St. Lucia – Showbams

BottleRock unveils 2017 bill, topped by Foo Fighters, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Maroon 5

January 3, 2017 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

BottleRock Napa Valley //
Napa Valley Expo – Napa, CA
May 26th-28th, 2017 //

The New Year is here, and festival organizers aren’t waiting long to unveil their 2017 lineups.

After CRSSD kicked things off two weeks ago by revealing their own bill, BottleRock Napa Valley has made it official with Foo Fighters, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and Maroon 5 booked as headliners for its fifth edition this Memorial Day weekend.

The three-day festival in downtown Napa will feature more than 80 artists and bands across four stages. Notable artists include Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Modest Mouse, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, The Roots, Silversun Pickups, Band of Horses, Fitz and The Tantrums, Dirty Heads, Live, The Naked & Famous, The Devil Makes Three, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Gavin DeGraw, St. Lucia, House of Pain, Bob Moses, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Saint Motel, The Strumbellas, AlunaGeorge, Frightened Rabbit, Andra Day, Galactic, Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, Mavis Staples and many more.

Like it did last year with classic stoner-comedy duo Cheech & Chong as well as former “Hell’s Kitchen” star Gordon Ramsay, BottleRock’s Williams-Sonoma Culinary Stage will be back on the grounds to pair celebrity chefs with some of Hollywood’s biggest names.

Tickets go on sale this Wednesday, January 4th at 10 a.m. here and start at $309 before going up to $349 for a three-day GA pass. VIP passes will be sold for as low as $659 (and as high as $709), and a three-day platinum pass is as much as $3,500.

In the meantime, make sure to take a peek at our 2016 coverage of BottleRock, which saw Stevie Wonder, Florence & the Machine and the Red Hot Chili Peppers serve as headliners.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: AlunaGeorge, Andra Day, Band of Horses, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Bob Moses, BottleRock, BottleRock 2017, Bottlerock Festival, BottleRock Napa, BottleRock Napa 2017, BottleRock Napa Valley, BottleRock Napa Valley 2017, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Charles Bradley & his Extraordinaires, Dirty Heads, Fitz and the Tantrums, Foo Fighters, Frightened Rabbit, Galactic, Gavin DeGraw, House of Pain, Live, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Maroon 5, Mavis Staples, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Modest Mouse, Saint Motel, Silversun Pickups, St. Lucia, The Devil Makes Three, The Naked & Famous, The Roots, The Strumbellas, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

The 25 best live music acts of 2016

December 30, 2016 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

As we officially place 2016 in the history books, it’s time to look back at all the live music we experienced this year. Last year we shared our 25 favorite live performers of 2015, so this year we thought we would do it again while excluding any artists we named in 2015. After all, who really wants to see the same acts listed two years in a row? That said, now that we’re two years removed, our 25 favorite live performers of 2014 were once again fair game.

After covering many excellent bands, musicians and DJs over the past 12 months, trimming our list down to 25 wasn’t easy and as usual, some difficult decisions had to be made. Those who didn’t make the cut but still deserve to be mentioned here include the following artists, DJs and bands (in alphabetical order) whom we either covered at their own show and/or at a music festival this year:

Adrian Younge, Air, Alessia Cara, Alina Baraz, AlunaGeorge, Alvvays, The Arcs, A$AP Ferg, Atlas Genius, Aubrie Sellers, The Avett Brothers, Bag Raiders, Baio, Banks & Steelz, Bas, Battles, Beats Antique, Beach House, Best Coast, Big Freedia, Big Gigantic, Big Grams, Big Wild, Bloc Party, Bob Mould, The Boxer Rebellion, Brand New, Brett Dennen, The California Honeydrops, Capital Cities, Cate Le Bon, Chairlift, Chelsea Wolfe, !!! (Chk Chk Chk), Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Chuck Mosley, Chromeo, Claude VonStroke, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, Cold War Kids, The Crux, Dan Deacon, Danny Brown, Deftones, The Devil Makes Three, Dirtwire, Disclosure, DMA’s, DMX, Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors, Duran Duran, Every Time I Die, Emancipator Ensemble, Ezra Furman, Faith No More, The Faint, Fantastic Negrito, Femi Kuti, Florence + the Machine, Flume, Fruition, The Gaslamp Killer, Geographer, Glass Animals, Gorgon City, Grimes, Halsey, The Head and the Heart, Heartwatch, The Heavy, Highly Suspect, Hippie Sabotage, Holy Fuck, How to Dress Well, Hudson Mohawke, Hundred Waters, IAMX, Ibeyi, Ice Cube, Iggy Pop, The Infamous Stringdusters, Jack Beats, Jack Garratt, Jack Ü, James Bay, Jamie xx, J. Cole, Jimmie Vaughn, Jhené Aiko, The Joy Formidable, Joywave, Julia Holter, Julien Baker, Kaki King, Kamaiyah, Kamasi Washington, Kehlani, K.Flay, The Kills, Kurt Vile, Lafa Taylor, Lana Del Rey, Låpsley, Les Sins, Lettuce, Lionel Richie, Lord Huron, Little Scream, Lucius, M83, Major Lazer, Marian Hill, Mayer Hawthorne, MC YOGI, Methyl Ethel, Metric, Miami Horror, Mick Jenkins, Midi Matilda, Miguel Migs, Modest Mouse, Moon Taxi, M. Ward, Nahko & Medicine for the People, The Naked and Famous, Nas, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Neon Indian, Nick Murphy (fka Chet Faker), Nite Jewel, Panic! at the Disco, Parliament-Funkadelic, Peaches, Petite Noir, The Pharcyde, The Polish Ambassador, Porches, Prince Rama, Purity Ring, Pusha T, Radiohead, Ra Ra Riot, The Regrettes, The Revivalists, RJD2, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Rogue Wave, Rubblebucket, Run the Jewels, The Russ Liquid Test, Ryan Adams, The Sam Chase & The Untraditional, Saosin, Sarah Neufeld, The Seshen, Shabazz Palaces, Shlohmo, Silversun Pickups, Snakehips, Solange, Son Little, St. Lucia, Stormzy, The Struts, STS9, Sturgill Simpson, Sufjan Stevens, Summer Cannibals, Sunflower Bean, Sigur Rós, St. Germain, Sylvan Esso, Tacocat, Taking Back Sunday, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down, This Will Destroy You, Thomas Jack, Thundercat, Toro y Moi, Tortoise, Tory Lanez, Tourist, The Trims, Troye Sivan, Umphrey’s McGee, Viceroy, Vince Staples, Vokab Company, Walk the Moon, Warpaint, Wavves, Weezer, Wheeler Walker Jr., White Denim, Wild Belle, Wild Nothing, Years & Years, Yeasayer, YG, Young Fathers, Yuck, ZHU, Ziggy Marley.

Now, it’s time for The Bam Team to present our 25 favorite live performers of 2016.

The Bam Team’s 5 Favorite Shows, Albums & Songs of 2016

Listen to The Bam Team’s favorite songs of 2016:

25. Tycho

For as much as Epoch was a surprise, so were Tycho’s two most recent shows in LA last week. It was the first time Hansen and company had played The Fonda Theatre since the Awake tour back in 2014, and Thursday’s sellout, which was announced less than a week before the show, along with the subsequent need to add a second date the next night, made it clear that more than ever, Angelinos have a strong appetite for what Hansen is doing on both a musical and visual level. It helps, too, that KCRW Music Director Jason Bentley, who opened the shows at The Fonda with a DJ set, has helped expose Tycho to a broader audience, whether through the “Morning Becomes Eclectic” theme song or live, in-studio performances by the band. Even nowadays with an abundance of streaming sites, you can’t underestimate the power of radio in a city with a driving culture as large as LA’s. And truth be told, Tycho is some of the best music to drive to, especially when you’re surrounded by nature. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt

24. Isaiah Rashad

And when it did, Rashad torpedoed onto stage and turned the restlessness in the room on its head with “Smile”, the apropos homecoming banger he released after years of uncertainty that followed his 2014 EP Cilvia Demo. It was fitting because prior to his reemergence, which was sparked by the song, Rashad admitted to being addicted to Xanax and alcohol, and it almost led to him being dropped from his West Coast record label on several occasions. From his issues with substance abuse to the tears he shed while listening to Kid Cudi’s music and his open-book thoughts on the humanizing of mental-health issues, Rashad’s journey from being the contemplative unknown in superstar Kendrick Lamar’s crew to a complete artist deserving of your attention has been steeped in honesty. -Joseph Gray, photo by Joseph Gray

23. Bob Moses

Needless to say, worn-out axioms failed to apply in this scenario. Bob Moses silenced anyone attempting to pass them off as yet another contrived electropop outfit aiming to please the masses. At Mezzanine, both Howie and Vallance proved their prowess as EDM innovators, bringing more to the stage than a couple of laptops and a pretty light show. Surprising those unfamiliar with their work or expecting to be underwhelmed, Bob Moses have elevated the live electronic game for their respective contemporaries and succeeded in defining a new chapter for the genre — an innovative sound standard that’s all their own. -Molly Kish, photo by Lisette Worster

22. Floating Points

The band continued building on its rhythms and melodies, creating a hypnotic feeling that was filled with textured synthesizers, guitar pedals and consummate percussion, as laser patterns reflected each rise and fall during its lengthy jam sessions. As Sheppard and his sidekicks progressed through each track, the complexity of the laser projections grew into optical illusions that, almost like another musical instrument onstage, intertwined with the style and progression of the band’s production perfectly. With each song reaching a climax and eventual denouement, the artwork remained untouched for a few minutes so that fans could observe each piece before their very own eyes. -Brett Ruffenach, photo by Alister Mori

21. Ty Segall

But Segall is no doubt a showman himself, and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who expends as much energy onstage as he does in merely 90 minutes. His passion simply rubs off on his fans, who wasted little time climbing onstage and taking the plunge into a sea of hands for a couple of minutes. Segall, of course, also got in on the action at one point, as his shows are often known to feature crowd surfing from both band and audience members, and he made sure to take the mic stand with him while he horizontally slithered across the room. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt

20. Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem

One of the biggest questions on everyone’s mind coming into Outside Lands was, “Who were Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem?” For those who knew, it was, “How in the hell were the Muppets going to fill a Sunday slot on the main stage?” Because the band had never played a show of such magnitude or outside the context of a TV/film studio, no one had any clue what to expect during this early-afternoon slot. Though some festivalgoers (mistakenly) decided to forego the experience altogether, those present will not forget the incredible feat that Another Planet Entertainment and Jim Henson Enterprises were able to pull off for what was one of the most emotionally nostalgic, blissfully complex and once-in-a-lifetime festival performances maybe ever. The Muppet house band both effortlessly managed to pluck the heartstrings of multiple generations of fans while delivering the most conceptually beautiful “love letter” to the city of SF, blanketing the grounds in a sea of love and collective euphoria for a brief, yet unforgettable moment. -Molly Kish, photo by Rochelle Shipman

19. RÜFÜS DU SOL

By the time RÜFÜS made their entrance, the excitement in the room was at a fever pitch. The crowd was ready to dance from the very first beat (thanks to the excellent warm-up from Kllo and Yuma X), and they did just that. Lead singer Tyrone Lindqvist took center stage with great energy and proceeded to do the customary water bottle toss shortly after. Lindqvist set the tone right from the get-go for a high-energy, high-audience-participation set. The crowd responded in kind by getting down much harder than expected for a Wednesday night. Notably, there were surprisingly very few phones out as most attendees put away their cameras to make the most of every song. The intimate setting of The Fillmore could almost have been mistaken for the polo fields of Coachella, given how many girls-on-shoulders could be seen around the venue. -Geoff Hong, photo by Josh Herwitt

18. Rudimental

Through Rudimental tracks like “Not Giving In”, “Free” and “Waiting All Night”, the most unique element of the group’s live production was their charisma. Simply put, they look like they’re having fun. These aren’t tortured artists or cathartic performers — Rudimental are a band that loves the music they make. Even the band’s drummer, Beanie, easily one of the hardest working rhythmists on tour right now, managed to keep a smile on his face, racing through Rudimental’s repertoire of songs that were anywhere from 145 to 160 BPMs. The septet’s de-facto leader, DJ Locksmith, was surprisingly more in the background than you would expect from a typical DnB hype man. As Rudimental wrapped up their set with their chart-topping hit “Feel the Love”, the crowd joined in as the song ended, creating a shared moment at The Fox that perfectly reflected the intention of Rudimental — to spread the love. -Brett Ruffenach, photo by Marc Fong

17. BØRNS

On this night, that proverbial phrase seemingly rang true. It wasn’t just that BØRNS most likely amassed the largest attendance in the history of the Twilight Concert Series, but also the fact that it was easily one of the best shows I’ve ever witnessed at the Santa Monica Pier. One could certainly point to the opening of the Expo Line extension as a reason for the larger crowds so far this summer, which wasn’t all that noticeable during the series’ opening night with Mayer Hawthorne just the week prior, but that would simply be underestimating the exponential rise of Garrett Borns’ eponymous project. Since he relocated to Los Angeles in 2013 and signed with Interscope Records, the Michigan native has gone from supporting modest indie bands like MisterWives to selling out shows as a headliner in a matter of a year. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt

16. Flying Lotus

Brainfeeder founder, producer and unapologetic cultural mouthpiece Flying Lotus (born Steven Ellison) ended the night with a mildly controversial headlining set. Walking onstage and making what any FlyLo fan would recognize as an off-colored comment on the current presidential race may have proven too brazen for those not used to his brand. He let Captain Murphy out of the box a little early and road the wave of confusion into a heady, bass-driven assault on the conflicted crowd, providing the distinct audio punctuation point for the night’s bill of artists. Playing several tracks off of his 2014 LP You’re Dead! as well as various hits from high-profile hip-hop emcees like Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar that he has produced over the years, Ellison stunned us all with his double-screen, audio-visual stage setup and plenty of bone-rattling bass drops. -Molly Kish, photo by Marc Fong

15. The Last Shadow Puppets

TLSP brought a strings section to their show, an added element that helped keep things fresh and new. The show began with the beautiful sounds of violins and cellos, but the moment TLSP got onstage, the whole floor at The Fillmore lit up in billows of smoke. I’m sure the band was stoned by the end of the show if it hadn’t been already, appearing beyond excited to be playing on a Sunday night in SF. Turner and Kane must have yelled out something about SF every few minutes and incorporated SF into some of their songs. They were so incredibly tight, and I felt their set in some ways was a bit better than what I had witnessed years ago — the mix and order of the songs felt more succinct at The Fillmore. -Rachel Goodman, photo by Diana Cordero

14. Miike Snow

Sunday’s roster at Coachella last year was significantly weaker in comparison to Friday’s and Saturday’s. This year was much of the same, though Calvin Harris somehow proved to be an even worse headliner than Drake (we didn’t know that was possible). But one of the bright spots on Day 3 was no doubt Miike Snow’s 9:45 p.m. slot in the Mojave Tent, the same place where I discovered the Swedish trio back in 2010 during my first Coachella. Andrew Wyatt, Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg have come a long way since then, and with three studio albums in their catalog, including their latest effort iii, they have more than enough material to fill out a 50-minute set and leave you wanting to hear more. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Norm de Veyra

13. Young Thug

Fresh off releasing the latest — and final — installment of his Slime Season mixtape trilogy, Young Thug took his place on the stage. Arriving in a white blouse, multicolored sequined jacket, dark shades, a polka-dot head scarf and remarkably slim, golden pants, he aligned such a rangy and vibrant uniform with his performance. There wouldn’t be any towering LED lights, stunts or stage diving. However, Young Thug, who for the majority of his roughly hour-long set played the lone wolf, delighted the crowd with his animated and bright delivery while running through thundering Slime Season 3 favorites like “With Them”, “Digits” and “Slime Shit”. The audience, ranging from high school seniors to seasoned workers likely with mortgages, strikingly recited every uncanny, controversial lyric and Ric Flair-esque “Woo!” like they had been analyzing them for years. -Joseph Gray, photo by Joseph Gray

12. Pretty Lights

Touring with a live band for the first time in 2013 — something that few other EDM artists have done to this day — he quickly changed the way electronic music can be experienced live. Fast forward to last Thursday, and we were once again treated to an electrifying Pretty Lights show that was more than just Smith behind a pair of Macbook Pros and two Akai MPD32s. Making his debut at the majestic Santa Barbara Bowl, he once again showed why he isn’t your typical EDM act. With Chris Karns and Big Wild providing support, Smith hit the stage at 8 p.m. with his bandmates — Karns, Borham Lee, Brandon Butler and Alvin Ford, Jr. — and put on a show that dazzled both sonically and visually. What was most impressive, though, was seeing how much of the performance was improvised, as the band transitioned from one jam to another while dropping in a number of remixes here and there. And as I looked on from my seat in the stands, I couldn’t help but think about how much the show reminded me of all the times I’ve seen STS9 perform live. It only seemed fitting considering that the livetronia band helped give Smith his start back in the day, and with the “EDM bubble” about to burst (that is, if it hasn’t already), it’s hopefully an approach more electronic artists will gravitate toward in the future. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt

11. Mac DeMarco

The 26-year-old king of slacker rock, who over the past few years has become a fan favorite of many Bay Area audiophiles, never seems to hold back when he comes to town. His first night in SF last week saw him jump from The Indy’s balcony into an awaiting crowd (a feat that was later imitated by a female audience member at The Warfield the next night), run around half naked while playing new songs and perform a 25-minute cover of Eric Clapton’s 1971 hit single “Layla” with fart solos sprinkled throughout. -James Pawlish, photo by James Pawlish

10. Moderat

Easily the most anticipated set of the weekend from this spectator’s vantage point, Moderat hadn’t toured since dropping a pair of EPs in 2014. But with the release of its third full-length album, aptly titled III, the Berlin-based supergroup comprised of Apparat’s Sascha Ring and Modeselektor members Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary were primed to make their mark on the final day of LIB — and that they did. Beginning with “Ghostmother” off their latest LP, Moderat ran through a good chunk of new material, but nothing ignited the crowd more than their new single “Reminder”, which remains one of our favorite songs of the year so far. As we witnessed a few days earlier at The Fonda Theatre in LA, the group’s dark, minimalist stage setup with psychedelic flourishes paired nicely with Ring’s ethereal vocals. Of all the other performances throughout the weekend, Moderat’s 90-minute set undoubtedly stood as one of the brightest moments of LIB 2016. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt

9. Foals

Foals closed out their rambunctious set with a killer take on the title track “What Went Down” that brought lead singer/guitarist Yannis Philippakis diving into the crowd, giving fans one hell of a selfie and proving their rock credentials for good. After all, any band that can unite 20-something bros with 50-something grandparents gets a gold star in our book. Rock brings people together, and those who made it out to see this unicorn of a band won’t live to regret it. -Zach Bourque, photo by Steve Carlson

8. Tame Impala

As they opened with the dream-inducing interlude “Nangs” from their latest studio album Currents, Tame Impala gave the crowd an ample minute and a half to commit to the spatial surroundings before jumping full throttle into an explosive rendition of lead single “Let It Happen,” playing the tracks in reverse order than they are on the LP. By the third song (as promised), the sky, having just turned black, was filled with a stadium’s worth of rainbow confetti as the band played the opening chords of 2012’s psuedo love ballad “Mind Mischief”. Followed by a rare performance — only the second time in three years — of “Music to Walk Home By” from 2012’s Lonerism, Tame Impala played a wide range of emotive classics while scrambling the brains of more than 8,500 audience members with their intense onslaught of sensory-overloading imagery and hypnotic light show. -Molly Kish, photo by James Pawlish

7. Jim James

James is in rare company these days, amid a dying breed of guitar-rock gods like Jack White and Josh Homme who are not only capable of playing anything on six strings, but also on a myriad of instruments. And while Eternally Even feels in some ways like an opportunity for him to finally experiment more with keyboards, James made sure to remind his fans at the 90-year-old Orpheum Theatre last Friday that shredding is still a priority. Performing in his new hometown after officially moving to LA this year, he assumed the role of lead singer for much of the show as he and his bandmates from Twin Limb (also opening for James on this tour) played all of Eternally Even and half of Regions. But propped up by a stand onstage the whole time was James’ black Gibson axe, and you knew at some point during a two-hour set that he was going to unload some sick riffs like we have become accustomed to seeing from him at Jacket shows. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt

6. The National

The real headline from The National’s performance was hands down the new material that was debuted, pretty much across their entire set, encore included. A rather standard opening of “Don’t Swallow the Cap” and “I Should Live in Salt” led into our first taste of the band’s upcoming LP in the form of “Checking Out”. Though many locals likely recognized this track from last year’s Treasure Island Music Festival (read our review here), it has tightened up over the past year and even begins to sound familiar as the Brooklyn-based five-piece begins to weave in more electronic, synth-like elements. -Kevin Quandt, photo by Steve Carlson

5. Guns N’ Roses

There may have been no more talked-about act in Coachella’s 17-year history than Saturday’s headliner — and for good reason. Going back to 1993, it had been 23 years since Axl Rose and Slash last performed on the same stage together, and though some of that allure had worn off by the time they reached Indio thanks to a surprise show in LA and back-to-back nights in Las Vegas in prior weeks, Guns N’ Roses were still the talk of the town leading up to Coachella. In fact, all you had to do was look around on Saturday and see just how many GNR T-shirts were traversing the polo fields before their 10:30 p.m. set. When it came time to deliver, the original trio of Axl, Slash and bassist Duff McKagan most certainly did, while rhythm guitarist Richard Fortus and drummer Frank Ferrer proved to be more than suitable fill-ins for Izzy Stradlin and Steven Adler/Matt Sorum. Meanwhile, the surprise appearance by Angus Young couldn’t have come at a much better time after the announcement was made minutes before GNR’s set that Rose will be filling in for Brian Johnson on AC/DC’s remaining tour dates this year. GNR have always been one of my biggest bucket-list bands, and even if a broken leg prevented Axl from strutting and slithering across the stage like he once did as a brash, slender 21-year-old rock star, seeing one of my favorite childhood bands perform for two and a half hours felt all too surreal as I left the Empire Polo Club that night. -Josh Herwitt, photo courtesy of Coachella

4. Sia

From the very beginning, Sia set herself apart from every other artist who took the Coachella Stage this year. With the Australian artist standing in the back of the stage, her set was more performance art than it was pop music. While her face was hidden thanks to her trademark wig, Sia’s voice stood front and center as she belted out every note to hits like “Diamonds”, “Bird Set Free” and “Titanium”. Throughout it all, different dancers and actors would come on stage, abstractly embodying the themes her songwriting often conveys: fear, anticipation, stress, anger, joy, love and most of all, doubt. As Kristen Wiig and Paul Dano contributed to the overall performance, the height of Sia’s conceptual masterpiece reached its peak with a breathtaking rendition of “Breathe Me”, bringing some of the audience to tears. It was the true headliner of Sunday night and among the top performances of the entire weekend. -Brett Ruffenach, photo courtesy of Coachella

3. Chance the Rapper

In one of the few transcendent moments of the weekend, a set that had everyone throughout the fairgrounds hyped into an anticipatory frenzy, Chance the Rapper performed at the Lands End stage on Sunday afternoon for easily the largest crowd of the entire weekend. Even those who stood their ground through Third Eye Blind’s preceding set felt the drastic change in both crowd size and personal space as the polo fields flooded and temperatures rose. Even though Chance could have used this to his advantage and conducted an explosive show, igniting the tightly configured crowd into a combustive state, he instead took his fans “to church” with a spiritually centered gospel set, making sure everyone was attentive and of course, that “his part” resonated among the masses. -Molly Kish, photo by Norm de Veyra

2. LCD Soundsystem

Over the last couple of years, it’s hard to think of a band I have wanted to see more than LCD Soundsystem. Deeply tied to my formative years in college, the Brooklyn outfit’s return after a five-year hiatus was nothing short of stunning. Opening with the undeniably groovy “Us vs. Them” and covering a good chunk of their catalog over almost two hours, LCD certainly met the expectations of an eager crowd. James Murphy kept the banter between songs fairly short, and these indie heavyweights demonstrated a true dedication to their craft, starting fast with songs like “Movements” and “Yeah” before moving to more deep, tightly wound rhythms on “Someone Great” and “Home”. Though “Losing My Edge” was written more than 10 years ago, Murphy’s part-improvised, part-proclamation, part-perfectly-delivered rendition of the track seemed to really capture the attention of more casual LCD fans. Nearing the end of its set, the band covered “Heroes” by late collaborator David Bowie. I have seen many concerts as well as attended many festivals in my life, but this was truly among the most beautiful moments in live music I have ever experienced. Wrapping up their headlining performance with “All My Friends”, LCD Soundsystem proved to be among the top artists to ever grace the festival’s main stage. -Brett Ruffenach, photo by Norm de Veyra

1. Anderson .Paak

I’m going to be completely honest: I went to SXSW this year to see .Paak because I knew once he played it, tickets to his shows would be impossible to get. Six months later, $30 tickets to his show in San Francisco at The Fillmore resold for upwards of $400. If you didn’t have another way to get into that show or rent to pay, it was worth it. The energy that comes out of .Paak while he’s performing is charming, infectious and unmatched. He splits his time roaming every inch of the stage and behind his drum set, often singing and rapping without missing a beat. At .Paak’s December show at the Hollywood Palladium in LA, Stevie Wonder came out not to sing, but to tell the crowd what a big fan he is. So basically, Stevie Wonder dropped by. OK, Anderson … we see you. -Rochelle Shipman, photo by Norm de Veyra

Filed Under: Best of, Best of 2016, Editor's Picks, Featured Tagged With: A$AP Ferg, Adrian Younge, Air, Alessia Cara, Alina Baraz, AlunaGeorge, Alvvays, Anderson .Paak, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Atlas Genius, Aubrie Sellers, Bag Raiders, Baio, Banks & Steelz, Bas, Battles, BØRNS, Beach House, Beats Antique, Bernhoft and The Shudderbugs, Best Coast, Best of 2016, Big Freedia, Big Gigantic, Big Grams, Big Wild, Black Milk & Nat Turner, Bloc Party, Bob Moses, Bob Mould, Brand New, Brett Dennen, Capital Cities, Cate le Bon, Chairlift, Chance The Rapper, Chelsea Wolfe, CHK CHK CHK, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Chromeo, Chuck Mosley, Claude VonStroke, Cold War Kids, Dan Deacon, Danny Brown, Deftones, Dirtwire, Disclosure, DMA's, DMX, Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem, Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors, Duran Duran, Early November, Emancipator Ensemble, Every Time I Die, Eyes on the Shore, Ezra Furman, Faith No More, Fantastic Negrito, Fell Runner, Femi Kuti, Floating Points, Florence & the Machine, Flume, Flying Lotus, FOALS, Fruition, Geographer, Glass Animals, Gorgon City, Grimes, Guns N' Roses, Halsey, Heartwatch, Highly Suspect, Hippie Sabotage, Holy Fuck, How to Dress Well, Hudson Mohawke, Hundred Waters, Iamsu!, IAMX, Ibeyi, Ice Cube, Iggy Pop, Isaiah Rashad, J. Cole, Jack Ü, Jack Beats, Jack Garratt, James Bay, Jamie xx, Jhené Aiko, Jidenna, Jim James, Jimmie Vaughn, Joywave, Julia Holter, Julien Baker, k.flay, Kaki King, Kamaiyah, Kamasi Washington, Kehlani, Kurt Vile, Kurt Vile & The Violators, Lafa Taylor, Lana Del Rey, Lapsley, LCD Soundsystem, Les Sins, Lettuce, Lionel Richie, Little Scream, Lord Huron, Lucius, M. Ward, M83, Mac Demarco, Major Lazer, Marian Hill, Mayer Hawthorne, MC YOGI, Methyl Ethel, Metric, Miami Horror, Mick Jenkins, Midi Matilda, Miguel Migs, Miike Snow, Moderat, Modest Mouse, Moon Taxi, My Morning Jacket, Nahko & Medicine for the People, Nas, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Neon Indian, Nick Murphy (fka Chet Faker), Nite Jewel, Oh Pep!, Oh Wonder, Panic! At The Disco, Parliament-Funkadelic, Peaches, Petite Noir, Porches, Pretty Lights, Prince Rama, Purity Ring, Pusha T, Ra Ra Riot, Radiohead, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Rin Tin Tiger, RJD2, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Rogue Wave, Rubblebucket, Rudimental, Run The Jewels, Ryan Adams, Saosin, Sarah Neufeld, Shabazz Palaces, Shlohmo, Sia, Sigur Ros, Silversun Pickups, snakehips, Solange, Son Little, St. Germain, St. Lucia, Stormzy, STS9, Sturgill Simpson, Sufjan Stevens, Summer Cannibals, Sunflower Bean, Sylvan Esso, Tacocat, Taking Back Sunday, Tame Impala, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, The Arcs, The Avett Brothers, The Boxer Rebellion, The California Honeydrops, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, The Crux, The Devil Makes Three, The Faint, The Gaslamp Killer, The Head and The Heart, The Heavy, The Infamous Stringdusters, The Joy Formidable, The Kills, The Last Shadow Puppets, The Lone Bellow, The Naked and Famous, The National, The Pharcyde, The Polish Ambassador, The Regrettes, The Revivalists, The Rubens, The Russ Liquid Test, The Sam Chase & The Untraditional, The Seshen, The Struts, The Trims, This Will Destroy You, Thomas Jack, Thundercat, Toro Y Moi, Tortoise, Tory Lanez, Tourist, Troye Sivan, Ty Segall, Tycho, Umphrey's McGee, Viceroy, Vince Staples, Vokab Company, Walk the Moon, Warpaint, Wavves, Weezer, Wheeler Walker Jr., White Denim, Wild Belle, Wild Nothing, Years & Years, Yeasayer, YG, Young Fathers, Yuck, zhu, Ziggy Marley

Outside Lands 2016: Top sets, awards & what we overheard at Golden Gate Park

August 11, 2016 by Molly Kish 4 Comments

Photos by Norm de Veyra & James Pawlish // Written by Molly Kish //

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 5th-7th, 2016 //

Celebrating its ninth annual year as Northern California’s premier music, comedy, food and arts festival, Outside Lands took over Golden Gate Park last weekend and entertained crowds of more than 60,000 attendees each day with a massive roster of world-renowned talent. This year’s highlights surmounted all previous editions and exceeded the expectations of the most veteran festivalgoers.

Beyond the daily artist lineups, mouth-watering fare and unparalleled comedy showcases, Outside Lands kicked it up a notch in 2016, playing to what seemed like a more refined crowd on a local and national level. The festival’s organizers created an environment that appealed to both novices and seasoned attendees, with convenience being the key factor and a running theme that helped establish a flow to the fairgrounds that was unattainable in past years.

The fest also worked with PayPal to set up an option for cashless transactions by uploading “Bison Bucks” to your wristband, creating a seamless navigation of all the food/beverage and merchandise options. Furthermore, the debut of additional boutique concessions at Oyster Lands and Cocktail Lands provided a reprieve from the long lines at food trucks, booths and beer stands for the mature palette.

Even the structure and pace of this year’s Outside Lands schedule felt more conducive to less park-length traversing, with each stage focusing more on specific genres and demographics. There are still certain aspects that could use improvement, such as an increased availability of trash receptacles, bathroom options and crowd control at the festival’s entrance, but the issues that Outside Lands faced this year were no different or more overbearing than any other large-scale production.

Now nine years on the circuit, the Bay Area’s premiere destination for festival revelers has definitely matured to an impressive standard in the live music business. As Outside Lands continues to set the bar high thanks to its innovative features, top-notch billing and overall experience, here are our favorite moments from 2016.

LCD Soundsystem

TOP SETS:

Headliner: LCD Soundsystem

Hip-Hop: Anderson .Paak

Pop: Grimes

Singer-Songwriter: Lana Del Rey

Rock: FOALS

EDM: Zedd

Jazz: Kamasi Washington

Experimental: Air

Breakthrough artist: Jidenna

Local act: Down and Outlaws

Heineken Dome: Warren G & E-40 (pop-up performance)

Chance the Rapper

OUTSIDE LANDS 2016 AWARDS:

Biggest Crowd: Chance the Rapper

Honorable Mention: Lana Del Rey, J. Cole

Most Magical Outside Lands Moment: Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem

Honorable Mention: Big Boi’s set at Heineken Dome (pop-up performance), Jason Isabel performing with Ryan Adams

Funniest Stage Banter: Ryan Adams and The Shining

Known to be quite the comedian with his sassy stage banter and on-the-spot ad libs, Ryan Adams and his backing band, The Shining, catered to the Bay Area audience by revisiting a moment from his 2014 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass set with a rousing reprise of “3 Balloons”. He not only called out his attending family’s and audience members’ concert etiquette faux pas, but he also mentioned his annoyance with the bass of Major Lazer’s simultaneous set as well as referenced the standout beacon of this year’s festival, which was hoisted up by a group of super fans watching from the crowd. Check out it here.

Honorable Mention: Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem, Lionel Richie

Most Jaw-Dropping Performance: Peaches

For those familiar with the raunchy revelry that a Peaches show entails, we were front and center when the pro-sex powerhouse took the Panhandle stage on Saturday. As for novice audience members or anyone really within the general vicinity during the set, this festival performance was one that frontwoman Merrill Nisker was determined to make sure would be burned into our Outside Lands memories for life. Somewhat of a crossbreed between live sex show and avant-garde performance art, Peaches paired hard-hitting bass lines with spitfire lyrics and a stage show of elaborately X-rated costumes and choreography that left the crowd on one hand speechless and on the other frantically screaming for more.

Honorable Mention: Grimes, The Claypool Lennon Delirium

Best GastroMagic Moment: Skew It on the Bar B with Big Boi, Animal’s Jon Shook & Vinny Dotolo and State Bird’s Stuart Brioza

On the third and final day of Outside Lands, most attendees were camped out at their favorite stage, decompressing from the first two days of excitement and settling in to watch the final performances of the weekend. But if you happened to be one of the few wandering through the Choco Lands overpass or happened to remember Big Boi’s scheduled performance at the GastroMagic stage, you were in for a treat. Those present in the intimate crowd not only got a mini set of both Outkast and solo hits from the vivacious emcee, but they also got samples of some of the most sought-after BBQ shrimp in the Bay Area while listening to remixed versions of each song that incorporated the word “shrimp” into every chorus. Hilariously ridiculous and insanely delicious, those present may never hear those songs performed the same way again. In fact, we’re still giggling and singing “I like the way you shrimp” days later.

Honorable Mention: Beignets and Bounce Brunch (with Big Freedia and Brenda’s Soul Food), Shark Bites (with Jauz, Mother of Pearl and Guittard Chocolate Company)

Sarah Barthel of Big Grams

Most “Thirst-Inducing” Performers of the Weekend: Big Gram’s Sarah Barthel, Miguel

Worst Decisions of the Weekend: The girl who climbed the windmill during J. Cole’s set and fell (watch here), deciding to bring a bag with you to the festival

Best Totems: The Red Balloon

Honorable Mention: Rick & Morty, Stranger Things Dustin

Biggest Festival Wear Trend of 2016: Hipster Bandito

Honorable Mention: Animal-themed onesies, flower crowns/bedazzled body parts

Best “Taste of the Bay” Menu Item: Bacon Bacon CA BBQ Bacon Burritos

Best Adult Beverage: Elixir’s Whatamelon Cocktail

Best Non-Alcoholic Nectar of the Gods: Straw’s Basil Strawberry Lemonade

Best Festival Feature: Cocktail Lands

Best Way to Waste Time Between Sets: PayPal Video Game Arcade

Radiohead

OVERHEARD AT OUTSIDE LANDS 2016:

The best directly stated and heard in passing at the festival.

“An empty bag is still a bag!” – crowd members policing the “no-bag” entry lines to the festival

“Is this the Trail of Tears section of Outside Lands?” – crowd members while passing through Choco Lands

“I’m in the Upside Down …” – Day 3 entry ways to the festival

“Hurry up, run! The flower crowns are coming, the flower crowns are coming!” – crowd members exiting the Twin Peaks stage area before Lana Del Rey

“I must’ve missed the goth/bandito appropriation memo …” – in reference to this year’s style trends

“Meet me at the Red Balloon!” – various lost attendees throughout the grounds

“Tits out for Radiohead!” – an ambitious crowd member on Saturday night

“Jesus, Rachel!” – in reference to “basic bitch” behavior/clothing choices throughout the weekend

“I be on that shrimp tonight, straight up on that shrimp tonight, I be on that straight up on that, I be on that shrimp tonight.” – Big Boi during his GastroMagic performance

“Mmmm, porcini doughnuts …” (Homer Simpson voice) – mimicking nearby food vendors

“Who even is Lionel Richie … oh, Nicole Richies’ dad?!” – mortifyingly clueless audience member

“We’re all Diana Ross!” – Lionel Richie in reference to his “special guest”

“We’re all gonna die, whatcha’ gonna do about it?” – Sufjan Stevens contemplating life on stage

“This is the best moment of my life, can I live in an LCD set?” – enthused crowd member

“I’d follow you to hell …” – a member of a large group attempting to traverse the grounds

“But my mom and dad are in there …” – festivalgoers attempting to jump the line entering the festival

“You know San Francisco has totally changed, like I went back to my place on the pier and it was taken over by sea lions, like totally gentrified!” – Janus during Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem’s set

Outside Lands 2016 - The Last Shadow Puppets

Outside Lands 2016 - Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festival Reviews, Festivals Tagged With: Air, Amen Dunes, Anderson .Paak, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Aquilo, Bahamas, Beach House, Beck, Big Freedia, Big Grams, Big Grams (Big Boi + Phantogram), Brandi Carlile, Broken Social Scene, Carly Rae Jepsen, Chance The Rapper, Chicano Batman, Chromeo, Chvrches, Claptone, Cuco, Daniel Caesar, DIIV, DJ Snake, Down and Outlaws, Duran Duran, Fantastic Negrito, Father John Misty, Florence & the Machine, FOALS, Future, GastroMagic, Goldlink, Grimes, GRIZ, Gryffin, Halsey, Hiatus Kaiyote, Hobo Johnson, Hobo Johnson & the Lovemakers, Ibeyi, Illenium, J. Cole, Jack Garratt, James Blake, Jamie xx, Janet Jackson, Jason Isbell, JAUZ, Jessie Reyez, Jidenna, Julien Baker, Kamasi Washington, Kehlani, Kelela, Lana Del Rey, Lapsley, Lauv, LCD Soundsystem, Lettuce, Lionel Richie, Lizzo, Lord Huron, LP, Major Lazer, Margo Price, Marian Hill, Methyl Ethel, Miguel, Miike Snow, Moon Taxi, N.E.R.D., Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Odesza, Oh Wonder, Outside Clams, Outside Lands, Outside Lands 2016, Outside Lands Castland, Outside Lands Forest Feast, Outside Lands Music Festival, Outside Lands Music Festival 2016, Outside Lands Music Festival 2018, Outside Lands night shows, Peaches, Perfume Genius, Poliça, Poolside, Quinn XCII, Ra Ra Riot, Radiohead, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Rogue Wave, Ryan Adams, Sabrina Claudio, Shannon and the Clams, Smokepurpp, snakehips, St. Lucia, Sufjan Stevens, Tash Sultana, The Back Wine, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, The Growlers, The Internet, The Knocks, The Last Shadow Puppets, The Mountain Goats, The Weeknd, The West Coast Get Down, Third Eye Blind, Thomas Jack, Tokimonsta, Tortoise & The Pimps, Tycho, Vince Staples, Washington and The West Coast Get Down, Whethan, Years & Years, Zedd

Outside Lands 2016: Our 10 favorite festival features

July 26, 2016 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

Written by Molly Kish //

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 5th-7th, 2016 //

Outside Lands is a little more than a week away (can you believe it?!?!), and as the final details emerge before next weekend, the anticipation remains at an all-time high for the music festival’s ninth edition.

Besides gaining traction for its diverse roster of musicians, an all-star comedy lineup and its extensive culinary showcases, the three-day affair invading Golden Gate Park every August also continues to raise standards across the festival circuit with its innovative features both on and off the fairgrounds.

As we start crafting our schedules and await any final details, here are our 10 favorite festival features for Outside Lands 2016.

10. GastroMagic

Inhabiting a stage nestled within the tree section of Hellman Hollow, GastroMagic is a place where food, music, mischief and magic come together. Continually providing some of Outside Lands’ most underrated performances each year, it is the perfect combination of chaos and cross-lineup configurations you’d never be able to catch at any other music festival. See the full schedule here.

9. Outsider Art

Artist, curator and former Google executive Jeben Berg has teamed up with SF’s own Juxtapoz Magazine to bring a stellar roster of talent that highlights the work of incredible scrim artists, live painting, curated installations and performance pieces throughout the entire weekend. See the full roster here.

8. Outside Clams

For the love of seafood, Woodhouse Fish Co. has sourced fresh, local shellfish from Tomales Bay to enjoy either raw or barbecued and paired with the best wines from Napa Valley and Sonoma. Serving up these delicacies along with bowls of chowder, lobster rolls and much more, this new Outside Lands feature located outside of Wine Lands is a must stop for any seafood connoisseur.

7. Night Shows

Didn’t get enough live music at the festival? Well, fear not! Another Planet Entertainment has partnered with several historic venues in SF to offer a full gamut of late-night entertainment and keep you rocking all weekend long. A couple of them have already sold out, so make sure to buy your tickets now. See who is playing and more details here.

6. Bike Party

Departing from the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium everyday at noon, the festival’s bike party arrives at the Log Cabin Meadow before taking off at 10:30 p.m. each night. Join the fun on America’s only music festival group bike ride!

5. Greening Initiatives

• Refillable Water Program: There will be free refillable water stations located in the polo fields and Eco Lands.

• Farmers Market: Full Belly Farm will be selling organic and fresh-picked melon slices, peaches, tomatoes, corn, green beans and bell peppers at the festival’s farmers market.

• Urban Gardening Workshops: Garden for the Environment will be offering workshops on worm composting twice daily at their booth in Eco Lands.

4. Forest Feast with Trestle Restaurant

Offering an intimate dining experience that features an upscale tasting menu from Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient Trestle in SF, Forest Feast is nestled in a secluded forest area of the festival grounds and features performances from a New Orleans brass band (still TBA) and real-life magician Jon Armstrong. Seatings are available all three days of the festival (Friday-Sunday) at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here.

3. Castland

Meet and greet the artists of Outside Lands 2016 at this interactive mecca amidst the festival fairgrounds. Filled with the latest innovations in music and festival technology, you can host your own group disco in the Chromecast private gif booth with the chance to get broadcasted, score festival flare and more.

2. The Back Wine: Mini Golf Course

Located directly behind Wine Lands, The Back Wine is Outside Lands’ three-hole mini golf course that playfully incorporates the scenery of SF in each of its holes. A welcome reprieve from the bustle of the fairgrounds, one can putt putt their way through the sites of the city while sampling the sweet nectar from our Napa Valley neighbors.

1. Summer Pairings Series

Previewing the lineup over 80 restaurants, 40 wineries and 28 breweries, Outside Lands’ Summer Pairing Series teams up with those in charge of curating the festival’s culinary experience to craft special sneak-peaks of what this year’s menu has to offer.

• Cheeseland Preview @ Long Meadow Ranch: July 5th-31th (4-8 p.m. daily)

Visit the stunning St. Helena location for pairings of Nicasio Valley San Geronimo Raclette and the 2015 Long Meadow Ranch Sauvignon Blanc.

• Bluegrass, BBQ and Blues @ Southpaw: July 26th (7-10 p.m.)

Take part in a Southern-inspired party hosted by Southpaw and Anchor Brewing where you can sample Southpaw BBQ and special release beers (flights and drafts) while enjoying a live set from local bluegrass outfit The Bowties. Tickets can be purchased here.

• Pinot, Pizza and Funk @ Bluxome Street Winery: July 30th (5-9 p.m.)

Newcomers to the lineup, Mozzeria bring their creative take on Neapolitan pizzas to Bluxome Street Winery for wine pairings during a live performance by local funk outfit Tortoise & The Pimps. Tickets can be purchased here.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Air, Anderson .Paak, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Beach House, Big Freedia, Big Grams, Big Grams (Big Boi + Phantogram), Brandi Carlile, Chance The Rapper, DIIV, Down and Outlaws, Duran Duran, Fantastic Negrito, FOALS, GastroMagic, Grimes, GRIZ, Halsey, Hiatus Kaiyote, Ibeyi, J. Cole, Jack Garratt, Jason Isbell, JAUZ, Jidenna, Julien Baker, Kamasi Washington, Kehlani, Lana Del Rey, Lapsley, LCD Soundsystem, Lettuce, Lionel Richie, Lord Huron, Major Lazer, Marian Hill, Methyl Ethel, Miguel, Miike Snow, Moon Taxi, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Oh Wonder, Outside Clams, Outside Lands, Outside Lands 2016, Outside Lands Castland, Outside Lands Forest Feast, Outside Lands Music Festival, Outside Lands Music Festival 2016, Outside Lands night shows, Peaches, Poliça, Ra Ra Riot, Radiohead, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Rogue Wave, Ryan Adams, snakehips, St. Lucia, Sufjan Stevens, The Back Wine, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, The Knocks, The Last Shadow Puppets, The West Coast Get Down, Third Eye Blind, Thomas Jack, Tokimonsta, Tortoise & The Pimps, Vince Staples, Washington and The West Coast Get Down, Years & Years, Zedd

Radiohead, LCD Soundsystem & Lionel Richie to headline Outside Lands 2016 lineup

April 5, 2016 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 5th-7th, 2016 //

After rumors swirled in early 2016, Radiohead will indeed return to headline the ninth edition of Outside Lands along with LCD Soundsystem and Lionel Richie.

The British alt-rockers led by frontman Thom Yorke headlined the three-day music and arts festival in its inaugural year back in 2008, touring off their 2007 Grammy-winning album In Rainbows and playing a 22-song set highlighted by such classics “Just”, “Paranoid Android” and “Fake Plastic Trees”. Now with their impending ninth studio album expected to be out some time later this year, Radiohead will be back at Golden Gate Park this summer for one of just three West Coast and six North American dates in 2016, which also include two nights at the world-famous Madison Square Garden, a headlining spot at Lollapalooza in Chicago and two more shows at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on either side of their Outside Lands performance.

LCD Soundsystem, on the other hand, have been tabbed to headline a myriad of large-scale U.S. and international festivals this year (reminding us of the reunion run Outkast embarked on in 2014), starting with two weekends at Coachella this month and continuing this summer at Primavera Sound, Bonnaroo, Roskilde and Panorama, among others. With a busy touring schedule already set, the band has also confirmed that it will release a new album this year, making us think that James Murphy and company will be showcasing some new material at their upcoming shows.

An original member of the Commodores, Lionel Richie’s last solo album Tuskegee came back in 2012, but Outside Lands has always had a penchant for incorporating legendary artists as headliners, much like they have done with Elton John, Tom Petty, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder the past four years. It goes without saying that fans can expect a career-spanning set from Richie, who remains one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time thanks in large to such No. 1 U.S. singles as “Endless Love”, Truly”, “All Night Long (All Night)”, “Hello” and “Say You, Say Me”.

While the three headliners slated to play Outside Lands this year are certainly something to rave about, there are plenty of other highlights sprinkled throughout the lineup, including Lana Del Rey, J. Cole, Duran Duran, Zedd, Ryan Adams, Major Lazer, Air, Sufjan Stevens, Chance the Rapper, Beach House, Miguel, Halsey, Big Grams (Big Boi + Phantogram), Grimes, Jason Isbell, Miike Snow, Third Eye Blind, Kehlani, The Last Shadow Puppets, GRiZ, Brandi Carlile, Thomas Jack, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, FOALS, Lord Huron, JAUZ, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, St. Lucia, Years & Years, Vince Staples, Poliça, Lettuce, Ibeyi, Hiatus Kaiyote, Peaches, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Snakehips, Oh Wonder, Kamasi Washington, Jack Garratt, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Ra Ra Riot, TOKiMONSTA, The Knocks, DIIV and many more.

This year’s festival will once again include a full lineup of comedy performances as well as its famed Beer Lands, Wine Lands and Choco Lands + Cheese Lands. Because as we all know by now, it’s hard to find much better food or drink options at a music festival than what Outside Lands has to offer on an annual basis.

If you didn’t grab Eager Beaver tickets last week, you can buy Outside Lands tickets starting this Thursday, April 7th at 10 a.m. Three-day GA passes will be sold for $355, and three-day VIP passes can be purchased for $765. Single-day passes will also be sold, with GA prices set at $145 and VIP prices set at $325. Three-day shuttle passes and three-day parking passes are available for $48 and $240, respectively.

Getting excited for Outside Lands after this year’s lineup announcement? Make sure to check out our coverage from the festival’s 2015 edition here.

Albums you’ll want to hear in 2016

January 6, 2016 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

Written by Josh Herwitt //

Now that we’ve said our goodbyes to 2015, it’s time to start looking ahead to 2016 and what lies ahead when it comes to new music. Although it’s still rather early and new albums are sure to be announced after this writing, there’s plenty of ear candy that’s already set to be released in 2016.

Here are 10 upcoming albums (in chronological order by release date) that you’ll want to hear and could very well end up being on some “Best of 2016” lists in another 12 months.

David Bowie – ★ (Blackstar)

Release date: January 8th
Record label: RCA/Columbia

The 20th studio album from Ziggy Stardust will be one of the first to hit stands in 2016, and although the 68-year-old legend has said that his touring days are over, Bowie is still capable of making an intriguing record, much like he did in 2013 with The Next Day. From what we’ve heard on ★, be it the 10-minute title track or in recent weeks “Lazarus” (the song that Bowie is also using in his off-Broadway musical by the same name), we’re eager to hear the rest.

Tortoise – The Catastrophist

Release date: January 22nd
Record label: Thrill Jockey

It’s been more than six years since Tortoise last released an album, but the Chicago post-rock outfit will unveil The Catastrophist, led by first single “Gesceap”, later this month. Featuring vocal contributions from Yo La Tengo’s Georgia Hubley and Todd Rittmann of Chicago bands U.S. Maple and Dead Rider, the new LP was inspired by music closely tied to Chicago’s jazz and improvised music scenes that the city commissioned the band to write back in 2010.

Ty Segall – Emotional Mugger

Release date: January 22nd
Record label: Drag City

Segall announced his eighth studio album by mailing a VHS tape to Pitchfork less than two months ago, and if that wasn’t eccentric enough, the prolific garage rocker followed it up with a dedicated website for the LP, which includes a hotline number to call and two videos — one that shows him and the band wearing baby masks and another that sees him playing a doctor while explaining what “emotional mugging” is. Despite Emotional Mugger not extending quite as long as Segall’s previous solo effort Manipulator did, many of the track names are worth a chuckle, from “Breakfast Eggs” to “Baby Big Man (I Want a Mommy)”.

Bloc Party – Hymns

Release date: January 29th
Record label: BMG

Long known for pioneering a sound that bridged the gap between indie rock and electronic music, Bloc Party return in early 2016 with their fifth studio album and their first with new members Justin Harris (bass, keyboards) and Louise Bartle (drums). Debuting material from Hymns, including newest single “The Good News” at FYF Fest (read our festival review here) in August, the British quartet will also offer a deluxe edition of the LP with four bonus tracks.

St. Lucia – Matter

Release date: January 29th
Record label: Columbia

Jean-Philip Grobler released the debut LP for his Brooklyn-based, synthpop project St. Lucia toward the end of 2013, and late this month, the South African native will unveil his follow-up to When the Night. If you were curious as to how Matter will sound in comparison to his first full length, Grobler has a geographical analogy to describe both: “If the last album sounded like the tropics, this album is the desert.”

Black Moth Super Rainbow

Release date: N/A
Record label: N/A

Thomas Fec has become well-regarded in indie-electronic circles for his work as Tobacco over the last several years, but for more than a decade, he has also served as the frontman of Black Moth Super Rainbow, the Pittsburgh psych-rock group that’s preparing to drop its sixth studio album later this year. As BMSR fans await the LP’s official release, the band surprised many in mid-November by streaming its new mini-album Seefu Lilac, which features “neon flavored outtakes from a 6th album that doesn’t yet exist.”

Animal Collective – Painting With

Release date: February 19th
Record label: Domino

After streaming new material on loop at Baltimore’s BWI Airport the day before Thanksgiving, Animal Collective are now just a few weeks away from the release of their 10th studio album. Taking some much-needed time off after its latest tour so that David Portner and Noah Lennox could focus on their own side projects, the band refined its songwriting approach for Painting With, removing the long, ambient passages that were often synonymous with their previous LPs and also collaborating with Welsh musician John Cale and multireedist Colin Stetson.

Wild Nothing – Life of Pause

Release date: February 19th
Record label: Captured Tracks

Jack Tatum remains the brains behind his indie-rock/dream-pop project Wild Nothing, having been its founder and lone songwriter since 2009. Feeding off the success of 2012’s Nocturne, Tatum consciously wanted to reinvent himself as a musician while recording Life of Pause in Los Angeles and Stockholm with producer Thom Monahan, and if his double-sided single “To Know You”/”TV Queen” is any indication, we’re starting to see what he means.

Poliça – United Crushers

Release date: March 4th
Record label: Mom + Pop

Poliça lead vocalist Channy Leaneagh may have been pregnant last year, but you wouldn’t have known it from the way this Minneapolis synthpop group has continued to work in the studio. In following up its successful sophomore effort Shulamith from 2013, the five-piece takes a more political approach on its third full-length album United Crushers, which boasts first single “Lime Habit”.

Charles Bradley – Changes

Release date: April 1st
Record label: Daptone Records

You have to wonder if Charles Bradley was a Black Sabbath fan growing up as a kid, because his new album Changes draws plenty of inspiration from the legendary heavy metal group’s Vol. 4. While his cover of the famous Sabbath hit serves as the LP’s title track, the “Screaming Eagle of Soul” continues to win us over with his rags-to-riches story (Bradley was at one time homeless before becoming a cook and working various odd jobs) and his undying charisma.

The following artists and bands are expected to release new albums in 2016 but have yet to confirm an official release date and/or an album title:

AlunaGeorge
ANTEMASQUE
Band of Horses
Beck
Blink-182
Chairlift – Moth
Chromatics – Dear Tommy
Crystal Castles
Death Grips – Bottomless Pit
Deftones
Diddy – No Way Out 2
DJ Premier – Last Session @ 320
Drake – Views From the 6
Frank Ocean
Gary Numan
Gorillaz
GZA – Dark Matter
Haim
James Blake – Radio Silence
Kanye West – SWISH
Kings of Leon
LCD Soundsystem
Lupe Fiasco – Drogas
M.I.A. – Matahdatah
M83
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Major Lazer – Music Is the Weapon
Mark Kozelek
Metallica
Metronomy
Modest Mouse
My Morning Jacket
No Doubt
Pete Yorn – Arranging Time
Radiohead
Rihanna – Anti
Spiritualized
The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Killers
The Strokes
Zeds Dead

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, New Music Tagged With: AlunaGeorge, Animal Collective, Antemasque, Band of Horses, Beck, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Blink-182, Bloc Party, Chairlift, Charles Bradley, Chromatics, Crystal Castles, David Bowie, Deftones, Diddy, DJ Premier, Drake, Frank Ocean, Gary Numan, Gorillaz, GZA, Haim, Kanye West, Kings of Leon, LCD Soundsystem, Lupe Fiasco, M.I.A., M83, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Major Lazer, Mark Kozelek, Metallica, Metronomy, Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, New Music, No Doubt, Pete Yorn, Poliça, Radiohead, Rihanna, Spiritualized, St. Lucia, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Killers, The Strokes, Tortoise, Ty Segall, Wild Nothing, Zeds Dead

Empire of the Sun bring a festival-season sampler to Bill Graham Civic with St. Lucia, Holy Ghost!

September 24, 2015 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

Empire of the Sun

Photos by Steve Carlson // Written by Molly Kish //

Empire of the Sun with St. Lucia, Holy Ghost! //
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco
September 19th, 2015 //

The middle of September is a strange time in the Bay Area as the playa dust of Burning Man still lingers in the air and many attempt to keep up with the city’s limitless social calendar amidst the palpable intensity of visiting tech conferences and vacationing crowds. While the rest of the country is in a collective comedown, preparing to transition into fall and the impending holiday season, SF is hitting its fever pitch as festival season draws to a close.

Point in case: last Saturday’s bill of Holy Ghost!, St. Lucia and Empire of the Sun at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.

Holy Ghost!

NYC’s nu-disco torchbearers Holy Ghost! brought the dance party early, opening the show with an unfortunately timed 7:30 p.m. slot. While die-hard fans cut their pregaming short to make the effort to catch their set, the 2015 festival circuit staples definitely had to work extra hard to get the early arrivals on their level. Making the most of the moment, Nick Millhiser and Alex Franke busted out a mini set of crowd favorites with their backing band, prompting the ascending audience members to literally dance their way through the entrance into the auditorium. They called out those unfamiliar with their tunes to start moving, and the band playfully broke up their set with ad libs directed at the crowd, including but not limited to “Let’s go San Francisco! It’s fucking 7 o’clock!”

St. Lucia

St. Lucia took the stage second, amassing a large crowd of indie-pop enthusiasts who were ready to commit fully to a pivotal switch from club-heavy hits to over the top-pop eccentricity. Nothing shy of what you’d visualize while listening to the band’s breakthrough album When the Night, frontman Jean-Philip Grobler’s vocals washed over the venue in a sea of nostalgia-inducing synthpop. Drawing from Grobler’s South African upbringing, St. Lucia’s sound relies heavily on call-and-response choruses, percussion breakdowns and kaiso-calypso influences. Crowd participation was inevitable, which from the opening bars of the band’s set, was coerced by the vivacious frontman with fan-generated wind flowing through his perfectly coiffed hair. St. Lucia ramped it up a notch halfway through their set, delving into extended versions of their songs that mimicked electronic remixing via live instrumentation. The dance floor was at its peak during these moments as Grobler prompted the audience to get completely lost in St. Lucia’s “yacht pop” euphoria.

After a brief interlude and set change, Empire of the Sun took the stage. The anticipation had already been running high, physically manifesting itself as fans came together to represent the “Empyrean” elite with many of them donning homemade head dresses, face masks, body suits, theater make-up and more. Consequently, EOTS shows breed a certain level of spectacular that throughout the years has escalated from just a performance to a fully immersive audience experience.

Empire of the Sun

Setting the bar extremely high with a near cinematic entrance, EOTS frontman Luke Steele emerged from center stage in his full stage regalia and was immediately surrounded by a chorus of Broadway-caliber back-up dancers. With only two full-length albums under their belt, EOTS have always heavily relied on bringing their rock-opera material to life through eccentric live shows and theatrics, all of which was still very much at the forefront, minus Steele’s partner Nick Littlemore.

Though the two have had years of well-documented disputes when it’s come to touring, it’s still disheartening as a longtime fan to only have ever seen a one-man version of EOTS live. Of course, leave it to Steele though to be an absolute professional and still put on an incredible performance even in Littlemore’s absence. While mentioning that they had been working on a brand-new program for this tour and he was beyond excited to perform it in such a place, those paying close attention couldn’t help but be distracted by his partner’s absence in this over-the-top production.

Empire of the Sun

Steele, however, still rose above the occasion and pulled off an incredible show even with a few awkward filler moments and prolonged eccentricities. His vocals were unbelievable, his multi-instrument mastery was impeccable and his all-around stage presence was something that not many contemporaries can compete with. Even in the most difficult moments, I watched a new generation of EOTS fans collectively have their minds blown. Certain parts of the show thinned out the audience, whether it was due to the intrinsically odd nature of the performance or just a lack of familiarity with the material, but if you were amongst the fans who stayed until the very last note was played, you were undoubtedly treated to a strong finish.

As Steele belted out “Alive”, the hit single off the band’s sophomore studio album Ice on the Dune, to close things out, he brought the audience to a transcendent place of exhilaration. Crowd members embraced and danced amongst a like-minded family of people lost in the moment, even if it involved intergalactic creatures dancing in colored smoke and a crowned Emperor playing without his bandmate on stage. EOTS shows are a special kind of magic that regardless of the material’s absurd nature, translate into an experience unlike anything else.

Setlist:
Lux
Old Flavours
DNA
Half Mast
(Unknown) (Del Zamora spoken interlude 1)
We Are the People
Awakening
Concert Pitch
Celebrate
Ice on the Dune
(Unknown)
Surround Sound
Swordfish Hotkiss
I’ll Be Around
Breakdown
Walking on a Dream
Tiger by My Side
Standing on the Shore
(Unknown) (Del Zamora spoken interlude 2)
Alive

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, Empire of the Sun, Holy Ghost, St. Lucia

The best of Treasure Island Music Festival 2014

October 21, 2014 by Mike Frash 2 Comments

Photos by Marc Fong // Written by Mike Frash //

Treasure Island Music Festival //
Treasure Island – San Francisco
October 18th-19th, 2014 //

Treasure Island Music Festival 2014 will be remembered for its triumphant headliners along with its embrace of minimalist, finger-snapping electro-pop. Some of the performing acts that have blown up over the past year or so — including Jungle, Zedd, BANKS and Chet Faker — offered relatively tame performances, struggling to elevate their live music experiences. But many other acts gave inspired, breathtaking or insanely fun sets.

Here’s our best (and worst) of TIMF 2014.

Show of the Weekend: Massive Attack

With perhaps the most appropriate name for musical act on the planet, Massive Attack capped Treasure Island Music Festival 2014 in stunning fashion. With a balancing act of bass-infused downtempo brilliance highlighted by Martina Topley-Bird’s singing and industrialized synth-stabbing electronic pieces, a range of emotion is achieved for the listener. With contrasting tempos and a duality of tranquility then intensity, a cause-and-effect narrative starts to take shape — especially when paying attention to the video elements of the intense songs. “United Snakes” left nothing to the imagination with its barrage of corporate logos and national flags. It appeared the expanded duo slipped in one frame of a Ferris wheel, reminding us that yes, us consumers at TIMF, the only U.S. festival Massive Attack played on this tour, are part of the system. “Future Proof” visuals stripped out rows of zeroes and ones, using the simplicity of computer code to inspire multiple paths of thought, especially while absorbing this show in the Bay Area. And Tunde Adebimpe from TV On The Radio joined in for “Pray For Rain” for the grand finale.

Biggest Bay Area Party of the Year: OutKast

It’s almost the end of the biggest reunion tour in decades, and TIMF patrons were lucky enough to witness one of OutKast’s last shows. The Bridge Stage was more packed in than any show in memory, and festivalgoers outwardly had more fun compared to performances from past years. The set was perfectly paced, with André 3000 seemingly having a fun time — an important part of the equation compared to Big Boi’s rock-steady appearances throughout 2014. The guys gave shout-outs to Casual and The Misfits in the “local love” part of the show, and “Roses” (including a half-hearted apology for the “crazy bitch” outro) once again was one of the highlights. The set ended at least 20 minutes before the scheduled end of the day, emptying a large percentage of patrons into the shuttle line at the same time — there were some reports of people not making it back to SF until 2 a.m.

Most Likely to Headline Festivals Very Soon: alt-J

alt-J is no longer a band on the rise, but one of the biggest bands in the world with this just-launched tour in support of the group’s second LP. This hour-long set at TIMF seemed like a coronation of sorts as it was the first festival set the now-quartet has played with new material. The highlights from An Awesome Wave still act as the backbone of the set while the best cuts from This Is All Yours were cherry-picked and sprinkled in perfectly to enhance their already-inspiring live show. “Hunger of the Pine” got things going while “Left Hand Free” worked well, getting away from the heady elements for a bit. “Dissolve Me” into “Matilda” is still so incredibly beautiful and emotive — alt-J should never break these two songs up. “Every Other Freckle” is the one song where I wish the guys would have considered new lyrics, but it’s a small complaint for a concert experience that had a huge crowd rapturously involved. When music implores a festival audience to be fully invested as alt-J pulled off on Sunday, with no one talking during the quiet intimate parts, it becomes clear you are ingesting something special. Even though their rise in popularity has happened remarkably fast, that trend should continue to move upward through festival season next year.

Most TIMF Set of the Weekend: Classixx

On paper, Classixx is the ideal act for Treasure Island Music Festival 2014, and the duo delivered on this promise in the all-important sunset time slot. Restrained but upbeat enough, pop-oriented yet progressive in its sound, the LA-based remixers-turned-original producers brought Saturday together based on what we expect from past TIMF years. Their on-stage centerpiece, a modern take on a 1980’s-era television, visualizes Nancy Whang for “All You’re Waiting For” and YACHT’s Claire L. Evans for a remix of “Psychic City”. The television set offers a surreal scene juxtaposed with the backgrounded City skyline, functionally helping to break down the walls of disembodied vocals.

Best New Material: TV On The Radio

TVOTR gave one of the best sets of the weekend with their wonderful mix of slow burners, dance-punk blasts of energy along with three new songs: “Happy Idiot”, “Careful You” and “Could You”. The latter two were particularly impressive and fit perfectly into the band’s catalog. A couple other notes on the show: producer and multi-instrumentalist David Sitek now looks like Bono, Kyp Malone is still professionally chill and Tunde Adebimpe continues to be offended when listeners don’t give him full attention. After completing “Wolf Like Me”, wherein the TI faithful went nuts, the lead singer said that he couldn’t believe he saw someone leave during the song. Agreed Tunde, and we’re looking forward to the forthcoming record.

Best Recovery: Janelle Monáe

What’s exactly the point of sound checking a microphone if you’re not going to do it completely? The guy setting up the mic put it on the stand after unsuccessfully getting it to work, and Monáe sang the first song completely unaware her voice wasn’t projecting through the speakers. After some crowd chanting, a new microphone, and three different people near me saying “Why doesn’t she use the backup singer’s mic?” order was finally restored. Also, when we got “Tightrope”, all hope of seeing Monáe join mentor Big Boi during OutKast was shot. Still, there’s no doubt the Electric Lady is just beginning a long and illustrious career. And as she proved with “Cold War”, it’s damn near impossible to take your eyes or ears off her when it’s her time to shine.

Best Pop-Culture Friend-Finder: Bill Murray

Bill Murray is clearly the most important American pop culture icon, and this group knows it. They also had a high-flying Bill Murray flag to triangulate positions.

Best Festival Outlier: Ana Tijoux

French-Chilean MC and singer-songwriter Ana Tijoux brought the best change of pace on Saturday, something apparent from the beginning of “Vengo”. Upbeat and passionate fire-spitting about social injustice with electronic elements and a horn section? Yes please — this was perhaps the only set on the dance-oriented first day without finger snapping or words in English.

Most TIMF Set of the Weekend Part 2: Washed Out

It’s impressive how Ernest Greene has evolved Washed Out from bedroom project to leader of the chill-wave movement to a live performer that can mimic the energy of a dance show through instrumentation. Like Classixx, this one just felt right for TIMF.

Most Immersive Set: Poliça

Sultry. Intensely Moody. World music-infused. These are the words I wrote down before being completely drawn into this set. Once awakening after completing locking in to a couple songs, I opted to get to alt-J early for a good spot. It was a tough call since Poliça were thoroughly captivating — I’ll be looking to see them again soon.

Best Unintentional Festival Blending: MØ

MØ emerged on stage sporting a black eye-patch, seemingly joining in on the pirate theme that has defined TIMF over the years. But after a song, Karen Marie Ørsted needlessly admitted to an eye infection, even though the optical accessory worked well with her braid and masculine power stances. MØ stood above the other new minimalist-glitch offerings on display at TIMF 2014 with her authentic energy, ownership of the stage and video support. Mixing oddly-appealing archival footage on loop, including a small animal’s still-beating heart in the palm of a hand, with imagery of herself working background vocals, made this electropop highlight even more memorable.

Band that Deserves More Listeners: White Denim

It’s a shame White Denim couldn’t be featured later in the day for more festivalgoers on Sunday. The seemingly spastic song structures and prog-rock mentality make White Denim a group to add to that list of bands you try to see perform live when they come to town.

Set that Thinned Out the Most: The New Pornographers

Along with the TIMF headliners, The New Pornographers have the most seniority out of all TIMF acts. Cuts from their underestimated 2014 record Brill Bruisers created the backbone of the set with fan favorites laced in throughout. Songs led by Destroyer’s Dan Bejar, with their skewered and self-inflicting lyrics, resonated strongest. This show thinned out as the set went on while most younger festivalgoers were queuing up for Chet Faker, signifying the current state of indie music popularity. Sadly, the eight members of the group walked off stage to nary an audible clap.

Best Constant Dance Party: Silent Disco

With no overlapping sets, Silent Disco is always an option if you want house music instead of the provided musicians on stage.

Best Pop-Culture Friend-Finder 2: Kim Kardashian with Laser Beam Eyes at BANKS

BANKS kind of sums up the direction indie-turned-pop music has gone in 2014. Sleek bare-bones production, glitch elements and moody synth lay the ground work for whispery vocals. This aural cocktail has captured the collective zeitgeist (along with much of the TIMF curation) this year. Jillian Banks has an immaculate voice and is mega popular worldwide, but her set felt like more of the same. BANKS banned media photography for her TIMF set, so here’s a photo of one of the best location markers of the weekend: Kim Kardashian with laser beams coming out of her eyes.

Most Entertaining Hype Man: The Growlers

Weirdo garage rock! The Growlers almost didn’t make their set according to the introduction given by the group’s eccentric hype-man named DMTina. But the psych-goth surf rock was pleasant enough, with “Chinese Fountain” giving a fun tone to the afternoon, but the dude in the robe pretty much stole the show.

Most Shiny Electro-Pop of the Weekend: St. Lucia

I have to be honest, St. Lucia is a bit too shiny and synth-heavy for me, but damn do they give it their all. If you’re into the nu-disco pop revival, St. Lucia is for you. OutKast was a priority, though.

Most Surface-Level Fun: Jungle

Churning soul-disco mystery collective Jungle is a more well-known entity now, and the skyrocketing, UK-based outfit adeptly loops morsels of pleasurable phrasing as a house DJ would. But it all sounds the same. And given their debut record, I expected many similarities from song to song but still hoped for something more out of their live interpretations. Jungle is generic to the point of being an emotional blank slate, tofu without any other tastes involved. But there’s no better time than now to get involved in some Giants pandering — the “Let’s Go Giants” chant sparked by Josh Lloyd-Watson’s jersey and reference to SF’s World Series-bound team was one of the biggest crowd responses of the set.

Best Mobile Dance Party: Robot Dance Party

Robot Dance Party can’t stop, won’t stop.

Most Unlikely Show with People on Shoulders: Chet Faker

Chet Faker had the crew bring out a huge bass speaker to put directly behind him after his first song to give his music more oomph. And when he dipped into his career-making collaborations with Flume, “Left Alone” and “Drop the Game”, the Tunnel stage instantly began moving like the rhythm of the ocean. But otherwise, the set was downtempo to the point of boredom. And it’s not a good idea to take one of your best songs, “Talk is Cheap”, and strip it down even more. Some ladies still felt compelled to rock their friend’s shoulders as if it was a dance show, something that I’m still trying to figure out.

Biggest Spectacle Over Substance: Zedd

More than any other set at TIMF 2014, Zedd felt out of place. By this point on Saturday, the fest needed a jump of adrenaline, but the Top 40 producer wasn’t the solution. Where acts like Knife Party or Bassnectar would have fallen more in line with the traditional ethos of TIMF, Zedd brought his world of contemporary pop to the island. There was no layering or transitions, his drops didn’t stand out from the EDM pack, and the show lacked any memorable surprises.

What were your favorite sets of Treasure Island Music Festival 2014?

OutKast at TIMF // Photo by Marc Fong

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Alt-J, Ana Tijoux, Banks, Bill Murray, Chet Faker, Classixx, Janelle Monáe, Jungle, Kim Kardashian, Massive Attack, MO, OutKast, Poliça, Robot Dance Party, Silent Disco, St. Lucia, The Growlers, The New Pornographers, Treasure Island Music Festival 2014, TV on the Radio, Washed Out, White Denim, Zedd

Treasure Island 2014 trends toward indie dance-pop

June 17, 2014 by The Bam Team 2 Comments

Treasure Island Music Festival //
Treasure Island, CA
October 18-19, 2014 //

Dance-oriented pop is taking over music festival curation, while rock is beginning to die a slow death when it comes to Bay Area festival lineups. Overall, this appears to be the trend for Treasure Island Music Festival in the San Francisco Bay.

While the daily lineups haven’t been announced yet, the upbeat dance acts for Saturday and the rock-oriented Sunday performers were easy to divvy up at this point in past years. It appears this line has been blurred significantly. Sure alt-J, TV On The Radio, The New Pornographers, White Denim and The Growlers seem like solid bets for the traditional day of rest, if past years hold true, but who will headline Sunday between OutKast and Massive Attack? Rap acts have always seen the stage on Saturday, so we’re thinking OutKast is a lock for Saturday.

And speaking of the first rap headliner in Treasure Island Music Festival history, San Francisco proper will get a visit from the ATLiens after their highly successful headline set in Napa a few weeks back. Since catching their stride, 3 Stacks and Big Boi have been murdering large crowds across the globe with a mix of hits, old favorites and a smattering of solo material. So, go re-learn the “Roses” dance for what is sure to be the peak of energy on the island. Also with Janelle Monáe on the bill, expect at least one special guest appearance for the Big-Boi produced “Tightrope”.

READ OUR REPORT FROM TIMF 2013

2014 breakout acts Jungle, Banks and Chet Faker, all of whom recently played sold out shows at the Independent in SF, are remarkably high on the bill, but odds are they will be in the perfect slot come October. If you haven’t heard of Jungle yet, they performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night and crushed it. Emerging acts that can catalyze ticket sales are an increasingly important premium when curating a festival lineup, hence Jungle & Banks’ mid-to-upper lineup position.

Female acts are never appropriately represented based on the statistical division of sexes at a festival, but TIMF has done a great job of lessoning the gap this year. Janelle Monáe, The New Pornographers, St. Lucia, Banks, Jungle, MØ, Poliça and more will be at the Festival on the Bay come October.

alt-J played at Bottom of the Hill in December 2012, and here they are as a prime sub-headliner. The response to the recent announcement of their second album and tour behind it shows that this makes sense.

The New Pornographers also announced a brand new album recently, and they’ll be returning to the bay via TIMF with original members Neko Case and Dan Bejar from Destroyer.

There may be less rock in the vein of Interpol, The Strokes and Parquet Courts than past years, but there is no doubt this lineup is loaded with fun, upbeat acts. What are you most excited to see at TIMF 2014?

2-Day GA, VIP tickets and Parking Passes On Sale Thursday, June 19th at 10AM PT!

OutKast
Massive Attack
Zedd
alt-J
TV On the Radio
Janelle Monáe
The New Pornographers
Washed Out
St. Lucia
Banks
Jungle
White Denim
MØ
Poliça
The Growlers
Classixx
Chet Faker
Ryan Hemsworth
Ana Tijoux
Asgeir
Xxyyxx
Ratking
Tobacco
Bleached
Painted Palms
Waters

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Alt-J, Ana Tijoux, Asgeir, Banks, Bleached, Chet Faker, Classixx, Janelle Monáe, Jungle, Massive Attack, MO, OutKast, Painted Palms, Poliça, Ratking, Ryan Hemsworth, St. Lucia, The Growlers, The New Pornographers, Tobacco, Treasure Island Music Festival, TV on the Radio, Washed Out, Waters, White Denim, Xxyyxx, Zedd

St. Lucia go ‘Live at the Landmark’ in SF’s City Hall

April 22, 2014 by Molly Kish 1 Comment

Photos by Pedro Paredes // Written by Molly Kish

St. Lucia with Conway, benefiting Operation Gratitude //
City Hall — San Francisco
April 17th, 2014 //

Brooklyn buzz band St. Lucia took over the main lobby of City Hall this past week headlining the San Francisco edition of the Jack Daniel’s “Live at the Landmark” series. The beautiful venue accommodated an exclusive crowd of less than 200 people, providing a stunning backdrop for the electro-pop outfit and their opener, Conway. Bathed in hues of blue and purple, the setting remained in a gorgeous dusk-lit color scheme, echoing the sky-lit entry way leading you into the municipal foyer. There you were greeted by Civic Hall’s grand staircase underneath its epic dome, lined with awe-inspired crowd reveling in complementary Jack Daniels and the gorgeous stage site.

Following a short set by Conway, St. Lucia took the stage. Jean-Philip Grobler immediately commented on how excited they were to be playing such an impressive venue. Touring steadily over the past year, behind the acts’ breakout success When the Night, Grobler and his backing band members kicked directly into their performance like a well-oiled machine. Focusing on hits off the 2013 debut album, their set list ran consistent with that of most dates on their current touring schedule. Kicking things off with the building choral chant of “The Night Comes Again” straight into the tropic-themed sensory transposition of “The Old House Is Gone”, St. Lucia effortlessly prompted their crowd to start shuffling their feet and bouncing along. Grobler and crew made an extra effort to get the intimate audience involved during their mid-set crowd participation segment, consisting of a group pogo amidst back to back performances of When the Night hits “All Eyes On You”, and “Elevate”.

Known for their big sound and impassioned performances, hardcore St. Lucia fans could see that the band was struggling a bit with the limited sound equipment and confined space. Although a near perfect setting for acoustics, the speaker set up for the evening remained contentious throughout the entire concert. Although hindered by the tiny towers of pitchy speakers, Grobler and crew kept the show rolling like a pack of seasoned professionals. Exchanging sassy glances with each other throughout the entire performance, the crowd could visibly recognize that St. Lucia, despite the technical difficulties, were there to have fun. Giving an energetic show punctuated by their spot on rendition of Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody”, St. Lucia brought the party vibes to City Hall, giving the Bay Area audience a uniquely memorable evening of live music at an undeniably legendary landmark.

St. Lucia at SF's City Hall // Jack Daniel's "Live at the Landmark"

Conway at SF's City Hall // Jack Daniel's "Live at the Landmark"

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Conway, Jack Daniels, San Francisco City Hall, St. Lucia

WIN TICKETS: St. Lucia at SF City Hall Thursday 4/17, Presented by Jack Daniels

April 16, 2014 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

St. Lucia with Conway, benefiting Operation Gratitude //
City Hall — San Francisco
April 17, 2014 (Thursday) //

Part of the “Live at the Landmark” series, presented by Jack Daniels, St. Lucia will be playing a private party at City Hall this upcoming Thursday and we can hook you up with a ticket and +1 on the guest list!

The third performance of the series, St. Lucia will be joined by special guest Conway in this history making performance at the legendary venue. Proceeds will go to benefit Operation Gratitude and each list spot, will be accompanied with two drink tickets.

Only 110 public tickets were made available for this event, all of which have been given away already via sweepstakes. We literally have the last spots available for the evening and you must be (21+) to enter.

Also for a chance to win a trip of a lifetime to the Jack Daniel’s distillery, enter here.

Enter to win if you can attend this show Thursday, April 17th at City Hall 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.

Like Showbams on Facebook or follow Showbams on twitter to be eligible to win.

CONTEST CLOSED

Filed Under: Contests Tagged With: City Hall San Francisco, Jack Daniels, Live at the Landmark, St. Lucia

Solidifying irrefutable star power with St. Lucia at The Independent

February 10, 2014 by Molly Kish 5 Comments

Photos by Marc Fong // Written by Molly Kish //

St. Lucia with Conway //
The Independent – San Francisco
February 7th, 2014 //

St. Lucia, otherwise known as Jean-Philip Grobler, blasted through The Independent last week, headlining two back-to-back, sold-out performances on Wednesday and Thursday. The South African native took the stage with his touring band of friends and fellow musicians for the first time since their 2013 appearance at Rickshaw Stop. Packing the nearly twice as large venue with a dance floor full of rain-soaked fans, the shows’ turn out followed suit with my expectations after catching their last Bay Area performance this past September.

Expanding their setlist to include material off of Grobler’s since-released, full-length debut When the Night, the show was almost like catching the finished product of which we were offered a mere sampling of sixth months prior. Inclusion of a visually immersive set design which illuminated a finely tuned stage show gave St. Lucia a performance that although grander in scale, still had the feel of an intimate showcase. This time around, apparently having seemingly less to prove, Grobler performed with the confidence of an industry professional, hitting simply another sold-out stop on a tour promoting his increasingly successful album. You know, no big deal …

Predominately playing tracks off When the Night, Grobler commanded the stage from the set’s opening notes all the way through to the second song of his encore. A rare performer in that his incredible range as a vocalist sounds better live than it does recorded, Grobler pretty much blew away the audience’s expectations immediately, breaking into a powerfully charged performance of “The Night Comes Again”. In keeping the energy high and crowd moving, St. Lucia proceeded to play a setlist crafted perfectly into seamless improvisational transitions, dancing through extended percussion sections and interludes of crowd participation. The highlight of the night came mid-set when Grobler executed lead singles “Elevate” and “All Eyes on You” (popularized on hit TV shows including the SF-based HBO series “Looking”) after one another, which blended perfectly into an outstanding cover of Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody”.

Grobler’s backing band boasted an impressive cast of musicians whose animated stage presence and individual styles were spotlighted by their musical leader over the evening. The chemistry amongst the group and the life they bring to the material is undeniable. At times you almost forget that the St. Lucia is a solo project, causing one to gain a new appreciation for Grobler’s intuition as an artist and his ability to pull his band into his vision.

Grobler has had a complete whirlwind of a career thus far and shows absolutely no sign of stopping his momentum as St. Lucia anytime soon. His artistic capacity, amplified by innovative decisions both in the studio and on tour, is something that naturally translates through his concert experience. Considering the sold-out doubleheader was set within the larger capacity of The Independent for this show, St. Lucia’s indie-pop footprint and fan base will undoubtedly continue to grow as they prepare to take on the festival circuit this summer. If there’s any chance for you to check them out at a local venue near you, do it now or forever wish you had the chance to catch them before they become the “new band” whose name you’ll hear everyone continuously butcher while singing their praises. Saynt-loo-sha!

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Conway, St. Lucia, The Independent

St. Lucia treat POPSCENE patrons at Rickshaw Stop as full-length debut nears

September 24, 2013 by Molly Kish 2 Comments

St. Lucia (aka Jean-Philip Grobler) and his live backing band commanded the weekly Thursday night Popscene stage at Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco September 12. Playing to a sold-out crowd of rambunctious party people, the Brooklyn-based group kept the energy high with layered percussion and dance heavy anthems.

Jean-Philip Grobler’s vocals bellowed throughout venue, echoed by a crowd stacked high upon each other’s shoulders, coming close to swinging from the proverbial rafters. In order to even get a chance at some personal space to enjoy the show, one had to retreat to the upstairs loft, which was packed in itself. St. Lucia had the room buzzing, culminating in an off the charts dance party which easily could have filled a space double the size of the intimate venue.

St. Lucia’s band dynamic and infectious charisma spilled over into the crowd from the opening notes of their set. The group predominantly playing songs off the 2012 self-titled EP, and many in the audience sang and danced along with every track. Limited on material to cover at this point, the band stretched nearly every 4 to 6 minute song into extended dance floor frenzies. Grobler and company kept the crowd involved and entertained every minute of their performance with creative improvisation and an eccentric stage show.

Hinting at the soon to be released album, When the Night, due out next month, St. Lucia treated the crowd to an awe-inspiring performance of “Elevate” towards the end of the set. This is first single released off of the full length slated to drop October 8th, and crowd members reacted enthusiastically to the new material — a few even screaming out within earshot, “I fucking love this song!”

Download “Elevate” here.

Rickshaw Stop has been a venue to catch talent on the rise within the independent music scene for a while now. Clever booking and the success of their many curated evenings, including their regular Thursday installment of Popscene, play a major role in exposing many new artists to passionate young auditory pleasure seekers in the Bay Area. St. Lucia has gained enough traction at this early stage of his career to sell out much larger capacities, and it’s nights like this that truly resonate amongst music fans. A shear testament to what undoubtedly will be a successful full length debut while providing fodder for subsequent live shows going forward, St. Lucia’s performance at Rickshaw Stop was a special moment for both the band and fans alike.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Popscene, Rickshaw Stop, St. Lucia

Wintersalt Fest brings beats and top electronic talent to SF

January 2, 2013 by Marc Fong Leave a Comment

Diplo headlined Wintersalt 2012
By Marc Fong //

Eye Heart SF curated Wintersalt on December 28th & 29th, a two day DJ-driven festival that took place at Fort Mason in San Francisco.

The event showcased some of the best electronic acts, such as Diplo, DJ Shadow and Mixmaster Mike, along with fast-rising stars Zedd, St. Lucia, Dillon Francis and Paper Diamond.