Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
I’ve listened to “The Kids” about 20 times in the last week. This song is SO GOOD! It’s like shoegaze meets country, but not in a 4AD kind of way. It’s such a timeless piece of music telling an incredibly modern story. I also appreciate any time someone tells Pete Townsend that he’s wrong.
“The Kids” is available in all the places you enjoy things. And, on May 20th, her next EP, Songs For No One Vol 2, will be available to you.
There really are few events as glorious and cathartic as a Sleater-Kinney concert. I recently attended a Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band show, and that was close. (Oddly enough, I probably would’ve never paid to see The Boss if not for Sleater-Kinney covering “This Promised Land” in the early 00s). From my first show, when my boss at the time convinced me to go with him to see them on The Hot Rock tour in 1999, the power and dynamics of that show became a permanent part of my life. That’s when they became “my band,” and for the last 25 years, this band has been the primary thing that has helped me navigate my life. And just over 300 months later, here I am, 44 years old, seeing my favorite band again, and nothing could be better. Continue reading “Show Review: Sleater-Kinney, Palehound, Rachel Dispenza at The Regency, 3/28/24”
This isn’t really a classic rock-heavy blog. BUT- Heart and Cheap Trick are probably my two favorite bands of the “classic rock” era, with Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band coming in third. And it’s INSANE that Heart and Cheap Trick are touring together, kicking off their fall tour in San Francisco at Chase Center on September 26th. And it’s being dubbed the “Royal Flush” tour, because Heart + Cheap Trick = Terrible Gambling Experience?
Tickets are on sale NOW for Citibank Card Holders, and go on sale for the general public Friday, April 5th at 10am local time at https://www.heart-music.com/. Full dates below if you can get past the Barracuda: Continue reading “HEART WEST COAST TOUR with CHEAP TRICK!!!”
It’s funny- it feels like we are waiting longer and longer every year for Outside Lands to kick off… BUT! It’s been about the same time every year. Just everyone else is announcing earlier. That being said, I look forward to this weekend every year. I love being able to sort of fully disconnect from my day-to-day existence (with proper preparation to make sure my responsibilities will be covered.)
Anyways, Outside Lands is August 9th-11th this year, and Eager Beaver tickets, which is the cheapest way to get in the door, go on sale 4/3/24 at 10am. GA are starting at $425, GA+ (Expedited Entry & Exclusive Bathrooms!) start at $665, VIP starts at $965, and the ultra-swank Golden Gate Club starts at $4,895. Past Outside Lands coverage can be found here!
I’m a sucker for good political satire. Griefcat has managed to hit basically everything that frustrates me about conservative culture in a concise, hooky 3 minutes. The emotional journey, surprise punchlines, everything is lovely with “Love The Sinner.” They’ve essentially picked up where the great Garfunkel & Oates left off nearly a decade ago.
“Love The Sinner” is the latest single from their upcoming full length Late Stage Capitalism, which you’ll be able to enjoy on April 19th.
Well, holy shit. Sabrina Teitelbaum, aka Blondshell, put out the best debut record of last year… Maybe even the decade? There’s no way she’s going to one-up that perfect LP, is she? Well, her gift for characters and storytelling seems only to be getting better. Such a darkly honest and pure and risky piece of lyric! If “Docket” is a glimmer of what her sophomore record will be like… Well, we probably don’t deserve that record.
“Docket” is available in all the usual places. She’s also on the road for, well, a very long time. Hopefully, she will grace our presence in the Bay Area again soon, too. Until then, there are plenty of places for you to visit:
Continue reading “BONUS SINGLE: “Docket” by Blondshell featuring Bully”
Jesus Christ, this song is heavy. I’m not quite sure how else to describe it. This song is one blistering blend of drop D-tuned guitars combined with vocals so emotionally volatile that King Isis sounds like they are singing through their heart, which they’ve ripped out of their own chest and smashed in your face. And seriously. They are so intense and heavy that they are the polar opposite of what the terrorist group ISIS stands for, reclaiming it with a guttural thunder. A reminder that Oakland, CA, is where all the best people on Earth are from.
“NVR RLLY” is the latest single from Shed and the latest EP from King Isis, and it just so happens to be out TODAY!
I’ll admit that the single of the week rarely finds itself on the darker end of the pop spectrum. But “Decoy” by the joyfully named Bree-on-uh is equal parts dark and warm and has been sticking to my soul for a full week now. This song definitely makes me feel bright, in all its minor key glory and is likely to do the same for you.
“Decoy” can be enjoyed in all the usual places. I expect good things to come from her, so follow her on the socials, too!
If you didn’t know Bay Area psych mastermind Spacemoth. had joined La Luz already, you’d know within a few notes of “Strange World.” It really is a perfect union- La Luz’s dreamscapes getting punched up by Spacemoth.’s trademark warmth and danceability. It’s the strongest song in what’s a very, very strong combined catalog of the two acts, and I can’t wait to hear more of this very, very holy union.
“Strange World” is the first single off News Of The Universe, coming May 24th. Preorders are happening now! The band will also be on the road for, well, what looks like ever! Dates can be found here!
Sometimes disparate elements can come together and make something more beautiful than you’d ever expect. “Moving” by Bay Area-based dream-popsters Torrey is equal parts dreamy and loud in all the right ways, making for a perfectly head swimmy 3:39 that will satisfy your need to disconnect from the horrors of reality while still helping you thrive within those horrors.
Torrey’s self-titled full-length is out March 8th on Slumberland Records. Preordering can be done here. They are also playing the stacked Oakland Weekender at Thee Stork Club, happening June 6th – 8th, alongside twee legends #poundsign#, All Girl Summer Fun Band, Seablite, Kids On A Crime Spree, and many, many more.
