Photos

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

March 24, 2015 by Marc Fong Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

March 23, 2015 by Marc Fong Leave a Comment

By Marc Fong //

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

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

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

Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers take new songs to Terrapin Crossroads

March 20, 2015 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

By Susan J Weiand //

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

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

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

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

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

Encore:
Burnt $&^

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

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

BROODS dazzle a sold-out Regency Ballroom

March 12, 2015 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

By Scott Martin //

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

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

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

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

Gorgon City bring ‘realness’ to Mezzanine

February 27, 2015 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

Photos by Greg RaMar & Si Mone // Written by Molly Kish //

Gorgon City with Anna Lunoe, Justin Milla //
Mezzanine – San Francisco
February 21st, 2015 //

One of the hottest production duos coming out of the UK in 2014, Gorgon City lit Mezzanine ablaze for a Saturday night party presented by Another Planet Entertainment. Performing for a packed venue of dance enthusiasts and getting help from openers Anna Lunoe and Justin Milla, Gorgon City brought their signature blend of hip-hop, house, jungle and R&B to life with an infectious live performance.

Accompanied by the talent of their touring vocalists LuLu James and Josh Barry, Gorgon City was able to incarnate the sultry sentiment behind club hits “Real” (watch it here) and “FTPA” while inspiring full participation from the sold-out crowd with passionate singalongs to “Keep on Dancing” and more. The show kept the crowd at peak rage levels into the early-morning hours, leaving everyone in attendance drenched in sweat, emotion and pure Gorgon City “realness.”

With Gorgon City getting ready for some festival dates across the pond this summer, one could only hope that SF will get an encore performance at this year’s Outside Lands Music Festival. Until then though, they only continue to further solidify themselves as one of the most unmissable acts currently grooving around the globe.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Anna Lunoe, Gorgon City, Justin Milla, Mezzanine

Israel Nash offers foot-stomping good time at Brick & Mortar

February 19, 2015 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

By Scott Martin //

Israel Nash with The Wild Reeds //
Brick & Mortar Music Hall – San Francisco
February 13th, 2015 //

Israel Nash, aka singer-songwriter Israel Nash Gripka, brought the party to Brick & Mortar Music Hall on Friday night, and it showed. It was a foot-stomping good time, sending fans back in time to the earlier days of Pink Floyd and Neil Young. The Wild Reeds out of Los Angeles opened the show.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Brick & Mortar Music Hall, Israel Nash, The Wild Reeds

Ásgeir’s ethereal falsetto, captivating songwriting melts ears

February 12, 2015 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

By Diana Cordero //

Ásegir with Bhi Bhiman //
The Independent – San Francisco
February 9th, 2015 //

It was an intimate Monday night at The Independent with Icelandic singer-songwriter Ásgeir. His ethereal falsetto and captivating songwriting surely melted some ears. The singer performed in front of a mostly-seated crowd at the sold-out venue. His sound is also quite angelic — think a bit in the realm of Sigur Rós but with heavier troubadour tendencies.

But don’t let that description misguide you. Ásgeir’s sound is far from traditional folk, as he creates dreamy soundscapes using mainly electronic instruments played by himself and two of his friends. It’s been said that most of his lyrics have been written by his 72-year-old father (Ásegir is only a spry 23), which has been part of his big success in Iceland.

The surprise of the night came when he covered Nirvana’s “Heart Shaped Box”, giving the song a whole new meaning. Bay Area act Bhi Bhiman opened up the show.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Ásegir, Bhi Bhiman, The Independent

Tumbleweed Wanderers showcase perfect blend of bluegrass, classic rock at The Independent

February 11, 2015 by BenJamin Wallen 1 Comment

By Benjamin Wallen //

Tumbleweed Wanderers with City Tribe //
The Independent – San Francisco
February 6th, 2015 //

A rock band, a bluegrass band and a soul band walk into a bar. A genie says, “Kazam!” and poof! … you get the Tumbleweed Wanderers — a perfect blend of the uprising strength of bluegrass with the classic rock vibe of yesteryear pushed by a strong, current wind.

Gracing the amazing Independent and joined by opening act City Tribe, the Tumbleweed Wanderers offered a wonderful expression of what fantastic music is brewing in the great state of California from the back of rented vans.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: City Tribe, The Independent, Tumbleweed Wanderers

The Wailers honor Bob Marley’s work at sold-out Independent

February 2, 2015 by Maggie Corwin Leave a Comment

By Maggie Corwin //

The Wailers performing Exodus //
The Independent – San Francisco
January 29th, 2015 //

Made famous by the late Bob Marley, Jamaican reggae band The Wailers played the first of three sold-out shows at The Independent on Thursday. This night featured the entire Exodus album from front to back with Friday and Saturday night paying tribute to Legend and Survival, respectively. In addition to the tracks from Exodus, The Wailers performed hits like “I Shot the Sheriff”, “Could You Be Loved” and “Get Up, Stand Up”, among others.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Bob Marley, The Independent, The Wailers

Things get rowdy as Shannon and the Clams storm The Chapel

January 30, 2015 by Pedro Paredes Leave a Comment

By Pedro Paredes //

Shannon and the Clams with Earth Girl Helen Brown, Magic & Naked //
The Chapel – San Francisco
January 23rd, 2015 //

Oakland’s Shannon and the Clams brought plenty of their youthful fan base from across the bay to play a sold-out show at The Chapel last Friday night.

Opening the night was psychedelic soul/folk band Magic & Naked. These three guys from Switzerland showed a rather quiet side to them, as they did not interact with the crowd much, but their music was well-received by those who arrived at the venue early.

Next up was Earth Girl Helen Brown, bringing a huge stage presence that featured her charismatic voice and engaging banter as more attendees started filing in. With their old-school, groovy sound, the highlight of Brown’s set was “I Walked All Night”.

By the time Shannon and the Clams hit the stage, The Chapel was absolutely packed, with quite a few fans scrambling to get a spot up front. It was surprising to see the venue change so drastically from a subdued audience during the first two acts to one with such high energy, highlighted by a number of crowd surfers. For this concert photographer, it was hard to remain toward the front of the stage, as I was quickly forced to protect my camera with people jumping straight at my head. Needless to say, the garage-punk trio put on one hell of a show.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Earth Girl Helen Brown, Magic & Naked, Shannon and the Clams, The Chapel

PHOTOS: The Donkeys, Extra Classic at The Chapel 1/21

January 26, 2015 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

By Diana Cordero //

The Donkeys with Extra Classic, And And And //
The Chapel – San Francisco
January 21st, 2015 //

The Donkeys returned to The Chapel after a few months of promoting their fourth and most recent LP Ride the Black Wave, which came out last year in June. The San Diego indie band played in front of a pretty decent-sized crowd, with SF act Extra Classic as well as Portland’s And And And serving as the openers for the show.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Extra Classic, The Chapel, The Donkeys

PHOTOS: Battlehooch at The Chapel 1/17

January 24, 2015 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

By Diana Cordero //

Battlehooch with Guy Fox, Ghost & the City //
The Chapel – San Francisco
January 17th, 2015 //

SF’s own Battlehooch brought their psychedelic sound to The Chapel for a Saturday night headlining spot. Dressed as priests, all six members of the band hit the stage and kicked off the night in the form of a religious mass. Led by frontman Pat Smith and the unstoppable AJ McKinley on guitar, their funny stunt made us think of The Hives, with that same level of energy and their “not giving a damn” attitude, which was picked up by the crowd, too. Oaklanders Guy Fox and Ghost & the City opened the show.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Battlehooch, Ghost & the City, Guy Fox, The Chapel

The Wood Brothers leave Fillmore crowd craving for more

January 23, 2015 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

By Kory Thibeault //

The Wood Brothers with Mandolin Orange //
The Fillmore – San Francisco
January 16th, 2015 //

Boy, do I love The Fillmore.

“Best venue in the Bay” debates aside, I feel The Fillmore has a special presence, a certain energy that is the product of its rich musical history. Moreover, I truly feel that every musician who takes the stage under those beautiful lights and chandeliers channels their energy into every note they strike. At least that was the case when The Wood Brothers graced the stage last Friday night.

Since 2006, brothers Chris and Oliver Wood have been releasing carefully-crafted Americana albums under the moniker “The Wood Brothers”. They have continued their success more recently, executing their recorded work beautifully with the addition of multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix. This band’s talents certainly extend beyond the studio. Most impressive, though, is the four-piece’s ability to translate its often-mellow sounds into an enthusiastic, crowd-pleasing performance that certainly left the audience at The Fillmore craving for more.

A particular highlight of the evening was seeing Chris and Oliver bring Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz from opening act Mandolin Orange on stage to help cover Tom Petty’s “You Don’t Know How It Feels”, which was an instant hit with the crowd.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Jano Rix, Mandolin Orange, The Fillmore, The Wood Brothers

PHOTOS: Rustie at The Independent 1/14

January 23, 2015 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Photos by Marc Fong //

Rustie with Nadus, DJ Dials //
The Independent – San Francisco
January 14th, 2015 //

Scottish DJ/producer Russell Whyte, aka Rustie, has been touring the world of late in support of his second full-length album Green Language, which dropped back in August on Warp Records. Hitting the decks at the early age of 15, Whyte first made a name for himself by producing tracks for Detroit rapper Danny Brown, including his latest single “Attak”, and has only continued his rise in the EDM world. With the “Green Language Live” tour marking his largest to date, the Glasgow native made a mid-week stop in the City and captivated the crowd at The Independent with the help of A-Rock’s 3D visuals. Marc Fong was on hand to capture these shots from the show, which featured opening sets from Nadus and DJ Dials.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: DJ Dials, Nadus, Rustie, The Independent

The Jayhawks honor list of legends at The Fillmore

January 22, 2015 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

By Mike Rosati //

The Jayhawks with Trapper Schoepp & The Shades //
The Fillmore – San Francisco
January 8th, 2015 //

American alt-country outfit The Jayhawks haven’t put out a studio album since 2011’s Mockingbird Time, but that hasn’t slowed them down roughly 30 years since they formed in the Twin Cities. While the Minneapolis-based band has gone through a number of lineup changes with and without founding member Mark Olson, the five on stage these days — featuring singer/guitarist Gary Louris, bassist Marc Perlman, keyboardist Karen Grotberg, drummer Tim O’Reagan and guitarist Kraig Johnson — have played together for quite a while.

Olson is once again doing his own thing as a solo artist, releasing Good-bye Lizelle just last year, but having Johnson and Grotberg back in the fold has helped maintain the sound that was so important to The Jayhawks when they were building momentum in the mid to early 90’s.

Mixing in a few Golden Smog covers, including “Until You Came Along” with opener Trapper Schoepp & The Shades to close out their four-song encore, The Jayhawks paid tribute to a variety of legends, from Elvis Presley to Billy Walker to Neil Young, over the course of their 27-song set at The Fillmore.

Setlist:
I’m Going To Make You Love Me
The Man Who Loved Life
All the Right Reasons
Real Light
Big Star
Trouble
Stumbling Through the Dark
Angelyne
Take Me With You (When You Go)
Looking Forward to Seeing You (Golden Smog cover)
Somewhere in Ohio
Smile
Tampa to Tulsa
Waiting for the Sun
Jennifer Save Me (Golden Smog cover)
Little Sister (Elvis Presley cover)
Space Oddity (David Bowie cover) (tease, incomplete, for David Bowie’s birthday)
Blue
I’m Down to My Last Cigarette (Billy Walker cover)
Bottomless Cup
Tailspin
Save It for a Rainy Day
I’d Run Away

Encore:
Sound of Lies
Settled Down Like Rain
Sedan Delivery (Neil Young cover)
Until You Came Along (Golden Smog cover with Trapper Schoepp & The Shades)

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Billy Walker, David Bowie, Elvis Presley, Golden Smog, Mark Olson, Neil Young, The Fillmore, The Jayhawks, Trapper Schoepp & The Shades

Bluegrass takes center stage at The Chapel for a night

January 8, 2015 by BenJamin Wallen Leave a Comment

The Neckbeard Boys

By Benjamin Wallen //

Newgrass and Tried & Truegrass – SF’s Finest Local Bluegrass Heroes feat. The Neckbeard Boys, Windy Hill, Grateful Bluegrass Boys, Rusty Stringfield //
The Chapel – San Francisco
January 3rd, 2015 //

The Chapel hosted another night of string-picking and foot-stomping bluegrass of all tastes thanks to Britgrass, a collection of local bluegrass musicians in the Bay Area. “Newgrass and Tried & Truegrass” was the theme of this show with music from Rusty Stringfield, the Grateful Bluegrass Boys (a mix of some players from Hot Buttered Rum and The David Thom Band), Windy Hill and headlining act The Neckbeard Boys.

There to host the event was none other than Bay Area bluegrass legend and president of the California Bluegrass Association Chuck Poling, who you may also recognize from his hosting of the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass’s Rooster Stage. For a genre back on the rise, it was great to see some of the best in the Bay Area play together to a packed house on a Saturday night in The Mission. Windy Hill brought the classical approach of Doc Watson’s and Del McCoury’s single-mic, three-party harmonies that people know and love from the old-timey bluegrass days.

Rusty Stringfield

To bridge the gap from the true to the new grass was Rusty Stringfield and the Grateful Bluegrass Boys with their takes on bluegrass classics as well as both modern and Grateful Dead tunes. Closing the night out, the rousing tunes of The Neckbeard Boys had the place dancing and stomping, finishing with a cover of “Ignition (Remix)” by R. Kelly.

For bluegrass fans in the Bay Area, keep an eye out for these bands and more Britgrass events, as they offer one heck of a ride.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Britgrass, California Bluegrass Association, Chuck Poling, Del McCoury, Doc Watson, grateful dead, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, R. Kelly, Rusty Stringfield, The Chapel, The Grateful Bluegrass Boys, The Neckbeard Boys, Windy Hill

Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe kick 2015 into high gear with Run DMC Remixed show

January 7, 2015 by Molly Kish 2 Comments

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

Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe Presents Run DMC Remixed feat. Vokab Kompany, Amp Live //
The Independent – San Francisco
January 2nd, 2015 //

This past weekend at The Independent, SF was treated to a doubleheader of funk infusion provided by none other than Karl Denson and his always-entertaining Tiny Universe. The theme of this mini tour, which enlisted the MC skills of the Vokab Kompany’s vocalists, was “Run DMC Remixed”.

After a great opening set from Amp Live and a venue-packed performance from KDTU featuring a guest spot from guitar virtuoso Eric McFadden, the whole crew returned to the stage to “rock the mic” live. Busting out a greatest hits set of hip-hop classics, the stage full of performers paid homage to the party-igniting discography of Run DMC. Displaying an incredible blend of musical talent and prolonged celebratory energy from all the New Year’s festivities earlier in the week, the show was easily one of the best ways to kick 2015 into high gear.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Amp Live, Karl Denson, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Run DMC, The Independent, Vokab Kompany

Allah-Las close 2014 with festive vibes at The Chapel

January 7, 2015 by Pedro Paredes 5 Comments

By Pedro Paredes //

Allah-Las with The Tyde, Light Fantastic //
The Chapel – San Francisco
December 30th, 2014 //

Following the release of their second album Worship the Sun this past September, Los Angeles’ own Allah-Las made their way to Northern California for their two-night New Year’s Eve residency at The Chapel. While it may have been December 30th on this particular night, it already felt like New Year’s Eve inside the diminutive venue.

Outside The Chapel, the streets remained empty, but inside, there was definitely a party going on. The vibes, for one, certainly felt festive for a Tuesday night, as openers The Tyde and Light Fantastic got things started slowly. Yet, once it was time for the Allah-Las to start, the sold-out crowd quickly showed its enthusiasm for the garage rock four-piece. With two projectors flanking the room, the band dug into its latest material as trippy shapes and colors lit up the stage. The mostly 20-somethings in attendance dug it all, making for quite a memorable ending to 2014.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Allah-Las, Light Fantastic, The Chapel, The Tyde

Dillon Francis continues his rise toward EDM stardom at the Fox

December 26, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Photos by Mike Rosati //

Dillon Francis with TJR, Hoodboi //
The Fox Theater – Oakland, CA
December 18th, 2014 //

If the past two years have been any indication, Los Angeles born-and-bred DJ/producer Dillon Francis seems to be well on his way toward EDM stardom. Having already graduated from club-style venues to the bigger theaters and festival stages of the live music world, Francis continues to find a stronghold among college kids and young EDM fans due, in part, to the support of moombahton advocate Diplo (the two are said to be good friends on and off the decks).

But it wasn’t until a couple months ago that the 27-year-old finally released his debut full-length album Money Sucks, Friends Rule following a string of EPs — eight to be exact — over the first four years of his career. Packing the Fox Theater Oakland on a weeknight as part of his 18-date, North American headlining tour, Francis used heavy beats, an impressive light show and a colorful stage setup to get the scantily-clad crowd dancing after TJR and Hoodboi warmed things up.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Dillon Francis, Diplo, Fox Theater Oakland, Hoodboi, TJR

PHOTOS: Ryan Hemsworth at The Independent 12/11

December 17, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Photos by Diana Cordero //

Ryan Hemsworth with Tennyson, The Bilinda Butchers and DJ Dials //
The Independent – San Francisco
December 11th, 2014 //

Releasing his second studio album Alone for the First Time on Last Gang Records a little more than a month ago, Canadian DJ and producer Ryan Hemsworth stopped by The Independent with Tennyson, The Bilinda Butchers and DJ Dials serving as openers. Diana Cordero was on hand to capture these shots of Hemsworth’s set.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: DJ Dials, Ryan Hemsworth, Tennyson, The Bilinda Butchers, The Independent

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