Do you like classic underground rock? Because this list has The Flaming Lips, Death, The Dwarves, The Sonics, Television, Mazzy Star, The Avengers, The Urinals, and Deerhoof on it. So, if you like classic underground rock, this is a great seven days worth of shows for you.
Thursday, October 31st
The Flaming Lips, Tame Impala, White Denim at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
It’s Halloween. It’s the single most perfect psychedelic rock show ever. The show would be worthwhile for the people watching, alone. Of course, The Flaming Lips put on one of the best shows ever. I couldn’t think of any better place to be on this holiest of days.
Death, Pure Bliss at The New Parish
The Dwarves, Mystic Nights Of The Cobra, Civil War Rust at Uptown Nightclub
Friday, November 1st & Saturday, November 2nd
Total Trash Halloween Bash featuring The Sonics at The New Parish (11/1) and Rickshaw Stop (11/2)
I had to do a double take when I saw that The Sonics were playing. I didn’t even think many of them were still alive! Sure enough, 3/5’s of the band that brought us the proto-punk classic records Here Come The Sonics and The Sonics Boom! were taking a trip outside of their home state of Tacoma, WA, and coming to both Oakland and San Francisco. This is bigger than The Replacements. This is probably the single most influential band in rock history aside from The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and The Clash.
Friday, November 1st
Janelle Monae, Roman Gianarthur at The Warfield
Janelle Monae is a true innovator. In her relatively short career, she has changed the way we listen to both rhythm and blues. She even brings a progressive rock influence into the genre without sounding pretentious. Her new record, The Electric Lady, is another work of genius, and this will be an amazing performance.
Charlie XCX, Kitten, LIZ at Slim’s
Saturday, November 2nd
The Avengers, The Urinals, Wild Assumptions at The Uptown Nightclub
The Avengers were the opening act at the final Sex Pistols show at Winterland Ballroom. The Urinals developed a sound known as “minimalist punk,” and were a huge influence on The Minutemen, Butthole Surfers, and Yo La Tengo, as well as modern bands No Age and Bleached. Each band, alone, would be well worth the far more than the $12 cover being asked. However, as a double bill? That’s simply insane!
Cut Copy, Larry Gus, Kauf at The Fox Theatre – Oakland
Sunday, November 3rd
Zoe Keating, You Are Plural at The Chapel
Monday, November 4th
Kavinsky at The Fillmore
Kavinsky is the leading name in a genre of music known as “outrun.” It’s essentially a form of electronic music that is both deeply retro and progressive. Imagine, if you will, a place where Jan Hammer’s classic 80’s TV themes were recreated as epic dance anthems, and that sort of gets you there.
Glasser, Julius Smack at The Chapel
Social Studies, Upstairs Downstairs, Tartuffi at Brick and Mortar Music Hall
Tuesday, November 5th
Television, Dennis Driscoll at The Independent
This is a really amazing week if you are looking for highly influential rock musicians of the 60’s and 70’s coming to town. We’ve already gotten shows from The Flaming Lips, Death, The Dwarves, The Sonics, The Avengers and The Urinals. Now we have the mother of all record store geek rock bands: Television! They haven’t played in over a decade, and this show sold out in a millisecond, so you better have your “I NEED A TICKET” signs freshly painted, because it’s gonna take some work to get into this one.
Deerhoof, LXMP, Solos at Bottom Of The Hill
Wednesday, November 6th
Mike Doughty, Moon Hooch at The Fillmore
Mike Doughty has shied away from his period with Soul Coughing throughout his entire solo career. He simply never played any of that material because the break up was so bitter. Now, for whatever reason, he’s doing a tour made up entirely of that material. Sadly, this means no songs about destroying a Starbucks or the many women named Jenny in his life. However, you finally might get to hear “Super Bon Bon” live, which will be amazing!
Mazzy Star, Entrance Band, Mariee Sioux at The Warfield
