Before The Brave – Showbams

Noise Pop 2017: Celebrating 25 years of Bay Area indie culture

Written by Molly Kish //

Noise Pop //
Bay Area venues – San Francisco & Oakland
February 17th–27th, 2017 //

Marking its 25th anniversary this month as the West Coast’s premiere independent music and arts festival, Noise Pop returns to take over more than 30 clubs, theaters and art spaces in the Bay Area. With residencies at various locations in SF and Oakland, the festival officially kicks off with its 2017 film series and art exhibits leading into 11 days of live musical performances from nationally recognized and locally curated acts.

This year’s roster includes members of Animal Collective, Vince Staples, BADBADNOTGOOD, Dawes, Kelis, Hudson Mohawke, Ty Segall and more, Noise Pop continues its legacy as one of the nation’s leading purveyors of independent music, culture and arts.

To help you navigate this year’s Noise Pop lineup, we have locked in our top picks for the fest’s happy hours, art shows, film series and concerts. Check out our full list of favorites below and prepare yourself for what’s to come!

Art Shows

• The Flavors of Noise Pop: February 1st-March 7th @ Mission Bowling Club

Films

• Festival (featuring Q&A with director Michael Raspatello and panelists Allen Scott, Jordan Kurland & Kevin Arnold): February 17th (FRI) @ Swedish American Hall (8 p.m., $12, All Ages)

• The Art of Listening: February 17th (FRI) @ Roxie Theatre (6:30 p.m., $12, All Ages)

• My Buddha Is Punk: February 18th (SAT) @ Artists’ Television Access (2 p.m., $12, All Ages)

Happy Hours

• Tricycle Records Presents Hot Toddies, Great Apes & Brasil: February 23rd (THU) @ Bender’s Bar & Grill (5 p.m., 21+)

• Different Fur Presents: OCD, Trash Vampires & Phosphene: February 24th (FRI) @ Bender’s Bar & Grill (5 p.m., 21+)

Other Events

• Sunday Smörgåsbord: February 26th (SUN) @ Swedish American Hall (FREE RSVP, 21+)

Schedule:
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. — “Showga” Yoga Set to Live Music (by Everyone Is Dirty’s Sivan Lioncub)
12-6 p.m. — 1-2-3-4 GO! Pop-Up Vinyl Store
12-6 p.m. — Vinyl Tapestry Part II: The Scarpati Brothers Rock Photo and Art Show
1-3 p.m. — The MailChimp Brunch Time Happy Hour
3-4 p.m. — Noise Pop Live Podcast
4-6 p.m. — Litquake: I Thought It Sucked

Cloud Nothings

Music

• Cloud Nothings with Itsaca, Never Young, Kid Trails: February 20th (MON) @ The Independent (7:30 p.m., $20, 21+)

• Weyes Blood with Half Waif, 20 Minute Loop, Young Moon: February 21st (TUES) @ Swedish American Hall (7 p.m., $15, All Ages) // WIN TICKETS

• Hazel English with Elsa Y Elmar, Tanukichan, Maggie y/o: February 21st (TUES) @ Rickshaw Stop (8 p.m., $12, All Ages) // WIN TICKETS

• Diet Cig with Plush, Joyride!, Shutups: February 22nd (WED) @ Brick & Mortar Music Hall (7 p.m., $15, 18+)

• Desert Daze Caravan Festival featuring Temples, Night Moves, Deap Valley, Froth, JJUUJJUU: February 22nd (WED) @ The Chapel (7 p.m., $34, All Ages) // WIN TICKETS

• The Palms with The Young Wild, Warbly Jets, NYRE: February 22nd (WED) @ Rickshaw Stop (8 p.m., $12, 18+)

• Kelis with Rayana Jay, Cellus: February 22nd (WED) @ 1015 Folsom (10 p.m., $10, 21+) // WIN TICKETS

• PWR BTTM with Chaos Chaos, Soar, The Total Betty’s: February 23rd (THU) @ Starline Social Club (21+, SOLD OUT)

• Tash Sultana with Monster Rally, John Cashman, Affectionately: February 23rd (THU) @ Swedish American Hall (All Ages, SOLD OUT)

• BADBADNOTGOOD with Hodgy, London O’Connor: February 23rd (THU) @ The Fillmore (18+, SOLD OUT)

• Crocodiles with AJ Dávila, Hot Flash Heat Wave, NRVS LVRS: February 23rd (THU) @ Bottom of the Hill (7:30pm, $15, All Ages) // WIN TICKETS

• Kevin Abstract with Bearface, Hugo, Hobo Johnson: February 23rd (THU) @ The New Parish (8 p.m., $18, 21+) // WIN TICKETS

• Barclay Crenshaw with AABO, Chiller Whale, Jackson Waites, Roeviscious: February 23rd (THU) @ 1015 Folsom (10 p.m., $15, 21+) // WIN TICKETS

Hanni El Khatib

• Hanni El Khatib with The Buttertones, The Molochs, Innovative Leisure DJs: February 24th (FRI) @ The Chapel (7 p.m., $20, All Ages)

• Matt Pond PA with Before the Brave, Hideout, The Bye Bye Blackbirds: February 24th (FRI) @ Bottom of the Hill (7:30 p.m., $16, All Ages)

• Deafheaven with This Will Destroy You, Emma Ruth Rundle: February 24th (FRI) @ The Independent (8:30 p.m., $20, 21+)

• Hudson Mohawke with Francios K, Teklife, DJ Spinn, And Taye, Jay Daniel, Seven Davis Jr., Benji B. & Judah: February 24th (FRI) @ 1015 Folsom (10 p.m., $20, 21+) // WIN TICKETS

• Vince Staples with Kilo Kish: February 25th (SAT) @ Fox Theater Oakland (7 p.m., $30, All Ages)

• Tennis with Hoops, Great American Canyon Band & Owl Paws: February 25th (SAT) @ Great American Music Hall (18+, SOLD OUT)

• MSTRKRFT with Maniacs, MPHD, NVO: February 25th (SAT) @ Mezzanine (9 p.m., $25, 21+)

• The Radio Dept. with Germans, The Bilinda Butchers, Future Shapes: February 25th (SAT) @ The Independent (7:30 p.m., $25, 21+)

• Grandaddy with Minihorse, N.Lannon, Goon: February 26th (SUN) @ Bimbo’s 365 Club (7 p.m., SOLD OUT, 18+)

• Radical Face: February 26th (SUN) @ The Fillmore (8 p.m., $25, All Ages)

• Ty Segall with Shannon and the Clams, White Fence, Axis: February 27th (MON) @ Fox Theater Oakland (6 p.m., $25, All Ages)

Download the Noise Pop mobile app to get special updates, including details on Noise Pop After Hours performances, and create your own customized schedule here. Super Fan Badges are still available for purchase here.

By Benjamin Wallen //

The Sam Chase, Bonnie & The BANG BANG, Before the Brave
Slim’s — San Francisco
March 14, 2014

Having not been back to Slim’s since I started photographing concerts, I was very excited to get back to a place I grew up coming to as a wee one living in Marin. I knew I was in for a high energy show this past Friday, and Before The Brave, Bonnie & The BANG BANG and The Sam Chase all delivered.

Before the Brave was new for me, and I must say I really enjoyed their music. Rooted within a singer-songwriter style, deep songs layered in modern pop music floated throughout the venue. Catchy playing and lyrics grabbed me right off, but songs expanded, taking us all deep within soft melodies. Going to keep an eye out for these guys in the future.

Bonnie and The BANG BANG was the initial reason I was at Slim’s Friday. I have seem them a few times in smaller venues in and around SF and was stoked to hear their highly anticipated new tunes and see them play a bigger venue (with some other lighting than small club red). When the lights dropped, the classic Nancy Sinatra hit foretold the basis of bands name — “My baby shot me down….” Frontman Patrick James Stiles brings energy to lead singing we don’t often see from many bands. Barefoot and pacing the stage, the emotion and strength of songs was felt by all. Backed by a set of awesome guitarists that feed off each other, bleeding into songs with passion, is the secret ingredient here. I can’t wait to hear the new stuff from these guys. If you get a chance to see them, do so. You will leave a fan.

Last and certainly not least was The Sam Chase. After addictively listening to their music for days in a row, I knew The Sam Chase had something special going into their set. Many members fill the stage with all sorts of styles, making it so you couldn’t hide the foot stomping and dancing that came along when they played. Dressed to a T, the band brought it. Genre-varied, they were backed with a bit of horn and lots of banjo, showcasing that they are a great all-around band. It’s music I’d imagine you would hear in a roadhouse somewhere from Texas to the streets of New Orleans. The dirty-clean contrast of the rock is just what the doctor orders when knocking back some shots and kicking those heals up, having a blast.

Keep an eye out for these names. Good things are sure to come from this trio of talent.