After debuting three years ago, Darker Waves Fest returns to unleash 2026 lineup with Morrissey & The Smashing Pumpkins standing atop

March 31, 2026 by Leave a Comment

Darker Waves Fest - 2026 lineup

Darker Waves Fest //
Huntington Beach City Beach – Huntington Beach, CA
November 14th, 2026 //

As we transition into spring and anxiously await the best months of the year for live music, there’s one festival in Southern California that’s making a comeback this fall.

Darker Waves held its inaugural edition in 2023 that brought New Order, Tears for Fears, Echo & The Bunnymen, Devo, Soft Cell, The Psychedelic Furs, OMD, The Human League, Violent Femmes and a whole lot more to Huntington Beach, but after taking the past two years off, the one-day event, which leans dark (and a little bit goth) with an array of new wave and post punk, gets ready to make its big return to the sand for one Saturday in November.

This time it will be Morrissey and The Smashing Pumpkins signing on as the main attractions, and of course with Moz you never quite know what you are going to get. Nobody knows if the former Smiths frontman will show up, but should he, don’t expect any burgers or hot dogs to be grilled nearby as the 66-year-old Englishman commands the stage.

The undercard, meanwhile, carries its own weight below the top line with Simple Minds, Bad Religion, Adam Ant, The Psychedelic Furs, Soft Cell, The Damned, Manic Street Preachers, Gary Numan and Silversun Pickups providing plenty of extra star power.

Other acts on the 2026 bill that are worth pointing out include Buzzcocks, EMF, Circle Jerks, Spacehog, Marky Ramone, Mariachi El Bronx, Cold Cave, TR/ST, Gene, Prayers, Modern English, The Motels, The Sounds, Choir Boy, Missing Persons, Christian Death, DECEITS, Past Self, Riki, Warfield, Purest Form and Casket Cassette. Check out the poster above to see who else will be performing.

If there’s a darkness summoning you down to the beach now, make sure to sign up here so you can receive a passcode for the presale beginning this Thursday, April 2nd at 10 a.m. PT when the lowest price on GA tickets ($259.99) will be guaranteed for one hour. All pass types, including GA+ ($399.99), VIP ($599.99) and Ultimate VIP ($1750.70) for those interested in more amenities, can be purchased with the layway plan by putting down as little as $19.99 so just don’t wait on your chance to ride these darker waves in Surf City USA!

Darker Waves Fest 2026

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Silversun Pickups come out swinging with power & precision to kick off their ‘Tenterhooks Tour’ for a sold-out crowd at The Observatory

February 26, 2026 by Leave a Comment

Silversun PickupsBy Josh Herwitt //

Silversun Pickups with Pure Hex //
The Observatory – Santa Ana, CA
February 19th, 2026 //

Among the many artists and bands who have found their way to Southern California, seeing homegrown acts reach new levels of success is always special in one of the most creative yet competitive industries. Because in a town with as many transplants as Los Angeles, it’s not lost on us native Angelenos when a local product’s profile extends far beyond our city’s limits to enter the national spotlight every so often.

LA’s connection to the music business and its greater impact on the global landscape needs no further explanation of course, but if we can take a short trip down memory lane, the 90’s were a seminal era for rock ‘n’ roll in the City of Angels following the days of glam and hair metal led by the likes of Mötley Crüe and Guns N’ Roses. And even though the explosion of grunge in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest had taken MTV by storm, the rise of “alternative rock” across SoCal was just as palpable with Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane’s Addiction, Tool, Rage Against the Machine and Incubus all getting lumped under that generic descriptor due to major radio play (thank you, KROQ) despite each undoubtedly having their own unique style and sound.

The turn of the century, however, would usher in a new type of rock that wasn’t nearly as glamorous — or flamboyant quite frankly — as anything preceding it. Unlike the bright lights of the Sunset Strip, gritty and soon-to-be-gentrified neighborhoods on the Eastside such as Silver Lake, Echo Park and Glassell Park became a hotbed for indie outfits by the early 2000’s when electronic music and rave culture were expeditiously growing in popularity across the Southland, too. Nevertheless, there might not be a band to emerge from that scene as quintessential as Silversun Pickups.

Founding members Brian Aubert (lead and backing vocals, guitar, occasional keyboards) and Nikki Monninger (bass, backing and lead vocals) had met several years earlier when Aubert happened to notice Monninger across the aisle stealing alcohol out of the drink cart on a flight from LA to London. Both were traveling to Cambridge for a school exchange program at the time, striking up a friendship that culminated with them forming Silversun Pickups in the new millennium. Aubert spent most of his childhood in Topanga Canyon and the San Fernando Valley while Monninger grew up in Los Alamitos, but playing storied LA clubs like The Echo, Silverlake Lounge and the now-defunct Spaceland (later renamed The Satellite before its subsequent demise during the COVID-19 pandemic), they put down roots in Silver Lake and drew inspiration from local haunt Silversun Liquor for the band’s name after many late-night booze runs.

As much as the blogosphere was an essential tool for discovering new music by this point, support from others in the Silver Lake community that included the late singer-songwriter Elliott Smith also proved to be a guiding force for Silversun by the time half of the group’s lineup had turned over in 2002. But within months of Chris Guanlao (drums, percussion, programming, occasional backing vocals) and Joe Lester (keyboards, samples, sound manipulation, occasional guitar and backing vocals) coming aboard, Smith had invited the four-piece to open one of his “comeback” shows at The Fonda Theatre.

Silversun Pickups

Releasing their debut album Carnavas in 2006 with lead single “Lazy Eye” as its anchor put the Pickups squarely on the map for those seeking a new source of rock music and many devoted fans of shoegaze. Comparisons to The Smashing Pumpkins and My Bloody Valentine came fast and furious as a result in addition to a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist on the heels of their sophomore full length Swoon, which debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200. Whatever momentum that had been built didn’t vanish suddenly on 2012’s Neck of the Woods and 2015’s Better Nature as both climbed toward the top of the charts, but neither seemed to generate the same kind of mainstream buzz their previous material had.

Maybe that’s why the ensuing Widow’s Weeds less than a year before the whole world shut down saw Silversun collaborate with legendary producer Butch Vig for the first time and continue that relationship on their two most recent studio efforts. Vig has served as Garbage’s drummer for almost 30 years now, but anytime you can land the guy who was behind the boards for Nirvana’s Nevermind, L7’s Bricks Are Heavy, Sonic Youth’s diRty and the aforementioned Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream, you hire him and don’t question the decision. From what we can tell, it has not only helped the quartet expand its horizons with Monninger showcasing more of her vocal capabilities at times but also led to a more refined sound and approach when it comes to the songwriting process. Silversun have every right to feel completely sure of themselves after navigating the last two-plus decades together, and that sort of cohesion as well as chemistry remains evident when you throw on their music or watch them perform it live with conviction.

Leading up to the release of Tenterhooks was a little bit different for the Pickups in that it coincided with a real scare during the album’s production when Aubert went to the hospital for an ear infection and had to stay much longer after suffering blood loss due to stomach damage from ibuprofen. It would take him six months after receiving blood transfusions until his ear was fully healed, but thankfully Aubert avoided any permanent damage to his hearing. As he recently explained to SPIN, one of the downsides from the health issues he experienced was not being there to see the album through its final stages when there’s that “wanderlust because you’re still working on it and you still have an imagination with it.” The finishing touches on Silversun’s seventh record were instead left up to Vig and Aubert’s bandmates, who didn’t let him — or their listeners — down.

Tenterhooks is a tighter collection of songs compared to what came ahead of it with a run time short of the 40-minute mark, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some serious bangers as soon as you press the play button. The one-two punch of “New Wave” and “The Wreckage” set the tone right away, giving the follow-up to 2022’s Physical Thrills an accessibility that should appeal to listeners new and old. The 10-track LP would arrive less than a couple weeks before the Pickups hit the road to kick off their 30-date North American tour at The Observatory, and based on the sold-out crowd that greeted them in Orange County, it would be easy to believe you had been transported back to the late aughts upon entering the two-room venue’s main music hall.

Even if they aren’t mixing up their setlist on a nightly basis, Silversun have many of the ingredients that any good live act needs — starting with a charismatic frontman in Aubert to go with a rock-solid rhythm section. It had been close to 10 years since we last saw them and mind you that was inside the Mojave Tent at Coachella, so although the 1,200-person space provided a stark contrast, it also offered a more fulfilling experience as they uncorked a trio of personal favorites in “Well Thought Out Twinkles”, “Panic Switch” and “Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance)” prior to their four-song encore that saw Aubert take over keyboard duties for the Tenterhooks cut titled “Running Out of Sounds” (and they certainly aren’t). But no Silversun Pickups show would be complete without a taste of “Lazy Eye” and there was no doubt in our mind it would be coming as the clock eclipsed 10 p.m. No matter how old it is, the unrivaled hit still provokes a visceral feeling that will shake you down to your bones, and at a time when those moments can seem harder to come by as we become more absorbed by technology, it’s seasoned bands like the Pickups that we can count on to remind us what it feels like to be alive.

Setlist:
New Wave
The Wreckage
Well Thought Out Twinkles
It Doesn’t Matter Why
Panic Switch
Au Revoir Reservoir
The Royal We
Witness Mark
Kissing Families
Empty Nest
Mean Spirits
Long Gone
Hot Wired
Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance)
Dots and Dashes (Enough Already)

Encore:
Running Out of Sounds
Interrobang
Growing Old Is Getting Old
Lazy Eye

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Maynard James Keenan rings in 60th birthday on ‘Sessanta’ tour as Primus, Puscifer, A Perfect Circle & even Tool rock Hollywood Bowl

April 25, 2024 by 4 Comments

SESSANTA - Primus, Puscifer & A Perfect CircleBy Josh Herwitt //

Sessanta: Primus, Puscifer, A Perfect Circle //
Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles
April 20th, 2024 //

4/20 has become an infamous day of celebration for the cannabis community over the years, but for those of us who paid a visit to the Hollywood Bowl last Saturday, the 2024 edition of April 20th will be forever remembered as a celebration of Maynard James Keenan.

Following two “Cinquanta” shows a decade ago at LA’s Greek Theatre to ring in his 50th birthday, the singer and primary lyricist for Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer has expanded upon that concept this spring for his 60th trip around the sun with a full-fledged tour from coast to coast he’s calling Sessanta.

Serving as a “resurrection” and “expansion” of Cinquanta over 21 dates in the U.S., the performances were intended to follow a similar format featuring A Perfect Circle, Puscifer and another (90’s rock) act Keenan has been close friends with sharing the stage throughout the evening. Failure had earned that honor back in 2014, but this time it was Primus’ turn. We have always been fans of Les Claypool, and after seeing his Fearless Flying Frog Brigade reunite last year for their first concerts in two decades — including a sold-out stop at The Wiltern (see photos from the show here) — we were excited to see the legendary bassist paired with one of our favorite vocalists.

SESSANTA - Primus, Puscifer & A Perfect Circle

The setlist for the “Sessanta” tour has been anchored mostly by three- or four-song stretches from each band before reaching a total of 30 tunes over the course of three hours, but with MJK’s ties to LA where his music career took off in the early 90’s and became what it is today, we had a feeling that something special was in store on this particular night. It started with the birthday boy guesting on Primus’ “Tommy the Cat” and continued with A Perfect Circle guitarist James Iha — also of Smashing Pumpkins fame — joining his bandmates for “The Hollow” off the alt-rock supergroup’s debut LP Mer de Noms. Then there was original members Paz Lenchantin and Troy Van Leeuwen appearing onstage later to revisit APC’s first single “Judith” that’s nearing the quarter-century mark

But even with Primus drummer Tim Alexander sitting in on APC’s “Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums” and APC guitarist Billy Howerdel doing the same for Primus’ “Southbound Pachyderm” well past the gig’s midway point, the biggest surprise had to come after all three projects performed their contribution to the Sessanta E.P.P.P., the new three-song split EP with a track by each band that Keenan spearheaded and worked on to release just prior to the tour. Because when guitarist Adam Jones, drummer Danny Carey and bassist Justin Chancellor walked out after MJK had finished singing Primus’ “Pablo’s Hippos” with Claypool, the capacity crowd erupted like it would at a Tool show.

For only one song, that’s exactly what we got. Somewhat reminiscent of the first Cinquanta event when Carey, Chancellor and Zac Rae of Death Cab for Cutie backed Keenan on “Sober” toward the end of the gig, this time they went with something even more fitting geographically and aggressive as Jones began playing the opening riff to “Ænema” on his signature Gibson Les Paul. MJK’s feelings about the City of Angels, after all, have never been a secret to his fans ever since Tool unleashed their sophomore studio album Ænima in 1996, but he stills spends a lot of time working here despite all of the materialism and plasticity that eventually compelled him to make his home in Jerome, Ariz. With many of his colleagues and friends in LA though, he doesn’t have much of a choice but to come back. And as he told us before saying goodbye via Puscifer’s “Grand Canyon” under the Bowl’s iconic bandshell, he has been fortunate to know some of the “best musicians in the business.” What he forgot to mention was … he’s right there with them and always has been.

Setlist:
Act 1: A Perfect Circle
The Package (A Perfect Circle song)
Disillusioned (A Perfect Circle song)
The Contrarian (A Perfect Circle song) (with Carina Round)

Primus
Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers (Primus song)
Too Many Puppies (Primus song) (partial)
Follow the Fool (Primus song)

Puscifer
Galileo (Puscifer song)
Horizons (Puscifer song)
Indigo Children (Puscifer song) (Versatile mix)

Act 2: Primus
Jerry Was a Race Car Driver (Primus song)
My Name Is Mud (Primus song)
Tommy the Cat (Primus song) (with Maynard James Keenan)

Puscifer
Flippant (Puscifer song)
Momma Sed (Puscifer song) (Versatile mix)
Bullet Train to Iowa (Puscifer song)
The Underwhelming (Puscifer song)

A Perfect Circle
The Hollow (A Perfect Circle song) (with James Iha on guitar and Tim Alexander on drums instead of Josh Freese)
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish (A Perfect Circle cover) (with Les Claypool on upright bass with bow)
Weak and Powerless (A Perfect Circle song)
The Outsider (A Perfect Circle song)

Act 2: Puscifer
The Humbling River (Puscifer song) (Versatile mix)
The Remedy (Puscifer song)

A Perfect Circle
Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums (A Perfect Circle song) (with Tim Alexander)
Judith (A Perfect Circle song) (with Paz Lenchantin on bass and Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar)

Primus
Southbound Pachyderm (Primus song) (with Billy Howerdel, Josh Freese and Gunnar Olsen)

Sessanta E.P.P.P.
Kindred (A Perfect Circle song)
No Angel (Puscifer song)
Pablo’s Hippos (Primus song) (with Maynard James Keenan)

Tool
Ænema (Tool cover) (with Tool) (Les Claypool sang with Maynard)

Primus, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer
Grand Canyon (Puscifer song)

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

December 28, 2018 by 2 Comments
David Byrne at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium


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

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

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

See our favorite performances from 2018 here.

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

Jamiroquai at Coachella 2018


Jamiroquai at Coachella 2018 // Photo courtesy of Coachella

Josh Herwitt // Los Angeles

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

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

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

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

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

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

Richard Russell - Everything Is Recorded

Molly Kish // San Francisco

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kevin Quandt // San Francisco

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shame - Songs of Praise

Andrew Pohl // San Francisco

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

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

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

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

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

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

Showbams

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Rivers Cuomo delights Weezer fans with a rare acoustic performance at Bottom of the Hill

May 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Rivers CuomoPhotos by Mike Rosati // Written by David Skaff //

Rivers Cuomo //
Bottom of the Hill – San Francisco
May 9th, 2018 //

Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo brought his solo acoustic show to Bottom of the Hill, located in SF’s Potrero Hill district and touted by Rolling Stone as “the best place to hear live music” in the city, as he was greeted by a sold-out crowd mid-week.

Cuomo delighted the packed room with acoustic renditions of Weezer cuts as well as covers of Mike Posner, Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins, REO Speedwagon and Poison, but he also gave Weezer’s “Pig” — a bonus track off the deluxe edition of 2008’s Weezer (“The Red Album”) — its live debut. The audience, thrilled by what it was witnessing, came alive and sang along to most of the tunes Cuomo played during a 27-song set that lasted more than two hours.

Surprisingly, the show also included a special guest in former Weezer guitarist and founding member Jason Cropper, who performed two songs with Cuomo. Afterward, he remarked, “To be in a room stuffed with Weezer fans for a Rivers Cuomo solo show … So fun!”

Rivers Cuomo with Jason Cropper


Rivers Cuomo with Jason Cropper

“This crowd was a smart, kind, polite community of people who are passionate about this man, his band and the songs — it’s amazing,” he added. “To be playing Weezer (“The Blue Album”) songs with Rivers again after a 25-year hiatus? Wow! Literally a dream come true.”

With Cuomo leading the way, Weezer are set to hit the road this summer for a 29-date, North American co-headlining tour with the Pixies that features three California dates at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, The Forum in Los Angeles and Mattress Firm Amphitheatre in Chula Vista the second week of August following the release of the band’s 12th LP Weezer (“The Black Album”) this month.

Rivers, in the meantime, will also be performing another solo acoustic show, this time at a sold-out Troubadour in Los Angeles, less than four weeks before Weezer kick things off on June 23rd in Tampa.

Setlist:
I Took a Pill in Ibiza (Mike Posner cover)
El Scorcho (Weezer song)
Wonderwall (Oasis cover)
Buddy Holly (Weezer song)
Basket Case (Green Day cover)
Undone – The Sweater Song (Weezer song)
1979 (The Smashing Pumpkins cover)
Say It Ain’t So (Weezer song)
Happy Together (The Turtles cover) (with “Longview” snippet by Green Day)
Island in the Sun (Weezer song)
Can’t Fight This Feeling (REO Speedwagon cover)
Sober Up (AJR cover)
The Good Life (Weezer song)
Slob (Weezer song)
(Girl We Got a) Good Thing (Weezer song)
Pink Triangle (Weezer song)
Cardigan Disaster (New song; live debut)
Getchoo (Weezer song)
Pig (Weezer song) (Live debut)
Talk Dirty to Me (Poison cover)
No Other One (Weezer song)
Falling for You (Weezer song)
Today (The Smashing Pumpkins cover)
In the Garage (Weezer song) (with Jason Cropper) (preceded by a brief tease of “My Name Is Jonas” by Cropper)
No One Else (Weezer song) (with Jason Cropper)
Why Bother? (Weezer song)
Across the Sea (Weezer song)

Encore:
Tired of Sex (Weezer song)

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