Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
Monday night was supposed to be a night off for me. I was simply going to sit and relax at the Warfield, enjoying a quiet evening of acoustic Jethro Tull songs. I’d chat with my friend, drink some bourbon, and rock out to killer cuts from the Jethro Tull catalog. But something amazing happened that I wasn’t expecting, and I just had to share it with you. Continue reading “Show Review: Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull at The Warfield, 11/9/2009”
I love San Francisco. I love the weather, I love the variety and I love that sometimes you can just go hang out with friends at a bar and see a really good show. Not that I stumbled upon this show, I planned on going to see a friend perform, but I was very surprised with the overall quality of the performance. And I love the idea that I could have just happened to walk into this bar and ended up sweating the night away watching the amazing dance party that is the band Planet Booty. Continue reading “Show Review: Planet Booty at the Blue Macaw, 11/4/09”
When Art Brut comes to town, I get excited. Not only do I love the band, I also see them as the kind of band that tends to quit on the U.S. They blast onto the scene with the exceptional album Bang Bang Rock & Roll, and I saw them touring to promote that album four or five times. Their second album, It’s a Bit Complicated, was a relative disappointment. I’ve seen this happen with other British bands: their second album doesn’t perform well over here, and then I only get to hear about UK and European tours, sadly waiting for the one day they might return to our shores. Instead, Art Brut teamed up with producer Frank Black for the phenomenal Art Brut vs. Satan, and they have continued their attack on America. Continue reading “Show Review: Art Brut with Princeton at Cafe Du Nord, 10/30/09 (Late Show)”
There were a great deal of shows to visit this All Hallows’ Eve’s Eve, ranging from electronica in arenas to punk rock in bars; despite the drastic number of shows involving bands that I’d seen on one-to-a-few occasions, it was Melt-Banana that I ended up seeing. It seemed rather appropriate; on the eve of the holiday most responsible for darkness, chaos and the warding off of evil spirits, what better occasion to see a trio of Japanese noise-punk musicians with their own sets of sonic banshee howls and thundering rhythms? Being an avid fan of experimental music and Japanese power noise, I had a feeling that this was going to be a rather exciting show; I was not prepared, however, for how wild it got inside.
The Dodos are a band that seem on the cusp of something big right now. Getting Phil Ek, my favorite indie rock producer of all time, on board for their newest record is a sign of big things to come. That record, Time to Die, is heavily focused on soothing vocals melodies and crazy guitar playing from Meric Long, accompanied by strong rhythms from drummer Logan Kroeber. What could this sound like in a live setting? Continue reading “Show Review: The Dodos with Ruby Suns at Bimbo’s 365 Club, 10/29/09”
Mid-afternoon on the day on the concert I started feeling ill. Time came to start heading to the city and I told myself I was going no matter what. Driving along the 24 I see a sign that the Bay Bridge is closed…what the heck? This can’t be right. A quick call to 511 confirmed that the bridge was indeed closed.
Suddenly I had the perfect excuse not to go. I was sick and the bridge was closed; no one could blame me for not going. But something inside me, quite possibly the contrarian drive I have, told me if the bridge was closed I had to go. Continue reading “Show Review: The Heavy at Slim’s, 10/27/2009”
When Amy Millan steps away from one of her band projects (Stars, Broken Social Scene), she morphs from indie chanteuse into a roadhouse country singer. There’s plenty of lyrics about drinking, loneliness and hitting the road. I knew right away that this would be a pretty mellow show, and I was definitely proven right by the end of the night. Continue reading “Show Review: Amy Millan and Bahamas at Cafe Du Nord, 10/28/09”
Can I take a nap instead of writing this review? Believe it or not, that’s a complement to last night’s show by The Gossip. I’m exhausted and that’s often the most tell-tale way for me to know I had fun at a show. Continue reading “Show Review: The Gossip and MEN at The Regency Ballroom, 10/25/09”
Being able to go see all the best shows that come through town is the best part of writing for a Bay Area music site. The flip-side of this is that sometimes we need to see some of the … not best shows that come through town as well. Since I never judge in advance, and sometimes I’m surprised, going to see a show with four bands I’ve never heard and a fifth I’ve fondly dismissed in the past, is either a blessing or a curse. So which one of these was Boys Like Girls, Cobra Starship, The Maine, Rocket to the Moon and Versa Verge? Continue reading “Show Review: Boys Like Girls and many more at The Warfield, 10/23/09”
The setting: A 27 year old dude sitting in a bar where the definition of cool can no longer legally apply to him. He is sitting in an 18+ club. The clientele ranges from creepy E-ridden middle-aged men in sports jackets to fresh, young 18 year-old girls trying to define their sexuality.
Imagine the scent of pickled matter slowly overpowering your senses. Imagine confusion. Continue reading “Show Review: Dragonette at 330 Ritch (Popscene), 10/22/09”