Future Islands – Showbams

Future Islands connect amid high expectations at The Chapel

April 14, 2014 by Pedro Paredes 1 Comment

Future Islands with Ed Schrader’s Music Beat //
The Chapel – San Francisco
Thursday April 10th, 2014 //

While outside in the streets of San Francisco the weather seemed typical for a spring night, a sold out Chapel was experiencing its very own microclimate, with a diverse crowd energized by the atmospheric electricity generated by Future Islands’ highly anticipated show. The band’s notorious network debut on Letterman plus a series of energetic performances at SXSW kept expectations as high as they can get, and I was not surprised to hear a few people wondering if Sam Herring, Future Islands’ charismatic frontman, was going to be able to keep up with his own pace.

Ed Schrader’s Music Beat, the Baltimore duo in charge of opening the night, did not have an easy task, as one could argue that their post-punk rowdy style wasn’t necessarily in line with the main act’s more polished sound. Nevertheless, it took no more than one song for the audience to quickly connect and engage with them, as they moved along their setlist in a refreshingly awkward, authentic manner. Equipped only with a floor tom and a bass guitar, Ed Schrader’s Music Beat delivered a wide range of songs that went from highly energetic lo-fi numbers (“Gas Station Attendant”) to hypnotic ballads beautifully carried by Schrader’s gravelly voice (“Air Show/Can’t Stop Eating Sugar”).

After that, the tone was set for the evening’s main course.

Around 10:30 PM, the lights went out and the crowd got loud. Sam Herring and band descend upon the stage and allowed themselves some time to get a feel of the attending crowd before beginning their set. As the audience roared and cheered, it became more clear the source from which the North Carolina native draws the energy required to make his performances so intense and unique.

He promises to bring the house down. We believe him. We are at The Chapel — the ceremony is about to begin.

The setlist began with “Back in the Tall Grass” from the band’s celebrated new album, Singles. Sam Herring is in no rush, and he takes it slow while the bass line marks a steady beat. He wants the people not just to feel, but to listen as well, and he takes time to give some context before commencing a new song. “Balance”, for example, was written in a dark time of his life, when the support from a friend saved his life, and as the lyrics go by, we could all feel the intensity level of his performance boosting up.

As the show progressed, it became clear that Herring is all about making a connection with the audience. To make this happen, he uses a wide set of resources that have made his appearances reach an almost legendary status. His style seems to draw inspiration from multiple sources, and I can’t help but to be reminded of the insane intensity of Ian Curtis, the shamanic charisma of Jim Morrison, and the storytelling skills of Johnny Cash.

By the end of the concert the bond was established and the band and crowd become one, with the stage becoming public domain. As the last chords were played and the Baltimore trio waved goodbye, we were all reminded of Herring’s first words before the show; the house had been in fact brought down. Until we meet again.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Future Islands, The Chapel

New Music Tuesday: Future Islands • Liars • The Bad Plus • Glenn Kotche

March 25, 2014 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

Every Tuesday, we focus on new music releases by naming our top tracks, album highlights, lowlights and important takeaways for select albums.

Future Islands – Singles

Top Tracks:
“Seasons (Waiting On You)”
“Sun in the Morning”
“A Dream of You and Me”

Album Highlights: The fourth album from Future Islands, Singles, jumps right out of the gates, showing their cards early and presenting the listener with their trademark new-school new-wave sound. Spotlighted by Samuel Herring’s assaulting vocals, opening track “Seasons (Waiting On You)” is a quintessential slice of the emotion this band has become well known for both onstage and in the studio. Hailing from Baltimore, this three-piece band has been nestled snuggly in the bosom of the underground, playing smaller festivals such as FYF and house parties alike, over the past years. Only recently have they been launched into the ears, and eyes, of new fans and having sold out the majority of their spring tour (not to mention banner sets at Coachella).

Future Island’s music can be described as polarizing. It truly is brilliant music as bassist William Cashion’s thumping lines perfectly compliment Gerrit Welmers synth and drum sequences. Samuel Herring’s vocals are stunning as he pitches and growls through tales of the tougher side of love. It’s pretty, gripping and powerful while also holding certain pop sentiments, lending to an overall lightness while being arresting. “Doves” balances all the elements nicely, shining a light on the top-notch production featured on Singles. “Song for Our Grandfathers” is another tender example of the bands ability to transform some serious subject matter into a beam of thoughtful optimism, all delivered by Herring’s supreme baritone. Powerful stuff going on here, guys.

Album Lowlight: This music is not for everyone, though it should be respected by the vast majority of tuned-in listeners. It’s plain to see Future Islands, as a band, appeal to fans of new-wave music, so again, may not be for every taste. On that note, every inquisitive music aficionado should give this album some time and respect.

Takeaway: It’s been a long wait for the fanatic followers of Future Islands as their previous release was released in 2011, and with this wait they have all been rewarded with a full album of superb tracks to dig deep into. As previously mentioned, Future Islands are polarizing and not everyone will latch onto Singles immediately, but those who give it time and attention will be rewarded. Surely, you’ll need to see them on stage as that is a whole other beast altogether. In the meantime, settle into a pinch of 80s nostalgia with a dash of heart, and play Singles by candlelight… if that’s your thing.

~Kevin Quandt

Liars – Mess

Top Tracks:
“Mask Maker”
“Vox Tuned D.E.D.”
“Mess on a Mission”

Album Highlights: It feels strange to talk about an album of dark electro and industrial as a band’s most mainstream work, but Liars have never been much for conforming to norms. On Mess, their 7th album, the band delivers two relatively neat halves – one for the party, and one for the dank recesses of the after party – that are unified by their straightforwardness and presence on the spectrum of electronic dance music.

After spending the majority of their career exploring different ways to create anxiety and vertiginous instability, Liars kick off Mess by saying “Fuck it, let’s dance.” Not literally, though. Literally they start the album with Angus Andrew’s detuned voice dementedly commanding the listener to “Take my pants off, use my socks, smell my socks, eat my face off” before launching into a track (“Mask Maker”) that could sit comfortably between Front 242 and Revolting Cocks.

Emboldened by their new-found mastery of electronic instrumentation (made possible by the difficult making of 2012’s WIXIW), Liars spend the first half of Mess exchanging their traditional dread and unease for debauched revelry. “Vox Tuned D.E.D.” and “I’m No Gold” flaunt an end-of-the-world-party libido, while on “Pro Anti Anti”, an eerie organ riff is pummeled by a battering ram of synths, drums and Angus Andrew’s bellowing baritone, and the song proceeds to dance all over the debris.

Following the cerebral electro of the lead single, “Mess on a Mission”, the album shifts to a muted, post-apocalyptic tone and stays there for the duration. These songs have their root in the despair of WIXIW, but are fleshed out as proper dance tracks – “Dress Walker” is a particular highlight, with its percolating percussion and bouncing yet understated techno melody. The album concludes with “Perpetual Village” and “Left Speaker Blown,” 16 minutes of hypnotic murk.

Album Lowlight: Front-loading Mess with all of the album’s muscular & tuneful numbers was a gamble, and though it succeeds in providing a visceral rush, the dramatic about-face (never to return) will no doubt result in many jettisoned listeners. To be sure, there are interesting ideas throughout Mess‘ second half, but it does takes a few listens for them to reveal themselves. Liars earned a reputation early on as being difficult; one infamous review in Spin called them “unlistenable.” Through their sequencing choices in the second half of Mess, the band comes dangerously close to sounding boring.

Takeaway: Every Liars album is a transitional one, and Mess feels especially liminal. In pre-release interviews, the band has discussed how they wanted to break from the habit of over-analyzing every detail during the recording process, and this desire to cleanse the palate is palpable throughout Mess. And it suits them well: as a vocalist, Andrew is as dynamic as he’s ever been, and Aaron Hemphill has now fully transformed himself from a guitarist to a synth wizard. After resisting it for so long, Liars have finally opened themselves up to the musical possibilities of catharsis on Mess, and in doing so they’ve created a bonafide goth album. Whether it reaches the Hot Topic crowd is another matter entirely, but either way – don’t expect Liars to concern themselves with it the next time around.

~Karl Kukta

The Bad Plus – The Rite of Spring

Top Tracks:
“The Augors of Spring”
“The Sage/Dance of the Earth”
“Glorification of the Chosen One”

Album Highlights: With the ninth album by the avant-garde jazz trio The Bad Plus, they decided to record Igor Stravinsky’s ballet The Rite of Spring, and they absolutely nailed it. This classical piece is widely considered one of the most moving and important works of the twentieth century, and even started a small riot when it first premiered in 1913 Paris, France. Leave it to this trio to transform a historical musical masterpiece, most recently recognized in Disney’s “Fantasia”, into a work that is very much their own. Although this is essentially a cover album, The Bad Plus only use drums, bass, and piano to cover all the instruments that the original piece uses, so it is quite the task for these three talented men. If the original premiere was anything like this band’s version, then one can fully understand why a riot broke out over a century ago when listening to “The Augors of Spring”.

The beginning piano pounding off this song is extremely dramatic and could easily cause the mild-tempered to become crazed with anger. “The Glorification of the Chosen One” is my personal favorite piece from the whole ballet, mainly because of the many fast and swift time changes throughout, especially on piano. Another highlight is the amazing section of “The Sage/Dance of the Earth”. This piece starts quietly, as if trying to portray the morning stillness, then suddenly erupts into a bouncy, glorious afternoon of dance rhythms, primarily played by Dave King on Drums and pianist Ethan Iverson.

Album Lowlight: It’s quite hard to give a lowlight on this album because it is, after all, considered one the most important pieces in ballet or classical music. One lowlight would be that The Bad Plus took this long to put out a recording they have been playing live since 2011.

Takeaway: The Bad Plus took a chance with recording this masterpiece, and I feel that they succeeded with what they were setting out to do, which is to record an important piece of history while putting their own unique twist on it. Any fan of avant-garde jazz would enjoy this album immensely, while the traditionalist might find it hard to connect with such a wild style of play. I challenge anyone to listen to the original composition and then throw on The Bad Plus’s version and tell me that they’re not impressed with the group’s musical ability.

~Pete Mauch

Glenn Kotche – Adventureland

Top Tracks:
“Anomaly: Mvt. I”
“Anomaly: Mvt. II”
“Anomaly: Mvt. VII”

Album Highlights: Glenn Kotche has found great success as Wilco’s drummer since the release of the classic Yankee Foxtrot Hotel. Throughout his tenure with Wilco, Kotche’s playful exploration of word percussion has become apparent with the implementation of unique items, such as hubcaps, to his drumset. And so it comes as no surprise his latest solo effort, Adventureland, is exactly that; an exploration in percussion that is both deep and diverse.

After hearing Kotche’s initial release Mobile, David Harrington of Kronos Quartet fame (a San Francisco based string quartet) asked Kotche to compose a piece for them. The result was Anomaly, a seven movement piece which provides the structure to Adventureland. The electronics-heavy album opener “Anomaly: Mvt. I” is the first signal of Kotche’s compositional talents in contemporary music. Static introduces perfect textures to this movement, creating a soundscape which simultaneously entrances and orients the listener to the ensuing movements.

“Anomaly: Mvt II” might be considered the only track that mimics a more conventional structure. The strings of the Kronos Quartet blend beautifully with the driving bass of the drums, creating melodic moments that are hard to come by throughout the rest of the album.

Anomaly, on the whole, is the true meat of Adventureland. The progressive nature of each of it’s movements creates a nice arc, leaving us with the more subdued “Anomaly: Mvt: VII” and one last taste of the Kronos Quartet’s gorgeous string melodies.

Album Lowlight: The intention behind contemporary works is to create aural environments that tell stories or relate feelings. Kotche’s compositions are certainly successful at this throughout Adventureland. However, some of the compositions such as “The Haunted” selections feel as though they lack the cohesion that is present in the “Anomaly” movements, as though a thread is missing between a few of the movements.

Takeaway: While Wilco may be on Glenn Kotche’s list of credentials, only the foolish would expect to hear anything reminiscent of Sky Blue Sky from this album. Adventureland is Kotche’s escape from all things Wilco. This album is an exploration into the loose musical structure only contemporary works will allow for, a modern take on an ancient form of musical expression. While it may be likely this album finds it’s audience with Berklee School of Music grads, I would like to bet with the right ear, many can come to appreciate Glenn Kotche’s ability to create such intricate compositions.

~Kory Thibeault

Filed Under: Featured, New Music, New Music Tuesday Tagged With: Bad Plus, Future Islands, Glenn Kotch, Liars, New Music Tuesday

Showbams’ best live music photography of 2012

December 27, 2012 by The Bam Team 6 Comments

Ultraísta at The Independent – By Michael Frash

Click a photo to view full size.
Click the band and venue link to view the photo’s full article.
Click the photographer name to view more photos.

M83 at Treasure Island Music Festival – By Marc Fong

Future Islands at The Independent – By Maggie Corwin

Die Antwoord at The Fox Theater – By Marc Fong

Charles Bradley at Royce Hall – By Pete Mauch

Santigold at The Fox Theater – By Michael Frash

The Lumineers at The Chapel – By Marc Fong

Best Coast at Treasure Island Music Festival – By Marc Fong

The Faint at Regency Ballroom – By Michael Frash

Yeasayer at The Fox Theater – By Marc Fong

Japandroids at The Fillmore – By Michael Frash

How To Dress Well at Rickshaw Stop – By Michael Frash

Blondfire at Rickshaw Stop – By Maggie Corwin

The xx at Treasure Island Music Festival – By Marc Fong

Geographer at Bonfire Sessions – By Michael Frash

Gossip at Treasure Island Music Festival – By Marc Fong

Simian Mobile Disco at Mezzanine – By Michael Frash

Devine Fits at Treasure Island Music Festival – By Marc Fong

Knife Party at The Fox Theater – By Marc Fong

Red Baraat at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass – By Michael Frash

Of Monsters and Men at Not So Silent Night – By Michael Frash

Electric Guest at The Independent – By Michael Frash

Bloc Party at The Fox Theater – By Michael Frash

Bombay Bicycle Club at The Fillmore – By Chaya Kranz

Tame Impala at The Fillmore – By Michael Frash

Matthew Dear at Treasure Island Music Festival – By Michael Frash

Father John Misty at Bonfire Sessions – By Michael Frash

Rufus & Martha Wainwright at The Fox Theater – By Marc Fong

Bassnectar at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – By Marc Fong

Jack White at Not So Silent Night – By Michael Frash

Sea Wolf at The Independent – By Marc Fong

The Shins at Not So Silent Night – By Michael Frash

Wilco at The Greek Theater – By Michael Frash

White Fence at Bonfire Sessions – By Michael Frash

Django Django at The Independent – By Michael Frash

Justice at The Warfield – By Michael Frash

…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead at The Independent – By Marc Fong

Filed Under: Best of, Best of 2012, Featured Tagged With: ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, Bassnectar, Best Coast, Bloc Party, Blondfire, Bombay Bicycle Club, Charles Bradley, Devine Fits, Die Antwoord, Django Django, Electric Guest, Father John Misty, Future Islands, Geographer, Gossip, How to Dress Well, Jack White, Japandroids, Justice, Knife Party, M83, Matthew Dear, Of Monsters & Men, Red Baraat, Rufus & Martha Wainwright, Santigold, Sea Wolf, Simian Mobile Disco, Tame Impala, The Faint, The Lumineers, The Shins, The xx, Ultraísta, White Fence, Wilco, Yeasayer

Showbams’ best shows of 2012

December 23, 2012 by The Bam Team 2 Comments

Showbams contributors name their favorite shows of 2012.

Showbam contributors reflect on the best concerts they went to in 2012 & list their favorite shows.

2012 has been a top-notch year for live music, and the Showbams team has witnessed some great acts that have come through California in the last 11 months. Take a look at our contributor’s favorite shows of 2012.

What was your favorite concert in 2012? Let us know in the comments below.

The xx at Treasure Island Music Festival

Mike Frash – San Francisco

1. Sigur Ros @ Outside Lands Music Festival 8.11.12
Leaving Metallica for Sigur Ros to end the second day at Outside Lands was a torturous decision. Metallica was a warzone spectacle, but i stuck to my guns and headed to the Twin Peaks stage. I’m glad I did. Jonsi now conducts a mini orchestra, and the eerie SF fog lowered on command to the slow builds & crescendos. It was a spiritual show that effected me more than any other concert in 2012.

2. Japandroids @ The Independent 6.14.12
Brian King and David Prowse brought ecstatic energy to the sold out Independent in June the week after Celebration Rock was released. Brian King understands how to control the pace of his set, offering fun pre-song statements that prepare you for what’s next. Their songs are vibrant live – it doesn’t sound like only two people are playing instruments. They truly seem to live the life they glorify on their 2012 album – still drinking, still smokin, and full of hyperactive desperation.

3. Phish Night 3 @ Bill Grahm Civic Auditorium 8.19.12
The highly anticipated phish three-show SF run in August started off a bit slowly. Saturday’s show left me a little bummed about Phish due to some sloppy play (“Split open and melt”) and what felt like a lack of enthusiasm. I was questioning why I still see Phish live heading into the last show of the weekend. My lowered expectations combined with a killer show quashed those thoughts. Crosseyed > Light > Sneakin’ Sally > Crosseyed was some of the best Phish I’ve ever heard, “Boogie on” redeemed Stevie Wonder’s omission of the song at Outside Lands the week before, “Meatstick” made me really happy, and the San Francisco-mentioning “Ride Captain Ride” made a surprise encore appearance. The show was pure bliss.

4. The Rapture @ Coachella 4.13.12
5. The xx @ Treasure Island Music Festival 10.14.12
6. The Presets @ The Independent 10.12.12
7. STS9 @ High Sierra Music Festival 7.5.12 & 7.6.12
8. Head and the Heart @ Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 10.6.12
9. Tame Impala @ The Fillmore 11.15.12
10. My Morning Jacket @ The Greek 9.15.12

Honorable Mention:
Father John Misty at Jansport Bonfire 9.30.12
Of Monsters & Men at The Independent 3.22.12

My Morning Jacket performing at The Wiltern in September

Pete Mauch – Los Angeles

1. My Morning Jacket @ The Wiltern 9.13.12
MMJ capped off the best 3-night run I saw this year with this stellar closing show complete with a Horn section. This is a big statement for a band I knew I loved but wasn’t fully convinced about until this night. Highlight: “All Night Long” & “Movin On Up” with Horns

2. Phish @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium 8.19.12
Phish played a terrific 3-night run, and topped off by an amazing Sunday night show that proves that Phish is still top of the Jam Scene. Highlight: Light > Sneakin Sally Through the Alley

3. Ryan Adams @ Walt Disney Concert Hall 2.17.12
Ryan Adams, an acoustic Guitar, and a Piano is all this show contained, and it was truly special. Adams’ classic songs stripped down with his raspy croons is all I needed to make this a top show of the year. Highlight: “Rescue Blues” on Piano “Holy Diver” on Guitar

4. Trey Anastasio and LA Philharmonic @ Walt Disney Concert Hall 3.10.12
5. Neil Young and Crazy Horse @ the Hollywood Bowl 10.17.12
6. Charles Bradley and The Menahan Street Band @ UCLA Royce Hall 11.29.12
7. Radiohead @ Coachella Music Festival 4.21.12
8.Trombone Shorty @ the Key Club 2.11.12
9. Wilco @ the Palladium 1.24.12
10. New Multitudes (Tribute to Woody Guthrie) @ the Mayan Theatre 3.7.12

Honorable Mention:
Phish at Long Beach Arena 8.15.12
String Cheese Incident at Greek Theatre Berkeley 7.14.12
Roger Waters The Wall at the LA Coliseum 5.21.12
Umphreys Mcgee (True Hollywood Stories Acoustic Show) at the House of Blues 3.16.12

The Faint performing in November at The Regency Ballroom

Molly Kish – San Francisco

1. Radiohead @ HP Pavilion 4.12.12
After merely catching glimpses of them while shoved against thousands of festivalgoers at Outside Lands 2008, I was determined to catch Radiohead the next time they came through the Bay Area. The sound, visuals, performance and energy of the evening were electrifying. Although I was extremely lucky to have been viewing the concert from the sixth row, the entire crowd looked as though they were just as lost in the moment as I was. The band’s enigmatic stage presence, fully developed set composition and career spanning choice of material made for one of the most collectively impressive concert experiences that I have ever had the opportunity to be a part of.

2. Kishi Bashi/Of Montreal @ Slim’s 3.22.12
As a long time Of Montreal fan, I was ecstatic to get the opportunity to interview their opening act and latest addition to the line up (Kishi Bashi) the night of their performance at Slim’s. It wasn’t only for the sake of getting a personal perspective on the band, but also due to the fact that this would actually be my first time catching them performing live. The entire show and evening that followed was everything I could’ve wanted for my first experience seeing Of Montreal. Accompanied by three screens of psychedelic visuals, various costumed extras, balloon drops, props and whole score of vaudevillian rivalry, the band took the crowd and venue by storm. During the encore to top it off, I was able to reconnect with Kishi Bashi and ended up initiating an after-party with the entire band, crew and record label affiliates at an industrial themed “dark carnival,” taking place across the street at local dive bar Butter. Several jello shots, deep fried twinkies and contortionist carnie-prompted dance battles later, I looked around and felt assured that I had enough material to develop my own personal “Of Montreal” concert story contender.

3. The Presets @ Treasure Island Music Festival 10.13.12
Completely blown away by their performance the night before, I was overwhelmed with excitement and intrigue to see how the Presets could accomplish translating such energy to a festival setting. Anyone who had caught their Treasure Island Music Festival opener at the Independent instantly was taken over by sensory recall as they broke into song almost right where they left us hanging less than 24 hours earlier. Almost in homage to those who witnessed them destroy their previous set, they picked the dance party up right where they left off, only this time kicking it up about ten notches with the accompanied stage show, visual intensity and professional grade sound of seasoned professionals. Completely upstaging their more commercially recognized headliner and showing the younger generation how it should be done, they stole the show and were easily the stand out act of the 2012 TIMF. To this day I still find myself saying that I wish I could continually be going to a Presets show, based off of the concert experience I had at these two performances.

4. Dan Deacon @ The Great American Music Hall 10.23.12
5. Against Me! @ The Catalyst 9.10.12
6. The Faint @ The Regency Ballroom 11.18.12
7. Justice @ The Fox 11.4.2
8. Metallica @ Outside Lands 8.10.12
9. Animal Collective @ The Fox 9.21.12
10.The Shins @ The Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium 4.22.12

Honorable Mention:
Yeah Yeah Yeah’s @ The Creator’s Project SF 3.17.12
Cold War Kids @ The Bottom of the Hill 3.5.12
Dr. John @ The Independent 8.17.12
Girl Talk @ Sasquatch 5.25.12

David Byrnes & St. Vincent performing in October

Kevin Raos – San Francisco

1. David Byrne & St. Vincent @ the Orpheum Theater 10.15.12
This is my number one show of 2012 for a couple of reasons. First off, Love this Giant, the recently released collaborative album between Byrne and St. Vincent, was a major disappointment. One of my most anticipated albums of the year ended up being one of the most disappointing. All was redeemed, however, when I saw these songs performed live. The accompanying brass band and the chemistry on stage breathed new life into was I felt was a stale album. Playfully executed and precisely choreographed, these songs shined live.

Secondly, I am a huge David Byrne fan and was able to check a big one off my bucket list of musical artists. Byrne’s career needs no introduction and this evening we were treated to a few Talking Head’s classics such as “Burning Down the House,” “This Must Be the Place,” and “Like Humans Do.”

This show was simply a once in a lifetime experience.

2. Phish @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium 8.19.12
A three night run at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium was capped off with a masterful performance by jamband kings, Phish. The final night of the run was easily the best night as the band flexed their improvisational muscles in a blistering 2-set performance, highlighted by covers of the Talking Heads’ “Crosseyed and Painless” and Robert Palmer’s “Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley.”

3. Sigur Ros @ Outside Lands 8.11.12
Sigur Ros on my birthday to cap off an unbelievable festival day? How could it possibly get any better? It can’t really.

4. Les Claypool’s Duo De Twang @ Terrapin Crossroads – San Rafael 10.4.12
5. Keller Williams, Steve Kimock & Kyle Hollingsworth ft. Bernie Worrell, Wally Ingram & Andy Hess @ Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Music Festival 10.7.12
6. Miike Snow / Penguin Prison @ Fox Theater Oakland 4.12.12
7. Washed Out @ Mezzanine 5.4.12
8. Electric Guest @ The Independent 11.2.12
9. The Album Leaf / Blackbird Blackbird @ Bottom of the Hill 9.30.12
10. Citizens! Lescop, Housse de Racket, Tomorrow’s World @ The Rickshaw Stop 10.12.12

Honorable Mentions:
Zee Avi @ New Parish 9.28.12
M83 @ The Fillmore 4.22.12

Japandroids performing in 2012

Eric Shaden – San Francisco

1. D’Angelo @ HOB – Los Angeles 7.4.12

2. Passion Pit @ Rock en Seine – Paris 8.26.12

3. Starfucker @ the Independent 1.7.12

4. Stevie Wonder @ Outside Lands 8.12.12
5. Miike Snow + Penguin Prison @ The Fox Oakland 4.12.12
6. A.Skillz + Krafty Kuts Presents Tricka Technology @ Mighty 6.1.12
7. Aaron Freeman (Gene Ween) @ the Independent 10.19.12
8. Japandroids @ the Independent 6.14.12
9. Guns n’ Roses @ Bridge School Benefit 10.21.12
10. Kid Koala Vinyl Vaudeville Tour @ Independent 11.4.12

The Lumineers performing at The Chapel in August

Marc Fong – San Francisco
1. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros @ Slim’s 3.25.12
It’s not often I gush like a school girl (only about once or twice a week), but seeing ESatMZ at Slim’s was panty dropping. Can I say that? Well, I just did. It was a secret/private show so Slim’s was overcrowded. I stood center stage close enough to see the dirt on Alexander’s suit. The sound was great and the band always puts on a damn fine show.

2. The Lumineers @ The Chapel 10.11.12
LIVE 105 brought the Lumineers to newly opened Chapel in SF and the band didn’t disappoint. The venue was the perfect size for the band and like most of the other bands on this list, the Lumineers had fun playing and it made for a great show.

3. Kronos Quartet @ Greek Theater 10.5.12
Okay, it was really Amon Tobin’s deal, but Kronos opened and performed beautifully. Being a long time fan, it’s not a surprise these openers made my list. Great music from great performers. And The Greek Theater in Berkeley was the best venue to see them. (And most other shows.)

4. Willie Nelson and Family @ The Fox Oakland 3.15.12
5. Of Monsters and Men @ Independent 5.22.12
6. Fun. @ The Independent 5.28.12
7. Sage Francis @ Independent 3.17.12
8. Steve Aoki @ Bill Graham 1.21.12
9. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros @ The Fox Oakland 5.12.12
10. AVICII @ Bill Graham Civic 6.28.12

Tame Impala at The Fillmore in November

Kevin Quandt – San Francisco

1. The Walkmen @ The Independent January 20th & 21st
These 10th Anniversary shows were a Walkmen fan’s wet dream as they played their first album in full among multiple sets and configurations including a horn section. Over 30 songs of Hamilton Leithauser and company churning out their own brand of rock and roll to devote fans from across the States.

2. Refused with the Hives & the Bronx @ The Warfield 4.18.12
Having seen their Coachella show a week prior, the anticipation was less palpable, yet the reigning post-punk champs delighted a more rowdy and dedicated crowd with a spirited set for the masses who patiently waited a decade to witness.

3. Trey Anastasio and The Los Angeles Philharmonic @ Walt Disney Concert Hall 3.10.12
Dressing up for a show is fun, especially when Trey is at the helm of philharmonic symphony in one of the best rooms to hear, and see, music in. From the playful rendition of “Guyute” to the half hour “Time Turns Elasctic,” this night had the packed concert hall re-charmed by Ernest and his recharged song book.

4. Tame Impala @ The Fillmore 11.15.12
5. Phish @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium 8.19.12
6. Woods and White Fence @ The Chapel at Preservation Hall West 10.17.12
7. Howlin Rain @ The Independent 2.18.12
8. Radiohead @ The Santa Barbara Bowl 4.12.12
9. Father John Misty & Har Mar Superstar @ Bottom of the hill 5.5.12
10.Mala @ Yoshi’s San Francisco 6.23.12

Festival sets:
Sigur Ros @ Outside Lands 8.11.12
Future Islands @ FYF 9.1.12
Flying Lotus @ Coachella 4.14.12

Justice performing at The Warfield in November

Sean Little – San Francisco

1. Justice @ The Warfield 11.4.12
What else is there to say about Justice that hasn’t already been said. They came, they saw, and they melted faces with an amazing set the blew fans away and converted first timers alike. At least half my friends decided to go last minute (tickets were still available because it was a Sunday) and all of them became huge fans. Some of these friends are not into electronic music of any kind either, so that really says something. It was one of those rare shows where you leave euphoric and can’t stop saying “wow” to the people you went with.

2. Florence & the Machine @ Coachella 4.15.12
The only other performer I’ve ever seen that commanded an audience like Florence did was Snoop Dogg back in 02 at the Smoke Out (stop-you’re not better than me so put that eyebrow back down). It was one of the rare festival sets where everyone felt really in tune with the performer and each other, singing along and knowing when to interact with each other and the songs. She was absolutely amazing, and the set was a dark horse highlight to my festival as I didn’t expect her to command the audience like she did. She’s truly a presence.

2ManyDJ’s @ Regency Ballroom
I saw them about this time last year but fuck it, it still counts. If you have never seen them live then go. Even if you don’t like electronic, go. Even if you hate music go. If you want to be schooled in what real DJs as performers can do, you have to go. They blend the most amazing remixes, edits, mashups and drops all together with a mindblowing set of animated artwork, based on the song that is being played behind them. I won’t even try to explain because it won’t work.

Filed Under: Best of, Best of 2012, Featured Tagged With: A.Skillz, Aaron Freeman, Against Me!, Animal Collective, AVICII, Best Concerts of 2012, Charles Bradley, Citizens! Lescop, Cold War Kids, D'Angelo, Dan Deacon, David Byrne & St. Vincent, Dr. John, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Electric Guest, Father John Misty, Flying Lotus, Fun., Future Islands, Girl Talk, Guns N' Roses, Head and the Heart, Howlin Rain, Japandroids, Keller Williams, Kid Koala, Kronos Quartet, Les Claypool, M83, Mala, Metallica, Miike Snow, My Morning Jacket, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, New Multitudes, Of Monsters and Men, Of Montreal, Passion Pit, Phish, Radiohead, Refused, Ryan Adams, Sage Francisc, Sigur Ros, Starfucker, Steve Aoki, Steve Kimock, Stevie Wonder, STS9, Tame Impala, The Album Leaf, The Faint, The Hives, The Lumineers, The Presets, The Rapture, The Shins, The Walkmen, The xx, Top Shows of 2012, Trey Anastasio, Trombone Shorty, Washed Out, White Fence, Wilco, Willie Nelson and Family, Woods, Yeah Yeah Yeah's, Zee Avi

Baltimore’s Future Islands dish at The Independent on the ‘happy mistakes’ in their music

September 17, 2012 by Molly Kish 2 Comments

Photos by Maggie Corwin // Written by Molly Kish //

Showbams spoke with Samuel Herring (vocals), William Cashion (bass) and Gerrit Welmers (keyboards) of Future Islands before their show in San Francisco at The Independent on September 4th, the night before the group left for Northwest Music Fest.

Showbams: Initially you all met when studying in East Carolina & formed Art Lord & the Self Portraits in 2003, reconfigured into Future Islands in 2006 and in 2008 relocated to Baltimore and recorded both Feathers & Hallways and In Evening Air. Through all the shifting lineups, recordings and locations, what made this particular one stick the most? What was it about you three?

Herring: I’ve actually know Garret since we were about 13/ 14 years old, and we were like best friends throughout high school, went off to college together and then I met William. Me and William, as soon as we met we became really close friends, and really started to bounce ideas off of eachother – crazy art ideas, musical ideas – and that’s when we started Art Lord. When we lost our fourth member who moved out of town for Art Lord, that finished that and we started Future Islands with another guy, and when that didn’t continue… It was really a lot of us just trusting in each other, like we’ve been through all the crazy times, the fights, especially me and Garrett at that point knowing each other for a long time, and me and William are always very similar so sometimes we get into it. We’d already been through all that stuff, and by the time we moved to Baltimore, I think we were just realizing that we all just wanted the same thing and we saw that in each other, we saw that in our group, and we’re just like “You want this, don’t you?” Because it’s what I want. And were all just, “Ya I want this.”

So I think it’s really just that dedication that we knew we could trust in each other, that we all wanted to be full time musicians, and that we were going to sacrifice everything to go for it, and that’s when the tables really turned for us.

Showbams: That full-level commitment thing — that’s important for any successful band to have the cohesive nature of everyone wanting it as much as the other one. You studied art and music throughout college. Was this something you wanted from the beginning to be the end result? Did you say, “I want to be in a band, I want this to be a full-time job”, or was it something that you naturally fell into?

Cashion: I’ve always wanted to be in a band. I had an ex-girlfriend that really pushed me to try visual art, I never really felt like an artist, then I decided I wanted to go into graphic design, then I had some friends I met in college that pushed me more toward a fine art kind of atmosphere. I thought art school was a pretty cool place to go, a lot of bands I like – Devo, Talking Heads – they all went to art school. Honestly, I did think about that and I wanted to be in a band for sure that toured. But ya, I guess it’s worked out, so far. (laughs) I’m not sure if all of us felt that way…

Herring: When I went off to school I didn’t have any intention of starting a band. I was really into hip-hop stuff and I was leaning more to doing that type of stuff. But I was really just into performance art and conceptual art. So I thought I was going to be this, this ‘great artist’ and music kind of took ahold of me completely. And I was able to find that sort of performance release in music, and that’s something that I still have. So it’s kind of a funny, full circle, how when I was 18 /19 I was trying to find the perfect way to blend my words, and performance, but also two dimensional, three dimensional works, like how do you do that? I was always trying to figure that out. And through music, I’ve been able to kind of, find that place, through performance and the use of my words.

Welmers: Well, I hated art school and nor did I think I was going to be in a band. But then we started playing together and it was pretty cool. It just worked out.

Showbams: Do you feel as though you can correlate the experiences that you had meeting each other, first starting out in the band together with the work that you do today? Do you see a large growth from where you began or is it something that easily transpired into where you guys are right now?

Herring: There’s definitely a growth, and that’s us just maturing as humans, or as individuals and also as a group. Well especially these two, they’ve always had an amazing chemistry musically together, and that’s something that’s kind of been there since the start and it continues. I know my writing has changed a lot. Just as I’ve tried and failed at certain things, and succeeded in some areas, and figuring out different ways to say things. We’ve of course grown a lot, but we’re still working with a similar palate that we started with, and we’re just finding new ways to use it. Kind of just through life experience, you know the songs are very much just linked to what’s happening in our lives. As we live we have more material to write from to figure things out. So it’s growing with us.

Showbams: In your recording process, you choose really interesting places to record. You choose a very different landscape than other artists would go with. “Wave Like Home” was done at a skate shop. “On the Water” was done at the Andrew Sanders house, both of which are a little obscure for a work place. Did you feel as though you wanted to branch out and do something different than going into the typical studio?

Cashion: We just got our start with Art Lord. hanging a microphone on the ceiling fan, that was turned off. We would do tests and put the amps in different places, and just make it so that everything was even, that’s kind of how we got our start. All of the old Art Lord EP’s are kind of recorded like that just live, in a room, no overdubs just straight to tape. Art Lord back in the day used to got to studio’s and it was just always a train wreck, it sounded horrible. It sounded good in a room but not so much in a sterile lifeless studio. So when you record some place like a skate shop or in somebody’s house there’s already that built in character. There’s tricks in the studio to fake it, but we have always felt more comfortable just in a place like that. We can live there, there’s a kitchen and we save a lot of money too.

Showbams: Do you feel your choice in studio location, impacts the work you produce on your album? Were the inclusion of field recordings something that you guys wanted to do off the bat or was it an idea that came during the process?

Herring: With “On the Water”, the house that we recorded at just kind of actually fell into our laps. A good friend of our Abe was moving back down from Baltimore to North Carolina for the summer and he basically was kind of lonely and said ‘hey come and hang out,’ and we asked him if we could record there and he said ‘yeah totally.’ So we just loaded up the van with all of our gear and Chester our producer’s gear and just headed down there for ten days. It was kind of a perfect thing, we got to hang out w/a good friend and he was the one that ended up doing the ‘Before the Bridge’ video and that’s all through that house that we recorded in, so it was really kind of touching. He actually named that song too.

I think it’s those kind of happy mistakes that our music is all about. The kind of serendipitous elements of creating and finding inspiration in creating. Being inspired to create, but you know you’re with your friends and your creating sound and then things just happen! I know that we didn’t think about a lot of those field recording elements until we started to put down the album and we realized in those ten days that we were recording how some of those elements could work. Like ‘Tybee Island,’ we didn’t have any clue how we were going to record that song until we went down to the beach and decide to have a day to do some recording there as well.

Showbams: Throughout your body of work you touch upon a lot of passages of travel and cycles both literal and emotional, is this something that you consciously create or that naturally manifests?

Herring: We, of course, want to make an album that flows and within that a circularity. With ‘On the water,’ it was important for me to have it flow back into itself, which is simply done by having the sounds that lead you in be the sounds that lead you out and back in again. I miss that though from when I was a kid and I would listen to these sixty to seventy five minute hip hop albums that were just these unfolding things. Whether you listen to ‘Three Feet High and Rising,’ or De La Soul’s ‘Dead,’ or “Blue Mind State,’ it’s like a seamless thing and I really appreciate that. When I got into indie rock, I didn’t find that as much and I think all of us are into creating really full albums that can exist completely on their own.

We’re doing it ourselves so we can take these chances, I think w/bigger labels they may ask you for a little bit more out of what you do and we still really push ourselves to do what we want to. We have that luxury b/c we’ve been doing this a long time. We took some chances with “On the Water”. Nothing crazy, no noise jams or anything, but more with the way we were writing and chose to display ourselves.

Showbams: There have been a lot of artists you guys have worked with: Lonnie Walker, Dan Deacon and Wye Oak. Is there anyone you would like to work with in the future, or do you just figure it out accordingly?

Cashion: We’ve been talking about doing a supergroup with Wye Oak, which maybe that’ll happen (should I have not have talked about that, is that top secret)? We’ve been talking about getting together w/them and writing some songs, seeing what happens. I guess we all have different people we’d like to work with, Brian Eno of course would be super cool. Richard James of Aphex Twin, James Murphy.

Herring: I’d love to sing a duet with Joanna Newsome, I think our voices would be really interesting together. Garret is going to have Dave Lombardo play drums on his next album.

Showbams: I know recently you guys released a 7″ with Ed Shrader’s Music Beat, which is the second release from Less Artist More Condo’s Series (LAMC), in reference to concerts that Ariel Primero from the NYC label Famous Class, used to put on. I know there’s a story behind the album, can you elaborate?

Cashion: Our friend Cyrus runs the label, he’s really good friends with Ariel. who about a year ago passed away and there’s a series of albums in memory of him. Each of the 7″ are available for download in a pay what you want w/ all the money going to a VH1 Save the Music Fund in Ariel’s name. Which basically means money goes to public school’s for music education funding, it’s a really good cause. They choose the band that’s going to be on the A Side and then they want those bands to choose lesser known bands in hopes that they’ll get more attention and for us it was an easy choice, Ed Shrader’s Music Beat. Those guys toured the US w/us all last year and they’re also our roommates. They have some really great, new and interesting stuff w/music that I think more people should hear. Their debut is amazing and I’m really excited for what’s going to be next w/those guys. They’re like the next wave of American, underground DIY.

Herring: You can go to Load Record’s to find out more abut Ed Shrader’s Music Beat, their album Jazz Mind came out earlier on this year, but you can find that 7″ at Famous Class, too. The cover of the 7″ is a picture of Ed’s cat and Garret’s cat, the two band cats, they make sure the house is cool back home.

Filed Under: Featured, Interviews Tagged With: Future Islands, The Independent

PHOTOS: FYF Fest 2012

September 6, 2012 by Pete Mauch 1 Comment

FYF Fest //
LA State Historic Park – Los Angeles
September 1st-2nd, 2012 //

We hit FYF Fest in LA last weekend to cover the two-day music festival for our very first time. With headliners Refused, M83 and Beirut leading the way, the FYF lineup also featured sets from James Blake, Yeasayer, Desaparecidos, Sleigh Bells, Simian Mobile Disco, Dinosaur Jr., Warpaint, Twin Shadow, Cursive, Liars, Chromatics, HEALTH, Fucked Up, Future Islands, Tycho, Purity Ring, Baroness, Gold Panda, Aesop Rock, Cloud Nothings, Father John Misty, Dâm-Funk, Wild Nothing, The Allah Las and many more.

You can view the full gallery here on our Facebook page, and you can also check out our favorite sets from the fest here. All photos by Pete Mauch.