Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
Winter Music Fest. It’s a thing, and it’s happening right now. If Noise Pop is the Oscars, then perhaps Winter Music Fest is the Golden Globes. Last night four bands of varying talent took turns taking the stage at Bottom of the Hill, and the result was a cornucopia of cacophony. Sure. Continue reading “Show Review: The Downer Party, The Hot Toddies, Tempo No Tempo and Fighting the Villain at Bottom of the Hill, 2/3/10”
Do Make Say Think are one of the leaders of the instrumental rock genre, and have been for some time. Along with Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai and Godspeed! You Black Emperor, they’ve fought hard against the tyranny of lyrics to play dramatic and emotional music that’s all about the music. They’re the electric guitar era’s answer to classical music. And on Tuesday night, they brought their nine-piece ensemble to Great American Music Hall, which is a perfect venue for them. Continue reading “Show Review: Do Make Say Think with themselves at Great American Music Hall, 2/2/10”
The Webb Sisters performed their first of two partially seated shows at Café Du Nord last night. Not many get two consecutive nights to perform at Du Nord, but who doesn’t love a sister act? However, given how many there are, it can be difficult differentiating The Webb Sisters from such similar acts as The Watson Twins, The Chapin Sisters, or their clearest musical inspirations, t.A.T.u. But in this instance, it’s simple: these are the sisters who scored the once-in-a-lifetime gig of singing harmony for Leonard Cohen on his enthusiastically acclaimed recent tour. And it was very clear that the majority of those in attendance at Du Nord last night were hoping for more of the same. But is that what they got? (Also, just kidding about t.A.T.u.)
Continue reading “Show Review: The Webb Sisters at Café Du Nord, 1/25/10”
What makes a live show good? Obviously the music is a huge component. It’s almost a stupid question to ask. But when you think about it, music isn’t the only component. You can go to a show where the music is revolutionary but the performance, crowd, maybe even the smell just suck. I pose this question because White Denim, is a hard performing band. As much as you may read that they don’t stick to one genre, you won’t understand until you see them live. Their music was good. What made the show awesome was how hard they performed. Continue reading “Show Review: White Denim at The Independent, 1/20/10”
Styx gets a bad rap. They’re one of those punch-line bands that people claim to like ironically. This is both unfair and stupid. There’s a subset of great classic rock bands that are being kept out of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for having the gall to be too popular. Along with Journey, Kiss, Rush, Boston and Chicago, it seems that success and longevity have worked against them. No matter, though, because an evening with Styx is what rock n’ roll is really all about. Continue reading “Show Review: Styx at the Regency Ballroom, 1/17/10”
I like going to see hockey. I’m always telling people that they can’t appreciate hockey unless they see it live. You can’t see the speed, the positioning, or really feel the hits unless you’re in the arena. But what about Hockey, the band? Do you need to see them live to truly appreciate them? Do they bring something to the table live that you just can’t hear on their excellent record, Mind Chaos? Continue reading “Show Review: Hockey with Asa Ransom and fakeyourowndeath at Bottom of the Hill, 1/15/10”
I was such a good little soldier. I took notes on my cell phone, but I was so cheap that I didn’t email them to myself because my data plan is a bit limited, and not in a good way like the 38L is. I figured I would just read them when I got into work the next day. But then the battery died. So my phone is at home, charging and watching Drew Carey butcher The Price Is Right. Good thing Brilliant Colors played, because I don’t need notes to talk about them and their heavenly sound. (Did you see what I did there?)
Cracker is a good band. They have nice fun upbeat songs, all the musicians are more than capable, their songs don’t all sound the same, and there is decent stage banter. The music is pretty straight forward likable rock. Much the same could be said about Cracker’s counterpart Camper Van Beethoven, especially since they basically have the same band members (take Camper Van Beethoven, subtract a violinist/guitarist and add a female back up singer to get Cracker). There really is no logical reason not to enjoy their live show, yet somehow, I spent the entire evening vaguely wanting to die. Why? Continue reading “Show Review: Cracker & Camper Van Beethoven at The Independent, 12/28/09”
I emailed a friend talking about how I was about to see Brian Setzer, and she responded, “is he still around?” Well, thank goodness he is, because last week he collapsed on stage, making me wonder if the tour would go on. It got me looking him up on Wikipedia to see that he’s 50 years old, and that it was 15 years ago that he put out the first Brian Setzer Orchestra CD. He’s had a long and varied career, and he’s definitely still around. So how’s he holding up? Continue reading “Show Review: Brian Setzer Orchestra with Lavay Smith at The Warfield, 12/20/09”
“Does she still look like Janice from The Muppets?” asked a friend when I mentioned I was seeing Rickie Lee Jones at The Fillmore last night. There’s certainly a resemblance, that’s for sure. It’s been 30 years since her chart-topping debut single, “Chuck E’s In Love,” but Jones, 55, is still very much the picture of laid-back, blonde, heavy-lidded California cool. And if she feels slowed down by age, she certainly didn’t show it during her marathon two-and-a-half-hour set.
Continue reading “Show Review: Rickie Lee Jones at The Fillmore, 12/19/09”