Yes, I'm looking at you.
At one point late in the Silversun Pickups set at The Fox Oakland, lead singer Brian Aubert started listing off all of the Bay Area venues they had played: Rickshaw Stop, The Fillmore, Bimbo’s, Cafe Du Nord, Bottom of the Hill (this one got the biggest applause), BFD, Outside Lands. They’ve been here a lot. Because of this, it’s a bit of a surprise that it took them nearly 18 months after the release of their last album, Swoon, to finally play a headlining show in the Bay Area. So, was it worth the wait? [read the whole post]
Hot Chip and their sonic jungle
Anyone passing through the lobby of the Fox Theater last night would have guessed, by the WHOMM WHOMM WHOMM of thudding bass and the polychromatic splashes of color across the glass entrance doors, that the normally-rock-band-friendly theater had been taken over by a massive rave. While there were, indeed, sparkling electronics, trumpeting synthesizers and a solid sense of rhythm, a live band was to be found onstage, with five total members contributing to intricate layers of percussion, electronics, and even vocal duties. The quintet, however, was not a group of tribal-clad or neon-covered techno gods; they were, well, five fellows who love music just as much as the next guy. Collectively, they are known as Hot Chip.
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What surprises did Thom have that aren't listed? Read on to find out!
An international man of mystery. No, not that one. Thom Yorke’s experimental genius continues to grow over the years and has culminated into his current project entitled “Atoms For Peace.” Bay Area music fans were treated to two performances on what has been a very brief and selective tour, ending with a headlining performance at this year’s Coachella music festival. As most ticket holders to Wednesday’s performance have already claimed, they did not leave disappointed. It would be safe to assume that a large majority of Thursday’s audience were veterans of the previous night’s performance. Given the opportunity, who wouldn’t allow Thom and his new group of lads to dazzle them two nights in a row?
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Energetic Atoms
I think we’ve reached the point where if Thom Yorke’s name was attached to a juggling festival, the show would be sold out in three seconds flat. Nobody in music today holds the same trust in the eyes, ears, and hearts of fans more than he does. All Radiohead fans seem to blindly follow, and with good reason, whether it’s his own project, or if he’s simply recommending some new music. As one of those followers, although I do like to think I have my eyes open (I haven’t purchased every piece of music he’s recommended, or own every b-side put out!), I was there at the beautiful Fox Theater with everyone else ready to lose ourselves in the live version of the mostly electronic The Eraser. [read the whole post]
The poster for tonight's Spoon show
The bands of the Fox Theater have, as of late, been jumping back and forth across a gamut of incredibly popular to somewhat-smaller-but-still-with-a-chance-of-selling-the-place-out. This has caused the audience to span from regular concertgoers to I-came-tonight-because-I-loved-that-band-on-the-radio; as a result, most of the shows have brought a large, but someone random, selection of their fanbase. The crowd for tonight’s Spoon show, however, was solid in their intention and dedication. Gone was the stunned disbelief of seeing a band onstage for the first time; absent were the jaded showgoers who had “seen this band a thousand times.” The fans for tonight’s show were much like the band’s performance: steadfast, tightly-knit, and full of rock-and-roll energy.
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Air performs "La Femme d'Argent"
Electronic acts far and wide have begun to embrace the digital world as a new means of performance, production, and musical composition. Despite the ease and shimmer that is brought to songs of digital birth, there is really nothing quite like the humming, warm drones of analog circuits, whether they be in new-school oscillators or old-school synthesizers — or possibly both. Tonight’s performance at the Fox Theater welcomed two acts — Air from France, and AM from Los Angeles — who brought the gentle charm of analog and the sweeping beauty of ambient electronics to a theater which often plays host to some of the loudest and most bombastic rock acts of today. [read the whole post]
