Discover New Music // Show Reviews + Photos // Experience California's Music Scene and Beyond
Photos by Marc Fong ~ Written by Mike Frash
The candy-coated pop group Youngblood Hawke from Los Angeles headlined Popscene at Rickshaw Stop May 23, bringing their super-shiny, summertime songs to San Francisco. They’ve gained significant traction this year with their radio-friendly anthem “We Come Running” from their debut album Wake Up, released in April. Their lead single is so catchy, it’s already by remixed by Tiësto, RAC, The Knocks & others. Listen to these remixes below.
“I think our tag line “Championing Independent Culture” is an accurate description of what we are.” ~Julie Zielinski, Assistant Producer of Noise Pop
Written by Mike Frash & Molly Kish //
Noise Pop, an indie music festival that features emerging artists and living legends, is poised to take over 25 San Francisco venues from February 26th-March 3rd. It began as a one-night affair at The Independent 21 years ago, and has expanded to incorporate independent film and a wider range of art into the sphere of the week-long event.
The artist curation has also evolved over the years. “We’ve definitely extended Noise Pop as a concept. It started out so much as indie rock like Built to Spill and White Stripes,” said Julie Zielinski from Noise Pop headquarters. “But since we began Treasure Island Music Festival, we have expanded to electronic music and even hip hop a little bit.”
Subscribe to our Noise Pop 2013 Spotify playlist.
As you’ll see below, some of the best looking Noise Pop shows have already sold out. But fear not! You can purchase a Festival Badge, which is a super value for show hoppers & concert addicts. The badge grants access to all general admission (non-seated) shows, films, happy hours, Culture Club and other events during the festival.
“We try to curate really unique shows and while we often have big headliners, it’s super important to us to have local bands and West Coast representation in all of the supporting acts.” ~Kelleyann Schilke, Noise Pop Production Coordinator
Noise Pop Headliners
Toro Y Moi • Friday & Saturday March 1 & 2 @ The Independent • SOLD OUT Buy a badge
Coming off the recent release of his third studio album Anything in Return, Toro y Moi (aka Chaz Bundwick) brings the sexy to this year’s Noise Pop lineup. Bundwick is a “chill wave” innovator rooted deeply within the genres of R&B, Soul and Funk and now dance with the new LP. Toro Y Moi, Bundwick’s full band, will be heating up The Independent for two sold out nights. With support from Sinkane and Dogbite, prepare to leave a sweaty mess with no tread left on the soles on your shoes.
Best show to boogie your way into some baby making.
!!! (chk chk chk) • Thursday February 28 @ Great American Music Hall • BUY TICKETS
Kicking off the weekend early with some movement, bi-coastal dance-punk party starters Chk Chk Chk will be bringing down the house at Great American Music Hall. With their fifth studio album Thr!!!er dropping April 30, which the band describes as “auricular magic,” one can anticipate !!!’s first show of their tour to include a healthy dose of new material along with crowd favorites. Festival veterans, Chk Chk Chk know how to motivate crowds to get asses shaking. Nic Offer’s ecstatic outfit has the ability to continuously satisfy long term fans and blow the minds of first time witnesses. Combine that with the added support of three up and coming acts led by White Arrows, and this show is one not to miss.
Best show to gain a new appreciation for booty shorts and leave with some stellar dance moves.
Amon Tobin (DJ set) • Friday March 1 @ Public Works • BUY TICKETS
After a widely successful and rigorous schedule promoting his 2011 album ISAM, Amon Tobin brings his special blend of performance art & gritty beats to Public Works. His latest work, coming in the form of a Two Fingers album Vengeance Rythym and remixes of “Chaos Theroy,” is bound to be front and center at his Noise Pop performance, bringing to life his unique vision of “dub step built on an interplanetary level.” Accompanied by hard hitting openers Maus Haus, Naytronix and Group Rhonda, this show displays the diversity of Noise Pop 2013 by slapping you across the face with dirty electronic talent.
Best show to attend ready to rage and leave with enough optical stimulation to inspire the completion of your visual arts thesis.
Starfucker (STRFKR) • Friday March 1 @ The Regency • SOLD OUT Buy a badge
Polyvinyl darlings and favorites amongst the electro-indie scene, Starfucker (aka STRFKR) make their way back to the Regency Ballroom for one of the most anticipated shows of the Noise Pop 2013 Festival weekend! Celebrating the release of their forth LP Miracle Mile February 19, the boys took some risks with their songwriting and produced what is being hailed as their most ambitious effort to date. In addition to their infallible dance-floor-ready discography, expect to hear some of their recent successful experiments with funk, psychedelic pop and disco. Taking the stage after one of the strongest opening acts of the festival, Blackbird Blackbird, this show will leave you ready to take the city by storm (on your way to 1015 Folsom).
Best show to find yourself singing, jumping, dancing and/or making out with someone, whether you know ’em or not.
Rogue Wave • Friday March 1 @ Bottom Of The Hill • SOLD OUT Buy a badge
East Bay indie rockers Rogue Wave are headlining an intimate show with Wymond Mills, Mwahaha, and Brainstorm at Bottom of the Hill. On the heels of a cryptically announced LP that is in the works, this one of two shows Rogue Wave has on their touring calendar. Eager to debut new material and backed by a killer local line up, Rogue Wave play chaperone to a bar mitzvah of local Bay Area talent. Welcome back to Zach!
Best show to avoid your ex that you see across the room. The one that stole your copy of Out of the Shadow and is still sporting your Rogue Wave T-shirt. Awkward …
YACHT • Saturday March 2 @ Slims • BUY TICKETS
YACHT began as Jona Bechtolt’s solo project, but at a live show you are more likely to have your eyes on singer Claire Evans. Evans officially made YACHT a twosome in 2008, and they haven’t looked back since. YACHT is much more than a creative duo that tours with a full band and recreates their digital sound with live instruments. YACHT is a movement, even a borderline religion. I’m not kidding.
Best show to Overcome Humanity and Become Your Own God
The Thermals • Friday March 1 @ Rickshaw Stop • SOLD OUT Buy a badge
The Thermals bring their infectious post-punk energy to Rickshaw Stop for Noise Pop 2013. Aiming to tear shit up with Bay Area bad asses Dirty Ghost’s, The She’s and EV Kain, this lineup is bursting with with raw talent and youth. The central core of Noise Pop is to feature bands on the rise in venues known for breaking new artists – to call attention to burgeoning talent, ya dig? Get on it!
Best show to watch a female spill her drink on you while pogo dancing, make fun of you for how ridiculous you look and buy you a shot in place of an apology.
Body/Head • Tuesday February 26 @ Rickshaw Stop • BUY TICKETS
One of the most anticipated and exciting acts of the Noise Pop 2013 line up, Body/Head has even the most seasoned of music professionals’ tongues wagging with predicative prose. Noise Pop Assistant Producer Julie Zielinski says, “We have some fun shows like Body/Head, Kim Gordon’s side project. The thing about this one is that really none of us have heard it, so it’s going to be this huge surprise.” An experimental project formed by indie rock legend and founding member of Sonic Youth Kim Gordon and free noise guitar superstar Bill Nace, this outfit is one that falls nicely into the Noise Pop realm.
Best show to arrive with absolutely no expectations, except that you are seeing a new act before everyone else.
Damien Jurado • Saturday March 2 @ The Chapel • BUY TICKETS
Those with a proclivity toward singer-songwriters might want to check out Damien Jurado at San Francisco’s newest venue The Chapel in the Mission. Lately Jurado has been been releasing new records at a yearly clip, and he’s currently touring on his 2012 effort Maraqopa. Jurado is certainly an under-the-radar talent; his songs and discography greatly outweigh his overall success.
Best show to discover a hidden musical gem.
Catch Em Before They Blow Up
“I’ve been with Noise Pop for about five to six years now, and I remember the first year I said ‘Wow, I don’t even really know a lot of these bands,’ and I consider myself pretty well versed. Then from the progression of Noise Pop, to SXSW to the next set of festivals you would see bands like the Fleet Foxes play second of four at the Bottom of the Hill, then all of the sudden they are on the front cover of all of these magazines. It’s interesting to see how people are able to trampoline onto the next thing.” ~Julie Zielinski, Assistant Producer of Noise Pop
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down • Saturday March 2 @ Great American Music Hall •
SOLD OUT Buy a badge
Thao Nguyen, the spark-plug front-woman for The Get Down Stay Down, is ready for the spotlight and even mainstream radio-play with the release of We the Common on February 5. Title track “We the Common (For Valerie Bolden)” will be a hit – and for a good reason. The track plays on multiple genres successfully, contrasting a bluegrass/jazz based-sound with synth hits, alt-rock beat transitions and poppy, Regina Spektor-like accessible lyrics. By the time the refrain kicks in (“Whooo-a-hooo, haha), it becomes easy to speculate that Thao and The Get Down Stay Down could have a big year.
FUZZ • Friday March 1 @ The Knockout • SOLD OUT Buy a badge
When Trouble in Mind Records received an anonymous submission by a heavy psych rock band last year, the mystery of FUZZ was born in a wall of sound. When the veil was raised, it turned out to be Ty Segall and his long-time collaborator Charlie Moothart were the creators of this new ruckus. The plot thickened when it was learned that Ty was manning the drumkit while Moothart banged out riffs heavy enough to make Sabbath blush. Bongs across America rattled as this is no average stoner rock band. The vocals are unmistakably Segall, which couldn’t fit the limited tracks any better.
Having the pleasure of seeing this band at tiny Hemlock Tavern got me excited that this was not a waste of Segall’s increasingly valuable time and effort. Having known that Ty is competent on all instruments lends perfect sense to him truly wanting to try it all, and sooner than later.
-Kevin Quandt
DIIV • Friday & Saturday March 1 & 2 @ Brick & Mortar Music Hall • SOLD OUT Buy a badge
Beach Fossil’s Zachary Cole Smith released a whopper of a solo effort in 2012 under the aquatic-name, DIIV (Dive). Heavy on the reverb and not lacking any quality of pop shoe-gaze mentality, DIIV’s sound has a way of grabbing you and holding on as the infectious guitar hooks play over and over in your skull. Apparently the secret is out, as two Noise Pop shows sold out rather quickly. The attention is deserved.
Nosaj Thing • Thursday February 21 @ California Academy of Sciences
Nosaj Thing produces subtle yet contemporary beauty at it’s finest. It was well worth the wait for Jason Chung’s new album Home under his Nosaj Thing monicker, as this fresh batch of progressive down-beat tracks is full of his unique sound. Nosaj Thing is headlining the weekly California Academy of Sciences Nightlife February 21, the Thursday before Noise Pop week.
Washed Out, Toro Y Moi, Young Magic Scene Unseen II • Friday March 1 @ 1015 Folsom • Free with RSVP
Did you see all the sick shows happening Friday March 1st? The place to be afterwards will be at 1015 Folsom, where Washed Out (Ernest Greene) and Toro Y Moi (Chazwick Bundick) spin at this free after-party.
“The Culture Club, it is what all of these musicians and artists do outside of just making music…” ~Kelleyann Schilke
Culture Club Presented by Bay Bridged • Saturday @ Swedish American Music Hall • BUY TICKETS
Culture Club, now in its third year of celebrating this process and DIY spirit, gives you the rare opportunity to see and hear your favorite artists in the music, film, art, design, food and technology communities show in an interactive way how, why and what inspires them in creating their work(s). In addition to talks and unique performances, there are hands-on opportunities for participants to delve into their own creativity as well. Culture Club creates an all-around immersive experience to get in touch with your favorite creatives on a deeper and more insightful level.
“One thing we’re highlighting this year is Olek, who is a famous crochet artist that does “crochet bombing.” She’s going to come in a teach crochet workshops and talk about that aspect of public movement which is pretty cool.”
“Also highlighting music, we’ll be featuring Dust & Grooves: For the Love of Vinyl, whom are going to come in and take photographs of local musicians and their record collections, then talk about how people are influenced by music and how vinyl has continued to effect really popular music. The concept itself is really just to highlight how much music really effects artistic movement and movement in the world.” ~Kelleyann Schilke
Noise Pop Film Series • Buy a film series badge
See a Little Light: A Celebration of the Music and Legacy of Bob Mould
Q&A with director Justin Mitchell & Bob’s manager Jordan Kurland
February 27 / Roxie Theater / 9 p.m. / $10
Last November at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, some of today’s most influential artists gathered to celebrate the music of Bob Mould. Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters), Britt Daniel (Spoon), Ryan Adams, No Age, Craig Finn and Tad Kubler (The Hold Steady), Margaret Cho with Grant Lee Phillips, and Jessica Dobson (The Shins, Deep Sea Diver) all performed songs from Bob’s historic catalog. Fortunately, the entire evening was captured in stunning audio and high-quality video quality by filmmaker Justin Mitchell. Justin and his camera crew followed Bob and the other artists meticulously throughout their day catching the rehearsals, preparation, interactions—and of course the night’s unforgettable performances.
“We also have a lot of great films I’m excited about like See a Little Light, A Celebration of the Music and Legacy of Bob Mould. Shepard Fairey is going to be there as well as Jordan Kirland, our boss in honor. Also the Bad Brains film, I’m excited about that as well.” ~Julie Zielinski
Strom Thorgerson & Hipgnosis Taken by Storm: Iconic Album Art
Pre-screening Reception: Thursday, February 28, 2013 / 5–8 p.m.
San Francisco Art Exchange; February 28th-March 16th
For over 40 years using album covers as his canvas, Storm Thorgerson has created some of the most iconic images in the history of music from Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy, Peter Gabriel, Black Sabbath, Paul McCartney to Biffy Clyro, Muse, The Mars Volta—in fact possibly 80% of your classic vinyl collection! Eschewing digital manipulation in favor of building massive sets and tableaus, staging performances and actions and ‘doing it for real’, Storm has deliriously confounded expectations of the relation of images and music, hyperrealism and the everyday, and the role of the record sleeve at the intersection of art and commerce.
“Taken by Storm, with Storm Thorgerson is really being hyped and will be accompanied by a champagne toast down at the SF Art Exchange downtown, which has the world’s largest collection of Rock and Roll Art, which is really neat as well and such an honor to have that as part of the festival.” ~Kelleyann Schilke
San Francisco Rocks! Noise Pop & Treasure Island Photography (2007–2012)
Opening: Thursday, February 7, 2013 / 7 p.m.
Festival Reception: February 26th, 2013 / 5 p.m. / Hotel Biron
In the past five years Noise Pop has brought the Bay Area some incredible live music from local bands. And, while most of us were just getting off on the music itself, a select group of some of the world’s best music photographers were taking some spectacular shots of these shows. This exhibition is a rare treat as we get a unique look at what’s been happening onstage here in our own backyard over the past half a decade.
Urban Cone is an electronic dance-pop group from Stockholm, Sweden that counts Rasmus Flyckt, Magnus Folkö, Tim Formgren, Emil Gustafsson, Jacob William Sjöberg as its members.
They headlined the Popscene show at Rickshaw Stop on January 31, and Maggie Corwin was there to get some awesome snaps!
Ghost Beach headlines Popscene Thursday, February 7. Buy tickets.
Photos by Maggie Corwin // Written by Molly Kish //
Showbams interviewed Tom Gavlin and Gordon Bramli from Gemini Club before their show on January 17th at Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco. Recognized for their modified audio techniques and improvisational live performances, Gemini Club thrives in a state of chaos, which they claim is imperative to their success. The band’s been a topic of interest on several indie blogs and music websites and has been a consistent recommendation from my colleagues.
They took the stage in SF, playing to a sold-out Popscene audience suited for battle with an armada of franken-synths and an attitude to match. Before blowing the minds of a fully packed Rickshaw Stop that evening, I got a chance to talk with both Tom and Gordon about what makes their band “scary,” in a good way.
Showbams: Tom, I know that you met Dan back in college at Columbia where you bonded over electronic music, shared demos back and forth and eventually met Gordon and got him on board for live shows. What type of projects were you guys working on pre-Gemini Club?
Gavlin: We were in a band together, called the Balkans. It was really straight forward: two guitars, a synthesizer, bass and drums. I was a very bad guitar player then, so they we were like “maybe we could just go as a four piece” and I was like “okay.” Then I got into electronic music on my own. I started making demos, and Dan and I had a politics class together. When I had showed him my demo. He was like, “this is good, I like this a lot!” Dan was really getting into electronic music and wanting to do that so he decided to one up me with his own demo, and a week later we we’re at his house up really late, putting some vocals to it and just haven’t stopped.
Showbams: Gordon, at that time you were doing your own kind of DJ stuff. Were you ever trying to spin in an indie medium or was it something completely different?
Bramli: Yeah, well I had a night at this bar and I was hosting it as well as DJing. It was through friends that I heard Dan and booked him. He DJ’d, and I liked what I saw. Then one day he was like “come over” and he played me some Gemini Club, the early tracks. I enjoyed what I was hearing. He asked me if I wanted to be in the band and I said yes right away.
Showbams: From conception, was the live performance something you all agreed upon would be the main focus of the band, or was it something that just naturally evolved?
Gavlin: To a certain extent, it all starts in the studios with the songs first. Then we figure out how to re-create them live in a way that’s genuine and utilizes to the utmost extent the technology that we implement in our shows. We knew we had the capabilities of exploiting that technology and making it cool. When I say “cool,” it’s because I can sit and bore you for twenty minutes about the complexities of the things that are going on, none of which I do because it scares me. Dan’s rig scares me!
Showbams: Your live shows are unique, not only in the equipment, but also material and consistently changing nature of your performance. A lot of which has to do with the type of audio tools you’re using, most notably the Gemini Rig. Can you explain what a “rig” is?
Gavlin: So there’s two rigs in the band, Dan has one and Gordon has the other. Baisically we run Ableton Live, and I have an APC 40 and innovation keyboard, and I do samples and beats. With that I am Midi clocked to Dan and he plays the synthesizer and guitar.
I have the master clock and can effect his piano playing, make effects on it and everything. We tilt our gear towards the audience, so they can see what were doing live and it’s very versitile. Each song we can change parts and re-sample, it’s a lot of fun.
Showbams: Beyond that, you guys also play with another piece of equipment called the Gemini Capsule …
Bramli: So, that’s an eight-step sequencer synthesizer that we’re building with a company called Unitronix, from Chicago. It’s all bulit in Chicago and we’re super proud of it. We’re actually going to launch it this year, right around SXSW.
Showbams: I know this type of equipment allows you to do on the fly re-mixes, which personalizes the experience for audiences on a nightly basis. Conversely though, this makes for a very rigorous tour schedule and is something most bands would shy away from. Do you ever wish that maybe you would of stuck with a simpler set up?
Gavlin: Sure you know, maybe we should’ve stuck to horses instead of making cars. No, not at all.
Showbams: Is it in anyway nerve-wracking to incorporate such an improv element?
Gavlin: Yes, the rigs scare me … there have been panic attacks during soundchecks (laughs). Today, I had to walk away and do something else. Yes, it’s very scary!
Bramli: The rewards of it being difficult and the element of failure is really important to us, because we thrive on taking such risks. Because when we do succeed, it means that much more to us. It’s real.
Gavlin: Like we were saying, we use this type of equipment for it’s benefits, not to make it easier. People talk about backing tracks and launching clips … however the hell you feel about it, everybody does that! I’m not saying like everyone at some folk festival would do it but it’s you know, how you do it! Do you make it interesting?
Showbams: Has there ever been a moment that things didn’t pan out the way you had hoped them to?
Bramli: (Laughs) Many times … all the time!
Gavlin: I’ll never forget the time that we were playing in our earlier days when I pulled out a cable, trying to climb up a ladder on a stage and I completely unplugged Gordon’s APC. Which means the music stops. I mean we’ve probably had a good dozen moments where a computer crashes.
During a sold-out show at Lincoln Hall, Gordon’s APC, which normally scrolls through clips as the set progresses, started scrolling on it’s own. I saw this at practice and was like “this is weird,” but figured it’s a bug and takes about two minutes to fix itself. This happened like two days before, and I was OK with it, two minutes we could work with. So playing live, I look over and see the screen scrolling. I’m thinking, okay two minutes I can just chit chat and make jokes. It ended up however, feeling a lot longer.
Bramli: Meanwhile, I’m frantically rebooting, sweating, dying!
Gavlin: But we managed. Once we fixed it and got back on stage, no one even noticed. It was a good feeling! It’s like being sick. I’ve been sick for two days and you just deal with it. You either let it break you down or have it build you up. You learn or quit.
Showbams: Since 2009, you’ve put out two albums and are currently starting the West Coast leg of your tour, debuting new material throughout. In your blog, you allude to a full-length album in the works. When can we expect more info regarding such?
Gavlin: Yes, we’re working on a full-length record now. We have five tracks written and are playing three of them tonight. We are going into the studio in February following that, and I would expect new music in early summer after South by Southwest.
After we talked, the guys gushed about how they loved SF “more than they like most people.” They shared stories of their road trip to Sausalito with the founder of Tellason denim and their love/hate relationship with the Midwest.
They’ll be finishing their tour up back at home in early March, diving straight into completing their heavily anticipated full length. After catching their performance at Rickshaw Stop, my prediction is that the boys will be scheduling a return visit out here for festival season.
The Knocks headlined Popscene Thursday night at Rickshaw Stop
Live electronic awesomeness saturated Rickshaw Stop Thursday night in SF, as The Knocks and Gemini Club performed to a sold out crowd.
Take a look at this fresh eye-candy from Maggie Corwin.
Gemini Club opened, but they should be headlining in no time…
It has been a top-notch year for live music, and we witnessed some great acts that have come through California over the past 12 months. Check out our favorite shows from 2012.
What was your favorite concert in 2012? Let us know in the comments below.
The xx at Treasure Island Music Festival
Mike Frash – San Francisco
1. Sigur Rós at Outside Lands Music Festival – San Francisco, CA – August 11th
Leaving Metallica for Sigur Rós to end the second day at Outside Lands was a torturous decision. Metallica was a warzone spectacle, but i stuck to my guns and headed to the Twin Peaks stage. I’m glad I did. Jonsi now conducts a mini orchestra, and the eerie SF fog lowered on command to the slow builds & crescendos. It was a spiritual show that effected me more than any other concert in 2012.
2. Japandroids at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – June 14th
Brian King and David Prowse brought ecstatic energy to the sold out Independent in June the week after Celebration Rock was released. Brian King understands how to control the pace of his set, offering fun pre-song statements that prepare you for what’s next. Their songs are vibrant live – it doesn’t sound like only two people are playing instruments. They truly seem to live the life they glorify on their 2012 album – still drinking, still smokin, and full of hyperactive desperation.
3. Phish (Night #3) at Bill Grahm Civic Auditorium – San Francisco, CA – August 19th
The highly anticipated phish three-show SF run in August started off a bit slowly. Saturday’s show left me a little bummed about Phish due to some sloppy play (“Split open and melt”) and what felt like a lack of enthusiasm. I was questioning why I still see Phish live heading into the last show of the weekend. My lowered expectations combined with a killer show quashed those thoughts. “Crosseyed and Painless” > “Light” > “Sneakin’ Sally” > “Crosseyed” was some of the best Phish I’ve ever heard, “Boogie on” redeemed Stevie Wonder’s omission of the song at Outside Lands the week before, “Meatstick” made me really happy, and the San Francisco-mentioning “Ride Captain Ride” made a surprise encore appearance. The show was pure bliss.
4. The Rapture at Coachella – Indio, CA – April 13th
5. The xx at Treasure Island Music Festival – San Francisco, CA – October 14th
6. The Presets at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – October 12th
7. STS9 at High Sierra Music Festival – Quincy, CA – July 5th-6th
8. Head and the Heart at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass – San Francisco, CA – October 6th
9. Tame Impala at The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA – November 15th
10. My Morning Jacket at Greek Theatre Berkeley – Berkeley, CA – September 15th
Honorable Mentions:
Father John Misty at Jansport Bonfire – San Francisco, CA – September 30th
Of Monsters and Men at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – March 22nd
My Morning Jacket at The Wiltern
Pete Mauch – Los Angeles
1. My Morning Jacket at The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA – September 13th
MMJ capped off the best three-night run I saw this year with this stellar closing show complete with a horns section. This is a big statement for a band I knew I loved but wasn’t fully convinced about until this night. Highlights: “All Night Long” and “Movin On Up” with horns.
2. Phish at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco, CA – August 19th
Phish played a terrific 3-night run, and topped off by an amazing Sunday night show that proves that Phish is still top of the Jam Scene. Highlight: Light > Sneakin Sally Through the Alley
3. Ryan Adams at Walt Disney Concert Hall – Los Angeles, CA – February 17th
Ryan Adams, an acoustic Guitar, and a Piano is all this show contained, and it was truly special. Adams’ classic songs stripped down with his raspy croons is all I needed to make this a top show of the year. Highlight: “Rescue Blues” on Piano “Holy Diver” on Guitar
4. Trey Anastasio and LA Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall – Los Angeles, CA – March 10th
5. Neil Young & Crazy Horse at Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles, CA – October 17th
6. Charles Bradley with Menahan Street Band at Royce Hall – Los Angeles, CA – November 29th
7. Radiohead at Coachella Music Festival – Indio, CA – April 21st
8. Trombone Shorty at Key Club – West Hollywood, CA – February 11th
9. Wilco at Hollywood Palladium – Los Angeles, CA – January 24th
10. New Multitudes (tribute to Woody Guthrie) at Mayan Theater – Los Angeles, CA – March 7th
Honorable Mentions:
Phish at Long Beach Arena – Long Beach, CA – August 15th
String Cheese Incident at Greek Theatre Berkeley – Berkeley, CA – July 14th
Roger Waters presents “The Wall” at LA Memorial Coliseum – Los Angeles, CA – May 21st
Umphrey’s Mcgee (True Hollywood Stories acoustic show) at House of Blues – West Hollywood, CA – March 16th
The Faint at The Regency Ballroom
Molly Kish – San Francisco
1. Radiohead at HP Pavilion – San Jose, CA – April 12th
After merely catching glimpses of them while shoved against thousands of festivalgoers at Outside Lands 2008, I was determined to catch Radiohead the next time they came through the Bay Area. The sound, visuals, performance and energy of the evening were electrifying. Although I was extremely lucky to have been viewing the concert from the sixth row, the entire crowd looked as though they were just as lost in the moment as I was. The band’s enigmatic stage presence, fully developed set composition and career-spanning choice of material made for one of the most collectively impressive concert experiences that I have ever witnessed.
2. Of Montreal with Deerhoof, Kishi Bashi at Slim’s – San Francisco, CA – March 22nd
As a long time Of Montreal fan, I was ecstatic to get the opportunity to interview their opening act and latest addition to the lineup (Kishi Bashi) the night of their Slim’s performance. It wasn’t only for the sake of getting a personal perspective on the band, but also due to the fact that this would actually be my first time catching them performing live. The entire show and evening that followed was everything I could’ve wanted for my first experience seeing Of Montreal. Accompanied by three screens of psychedelic visuals, various costumed extras, balloon drops, props and whole score of vaudevillian rivalry, the band took the crowd and venue by storm. During the encore to top it off, I was able to reconnect with Kishi Bashi and ended up initiating an after-party with the entire band, crew and record label affiliates at an industrial themed “dark carnival,” taking place across the street at local dive bar Butter. Several jello shots, deep-fried twinkies and contortionist carnie-prompted dance battles later, I looked around and felt assured that I had enough material to develop my own personal “Of Montreal” concert story contender.
3. The Presets at Treasure Island Music Festival – San Francisco, CA – October 13th
Completely blown away by their performance the night before, I was overwhelmed with excitement and intrigue to see how the Presets could accomplish translating such energy to a festival setting. Anyone who had caught their Treasure Island Music Festival opener at the Independent instantly was taken over by sensory recall as they broke into song almost right where they left us hanging less than 24 hours earlier. Almost in homage to those who witnessed them destroy their previous set, they picked the dance party up right where they left off, only this time kicking it up about ten notches with the accompanied stage show, visual intensity and professional grade sound of seasoned professionals. Completely upstaging their more commercially recognized headliner and showing the younger generation how it should be done, they stole the show and were easily the stand out act of the 2012 TIMF. To this day I still find myself saying that I wish I could continually be going to a Presets show, based off of the concert experience I had at these two performances.
4. Dan Deacon at Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA – October 23rd
5. Against Me! at The Catalyst – Santa Cruz, CA – September 10th
6. The Faint at The Regency Ballroom – San Francisco, CA – November 18th
7. Justice at Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland, CA – November 4th
8. Metallica at Outside Lands Music Festival – San Francisco, CA – August 10th
9. Animal Collective at Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland, CA – September 21st
10. The Shins at Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium – Santa Cruz, CA – April 22nd
Honorable Mentions:
Yeah Yeah Yeahs at Creators Project – San Francisco, CA – March 17th
Cold War Kids at Bottom of the Hill – San Francisco, CA – March 5th
Dr. John at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – August 17th
Girl Talk at Sasquatch! Music Festival – George, WA – May 25th
David Byrnes & St. Vincent
Kevin Raos – San Francisco
1. David Byrne & St. Vincent at Orpheum Theater – San Francisco, CA – October 15th
This is my number one show of 2012 for a couple of reasons. First off, Love this Giant, the recently released collaborative album between Byrne and St. Vincent, was a major disappointment. One of my most anticipated albums of the year ended up being one of the most disappointing. All was redeemed, however, when I saw these songs performed live. The accompanying brass band and the chemistry on stage breathed new life into was I felt was a stale album. Playfully executed and precisely choreographed, these songs shined live.
Secondly, I am a huge David Byrne fan and was able to check a big one off my bucket list of musical artists. Byrne’s career needs no introduction, and this evening we were treated to a few Talking Heads classics such as “Burning Down the House”, “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” and “Like Humans Do”.
This show was simply a once in a lifetime experience.
2. Phish at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco, CA – August 19th
A three night run at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium was capped off with a masterful performance by jamband kings, Phish. The final night of the run was easily the best night as the band flexed their improvisational muscles in a blistering two-set performance, highlighted by covers of the Talking Heads’ “Crosseyed and Painless” and Robert Palmer’s “Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley.”
3. Sigur Rós at Outside Lands Music Festival – San Francisco, CA – August 11th
Sigur Rós on my birthday to cap off an unbelievable festival day? How could it possibly get any better? It can’t really.
4. Duo de Twang at Terrapin Crossroads – San Rafael, CA – October 4th
5. Keller Williams, Steve Kimock & Kyle Hollingsworth feat. Bernie Worrell, Wally Ingram & Andy Hess at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Music Festival – San Francisco, CA – October 7th
6. Miike Snow with Penguin Prison at Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland, CA – April 12th
7. Washed Out at Mezzanine – San Francisco, CA – May 4th
8. Electric Guest at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – November 2nd
9. The Album Leaf with Blackbird Blackbird at Bottom of the Hill – San Francisco, CA – September 30th
10. CITIZENS! with Tomorrow’s World, Lescop and Housse de Racket at Rickshaw Stop – San Francisco, CA – October 12th
Honorable Mentions:
Zee Avi at The New Parish – Oakland, CA – September 28th
M83 at The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA – April 22nd
Japandroids
1. D’Angelo at House of Blues – West Hollywood, CA – July 4th
2. Passion Pit at Rock en Seine – Paris, France – August 26th
3. STRFKR at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – January 7th
4. Stevie Wonder at Outside Lands Music Festival – San Francisco, CA – August 12th
5. Miike Snow with Penguin Prison at Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland, CA – April 12th
6. A.Skillz + Krafty Kuts Presents Tricka Technology at MIGHTY – San Francisco, CA – June 1st
7. Aaron Freeman (Gene Ween) at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – October 19th
8. Japandroids at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – June 14th
9. Guns N’ Roses (Bridge School Benefit) at Shoreline Amphitheatre – Mountain View, CA – October 21st
10. Kid Koala (Vinyl Vaudeville Tour) at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – November 4th
The Lumineers at The Chapel
Marc Fong – San Francisco
1. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros at Slim’s – San Francisco, CA – March 25th
It’s not often I gush like a school girl (only about once or twice a week), but seeing ESatMZ at Slim’s was panty dropping. Can I say that? Well, I just did. It was a secret/private show so Slim’s was overcrowded. I stood center stage close enough to see the dirt on Alex Ebert’s suit. The sound was great, and the band always puts on a damn fine show.
2. The Lumineers at The Chapel – San Francisco, CA – October 11th
LIVE 105 brought the Lumineers to newly opened Chapel in SF and the band didn’t disappoint. The venue was the perfect size for the band and like most of the other bands on this list, the Lumineers had fun playing and it made for a great show.
3. Kronos Quartet at Greek Theatre Berkeley – Berkeley, CA – October 5th
OK, this was really Amon Tobin’s show, but Kronos opened and performed beautifully. Being a longtime fan, it’s not a surprise these openers made my list. Great music from great performers. And the Greek Theatre in Berkeley was the best venue to see them at … and most other concerts.
4. Willie Nelson and Family at Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland, CA – March 15th
5. Of Monsters and Men at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – May 22nd
6. Fun. at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – May 28th
7. Sage Francis at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – March 17th
8. Steve Aoki at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco, CA – January 21st
9. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros at Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland, CA – May 12th
10. Avicii at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco, CA – June 28th
Tame Impala at The Fillmore
Kevin Quandt – San Francisco
1. The Walkmen at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – January 20th-21st
These 10th anniversary shows were a Walkmen fan’s wet dream as they played their first album in full among multiple sets and configurations including a horn section. Over 30 songs of Hamilton Leithauser and company churning out their own brand of rock and roll to devote fans from across the States.
2. Refused with The Hives, The Bronx at The Warfield – San Francisco, CA – April 18th
Having seen their Coachella show a week prior, the anticipation was less palpable, yet the reigning post-punk champs delighted a more rowdy and dedicated crowd with a spirited set for the masses who patiently waited a decade to witness.
3. Trey Anastasio with Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall – Los Angeles, CA – March 10th
Dressing up for a show is fun, especially when Trey is at the helm of philharmonic symphony in one of the best rooms to hear, and see, music in. From the playful rendition of “Guyute” to the half hour “Time Turns Elasctic,” this night had the packed concert hall re-charmed by Ernest and his recharged song book.
4. Tame Impala at The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA – November 15th
5. Phish at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco, CA – August 19th
6. Woods & White Fence at The Chapel (Preservation Hall West) – San Francisco, CA – October 17th
7. Howlin Rain at The Independent – San Francisco, CA – February 18th
8. Radiohead at Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA – April 12th
9. Father John Misty with Har Mar Superstar at Bottom of the Hill – San Francisco, CA – May 5th
10. Mala at Yoshi’s – Oakland, CA – June 23rd
Festival sets:
Sigur Rós at Outside Lands Music Festival – San Francisco, CA – August 11th
Future Islands at FYF Fest – Los Angeles, CA – September 1st
Flying Lotus at Coachella – Indio, CA – April 14th
Justice at The Warfield
Sean Little – San Francisco
1. Justice at The Warfield – San Francisco, CA – November 4th
What else is there to say about Justice that hasn’t already been said. They came, they saw, and they melted faces with an amazing set the blew fans away and converted first timers alike. At least half my friends decided to go last minute (tickets were still available because it was a Sunday) and all of them became huge fans. Some of these friends are not into electronic music of any kind either, so that really says something. It was one of those rare shows where you leave euphoric and can’t stop saying “wow” to the people you went with.
2. Florence & the Machine at Coachella – Indio, CA – April 15th
The only other performer I’ve ever seen that commanded an audience like Florence did was Snoop Dogg back in 02 at the Smoke Out (stop-you’re not better than me so put that eyebrow back down). It was one of the rare festival sets where everyone felt really in tune with the performer and each other, singing along and knowing when to interact with each other and the songs. She was absolutely amazing, and the set was a dark horse highlight to my festival as I didn’t expect her to command the audience like she did. She’s truly a presence.
Photos & Video by Chaya & Michael Frash
It takes a pretty enticing talent to attract the amount of people that crammed into Rickshaw Stop mid-week on a rainy night. How to Dress Well proved that they were just the perfect act to accomplish such a feat, and they did it in their own fashion.
From the moment Tom Krell stepped on stage, took his place in front of his conjoined mics and brought up friends to support on a drum machine and violin, it felt like something special was happening. Quite the opposite of the personality conveyed through his less than optimistic records (his new LP is called Total Loss), he instantly was all smiles, thanking the crowd for joining. Tom pounding what looked like a bottle of tea, and he let the audience know that although he was a bit under the weather, he had self-medicated back stage and was pumped to be playing in a city he deemed as a second home.
The set opened with “Suicide Dream One” to a completely pitch black room with striking visuals of screaming geisha-faced women layered over each other, projected on the backdrop of the stage. Krell has been quoted as saying that he aims to “capture intense effects that happen right at the edge of language.” That mantra clearly defines how he puts on a live show.
In several instances throughout the night before he initiated songs, Krell instructed the Rickshaw Stop sound engineers to turn up the sampler mic and beats. His live performance relies heavily on the physical reactions he wants to get out of his listeners, so Krell had no problem taking the reigns back from management and nearly blowing out the soundsystem. During a brand new song, which I assume he intentionally left ambiguous in name, he literally stopped to address the sound board operator and said, “It’s alright be stressed, it’s meant to feel that way!”
After an opening segment spattered with intense, emotionally charged tracks from both 2010’s Love Remains and the recently released Total Loss, Krell decided to move into the second half of his set with a couple lighter dance tracks. This allowed for the audience to catch their breath for a second and realize the caliber of performance Krell was achieving. Although both albums have their fair share of heavy R&B gut-wrenchers, How to Dress Well’s front man “doesn’t want to be guy no one wants to be around because he’s so miserable.” The crowd jumped on the chance to shake off a bit of the somberness during Krell’s performance of “& It Was You,” and “Running Back.”
This was a change in pace that was very short lived, however, and it may have thrown off the house staff. After seguing back into a deeply emotional place with “Cold Nites,” Krell ended the set with “Set it Right,” and unfortunately this song made the biggest impact on me. “Set it Right” was accompanied by funeral pyer visuals that in no way was meant to be upbeat. The audio engineer accidentally blasted cheesy house music usually used between sets during the most critical part of “Set it Right,” when Krell was naming friends and family he has lost a-capella. You physically could see darts streaming from Krell’s eyes towards the sound booth, and after the song he addressed the incident lightheartedly, following up with an amazing encore.
Krell quickly returned by himself to perform two more songs, absent of any sound equipment or interference. Obviously exhausted and losing his voice, Krell stood at the front of the stage w/his back to the microphones and crooned one final track off of Love Remains followed by a cover of an Elite Gymnastics track.
Judging by the way the crowd literally came to a hushed standstill and lingered on every last note, I anticipate we’ll be seeing a lot more of Krell and his counterparts in the near future. Their live show, his exceptional vocals and endearing command over the crowd is something truly unique and encapsulating. Not only did he succeed in curating the type of effects he set out to achieve both musically and cognitively, his talent resonates far beyond what his humble presence dictates.
By Mike Frash //
Van She //
Rickshaw Stop – San Francisco
October 18th, 2012 //
Van She played a quick, upbeat set at Rickshaw Stop last Thursday. The Aussie electronic dance-rock group is currently touring on their excellent 2012 album Idea of Happiness and started the show with their title track, which is arguably the best song on the album.
The group seemed slightly reserved, but there wasn’t a down moment during the entire show. The weeknight dance party was on, and the crowd obliged. Another standout song from their album and show is “Jamaica”, which features synths, siren sounds and a groovy beat that adds to the lyrics “You’ll be dancing strong” to reinforce what was happening at Rickshaw Stop.
By the time the last song of the night was announced, it became apparent the set had flown by. Van She’s sound represents the contemporary musical zeitgeist in 2012, mixing catchy lyrics with dancy beats and EDM sounds. But they do it all live, not relying on pre-made digital music. Effects were certainly added to live instruments, but it was far from a button-pushing environment.
It all works well together, and it would not be surprising to see this Australian Quartet get much bigger on the strength of their 2012 LP Idea of Happiness and since they have proven to SF they are a strong live act.
