Desert Daze enlists Tame Impala, Iggy Pop and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard as 2022 headliners to celebrate 10th anniversary

Desert Daze - 2022 lineup

Desert Daze //
Moreno Beach – Lake Perris, CA‎
September 30th-October 2nd, 2022 //

Itching to hit up a music festival this year?

Now that the live music industry has returned to its pre-pandemic ways, there have recently been a slew of festival lineup announcements in California and the latest just happens to be Desert Daze.

After all, on the same day that Ohana Encore announced a return to Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, the always-psychedelic Desert Daze has also revealed plans to celebrate its 10th anniversary at another beach in Southern California not anywhere near the ocean.

The three-day boutique music festival, which has found a home at Moreno Beach inside the 1,800-acre Lake Perris State Recreation Area since 2018, has put together a roster that falls right in line with past lineups as Tame Impala get set to perform their 2012 semifinal LP Lonerism in its entirety. Joining them as headliners will be Iggy Pop and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, both of which are Daze alumni.

Desert Daze’s undercard in 2022, meanwhile, will be rounded out by Chicano Batman, The Marías, Sky Ferreira, BADBADNOTGOOD, JPEGMAFIA, Mild High Club, Men I Trust, Cortex, Fuzz, Pond, Perfume Genius, Aldous Harding, Sleaford Mods, DakhaBrakha, Boy Pablo, Cymande and more. See the poster above for the rest of the scheduled acts.

Three-day GA and VIP passes to Desert Daze are available to purchase here starting at $299 and $649, respectively, during the fest’s presale before the general public on-sale begins this Thursday, June 16th at 10 a.m. PT. Don’t sleep on picking up tickets for what’s sure to be an exciting weekend in the desert!

Desert Daze 2022 - daily lineups

UPDATE (August 2nd): Desert Daze has unleashed daily lineups for its 10th anniversary with King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard rocking Friday, Tame Impala performing Lonerism on Saturday and the legendary Iggy Pop closing things down Sunday to mark his only North American performance of the year. Single-day tickets are also available now, so grab those here for $139-179 (GA), $299-399 (VIP) and $666-777 (VIP Plus) while you can!

Desert Daze - updated 2022 lineup

Desert Daze 2022 - Friday set times

Desert Daze 2022 - Saturday set times

Desert Daze 2022 - Sunday set times

Desert Daze 2022 - map

UPDATE (September 22nd): With Desert Daze’s 10th anniversary only a week away, the festival has dished out this year’s set times and quite a few lineup changes, beginning with Beach House replacing Iggy Pop as Sunday’s headliner. The legendary singer-songwriter unfortunately won’t be able to perform in 2022 due to unprecedented visa delays involving his French band, but he’s not the only who won’t be making it out to Lake Perris as Boy Pablo and Los Retros have also pulled out. In their place, along with Beach House, will be English post-punk band Shame and an undisclosed secret set that organizers say “may cause havoc.” Don’t forget to take a peek at the entire schedule and map above, and if you haven’t already snagged yours, single-day and weekend tickets are still available here!

Treefort Music Fest 2022: Here’s (almost) everything you need to know as Boise’s best festival turns 10

Treefort Music Festival 2022 - crowdPhotos by Matthew Wordell, Amanda Morgan & Christina Birkinbine // Written by Kevin Quandt //

Treefort Music Fest //
Downtown Boise – Boise, ID
March 23rd-27th, 2022 //

2022 is looking to be a “return to normality” in many sectors of life compared to the last two lengthy years, and as we notice more shows and festivals returning to their previous capacity and success, it’s no surprise that Idaho’s premier indie music event is poised to be an overwhelming standout early in the season. This year’s lineup is truly a cornucopia of up-and-coming artists coupled with some of the best established alternative acts spread across Boise’s charming and extremely navigable downtown area.

There’s a lot to dig into for this five-day event, and while many know Treefort as the Northwest’s iteration of South by Southwest, it has begun to grow out of that singular reputation in its 10th year of existence. We’ll do our best to touch on as many areas, or Forts, below.


The Forts

Treefort Music Festival 2022 - beer

Alefort: Beer has increasingly become a sizable part of the Boise community in the past few years with the town home to nearly 20 breweries. Toss in a few distilleries, and you have a recipe for beverage success. While Alefort will offer a plethora of local beers and cocktails, the introduction of Future Pub will see Boise’s favorite foods reimagined as plant-based and sustainable eats.

This Fort will offer around 70 different selections from the area. Here’s a sneak peek of a few offerings:

• Lumberbeard – Cody’s Red Couch (West Coast IPA collaboration with Treasure Valley Beer Buyers)
• Odell – Barreled Treasure (Barrel-Aged Imperial Horchata Stout)
• Barbarian – Cry of the Blackbirds (Blackberry and Boysenberry Barrel-Aged Sour)
• OEC – Coolship Lager (a Lager with a character all its own)
• Von Ebert – Volatile Substance (2021 GABF gold medal winner for American IPA)
• Rodenbach – Red Tripel (celebrating a 200-year anniversary from a classic Belgian brewery)
• Fremont – Coconut Cacao BBADS (Barrel-Aged Imperial Oatmeal Stout with coconut and cocoa)

Getting thirsty yet? If so, we highly recommend you consider the Alefort Buzz Pass, as it’s essentially an affordable “Beer VIP” add-on to your festival pass that comes with eight beer tokens, front-of-line privileges and assorted swag. Cheers!

Artfort: Expect to see various artistic selections throughout the streets of downtown Boise as local muralists, performers and visual artists pepper the site with their creative output. Longtime musical puppetry ensemble The Fungineers will be on hand to showcase their bizarro skills, playing a late-night set at The Egyptian Theatre on Friday, March 24 from 12-1:30 a.m.

Comedyfort: Looking for a little break from the music and more importantly, some serious laughs? (Is that an oxymoron?) Comedyfort, held on Friday and Saturday at the Owyhee and FireFusion Studio, is your destination for both passholders and the general public. This two-day showcase features nearly two dozen comics from across the country and will be anchored by co-headliners Chanel Ali and Chris Garcia.

Dragfort: Treefort thrives as an all-inclusive event, and Dragfort showcases this in FABULOUS form. Dragfort is a shining celebration of all things LGBTQ+, building community through performance and dialogue. Various troupes will be performing across the event, such as the Corevette Collective, a group of queer fae performers. Start your Sunday in grand style at “It’s Brunch Bitch”, which will be held at Alefort on Sunday from 12-2 p.m.

Filmfort: This cinema-centric Fort will present an array of independent film screenings coupled with DIY panels and Q&A sessions with many of the featured filmmakers. Zambia’s Zamrock heroes WITCH (We Intend To Cause Havoc) are in the U.S. this spring, and we should be thrilled they are hitting Treefort on this tour. They’ll be performing both Saturday and Sunday, as well as having a screening of their seminal documentary. Another standout film event will be anchored by 90’s alternative-rock stalwarts Mercury Rev as they present a rare performance of their Clear Light Ensemble. This iteration of live film soundtracking will take place on Friday at 12:30 a.m. (late Thursday night) at The Egyptian Theatre. The 1962 cult-horror film “Carnival of Souls” will be live scored by Mercury Rev alongside John Dwyer (Osees), Mimi Goese (Hugo Largo), Ryley Walker, Brett Netson (Caustic Resin, Built to Spill, Earth, Scram Signal), Luke Wyland (AU, Methods Body), Andrew Dixon, Michael Mitchell (Jeff Crosby, Floating Witch’s Head).

Foodfort: Should be one of the more self-explanatory spaces at the event. The list of gastronomic superstars is impressive as Foodfort serves up our chef du fest Hugh Acheson, Food & Wine’s 2021 Best New Chef Carlo Lamagna and James Beard Award-winning podcast “Copper & Heat”. While Foodfort Tastes are ticketed events, all Foodfort Talks are open to pass holders.

Hackfort: For those attendees who live for the next tech innovation, there is indeed a Fort for you. Workshops will touch upon such popular topics as AI, gaming, 3D printing, animation and music tech to name a few. Admission to Hackfort is included with Treefort passes, yet a singular pass for this Fort is also offered.

Kidfort: Hey, Treefort is for all ages, so naturally some fun offerings for the lil’ festival-goers had to be present. Even better is the fact that kids 12 and under get a totally free wristband for the entire festival. These focused events for the kiddos include art projects, puppetry, workshops, family dance parties, sing-a-longs and even a youth variety showcase.

Skatefort: This single-day exhibition of all things skateboarding, roller skating, music and the intersecting communities. All are welcome to skate the park on this Saturday offering, advocating youth and at-risk youth to enjoy this growing sport.

Storyfort: Not being the type of all-inclusive arts event to leave out the written word and the process of telling a compelling story, this fort focuses on authors, poets, journalists, spoken word artists, refugee storytellers, podcasters and much more.

Yogafort: After three days and nights of various shows and programming, some attendees may need a little healthy stretching and movement. Well, Treefort has got you covered on Saturday, March 26th with their holistic Yogafort program at the Adelmann Building, which will offer a radiant heart flow, queer-guided meditations, dancing, musical yoga pairings and a bunch more. Much like Hackfort, a Yogafort-specific pass can be purchased.


Treefort Music

Treefort Music Festival 2022

As you can clearly see, Treefort offers attendees no shortage of auxiliary offerings, but the majority of pass holders will surely be focused on the music programming that is extensive, inclusive and very deep. We’d be here all day if we highlighted even half of the hundreds of acts that are present on the lineup. Much like South By, Treefort’s curation leans heavily on breaking the next banner acts as they jump onto the radar of industry and fans alike. There are plenty of accolades to be showered on headliners such as former Sonic Youth founder Kim Gordon, psych demigods Osees and buzzworthy upstarts Men I Trust. We’ll focus on more mid-tier, up-and-coming and rare acts as they make a visit to the edges of the Northwest.

Artist: Nubya Garcia
Set date/time: Thursday, March 24th 9:10 p.m.
Location: El Korah Shrine

London-based Nubya Garcia has been making serious waves in the past couple years, and it’s a treat to have her make a visit to Treefort after a handful of support dates with Khruangbin out east. The critical acclaim has been raining down on the saxophonist/composer quickly after her debut Concord Jazz release, and has become a key figure in the rising UK jazz scene alongside Kamaal Williams, Ezra Collective and Kokoroko. Garcia’s sultry groove is not to be missed for fans of free-flowing jazz.

Artist: Vanishing Twin
Set date/time: Friday, March 25th 7:30 p.m.
Location: El Korah Shrine

Thankfully the Treefort booking team was able to re-secure this UK psych-pop consortium after 2020’s event was punted. The group is made up of members from the HAHA Sounds Collective, an assembly of London vocalists and instrumentalists who all generally share the same vision on creating jazzy, atmospheric tunes that occasionally sound better suited as a soundtrack for an obscure French film.

Artist: Magdalena Bay
Set date/time: Friday, March 25th 10:20 p.m.
Location: Egyptian Theatre

This duo serves up a heaping slice of futuristic indie-pop that will surely stick with you as they deliver shining electronic tunes coupled with eye-grabbing visuals. Their knack for delivering content via multiple online formats has created a unique commentary of the state of tech and the shifting music industry, which is soundtracked by some seriously catchy electropop. Fans of acts such as Spelling, Dorian Electra and the late SOPHIE should prioritize this evening performance.

Artist: Dummy
Set date/time: Saturday, March 26th 7:10 p.m.
Location: Sonic Temple Blue

An emphasis on minimal UK noise rock coupled with haunting, melodic vocals has never sounded so refreshing as this LA group expertly displayed on their Trouble in Mind Records debut Mandatory Enjoyment. This aptly named release found its way onto a handful of “Best of 2021” album lists for good reason, as their organ-heavy sound paired with female vocals heralds comparisons to Stereolab.

Artist: Deradoorian
Set date/time: Saturday, March 26th 9:00 p.m.
Location: KIN

Many tuned-in indie music fans are most likely to recognize Angel Deradoorian from her tenure with Dirty Projectors. However, it’s under her solo moniker that the art-pop goddess shines brightest. Equal parts spooky indie pop coupled with krautrock-leaning flourishes has yielded some truly impressive releases. 2020’s Find the Sun is worth a spin before making the pilgrimage to Boise in the coming week.

Artist: Ducks Ltd.
Set dates/times: Saturday, March 26th 10:10 p.m. & Sunday, March 27th 5:20 p.m.
Locations: Linen Building (March 26th) & Radioland (March 27th)

Tom McGreevy and Evan Lewis are vetted pros at serving up gleeful pop rock, which somehow equally sounds both nostalgic and newfangled. The Toronto-based jangle-pop duo’s 2021 Carpark release Modern Fiction is one to throw on before heading to Boise in the coming week for fans of Luna, Real Estate and Chime School.

Artist: PAINT
Set date/time: Saturday, March 26th 10:30 p.m.
Location: The District

While not a new side project for LA band Allah-Las songwriter/guitarist Pedrum Siadatian, PAINT can fly under the radar of Allah fans. Luckily, their surf-inspired jangle rock is rather akin to Siadatian’s main project, full of piercing guitar leads coupled with washed-out vocals. While PAINT’s overall vibe may be supremely suited for a sunny beach day, it’ll win over those in attendance for their Saturday showcase. Fans of this sound and act should also heavily consider catching fellow LA act The Spyrals.

Artist: Geese
Set date/time: Sunday, March 27th 10:50 p.m.
Location: Sonic Temple Blue

These uber-buzzy NYC teenagers might be on your radar as they’ve garnered a slew of critical acclaim since the release of their sensational debut single “Disco”. While they have only recently begun to tour, they have already taken the U.S. and globe by force with relentless touring and press. Post-punk bands have become pretty plentiful with a renewed emphasis on the genre, but these young lads have stood out with their guttural vocals, impressive guitar interplay and introspective-beyond-their-age lyrics.


As you can likely surmise, Treefort offers a ton of options to every demographic and tough decisions will need to be made as you zig zag through Boise’s city center for five days. You should currently be trying to put your game plan together assuming you already have a pass in hand. If not, you still have plenty of time to book travel to this highly accessible and very financially reasonable locale. There’s little doubt that every attendee won’t walk away with a handful of new artists to dig into this spring as we ramp back up to live shows and festivals. Why not get the ball rolling in late March at Treefort?

Tickets to Treefort Music Fest 2022 are available here.

Treefort Music Festival 2022 - lineup

Coachella reveals 2019 set times

Coachella 2019

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival //
Empire Polo Club – Indio, CA
April 12th-14th & April 19th-21st, 2019 //

It’s officially Coachella week, and we all know what that means: scheduling conflicts galore.

The three-day, two-weekend music and arts festival has revealed the set times for its 20th edition just after 11 a.m. PT (11:04 a.m. to be exact), about 16 hours later than it did in 2018.

Coachellans often have some tough decisions to make as to which artists they should see, and 2019 is no different in that respect. But if you’re headed to the desert this month, take a look at the set times below so you can survive all three days at the Empire Polo Club.

Tell us, though … what’s your biggest conflict this year and which performance are you most excited for?

WEEKEND 1 SET TIMES

Coachella 2019 - Weekend 1 - Friday set times

Coachella 2019 - Weekend 1 - Saturday set times

Coachella 2019 - Weekend 1 - Sunday set times

Coachella 2019 - Weekend 1 - Do LaB Stage set times

WEEKEND 2 SET TIMES

Coachella 2019 - Weekend 2 - Friday set times

Coachella 2019 - Weekend 2 - Saturday set times

Coachella 2019 - Weekend 2 - Sunday set times

Coachella 2019 - Weekend 2 - Do LaB Stage set times

There are a few minor schedule tweaks for Weekend 2, as Big Game takes Friday’s opening slot on the Outdoor Theatre at 3 p.m. for Jimbo Jenkins, who has been moved to the Sahara Tent on Saturday at 12:25 p.m. More Saturday changes include More Fire Mondays replacing Gabe Real on the Coachella Stage at 1:50 p.m., CPTN KIRK taking Fundido’s spot in the Gobi Tent at 12:45 p.m. and Lealani kicking things off in the Mojave Tent rather than Yeti Out at 12 p.m. bright and early (and hot, most likely).

On Sunday, Ugly Primo will now be the first act — instead of Alf Alpha — to take the Coachella Stage at 2:15 p.m. while Subsuelo gets things started in the Mojave Tent at 1:40 p.m., replacing Ericalandia, and Cre-8 has been moved in place of R3LL in the Sahara Tent at 1:50 p.m.

UPDATE (April 18th): Christine and the Queens has canceled her Weekend 2 performance at the Outdoor Theatre, sadly due to her mother’s death. Héloïse Letissier announced the news on Twitter in her native tongue of French (see below).

MAP

A little more than four hours after releasing its Weekend 1 set times, Coachella unveiled this year’s map and it looks fairly similar to what we saw in 2018.

One of most notable differences is the relocation of the Gobi and Sonora Tents, which have traded places with the Indio Central Market and the Antarctica dome, the latter being one of the cooler (no pun intended) experiences that the festival has introduced in the past three years. The Heineken House, meanwhile, has also moved (next to Antarctica) and sits more tucked away from Coachella’s eight other stages than it ever used to be.

Coachella - 2019 map

The Mojave Tent will continue to remain in its same location, with a few new additions to the area, including the Calvin Klein, Pantene and Peet’s Cold Brew tents. Believe it or not, there’s even a designated place where you can pick up your Postmates order. Ah, corporate sponsors … because what would America’s most Instagrammed music festival be without them now?

Happy Coachella!

Noise Pop 2019: Here are the shows you can’t miss

Noise Pop 2019Written by Molly Kish //

Noise Pop //
Bay Area venues – San Francisco & Oakland
February 25th-March 3rd, 2019 //

Noise Pop returns this year for its 27th installment with a lineup that features more than 130 acts spanning 18 Bay Area venues. In addition to the debut of the “Ear Up Global Showcase” this Saturday, March 2nd, NP2019 boasts a brand-new venue located in SF’s Mission District that’s known as the Brava Theater Center.

Attendees can still look forward to plenty of happy hours at Bender’s Bar & Grill as well as special showcases curated by DoTheBay, San Franpsycho, BFF.fm, Sea Witch Productions and Text Me Records. Plus, you can also view the “Noise Pop Festival Photo Retrospective” this Tuesday, February 26th at The Royale to relive some of the best moments in Noise Pop history through the lenses of the Bay Area’s top photographic talent.

Brava Theater Center


Brava Theater Center

The festival’s art this year highlights the Bay Area’s very own Kristin Farr, whose work can be seen on public murals, office building interiors and festival stages in SF and beyond and was even included in the Emmy Award-winning KQED Art School series.

Noise Pop badges and individual tickets to shows are still available and can be purchased here. To help you sort it all out, we have broken down the 2019 lineup and offered our top performances that you won’t want to miss below.


Noise Pop 2019 - Bob Mould

TUESDAY 2/26

  • Men I Trust @ Great American Music Hall

WEDNESDAY 2/27

  • Noise Pop Happy Hour with Coke
  • Baths @ Great American Music Hall
  • The Marías @ The New Parish

THURSDAY 2/28

  • Vetiver and Fruit Bats @ The Chapel
  • DJ Boring & Jacques Greene @ 1015 Folsom

FRIDAY 3/1

  • Saul Williams @ Brava Theater Center
  • Tourist @ Gray Area
  • Vagabond @ Swedish American Hall

SATURDAY 3/2

  • Beirut @ Fox Theater Oakland
  • Bob Mould @ The Fillmore
  • Princess Nokia @ UC Theater
  • VHS Collection @ The Independent

SUNDAY 3/3

  • Partner & Dude York @ Cafe du Nord
  • Daughters @ The Independent

Check out the monthly Noise Pop Podcast series to discover more new music and create your own customized Noise Pop schedule here.

Noise Pop 2019 - Phase 3 lineup

Coachella drops 2019 lineup with Childish Gambino, Tame Impala & Ariana Grande headlining 20th year

Coachella - 2019 lineup

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival //
Empire Polo Club – Indio, CA
April 12th-14th & April 19th-21st, 2019 //

Sorry, Kanye West fans.

Hours after TMZ reported that the rapper would not perform at Coachella due to negotiations over his stage setup falling through, the renowned three-day, two-weekend music festival has announced the lineup for its 20th edition.

Headlining Goldenvoice’s signature event in Indio this time around will be Childish Gambino, Tame Impala and Ariana Grande. While the first two acts had been previously rumored to top the 2019 bill with both expected to unveil new albums in the coming months, the inclusion of Grande comes as somewhat of a surprise (our guess is that she was likely tabbed to be West’s replacement). All three will headline Coachella for the first time, marking the second straight year that the festival has gone in that direction, although Tame Impala have performed on the polo fields several times in the past and as recently as 2015 (on the main stage before AC/DC). And for the record, Grande, at 25 years old, will be the youngest artist ever to headline.

The rest of Coachella’s 2019 roster, meanwhile, includes plenty of other household names, such as Janelle Monáe, Solange, Khalid, The 1975, Kid Cudi, Weezer, Bad Bunny, RÜFÜS DU SOL, J Balvin, Dillon Francis, BLACKPINK, Billie Eilish, CHVRCHES, Anderson .Paak & the Free Nationals, YG, Kacey Musgraves, Juice WRLD, Christine and the Queens, Playboi Carti, Ella Mai, Wiz Khalifa and H.E.R. As you can see, the focus continues to be on hip-hop, pop and R&B while straying away mostly from rock. But unlike in 2018, there seems to be more electronic music once again with Zedd, DJ Snake, Gesaffelstein, Diplo, Aphex Twin, Dillon Francis, Kaytranada, Bassnectar, Four Tet, Cirez D (aka Eric Prydz), Chris Lake, Bob Moses, Gryffin, Jon Hopkins, NGHTMRE, Gorgon City, Nina Kraviz and even 90’s progressive-house duo Deep Dish receiving fairly high placement on the fest’s famed poster.

Coachella’s first weekend is scheduled for April 12th-14th, with its second weekend slated for April 19th-21st. All tickets will go on sale for both weekends this Friday, January 4th at 11 a.m. PT here.

Ready to party in the California desert this April? Relive our five favorite moments, whether it was Jamiroquai or Eminem, from last year’s installment.

Coachella 2018

The Bam Team’s 5 Favorite Shows, Albums & Songs of 2018

David Byrne at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium


David Byrne at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium // Showbams’ Photo of the Year, by Tim O’Shea

We have to be honest: 2018 was kind of a weird year for music. Sure, there were some major highlights — many of them listed below, in fact — but we also saw a serious changing of the guard. The decline of mainstream rock and the continued rise of hip-hop, R&B and pop was more noticeable than ever, from this year’s Coachella lineup to the cancellation of FYF Fest, making us wonder what the next twist or turn will be for the industry now that the demand for EDM has started to cool off following its boom circa 2012. That said, we still listened to a lot of new albums and caught plenty of concerts over the last 12 months, and it’s once again time for us to share our annual “Best of” lists, much like we have done over the past several years (see our 2017 picks here).

So, without further ado, Showbams presents The Bam Team’s five favorite shows, albums and songs from 2018.

See our favorite performances from 2018 here.

Listen to The Bam Team’s favorite songs of 2018:


Jamiroquai at Coachella 2018


Jamiroquai at Coachella 2018 // Photo courtesy of Coachella

Josh Herwitt // Los Angeles

Top 5 Shows of 2018
1. Queens of the Stone Age at The Forum – Inglewood, CA – February 17th
Just more than two months after his infamous assault on a photographer at The Forum for KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas, Queens of the Stone Age leader Josh Homme made his return to the LA arena for a proper, sold-out affair with UK rock duo Royal Blood delivering what proved to be a headbanging opening set. From there, it only got better as Homme and the boys dazzled with a headlining performance that even included Villains producer Mark Ronson sitting in for most of the five-song encore and the band’s live debut of its “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” cover. You can bet Elton John, whom Homme actually collaborated with during the writing and recording of QOTSA’s sixth album …Like Clockwork, would have been proud. I always know when I’ve seen a good rock ‘n’ roll show because my neck will be sore the following day, but after this one, it was sore for the next three days. Ouch.

2. Nine Inch Nails at Hollywood Palladium – Los Angeles, CA – December 12th, 14th-15th
3. Jamiroquai at Coachella, Weekend 1 – Indio, CA – April 13th
4. David Byrne at Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA – August 24th
5. Foo Fighters/Nirvana reunion at Cal Jam 18 – San Bernadino, CA – October 6th

Top 5 Albums of 2018
1. Jungle – For Ever
Unlike previous years, picking a favorite album in 2018 wasn’t quite as easy for me. I’ll admit that I didn’t hear every one that was released this year, but I listened to a lot of them. So, call me boring and short-sighted if you like, but nothing totally knocked my socks off. After much deliberation, it was Jungle’s sophomore LP For Ever that stood the test of time for me (no pun intended). The English soul collective’s follow-up to its 2014 self-titled debut doesn’t veer off in a completely different direction from what came before, but it still moves the sonic needle forward enough. After two full lengths, Jungle have shown a knack for writing catchy, dance-fueled tunes that transport you to a different time and place — even if it’s only for a three- or four-minute stretch.

2. Khruangbin – Con Todo El Mundo
3. Arctic Monkeys – Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
4. Kamasi Washington – Heaven and Earth
5. Big Red Machine – Big Red Machine

Top 5 Songs of 2018
1. Nine Inch Nails – “Over and Out”
When I first listened to Bad Witch, I immediately knew this one was my favorite track on the album. But hearing it performed live on the final night of NIN’s “Cold and Black and Infinite” North American tour sealed it for top honors in 2018. Layering a brooding, yet funky bass line on top of a glitchy, experimental beat, Trent Reznor shows that he isn’t just playing it safe and merely saving his creativity for scoring films with bandmate and longtime collaborator Atticus Ross. You can tell Reznor had his late friend David Bowie in mind when he wrote the song too as he conjures up an even deeper baritone from behind the microphone than the one we have come to know over the last 30 years.

2. Childish Gambino – “This Is America”
3. Jungle – “Heavy, California”
4. Wild Nothing – “Partners in Motion”
5. The Raconteurs – “Now That You’re Gone”


Richard Russell - Everything Is Recorded

Molly Kish // San Francisco

Top 5 Shows of 2018
1. David Byrne at Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland, CA – August 16th
In support of his seventh solo album American Utopia, musical virtuoso David Byrne hit the road for one of this year’s most creative and ambitious tours. Over more than 150 dates that spanned the entire globe, the 66-year-old delivered Broadway-caliber performances with a traveling 11-piece band that served as a traveling retrospective of his solo and collaborative work. Meanwhile, the tour also doubled as a platform for him to deliver his “Reasons to Be Cheerful” manifestos on civic engagement, climate/energy, culture, economics, education, health, science/technology and urban transportation. He partnered with HeadCount while encouraging audiences every night to engage in public discourse through social media and their own personal stories on his website. And as a result, Byrne elevated the concert-going experience into more of an interactive, performance-art space that his fans became a living, breathing part of.

2. Young Fathers at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – November 10th
3. Erykah Badu & Thundercat at The Armory – San Francisco, CA – February 14th
4. Beck at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – August 8th
5. LCD Soundsystem with TV on the Radio at Greek Theatre Berkeley – Berkeley, CA – April 27th-28th

Top 5 Albums of 2018
1. Richard Russell – Everything Is Recorded by Richard Russell
A multi-artist project released as the debut album of XL Recordings founder Richard Russell, Everything Is Recorded is collaborative effort representing the ties between past and present sounds currently shaping the framework of hip-hop, funk and soul. Featuring collaborations with Sampha, Kamasi Washington, Syd, Damon Albarn, Peter Gabriel, Ibeyi, Obongjayar and more, the album also plays as the soundtrack to a 30-minute film, which documents the time each spent in the studio during its conception and is interspliced with archival footage of Gil Scott-Heron and Curtis Mayfield. With its underlying themes of loss and isolation, Everything Is Recorded effectively communicates Russell’s emotional journey as he battles a debilitating autoimmune disease in hope of finding salvation through the shared experience of creating a beautifully mastered piece of art.

2. George Fitzgerald – All That Must Be
3. Pusha T – DAYTONA
4. Robyn – Honey
5. Khruangbin – Con Todo El Mundo

Top 5 Songs of 2018
1. Childish Gambino – “This Is America”
If any song embodied the insanity and collective discontent of 2018, it was definitely Childish Gambino’s epic single “This Is America”. The juxtaposition of an a cappella choir leading into Donald Glover’s soft crooning over island beats and drum samples before staunchly diverting to a menacing base line reminiscent of 90’s gangster rap — as well as the hortative delivery of degrading lyrics about the current state of violence and American ideals — is near-perfect. Of course, the provocative music video that accompanied the track’s surprise release during his “Saturday Night Live” debut was incredible. The song, lyrics, video and marketing campaign could not have been a more flawless “slice of life” reflection of modern American society and justifiably has boomeranged into probably the most important moment of Childish Gambino’s career so far.

2. The Presets – “Downtown Shutdown”
3. Jon Hopkins – “Everything Connected”
4. Jungle – “Casio”
5. Parquet Courts – “Wide Awake”


Kevin Quandt // San Francisco

Top 5 Shows of 2018
1. David Byrne at Jazzfest – New Orleans, LA – April 29th
You know what they say: the first time is always the best. With David Byrne’s 2018 “American Utopia Tour” being universally acclaimed as one of the most enigmatic live shows of the year, it’s not surprising to see it top other “Best of” lists. Byrne and his merry band of “unplugged” pranksters created a feast for the eyes and ears, and his daytime set on the Gentilly Stage did not disappoint at all. While his Fox Theater Oakland shows were more intimate and featured some more dynamic lighting features, his performance at Jazzfest back in April was the most memorable for NOLA revelers.

2. Jamiroquai at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco, CA – April 17th
3. Polo & Pan at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – June 20th
4. Nine Inch Nails at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco, CA – December 4th
5. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever at Primavera Sound – Barcelona, Spain – June 2nd

Top 5 Albums of 2018
1. Khruangbin – Con Todo El Mundo
What a banner year for this Texas trio! Khruangbin have been on a steady rise the past few years as they turn on the masses to their infectious amalgamation of psychedelic soul, Thai surf rock and subtle funk. Having cemented their reputation as beasts in a live setting, Con Todo El Mundo proved their knack for penning tunes of equal strength with its emotive first single “Friday Morning” serving as a clear standout. “Evan Finds the Third Room” has also become a fan favorite, and the accompanying music video only lends to its growing charm. The sky’s the limit for Laura, Mark and DJ, so grab your ticket to fly.

2. Hookworms – Microshift
3. Amen Dunes – Freedom
4. Shame – Songs of Praise
5. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – Sparkle Hard

Top 5 Songs of 2018
1. Jonathan Wilson – “Trafalgar Square”
LA producer-turned-frontman Jonathan Wilson churned out one helluva album opener for his third solo LP Rare Birds, as this six-plus-minute romp has all the right pieces for true liftoff. A proper intro leads into a riff so heavy that it’ll break your mama’s back. Top-notch production is key to this track, as Wilson is a wiz behind the boards. As you cruise down the 405 with this whopper blaring, you’d be hard-pressed not to nod along. Extra points for those of you with a 1970’s convertible, too.

2. Tom Misch – “Water Baby” feat. Loyle Carner
3. Childish Gambino – “This Is America”
4. Jonathan Something – “Happy Day”
5. Men I Trust – “Seven”


Shame - Songs of Praise

Andrew Pohl // San Francisco

Top 5 Shows of 2018
1. The Smashing Pumpkins at Oracle Arena – Oakland, CA – August 27th
The Smashing Pumpkins are the quintessential 90’s arena-rock band, and they fully lived up to that billing at Oracle Arena for their Bay Area stop over the summer. I’ve seen them several times over the years, and although this time it was pegged as a “reunion tour” (minus D’Arcy, sigh), you never know what you’re going to get from them. Billy Corgan led the band through over three hours’ worth of material with some killer stage production to go with it. The show was definitely a marathon, but totally worth being there for. It came to light later that Corgan was also fighting off a bad case of food poisoning, but it didn’t show. It was great to see James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlain back onstage, too — the way it should be.

2. Nine Inch Nails at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco, CA – December 3rd
3. Against Me! & Turbonegro at UC Theatre – Berkeley, CA – May 25th
4. Alkaline Trio at The Warfield – San Francisco, CA – October 6th
5. Back To The Beach Festival – Huntington Beach, CA – April 28th-29th

Top 5 Albums of 2018
1. Shame – Songs of Praise
This album hit me like a ton of bricks in the best way. I had heard a ton of hype around Songs of Praise before giving it a first listen, and usually I am a healthy skeptic, but good Lord, does this record rip. It has a dark flavor and carries with it a lot of angst, and you can’t help but get caught up in the hooks that Shame offer. These five lads from South London simply killed it.

2. IDLES – Joy as an Act of Resistance
3. Kamasi Washington – Heaven and Earth
4. Hot Snakes – Jericho Sirens
5. Snail Mail – Lush

Top 5 Songs of 2018
1. Shame – “Concrete”
Conjuring up the ghost of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis without sounding like a complete poser is challenging for newer post-punk bands it seems — except for Shame’s Charlie Steen. Paired with some brilliant instrumentation, I just couldn’t stop listening to “Concrete” when I first heard it. I must have listened to the track a solid 10 times in a row on the first go. This song has an infectious quality to it and is a straight-up ripper.

2. The Soft White Sixties – “I Still Love You, San Francisco”
3. Hot Snakes – “Six Wave Hold-Down”
4. IDLES – “Colossus”
5. The Sword – “Come and Gone”

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