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The Bam Team’s 5 Favorite Shows, Albums & Songs of 2022

December 30, 2022 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

After seeing what the live music industry endured the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2022 was certainly a step in the right direction. For many artists and bands, this year marked the first since 2019 that they had the opportunity to step onstage — and that was a victory in and of itself.

While we aren’t completely out of the woods yet considering the coronavirus is still very much a part of our lives, there’s no signs of us returning to those dark and dire days of 2020. The shows simply must go on, and we are all better for it whether you’re a musician or just a fan.

Now as we turn to 2023 with cautious optimism, it’s time for us to share our annual “Best of” lists as we have done since this blog first began (see our 2021 picks here). We’ll be quick to admit we didn’t catch every show or hear all of the albums released in the past 12 months, but looking back on the year that was can not only be fun but also challenging with so much great music to consider.

So, without further ado, Showbams presents The Bam Team’s five favorite shows, albums and songs from 2022.

Listen to The Bam Team’s favorite songs of 2022:

Tool at Viejas Arena // Photo by Josh Herwitt

Josh Herwitt // Los Angeles

Top 5 Shows of 2022
1. My Morning Jacket at Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO – August 26th-27th
2022 will go down as easily one of my favorite years for live music. So many of the artists and bands I love toured after being forced to sit on the sidelines for at least two years, and as I look back on all of the shows I was fortunate enough to witness, it would be a shame to not mention the ones that aren’t already included here, whether it was Eddie Vedder, Baroness, Royal Blood, Interpol and The Shins at Just Like Heaven, Jack White (two nights), The Kills, Puscifer on my big day, Fleet Foxes, Big Gigantic Telefon Tel Aviv, Moderat, Khruangbin and Arctic Monkeys — plus Lorde — at the debut of Primavera Sound LA, The Mars Volta, Bonobo, Foals, Modest Mouse performing The Lonesome Crowded West from start to finish to celebrate the LP’s 25th anniversary or The Smile closing out their North America tour. But this year’s No. 1 spot once again goes to My Morning Jacket, which have become my top live band over the last decade among some very stiff competition (see the rest of the bands listed below to get a better idea). With back-to-back dates in SoCal at the Santa Barbara Bowl and Hollywood Forever (read our review here) serving as a preview for what would come the following week, the Louisville-bred rockers left no stone unturned in their return to Red Rocks. If there was ever an act to catch — not once but twice — at the legendary amphitheater after visiting it more than a dozen times in my life so far, this was the one for me and MMJ proved it over two sold-out gigs with no repeats as always.

2. The War on Drugs at Shrine Auditorium – Los Angeles, CA – February 26th
3. Pearl Jam at The Forum – Inglewood, CA – May 6th
4. Tool at Viejas Arena – San Diego, CA – January 19th
5. Nine Inch Nails at Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA – September 13th

Top 5 Albums of 2022
1. The Smile – A Light for Attracting Attention
It wasn’t until last year during a surprise performance for the concert video “Live at Worthy Farm” when we first learned of the latest side project from Radiohead members Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood with Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner. But after putting out six singles off their debut LP that came out back in May, it was clear the three-piece wasn’t messing around. Across all 13 tracks on A Light for Attracting Attention, it’s safe to say there isn’t one worth skipping, reaffirming why Yorke remains one of the best songwriters out there in the last 30 years. And with him and Greenwood switching off between guitar, bass and synthesizer among a bevy of other instrumentation including vocoder, piano and harp, their talents are as palpable as they have ever been before. After all, hearing Yorke croon “Don’t mess with me” toward the beginning of “The Smoke” is an edict — literal or not — many would have a tough time disputing at this point.

2. Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
3. Jack White – Fear of the Dawn
4. My Morning Jacket – MMJ Live Vol. 2: Chicago 2021
5. Bonobo – Fragments

Top 5 Songs of 2022
1. The Mars Volta – “Graveyard Love”
For fans of The Mars Volta, it has been a long wait since Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala hit the studio to record new material. Even with the project’s two constant members on good terms these days, it took more than a decade before anything would enter our earholes. But despite many of the prog-rock tendencies it demonstrated on earlier albums dating all the way back to 2003’s seminal De-Loused in the Comatorium, the duo’s seventh studio effort delves unexpectedly into new sonic territory. With a pop aesthetic running through it that surprisingly sees no song surpass the five-minute mark, The Mars Volta will undoubtedly be looked at as a departure from the days of “Cygnus…Vismund Cygnus” and “Cassandra Gemini” when Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala were captivating At the Drive-In fans as well as new listeners. Nevertheless, its second single “Graveyard Love” stands tall as some of their best work to date and reminds us that these guys haven’t lost what made them so uniquely special.

2. The Smile – “Thin Thing”
3. Jack White – “Eosophobia”
4. Interpol – “Toni”
5. Moderat – “EASY PREY”

Andrew Pohl // San Francisco

Top 5 Shows of 2022
1. Yard Act at Rickshaw Stop – San Francisco, CA – April 21st
Funny story about this show … I had been hearing a lot of buzz about Yard Act, and I had only listened to one song played a few times on KEXP, which I really dug. I had been on the Rickshaw Stop’s email list, and the venue ran a contest for free tickets. I happened to win so I took a chance and opted to see Yard Act’s show that same week. Wanting to familiarize myself with their material more, I immediately dove head first into their album and was totally hooked, so I felt really good about this turn of events. I hadn’t been to a gig at Rickshaw Stop in many years and was eager to visit again, so it felt great to be back in a packed room again for an intimate evening of punk rock. The opening act Buzzed Light Beer fell a bit flat in my humble opinion, but once Yard Act took the stage, the room started buzzing with life. Lead singer James Smith’s command of the crowd is very nonchalant, but he also knows he has you hanging on every word. The set was fun and well-executed, and the UK quartet was clearly on its “A” game after a lengthy run of shows and in between weekend performances at Coachella. Much to the chagrin of those in attendance, Smith kept referring to the audience as “San Diego” (LOL), though he did tell us that he had some mushrooms the night before, so … you know. To round things out, Smith offered to do a magic trick during the last song of Yard Act’s set before their encore and coaxed fans to hand over any loose bills they had, which he pocketed and took backstage. As it turns out, he actually gifted the money to the bar staff, which I felt was a nice touch and very much on-brand.

2. THE FEST 20 – Gainesville, FL – October 28th–30th
3. Coheed & Cambria at Greek Theatre Berkeley – Berkeley, CA – August 14th
4. Bauhaus at The Masonic – San Francisco, CA – May 22nd
5. The Velvet Teen at Arlene Francis Center – Santa Rosa, CA – June 17th

Top 5 Albums of 2022
1. Pilot to Gunner – Hail Hallucinator
Brooklyn indie rockers Pilot to Gunner hadn’t put out an album for a decade, and to be honest, I hadn’t really paid much attention to them prior to Hail Hallucinator. The name was always out there and I had friends who were really into them, but I never got around to checking out their music for one reason or another. And not unlike many other bands that came before them (i.e. Seaweed, Far, The Murder City Devils), I am bummed that I was so late to the party. They are absolutely fantastic, and this record was easily my most listened-to during 2022. From start to finish, the 10-track LP hit all the marks for me in terms of stellar songwriting, original-sounding guitar work that still feels familiar and vocals carrying the torch of the early 2000’s indie/emo revival sound ala Hey Mercedes and Jimmy Eat World all while not completely aping either group. “Drop the Sun”, “We’re Blasting to Masses”, “Total Rager” and “Escape Season” are among its best tracks, but I simply love all of them from beginning to end.

2. Thee Sacred Souls – Thee Sacred Souls
3. Yard Act – The Overload
4. Soul Glo – Diaspora Problems
5. High Vis – Blending

Top 5 Songs of 2022
1. 3rd Secret – “I Choose Me”
The supergroup 3rd Secret surprised the music world when their debut self-titled LP arrived in mid-April. Comprised of members from Nirvana, Soundgarden, Hater and Giants in the Trees, the album is a tour de force brought to you by grunge and alt-rock royalty. Its lead single “I Choose Me” turns things up and right out of the gate you can’t help but feel a little washed over with nostalgia from guitarist Kim Thayil’s signature riffage in addition to the thundering cadence courtesy of bassist Krist Novoselic and drummer Matt Cameron. What makes the song — and the album — stand out to me, however, is the work of co-vocalists Jillian Raye and Jennifer Johnson. The pair deliver gorgeous singing atop the otherwise gritty instrumentation, harkening back to what made so many 90’s albums awesome with a beautiful balance of dark and light. I kept coming back to this song a lot throughout the year, and it made me really reflect on just how incredible the music that came out of the Pacific Northwest was when I was growing up. To hear this collection of musicians conjuring up those aural ghosts through a contemporary filter was not only refreshing, but also something that I was really looking for in 2022.

2. Yard Act – “The Overload”
3. Thee Sacred Souls – “Can I Call You Rose?”
4. Cave In – “New Reality”
5. High Vis – “0151”

Animal Collective at Greek Theatre // Photo by Rochelle Shipman

Rochelle Shipman // Los Angeles

Top 5 Shows of 2022
1. PUP at The Fonda Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – April 21st
Two years and one full length after this show was originally supposed to occur, LA finally got to see PUP perform on their “Thank Fucking God” tour. Worth the wait would be a major understatement here as the Canadian punks transported us back to pre-pandemic times like nothing had ever happened — we were touching, we were screaming, we were moshing again! The night had such an innocent air to it. Despite the delay, 2019’s Morbid Stuff felt fresher than ever (and it still does).

2. Yaya Bey at Cafe Erzulie – Brooklyn, NY – June 16th
3. Animal Collective at Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – May 20th
4. Vince Staples at The Fonda Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – August 23rd
5. Bright Eyes at Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – June 23rd

Top 5 Albums of 2022
1. Lando Chill – if im being honest
The multi-hyphenate who’s based out of LA quietly dropped this mixtape early in the year, and it stood strong in my top spot from the start. With a sharp wit and silky delivery, Chill tears through pages of his diary without cutting a single corner. Thank God for vulnerability.

2. Smino – Luv 4 Rent
3. Pusha T – It’s Almost Dry
4. Yaya Bey – Remember Your North Star
5. Open Mike Eagle – Component System with the Auto Reverse

Top 5 Songs of 2022
1. Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit”
An earworm for the ages! This impossibly catchy tune took over TikTok and catapulted Mr. Lacy into the spotlight that he was born to occupy, whether he was ready for it or not. The cherry on top of his banner year was the singer-songwriter’s old iPhone (aka his instrument) landing on display in the Smithsonian.

2. Lando Chill – “guess”
3. Leggy – “Lipstick on the Mic”
4. Pusha T – “Brambleton”
5. Channel Tres – “Acid in My Blood”

Filed Under: Best of 2022, Editor's Picks, Featured Tagged With: 3rd Secret, Animal Collective, Arctic Monkeys, Arlene Francis Center, At the Drive-In, Baroness, Bauhaus, Big Gigantic, Bonobo, Bright Eyes, Buzzed Light Beer, Cafe Erzulie, Cave In, Channel Tres, Coheed & Cambria, Eddie Vedder, Far, Fleet Foxes, FOALS, Giants in the Trees, Greek Theatre, Greek Theatre Berkeley, Hater, Hey Mercedes, High Vis, Hollywood Forever, Interpol, Jack White, Jimmy Eat World, Jonny Greenwood, Just Like Heaven, Just Like Heaven 2022, Kendrick Lamar, Khruangbin, Lando Chill, Leggy, Moderat, Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, Nine Inch Nails, Nirvana, Open Mike Eagle, Peaches, Pearl Jam, Pilot To Gunner, Primavera Sound LA, Primavera Sound LA 2022, Primavera Sound Los Angeles, Primavera Sound Los Angeles 2022, Pup, Puscifer, Pusha T, Radiohead, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Rickshaw Stop, Royal Blood, Santa Barbara Bowl, Seaweed, Shrine Auditorium, Smino, Smithsonian, Soul Glo, Soundgarden, Steve Lacy, Telefon Tel Aviv, THE FEST 20, The Fonda Theatre, The Forum, The Kills, The Mars Volta, The Masonic, The Murder City Devils, The Shins, The Smile, The Velvet Teen, The War on Drugs, Thee Sacred Souls, Thom Yorke, Tool, Trent Reznor, Viejas Arena, Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl, Vince Staples, Yard Act, Yaya Bey, YouTube Theater

The Bam Team’s 5 Favorite Shows, Albums & Songs of 2021

December 28, 2021 by The Bam Team 3 Comments

The past 12 months have been interesting to say the least. While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage across the world after almost two years, 2021 did prove to be a little better than its predecessor on the calendar and a big reason for that was undoubtedly the return of live music during the second half of this year. For so many of us after being locked down at home, just having the chance to attend a concert or festival in person again provided some sense of normalcy to our everyday lives.

But as we look forward to hopefully better days in 2022, it’s time for us to unveil our annual “Best of” lists like we have done since this blog first began (see our 2020 picks here). No, we didn’t have time to catch every show or hear all of the albums released in the last 365 days, but forcing ourselves to make difficult decisions can be a fun exercise that helps us reflect on the year in music before turning the page.

So, without further ado, Showbams presents The Bam Team’s five favorite shows, albums and songs from 2021.

Listen to The Bam Team’s favorite songs of 2021:

My Morning Jacket (Jim James) at Santa Barbara Bowl

My Morning Jacket at Santa Barbara Bowl // Photo by Josh Herwitt

Josh Herwitt // Los Angeles

Top 5 Shows of 2021
1. My Morning Jacket at Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA – September 23rd
Almost six years had passed since the last time Jim James and company performed at one of Southern California’s best music venues, but after surviving 18 months without witnessing any live music, the wait for MMJ’s return to the stage felt even longer. Fortunately for us, the Louisville-bred quintet brought its A game to kick off a string of West Coast dates and powered through a collection of 23 songs at the Santa Barbara Bowl that included the emotive “In Color” off the band’s new self-titled album as well as “Where to Begin” from the “Elizabethtown” soundtrack. MMJ have earned a reputation over the years as one of the best live acts still out there, and they certainly validated that claim with a 2.5-hour performance that made the 90-mile drive from LA on a weeknight totally worth it.

2. Modest Mouse at The Theatre at Ace Hotel – Los Angeles, CA – September 25th
3. Caribou at Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – November 15th
4. Lord Huron at Hollywood Forever – Los Angeles, CA – September 30th
5. Primus “A Tribute to Kings” at Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – October 17th

Top 5 Albums of 2021
1. The War on Drugs – I Don’t Live Here Anymore
What can we say about Adam Granduciel that hasn’t already been said? After composing and producing The War on Drugs’ best material during his previous two trips into the studio with the latter effort winning a Grammy, we knew it would be tough for the Philadelphia native to match that same level of excellence attained in 2014 and 2017 with Lost in the Dream and A Deeper Understanding. And though I Don’t Live Here Anymore doesn’t quite get there, it marks another LP from Granduciel and his cohorts that you can listen straight through from start to finish without skipping a track. Because in an era when our attention spans have been shrunk thanks in large part to technology, that’s something we should all applaud.

2. Modest Mouse – The Golden Casket
3. DARKSIDE – Spiral
4. My Morning Jacket – My Morning Jacket
5. Royal Blood – Typhoons

Top 5 Songs of 2021
1. Royal Blood – “Boilermaker”
The English alt-rock duo comprised of lead singer/bassist Mike Kerr and drummer Ben Thatcher shared “Boilermaker” in the lead-up to releasing its third full length this year, and the promotional single certainly stands out from the pack as one of the best songs on Typhoons. Produced by Queens of the Stone Age leader Josh Homme, it opens with Kerr’s fuzzed-out riff and quickly builds into a head-banging anthem over the course of three and a half minutes. If you haven’t heard it before, just make sure to also check out the badass music video that’s directed by and stars Liam Lynch. Enjoy!

2. My Morning Jacket – “In Color”
3. Modest Mouse – “Walking and Running”
4. The War on Drugs – “I Don’t Wanna Wait”
5. Bonobo – “Rosewood”

Favorite remix: Four Tet – “Never Come Back” (Caribou)

Andrew Pohl // San Francisco

Top 5 Shows of 2021
1. Kowloon Walled City at The Golden Bull – Oakland, CA – November 30th
Regardless of the fact that I didn’t go to many shows this year, this would have likely been my No. 1 even if I went to more. I had only recently been turned on to Kowloon Walled City, but I was immediately drawn to their heavy sound and they proved to replicate that sonic fury live. The Golden Bull is a nice, intimate setting for live music, and the fact that KWC were able to dial in such a balanced sound at a small club made a huge difference given how BIG they sound on their studio albums. Everyone was fixated on the band throughout its entire set, and I barely noticed anyone looking at a phone — one of the modern-day signs of a great show.

2. Quicksand at Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA – October 15th
3. Bad Religion & Alkaline Trio at The Masonic – San Francisco, CA – November 24th
4. The Slackers & The Aggrolites at Cornerstone Berkeley – Berkeley, CA – December 9th
5. Lagwagon with Red City Radio & Decent Criminal at Bottom of the Hill – San Francisco, CA – November 4th

Top 5 Albums of 2021
1. Quicksand – Distant Populations
During a turbulent time like what we’ve all been collectively experiencing since last year, I think this album resonated with me so much because Quicksand has always been such a solid standby. Distant Populations is heavy in all of the right ways without being abrasive while also effectively showcasing Walter Schreifels’ dynamic song-crafting abilities. Quicksand aren’t necessarily breaking the mold here, but they’re a band that had already set the bar high with their earlier albums and this LP is an excellent continuation of their contribution to the hardcore scene.

2. Turnstile – Glow On
3. IDLES – Crawler
4. Kowloon Walled City – Piecework
5. Snail Mail – Valentine

Top 5 Songs of 2021
1. IDLES – “The Wheel”
I love how IDLES have the ability to take a song about a heavy subject like chemical dependency and turn it into an absolutely infectious banger. “The Wheel” is a perfect example of this, leaving you drawn in and tapping your foot while giving you something to ponder. The way that it can make you feel equal parts uplifted and uncomfortable is part of the appeal to me, and this was easily one of my most played songs of the year.

2. Decent Criminal – “Reap”
3. The Dirty Nil – “Doom Boy”
4. Kills Birds – “Rabbit”
5. Snail Mail – “Valentine”

Adam Schatz at The Gold Room // Photo by Rochelle Shipman

Rochelle Shipman // Los Angeles

Top 5 Shows of 2021
1. Adam Schatz at The Gold Room – Los Angeles, CA – November 18th
The Landlady frontman actually served as the opener on this night, but armed with little more than his saxophone, keyboards and loops, it’s safe to say Schatz stole the entire show. Fresh off a tour playing with Japanese Breakfast, he stepped onstage and quite literally let loose. It was the most refreshing, freeform, organic set full of wit and wonder, offering a sharp reminder why we need to protect the live music space (and to buy the killer album Landlady put out this year, too).

2. Foxx Bodies with Suzie True & Lando Chill at Resident DTLA – Los Angeles, CA – November 7th
3. Islands at Lodge Room – Los Angeles, CA – September 9th
4. Spoon at Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA – September 28th
5. Armand Hammer & The Alchemist at Echoplex – Los Angeles, CA – September 19th

Top 5 Albums of 2021
1. Foxx Bodies – Vixen
The raw emotions that come through Foxx Bodies’ debut on indie label Kill Rock Stars grabbed me by the ankles and knocked me off my feet the first time I heard it. For an album that explores everything from mental illness, sexual abuse, eating disorders, gender fluidity and beyond, it’s equally shocking how upbeat and uplifting it comes off. It’s part empowering riot grrrl and part rollicking surf punk, full confessional. Trigger warning: it will change your life.

2. Olivia Rodrigo – Sour
3. Tyler, the Creator – Call Me If You Get Lost
4. Backxwash – I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES
5. Noga Erez – KIDS

Top 5 Songs of 2021
1. Hiatus Kaiyote – “Red Room”
This song is the antithesis to 2021. It’s so warm and beautiful, so intimate as though it was conceived in a world where social distancing doesn’t even exist. Nai Palm’s soft, raspy vocals envelop you, and the uncharacteristically subtle sounds (for Hiatus Kaiyote) deliver perhaps the most consistent semblance of peace felt this year.

2. Olivia Rodrigo – “Brutal”
3. Foxx Bodies – “BPD”
4. Yaya Bey – “fxck it then”
5. Little Simz feat. Cleo Sol – “Woman”

Favorite remix: Kari Faux feat. J.I.D – “While God Was Sleepin’… (Remix)”

Filed Under: Best of 2021, Editor's Picks, Featured Tagged With: A Tribute to Kings, Ace Hotel, Adam Schatz, Alkaline Trio, Armand Hammer, Backxwash, Bad Religion, Best of 2021, Bonobo, Bottom of the Hill, Caribou, Cleo Sol, Cornerstone Berkeley, Darkside, Decent Criminal, Echoplex, Four Tet, Foxx Bodies, Golden Bull, Great American Music Hall, Greek Theatre, Hiatus Kaiyote, Hollywood Forever, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, IDLES, Islands, J.I.D., Japanese Breakfast, Kari Faux, Kills Birds, Kowloon Walled City, Lagwagon, Landlady, Lando Chill, Little Simz, Lodge Room, Lord Huron, Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, Noga Erez, Olivia Rodrigo, Primus, Quicksand, Red City Radio, Resident DTLA, Royal Blood, Rush, Santa Barbara Bowl, Snail Mail, Spoon, Suzie True, Teragram Ballroom, The Aggrolites, The Alchemist, The Dirty Nil, The Gold Room, The Golden Bull, The Masonic, The Slackers, The Teragram Ballroom, The Theatre at Ace Hotel, The War on Drugs, Turnstile, Tyler the Creator, Yaya Bey

Our favorite performances from 2017

December 29, 2017 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

2017, where the hell did you go? It just felt like the other day that we were ringing in a new year, and yet, here we are again as we plow straight ahead into 2018.

But before we officially put a bow on 2017, it’s time for us to revisit the past 12 months at Showbams. This year, we had the opportunity to capture many amazing moments in live music, and while we couldn’t pay homage to every single performance we witnessed, we made a conscious effort to include a wide range of talent spread across the industry.

Whittling down our list, though, was not that easy. 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:

21 Savage, The Accidentals, Action Bronson, Alice Cooper, Alina Baraz, alt-J, Amber Mark, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Animal Collective, Atlas Genius, The Avalanches, The Band Perry, Beach Slang, Belle and Sebastian, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Bleachers, Blonde Redhead, Bob Moses, Car Seat Headrest, Cate Le Bon, Cigarettes After Sex, Circles Around the Sun, City of Caterpillar, The Coathangers, Claude VonStroke, Chris Robinson, Con Brio, Conor Oberst, Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile, Crystal Castles, The Crystal Method, Daniel Caesar, Dawes, Dead Meadow, Deafheaven, Deep Purple, Diet Cig, DIIV, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Dr. Dog, Dr. Octagon, Duke Dumont, Eagles of Death Metal, Electric Guest, Emancipator, Emily King, Empire of the Sun, Foxygen, Future Islands, Gabriel Garzón-Montano, Gatecreeper, Girl Talk, Gone Is Gone, Grizzly Bear, Gucci Mane, Hamilton Leithauser, Hazel English, Hinds, The Hip Replacements, Hiss Golden Messenger, How to Dress Well, Iggy Pop, Isaiah Rashad, Jack Johnson, Jagwar Ma, Jamestown Revival, Jamie Isaac, Jay 305, Jen Cloher, Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas, Jessie Ware, Jim James, JR JR, Julie Byrne, Julien Baker, Justice, Karen Elson, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, KAYTRANADA, Kelis, K. Flay, Khalid, Khruangbin, Kilo Kish, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Kurt Vile, La Femme, LANY, Lauv, L.A. Witch, Lettuce, Lil Yachty, Little Dragon, Lo Moon, Lorde, Lord Huron, Miike Snow, Milky Chance, Minus the Bear, Mister Heavenly, MØ, Mondo Cozmo, Neon Indian, Nicki Bluhm, Norah Jones, North Mississippi Allstars, NVO, Oh Sees, OK Go, Once and Future Band, Pallbearer, The Palms, Passion Pit, Peaches, Perfume Genius, Petit Biscuit, Phoebe Bridgers, Playboi Carti, Pond, Porcelain Raft, PRAYERS, The Radio Dept., Real Estate, The Revivalists, Royal Blood, Sampha, ScHoolboy Q, Sheer Mag, serpentwithfeet, Silversun Pickups, Sleep, Sleigh Bells, SOFI TUKKER, Solange, Spiritualized, Styles P, Sunflower Beam, Talib Kweli, Tank and The Bangas, Tash Sultana, Tei Shi, Temples, Tennis, Tennyson, Thou, Thundercat, TOBACCO, Touché Amoré, Tool, Tove Lo, Travis Scott, Twin Peaks, Ty Segall, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Vagabon, Vance Joy, Vic Mensa, Warpaint, Weezer, White Fence, Woods, YG, Young the Giant.

Now, it’s time for The Bam Team to present our favorite performances from 2017.

The Bam Team’s 5 Favorite Shows, Albums & Songs of 2017

Listen to The Bam Team’s favorite songs of 2017:

Run the Jewels

Date: February 1st
Location: Shrine Expo Hall – Los Angeles

Yet, in just four years, Run the Jewels have already reached hip-hop’s mountaintop with their politically charged lyrics and hard-hitting beats. Just take last Wednesday’s sold-out show in LA for example. With the duo’s third studio album still only a few weeks old, 5,000 or so fans poured into the spacious Shrine Expo Hall to watch El-P and Killer Mike fuck shit up (for lack of a better term). And that’s exactly what they did after opening sets from The Gaslamp Killer, Nick Hook, Gangasta Boo and CUZ. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt

BADBADNOTGOOD

Date: February 23rd
Location: The Fillmore – San Francisco

As one of the bands to take the coveted headlining spot for NoisePop25, BADBADNOTGOOD seemed as — perhaps more — excited as all of the fans who made it to their sold-out show at The Fillmore. Combining consummate instrumentation with classic MC-style showmanship led by drummer Alexander Sowinski, the Canadian jazz-rock quartet has mastered the art of keeping the audience guessing where they’re going. -Brett Ruffenach, photo by James Pawlish

Spoon

Date: March 7th
Location: Apogee Studio – Santa Monica, CA

In total, Spoon performed five songs from the new record, including “First Caress” to open a brief encore that left us eager for more. But as the five-piece rocked “Rainy Taxi” from 2014’s They Want My Soul to close, I couldn’t help but think to myself that this is one band I never should have slept on. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Larry Hirshowitz

Sigur Rós

Date: April 8th
Location: Greek Theatre – Berkeley, CA

Now a trio, Sigur Rós have been delivering goosebumps for over two decades — and it’s a delight to hear Jónsi’s voice-as-an-instrument this clear, this powerful and as confident as ever. It would be a wonderful treat to check in on this outfit every 5-10 years going forward and realize they are still going strong. -Mike Frash, photo by James Nagel

DREAMCAR

Date: April 9th
Location: Great American Music Hall – San Francisco

Fresh off a stop at Berkeley’s Hearst Greek Theatre the night before, Adams showcased some older favorites and a slew of new tunes from his 16th and latest studio album Prisoner, which came out in February. SoCal fans were treated to some extended full-band jamming, a couple of solo acoustic performances and Adams’ usual witty banter over the course of the evening.
-Jared Stossel, photo by Jared Stossel

A Perfect Circle

Date: April 13th
Location: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco

In the world of rock supergroups, there are few that have sprung up in the last few decades that can hold a candle to A Perfect Circle. From the onset, APC have been a powerhouse on the senses, combining members from bands such as Tool, The Smashing Pumpkins, Failure, Primus and more over the years. Their body of work has been met with high praise across the board, and they have been able to solidify themselves as one of the most unique and tenured groupings out there, as opposed to bands like Zwan and Velvet Revolver. -Andrew Pohl, photo by Mike Rosati

Radiohead

Date: April 14th
Location: Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Weekend 1 – Indio, CA

Yes, the sound problems (all three instances) put a real damper on what was easily one of the most anticipated performances of the weekend. This was the third time Goldenvoice called on Radiohead to headline Coachella, and for one of rock’s most important bands over the last 30 years, it certainly wasn’t a charm as the saying goes. In that moment, it was pretty hard not to feel bad for Thom Yorke, who could only make light of the situation by cracking a joke even if it wasn’t supposed to be one — or so he claimed. But Radiohead more than made up for it with a masterful setlist that opened with A Moon Shaped Pool cuts “Daydreaming”, “Desert Island Disk” and “Ful Stop” before circling back to older hits such as “Everything in Its Right Place”, “There There”, “Idioteque” and even “Creep”. -Josh Herwitt, photo courtesy of Coachella

Kendrick Lamar

Date: April 16th
Location: Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Weekend 1 – Indio, CA

All hail, King Kendrick! Or should we say “Kung Fu Kenny?” The Compton rapper reached hip-hop’s mountaintop more than two years ago with his Grammy-winning masterpiece To Pimp a Butterfly, but headlining Coachella was still on his to-do list. In fact, it was only the second time he had ever been booked to perform at Coachella after being listed on the last line of the 2012 poster. Closing out the fest is no short order for any artist, let alone one who dropped his new album less than 48 hours before taking the stage, but K-Dot lived up to the billing with a show that provoked as much thought as it entertained. -Josh Herwitt, photo courtesy of Coachella

The xx

Date: April 17th
Location: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco

Playfully alluding to their material’s emotional sentiment, Romy Madley Croft (vocals, guitar) and Oliver Sim (bass, vocals) managed to entrance all of us with their tension-filled gazes and syncopated dance moves. Prolonging vocal arrangements, especially during their accelerated live interpretation of “Infinity”, were also stunning to witness. About halfway through the set, Jamie Smith (beats, MPC, production), aka Jamie xx, took the lead and transformed the room into a giant disco party thanks to an onslaught of consecutive dance hits before finishing with “Loud Places” from his 2015 solo LP In Colour. -Molly Kish, photo by Norm de Veyra

Moderat

Date: April 20th
Location: Mayan Theater – Los Angeles

Moderat subsequently circled back to III, performing “Intruder” before exiting the stage to a rousing applause. Yet, when the house lights didn’t come on right away, the suspense began to build once again. Less than a minute later, the three-piece reemerged, giving the audience more than its money’s worth. Two-encore shows are usually reserved for high-profile groups with extensive catalogs like Radiohead, but Moderat have never played by any rules. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt

The Flaming Lips

Date: May 9th
Location: The Theatre at Ace Hotel – Los Angeles

The Lips, of course, made sure to play that song, and even though it was without Watts, it still proved to be an unforgettable moment due to the fact that Coyne rode a life-size unicorn from one end of the stage to the other as he belted out lines like “Yeah, there should be unicorns / The ones with the purple eyes / It should be loud as fuck / Hope the swans don’t die” to open the tune while wearing a big smile across his face. If that’s not psychedelic to you, then I don’t know what is. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt

Ryan Adams

Date: June 3rd
Location: Greek Theatre – Los Angeles

Jay Som

Date: June 17th
Location: Potrero del Sol Park – San Francisco

Melina Duterte’s band goes by the name Jay Som and hails from Oakland. Do yourself a favor and remember this name: Jay Som. The Polyvinyl-signed songstress bathed the crowd at the Potrero Stage in her dreamy vocals and inanely catchy tunes that appeal to a wide-range of music fan; her songs could feel just as viable in the 90’s college rock area as they do today. Highlights from the set included a vibe-soaked rendition of “Baybee” as well as “The Bus Song”, arguably the artist’s first real “hit.” -Kevin Quandt, photo by Emmeline Munson

AIR

Date: June 23rd
Location: The Masonic – San Francisco

AIR’s live performances focus on capturing the crisp, detailed production style that the duo has honed over two decades. It’s a vibrant, textured sound. Centered around acoustic guitar, synthesizers and the breathy timbre of the duo’s immaculate harmonized vocals, the use of live drums helped round out the contrast between both the artificial and acoustic sounds in songs like “Cherry Blossom Girl”. -Brett Ruffenach, photo by Steve Carlson

PLANETARIUM

Date: July 21st
Location: Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland

PLANETARIUM’s music, which channels Stevens’ reflections on astronomy, science and even the intricacies of human consciousness, is a fusion of styles from all four band members that evokes feelings of unity. The group’s performance was accompanied by otherworldly visuals that filled the backdrop as it traversed the Solar System with quite a few emotionally charged songs inspired by the planets and other celestial bodies like “Neptune” and “Jupiter”. -Norm de Veyra, photo by Norm de Veyra

The Drums

Date: July 21st
Location: The Fillmore – San Francisco

By the time The Drums took the stage, the intimate venue was packed to the brim with fans. The Brooklyn outfit made as much of an impression as it did when frontman Jonathan Pierce and company exploded onto the scene in 2009 with their initial EP Summertime! From then on, it became glaringly obvious with their eccentric band members and seemingly effortless style that they possessed an energetic presence. And at their SF show, it didn’t take long for the capacity crowd to fall into a groove as the venue’s whole atmosphere lit up. -Jacqueline Moore, photo by Jacqueline Moore

Miguel

Date: July 23rd
Location: Annenberg Space for Photography – Los Angeles

Once the sun set and Miguel stepped onstage, the audience was transported somewhere else entirely. Born and raised in LA, the 31-year-old’s silky-smooth voice floated through the cool evening breeze over the twinkle lights in the trees, giving the impression of an island retreat rather than a concert in the park. -Rochelle Shipman, photo by Rochelle Shipman

The War on Drugs

Date: August 5th
Location: Apogee Studio – Santa Monica, CA

Granduciel’s raspy voice, as well as his driving (no pun intended) guitar rhythms and reverb-laden riffs, are largely what separates The War on Drugs from the rest in a crowded indie-rock scene, but the sum of the band’s parts — Charlie Hall (drums), David Hartley (bass), Anthony LaMarca (guitar, keyboards), Robbie Bennett (keyboards) and finally Jon Natchez (saxophone, keyboards) — also creates a sound that while familiar, still feels uniquely different. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Larry Hirshowitz

Gorillaz

Date: August 11th
Location: Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, Golden Gate Park – San Francisco

Easily one of the most anticipated acts of the weekend, Gorillaz’s Humanz tour made its West Coast debut on Day 1 at OSL. After a six-year hiatus, expectations ran extremely high for this headlining performance. On previous tours, the band’s members had played second fiddle to the cartoon projections of their alter egos onstage, but everyone was visible this time around. Several collaborators from Gorillaz’s previous albums, including Kali Uchis, Yukimi Nagano and Del the Funky Homosapien, came out to join them, and the Damon Albarn-led group still pulled some even bigger surprises with cameos appearances from De la Soul and Pusha T. -Molly Kish, photo by James Pawlish

Cage the Elephant

Date: August 12th
Location: Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, Golden Gate Park – San Francisco

While the cancellation of Queens of the Stone Age was a blow a week prior to the event, the replacement that was lined up more than delivered a blistering set of rock ‘n’ roll. Cage the Elephant are now being widely considered festival-headliner material, and frontman Matt Shultz is making a strong claim for that accolade as he continues to elevate his stage act to near-Mick Jagger levels of pomp and energy. “Come a Little Closer” and “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” received hearty sing-alongs from a decidedly youthful crowd as Cage have become a favorite of Generation Z. -Kevin Quandt, photo by Marc Fong

J.I.D

Date: September 9th
Location: Day N Night Fest, Angel Stadium – Anaheim, CA

While the headliners thrilled as expected, it was at the side “Day” and “Night” stages where the festival’s biggest highlights were generated. J.I.D, the rising Atlanta rapper who is signed to J. Cole’s Dreamville imprint, absolutely thrilled during his set. Dazzling with his rapid-fire and agile flow, J.I.D showed off his ability to command a crowd with songs such as “General” and “EdEddnEddy” before jumping into the crowd for the tempo-changing hit “Never” that left the crowd chanting for “one more song!” -Joseph Gray & Rochelle Shipman, photo by Rochelle Shipman

SZA

Date: September 9th
Location: Day N Night Fest, Angel Stadium – Anaheim, CA

Saturday, meanwhile, featured the vintage gospel spirit and warm vibes that have elevated Chicago emcee Chance the Rapper to superstardom. Earlier in the day, SZA, this summer’s breakout star, delivered her first festival performance since the release of her well-received debut album Ctrl. Swaying, spinning and singing her raw emotions and shortcomings while coming of age, the Top Dawg Entertainment songstress didn’t disappoint. -Joseph Gray & Rochelle Shipman, photo by Rochelle Shipman

Bonobo (Live)

Date: September 27th
Location: Greek Theatre – Los Angeles

The real reason things felt different this time around, though, was the music. Extending and reimagining his tracks for easily one of the largest crowds he has ever performed in front of, Bonobo followed an uplifting opening set from Canadian electronic duo Bob Moses with an array of soothing sounds that paired beautifully with his lighting setup and entrancing stage production in the same way Scott Hansen (aka Tycho) creates an awe-inspiring audio-visual experience during his live-band performances. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt

Coldplay

Date: October 4th
Location: Levi’s Stadium – Santa Clara, CA

Coldplay took the stage shortly before 9 p.m. as a video montage of fans who introduced them as “the biggest band in the world” played onstage. While I’m pretty sure there are a few other artists or groups from their side of the pond (ehem, U2) who might take issue with that claim, they certainly did nothing during their electric, almost two-hour performance to dissuade that sort of thinking. Chris Martin and company, in fact, wasted no time getting down to business, flooding the stadium with confetti and firing off pyrotechnics at a steady clip while opening with “A Head Full of Dreams” and subsequently all throughout the night. -Steve Carlson, photo by Steve Carlson

Broken Social Scene

Date: October 26th
Location: Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland

Here’s the thing about BSS — after 15 years, the web of musicians that makes up the collective have created their own individual projects, from Metric to Stars to Feist to Do Make Say Think to Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton. And while many of the band’s members who have gone on to find success in their own solo careers didn’t happen to join the group on this particular tour, the sense of professionalism built into the BSS live experience remains prevalent. Every person who stepped onstage demonstrated consummate abilities in their own realms, never missing a beat or a note. -Brett Ruffenach, photo by Norm de Veyra

Filed Under: Best of 2017, Editor's Picks, Featured Tagged With: 21 Savage, Action Bronson, AFI, Air, Alice Cooper, Alina Baraz, Amber Mark Beach Slang, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Animal Collective, Annenberg Space for Photography, Apogee Studio, Atlas Genius, BADBADNOTGOOD, Belle and Sebastian, Best of 2017, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Bleachers, Blonde Redhead, Bob Moses, Broken Social Scene, Cage the Elephant, Car Seat Headrest, Cate le Bon, Chris Robinson, Cigarettes After Sex, Circles Around the Sun, City of Caterpillar, Claude VonStroke, Coachella, Coachella 2017, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coldplay, Con Brio, Conor Oberst, Courtney Barnett, Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile, Crystal Castles, Daniel Caesar, Dawes, Day N Night Fest, Day N Night Fest 2017, Day N Night Festival, Day N Night Festival 2017, Dead Meadow, Deafheaven, Deep Purple, Diet Cig, DIIV, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Dr. Dog, Dr. Octagon, DREAMCAR, Duke Dumont, Eagles of Death Metal, Electric Guest, Emancipator, Emily King, Empire of the Sun, Fox Theater Oakland, Foxygen, Future Islands, Gabriel Garzón-Montano, Gatecreeper, Girl Talk, Gone Is Gone, Gorillaz, Great American Music Hall, Greek Theatre, Greek Theatre Berkeley, Grizzly Bear, Gucci Mane, Hamilton Leithauser, Hazel English, Hinds, Hiss Golden Messenger, How to Dress Well, Iggy Pop, Isaiah Rashad, J.I.D., Jack Johnson, Jagwar Ma, Jamestown Revival, Jamie Isaac, Jay 305, Jay Som, Jen Cloher, Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas, Jessie Ware, Jim James, Jr. Jr., Julie Byrne, Julien Baker, Justice, k.flay, Karen Elson, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Kaytranada, Kelis, Kendrick Lamar, Khalid, Khruangbin, Kilo Kish, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Kurt Vile, L.A. Witch, La Femme, LANY, Lauv, Lettuce, Levi's Stadium, Lil Yachty, Little Dragon, Lo Moon, Lord Huron, Lorde, Mayan Theater, Miguel, Miike Snow, Milky Chance, Minus the Bear, Mister Heavenly, MO, Moderat, Music Festival Outside Lands Music Festival 2017, Neon Indian, Nicki Bluhm, No Doubt, Noise Pop, Noise Pop 2017, Noise Pop 25, Noise Pop Festival, Norah Jones, North Mississippi Allstars, NVO, Oh Sees, OK Go, Once and Future Band, Outside Lands, Outside Lands 2017, Outside Lands Music Festival, Pallbearer, Passion Pit, Peaches, Perfume Genius, Petit Biscuit, Phoebe Bridgers, Phono Del Sol, Phono del Sol 2017, Phono del Sol Music Festival 2017, Playboi Carti, Pond, Porcelain Raft, Potrero del Sol Park, PRAYERS, Real Estate, Royal Blood, Run The Jewels, Ryan Adams, Sampha, Schoolboy Q, serpentwithfeet, Sheer Mag, Shrine Expo Hall, Sigur Ros, Silversun Pickups, Sleep, Sleigh Bells, Sofi Tukker, Solange, Spiritualized, Spoon, Styles P, Sufjan Stevens, Sunflower Beam, Talib Kweli, Tank and the Bangas, Tash Sultana, Tei Shi, Temples, Tennis, Tennyson, The Accidentals, The Avalanches, The Band Perry, The Coathangers, The Crystal Method, The Drums, The Fillmore, The Hip Replacements, The Masonic, The National, The Palms, The Radio Dept., The Revivalists, The War on Drugs, The xx, Thou, Thundercat, Tobacco, Tool, Touché Amoré, Tove Lo, Travis Scott, Twin Peaks, Ty Segall, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Vagabon, Vance Joy, Vic Mensa, Warpaint, Weezer, White Fence, Woods, YG, Young The Giant

AIR celebrate ‘twentyears’ at The Masonic

June 30, 2017 by Brett Ruffenach Leave a Comment

Photos by Steve Carlson // Written by Brett Ruffenach //

AIR with Lo Moon //
The Masonic – San Francisco
June 23rd, 2017 //

What better venue could there be for a band like AIR than The Masonic?

Over the past 20 years, the French downtempo/space-rock project formed by Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel has produced several critically acclaimed albums, including their groundbreaking soundtrack to Sofia Coppola’s “The Virgin Suicides”.

Recently, they released a compilation of their best work, simply titled twentyears, to celebrate the project entering its second decade. For those of us lucky to catch their transcendent set at Outside Lands (read our festival review here) last year, it was a no-brainer to catch the French duo on their last U.S tour before an indefinite hiatus, especially in a space as fitting for AIR as The Masonic.

Opening for AIR were Lo Moon, the Los Angeles trio currently riding a much-deserved wave of hype from its debut track “Loveless” that came out last February.

Combining some soaring, melodic indie rock with subtle ambient elements, Lo Moon set the tone for the evening. As a four-piece, their touring drummer Sterlin Laws certainly packed a punch at the right moments and offered a great opening act. I’ll have to keep an eye out for their debut album later this year.

After a short intermission, AIR took the stage, opening with their classic track “Venus” off 2004’s Talkie Walkie. The duo tours as a quartet consisting of Godin (guitar, vocoder, bass, banjo), Duncke (keyboards, including six different synthesizers I believe), a drummer and pianist (who also manned at least half a dozen synthesizers).

With the release of twentyears, AIR’s headlining set gave them the time and space to play more spacious, ambient productions. The ethereal rhythm of songs such as “Playground Love” and “Alone in Kyoto” showed their true mastery as a group: delicate, balanced and controlled.

But that doesn’t mean they can’t rock out when they want to. Early in the set (perhaps too early), they put on a heart-racing rendition of “Don’t Be Light”. Later the banjo was finally brought out, leading into a soaring version of “Alpha Beta Gaga”.

Closing with their classic “La Femme d’argent” that was led by a razor-sharp baseline guiding them into a massive, cacophonous finale, the members of AIR gathered together at the center of the stage and took a bow. In all white, with their charming French smiles spread ear to ear, they blew the crowd kisses and left the stage for what may be the last time in the Bay Area.

Setlist:
Venus
Don’t Be Light
Cherry Blossom Girl
J’ai dormi sous l’eau
Remember
Playground Love
People in the City
Radian
Alpha Beta Gaga
Run
Talisman
How Does It Make You Feel?
Kelly Watch the Stars

Encore:
Alone in Kyoto
Sexy Boy
La Femme d’Argent

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Air, Lo Moon, The Masonic

Iggy Pop isn’t letting age slow him down on his ‘Post Pop Depression Tour’

April 20, 2016 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

By Bob Comstock //

Iggy Pop with Novella //
The Masonic – San Francisco
March 31st, 2016 //

As Novella wrapped up her opening set at The Masonic last month, the capacity crowd in SF quickly became antsy for Iggy Pop’s headlining performance.

Novella, after all, is a girl who plays distorted guitar loops with stomp boxes — an artist more suited for a bedroom or radio than a concert. She played about seven spatial songs, which my friend compared to “new age” music. When I heard that, I tried not to laugh too loud. Novella was also delegated to the lip of the center stage, in front of the black, velvet curtain. It goes to show you that respect has to be earned in the music business because everyone has to start somewhere. Novella, you have talent, but if you want to play venues, you should start a band.

After a 25-minute set change, the telltale drum of “Lust for Life” began booming and the curtain opened to reveal Iggy’s band. Each member was decked out in a burgundy, satin jacket with black trim and black pants. With the “Lust for Life” intro continuing to build, those in attendance became more feverous as the anticipation grew for one of music’s greatest frontmen to arrive.

Finally, Iggy Pop stormed onstage just in time to belt out the song’s opening lyric “Here comes Johnny Yen again”. After the first number, Iggy greeted the audience with a unique wave that was sure to be seen by each upper section in the venue. Instead of beginning his wave at the elbow like the norm, Iggy began his wave at his shoulder and rocked his body to propel his entire arm back-and-forth (a larger-than-life gesture). Iggy subsequently continued to thank the crowd for “helping him find employment in his latter years.” Everyone got a good laugh from that remark.

Flanked by a bassist (Matt Sweeney of Chavez), drummer (Matt Helders of Arctic Monkeys), lead guitarist (Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age) and two rhythm guitarists (Dean Fertita and Troy Van Leeuwen of Queens of the Stone Age) who also doubled on keyboards, Iggy’s band sounded amazing. I have never seen Iggy perform live before, and I was a little apprehensive as to how good the concert would be considering he isn’t exactly young. All of my fears were assuaged when Iggy exploded onto the stage wearing a snazzy grey suit, sans shirt, and later the crowd would discover his bright, red underwear (his pants kept slipping down, but thankfully he pulled his trousers up with each sag). The jacket had come off by the second song, and the bare-chested Iggy we have come to love was right standing before us and ready to rock. He still has the energy of a teenager.

The setlist didn’t disappoint. To appease people like me who were there equally to experience the phenomenon that is Iggy Pop and his music, Iggy’s band played other fan favorites like “Nightclubbing”, “The Passenger” and “China Girl”. Halfway through the set, Iggy brought out a stool and sat on it for a couple numbers. When not singing on the stool, he would shove the microphone down the front of his pants. When Iggy noticed the crowd’s reaction to his electronic phallus, he said with a wry smile, “Feels pretty good!” Typical Iggy.

Another attempt by Iggy to shock the crowd was during a prelude to a song when he said, “I wonder if we had a sit-in … talking about heroin. I wonder if … I wonder if I’d even enjoy it.” His delivery of that statement appears as if Iggy was actually considering it, providing a little extra shock to those unfamiliar with the drug. While Iggy didn’t engage in any of his previous, notorious antics like rolling in broken glass, vomiting and/or exposing himself to his fans, he did perform a stage dive — something he said he would stop doing after an accident in 2010. However, to the crowd’s delight, Iggy still took the plunge into the crowd at The Masonic.

After 14 songs, Iggy and his band left the stage before returning for an eight-song encore that culminated with “Success”. The song’s lyrics appear to tell the story of Iggy’s career, which has spanned nearly six decades. Overall, it was one of those magical concerts so engrossing that you completely lose track of time. Twenty-two songs in total for one performance — not bad for a 68-year-old rock legend.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Iggy Pop, Josh Homme, Novella, The Masonic

Noise Pop 2016: Relive the festival frame by frame

March 10, 2016 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

Heartwatch

Photos by Mike Rosati & Benjamin Wallen // Written by Molly Kish //

Noise Pop //
Bay Area venues – San Francisco & Oakland
February 19th-28th, 2016 //

With the impending storm of summer festival traffic washing away the last remnants of Noise Pop, it’s time to look back at the best highlights from this year’s lineup. Serving up a bill that celebrates the diversity of contemporary independent culture, 2016’s roster was as eclectic as ever, ranging from pop stars to cowpunks (aka country punks), free-form jazz prodigies and indie-rock veterans. Bay Area venues were at capacity on a nightly basis, with crowds braving brisk weather conditions in order to experience the one-of-a-kind performances Noise Pop has spent nearly 25 years curating.

Navigating through more than 100 acts during this year’s festival, we dove right into the thick of it, capturing shots from some of our favorite Noise Pop shows. Check out our photo gallery below as well as more coverage from our friends over at DoTheBay.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festivals, Photos Tagged With: Alexander Spits, American Football, Antwon, Bender's Bar & Grill, Birth Defects, Carly Rae Jepsen, Dirty Denim, DoTheBay, Growwler, Her Space Holiday, Joywave, Kamasi Washington, Kneedelus, Metric, Neto & So What, Noise Pop, Noise Pop 2016, Noise Pop Festival, One Line Drawing, Parquet Courts, Ringo Deathstarr, SFJAZZ Center, Swedish American Hall, The Chapel, The Masonic, The New Parish, The Regency Ballroom, The World, Unlikely Heroes

Noise Pop 2016 Shows of the Week // GO4FREE to Metric, Parquet Courts, Cayucas, DIIV & more

February 23, 2016 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Metric

Written by Molly Kish //

Noise Pop //
Bay Area venues – San Francisco & Oakland
February 23rd-28th, 2016 //

Noise Pop is upon us, and the Bay Area is playing home to some of the best independent artists around the globe this week. Talent is running rampant around the city, showcasing their music, art and passions in our favorite bars and venues — and we want you to get out there and participate!

Most Noise Pop shows are sold out at this point or quickly on their way to being so. However, we have you covered with tickets to a wide variety of shows. Pick your favorite show from the list below and enter to win tickets.

Hint: Those who directly tweet @showbams or tag us on Instagram with their personal requests will have that much better of a chance of winning!

Contests for all weekday shows end at 3 p.m. on the day of show. Contests for all weekend shows end at 3 p.m. this Friday.

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!

CONTESTS CLOSED.

Filed Under: Contests Tagged With: Alex Metric, Antwon, Astronautsetc., Bottom of the Hill, Brick & Mortar Music Hall, Cayucas, Diane Coffee, DIIV, Hamilton Leithauser, Heartwatch, Metric, Noise Pop, Noise Pop 2016, Parquet Courts, Ringo Deathstarr, Swedish American Hall, The Independent, The Masonic, The New Parish, Wild Ones

Noise Pop 2016: Daily picks & flavors of the week

February 22, 2016 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

Written by Molly Kish //

Noise Pop //
Bay Area venues – San Francisco & Oakland
February 19th-28th, 2016 //

Noise Pop 2016 is here! To get you ready for all the Noise Pop festivities throughout the Bay Area, we present our daily picks and flavors of the week.

Plus, make sure to brush up on this year’s bill with our Noise Pop playlist and don’t miss your opportunity to take part in the festivities.

GO4FREE: Win tickets to Noise Pop 2016 shows all week here!

Monday, February 22nd

Ziggy Stardust Tribute Party with Everyone Is Bowie: February 22nd (MON) @ The Independent, 8 p.m., 21+ (SOLD OUT)

Paying respect to the Star Man himself, film and concert enthusiasts alike can trip out to “The Spiders from Mars” at The Independent for David Bowie tribute night. The venue will be participating in the Noise Pop film series by showing a digitally remastered version of “Ziggy Stardust and “The Spiders from Mars”. After the screening, make sure to stick around for a live performance from Oakland’s own conceptual tribute band Everyone Is Bowie, including visuals by local film production company White Light Prism. There’s even a pre-party at San Franpsycho (505 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117) with live screen printing, face painting, a Bowie costume contest and free beer (yes, you read that right) from Mavericks Brewing Company.

Tuesday, February 23rd

Metric

Metric with Joywave: February 23rd (TUE) @ The Masonic, 8 p.m., All Ages // WIN TICKETS

No strangers to the the Bay Area music scene and Noise Pop’s illustrious history, 15-year-old indie-rock veterans Metric headline The Masonic on Tuesday with support from New York dance-pop quartet Joywave. Serving as one of the main headliners at this year’s festival, Metric is one band you’ll want to catch early in the week — and we have a pair of tickets just for you.

“Fucked Up But Beautiful” (Noise Pop art reception): February 23rd (TUE) @ Bender’s Bar & Grill, 5 p.m., 21+

Celebrating the flawed and accentuating the negative, “Fucked Up But Beautiful” showcases some of the work of the Bay Area’s most prominent independent artists that was never meant to be seen. Marred by sundry, footprints, bent corners and beer spills, Bender’s Bar & Grill will be hosting a full gallery of glossy disasters, which in turn have taken on a new appreciation of their own. Stop by Bender’s to reflect on mistakes and check out the labors of unrequited love from Amy Jo, Boss Construction, Bureau of Print Research and Design, Crosshair, The Decoder Ring, Drug Factory Press, Alan Forbes, Furturtle Prints, Kollective Fusion, Lil Tuffy, Methane Industries, PinkBikeRalph, Powerslide Design, Tooth and more.

Wednesday, February 24th

Andrew Jackson Jihad

Wild Ones, Palehound with Two Sheds, False Priest: February 24th (WED) @ Brick & Mortar Music Hall, 7 p.m., 21+ // WIN TICKETS

Spanning the spectrum of everything Noise Pop, this lineup includes Wild One’s heavy synth and ethereal R&B, singer-songwriter Ellie Kemper’s solo project Palehound and local modern rock outfit False Priest. If you’re looking to shake things up on Wednesday and truly get a full taste of the Noise Pop 2016 lineup, stop by the intimately accommodating Brick & Mortar Music Hall and check out this exceptional lineup.

Andrew Jackson Jihad with BATTLEHOOCH, Owl Paws: February 24th (WED) @ The Chapel, 7 p.m., 21+

Maybe you’re looking to let loose mid-work week? If being an adult has got you down, come through The Chapel on Wednesday night and get weird with the prominent wild card’s of Noise Pop 2016. Are you into the collective craze of Andrew Jackson Jihad’s folk-punk antics or daydreaming of being swaddled in the illustrious locks of Grant Goodrich, the bass player of SF’s own BATTLEHOOCH? Regardless of your motivation, we recommend you get there early for Owl Paws’ set and go pile-driving into the second half of your work week.

Thursday, February 24th

Kamasi Washington

“Gin N Jazz” feat. Kamasi Washington in conversation with David Katznelson: February 25th (THUR) @ Swedish American Hall, 4 p.m., 21+ (RSVP required)

As part of Noise Pop 2016’s “HQ Culture Hour” series, Bay Area music veteran and Birdman Recording Group founder David Katznelson will be chatting with saxophonist Kamasi Washington about all things jazz over gin libations sponsored by UK independent spirit purveyor Sipsmith. Signed as an accomplished protégé and part of the label’s early roster while playing as a teenager in The Young Jazz Giants, Washington has a storied history with plenty to discuss about the origins and ever-growing complexities of jazz in mainstream art and culture. Touching upon Washington’s roots, recording process and musical journey, this conversation will be a great opportunity to get an in-depth look at the band leader outside of his sold-out show later that evening.

Antwon with Alexander Spit, Unlikely Heroes: February 25th (THUR) @ The New Parish, 8 p.m., 21+ // WIN TICKETS

This lineup depicts a hometown love letter to Bay Area hip-hop. Throwing down this Thursday is a full lineup of performers looking to turn up The New Parish in Oakland. Bay Area native and world-renowned lyrcist Antwon headlines the night with his cross-over brand of indie hip-hop and will be supported by locally raised rapper and producer Alexander Spit. Kicking off the party will be SF Battle of the Band’s winner Unlikely Heroes, the hip-hop/punk outfit that promises to get the crowd pumped up.

Friday, February 26th

Parquet Courts

Parquet Courts with Chris Cohen, The World: February 26th (FRI) @ The New Parish, 8 p.m., 21+ // WIN TICKETS

Want to go to the heaviest lineup Noise Pop has to offer? Are you into sludgy, low-fi garage rock and sweaty, eardrum-rattling rock shows? No? GTFOH! But seriously, if you’re looking to do something Friday night that will leave you invigorated (more than likely wet and quite possibly with a couple of mystery bruises), look no further. The New Parish is hosting the dream lineup of prog rock and punk with Parquet Courts headlining a sold-out show with openers Chris Cohen and Emotional. If you slept on the opportunity to tear it up this Friday, you’ll still have a chance to go for free on us. Stay tuned!

Beacon with Natasha Kmeto, Running in the Fog, Frugal Father: February 26th (FRI) @ Bottom of the Hill, 8 p.m., 21+

Besides getting the chance to see some of the most promising up-and-coming artists right on the cusp of a major breakthrough, one of the perks of going to Noise Pop is that all the show are being hosted in venues that are known and loved throughout SF’s music scene. This Friday, darkwave electronic duo Beacon will take over the shoulder-grazing space of Bottom of the Hill for a truly special, one-off performance. With Beacon debuting material off of their brand-new EP, this guaranteed dance party with support from Natasha Kmeto, Running in the Fog and Frugal Father will be bursting at the seams inside this favorite venue among punk and hard-rock locals.

Saturday, February 27th

Escort

Escort with MOBLEY, COLLAJ, Push the Feelings DJs: February 26th (FRI) @ Rickshaw Stop, 8:30 p.m., 18+

Pulling influences from the legendary discos in New York, Chicago and Detroit while claiming the headlining spot on Noise Pop’s Saturday night roster at Rickshaw Stop is Brooklyn’s very own Escort. Hailed as a type of “disco orchestra” with a live show comprised of anywhere between a 5-11-piece roster, the East Coast “funktronica” outfit will be debuting new music from there yet-to-be-released sophomore album. Supported by Austin trip-hop artist MOBLEY, SF’s COLLAJ (formerly 8th Grader) and Push the Feelings DJs, this will be one of the fiercest dance parties of the entire weekend.

Song Exploder podcast with Carly Rae Jepsen: February 26th (FRI) @ Swedish American Hall, 2:30 p.m., All Ages (RSVP required)

Continuing its second year as a part of Noise Pop, Hrishikesh Hirway hosts his live storytelling “Song Exploder” podcast from the confines of the Swedish American Hall this Saturday with Carly Rae Jepsen. Dissecting her latest album Emotion and the creative thought process behind composing lead single “I Needed You”, Jepsen will sit down for a candid interview with Hirway that will lead into her performance that evening at The Warfield.

Sunday, February 28th

DIIV

DIIV with Dirty Ghosts, Creative Adult, Fine Points @ The Independent, 7:30 p.m., 21+ (SOLD OUT) // WIN TICKETS

Closing out the festival this year with a final punctuation of raw indie-rock talent, Sunday night’s bill at The Independent highlights some of the biggest names on this year’s lineup. Headlining the showcase will be DIIV, a side project from the former members of Beach Fossils and Smith Westerns, celebrating the release of their critically acclaimed new album Is the Is Are. Paired with local female-fronted rock powerhouse Dirty Ghosts and North Bay punks Creative Adult, this show will be having you question the validity of your Sunday and whether or not a lineup of this magnitude holds much relevance when accessing your upcoming work week.

See the full list of Noise Pop 2016 events here, and you can still purchase festival passes here. Keep it here at Showbams and on our Twitter account here throughout the week for a chance to win tickets to this year’s shows.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Alexander Spit, Andrew Jackson Jihad, Antwon, Battlehooch, Beacon, Bender's Bar & Grill, Bottom of the Hill, Carly Rae Jepsen, Chris Cohen, Creative Adult, DIIV, Dirty Ghosts, Escort, False Priest, Fine Points, Fucked Up But Beautiful, Joywave, Kamasi Washington, Metric, MOBLEY, Noise Pop, Noise Pop 2016, Owl Paws, Palehound, Parquet Courts, Rickshaw Stop, Song Exploder, Swedish American Hall, The Chapel, The Independent, The Masonic, The New Parish, The Warfield, The World, Two Sheds, Unlikely Heroes, Wild Ones

Glen Hansard casts a spell on his SF fans

November 20, 2015 by BenJamin Wallen Leave a Comment

By Benjamin Wallen //

Glen Hansard with Aoife O’Donovan //
The Masonic – San Francisco
November 10th, 2015 //

Glen Hansard is a gem. I first discovered his music in the film “Once” as many Americans did, and I quickly became enamored with it. The music to “Once” was the first soundtrack I had bought in years, and I played it regularly on repeat.

Hansard’s gentle music felt so very real, far more real than so much of the American music that came out at the time of “Once”. Authenticity oozes from Hansard’s music, and seeing him at The Masonic, my first show there since the remodel, was a real treat.

Opening the show was Aoife O’Donovan, a singer and guitar player in the folk-rock realm. A spotlight and a guitar was all she needed to command the crowd’s attention with her soft, pillowy voice warming everyone up. The sound at The Masonic was on point for O’Donovan’s set and really showcased the venue’s acoustics. Since the show, I have been falling backwards into O’Donovan’s other work, which includes the music she creates with the Boston-based progressive bluegrass/string band Crooked Still.

Hansard took the stage with a single light blasting from aside the stage. The mood inside the room was haunting and somber as he sang with no mic, summoning the crowd to a silence. Last time I saw someone with this much power was Bonnie Raitt singing “I Can’t Make You Love Me” at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in 2013.

I am a sucker for Irish music and the voice that comes with it. I found out about The Clancy Brothers, the influential Irish folk group popular during the 60’s, while watching a Bob Dylan documentary that convinced me to listen to more folk and Irish music. There is something about the Irish that is incredibly welcoming. After visiting Ireland a few years back, I fell in love with the rolling hills, the pubs and the people. My first night waiting in a lobby for a friend had my first encounter with a drunken Irishmen. I couldn’t understand a word he said, but it was a magical moment between the number of laughs and smiles that came from both of us in that fun, yet challenging conversation. There is no doubt a great amount of love to an Irish laugh.

Listening to Hansard and his band is a soul smile. His ability to play music with delicacy and power is astounding. The night was beyond magical. The Masonic was the perfect venue for Hansard and his band. The vibe onstage felt as though you were standing on the corner in Dublin watching a street band playing music at night under street lights.

It is easy to say magic when you speak of music, but there is something also hauntingly exhausting about Hansard’s music. You can feel both the struggle and the hope dancing around, but it feels so good. You don’t ever feel alone while listening to his ballads. He must be seen live. You can listen to his music constantly at home, but that feeling you will take away from his live show will stay with you for days and weeks, like a warm sweater of good.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Aoife O'Donovan, Crooked Still, Glen Hansard, The Masonic

SF Show of Week (Halloween edition) // GO4FREE to Passion Pit & RAC at The Masonic 10/30 (FRI)

October 28, 2015 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Written by Nik Crossman //

Passion Pit with RAC, Coleman Hell, Aaron Axelsen //
The Masonic – San Francisco
October 30th, 2015 //

Releasing Passion Pit’s third studio album Kindred in April, frontman Michael Angelakos finally steps into the light and pulls back the veil of anonymity that he so carefully crafted with the band’s first two albums. Passion Pit’s sophomore album Gossamer quickly gained popularity when it debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 in 2012. While Angelakos’ quixotic nature is not absent in Kindred, it is more refined without the distancing reverb and esoteric lyrics that were prevalent in the group’s previous releases. Passion Pit has been promoting their latest album on tour since its release and brings the tour to a close this week in SF at LIVE 105’s Scream Scene 2015.

Meanwhile, think of your favorite rock, indie, electronic and dance artists — and Remix Artist Collective (RAC) has likely remixed one of their songs. From The Shins to Death Cab for Cutie to Kings of Leon to Lana Del Rey, RAC expands their sound while maintaining the integrity of a song’s original structure. Developing RAC in 2007, André Allen Anjos set out to redefine how songs were remixed, using analog keyboards and tape machines to create his signature sound and steer away from the typical club/dance remix. While RAC initially gained popularity from Anjos’ remixes, the band released its first original song “Hollywood” in 2012 with the help of Penguin Prison’s Chris Glover and a second original track “Let Go” in 2013 that features Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke and MNDR (aka Amanda Lucille Warner).

This Friday, Passion Pit and RAC will storm into The Masonic with Coleman Hell and Aaron Axelsen providing support. You can buy tickets for $50, or you could win a pair of tickets by submitting your full name and email below.

Contest ends this Friday at 3 p.m.

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

• Wand: October 29th (THUR) at Brick & Mortar Music Hall
• Awolnation: October 29th (THUR) at The Masonic
• Ceremony: October 29th (THUR) at Great American Music Hall
• Roky Erickson: October 31st (SAT) at The Independent

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.

Filed Under: Contests Tagged With: Aaron Axelsen, Awolnation, Brick & Mortar Music Hall, Ceremony, Coleman Hell, Great American Music Hall, Live 105, LIVE 105's Scream Scene 2015, Meg Myers, Passion Pit, Roky Erickson, Scream Scene, Scream Scene 2015, The Fillmore, The Masonic, Wand

Fruit Bats are back together and hitting the road this fall on My Morning Jacket’s latest U.S. tour

October 9, 2015 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

Photos by Annie Beedy // Written by Josh Herwitt //

Since their early beginnings in Louisville, My Morning Jacket have toed the line between the indie and jam worlds better than any other rock ‘n’ roll band out there. But they’re also now partially responsible for reviving an early pioneer of the post-millennial, folk-rock boom that stormed the U.S. music industry more than a decade ago.

Conceived by Eric Johnson while working as an instructor at The Old Town School of Folk Music in his native Chicago, Fruit Bats first served as an outlet for the 39-year-old singer-songwriter to experiment writing songs with his 4-track recording device.

“My ultimate goal was to play the local club on a Tuesday night,” Johnson tells me by phone. “I was coming from this very shrewd indie-rock era. My goal was just to have a couple people hear it, and I didn’t even think that would happen.”

Johnson, nevertheless, would go on to befriend James Mercer of The Shins and Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse while touring as a member of Califone, gaining the support of both bands before signing Fruit Bats to Sub Pop Records in 2002 and releasing a new LP on the Seattle label the following year.

“It took going on tour and seeing those guys do well to realize it doesn’t take magic,” Johnson says with regard to the role The Shins and Modest Mouse played in helping Fruit Bats reach a wider audience during the early 2000’s. “You get to see how the wheels start to turn and how it can work.”

Fruit Bats subsequently released three more studio albums on Sub Pop, with Johnson joining The Shins during part of that time as a multi-instrumentalist. But more than two years after putting the final touches on the band’s last full length Tripper, Johnson announced that Fruit Bats would be no more. He was set on taking his career solo, and if that meant calling it quits on the band he founded and led for more than 15 years, then that’s what he had to do.

It was a decision that Johnson still doesn’t regret making now almost two years later, largely because it has completely flipped his perspective on playing in a band, something he started to miss as a solo artist. And after much thought, he came up with a “new” concept for a band, only to realize that it was exactly what Fruit Bats had been all along.

“I formulated this whole plan in my head that seemed like such a great idea, and when I looked at it all on paper, I said, ‘I did that already,'” he says.

Around this same time, My Morning Jacket came calling, asking Johnson if he wanted to open for them as a solo act over a two-week stretch — starting on Sunday at the Santa Barbara Bowl and continuing Tuesday in Los Angeles at the Shrine Auditorium before hitting San Francisco for three straight nights at The Masonic a couple days later — on their current U.S. tour.

“My Morning Jacket asked if I wanted to do the tour and open solo,” he says. “I thought, ‘That would suck to open solo for those guys.’ I felt like I would be swallowed up by those rooms.”

So, rather than turning them down, Johnson proposed another idea.

“I asked them, ‘What if I reunited Fruit Bats for these shows?'” he says. “And they were like, ‘That would rule! That would be awesome!’ So, I got the My Morning Jacket seal of approval.”

Shortly thereafter, Johnson wrote on the band’s Twitter page that he would be performing as Fruit Bats again, but the accomplished film scorer (his credentials include working on “Our Idiot Brother” in 2011 and “Smashed” in 2012) would also reveal two months later that he had begun writing the band’s next album, which is slated for release in early 2016.

Still, after 16 years fronting Fruit Bats, he never expected that he would be taking the band on the road as an opener.

“I don’t do opening tours ever,” says Johnson, who splits his time between Portland, where he now calls home, and LA, where he’s currently recording the latest Fruit Bats album. “I’ve said ‘No’ to a lot of them because it’s hard. It’s a bus-chasing tour as they call it.”

But opening for My Morning Jacket, even with the prospect of doing it while traveling from state to state on a bus, was an opportunity that Johnson, whom has been friends with Jim James for a number of years now, couldn’t pass up when the offer was presented to him.

“My Morning Jacket would be on the very short list of people I would chase around because talk about one of the great rock ‘n’ roll bands of our time that is making super relevant and timeless music,” he says. “It seemed like a no-brainer. If you want to talk about a big band with that reach that I would want to get in front of, they’re definitely one of them.”

From California to Arizona to Texas, Fruit Bats will take on some fairly large venues this month, even if it means doing it as an opener despite having been around the block like Johnson has by now.

“It can be a pretty thankless gig,” he says when it comes to opening shows.

If there’s one thing Johnson can be thankful for though, it’s that phone call he got earlier this year from My Morning Jacket.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Interviews, Live Music Previews Tagged With: Califone, Fruit Bats, Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, Santa Barbara Bowl, Shrine Auditorium, The Masonic, The Shins

Old Crow Medicine Show’s sweat sound & punk-rock energy even gets security dancing at The Masonic

September 22, 2014 by Pedro Paredes 1 Comment

By Pedro Paredes //

Old Crow Medicine Show with The Deslondes //
The Masonic – San Francisco
September 20th, 2014 //

Old Crow Medicine Show’s music has been called many things: bluegrass, country, folk, mountain style, and so on. As someone who is rather new to the whole blue-grass scene, I wasn’t quite sure how to define it myself.

I’ll admit my senses were a bit confused, and not only because of all the beers ingested previously to the show: my ears heard the sweet sounds of an Americana string band, but my eyes saw the energy of a punk-rock band taking over stage and audience.

My feet were standing in SF’s Nob Hill, at the newly renovated Masonic Center, but my mind was wondering through the green pastures of Tennessee. Even the venue’s security people got a bad case of the Southern charm; at one point near the end of the show, when an overly enthusiastic fan invaded the stage, one of the bouncers could not resist his dancing feet and decided to start his own country “kicker dancing” session to the delight of the band and whole venue. Definitely, a show to be remembered.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Old Crow Medicine Show, The Deslondes, The Masonic

Beck opens for himself to launch The Masonic in SF

September 20, 2014 by Mike Frash Leave a Comment

By Mike Frash

Beck //
The Masonic – San Francisco
September 19th, 2014 //

A new music venue premiered in San Francisco on Friday night in a historic space with Beck breaking the champaign bottle on The Masonic, formerly known as the Nob Hill Masonic Center.

It was an early-evening event, as Beck Hansen took to the stage at 8:37 and was finished by 10:20, which is likely a harbinger for events to come at the venue promoted by Live Nation.

Located atop Nob Hill, a district rich in history (and hoity-toity residents), opening night of The Masonic has been a long time coming. Live Nation began this refurbishment process in 2008, but Nob Hill neighborhood groups did everything in their power to thwart The Masonic’s development.

After appeals to Superior Court and a lengthy environmental review, the parties settled at a cap of 79 events per year, fewer bars available to control alcohol consumption and an early starting (and ending times) for events.

The lines to purchase food and drinks were indeed very long, with only four places to queue up for a capacity 3,300 crowd. And when tickets range from $75.00-$99.50 plus fees, access to a quick beer pre-show shouldn’t be a hassle, but it is what it is. Live Nation sent out an email on Friday that had warned of the early start time, which had a large majority of patrons arriving at the same time around 8pm.

Expensive tickets also translated into typical SF laissez-faire security treatment, both at the doors and in not policing open marijuana smoking. Also, posters to commemorate the evening were handed out upon leaving The Masonic, something Live Nation has made a wonderful habit of doing for every sold out show at The Fillmore.

The venue is extremely intimate for its size, with all seats and General Admission areas close to the stage, which speaks to the architectural choice of a spherical space. This also helps the overall sound as well compared to other venues, allowing audio waves to envelop the audience.

So maybe it was due to time constraints, or that Beck is a festival headliner and he doesn’t need the support, but there was no opening act on the bill. So Beck opened for himself, and he said as much upon taking the stage.

The opening nine-song segment honed on Beck’s more mellow offerings, taking on most of this year’s Morning Phase, a couple cuts from 2002’s Sea Change and “Asshole” by fan-request for only the fourth time since 2009.

The mix was a bit rough at first, with vocals and guitar too high, but after a few songs, instruments blended much better. Beck and band briefly left the stage to signify a changeover to the radio hits, but “Devil’s Haircut” was a train wreck to ignite the rock section of the show. It sounded as if the drum and bass were being played in a different time signature than the rest of the group. Everything tightened up by the time “Loser” had begun.

The Quiet Storm stretched out crime scene caution tape at the end of the main set, only to cut said tape during the always entertaining “Debra” during the encore.

Despite the small hiccups, Beck put on a thoroughly enjoyable evening, particularly by leading with the Morning Phase-driven segment.

Old Crow Medicine Show, Train and Modest Mouse will be performing at The Masonic this week if you want to check out SF’s newest music venue.

SETLIST
The Golden Age
Blackbird Chain
Blue Moon
Say Goodbye
Heart Is a Drum
Country Down
Lost Cause
Asshole(Partial)
Waking Light

Devil’s Haircut
Black Tambourine
Loser
Hell Yes
Think I’m in Love / I Feel Love
(Donna Summer cover)
Soul of a Man
Girl
Timebomb
E-Pro

ENCORE
Debra
Where It’s At

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Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Beck, The Masonic

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Monday, February 22nd

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Saturday, February 27th

Sunday, February 28th

Glen Hansard casts a spell on his SF fans

SF Show of Week (Halloween edition) // GO4FREE to Passion Pit & RAC at The Masonic 10/30 (FRI)

Fruit Bats are back together and hitting the road this fall on My Morning Jacket’s latest U.S. tour

Old Crow Medicine Show’s sweat sound & punk-rock energy even gets security dancing at The Masonic

Beck opens for himself to launch The Masonic in SF

SHOW REVIEWS

It’s great to see Mike Patton back onstage & performing once again as Mr. Bungle rile up a sold-out crowd at Hollywood Palladium

FOALS deliver another ‘sweaty good time’ at Hollywood Palladium while traversing the globe on their ‘Life Is Yours Tour’

PHOTOS

Avey Tare of Animal Collective gives us a peek into his process with an explosion of sounds & colors at a sold-out Lodge Room

Moderat are back to mesmerizing their fans again following an extended hiatus as they demonstrate at The Wiltern

FESTIVALS

Portola Music Festival returns to SF’s Pier 80 for second edition while tapping Eric Prydz & Skrillex as headliners in 2023

Wow! Coachella unearths 2023 set times & drops another surprise as blink-182 unexpectedly gets ready to rock the Empire Polo Club

Ohana Festival rolls into 2023 with The Killers, HAIM, Eddie Vedder, The Chicks, Foo Fighters & Pretenders lined up for seventh year

Goldenvoice announces inaugural Power Trip festival in 2023 led by Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica & Tool

HARD Summer Music Festival changes locations, moves back to two days in 2023 with Kaskade B2B John Summit, Skrillex B2B Four Tet

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