Sunflower Bean treat SF to a solid Halloween show

November 2, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Sunflower BeanBy Norm de Veyra //

Sunflower Bean with The Lemon Twigs, Ganglians //
Rickshaw Stop – San Francisco
October 31st, 2016 //

New York City trio Sunflower Bean gave a strong performance for a costumed crowd at Rickshaw Stop on Halloween. The upstart indie-rock outfit proved to be engaging and confident as they performed songs from their 2016 debut LP Human Ceremony.

Led by vocalist and bassist Julia Cumming, the group delivered a strongly self-assured show that nicely balanced their quieter, hypnotic tunes like “I Want You to Give Me Enough Time” and “Easier Said” with their full-on rock jams like “Wall Watcher” and “Come On”.

The Lemon Twigs


The Lemon Twigs

Joining Sunflower Bean were The Lemon Twigs, who both surprised and delighted with their eclectic sound and boundless energy. It’s no surprise why the Long Island quartet has been gaining attention for its recently released debut album Do Hollywood, featuring a catalog of songs that sonically mine the sounds of past decades and elicits comforting familiarity, yet never feels tired or worn. Credit, of course, should be given to the D’Addario brothers (Brian and Michael), who split lead vocal duties for the band and whose charm and humor buoyed their set.

Sacramento four-piece Ganglians, who blend noise rock, psychedelic pop and folk all into one sound, opened up the evening.

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The Faint highlight their history for one night in SF

October 27, 2016 by Leave a Comment

The FaintBy Norm de Veyra //

The Faint with Gang of Four, Pictureplane //
The Regency Ballroom – San Francisco
October 23rd, 2016 //

Those seeking an all-out dance party last Sunday were in luck when The Faint dropped by The Regency Ballroom.

With a career spanning nearly two decades, the Nebraska-born dance rockers showcased tracks from their recently released retrospective album CAPSULE:1999-2016.

Post-punk predecessors Gang of Four and electronic artist Pictureplane opened the show.

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The Boxer Rebellion kick off their North American tour at The Independent

October 26, 2016 by Leave a Comment

The Boxer RebellionBy Laura Tsu //

The Boxer Rebellion with Hey Anna, Ry Cox //
The Independent – San Francisco
October 19th, 2016 //

London indie-rock outfit The Boxer Rebellion kicked off their North American tour at The Independent last Wednesday. Despite visiting the U.S. earlier in the year for a couple of performances, the quartet aimed to embark on a more comprehensive tour this time by booking a total of 22 shows.

Their fifth studio album Ocean by Ocean was just released in April, marking their most recent material since 2013’s Promises. Their performance in SF mostly consisted of songs from Ocean by Ocean and Promises, with one song, “Always”, performed intimately in the middle of the crowd with an acoustic guitar and no microphone.

Supporting The Boxer Rebellion were Hey Anna, a five-piece band fronted by three sisters, and singer-songwriter Ry Cox.

Setlist:
Let It Go
Big Ideas
Step Out of the Car
We Have This Place Surrounded
Semi-Automatic
New York
Caught By the Light
Locked in the Basement
Always (Acoustic)
Weapon
Diamonds
Let’s Disappear
Flashing Red Light Means Go
Pull Yourself Together
Flight

Encore:
No Harm
Promises
The Gospel of Goro Adachi

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At The Regency Ballroom, Danny Brown sets himself apart from all the other rappers in the game

October 20, 2016 by 1 Comment

Danny BrownPhotos by James Pawlish // Written by Brett Ruffenach //

Danny Brown //
The Regency Ballroom – San Francisco
October 11th, 2016 //

Daniel Swell, better known as Danny Brown, came to The Regency Ballroom last Tuesday in support of his critically acclaimed album Atrocity Exhibition.

As an emcee with a cartoonish, high-pitched voice as well as a humorous lyrical style, it can sometimes be hard to take Brown seriously. This is the deceptive genius of the Detroit-based rapper — in between the lewd sexual acts and illicit drug use described in his music, there’s a deeper look into addiction, poverty and mental illness. As he opened the show with “Die Like a Rockstar” from his second LP XXX, The Regency’s bouncing floor started moving and didn’t stop for the next hour.

Danny Brown

Diving into earlier tracks and moving forward chronologically from there, Brown managed to cover a large breadth of his catalog, even for a set as short as his was on this night. Dropping bangers like “Blunt After Blunt”, “Dip” and “25 Bucks”, perhaps the most impressive aspect about Brown’s performance is the cadence he’s able to keep up, song after song after song. And no matter what the track is, the speed and flow he is able to maintain is something few rappers can keep up with (I’m looking at you, ScHoolboy Q).

Although he only performed a couple of tracks from his new album, tragically skipping over “Ain’t It Funny”, Brown still managed to prove that he is a rapper in his own lane. No one can be compared to Danny Brown because well, there’s no one like Danny Brown.

Danny Brown

Danny Brown

Danny Brown

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As their frontman battles drug addiction, The Head and the Heart press on at LA’s Greek Theatre

October 14, 2016 by Leave a Comment

The Heart and the HeartBy Josh Herwitt //

The Head and the Heart //
Greek Theatre – Los Angeles
October 7th, 2016 //

It’s amazing how far The Head and the Heart have come in just a little more than seven years. Formed through a series of open mic nights in the northwest Seattle neighborhood of Ballard, the sextet ditched world-renowned indie label Sub Pop this year and signed with Warner Bros. Records for its third full-length album Signs of Light, which dropped early last month.

But attaining major-label status hasn’t been the only change for The Head and the Heart over the past 12 months. Back in March, the band announced that frontman Josiah Johnson would be taking an indefinite leave to enter rehab and recover from drug addiction, leaving Jonathan Russell in charge of handling lead-vocal duties all on his own.

The Heart and the Heart

Though there’s no doubt the indie-folk outfit misses Johnson’s presence onstage, it seems to be doing just fine without him for the time being. For instance, take last Friday’s show at the Greek Theatre, which welcomed a solid turnout from the group’s LA contingent as countless couples and fans anywhere from the ages of 25-50 occupied the historic outdoor venue by the time The Head and the Heart took the stage shortly after 9 p.m.

Opening with their newest single “All We Ever Knew”, The Head and the Heart spent the next hour and a half showcasing some of their biggest hits, from “Lost in My Mind” and “Down in the Valley” off their self-titled debut LP to “Shake” and “Another Story” that are on their 2013 follow-up Let’s Be Still. It’s still unclear when Johnson is expected to return, but Russell and his four sidekicks — Charity Rose Thielen, Chris Zasche, Kenny Hensley and Tyler Williams — should be able to find comfort in the fact that their latest record is setting its own record after reaching as high as No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and selling 40,000 units in its first week. If that, in addition to their new label status now, doesn’t immediately convince you that The Head and the Heart are on the up and up, seeing them perform live at a place like the Greek just might.

Setlist:
All We Ever Knew
Coeur d’Alene
City of Angels
Ghosts
Rhythm & Blues
Shake
Another Story
Let’s Be Still
Turn It Around
Lost in My Mind
Colors
Library Magic
Oh My Dear
I Don’t Mind
Winter Song
Sounds Like Hallelujah
Down in the Valley

Encore:
(Unknown) (“Some folks may say, I’m a hermit in my ways”)
Your Mother’s Eyes
Rivers and Roads

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Highly Suspect get highly spirited at their SF show

October 5, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Highly SuspectBy Laura Tsu //

Highly Suspect with Fairy Bones, Annie Girl and The Flight //
The Independent – San Francisco
September 30th, 2016 //

Johnny Stevens, Rich Meyer and Ryan Meyer of Highly Suspect left Cape Cod, Mass., in 2011 for opportunity and bustle in Brooklyn. Since their relocation, Highly Suspect have recorded two EPs and one full-length album, Mister Asylum, which they acknowledge as their heaviest-sounding release yet.

Mister Asylum propelled the group to this year’s Grammy Awards, where they were nominated for “Best Rock Album” and “Best Rock Song.” Currently, they are on tour until mid-November building anticipation for their new LP The Boy Who Died Wolf, which is scheduled for release November 18th. After performing at Life Is Beautiful Festival in Las Vegas in addition to dates in Los Angeles and San Diego, they stopped in SF for a show at The Independent last Friday.

A late addition to the bill, SF natives Annie Girl and The Flight kicked off the show with some garage-rock/folk-rock tunes. Shortly after beginning though, Josh Pollock’s guitar strap broke abruptly and he had to balance his guitar on his leg. Nevertheless, the set continued and the band delivered song after song with influences ranging from psychedelic rock to punk. In the meantime, frontwoman Annie Lipetz’s vocals — soft, raspy (at times) and ineffably endearing — also amplified their live set, and she mentioned that a new album would be out soon.

Fairy Bones


Fairy Bones

Fairy Bones, performing after Annie Girl and The Flight, stepped up for the third performance of their tour supporting Highly Suspect. After making a bold impression opening for the trio in September, the quartet from Phoenix were offered the assignment once again for the West Coast leg of Highly Suspect’s national tour. Fairy Bones’ intrepid vocals, rapid guitar riffs and cadent drumming created catchy, uptempo songs that some might label as “alternative rock.” Toward the end of their set, they also performed a cover of “Nightshift” by The Commodores.

By 11 p.m., the crowd at The Independent was thick with anticipation for Highly Suspect. Once the lights dimmed and “Pick Up the Phone” by Young Thug and Travis Scott began to play over the PA system, the three-piece finally stepped onstage. Stevens carried a bottle of tequila with him and took a swig right as he settled down in front of the mic. Then, Highly Suspect’s aggressive drumming and angsty vocals shook from the speakers. With plenty of pace and powerful chord progressions, crowd movement came naturally and didn’t cease. Highly Suspect appealed to the crowd’s appetite to dance, hear heavy riffs and ultimately witness one hell of a live performance.

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FOALS ignite a sold-out Fox Theater Oakland in their triumphant return to the Bay Area

October 4, 2016 by 1 Comment

FOALSPhotos by Steve Carlson // Written by Molly Kish //

FOALS with Bear Hands, Kiev //
Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland
September 26th, 2016 //

English indie-rock giants FOALS kicked off the California leg of their 2016 tour with a sold-out show at the Fox Theater Oakland last Monday night. As the first of only two tour stops in The Golden State with support from Brooklyn’s Bear Hands and Orange County’s Kiev, the Oxford five-piece electrified the audience by running through a hard-hitting set of material from each of its four studio albums.

Highly anticipated, the show marked the first time FOALS have returned to the Bay Area since their powerhouse performance at Outside Lands (read our review here) back in August. One of the most notable sets over the festival’s three days, Bay Area fans welcomed the extremely talented outfit back with open arms and exuded the energy typically of a capacity crowd on a weekend night at The Fox.

FOALS

Lead singer/guitarist Yannis Philippakis relished in excitement as he performed his signature stage dives that resulted in crowd surfing as well as vocal gymnastics. The band held nothing back, feeding off the crowd’s emotion with some inspired playing.

Following their Bay Area stop, FOALS headed down south for the second of their two California dates, playing the Hollywood Palladium with plenty of gusto (read our review here). We can’t wait for their return as they continue to climb even higher with each new album they release.

Setlist:
Prelude
Snake Oil
Olympic Airways
My Number
Providence
Give It All
Mountain at My Gates
Spanish Sahara
Red Socks Pugie
Late Night
A Knife in the Ocean
Inhaler

Encore:
What Went Down
Two Steps, Twice

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Bloc Party breathe life back into the ‘indie-rock’ club scene at a sold-out Mezzanine

September 29, 2016 by 1 Comment

Bloc PartyPhotos by Diana Cordero // Written by Molly Kish //

Bloc Party //
Mezzanine – San Francisco
September 19th, 2016 //

Bloc Party made their triumphant return to the Bay Area last Monday and performed for a capacity crowd at Mezzanine on what was a rare “indie-rock” night at the small club in SF. Rocking a new roster of both original and recently acquired band members, frontman Kele Okereke commanded the room’s attention well into the early-morning hours.

The seminal post-punk quartet blasted through a 17-song setlist that spanned all five of its studio albums and played into the audience’s energy, which reached incredible highs for a weeknight in SF. After celebrating the 10-year anniversary of their debut LP Silent Alarm in 2015, Bloc Party had yet to play such an intimate setting in quite some time.

Bloc Party

On this night, the excitement was palpable for the entire performance, as Okereke’s voice crescendoed throughout the venue. Championing for rail space and dance-floor real estate, fans sang along to every lyric, recalling old memories and creating new ones thanks to Bloc Party’s heavily emotive set. And before Okereke and company jumped into their encore, two new songs were performed, along with snippets of Bjork and Pixies tracks.

In what was truly a special evening for everyone there, Bloc Party proved that they can still breathe life back into club scene after filling stadiums and arenas across the country for the last few years.

Setlist:
Only He Can Heal Me
So Real
She’s Hearing Voices
Mercury
Virtue
Song for Clay (Disappear Here) (Bjork – Big Time Sensuality intro cover)
Banquet
Two More Years
(Unknown)
My True Name
Octopus (Pixies – I’ve Been Tired intro cover)
So He Begins to Lie
The Love Within

Encore:
Stunt Queen
Flux
Helicopter
Ratchet

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Dirtybird rings in the fall season at Mezzanine

September 21, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Dirtybird Quarterly 2016 - Christian Martin


Christian Martin

Photos by Lisette Worster // Written by EJ Bernardo //

Dirtybird Quarterly //
Mezzanine – San Francisco
September 16th, 2016 //

With the dust just starting to settle from Burning Man and summer almost over, the fall quarter is upon us. So, in the spirit of the season, SF record label Dirtybird brought its quarterly showcase to Mezzanine last Friday.

The Dirtybird Campout in Silverado, Calif., may be just weeks away, but these dirty players had no problem slaying some sick beats for the masses. Kicking off the night was Dateless, followed by the adorably foul-mouthed J.Phlip and Sacha Robotti. Christian Martin was up next, dropping an eclectic mix of 70’s disco and trap before DJ Worthy closed things out.

Dirtybird Quarterly 2016 - Sacha Robotti


Sacha Robotti

Although the venue was crowded, entering Mezzanine was a lot smoother than it had been in the past for Dirtybird quarterlies. With a packed house, the club provided bottle service on the top floor, bartenders to keep the drinks flowing and a wonderful light show that synced with the beats being produced onstage. As the music continued to bump through the night, some recognizable artists like J.Phlip and Robotti were spotted roaming the floor.

The night was filled with positive energy until the wee hours of the morning as the crowd was made up of hardcore Dirtybird fans and those who were looking to kick off their weekend with some house-infused fun, with a faint chant of “untz-ah untz-ah” coming from a few audience members at one point during the festivities.

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Tortoise make up for lost time with another LA show

September 6, 2016 by Leave a Comment

TortoiseBy Josh Herwitt //

Tortoise with Bishop Nehru //
The Regent Theater – Los Angeles
August 31st, 2016 //

It’s hard to have a conversation about post-rock bands without mentioning the name Tortoise. Because for as controversial as the term “post-rock” was — and still is — among instrumental groups born out of the early 90’s, the Chicago quintet has remained at the center of the genre, standing as one of its most prominent pioneers.

But however you choose to label their music, Tortoise’s longevity can’t be overlooked. Neither should their productivity, which saw them release five studio albums over a decade’s worth of time. It’s only more recently that Dan Bitney, Doug McCombs, Jeff Parker, John Herndon and John McEntire started taking some significant time off between LPs, with their longest layoff spanning six-plus years after unveiling The Catastrophist back in January.

Bishop Nehru


Bishop Nehru

Still touring in support of the 11-track record, Tortoise played their second show in LA in less than fours months last Wednesday. And after filling up the Teragram Ballroom on a Monday night (read our review of the show here), the band arrived at another one of downtown LA’s newer music venues for the latest installment of Red Bull’s Sound Select series.

An all-night grindhouse and adult movie theater years ago, The Regent Theater appeared to be modestly full on this night, as emerging hip-hop emcee Bishop Nehru (born Markel Scott) warmed up the crowd with flows that have earned him critical acclaim from Billboard, NME and Dazed alike. Yet, when it came time for the main event, Tortoise made sure to take fans on one of their experimentally delicious sonic adventures for more than an hour.

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Chuck Mosley reunites with Faith No More for a special night at Great American Music Hall

August 22, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Chuck Mosley with Faith No MoreBy Mike Rosati //

Chuck Mosley & Friends with Coffin Boy Crow //
Great American Music Hall – San Francisco
August 18th, 2016 //

If you grew up listening to alternative metal in the mid to late 80’s, there’s a chance you might know who Chuck Mosley is. For those who didn’t though, the Southern California native was one of the earliest influences of rap/rock before its ascent nearly a decade later.

Now residing in Cleveland, Mosley made his return to the Bay Area last Thursday for a show on his “Reintroduce Yourself World Tour 2016” that was billed as “Chuck Mosley & Friends.” But what some audience members at the Great American Music Hall may not have realized before arriving was that they were in for quite a treat.

Surprisingly enough, Mosley’s “friends” actually turned out to be his former band Faith No More, who agreed earlier this year to reissue a remastered version of their debut album We Care a Lot with nine bonus tracks.

Joining Mosley — who at one time also served as the lead singer for the hardcore-punk outfit Bad Brains — onstage was Faith No More’s Mike Bordin (drums), Roddy Bottum (keyboards), Billy Gould (bass) and Jon Hudson (guitar) as they performed old songs like “Jungle”, “Mark Bowen”, “Greed”, “New Beginnings” and “Arabian Disco” from We Care a Lot in addition to cuts from 1987’s Introduce Yourself, including “The Crab Song”, “Spirit” and “Anne’s Song”, which they closed things out with in epic fashion.

The show opened with a set from Coffin Boy Crow, who stumbled around the stage in a dark burka while picking up random instruments and shouting free-verse chants over piped music.

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Guitar heroes Rodrigo y Gabriela give it all they got at the City National Civic

August 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Rodrigo y GabrielaBy Mike Rosati //

Rodrigo y Gabriela //
City National Civic – San Jose
August 9th, 2016 //

Mexican acoustic guitar heroes Rodrigo y Gabriela headlined the City National Civic earlier this month as part of their 2016 world tour.

While there were no special guests like Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo, who performed with the duo a few days later in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl, fans didn’t leave disappointed after hearing a 90-minute set that consisted of a few classics and some new tunes.

Rodrigo y Gabriela

During the show, Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero announced that they didn’t have a setlist prepared for the evening but instead, would be playing songs they had been working on while on tour before heading back to “the office,” aka their recording studio. Sánchez, to be expected, brought his heavy-metal riffs to the stage while Quintero showed off her classic sound and hummingbird-like hand work. The show proved to be one big party, with Sánchez and Quintero even inviting some audience members onto the stage to dance.

Sánchez dug into a few covers for fun, honoring such legendary rock bands as Led Zeppelin and Red Hot Chili Peppers, but during the encore, him and his partner also paid tribute to the 43 students who died in a mass murder nearly two years ago in Mexico, flashing a screen at the back of stage that said “Ayotzinapa Somos Todos” in remembrance of them.

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Weezer, Panic! at the Disco show they still got it in front of a packed house at Shoreline Amphitheatre

August 4, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Weezer


Weezer

By Marc Fong //

Weezer & Panic! at the Disco with Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness //
Shoreline Amphitheatre – Mountain View, CA
July 31st, 2016 //

Weezer and Panic! at the Disco played to a packed house of young and old at Shoreline Amphitheatre for the Bay Area stop of their “Summer Tour 2016” last Sunday.

While Weezer played to a huge crowd, a considerable amount of the younger fans in attendance left after Panic! stole the show with a fantastic set and an amazing energy onstage. Frontman Brenden Urie even performed flips! The Grammy-nominated band sounded tight and performed its hits in addition to some great covers such as Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”.

Panic! at the Disco


Panic! at the Disco

Weezer, on the contrary, was more subdued, but they still put on an amazing show, playing their usual fan favorites along with some tracks off their self-titled LP that came out earlier this year.

Opening the co-headline show and serving as the tour’s special guest was Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, the former Something Corporate frontman’s solo project that he started a couple years ago.

WEEZER

Setlist:
California Kids
Hash Pipe
My Name Is Jonas
(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To
Pork and Beans
I Love the USA
Perfect Situation
Thank God for Girls
Beverly Hills (Preceded by snippet of “Come Together” by The Beatles)
Dope Nose / Back to the Shack / Keep Fishin’ / The Good Life / Surf Wax America
Undone – The Sweater Song
King of the World / Only in Dreams
Island in the Sun
Say It Ain’t So

Encore:
El Scorcho (Piano intro, preceded by snippet of “We Are Young” by fun.)
Buddy Holly

PANIC! AT THE DISCO

Setlist:
Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time
Vegas Lights
The Ballad of Mona Lisa
Hallelujah
Time to Dance
Emperor’s New Clothes
Girls/Girls/Boys
Ready to Go (Get Me Out of My Mind)
Nine in the Afternoon
Crazy = Genius
Miss Jackson
Golden Days
Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen cover)
LA Devotee
Death of a Bachelor
I Write Sins Not Tragedies
This is Gospel
Positive Hardcore
Victorious

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Nite Jewel turns a cool night into a summer simmer

August 3, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Nite JewelBy Norm de Veyra //

Nite Jewel with Introflirt //
Brick & Mortar Music Hall – San Francisco
July 30th, 2016 //

Los Angeles songstress Ramona Gonzalez, aka Nite Jewel, turned a cool night in SF into a summer simmer at Brick & Mortar Music Hall last Saturday.

Performing a mix of slow-burning, synth-heavy R&B and uptempo dance tracks from her latest LP Liquid Cool, Gonzalez commanded the attention of the crowd and quickly set the mood for the chilly evening.

Oakland-based sythnpop act Introflirt joined Nite Jewel for the night and proved to be a great pairing. Ben Benjamin’s moody vocals, draped over his bandmate Vafa’s pulsing, dark synth grooves, was an impressive combination for the duo.

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Black Milk & Nat Turner bring their ‘Rebellion Sessions’ to life at Brick & Mortar Music Hall

August 2, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Black Milk & Nat Turner


Black Milk

By Laura Tsu //

Black Milk & Nat Turner with Six Fif, MC Solar Wind, L.E.E., Marquayus the God //
Brick & Mortar Music Hall – San Francisco
July 28th, 2016 //

Curtis Cross, better known as the hip-hop producer and emcee who goes by the name Black Milk, teamed up with Washington D.C.-based live band Nat Turner last Thursday at Brick & Mortar Music Hall as part of their ongoing Rebellion Tour.

The Rebellion Sessions, their collaborative album together, was released back in April after taking only one week to record. With Malik Hunter on bass, Aaron Abernathy on keyboards and Zebulun Horton on drums, Nat Turner added a modern, funky texture to Black Milk’s hip-hop prose.

Opening the evening were Six Fif, MC Solar Wind, L.E.E. and Marquayus the God.

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Oh Pep! charm their SF fans with intimate, assured performance at Rickshaw Stop

July 29, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Oh Pep!By Norm de Veyra //

Oh Pep! with DonCat, Ghost Town Jenny //
Rickshaw Stop – San Francisco
July 27th, 2016 //

Australian folk/pop group Oh Pep! impressed the intimately gathered crowd at Rickshaw Stop with a delicate, yet assured performance this past Wednesday.

The Melbourne-based duo of Olivia Hally and Pepita Emmerichs split lead vocal duties and quickly charmed the audience with a set of songs off their debut LP Stadium Cake.

Joining the Australians on a low-key weeknight were a couple of local outfits in SF’s DonCat and Oakland’s Ghost Town Jenny.

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Chromeo keep things funky at 1015 Folsom

July 26, 2016 by Leave a Comment

ChromeoBy Lisette Worster //

Chromeo (DJ set) with Sweater Funk //
1015 Folsom – San Francisco
July 22nd, 2016 //

Montreal two-piece Chromeo performed a late-night DJ set at 1015 Folsom last Friday. The duo comprised of David “Dave 1” Macklovitch and Patrick “P-Thugg” Gemayel are best known for putting on their energetic live shows, but they didn’t disappoint while manning the decks in SF either.

Playing remixes of all their hits, these two Canadian funk lords offered a funky-house vibe for all to enjoy. And to no one’s surprise, the place was jumping until the very end of the night as fans showed off their “fancy footwork.”

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Banks & Steelz played their first-ever show last night and we were there to see the duo in action

July 22, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Banks & Steelz - Paul Banks


Paul Banks

By Josh Herwitt //

Banks & Steelz with T.O.L.D. //
The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
July 21st, 2016 //

For the last three years, Interpol frontman Paul Banks and Wu-Tang Clan legend RZA have been working on a collaborative project that, for the most part, has flew relatively under the radar. But just a couple months ago, the duo made things official when they finally unveiled the name of said project as Banks & Steelz.

The next day, the singer/guitarist and rapper released their first Banks & Steelz track “Love + War” featuring fellow Wu-Tang member Ghostface Killah. Three weeks later, Banks & Steelz had more important news to share, announcing that their debut album Anything But Words will drop on August 26th with guest appearances from Florence and the Machine’s Florence Welch, Wu-Tang Clan’s Method Man and Masta Killa, and Kool Keith.

Banks & Steelz - RZA


RZA

The two musicians, though, had yet to play a show together — that is until last night at The Roxy Theatre in LA. Kicking off a 15-date tour that includes stops at The Independent in San Francisco, FYF Fest and Life Is Beautiful, not to mention two weekends at Austin City Limits, Banks & Steelz performed songs from their forthcoming LP for the first time ever, showcasing the Rage Against the Machine-inspired cut “Speedway Sonora” along with lead single “Giant” that opens the 12-track record. Singing in his usual baritone style, Banks worked the strings on his Fender Stratocaster while RZA handled rapping and keyboard duties. And at one point during their 50-minute set, they even brought out LA-based singer-songwriter Morgan Kibby, who performs under the name White Sea and has collaborated and toured with M83, to help contribute vocals.

While rap rock may feel like a thing of the past now, Banks & Steelz feature a unique pairing of musicians from very different backgrounds. Banks, for one, has remained Interpol’s lead singer for close to two decades as the New York band continues to rank high on the charts. And RZA, who served as Wu-Tang’s de facto leader, has managed to find success outside of music, whether it’s writing and directing movies or just acting in them. But between Banks’ longstanding love of hip-hop and RZA’s newfound interest in rock music, they’ve figured out a formula that could work in a studio and on a stage, even one as small as The Roxy’s.

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Tacocat, The Regrettes let it all hang out in SF

July 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Tacocat


Tacocat

By Norm de Veyra //

Tacocat with The Regrettes, Burnt Palms
Bottom of the Hill – San Francisco
July 15th, 2016 //

Seattle female quartet Tacocat were joined by Los Angeles four-piece The Regrettes and Seaside, Calif., outfit Burnt Palms for a propulsive show at Bottom of the Hill last Friday.

Led by their charismatic lead singer/guitarist Lydia Night, who dropped to the floor and played her guitar while lying down at one point during the evening, The Regrettes blazed through an infectious set of garage pop that energized the small, tightly packed club. But don’t be fooled by the group’s appearance. For such a relatively young band, The Regrettes commanded the stage, exuding both a presence and confidence that many older performers could only wish to possess.

Tacocat followed and capped off the night with a frenzied set of “riot grrl” pop punk that lit up the crowd and had many audience members bouncing off the walls — and each other.

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Little Scream shows off her versatile songwriting at the Swedish American Hall

July 18, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Little ScreamBy Norm de Veyra //

Little Scream with Gracie and Rachel, Vanwave //
Swedish American Hall – San Francisco
July 12th, 2016 //

Montreal-based singer and multi-instrumentalist Laurel Sprengelmeyer, who performs under the moniker Little Scream, stepped inside the Swedish American Hall last Tuesday night for an intimate show highlighting new songs from her sophomore studio effort Cult Following.

Sprengelmeyer’s talent was on full display as she navigated an eclectic sound that ranged from hand-clapping indie pop to ethereal, ambient soundscapes. Such variety could have resulted in a mixed experience for fans, but her clear and confident singing still provided a common thread for the audience to follow.

Along with SF “witch rock” four-piece Vanwave, joining Little Scream for the evening was New York City orchestral-pop duo Gracie and Rachel, who, in particular, impressed with a minimal, yet engaging and emotional performance, capped off by a beautiful (though quite tongue-in-check) rendition of Bay Area rapper Kreayshawn’s novelty hit song “Gucci Gucci”.

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