Dawes

On tour for their new album, Dawes celebrate ‘Christmas in LA’ with Eric Krasno, John C. Reilly, Mike Campbell & more at The Bellwether

December 13, 2024 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

Christmas in LA: Dawes & Friends //
The Bellwether – Los Angeles
December 7th, 2024 //

When it comes to musicians and LA, it’s hard not to think of them like any 7-Eleven or Starbucks that you come across here — you can’t go very far before running into one. From amateur players all the way up to global superstars, so many have called California’s largest city home no matter where they have come from or how many miles it took them to reach Tinseltown.

But for as many as there are now and have been over the years, not nearly the same number are born and raised in LA. One of the world’s major entertainment capitals has always been a transient town for artists and creative types, and the proliferation of music makers who have moved to the City of Angels from other major U.S. markets in the past two decades has been particularly noticeable.

So when a homegrown talent comes along and climbs the ladder to book bigger venues, there’s always something special about watching a native Angelino thrive in one of the most competitive music scenes you will find anywhere around (and with no signs of that changing soon).

Taylor Goldsmith is certainly one of them. Growing up in Southern California and attending Malibu High School, he was exposed to music during his earliest years. His father Lenny Goldsmith was a longtime singer-songwriter whose fascination with James Brown and soul music inspired him to perform at local clubs throughout the Bay Area and eventually tour with Oakland R&B and funk band Tower of Power in the 80’s as its lead singer. And although Lenny has recently retired from the stage after leading Malibu’s 12-piece New Old Band for more than a decade, his sons Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith have followed in his footsteps admirably.

John C. Reilly

The elder Taylor began his music career in high school, where he met guitarist/producer Blake Mills and formed the post-punk outfit Simon Dawes that drew from each of their middle names. Over the next five years they would play with a number of bassists and drummers, including Taylor’s brother Griffin, before breaking up in 2007 when Mills left the band and joined Jenny Lewis on tour. While Mills ended up also going on the road with Band of Horses, Cass McCombs, Julian Casablancas and Lucinda Williams prior to settling in as a session musician and producer who worked on projects like My Morning Jacket leader Jim James’ second solo album Eternally Even in 2016 and John Legend’s sixth Darkness and Light that same year, Goldsmith teamed up with former Simon Dawes bassist Wylie Gelber and once again Griffin on drums in his new project he was calling Dawes. This time, though, he would go in a different direction sonically, one that embraced the Americana and folk-rock sensibilities of the Laurel Canyon sound that legendary acts like Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Joni Mitchell, and The Mamas & the Papas popularized in the late 60’s and other icons such as Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt and The Eagles helped usher through the 70’s.

For Dawes, the association with LA’s celebrated Laurel Canyon isn’t just some contrived or pretentious PR strategy to turn consumers onto their product. It all started when Grammy-nominated producer and Father John Misty collaborator Jonathan Wilson invited the band to jam with a crew that included Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes, Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes and Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Those informal sessions are what ultimately influenced and informed Dawes’ debut LP North Hills, which Wilson produced and recorded live directly to analog tape in … yeah, you guessed it: Laurel Canyon.

Yet, that was more than 15 years ago now and a lot has happened in the studio for Dawes since then. Putting out an album at a prolific rate of every two years (or less), their ninth and most recent effort Oh Brother dropped in October ahead of another headlining gig at The Bellwether for the group’s second annual “Christmas in LA” date. And like the inaugural event that saw Sam Nelson of X Ambassadors, Matt Koma of Winnetka Bowling League and Taylor’s own wife Mandy Moore, among others, take the stage in addition to a brief Simon Dawes reunion with Mills, it was a night filled with special guests as advertised when it was announced.

That said, a new year meant a new supporting cast for Dawes and as we found out over the course of two hours, there would be only one repeat appearance from 2023. The evening’s format had changed as well, with Dawes digging into some of their latest material at the onset and adding a new wrinkle to songs such as “Didn’t Fix Me” from 2020’s Good Luck with Whatever with Radiohead’s “High & Dry” as its intro. Montana alt-country artist Jonny Fritz, whom some might remember as Jonny Corndawg, was the first “friend” to arrive onstage, followed by Eric Krasno, who captivated the audience’s attention with his soulful singing and playful guitar work. This wasn’t the first time we had seen “Kras” in the flesh after many Soulive and Lettuce shows, but it had been a while and the three-time Grammy winner treated us to a sweet cover of Jerry Garcia’s “Sugaree” (watch below and h/t to Jen Cox for the footage) that came sandwiched between two Dawes cuts, including the tour debut of “If You Let Me Be Your Anchor”.

Christmas in LA 2024 - Dawes & Friends - Taylor Goldsmith & Mike Campbell

Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes (left) & Mike Campbell (right)

You know that one special guest we mentioned who was back this year? That would be Koma, who joined both Goldsmith brothers for a stripped-down, acoustic version of their new collaborative single “This Is Life” featuring Medium Build and Dawes that has already amassed almost 1.4 million Spotify listens since being released in June.

Of course, those weren’t the only tricks Dawes had up their sleeves and they made sure to save the biggest ones for last. It wasn’t a surprise that actor John C. Reilly would be in the building — we just weren’t sure how exactly he would be involved. The loud applause he immediately received when he walked out dressed in all white made him feel welcome nevertheless, as he dusted off his 2007 single entitled “(For Christmas) The People Want Cox” in a tribute to his leading role as Dewey Cox for “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” and then duetted with Taylor on a cover of Gilbert Bécaud’s “Let It Be Me” that became a Top 10 hit in the states for The Everly Brothers.

When it came time to dial the energy back up a notch, it was Theo Katzman’s turn to bring the heat and the Vulfpeck guitarist proved to be all smiles in uncorking a searing solo on the Dawes single “Roll with the Punches” from 2016’s We’re All Gonna Die and subsequently showcasing his golden pipes during “Plain Jane Heroin” off his 2017 solo release Heartbreak Hits.

Some folks might be disappointed to learn that Dawes’ unequivocally most popular tune “When My Time Comes” wasn’t played like it was at The Fillmore in San Francisco and Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach. What we got instead was something no other fans on this tour will get to witness, and I’m not just talking about all of the aforementioned special guests. Because it’s not every day that you get to watch the guy who co-wrote many of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ greatest contributions to music plug in and rock out. When the crowd heard Mike Campbell deliver the opening chords to “You Wreck Me” however, most of us, if not everyone in that room, knew what we were about to get. Or at least we thought we did until Campbell took over midway through and brought Taylor in for a call-and-response section that had their guitars squealing by the time they had reached the summit. It was those gripping moments — whether they were with Krasno, Katzman or Campbell — that made this particular concertgoing experience feel unique, and as Dawes wrapped with the title track from 2015’s All Your Favorite Bands while a smaller collection of special guests from earlier in the night assisted, you remember that you never quite know what’s going to happen when you see live music in LA. That’s the absolute beauty of it.

Setlist:
Front Row Seat
If I Wanted Someone
Didn’t Fix Me (with Radiohead’s “High & Dry” as intro)
Mister Los Angeles
From a Window Seat
House Parties
Trash Day (Jonny Fritz cover) (with Jonny Fritz)
Middle Brother (Middle Brother cover) (with Jonny Fritz)
Raise the Dead
Somewhere Along the Way (with Eric Krasno)
Sugaree (Jerry Garcia cover) (with Eric Krasno)
If You Let Me Be Your Anchor (tour debut) (with Eric Krasno)
Christmas Tree in the Window (live debut)
This Is Life (Winnetka Bowling League cover) (with Matthew Koma)
(For Christmas) The People Want Cox (John C. Reilly cover) (with John C. Reilly)
Let It Be Me (Gilbert Bécaud cover) (with John C. Reilly)
Roll with the Punches (with Theo Katzman)
Plain Jane Heroin (Theo Katzman cover) (with Theo Katzman)
You Wreck Me (Tom Petty cover) (with Mike Campbell)
All Your Favorite Bands

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Band of Horses, Belly Up, Belly Up Tavern, Benmont Tench, Blake Mills, Bright Eyes, Buffalo Springfield, Cass McCombs, Chris Robinson, Conor Oberst, Crosby, Crosby Stills & Nash, Dawes, Dawes & Friends, Dawes & Friends: Christmas in LA, Eric Krasno, Father John Misty, Gilbert Bécaud, grateful dead, Jackson Browne, James Brown, Jenny Lewis, Jerry Garcia, Jim James, John C. Reilly, John Legend, Jonathan Wilson, Joni Mitchell, Jonny Corndawg, Jonny Fritz, Julian Casablancas, Laurel Canyon, Lettuce, Linda Ronstadt, Lucinda Williams, Mandy Moore, Matthew Koma, Medium Build, Middle Brother, Mike Campbell, My Morning Jacket, New Old Band, Radiohead, Simon Dawes, Soulive, Stills and Nash, The Bellwether, The Black Crowes, The Byrds, The Eagles, The Everly Brothers, The Fillmore, The Mamas & the Papas, Theo Katzman, Tom Petty, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Tower of Power, Vulfpeck, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Winnetka Bowling League, X Ambassadors

DIIV give us hope at The Wiltern that there’s a future for indie rock

July 5, 2024 by Josh Herwitt 2 Comments

By Josh Herwitt //

DIIV with Lightning Bolt, untitled (halo) //
The Wiltern – Los Angeles
June 29th, 2024 //

For nearly 15 years it’s no secret the music industry has moved farther away from the guitar-driven rock that prevailed through much of the 90’s and early 2000’s. Some have even gone as far to now say “rock is dead,” and while we can point out some of our own experiences from recent memory — including one here — to counter that claim, there have only been a handful of new bands since 2010 that accurately fit the description and have hooked me enough to catch them live.

Australian sextet King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard are one of those acts, and their three-hour marathon at the iconic Hollywood Bowl last summer (read our show review here) was one of our favorite shows in 2023 (see our picks here).

English bass-and-drums duo Royal Blood are another, and their bone-rattling concert at The Wiltern in November (read our show review here) was also a highlight for us last year.

Of course we can’t forget about Houston psych-funk-rock trio Khruangbin, which have continued their ascent with sold-out gigs at some of America’s biggest music venues and events. In fact, we still think about their 2022 appearance on Day 2 of Primavera Sound LA (read our festival review here).

And then there’s “American indie-groove band” Goose, who gave us a chance to finally watch them in the flesh several months ago when they made their Santa Barbara Bowl debut and a compelling case why they have been one of the hottest (jam) bands lately (read our show review here).

Obviously there are supergroups and/or side projects like The Smile, boygenius and The New Basement Tapes as well, while others might argue that bands such as Greta Van Fleet, Hockey Dad, Turnstile, Wet Leg and Viagra Boys have carried the torch forward for the genre (note: IDLES were not mentioned here because they formed back in 2009 along with Alabama Shakes, Atoms for Peace, Broken Bells, Dawes, The Dead Weather, How to Destroy Angels, Rival Sons, Them Crooked Vultures and Wild Nothing).

But standing among some of the best to arrive on the scene in roughly the last decade and a half are DIIV, which began as a solo endeavor for Zachary Cole Smith (lead vocals, guitar) after previous stints as a guitarist in the psych-rock outfit Soft Black and drummer/guitarist for indie rockers Beach Fossils while he was living in Brooklyn.

Smith has relocated to LA since DIIV’s formation, but the group’s sound has remained fairly consistent — dreamy, hazy vocals float on top of gritty, fuzzed-out guitars as they collide with punchy rhythms that immediately evoke comparisons to Modest Mouse, Silversun Pickups, Slowdive and even Explosions in the Sky when we listen. That’s not to say DIIV’s shoegaze-laden soundscapes don’t have their own feel and vibe, though. They very much have their own identity, as Smith’s catchy riffs often pull you in at the start and build up to moments of pure sonic bliss like on “Taker” or “Acheron” that stands as the longest track in the DIIV catalog at more than seven minutes.

Four albums in following the May release of Frog in Boiling Water on Fantasy Records, and the quartet that was a five-piece in the early 2010’s and currently includes Smith’s childhood friend Andrew Bailey (guitar), Colin Caulfield (bass, keyboards, guitar, vocals) and Ben Newman (drums) are no doubt a well-established unit at this point. The 10-track LP anchored by lead single “Brown Paper Bag” has already garnered critical acclaim from quite a few media outlets and fits in nicely with the rest of DIIV’s material, showcasing Smith’s continued growth and evolution as a singer-songwriter. And although we can’t say his overall range behind the microphone has transformed dramatically dating back to 2012’s full-length debut Oshin, Smith does come across more forceful in his delivery on DIIV’s latest studio effort.

Wrapping up the first leg of a 33-date North American tour last Saturday at The Wiltern with Rhode Island noise-rock duo Lightning Bolt and LA’s untitled (halo) providing support, Smith and company delivered plenty of highs from “Doused” to “Blankenship” and yet left us yearning to hear others like “Dopamine” off 2016’s Is the Is Are and “Skin Game” from 2019’s Deceiver. The fact that neither of those are being played was somewhat surprising — even if they aren’t among their Top 5 songs on Spotify — and yet encouraging considering how well we thought their 90-minute performance in LA flowed from one song to the next. DIIV haven’t been mixing up their setlists each night they take the stage, instead sticking to a very similar script so far for their 2024 dates across Europe and the U.S. While that’s something we eventually hope to see from them after another album cycle, the next six months will mark an important stretch for DIIV with their tour schedule extending all the way through December and taking them back to the UK where a couple of sold-out gigs with Irish post-punk band Fontaines D.C. — another one of the rare major post-2010 rock acts to emerge — in London await.

The impending doom and gloom that Smith’s lyrics have been known to address since DIIV’s inception in 2011 don’t exactly anoint them as champions of hope and optimism at a time of great uncertainty and political tension here at home. Frog confronts the “overwhelmingly banal collapse of society under end-stage capitalism,” and with another U.S. presidential election looming that stars a former president and convicted felon, there’s a real cause for concern with the stakes higher than ever. The video interludes — one to advertise DIIV merch, another to introduce their sophomore single on Frog entitled “”Soul-net” and finally a satirical promo for ExxonMobil at the beginning of the encore — sprinkled in throughout the show reminded us of that dark reality, but as Bailey told Zane Lowe during a recent interview for Apple Music: “The message isn’t ‘the world is screwed and there’s nothing we can do.’ It’s more pointing out the fact that the world is screwed and heading toward demise … how do we accept that reality and still turn it into something positive?”

Smith, for one, has faced his own demons and past struggles with substance abuse that we don’t need to get into but has courageously come out on the other side all while continuing to push the boundaries sonically with every DIIV release. Frog, after all, was the first time the band worked democratically with writing credits going to all four members, challenging them individually and testing the strength of their collective bond in ultimately representing “a mesmeric testament to enduring.” For us fans, it’s just one sign of another great band in the making.

Setlist:
In Amber
Like Before You Were Born
Brown Paper Bag
Under the Sun
(Druun Pt. II)
Doused
Reflected
Somber the Drums
Take Your Time
Taker
Raining on Your Pillow
Soul-net
Frog in Boiling Water
Between Tides
Blankenship
Acheron

Encore:
Everyone Out
Horsehead

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Alabama Shakes, Beach Fossils, Broken Bells, Dawes, DIIV, Fontaines D.C., Greta Van Fleet, Hockey Dad, Hollywood Bowl, How to Destroy Angels, IDLES, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Lightning Bolt, Rival Sons, Royal Blood, Santa Barbara Bowl, Soft Black, The Dead Weather, The New Basement Tapes, The Smile, The Wiltern, Them Crooked Vultures, Turnstile, untitled (halo), Viagra Boys, Wet Leg, Wild Nothing

Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018: Ringing in summer at Goldenvoice’s chilled-out Coachella for grown-ups

June 29, 2018 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

Photos courtesy of Arroyo Seco Weekend // Written by Josh Herwitt //

Arroyo Seco Weekend //
Brookside at the Rose Bowl – Pasadena, CA
June 23rd-24th, 2018 //

No matter how old you are, going to a music festival can be a taxing and tiring affair. There’s a lot of walking, a lot of standing, a good amount of dancing and/or rocking out (depending, of course, on your energy level), and more walking and standing. If “festival shape” isn’t a catch phrase yet, it certainly should be. Because for some of us aging live music fans, being on your feet 8-10 hours and in the sun for two, three or four straight days isn’t as easy as it used to be.

Music festivals, in that regard, are designed primarily for the young and youthful, or at least for those who remain young at heart. So, when famed Southern California concert promoter Goldenvoice, best known for founding and organizing the world-renowned Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival every April, announced last year that it would be launching a brand-new, two-day event in Pasadena focused on various forms of rock, funk, folk and country, it served as an opportunity for a different generation of live music fans to experience the same platform that has dominated the industry for the past decade (and for some who are parents, possibly understand why their kids like going to Coachella so much).

Neil Young + Promise of the Real

With its second installment now in the books, Arroyo Seco Weekend has already carved out a solid niche in Los Angeles’ massive live music scene with a winning combination: great music and high-quality, top-notch local food and drink. It’s the same formula that has made Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco a huge success for longer than 10 years, but it’s still one that had also been largely absent from Southern California music festivals until four years ago when Goldenvoice started making a concerted effort to partner with top-notch LA eateries and restaurants for both weekends of Coachella. That’s where the comparisons end, though.

Arroyo Seco is really its own thing. There’s no denying, even after only a couple of years on the calendar, that it fosters a much different vibe than Coachella or Goldenvoice’s other LA area music festival, FYF Fest, which was surprisingly canceled five weeks after dropping its 2018 lineup due to reportedly poor ticket sales. But with a clear identity from the start, ASW stands more than a fighting chance at a time when music festivals are sadly a dime a dozen (except for the ticket price).

Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters

Goldenvoice CEO Paul Tollett and his team, for one, came out of the gate swinging for ASW’s inaugural edition with a roster led by the late Tom Petty, which unfortunately ended up to be one of his final performances before his unexpected death, and British folk rockers Mumford and Sons, plus Alabama Shakes, Weezer, The Meters, The Shins, Dawes, Fitz & the Tantrums, Live, Andrew Bird, Broken Social Scene, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Charles Bradley & The Extraordinaires, Galactic and many more all making appearances. That didn’t mean, of course, it was void of suffering a letdown in Year 2, but such a thought was quickly put to rest when the fest’s 2018 bill came out and proved to be equally good, if not better than what 2017 offered. With rock legends like Neil Young and Robert Plant sharing the top of the poster with modern-day rock stars such as Jack White and Kings of Leon, ASW made sure to cater to more than four generations of live music fans, much like the longtime New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival — which White, Lukas Nelson + Promise of the Real (who also often serve as Young’s backing band), Irma Thomas and Aaron Neville, fittingly enough, all played this year — does each spring in The Big Easy. Throw in some nicer weather and some California-cool flavoring, and you’ve essentially got ASW. So, call it “#Dadchella” if you want, but that won’t stop those of us who are currently in our 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and 60’s from going again.

If rock is supposedly “dead” like so many say it is these days, you wouldn’t know it from the size of the crowd that descended upon the Brookside Golf Course adjacent to the Rose Bowl Stadium on a couple of hot summer days. ASW, rather, proved just the opposite, with even a few throwbacks, the Pretenders and Alanis Morrisette most notably, drawing large numbers over at the main stage. Then there were singer-songwriters Seu Jorge, Shakey Graves, Margo Price and Dwight Twilley, as well as blues savior Gary Clark Jr., pouring out their hearts and souls in what felt like a family-friendly environment (maybe the baby strollers helped). And how about Inglewood-bred jazz virtuoso Kamasi Washington mesmerizing with a powerful, mid-afternoon set? There were plenty of memories to be made at ASW in 2018, and we were just grateful to be there to bear witness to them.

Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018 - North Mississippi Allstars

Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018 - Pharoah Sanders

Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018 - Shakey Graves

Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018 - Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra

Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018 - Kamasi Washington

Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018 - Milk Carton Kids

Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018 - Hurray for the Riff Raff

Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018 - Belle & Sebastian

Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018 - Track Suit Wedding

Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018 - The Revolution

Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018 - Fantastic Negrito

Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018 - Alanis Morissette

Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018 - Gary Clark Jr.

Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018 - Capital Cities

Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018 - Third Eye Blind

Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018 - Aaron Neville

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festival Reviews, Festivals Tagged With: Aaron Neville, Alabama Shakes, Alanis Morissette, Allen Stone, Andrew Bird, Arroyo Seco, Arroyo Seco 2018, Arroyo Seco Weekend, Arroyo Seco Weekend 2018, Belle and Sebastian, Broken Social Scene, Brookside at the Rose Bowl, Brookside Golf Club, Capital Cities, Charles Bradley, Charles Bradley & The Extraordinaires, Charles Bradley and The Extraordinaires, Coachella, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Dawes, Dorothy, Dwight Twilley, Fantastic Negrito, Fitz & the Tantrums, Fitz and the Tantrums, Galactic, Gary Clark Jr, Gomez, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Irma Thomas, Jack White, Jeff Goldblum, Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, Kamasi Washington, Kings of Leon, Live, Los Lobos, Lukas Nelson, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Margaret Glaspy, Margo Price, Maxim Ludwig, Mumford & Sons, Mumford and Sons, Neil Young, Neil Young + Promise of The Real, North Mississippi Allstars, Pharoah Sanders, Pretenders, Robert Plant, Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters, Rose Bowl, Seu Jorge, Shakey Graves, The Bangles, The Meters, The Milk Carton Kids, The Revolution, The Shins, The Specials, Third Eye Blind, Tom Petty, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Track Suit Wedding, Trampled By Turtles, Typhoon, Violent Femmes, Weezer

Our favorite performances from 2017

December 29, 2017 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

2017, where the hell did you go? It just felt like the other day that we were ringing in a new year, and yet, here we are again as we plow straight ahead into 2018.

But before we officially put a bow on 2017, it’s time for us to revisit the past 12 months at Showbams. This year, we had the opportunity to capture many amazing moments in live music, and while we couldn’t pay homage to every single performance we witnessed, we made a conscious effort to include a wide range of talent spread across the industry.

Whittling down our list, though, was not that easy. Those who didn’t make the cut but still deserve to be mentioned here include the following artists, DJs and bands (in alphabetical order) whom we either covered at their own show and/or at a music festival this year:

21 Savage, The Accidentals, Action Bronson, Alice Cooper, Alina Baraz, alt-J, Amber Mark, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Animal Collective, Atlas Genius, The Avalanches, The Band Perry, Beach Slang, Belle and Sebastian, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Bleachers, Blonde Redhead, Bob Moses, Car Seat Headrest, Cate Le Bon, Cigarettes After Sex, Circles Around the Sun, City of Caterpillar, The Coathangers, Claude VonStroke, Chris Robinson, Con Brio, Conor Oberst, Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile, Crystal Castles, The Crystal Method, Daniel Caesar, Dawes, Dead Meadow, Deafheaven, Deep Purple, Diet Cig, DIIV, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Dr. Dog, Dr. Octagon, Duke Dumont, Eagles of Death Metal, Electric Guest, Emancipator, Emily King, Empire of the Sun, Foxygen, Future Islands, Gabriel Garzón-Montano, Gatecreeper, Girl Talk, Gone Is Gone, Grizzly Bear, Gucci Mane, Hamilton Leithauser, Hazel English, Hinds, The Hip Replacements, Hiss Golden Messenger, How to Dress Well, Iggy Pop, Isaiah Rashad, Jack Johnson, Jagwar Ma, Jamestown Revival, Jamie Isaac, Jay 305, Jen Cloher, Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas, Jessie Ware, Jim James, JR JR, Julie Byrne, Julien Baker, Justice, Karen Elson, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, KAYTRANADA, Kelis, K. Flay, Khalid, Khruangbin, Kilo Kish, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Kurt Vile, La Femme, LANY, Lauv, L.A. Witch, Lettuce, Lil Yachty, Little Dragon, Lo Moon, Lorde, Lord Huron, Miike Snow, Milky Chance, Minus the Bear, Mister Heavenly, MØ, Mondo Cozmo, Neon Indian, Nicki Bluhm, Norah Jones, North Mississippi Allstars, NVO, Oh Sees, OK Go, Once and Future Band, Pallbearer, The Palms, Passion Pit, Peaches, Perfume Genius, Petit Biscuit, Phoebe Bridgers, Playboi Carti, Pond, Porcelain Raft, PRAYERS, The Radio Dept., Real Estate, The Revivalists, Royal Blood, Sampha, ScHoolboy Q, Sheer Mag, serpentwithfeet, Silversun Pickups, Sleep, Sleigh Bells, SOFI TUKKER, Solange, Spiritualized, Styles P, Sunflower Beam, Talib Kweli, Tank and The Bangas, Tash Sultana, Tei Shi, Temples, Tennis, Tennyson, Thou, Thundercat, TOBACCO, Touché Amoré, Tool, Tove Lo, Travis Scott, Twin Peaks, Ty Segall, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Vagabon, Vance Joy, Vic Mensa, Warpaint, Weezer, White Fence, Woods, YG, Young the Giant.

Now, it’s time for The Bam Team to present our favorite performances from 2017.

The Bam Team’s 5 Favorite Shows, Albums & Songs of 2017

Listen to The Bam Team’s favorite songs of 2017:

Run the Jewels

Date: February 1st
Location: Shrine Expo Hall – Los Angeles

Yet, in just four years, Run the Jewels have already reached hip-hop’s mountaintop with their politically charged lyrics and hard-hitting beats. Just take last Wednesday’s sold-out show in LA for example. With the duo’s third studio album still only a few weeks old, 5,000 or so fans poured into the spacious Shrine Expo Hall to watch El-P and Killer Mike fuck shit up (for lack of a better term). And that’s exactly what they did after opening sets from The Gaslamp Killer, Nick Hook, Gangasta Boo and CUZ. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt

BADBADNOTGOOD

Date: February 23rd
Location: The Fillmore – San Francisco

Spoon

Date: March 7th
Location: Apogee Studio – Santa Monica, CA

In total, Spoon performed five songs from the new record, including “First Caress” to open a brief encore that left us eager for more. But as the five-piece rocked “Rainy Taxi” from 2014’s They Want My Soul to close, I couldn’t help but think to myself that this is one band I never should have slept on. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Larry Hirshowitz

Sigur Rós

Date: April 8th
Location: Greek Theatre – Berkeley, CA

Now a trio, Sigur Rós have been delivering goosebumps for over two decades — and it’s a delight to hear Jónsi’s voice-as-an-instrument this clear, this powerful and as confident as ever. It would be a wonderful treat to check in on this outfit every 5-10 years going forward and realize they are still going strong. -Mike Frash, photo by James Nagel

DREAMCAR

Date: April 9th
Location: Great American Music Hall – San Francisco

Fresh off a stop at Berkeley’s Hearst Greek Theatre the night before, Adams showcased some older favorites and a slew of new tunes from his 16th and latest studio album Prisoner, which came out in February. SoCal fans were treated to some extended full-band jamming, a couple of solo acoustic performances and Adams’ usual witty banter over the course of the evening.
-Jared Stossel, photo by Jared Stossel

A Perfect Circle

Date: April 13th
Location: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco

In the world of rock supergroups, there are few that have sprung up in the last few decades that can hold a candle to A Perfect Circle. From the onset, APC have been a powerhouse on the senses, combining members from bands such as Tool, The Smashing Pumpkins, Failure, Primus and more over the years. Their body of work has been met with high praise across the board, and they have been able to solidify themselves as one of the most unique and tenured groupings out there, as opposed to bands like Zwan and Velvet Revolver. -Andrew Pohl, photo by Mike Rosati

Radiohead

Date: April 14th
Location: Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Weekend 1 – Indio, CA

Yes, the sound problems (all three instances) put a real damper on what was easily one of the most anticipated performances of the weekend. This was the third time Goldenvoice called on Radiohead to headline Coachella, and for one of rock’s most important bands over the last 30 years, it certainly wasn’t a charm as the saying goes. In that moment, it was pretty hard not to feel bad for Thom Yorke, who could only make light of the situation by cracking a joke even if it wasn’t supposed to be one — or so he claimed. But Radiohead more than made up for it with a masterful setlist that opened with A Moon Shaped Pool cuts “Daydreaming”, “Desert Island Disk” and “Ful Stop” before circling back to older hits such as “Everything in Its Right Place”, “There There”, “Idioteque” and even “Creep”. -Josh Herwitt, photo courtesy of Coachella

Kendrick Lamar

Date: April 16th
Location: Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Weekend 1 – Indio, CA

All hail, King Kendrick! Or should we say “Kung Fu Kenny?” The Compton rapper reached hip-hop’s mountaintop more than two years ago with his Grammy-winning masterpiece To Pimp a Butterfly, but headlining Coachella was still on his to-do list. In fact, it was only the second time he had ever been booked to perform at Coachella after being listed on the last line of the 2012 poster. Closing out the fest is no short order for any artist, let alone one who dropped his new album less than 48 hours before taking the stage, but K-Dot lived up to the billing with a show that provoked as much thought as it entertained. -Josh Herwitt, photo courtesy of Coachella

The xx

Date: April 17th
Location: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco

Playfully alluding to their material’s emotional sentiment, Romy Madley Croft (vocals, guitar) and Oliver Sim (bass, vocals) managed to entrance all of us with their tension-filled gazes and syncopated dance moves. Prolonging vocal arrangements, especially during their accelerated live interpretation of “Infinity”, were also stunning to witness. About halfway through the set, Jamie Smith (beats, MPC, production), aka Jamie xx, took the lead and transformed the room into a giant disco party thanks to an onslaught of consecutive dance hits before finishing with “Loud Places” from his 2015 solo LP In Colour. -Molly Kish, photo by Norm de Veyra

Moderat

Date: April 20th
Location: Mayan Theater – Los Angeles

Moderat subsequently circled back to III, performing “Intruder” before exiting the stage to a rousing applause. Yet, when the house lights didn’t come on right away, the suspense began to build once again. Less than a minute later, the three-piece reemerged, giving the audience more than its money’s worth. Two-encore shows are usually reserved for high-profile groups with extensive catalogs like Radiohead, but Moderat have never played by any rules. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt

The Flaming Lips

Date: May 9th
Location: The Theatre at Ace Hotel – Los Angeles

The Lips, of course, made sure to play that song, and even though it was without Watts, it still proved to be an unforgettable moment due to the fact that Coyne rode a life-size unicorn from one end of the stage to the other as he belted out lines like “Yeah, there should be unicorns / The ones with the purple eyes / It should be loud as fuck / Hope the swans don’t die” to open the tune while wearing a big smile across his face. If that’s not psychedelic to you, then I don’t know what is. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt

Ryan Adams

Date: June 3rd
Location: Greek Theatre – Los Angeles

Jay Som

Date: June 17th
Location: Potrero del Sol Park – San Francisco

Melina Duterte’s band goes by the name Jay Som and hails from Oakland. Do yourself a favor and remember this name: Jay Som. The Polyvinyl-signed songstress bathed the crowd at the Potrero Stage in her dreamy vocals and inanely catchy tunes that appeal to a wide-range of music fan; her songs could feel just as viable in the 90’s college rock area as they do today. Highlights from the set included a vibe-soaked rendition of “Baybee” as well as “The Bus Song”, arguably the artist’s first real “hit.” -Kevin Quandt, photo by Emmeline Munson

AIR

Date: June 23rd
Location: The Masonic – San Francisco

AIR’s live performances focus on capturing the crisp, detailed production style that the duo has honed over two decades. It’s a vibrant, textured sound. Centered around acoustic guitar, synthesizers and the breathy timbre of the duo’s immaculate harmonized vocals, the use of live drums helped round out the contrast between both the artificial and acoustic sounds in songs like “Cherry Blossom Girl”. -Brett Ruffenach, photo by Steve Carlson

PLANETARIUM

Date: July 21st
Location: Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland

PLANETARIUM’s music, which channels Stevens’ reflections on astronomy, science and even the intricacies of human consciousness, is a fusion of styles from all four band members that evokes feelings of unity. The group’s performance was accompanied by otherworldly visuals that filled the backdrop as it traversed the Solar System with quite a few emotionally charged songs inspired by the planets and other celestial bodies like “Neptune” and “Jupiter”. -Norm de Veyra, photo by Norm de Veyra

The Drums

Date: July 21st
Location: The Fillmore – San Francisco

By the time The Drums took the stage, the intimate venue was packed to the brim with fans. The Brooklyn outfit made as much of an impression as it did when frontman Jonathan Pierce and company exploded onto the scene in 2009 with their initial EP Summertime! From then on, it became glaringly obvious with their eccentric band members and seemingly effortless style that they possessed an energetic presence. And at their SF show, it didn’t take long for the capacity crowd to fall into a groove as the venue’s whole atmosphere lit up. -Jacqueline Moore, photo by Jacqueline Moore

Miguel

Date: July 23rd
Location: Annenberg Space for Photography – Los Angeles

Once the sun set and Miguel stepped onstage, the audience was transported somewhere else entirely. Born and raised in LA, the 31-year-old’s silky-smooth voice floated through the cool evening breeze over the twinkle lights in the trees, giving the impression of an island retreat rather than a concert in the park. -Rochelle Shipman, photo by Rochelle Shipman

The War on Drugs

Date: August 5th
Location: Apogee Studio – Santa Monica, CA

Granduciel’s raspy voice, as well as his driving (no pun intended) guitar rhythms and reverb-laden riffs, are largely what separates The War on Drugs from the rest in a crowded indie-rock scene, but the sum of the band’s parts — Charlie Hall (drums), David Hartley (bass), Anthony LaMarca (guitar, keyboards), Robbie Bennett (keyboards) and finally Jon Natchez (saxophone, keyboards) — also creates a sound that while familiar, still feels uniquely different. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Larry Hirshowitz

Gorillaz

Date: August 11th
Location: Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, Golden Gate Park – San Francisco

Easily one of the most anticipated acts of the weekend, Gorillaz’s Humanz tour made its West Coast debut on Day 1 at OSL. After a six-year hiatus, expectations ran extremely high for this headlining performance. On previous tours, the band’s members had played second fiddle to the cartoon projections of their alter egos onstage, but everyone was visible this time around. Several collaborators from Gorillaz’s previous albums, including Kali Uchis, Yukimi Nagano and Del the Funky Homosapien, came out to join them, and the Damon Albarn-led group still pulled some even bigger surprises with cameos appearances from De la Soul and Pusha T. -Molly Kish, photo by James Pawlish

Cage the Elephant

Date: August 12th
Location: Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, Golden Gate Park – San Francisco

While the cancellation of Queens of the Stone Age was a blow a week prior to the event, the replacement that was lined up more than delivered a blistering set of rock ‘n’ roll. Cage the Elephant are now being widely considered festival-headliner material, and frontman Matt Shultz is making a strong claim for that accolade as he continues to elevate his stage act to near-Mick Jagger levels of pomp and energy. “Come a Little Closer” and “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” received hearty sing-alongs from a decidedly youthful crowd as Cage have become a favorite of Generation Z. -Kevin Quandt, photo by Marc Fong

J.I.D

Date: September 9th
Location: Day N Night Fest, Angel Stadium – Anaheim, CA

While the headliners thrilled as expected, it was at the side “Day” and “Night” stages where the festival’s biggest highlights were generated. J.I.D, the rising Atlanta rapper who is signed to J. Cole’s Dreamville imprint, absolutely thrilled during his set. Dazzling with his rapid-fire and agile flow, J.I.D showed off his ability to command a crowd with songs such as “General” and “EdEddnEddy” before jumping into the crowd for the tempo-changing hit “Never” that left the crowd chanting for “one more song!” -Joseph Gray & Rochelle Shipman, photo by Rochelle Shipman

SZA

Date: September 9th
Location: Day N Night Fest, Angel Stadium – Anaheim, CA

Saturday, meanwhile, featured the vintage gospel spirit and warm vibes that have elevated Chicago emcee Chance the Rapper to superstardom. Earlier in the day, SZA, this summer’s breakout star, delivered her first festival performance since the release of her well-received debut album Ctrl. Swaying, spinning and singing her raw emotions and shortcomings while coming of age, the Top Dawg Entertainment songstress didn’t disappoint. -Joseph Gray & Rochelle Shipman, photo by Rochelle Shipman

Bonobo (Live)

Date: September 27th
Location: Greek Theatre – Los Angeles

The real reason things felt different this time around, though, was the music. Extending and reimagining his tracks for easily one of the largest crowds he has ever performed in front of, Bonobo followed an uplifting opening set from Canadian electronic duo Bob Moses with an array of soothing sounds that paired beautifully with his lighting setup and entrancing stage production in the same way Scott Hansen (aka Tycho) creates an awe-inspiring audio-visual experience during his live-band performances. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt

Coldplay

Date: October 4th
Location: Levi’s Stadium – Santa Clara, CA

Coldplay took the stage shortly before 9 p.m. as a video montage of fans who introduced them as “the biggest band in the world” played onstage. While I’m pretty sure there are a few other artists or groups from their side of the pond (ehem, U2) who might take issue with that claim, they certainly did nothing during their electric, almost two-hour performance to dissuade that sort of thinking. Chris Martin and company, in fact, wasted no time getting down to business, flooding the stadium with confetti and firing off pyrotechnics at a steady clip while opening with “A Head Full of Dreams” and subsequently all throughout the night. -Steve Carlson, photo by Steve Carlson

Broken Social Scene

Date: October 26th
Location: Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland

Here’s the thing about BSS — after 15 years, the web of musicians that makes up the collective have created their own individual projects, from Metric to Stars to Feist to Do Make Say Think to Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton. And while many of the band’s members who have gone on to find success in their own solo careers didn’t happen to join the group on this particular tour, the sense of professionalism built into the BSS live experience remains prevalent. Every person who stepped onstage demonstrated consummate abilities in their own realms, never missing a beat or a note. -Brett Ruffenach, photo by Norm de Veyra

Filed Under: Best of, Best of 2017, Editor's Picks, Featured Tagged With: 21 Savage, Action Bronson, AFI, Air, Alice Cooper, Alina Baraz, Amber Mark Beach Slang, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Animal Collective, Annenberg Space for Photography, Apogee Studio, Atlas Genius, BADBADNOTGOOD, Belle and Sebastian, Best of 2017, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Bleachers, Blonde Redhead, Bob Moses, Broken Social Scene, Cage the Elephant, Car Seat Headrest, Cate le Bon, Chris Robinson, Cigarettes After Sex, Circles Around the Sun, City of Caterpillar, Claude VonStroke, Coachella, Coachella 2017, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival 2017, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival 2017, Coldplay, Con Brio, Conor Oberst, Courtney Barnett, Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile, Crystal Castles, Daniel Caesar, Dawes, Day N Night Fest, Day N Night Fest 2017, Day N Night Festival, Day N Night Festival 2017, Dead Meadow, Deafheaven, Deep Purple, Diet Cig, DIIV, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Dr. Dog, Dr. Octagon, DREAMCAR, Duke Dumont, Eagles of Death Metal, Electric Guest, Emancipator, Emily King, Empire of the Sun, Fox Theater Oakland, Foxygen, Future Islands, Gabriel Garzón-Montano, Gatecreeper, Girl Talk, Gone Is Gone, Gorillaz, Great American Music Hall, Greek Theatre, Greek Theatre Berkeley, Grizzly Bear, Gucci Mane, Hamilton Leithauser, Hazel English, Hinds, Hiss Golden Messenger, How to Dress Well, Iggy Pop, Isaiah Rashad, J.I.D., Jack Johnson, Jagwar Ma, Jamestown Revival, Jamie Isaac, Jay 305, Jay Som, Jen Cloher, Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas, Jessie Ware, Jim James, Jr. Jr., Julie Byrne, Julien Baker, Justice, k.flay, Karen Elson, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Kaytranada, Kelis, Kendrick Lamar, Khalid, Khruangbin, Kilo Kish, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Kurt Vile, L.A. Witch, La Femme, LANY, Lauv, Lettuce, Levi's Stadium, Lil Yachty, Little Dragon, Lo Moon, Lord Huron, Lorde, Mayan Theater, Miguel, Miike Snow, Milky Chance, Minus the Bear, Mister Heavenly, MO, Moderat, Music Festival Outside Lands Music Festival 2017, Neon Indian, Nicki Bluhm, No Doubt, Noise Pop, Noise Pop 2017, Noise Pop 25, Noise Pop Festival, Norah Jones, North Mississippi Allstars, NVO, Oh Sees, OK Go, Once and Future Band, Outside Lands, Outside Lands 2017, Outside Lands Music Festival, Pallbearer, Passion Pit, Peaches, Perfume Genius, Petit Biscuit, Phoebe Bridgers, Phono Del Sol, Phono del Sol 2017, Phono del Sol Music Festival 2017, Playboi Carti, Pond, Porcelain Raft, Potrero del Sol Park, PRAYERS, Real Estate, Royal Blood, Run The Jewels, Ryan Adams, Sampha, Schoolboy Q, serpentwithfeet, Sheer Mag, Shrine Expo Hall, Sigur Ros, Silversun Pickups, Sleep, Sleigh Bells, Sofi Tukker, Solange, Spiritualized, Spoon, Styles P, Sufjan Stevens, Sunflower Beam, Talib Kweli, Tank and the Bangas, Tash Sultana, Tei Shi, Temples, Tennis, Tennyson, The Accidentals, The Avalanches, The Band Perry, The Coathangers, The Crystal Method, The Drums, The Fillmore, The Hip Replacements, The Masonic, The National, The Palms, The Radio Dept., The Revivalists, The War on Drugs, The xx, Thou, Thundercat, Tobacco, Tool, Touché Amoré, Tove Lo, Travis Scott, Twin Peaks, Ty Segall, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Vagabon, Vance Joy, Vic Mensa, Warpaint, Weezer, White Fence, Woods, YG, Young The Giant

Outside Lands 2017: Our 10th anniversary awards

August 28, 2017 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Photos by Marc Fong & James Pawlish // Written by Kevin Quandt & Molly Kish //

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 11th-13th, 2017 //

Outside Lands celebrated its 10th anniversary this August, and it was a weekend that we can definitively say had its share of ups, downs and unexpected twists. While many found plenty to gripe about, some took away a more positive experience, proving that music festivals and live music events are truly unpredictable even when you have some of the best in business at the helm. That said, the increasingly over-inflated market of music festivals right now can be volatile and may not be a cakewalk for concert promoters as more and more folks are drawn to large-scale events such as Lollapalooza, Coachella and Outside Lands.

Some stated that the 2017 edition of OSL lacked fireworks when the lineup dropped. Others said the lineup catered closer to the 25-35 demographic. There was no lack of opinions with regard to the acts that Another Planet Entertainment and Superfly booked, but it was clear they did have a vision and a bill that stood apart from the pack with a rare group of festival legends in The Who, Gorillaz and Metallica. Below those names led to further intrigue with the return of Queens of the Stone Age, Fleet Foxes and A Tribe Called Quest after a multiyear absence from the live arena.

But many now know that two out of those three sub-headliners were unable to perform for one reason or another, and while these sorts of things are generally out of anyone’s hands, they still take a toll on everyone involved in the days, hours and even minutes leading up to those highly anticipated sets. Alas, when you have such festival production pros who were backed by three insanely spot-on headliners, these bumps in the road can create something different than initially intended, yet equally satisfying.

So, without further ado, here are our awards from the 2017 edition of Outside Lands.

Gorillaz

Best three-time OSL performer: Hamilton Leithauser
One highlight this year was the debut of Hamilton Leithauser’s solo act on the Sutro Stage. Having played the festival in 2008 and 2012 with his primary outfit, The Walkmen, his set marked the rare occasion of an artist performing at Outside Lands for the third time, and while Leithauser did have to battle some minor sound issues, he rallied past them like the consummate professional that he is. Short of “Alexandra”, Leithauser exclusively dug into tracks from his collaborative album with fellow New Yorker Rostam Batmanglij (formerly of Vampire Weekend) by the name of I Had a Dream That You Were Mine. The spirited crooner still remains at the top of his game, and his vocal performance can’t be rivaled by even the best. One can only hope that this will not be Leithauser’s final time onstage at OSL as fans clamor to know what’s next from this crooning, indie god. -KQ

Best cameo’d performance of the weekend: Gorillaz
Easily one of the most anticipated acts of the weekend, Gorillaz’s Humanz tour made its West Coast debut on Day 1 at OSL. After a six-year hiatus, expectations ran extremely high for this headlining performance. On previous tours, the band’s members had played second fiddle to the cartoon projections of their alter egos onstage, but everyone was visible this time around. Several collaborators from Gorillaz’s previous albums, including Kali Uchis, Yukimi Nagano and Del the Funky Homosapien, came out to join them, and the Damon Albarn-led group still pulled some even bigger surprises with cameos appearances from De la Soul and Pusha T. The two-hour set also saw Little Simz deliver a blistering performance of “Garage Palace” as well as a string of radio hits that included “Feel Good Inc.”, Clint Eastwood” and “Demon Daze”. With longtime fans and a new generation of contemporaries on hand, there was something truly special about seeing a packed crowd sing along with some cartoon legends. -MK

Best reason to sit in Golden Gate Park with your friends and listen to music: Real Estate
Real Estate continue to tour off this year’s stellar LP release, In Mind, and they demonstrated their live prowess at OSL with a sphincter-tight set of jangle pop. “Stained Glass” got the show started for the rather sizable crowd, which only grew over their allotted time. The Sutro Stage has become an ideal locale for mellower acts to play for slightly-more-seated audiences, and this set felt more loungey than others even though fan favorites “It’s Real” and “Green Aisles” punctuated a strong, breezy performance from Martin Courtney, Alex Bleeker and crew. -KQ

Most in need of performance pointers: KAYTRANADA
KAYTRANADA’s debut LP 99.9% was a highlight from 2016, and the Canadian producer has been continuing his victory lap with banner festival sets all around the world. While there’s no denying the infectious nature of his tracks like “Glowed Up” and “Got It Good” in a large-group setting, we yearn to get a little more out KAYTRA when he’s onstage. To be fair, he has loosened up a little and will toss a quick little dance move or hand gesture, but he still really doesn’t engage his audience much, whether it’s in the intimate confines of Mezzanine or in front of 25,000 strong at Outside Lands’ Twin Peaks Stage. Kay, like many others, was pretty stoked for A Tribe Called Quest to follow, but we all know how that ended. -KQ

Cage the Elephant

Next “big” rock headliner (TIE): Cage the Elephant and Royal Blood
While the cancellation of Queens of the Stone Age was a blow a week prior to the event, the replacement that was lined up more than delivered a blistering set of rock ‘n’ roll. Cage the Elephant are now being widely considered festival-headliner material, and frontman Matt Shultz is making a strong claim for that accolade as he continues to elevate his stage act to near-Mick Jagger levels of pomp and energy. “Come a Little Closer” and “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” received hearty sing-alongs from a decidedly youthful crowd as Cage have become a favorite of Generation Z.

But Cage did have some competition at OSL, and these guys are moving at a helluva pace for the crown. Royal Blood have been one of the hottest rock acts over the past few years. I mean, their first single wasn’t even released four years ago. Royal Blood quickly rose to fame in the UK, then set their sights on Europe and lately have become the new darlings of alt-rock radio here in the U.S. with one of their newest singles, “Lights Out”. The bass-and-drums duo make a serious racket for only two blokes onstage, but they put on a show that rivals any full-band act with four or five members. Similar to Cage, the kiddos were swirling up a decent little pit in front of the stage while Mike Kerr belted out an impressive setlist with minimal effort and contributed to the low end in a serious manner. -KQ

Best use of Thai funk in a group setting: Khruangbin
Sure, many think K-bin (short for “Khruangbin”) have Thai origins with their Thai name (which means “airplane”) and their Thai funk-infused groove rock. But this rising trio that met and formed in Texas have steadily built a following based around an infectious sound that feels home both on the dance floor and at the lounge. Mark Speer on guitar is a phenom to behold; his playing style, coupled with his tone, has a true lyrical quality that’s perfect for the trio, which opted to not have a lead vocalist. It was clear that the band, like many fans in attendance, were bummed about ATCQ’s sudden cancellation, so they decided to bring one of their classics, “Electric Relaxation”, to life as drummer Donald Johnson delivered the chorus. Many chuckled and grooved to the track before the band jumped back into a set that featured “Mr. White” and “The Infamous Bill”. We can only hope a sophomore LP is not too far off. -KQ

Best use of a festival billing for a greater purpose: Solange
After a weekend marred with schedule changes and cancellations, Solange was the festival’s saving grace on Day 3. Despite starting 15-20 minutes late, she descended upon the glowing stage in a choreographed flight pattern, followed by her backing band and team of dancers, and segued directly into a soulful montage of hits from 2016’s A Seat at the Table, extending each breakdown with some interpretive dance routines. An outstanding cover of Thundercat’s “Heartbreaks + Setbacks” was seamlessly woven midway into her set before leading into an all-out dance party with deep cuts from her 2012 LP True. Solange then took a minute to touch upon the events that were happening concurrently in Charlottesville. As the only artist on the OSL bill to do so, she addressed the tragedy and utilized the stage as a final public platform before deleting her Twitter account the next day. The evening ended in dramatic fashion with the power getting shut off and the performance concluding with the crowd singing the lyrics to “Rise” in the dark. -MK

Outside Lands 2017 - Belle and Sebastian

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festival Reviews, Festivals Tagged With: A Tribe Called Quest, Above & Beyond, Action Bronson, Alt-J, Belle and Sebastian, Bleachers, Bomba Estéreo, Cage the Elephant, Coachella, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Dawes, Del The Funky Homosapien, Dr. Octagon, Electric Guest, Empire of the Sun, Fleet Foxes, Foxygen, Future Islands, GastroMagic, Golden Gate Park, Goldroom, Gorillaz, Hamilton Leithauser, Heineken Dome, How to Dress Well, Hundred Waters, James Vincent McMorrow, k.flay, Kali Uchis, Kaytranada, Khruangbin, Little Dragon, Lorde, Louis the Child, Maggie Rogers, Metallica, MUNA, Music Festival Outside Lands Music Festival 2017, Noname, Outside Lands, Outside Lands 2017, Outside Lands Music Festival, Outside Lands Music Festival 2017, Queens of the Stone Age, RAC, Rag'n'Bone Man, Real Estate, Rebelution, Rostam, Rostam Batmanglij, Royal Blood, S U R V I V E, Schoolboy Q, Shovels & Rope, Sleigh Bells, Sofi Tukker, SOHN, Solange, Temples, The Avett Brothers, The Lemon Twigs, The Who, Thundercat, Tove Lo, Vampire Weekend, Vance Joy, Warpaint, Young The Giant

Outside Lands 2017: Top 5 things to see, eat & drink

August 10, 2017 by Kevin J Quandt Leave a Comment

Photo by James Pawlish // Written by Kevin Quandt //

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 11th-13th, 2017 //

Outside Lands returns this weekend for its 10th anniversary, and to get you ready for three fun-filled days in Golden Gate Park, we’ve outlined our top sets that you won’t want to miss, this year’s biggest scheduling conflicts, some potential guest appearances and the very best beverages to drink.

Also, don’t forget to create your own schedule here, and enter for a chance to GO4FREE to XXYYXX’s show this Saturday, August 12th at a secret location here.

TOP SETS NOT TO MISS

A Tribe Called Quest: While we see how this may be a controversial choice to top this list with the untimely passing of founding member Phife Dawg, it appears this may be the final time the Bay, or even the U.S., get to see the legendary hip-hop group perform. The group’s FYF Fest and Panorama performances featured multiple references to being the final ATCQ shows in those cities, so all the chatter about how extensive this “farewell tour” will be has reached a fevered pitch. Pro (Q)tip: Wanna hear Tribe’s popular hits? They’ll be featured at the end of their set.

Lorde: Sure, she has found herself toward the top of many festival lineups this year, and for good reason, as Lorde is one of the most popular artists out there right now, and her latest release Melodrama will surely be in top contention for Album of the Year. At only the age of 20, the singer’s recent sophomore success has also translated to the stage in impressive ways and will surely satiate the 18-25 demographic before The Who close out the event on Sunday.

Royal Blood: The unfortunate cancellation of Queens of the Stone Age has put a dampening on fans of all things rock, especially since Saturday was stacked in said department. Though some will be pleased with Cage the Elephant as the replacement, it does leave a glaring gap for many hoping to get another hour-plus of fist-banging rock and f’in roll. So, let’s longingly look to the upstart UK hard-rock duo that continues to make waves across the global festival circuit and delivers some amalgamation of Muse and The Black Keys. Expect to hear a solid smattering of tracks from their most excellent recent release How Did We Get So Dark?

Fleet Foxes: Has it really been six years since Robin Pecknold and band last played the Bay Area? Yup! A lot has changed in those years, but thankfully they are still producing their own unique brand of cool-kid folk and should fit in nicely for their premier performance in Golden Gate Park. We’ll be hearing many tracks for the first time live to go along with a different band lineup onstage. While no one who attends the event ever wishes for Karl the Fog, he could fit semi-decently into this set like during Sigur Rós in 2012.

The Who: The legendary rock bands of our parents’ generation are quickly folding up shop and The Who may be the next to wave a fond farewell. While many attendees have griped in various online forums about this closing headline slot, it seems only fitting considering that Sunday has become the fest’s more legacy-leaning day. Roger Daltery and Pete Townsend are backed by a killer band and have been churning out enigmatic setlists the past few years, so expect to hear all your favorites with a few rare gems.

SCHEDULING CONFLICTS, THOUGHTS & QUERIES

Friday

• Sub-headliner jumble: End of ATCQ vs. Future Islands vs. beginning of Fleet Foxes.

• alt-J vs. Gorillaz: There’s likely a fair amount of fan crossover between these two acts.

• “Bouncin’ for Beignets” moves to Friday afternoon from its previous weekend mid-day slot.

Saturday

• Royal Blood vs S U R V I V E: Seems like an odd conflict, but these artists are playing their first OSL this year and are some of 2017’s most buzzy acts.

• Anyone else notice that two-hour-and-35-minute gap after Kaytranada and Empire of the Sun? We did, too. Our bet is we’ll be getting either an EDM or hip-hop late addition. Does Afrojack fly up from Vegas for the day?

Sunday

• Solange will now be closing the Sutro stage. We surmise her set was on Saturday after Kaytranada before the shift.

• The Heineken Dome has a mystery set scheduled from 5:10-5:40 p.m. that’s billed as a “Pop-Up Guest Performance.” Our bet is DJ Qbert gets this slot as he’ll be onsite for his GastroMagic set earlier in the day.

• This will be the first time Another Planet has put three acts against each other in the form of The Who, Solange and Above & Beyond.

POTENTIAL GUEST APPEARANCES

• Little Dragon vocalist Yukimi Nagano comes out with Kaytranada to perform “BULLETS”.

• Lady Gaga with Metallica … remember this year’s Grammys?

• Del the Funky Homosapien joining Gorillaz for “Clint Eastwood”. He’ll be at the GastroMagic stage the next day for Kimchi 3030.

• Kali Uchis and Rag’n’Bone Man joining Gorillaz for their Humanz tracks.

BEST BEVERAGES TO DRINK

Fort Point Beer Company: Fort Point has been making waves from their Presidio location over the past few years but has recently started to see the brand grow out from the Bay. Their flagships Villager, a West Coast IPA, and KSA, a Kölsch style ale, will surely please the palate whether we get a typical foggy summer day or are blessed with clear skies.

Whitechapel (Cocktail Magic): You like gin? Yeah, us too. Well, all us are in for a treat as SF’s hottest gin bar will be serving up a few of their signature cocktails in the Mclaren Pass section of the fest. While it’s unlikely they’ll schlep over all 400 varieties of gin they offer at their Tenderloin brick-and-mortar, they’ll certainly offer some of the most complex cocktails offered at any major U.S. music festival.

Bushido’s “Way of the Warrior”: OSL wine curator Peter Eastlake knows his stuff, and while winos will find many of their favorites, it’s this sake debut that makes us a little excited. The can graphics feature some rad little samurai fox character while the contents display notes of raspberry and watermelon rind with a spicy finish. I mean, sake in a can? Yeah, I’ll take two … and arigatou.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: A Tribe Called Quest, Above & Beyond, Action Bronson, Alt-J, Belle and Sebastian, Bleachers, Bomba Estéreo, Cage the Elephant, Dawes, Del The Funky Homosapien, Dr. Octagon, Electric Guest, Empire of the Sun, Fleet Foxes, Foxygen, Future Islands, GastroMagic, Golden Gate Park, Goldroom, Gorillaz, Hamilton Leithauser, Heineken Dome, How to Dress Well, Hundred Waters, James Vincent McMorrow, k.flay, Kali Uchis, Kaytranada, Khruangbin, Little Dragon, Lorde, Louis the Child, Maggie Rogers, Metallica, MUNA, Music Festival Outside Lands Music Festival 2017, Noname, Outside Lands, Outside Lands 2017, Outside Lands Music Festival, Outside Lands Music Festival 2017, Queens of the Stone Age, RAC, Rag'n'Bone Man, Real Estate, Rebelution, Rostam, Rostam Batmanglij, Royal Blood, S U R V I V E, Schoolboy Q, Shovels & Rope, Sleigh Bells, Sofi Tukker, SOHN, Solange, Temples, The Avett Brothers, The Lemon Twigs, The Who, Thundercat, Tove Lo, Vampire Weekend, Vance Joy, Warpaint, Young The Giant

Outside Lands reveals its 2017 schedule

August 1, 2017 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 11th-13th, 2017 //

One day after Outside Lands announced some stunning news that Saturday sub-headliner Queens of the Stone Age will not be performing this year “due to injury” (and then quickly replaced them with Cage the Elephant), the three-day festival has unveiled what every live music fan clamors for … set times!

Take a peek at the festival’s 2017 schedule for its 10th anniversary here and start making your plans for which artists you’ll be seeing at Golden Gate Park this August.

Of course, when it comes to scheduling conflicts, this year — just like every year at Outside Lands — isn’t void of them. For starters, festivalgoers on Friday will have to choose between Electric Guest/Tove Lo, Fleet Foxes/Future Islands and Gorillaz/alt-J, and that’s just Day 1.

Meanwhile, Saturday sees Warpaint and The Lemon Twigs pitted up against one another, along with Dawes vs. Thundercat, Royal Blood vs. S U R V I V E, Vance Joy vs. Kaytranada, Cage the Elephant vs. Foxygen, and Metallica vs. Empire of the Sun. Plus, there’s this …

The question is, who will it be? Our money is on an EDM act (i.e. Afrojack, A-Trak, Tiësto), considering the festival has barely any superstar DJs performing this year besides English progressive-trance trio Above & Beyond, but anything’s still possible with a little less than two weeks to go.

And finally, Sunday offers its own set of difficult choices, with Bleachers and Maggie Rogers scheduled only 20 minutes apart (as well as James Vincent McMorrow and Sofi Tukker) and The Who, Solange and Above & Beyond all performing at the same time as they close down the fest.

But with so many quality options from top to bottom, you really can’t go wrong. So, keep that in mind when you’re stressing over who you should see. Whatever you do though, make sure to pick up a comfortable pair of running shoes before heading to the park and download the mobile app here.

Pumped for Outside Lands? Go back in time and check out our coverage from 2016 here.

Outside Lands reveals 2017 lineup, headlined by Metallica, The Who & Gorillaz

April 4, 2017 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 11th-13th, 2017 //

Outside Lands is going BIG for its 10th anniversary.

The three-day music festival returns to Golden Gate Park this August with a lineup for the ages, headlined by Metallica, The Who and Gorillaz. All three headliners were mentioned among our OSL predictions this year, with Metallica pretty much becoming a sure bet last week after Ranger Dave’s not-so-subtle tweet.

Natives of the Bay, Metallica have been on the road in support of their 10th LP Hardwired… to Self-Destruct, and their headlining set at Outside Lands will come toward the tail end of their North American tour during a string of West Coast shows. The Who, on the other hand, have only a limited number of 2017 gigs planned right now, culminating with a six-night residency in Las Vegas that concludes on Friday, August 11th. With that said, we know then that Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and company will perform at OSL on Saturday or Sunday, with the latter being all the more likely. The festival, after all, has been known to schedule its “older” headliners for the Sunday night slot a la Lionel Ritchie (2016), Elton John (2015), Tom Petty (2014), Paul McCartney (2013) and Stevie Wonder (2012), and we expect The Who to get the same kind of treatment in 2017.

But for Gorillaz fans in the U.S., Outside Lands could be the one place to see the band perform this summer. The festival is one of two North American dates for the Damon Albarn-led group, which headlines its own Demon Dayz Festival in June before making a stop at Festival d’été de Québec in Quebec City a month later. The same could even be said for sub-headliner Queens of the Stone Age, considering that OSL is their first scheduled North American show this year. The same, however, definitely can’t be said for Lorde, who is making the festival rounds with Coachella, JazzFest, Governor’s Ball, FPSF, Bonnaroo, Glastonbury, Rock Werchter, OpenAir St. Gallen, Fuji Rock, Lollapalooza, Osheaga and now OSL all on her current tour schedule.

Other standout acts lined up for OSL this year include A Tribe Called Quest, alt-J, Above & Beyond, Fleet Foxes, Empire of the Sun, The Avett Brothers, Belle and Sebastian, Solange, Future Islands, ScHoolboy Q, Young the Giant, Rebelution, Vance Joy, Tove Lo, Bleachers, Little Dragon, Kaytranada, Action Bronson, Sleigh Bells, Royal Blood, Shovels & Rope, Dr. Octagon, Louis the Child, Thundercat, Dawes, Warpaint, Rag’n’Bone Man, Bomba Estéreo, Temples, Real Estate, RAC, James Vincent McMorrow, K.Flay, MUNA, Hamilton Leithauser, Sofi Tukker, Maggie Rogers, Foxygen, Goldroom, SOHN, Electric Guest, How to Dress Well, Hundred Waters, Noname and many more. Check out the poster above for the rest of this year’s bill.

Boasting six consecutive sellouts to date, Outside Lands is sure to do the same in 2017 and will once again include a full lineup of comedy performances in addition to its famed Beer Lands, Wine Lands and Choco Lands + Cheese Lands. Of course, you’d have a tough time finding much better food and drink at a music festival than what Outside Lands offers.

If you missed out on Eager Beaver tickets last Thursday, you can buy Outside Lands tickets starting this Thursday, April 6th at 10 a.m. It’s worth mentioning, though, that with the new lineup also comes increased ticket prices. Three-day GA passes are up to $375 and three-day VIP passes have climbed to $795. Shuttle passes and parking passes, meanwhile, will be sold for $48 and $255, respectively. And though the festival makes no mention of it yet, single-day tickets are usually sold at a later time.

UPDATE (June 6th): Outside Lands has unveiled its daily lineups for 2017, and not to pat ourselves on the back, but our predictions for which days the festival’s headliners would perform were right on point, with Gorillaz performing Friday, Metallica storming the stage Saturday and The Who closing things down Sunday. Check out the daily schedules below before single-day tickets go on sale this Thursday, June 8th at 10 a.m. PT.

UPDATE (July 31st): Outside Lands has announced that Queens of the Stone Age, after all, will not perform this year “due to injury” and have been replaced by Cage the Elephant. No details on the “injury” have been released at this time.

Due to injury, Queens of the Stone Age's previously announced appearance August 12 at Outside Lands has been cancelled.

— Outside Lands Help (@outsidelands411) July 31, 2017

Queens apologize for any inconvenience & we look forward to returning to the Bay Area at a later date. https://t.co/mPYv68KRod

— QOTSA (@qotsa) July 31, 2017

JUST ANNOUNCED: Cage The Elephant are performing at @outsidelandssf in San Francisco on August 12th. 🎟️👉 https://t.co/lPDUFeqHZo #ol10 pic.twitter.com/NsnYoJNW4x

— Cage The Elephant (@CageTheElephant) July 31, 2017

UPDATE (August 1st): The festival has revealed the schedule for its 10th edition. Take a peek here and start mapping out who you’ll be seeing at Golden Gate Park.

Can’t wait for Outside Lands’ 10th edition? Check out our coverage from 2016 here.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: A Tribe Called Quest, Above & Beyond, Action Bronson, Alt-J, Belle and Sebastian, Bleachers, Bomba Estéreo, Cage the Elephant, Coachella, Coachella 2017, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2017, Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival 2017, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival 2017, Dawes, Del The Funky Homosapien, Dr. Octagon, Electric Guest, Empire of the Sun, Fleet Foxes, Foxygen, Future Islands, GastroMagic, Golden Gate Park, Goldroom, Gorillaz, Hamilton Leithauser, Heineken Dome, How to Dress Well, Hundred Waters, James Vincent McMorrow, k.flay, Kali Uchis, Kaytranada, Khruangbin, Little Dragon, Lorde, Louis the Child, Maggie Rogers, Metallica, MUNA, Music Festival Outside Lands Music Festival 2017, Noname, Outside Lands, Outside Lands 2017, Outside Lands Music Festival, Outside Lands Music Festival 2017, Queens of the Stone Age, RAC, Rag'n'Bone Man, Real Estate, Rebelution, Rostam, Rostam Batmanglij, Royal Blood, S U R V I V E, Schoolboy Q, Shovels & Rope, Sleigh Bells, Sofi Tukker, SOHN, Solange, Temples, The Avett Brothers, The Lemon Twigs, The Who, Thundercat, Tove Lo, Vampire Weekend, Vance Joy, Warpaint, Young The Giant

Arroyo Seco Weekend drops inaugural lineup led by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Mumford & Sons

March 14, 2017 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

Arroyo Seco Weekend //
Brookside at the Rose Bowl – Pasadena, CA
June 24th-25th, 2017 //

For the past few years, there’s been talk about the city of Pasadena hosting a multi-day music festival near the historic Rose Bowl. Shaun White’s snowboard/music festival Air + Style was the first to give it a shot (read our review here) back in 2015, but after experiencing some noise issues, it moved to downtown LA the following year and has continued to call Exposition Park its home.

Now, those rumors have become a reality with Goldenvoice announcing the inaugural lineup for Arroyo Seco Weekend. Coming to “the shady oaks and parkland” of Brookside at the Rose Bowl in late June, the two-day festival will feature three stages of live music with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and Mumford & Sons topping the bill. But maybe even more impressive is the undercard, which includes Alabama Shakes, Weezer, The Meters, The Shins, Dawes, Fitz & the Tantrums, Live, Andrew Bird, Broken Social Scene, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Charles Bradley & The Extraordinaires, Galactic and more. Check out the poster above for the rest of the lineup.

In addition to all the live music, there will be curated menus from LA’s celebrated restaurants and chefs, including Union’s Bruce Kalman, Sweetfin Poke’s Dakota Weiss, Rose Cafe’s Jason Neroni, Broken Spanish’s Ray Garcia, Sotto’s Steve Samson and République’s Walter Matzke. Free day parking and a bike valet will be available for festivalgoers, and those looking to take public transit to the festival will have easy access to the Metro Gold Line.

Weekend passes and single-day tickets can be purchased here for $225 and $125, respectively, starting this Monday, March 20th at 11 a.m. PT. VIP passes will also be sold at a price of $399 and $225, with weekend preferred parking available for $50.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Alabama Shakes, Alice Smith, Andrew Bird, Andy Grammar, Arroyo Seco Weekend, Broken Social Scene, Charles Bradley & The Extraordinaires, Cisco Adler, Con Brio, David Lindley, Dawes, donavon frankenreiter, Fitz & the Tantrums, G. Love, G. Love & Special Sauce, Galactic, Goldenvoice, Jamtown, Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, John Mayall, Lettuce, Live, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Mumford & Sons, NK Band, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Roy Ayers, The Bennie Maupin Ensemble, The Meters, The Mowgli's, The Revivalists, The Shins, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Weezer, William Bell, ZZ Ward

Noise Pop 2017: Our top moments from the festival

March 3, 2017 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Temples

Photos by Norm de Veyra, James Pawlish, Kory Thibeault, Laura Tsu, Lisette Worster, Geoff Hong, Karen Goldman, Sarah Felker, Christopher Vigue & Jacqueline Moore //

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

Over the last 25 years, Noise Pop has gone from being the axis of arts and entertainment in the Bay Area to an iconic celebration of independent culture worldwide. Expanding each year to include a film program, photography retrospectives and live podcasts, the festival continued to cover more new ground this year with the introduction of a day-long event that featured a yoga program, dramatic readings, live performances and a record fair.

Spanning 11 days, Noise Pop 25 drew record crowds, selling out shows and festival badges faster than ever before with several intimate, one-off performances that gave its headliners carte blanche to demo their impending festival sets for this spring and summer. Noise Pop kept the lineup eclectic and fans on their toes; we never truly knew what to expect from the 2017 roster of talent.

In a matter of almost two weeks, The Bam Team frequented many Bay Area venues to catch a number of Noise Pop performances. Find out below which were our favorites, and make sure to tell us which ones were yours in the comments section.

One of the first things Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith said when he came out onstage was, “We’re trying to be the hardest working band in America, and we’re going to prove that to you right now.” Sure, it was a bold statement, but from a band that has set out on a tour playing both its opening and main set, it was also logical. Dawes’ latest release We’re All Gonna Live, a live album follow-up to their 2016 LP We’re All Gonna Die, was a perfect lead-in to an all-out, balls-to-the-walls tour. Some bands you just have to see live to really appreciate, and Dawes is one of those bands. The real showstopper, though, was a surprise guest appearance by Lenny Goldsmith, as the show ended with the crowd finishing out the last verse of “All Your Favorite Bands” a capella to close out a three-hour set. I got the sense that everyone would have gladly taken another three hours, and if there was no curfew at The Fillmore, Dawes probably would have happily played another three hours as well. – Keeley Pedersen

Electric Guest

Performing one of the most sold-out Noise Pop shows this year at The Independent, Electric Guest played a soulful set that covered both of their studio albums as frontman Asa Taccone, the Berkeley native, intermittently took time between songs to give praise to the SF audience. He mentioned how it was sort of a homecoming for him and that he always enjoyed engaging such responsive audiences and at venues that allowed him to “bring life” to the band’s body of work. Though it was the first show with new touring members of Electric Guest, the crowd welcomed the novice arrangement with open arms. Kicking off the festival with a mid-week groove, the lineup kept audience members dancing and pumped them up for the marathon week ahead. – Molly Kish

Hazel English

Hazel English is not your everyday rocker chick with loud, pungent sounds. She’s smooth, delicate, powerful and poised. She is also a whirlwind with either very loyal fans or those looking to discover her. But it was easy to make out in the crowd at Rickshaw Stop who the true fans were as they swayed to her music, gently singing her songs word for word without overpowering her sense of stride. Whether attendees knew of her before the show or came to discover some new music, she pulled them into her calmness and radiated a ghostly sound. Unveiling both of these qualities, English brought a mid-week breath of fresh air. Feet on the floor and eyes half closed, everyone looked like they were there to liberate themselves with her drifty sound. – Jacqueline Moore

JJUUJJUU

Desert Daze Caravan

After attending Desert Daze last year, it was a sheer delight to see the event and its organizers grow to a point where they could bring a hand-selected group of artists to SF and other West Coast cities. While JJUUJJUU and Froth warmed up the crowd at The Chapel, it wasn’t until Deap Vally began to pummel us with their thick, blues-rock fuzz that the evening started to truly take shape. Who Sold My Generation was a highlight release in 2016 from Night Beats, and on this night, the Seattle upstarts certainly won over more fans as their infectious stage presence, coupled with their weighty take on garage rock, could be akin to acts such as Black Angels and even Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Temples closed the show out, taking the daring route by opening their set with new material from their upcoming sophomore release Volcano. Though the capacity crowd was receptive to the handful of fresh tracks, it was songs such as “A Question Isn’t Answered” that ignited some vicious headbanging. – Kevin Quandt

Diet Cig

For their Noise Pop show at Brick & Mortar Music Hall that came in the middle of the work week, Diet Cig put on a hyperactive, energetic performance. The New York indie-rock duo got the sold-out crowd properly pumped up as they blazed through tracks from their forthcoming debut LP after local outfits Shutups, Joyride and Plush kicked off the evening with great sets. – Norm de Veyra

The Palms

A lineup featuring California-based talent from both the north and south ends came to SF’s Rickshaw Stop for one night during Noise Pop 25. Local act Nyre got things started with their reverberating brand of garage rock echoing throughout the venue, and LA outfit Warbly Jets followed by delivering their catchy alt-rock songs. The Young Wild, meanwhile, amplified the crowd’s enthusiasm with their upbeat, indie-pop tunes. As the evening drew to a close, The Palms took the stage, showcasing their poignant songwriting and frontman Ben Rothbard’s irreproducible voice. – Laura Tsu

Kelis

Seeing Kelis at Noise Pop proved to be something special. Even though it ended up being an early night at 1015 Folsom, it felt like any other late event that I’ve been to there. What was surprising was how many mashups she did with her own songs as DJ Nikki Beatnik and DJ Rashida had the room shaking, literally. Amid magical mashups featuring Migos, Daft Punk and more, the highlight of the night was definitely a remix of Gorillaz feeding into a couple verses and loops of “my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard” before hearing the James Bond theme song. My biggest question going into the night was why someone would tattoo a portrait of someone else on their body (Kelis was married to Nas, who infamously tattooed her face on his arm). But walking out of 1015, I realized that she had me singing along and pulled in by her energy, dancing like crazy during her entire set. I guess I get it now. – Lisette Worster

Tash Sultana

For one of its Noise Pop shows, Swedish American Hall played host to 21-year-old Australian native Tash Sultana, best known for her musical multi-tasking, dynamic vocals and her story. At just 17, she slipped into a drug-induced psychosis. From there, she began busking, finding her way back to reality through music. It has been said that Sultana’s ultimate musical goal is to teach herself to “play every instrument ever made,” and the sold-out crowd certainly got a taste of her wide range of instrumental talent as Tash incorporated guitar, trumpet, mandolin and pan flute into her set, beautifully laid over her self-generated beats. This is a one-woman show reminiscent of the most talented street musicians you’ve ever seen — the kind that make you sit and watch for a while, the kind that compels you to throw $20 into their guitar case as you walk by. That raw presence has not left her to this day as she steps onto stages around the country and soaks in praise of her completely engaged audiences. – Hailey Hosler

Deafheaven

As one of the strongest Noise Pop bills with Emma Ruth Bundle, This Will Destroy You and Deafhaven, the three acts combined to make for a perfect sequence of post-rock into black metal that few tours are able to accomplish. This Will Destroy You, a band that commands silence as well as it does noise, found the right kind of audience for a Friday night, as fans stood entranced by the constantly inflating and deflating sense of space that their sound occupied. “Dustism”, in particular, made for a breathtaking performance by the five-piece from SF. Following TWDY, Deafheaven kicked the energy into high gear. From New Bermuda track “Baby Blue” to the title track on their 2013 LP Sunbather, the Deafhaven experience live is chaotic and calm, melodic and cacophonous all at once. Led by vocalist/conductor/hype man George Clark, the band has a remarkable ability for creating the loudest, fastest noise and melding it with beautiful guitar melodies and fascinating song compositions. After a week of live music, this night was a real highlight of Noise Pop 25. – Brett Ruffenach

Julien Baker

It’s pretty cool to see a musician take the stage alone and draw the kind of intense attention from an audience that Julien Baker can. I can’t recall a time when I’ve seen so few cell phones out and so little chatter in the crowd. After we got warmed up with brief sets from Bobey and Miserable, Baker stepped onstage and immediately had every eye and ear in the room locked on her. Opening with “Blacktop”, Baker’s set was mostly comprised of material from her 2015 release Sprained Ankle, though she peppered in a couple of new tracks from her upcoming album much to the delight of the audience. When someone in the audience shouted “YOU ROCK!!!”, she keenly replied, “Oh good. I’m always nervous that I have lost my punk cred,” which got a good laugh. She claimed that she was nervous to see such a large crowd (which was also confirmed by a friend of mine who spoke with her backstage), but that didn’t stop her from putting on a powerful performance, showcasing her prowess as a guitar player and her range as a vocalist. – Andrew Pohl

Crocodiles

NRVS LVRS, a band originating from SF with a powerful sound, turned enough heads to fill up the floor at Bottom of the Hill and were followed by another SF outfit in Hot Flash Heat Wave, maintained their strong sound and keeping fans stoked. AJ Dávila subsequently energized the crowd even more with the help of some members from Crocodiles, the San Diego-based band who headlined the night and kept the good vibes rolling. – Christopher Vigue

Tennyson

Luke and Tess Pretty, the sibling duo behind Tennyson, delivered an electrifying performance at the Brick & Mortar Music Hall for Noise Pop. Opening support came from Qrion, Julia Lewis and Starfari, who brought out rapper Niko Brahman. However, the young Canadian electronic duo absolutely stole the show with their upbeat and bouncy performance. Tess crushed it on the drums while Luke displayed his talents on the keys and synthesizer. Those in attendance were lucky to witness Luke show off his live vocals, which he hasn’t done on previous tour stops due to illness. The performance was chock full of fun samples that fans have come to expect from Tennyson: dripping water, animal noises and the instantly recognizable alarm clock sound on their popular track “Lay-by”. Tennyson truly did not disappoint, delivering one of the most high-energy sets of Noise Pop 25. – Geoff Hong

Matt Pond PA

It’s funny when one single person or band can have control over an entire crowd. And This is exactly what Matt Pond PA did so perfectly. Not only have I never experienced a band play six rather slow, soft songs in a row while keeping the crowd at a hush, but have full awareness of each breath, stroke of a cello or pluck of a guitar. He delivered such intensity that you could actually see it in the eyes of crowd members. People were there for Matt Pond PA, and it was so evident in the way the audience danced, sang and laughed along with his entire set. This crowd knew him, and if they didn’t, they were a fan by the end of the night. ‘Specks’ was the crowd’s absolute favorite song of the night. The energy was high and bodies were moving! – Jacqueline Moore

The Family Crest

There may be few things that are more enjoyable than a good ol’ fashioned, foot-stomping dance party on a Saturday night. Those who made it to the Swedish American Hall for The Family Crest’s headlining show were in for a treat. The SF seven-piece kept the energy and spirits high as the crowd enthusiastically roared its approval during an hour-long set. Even though it felt short, the band delivered a fun and loose performance. – Norm de Veyra

The Frights

If you weren’t present for The Frights’ show at The Chapel, you were certainly missing out. Four indie bands played for an eclectic group of fans that ranged from the grungiest of teens to the hippest of dads. SF’s Dinosaurs opened the show and were followed by The Regrettes from SoCal. The Garden, hailing from Orange County, kept things going with a strange blend of what fans call “vada vada,” and the drummer took the opportunity to front flip twice into the crowd of ecstatic kids. To complete the night, The Frights hit the stage, performing a good number of their pop-rock songs and even taking the time to bust out a sick cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman”. Safe to say, the show had something for everyone during what was a great night for celebrating music and genre diversity. – Courtney Blodgett

The Radio Dept.

Tickets to see Swedish band The Radio Dept. at Noise Pop sold out swiftly once their first U.S. tour since 2011 was announced last year, which also included the release of their follow-up to 2010’s Clinging to a Scheme. Their show at The Independent showcased plenty of new songs from Running Out of Love along with their beloved back catalog. Playing precisely, their set flowed organically with fully robust sentiment. With SF-based bands Future Shapes and The Bilinda Butchers opening things up in addition to the spunky duo that is Germans, it was a night to remember. – Laura Tsu

BADBADNOTGOOD

As one of the bands to take the coveted headlining spot for NoisePop25, BADBADNOTGOOD seemed as — perhaps more — excited as all of the fans who made it to their sold-out show at The Fillmore. Combining consummate instrumentation with classic MC-style showmanship led by drummer Alexander Sowinski, the Canadian jazz-rock quartet has mastered the art of keeping the audience guessing where they’re going. Their setlist covered some older tracks but mostly focused on their latest album IV, including a dizzying rendition of “Lavender”, a track that was made in collaboration with electronic producer Kaytranada. Throughout the set, it was clear that the audience shared just as much enthusiasm as the band did in sharing an evening at the storied SF venue as one member in the crowd earnestly yelled, “Hey, you’re doing a great job!” in between songs — and a great job they did. As I grabbed my apple and poster on the way out, it reminded me why we should be so thankful for nights like these at The Fillmore. – Brett Ruffenach

The Hip Replacements

The Mother Hips are one of those acts who have been a Bay Area staple, having shared their indie-folk tunes for 27 years since forming in 1990. Due to an ongoing injury, frontman Tim Bluhm was unable to perform, so to switch things up, Greg Loiacono, John Hofer and Scott Thunes invited Bob Reed (Overwhelming Colorfast, Oranger), Johnny Irion and Dave Zirbel (San Geronimo) to join them. They played a mixture of songs by The Mother Hips and The Replacements, calling themselves The Hip Replacements on this night, which also featured an opening set from Scary Little Friends, the psychedelic-rock trio comprised of Chris Jones, Jon Payne and Charlie Knote. Since they formed in early 2013, the band has been recognized by KQED Arts and The Deli Magazine SF. – Karen Goldman

Tennis

The anticipation and excitement was high at the Great American Music Hall for the return of Denver indie-pop outfit Tennis. Just weeks before the release of the husband-and-wife duo’s fourth LP, the sold-out crowd was offered a glimpse of what is to come as Alaina Moore and Patrick Wiley performed the newest singles from their forthcoming Yours Conditionally. Also, props must go to twin-brother duo The Mattson 2. The late addition to the Noise Pop lineup made the most of their time by delivering a wildly entertaining and raucous set just prior to Tennis taking the stage. – Norm de Veyra

Radical Face

This was by the best performance I saw at Noise Pop. The crowd was so excited before Radical Face even walked onstage, and my jaw was left wide open by the end. The band knew how to build up each song and slow them down in just seconds. The entire show felt like a cinematic adventure, as if lyrics were unneeded and all that the crowd wanted was the beautiful sounds they were making. Conversations about suicide, domestic abuse, loneliness and depression were some of the issues discussed in between songs, which made this show truly remarkable because the band was able to share so much with us. But they also counteracted these serious issues with jokes and laughter. You could tell that Radical Face are a brotherhood. Needless to say, everyone in the audience left The Fillmore with a radiance on their face and I know that I wasn’t the only one leaving with a warm feeling inside. – Jacqueline Moore

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festivals Tagged With: AJ Dávila, BADBADNOTGOOD, Crocodiles, Dawes, Deafheaven, Deap Vally, Desert Daze Caravan, Deviation, Diet Cig, Electric Guest, Emma Ruth Rundle, Fine Points, Froth, Germans, Great American Canyon Band, Hazel English, Hot Flash Heat Wave, Hudson Mohawke, JJUUJJUU, Joyride!, Julien Baker, Kelis, Matt Pond PA, Middle Kids, Mothers, MSTRKRFT, Night Beats, Nine Pound Shadow, Noise Pop, Noise Pop 2017, Noise Pop 25, NRVS LVRS, NYRE, Owl Paws, Plush, Qrion, Radical Face, Rogue Wave, Shutups, Starfari, Tash Sultana, Temples, Tennis, Tennyson, The Family Crest, The Frights, The Hip Replacements, The Mattson 2, The Mother Hips, The New Up, The Palms, The Radio Dept., The Young Wild, This Will Destroy You, Warbly Jets

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

February 16, 2017 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

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.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: 1015 Folsom, 20 Minute Loop, AABO, Affectionately, AJ Dávila, Animal Collective, Artists' Television Access, Avey Tare, Axis, BADBADNOTGOOD, Barclay Crenshaw, Bearface, Before The Brave, Bender's Bar & Grill, Bimbo's 365 Club, Bottom of the Hill, Brick & Mortar Music Hall, California Academy of Sciences, Cellus, Chaos Chaos, Chiller Whale, Cloud Nothings, Crocodiles, Dawes, Deafheaven, Deap Valley, Desert Daze Caravan Festival, Diet Cig, Elsa Y Elmar, Emma Ruth Rundle, Fox Theater Oakland, Froth, Future Shapes, Germans, Goon, Grandaddy, Great American Music Hall, Half Waif, Hanni El Khatib, Hazel English, Hideout, Hobo Johnson, Hodgy, Hot Flash Heat Wave, Hudson Mohawke, Hugo, Innovative Leisure, Itsaca, Jackson Waites, JJUUJJUU, John Cashman, Joyride!, Jujuujjuu, Kelis, Kevin Abstract, Kid Trails, Kilo Kish, London O'Connor, Maggie y/o, Matt Pond PA, Mezzanine, Minihorse, Mission Bowling Club, Monster Rally, MSTRKRFT, My Buddah Is Punk, N.Lannon, Never Young, Night Moves, Noise Pop, Noise Pop 2017, NRVS LVRS, NYRE, Plush, PWR BTTM, Radical Face, Rayana Jay, Rickshaw Stop, Roeviscious, Shannon and the Clams, Shutups, Soar, Starline Social Club, Sunday Smörgåsbord, Swedish American Hall, Tanukichan, Tash Sultana, Temples, The Bilinda Butchers, The Buttertones, The Bye Bye Blackbirds, The Chapel, The Fillmore, The Molochs, The New Parish, The Palms, The Radio Dept., The Total Betty's, The Young Wild, This Will Destroy You, Ty Segall, Vince Staples, Warbly Jets, Weyes Blood, White Fence, Young Moon

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2014: Three hot days of treating SF

October 9, 2014 by Mike Frash 4 Comments

Photos by Pedro Paredes, Tom Dellinger & Benjamin Wallen // Written by Mike Frash //

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2014 //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
October 3rd-5th, 2014 //

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is the best free music festival in the world. There are no security checkpoints, yet a quarter million people get along like old friends each day. You get to choose from seven different stages (a new one was added this year). And you can count on the sun to shine brightly come early October just about every year in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. It’s just one of those SF laissez-faire weekends that works.

Warren Hellman’s event and ongoing gift is a real-life Choose Your Own Adventure for music heads while also setting the scene for a weekend-long picnic in the park.

The hottest day of the year in SF was on HSB Friday, so finding shade and a spot in close proximity to a stage was like getting a half-decent apartment rental price in this City — it was basically impossible.

Headliner choices to end the first day were a toss-up, and you really can’t go wrong when choosing between Ryan Adams, Conor Oberst, Yo La Tengo and Lucinda Williams.

Ryan Adams headlining The Banjo Stage on Friday.

The Banjo Stage was packed, yet restrained for Ryan Adams, who impressed with a set full of cuts from his remarkable self-titled album from this year. The over-heated audience finally let loose when the sun went down, and Adams, plus his band, delivered a goofy-fun, impromptu song (watch it here) that was made up on the spot. Hellman Hallow erupted in celebration of three (“No, it’s not three. It’s four fucking balloons.”) in the back of the park.

Conor Oberst once again curated the Rooster Stage for Friday, with Waxahatchee and Jonathan Wilson both showing early on why they keep growing more popular. Wilson offered one of the most eye-opening sets of the weekend — the segmented sections of energy connected like a mystery train heading toward infinity.

If you like music, then you’ll probably like Jonathan Wilson. Marx Meadow perfectly matched the feel of his show.

Sharon Van Etten suffered from some early technical issues, and the sound output was less than half as strong as other shows in Marx Meadow throughout the weekend. But with every slow-building crescendo, the crowd would stop talking and take heed of one of the most powerful performers around.

The heat effected Van Etten's sound output and between-song banter, but there were still plenty of affecting moments

The staggering heat may have affected Van Etten’s between-song banter, but she still affected us.

Dawes has become that festival set I usually walk by on the way to another, but I’m completely in favor of making “When My Time Comes” the new National Anthem for the United States.

Mini-Boss Taylor Goldsmith from Dawes carries on the energy of Bruce Springsteen.

The Towers of Gold Stage on Saturday was a classic example of the “Hardly Strictly” side of this bluegrass-based fest. Red Baraat had us dancing, Deltron 3030 with the 3030 Orchestra (and Dan The Automator orchestrating) had us rhyming along, Built to Spill got collective head-bopping going and Social Distortion drew out the punk rock rage in many.

Then, capping the day by seeing Robert Earl Keen hold down Saturday evening duties at the Rooster Stage once again just felt right.

Year after year, the energy at Robert Earl Keen to end Saturday is undeniable.

Year after year, the energy at Robert Earl Keen’s set to end Saturday is undeniable.

SF-based singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek has had quite the year, creating one of the best albums of 2014 while making waves as of late. He bullies his audiences, and he’s directed his ire at The War on Drugs the past few weeks since WOD, one of the best live acts of 2014, overpowered Kozelek’s Sun Kil Moon set during the Ottawa Folk Festival.

There was no sound-bleed during Kozelek’s Sun Kil Moon set on Sunday, and he had a four-piece supporting him to rework some of his recent work. Songs were slowed down and vocals were turned up with extra echo, placing greater significance on words and phrasing. “Michelene” seemed more tragic, and “Gustavo” lingered in the air.

Kozelek seemed gracious and positive throughout, professing his love for San Francisco by saying “I’m gonna live here and die here”, and based on his 2014 record Benji, I believe him.

Chuck Prophet delivered a full sound with a supporting orchestra on Sunday.

Chuck Prophet during his part on Saturday at the “Holler Down the Hollow” set at the Banjo Stage.

Chuck Prophet & The Mission Express put on a delightful set with orchestral backing, Tweedy played a handful of Wilco songs solo acoustic (including “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart”) and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead finished off the Arrow Stage on Sunday in usual jammy fashion, performing classic Grateful Dead tunes much better than anyone out there today, including Furthur.

What were your favorite sets of the weekend?

Steve Earle, Peter Rowan…

David Rawlings

It was fucking hot (for SF)

John Paul Jones

A park legend

The Lone Bellow

Thao & The Get Down Stay Down

Timeless couple

HSB fills in nicely.

The Mastersons

Paul Janeway

Good times.

Beer.

Until next year…

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Built To Spill, Dawes, Deltron 3030 with the 3030 Orchestra, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2014, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, HSBF, HSBF 2014, Mark Kozelek, Red Baraat, Robert Earl Keen, Ryan Adams, Sharon Van Etten, Social Distortion, Sun Kil Moon

2013 Outside Lands schedule announced!

July 25, 2013 by Mike Frash 2 Comments

Photos by Mark Fong // Written by Mike Frash //

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 9th-11th, 2013 //

The schedule has been released for the completely sold-out 2013 Outside Lands Music Festival, meaning the schedule conflict stress has already begun. Some folks have the misplaced assumption that they can see half, or even most of the artists on the OSL bill. They are wrong. With four stages and long walks from Lands End/Sutro to Twin Peaks/Panhandle (and back), you won’t see more than 1/4 of the performers on any given day.

So, now it’s time to start dealing with this first-world festival problem by making some tough choices. But remember, you don’t have to commit! Sometimes it’s best to choose shows while at the fest based on your mood.

Here are the biggest conflicts we see on the schedule — along with the sets we are most likely to attend in bold.

FRIDAY SCHEDULE // AUGUST 9th

• Paul McCartney vs. Yeasayer, Chromatics & Pretty Lights
*Macca has a two-hour, 45-minute set!

• The National vs. Rhye vs. Zedd vs. Stanton Warriors
• Band of Horses vs. Jessie Ware vs. Twenty One Pilots vs.
• Surfer Blood vs. Wild Belle vs. Jeffrey Ross
• Smith Westerns vs. Midi Matilda

SATURDAY SCHEDULE // AUGUST 10th

• Nine Inch Nails vs. Phoenix

• Yeah Yeah Yeahs vs. The Head & the Heart vs. Grizzly Bear
• Jurassic 5 vs. Thao & The Get Down Stay Down vs. Baauer
• Young the Giant vs. Youth Lagoon
• Gary Glark Jr. vs. Milo Greene vs. Atlas Genius

SUNDAY SCHEDULE // AUGUST 11th

• Red Hot Chilli Peppers vs. Dillon Francis, Kaskade

• Vampire Weekend vs. Willie Nelson & Family vs. Matt & Kim vs. MS MR
• Dawes vs. A-Trak
• Hall & Oates vs. Trombone Shorty vs. King Tuff
*4:20 Hall & Oats set. Just sayin’
• FOALS vs. Kurt Vile and The Violators vs. Deap Vally
*Winner of worst conflict: FOALS vs. Kurt Vile

Check out our previous Outside Lands articles:
• Outside Lands 2013 Beer/Artist Pairings
• Outside Lands 2013: Ten sets not to miss
• Outside Lands Music Festival Lineup 2013: Rumors vs. Reality