Sadly, one of the highlights of the Fall concert season is taking a year off: Michael Franti’s Power To The Peaceful festival in Golden Gate Park. It’s ok, it’s coming back next year. I think that you will find plenty to do, don’t worry about it.
Thursday, September 8th
The B-52’s, The Human League, Men Without Hats at Mountain Winery
The B-52’s maybe one of the most underrated and under appreciated bands of the rock era. The produced some of the most inventive dance-rock records of the last 30 years. Sure, this may look like a nostalgia bill, but it’s one great nostalgia show.
Ladybug Transistor, Red Pony Clock, Sea Lions at Hemlock Tavern
Friday, September 9th
The Kills, Eleanor Friedberger, Mini Mansions at The Fox Theater – Oakland
The California Honeydrops, The Expanders at Rickshaw Stop
Saturday, September 10th
Rancid, H2O at The Warfield
So, in 2006, when Rancid played the Warfield, a guy named Jesse Michaels crawled on stage and sang a couple songs. Although I couldn’t find any video of it happening, it does mean that it’s a possibility that it could happen again. Not likely, but still possible. Not to spread any rumors, but wouldn’t it be awesome if that happened again?
Fleet Foxes, The Walkmen at The Greek Theater – UC Berkeley
Sunday, September 11th
Garfunkel & Oates, Guy Branum at Cobb’s Comedy Club
Sadly, this is not a supergroup consisting of the less famous halves of popular duos. Instead, it’s the hysterical comedy folk duo consisting of Riki Lindhome of Gilmore Girls and Kate Micucci of Raising Hope, two fine television programs. I can’t think of any better way to spend a Sunday night.
Monday, September 12th & Tuesday, September 13th
Iggy & The Stooges, Les Butcherettes at The Warfield
Everyone knows how great The Stooges are. Sadly, there will be no Ashetons at this show (Scott is sick, and sadly, Ron is no longer with us). Instead, we have Raw Power era guitarist James Williamson, original session sax player Steve McKay, and Minutemen bass god Mike Watt doing the loud, raw and funky. Opening is Les Butcherettes, which is about as close as you can get to a female, Mexican Stooges. Which is a good thing.
Monday, August 12th
RTX with Ty Segall, Heavy Cream at The New Parish
If you can’t get a ticket to Iggy & The Stooges, this show will be good second choice for a loud band with a charismatic frontperson that is incapable of death, that is also in far too good a shape for all the drugs they’ve done.
Wednesday, August 13th
Ke$ha, LMFAO, Spank Rock at The Fox Theater – Oakland
There is something seriously wrong with a world where Katy Perry is selling out arenas, but Ke$ha is stuck with venues getting reduced in size. The good news is that you get to see Ke$ha at a much smaller venue than initially billed, and you get to see some pure awesomeness live.
