SF Show of the Week // GO4FREE to DāM-FunK (Live) at The Independent 9/6 (SUN)

September 2, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Dâm-FunkWritten by Nik Crossman //

DāM-FunK (Live) with Nite Jewel, Sweater Funk //
The Independent – San Francisco
September 6th, 2015 //

Hailing from Pasadena, Calif., Damon Riddick, aka DāM-FunK, made a name for himself as the modern-funk master when he debuted with Stones Throw Records in 2008. As a 70’s baby, DāM-FunK nurtured his musical talents through his teens and set out to save funk from “the devilish depictions of cartoonish caricatures.”

With songs dubbed “Searchin’ 4 Funk’s Future”, DāM-FunK’s sophomore album Toeachizown proved to the world that “funk is not just a Jheri Curl. There was more to it than that.” Since his debut album, Riddick has continued to produce 80’s throwbacks like his latest single “Glyde 2nyte”.

This Sunday, DāM-FunK will take The Independent down memory lane in all his funk glory with Los Angeles singer-songwriter Ramona Gonzalez, aka Nite Jewel, and SF DJ crew Sweater Funk providing support.

You can buy tickets for $18, or you could win a pair of tickets by registering your full name and email below.

Contest ends this Friday at 3 p.m.

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

• Eligh: September 3rd (THUR) at The New Parish
• Lee Scratch Perry: September 3rd (THUR) at The Independent
• The Hood Internet: September 4th (FRI) The Independent
• Wanda Jackson: September 5th (SAT) at Swedish American Hall

Win-2-Tickets

Enter your name (First and Last) along with your email below. If you win a contest, you’ll be notified on the day the contest ends (details above).

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

CONTEST CLOSED.

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SF Show of the Week // GO4FREE to Ghostface Killah at Mezzanine 8/20 (THUR)

August 18, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Ghostface KillahWritten by Nik Crossman //

GhostFace Killah with BADBADNOTGOOD, Show Me the Body //
Mezzanine – San Francisco
August 20th, 2015 //

Well known under the alias Ghostface Killah (GFK) and a prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan, Dennis Coles comes straight out of Staten Island, N.Y., and has been dubbed as “one of the most colorful storytellers rap has ever seen.”

After the Wu-Tang Clan experienced breakthrough success in the 90’s, Ghostface Killah built his solo career around his debut album Ironman, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. Steering away from the sounds of the Wu-Tang Clan, GFK’s music is greatly influenced by 70’s soul, a musical trait that has remained consistent throughout his career.

Now, GFK is coming to Mezzanine this Thursday to tell his “painterly fiction” with Toronto instrumental hip-hop trio BADBADNOTGOOD and NY hardcore band Show Me the Body.

You can buy tickets for $35, or you could win a pair of tickets by registering your full name and email below.

Contest ends this Thursday at 3 p.m.

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

• Fucked Up: August 19th (WED) at The Independent
• The Black Ryder: August 21st (FRI) at The Independent
• Meiko: August 22nd (SAT) at The Independent

Win-2-Tickets

Enter your name (First and Last) along with your email below. If you win a contest, you’ll be notified on the day the contest ends (details above).

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

CONTEST CLOSED.

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Special guests rule the night at Karl Denson’s post-Outside Lands superjam

August 17, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Karl Denson's Tiny UniverseBy Steve Carlson //

Outside Lands night show: Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe superjam with special guests //
The Independent – San Francisco
August 9th, 2015 //

Karl Denson brought his jazz/funk band Tiny Universe and a variety of special guests to The Independent to close out Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival 2015 with one last late-night jam, and a capacity crowd was on hand to party along with him into the night.

The show was scheduled to start around 10 p.m., just after Elton John officially closed the festival at Golden Gate Park, but to the frustration of more than a few, including some fans who had traveled from as far away as Monterey, Calif., the show didn’t kick off until nearly 11:30 p.m. Once Denson took the stage and launched into “New Ammo” though, all was quickly forgiven.

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe

Over the course of the next two hours, Denson brought out guest after guest to help keep the party going, whether it was his old friends in Slightly Stoopid, Ian Neville of Dumpstaphunk, Alex Bleeker of Real Estate (for a beautiful rendition of The Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie”) or perhaps the biggest surprise of the whole evening, Paul Janeway of St. Paul & The Broken Bones, who had ditched his trademark suit for a T-shirt and baseball cap and proceeded to improvise a passionate cover of Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” for the rapturous audience.

The show also leaned heavily on hometown talent with local favorite Nicki Bluhm taking the stage for a few songs, including a cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Tumblin’ Dice”, while the always-magnetic Ziek McCarter of Con Brio made an unannounced appearance after his Outside Lands “Sexual Chocolate” set with Denson earlier in the day. It was nice to see Denson give both Bluhm and McCarter generous stage time, reminding everybody in the house how lucky we are to have such incredible talent right here in SF.

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Outside Lands Shows of the Week // GO4FREE to The Knocks, Classixx & STRFKR or Karl Denson

August 6, 2015 by Leave a Comment

The Knocks & ClassixxWritten by Josh Herwitt //

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival is almost here, and as we mentioned a few weeks ago, the party doesn’t have to stop after the music ends at Golden Gate Park each day. For all of you who want to dance and get your groove on well past midnight, the festival is hosting a number of late-night shows throughout the Bay Area — and Showbams has your tickets to three of the best taking place this weekend.

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



The Knocks (DJ set): August 7th (FRI) @ Mezzanine // BUY TICKETS

New York-based producers and electronic music duo The Knocks return to SF after they turned The Independent into a raging house party back in June. And after releasing their latest EP So Classic this year, Ben “B-Roc” Ruttner and James “JPatt” Patterson are coming a knockin’ again. This time, they’ll take their bass-driven, high-energy show to Mezzanine for a DJ set with Cut Snake and The Aston Shuffle also hitting the decks beforehand.

Contest ends this Friday at 3 p.m.



Classixx & STRFKR (DJ sets): August 8th (SAT) @ Mezzanine // BUY TICKETS

Los Angeles electronic music duo Classixx have come a long way since their early beginnings in 2008. After delivering the perfect set at Treasure Island Music Festival last fall, childhood friends Michael David and Tyler Blake have continued to show that they’re on the up and up, putting on an impressive main-stage performance at CRSSD Festival in March. At Mezzanine this Saturday, they’ll be joined by Portland electro-rockers STRFKR, who will play their own DJ set despite being absent from this year’s Outside Lands lineup.

Contest ends this Friday at 3 p.m.



Karl Denson superjam: August 9th (SUN) @ The Independent // BUY TICKETS

Funk/jazz virtuoso Karl Denson has stayed plenty busy over the past year. The San Diego native most recently toured with The Rolling Stones on their “Zip Code” tour and is getting ready to release a new album with his Tiny Universe crew in early 2016. To close out the 2015 edition of Outside Lands, the multi-instrumentalist (saxophone, flute, percussion, vocals) will take over The Independent for a special “superjam” with friends that will be one performance you won’t want to miss this weekend.

Contest ends this Friday at 3 p.m.

Win-2-Tickets

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

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

CONTEST CLOSED.

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A one-man pop machine, Penguin Prison basks in the spotlight while energizing The Independent

July 28, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Penguin PrisonPhoto by Shane Killian // Written by Nik Crossman //

Penguin Prison (Live) //
The Independent – San Francisco
July 23rd, 2015 //

Better known under the alias Penguin Prison, this Upper East Side New Yorker-turned-producer, remix artist, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist began his musical journey at age 10 when he sung alongside Alicia Keys in their school’s gospel choir.

Continuing to pursue the spotlight, Chris Glover joined a punk band in high school and formed a boy band in college named The Smartest People at Bard. Glover’s relentlessness, surpassed only by the whim of his journey, finally paid off in 2009 when Neon Gold Records released Penguin Prison’s Animal Animal/A Funny Thing EP.

After making a name for himself as a synthpop wunderkind from New York, Glover released a self-titled, full-length album in 2011 and proceeded to demonstrate his musical prowess by producing remixes for Ellie Goulding, Imagine Dragons, Marina & The Diamonds and more. He dropped Penguin Prison’s second and latest album Lost in New York in early May.

Last Thursday, Glover basked in the spotlight once again with a rare, live performance at The Independent. Accompanied by a full band wearing all black, Glover stood out in a plain white tee, white jeans, white mic and white guitar. The tireless stage presence of this electropop enthusiast lit up the sold-out crowd, even during his more mellow tracks like “Caught in a Daze”.

Balancing the old with the new, Glover played songs from his full discography and engaged his adoring fans. While Lost in New York is only two months old, the crowd absorbed the easy-to-digest, catchy arrangements as though they’ve been radio hits for years.

When Penguin Prison finally wound down the dance-filled evening, Glover donned his sweat-drenched uniform of white as proof of a lively performance. Despite his exhaustion, Glover hopped down from the stage after the show to connect with his fans, take pictures and shake hands with anyone who wanted to meet this multi-talented, one-man pop machine.

Setlist:
Calling Out
Never Gets Old
Golden Train
The Worse It Gets
Try to Lose
A Funny Thing
Caught in a Daze
Show Me the Way
Laughing at the Floor
Hollywood
All Night Long (Lionel Richie cover)
Don’t Fuck With My Money

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SF Show of the Week // GO4FREE to Cut Copy (DJ set) at Mezzanine 7/18 (SAT)

July 14, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Cut CopyWritten by Nik Crossman //

Cut Copy (DJ set) with Knightlife, Cooper Saver, Jeffery Paradise //
Mezzanine – San Francisco
July 18th, 2015 //

Inspired by “indie low-fi stuff as much as dance,” Dan Whitford embarked on his musical journey in 2001 when Modular Records signed the new DJ’s solo project under the name “Cut/Copy.” While Whitford occasionally enlisted help from friends, the first few years of Cut Copy live performances were mostly Whitford performing a DJ set where he sampled and remixed his own music.

In 2003, Tim Hoey (guitar) and Mitchell Scott (drums) joined Whitford to develop the well-known sound of Cut Copy, with Ben Browning adding bass guitar in 2010. The band continues to record remixes of popular bands like Jagwar Ma, The Rapture, Death Cab for Cutie, Juan MacClean, Maroon 5 and more.

Cut Copy also run underground dance label Cutters Records and continue to release albums for Knightlife (also performing on Saturday night), Kauf and the Miracles Club, Nile Delta and more, as well as releasing experimental mixtapes like last month’s A Forest Through the Trees.

Whiteford and Hoey use DJing to connect with fans and have fun while experimenting with the amalgamation of rock, disco, indie and pop that has become the band’s sound over the years. Saturday’s DJ set will demonstrate their passion for the experiential innocence music has always brought them.

Contest ends Friday at 3 p.m.

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

• The Helio Sequence: Tuesday, July 14th at The Independent
• Tommy Guerrero: Tuesday, July 14th at Leo’s Music Club
• Young Rising Suns: Wednesday, July 15th at Slim’s
• Memory Tapes: Wednesday, July 15th at The Independent
• Scars on 45: Thursday, July 16th at Brick & Mortar Music Hall
• Fritz Montana: Friday, July 17th at Great American Music Hall
• The Coup: Friday, July 17th at The New Parish

Win-2-Tickets

Enter your name (First and Last) along with your email below. If you win a contest, you’ll be notified on the day the contest ends (details above).

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

CONTEST CLOSED.

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Outside Lands announces 2015 night shows

July 9, 2015 by 1 Comment

2015 Outside Lands late-night shows

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 7th-9th, 2015 //

The eighth annual Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival is less than one month away, and with the Bay Area’s crown jewel of music festivals approaching, the anticipation couldn’t be higher for this year’s stellar lineup of music, food, wine, beer, art and comedy.

In addition to all the action taking place August 7th-9th at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, festivalgoers once again have the ability to keep the party going late into the night with a host of different shows throughout the City.

Gracing the stage at some of SF’s favorite small to mid-size venues will be plenty of top talent, including The Notorious Wilco Brothers (a Wilco offshoot of sorts), Texas-based gospel/soul singer Leon Bridges, who has recently shot up the charts with his hit single “Coming Home”, Brooklyn indie-pop outfit The Drums, Toronto noise rockers METZ and Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler’s electronic side project DJ Windows 98.

We’re speculating a few more night shows may drop a bit closer to August with some evening slots still unannounced for several local venues, so stay tuned here for more updates.

Tickets for all the night shows go on sale at Noon this Friday, July 10th over at DoTheBay.

Outside Lands 2015 late-night shows

Here is the schedule for the upcoming night shows with links to purchase tickets:

August 6th: Alvvays with GRMLN at California Academy of Sciences, 6 p.m., $12, 21+ // BUY TICKETS

August 6th: Strand of Oaks at Brick & Mortar Music Hall, 8 p.m., $15/17, 18+ // BUY TICKETS

*August 6th: The Notorious Wilco Brothers at The Independent, 8 p.m., $75, 21+ // BUY TICKETS

August 6th: Popscene and Flood Magazine present DJ Windows 98 (aka Win Butler of Arcade Fire) at Rickshaw Stop, 9 p.m., All Ages // BUY TICKETS

*August 7th: Leon Bridges with Langhorne Slim & the Law at The Independent, 10 p.m., $25, 21+ // BUY TICKETS

August 7th: The Drums at Brick & Mortar Music Hall, 10 p.m., $20, 18+ // BUY TICKETS

August 7th: METZ with Speedy Ortiz at Rickshaw Stop, 10 p.m., $20, All Ages // BUY TICKETS

August 8th: RL Grime at The Independent, 10 p.m., $35, 21+ // BUY TICKETS

August 8th: Twin Peaks with DMA’s, Day Wave at Brick & Mortar Music Hall, 10 p.m., $15/$18, 18+ // BUY TICKETS

*Outside Lands night shows scheduled for August 6th and 7th at The Independent require a password strictly for festival ticket holders. Passwords will be sent via email to those who purchased passes online.

Outside Lands 2015

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SF Show of the Week // GO4FREE to Le Youth at Mezzanine 7/10 (FRI)

July 8, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Le YouthWritten by Nik Crossman //

Le Youth with Satin Jackets, Karl Kling (RAC) and Split //
Mezzanine – San Francisco
July 10th, 2015 //

Ohio-native-turned-Los Angeles DJ Wes James (aka Le Youth), combines R&B with 90’s electronic to deliver uniquely nostalgic, dance-y sounds. His first hit single “Cool” put him on the map when it racked up over 200,000 listens on Soundcloud in 2013. Following the crowd, Ultra Records quickly picked up Le Youth, releasing his first EP, which BBC Radio 1 dubbed “Record of the Week”, in July of 2013.

Le Youth continues to produce get-up-and-move sounds with the release of “Dance With Me” and “Feel Your Love” in 2014 as well as “Real” and “Touch” already this year.

The energy at Mezzanine this Friday will surely be worth dishing out $25 for a ticket, but one lucky person can save their money and win two free tickets below.

Contest ends Friday at 3 p.m.

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

• Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas: Wednesday, July 8th at Slim’s
• Trans Am: Thursday, July 9th at The Chapel
• Veruca Salt: Friday, July 10th at Slim’s
• French Cassettes: Friday, July 10th at Brick & Mortar Music Hall
• Waterstrider: Friday, July 10th at Great American Music Hall
• Dopapod: Saturday, July 11th at The Independent
• TV Girl: Saturday, July 11th at Leo’s Music Club

Win-2-Tickets

Enter your name (First and Last) along with your email below. If you win a contest, you’ll be notified on the day the contest ends (details above).

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

CONTEST CLOSED.

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SF product Bhi Bhiman packs The Independent for album release party

July 7, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Bhi BhimanBy Mike Rosati //

Bhi Bhiman with Ol Silver Tongue, Vikesh Kapoor //
The Independent – San Francisco
June 27th, 2015 //

Sri Lankan-American folk rocker Bhi Bhiman packed The Independent on a Saturday night for his Rhythm & Reason album release party last month. A native of St. Louis, Mo., Bhiman eventually migrated to Northern California to attend UC Santa Cruz before moving to SF to pursue music.

With his sidekicks — keyboardist Max Cowan, bassist Oscar Westesson and drummer Cairo McCockran — playing alongside him, Bhiman (guitar, vocals) performed a mix of both old and new songs for his adopted hometown crowd. There was even a special guest toward the end of the show as Joshua Boronkay of Oakland two-piece Ol Silver Tongue, which served as one of the evening’s two openers, joined the band for set closer “Guttersnipe”.

Setlist:
Out in the Streets
Color Pink
Eye on You
Waterboarded
Death Song
Up in Arms (solo)
Brussels
Bread & Butter
The Fool
Closer to Thee
Guttersnipe

Encore:
Crazy (Gnarls Barkley cover) (solo)

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Jaga Jazzist know how to offer fans the complete audiovisual experience

June 23, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Jaga JazzistBy Diana Cordero //

Jaga Jazzist with Taylor McFerrin //
The Independent – San Francisco
June 18th, 2015 //

Norway experimental jazz octet Jaga Jazzist packed The Independent last Thursday in front of a surprisingly engaged audience.

The band occupied the entirety of the stage, which barely fit all eight members, and their multitude of instrumentation (each player rotated between 2-3 instruments throughout the night) during a set that pretty much included two hours of catchy, cinematic jazz music. With no singer, drummer and main composer Martin Horntveth acted as the group’s spokesman as he greeted the crowd and introduced each song.

To top it all off, Jaga Jazzist make visuals with yet another instrument. The lighting is specifically designed to accompany every track they perform, which turns their shows into a complete audiovisual experience worth catching — unless you suffer from epilepsy — because these guys can play fast and so are the strobe lights, of course.

Warming up the crowd was Brooklyn-based producer Taylor McFerrin, who played a very well-received 30-minute set.

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Oakland’s Trails and Ways use their worldly travels to captivate a sold-out Independent

June 17, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Trails and WaysPhotos by Tomáš Valda // Written by Nik Crossman //

Trails and Ways with Bells Atlas //
The Independent – San Francisco
June 5th, 2015 //

With sounds derived from their worldly travels, the four Oakland natives of Trails and Ways promoted their debut album Pathology at The Independent after the soulful melodies of Bells Atlas. The inspiration for Trails and Ways began abroad and amalgamated with a bedroom recording project, which produced their hit single “Nunca” and transformed the project into a dedicated passion. Thanks to their recent national tours and performance at Outside Lands last year, this up-and-coming foursome is one to watch.

Flowing over a sold-out audience in SF, Trails and Ways set out to debut the latest songs from Pathology, which was released just three days prior. The public infancy of the first few tracks made it difficult for the audience to rally behind the sing-along energy produced from their better-known hits like “Mtn Tune”, “Sure Thing” (a Miguel cover) and of course “Nunca”, but Trails and Ways seemed to pick up on the energy and quickly shifted gears to the crowd favorites, enlisting everyone to move and sing along.

While there were different expectations across the board, it’s always difficult to debut new music and maintain solid engagement with a crowd. Fortunately, Trails and Ways were able to leverage the delicate intimacy of The Independent and create the best of both worlds, leading fans on a journey through Pathology. Once Trails and Ways abandoned the stage, the crowd quickly summoned them back for an encore, and they happily obliged.

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SF Show of the Week // GO4FREE to Mystikal at Mezzanine 6/19 (FRI)

June 16, 2015 by Leave a Comment

MystikalWritten by Molly Kish //

Mystikal with DJ Apollo, DJ Supreme, DJ Pos Red //
Mezzanine – San Francisco
June 19th, 2015 //

New Orleans-bred, fiya-spitting rapper/actor and Gulf War veteran Michael Lawrence Tyler, better known in the hip-hop community as Mystikal, brings his spicy Cajun rap game to Mezzanine this Friday with support from DJ Apollo, DJ Supreme and DJ Pos Red. Making his debut in 1994 on local Louisiana label Big Boy Records, he became instant competition for rival crew Cash Money Records members Lil’ Wayne and BG. Mystikal gained the attention of Jive record label reps and subsequently his mentor Master P through two of his hottest tracks, which both diss the Cash Money label, before signing on to be a No Limit solider in the mid-90’s and releasing his third and fourth albums through the label.

After breaking off on his own in 1999, Mystikal hit the peak of his commercial success with his 2000 album Let’s Get Ready, which features the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs No. 1 single “Danger (Been So Long)” and The Neptunes-produced hit “Shake Ya Ass”. 2001’s Tarantula brought about the radio hit single “Bouncin’ Back”, which earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album and Best Male Rap Solo Performance in 2003 as well as an acting role in the film “13 Dead Men”.

Eventually squashing his beef with Lil’ Wayne and dealing with legal issues, Mystikal signed on to Cash Money Records in 2011 and has been seen on BET’s “The Cypher” amongst several festival stages throughout the 2010’s. Most recently appearing on Mark Ronson’s fourth studio album Uptown Special, Mystikal lends his vocal stylings to hit single “Feel Right” and is currently on a nationwide tour spreading his lyrical heat and charisma throughout the states. Register below to catch him this Friday in SF.

Contest ends Friday, June 19th at 3 p.m.

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

• Jedi Mind Tricks: Tuesday, June 16th at The Independent
• Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: Wednesday, June 17th at The New Parish
• Grieves: Wednesday, June 17th at Slim’s
• Rhett Miller: Thursday, June 18th at The Chapel
• Vetiver: Friday, June 19th at The Chapel
• Luniz: Friday, June 19th at The New Parish
• Amtrac: Saturday, June 20th at Mezzanine
• Dead Meadow: Saturday, June 20th at Brick & Mortar Music Hall

Win-2-Tickets

Enter your name (First and Last) along with your email below. If you win a contest, you’ll be notified on the day the contest ends (details above).

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

CONTEST CLOSED.

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Miami Horror trip out in SF, continue the party in LA

June 10, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Miami Horror at The IndependentPhotos by Josh Herwitt & Justin Yee // Written by Josh Herwitt //

Miami Horror with De Lux //
The Independent – San Francisco & The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
June 3rd, 2015 (SF) & June 5th, 2015 (LA) //

With the release of their sophomore record All Possible Futures this past April, Australian indietronica outfit Miami Horror are back on the road for the first time in a long time. Amid a 17-date tour across the U.S. with LA disco-rock band De Lux, which also have a brand-new album on the horizon, the Melbourne five-piece left its mark in SF and LA last week with sold-out shows at both The Independent and The Roxy Theatre.

The capacity crowds were a testament to how well Miami Horror have built a loyal fan base off the buzz that their 2010 debut Illumination generated, but as bandleader Benjamin Plant told Showbams in a recent interview, this was still their “reintroduction tour.”

Miami Horror at The Roxy Theatre

Yet, from the way it commanded the crowd in SF, you wouldn’t have known that the band had eaten psychedelic mushrooms (yes, really!) before stepping on stage. And from the way it had fans singing along to every word in LA — its new home after leaving Melbourne close to three years ago — two days later, you wouldn’t have thought that it has been almost five years between the band’s two LPs. After all, in this day and age where streaming services have come to rule the music industry and artists are now forced to continually churn out new material in order to tour and make ends meet, that’s quite a long layoff for a group that’s only other release, the five-track EP entitled Bravado, came out in November 2008.

In many ways though, it felt like not much time had passed at all as Josh Moriarty (guitars, vocals) and Aaron Shanahan (co-production, guitar, synthesizer, vocals), with the sweat beads rapidly dripping down their faces, climbed on Kosta Theodosis’ drum kit and a few floor speakers at different points during both shows to pump the fans up — if they could actually be pumped up anymore than they already were. It just goes to show that after all this time, Miami Horror haven’t lost their charm one bit.

Molly Kish & Justin Yee contributed to this report.

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SF Show of the Week // GO4FREE to Surfer Blood at The Chapel 6/8 (MON)

June 8, 2015 by 1 Comment

Surfer BloodWritten by Molly Kish //

Surfer Blood //
The Chapel – San Francisco
June 8th, 2015 //

2015 has been an intense year for Surfer Blood. With a rigorous touring schedule in support of their brand-new album 1000 Palms, a new record deal with UK label Joyful Noise and guitarist Thomas Fekete’s ongoing battle against a very rare cancerous sarcoma, the last six months have provided their share of ups and downs for the Florida garage rock outfit.

Amidst the difficulties it has faced though, the band has continued to come out on top by stunning festival crowds with its live show and new material as well as having singles from the album premiere on BBC Radio 1 and Netflix original series “Daredevil”. Furthermore, Surfer Blood has also brought attention to and inspired a crowd-funding campaign for cancer research and treatment via their GoFundMe campaign.

One person particularly inspired by the band’s advocacy, Bay Area photographer Maggie Corwin, even decided to team up with The Chapel to soft launch her own non-profit entertainment company called Alternative Cure and further promote funding for rare cancer research. After losing her father in December 2014 to the exact same type of sarcoma that Fekete is currently battling, Corwin recognized the importance of living every day in the moment and has taken it upon herself to establish an organization to help others in similar situations.

“Alternative Cure hopes to create lasting memories through the gift of music and relieve stress that is associated with the fight against cancer,” Corwin says.

By providing free concert tickets and VIP experiences for cancer patients and their families through affiliated venues and production crews, Alternative Cure aims to offer cancer patients the opportunity to create lasting memories with loved ones through the gift of music.

Enter below for your chance to partake in the soft opening of Alternative Care at The Chapel with a live performance by Surfer Blood. All donations received will be transferred directly to Fekete for continued treatment and medical expenses.

Contest ends Monday, June 8th at 3 p.m.

Alternative Cure

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

• Hamilton Leithauser: Wednesday, June 10th at The Independent
• Avid Dancer: Wednesday, June 10th at Brick & Mortar Music Hall
• Gateway Drugs: Wednesday, June 10th at Leo’s Music Club
• Midnight Magic (Summer Soul Roller Disco): Saturday, June 13th at Mezzanine
• Delta Spirit: Sunday, June 14th at The Independent
• Pure Bathing Culture: Sunday, June 14th at The Chapel

Win-2-Tickets

Enter your name (First and Last) along with your email below. If you win a contest, you’ll be notified on the day the contest ends (details above).

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The Knocks turn The Indy into a raging house party

June 5, 2015 by Leave a Comment

The KnocksPhotos by Justin Yee // Written by Molly Kish //

The Knocks with Phoebe Ryan //
The Independent – San Francisco
May 28th, 2015 //

New York-based producers and electronic music duo The Knocks turned The Independent into a raging house party last Thursday on the SF stop of their “Dancing With Myself Live Tour.” Pumping the venue full of remixed favorites, classic covers and original material, The Knocks treated a sold-out crowd to a bass-driven setlist by covering songs from all three of their EPs. DJ B-Roc and JPlatt provided live vocals and percussion, injecting new life into their electronically produced tracks and plenty of movement on the dance floor.

Even though The Knocks cut their set somewhat short, they kept the performance fluid while attempting to coerce fans into continuing the party at their after-hours DJ set in SOMA. Regardless of their success in doing so, The Knocks proved they could throw down as both producers and artists in their own right. Catching a rare “live show” opportunity with the group is few and far between, but one that anyone in attendance that evening will soon not forget. Los Angeles-based songwriter Phoebe Ryan opened the show.

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Diarrhea Planet get explosive, loud and a little stinky at The Independent

June 3, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Diarrhea PlanetBy Diana Cordero //

Diarrhea Planet with Left & Right //
The Independent – San Francisco
May 27th, 2015 //

Nashville’s own Diarrhea Planet brought a cup of fresh heavy metal to The Independent last Wednesday, and yes, use the band’s name as an indicator for the type of personality these guys have: explosive, loud and maybe even a little stinky. They do sweat a lot by jumping all throughout their set, but it ignites an amazing energy from the audience and there was a lot of moshing on this night at The Indy.

The band has the energy and attitude of a teenage punk band, but their skills go way beyond that label. These guys know how to shred and kill it on their instruments. Diarrhea Planet is composed of singer-guitarist Jordan Smith, guitarist-singer Emmett Miller, guitarist Evan Bird, guitarist-singer Brent Toler, bassist Mike Boyle and drummer Ian Bush.

Diarrhea Planet

Smith is a wild animal who only stops to get his guitar tuned every now and then. The pinnacle of the night came when he threw himself into the frantic audience to do a bit of crowd surfing — and it’s precisely the band’s interaction with its fans that makes Diarrhea Planet so unique and memorable with no dull moment in their set.

The six-piece ended the night with a great surprise by covering The Who’s “Baba O’Riley”, which Smith called “his favorite song ever.” Philadelphia psychedelic fuzz rockers Left & Right opened the show.

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Show of the Week // GO4FREE to Tedeschi Trucks Band and Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings 6/6 (SAT)

June 3, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Tedeschi Trucks Band with Sharon JonesWritten by Molly Kish //

Tedeschi Trucks Band with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Doyle Bramhall II //
Greek Theatre – U.C. Berkeley
June 6th, 2015 //

A supergroup lineup of epic proportions graces the gorgeous stage of the Greek Theater at U.C. Berkeley this Saturday for one night only. Embarking on the second night of their 35-city “Wheels of Soul Summer Tour 2015,” Tedeschi Trucks Band partners with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and guitarist Doyle Bramhall II to perform over four and a half hours of original, collaborative and improvised music. A seamlessly crafted bill of talent covering a musical range of Memphis soul, R&B, electric blues and classic funk, all three acts revive these deeply rooted genres with contemporary flare in a stunningly cohesive manner. With this tour charging full steam ahead, this show is bound to deliver what undoubtedly will be the most “shimmy worthy” lineup in the Greek Theater’s summer concert series. For your chance at a pair of tickets, share this post via Facebook or Twitter and enter below.

Contest ends Friday, June 5th at Noon.

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

• Christopher Owens: Wednesday, June 3rd at The Chapel
• Trails and Ways: Friday, June 5th at The Independent
• Nneka: Friday, June 5th at The New Parish
• Tea Leaf Green: Saturday, June 6th at Leo’s Music Club
• Anuhea: Saturday, June 6th at Mezzanine

Win-2-Tickets

Enter your name (First and Last) along with your email below. If you win a contest, you’ll be notified on the day the contest ends (details above).

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

CONTEST CLOSED.

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San Fermin, Natalie Prass deliver one-two punch in knockout performances at The Independent

May 29, 2015 by Leave a Comment

San Fermin


San Fermin

By Justin Yee //

San Fermin with Natalie Prass //
The Independent – San Francisco
May 21st, 2015 //

You know that feeling you get when you see a band perform live and it looks like they are having the best time ever that you regret ever slacking off during piano lessons as a kid? Sound familiar?

Oh wait, never mind.

Natalie Prass


Natalie Prass

That’s exactly how I felt when I watched San Fermin and opener Natalie Prass nail their sets in front of a sold-out crowd at The Independent last Thursday.

This show had been circled on my calendar for quite a while after I stumbled upon Prass and her band through their a performance at South by Southwest for public radio and was completely taken aback. To be honest, I didn’t have too much knowledge of San Fermin other than I recognized the name and I was familiar with their lead single “Sonsick” off their 2013 self-titled debut LP. After some research, I learned that the Brooklyn-based band is the brainchild of composer and songwriter Ellis Ludwig-Leone, who has a composition degree from Yale and assisted composer Nico Muhly, who is best known for his work with Sufjan Stevens, Grizzly Bear and Björk. That’s quite a roster to put on your résumé, but I was curious to see how his blending of classical music training and indie pop translated to a live setting.

San Fermin


San Fermin

San Fermin performs as an octet that consists of Allen Tate (vocals), Charlene Kaye (vocals), Rebekah Durham (vocals/violin), John Brandon (trumpet), Stephen Chen (saxophone), Tyler McDiarmid (guitar) and Michael Hanf (drums). Despite being the head of the operation, I thought it was interesting to notice Ludwig-Leone have a relatively unassuming stage presence. He was set up on his keyboards stage and introduced songs throughout the night but also seemed more interested in allowing each member of the ensemble to shine individually. This might be the recipe that produces such a powerful, high-energy live show, as everyone feeds off one another by displaying their own unique talent that when all of it comes together, produces a complex, yet beautiful sound. It kind of reminded me of when someone jumps into the middle of a dance circle to flex their moves while everyone else around is cheering them on, hooting, hollering and giving high fives. Not that has ever happened to me, but this was the case when Brandon jumped into the crowd to deliver a two-minute-long trumpet solo or when Kaye and Tate went back and forth on lead vocals during crowd favorites “Jackrabbit” and “Emily”.

The band will continue its rigorous touring schedule to support its recently released sophomore album Jackrabbit throughout the summer and fall, opening for headlining acts like alt-j and Lord Huron along with a handful of major festival appearances coming up at NXNE, Osheaga, Reading Festival, Leeds Festival and Austin City Limits.

Setlist:
The Woods
Ladies Mary
Emily
Crueler Kind
Astronaut
The Count
Methuselah
Philosopher
Woman in Red
Parasites
Sonsick
Reckoning
2 Scenes
Billy Bibbit
Jackrabbit

Encore:
Renaissance!
Buddy Holly (Weezer cover)

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Smallpools hook SF fans with plenty of pop

May 28, 2015 by Leave a Comment

SmallpoolsBy Steve Carlson //

Smallpools with Grizfolk, Hunter Hunted //
The Independent – San Francisco
May 25th, 2015 //

Los Angeles-based pop quartet Smallpools brought their high-energy “LOVETAP!” tour to a sold-out Independent on Monday, demonstrating that their hook-laden debut album of the same name was an accurate reflection of what this band is capable of doing live.

Lead vocalist and keyboardist Sean Scanlon led the group through most of the tracks off their debut, many of which sound as though they are destined for heavy radio play, as well as an eerily accurate tease of the New Radical’s mega-hit “You Get What You Give” where Scanlon’s voice could have easily been confused for the New Radicals’ Gregg Alexander. Highlights of the evening included set-closer “Killer Whales” and the one-two punch of “Karaoke” and “Dreaming” during the encore, which were preceded by the oddly low-key choice of the instrumental album-closer “Submarine”.

Hunter Hunted


Hunter Hunted

Opening the show was Hunter Hunted, who originated in the Bay Area but now call LA home. Their impressive six-song set included their first single “Blindside”, which was well-received by an audience that seemed largely unaware of their music going in. They return to the Bay Area on July 15th at Slim’s in a double-headlining show with Young Rising Sons and are expected to release their debut LP sometime in the near future.

Next up was no stranger to Bay Area music fans in indie-rock quintet Grizfolk. The band rollicked through their set of crowd-pleasing tracks from the 2014 EP From the Spark, including highlights Vagabonds and The Struggle, as well as two cover songs. Grizfolk returns to play BottleRock on May 30th.

Setlist:
Over & Over
Street Fight
No Story Time
What’s That a Picture Of?
A Real Hero (College cover)
Drum Solo
American Love
Mason Jar
Lovetap
9 to 5
Admission to Your Party
Killer Whales
(Submarine)
Karaoke
Dreaming

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The Barr Brothers continue to amaze at The Indy

May 28, 2015 by Leave a Comment

The Barr BrothersPhotos by Sam Heller // Written by Kevin Quandt //

The Barr Brothers with Snow Angel //
The Independent – San Francisco
May 23rd, 2015 //

A cold, blustery night greeted The Barr Brothers on this recent tour stop, landing at The Independent for an eclectic night of music. Having released both an EP and full-length album in the past year, the band had plenty of recent material to keep longtime fans thrilled while winning over many more. Gabby La La’s most recent psych-pop project Snow Angel opened the evening with a sitar-driven set of quirky songs as the room filled.

The Montreal-based headliner strolled onto the stage with a calm, breezy confidence as these touring veterans are true pros at delivering powerful material that is both precisely focused and able to take flight with expanded parts. Brad and Andrew Barr’s previous band The Slip was well-versed in these characteristics, which have carried over to a more-indie-leaning sound. Sarah Page, who plays a full-sized harp, has really shown her prowess on an instrument that is rarely featured in such a setting. The interplay between Brad on guitar with Page was a highlight on this evening.

The Barr Brothers

Tracks from their recently released EP Alta Falls were peppered throughout their colorful setlist, as one of the centerpieces of this band is their range of sound. Reserved moments of psychedelia can seamlessly lead into Americana-tinged segments, leaving a taste for all palettes to be consumed and enjoyed. “Love Ain’t Enough” was the climax as Brad soulfully belted out vocals so calm and relaxed that transcendence seemed within reach. One can only anticipate their next move and how they’ll continue to carve out a deeper, critically acclaimed niche.

The Barr Brothers

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