Live Music Reviews

The Presets bring intimate club vibes to The Warfield

November 19, 2014 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

Photos by Diana Cordero // Written by Molly Kish //

The Presets with Antwon, Chela, Frankie Chan //
The Warfield – San Francisco
November 13th, 2014 //

Australian electronic duo The Presets headlined The Warfield on the first West Coast stop of their 2014 “Check Yo’ Ponytail” tour last Thursday. Presented by the IHEARTCOMIX and Topshelf Management teams, the tour aimed to showcase an “open-genre, multimedia-driven” event, highlighting cutting-edge artists, stage design and an over-the-top concert-going experience.

Although the tour sentiment may have gotten overshadowed by the sheer magnitude of the large-scale venue, fans in attendance didn’t seem to mind in the least bit. With many gearing up for a jam-packed night at The Warfield, we were pleasantly surprised by the ample amount of dance space and ability to casually traverse the theater’s several tiers, solidifying the best vantage point to take in the evening’s performances.

All four of the strategically-curated acts played to a mixed-bag audience, composed of fans not only there to catch their favorite performer of the night, but also willing to expand their horizons to enjoy the entirety of the lineup. Each of the artists played with an intent to impress and did so with their respective fan bases as well as their brand-new demographics.

Following the smooth vocal stylings of the Los Angeles-based Chela, Antwon’s thickly-laced, web-core hip-hop tracks and IHEARTCOMIX owner Franki Chan’s DJ set, The Presets took the stage. The entire audience immediately rushed their way onto the main floor, as the introductory sirens of “Push” blared out of the theater’s massive speakers. A perfect opening anthem to warm up the intimate crowd for a “non-stop party, party, party, party, party …”, the Australian duo of Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes followed up with back-to-back hits from their 2012 gold record Pacifica. Having recently released a pair of new songs over the past few months and teasing a possible album-in-the-making, Hamilton and Moyes seamlessly embedded “No Fun” and “Goodbye Future” into a master mix of crowd favorites from their two previous full lengths midway through the set.

The pair closed with the crowd communally losing their minds and vocal chords to “Kicking and Screaming” and “Talk Like That”, followed by an electrifying encore of “Surrender” and “Anywhere” that further enlarged the tired and sweaty audio blue balls of the “CYP” audience.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Antwon, Check Yo' Ponytail, Chela, Frankie Chan, IHEARTCOMIX, The Presets, The Warfield, Topshelf Management

Tame Impala unveil new jams in LA despite faulty PA system

November 17, 2014 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

Tame Impala //
Shrine Auditorium – Los Angeles
November 12th, 2014 //

When neo-psychedelic rockers Tame Impala announced in mid-August that they would be hitting the road this fall for a select number of U.S. dates, there was hope among fans that the Western Australia outfit would be using its nine-date run to test out some new material for a third full-length album.

After all, the Perth-based band led by 28-year-old mastermind Kevin Parker had already toured extensively over the past two years in support of its sophomore LP Lonerism, so surely there had to be a good reason why it was returning to the U.S. this month for only four shows, including three on the West Coast.

But while the motive behind Tame Impala’s mini-tour remained unclear, LA welcomed back Parker and his four sidekicks with open arms at the Shrine Auditorium, as they walked out onto the stage to a pre-recorded remix of Elton John’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” and quickly saluted the more-than-appreciative crowd.

And by the second song of the night, they were doing exactly what their fans had hoped they would do, introducing a new tune, one that they debuted four months ago during a performance in the UK at Manchester Albert Hall. What followed weren’t new, fully conceptualized cuts per say, but the quintet kept the room on its toes, offering extended versions of “Sestri Levante” and “Endors Toi” before later uncorking an even newer jam toward the end of the band’s 14-song set.

Yet, for as important a moment as this was for Tame Impala — Parker said at one point that the gig was the largest the band had ever played as a headliner thanks to the Shrine’s 6,300-person capacity — technical issues during “Alter Ego” stemming from a faulty PA system unfortunately put a damper on everything that had come before it.

With the brief delay between songs serving unconventionally as the band’s encore break, Parker and company shook off some nerves and finished strong, saving some of their best for last, including the dreamy, Pink Floyd-esque “Apocalypse Dreams” and hit single “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards,” which drew quite a bit of scrutiny from the music journalism world earlier this year.

Taking a page out of 60’s psychedelia, Tame Impala closed things out with the heavily experimental, far from succinctly-titled “Nothing That Has Happened So Far Has Been Anything We Could Control,” waving goodbye to Angelenos afterward for most likely the last time before they return to the studio.

Setlist:
Be Above It, New Song, Solitude Is Bliss, Sestri Levante, Why Won’t You Make Up Your Mind?, It’s Not Meant to Be, Why Won’t They Talk to Me?, Elephant, Endors Toi/Jam, Oscilly, Mind Mischief, Half Full Glass of Wine, Newer Jam, Alter Ego

Encore:
Apocalypse Dreams, Feels Like We Only Go Backwards, Nothing That Has Happened So Far Has Been Anything We Could Control

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall, Tame Impala

The unexpected cult of Run the Jewels

November 17, 2014 by Mike Frash Leave a Comment

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

Run the Jewels with Ratking, Despot //
Mezzanine – San Francisco
November 14th, 2014 //

“A lot’s happened in the last week, but we are gonna give you a blockbuster night.” -El-P at Mezzanine

Populist leaders and destroyers of fuck boys, purveyors of high fives, hugs and grit-grime aggression that’s cartoonishly giddy, delivering dead-serious messages while inviting you the listener to join them — Run the Jewels operate in a self-imposed world of duality.

And since releasing Run the Jewels 2 on October 28th, the duo of Michael Render and Jaime Meline has exploded. Shortly after rave reviews started rolling out, their show at San Francisco’s Mezzanine sold out, and suddenly tickets were going for $150 into the thousands. Were the tickets being sold in the $800-$1,200 range on StubHub from fans extending RTJ’s penchant for absurdity? Or perhaps the exceptional amount of hype and well-deserved praise being showered on El-P and Killer Mike meant some engineer from Google or Facebook would actually pay 30 times face value. Either way, it shows how popular Run the Jewels have become.

Run the Jewels created this atmosphere by engaging with their audience online, enabling their biggest fans to feel like part of the RTJ inner circle, sharing the cultural torch that’s currently lighting the way to bigger and better things for El-P and Killer Mike. They’ve wisely relied on their audience, which is growing in volume at an exponential rate thanks to their open relationship both new and established media, but more importantly, by creating direct lanes with their fans.

The Emergence of a Cult Following

Certainly it helps when your new record will widely be considered one of the best albums of the year, but El-P and Killer Mike’s non-stop promotional blitz has been rooted in engaging their supporters, with the half-joking deluxe album options that turned into the forthcoming Meow The Jewels remix record, giving RTJ2 away for free via social media and with Tag The Jewels, a truly worldwide street art project that has sea legs of its own. Run the Jewels have grown into a progressive, cultish movement, one that is completely inclusive, as long as you are on the right side of history.

The Tag The Jewels project looks to take the Run the Jewels hand sign from both RTJ album covers and turn it into an iconic mainstay. Outside of Mezzanine on Jesse Street this past Friday, the brand-new Run the Jewels tour bus hovered over the venue’s entrance with the RTJ2 album cover adorning its side. Unsurprisingly, fans took this opportunity to stand between the two mummy-fist-talons, turning their right hand into a two-fingered gun and the left into a fist holding a real or invisible 36” chain.

During their SF show, El-P and Killer Mike used the hand sign as a calling card much more than on their first tour, throwing up the signal as many as five times — and all the way to the back of the rectangular club space, show-goers mimicked El and Mike, even throwing the RTJ hand sign up on impulse to show love back to the artists.

“It’s all love and respect.” -Killer Mike at Mezzanine

Much like a Phish or Die Antwoord audience, most everyone in the room at Mezzanine was there in “full buy-in” mode, not worried about what someone might think of you by getting a bit too into the moment. Which, when you think about it, is pretty elusive for a rap act that is beloved by the indie blogosphere and its readers. Yet, there is a collective acceptance, a mentality that has bubbled up from impromptu social media memes, gifs and videos, including El-P auditioning cats for Meow The Jewels by playing them “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry”.

In Run the Jewels’ return to SF, the guys seemed thoroughly blunted when they arrived on stage. They could barely open their eyes for the first few songs, but this didn’t thwart the lyrical precision we’ve come to expect. Relying on audience participation more than the last tour, something that is likely organic since people know RTJ’s material better now, the crowd committed to reinforcing each song with key words and phrasing, creating a sense that we’re all in this thing together. During the show, El-P candidly mentioned that everyone in the room are family, and “we are family now because you paid me.” The crowd was alive and engaged more than a large majority of most concert experiences, to which El-P tweeted post show as “the livest show I’ve ever had in San Fran in 15 years. fuck.”

Invigorating, Giddy Aggression

Run the Jewels’ lyrical violence is intended as a form of fantasy. Killer Mike made sure it was clear to FOX News watchers that his name refers to “killing the mic” when he went to discuss protests in Ferguson, Mo. And during El-P and Killer Mike’s recent hour-long interview with Microphone Check on NPR Music (a must-listen for fans of Run the Jewels), they spoke to this point:

El-P: “You’re listening to our record and you’re gonna grin. You’re in on the fun. This is not us threatening the listener … We’re not going on records and just being like ‘We’re gonna kill you!’ We’re having fun, and we’re also completely comfortable in our ridiculousness.”

Killer Mike: “And we understand you do want to kill people. But you can’t do that. So, let this be a way for you to kill people and then go back to work and don’t kill anyone.”

Mike is alluding to Run the Jewels as an outlet for invigorating, giddy aggression — to get that aggression out in a way that is cathartic, that doesn’t hurt other people, that is punk rock in its nature.

For example, in “Lie, Cheat, Steal”, Killer Mike states, “A revolutionary banging’ on my adversaries / And I love Dr. King but violence might be necessary / Cause when you live on MLK and it gets very scary / You might have to pull you AK, send one to the cemetery.” While Mike may seem like a civil rights leader more in the vein of the Black Panthers than Martin Luther King Jr., this example is about righteous self-defense.

Bottom line, it’s refreshing to see prominent rappers who are standing up for the good of the people, all people excluding fuck boys. You won’t see Run the Jewels putting down gay people, but most notably, Run the Jewels love women.

On Charges of Misogyny

Before launching into the most controversial song off RTJ2, El-P said “This city [San Francisco] has taught me that there is a place for filth in your life.”

Rap music has always had a reputation for being somewhat connected to misogyny. But when I first heard “Love Again (Akinyele Back)” through the second minute of the record, I thought that it was a bit of a departure since El-P and Killer Mike have a clear history of celebrating women.

For example, they satirize date rape’s place in contemporary club culture with “Twin Hype Back” character Chest Rockwell, who says ridiculous things in a cheesy way that contrasts RTJ’s machine gun fire smoothness. In speaking to political power, El-P rhymes “There’s truth where the filth is / There’s lies in the law / You want a whore with a white dress / I want a wife in a thong” in “Angel Dust”. And in “Get It”, El says all he wants is “a castle / and to move like a man with a minimum of harassment / the company of women with opinions and fat asses”. You won’t find any obvious denigration of women in RTJ1 or in Mike or Producto’s solo work, so it sounded a bit odd hearing them get hyper-aggressive in a sexual manner on “Love Again”.

But that was until the third verse of the song, where they hand it off to female rapper Gangsta Boo to flip the script and give a raunchy, sexually empowering section that holds up to nasty nasty of Run the Jewels.

In their NPR interview last week, El-P said, “Girls listen to raunchy, funny stuff too.” Killer Mike discussed that his wife has heard “Love Again” and immediately compared it to “Just Put It in My Mouth” by Akinyele. The guys then referenced 2 Live Crew and Too $hort as inspirations for the song as well.

El-P and Killer Mike also addressed the inevitable presumption of misogyny some people have with “Love Again”:

Killer Mike: “So, my thing is, I trust that women are intelligent. And I get offended — I have five sisters … Women are human. I think that when we start saying equal and human, that’s across the board, you know? Women enjoy sex … I’m just happy that our audience gets it …

El-P: “… Our intention is clear. We know our intention. Listen, real story: We made that record, and it didn’t have Boo on it. And we went and got Boo because we knew what we needed for that record … We have good intentions. I know that we are not being misogynist because we are not, a) being completely serious and, b) we’re talking about fucking here. I’m sorry if you’re offending by my language … but you’re not gonna tell me that being raw or being filthy is misogyny. I know the difference.

By definition, misogyny is the dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women. And when you let that definition sink in and listen to “Love Again” on RTJ2, labeling Run the Jewels with hating women is absolutely ridiculous. Sure, Run the Jewels often treat women as sexual objects, but they project and treat women as intellectual equals.

During the performance of “Love Again” at Mezzanine, Mike relied on the crowd to take on the “Dick in your mouth all day” refrain, making it more of a collective, fun thing. But they performed only two-thirds of the song — the all-important Gansta Boo verse was not played disembodied or with a replacement performer. This takes away from RTJ’s spirit of equality and opens the door to critics — especially since El-P admitted in the NPR interview that Gangsta Boo’s verse was a last-minute addition to rectify the song. El and Mike should find a creative way to fix this, or not play the song live, if they want to shut the door on charges of misogyny.

This was one of the most action-packed hours of live music I’ve ever seen. Ending with the final songs off of their two albums, “A Christmas Fucking Miracle” and “Angel Duster”, the cult of Run the Jewels was mostly spent as the clock approached 1 a.m. That said, most people would have been happy to hear more. Forget the last week though, El and Mike have had a non-stop couple of years and have already gone a long way to solidifying their legacy.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: El-P, Killer Mike, Mezzanine, Run The Jewels

Aussie psych rockers Pond deliver perfection at The Indy

November 5, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

By Patrick Kelly //

Pond //
The Independent – San Francisco
October 30th, 2014

I have little idea how, but last week, Pond snuck into SF with limited fanfare. Months ago, when the show was announced, I had assumed it would be one of the buzziest shows of the year. With these Aussies rolling off the success of their sister group Tame Impala (the bands share a couple of members) and the psychedelic rock scene making a little comeback, I figured The Independent would be a scene within itself, resplendent with those calling out for a Tame Impala cover while trying to talk over the extended shredding.

What I got, thankfully, was the exact opposite: It was entirely about the music. I’ve known bands to be tighter at the end of their tour, but calling Pond’s performance “tight” would be an understatement. They nailed the licks and the jams; they had the confidence that everyone in the room knew how tight they were playing. And most importantly, they played it looooouuuud from the start. The fans, and they were true fans, ate up every minute of the hour-plus show –- the unheard tunes off the upcoming Man, It Feels Like Space Again, the complicated and catchy favorites off of Beard, Wives, Denim as well as Hobo Rocket and of course, the extended jams.

I had measured expectations coming in: Pond’s albums are forceful, interesting and catchy. But until you see the heart behind the tunes in person, it’s hard to predict if the force of their studio digs will show through live. With all of the heart they put forward last Thursday, it’s easy not only to say that they wildly exceeded my expectations, but also that they’ll almost surely be among my Top 10 shows of the year.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Pond, Tame Impala, The Independent

Milky Chance packs Rickshaw Stop for SF debut

October 30, 2014 by Justin Yee Leave a Comment

By Justin Yee //

Milky Chance //
Rickshaw Stop – San Francisco
October 23rd, 2014

Milky Chance made their SF debut this past Thursday to a sold-out crowd at the Rickshaw Stop. Though the German duo was booked as an opener to Chris Malinchak for POPSCENE’s weekly club night, it seemed apparent that the majority of people in attendance were not there for the headliner. In fact, as soon as Milky Chance hit the stage, they were welcomed with such a loud roar and applause that one would be convinced they were the main event.

Vocalist/guitarist Clemens Rehbein and DJ/drummer Philipp Dausch make up the band. Playing their mix of folk-, reggae- and electronica-influenced pop music, or “folktronica” as I’ve heard some people call it, they had the crowd bouncing to their beats and singing along to tracks from their recently released debut album Sadnecessary. In between songs, the two did not say much, as it seems like they are still learning English. However, based on their expressions and body language, the two looked surprised by how many fans were there and knew their songs.

They closed with hit single “Stolen Dance”, which had the crowd going nuts — so much so, that they came out for an encore, something I’ve never seen an opening band do before. They finished off a top-notch set with “Down By the River” and walked around the stage giving high fives as they soaked in the cheers from the crowd.

The duo will be returning to SF on April 14th-15th to play The Regency Ballroom on their own headlining tour. So, if you missed them this time around, get your tickets now because those are sure to sell out.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Chris Malinchak, Milky Chance, Popscene, Rickshaw Stop

Rubblebucket’s Survival Sounds lifting indie act to the next level

October 21, 2014 by Kevin J Quandt Leave a Comment

Photos by Kory Thibeault // Written by Kevin Quandt //

Rubblebucket with Royal Canoe //
The Independent – San Francisco
October 15th, 2014 //

It’s been one helluva year for the Brooklyn-based indie-dance outfit known as Rubblebucket. There’s been some tough times that started back in July of 2013 when front-woman Kalmia Traver was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, yet luckily the electric leader is in remission. They also proceeded to pump out a new album, appropriately titled, Survival Sounds. On this sold-out Wednesday evening, both Kalmia and the new record were the clear shining stars of the night as each complimented each other in ecstatic manners.

Before we go any further, it should be stated that Kalmia Traver is one of the best frontwoman in the business. She truly is the full package as she sings with a rigorous passion, dances joyously, plays baritone sax and wins the adoration of nearly every member of the audience. Her dedication is refreshing and infectious. The group’s sound has evolved to a more varied palette as comparisons to Arcade Fire could begin to fester in one’s mind. In fact, they really could be an ideal candidate for tour-mates in the future.

“Sounds of Erasing” was a highlight early in the show as the Independent was transformed to an island getaway as the breezy vibes were expertly delivered. It was evident that Rubblebucket are madly in love with their latest efforts as the first half of the show played heavy on it. Choreographed dance moves by the two-man horn section accompanied most songs. The projections and lighting were sublimely seamed into each track and augmented the show further. Another spotlight new track, “Hey Everybody”, had the vibe of Bjork singing over a TV on the Radio song. This night peaked with a revelrous rendition of “Came Out of a Lady” that featured a local friend (John of Brass Magic) blasting beefy notes on his sousaphone. At the end of it all, the crowd left fully satiated from one of indie music’s rising stars, completely deserving of the love and adoration that many have, and some discovered, for this band.

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

It’s good to hear Conor Oberst happy

October 7, 2014 by Brooks Rocco 1 Comment

Photos by Mike Rosati // Written by Brooks Rocco //

Conor Oberst with Jonathan Wilson, The Good Life //
The Fillmore – San Francisco
October 4th, 2014 //

“Crank Gillian in my monitor. Guitar and vocals, all the way”, the frontman requested with an impish grin.

With hundreds of songs written and nearly two dozen records tucked under his belt, it would be easy to forgive Conor Oberst were he to appear burnt out from an already bountiful and robust career, a seemingly never-ending touring schedule and a notably difficult year. But during moments like the final All-Star ‘family’ jam at the end of Saturday’s inspiriting show at The Fillmore, punctuated by jubilant appearances by country legend Gillian Welch, Dave Rawlings and the fantastic Felice Brothers, the singer never seemed more alive.

Buoyed by a band comprised of long-term collaborators along with members of opening act Jonathan Wilson’s own touring ensemble, Oberst deftly led the audience on a scenic journey through some of his best work, both vintage and virginal. Opening with “Hundreds of Ways”, the lead single from his excellent and underrated new record Upside Down Mountain, he enraptured the audience from the beginning with his earnest crooning, smart melodies and a refreshing lack of artifice.

Perhaps on a high from Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival (read our review here), which has immersed the city in an overflowing bubble bath of good vibes (Conor’s Family Band played on Friday), the crowd swayed along to Oberst’s occasionally guarded, but authentic and revealing verses. And indeed, as a well-seasoned artist, the show never seemed to drag or let up, from the sweetness of Bright Eyes’ “Bowl of Oranges” to the glorious highlights of “Desert Island Questionnaire”. This is a thoroughly enlivening rock ‘n’ roll band that knows exactly what it’s doing.

Jonathan Wilson for his part, also knows what he’s doing (having co-produced the aforementioned Upside Down Mountain), though at times seemed much more confident playing as a member of Conor’s band rather than fronting his own. Sporting a backwards ball cap and a scraggly, street-kid trench coat, Wilson with his band seemed less sure of his place in the folk-rock canon. As he experiments with his own style, he shines as a collaborator and producer of the excellent musicians he surrounds himself with, especially on this tour.

All of which culminated in an exultory trio of encores filled with Hardly Strictly heroes. As Dave Rawlings slithered out masterful, melodious country twang over the John Prine tune “Pretty Good”, Conor could be seen soaking in deeply the sublime voice of Gillian Welch (which, indeed, the sound guy eventually cranked up loud enough) and his good fortune to be sharing the stage not only with legends, but with an audience that has grown along with him to the heights he now visibly enjoys. It’s good to hear Conor Oberst happy.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Conor Oberst, Jonathan Wilson, The Fillmore, The Good Life

Thievery Corporation overcome some serious stage drama to dazzle their fans at LA’s Greek Theatre

October 2, 2014 by Josh Herwitt 2 Comments

By Josh Herwitt //

Thievery Corporation with Stephen Marley //
Greek Theatre – Los Angeles
September 27th, 2014 //

Ten years ago, Zach Braff introduced millions of “Garden State” fans to the downtempo, worldly beats of Thievery Corporation. At the time, the Washington, DC-based collective founded by Rob Garza and Eric Hilton had already released three studio albums and more than 10 compilation discs on their own Eighteenth Street Lounge Music record label.

But it wasn’t until Braff incorporated the hypnotic, Middle Eastern sounds of “Lebanese Blonde” into his 2004 film’s soundtrack that people really started to take notice of the electronic duo’s work.

Now after almost two decades, Thievery continue to evolve and grow, as evidenced by their 2014 full-length effort Saudade (read our review here), which embodies the bossa nova spirit many Brazilians experience in their everyday lives. Even though Saudade stands as the group’s most straightforward and traditional record — sticking to the same formula for all 42 minutes — to date, the live show hasn’t suffered in the meantime.

Coming to LA for one of the biggest gigs in their nearly 20-year history — a Saturday night headlining spot at the legendary Greek Theatre with opener Stephen Marley warming up the mostly middle-aged crowd — Thievery brought the funk from the outset, opening their 90-minute set with Natalia Clavier singing to the groovy “Web of Deception” from 2011’s Culture of Fear before turning the mic over to Loulou Ghelichkhani for “Take My Soul”.

While it wouldn’t end up being the only time Clavier and Ghelichkhani made appearances during the show, Garza and Hilton did enlist a diverse roster of emcees and singers to rock the mic from start to finish. One of those guest performers was Boston rapper/producer Mr. Lif, a longtime Thievery collaborator who teamed up with Ghelichkhani at one point to perform the track “Holographic Universe” off arguably the outfit’s most high-profile LP, The Cosmic Game.

Also getting into the action was Ras Puma, Sleepy Wonder and Frank “Booty Lock” Mitchell, each of them bringing their own unique style to the front of the stage while Garza and Hilton, perched high above the rest of the band, played conductor from their individual risers.

But the biggest surprise of the night had to be bassist Ashish “HASH” Vyas, who showed signs early on that he may have had a little too much to drink or smoke or quite possibly both in the green room (no pun intended) before stepping onstage. And as the show progressed, things seemed to only get worse for Vyas. With a few songs left in the set, he had to be escorted off the stage by security after inviting a fan onstage and trying to teach him how to play bass in the middle of a song. To make matters even worse, he slapped the fan in the face after less than a minute and sent him back into the pit as many looked on in shock. As funny as it was to some audience members at the time, let’s just say that Garza and Hilton weren’t exactly pleased as they watched it all unfold in front of them.

For as strange and surprising as Vyas’ behavior was though, the rest of Thievery didn’t skip a beat down the homestretch. They capped off the show with one of their best tracks in their expansive catalog — the reggae-infused “Warning Shots” featuring Sleepy Wonder — leaving us without an encore but not a night void of some strange memories.

Setlist:
Web of Deception
Take My Soul
Culture of Fear
Liberation Front
Overstand
Radio Retaliation
The Forgotten People
Lebanese Blonde
FireLight
Claridad
Sweet Tides
Amerimacka
Depth of My Soul
The Richest Man in Babylon
33 Degree
Holographic Universe
Vampires
The Heart’s a Lonely Hunter
Unified Tribes
Warning Shots

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Frank "Booty Lock" Mitchell, Greek Theatre, Loulou Ghelichkhani, Mr. Lif, Natalia Clavier, Ras Puma, Sleepy Wonder, Stephen Marley, Thievery Corporation

Gov’t Mule pay tribute to list of legends at Orpheum

September 30, 2014 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

Gov’t Mule //
Orpheum Theatre – Los Angeles
September 26th, 2014 //

Warren Haynes may be leaving The Allman Brothers Band for good after this year, but that doesn’t mean the future of Gov’t Mule is in jeopardy. The Southern rock outfit has been going strong for 20 years now, becoming a staple in the jam scene and a household name at music festivals across the country.

But for as many gigs as they’ve tallied over the past two decades, the well-oiled machine of Haynes (guitar, vocals), Matt Abts (drums, percussion), Danny Louis (keyboards, trumpet, guitar, vocals) and Jorgen Carlsson (bass) hasn’t slowed down, releasing their 10th studio album Shout! just a year ago.

Hitting LA on a Friday night for their “20 Years Strong” tour, the quartet ripped through a 19-song, two-and-a-half hour performance at the historic Orpheum Theatre that saw Haynes and company pay tribute to a long list of music’s biggest legends — Ray Charles, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash, Al Green, Ann Peebles, Maynard Ferguson, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, Sly and the Family Stone, The Allman Brothers, Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Police were all represented in some shape or form over the course of the night.

With Gov’t Mule only playing three songs from Shout!, it was clear that this night was more about their appreciation for those who had come before them than what their own music embodies. When it was all said and done, Mule left their loyal LA fan base eager for the next U.S. tour — whenever that may be.

Set 1:
Mule, Game Face (with “Birdland,” “Mountain Jam” and “Norwegian Wood” teases), Little Toy Brain, Funny Little Tragedy (with “Message in a Bottle” lyrics), Kind of Bird (with “When the Wind Cries Mary” tease), Banks of the Deep End, Captured, Broke Down on the Brazos

Set 2:
Done Got Wise, I Believe to My Soul (Ray Charles cover with Jimmy Vivino and Jeff Babko), Brighter Days, Fallen Down (with “Gimme Shelter” lyrics), The Other One Jam (Grateful Dead cover with “Gimme Shelter” lyrics), Drums, Drums & Bass, I Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home (Ann Peebles cover with Jimmy Vivino and Yoshi Yanagi with “Let Me Have It All” lyrics)

Encore:
Effigy (Creedence Clearwater Revival cover), Folsom Prison Blues Jam (Johnny Cash cover) > Effigy, I’m a Ram (Al Green cover)

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Al Green, Ann Peebles, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Gov't Mule, grateful dead, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash, Orpheum Theatre, Ray Charles, Shout!, The Allman Brothers Band, The Police, The Rolling Stones, Warren Haynes

Temples’ take on modern psych-rock is both exciting & sloppy

September 29, 2014 by Scotland Miller Leave a Comment

Photos by Justin Yee // Written by Scotland Miller //

Temples with Wampire and Fever The Ghost //
The Fillmore – San Francisco
September 24th, 2014 //

There is no denying the fact that the early 1960’s had a remarkable effect on the sound of modern rock ‘n’ roll. The music from back then has a quality to it that just feels right. Imagine if you took a band like The Animals or The Moody Blues and smashed them together with the likes of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. Well guess what? It has actually happened, and they are called Temples.

The four English lads that make up Temples played The Fillmore last Wednesday night and brought with them an echo of what the City used to be like, when LSD was popped like Jelly Beans and the colorful oil-and-water stage projections were cutting edge. The house was by no means packed, but that’s no surprise as these guys are not only foreigners, but they are also just cutting their teeth after releasing their first album, Sun Structures, earlier in the year.

Moments of the show were bursting and oozing with incredible feelings of flying through the air on the back of the mighty Pegasus, brushing the mountain tops of some distant, snow-covered range, while other moments were slow and sloppy, with wobbly and muddled vocals that sounded like the singer had marshmallows in his mouth. They did, however, succeed in truly embracing their genre and stretching out a few of their songs with some brilliant psychedelic jamming.

Temples offered up an acid-flashback evening of flower-power rock ‘n’ roll with a splash of straight up heavy. Their old-skool take on modern psych-rock is exciting and shows promise for more good music to come.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Temples, The Fillmore, Wampire

Lykke Li displays her dynamic duality on ‘I Never Learn’ tour

September 26, 2014 by Marc Fong Leave a Comment

By Marc Fong //

Lykke Li with Mapei //
Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland, CA
September 21st, 2014 //

The lovely Lykke Li stopped by Oakland’s Fox Theater on Sunday in support of her latest album, I Never Learn. The talented Swedish beauty’s music has been described as retro-chic, quirky, electro-dance and the same can be said of her live show. Her set was the soundtrack to an eerily-fun adventure and made for a great evening.

Just like in a dream, Li emerged from the darkness and smoke like a mischievous specter. Brooding, she began with the title track of her latest album. A hauntingly beautiful tune, it was even more magical live. Like other great performers, Li was able to not only maintain her distinct and lovely sound, but also make it bigger and more robust in real life.

Li’s talent was further showcased when she covered Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire” and Kanye West’s “Send It Up”. Her take on the two covers was very much Lykke Li: ethereal, haunting and beautiful.

Bewitching the crowd with her own Stevie Nicks-esque moves, Li danced with a confident, contagious energy that had the crowd singing and swaying along with her. Her quirky sound was at times sad and mournful; at other times, quite dance-able and pop. At all times, her live set was wonderfully enjoyable.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Fox Theater Oakland, Lykke LI

ODESZA take live show to next level on ‘In Return’ tour

September 23, 2014 by Justin Yee Leave a Comment

By Justin Yee //

ODESZA //
Mezzanine – San Francisco
September 18th, 2014 //

Back in April, ODESZA played a sold-out show at The Independent, which had fellow Showbams writer Kory Thibeault claiming that they were “poised to explode into electronic stratosphere.” Fast forward five months to the present, and it’s safe to say that they’ve not only met those expectations, but also have hit the big time.

This was never more evident than this past Thursday, as the Seattle production duo of Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight kicked off their “In Return” tour at Mezzanine in support of their recently released sophomore LP. After selling out the show months in advance, a second SF date was added just to meet popular demand.

As someone who is new to their music, it wasn’t until I heard the first single off In Return, “Memories That You Call” featuring Monsoonsiren, that I really got hooked and realized I had been sleeping on them for two years. Their take on the modern electronic sound blends catchy beats with infectious, ambient melodies and pop-infused hooks that emotionally captivates listeners in ways that other artists can’t.

ODESZA’s set at Mezzanine was explosive — a combination of hypnotizing visuals and sound that had the crowd in sensory overload. It’s apparent that they have been hard at work perfecting their live performance. Their use of live drums adds a human element, which allows them to create remixes on the fly as they feed off the energy from the crowd.

This tour marked the next chapter of the group’s rising success and maybe the last time you’ll be able to see them in venues of less than a 1,000-person capacity. Don’t sleep on ODESZA. I’ve already learned my lesson!

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Mezzanine, Odesza

Interpol play it cool with Rey Pila at Fox Theater Oakland

September 22, 2014 by Andrew Pohl 1 Comment

Photos by James Nagel // Written by Andrew Pohl //

Interpol with Rey Pila //
Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland
September 20th, 2014 //

The best part of seeing bands that you’ve never seen before is that you can take what they are offering and not have to compare it against anything else. Having never seen Interpol before and being an appreciator of their music, I was excited to see how the show would go. The Fox Theater in Oakland was an ideal setting for this new experience, with easy views of the stage and top-notch sound.

Rey Pila was the night’s opening act. The five-piece group, which hails from Mexico City (now residing in New York), were a complete mystery to me prior to catching their show. It was immediately clear why there were tapped to support this tour as their sound was complimentary to that of Interpol’s but different enough to add some variety to the night.

The majority of their set was full of post-punk/early alternative style cuts à la Echo & the Bunnymen or The Church, with less emphasis on synths. Energetic frontman Diego Solórzano did his best to engage the crowd, at several points jumping off stage to meet the fans at their level. The performance was solid and the songs were enjoyable, though it felt like they weren’t connecting with the audience as well as they may have hoped.

After a brief intermission, Interpol took the stage, dressed to the nines. A large video screen displayed the cover art from their new album El Pintor for the first three songs, and there were a few rotating strobes filling the otherwise black stage with red, blue and purple throughout their set. The set itself was a solid mix of tracks from the new album, along with material from all of their prior releases, mostly from Antics. Throughout the set, the visual element on the video screen offered minimalist/modern psychedelia and geographic landscapes that paired well with the mood of the music.

Lead singer Paul Banks’ vocals were a bit “pitchier” than I expected, but that didn’t affect the music in much of a negative way as the band, on the whole, performed splendidly. The set was shorter than I anticipated, but in many ways, that was a good thing. Interpol’s songs are not drawn-out epics — they are nice and tight. I think they are wise to offer up a concise, well-packaged set instead of doing a marathon worth of material. Though they’re not the most energetic band on the planet, what Interpol lacks in conventional stage presence they made up for by setting a consistent mood and feeling of “cool.”

Setlist:
1. My Blue Supreme
2. Say Hello to the Angels
3. Evil
4. My Desire
5. Length of Love
6. Breaker 1
7. The Lighthouse
8. Anywhere
9. Everything Is Wrong
10. Lights
11. Narc
12. Not Even Jail
13. Slow Hands

Encore:
14. All the Rage Back Home
15. NYC
16. Obstacle 1

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Fox Theater Oakland, Interpol, Rey Pila

Beck opens for himself to launch The Masonic in SF

September 20, 2014 by Mike Frash Leave a Comment

By Mike Frash

Beck //
The Masonic – San Francisco
September 19th, 2014 //

A new music venue premiered in San Francisco on Friday night in a historic space with Beck breaking the champaign bottle on The Masonic, formerly known as the Nob Hill Masonic Center.

It was an early-evening event, as Beck Hansen took to the stage at 8:37 and was finished by 10:20, which is likely a harbinger for events to come at the venue promoted by Live Nation.

Located atop Nob Hill, a district rich in history (and hoity-toity residents), opening night of The Masonic has been a long time coming. Live Nation began this refurbishment process in 2008, but Nob Hill neighborhood groups did everything in their power to thwart The Masonic’s development.

After appeals to Superior Court and a lengthy environmental review, the parties settled at a cap of 79 events per year, fewer bars available to control alcohol consumption and an early starting (and ending times) for events.

The lines to purchase food and drinks were indeed very long, with only four places to queue up for a capacity 3,300 crowd. And when tickets range from $75.00-$99.50 plus fees, access to a quick beer pre-show shouldn’t be a hassle, but it is what it is. Live Nation sent out an email on Friday that had warned of the early start time, which had a large majority of patrons arriving at the same time around 8pm.

Expensive tickets also translated into typical SF laissez-faire security treatment, both at the doors and in not policing open marijuana smoking. Also, posters to commemorate the evening were handed out upon leaving The Masonic, something Live Nation has made a wonderful habit of doing for every sold out show at The Fillmore.

The venue is extremely intimate for its size, with all seats and General Admission areas close to the stage, which speaks to the architectural choice of a spherical space. This also helps the overall sound as well compared to other venues, allowing audio waves to envelop the audience.

So maybe it was due to time constraints, or that Beck is a festival headliner and he doesn’t need the support, but there was no opening act on the bill. So Beck opened for himself, and he said as much upon taking the stage.

The opening nine-song segment honed on Beck’s more mellow offerings, taking on most of this year’s Morning Phase, a couple cuts from 2002’s Sea Change and “Asshole” by fan-request for only the fourth time since 2009.

The mix was a bit rough at first, with vocals and guitar too high, but after a few songs, instruments blended much better. Beck and band briefly left the stage to signify a changeover to the radio hits, but “Devil’s Haircut” was a train wreck to ignite the rock section of the show. It sounded as if the drum and bass were being played in a different time signature than the rest of the group. Everything tightened up by the time “Loser” had begun.

The Quiet Storm stretched out crime scene caution tape at the end of the main set, only to cut said tape during the always entertaining “Debra” during the encore.

Despite the small hiccups, Beck put on a thoroughly enjoyable evening, particularly by leading with the Morning Phase-driven segment.

Old Crow Medicine Show, Train and Modest Mouse will be performing at The Masonic this week if you want to check out SF’s newest music venue.

SETLIST
The Golden Age
Blackbird Chain
Blue Moon
Say Goodbye
Heart Is a Drum
Country Down
Lost Cause
Asshole(Partial)
Waking Light

Devil’s Haircut
Black Tambourine
Loser
Hell Yes
Think I’m in Love / I Feel Love
(Donna Summer cover)
Soul of a Man
Girl
Timebomb
E-Pro

ENCORE
Debra
Where It’s At

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Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Beck, The Masonic

Slow Magic’s equine-electronic show illuminates SF

September 15, 2014 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

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

Slow Magic with Kodak To Graph, Daktyl //
The Independent – San Francisco
September 11th, 2014 //

This past Thursday, The Independent was treated to an energy-packed electronic bill headlined by Downtown Record’s buzz-worthy artist, Slow Magic. Touring in promotion of the release of its second full length How To Run Away, the hooded horse-person brought its animated live show to the mid-size venue, which was enthusiastically received by the eclectic Bay Area crowd.

The early evening sets provided by DAKTYL and Kodak to Graph warmed up the sold-out venue, providing steady beats, solid trap remixes and just enough stage presence to get the audience pumped for the percussion-heavy main attraction. The dance floor progressively began to fill towards the ten o’clock hour as the presence of furry hoods, colorful accessories and fan-made masks resembling Slow Magic’s illuminated façade appeared. Anticipating what would be Slow Magic’s first time headlining in the Bay Area, the audience came prepared and gave the mysterious masked performer a hero’s welcome as he took the stage.

The set kicked off with several tracks off of the new album, released just two days prior and only was made available to stream for a week leading up to this date. The audience response, however, made the debut of said material seem like it was something they had been dancing along to for years. Everyone surrendered to the infectious jazz hooks and impressive rhythms, both digitally programmed and performed live on stage by the enigmatic frontman. Without uttering a word all set, Slow Magic’s one-man live show kept the crowd entranced with explosive energy, stunning electronic drum pad solos and a choreographed light show, which included costumed synchronization with the performer’s signature, illuminated zebra mask.

Working through material off of both the latest release and 2012’s debut, Triangle, the show, although short, was one punctuated by several highlights and memorable crowd participation instances. Beyond inducing a few collective crowd-pogoing and semi-grimy dance party moments, the venue also came together for a group sing-along to a sick live remix of Destiny Child’s “Say My Name” towards the end of the evening.

The last few songs of the night truly unleashed the animals as several of the masked attendees were invited on stage to dance with their favorite “imaginary friend”, one of which (believed to be part of Slow Magic’s crew) participated in a rousing drum line throw-down, only to be further capped off by the magical equine artist jumping in the crowd with a portable percussion set to get down one last time during the encore with its adoring fans.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Daktyl, Kodak To Graph, Slow Magic, The Independent

All hell breaks loose as homegrown talent Luce, The Ponies work GAMH

September 11, 2014 by tom dellinger Leave a Comment

The Ponies closing things down at Great American Music Hall on September 5th

By Tom Dellinger //

The Ponies, Luce with New American Farmers, Melissa Phillips and James DePrato //
Great American Music Hall – San Francisco
September 5th, 2014 //

It was a stunning evening of all local artists/bands at the Great American Music Hall this past Friday night with a bill that brought together many of the writers and musicians we see working routinely about the bay area music scene. It was a glimpse into the musical richness that has historically defined San Francisco.

Opening the evening was talented writer and singer Melissa Phillips, a solid writer and performer who’s been steadily building a fan base both here and abroad. Joined by 3/4 of Chuck Prophet’s Mission Express (James DePrato, Kevin T. White and Vicente Rodriguez), they delivered a set of many of her excellent tunes. Phillips is an indie artist well worth going out to see and hear.

New American Farmers (formerly Mars, Arizona) took the energy up a bit as they brought their country flavored tunes to the stage. Joined by Dave Zirbel on pedal steel, Nigel Phillips on drums and Kevin T White on bass, Paul M Knowles and his partner in song, Nicole Storto doled out a healthy serving of rich harmonies as they featured many of the songs on their latest offering, The Farmacology Sessions. Solid songwriting, sharp as a tack vocals and an excellent band behind them made their set one of the most memorable of the night.

All hell broke loose as Luce took the stage in the #3 slot. Known for having extended periods of time between live performances, on Friday, they played a tight, high energy set; the kind that constant touring can sometimes create. Tom Luce was in excellent form vocally and appeared (pardon the pun)….loose and comfortable. Relaxed and ready to deliver. The band too, felt like they were wound up like a coil and as soon as the set started, one could sense the release of that coil. The crowd responded in kind as a party atmosphere quickly took over. It must be pointed out that Dylan Brock on guitar is not only one of the most enjoyable players to watch, but he’s also a player with remarkable technique and instincts; all on full display on Friday night.

Closing out the evening, once again, James DePrato returned as he joined Elliot Randall and Heather Combs with a newly formed band, The Ponies. It’s unfortunate the crowd thinned out after Luce’s set because there was much more to enjoy from the Ponies as they delivered a compelling performance. A set that was punctuated with multiple high points from DePrato’s guitar, they served to drive home the engaging songs from this band. With a solid early start, this band shows a lot of potential and hopefully we’ll be seeing more from them in the future.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Great American Music Hall, Luce, Melissa Phillips, New American Farmers, The Ponies

If we never see Nine Inch Nails live again, it’s been quite a ride

August 26, 2014 by Josh Herwitt 7 Comments

Photos by Rob Sheridan for NIN.com // Written by Josh Herwitt //

When Trent Reznor told Nine Inch Nails fans six years ago that it was “time to make NIN disappear for a while,” no one knew if they would ever have the opportunity to see the industrial rock goliath perform again.

As someone whose musical palette was heavily influenced by such 90’s masterpieces as The Downward Spiral and The Fragile — two albums that will likely go down as some of the best rock music that’s ever been made — but never got to see NIN live, it came as a shocking blow to my psyche.

For me, NIN was always that band whose music felt uniquely original and accessible, yet remained frighteningly dark in image. More than 20 years ago, it was MTV that was forced to significantly censor the music video for “Closer” — still NIN’s most popular song to this day — in which Reznor combined themes of religion, sex, animal cruelty, politics and terror to go along with his disturbingly eerie lyric “I want to fuck you like an animal.”

Still, for as creepy as Reznor made himself appear — and there may be no better example than NIN’s epic performance at Woodstock ’94, which was officially released online almost two weeks ago — there is no band that has bridged the gap between heavy metal and electronic music better than NIN. From his early days as a sound engineer to his passion for analog synthesizers and digital technologies more recently, Reznor created a genre of music that few have ever come close to emulating. While other industrial acts like Ministry, MDFMK, Killing Joke, Filter and Rammstein achieved moderate levels of success at one point in time, none of them ever garnered the same mainstream appeal that NIN has sustained for more than two decades.

But even with two Grammy Awards and nine full-length albums to his name, Reznor has had his doubts about keeping NIN going. It’s why he announced in early 2009 that the band would be done performing live “for the foreseeable future” before embarking on its “Wave Goodbye” tour, which culminated in a 37-song show at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, before that fire was eventually rekindled with the release of 2013’s Hesitation Marks last September.

It’s not that Reznor fell off the face of the Earth during that five-year layoff, though. With NIN on an indefinite hiatus, he went on to win an Oscar and a Grammy for his soundtracks to The Social Network and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, write the theme music for the video game “Call of Duty: Black Ops II” and form the post-industrial outfit How to Destroy Angels with his wife and lead vocalist Mariqueen Maandig, whom he shares two children with now. Over the last two months, he’s managed to find the time to finish composing the soundtrack for David Fincher’s upcoming movie Gone Girl while touring North America with his NIN sidekicks for quite possibly the last time.

After all, from what he told the crowd last Thursday night in Chula Vista, Calif., Reznor has no plans for another NIN album or tour right now. Even if he continues writing music like he told us he would that evening, just miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, there is no guarantee it will be for NIN. And at this point, it would be completely understandable for Reznor to retire the band he once gave birth to 26 years ago in Cleveland, where it will likely return to some day for its induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Reznor, of course, isn’t getting any younger. At the age of 49, the NIN mastermind and only official member of the band has battled plenty of inner demons in his younger life, having overcome both drug and alcohol addictions, depression, social anxiety disorder and sadly, even his own suicidal tendencies. Now as a sober family man, he has openly admitted that the rigors of touring have taken their toll on him.

So, if this was the last time I ever got to see Nine Inch Nails perform live, I have no regrets attending four of the 26 shows that they are co-headlining with Soundgarden this summer.

In fact, seeing one of my favorite bands of all time at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre was an absolute dream come true — a show that no doubt will go down in memory as one of the best I have ever witnessed in all my concert-going years. Then, there was Monday night’s noteworthy performance at the Hollywood Bowl, which marked another important moment for the band in playing the historic LA amphitheater for just the second time ever, with the first coming almost nine years ago following the release of 2005’s With Teeth.

Sure, seeing four shows — Red Rocks, Chula Vista, Irvine and Hollywood — on this tour might seem like overkill to some. For me, it felt like the right thing to do. It didn’t matter that the setlists have varied little from show to show over the last month. Instead, just having the chance to connect with the music and art that Reznor specifically curates for each NIN tour more than once is something I will always cherish, whether or not I ever get to do it again.

Because even if I don’t, I’ll know that those four shows I saw were worth every penny spent.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Hesitation Marks, Hollywood Bowl, How to Destroy Angels, NIN, Nine Inch Nails, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Sleep Train Amphitheatre, Soundgarden, The Downward Spiral, The Fragile, Trent Reznor, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, With Teeth

It’s official: Jack White is the biggest rock star in the world

August 25, 2014 by Mike Frash 1 Comment

Photos by David James Swanson // Written by Mike Frash //

Jack White //
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco
August 23rd, 2014 //

Severe ankle sprain, what? No big deal, the show must go on.

On a weekend with appealing festivals all over California, Jack White proved on Saturday that he’s not only a bonafide festival headliner for any occasion, but also the biggest and most essential rock star in the world.

The Jack White that showed up in San Francisco this past weekend was more focused and engaging than prior tours. He’s noticeably more upbeat and punk in how he performed than in the past, while also appearing authentic, positive, comfortable and likable.

So when the Third Man giant proclaimed, “From the Bottom of the Hill to the top of the hill” in reference to playing the tiny San Francisco club twice in 2000 with The White Stripes, he wasn’t bragging. He was stating a plain fact.

Jack White is the king of rock at this point in time, and he was magnificent on Saturday, not showing the effect of a bad ankle sprain within 24 hours of being pressured by his team to cancel the whole tour due the accident Friday night.

White is clearly on a mission to graduate to arenas after this theater-sized tour, and he’s on his way — so he’s not going to let some lower body swelling get in his way.

What’s most appealing is how White is achieving this feat within the boundaries of his established throwback style.

White and his band appeared from behind a massive theater curtain to launch into an impactful “Sixteen Saltines”, while a television from the ‘50s sticks out in the middle of the stage to remind you that this artist, who now sports an Elvis-like haircut, could have thrived in another era from the past. Also, it reminds you that looking at a bright screen is not very fun while at a concert.

Jack White was one of the first artists to speak up about concert smartphone photos and videos, and signs were put up on his 2012 tour asking fans to keep their phones in their pockets during the show. The public backlash was pretty brutal.

To clarify his position in 2012, he wrote “the only thing that we’ve ever asked of the audience is to not take pictures or videos while holding up their camera phones, etc that block other peoples view or otherwise hinder other fans concert experiences.” The message continued, “Along with that, the bigger idea is for people to experience the event with their own eyes and not watch an entire show through a tiny screen in their hand.”

Before the show began on Saturday, someone from White’s camp spoke to the crowd, reiterating these points in a comedic way, and the crowd erupted in support and applause. A lot can change in a couple years. Also, White has hired a tour photographer to cover the show in leu of discouraging press and crowd-based photography. They’re available on White’s site after every show, and as the speaker mentioned, “You can claim them as your own.” We won’t — the tour photos are courtesy of David James Swanson.

Labeled as grumpy, sad and controlling the past few years, White was the ambassador of fun during this show. Smooth transitions were a plenty, and songs would often play out in three to five song segments. The setlist was upbeat and energetic, slower songs were played faster than their studio recordings on most occasions, and the crowd was along for the ride, bouncing this positive energy back to the stage to fuel the frontman.

“Hello Operator” was absent of words but was filled in by an uproarious harmonica solo. The one Dead Weather song of the evening, “I Cut Like a Buffalo”, transformed into a blues meets ecstatic chaos number that was a high point of the show.

The cavernous space of Bill Graham Civic Auditorium never felt so small.

A couple quick covers were laced into the extended encore, much like what Phish has been doing for years and what Arcade Fire has been doing lately. Jimi Hendrix’s “Manic Depression” slid into the middle of “Icky Thump”, with “Message In A Bottle” emerging during “Steady, As She Goes” by The Raconteurs. This section in particular showed of White’s better than ever shredding skills.

After finishing his part of “Seven Nation Army” and successfully appealing to the audience for support with his stadium anthem, he joined in on drums to bring the show to a thundering conclusion. With the crowd going bonkers, he approached the mic one more time for a sincere thank you to San Francisco as he held his hands over his heart.

Without question, Jack White is one of the best live artists of 2014. And now with a humble, inclusive attitude, his stock should only rise further.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, Jack White, Rock Star

We’re all just Fucked Up, after all

August 22, 2014 by Kevin J Quandt Leave a Comment

Photos by Pedro Paredes // Written by Kevin Quandt //

Fucked Up with Tijuana Panthers, The She’s //
The Independent – San Francisco
August 19th, 2014 //

Just the other day I was having a discussion with a buddy who was explaining his overwhelmingly preference for live band concerts, as compared to a live producer. He went on to discuss his love for a good frontman, or woman, and I fully agreed with this observation. Alas, he did not make it to Fucked Up at The Independent this past Tuesday to witness one of the most authentic frontmen in the business.

The masses came early to The Independent on this evening as a variety of rock bands were holding court — The She’s took the opening slot while Long Beach natives Tijuana Panthers handled the second slot. Tijuana Panthers brought an enjoyable amalgam of scuzzed-out surf punk that seemed to be received well. But folks were here to see the six-headed art-core beast that many have come to cherish as Fucked Up. By the time each member was ready to launch into the opening song, “Paper the House”, it was hard to ignore that legendary Fucked Up singer, Damian Abraham, looked like half the man he used to be. Abraham later explained he had lost 120 pounds over the past year or so, which received a blast of applause. Yet, this was not the only characteristic of the band that has changed as they, and we all, get a little older.

2009 was a great year for Fucked Up as all their hard work in the early years was paying off in dividends as their banner release, The Chemistry of Common Life, garnered universal praise, eventually leading them to winning the Polaris Music Prize. Now, five years later, they have released a few more well-received albums, most recently Glass Boy, which relies heavily on themes of aging in the punk scene. How does one grow old while holding onto their youthful ideals of rebellion? Well, for this band of punks, they keep on blasting brutal music into the ears, and eyes, of devote fans who keep on returning as they too grow a little more grey and develop just a few wrinkles.

But enough of that sappy shit, as Fucked Up brought their pummeling sound on this evening. Within only a few minutes the three-guitarist band launched into fan favorite “Queen of Hearts” as Abraham paced around on stage reciting phrases of lyrics with blistering intensity. It’s this characteristic that keeps one foot well-rooted into hardcore punk, while the band has recently floated towards a slightly less-hardcore sound, overall. Luckily those who were early fans were treated to some of the older, more raw songs like “Police” — chants of “I can’t stand the police” were included.

Now, it’s hard to not say that Abraham is the show here. Not only because he is a musical madman who would rather be in the pit with his fans than on the stage with his longtime band, but also because frankly, the rest of the band seemed aloof at times. Sure, all but one help in the vocal department, but trying to compete for attention with Abraham would be a futile effort. The frontman, now shirtless (which is tradition), was cruising all over The Indy like a whirlwind. First, he was up in the seats on house right, and the next thing you know, he is having a full-blown mock-luchadore wrestling match with a fan in front of the stage. I kid you not.

“I Hate Summer” and “The Other Shoe” were highlights of the set. Each song seemed punctuated by Abraham’s off-the-cuff banter where he remarked on everything from the lack of pot smoking in the club to his newfound love for Olive Garden. And, it’s with this spontaneity that keep fans returning, tour after tour, even if we are just a bunch of aging punks.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Fucked Up, The Independent, The SHE'S, Tijuana Panthers

Death from Above 1979 start new chapter with LA warm-up gig

August 19, 2014 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

Death from Above 1979 //
Troubadour – West Hollywood, CA
August 14th, 2014 //

It hasn’t been an easy ride for fans of Death from Above 1979.

Just two years after the release of its highly acclaimed 2004 debut You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine, the Toronto-based, dance-punk duo disbanded after Sebastien Grainger (drums, vocals) and Jesse F. Keeler (bass, synths, backing vocals) agreed that they could no longer work together.

With creative and stylistic differences pulling them apart, Grainger and Keeler went their separate ways. While Grainger would go on to start his own solo project — signing with the Omaha-based label Saddle Creek Records in the U.S. under the name Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains — before later forming the band Deserts (formerly Bad Tits) with Tangiers guitarist and singer Josh Reichmann, Keeler achieved plenty of commercial success and fanfare in teaming up with his close friend Alex Puodziukas (aka Al-P) to create the electronic duo MSTRKRFT.

It wasn’t until early 2011, though, that Grainger and Keeler decided to give things another try, speaking to each other for the first time in five years and reuniting for a scintillating performance on Coachella’s main stage that April. By September of the following year, DFA 1979 had written new material for the first time in almost eight years, but there was still no guarantee things would last.

Early last summer, the two-piece canceled its appearance at Governors Ball Music Festival in New York City because it had been struggling to write new music together. Merely a month later, Grainger and Keeler axed more shows, this time in Europe due to a “medical emergency,” but left their fans with an ounce of hope after revealing on Facebook not long after that a new album was indeed on its way.

Yet, it wasn’t until a year later that fans would actually hear new music from DFA 1979. Releasing its first single “Trainwreck 1979” early last month, the band disclosed more details about its second full-length The Physical World at the same time.

So, if last Thursday night’s warm-up show in LA for DFA 1979’s upcoming North American/European tour this fall was supposed to make up for lost time, well then, mission accomplished.

Despite the show’s announcement coming a little more than two weeks before the gig, the band sold out the Troubadour just minutes after tickets went on sale. And for those of us who were lucky enough to be in attendance, DFA 1979 treated its fans to a night they won’t forget for a long time.

Playing material from The Physical World for the first time in a live setting, Grainger and Keeler ripped through an epic 21-song performance, playing almost every track from both albums. They stepped on stage and immediately put the pedal to the metal, blasting off with the blistering “You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine” before turning to their newer cuts like “Right On, Frankenstein!,” “Virgins,” “Crystal Ball” and “Government Trash,” which they officially released to the masses yesterday.

For a band that incorporates just bass guitar, drums, vocals and occasionally keyboards, you’d think that DFA 1979’s sound could only stretch so far. But at the Troubadour, Grainger and Keeler proved that the tracks from The Physical World are every bit as good as they play out on the record. And having listened to the new album, which will drop September 9th, already numerous times, I can say that with the utmost confidence. Distorted? Yes. Heavy? Yes. But with this show also marking my third time seeing DFA 1979, it’s hard to find more raw energy coming from solely two musicians in a recording studio or on a stage.

When it came time for the encore, Grainger and Keeler took us back in time, playing all five songs from You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine — including the finale “Do It!,” which was originally released on their 2002 EP Heads Up — with the same ferocity that first took the music industry by storm nearly a decade ago when they joined 90’s alt-rock giants Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age on tour.

While certainly a lot has changed for DFA 1979 since then, they’ve never forgotten how to get the blood pumping fast through their fans’ veins.

Setlist:
You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine
Cheap Talk,
Right On, Frankenstein!
Turn It Out
Blood on Our Hands
Cold War
Virgins
Crystal Ball
Government Trash
Going Steady
Gemini
Nothin’ Left
White Is Red
Trainwreck 1979
Always On
The Physical World