Live Music Reviews

Troye Sivan proves that he is well beyond his years at the Fox Theater Oakland

February 15, 2016 by Steve Carlson Leave a Comment

Troye Sivan with Allie X //
Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland
February 8th, 2016 //

There’s something devilishly unassuming about Troye Sivan. Maybe it’s his svelte, boyish appearance, which doesn’t immediately scream “pop star.” Or, maybe it’s his candor and approachability, his willingness to share his intimate thoughts and fears from the stage.

Whatever it is, once Sivan took the stage at the Fox Theater Oakland last Monday as part of his 44-date “Blue Neighbourhood Tour,” he immediately erased any doubts one might have had about his readiness for the spotlight.

Allie X

Opening the show was enigmatic Canadian-turned-Los Angeleno songstress Allie X (born Alexandra Ashley Hughes), who also happened to co-write many of the songs on Sivan’s debut LP Blue Neighbourhood. Taking the stage in sunglasses and a dress that could best be described as oversized loofah material, Hughes showed off impressive theatricality with a style that seemed like a cross between Charli XCX and a Disney princess. One of the benefits of opening for an artist like Sivan is that you’re sure to have a full house early, as most of the die-hard fans had lined up early in the day, and Allie X made the most of the opportunity and was well-received in return.

Shortly thereafter, Sivan, cloaked in fog and and backlit by a spotlight, kicked off the night with the haunting track “Bite” off his new album, and things only got better from there. The sold-out venue, comprised of at least 80 percent teenage girls by this reviewer’s estimation, was nearly euphoric by the time the South African-born Australian’s energetic opening song was done, and the energy didn’t let down for the entire set. It wasn’t unusual to even witness grown adults racing back to their seats from the bar at various points in the set as the opening notes of other numbers were being played. That’s the kind of effect Sivan seems to have over people already.

Troye Sivan

It’s really quite amazing to think that Sivan has only been at this touring thing for a relatively short period of time. Although he’s dabbled in acting and music going well back into his teens and has been a YouTube sensation for several years (he boasts almost 4 million subscribers), he’s relatively inexperienced as a live performer. Sivan only began touring this past October, but he is much more polished and confident onstage than his age and experience would imply. His tight backing band, which includes Miley Cyrus’ keyboardist, probably helps with that, as they provided a solid sonic backdrop for his vocal talents. Given the fast start Sivan is off to, it’ll be very interesting to watch his career develop over the next few years.

Setlist:
Bite
for him.
Fools
Heaven
Suburbia
Cool
Too Good
Wild
Love Yourself (Justin Bieber cover) (acoustic)
Happy Little Pill (acoustic)
Ease
DKLA
Talk Me Down

Encore:
Lost Boy
Youth

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Allie X, Fox Theater Oakland, Troye Sivan

Dan Deacon vs. The Fillmore: Crowd thoughts from a sold-out show in SF

February 5, 2016 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

Photos by James Nagel // Written by Molly Kish //

Dan Deacon //
The Fillmore – San Francisco
January 29th, 2016 //

The man, maestro and frenzy-inducing frontman Dan Deacon returned to the Bay Area last Friday to take over a sold-out Fillmore.

Following our coverage of Deacon’s ever-growing fan base over the past few years, we have documented several of his intense performances at both mid-size venues and large-scale music festivals. With the release of last year’s critically acclaimed Glass Riffer — escalating not only Deacon’s complexity as a musician, but also his reputation as a major player in the experimental and electronic music scenes — we had the opportunity to see him this time in one of the West Coast’s most historic theater’s, at capacity.

Regardless of space or context, a Dan Deacon show is unlike any other, currently selling out spaces of such magnitude. At the same time, the venues Deacon chooses to stage his unique, interactive performances plays a huge role in an audience’s translation of his music. So, who better to give us some perspective on Deacon’s latest SF show than the members of a sold-out audience? Check out our crowd responses and photo gallery below.

Did you go to the show? Leave your thoughts in the comments section, and the best answer will receive a pair of tickets to one of our next giveaways.

“It appeared to be a tougher task for DD to pull off his crowd antics in a bigger space than usual. The only engagement game that really worked was the high fives one. But a sold-out house was as enraptured as ever, bouncing and smiling along to the hyperactive, comedic bliss of a genius musical madman.” – Mike Frash, 33

“The show did not live up to my high expectations built on tales of invigorating and complete crowd participation. It seems The Fillmore was too large of a venue for those on the perimeter to see and engage with the activity of those folks centered under the disco ball. I got a taste of coordinated crowd movement when each side rushed through each other, palms up and open for high fives.” – Julie Mullen, 30

“As a first time ‘Dan Deaconer,’ I was pretty mesmerized by how the show was set up. Using the power of the crowd to unite one another was a fun and unique experience you don’t get from every show. I would say it was a blast.” – Trevor Laehy, 27

“Without fail, Dan provides magical and mind-bending experiences to captivate his audience and bring people together into one harmonious, bad-ass dance circle.” – Danielle Mansfield, 30

“Dan Deacon is epic. He has that rare ability to emotionally tie a crowd together: to one another, to the experience and to the music itself. He’s brilliantly creative and weird, and you can’t leave a show not feeling stoked to be weird, too!” – Roxanne Mansfield, 25

“Dan Deacon at The Fillmore was an electronica- and light-fueled dance frenzy where friends and strangers were free to get down and get weird.” – Amy Lightstone, 33

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Dan Deacon, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, The Fillmore

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats bring the energy of gospel and folk to The Fillmore

February 4, 2016 by Brett Ruffenach Leave a Comment

Photos by Steve Carlson // Written by Brett Ruffenach //

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats with Paper Bird //
The Fillmore – San Francisco
January 27th, 2016 //

Many great live performers are great because of one thing: energy. Energy, however, doesn’t come in just one form. It doesn’t just require dancing across a stage, clever banter with the audience or “turning it up to 11.” Sometimes, energy can be patient; energy can be humble.

Indeed, given the right context, this type of showmanship can be more powerful and garner more enthusiasm than any impressive guitar solo or dance move could muster. This type of energy was put on display last week by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, who played a pair of sold-out shows at The Fillmore.

As the warm glow of The Fillmore’s trademark chandeliers dimmed and Rateliff’s seven-piece band took the stage on the first of two nights in SF, the crowd — with an age range spanning multiple generations of live music fans — greeted them warmly. Opening with a organ-led jam session, the band’s frontman eventually followed behind.

Hailing from Hermann, Mo., Rateliff has a look that I would liken more to the bouncers who work at Zeitgeist in The Mission than a gospel/folk/rock bandleader. After quickly thanking the crowd for joining him on this night, Rateliff and his sidekicks jumped into “I Need Never Get Old”, the opening track from the band’s recently released self-titled album. In the first minute of the song, the three strongest elements of Rateliff’s live show — the organ, a horns section comprised of a booming tenor sax and trumpet and the group’s vocal talent — were made quite clear.

While the band played through the majority of its new album, one key difference between its studio and live renditions is the way the live performances are led by an extremely talented organist, filling every open space between The Night Sweats’ tight rhythms and their soaring harmonies. During “I’ve Been Falling”, a mid-tempo, blues-meets-soul ballad about a man pleading for forgiveness to a lost lover, Rateliff gave the classic Hammond organ sound plenty of room to shine during a captivating solo. With the end of the set nearing, Rateliff played “Wasting Time” with its cascading, nostalgic sound balancing perfectly between all of the band’s components.

The septet closed with its instant earworm of a single “S.O.B.” — a song, even described by Rateliff himself, that is more of a joke than a serious take on heartbreak — and the crowd howled while singing along all the way until the end. As Rateliff and company walked off stage, fans enthusiastically continued to sing the opening melody of “S.O.B”, getting louder and louder until The Night Sweats returned to the stage and jumped into a groovy cover of The Band’s “The Shape I’m In”.

Rateliff, subsequently, joined the rest of his backing band and wrapped up the set, expressing sincere gratitude to the crowd for spending the evening with them. The singer-songwriter is a performer who is not shy, but he is humble. His enthusiasm and gratitude is clear, and it’s also authentic.

As a band on the rise, especially with two upcoming appearances at Coachella and a number of other music festivals this year, it’s clear that Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats have found the right kind of energy to offer to a crowd: one of passion, one of talent and one of gratitude.

Setlist:
I Need Never Get Old
The Intro
Look It Here
I’ve Been Failing
Howling at Nothing
Parlor
Out on the Weekend
Mellow Out
Shake
Thank You
Trying So Hard Not To Know
Wasting Time
S.O.B.

Encore:
The Shape I’m In (The Band cover)
What I Need

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Nathaniel Rateliff, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Paper Bird, The Fillmore

Ty Segall shows us how to rock — and rock hard

January 20, 2016 by Josh Herwitt 2 Comments

By Josh Herwitt //

Ty Segall & The Muggers //
Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles
January 15th, 2016 //

If there’s one thing Ty Segall knows how to do well, it’s work — even if making loud, guitar-driven rock music might not seem like work to some.

At the young age of 28, the California native has already played in a handful of bands — most of which are comically named — like The Traditional Fools, Epsilons, Party Fowl, Sic Alps and The Perverts, and nowadays you can find him moonlighting between Broken Bat, GØGGS and most notably Fuzz, which released their sophomore LP this past fall.

Yet, it’s Segall’s prolific solo career that has earned him the most attention from critics and fans alike, one that will see him drop his eighth studio album Emotional Mugger in as many years this week, almost a decade after befriending John Dwyer of Thee Oh Sees and releasing his self-titled debut on Dwyer’s label Castle Face Records.

But if there’s another thing Segall knows how to do well, it’s rock — and not just rock, but rock hard (and that might be an understatement).

Playing the first of two sold-out nights in his hometown of Los Angeles, Segall and his band, appropriately named “The Muggers” for this current tour, shredded their way through track after track on his forthcoming album. The riffs were heavy, the sound was crunchy and the atmosphere was pure, unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll.

It’s also fair to say that Segall knows his fans and the way they respond to his music pretty damn well, because in retrospect, he couldn’t have picked a better venue for the occasion than the standing-room-only Teragram Ballroom. When Segall and his bandmates took the stage just after 11 p.m. on Friday night and ripped into the opening track “Squealer” from Emotional Mugger, the crowd, a mix of mostly hipsters in their 20’s and the occasional dad fan, lost its collective mind.

Segall, after all, has no problem with dads. In fact, he reminded us several times to go home after the show and make babies, either “with someone you love or with someone you don’t care about.” As strange and funny as that might sound, Segall’s absurd stage banter was all part of the show, particularly once you realize that he chose a creepy baby doll to grace the black-and-white cover of Emotional Mugger (to perpetuate the theme, Segall wore a baby-face mask at the beginning of the show). At one point in between songs, he even spat in his hand and walked off stage to give it to his girlfriend. How sweet of him, right?

But Segall is no doubt a showman himself, and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who expends as much energy onstage as he does in merely 90 minutes. His passion simply rubs off on his fans, who wasted little time climbing onstage and taking the plunge into a sea of hands for a couple of minutes. Segall, of course, also got in on the action at one point, as his shows are often known to feature crowd surfing from both band and audience members, and he made sure to take the mic stand with him while he horizontally slithered across the room.

When it comes to Segall and his live show, there’s really no way to sugarcoat it — the guy is an animal, ready to rip, claw and bite (or just spit) his way through a performance. And in many ways, it’s refreshing to see a musician who has little to no filter when he takes the stage. Just like his music, which borders on garage rock and glam rock and intertwines psychedelic and punk elements into it, his shows are raw and full of emotion. So, if that was his plan, to mug us of our own emotions for at least a short while on this cold, winter night, well then mission accomplished, Ty.

Setlist:
Squealer
California Hills
Emotional Mugger/Leopard Priestess
Breakfast Eggs
Diversion
Baby Big Man (I Want a Mommy)
Mandy Cream
Candy Sam
Squealer Two
The Magazine
Thank God for Sinners
They Told Me Too
You’re the Doctor
The Crawler
Spiders
Manipulator
Feel

Encore:
Finger
The Feels
The Singer

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Broken Bat, FUZZ, GØGGS, Teragram Ballroom, Ty Segall, Ty Segall & The Muggers

Bay Area music fans ring in 2016 at The Big One

January 8, 2016 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Photos by Josh Miller & Erin Milgram // Written by Molly Kish & Kevin Quandt //

The Big One //
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco
December 31st, 2015 //

2016 descended upon SF in epic fashion at Another Planet Entertainment’s New Year’s Eve celebration, aptly titled “The Big One”. With more than 17 musical acts, live art installations and three separate galleries of entertainment at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, partygoers were showered by a psychedelic flurry of confetti and balloons during The Flaming Lips’ midnight countdown and continued partying into the early-morning hours.

We were on the scene to revel in what easily was the Bay Area’s wildest NYE 2015 party, and here are our favorite highlights from the night.

The Flaming Lips

When one considers bombastic artists to ring in a New Year or perform at any major party holiday, The Flaming Lips likely come to mind, as the Oklahoma City psych-rock band has created one of the most over-the-top displays in the music industry. This evening was no exception as frontman Wayne Coyne started the evening atop a structure that could be described as some warped, LED octopus. “The Gold Mountain in our Madness” opened the Lips’ set as the energy in the room quickly lifted from the mellow vibes of Tycho that came before. The mercury continued to rise as the midnight hour approached. A cover of the Miley Cyrus collaboration “Evil Is But a Shadow” was the first track to greet the attendees in 2016, and though some were bummed we didn’t get an appearance from Miley, the celebratory atmosphere was in full swing. -KQ

Ratatat

Ratatat kept feet moving with their unique amalgamation of dance rock, which left many to decide between head-banging and crushing dance moves. “Pricks of Brightness” and “Loud Pipes” were early highlights from this Brooklyn duo, who saw a tremendous return to form in 2015 with the release of Magnifique. Props should be given to Another Planet Entertainment and HUSHconcerts for slotting in this live duo over a big-name DJ. Moves like this make us hopeful for The Big One in the coming years. -KQ

Tycho

The late cancellation from XXYYXX left some attendees in Larkin Hall a tad disappointed, but an extended set from Scott Hansen, popularly known as Tycho, kept revelers in the mood for continued dance-floor high jinks. As this DJ set stretched into its second hour, Hanson shifted to a style more akin to the beat-bass stylings of the original slated artist. This move may have even thrown some for a loop, as they could have easily assumed it was XXYYXX at the helm. -KQ

Shigeto

Ghostly International recording artist Shigeto (born Zachary Shigeto Saginaw) held his own in Larkin Hall while being pitted against the downtempo soundscapes of Tycho in the venue’s main room. Serving as the perfect transition between his labelmate Scott Hanson’s ambient performance and The Flaming Lips’ onslaught of maniacal theatrics, Shigeto’s stripped-down live show was a welcomed choice for those attendees looking to ramp it up a notch before the NYE midnight countdown. He performed at ground level to an intimately devoted crowd and layered his jazz-infused electronic beats over mind-blowing live percussion, switching back and forth in real time between manning his mixing board and pounding away feverishly on his full drum kit mere inches away from the audience. -MK

Gramatik

After a mind-melting, ball-dropping performance from The Flaming Lips, the audience was reinvigorated by the ax-wielding electronic giants Ratatat, followed by Slovenia-born and Brooklyn-based producer Gramatik. Heavy bass lines and spine-tingling beats filled the main auditorium as Denis Jašarević, in prime position to close the night’s festivities out on a high, took over the main auditorium with his signature glitch-hop bangers. Although much of the crowd had thinned by the time this early-hours set commenced, true ragers were in rare form and ready to “womp” their way into 2016. Dropping a slew of hits, including his single “Native Son” featuring Raekwon, Gramatik kept his audience moving all the way until 3 a.m. Crowd members sprawled throughout the entire auditorium, dancing and laughing until the final bassline thumps knocked the remnants of glitter, confetti and balloons from the rafters. -MK

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festival Reviews, Festivals, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Another Planet, Another Planet Entertainment, Gramatik, HUSHconcerts, NYE, NYE 2015, Ratatat, Shigeto, The Big One, The Big One SF, The Big One SF 2015, The Flaming Lips, Tycho

Extra Classic, Heron Oblivion party in the plants

December 14, 2015 by Molly Kish 2 Comments

Extra Classic

Photos by Eric Palozzolo // Written by Molly Kish //

Heron Oblivion & Extra Classic with DJ Don’t Tell Your Mom //
Conservatory of Flowers – San Francisco
December 4th, 2015 //

Earlier this month, The Conservatory of Flowers hosted its very first “After-Hours” event featuring the musical stylings of hometown bands Extra Classic and Heron Oblivion. Nestled in the idyllic setting of SF’s Golden Gate Park, the antique Victorian greenhouse displaying a vast collection of rare and exotic plant life has captivated audiences since its opening in 1879. One of the city’s most aesthetic tourist attractions, this gem in Golden Gate Park typically is only open to the public from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday or during private events. So, to have been able to spend an evening viewing upcoming local talent in such a gorgeous setting was something truly extraordinary.

Approaching the venue, guests waded their way through a beautifully eerie fog that settled into the meadow leading up to the conservatory’s entrance. A sight to behold, the illuminated structure glowed atop its elevated paddock off of John F. Kennedy Drive. The crowd bustled with excitement as fans entered into the delicate ecosystem and were greeted by a funk and soul vinyl set spun by DJ Don’t Tell Your Mom. Sprawling throughout the lush collection of high and lowland tropics, craft cocktail bars and local brewers showcased their small batch libations alongside whimsical pools in the aquatic plants gallery and the miniature Garden Railway: 1915 Pan Pacific special exhibit currently on display.

Heron Oblivion

Guests were free to roam the premises for a majority of the evening and quite charmingly were reminded of the set times about five minutes before each performance by the conservatory’s staff members sauntering through the greenhouse. Extra Classic and Heron Oblivion each played their sets in what otherwise would be the orchid showcase area, directly positioned in the back of the building. Highly intimate and surrounded by Golden Gate Park’s beauty in the evening hours, both local bands brought their own unique blend of cultural influences and musical amalgamations to the stage. Extra Classic’s dub-infused, retro soul paired with Heron Oblivion’s psychedelic-folk rock further heightened the surreal ambiance of the evening as they kept the crowd dancing.

All proceeds from the sold-out event went directly toward the preservation of the historic landmark and the maintenance of its exotic plant life. There’s been no official word yet on whether the Conservatory of Flowers “After-Hours” program will continue, but judging from the success of its debut, we’re very optimistic.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Conservatory of Flowers, DJ Don't Tell Your Mom, Extra Classic, Golden Gate Park, Heron Oblivion

‘Keep it secret. Keep it safe.’ A unique night with Puscifer at the Fox Theater Oakland

December 11, 2015 by Scotland Miller Leave a Comment

Photos by Mike Rosati // Written by Scotland Miller //

Puscifer with Luchafer //
Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland
December 8th, 2015 //

The current tour from the musical collective known as Puscifer has taken yet another step in redefining what it means to attend a concert. The band has a real knack for putting on a show. Whether it be a storyline-driven, sketch-comedy act combined with tongue-in-cheek country renditions of their songs or a campground setting in the desert complete with lawn chairs, a barbecue and an Airstream van, Puscifer never fail to disappoint when it comes to a live performance. Where else would you expect to see Mexican Luchador wrestlers on stage during a concert?

In support of their third full-length release entitled Money Shot, Maynard James Keenan and friends have established themselves as not just a group of musicians who play songs on stage, but rather an assemblage of entertainers that provide their viewers and fans with something they may not have ever seen before — a true experience. Paying homage to the likes of Alice Cooper, Pink Floyd and the glory days of the rock opera, Puscifer have a very special way of combining their music with a stage show that offers so much more than just music.

Many artists choose to dedicate the opening act to another band. On this tour, Puscifer are giving the spotlight to a group of masked wrestlers known as Luchafer, with one male and one female wrestler per team duking it out in their respective colored capes and spandex. It was the red team against the blue team, though there was also one roaming fighter dressed all in black who seemed to fight for himself. They punched and kicked and suplexed each other off of the top ropes of an on-stage wrestling ring as the crowd at The Fox Theater cheered and clapped while bodies were hurled to and fro. The tag-team battle lasted for about 30 minutes while the theater filled with a sold-out crowd. The stage setup, complete with small bleachers on either side, provided a unique feel to the rest of the night.

As is customary with Puscifer shows in years past, the evening started with a comical video presentation from Keenan’s onstage character “Major Douche,” who expressed his distaste for “hashtag hippiepunks,” aka people who drive below posted the speed limit in addition to the typical anti-photography/video demand for the evening. This gave way to another video of beloved character “Billy D” lining up shots of tequila and burying his nose in a pile of cocaine while rambling on about the evolution of man. The diffuse rumblings were accompanied by Jeff Friedl (The Beta Machine, A Perfect Circle) on the drum kit as the show opened with the song “Simultaneous”. The lights came up to reveal Keenan and vocalist Carina Round taking their places in the wrestling ring with their retro microphone stands and matching navy blue suits. In tribute to the ongoing theme of the night, Keenan was his usual covert and enigmatic self, dawning his own luchador mask with his scraggly mohawk jutting out from the top.

The remaining members of the band — Mat Mitchell on lead guitar, Paul Barker (Ministry) on bass and Mahsa Zargaran (Omniflux) on keyboards — were scattered beside them. “Galileo” and “Agostina” followed as the luchadors slowly made their way back to the stage, enticing the crowd and continuing their battles with each other throughout the night. The stage was definitely full of activity but never felt overcrowded or overstimulated, even with the lights and projections behind the stage. Overall, everything worked together very cohesively and complemented each other in a way that only Puscifer could achieve.

The setlist consisted mostly of material from the 11-track Money Shot, but it also served as a great representation of Puscifer’s body of work over the last eight years. A few highlights of the night included new songs “The Arsonist” and “The Remedy” being paired together, the rarely-ever-played-live versions of “Polar Bear” and “Breathe” and lastly the ribcage-rattling combination of “Money Shot”, “Man Overboard” and “The Undertaker”. And oh yeah, let’s not forget about the miniature, remote-controlled cock-fighting ring in the third act. Yes, you read that right: miniature, remote-controlled cock fighting.

Before the encore of “The Humbling River” and “Autumn”, the earlier message from “Major Douche” was revisited. Keenan asked the crowd to embrace what they had seen that night and implored us all to not ruin it for others by spewing pictures and videos captured from their cellphones all over the Internet (although he said nothing about writing descriptive reviews). He echoed the legendary words from one of J. R. R. Tolkien’s great characters and asked us to protect this special evening to only those who witness it with their own eyes.

“Keep it secret. Keep it safe.” Those were his words.

Setlist:
Simultaneous
Galileo
Agostina
Vagina Mine
Horizons
The Arsonist
The Remedy
Life of Brian (Apparently You Haven’t Seen)
Rev 22:20
Grand Canyon
Polar Bear
Breathe
Toma
Telling Ghosts
Money Shot
Man Overboard
The Undertaker

Encore:
Smoke and Mirrors
The Humbling River
Autumn

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Fox Theater Oakland, Luchafer, Puscifer

Oneohtrix Point Never’s debut of live vocals leaves SF crowd utterly speechless

December 7, 2015 by Molly Kish 1 Comment

Photos by Marc Fong // Written by Molly Kish //

Oneohtrix Point Never with James Ferraro //
The Independent – San Francisco
November 27th, 2015 //

Debuting new material from his freshly released, seventh studio album Garden of Delete, Oneohtrix Point Never, the electronic music producer and head of Brooklyn-based record label Software otherwise known as Daniel Lopatin, headlined a nearly sold-out show at The Independent the day after Thanksgiving. Playing to a confounded crowd, the audience was made up of equal parts longtime OPN fans and experimental enthusiasts intrigued by the “vaporwave” pioneer’s latest round of critical praise.

After a short opening set from James Ferraro, who warmed the crowd up with his own brand of avant-garde noise, OPN took the stage. Aiming to pull out all the stops this tour with the debut of a brand-new show that sees him incorporating live vocals into the performance for the very first time, Lopatin enthusiastically jumped full throttle into his new material after the short set break between acts.

As the entire venue filled with a surreal haze of back-lit fog, OPN kicked things off in dramatic fashion, bouncing a syncopated strobe light off the blinding smoke to the maniacal pace of “I Bite Through It”. Lopatin’s presence remained audibly present above the visually obscuring fog, drawing the crowd’s attention as he transitioned from the opening instrumental track into the critically acclaimed single “Sticky Drama” from Garden of Delete. The track’s music video, which Lauptin worked with Montreal artist, filmmaker and essayist Jon Rafman to create, was projected on two small screens to each side of Lauptin.

Making up the platform for Lauptin’s new stage show, the disproportionately small screens displayed jumbled video footage throughout the performance. Somewhat distracting, albeit synchronized with each track, the content and possible deeper meaning behind the footage eventually felt unnecessary in respect to the real focus of the show, which undoubtedly was Lopatin’s live vocals.

Nearly indecipherable, Lopatin performed his tracks in perfect modulated pitch, hitting every jarringly polarizing note while assaulting his fans’ eardrums with bone-rattling baselines and undertones. The crowd’s attention remained entranced in the sensory-deprived ambiance, with only mere moments to process the performance between songs as Lopatin attempted to communicate without breaking application of his auto-tuned vocalization. Once he came to terms with the fact that the crowd wasn’t able to process his banter in between songs, Lopatin decided to let OPN’s material speak for itself and finished out his set by creating a stunning atmosphere replete with a beautifully transcendent encore of “Music for Steamed Rocks”.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: James Ferraro, Jon Rafman, Oneohtrix Point Never, The Independent

RAC validates its headliner status at Club Nokia

November 25, 2015 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

RAC with Big Data, Geographer //
Club Nokia – Los Angeles
November 20th, 2015 //

You know an artist must be destined to play in LA when their first big hit is titled “Hollywood” and another one of their songs is named after the city’s most infamous freeway.

But for André Allen Anjos, who started Remix Artist Collective (RAC) in his college dorm room as a remixing side project when he couldn’t land an internship or job in the music industry (read our interview with him here), it’s been a steady progression over the past three years. Since remixing some of indie rock’s biggest bands, the native of Portugal has written a whole album’s worth of original material and played some of the most reputable U.S. music festivals in the last 12 months.

With Friday night’s gig at Club Nokia serving as an unofficial Goldenvoice showcase thanks to opening sets from two established “solo” projects if you will — Geographer, the San Francisco indie-rock band founded by singer-songwriter Mike Deni, as well as Big Data, the electronic music project of Alan Wilkis that has taken the airwaves and charts by storm with its single “Dangerous” featuring Joywave — Anjos and his sidekicks made their return to LA for the first time in more than a year, arriving onstage well after midnight to cheers from a rather modest crowd of mostly 20-somethings.

When you think about RAC’s backstory and what it started as, it’s a relatively unique one that most contemporary artists don’t share. But while Anjos has made original songwriting more of a priority for RAC now, he also hasn’t forgot where he came from or who he was when he founded the project. Heavy hitters like “Hollywood” and “Let Go” were worked into the show as expected, but the standout moments of the night came from a short, yet dynamic list of hybrid covers/remixes that were sprinkled in here and there. RAC made sure to tap into the indie-pop well early with Two Door Cinema Club’s “Something Good Can Work” and Foster the People’s “Houdini”, but it was Joywave’s “Tongues” and ODESZA’s “Say My Name” that triggered the loudest response from fans. “3AM”, RAC’s newest track that features Colorado vocalist Katie Herzig, also made an appearance at one point, although it was Liz Anjos, aka Pink Feathers, who was tasked with delivering the pop-infused cut’s heartbreaking lyrics.

Nevertheless, for all his accomplishments so far, Anjos has plenty of more work to do. After all, with only one studio album to date (the other recording being the soundtrack to the 2010 film “Holy Rollers”), RAC is still very much in the process of learning how to play the role of headliner — and with greater opportunity comes greater expectations. That’s not to say RAC can’t or won’t live up to them, but as Anjos and his bandmates continue to gel and build more chemistry in and out of the studio, there’s reason to believe after Friday’s performance in LA that there are more good things to come from this one-of-a-kind “collective.”

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Big Data, Club Nokia, Geographer, RAC

Glen Hansard casts a spell on his SF fans

November 20, 2015 by BenJamin Wallen Leave a Comment

By Benjamin Wallen //

Glen Hansard with Aoife O’Donovan //
The Masonic – San Francisco
November 10th, 2015 //

Glen Hansard is a gem. I first discovered his music in the film “Once” as many Americans did, and I quickly became enamored with it. The music to “Once” was the first soundtrack I had bought in years, and I played it regularly on repeat.

Hansard’s gentle music felt so very real, far more real than so much of the American music that came out at the time of “Once”. Authenticity oozes from Hansard’s music, and seeing him at The Masonic, my first show there since the remodel, was a real treat.

Opening the show was Aoife O’Donovan, a singer and guitar player in the folk-rock realm. A spotlight and a guitar was all she needed to command the crowd’s attention with her soft, pillowy voice warming everyone up. The sound at The Masonic was on point for O’Donovan’s set and really showcased the venue’s acoustics. Since the show, I have been falling backwards into O’Donovan’s other work, which includes the music she creates with the Boston-based progressive bluegrass/string band Crooked Still.

Hansard took the stage with a single light blasting from aside the stage. The mood inside the room was haunting and somber as he sang with no mic, summoning the crowd to a silence. Last time I saw someone with this much power was Bonnie Raitt singing “I Can’t Make You Love Me” at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in 2013.

I am a sucker for Irish music and the voice that comes with it. I found out about The Clancy Brothers, the influential Irish folk group popular during the 60’s, while watching a Bob Dylan documentary that convinced me to listen to more folk and Irish music. There is something about the Irish that is incredibly welcoming. After visiting Ireland a few years back, I fell in love with the rolling hills, the pubs and the people. My first night waiting in a lobby for a friend had my first encounter with a drunken Irishmen. I couldn’t understand a word he said, but it was a magical moment between the number of laughs and smiles that came from both of us in that fun, yet challenging conversation. There is no doubt a great amount of love to an Irish laugh.

Listening to Hansard and his band is a soul smile. His ability to play music with delicacy and power is astounding. The night was beyond magical. The Masonic was the perfect venue for Hansard and his band. The vibe onstage felt as though you were standing on the corner in Dublin watching a street band playing music at night under street lights.

It is easy to say magic when you speak of music, but there is something also hauntingly exhausting about Hansard’s music. You can feel both the struggle and the hope dancing around, but it feels so good. You don’t ever feel alone while listening to his ballads. He must be seen live. You can listen to his music constantly at home, but that feeling you will take away from his live show will stay with you for days and weeks, like a warm sweater of good.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Aoife O'Donovan, Crooked Still, Glen Hansard, The Masonic

Eagles of Death Metal prove that rock ain’t dead

November 6, 2015 by Brett Ruffenach 1 Comment

Photos by Mike Rosati // Written by Brett Ruffenach //

Eagles of Death Metal //
Great American Music Hall – San Francisco
October 26th, 2015 //

Sometimes it feels like it’s getting harder and harder to find a band that doesn’t have a laptop somehow involved in its live production. But have no fear, Jesse Hughes is here.

With a sold-out show at the Great American Music Hall last Monday, Eagles of Death Metal certainly challenged Gene Simmons’ belief that “rock is dead.” Coming to SF for the first time in five years, EODM brought a slightly older, yet no-less enthusiastic crowd with plenty of beards and flannels mixed in.

While EODM has garnered considerable popularity with Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme on drums, it was clear right from the beginning that their live appeal comes from Hughes, the band’s vocalist and lead guitarist. As EODM took the stage with Pilot’s “Magic” playing over the PA system, Hughes emerged with his trademark suspenders and mustache, exuding more energy than any bandleader could possibly manage.

Without saying much, EODM jumped into “Bad Dream Mama” to the delight of everyone in attendance. Between Dave Catching’s guitar work, Matt McJunkins’ tenor bass and Homme’s machine-like drumming abilities, EODM brings a sound so loud, so in-your-face that you can’t help but bounce around. Quickly moving into “Don’t Speak (I Came to Make a Bang!)”, the crowd was entranced by the band as Hughes guided the quartet through the show.

Sweating enough to go through more than a couple shirts, Hughes brought and maintained an energy unlike anything seen before. In between songs, he talked to the crowd about only the most important topics — the beauty of the women in SF or the drugs he may or may not have ingested prior to the show.

“Tonight is a special night,” the 43-year-old rocker said to his audience. “And ya’ll gon’ hear the litany of it soon. Can you dig it?!?!”

Hughes went on to explain that SF has a special place in his heart, as he once lived in the City and was happy to be back.

Then, like a manic Southern Baptist preacher, he told the crowd, “I love you, and I hope you have a good time tonight. Now let us dispense in the complexities of life and make it simple.”

Just like that, EODM jumped into their most recent single “Complexity”. With most of the group’s tracks coming in at under three minutes in length, the show moved rather quickly from song to song. EODM’s translation of “Whorehoppin’ (Shit, Goddamn)” from their 2004 debut album Peace, Love, Death Metal was particularly great, with Homme providing more cowbell than the most feverish Christopher Walken could possibly desire.

Not every song of EODM’s are just power chords, though. Halfway through the set, Hughes and company changed up the pace with “Already Died”, a heavier, slowed-down track that’s most notably filled with Catching’s fantastic guitar licks. But before the energy got too low, the band transitioned into “Stuck in the Metal” as the crowd went wild and didn’t stop. In the end, EODM’s setlist included more than 20 songs.

After a short set break, Hughes emerged for a solo encore during which he asked the crowd for requests. He played a solo version of “San Berdoo Sunburn” before the rest of the band came out to play a round robin of solos, which was easily the most awkward moment of the night.

EODM have the perfect style as a rock band, one that takes itself just seriously enough. As a whole, they are a hard, fast and tightly-wound production, with their silly lyrics and even sillier frontman bringing a perfect balance to what you want to see at a rock show. Closing with “Speaking in Tongues”, EODM walked off the stage at the Great American Music Hall knowing that they had accomplished what they came to do — to prove that rock ain’t dead.

Setlist:
Bad Dream Mama
Don’t Speak (I Came to Make a Bang!)
So Easy
Complexity (Boots Electric cover)
Kiss the Devil
Shasta Beast
Silverlake (K.S.O.F.M.)
Whorehoppin’ (Shit, Goddamn)
The Reverend
Cherry Cola
Got a Woman (Slight Return)
Already Died
Stuck in the Metal
Wannabe in L.A.
Save a Prayer (Duran Duran cover)
Anything ‘Cept the Truth
Miss Alissa
I Got a Feelin (Just Nineteen)
I Like to Move in the Night
I Want You So Hard (Boy’s Bad News)

Encore:
San Berdoo Sunburn
Got the Power
I Only Want You
Speaking in Tongues

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Eagles of Death Metal, Great American Music Hall, Josh Homme

Hot Chip conquer their jet lag with an energetic set at the Fox Theater Oakland

November 5, 2015 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

Photos by Eric Palozzolo // Written by Molly Kish //

Hot Chip //
Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland
October 29th, 2015 //

Prolific UK indie-dance powerhouse Hot Chip headlined the historic Fox Theater Oakland last Thursday night. Playing one of their few scheduled U.S. non-festival stops, for a crowd full of adoring fans anxious to get the well-overdue dance party started!

Touring this year in support of its sixth studio album Why Make Sense?, the live electronic seven-piece had only played a handful of shows at indoor venues throughout North America, making this Bay Area tour stop a very special occasion.

With their layered sound and spectacular stage lighting, Hot Chip have received rave reviews from many of their U.S. festival gigs this year, standing out among some other stellar sets at Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival in August (read our review of the band’s performance here). But witnessing them inside at a place like the Fox Theater, Oakland or at any small- to mid-sized venue truly accentuates the caliber of their live show.

Surprisingly enough, Hot Chip frontman Alexis Taylor and his bandmates got off to a slow start, as it took a few songs for the venue’s sound team to find the right bass and vocal levels on the boards. But once the sound levels were synced up, you could hear the crowd let out a collective sigh of relief as Hot Chip carved into the meat of their set. Even the band’s on-stage presence shifted as it transitioned into some lighthearted dance routines that featured some playful exchanges with fans.

At one point during Hot Chip’s set, Taylor went as far as to mention how they were extremely jet lagged and weren’t sure exactly how the show was going to go, but that they never had a doubt in their mind that Oakland was “going to bring it.” He went on to thank those present for invigorating him and his travel-weary sidekicks, adding that the show was one of the most enjoyable ones they’ve played on this latest tour.

With the crowd riding off the palpable energy of the performance, the band subsequently lost itself in a shared moment of pure, unadulterated bliss. In between songs, some fans shared moments of where they were when they first heard a particular track or what memories they had attributed to another. The collective peak of the show came toward the end of the set and was punctuated by a double encore, which started with their Bruce Springsteen/LCD Soundsystem mash-up (“Dancing in the Dark” to “All My Friends”) and finished with one last deep cut in “Let Me Be Him”.

Setlist:
Huarache Lights
One Life Stand
Night and Day
Love Is the Future
Flutes
Over and Over
Alley Cats
Cry for You
Shake a Fist
Need You Now
Ready for the Floor
I Feel Better

Encore #1:
We’re Looking for a Lot of Love
And I Was a Boy from School
Hold On
Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen cover)/All My Friends (LCD Soundsystem cover)

Encore #2:
*Let Me Be Him

*Setlist note: “Only if it’s all going really well”

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Fox Theater Oakland, Hot Chip

With The Sam Chase & The Untraditional leading the way, The Chapel celebrates Halloween in style

November 4, 2015 by tom dellinger Leave a Comment

The Candy Butchers Bash - The Sham Chase & The Untraditional

The Sam Chase & The Untraditional

By Tom Dellinger //

The Candy Butchers Bash featuring The Sam Chase & The Untraditional, Royal Jelly Jive, The Crux and special guests Mission Delirium //
The Chapel – San Francisco
October 31st, 2015 //

Halloween just came and went this past Saturday night. The weather was perfect as the streets of SF filled early with trick-or-treating kids as well as those out to celebrate the night with some big-kid entertainment. All across the Bay Area, there were many parties and shows to get that itch scratched. One of the best was The Candy Butchers Bash, a sold-out show at The Chapel that featured The Sam Chase & The Untraditional, Royal Jelly Jive and The Crux, along with special guests Mission Delirium and a number of talented aerialists to give it that something extra that made it one of the more unique shows in Northern California.

Decked out for that All Hallows’ Eve vibe, the venue’s stage was decorated with pumpkins and strands of light bulbs over it gave the room a carnival-like feel. Royal Jelly Jive vocalist Lauren Bjelde and The Crux vocalist Josh Windmiller pulled that off together and did a fine job of decorating The Chapel properly. By the time The Crux hit the stage first, most of the crowd was on hand, dressed in costumes and ready to have a good time.

The Crux

Opening the show was the Santa Rosa-based band consisting of Josh Windmiller (vocals, guitar), Joshua Jackson (bass), Kalei Yamanoha (trumpet, accordion) and Taylor Cuffie (drums). With a style they refer to as “folk punk”, The Crux have a stripped-down, rough sound that felt like a mix of Tom Waits and Kurt Weill with a vaudevillian vibe. Windmiller is no doubt an engaging performer, as his persona and rough vocals easily connected with the Halloween audience. After a few tunes into the band’s set, he was joined by aerialist Sierra Faulkner, who performed using silk fabric as she effortlessly twisted and turned her way up the strands above the crowd to perform numerous maneuvers. Graceful, stylistic and with a bit of danger, she added fuel to the fire as the evening continued to warm up.

During the ensuing set break, brass band Mission Delirium came out into the crowd, lined up at the front of the stage and proceeded to keep the energy high as they playfully ripped through some funky tunes with blasting trombones, tuba and drums. The crowd loved it as many audience members laughed and danced with the band, signaling that the festive party and carnival vibe was in full swing at this point.

Royal Jelly Jive

Keeping the momentum going, Royal Jelly Jive hit with another one of their explosive sets. Foot stomping and swinging, they lit up the place as Bjelde tore into the band’s catalog with a fervor. With irresistibly rich grooves from the rhythm section of Felix Macnee (drums) and Tyden Binsted (bass), Bjelde and the band touched upon many of their best tunes, including “Indian George” and “Pterygophora”, both of which continued to elevate the crowd’s energy. Rich songs and compositions are the norm for this dynamic up-and-coming band, which also offers enchanting vocals from Bjelde, wide-ranging keyboard styles and sounds from Jesse Lemme Adams and an enviable, articulate horn section comprised of Robbie Elfman, Luke Zavala and Danny Cao. Also joining the band was aerialist Caroline Dignes, who performed on a hoop high above the crowd. Elegant and visually riveting, she continued to add to the carnival theme of the night.

After more shenanigans from Mission Delirium, headliner The Sam Chase & The Untraditional hit the stage with style. Introducing the band beforehand was a pair of twins with a creep factor reminiscent of those in “The Shining”, as they invited the house to enjoy The Sam Chase forever and ever … and ever. With drummer Ted Desmarais dressed as Igor from the 1974 comedy film “Young Frankenstein”, he entered the stage bent over with a massive hump (“what hump?”), and one by one, he physically moved, pushed and cajoled each member of the band to their place on the stage. The band members appeared to be in a zombie-like state as Desmarais positioned them and patiently placed instruments in their hands. It was a fine little piece of theater before the band would explode with the final entrée of the night.

The Sam Chase & The Untraditional

Though The Sam Chase & The Untraditional describe their music as “kick-ass folk” on their Facebook page, they are that and more. Many of Chase’s songs are rowdy and delivered with a weather-beaten, whiskey-colored vocal style as he and the band rolled through their catalog. It’s not surprising they’ve become a favorite among SF bands. Their songs are well-crafted — much like an artisan cocktail — and delivered with a precision that stands in contrast to Chase’s seemingly reckless, almost drunken delivery style.

For The Sam Chase & The Untraditional’s set on Saturday night, we were treated to a ride that was at times bombastic and exhilarating but also included the occasional easygoing folk tune. Chase has a tight band behind him between the aforementioned Desmarais, Dave Rapa (bass), Joshua James Jackson (trumpet), Debbie Neigher (keyboards), Devon McClive (cello) and Nikko Rios (guitar), and they all lit into the music with an infectious energy that they sustained to the very end. During the performance, we saw the return of Dignes and Faulkner to perform on the hoop together. In costume as zombies, these two aerialists were dramatic as they went through their routine, adding both elegance and a sense of danger by pushing the envelope of possibilities, all while the crowd roared with delight.

Reminiscent of the Great American Spirit Ball headlined by Royal Jelly Jive back in July (read our review of the show here), The Candy Butchers Bash has the potential to become another highly sought-after, recurring show in SF. Unique in presentation, both events delivered some of the most memorable performances I have experienced in some time. And for those who found themselves at The Chapel on Saturday night, we all know we experienced some of the very best that the Bay Area music scene has to offer right now.

The Candy Butchers Bash - The Sam Chase & The Untraditional

The Candy Butchers Bash - Mission Delirium

The Candy Butchers Bash - Caroline Dignes

The Candy Butchers Bash - Sierra Faulkner

The Candy Butchers Bash - Sierra Faulkner and Caroline Dignes

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Great American Spirit Ball, Mission Delirium, Royal Jelly Jive, The Candy Butchers Bash, The Chapel, The Crux, The Sam Chase & The Untraditional

MS MR’s ‘How Does It Feel’ tour takes a packed Fox Theater Oakland by storm

October 26, 2015 by Nik Crossman Leave a Comment

Photos by Steve Carlson // Written by Nik Crossman //

MS MR with Jack Garratt, Heartwatch //
Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland
October 23rd, 2015 //

Following the success of their debut single “Hurricane”, MS MR took the Fox Theater Oakland by storm on Friday night with a new kind of energy as part of their “How Does It Feel” tour.

The New York City dance-pop duo comprised of Lizzy Plapinger and Max Hershenow joined forces at Vassar College in 2011 to Plapinger’s record label thesis project Neon Gold Records to life. Their second and latest LP How Does It Feel strategically balances the tumultuous theme found in their debut album Secondhand Rapture with a few more get-up-and-dance songs. As Plaplinger explains in an interview with New York magazine: “We want to make an album we can move to, but let’s explore all the elements of movement.”

At the Fox on Friday, Plapinger and Hershenow had no problem influencing movement with their electric stage presence and spectacular lighting. Donning her shimmering sleeveless jumpsuit, Plapinger bounced around the stage, making verbal love to the crowd with her sultry lyrics. While others may gamble away the attention of the audience by playing more new than old, MS MR’s following proved loyal as the Fox erupted with singalongs to most of the tracks from the group’s new album.

Plapinger and her fantastic complement Hershenow returned the admiration, declaring the Fox “the biggest and coolest venue (they’ve) played.” Building on mutual appreciation, she dedicated “Dark Doo Wop” to the audience and even changed the chorus to “Oakland, you should stick around!” With only a few years of production and two studio albums under their belt, MS MR are set to reshape the contemporary pop landscape, and based on their show at the Fox, they will not disappoint.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Fox Theater Oakland, Heartwatch, Jack Garratt, MS MR

SF’s own Megan Slankard is an artist at the door

October 23, 2015 by tom dellinger 1 Comment

By Tom Dellinger //

Megan Slankard with Peter Case //
Great American Music Hall – San Francisco
October 16th, 2015 //

Last Friday night, KC Turner Presents and KFOG radio partnered to present The Boob Project, a fundraising event for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, featuring SF indie-rock act Megan Slankard and opener Peter Case. The idea for The Boob Project, which originally took shape at KFOG, has led to the song Boob Spelled Backwards is Boob, a rallying cry that has brought together many artists such as Michael Franti, Elle King, ZZ Ward, Graham Nash, Steve Earle and many more with Slankard as one of the co-writers and producer of this project.

Early in the evening, KFOG on-air personalities Renee Richardson, No Name and Irish Greg shared some of the history and purpose of The Boob Project as well as honoring Slankard’s contributions. Slankard is well-known and popular among live music fans throughout the Bay Area and beyond as she’s been out performing and honing her considerable skills for several years now. Along the way, she’s released four LPs with her most recent offering Running on Machinery coming out earlier this month. A rich, complex and rewarding journey filled with spine-tingling moments, it shows an artist on top of her game. Slankard and the band soar and dive free as a bird, resulting in an album that is an absolute joy to hear — an exhilarating ride that’s constantly moving in new and unexpected directions. This collection of songs is broad in scope and allows her to touch us in the gentlest way as she shows on “If I Knew” before taking us to dizzying heights on the hard-rocking “Bones Live Forever”. Masterfully produced by Alex Wong and with a band that is a perfect fit, Running on Machinery will no doubt be a tough act to follow for her.

With a loyal fan base in attendance for both Slankard and Case, the line to get into the Great American Music Hall developed early and was down the block by the time the doors opened. Case, a classic storyteller and songwriter with a long and storied career that includes time busking on the streets of SF and a colorful run with The Plimsouls, is one of those guys who has influenced many successful musicians today. He came out filling the room with his stories along with the big growling sounds of a 12-string guitar. He would later join Slankard and her band as they romped through a Plimsouls tune.

Hot on the heels of a recent head-turning performance at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival (see our photos here), Slankard took the stage with her stellar band, which features Danny Blau (keyboards, guitar), Jeff Symonds (bass), Kyle Caprista (drums) and lastly James DePrato (guitar, lap steel guitar), and picked up right where she left off on that brilliant outing in Golden Gate Park. Crystal clear, Slankard’s vocals gently floated and at times effortlessly cut sharply through the air. The band was tight and offered up a vast sonic tapestry for her vocals. As she and the band drew heavily from her most recent work in the first set, they took a break and came back to give us a complete playing of Led Zeppelin II in the second, which they nailed. Perfect in every way, it was a pleasure to hear such a classic LP covered so well.

After witnessing this performance and looking at Slankard’s career so far, it’s obvious she’s on a very fast and steep musical path that seemingly knows no bounds. Surrounded with the talent that is her perfect complement, one gets the sense something big is in store for her. At the very top of an arc, she stands ready at the door, waiting for the broader recognition that she deserves — and may that door soon be flung wide open.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Great American Music Hall, James DePrato, KC Turner, KFOG, Megan Slankard, Peter Case, The Boob Project

Garage rock collides with indie pop as Black Lips, Ariel Pink drop by Bimbo’s 365 Club

October 20, 2015 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Black Lips

Photos by Victoria Smith // Written by Emmanuel Castro //

Black Lips & Ariel Pink //
Bimbo’s 365 Club – San Francisco
October 14th, 2015 //

Black Lips exploded into SF’s hidden gem of Bimbo’s 365 Club, creating an unlikely contrast of a spit-in-your-face, garage-rock band in a club that would be suited for the rat pack.

Garage punk to its core and looser than geese, the Atlanta five-piece consisting of Cole Alexander (vocals, guitar), Jared Swilley (vocals, bass), Oakley Munson (drums, vocals), Zumi Rosow (vocals, saxophone) and Jeff Clarke (guitar, vocals) seemed to be a bit tame for a band with a reputation for putting on high-energy, unpredictable and anything-goes gigs. That was until the crowd filed into the room and they played the sought-after song “Katrina”.

Finally, it was the Black Lips again giving the show everyone expected: crowd surfers, shirt losers and Alexander catching his own spit from the air. Being true to their lyrics, they ended with “Bad Kids” and earned the sea of beer that was chucked at them from below.

Thus began the weirdest intermission and largest exodus of smokers or mere fresh air seekers exiting out front, leaving just four souls holding fort in front of the stage.

Ariel Pink

It would be pretty entertaining and informative to see somebody like astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson debate with Ariel Pink. Somewhere between the lines of Pink’s songwriting, there is a bottled-up genius, and nobody but a genius could write such strange songs except for maybe R. Stevie Moore, whom Pink made a 61-track double EP with in 2011 entitled KuKlux Glam.

Pink’s set began uncertain of direction with many of us eagerly wondering when they would play a more recognizable favorite. Suddenly, as if it were never going to happen, the band broke into “Number in My Phone” and “Only in My Dreams” to wake us up from any confusion.

Pink’s backing band is the perfect blend of an American Apparel ad mixed with Hedwig and the Angry Inch ensemble, with Ariel holding their passports for ransom to ensure full dedication. They are clearly from Los Angeles, but in a great way. During “White Freckles” large-pupiled fans jumped at the chance to mosh like it was its only opportunity, knocking over drinks, people and innocence in the process.

Pink’s ever-endearing shyness made it unclear whether he enjoyed his time onstage or not. Between the set’s last song and the encore, which seemed like an eternity in terms of show standards, half the audience left thinking he and his band wouldn’t return. When they finally did though, the true believers who stuck around were treated to a four-song encore that included “Four Shadows” and a “goodnight” from one of modern music’s biggest weirdos.

BLACK LIPS

Setlist:
Sea of Blasphemy
Family Tree
Modern Art
Justice After All
Dirty Hands
Go Out and Get It
O Katrina!
Make It
Boys in the Wood
Funny
Drugs
Ghetto Cross
Not a Problem
You’re Dumb
Smiling
Raw Meat
Bad Kids

ARIEL PINK

Setlist:
Dinosaur Carebears
One on One (Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti song)
Nostradamus & Me (Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti song)
Bright Lit Blue Skies (The Rockin’ Ramrods cover)
Put Your Number in My Phone
Only in My Dreams (Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti song)
West Coast Calamities (Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti song)
Menopause Man (Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti song)
Baby (Donnie & Joe Emerson cover)
White Freckles
Lipstick
Not Enough Violence
One Summer Night
Netherlands (Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti song)

Encore:
Negativ Ed
Goth Bomb
Four Shadows
Dayzed Inn Daydreams

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Ariel Pink, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Bimbo's 365 Club, Black Lips, Donnie & Joe Emerson, Donnie Emerson, Joe Emerson, The Rockin' Ramrods

First Times: Experiencing the Santa Barbara Bowl as My Morning Jacket take their game to the next level

October 19, 2015 by Josh Herwitt 3 Comments

By Josh Herwitt //

My Morning Jacket with Fruit Bats //
Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA
October 11th, 2015 //

Ever since I can remember, the Santa Barbara Bowl has always been on my bucket list of concert venues to visit.

With its majestic views overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the 4,562-seat outdoor amphitheater offers one of Southern California’s — and maybe even one of the country’s — most beautiful settings to take in live music.

But for whatever reason, whether it was the distance, the timing or just not being able to find the right band to make the 90-minute drive from Los Angeles worth it, seeing a show there had yet to happen for me.

So, when My Morning Jacket unveiled their 2015 U.S. tour dates, which included a Sunday night gig at the Santa Barbara Bowl earlier this month, it was an opportunity that I wasn’t about to pass up.

Following the release of their seventh studio album The Waterfall this past May, My Morning Jacket are one of rock’s biggest crown jewels at the moment. There are a select number of rock ‘n’ roll bands that can elevate their game to another level when they perform live, and for all intents and purposes, the Louisville five-piece has clearly proven to be one of them over the last several years.

But since 1998, when frontman Jim James founded the band with three members from the emo-punk outfit Winter Death Club, My Morning Jacket have done their best to live outside the box, paying homage to the Southern rock gods that have come before them while combining elements of folk, country and even dub and reggae to create a sound that is uniquely their own. In short, they’re a rock band, while psychedelic in nature, that seemingly has no limits. Of course, at least some of that eclecticism can be attributed to James, who has long served as the band’s primary songwriter, but the 37-year-old has also managed to surround himself with a talented group of musicians over the years.

At the Santa Barbara Bowl after an opening set from the recently revived, indie-folk project Fruit Bats (read our interview with the band here), Jim James (lead vocals, guitar), Tom Blankenship (bass), Patrick Hallahan (drums, percussion), Bo Koster (keyboards, percussion, backing vocals) and Carl Broemel (guitar, pedal steel guitar, saxophone, backing vocals) were locked in from the moment they walked on stage and started with “Steam Engine”, a deep cut off 2003’s It Still Moves. Though it was more than understandable to see the band play a large majority of The Waterfall for its first performance at the Santa Barbara Bowl in almost four years, there were plenty of other deep cuts mixed in over the next two hours, from “Bermuda Highway” to “Mahgeetah” to “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 2”. After all, it’s no secret that My Morning Jacket have always been good to their most loyal and dedicated fans, and in once again taking song requests as part of their “Spontaneous Curation Series,” they made sure to dig up many of the classics from their seminal album Z, including “Wordless Chorus” and “Off the Record” one after the other in the middle of a loaded, four-song encore.

Yet, before it was all said and done, it was only fitting for James and his bandmates to end the night with “One Big Holiday”, a longtime crowd favorite about a “bad man from California” that put My Morning Jacket squarely on the map more than a decade ago. And as the curly, long-haired guitar wizard shredded his way through the single’s final notes, I couldn’t help but think that after waiting all those years to step inside the Santa Barbara Bowl, the whole show had felt like one big holiday to me.

Setlist:
Steam Engine
Believe (Nobody Knows)
Compound Fracture
Circuital
In Its Infancy (The Waterfall)
Bermuda Highway
It Beats 4 U
Gideon
Like a River
Golden
Mahgeetah
Spring (Among the Living)
Only Memories Remain
Tropics (Erase Traces)
Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 2

Encore:
Victory Dance
Wordless Chorus
Off the Record
One Big Holiday

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, First Times, Live Music Reviews, Show Experience Tagged With: First Times, Fruit Bats, Jim James, My Morning Jacket, Santa Barbara Bowl

Battles take fans for a ride at The Regent Theater

October 16, 2015 by Josh Herwitt 3 Comments

By Josh Herwitt //

Battles //
The Regent Theater – Los Angeles
October 10th, 2015 //

When I first heard Battles in 2011 following the release of their second studio album Gloss Drop, there was something about the band that immediately caught my ear.

Maybe it was the odd time signatures that Ian Williams (guitar, keyboards), Dave Konopka (guitar, bass, effects) and John Stanier (drums) were dialing up, or maybe it was the unique looping techniques that the New York City experimental trio has long used (popular music software company Ableton, in fact, released an in-depth documentary earlier this year that details the band’s writing/recording process and its affinity for repetition through looping). Or, maybe it was just the fact that the band worked with some rather noteworthy names while recording Gloss Drop, including electronic music pioneer Gary Numan on “My Machines” and Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead fame on “Sweetie & Shag”.

Now four years later, and Battles are back with their third full-length studio effort, though this time it comes without any special guests singing on it. If anything, the all-instrumental La Di Da Di proves fairly well that Williams, Konopka and Stanier don’t need any assistance — vocal or not — when it comes to creating songs that bend, twist and loop (no pun intended) like a state-of-the-art roller coaster. Powered by lead single “The Yabba”, which clocks in at almost seven minutes to open the 12-track LP, La Di Da Di is arguably the group’s most polished work to date — and that’s quite impressive considering the critical acclaim that Gloss Drop received when it came out.

Returning to LA less than two months after performing at this year’s FYF Fest (read our review of the band’s performance here), Battles played a rather early headlining set at The Regent Theater, taking the stage by 8:15 p.m. on a Saturday night. Konopka was the first to arrive on stage, followed by Williams, with Stanier the last to show his face. But when he did, quietly slipping behind his three-piece, canary yellow Tama drum kit, the former Helmet drummer, who is known for elevating his Zildjian K ride cymbal as high as it will go when performing with Battles, received a rousing applause from the audience. Stanier, after all, is one of rock’s most versatile drummers, playing with the power of the late John Bonham and the finesse of Billy Cobham. And in many ways, at the age of 47, he’s already a drumming legend in his own right, paving the way for many other young rock drummers today with his attention to detail.

If their setlist at The Regent was any indication, Battles are clearly focused on performing their newest material for their fans. Six of the 10 songs they played were from La Di Da Di and only one was from their debut record Mirrored (it was single “Atlas” to no surprise), though it was refreshing to see them open their encore with Seattle hip-hop duo Shabazz Palaces’ remix of “White Electric” before transitioning into the original cut off Gloss Drop. It was a small sign that even after more than a decade together, Battles are still pushing themselves sonically and creatively, whether it’s in the studio or in front of live audience. And if you happen to be a fan of theirs, that’s all you can really hope for.

Setlist:
Dot Com
Ice Cream
FF Bada
Futura
Dot Net
Tricentennial
Tyne Wear
Atlas

Encore:
White Electric (Shabazz Palaces Remix snippet)
The Yabba

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Battles, The Regent Theater

Jamie xx spectacularly illuminates the Fox Theater Oakland on ‘In Colour’ tour

October 15, 2015 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

Photos by James Nagel // Written by Molly Kish //

Jamie xx //
Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland
October 9th, 2015 //

2015 has been a monumental year for London-based producer Jamie Smith, aka Jamie xx. Taking a break from his previous gig as half of The xx, Smith has broadened his production palette as a solo artist, reigning remix king and mastermind behind the summer of 2015’s largest contemporary electronic crossover hit “Good Times” featuring Young Thug and Popcann.

In further exploring his influences in dubstep, house and trip-hop, Smith delivered one of 2015’s standout solo debuts with In Colour (read our review here). Previewing his new material over the past six months, he has been bringing his epic DJ sets to select cities throughout Europe and the U.S.

Last Friday, Smith performed his second-to-last North American date at the Fox Theater Oakland to a mesmerized, sold-out crowd. Transforming the 2,800-person venue into a spellbinding disco hall, Jamie xx exceeded expectations, delivering what can be contested as the theater’s most paramount electronic set of the year.

Throughout his tour, Smith has refused to compromise his individual style for the sake of appeasing either extreme of his now commercially hybrid audience. Whereas those familiar with his early XL Records mixtapes were satiated by his intermingling of Gil Scott-Heron and Idris Muhammad samples between hits, his newfound post-In Colour fans experienced equally breathtaking moments with the crowd hitting peak energy levels during the encore chorus of “Loud Places” amidst the glow of a warped-speed, neon-green strobe light. Other notable moments included the near-religious choral drop of “Gosh” that escalated the packed house to spiritual levels of enthusiasm, bathed in the glowing sparkle of Smith’s staggeringly iridescent ceiling to floor disco ball and stage lights.

Although many were taken aback by Smith’s unconventional approach to a large-scale theater performance, ultimately everyone left with a clearer understanding of his role as both an individual artist and proliferant tastemaker in the current state of contemporary EDM. Serving as a view into the mind of both an aesthete and master of his craft, the “In Colour” tour offers an in-depth portrayal of what Jamie xx has accomplished thus far in his career.

Already touting an impressive genre-bending legacy, Smith’s album and incredible live sets are a testament to not only his past success as an accomplished producer, but also as a glimpse into the future progression of what he intends to bring to the table as an incipient electronic powerhouse.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Fox Theater Oakland, Jamie xx, The xx

Caspian, Circle Takes the Square throw down a pair of heavy sets at Rickshaw Stop on a weeknight

October 12, 2015 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Caspian

Photos by Victoria Smith // Written by Emmanuel Castro //

Caspian with Circle Takes the Square //
Rickshaw Stop – San Francisco
October 7th, 2015 //

Music tends to be a reflection of where a musician lives or where they have been.

After Circle Takes the Square’s opening set at Rickshaw Stop last Wednesday night, I get the immediate impression that Savannah, Ga., must be the most brutal, passionate and beautiful place on the planet.

The three-piece, consisting of Drew Speziale (guitar, vocals), Kathleen Coppola Stubelek (bass, vocals) and Caleb Collins (drums, vocals), brought an energy from another dimension. They are craft masters with each song composed, dense in flawless musicianship with every member of the audience attached to each shriek, growl and scream the band spills from its collective heart.

Circle Takes the Square

With no words decipherable, their howls become another form of instrumentation. Wikipedia tabs them as the reinvention of screamo. Unsigned by choice, Circle Takes the Square describe themselves as “a punk band with reverence for the mystery,” which is accurate, but there’s so much more to them considering they’ve never gone mainstream. Circle Takes the Square has a new album out entitled Decompositions:Volume Number One that has been eight years in the making. Physical copies of the nine-track LP have already sold out, but the band is also offering a name-your-own-price digital download option here. So, by the time Circle Takes the Square played their final note of the night, I was convinced Caspian didn’t have a chance.

I was wrong.

The Beverly, Mass., post-rock pioneers, who dwarf the audience with their presence as well as their sound, put on a display of sonic superiority. Their mammoth, all-instrumental songs ushered the audience through oceans, mountains, deserts, colors, tastes and feelings. Each song portrayed a vast dynamic range of emotions that can literally only be compared to the human experience. The five-piece, who hadn’t played SF in over three years after weathering the sudden death of bassist Chris Friedrich in 2013, went through an extended set featuring tracks from all of their releases, including their newest Dust and Disquiet, released last month on Triple Crown Recordings. The set ended at the stroke of midnight with both bands on stage performing an epic, improvised drum solo during “Sycamore” from Caspian’s 2009 studio album Tertia that you can watch here. Needless to say, the show was sold out and packed to the brim.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Caspian, Circle Takes the Square, Rickshaw Stop

BLACK LIPS

ARIEL PINK

SHOW REVIEWS

PHOTOS

FESTIVALS

THE LATEST

BAMMING