, white mic and white guitar. The tireless stage presence of this electropop enthusiast lit up the sold-out crowd, even during his more mellow tracks like “Caught in a Daze”.

Balancing the old with the new, Glover played songs from his full discography and engaged his adoring fans. While Lost in New York is only two months old, the crowd absorbed the easy-to-digest, catchy arrangements as though they’ve been radio hits for years.

When Penguin Prison finally wound down the dance-filled evening, Glover donned his sweat-drenched uniform of white as proof of a lively performance. Despite his exhaustion, Glover hopped down from the stage after the show to connect with his fans, take pictures and shake hands with anyone who wanted to meet this multi-talented, one-man pop machine.

Setlist:
Calling Out
Never Gets Old
Golden Train
The Worse It Gets
Try to Lose
A Funny Thing
Caught in a Daze
Show Me the Way
Laughing at the Floor
Hollywood
All Night Long (Lionel Richie cover)
Don’t Fuck With My Money

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

Are Built to Spill indie rock’s most important band?

July 21, 2015 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

Built to Spill //
Troubadour – West Hollywood, CA
July 15th, 2015 //

Long before the word “indie” became a trendy term for casual music fans to throw around here and there, an independent music scene was on the rise in the U.S. At the time, record companies still maintained a tight grip on the industry, making it all the more difficult for lesser-known bands to climb the ranks without the backing of a major label.

But those days have come and gone since the DIY age, with record labels no longer holding the overwhelming power they once had due to the accessibility and convenience that the internet has come to offer up-and-coming artists. That doesn’t mean the word “indie” has reached near-extinction levels yet, though. With the talent across today’s music business spanning far and wide, it’s being used even more now, except as a descriptor for a band’s sound rather than strictly for its label status. These days, there are a number of artists on independent record labels who have gained all sorts of commercial success while others who are signed to much larger labels have soared thanks to their “indie” sound. In many ways, the lines have become increasingly blurred, and attempting to define what “indie” actually means when describing a band has become an arduous feat.

Yet, if there is one “indie” band that revolutionized the gritty, lo-fi sound before most even had a chance, it’s Built to Spill. For more than 20 years, the Boise-based outfit has served as one of the most important indie-rock acts to this day. With no Grammys or gold hardware to flaunt, lead singer/guitarist Doug Martsch and company have flown largely under the radar despite serving as a major influence for indie heavyweights like Modest Mouse, Death Cab for Cutie and The Strokes — all bands that have gone on to garner a lot more commercial success than the Pacific Northwest five-piece. That’s not to say that Built to Spill never got the respect they deserved, but you won’t find them selling out arenas or headlining 1,000-person venues. Rather, despite signing with Warner Bros. Records more than 15 years ago, they’ve continued to maintain a relatively small, yet loyal following, understanding their audience and where they stand in the marketplace. So, it was no shock to see them book three straight nights last week at the diminutive Troubadour — a place that they’ve become quite familiar with over the years — while touring North America this summer in support of their eighth and latest full-length record Untethered Moon.

Selling out their third and final show in LA, Built to Spill still know how to keep their fans guessing. Their carefully crafted setlist showcased the breath and depth of a catalog that has stood the test of time, as they kicked things off with “The Wait”, the final track off their seminal 2006 album You in Reverse, before turning to their newest single “Living Zoo”. In a matter of 90 minutes, Built to Spill performed cuts from almost every one of their studio albums, from 1997’s Perfect from Now On to 1999’s Keep It Like a Secret to 2001’s Ancient Melodies of the Future to 2009’s There Is No Enemy to 2015’s Untethered Moon, of course. They even closed out their set with the title track from their 1999 EP Carry the Zero. But the biggest surprise just might have been seeing them honor some of LA’s musical past with a cover of The Byrds’ “Eight Miles High”, a song that was written nearly 50 years ago.

For their two-song encore, Built to Spill went way back in time to tap into another album of theirs, reminding us of their 1994 LP There’s Nothing Wrong with Love with “Stab” — a piece of music that’s more than two decades old at this point. And in watching Built to Spill play recently, including this past spring at Coachella, it’s become more and more apparent that Martsch, for all intents and purposes, is the brains behind the band. In fact, when he first formed Built to Spill in 1992, his plan was to change the group’s lineup for every album, using a rotating cast of musicians to record and tour while keeping himself as its only permanent member. Some fresh faces have entered the fold in more recent times, with bassist Jason Albertini and drummer Steve Gere replacing Brett Nelson and Scott Plouf, respectively, but even after Martsch signed the band to Warner Bros. Records back in 1995, the deal he inked allowed Built to Spill to maintain much of their creative control. At the time, many could have seen that development as the end of Built to Spill’s “indie” days. Instead, it’s only proved to be of no consequence for one of indie rock’s pioneering bands.

Setlist:
The Wait
Living Zoo
The Plan
Planting Seeds
Never Be the Same
Wherever You Go
Liar
The Weather
Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss
So
Eight Miles High (The Byrds cover)
Stop the Show
On the Way
Carry the Zero

Encore:
Stab
Randy Described Eternity

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Built To Spill, Coachella, Coachella 2015, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2015, Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival 2015, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival 2015, Death Cab For Cutie, Modest Mouse, The Strokes, Troubadour

New material or not, it’s good to see Jurassic 5 still giving it their all

July 15, 2015 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

Jurassic 5 //
Club Nokia – Los Angeles
July 9th, 2015 //

In 2002, Jurassic 5 were on top of the hip-hop world. After achieving moderate success from its first two studio albums, the LA-based group’s third LP Power in Numbers soared to No. 15 on the Billboard 200 thanks, in part, to its hit single “What’s Golden” before other tracks like “Freedom” and “Hey” would later propel the six-piece further into the mainstream.

But by 2006, things had started heading in the wrong direction for the alternative hip-hop collective. DJ/turntablist Lucas Macfadden (Cut Chemist) left the group to focus on his solo career, and J5’s subsequent full-length record Feedback, despite its commercial success, was met by some rather ho-hum reviews. Less than a year later, the group broke up, citing “musical differences” for its decision to call it quits. Each of the remaining members — Charles Stewart (Chali 2na), Dante Givens (Akil), Courtenay Henderson (Zaakir aka Soup), Marc Stuart (Marc 7) and Mark Potsic (DJ Nu-Mark) — went their separate ways after the split, with some pursuing their own individual projects while Henderson was eventually forced to work a job at Nordstorm to make ends meet.

Jurassic 5’s Marc 7

Seven years passed before Jurassic 5 would resurface, though this time it was in front of a packed crowd on the polo fields of Indio, Calif. The group’s Coachella performance in 2013 would signal a reunion of sorts, one that has continued through the first half of 2015 with shows overseas in Australia, New Zealand and Japan prior to this summer’s headlining U.S. tour, which featured a hometown date at Club Nokia last Thursday night.

And although Jurassic 5 hasn’t released any new material besides the Heavy D-produced track “The Way We Do It” last year, they still sound just as tight as they did in their early-2000’s heyday. In its native LA, the group appeared to be in high spirits from the minute it walked on stage. Chali 2na, arguably the group’s most beloved emcee among fans due to his deep baritone voice and remarkable rhyming ability, looked like his old cheerful and playful self, flowing effortlessly while flashing his great, big smile in between verses.

Jurassic 5’s Chali 2na

The DJ battle that ensued midway through J5’s set, meanwhile, reminded both new and old fans that the talent within the group extends equally from the front to the back of the stage. Because for as gifted as DJ Nu-Mark is, it’s hard to think of Jurassic 5 without picturing Cut Chemist behind the decks. During the few months that the group performed without him after his departure, something felt missing. It’s that relationship between DJ and emcee, after all, that makes iconic hip-hop groups like J5 so special to experience in a live setting, even more than two decades after they were formed.

At Club Nokia, Jurassic 5 never showed their age. They hit upon just about every big track they ever released and even welcomed legendary rapper Percee P to the stage late in their encore. But as nostalgic as it was hearing tracks like “Jayou”, ” The Influence”, “Quality Control” and “Improvised” more than a decade after they were written, Jurassic 5 won’t be able to live off them forever. Whether it’s next year or the year after, there will come a time when the group’s members will have no choice but to re-enter the studio and assemble a new record — if not to generate more radio play, then to at least continue touring. For now though, all six seem happy to be performing together again and similarly, so do their fans.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Akil, Chali 2na, Club Nokia, Coachella, Coachella 2013, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Cut Chemist, DJ Nu-Mark, Jurassic 5, Marc 7, Zaakir

Allen Stone, Brynn Elliott preach tech-free positivity at The Chapel

June 29, 2015 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

Allen Stone

Photos by Tom Dellinger // Written by Molly Kish //

Allen Stone with Brynn Elliott //
The Chapel – San Francisco
June 23rd, 2015 //

Outwardly spoken about his disdain for modern culture and social media, soul/R&B singer-songwriter Allen Stone stopped by The Chapel this past Tuesday aiming to make a positive impact on an innately tech-driven audience. Enlisting help from his tourmate, up-and-coming folk songstress Brynn Elliot, the two managed to win over a sold-out crowd with their irrefutable charm and engaging performances.

Fans arrived early to check out Elliot, a novice singer-songwriter touring with Stone this summer before starting her sophomore year at Harvard in the fall. Resembling someone who could easily be mistaken for Stone’s little sister, the flaxen hair beauty earned the crowd’s attention with her dainty folk melodies and contagious excitement. She performed center stage, guitar in hand, and was backed by a band.

Brynn Elliott

Impressively belting out nearly all of her 2014 album Notions of Love, Elliot played a 45-minute set with some endearing banter between songs. She beamed with gratitude for the opportunity Stone had given her, but she also almost looked amazed by the moment.

Stone took the stage shortly thereafter to a resounding ovation from a room full of his fired-up fans, who both physically and emotionally ignited The Chapel with cheers and applause. Known for his crowd participation and “call to arms” banter, Stone started off the evening preaching his mission to establish a collective energy amongst those there to see his set. He asked the crowd to put away cellphones and to “drop your egos and tap into the music.” By that point, his disdain for modern technology was made immediately clear.

Allen Stone

In many ways, Stone’s ideological stance on technology shapes not only his set as a performer but also his fan base. Watching an Allen Stone show, one can feel certain that all pretenses will be left at the door and those surrounding you will be committing their full attention to the music.

Midway through Stone’s set, the venue was completely under his charismatic spell. The audience actively followed the Seattle-born frontman’s lead as he prompted a group participation “2-step” and rolled through crowd favorites from his self-titled LP and latest album Radius.

Allen Stone

Reinstating his anti-social media mantra throughout the entire performance, Stone, in one of the more memorable moments of the evening, jumped from the stage into the crowd to physically embrace some fans. The heartfelt moment re-emphasized the importance Stone continues to put behind such organic connections and authentic moments that he hopes his music can bring to light and will encourage people to give in to the unifying power that both art and the appreciation for it can have.

Setlist:
Freezer Burn
Fake Future
Say So
Celebrate Tonight
Symmetrical
Upside
Love
Million
I Know That I Wasn’t Right
American Privilege
Somebody That I Used to Know (Gotye cover)
Contact High
“Whoa”
What I’ve Seen
Sleep
Freedom
Voodoo

Encore:
Get Down on It (Kool & the Gang cover)
JB Groove
Satisfaction

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Allen Stone, Brynn Elliott, The Chapel

Am I too old now to be going to Big Gigantic shows?

June 24, 2015 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

Big Gigantic //
Avalon Hollywood – Los Angeles
June 19th, 2015 //

It was more than five years ago when I first discovered Big Gigantic.

With its inclusion of the jazz, hip-hop and electronic worlds into their bass-heavy club bangers, the Boulder-based duo comprised of saxophonist/producer Dominic Lalli and drummer Jeremy Salken quickly captured my attention as one of music’s most intriguing up-and-coming acts amid America’s 21st-century EDM boom. There was no one else doing quite like what they were doing. Between Lalli’s sexy saxophone lines, Salken’s thundering hip-hop beats and the help of a laptop computer, Big Gigantic was already one of a kind. It was like they had created a new genre of music, or “jazztronica” as I like to call it.

A few months later, I got to witness Big G’s energy first hand when I saw them open for Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) at a sold-out Red Rocks Amphitheatre. It was then and there that I started to understand how “big” their sound really was and could be.

Since then, Lalli and Salken have come a long way. They have released four full-length albums and played at nearly every major U.S. music festival out there, from Bonnaroo to Coachella to Firefly to Electric Forest. And this September, they will headline their fourth “Rowdytown” show at Red Rocks, a feat that Lalli and Salken can both be very proud of as current Colorado residents. It’s all resulted in a burgeoning fan base, one that continues to grow outside the 303 and 720 area codes.

Big Gigantic’s Dominic Lalli

At this point, I have seen Big Gigantic perform more than 10 times — more times than I can remember, in fact. I have lost track of the number not because the shows were unsatisfying or unmemorable, but more because there have been so many in such a short amount of time. But after turning 31 this month, I realize I’m also no spring chicken anymore.

Which brings me to last Friday’s show at Avalon Hollywood, where Big Gigantic made their return to LA after appearing at HARD Day of the Dead a few months earlier (a Big G show in the local area that I actually didn’t attend). Having noticed over the past two years that the fans seem to get younger and younger with each show I’m at, I was fully prepared to see some recent high school graduates packing the dance floor when I arrived before Big G’s headlining set. Of course, it didn’t help that Avalon is well-known as an 18-and-over venue, but it’s certainly not the only one in LA either.

Big Gigantic’s Jeremy Salken

Nevertheless, the audience on this night immediately made me feel old. Had I not run into a friend who is also in his fourth decade, I might have thought I was the only one in the room who was no longer living at home and going to school. I had felt this way at Big G shows in Colorado, but LA had yet to catch up. The real topper, though, came late in their set, when another male quite possibly 10 years my junior encouraged me to make a move on my girlfriend of more than three years. It wasn’t completely surprising knowing both my girlfriend and I share a rather youthful appearance that can often catch people off guard, so I simply chuckled and explained to him that we have lived together for almost two years now, a detail I could tell he was shocked to learn just by the expression on his face. It was a clear sign that I was no longer in the majority of the band’s fan base. I was and am simply an outlier now.

Big Gigantic, meanwhile, sounded as clean as ever. Taking the stage around 12:30 a.m. and running through a setlist highlighted by remixes of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “Can’t Hold Us” and Jay-Z’s “Can I Get A …”, they had the Hollywood crowd ebbing and flowing until almost the 2 a.m. mark. Both Lalli and Salken have grown tremendously as performers, from Lalli’s production expertise and techniques to Salken’s timing and chemistry when it comes to the music’s improvised sections. And yet, they are still as funky as ever, which makes a lot of sense coming from Lalli, a formally trained saxophonist from the Manhattan School of Music who spent years playing with Colorado funk ensemble The Motet before founding Big Gigantic in 2008.

But as EDM’s sphere of influence continues to spread across the industry, so has Big G’s fan base, with many being of the younger variety. It’s left older fans like myself in a precarious position, one that feels unnatural even with so many shows under my belt. It’s why I can’t help but ask myself, “Have I exceeded the age demographic of a Big Gigantic show?”

Because even if I’m not too old yet, it’s sure starting to feel that way.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Avalon Hollywood, Big Gigantic, The Motet

Purity Ring, BRAIDS give a sold-out Fox Theater Oakland everything it could hope for and more

June 22, 2015 by Marc Fong 1 Comment

Purity Ring

By Marc Fong //

Purity Ring with BRAIDS, Born Gold //
Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland
June 19th, 2015 //

Canada took over the Fox Theater Oakland last Friday as Edmonton electronic duo Purity Ring and Calgary art rock band BRAIDS captivated a capacity crowd.

Serving as one of two openers on this night (the other being Born Gold, Canadian pop experimentalist Cecil Frena’s songwriting project), BRAIDS’ latest album Deep in the Iris presents a beautifully bittersweet audioscape. Their performance at the Fox was equally beautiful and bittersweet and far more compelling on stage. It was as if the band was on a rapid journey through spooky woods. As they played, there was a sense of walking down a dark path illuminated by the muted warmth of a solitary candle.

At first, BRAIDS’ haunting melodies lulled the audience into a safeness, and then through quick and tumbling turns, there was an urgent complexity that was not only heard, but also felt. Frontwoman Raphaelle Standell-Preston’s voice was production-perfect — eerie and wonderful all at once. On the whole, BRAIDS’ live show is indicative of greater things to come. Their sound, both in a recording studio and live, is sublime, fun and memorable.

BRAIDS

Purity Ring’s performance, as always, was a dazzling audio adventure. However, whereas BRAIDS’ set was a quiet solo journey, Purity Ring’s was a full-blown epic. Known for its amazing light setup, the duo did not disappoint. In the past, vocalist Megan James would cross the stage as if she was afraid of the dark. Occasionally, she would hold a mechanic’s light in front of her as if she was trying to keep the monsters at bay.

By the end of the night, Purity Ring had shown how far they’ve come in less than three years. The stage had hanging lights. Instrumentalist Corin Roddick’s podium, once a small setup off to the side, was now center stage with giant crystals that lit up for punctuation, and the moon/drum that James plays sat high above Roddick, such that when she did play it, she needed a ladder to reach it.

Purity Ring

James no longer feared the dark, but rather embraced it — just like she did during the performance and with gusto. She sang and stepped with purpose. The band’s sound was not small and fearful. Instead, it was epic and haunting. Not only that, but it also showed that it had more range. “Shrines” was a subtle blend of both the quiet and melancholy.

Purity Ring’s newest album Another Eternity (read our community review here) is a refined version of that sound but bigger. There’s a dance-y element to it that makes for a bigger, more engaging live show. One moment, the audience was fighting to keep the crawlers out. The next, they became crawlers themselves dancing until their bodies ached. Either way, it was an experience that should not be missed.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Born Gold, Braids, Fox Theater Oakland, Purity Ring

Tedeschi Trucks Band get summer started early at the Greek with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings

June 12, 2015 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Derek Trucks

By Kory Thibeault //

Tedeschi Trucks Band with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Doyle Bramhall II //
Greek Theatre – Berkeley, CA
June 6th, 2015 //

The “Wheels of Soul” tour rolled into the Greek Theatre last Saturday, bringing with it the sublime sounds of Doyle Bramhall II, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and Tedeschi Trucks Band.

Bramhall set the tone for the evening, ripping right into his guitar, which he plays left-handed and strung upside down, and bending his strings downwards rather than up. Bramhall’s style of playing, his unique sound and his aptitude for shredding put him on the radar of rock legends like Roger Waters and Eric Clapton, whom he has shared the stage with. Furthermore, the band backing his powerhouse blues licks helped successfully land each song.

Doyle Bramhall II

Jones, meanwhile, is explosive. She is a source of pure soul. She ranks among my favorite vocalists, right up there with Mavis Staples, who I revere. These women aren’t going anywhere but forward, so why stop when you still have so much to give? Jones domineers the stage like it’s her first gig out the gate, and I assure you it is not.

Supported by the extremely talented Dap-Kings, Jones played several fan favorites, including “100 Days, 100 nights” and her take on “This Land Is Your Land”. Her energy was palpable. She never missed a step as she grooved across the stage, kicking her shoes off to dance to the soulful funk that is Sharon Jones & the Dapkings. Her moniker “Queen of Funk” is well-deserved.

Sharon Jones

Husband-and-wife duo Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi are the definition of a power couple. Individually, they have built successful careers as blues rock musicians. Together, well, together they are extraordinary. Between Trucks’ masterful guitar work and Tedeschi’s powerful vocals, one can not help but swoon when listening to their music.

Tedeschi Trucks Band took the stage as the sun set over the bay, a picturesque start to what would be an incredible set of music. The band itself consists of up to nine members, excluding Trucks and Tedeschi, and is stacked with top-notch talent, including Mike Mattison and Kofi Burbridge. Their sound can fill out any venue and will fill up every soul in attendance.

Susan Tedeschi

Tedeschi’s vocals especially shined on tracks like TTB original “Midnight in Harlem” and their cover of “Angel From Montgomery”. A special shout-out to “friends Bobby and Phil” led the band into a quick take of “Sugaree”, a Grateful Dead track warmly welcomed by the crowd.

Through the entirety of the show, Trucks calmly shredded his guitar. For those not familiar with Trucks, let me provide some context. The man is a guitar god. Eyes closed, head tilted slightly down, there is a sense of intent in every note he effortlessly strikes. To highlight a specific part of the night that stood out would be undermining what was a fantastic performance from Mr. Trucks. Throw in an appearance with Bramhall toward the end of the show, along with an appearance from Jones, and I would say everyone was lifted to a some serious heights on a Saturday night at the Greek.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Derek Trucks, Doyle Bramhall II, Greek Theatre Berkeley, Sharon Jones, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Susan Tedeschi, Tedeschi Trucks Band

Miami Horror trip out in SF, continue the party in LA

June 10, 2015 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

Photos by Josh Herwitt & Justin Yee // Written by Josh Herwitt //

Miami Horror with De Lux //
The Independent – San Francisco & The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
June 3rd, 2015 (SF) & June 5th, 2015 (LA) //

With the release of their sophomore record All Possible Futures this past April, Australian indietronica outfit Miami Horror are back on the road for the first time in a long time. Amid a 17-date tour across the U.S. with LA disco-rock band De Lux, which also have a brand-new album on the horizon, the Melbourne five-piece left its mark in SF and LA last week with sold-out shows at both The Independent and The Roxy Theatre.

The capacity crowds were a testament to how well Miami Horror have built a loyal fan base off the buzz that their 2010 debut Illumination generated, but as bandleader Benjamin Plant told Showbams in a recent interview, this was still their “reintroduction tour.”

Yet, from the way it commanded the crowd in SF, you wouldn’t have known that the band had eaten psychedelic mushrooms (yes, really!) before stepping on stage. And from the way it had fans singing along to every word in LA — its new home after leaving Melbourne close to three years ago — two days later, you wouldn’t have thought that it has been almost five years between the band’s two LPs. After all, in this day and age where streaming services have come to rule the music industry and artists are now forced to continually churn out new material in order to tour and make ends meet, that’s quite a long layoff for a group that’s only other release, the five-track EP entitled Bravado, came out in November 2008.

In many ways though, it felt like not much time had passed at all as Josh Moriarty (guitars, vocals) and Aaron Shanahan (co-production, guitar, synthesizer, vocals), with the sweat beads rapidly dripping down their faces, climbed on Kosta Theodosis’ drum kit and a few floor speakers at different points during both shows to pump the fans up — if they could actually be pumped up anymore than they already were. It just goes to show that after all this time, Miami Horror haven’t lost their charm one bit.

Molly Kish & Justin Yee contributed to this report.