Mezzanine – Showbams

Cut Copy ring in New Year with no spare of ‘lights and music’

January 6, 2015 by Molly Kish 1 Comment

Photos by Bridget Stagnitto & Jenn Wong // Written by Molly Kish //

Cut Copy with The Juan Maclean, St. Pepsi, Eli Glad //
Mezzanine – San Francisco
December 31st, 2014 //

Unquestionably one of the easiest decisions made all year and further confirmed by the sold-out crowd in attendance last Wednesday night, Cut Copy headlining the Mezzanine for New Year’s Eve was pretty much a no-brainer.

Riding off an amazing year touring behind their fourth album Free Your Mind, the foursome arrived in the states ready to rage well into the earliest hours of 2015. The club was primed for the electrifying headliners with opening DJ sets from St. Pepsi and Eli Glad that was accompanied by a Russian Standard Vodka bar.

Leading into Cut Copy’s late-night slot, DFA Records brought the heat with a disco-infused DJ set from The Juan Maclean. Stationed side stage, MacLean got up close and personal with the rowdy crowd, playing hits off his 2014 critically-acclaimed release In a Dream to go along with deeper cuts and house favorites from his previous three albums on the iconic label. In a near-seamless transition, Maclean kept the crowd moving while Cut Copy’s road crew fine-tuned the sound and light equipment occupying the center stage. Inching toward the final minutes of 2014, the crowd, although anxious, remained enveloped in the pulsating nu-disco pumping through the venue’s veins.

With about 10 minutes left before the official countdown, Cut Copy exploded from a sea of light into the opening notes of “We Are Explorers”, igniting the crowd into a full-volume singalong and dance party. What at first seemed like a late start to their headlining set ended up timing out perfectly as an extended jam closed to usher in the New Year. Amidst their fully-immersive light show and a barrage of rainbow-colored balloons, couples kissed and friends embraced to fan favorite “Take Me Over”, which blended continuously into a euphoric rendition of “Free Your Mind,” causing the sold-out venue to collectively lose their own. The evening’s performance pulled from Cut Copy’s entire discography, pleasing what unquestionably was an audience filled with longtime fans who got to share an extremely special moment with the band and each other.

The band rocked its set well into the early-evening hours before leaving it for Deep Into the Night, which featured DJ performances from Cut Copy and Phantogram. While they didn’t promise new material during their set, Cut Copy has been cutting their producer chops after releasing their Melbourne dance music compilation, entitled Oceans Apart, in November. Highlighting the best and brightest in local acts from Down Under, Cut Copy have been keeping their ear to the ground and their fans attentive, opening up a world of possibilities for potential upcoming tour dates and collaborations.

If anything can be learned from this past year’s Disclosure-curated “Wild Life Series”, Cut Copy may have some creative plans for the future. After the incredible performance they put on to celebrate the annual bacchanal that is NYE, one can only hope that they’ll be back stateside sooner rather than later in 2015.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Cut Copy, Disclosure, Eli Glad, Mezzanine, Phantogram, St. Pepsi, The Juan Maclean

The Bam Team’s 5 Favorite Shows, Albums & Songs of 2014

December 31, 2014 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

St. Vincent at Fox Theatre Oakland // Showbams' Photo of the Year, by Pedro

St. Vincent at Fox Theater Oakland // Showbams’ Photo of the Year, by Pedro Paredes

Ah, year-end lists — they’re an exercise in subjectivity and personal experience if there has ever been one. But what better way is there to learn from each other and discover some great new music while capping off the year and beginning anew?

So, without further ado, Showbams presents The Bam Team’s five favorite shows, albums and songs from 2014.

The 25 Best Live Music Acts of 2014
Showbams’ Top 50 Albums of 2014

Listen to The Bam Team’s favorite songs of 2014:

Darkside at The Fillmore // Photo by James Nagel

Mike Frash // San Francisco

Top 5 Shows of 2014
1. Darkside at The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA – January 24th
Looking at my top five shows list for 2014, it appears I favor the weird, ya know, the good weird. This Darkside performance, the only SF show ever (for now) since Nicolas Jaar and Dave Harrington have put the project on indefinite hold, had patrons at The Fillmore in SF breathing and moving in unison. There was a magical feeling in the air as the hybrid of electronic and organic played out wonderfully with the duo tipping their hat to the past and setting a new standard for the brave new future of live music.

2. Panda Bear at The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA – May 22nd
3. tUnE-yArDs at The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA – June 6th
4. Phish at MGM Grand – Las Vegas, NV – October 31st
5. Volcano Choir at The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA – January 21st

Top 5 Albums of 2014
1. Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels 2
Ever since Jamie and Mikey blew my mind performing Run the Jewels almost in its entirety at The Independent in August of 2013, I’ve been a loyal RTJ soldier. And without taking a break, El Producto and Killer Mike stepped it up to an even higher plateau with their production precision, an uncanny balance of fun and intense, while lyrically honing more on the important issues of our time. Sensing the unstoppable momentum, Run the Jewels are already heading back into the studio for Run the Jewels 3. When Mike was recently asked if they’d continue to name their albums numerically, he said “Why not?!? Zeppelin did it!” Exactly. Say it with me now: Festival headliners circa 2016?

2. The War on Drugs – Lost in the Dream
3. D’Angelo – Black Messiah
4. Aphex Twin – Syro
5. The Antlers – Familiars

Top 5 Songs of 2014
1. Sturgill Simpson – “Turtles All the Way Down”
This is country music turned on its head, while staying mostly true to the hallmarks of the genre. Lyrically subversive while instrumentally emotive to the core, this song kept me coming back throughout 2014. It’s positive message of love winning over all else is certainly timeless, but when was the last time you heard a country tune tell a story of mind over matter transcendence? “There’s a gateway in our minds that leads somewhere out there, far beyond this place / Where reptile aliens made of light, cut you up and pull out all your pain.” Stirgill Simpson is as progressive as you can get within the realm of Americana, urging the listener to both think and feel.

2. St. Vincent – “Digital Witness”
3. Future Islands – “Seasons (Waiting on You)”
4. FKA twigs – “Two Weeks”
5. Flying Lotus – “Never Catch Me” feat. Kendrick Lamar

Nine Inch Nails // Photo by Rob Sheridan for NIN.com

Josh Herwitt // Los Angeles

Top 5 Shows of 2014
1. Nine Inch Nails & Soundgarden at Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO – July 21st
What a dream come true. Having the opportunity to see two of my favorite childhood bands at one of the best venues in the country would be hard to beat any year, let alone in 2014. Sharing the bill with Soundgarden on this tour, Trent Reznor made the most of a minimalist stage setup and trimmed-down lineup of sidekicks. Of the four shows (Red Rocks, Chula Vista, Irvine and Hollywood) I saw on this tour, this one felt particularly special. If this was one of the last times I ever got to see Nine Inch Nails perform live, it was a night I will never forget.

2. Jack White at The Fonda Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – June 10th
3. Cinquanta featuring Puscifer, A Perfect Circle and Failure at The Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – May 10th
4. Queens of the Stone Age at The Forum – Los Angeles, CA – October 31st
5. Tool at Valley View Casino Center – San Diego, CA – March 16th

Top 5 Albums of 2014
1. The Black Keys – Turn Blue
Akron’s favorite rockers answered the call this year, following up their Grammy-winning album El Camino with arguably their most ambitious effort to date — especially when you consider the turmoil that surrounded Dan Auerbach’s life at the time of its recording. Over the last five years, the Keys have become one of rock’s biggest bands, but they haven’t stopped taking risks as a result. Turn Blue dabbles in a myriad of styles, from the psychedelic sound of Pink Floyd on its opening track “Weight of Love” to the hip-hop groove on “10 Lovers.” For as many critics as they have, Auerbach and Patrick Carney have come a long way since their early years as strictly a blues duo.

2. The War on Drugs – Lost in the Dream
3. Jack White – Lazaretto
4. Aphex Twin – Syro
5. Death from Above 1979 – The Physical World

Top 5 Songs of 2014
1. Jack White – “High Ball Stepper”
Jack White seems to be on another level these days. The former White Stripe has grown into one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most exciting talents, and this blues-heavy, instrumental track showcases that better than any other offering on Lazaretto. White’s ferocious guitar riffs dominate the tune, taking listeners on an emotional roller coaster from start to finish. And when he plays “High Ball Stepper” live, the song takes on a new whole life of its own.

2. Foo Fighters – “Something for Nothing”
3. Interpol – “All the Rage Back Home”
4. TV on the Radio – “Happy Idiot”
5. Tycho – “Awake”

Jack White at Bill Graham Civic // Photo by David James Swanson

Steven Wandrey // San Francisco

Top 5 Shows of 2014
1. Jack White at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco, CA – August 22nd
From the dramatic curtain drop that slammed into high-octane rock, this show never let off the gas. Even with a bum ankle, Jack White stalked the stage and held power over the crowd. When the slowest moments of a show are White Stripes ballads that you’re giddy to hear and the other half of the show is headbanging, guitar-slinging rock, it’s easy to see how this show cemented itself as the best of 2014.

2. Atomic Bomb! The Music of William Onyeabor at The Warfield – San Francisco, CA – May 6th
3. The War on Drugs at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – April 1st
4. Run the Jewels at Mezzanine – San Francisco, CA – November 14th
5. Duck Sauce at Outside Lands Music Festival – August 9th

Top 5 Albums of 2014
1. Flying Lotus – You’re Dead!
This album makes me feel like I’m actually traveling through the underworld to the land of the dead. From front to back, the first thing that caught me about this album was its consistent message. Steven Ellison has an inviting sense of storytelling that’s infused with hip-hop but touches on an array of different music styles, involving a star-studded cast of guests, including Kendrick Lamar, Thundercat and Snoop Dog. I have a feeling Flying Lotus is on the forefront of creative hip-hop and that this album will prove to be influential down the line. More importantly, I just love listening to it. Taking wild turns from frenetic to serene, listening to this album from start to finish is a journey.

2. Aphex Twin – Syro
3. Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels 2
4. Future Islands – Singles
5. Tweedy – Sukierae

Top 5 Songs of 2014
1. Run the Jewels – “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry”
The minimalist production and deep, rumbling bass frequencies have helped this track become my No. 1 listened to on the album and also No. 1 for the year. The complimentary flow that El-P and Killer Mike have together is on display in this track. This cut has infected my brain like a virus (the good kind?), and I just can’t get enough.

2. Future Islands – “Seasons (Waiting on You)”
3. Sam Smith – “I’m Not the Only One”
4. Flying Lotus – “Never Catch Me” (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
5. Perfume Genius – “Queen”

Future Islands at The Chapel // Photo by Pedro Paredes

Kevin Quandt // San Francisco

Top 5 Shows of 2014
1. Future Islands at Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Weekend 1 – Indio, CA – April 12th
It’s been a banner year for the Baltimore darlings we have grown to love as Future Islands. Breaking through the underground touring circuit to being a highly sought-after festival act was quick and clean as the passionate stage performance of Samuel Harrington could not be ignored by growing audiences. A packed Gobi Tent was eating from the frontman’s palm as Herrington poured himself out on stage, belting out a set heavy on new tracks and old favorites. It was a pivotal point where both the band and audience knew that Future Islands had arrived at the next stage of their career.

2. The Cure at BottleRock Napa Valley – Napa, CA – May 30th
3. Phish at MGM Grand Arena – Las Vegas, NV – October 31st
4. Connan Mockasin at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – May 15th
5. Deerhoof at Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA – November 18th

Top 5 Albums of 2014
1. The War on Drugs – Lost in the Dream
Adam Granduciel had one helluva 2014 to brag about. His third studio album Lost in the Dream was an overwhelming success, and all for good reason as the lush waves of rock swell over the listener like a warm Christmas sweater, just less ugly than the one you wore to that one party. “Under the Pressure” opens this release in epic fashion and does not let up from there. Guitar rock is not dead!

2. Todd Terje – It’s Album Time
3. Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels 2
4. D’Angelo – Black Messiah
5. White Fence – For the Recently Found Innocent

Top 5 Songs of 2014
1. Flying Lotus – “Never Catch Me” (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
Steven Ellison’s left-field meditation on death, as demonstrated on 2014’s release You’re Dead!, is not for everyone and is more about the full album than the sum of its parts (tracks). However, there is one shining beacon of a collaboration that could not be cast aside in the form of “Never Catch Me”. The partnership of one of the hottest MCs with one of the most sought-after producers was meant to be a brutally infectious slice of off-kilter street music.

2. Caribou – “Can’t Do Without You”
3. Future Islands – “Seasons (Waiting on You)”
4. Beck – “Blue Moon”
5. Ariel Pink – “Put Your Number in My Phone”

Ryan Adams at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2014 // Photo by Pedro Paredes

Pete Mauch // Los Angeles

Top 5 Shows of 2014
1. Phish at MGM Grand – Las Vegas, NV – October 31st
Phish has made the tradition of covering other artists albums on Halloween, and this year they completely outdid themselves by covering essentially an album of only narrative and spooky sounds. The Disney-produced album The Thrilling and Chilling Sounds of the Taunted House was turned into a rock opera of sorts as Trey and company worked through completely new songs based off just minimal sounds, but the night didn’t just end there. The band played this rock opera sandwiched between two very strong sets of original Phish songs that could have held its own alone.

2. Lettuce’s Late Night in Red Barn at Summer Camp Music Festival – Chillicothe, IL – May 22nd
3. Future Islands at Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Weekend 1 – Indio, CA – April 12th
4. Ryan Adams at The Fox Theater Pomona – Pomona, CA – October 11th
5. Todd Terje at FYF Fest – Los Angeles – August 24th

Top 5 Albums of 2014
1. Ryan Adams – Ryan Adams
When someone as prolific as Ryan Adams puts out a new record, you buy that record and you listen intently. The songs in his first self-titled album may seem simple at first listen, but they stay with you in the back of your mind until you just can’t take it and you re-listen again and again. This is exactly how what I’ve been doing the past few months since the release. Songs like “Gimme Something Good” and “Am I Safe” prove once again that Adams is still on top of his game.

2. The War on Drugs – Lost in the Dream
3. moe. – No Guts, No Glory
4. Todd Terje – It’s Album Time
5. Greensky Bluegrass – If Sorrows Swim

Top 5 Songs of 2014
1. Future Islands – “Seasons (Waiting on You)”
“People change / You know but some people never do / You know when people change, they gain a piece but they lose one too.” These lyrics are so uplifting and real, and the music to accompany these amazing lyrics ties the emotion perfectly together.

2. The War on Drugs – “Under the Pressure”
3. The Barr Brothers – “Come in the Water”
4. Temples – “Shelter Song”
5. Caribou – “Can’t Do Without You”

Old Crow Medicine Show at The Regency // Photo by Pedro Paredes

Pedro Paredes // San Francisco

Top 5 Shows of 2014
1. Darkside at The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA – January 24th
The album Nicolas Jaar and Dave Harrington put together in 2013 was a delight for the ears, but with the show they played at The Fillmore, they were going after every sense in your body. Jaar once said that Darkside’s music was more experiential rather than musical, and they surely succeeded in delivering one of the best musical experiences to all the lucky attendants on that cold January night.

2. Future Islands at The Chapel – San Francisco, CA – April 10th
3. St. Vincent at The Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland, CA – March 22nd
4. James Blake at The Chapel – San Francisco, CA – December 7th
5. Old Crow Medicine Show at The Masonic – San Francisco, CA – September 20th

Top 5 Albums of 2014
1. Beck – Morning Phase
Beck’s Morning Phase follows the same breezy style as Sea Change, but the latter’s serenity seems to come from darker places. Morning Phase is, as the title suggests, a bit brighter and sets the tone for all the good things yet to come.

2. Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels 2
3. Real Estate – Atlas
4. The War on Drugs – Lost in the Dream
5. Perfume Genius – Too Bright

Top 5 Songs of 2014
1. alt-J – “Nara”
It is hard to isolate “Nara” as the best song of Alt-J’s latest album This is All Yours since the story told in it is not exclusive to that song and it comes back in different sections of the album (as well as in some of the musical arrangements). But “Nara”, a song about love, deserves to be listened again and again. The 2:58 mark is bliss to my ears.

2. tUnE-yArDs – “Water Fountain”
3. Run the Jewels – “Love Again”
4. Perfume Genius – “Fool”
5. Angel Olsen – “Hi-Five”

St. Vincent at Fox Theater Oakland // Photo by Pedro Paredes

Andrew Pohl // San Francisco

Top 5 Shows of 2014
1. Nine Inch Nails & Soundgarden at Shoreline Amphitheatre – Mountain View, CA – August 24th
I had never seen either band live before and based on my experience, it was like they had never broken up or aged since the ’90s. Amazing stage/light shows to go along with what was hands down my most eagerly anticipated show of the year.

2. Cibo Matto at Slim’s – San Francisco, CA – February 26th
3. American Football at The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA – December 12th
4. Failure at Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA – May 14th
5. Crosses at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – March 30th

Top 5 Albums of 2014
1. St. Vincent – St. Vincent
This album comes off like a chameleon, with many shifts but always staying very characteristically St. Vincent. I feel that she is one of the more important artists to come around over the last few years, and I am excited to see what she does next.

2. Nothing – Guilty of Everything
3. Beck – Morning Phase
4. Fugazi – First Demo
5. The War on Drugs – Lost in the Dream

Top 5 Songs of 2014
1. Spoon – “Do You”
Spoon have a knack for throwing a good toe tapper in their albums. This song is short and sweet, and you cannot help but get caught up in its infectiousness.

2. Ryan Adams – “Give Me Something Good”
3. St. Vincent – “Prince Johnny”
4. TV on the Radio – “Could You”
5. Nothing – “Bent Nail”

Arcade Fire at Shoreline Amphitheater // Photo by Justin Yee

Justin Yee // San Francisco

Top 5 Shows of 2014
1) Future Islands at South by Southwest (Cheer Up Charlie’s) – Austin, TX – March 13th
2) Arcade Fire at Shoreline Amphitheatre – Mountain View, CA – July 30th
3) Chromeo at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – April 12th
4) James Blake at The Chapel – San Francisco, CA – December 7th
5) Outkast at Treasure Island Music Festival – San Francisco, CA – October 18th

Top 5 Albums of 2014
1) Future Islands – Singles
2) The War on Drugs – Lost in the Dream
3) ODESZA – In Return
4) Flying Lotus – You’re Dead!
5) Caribou – Our Love

Top 5 Songs of 2014
1) Future Islands – “Seasons (Waiting on You)”
2) Chromeo – “Come Alive” feat. Toro y Moi
3) Flying Lotus – “Never Catch Me” feat. Kendrick Lamar
4) Chet Faker – “1998”
5) Mac Demarco – “Let Her Go”

James Blake at The Chapel // Photo by Pedro Paredes

Eric Shaden // San Francisco

Top 5 Shows of 2014
1. James Blake at The Chapel – San Francisco, CA – December 7th
I feel bad telling friends about how great this show was since so few people were able to get tickets. An intimate venue hosting such a phenomenal artist was a no-brainer for my top pick. James covered hits from his albums as well as debuted new tracks and an incredible interlude of house jams. I just wish more friends could have seen this!

2. Chromeo at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – April 12th
3. Todd Terje at FYF Fest – Los Angeles, CA – August 24th
4. tUnE-yArDs at The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA – June 6th
5. Holy Ghost! at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art – San Francisco, CA – April 30th

Top 5 Albums of 2014
1. Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels 2
What else can be said about this album that hasn’t been covered already? An outstanding sequel to Run the Jewels that expands on the original with top-notch production and punishing delivery from El-P and Killer Mike. Without a doubt my top choice of the year.

2. Syd Arthur – A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble
3. D’Angelo – Black Messiah
4. Sinkane – Mean Love
5. Todd Terje – It’s Album Time

Top 5 Songs of 2014
1. D’Angelo – “Sugah Daddy”
I imagine D’Angelo coming back with his long-awaited album in December showed which writers/blogs/etc. wrote their “Best of the Year” lists early. His style of soulful R&B is sorely needed, and “Sugah Daddy” is my favorite from the album. Looking forward to his tour in 2015!

2. Caribou – “Our Love”
3. Aphex Twin – “minipops 67 [120.2]”
4. Jungle – “Time”
5. Jamie xx – “Sleep Sound”

High Sierra Music Festival // Photo by Benjamin Wallen

Benjamin Wallen // San Francisco

Top 5 Shows of 2014
1. High Sierra Music Festival – Quincy, CA – July 2nd-5th
2. Paul McCartney at Candlestick Farewell – Candlestick Park – San Francisco, CA – August 14th
3. Jamestown Revival at Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA – November 28th
4. The String Cheese Incident at Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland, CA – April 24th
5. Greensky Bluegrass at The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA – November 14th

Scott Martin // San Jose

Top 5 Shows of 2014
1. California Roots Music Festival at Monterey Fairgrounds – Monterey, CA – May 23rd-25th
2. Rival Sons, Soft White Sixties & Sir Madam at The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA – September 25th
3. The Pimps of Joytime at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – February 15th
4. Caravan Palace & Rosin Coven at The Regency Ballroom – San Francisco, CA – April 16th
5. Jackie Greene at The Catalyst Club – Santa Cruz, CA – March 26th

Top 5 Albums of 2014
1. Bears Den – Islands
2. Milky Chance – Sadnecessary
3. Lana Del Rey – Ultraviolence
4. Mighty Oaks – Howl
5. Solstafir – Otta

Top 5 Songs of 2014
1. Bears Den – “Agape”
2. Bears Den – “Isaac”
3. Milky Chance – “Down by the River”
4. Mighty Oaks – “The Great Northwest”
5. Crosses – “Bitches Brew”

MIA at BFD // Photo by Marc Fong

Nikki DeMartini // San Francisco

Top 5 Shows of 2014
1. MIA at Shoreline Amphitheatre for BFD 2014 – Mountain View, CA – June 1st
It had been four years since I saw MIA live and even though I’d prefer to see her play her own show rather than a set at a music festival, I was super excited to see her at BFD last summer. It was the first time in nearly 10 years that my cousin and I went to LIFE105’s annual summer show together. We lucked out and upgraded our tickets just in time to see MIA’s performance. Both of us were out of our seats, singing and dancing along to every song as soon as her set started. I was beside myself as MIA herself made her way off the stage, up into the seats of the venue and stopped near our row to spit lyrics as fans gathered and danced around her, myself included. I still can’t believe I danced with MIA!

2. OK Go at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – July 16th
3. Die Antwoord at The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA – May 22nd
4. Sylvan Esso at The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA – June 6th
5. MS MR at The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA – April 15th

Top 5 Albums of 2014
1. Sylvan Esso – Sylvan Esso
When I covered Sylvan Esso at The Fillmore earlier this year (when they opened for tUnE-yArDs), I had no idea who they were but ended up leaving the show a fan. Their self-titled debut album is an uplifting mix of danceable electropop tracks and indie rock that’s easy to lose yourself in. Their sparkly, layered and melodic sounds translate well whether you’re listening to the album or seeing them live. Sylvan Esso is one of three albums I bought in 2014, and it’s been on repeat ever since I picked it up.

2. Glass Animals – Zaba
3. Die Antwoord – Donker Mag
4. Iggy Azalea – The New Classic
5. First Aid Kit – Stay Gold

Top 5 Songs of 2014
1. Tove Lo – “Habits (Stay High)”
I really enjoy the simple percussion-driven melody and voluptuous vocals of Tove Lo’s hit single “Habits (Stay High)”. The subtle, yet engaging buildup to her belting, emotionally-charged lyrics has me singing along and turning it up every time I hear it on the radio. While it is very catchy, it’s not a super dancey song. However, it is a great go-to for karaoke.

2. Die Antwoord – “Rat Trap 666”
3. Sylvan Esso – “Hey Mami”
4. First Aid Kit – “My Silver Lining”
5. The Dead Weather – “Buzzkill(er)”

Filed Under: Best of, Best of 2014, Editor's Picks, Featured Tagged With: A Perfect Circle, American Football, Aphex Twin, Ariel Pink, Atomic Bomb, Beck, Best of 2014, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, Bottlerock Festival, Candlestick Park, Caribou, Chromeo, Cibo Matto, Cinquanta, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Cold War Kids, Connan Mockasin, crosses, D'Angelo, Darkside, David Byrne, Death from Above 1979, Deerhoof, Die Antwoord, Duck Sauce, Failure, First Aid Kit, FKA twigs, Flying Lotus, Foo Fighters, Fox Theater Oakland, Fugazi, Future Islands, FYF Fest, Glass Animals, Great American Music Hall, Greensky Bluegrass, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, High Sierra Music Festival, Holy Ghost, Iggy Azalea, Interpol, Jack White, James Blake, Jamestown Revival, Jamie xx, Jungle, Kendrick Lamar, Lettuce, Mezzanine, MGM Grand, MIA, moe., MS MR, Nine Inch Nails, Nothing, OK Go, Outside Lands Music Festival, Panda Bear, Paul McCartney, Perfume Genius, Phish, Puscifer, Queens of the Stone Age, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Run The Jewels, Ryan Adams, Sam Smith, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Shoreline Amphitheatre, Sinkane, Slims, Soundgarden, Spoon, St. Vincent, Sturgill Simpson, Summer Camp Music Festival, Syd Arthur, Sylvan Esso, Temples, The Antlers, The Bam Fam, The Barr Brothers, The Black Keys, The Chapel, The Cure, The Dead Weather, The Fillmore, The Fonda Theatre, The Forum, The Fox Theater Pomona, The Greek Theatre, The Independent, The String Cheese Incident, The War on Drugs, The Warfield, Todd Terje, Tool, Tove Lo, tUnE-yArDs, TV on the Radio, Tweedy, Tycho, Valley View Casino Center, Volcano Choir, White Fence, William Onyeabor

SF Shows of the Week // GO4FREE to The Hood Internet or Laura Jane Grace

December 23, 2014 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

Written by Molly Kish //

Win a pair of free tickets to one of our SF Shows of the Week by entering your name and email below.

• The Hood Internet: December 27th (SAT) @ Mezzanine
• Laura Jane Grace: December 28th (SUN) @ Slim’s

The Hood Internet: December 27th (SAT) @ Mezzanine // BUY TICKETS

Chi-town mashup giants Aaron Brink and Steve Reidell, aka The Hood Internet, bring their legendary remixes to the Mezzanine this Saturday with support from MPHD, Sad Andy and Nanosaur. Former bandmates-turned-producers inspired by the innovative stylings of Girl Talk and Them Jeans, Aaron Brink and Steve Reidell met in college and self-released their debut tracks as The Hood Internet on their self-titled music blog, starting in 2007. Gaining near immediate traction, New York picked up on their Midwest mixtapes and helped further promote the duo’s unique blend of indie-rock and hip-hop samples into the mainstream, ranking on media year-end “Best of” and Top 10 lists nationwide. Beyond dominating the first decade of the 2000’s mashup game, The Hood Internet also landed corporate sponsorship from the prolific N.Y. streetwear brand Mishka and released a studio album on the Decon Label in 2012. A guaranteed dance party, setting off the evening with a Hosted Russian Standard Vodka Bar from 9-10 p.m., this night will be a perfect warm-up for NYE festivities and one surely not to miss. Enter below to win tix below via Showbams.

Contest ends Friday, December 26th at Noon.

Laura Jane Grace: December 28th (SUN) @ Slim’s // BUY TICKETS

Lead singer of Florida-based punk outfit Against Me! and revolutionary crusader in the movement for transgender equality, Laura Jane Grace brings her limited date, solo tour to the stage of Slim’s in SF this Sunday night. Successfully carving her out her place in punk history formerly as Tom Gabel, the frontman and founder of Against Me! stunned the music world with her openly publicized gender transition and campaign for awareness, detailing her journey throughout. Against Me! delivered one of the most highly anticipated and critically acclaimed punk albums of the past decade this year with Transgender Dysphoria Blues, and Grace also has released a solo album of her own work as well. Sharing her story on the pages of several magazines and media publications, Grace recently debuted an original documentary series on AOL, has been honored with several LGBT awards and accolades and is currently penning the finishing points on a highly anticipated memoir to be released within the next year. This Sunday night will be one of only three dates on her solo tour and promises the presence of several special guests amongst other surprises. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to catch this amazing performer in such an intimate setting, you won’t want to pass up this show. Enter below for a chance at tix.

Contest ends Friday, December 26th at Noon.

Follow Showbams on Twitter for more contest giveaways throughout the week. Be the first to respond to our contest tweets to GO4FREE to these shows:

• Reignwolf: December 26th (FRI) at The Independent
• Blind Melon: December 27th (SAT) at Great American Music Hall
• The First Ever Another Death Angel Christmas Show: December 27th (SAT) at Slim’s

Pick the show you would like to attend from the dropdown, then enter your name (First and Last) along with your email. If you win a contest, you’ll be notified by email the afternoon that the contest ends.

Like Showbams on Facebook, follow Showbams on Twitter and follow Showbams on Instagram. Subscribe to our social channels for a better chance to win!

CONTEST CLOSED.

Filed Under: Contests Tagged With: Against Me!, Blind Melon, Death Angel Xmas, Great American Music Hall, Laura Jane Grace, Mezzanine, Reignwolf, SF Show of the Week, Slims, The Hood Internet, The Independent

SF Show of the Week // GO4FREE to Talib Kweli at The Independent 12/21 (SUN)

December 18, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Written by Molly Kish //

Talib Kweli with Niko, K’Valentine //
The Independent – San Francisco
December 21, 2014 //

Brooklyn-born emcee, lyricist, activist and politically charged hip-hop legend Talib Kweli is bringing his powerful flow back to the Bay. Promoting global consciousness that are assisted by genre-defining beats, he has been a staple in the rap game for more than the past 20 years.

Kweli’s work has served as thought-provoking dialogue between industry heads, government figures, community advocates and fans alike. Touring behind his most recent release of live cuts, P.O.C. Live!, he reflects on his legacy, shifting his creative vision and the inspiration he gets from his peers and collaborators.

This Sunday at The Independent, attendees can expect to hear plenty of tracks off of Kweli’s 2013 album Prisoner of Conscious, which he says he spent more time working on than any of his other records. But they can also expect to hear a career-spanning set of hits, none other than the Kanye West-produced single “Get By” from his 2002 debut LP Quality.

This is an iconic performance NOT to be missed. Tickets are available for $35, or you could win a pair of tickets by submitting your full name and email below.

Contest ends this Friday at 3 p.m.

Follow Showbams on Twitter for more contest giveaways throughout the week. Be the first to respond to our contest tweets to GO4FREE to these shows:

• Goldroom: December 20th (SAT) at Mezzanine
• The California Honeydrops: December 20th (SAT) at The New Parish

Enter your name (First and Last) along with your email below. If you win a contest, you’ll be notified Wednesday afternoon.

Like Showbams on Facebook, follow Showbams on Twitter and follow Showbams on Instagram. Subscribe to our social channels for a better chance to win!

CONTEST CLOSED.

Filed Under: Contests Tagged With: Goldroom, K'Valentine, Mezzanine, Niko, Talib Kweli, The California Honeydrops, The Independent, The New Parish

SF Shows of the Week // GO4FREE to Sky Ferreira at The Indy, Hot Chip (DJ) & The 2 Bears at Mezzanine

November 25, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Written by Mike Frash //

Win a pair of free tickets to one of our SF Shows of the Week by entering your name and email below.

• Sky Ferreira: November 25th (TUE) @ The Independent
• Hot Chip (DJ) with The 2 Bears: November 28th (FRI) @ Mezzanine

Sky Ferreira: November 25th (TUE) @ The Independent // BUY TICKETS
When an artist can take on a three-night run at a room like The Independent, you take notice. The buzz has been at a consistent hum for a good while now on Sky Ferreira. The pop starlette-in-the-making has an EP and a critically acclaimed long player under her belt that she’s been touring on for many moons, and in some ways, her celebrity status, social media following and scandals have preceded her innovative pop songs. Ferreira’s music holds up to the spectacle, and her third and final show at The Independent on Tuesday night (also her last of the tour) ends months of playing festival and a string of appearances opening for Miley Cyrus. Here’s your third and final chance — tickets are still available for the Tuesday night show, or you might be able to go for free if you enter below.

Contest ends Tuesday, November 25th at 1 p.m.

Hot Chip (DJ) with The 2 Bears: November 28th (FRI) @ Mezzanine // BUY TICKETS
It’s going to be a night of four-on-the-floor excitement, infused with a double dose of familiar indie-dance brethren this holiday weekend at Mezzanine. The 2 Bears, a dance-duo offshoot led by Hot Chip co-founder Joe Goddard and his compadre Raf Rundell, are currently on the circuit promoting their new LP The Night Is Young. Their signature sound skewers toward playful house disco, but the unit dabble in two-step, hip hop and soul as well. The other co-founder and frontman of Hot Chip, Alexis Taylor, will hold down headlining duties. One thing seems certain — we should see some cross pollinating between the two acts throughout the evening.

Contest ends Wednesday, November 26th at Noon.

Pick the show you would like to attend from the dropdown, then enter your name (First and Last) along with your email. If you win a contest, you’ll be notified on the day the contest ends (details above).

Like Showbams on Facebook, follow Showbams on Twitter and follow Showbams on Instagram. Subscribe to our social channels for a better chance to win!

CONTEST CLOSED.

Filed Under: Contests, Featured Tagged With: Hot Chip, Mezzanine, SF Shows of the Week, Sky Ferreira, The 2 Bears, The Independent

The unexpected cult of Run the Jewels

November 17, 2014 by Mike Frash Leave a Comment

Photos by Alfonso Solis // Written by Mike Frash //

Run the Jewels with Ratking, Despot //
Mezzanine – San Francisco
November 14th, 2014 //

“A lot’s happened in the last week, but we are gonna give you a blockbuster night.” -El-P at Mezzanine

Populist leaders and destroyers of fuck boys, purveyors of high fives, hugs and grit-grime aggression that’s cartoonishly giddy, delivering dead-serious messages while inviting you the listener to join them — Run the Jewels operate in a self-imposed world of duality.

And since releasing Run the Jewels 2 on October 28th, the duo of Michael Render and Jaime Meline has exploded. Shortly after rave reviews started rolling out, their show at San Francisco’s Mezzanine sold out, and suddenly tickets were going for $150 into the thousands. Were the tickets being sold in the $800-$1,200 range on StubHub from fans extending RTJ’s penchant for absurdity? Or perhaps the exceptional amount of hype and well-deserved praise being showered on El-P and Killer Mike meant some engineer from Google or Facebook would actually pay 30 times face value. Either way, it shows how popular Run the Jewels have become.

Run the Jewels created this atmosphere by engaging with their audience online, enabling their biggest fans to feel like part of the RTJ inner circle, sharing the cultural torch that’s currently lighting the way to bigger and better things for El-P and Killer Mike. They’ve wisely relied on their audience, which is growing in volume at an exponential rate thanks to their open relationship both new and established media, but more importantly, by creating direct lanes with their fans.

The Emergence of a Cult Following

Certainly it helps when your new record will widely be considered one of the best albums of the year, but El-P and Killer Mike’s non-stop promotional blitz has been rooted in engaging their supporters, with the half-joking deluxe album options that turned into the forthcoming Meow The Jewels remix record, giving RTJ2 away for free via social media and with Tag The Jewels, a truly worldwide street art project that has sea legs of its own. Run the Jewels have grown into a progressive, cultish movement, one that is completely inclusive, as long as you are on the right side of history.

The Tag The Jewels project looks to take the Run the Jewels hand sign from both RTJ album covers and turn it into an iconic mainstay. Outside of Mezzanine on Jesse Street this past Friday, the brand-new Run the Jewels tour bus hovered over the venue’s entrance with the RTJ2 album cover adorning its side. Unsurprisingly, fans took this opportunity to stand between the two mummy-fist-talons, turning their right hand into a two-fingered gun and the left into a fist holding a real or invisible 36” chain.

During their SF show, El-P and Killer Mike used the hand sign as a calling card much more than on their first tour, throwing up the signal as many as five times — and all the way to the back of the rectangular club space, show-goers mimicked El and Mike, even throwing the RTJ hand sign up on impulse to show love back to the artists.

“It’s all love and respect.” -Killer Mike at Mezzanine

Much like a Phish or Die Antwoord audience, most everyone in the room at Mezzanine was there in “full buy-in” mode, not worried about what someone might think of you by getting a bit too into the moment. Which, when you think about it, is pretty elusive for a rap act that is beloved by the indie blogosphere and its readers. Yet, there is a collective acceptance, a mentality that has bubbled up from impromptu social media memes, gifs and videos, including El-P auditioning cats for Meow The Jewels by playing them “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry”.

In Run the Jewels’ return to SF, the guys seemed thoroughly blunted when they arrived on stage. They could barely open their eyes for the first few songs, but this didn’t thwart the lyrical precision we’ve come to expect. Relying on audience participation more than the last tour, something that is likely organic since people know RTJ’s material better now, the crowd committed to reinforcing each song with key words and phrasing, creating a sense that we’re all in this thing together. During the show, El-P candidly mentioned that everyone in the room are family, and “we are family now because you paid me.” The crowd was alive and engaged more than a large majority of most concert experiences, to which El-P tweeted post show as “the livest show I’ve ever had in San Fran in 15 years. fuck.”

Invigorating, Giddy Aggression

Run the Jewels’ lyrical violence is intended as a form of fantasy. Killer Mike made sure it was clear to FOX News watchers that his name refers to “killing the mic” when he went to discuss protests in Ferguson, Mo. And during El-P and Killer Mike’s recent hour-long interview with Microphone Check on NPR Music (a must-listen for fans of Run the Jewels), they spoke to this point:

El-P: “You’re listening to our record and you’re gonna grin. You’re in on the fun. This is not us threatening the listener … We’re not going on records and just being like ‘We’re gonna kill you!’ We’re having fun, and we’re also completely comfortable in our ridiculousness.”

Killer Mike: “And we understand you do want to kill people. But you can’t do that. So, let this be a way for you to kill people and then go back to work and don’t kill anyone.”

Mike is alluding to Run the Jewels as an outlet for invigorating, giddy aggression — to get that aggression out in a way that is cathartic, that doesn’t hurt other people, that is punk rock in its nature.

For example, in “Lie, Cheat, Steal”, Killer Mike states, “A revolutionary banging’ on my adversaries / And I love Dr. King but violence might be necessary / Cause when you live on MLK and it gets very scary / You might have to pull you AK, send one to the cemetery.” While Mike may seem like a civil rights leader more in the vein of the Black Panthers than Martin Luther King Jr., this example is about righteous self-defense.

Bottom line, it’s refreshing to see prominent rappers who are standing up for the good of the people, all people excluding fuck boys. You won’t see Run the Jewels putting down gay people, but most notably, Run the Jewels love women.

On Charges of Misogyny

Before launching into the most controversial song off RTJ2, El-P said “This city [San Francisco] has taught me that there is a place for filth in your life.”

Rap music has always had a reputation for being somewhat connected to misogyny. But when I first heard “Love Again (Akinyele Back)” through the second minute of the record, I thought that it was a bit of a departure since El-P and Killer Mike have a clear history of celebrating women.

For example, they satirize date rape’s place in contemporary club culture with “Twin Hype Back” character Chest Rockwell, who says ridiculous things in a cheesy way that contrasts RTJ’s machine gun fire smoothness. In speaking to political power, El-P rhymes “There’s truth where the filth is / There’s lies in the law / You want a whore with a white dress / I want a wife in a thong” in “Angel Dust”. And in “Get It”, El says all he wants is “a castle / and to move like a man with a minimum of harassment / the company of women with opinions and fat asses”. You won’t find any obvious denigration of women in RTJ1 or in Mike or Producto’s solo work, so it sounded a bit odd hearing them get hyper-aggressive in a sexual manner on “Love Again”.

But that was until the third verse of the song, where they hand it off to female rapper Gangsta Boo to flip the script and give a raunchy, sexually empowering section that holds up to nasty nasty of Run the Jewels.

In their NPR interview last week, El-P said, “Girls listen to raunchy, funny stuff too.” Killer Mike discussed that his wife has heard “Love Again” and immediately compared it to “Just Put It in My Mouth” by Akinyele. The guys then referenced 2 Live Crew and Too $hort as inspirations for the song as well.

El-P and Killer Mike also addressed the inevitable presumption of misogyny some people have with “Love Again”:

Killer Mike: “So, my thing is, I trust that women are intelligent. And I get offended — I have five sisters … Women are human. I think that when we start saying equal and human, that’s across the board, you know? Women enjoy sex … I’m just happy that our audience gets it …

El-P: “… Our intention is clear. We know our intention. Listen, real story: We made that record, and it didn’t have Boo on it. And we went and got Boo because we knew what we needed for that record … We have good intentions. I know that we are not being misogynist because we are not, a) being completely serious and, b) we’re talking about fucking here. I’m sorry if you’re offending by my language … but you’re not gonna tell me that being raw or being filthy is misogyny. I know the difference.

By definition, misogyny is the dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women. And when you let that definition sink in and listen to “Love Again” on RTJ2, labeling Run the Jewels with hating women is absolutely ridiculous. Sure, Run the Jewels often treat women as sexual objects, but they project and treat women as intellectual equals.

During the performance of “Love Again” at Mezzanine, Mike relied on the crowd to take on the “Dick in your mouth all day” refrain, making it more of a collective, fun thing. But they performed only two-thirds of the song — the all-important Gansta Boo verse was not played disembodied or with a replacement performer. This takes away from RTJ’s spirit of equality and opens the door to critics — especially since El-P admitted in the NPR interview that Gangsta Boo’s verse was a last-minute addition to rectify the song. El and Mike should find a creative way to fix this, or not play the song live, if they want to shut the door on charges of misogyny.

This was one of the most action-packed hours of live music I’ve ever seen. Ending with the final songs off of their two albums, “A Christmas Fucking Miracle” and “Angel Duster”, the cult of Run the Jewels was mostly spent as the clock approached 1 a.m. That said, most people would have been happy to hear more. Forget the last week though, El and Mike have had a non-stop couple of years and have already gone a long way to solidifying their legacy.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: El-P, Killer Mike, Mezzanine, Run The Jewels

SF Shows of the Week // GO4FREE to Daedelus, Lagwagon or Mirah

November 6, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

By Mike Frash //

Win a pair of free tickets to one of our SF Shows of the Week by entering your name and email below.

• Daedelus: November 7th (FRI) @ Mezzanine
• Mirah: November 9th (SUN) @ The Independent
• Lagwagon: November 9th (SUN) @ Slim’s

Daedelus: November 7th (FRI) @ Mezzanine // BUY TICKETS

Alfred Darlington is a producer and instrumentalist (he holds his keyboard for proof in his press shot!) that isn’t afraid of duality. Just look at his 2014 record The Light Brigade, a contemplative work that balances ambiance and moments of intensity, then compare it to his upbeat, raucous live Boiler Room set from a year ago (embedded above). This prodigious music maker isn’t afraid to take the listener on a journey based in weirdness, and I mean weird in a very good way — think along the lines of Flying Lotus and Animal Collective.

Contest ends Friday, November 7th at Noon.

Mirah: November 9th (SUN) @ The Independent // BUY TICKETS

Brooklyn-based singer and songwriter Mirah is kicking off a West Coast tour this weekend, making a Sunday night stop at The Indy. Touring in support of Changing Light, her fifth full length, Mirah’s experimental pop traverses a musical landscape that explores existence and the ever-changing nature of life. Sounds like a deep way to start a new week!

Contest ends Friday, November 7th at Noon.

Lagwagon: November 9th (SUN) @ Slim’s // BUY TICKETS

Lagwagon was one of my favorite acts when I first discovered punk rock in the mid 90’s, and the Fat Wreck Chords staple from SoCal has been putting music in its place for over 20 years. Even though the touring has never stopped, Lagwagon’s first album in nine years, Hang, was just unleashed last week. End your weekend with some scorching melodic punk that never got soft (we’re looking at you Blink).

Contest ends Friday, November 7th at Noon.

Pick the show you would like to attend from the dropdown, then enter your name (First and Last) along with your email. If you win a contest, you’ll be notified on Friday afternoon via email.

Like Showbams on Facebook, follow Showbams on Twitter and follow Showbams on Instagram. Subscribe to our social channels for a better chance to win!

CONTEST CLOSED.

Filed Under: Contests Tagged With: Daedelus, Lagwagon, Mezzanine, Mirah, SF Shows of the Week, Slims, The Independent

WIN TICKETS: Hercules and Love Affair (live), Tensnake at Mezzanine 9/26 (FRI)

September 24, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Enter to win a pair of free tickets to this show below.

Hercules and Love Affair, Tensnake //
Mezzanine — San Francisco
September 26, 2014 (Friday) //

Full-band funk house party starters Hercules and Love Affair are coming to the Mezzanine this Friday. Shades of Chicago house, electro, and techno all appear on the newest album, The Feast of the Broken Heart. All of these influences sum up to one central theme: making you dance. If you’d like to see the unborn child of the Scissor Sisters and Holy Ghost, I’ll see you at the Mezzanine on Friday. -Steve Wandrey

Buy tickets if you know you want to go!

Enter to win if you can attend this show Friday, September 26th at Mezzanine in SF.

Submit your full name and email address below.
Contest ends Friday, September 26th at Noon. Winners will be picked at random & notified by email. Your email will be kept private — we will share your email with no one. 21+ only.

Like Showbams on Facebook and follow Showbams on Twitter to be eligible to win.

CONTEST CLOSED

Filed Under: Contests Tagged With: Hercules and Love Affair, Mezzanine, Tensnake

ODESZA take live show to next level on ‘In Return’ tour

September 23, 2014 by Justin Yee Leave a Comment

By Justin Yee //

ODESZA //
Mezzanine – San Francisco
September 18th, 2014 //

Back in April, ODESZA played a sold-out show at The Independent, which had fellow Showbams writer Kory Thibeault claiming that they were “poised to explode into electronic stratosphere.” Fast forward five months to the present, and it’s safe to say that they’ve not only met those expectations, but also have hit the big time.

This was never more evident than this past Thursday, as the Seattle production duo of Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight kicked off their “In Return” tour at Mezzanine in support of their recently released sophomore LP. After selling out the show months in advance, a second SF date was added just to meet popular demand.

As someone who is new to their music, it wasn’t until I heard the first single off In Return, “Memories That You Call” featuring Monsoonsiren, that I really got hooked and realized I had been sleeping on them for two years. Their take on the modern electronic sound blends catchy beats with infectious, ambient melodies and pop-infused hooks that emotionally captivates listeners in ways that other artists can’t.

ODESZA’s set at Mezzanine was explosive — a combination of hypnotizing visuals and sound that had the crowd in sensory overload. It’s apparent that they have been hard at work perfecting their live performance. Their use of live drums adds a human element, which allows them to create remixes on the fly as they feed off the energy from the crowd.

This tour marked the next chapter of the group’s rising success and maybe the last time you’ll be able to see them in venues of less than a 1,000-person capacity. Don’t sleep on ODESZA. I’ve already learned my lesson!

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Mezzanine, Odesza

WIN TICKETS: Outside Lands 2014 night shows

August 6, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Written by Molly Kish //

This weekend in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the Bay Area will celebrate the seventh annual Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival. After each day at the grounds, post-festival activities are being scattered throughout the electrified 7×7 cityscape, and we have your tickets for some of the best after-parties happening all weekend long!

View the 2014 festival schedule and create your custom grid to share with friends!
View our 2014 beer/artist pairings!

CONTEST CLOSED.

Winners will be picked at random and notified by email. Your email will be kept private — we will share your email with no one.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 7TH

Those Darlins and Diarrhea Planet @ Brick and Mortar Music Hall // Buy Tickets

It’s going to be a dual-headliner, Nashville rock throw down Thursday night at Brick and Mortar Music Hall. With Those Darlins founding members meeting at the Southern Girl’s Rock & Roll Camp in Tennessee, country roots run deep in the musical history of this band. Formed in 2006, releasing their alt-country debut in 2009, the band fluctuates between traditional southern instrumentation, rockabilly and garage rock. Partners on the bill, fellow Nashville natives and six piece rock band Diarrhea Planet complement the foursome perfectly with their explosive guitar shredding, pop-laden “drunken sing-along” spectacle of a performance. Fresh off of touring their volatile live show to this past year’s South By Southwest, Bonnaroo, Governor’s Ball and various other festival stages (we reviewed their inspiring show at The Indy in 2013), the band brings their energetic ensemble to Brick and Mortar Music Hall for another exclusive night show only performance. Be sure to grab your tickets here. 18+ only.

Enter to win if you can attend this show on Thursday, August 7th at Brick and Mortar Music Hall in SF by submitting your full name and email address in the contact form above. Contest ends Thursday, August 7th at Noon.

Mikal Cronin and Bear Hands @ The Independent // Buy Tickets

Two separate OL acts for the price of one! Mikal Cronin and Bear Hands, both performing day one of the festival, will be headlining The Independent in a one-off warm up session on Thursday night. Cronin, having released his self-titled debut in 2011, has had a busy few years questioning long term relationships, moving to San Francisco, touring and recording with musical counterpart Ty Segall, forming his own band and releasing his sophomore album MCII as a Merge Records artist. A multi-instrumentalist, Cronin’s gritty garage rock sound blends perfectly with co-headliner Bear Hands’ post-punk influenced indie rock. Fresh off the release of their second studio album, Distraction, Bear Hands’ “New York buzz band” reputation precedes them, gaining the group national attention on several music blogs and entertainment websites. Be sure to grab your tickets here. 21+ only.

Enter to win if you can attend this show on Friday, August 8th at The Independent in SF by submitting your full name and email address in the contact form above. Contest ends Friday, August 8th at Noon.

Glen Hansard @ Fox Theater Oakland // Buy Tickets

Irish songwriter, actor, vocalist and guitarist Glen Hansard will headline the Fox Theater in Oakland on Thursday night with Sean Hayes opening the show. A founding member of The Frames and half of the critically-acclaimed duo The Swell Season, Hansard has been creating seminal folk rock internationally for more than a decade. Gaining attention in the states initially for his role in the 1991 film The Commitments, Hansard recorded his first solo album in 2006 with the help of Czech singer and multi-instrumentalist Marketa Irglova, whom he would go on to co-star with in the 2006 Sundance winner Once and form The Swell Season together that same year. Hansard has since then recorded and produced various songs on film scores and compilations, lent opening support for Eddie Vedder’s U.S. solo tour, guest starred on American prime-time sitcoms and released his solo debut Rhythm and Repose in 2012. Hansard is not performing at Outside Lands this year, so this performance at the Fox is an exclusive after-party date! Be sure to grab your tickets here.

Enter to win if you can attend this show on Thursday, August 7th at the Fox Theater Oakland by submitting your full name and email address in the contact form above. Contest ends Thursday, August 7th at Noon.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 8TH

The Soul Rebels @ Brick and Mortar Music Hall // Buy Tickets

Bringing the NOLA funk to Friday’s Outside Lands festival lineup, The Soul Rebels plan to keep the party going well into the evening at Brick & Mortar Music Hall that evening. Fate brought together original members Derrick Moss and Lumar LeBlanc when they met as percussionists in Dejean’s Young Olympia Brass Band. Although trained in New Orleans jazz fundamentals, the two opted to take the traditional brass band sound they were raised on to the next level, incorporating their love for contemporary R&B, funk and hip hop. Branching off in a new direction, the duo left to form their own group, quickly winning over local audiences and officially being christened the “Soul Rebels” backstage before their opening slot for the Neville Brothers, by Cyril Neville himself. Since then the band has released several full lengths albums, set up a residency at Uptown NOLA club Le Bon Temps, have become a staple act at festivals throughout the globe and most recently released a mixtape Power=Power, premiered by Noisey, including brass band renditions of Jay-Z, Drake, Kanye West, Daft Punk and more. Easily the most funky of post festival Friday night festivities, this show will be the dance party of the weekend. Be sure to grab your tickets here. 18+ only.

Enter to win if you can attend this show on Friday, August 8th at Brick and Mortar Music Hall in SF by submitting your full name and email address in the contact form above. Contest ends Friday, August 8th at Noon.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9TH

Gold Panda @ Mezzanine // Buy Tickets

Multi-faceted producer Gold Panda returns to Mezzanine on Friday night with his genre-bending take on electronic music. With the rise of producers such as Flying Lotus and Flume, many other similar artists are breaking out to larger crowds and stages as forward-leaning electronica garners a new level of popularity and appreciation. Gold Panda represents a vast amalgam of electronic music, borrowing influences from all over the world to weave an upbeat, futuristic tapestry. His latest release Half of Where You Live has been critically hailed as his third stab at a comprehensive full-length album. Tracks like “Brazil” demonstrate his use of South American rhythms in a contemporary manner while consistently maintaining a dance beat. There are no ‘drops’ or huge frills to his dance ethic, but rather a rapturing, constant beat that listeners can lose themselves in rather easily. Ghostly International only signs the finest in contemporary dance music, so it’s no surprise that Gold Panda reps the prolific label. Teamed with local opener Doseone, this after party will keep the positive energy flowing from Saturday night straight into Gold Panda’s festival set that closes out the weekend on Sunday. Purchase tickets for the only electronic night show announced for Saturday here. 21+ only.

Enter to win if you can attend this show on Saturday, August 9th at Mezzanine in SF by submitting your full name and email address in the contact form above. Contest ends Saturday, August 9th at Noon.

Woods @ Brick and Mortar Music Hall // Buy Tickets

Brooklyn-based Americana, neo-psychadelia outfit Woods will be headlining Saturday night at Brick and Mortar Music Hall ahead of their festival set on the final day of OL. The trio have released eight albums since their formation in 2005, which have garnered them both critical acclaim across the board. Dubbed “pop shamanism”, the band is currently on tour celebrating the release of their new album, With Light and with Love, exploring “expanded sonic palettes” heavy with percussion, altered vocals and experimental guitar riffs. Their latest release on their self-run record label, Woodsist, is described as distinctly different from their previous work, “showcasing a more sophisticated brand of contemporary drug music,” relatable to the Beatles iconic Magical Mystery Tour, catering to a “new age of searchers, of Don Juan and Animal Chin alike.” Easily the biggest head trip of the OSL night show options, if you’re looking to get weird Saturday night, you’re going to want to buy your tickets here. 21+ only.

Discover our Outside Lands beer pairing for Woods.

Enter to win if you can attend this show on Saturday, August 9th at Brick and Mortar Music Hall in SF by submitting your full name and email address in the contact form above. Contest ends Saturday, August 9th at Noon.

Filed Under: Contests, Festivals Tagged With: Bear Hands, Brick and Mortar Music Hall, Diarrhea Planet, Fox Theater Oakland, Glen Hansard, Gold Panda, Mezzanine, Mikal Cronin, Outside Lands Music Festival, The Independent, The Soul Rebels, Those Darlins, Woods

WIN TICKETS: Julio Bashmore at Mezzanine 8/2 (SAT)

August 1, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Enter to win a pair of free tickets to this show below.

Julio Bashmore with Nick Monaco, Tyrel Williams, Richie Panic and Dj Dials //
Mezzanine — San Francisco
August 2nd, 2014 (Saturday) //

Straight out of the UK, Julio Bashmore plays four-to-the-floor house music designed to get the dance floor moving — and it works every time. Arriving on the scene in 2009 with an EP released by San Francisco’s own Dirtybird Records, Bashmore hasn’t let up since, with a BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix and loads of packed shows under his belt to prove it. If you’re looking to rage, shuffle, fist pump, two-step or whatever, this is the show to do it at this weekend in SF.

Buy tickets if you know you want to go!

Enter to win if you can attend this show Saturday, August 2nd at Mezzanine in SF.

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Contest ends Saturday, August 2nd at Noon. Winners will be picked at random & notified by email. Your email will be kept private — we will share your email with no one. 21+ only.

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CONTEST CLOSED.

Filed Under: Contests Tagged With: Julio Bashmore, Mezzanine

Outside Lands 2014 night shows: Keep it going ’til the AM

July 22, 2014 by Molly Kish 3 Comments

Written by Molly Kish //

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 8th-10th, 2014 //

We’re only a few weeks away from one of the most anticipated summer festivals of the 2014 season. Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival has announced their official schedule for this year’s five consecutive evenings of night shows. In case you missed this past weekend’s announcement or weren’t privy to the ticket holder password, fret not — we’ve got you covered with our rundown of after-parties and links for you to win or purchase your tickets. The party does not have to stop on the polo fields!

View the 2014 schedule and create your custom grid to share with friends!
View our 2014 beer/artist pairings!

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6TH

Phosphorescent @ The Independent // SOLD OUT: Win tickets via Do 415

Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Matthew Houck, aka Phosphorescent, kicks off this year’s lineup of OL night shows with a sold out performance Wednesday night at The Independent. A follow up to last year’s show at the Indy with his five piece band, the Alabama native returns to the venue, bringing his mix of “western ballads and swelling jams” to the intimate venue. On tour promoting his most recent record Muchacho, one can expect to hear standout tracks from this critically acclaimed 2013 release. A perfect Wednesday night warm up for Houck’s Friday set, hardcore fans will be starting their weekend early, and we recommend you do the same!

THURSDAY, AUGUST 7TH

Typhoon @ CA Academy of Sciences // Buy Tickets

Comprised of twelve singers, songwriters and multi-talented instrumentalists, this small army of a band will be bringing their impressive live show to the CA Academy of Sciences on Thursday night. A band whose sound is characterized by their complicated arrangements and articulate orchestration, Typhoon’s catalogue of work ranges from “sea shanties, to country western and Eastern European inspired songs.” Across the board they cover various styles, meld multiple genres and produce thematically dense work, focusing heavily on lead singer-songwriter Kyle Morton’s struggles with mortality and finding strength through personal relationships. A beautiful setting to catch an equally stunning set, grab your tickets here to take part in this OL edition of Nightlife.

Discover our Outside Lands beer pairing for Typhoon.

Glen Hansard @ The Fox Theater // Buy Tickets

Irish songwriter, actor, vocalist and guitarist Glen Hansard will headline the Fox Theater Oakland with opener Sean Hayes on Thursday night as well. Founding member of The Frames and half of the critically acclaimed duo, The Swell Season, Hansard has been creating seminal folk rock internationally for well over a decade. Gaining attention in the states initially for his role in the 1991 film The Commitments, Hansard recorded his first solo album in 2006 with help from Czech singer and mutli-instrumentalist Marketa Irglova, whom he would go on to co-star with in the 2006 Sundance Festival World Cinema Audience Award winning film Once and form the band The Swell Season within the same year. Hansard has since recorded and produced various songs on film scores and compilations, leant opening support for Eddie Vedder’s solo American tour, guest starred on American primetime sitcoms and released his solo debut Rhythm and Repose in 2012. NOT PERFORMING AT THE FESTIVAL, this performance is an exclusive night show only date! Grab tickets to this limited OL affair right here.

Those Darlins and Diarrhea Planet @ Brick and Mortar Music Hall // Buy Tickets

Mikal Cronin and Bear Hands @ The Independent // Buy Tickets

FRIDAY, AUGUST 8TH

The Soul Rebels @ Brick and Mortar Music Hall // Buy Tickets

Death Cab for Cutie @ The Independent // SOLD OUT: Win tickets via Do415

Heavy hitters on Saturday’s OL bill, Death Cab for Cutie bring their iconic indie rock to The Independent for an extraordinarily intimate one night only performance. For 17+ years, DCFC have been impacting the modern shape of indie rock, becoming one of the most prominent mainstream alternative bands during this time. Recording a discography comprised of seven studio albums, five EPs, a demo and numerous side projects/solo efforts, DCFC has carved out a significant place in music history and remain a staple within the contemporary scene both through their continual contributions to music, film and live entertainment. Announcing via social media that they’re in the process of working on their eighth studio album, the group just celebrated the 10 year anniversary of their seminal 2003 album Transatlanticism and released a live album of material from their 2012 tour dates with Magik Magik Orchestra. This show will be one for the books and quite possibly the only time you’ll be able to catch this caliber of a band in a club-sized venue ever again. Register to win a pair of tix here.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9TH

The Killers @ The Independent // SOLD OUT: Win tickets via Do 415

Headlining what is undoubtedly the biggest night annually in the SF music scene, The Killers will be playing to a sold-out crowd at The Independent on Saturday night, preceding their Sunday night closing set at Outside Lands. The Las Vegas foursome formed in 2001 and has become one of the largest names in alternative rock over the past decade with four hit studio albums. Selling over 25 million albums worldwide, the band has garnered mainstream success worldwide after performing in over 50 countries and headlining arenas on six continents. On the 10-year anniversary of their first show ever, The Killers released their greatest hits compilation Direct Hits last September and have been touring the festival circuit and selling out dates around the globe since then. This year’s OSL appearance will be their first at the festival and first show back in the Bay Area since playing the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium last April. Tickets to their pre-festival, late-night show sold out minutes after their release, but there’s still a chance to win a pair of tickets to what easily will be one of the most coveted shows of this year’s summer concert calendar. Register to win a pair of tix here.

Gold Panda @ Mezzanine // Buy Tickets

Woods @ Brick and Mortar Music Hall // Buy Tickets

BK-based Americana neo-psychadelia outfit Woods will be headlining Saturday night at Brick and Mortar Music Hall ahead of their festival set on the final day of OL. The trio have released eight albums since their formation in 2005, which have garnered them both critical acclaim across the board. Dubbed “pop shamanism”, the band is currently on tour celebrating the release of their new album, With Light and with Love, exploring “expanded sonic palettes” heavy with percussion, altered vocals and experimental guitar riffs. Their latest release on their self-run record label, Woodsist, is described as distinctly different from their previous work, “showcasing a more sophisticated brand of contemporary drug music,” relatable to the Beatles iconic Magical Mystery Tour, catering to a “new age of searchers, of Don Juan and Animal Chin alike.” Easily the biggest head trip of the OL night show options — if you’re looking to get weird Saturday night you’re going to want to buy tix here.

Discover our Outside Lands beer pairing for Woods.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 10TH

Deer Tick @ The Rickshaw Stop // Buy Tickets

The ever-rambunctious, consistently capricious, gut punching Americana enigma that is Deer Tick will be closing out the weekend after parties at Rickshaw Stop with help from fellow Saturday OL performers, The Districts. After years of touring with a rotation of band members and various name changes, Deer Tick officially formed and released their debut album War Elephant in 2007. Signing to Partisan Records in 2008, re-releasing their debut along with second and third albums to critical acclaim, the band took off running. On their fifth album Negativity in 2013, the band has aimed to “capture the raw and spontaneous kerosene blaze” of their live shows in their studio recordings. Exploring personal tragedies suffered throughout the recording process such as his father’s tax evasion prison sentence, the death of his uncle, a broken engagement, drug and alcohol abuse, etc., lead singer John McCauley brings brutal honesty to the stage that is an all-encompassing, sometimes tragic, explosive performance. Truly an incomparable performance, this show will be the one that punctuates the weekend with one, final, lasting impression.

Kool and the Gang SuperJam @ The Independent // Buy Tickets

Last but not least, the Kool and the Gang SuperJam will be taking over The Independent Sunday night for a one-time only collaborative concert event, closing out the festival in proper fashion. Featuring members of the legendary funk outfit along with Eric Krasno, Adam Dietch, Nigel Hall, The Shady Horns and top secret special guests, this diverse group of musical luminaries will be on stage reimagining a variety of classic songs from Kool and the Gang. The Grammy Award-winning group have influenced three generations of musicians worldwide, selling over 70 million albums which earned collectively 2 Grammy’s, 7 AMA’s, 25 Top Ten R&B hits, 9 Top Ten Pop hits, 31 gold and platinum albums and the title of the longest running R&B group in the history of the genre. If there is one show where artists from Outside Lands would randomly decide to sit in on a performance, this would be the one. Can’t see yourself wanting to call it an evening on Sunday night? This show might be the best option for you. Be sure to buy your tix here.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Bear Hands, Brick & Mortar Music Hall, Death Cab For Cutie, Deer Tick, Diarrhea Planet, Glen Hansard, Gold Panda, Kool and the Gang SuperJam, Mezzanine, Mikal Cronin, Phosphorescent, The Fox Theater, The Independent, The Soul Rebels, Those Darlins, Typhoon, Woods

WIN TICKETS: Hot Chip (DJ set) at Mezzanine 7/11 (FRI)

July 10, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Enter to win a pair of free tickets to this sold-out show below.

Hot Chip with The Juan Maclean, Richie Panic, Sleazemore, Bathhouse //
Mezzanine — San Francisco
July 11th, 2014 (Friday) //

This Friday at Mezzanine, Lights Down Low presents an exclusive, sold-out set by Domino Records legends Hot Chip and DFA’s own The Juan Maclean. UK’s dance floor dynamos, Hot Chip have been integrally involved in the electronic music scene since the early 2000’s. Self-recording years of material leading up to their full-length debut Coming on Strong in 2004, they ultimately solidified their formation as Hot Chip and signed to DFA Records/EMI, releasing the album for U.S. consumption in 2005. Gaining mainstream attention with a string of hits and an award-winning video off its second album The Warning, the band didn’t slow down, appearing on several UK and American television programs and gaining a nomination for “Best Dance Recording” at the 2008 Grammy Awards. World tours, festival-headlining sets and five albums later, and the members of Hot Chip have graced stages and clubs throughout the globe, influencing artists over the past 15 years with their infectious “zap”-laden beats and uniquely encapsulating live show.

Taking a break from promoting his recently released solo debut, Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor will be joined by bandmate Felix Martin and long-time collaborators, friends and former labelmates Nancy Wang (LCD Soundsystem) and Juan Maclean to bring down the house after support from local club favorites Richie Panic, Sleazemore and Bathhouse. -Molly Kish

This show is and has been sold out for a while now, with limited tickets available through bottle service reservations at bottleservice@mezzaninesf.com.

Enter to win if you can attend this show on Friday, July 11th at The Mezzanine in SF.

Submit your full name and email address below.
Contest ends Friday, July 11th at Noon. Winners will be picked at random & notified by email. Your email will be kept private — we will share your email with no one. 21+ only.

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CONTEST CLOSED

Filed Under: Contests Tagged With: Bathhouse, Hot Chip, Juan Maclean, Mezzanine, Richie Panic, Sleazemore

WIN TICKETS: Kill Paris at Mezzanine 7/4 (FRI)

July 2, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

#FUTUREFRIDAYS FOURTH OF JULY featuring Kill Paris with TastyTreat, Tech Minds //
Mezzanine – San Francisco
Friday, July 4th 2014 //

The Mezzanine and EyeHeartSF present a Fourth of July installment of #FUTUREFRIDAYS this week with Kill Paris! The Florida-bred “Future Funk” ambassador brought his classical training in guitar with him to Nashville, Tenn., as a country producer, only to eventually be wooed by the dance music scene to his current residence of Los Angeles. It was in LA where he began to gain traction as an electronic music entity via the online communities of Dubstep.Net and ThisSongIsSick.com amongst other EDM blog sites.

Spending the majority of 2012 and 2013 touring venues and festivals nationwide, Kill Paris released a nine-track EP on dubstep juggernaut Skrillex’s record label OWSLA, remixed and individually released tracks by Nelly Furtado, No Doubt and Rudimental, and charted No. 1 on both Beatport’s Top 100 GlitchHop tracks as well as their Top 100 overall tracks for all genres. Supported this Friday by Tech Minds, TastyTreat and a Hosted Yacht Club Vodka bar from 9-10 p.m., what better way to get patriotic this holiday? ‘Murica!

Buy tickets if you know you want to go!

Enter to win if you can attend this show on Friday, July 4th at The Mezzanine in SF.

Submit your full name and email address below.
Contest ends Thursday, July 3rd at Noon. Winners will be picked at random & notified by email. Your email will be kept private — we will share your email with no one. 21+ only.

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CONTEST CLOSED

Filed Under: Contests Tagged With: Kill Paris, Mezzanine, TastyTreat, Tech Minds

WIN TICKETS: Waka Flocka Flame at Mezzanine 6/22 (SUN)

June 18, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Enter to win a pair of free tickets to this show below.

Waka Flocka Flame with Chanel West Coast, DJ Sean G //
Mezzanine — San Francisco
Sunday June 22nd, 2014 //

Juaquin Malphurs, aka Waka Flocka Flame, is all about progression and transformation these days. Raised in Georgia, this high profile rapper has recently worked with T.I. (on the hit single “50K”), as well as Britney Spears, Lil Wayne and The Cataracts. All of this on the verge of the greatly anticipated new album, Flockaveli II, which features collaborations with the likes of French Montana, Swizz Beatz and Busta Rhymes. With a new label and a new management team, Waka is ready and in position to bring you everything he’s got. Watch him perform this Sunday at the Mezzanine with Chanel West Coast and DJ Sean G. -Krystal Beez

Buy tickets if you know you want to go!

Enter to win if you can attend this show on Sunday, June 22nd at The Mezzanine in SF.

Submit your full name and email address below.
Contest ends Friday, June 20th at Noon. Winners will be picked at random & notified by email. Your email will be kept private – we will share your email with no one. 21+ only.

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CONTEST CLOSED

Filed Under: Contests Tagged With: Chanel West Coast, DJ Sean G, Mezzanine, Waka Flocka Flame

WIN TICKETS: ADULT. with Pictureplane at Mezzanine 6/13 (FRI)

June 12, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Enter to win a pair of free tickets to this contest below.

ADULT. with Pictureplane, White Ring, Tamara Sky, 120 Minutes DJ’s Chauncey_CC & S4NtA_MU3rTE //
Mezzanine – San Francisco
Friday June 13th, 2014 //

The Detroit electro-punk pioneers and creatively versatile duo of Adam Lee Miller and Nicola Kuperus, otherwise known as ADULT., will be headlining this Friday night at Mezzanine! On tour promoting the release of their brand new album The Way Things Fall, ADULT. makes their valiant return to the SF stage after a six year hiatus filled with multi-dimensional audio/video side projects and a full house remolding. After admittingly “burning out” after the relentless tour schedule behind 2007’s Why Bother, the pair had been investing their talents in nearly every art form aside from music.

Re-entering the studio in the fall of 2012, they spent a year composing what initially was planned to be enough material for their official return to the live stage at the Detroit Museum of Contemporary Art, which instead evolved into their 5th and most ambitious studio album to date. Taking on a new focus as result of putting in the time to “exorcise all of their demons through past records,” the husband and wife partnership rings through on this record. Miller describes the material as “mutant pop songs” touching upon both “personal and universal” textures, playing predominately to the analogue soundscape, notably absent of bass guitar.

As much as a performance art show as it is an audio experience, ADULT. live performance is not one to miss. With support from Pictureplane (Lovepump United), White Ring and Dj’s Tamara Sky, Chauncey_CC and S4NtA_MU3rTE this show is going to be an electronic sensory overload. Win tix here via Showbams. -Molly Kish

Buy tickets if you know you want to go.

Enter to win if you can attend this show Friday, June 13th at Mezzanine in SF.

Submit your full name and email address below.
Contest ends Friday, June 13th at Noon. Winners will be picked at random & notified by email. Your email will be kept private – we will share your email with no one. 21+ only.

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CONTEST CLOSED

Filed Under: Contests Tagged With: ADULT., Mezzanine, Pictureplane

WIN TICKETS: Thundercat at Mezzanine 5/10 (SAT)

May 7, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

By James Nagel //

Enter to win a pair of free tickets to this contest below.

Thundercat with The Shotgun Wedding Quintet, DJ Dials //
Mezzanine — San Francisco
May 10th, 2014 (Saturday) //

Virtuoso bassist and intergalactic funk pilot Thundercat, born Stephen Bruner, offers a different experience live in concert compared to his records. Bruner’s impressive studio cuts are tightly produced, full of impressive standard-length tracks. But on tour, expect Thundercat to delve into improvisation with an exploratory vision.

As we reported last year when Thundercat visited San Francisco, “Though the songs are stellar, it was musicianship that was the headline for this evening. The arrangements were very complex and masterfully played as the majority of those in attendance were more into gawking at the chops than moving their dancing feet.” Experience the talents of this emerging artist Saturday at Mezzanine.

Buy tickets if you know you want to go.

Enter to win if you can attend this show Friday, May 10th at Mezzanine in SF.

Submit your full name and email address below.
Contest ends Friday, May 9th at Noon. Winners will be picked at random & notified by email. Your email will be kept private – we will share your email with no one. 21+ only.

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CONTEST CLOSED

Filed Under: Contests Tagged With: DJ Dials, Mezzanine, The Shotgun Wedding Quintet, Thundercat

WIN TICKETS: Flight Facilities at Mezzanine Friday 4/18

April 17, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Win tix to the SOLD OUT Flight Facilities “fauxchella” performance at Mezzanine below.

Flight Facilities with EUG (Face / Public Release), Derek Love //
Mezzanine — San Francisco
April 17, 2014 (Thursday) //

Flight Facilities, (otherwise known as Hugo & Jimmy) are taking a break between their debut performances in the Sahara Tent of this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival to headline a very special performance at Mezzanine in SF this Friday night!

The Austrailian remix artists originally partnered up in 2009 when they first started to put their own spin on various songs by electronic counterparts while working on production with Bag Raiders, Toecutter and Sneaky Soundsystem. Debuting their first original song “Crave You”, featuring guest vocals by Giselle Rosselli, Hugo and Jimmy breached Australian radio airwaves via Triple J in 2010 and took flight on their first international tour, dubbed Flight Facilities “Maiden Voyage”. Gaining traction throughout the next couple years winning a J Award for “Foreign Language” and industry accolades for their ambitious short film for 2012’s “Clair de Lune”, Hugo and Jimmy have yet to slow down on their jet-fueled journey to intercontinental stardom.

Featured in Rockstar Games 2013 release of Grand Theft Auto V, the duo got catapulted into the electronic mainstream via their remix of “Shine a Light”. They are currently in the midst of their massive North American and European tour, bringing along with them their very dear (and extremely talented) friend Owl Eyes to fill in on guest vocals for all of their performances. For your chance to check out this SOLD OUT show on Friday night at the Mezzanine, enter here via Showbams.

Tickets only available for Bottle Service reservations, give Mezzanine a call at 415.625.8880 or email bottleservice@mezzaninesf.com

Enter to win if you can attend this show Friday, April 18th at Mezzanine in SF.

Submit your full name and email address below.
Contest ends Friday, April 18th at Noon. Winners will be picked at random & notified by email. Your email will be kept private – we will share your email with no one. 21+ only.

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CONTEST CLOSED

Watch their “Clair de Lune” short:

Watch the video for “Stand Still”:

Filed Under: Contests Tagged With: Derek Love, EUG (Face / Public Release), Flight Facilities, Mezzanine

WIN TICKETS: Duke Dumont at Mezzanine 4/17

April 15, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Duke Dumont with Sleazemore, Richie Panic, MPHD //
Mezzanine — San Francisco
April 17, 2014 (Thursday) //

Maybe you don’t know the name Duke Dumont, maybe you couldn’t get into his set at the Yuma Tent at Coachella, but if you are in the City this week you should be at Mezzanine as Lights Down Low presents a massive evening. This once relatively unknown producer has turned ripples into waves with his breakout his “I Got U” and “Need U (100%)” featuring A*M*E, not to mention a steady schedule across the globe. His style of UK garage melded with House is both infectious and intoxicating, sure to turn your Thursday night into a sore Friday morning. Lights Down Low crew will be represented by Sleazemore, Richie Panic along with MPHD.

Buy tickets if you know you want to go!

Enter to win if you can attend this show Thursday, April 17th at Mezzanine in SF.

Submit your full name and email address below.
Contest ends Thursday, April 17th at Noon. Winners will be picked at random & notified by email. Your email will be kept private – we will share your email with no one. 21+ only.

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CONTEST CLOSED

Filed Under: Contests Tagged With: Duke Dumont, Mezzanine, MPHD, Richie Panic, Sleazemore

WIN TICKETS: DJ Questlove at Mezzanine 4/12

April 10, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

DJ Questlove with Motown on Mondays //
Mezzanine — San Francisco
April 12, 2014 (Saturday) //

DJ ?uestlove is bringing the party to Mezzanine on Saturday with some of the finest hip hop around. His DJ sets range from laid back to amped up and feature loads of deep cuts, new and old. ?uestlove’s drumming skills (with The Roots) translate over to performing as a DJ well and can be seen in his impeccable timing and turntablist skills. This isn’t your average DJ set with 5 minutes between songs with simple beatmatching, as ?uestlove is comfortable beat juggling and keeping you on your toes with tracks every thirty seconds if he chooses. If you want to dance this Saturday night, you can’t do better than this show.

Buy tickets if you know you want to go!

Enter to win if you can attend this show Saturday, April 12th at Mezzanine in SF.

Submit your full name and email address below.
Contest ends Friday, April 11th at Noon. Winners will be picked at random & notified by email. Your email will be kept private – we will share your email with no one. 21+ only.

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CONTEST CLOSED