Last Sunday, August 4th, 2024, Stern Grove was buzzing with excitement as fans gathered for an unforgettable performance by Alex G. The picturesque setting, surrounded by vibrant nasturtiums, towering eucalyptus, majestic redwoods, and winding sandy embankments, provided a perfect backdrop for the afternoon concert. Continue reading “Show Review: Alex G at Stern Grove, 8/4/24”
Album Review: Foster the People, “Paradise State of Mind”
In the years following Foster the People’s third studio album in 2017, Sacred Heart’s Club, during the height of the COVID pandemic, front man Mark Foster recalls wondering, “How can I make a record that is healing for me, and maybe for people who listen to it, too?” Now, seven years later, Foster the People is releasing its fourth full-length studio album, Paradise State of Mind, a cosmically hopeful and upbeat record heavily influenced by late 70s disco and early 80s New Wave. The album is not without its lyrical meditations on sadness and emotionally dark places, but overall, it’s a joyful blend of varied instrumentation, dance-floor beats, and catchy hooks. It’s all about balance – in life as in music. As Foster sings on the lead single, “Lost in Space,” amidst a double quartet of strings and Giorgio Moroder-inspired synths, “Love when I’m with you / a warm embrace / the more we give ourselves, the more we have to give away.” Continue reading “Album Review: Foster the People, “Paradise State of Mind””
Show Review: Megadeth + Mudvayne at Toyota Pavilion in Concord
Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ConcertGoingPro
San Francisco Bay Area did a good job on this particular weekend keeping everyone segregated to their respective tribes. Outside Lands Music Festival catered to the norms and the hipsters in the middle of The City in Golden Gate Park, Vice Prez Kamala Harris had a fundraiser for the wealthy 1% at Fairmont Hotel way up on top of Nob Hill, and Megadeth, Mudvayne, and All That Remains brought the metal and goth and punk kids (and adults) all the way out to Concord at Toyota Pavilion, for their Destroy All Enemies tour.
Continue reading “Show Review: Megadeth + Mudvayne at Toyota Pavilion in Concord”
Single of the Week: “Bright Lights” by The Killers
I am currently in a bit of a frenzy, gathering my things for the day for Outside Lands and realizing that it’s been a whole 16 years since I last saw The Killers live. In that time, they’ve become the legacy act they’ve always aimed to be, bridging together generations and influencing a sea of young acts. I was getting ready for an evening of nostalgia-fueled hits, only to find… A new single? Do I dare listen? What if I hate it? And surprisingly, not only does it not sound like the band that created Hot Fuss, but it’s warm and big, and I kinda love it.
“Bright Lights” is available in all the usual places. Tonight, they are headlining Outside Lands before returning home to Vegas for a monthlong residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
Film Review: “Sugarcane”
Sugarcane depicts the importance of breaking a generational cycle of trauma and exposing the truth
If you’re unfamiliar with “Indian residential schools,” which were boarding schools run by the Catholic church for Indigenous children in Canada and the United States, their existence marks a horrific chapter in North American history with repercussions still being felt (and investigated) to this day. Sugarcane is a new documentary by co-directors Emily Kassie and Julian Brave Noisecat that brings us into the emotional fold of these repercussions. Sugarcane shines a specific spotlight on the Canadian residential school system and the traumatic impact they’ve had on generations of Indigenous families. It’s a troubling and devastating documentary, but all the more important viewing for the strength and resilience it represents. Continue reading “Film Review: “Sugarcane””
Interview: Yasuko Onuki & Ichiro Agata of Melt-Banana
Melt-Banana has always been my favorite band from Japan. For over 40 years, they’ve been releasing some of the fastest and most furious guitar-driven music and show no signs of slowing down. In tempo or workload. On August 23rd, they will be releasing their first record in 9 years, “3+5,” which is available to preorder here. Shortly after the release, they will be touring the UK, and hopefully, they will join us back in the States soon. We had the opportunity to chat it Yasuko Onuki and Ichiro Agata during their break between US and UK tours, and I believe I was able to tone down my fanboy instincts to have a coherent chat: Continue reading “Interview: Yasuko Onuki & Ichiro Agata of Melt-Banana”
Single Of The Week: “IDK WTD” by Human Touch
Oh, man! This was such a lovely surprise this morning to see that Natalia Rogovin’s Human Touch project is back! “IDK WTD” is such a blissful lofi synth gem that has dramatically lifted my spirits today. This song is just plain perfect- it’s warm, it’s catchy, and it moves in several different directions. Rogovin is singing in a different register than she did with her band Social Studies, allowing her to bring out a different emotional range. And I know you’ll hear it, but I’m a sucker for the perfect “crack” in a song, and her voice cracks in a way that simply sends my heart aflutter.
I’m hoping this is a sign of more to come. “IDK WTD” is available everywhere. Keep an eye out on Human Touch’s Instagram page for more (I hope).
Bikini Kill Tour Starts Next Month!
Kathleen Hanna is so busy these days that it’s hard to keep track of which project is doing what and when. Last year was a Le Tigre-heavy year, and so far, Hanna has been focusing on her excellent book, Rebel Girl. But Bikini Kill *just* made their network TV debut (after 34 years!) on The Late Show Wait Stephen Colbert, and they are crossing North America starting in LA at The Wiltern on August 15th-16th, coming to The Warfield (a venue that figures prominently in the aforementioned book) August 18th-19th, and wrapping up Baltimore on September 12th. And, as she hinted at her City Arts & Lectures appearance back in May, there are no future Bikini Kill plans currently, so it would be wise to hit up one of these.
Full Tour Dates Below: Continue reading “Bikini Kill Tour Starts Next Month!”
Single of the Week: “AYAYAY” by Noga Erez featuring Dillom
Some weeks the Single Of The Week can be a really easy decision. And other weeks, I’m digging through tracks, waiting for the thing that pulls me in. This week was actually a bit of the latter. Then I stumbled over a name that I’d seen a lot and ignored: Noga Erez. I guess it was finally my time because “AYAYAY” was the thing that I needed to re-energize my day. It’s a blend of Reggaeton, Cumbia, and Middle Eastern beats combined with Erez’s impressive mic Spanglish mic skills, with the Dillom cameo coming in tastefully, just adding some color to the song without overwhelming it. I get how she landed the Missy Elliott seal of approval.
“AYAYAY” is available in all the usual places. Her next album, The Vandalist, is ready to pick up your Fall doldrums on September 20th. Preorders and presaves are happening now!
Mosswood Meltdown – An Epic Punk Rock Festival
Warning! This article has unsponsored, unfiltered tales from the Photo Pit. I’m excited to share highlights of Mosswood Meltdown, an absolute pinnacle event. I’m ever grateful for its return each year and its host, John Waters. Continue reading “Mosswood Meltdown — An Epic Punk Rock Festival”