Live Music Reviews

At the Fox Theater Oakland, Tedeschi Trucks Band float beautifully in the balance

September 14, 2016 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Photos by Mike Rosati, Karen Goldman & Kory Thibeault // Written by Kory Thibeault //

Tedeschi Trucks Band //
Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland
September 8th-9th, 2016 //

Tedeschi Trucks Band are one of those acts that transcend a person’s taste in music. Everyone walks away from a Tedeschi Trucks show with a few moments that resonate with their heart and soul. The coupling of Susan Tedeschi’s powerhouse vocals with husband Derek Trucks’ slide-guitar genius creates a blues-rock masterpiece that will rock you to your soul. And that statement fails to tip my hat to Tedeschi’s beautiful guitar musings.

TTB are big, both in size and sound. The 12-piece band consists of seasoned professionals who understand the kind of collaboration needed to realize the group’s vision. Not a single member sounded flat during a two-night run at the Fox Theater Oakland last Thursday and Friday. Their music was tight yet improvisational, loud yet restrained, powerful yet gentle. Practice and passion have seemingly allowed them to float beautifully in the balance, or in other words, to “ring those lofty bells” as the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir might say. And by the time their Bay Area run was over, they had delivered two solid performances to a grateful and full house.

On Friday night, the group presented “An Evening with Tedeschi Trucks Band”, featuring two full sets and an encore. TTB craft their setlists from the solo careers of Tedeschi and Trucks as well as a couple of their studio albums. They started the night ripping right into “Anyhow”, a standout track off their latest album Let Me Get By, and transitioned into “Don’t Know What It Means”, another on the LP. The energy was palpable from the start as everyone anticipated a sublime night of music.

The “Swamp Raga” opening to their hit “Midnight in Harlem” introduced what would easily be considered the highlight of the first set. This ballad features a tear-jerking performance from Tedeschi as her vocals were nothing less than awe inspiring. A certain calm came over the crowd as everyone softly sang along to her musings. They finished the set strong with “Had to Cry Today” and sent everyone buzzing into the set break.

The rest of the evening was spectacular as the band weaved in and out of both originals and covers, the latter of which included Sleepy John Estes’ “Leaving Trunk”, John Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery”, Bob Dylan’s “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” and lastly Joe Cocker’s “Space Captain”, with all of them exemplifying the band’s superb taste and perfect execution. “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” featured high-flying vocals from Chris Robinson, formerly of The Black Crowes and now the driving force behind the Chris Robinson Brotherhood.

Catching an evening of Tedeschi Trucks Band in such a brilliant environment as the Fox was certainly a treat. Fortunately for those not in attendance, the band will be releasing a live LP and DVD to remember the two-night run in Oakland. I am overjoyed at the idea of that I will get to relive this experience as TTB continue to push the sonic boundaries of blues rock. So, don’t sleep on this band — they have something for everyone.

Set 1: Anyhow, Don’t Know What It Means, Keep on Growing (Derek and the Dominos cover), Bird on the Wire (Leonard Cohen cover), Within You Without You (The Beatles cover), Just as Strange, Crying Over You, Swamp Raga (The Derek Trucks Band cover), Midnight in Harlem, Had to Cry Today (Blind Faith cover)

Set 2: These Walls (with Alam Khan on sarod), Right on Time, Leaving Trunk (Sleepy John Estes cover), Don’t Drift Away, I Want More, Soul Sacrifice (Santana cover), Angel From Montgomery (John Prine cover), Sugaree (Jerry Garcia cover), Get What You Deserve (The Derek Trucks Band cover), I Pity the Fool (Bobby “Blue” Bland cover), Bitches Brew (Miles Davis cover), Let Me Get By

Encore: You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere (Bob Dylan cover) (with Chris Robinson), Space Captain (Joe Cocker cover) (with Chris Robinson)

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Blind Faith, Bob Dylan, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Chris Robinson, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Derek and the Dominos, Fox Theater Oakland, Jerry Garcia, Joe Cocker, John Prine, Leonard Cohen, Miles Davis, Santana, Sleepy John Estes, Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Beatles, The Derek Trucks Band

With confetti and fractals, Tame Impala blow minds at the Greek Theatre Berkeley

September 8, 2016 by Molly Kish 2 Comments

Photos by James Pawlish // Written by Molly Kish //

Tame Impala with Unknown Mortal Orchestra //
Greek Theatre – Berkeley, CA
September 3rd, 2016 //

Any time your photographer is told “try not to get your head blown off by the confetti canons” while shooting from the photo pit, you know you’re in for a great night. Yet, at the same time, associating that admonition with a couple of bands who describe their sound as “dadwave” or “epiphany pop” is something quite out of the ordinary.

Last weekend, the Greek Theatre Berkeley hosted back-to-back, sold-out nights with two of the biggest names in neo-psychedelic rock. With both bands paying homage to founders of the genre while paving the way for a new generation of psych-rock enthusiasts, opening act Unknown Mortal Orchestra and headliner Tame Impala blew the minds of those present as they each instilled a familiar, yet phantom sense of nostalgia, recalling an era and musical footnote way beyond the scope and lifespans of most in attendance.

At face value, the bill already had the promise of creating somewhat “heady” vibes and the subsequent anticipation of funk-infused guitar jams with orchestrated nods to the history of Bay Area psychedelia. Wasting no time after jumping onstage, Unknown Mortal Orchestra filled their late-afternoon set with crowd favorites and a spot-on cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Shakedown Street”. The four-piece briefly transported the crowd back to the summer of ’78 as the fog rolled in over a clear panorama of the Golden Gate Bridge and the California sun set in a twilight haze over the Greek, paving the way perfectly for Tame Impala to take the stage.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra

When I ran into our photographer (who gave us the aforementioned warning/spoiler alert) in between sets, it only further verified the collective excitement and anticipation that you could sense amongst the capacity crowd. Besides the pit dwellers, who were holding their ground and watching/cheering along to a solitary fan playing the “water bottle flip” game in the seats above, crowd members scrambled to get a spot for the main attraction. From Tame Impala’s set design, you could immediately tell that Kevin Parker and company had brought the same stage production that they showed off the weekend before in Los Angeles at FYF Fest.

As they opened with the dream-inducing interlude “Nangs” from their latest studio album Currents, Tame Impala gave the crowd an ample minute and a half to commit to the spatial surroundings before jumping full throttle into an explosive rendition of lead single “Let It Happen,” playing the tracks in reverse order than they are on the LP.

By the third song (as promised), the sky, having just turned black, was filled with a stadium’s worth of rainbow confetti as the band played the opening chords of 2012’s psuedo love ballad “Mind Mischief”. Followed by a rare performance — only the second time in three years — of “Music to Walk Home By” from 2012’s Lonerism, Tame Impala played a wide range of emotive classics while scrambling the brains of more than 8,500 audience members with their intense onslaught of sensory-overloading imagery and hypnotic light show.

Kevin Parker of Tame Impala

Midway through their show, Tame Impala broke out into an elongated jam of the rare funk cut “Daffodils”, a Mark Ronson song off his 2015 solo LP Uptown Special that Parker contributed vocals on. They finished up strong, running through hit after hit from all three of their albums and wasting no time bantering between songs and instead, focusing on the sonic journey they were conducting over the spellbound crowd. As they ended their set with an encore featuring Lonerism single “It Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” and recent crossover hit “New Person, Same Old Mistakes” from Currents, fans collectively swayed and sang along to every lyric at the top of their lungs.

It’s hard to believe that only two years ago, these bands were headlining clubs and theaters throughout the Bay Area — and now, they have skyrocketed to a level of success that even Parker himself has had a hard time fathoming. After seeing how both bands commanded a sold-out crowd at one of the most legendary venues in Northern California though, I doubt there will be any slowing down from them in their near future.

As I left the Greek with my friends, we talked about how many millennials will likely look back on both bands as their modern-day Pink Floyd or their The Smile Sessions-era Beach Boys. And for a second, I felt comforted by that idea. If Tame Impala and Unknown Mortal Orchestra are the ones who will be carrying that torch, I look forward to seeing how they further that flame.

Setlist:
Nangs
Let It Happen
Mind Mischief
Music to Walk Home By (partial)
Why Won’t You Make Up Your Mind?
Why Won’t They Talk to Me?
The Moment
Elephant
The Less I Know the Better
Daffodils (Mark Ronson cover)
Eventually
Yes I’m Changing
Alter Ego
Oscilly
It Is Not Meant to Be
Apocalypse Dreams

Encore:
Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
New Person, Same Old Mistakes

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Greek Theatre Berkeley, Tame Impala, Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Deftones make their case in Berkeley that they’re still a force to be reckoned with

August 31, 2016 by Andrew Pohl 1 Comment

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

Deftones with YelaWolf, Sister Crayon //
Greek Theatre – Berkeley, CA
August 26th, 2016 //

Toward the middle of their headlining set at the Greek Theatre Berkeley last Friday, Deftones frontman Chino Moreno took a moment to thank the audience for attending, pointing out that early on in their career, they would often venture south from their home base of “Sacto” (or Sacramento for the normies) to play at the tiny, gone-but-not-forgotten club Berkeley Square (as evidenced here).

Soaking in the crowd like a solid pull off of a bottle of bourbon, the band continued their full-frontal assault, giving it their all and sparing no one. This is just one of the things that makes a band like Deftones a continual hit with the masses. Between their ever-evolving brand of metal and their never-a-dull-moment live show, the icing on the cake has always been their willingness to include the audience, clearly jiving off of its energy in synergistic fashion. Historically, Deftones have always acknowledged the importance of the relationship between the band and the audience, and this night was no different.

I’ve seen Deftones several times over the years, in a variety of venues. I caught them in an outdoor setting when they played at the Warped Tour many moons ago, but this was a much better space to catch the band. Warming up the audience were Sacramento electronic duo Sister Crayon, followed by Alabama hip-hop artist YelaWolf.

A two-piece act from Sacramento, Sister Crayon performed a 30-minute set of electronic-inspired trip-hop, showcasing singer Terra Lopez’s soulful tone that was accompanied by programmer Dani Fernandez’s skilled song-smithing. YelaWolf was up next, offering up his aggressive hip-hop stylings that were peppered with rock and industrial (but certainly not nü-metal) elements. He managed to get the crowd engaged several times with an a cappella rendition of the Garth Brooks classic “Friends in Low Places” and by encouraging audience members to raise their lighters/cell phones in unison to honor the victims of war, racism and police violence.

Deftones came out to a wanting audience; the anticipation was palpable. Going directly into their barn-burner of a song “Rocket Skates”, the pit was whipped into a frenzy and nary an audience member wasn’t screaming along to the chorus chant “GUNS! RAZORS!! KNIVES!!!” Keeping the energy level up, the group jumped right into “Geometric Headdress” followed by what was surely a crowd favorite, the classic and beautiful “Be Quite and Drive (Far Away)” from their sophomore album Around the Fur.

The band was tight, punchy and engaging. Guitarist Stephan Carpenter held down his side of the stage, and if I can use a Who reference, playing John Entwistle to Moreno’s Roger Daltrey and Abe Cunningham’s Keith Moon. Speaking of Cunningham, the criminally underrated drummer was in peak form, laying down bombastic beats with precision. Bassist Sergio Vega’s low end was a bit subdued in the mix, but given the outdoor setting, that was to be expected. In contrast, this was one of the few times I have been able to really catch the additions that keyboardist/turntablist/beat-maker Frank Delgado was contributing.

As they moved around their two-decade-old catalog, Deftones kept a solid balance of their more energetic and brutal tunes (“Rickets”, “Swerve City”, “Diamond Eyes”, “Gore”) with their more delicate but still heavy songs (“Digital Bath”, “Rosemary”, “(L)MIRL”). Switching between playing guitar and strictly vocals, Moreno would often venture out onto a catwalk closer to the pit to join the audience as he is known to do. At one point, he crowd-walked into the pit for a scream-along with a gang of arms reaching out to get as close as possible.

Appropriately, Deftones dedicated their song “Prince” to the recently, tragically fallen musical legend, in which the stage was drowned in a wash of purple lighting. The set ended in a trio of sing-along favorites from my favorite album White Pony: “Knife Prty”, “Change (In the House of Flies)” and “Passenger”, with nearly every audience member gladly assuming Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan’s vocal part on the latter.

For an encore, the band whipped through four early-catalog tunes: “My Own Summer (Shove It)”, “Headup”, “Bored”, and “Engine No. 9”. This was a treat for anyone who has been along for the ride with the band since its early days. I was pleased with the collection of songs that Deftones offered up this evening, pulling from seven of their eight albums, the only one left out being their self-titled LP.

I overheard a few folks who weren’t that stoked, saying they felt the band lacked energy, but I respectfully disagree. Deftones are one of those rare beasts that have managed to make music on their own terms throughout their entire career, developing their signature sound that often has been imitated but never replicated. Given how much of a workhorse they have been as a band and also how much the individual members are, plus how vast their catalog is, I feel that they did a great job keeping the show engaging and providing something for everyone.

Setlist:
Rocket Skates
Geometric Headdress
Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)
Rickets
Diamond Eyes
Rosemary
Swerve City
Gore
Kimdracula
Digital Bath
Prince
(L)MIRL
Knife Party
Change (In the House of Flies)
Passenger

Encore:
My Own Summer (Shove It)
Headup
Bored

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Deftones, Greek Theatre Berkeley, Sister Crayon, Yelawolf

Les Sins hypnotizes his fans at The New Parish

August 30, 2016 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Photos by Alister Mori // Written by Paul Ronas-Tanner //

Les Sins with Taraval, DJ Nina Sol //
The New Parish – Oakland
August 19th, 2016 //

There was something special in the air as soon as I got off Bart at the 19th St. Oakland station — and I am not talking about the recreational drugs or the food stands that were all around me, but rather the electricity that resonated with all the people who rushed out of the train eager to get into a club or bar within walking distance. Anywhere on Telegraph Ave. where you could buy a drink had a line that started blending in with the establishment next to it, which continued on for blocks. On this night, it seemed like Oakland was the place to be.

As I walked up 18th St. toward The New Parish, the positive vibes must have started kicking in because I quickly got excited for an act whose music I had never heard before. All the laughs and big grins I must have encountered at the Bart station made me just want to have a good time with some good people, but little did I know how much my fun I really would have.

I put a little more bounce in my step and hurried to the destination where lucky for me, the line was moving quite well. The marquee said “Les Sins” in big font. From the music I could hear outside the venue, I couldn’t help but two-step the moment after I walked through the door. Maybe it was the positive vibes I felt walking briefly around in Oakland, but I took my time looking for my friends.

Occasionally stepping in and out of small groups while dancing to the opening DJ, I couldn’t help but notice that everybody was moving, too. From the coat-check girl to the bar backs, it was as if someone had put a spell on those in attendance to forget all of their problems and genuinely enjoy the night. There were some people with rhythm and some with absolutely none, but all of us were living in the moment. Arms were flailing as people reached for the ceiling, and souls, well, they were definitely being touched.

I have been to Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), Outside Lands and numerous clubs where I had to be intoxicated just to feel the music (disclosure: I’m more of a R&B and hip-hop fan), but this wasn’t it. This was exactly your typical EDM, but rather a soulful mix of them all with an old-school feel and nostalgic samples. I felt as though they took the classic hooks and breaks my older sisters and father used to play and brought them to the forefront by mixing it with more of a modern club sound. Even though some may refer to chillwave as “downtempo pop,” it can give you an uptempo feeling that makes you forget about time. At The New Parish, the room was filled with a multitude of colors and cultures that all moved to the same beat, like we were one life form.

Wanting to get some fresh air, we stepped outside to converse and found a few connected bars in the courtyard, which if you were not feeling the vibe, could go to and still feel like you were apart of the scene. We decided to catch the rest of Taraval’s opening set, and we hurried back to the second balcony to watch the Canadian composer, musician and DJ work his magic on the crowd.

As we made our way up the stairs, we came back to two DJ’s onstage, with the other being the night’s headliner. Les Sins is the alter ego of Chaz Bundick, best known as the brains behind indie-rock stalwart Toro y Moi, and standing side by side, the two artists dropped harmonious beat after beat that complimented each other’s style before Bundick took over, transitioning seamlessly into his headlining set. As if I were having a flashback of a past weekend in Vegas, I subsequently went into a trance and let the music take over my body. And with a drink in my hand, I decided to dance the night away.

Some DJ’s can play music throughout a night and they would all sound like one track, but when it comes to Les Sins, you can feel the difference in every mix. To my surprise, Bundick hasn’t played as many Les Sins shows as he has with Toro y Moi, which made this experience feel somewhat exclusive. Following that night at The New Parish, I can proudly say that I have subscribed to both Les Sins and Toro y Moi; when I’m driving to work or getting ready for a night out on the town, putting on Bundick’s music in one form or another helps me relive what proved to be a magical night in the East Bay.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Chaz Bundick, Les Sins, Taraval, The New Parish, Toro Y Moi

The Crux leave their folk-punk imprint on SF

August 18, 2016 by The Bam Team 2 Comments

By Gina Lopez //

The Crux //
Great American Music Hall – San Francisco
August 13th, 2016 //

Crux Interpretum. How does one interpret the music of The Crux?

One might call it folk punk with a diverse array of musical elements, including the wandering spirit of gypsy, the rowdiness pirate, the unabashed soul of gospel, the fascinating rhythm of jazz, the rawness of blues and the heart of klezmer.

Hailing from Santa Rosa, Calif., 55 miles north of the City, The Crux reach deep into musical history, reinvigorating and reinterpreting these musical traditions for our time and place with colorful lyrics that paint a fable, tell a riddle and leave you wondering how you interpret your own human experience. Last Saturday at the gorgeous Great American Music Hall, they held their album release show for their latest LP Crux Interpretum, which is a compilation of their Crux Interpretum cassette trilogy that they released between 2014 and 2015.

The Crux never cease to surprise and delight audiences, as frontman Josh Windmiller and his band are always willing to go the extra mile to entertain, even if it means coming on stage in their skivvies. After lively opening sets from fellow North Bay bands Lungs & Limbs and The Dixie Giants, The Crux began their set as the evening’s headliner with an instrumental tune, sans Windmiller.

Suddenly, Windmiller burst out of a cardboard box that had been placed right in the center of the stage. With that whirlwind energy, handmade props (true to The Crux’s style), spectacular stage lighting and a dynamic stage presence from every musician onstage, the show dazzled the audience, leaving them begging for “one more song.” With a well-timed costume change into their post-performance attire of robes and boxers, the discalced band members returned to the stage for a memorable finale.

And thus, the recent recipient of the 2016 North Bay Bohemian NorBays Music Award for best folk/acoustic band headed back home, across the Golden Gate Bridge, leaving their folk-punk imprint on the heart of SF.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Great American Music Hall, The Crux

Is the Santa Monica Pier’s Twilight Concert Series becoming too popular for its own good?

August 17, 2016 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

RÜFÜS DU SOL with Marc Baker //
Santa Monica Pier – Santa Monica, CA
August 11th, 2016 //

Nothing says summer in Los Angeles quite like the Twilight Concert Series. Whether you live near the beach or not, the free shows at the Santa Monica Pier have become one of LA’s best summertime traditions over the years.

But as we found out at BØRNS’ headlining performance (read our review of the show here) last month, the series may be getting too big for its britches. At least part of that sentiment can be attributed to NPR member station KCRW’s curation process, which seemingly gets better and better with each passing year. And of course, it’s worth noting that the recent tragedies across this country have only forced increased security measures and a larger presence from local law enforcement.

That said, the crowd that arrived last Thursday to take in RÜFÜS DU SOL’s show was unlike anything I or anyone else had seen before. Whatever the attendance number was, whether it was 40,000 or 80,000, simply didn’t matter. The fact was, the concert viewing area on the pier couldn’t handle the sheer number of bodies that showed up to watch the Australian alt-dance outfit perform before it headed off to Palm Springs for a special late-night set at Splash House the following day.

What transpired at the pier this time was everything we experienced at the BØRNS show four weeks prior and worse, if that’s even possible. At one point, I didn’t even know if I was going to photograph RÜFÜS DU SOL because the fire marshal shut down the backstage VIP area due to overcrowding (when I finally got escorted back in, the photo pit was completely packed to the gills with mostly VIP guests who were there to watch the show). Had I known it was going to be that much trouble to re-enter, I never would have left to say hello to a friend after opener Marc Baker played for no more than 30 minutes, leaving a longer changeover than expected. I guess I underestimated just how far the Aussie trio has come since first releasing its RÜFÜS EP in early 2011.

“RÜFÜS … RÜFÜS DU WHO?” some of you might be saying. Though die-hard fans may laugh at those who haven’t heard of the band by now, I’ll be honest — I hadn’t heard of them either until April when I noticed they were listed on this year’s Coachella lineup. Clearly the joke is on me then, because after everything I witnessed from Tyrone Lindqvist (vocals, guitar), Jon George (keyboards) and James Hunt (drums), this shouldn’t have served as my introduction. Yet, there I was, sandwiched in between a bunch of bodies with my camera equipment in tow as RÜFÜS ran through material off their 2013 debut LP Atlas and this year’s follow-up Bloom, both of which have topped the charts in their home country.

There’s something about RÜFÜS DU SOL that makes them undeniably catchy. At times, their sun-drenched, beat-driven songs sound like a cross between Disclosure, Gorgon City and Bob Moses, with Lindqvist hooking listeners with his smooth vocal stylings. Knowing how popular those aforementioned groups have become, it made perfect sense that the pier was as packed as it was for RÜFÜS less than a week after they performed for the first time at Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival (read our review here) in San Francisco.

So, is there anything that can be done to keep the Thursday night crowds at the Santa Monica Pier to a more reasonable level going forward? If it means having to issue tickets — either on a first-come-first-serve basis or even for a small fee — for those who want to watch the show on the pier, then so be it. And while that change may not happen this year with only four shows left, don’t be surprised if it happens in 2017, assuming the Twilight Concert Series returns for its 33rd edition next summer.

After all, when in doubt, you can always still catch the show from the sand.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Coachella, Coachella 2016, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2016, Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival 2016, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival 2016, KCRW, Marc Baker, RÜFÜS, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Santa Monica Pier, Twilight Concert Series

The National continue to prove they’re one of the best bands out there today

August 2, 2016 by Kevin J Quandt 1 Comment

Photos by Steve Carlson // Written by Kevin Quandt //

The National with The Lone Bellow //
The Greek Theatre – Berkeley, CA
July 29th, 2016 //

A rather convincing argument can be made for The National being one of the most significant bands in rock ‘n’ roll over the past decade. Friday night’s return to the Greek Theatre at U.C. Berkeley continued to assist this argument as Matt Berninger and company played a stunning show to a growing, devout crowd on a quintessentially foggy Bay Area summer night. While this tour stop featured a slightly more subdued version of Berninger onstage, this evening wasn’t about his antics, but rather experimenting with a sizable handful of new tracks.

As large music festivals continue to dominate the landscape from May to October across the country and beyond, “non-shed” summer tours are becoming an endangered species. Luckily, The National have had their fill with these events and decided to take a little West Coast jaunt with fellow New York outfit The Lone Bellow, as the indie-leaning folk/blues group brought a surprising amount of energy to an already packed venue. There’s little doubt that frontman Zach Williams and his band won over new fans as their electric stage presence was pretty hard to deny through a genuine engagement with the crowd that was palpable.

The real headline from The National’s performance was hands down the new material that was debuted, pretty much across their entire set, encore included. A rather standard opening of “Don’t Swallow the Cap” and “I Should Live in Salt” led into our first taste of the band’s upcoming LP in the form of “Checking Out”. Though many locals likely recognized this track from last year’s Treasure Island Music Festival (read our review here), it has tightened up over the past year and even begins to sound familiar as the Brooklyn-based five-piece begins to weave in more electronic, synth-like elements.

As much as this sounds like a surprising move, one that could be seen as a risk, the foreign instrumentation is falling nicely into place as fans begin to get a broader scope of the group’s seventh full length. “Find a Way” is another example of this shifting sound, one that could be attributed to Berninger’s side project EL VY, which he formed with Brent Knopf of Menomena, from the past year. Similar to other indie-rock bands like The Walkmen, The National are on a keen path to continually evolving their sound as they age with their stunning catalog.

Other highlights from the Greek show was the sole West Coast rendition of “Slow Show”, an always-blistering rendition of “England” and a nod to the Grateful Dead and their home turf. While many in the know were aware that Bob Weir was playing a little more than 100 miles away in Wheatland, Calif., that still didn’t stop Berninger from offering a guest tease as the group quipped about his past sit-in from 2014 and launched into the Bonnie Dobson track “Morning Dew”. Though this may have been the shortest rendition of the track many Dead fans have heard, it was Berninger’s baritone vocals that added an intense weight to the GD classic. The connection that The National’s five core members seem to have to the music of the Dead is unwavering, and as they gear up for the live debut of the album, one can only imagine how special the Eaux Claires set next weekend in Eau Claire, Wis., will be.

Berkeley received a fairly similar encore to the one the band performed the previous night in Los Angeles, though theirs had Annie Clark, aka St. Vincent, singing on new ballad “Prom Song 13th Century (Frankie & Johnny)” and Adam Granduciel of The War on Drugs playing along to “Terrible Love”. On this night, Berninger was the sole spectacle for the band’s final songs as he climbed into the crowd, eventually making his way about halfway up the stone seats while getting the occasional “vocal guest” on a raucous version of “Mr. November”. Berninger is one helluva frontman and is truly a massive appeal to their live performance. Watching him onstage can be compared to other “mad geniuses” like Monet, as witnessing the cathartic process of a man pour his soul out to others is one that is both personal and increasingly hard to look away from.

Setlist:
Don’t Swallow the Cap
I Should Live in Salt
Bloodbuzz Ohio
Checking Out (new song)
Afraid of Everyone
Squalor Victoria
I Need My Girl
This Is the Last Time
Sometimes I Don’t Think (new song)
Find a Way (new song)
Sea of Love
Slow Show
The Lights (new song)
Pink Rabbits
England
Morning Dew (Bonnie Dobson cover)
Fake Empire
The Day I Die (new song)

Encore:
Prom Song 13th Century (Frankie & Johnny) (new song)
Mr. November
Terrible Love

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: The Greek Theater, The Lone Bellow, The National

Modest Mouse and Brand New aren’t ‘Strangers’ to each other, but their fans are a different story

August 1, 2016 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

Modest Mouse

By Josh Herwitt //

Modest Mouse & Brand New //
Kia Forum – Inglewood, CA
July 27th, 2016 //

When Modest Mouse announced back in late January that they would be hitting the road this summer for a co-headlining tour with Brand New, it was somewhat surprising to see the two bands team up for 24 dates across the U.S.

While both groups attained critical acclaim around the same time — Modest Mouse first with their seminal album The Moon & Antarctica in 2000 and Brand New a few years later thanks to their sophomore LP Deja Entendu in 2003 — that’s where most of the comparisons seem to end. Modest Mouse, after all, have long been influenced by Talking Heads and the early 90’s alt-/indie-rock scene, with pioneers like the Pixies and Pavement leading (or should we say paving?) the way, whereas Brand New earned their keep touring with such emo/pop-punk outfits as Taking Back Sunday, New Found Glory, Good Charlotte, Dashboard Confessional and Blink-182. Ah yes, punk at its height in the early 2000’s … how we don’t miss those days.

But if there’s one other link between them, it’s Modest Mouse’s early punk aesthetics and their years playing at DIY venues before attaining mainstream status with their hit single “Float On” from 2004’s Good News for People Who Love Bad News. And although the raw, schizophrenic sound Isaac Brock has churned out over the last two decades as the band’s primary songwriter has never been analogous with what Brand New have put forth in the studio, Modest Mouse’s loose punk ties made it a little more understandable to see them paired with the Long Island product for a month-long run that included a stop in LA last Wednesday night at Kia Forum.

Brand New

Of course, for as much as I tried to rationalize the billing in my head, every indication inside the venue told me otherwise. The show, which was originally scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m., was delayed multiple times — first until 7:50 p.m., then 7:55 p.m. before settling on 8 p.m. — because, from what I was told, there were not enough fans in the stands (cue the classic “LA traffic” excuse). So when Brand New arrived onstage just after the hour, the crowd of mostly 20-somethings and those of us in our early 30’s were finally ready to absorb everything Jesse Lacey (lead vocals, guitars), Vincent Accardi (guitars, backing vocals), Garrett Tierney (bass), Brian Lane (drums) and touring member Benjamin Homola (percussion) threw our way.

For this tour, Modest Mouse and Brand New had agreed to rotate opening and closing duties, and on this night, Brand New had drawn the “opener” card much to the dismay of their fans. By the time they had run through “Sink” and “Gasoline” from their most recent release Daisy to open the show, a stadium full of Brand New fans (or at least that’s what it looked like) was hanging onto every word that Lacey screamed. Unfortunately for them, they didn’t get the full 90-minute set they were promised due to the delay at the outset, and Brand New, as a result, were forced to cut their performance short by two or three songs. Yet, it wasn’t until Modest Mouse hit the stage that I noticed how many Brand New fans had already left the building.

Modest Mouse

It took almost eight years on the dot for Modest Mouse to release their sixth full-length effort Strangers to Ourselves last March, and in that time, there was plenty of turmoil to go around. For starters, they went to Atlanta to work with Big Boi, but after recording five songs with the Outkast rapper and a number of top-notch session musicians, Brock subsequently decided to scrap them. Shortly thereafter, founding member and bassist Eric Judy left the band as well as percussionist Joe Plummer, signaling a major change to the group’s lineup just five years after topping the U.S. Billboard 200 with 2007’s We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. Brock, at one point during the recording of Strangers, even brought in former Nirvana bass player Krist Novoselic before realizing his style wasn’t suited for an album that strays in a variety of sonic directions (read our community review here).

For as chaotic as the recording process was though, Brock didn’t let it tear the band apart. Instead, he recruited multi-instrumentalists Russell Higbee and Lisa Molinaro along with percussionists Davey Brozowski and Ben Massarella to join Modest Mouse, turning what started as a trio of friends from the Seattle area into a touring machine of eight. And from what Brock has revealed in one interview, it might not be long before LP7 drops (it could actually arrive later this year) as the expected companion piece to Strangers.

Back at Kia Forum, Brock and company didn’t unveil any new music from their next LP (that would be too good to be true, right?), but they did dive deep into their catalog, going back all the way to 1996 with cuts from their debut LP This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About and second EP Interstate 8 during a set that lasted about two hours — a pleasant surprise for any Modest Mouse fan who stuck around until the very end. In fact, despite all of the critics who have lambasted Brock for being too inebriated at the band’s shows, what still makes Modest Mouse so fun and exciting to see live are the setlists they craft for each gig. It’s no secret over the years that the octet has made a point of choosing different songs to perform night in and night out, and in a similar fashion, it followed suit on this latest jaunt with Brand New, whose setlists didn’t vary all that much in comparison. As much as that didn’t matter to the many who showed up and bounced early, it’s tough to say whether we will ever see these two bands billed together again. Judging from the audience’s behavior however, we certainly wouldn’t count on it.

MODEST MOUSE

Setlist:
The World at Large
The Tortoise and the Tourist
Bury Me With It
Dashboard
Interstate 8
The Ground Walks, With Time in a Box
Custom Concern
This Devil’s Workday
Bukowski
Pistol (A. Cunanan, Miami, FL. 1996)
Dark Center of the Universe
Tiny Cities Made of Ashes
Dramamine
Lampshades on Fire
Sleepwalking
Fly Trapped in a Jar

Encore:
Trailer Trash
Wicked Campaign
Doin’ the Cockroach
Strangers to Ourselves

BRAND NEW

Setlist:
Sink
Gasoline
Millstone
At the Bottom
Noro
Tautou
Sic Transit Gloria…Glory Fades
Okay I Believe You, but My Tommy Gun Don’t
Degausser
Jesus
Luca
Sowing Season

Encore:
Play Crack the Sky
I Am a Nightmare
You Won’t Know (with “Tautou” outro)

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Big Boi, Brand New, Kia Forum, Modest Mouse, Nirvana, The Forum

Nas preaches positivity while closing out this year’s Sound in Focus series in style

July 25, 2016 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

Sound in Focus: Nas with Wild Belle //
Annenberg Space for Photography – Los Angeles
July 23rd, 2016 //

It’s hard to beat summer in LA. With longer days and warmer nights, there’s always so much to do in the City of Angels during this time of the year. But part of what makes summers in LA so special are the countless opportunities to see live music and best of all, for free. From the Twilight Concert Series on Thursday nights at the Santa Monica Pier to Saturdays Off the 405 at the Getty Museum, you can catch a show — if not multiple shows — in LA every week from July to September for little to no money.

Right along those lines, KCRW’s Sound in Focus concert series is just another reason why summertime in LA has its advantages. For the past few years, the NPR member station has shown its appreciation for photography by welcoming a wide array of musicians, including indie-rock stalwarts like Portugal. The Man, Band of Skulls, TV on the Radio and Cold War Kids (read our review of their 2015 show here), to what was once unchartered territory as far as concert spaces in LA go. And in many ways, the Annenberg Space for Photography, as a result, has proven to be the perfect location for KCRW to combine its love for music and the arts by offering fans of all ages the chance to explore the museum’s newest exhibit and see well-established artists perform for free with a simple RSVP online.

After last year’s roster, which featured old-school hip-hop group De La Soul and country music legend Dwight Yoakam as headliners, it was somewhat surprising to see Grammy-nominated rapper Nas (born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones) listed next to psych-folk collective Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and eventually Senegalese singer/guitarist Baaba Maal when the 2016 Sound in Focus lineup dropped last month (Maal’s performance was revealed at a later date). Not because KCRW had booked a hip-hop act for a second straight year, but more that it had booked a hip-hop act of Nas’ stature. You don’t have to look much further than his two million Twitter followers, in stark contrast to Edward Sharpe’s 105,000 and Maal’s 5,750, to understand that. It should go without saying then that Mr. Jones is easily the biggest artist KCRW has ever booked for Sound in Focus in its three years running.

On the other hand though, Nas hasn’t released an album in more than four years. Better yet, it’s been more than three since the Brooklyn native disclosed he had begun work on his 12th studio album, the follow-up to 2012’s Life Is Good. In this day and age of instant gratification, that’s often three years too long to keep fans waiting. With so many options to choose from, it’s becoming harder and harder to remain relevant, even for a hip-hop artist of Nas’ caliber.

But there’s also something to be said for releasing eight straight platinum records, even if Nas doesn’t have any Grammys to go along with them. So, if last Saturday’s show was supposed to be Nas’ reminder to the world that he’s still working and grinding like he always has since the early 90’s, then a whole lot of fans got to hear that message loud and clear after Wild Belle’s opening set.

With the anticipation building, Nas arrived onstage with energy and purpose, immediately diving into his I Am…. anthem “Hate Me Now” that’s almost two decades old at this point. A little bit later, he would end up waxing poetic on “One Mic”, the third single off his 2001 LP Stillmatic that was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award. Yet, more important than the songs Nas chose to perform or the albums he drew from was the postivity he preached to the crowd before calling it a night. At a time of racial and social unrest in the U.S., he imparted optimism and encouraged everyone who stood before him to chase their dreams, whatever they may be. For an emcee who once proclaimed that “hip-hop is dead,” that’s seemingly quite a change in rhetoric.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Annenberg Space for Photography, Baaba Maal, Band of Skulls, Cold War Kids, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, KCRW, Nas, Portugal. The Man, Sound in Focus, TV on the Radio, Wild Belle

BØRNS doesn’t need Taylor Swift’s help to prove he’s one of music’s fastest-rising stars

July 18, 2016 by Josh Herwitt 2 Comments

By Josh Herwitt //

BØRNS with Porches //
Santa Monica Pier – Santa Monica, CA
July 14th, 2016 //

When the Twilight Concert Series announced the artist lineup for its 32nd edition this spring, it was safe to say that KCRW had curated one of its best rosters to date. In the last few years, the NPR member station on the campus of Santa Monica College has undoubtedly upped its game, booking buzz-worthy acts from a wide variety of musical genres for 10 straight weeks starting in July. From reggae and soul to Latin and disco, live music at the Santa Monica Pier on Thursday nights has become a summer staple in Los Angeles.

But in all my years attending the Twilight Concert Series’ shows, never have I seen the Santa Monica Pier like it was last Thursday when I arrived with more than an hour to spare before BØRNS’ headlining set. The concert viewing area, for one, was already at maximum capacity, forcing security and local law enforcement to block the main entrance and not allow anyone else in. The problem for me was, the only way to reach the media check-in tent to receive my credentials was through the same entry point into the concert. I won’t get into the details of how I had to obtain my credentials for the show, but let’s just say it was far from ideal and required plenty of patience. After all, they say patience is a virtue, right?

On this night, that proverbial phrase seemingly rang true. It wasn’t just that BØRNS most likely amassed the largest attendance in the history of the Twilight Concert Series, but also the fact that it was easily one of the best shows I’ve ever witnessed at the Santa Monica Pier. One could certainly point to the opening of the Expo Line extension as a reason for the larger crowds so far this summer, which wasn’t all that noticeable during the series’ opening night with Mayer Hawthorne (read our review of the show here) just the week prior, but that would simply be underestimating the exponential rise of Garrett Borns’ eponymous project. Since he relocated to Los Angeles in 2013 and signed with Interscope Records, the Michigan native has gone from supporting modest indie bands like MisterWives to selling out shows as a headliner in a matter of a year.

While much of BØRNS’ ascent can be attributed to the commercial success of his 2015 debut studio album Dopamine, which peaked at No. 24 on the U.S. Billboard 200, he can also thank Taylor Swift for getting the word out there fairly early. The pop superstar gave his first single “Electric Love” a ringing endorsement on her Instagram account well over a year ago, and 723,000 likes later, the 24-year-old has continued to grow his fan base with subsequent hits like “The Emotion” and “10,000 Emerald Pools”.

At the Santa Monica Pier, BØRNS only performed the latter of those two songs while playing almost all of his 11-track LP from front to back. But it was the covers he doled out that really stole the show, winning the hearts of first-timers like myself and even more dedicated fans who knew what to expect from “Garrett the Great” as he once called himself. Starting with The Smith’s “Shoplifters of the World Unite” and taking things up a notch with Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets” minutes later, he did justice to both songs, hitting the high notes in the midst of Sir Elton’s chart-topping smash with relative ease. Yet, as part of a three-song encore that opened with Dopamine cut “Clouds”, it was the last two offerings of the night that proved to be just as thrilling to hear from a songwriter with plenty of promise.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more important indie-rock band over the past decade than Arcade Fire, and not many contemporary artists have been bold enough to cover their work (the most recent one that comes to mind is Father John Misty’s rendition of “The Suburbs”). BØRNS, nevertheless, wasn’t afraid to take on one of Win Butler and company’s earliest hits, pumping the crowd full of energy for the final hurrah during “Rebellion (Lies)”. Of course, just when I thought I couldn’t be any more surprised by what I had already heard from Mr. Borns, the long-haired, bare-chested Midwesterner dropped David Bowie’s “Heroes” on us and somehow managed to give LCD Soundsystem’s cover at Coachella a run for its money. With those kind of chops in your early 20’s, who needs T-Swift’s public approval anyway?

Setlist:
Seeing Stars
Dopamine
Dug My Heart
Shoplifters of the World Unite (The Smiths cover)
10,000 Emerald Pools
Holy Ghost
Bennie and the Jets (Elton John cover)
Past Lives
Overnight Sensation
American Money
Electric Love

Encore:
Clouds
Rebellion (Arcade Fire cover)
Heroes (David Bowie cover)

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Arcade Fire, BØRNS, Coachella, Coachella 2016, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2016, Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival 2016, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival 2016, David Bowie, KCRW, LCD Soundsystem, Porches, Santa Monica Pier, Taylor Swift, Twilight Concert Series

Mayer Hawthorne pours his soul out to kick off Twilight Concert Series at the Santa Monica Pier

July 11, 2016 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

Mayer Hawthorne

By Josh Herwitt //

Mayer Hawthorne with Alina Baraz //
Santa Monica Pier – Santa Monica, CA
July 7th, 2016 //

Every year when the calendar hits June, signaling the official start of summer, the weather heats up as temperatures rise across the country.

For those of us living on LA’s Westside though, that rarely ever seems to be the case these days. “May Gray” is often followed by “June Gloom,” and July forecasts aren’t always that much better. Chalk it up to climate change if you want, but the summer months in LA are feeling less and less like, well, summer now.

Take last Thursday’s show at the Santa Monica Pier for instance. With the wind picking up by the time the sun had set over the Pacific Ocean, it felt more like a night in late March than one in early July. And you could tell those who weren’t wise enough to pack a sweatshirt or jacket were definitely kicking themselves shortly after alt-R&B singer Alina Baraz’s opening set.

But even if the conditions didn’t exactly exude summer in simply a climatic sense, the annual Twilight Concert Series has always served as a helpful reminder for Angelenos that the season — whether (or “weather” in this case) it feels like it or not — is officially here. So, what better way to kick off 10 straight weeks of free live music at the beach than with Grammy-nominated artist Mayer Hawthorne?

Alina Baraz

The neo-soul singer-songwriter has come a long way since Peanut Butter Wolf signed him to his LA-based label Stone Throw Records more than a decade ago. At the time, Hawthorne had just moved to the City of Angels from his native Michigan after spending a number of years as a hip-hop DJ, most notably during the Detroit scene’s height thanks to trailblazers like J Dilla and Eminem. But he also brought his longstanding affection for Motown with him to LA and has remained true to those roots from that day forward.

If LA was ever seeking its own version of Smokey Robinson, Hawthorne (born Andrew Mayer Cohen) wouldn’t be a bad choice. His sound may even be worthy of a comparison to Shuggie Otis, the “Strawberry Letter 23” hitmaker from LA who achieved commercial success during the mid-70’s. Yet, as he demonstrated for a packed crowd in Santa Monica, Hawthorne is as much the sum of his influences as he is his own entity.

Everything about Hawthorne’s onstage persona feels genuinely throwback. As his bandmates took their places, the “other mayor of Santa Monica” — as the city’s own Tony Vazquez coined him in between sets — followed behind, dressed as if he were playing the lead in a 1950’s film noir. He sat down next to his guitar at what looked like a makeshift bar and poured himself a drink, calmly sipping it before stepping to the mic and delivering more than an hour-long set that eclectically maneuvered between funk, soul, rock and reggae. He even dished out covers of Aerosmith (“Walk This Way”) and Brenton Wood (“Gimme Little Sign”) at one point during the show, electrifying an already enthusiastic bunch of spectators standing on the pier while plenty of others watched down below from the sand.

Hawthorne, after all, is a showman in every sense of the word. In this day and age in which it doesn’t take more than a laptop computer with prerecorded material and a couple visualizers to entertain an audience, he remains content doing things the old-fashioned way — through honest songwriting and soulful melodies. For someone with six studio albums (including his latest Man About Town from earlier this year) already tucked away in their pocket, that’s still something worth celebrating on a chilly summer night in Southern California.

Setlist:
Breakfast in Bed
Back Seat Lover
The Valley
Fancy Clothes
Allie Jones
Designer Drug
No Strings
The Only One
Crime
Scrabble
Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin
Medley
Get You Back
I Wish It Would Rain
Lingerie & Candlewax
Do It (Tuxedo song)
Walk This Way (Aerosmith cover)
The Walk/Gimme a Little Sign (Brenton Wood cover)
Love Like That

Encore:
Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Tears for Fears cover)

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Alina Baraz, KCRW, Mayer Hawthorne, Santa Monica Pier, Twilight Concert Series

DMX exhibits plenty of bark, almost some bite in SF

July 5, 2016 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Photos by Alister Mori // Written by Paul Ronas-Tanner //

DMX with Big Von, Legends Live Forever //
Mezzanine – San Francisco
June 18th, 2016 //

DMX, aka Dark Man X himself, visited the Bay Area last month to headline Mezzanine on a Friday night with local DJ Big Von and SF hip-hop group Legends Live Forever. As soon as I found out I was going, I could already hear Earl Simmons’ low growls exploding into loud barking inside my head. The barking got louder as the show neared and turned into yells by the time my friends and I walked into the venue.

When we entered Mezzanine the room was almost full, so we went right to the back bar to avoid the last-minute drink rush. Walking through the crowd to find any space that would allow for free movement is always difficult with a drink in each hand, but we found one, 15 feet just right of the stage.

Thirty minutes after claiming our spot and pounding our beers, the lights dimmed and you could hear X’s infamous dog growl. I remember hearing “It’s Dark” and “Hell Is Hot in 1998” when I was much younger and thought, “Wow, this guy is on something else!” (which would also be proven later on by his many run-ins with authority), but even then, I knew DMX was one of a kind.

There is no deeper growl in hip-hop than DMX’s. At the age of 45, his gritty sound that can suddenly become melodic has long been a style to be reckoned with in the East Coast rap scene. After more than two decades in the game and a number of hits in his catalog, the Yonkers, N.Y., native came out swinging at Mezzanine. He asked us, “Where the Hood At?” and of course, made us act a fool. He even made me wish I had my own dirt bike when his signature “Ruff Ryders Anthem” came on.

But what I didn’t expect was Simmons asking the crowd to join him in prayer. “OK, D. I’ll give this a try,” I quietly thought to myself. He thanked the Lord for all his blessings and for being in SF when he noticed someone in the crowd was “mocking” him. I could quickly tell this was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime moment as he called out the person in front of everyone there, telling him that he would “knock his ass out in the name of the Lord!” As serious as X was at that instant, it was hard not to find his threat a little bit funny.

As a Catholic myself, I had to give it to DMX for using his platform to promote positivity even if not all of the crowd was into it, which probably led to the brief moment of confrontation. Fortunately, nothing escalated before he asked the crowd my favorite question of the night: “What DO these bitches want from me?!?!”

After thanking the man up above and free styling gospel in between his anthems, Simmons decided to do some push-ups — 50 I believe. Yes, in the middle of his set. Maybe he knew the lights would shine on the grey hairs of his chin and wanted to show the crowd that he can still keep up, but he was so full of life that he did it with relative ease. He rocked the mic — and the crowd — with anthem after anthem, some gospel and a little preaching all while doing it over a bevy of backing tracks. There were no backup vocalists, pre-recorded ad libs or hype men. Just DMX, in the flesh.

Regardless of all the turmoil and questionable decisions Simmons has made over the course of his career, he is still giving it his all and you can feel it in his performance. You can tell he takes his religion seriously as it was present throughout the show. He genuinely wanted the people in attendance to be righteous and do good to others, which I could support. Though acknowledging he has 14 children with another on the way and still trying to have more that night reassured me that The Dog will always be, well … The Dog.

Nevertheless, I believe DMX’s faith is good for him. He knows he’s in a position that can do some good while still providing a fun time for his fans. And he made sure we knew that he loved us as his fans, just like he loves his women.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Big Von, DMX, Legends Live Forever, Mezzanine

Riding J. Cole’s coattails, Bas doesn’t shy away from the spotlight at a sold-out Roxy Theatre

June 22, 2016 by Joseph Gray Leave a Comment

By Joseph Gray //

Bas with Cozz //
The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
June 15th, 2016 //

The expectations for a hip-hop protégé have always been unfair and lofty. Fans often hope the pupil has soaked up just enough of the mentor’s know-how and creativity while also craving different risks and a new wrinkle to the story that has captivated their attention. Nevertheless, the game is not based on sympathy. And lucky for Bas, the Queens, N.Y.-raised rapper signed to J. Cole’s Dreamville Records imprint, reveling in self-awareness with rangy detail appears to be his greatest attribute.

For every apprentice that becomes Snoop Dogg under Dr. Dre’s wings, there are countless contemporaries that go the way of Jay Z’s Memphis Bleek. The second-in-charge star vs. the promising and hungry upstart who never quite materializes commercially. Where Bas (born Abbas Hamad) eventually lands aside North Carolina’s prodigal son still remains to be seen. However, after carrying his mindful thoughts in a workmanlike fashion into a sold-out Roxy Theatre last Wednesday in LA, it’s clear that the 29-year-old emcee has no plans of letting his inebriation with success — and its subsequent effects — stagger his straight-lined momentum.

There’s unrelenting, surface-level music that you listen to in a hyped-up state while you’re on your way to the club, and then there’s music you listen to while you reflect on the ride home. Sonically, Bas, similar to J. Cole, is mostly backed by hypnotic, darker sounds peppered with bits of warmth and place his projects in line with his mentor. Be that as it may, his youthful admirers won’t let you believe there are many lulls in his journey.

From “Too High to Riot”, the pensive title track on the follow-up to his 2014 debut Last Winter, to the breezy “Clouds Never Get Old”, Bas’ ever-loyal “villains” showered their appreciation onto him for his personable showmanship — so much so that he was able to reverse the roles and play the fan during “Night Job” with the crowd reciting the verses verbatim as he let the microphone rest at his side.

Sporting a beard as burly as his physique and the portions of his subject matter, Bas is an adversely light-footed performer with lots of jumping, smiling and promises that his fans’ newly purchased vinyl would be signed before they left for the night. All of that, of course, was sandwiched between his unique storytelling.

Every good story deserves a few surprises, though, and Bas was more than happy to keep up with tradition as some of his running mates and friends were also at the diminutive venue. London electronic quartet The Hics provided some soulful pleasantry to Bas’ inner battles. Additionally, the Dreamville crew’s veteran, Omen, delighted the audience with “48 Laws”, his standout track from the label’s 2015 compilation Revenge of the Dreamers II before Cozz, the South Central rapper also signed to Dreamville who performed his own opening set at The Roxy, re-appeared alongside Bas to continue building on his raw, growing confidence with his notable verse on the spirited “Tabs”.

Where the demands of being next up naturally weigh the most, Bas seemingly welcomed the opportunity to improve and chase history in front of the disbelievers and fellow dreamers. His “Too High to Riot Tour” stands as a chance for him to move the scope beyond just “making it” and inward toward everything, from life’s ills to racial injustice and an overall celebration of life through his eyes. If the chants for an encore during the LA stop on his nationwide tour were any indication, he’ll have some devoted fans supporting him as he continues to grow.

Bas

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Bas, Cozz, J. Cole, Omen, The Hics, The Roxy Theatre

Kaki King brings ‘The Neck Is a Bridge to the Body’ back to SF for a third time

June 21, 2016 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

By Diana Cordero //

Kaki King //
Swedish American Hall – San Francisco
June 12th, 2016 //

Solo artist Kaki King (born Katherine Elizabeth King) brought her audiovisual experience entitled “The Neck Is a Bridge to the Body” back to SF this month, performing at the Swedish American Hall on a Sunday night. The show is heavily based on projection mapping, having the guitar literally serving as a canvas for the visual delight of sound and color that King and her team created to accompany the music.

For those unfamiliar with King, she’s a virtuoso guitarist with seven albums under her belt. Yet, her first instrument actually wasn’t the guitar — she started playing drums, which you can tell from her compositions and live performances as she tends to be rather percussive.

Unlike most musicians, King has proven to be a risk-taker. Her efforts, as well as her team’s, consist of seeing sounds and visually representing what she does sonically — and the results, subsequently, are amazing. If she had support from a major record label, she would go much further. But for being an independent artist whose show was funded through Indiegogo, she has managed to entertain audiences while still keeping the focus on the guitar.

In fact, the 36-year-old now based in Brooklyn has performed “The Neck Is a Bridge to the Body” in SF three times over the last two years, the first time coming in late 2014 with a very special introduction at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco (read our review of the show here).

Nevertheless, King remains faithful to her intentions, as she performs in the dark most of the time with only light shining on her face or hands sporadically. The entire experience speaks to the guitarist who isn’t trying to demonstrate how fast or intricately one’s fingers move up and down the fretboard. Seeing that is definitely refreshing, especially when many musicians fall in love with displaying their technical virtuosity. There’s no question then that King remains somewhat of a pioneer in that way.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Kaki King, Swedish American Hall

A$AP Ferg, Tory Lanez rise above with MadeinTYO at The Regency Ballroom

June 20, 2016 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

Photos by Lisette Worster // Written by Molly Kish //

A$AP Ferg, Tory Lanez with MadeinTYO //
The Regency Ballroom – San Francisco
June 7th, 2016 //

An epic trio of hip-hop heavyweights took over The Regency Ballroom earlier this month, and Showbams was there in the thick of it, literally watching both the crowd and performers hang from the venue’s balcony rafters.

MadeinTYO kicked off the night with a short set in front of a jam-packed, sold-out audience that was ready to rage for all three acts. Rising hip-hop star Tory Lanez performed his own slot as the second billed artist on “The Level Up Tour,” leaving Bay Area fans pleasantly surprised to see the Canadian booked as a co-headliner alongside A$AP Ferg. But as they traded off on the mic in SF, both dug into their career-spanning setlists together.

Tory Lanez

More than just a simple hip-hop set, the show featured several guest appearances from fellow A$AP Mob members and their actual relatives, who came onstage and helped provide back-up lyrics and hype-inducing antics. A lot of the performance also involved A$AP Ferg or Lanez, if not both of them, stage diving and crowd surfing throughout the venue, mic in hand and not missing a single bar. Though at points the tactic seemed a bit overused, those at The Regency Ballroom came hard, supporting the talent both through their unfazed enthusiasm and by holding the traveling emcee’s weight with their hands, heads and whatever other body part was available to keep their footing.

At the evening’s apex, Lanez rode above the sea of fans, who feverishly directed the rapper to the side of the venue. Using a door frame to boost himself up into the arms of spectators in the balcony, he was able to climb upstairs before the track was over. And in what appeared to be almost a reverse stage dive, Lanez playfully mentioned how he is the clown of the Level Up crew, bringing new meaning to the tour’s name by taking the notion of “getting lifted” to a new level, literally.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: A$AP Ferg, ASAP Ferg, MadeinTYO, The Regency Ballroom, Tory Lanez

Why can’t Holy Fuck draw a bigger crowd in LA?

June 17, 2016 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

Holy Fuck with DOOMSQUAD //
Club Bahia – Los Angeles
June 13th, 2016 //

For more than a decade, Holy Fuck have been creating weird, electronically-tinged music with seemingly whatever equipment they can get their hands on.

Whether it has meant using more traditional instruments like guitars, keyboards and drums or more eccentric ones like toy phaser guns and 35 mm film synchronizers, the Toronto outfit, as a result, has built a small, yet loyal following with a sound that few bands were concocting at the time its debut LP came out.

In fact, since forming back in 2004, Holy Fuck have amassed some noteworthy achievements, particularly in their home country. Besides playing close to every major music festival in the world, the Canadian four-piece has gone on tour with female hip-hop recording artist M.I.A. and Montreal indie rockers Wolf Parade while earning major TV placements in AMC’s award-winning series “Breaking Bad” and popular Canadian comedy show “Kenny vs. Spenny”. It’s even worth noting that their second full-length record LP received a nomination at the 2008 Juno Awards for Alternative Album of the Year and was shortlisted for the Canadian Polaris Music Prize.

So, then why when I stepped into Club Bahia, the Latin-turned-hipster nightclub in Echo Park that’s being booked more and more frequently for concerts now, earlier this week, were there less than 200 people waiting to catch Holy Fuck’s 9:30 p.m. set?

It very well could have been due to the fact that it was a Monday night, which I’ll admit was a strange choice on the band’s part. At the same time, seeing more than half of the room empty was — for lack of a better term — depressing. “Holy Fuck deserves better than this,” I thought to myself shortly after arriving.

Of course, it’s not that Holy Fuck’s music is bad or unlistenable. Their fourth and newest studio album Congrats actually stands as a solid effort from Brian Borcherdt (keyboards, guitar, effects), Graham Walsh (keyboards, effects), Matt “Punchy” McQuaid (bass, guitar) and Matt Schulz (drums). It won’t end up on many end-of-year lists — if any at all — but it does fit in with the rest of the group’s catalog quite nicely.

And though Holy Fuck recently played just up the road in Silver Lake a little more than three months ago (see more photos from the show here), Congrats still hadn’t been released. But in many ways, the crowd on that night wasn’t all that much bigger than what this past Monday’s show tallied — and let’s not forget to mention that the gig at Los Globos only costed guests $3 thanks to Red Bull’s backing.

In a city like LA where there is no shortage of quality electronic music, it was a shame to see such a sparse and apathetic crowd take in Holy Fuck’s hour-long set at Club Bahia. With the band’s record label Innovative Leisure not far away, you would think there would be a little more local support for Holy Fuck, but after two live performances over the last few months, that’s simply proven to not be the case. For now, it remains to be seen whether LA will ever come around to a band that’s always chosen to go about things a bit differently.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Club Bahia, DOOMSQUAD, Holy Fuck

Here’s why you shouldn’t have missed Brett Dennen at Great American Music Hall

June 9, 2016 by Lindsay Alamillo Leave a Comment

Photos by Tom Dellinger // Written by Lindsay Alamillo //

Brett Dennen with Firekid //
Great American Music Hall – San Francisco
June 1st, 2016 //

Northern California native Brett Dennen put out his sixth album Por Favor last month and is supporting it with a nationwide tour that will last well into the fall. The 36-year-old singer-songwriter and his band stopped by the Great American Music Hall for a sold-out show on a Tuesday night. For those who missed out, an additional show was added for the following evening.

The show began with a performance by three-piece band Firekid from the infamous Muscle Shoals, Ala. They added a funky twist to their Americana vibe and covered a compilation of different songs with a little help from an old Game Boy and its cartridges. Their unique sound and upbeat energy held the crowd’s attention and kept the bodies moving until Dennen took the stage.

The first time I watched Dennen perform live was several years ago when he opened before Colbie Caillat during a John Mayer concert at Shoreline Amphitheatre. I would applaud him on how far he has come since then, but to be completely honest, he hasn’t grown drastically. He was, at that time, a hidden gem and is finally getting the recognition that he so deserves.

Dennen is not the kind of artist who demands a crowd’s attention. Instead, the audience seems to voluntarily surrender their attention as voices fade and whispers turn to silence quickly in anticipation of his set. He walked onto the stage barefoot, as he often does, and began playing with a sort of comfort and ease that made you feel like you were guest in his home.

The microphone that emitted the vocals seemed to be a bit low, but even so, Dennen’s voice managed to fill the room and all the hearts within it, which could have been measured by the smiles that appeared within moments of hearing his first song. He mixed up his old and new material perfectly, satisfying all of our ears. Near the end of his set, he remembered that his amplifier had broken the night before and continued to play “Make You Crazy” the way it used to be played, with his guitarist playing both parts on Dennen’s behalf.

Very few people left the spots they solidified at the beginning of the show because Dennen’s presence was so contagious. It seemed like no one wanted to leave where they were posted up because the spot they had attained was like scoring gold.

Dennen is an artist through and through. His talents can be recognized as soon as he strums his acoustic guitar and the words leave his lips. The lyrics he sings tells stories and provoke feelings, leaving just about every girl in the room wishing that he was serenading her. When you watch Dennen perform live, it makes you feel grateful that talent of his kind is still alive and well, reminding you to appreciate the art of songwriting in its purest form.

If you have yet to familiarize yourself with the sounds of Dennen, check out his newest LP Por Favor or any of his other albums before he makes his way back to California to play with the Avett Brothers this September.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Brett Dennen, Firekid, Great American Music Hall

Rudimental, Gorgon City team up at the Fox Theater Oakland to close out their co-headlining tour

June 3, 2016 by Brett Ruffenach Leave a Comment

Rudimental

Photos by Marc Fong // Written by Brett Ruffenach //

Rudimental & Gorgon City //
Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland
May 26th, 2016 //

There’s something about the Fox Theater Oakland that attracts touring acts whom many U.S. fans don’t usually have the chance to see. In keeping up with this tradition, Gorgon City and Rudimental chose The Fox as the final of five venues for their co-headlining spring tour last Thursday.

As two live-produced electronic acts hailing from London, both have experienced a fast rise in popularity, taking their respective house- and drum-and-bass-inspired sounds from the UK’s underground club scene to some of the world’s largest music festivals. Although the idea of sharing a headlining tour was unexpected, the two groups complemented each other well.

With Gorgon City taking the stage first, the three-piece band manned their respective decks with Kyle Gibbon and Matt Robson-Scott running the keyboards and percussion. In addition to their standard live setup, the English duo brought with them two vocalists and a drummer, filling in their digital gaps with an acoustic drum kit. Kicking off their set with “Sky High”, a punchy fan favorite not yet released on an official album, Gorgon City spared no time setting the pace and energy for the rest of the night.

Gorgon City

Even though Gorgon City’s catalog may seem formulaic, adding vocalists Josh Barry and Lulu James on tracks like “Unmissable” and “Real”, respectively, made for excellent contributions. Combine that with the tireless energy of touring drummer Nathan Curran, and it’s clear that Gorgon City have found the right formula when it comes to translating their DJ-oriented sound into a full live-band production. The contribution of each musician’s skill set reached its peak as Gorgon City closed their set with a superb cover of Drake’s recent hit “One Dance”, leading into their own single “Go All Night”.

Combining soaring melodies with some infectious 4/4 kick drum patterns, Gorgon City did a masterful job crafting live-produced house music. Such mastery was best captured as they moved seamlessly from track to track with as many as five performers onstage. Overhearing my fellow concertgoers chat about the set while waiting for the bathroom, it was evident that Gorgon City had won over more than a couple new fans on this night.

Rudimental

As the road crew quickly wheeled out Gorgon City’s drum kit to make room for Rudimental’s even larger setup, the crowd waited anxiously for the next headliner to take the stage. As a Hackney-based band comprised of Piers Agget, Amir Amor, Kesi Dryden and Leon Rolle (aka DJ Locksmith), Rudimental’s live production expands into a seven-piece band featuring two additional vocalists and a live drummer. Though Rudimental are rooted first and foremost in drum and bass, which in its own right is rooted in the infamous Amen break, the group is skilled at taking this repetitive style and flipping it on its head to cross the sonic offerings of pop, R&B and reggae, the latter of which was most fully exemplified in the crowd-pleasing cover of Damian Marley’s anthem “Welcome to Jamrock”.

Through Rudimental tracks like “Not Giving In”, “Free” and “Waiting All Night”, the most unique element of the group’s live production was their charisma. Simply put, they look like they’re having fun. These aren’t tortured artists or cathartic performers — Rudimental are a band that loves the music they make. Even the band’s drummer, Beanie, easily one of the hardest working rhythmists on tour right now, managed to keep a smile on his face, racing through Rudimental’s repertoire of songs that were anywhere from 145 to 160 BPMs. The septet’s de-facto leader, DJ Locksmith, was surprisingly more in the background than you would expect from a typical DnB hype man. As Rudimental wrapped up their set with their chart-topping hit “Feel the Love”, the crowd joined in as the song ended, creating a shared moment at The Fox that perfectly reflected the intention of Rudimental — to spread the love.

It’s a shame that Gorgon City and Rudimental could only put on four live shows across their five-date tour. These two acts, despite their differences sonically, are symbiotic by design, taking underground electronic music and turning it into an infectious, upbeat dance party that any fan can appreciate. Considering the logistical challenges of coordinating a tour like this one, it’s understandable that they are not hitting every major city in the U.S. Instead, we should just be thankful — as we should be everyday — that we get to live in a place like the Bay Area with music venues as coveted as The Fox.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Fox Theater Oakland, Gorgon City, Rudimental

Bob Moses reset electronic music standards in SF

June 1, 2016 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

Photos by Lisette Worster // Written by Molly Kish //

Bob Moses //
Mezzanine – San Francisco
May 26th, 2016 //

Most live music fans at some point will utter the overgeneralized critique, “a band is only as good as its live show.” More often than not, this type of commentary is applied when referring to performances by electronic artists and typically in a negative way. Critics love to lambaste the genre for relying too heavily on the aesthetics of a stage show as opposed to a skillfully executed performance, compartmentalizing electronic artists across the board as simply maestros of premeditated setlists that require little to no skill when onstage.

There are also rare moments where bands transcend music in ways that even studio sessions can’t, with live performances that seem almost too good to be true — shows that sound better than remastered albums, that silence even the harshest of opinions and sharpest of critiques centered around the state of live music and today’s recording industry.

Peaking in these instances, are artists like Bob Moses.

Blowing away two capacity crowds in SF last week, Tom Howie and Jimmy Vallance, better known as the Canadian electronic duo Bob Moses, stunned their fans at Mezzanine. Serving as only their third show in the Bay Area, the Domino Records artists came in hot off a special guest appearance at Resident Advisor’s first-ever San Francisco, All Day I Dream festival.

Supported by R. Fentz and Aaron Axelson, who performed a pair of DJ sets to kick things off, Bob Moses took the stage around midnight. Hollow echoes of live percussion beckoned the intimate venue to compact into an amorphous sea of bodies, swaying along to the opening lyrics of their 2015 single “Talk”. Possessing a vocal resonance that seems nearly impossible outside of post production, Howie filled the room with his sultry intonations wafting along the pulsating baselines provided by Vallance.

The venue remained draped in shadows throughout the entire performance, drawing the crowd’s attention to the backlit performers and the syncopated strobe lights they utilized to further punctuate their live drops and shredding solos throughout the scintillating set. Both members of the band displayed their talents as multi-instrumentalists, playing everything from synthesizers to drums, tambourines, modulators, hi-hats and electric guitars. They also compiled a setlist that spanned their entire body of work, further enhanced through extended riffing and live remixes.

For many in attendance, this was their first experience seeing Bob Moses within the context of a venue, with the band having only recently come off the festival circuit to perform on smaller stages and clubs. Scanning the crowd, you could see jaws dropping and hear collective bouts of excitement as the duo steadily fed into Mezzanine’s palpable energy, increasing with the sets gradually rising BPMs. Running through nearly all of their singles, B-sides and two full-length album’s worth of material, the duo concluded their set around last call, leaving the fully immersed crowd yearning for more.

Needless to say, worn-out axioms failed to apply in this scenario. Bob Moses silenced anyone attempting to pass them off as yet another contrived electropop outfit aiming to please the masses. At Mezzanine, both Howie and Vallance proved their prowess as EDM innovators, bringing more to the stage than a couple of laptops and a pretty light show. Surprising those unfamiliar with their work or expecting to be underwhelmed, Bob Moses have elevated the live electronic game for their respective contemporaries and succeeded in defining a new chapter for the genre — an innovative sound standard that’s all their own.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Bob Moses, Mezzanine

Moderat are the cure for the common DJ

June 1, 2016 by Zach Bourque 1 Comment

Zach Bourque //

Moderat with Telefon Tel Aviv //
The Fonda Theatre – Los Angeles
May 26th, 2016 //

It’s difficult to accurately describe Moderat without dipping into superlatives. The innovative, groundbreaking Berlin-based supergroup has proven to be a modern antidote to EDM, with a fresh take on electronic music that reminds you why you started enjoying it in the first place.

The three-piece outfit hit The Fonda Theatre for a sold-out performance last Thursday ahead of its appearance at Lighting in a Bottle this past weekend. Support came from New Orleans-derived electronic music act Telefon Tel Aviv, now made up of former Nine Inch Nails touring member Joshua Eustis after the accidental death of bandmate Charles Cooper in 2009.

It’s no surprise that Moderat have made waves in the genre given their well-established roots in Modeselektor (Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary) and Apparat (Sascha Ring). What has been surprising, however, is their ability to step outside the conventions of both parent acts and craft something truly their own.

Much of this appeal stems from the ethereal vocals of Ring, whose presence stands to further elevate the group over the current crop of watch-me-press-play DJs in the EDM world. Coupled with the trio’s trippy, layered sound, Moderat are an electronic act that sound spectacular in a recording studio but become something else entirely when they perform live.

At The Fonda, the group wasted no time diving into a wonderfully varied setlist that featured old favorites like “Rusty Nails” and “Bad Kingdom” that were mixed in with newer tracks like “Running” off its 2016 release and third full-length album III.

Moderat’s initially dark and subdued visual setup, meanwhile, shifted directions halfway through their set, exploding into a sea of light and color before finally giving the group the psychedelic backdrop it was born to play in front of.

Any sold-out show at The Fonda can be a daunting experience, but the eclectic crowd seemed surprisingly well-behaved, especially considering the show’s proximity to a holiday weekend. Credit goes to a refreshing lack of tank-topped EDM bros and a collective sense of appreciation and excitement for the event at hand, which speaks volumes to the merit of the group.

While we’ll stop short of calling all EDM music garbage, it’s certainly been an embarrassing blemish on electronic music as a whole, which makes it all the more refreshing to witness a live electronic set that puts the focus back on the music instead of the party.

Moderat can’t offer you bass drops, celebrity cameos or goofy costumes. What they can offer, though, is something way more valuable — electronic music that not only sounds awesome live, but would also be a great addition to your vinyl collection at home.

Take that, David Guetta.