How much space does a person need to dance? If you’ve been to a packed, over-sold massive EDM show lately, the answer could be zero, as being rooted in place and fist-pumpin’ seems to be all the rage. Really, though, if you’re at least going to move your feet then a little more room* is required.
Which is why I was relieved to find that the Independent, while crowded, wasn’t packed to the walls last night. Because Portugal’s Buraka Som Sistema likes to get down in a very specific way. In that way that Tribe liked to get down – devoted to the art of moving butts.
“If there’s one thing we like to do,” Kalaf Ângelo said during a brief pause, “we like to make people concentrate on the booty.” “No, not the booty,” fellow MC Andro Carvalho corrected, “the ass.” Accepting this distinction, Kalaf paraphrased Parliament: “Free your fucking mind and your ass will follow.”
The techno/kuduro sounds of Buraka Som Sistema may not have been instantly familiar – aside from momentary Lil’ Wayne samples – but following along was easy, as the trio at the front of the stage brought a level of hype (they were clearly having a good time) that was hard to resist.
Copping the dance moves, though, particularly attempting to duplicate the intense MC Karla Rodrigues – who at one point had sort of an extended ass shaking solo – was probably best left to the more experienced dancers with a generous amount of space.**
*A plot of floor with a diameter of 1.6 times the length of your shoulders is the minimum, if you want to be all specific about it. ** Seriously. You don’t want to kick someone in the face just because you really like the beat.
The Spaniard delivered pretty much the dance album of the year so far with Fin — further exploring the psychedelic-Balearic release epitomized in his previous work. He’ll be appearing, intimately, in t he public Works Odd Job Loft, bringing some sunshine to the Icee Hot party.Also, this is so far the cognescenti club hit of the summer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuJg4WcIO7Q
Thu/2, 9pm-3am, $5 before 11, $10. public Works, 161 erie, SF. www.publicsf.com
This ought to be insane — NYC’s House of Aviance descends on San Francisco for some vogue ball realness (more like a showacse, really, as a commenter below points out). Mother Juan Aviance, Nita Aviance, Kevin Aviance, Gehno Aviance, plus DJs Juanita More, Jason Kendig, and capoeiraista Antonio Contreras. It’ll be a bonkers extravaganza for all, queens and admirers both. Get ready to drop! (And Lady Bunny says she’s coming? Ummmm)
Fri/3, 9pm-3am, $15-$25. Beatbox, 314 11th St., SF. www.beatboxsf.com
Dark and fierce queer rapper from the future rides a fresh wave of hype to the spooky-neat 120 Minutes party, with Physical Therapy and a performance by the eye-popping Boy Child.
Fri/3, 10pm, $10. Elbo Room, 647 Valencia, SF. www.elbo.com
The Holy Cow continues to shed its reputation as a somewhat, er, screechy meat market, welcoming in this new Friday underground-vibes techno monthly, kicking off with local faves Nikita, Adnan Sharif, Lt. D, Joseph Lee, and special guest from Vancouver Kota Shibata.
The super-hot (like, for me, panties-throwing hot — but also hot in the audial way) British Hotflush label honcho is perfectly schizophrenic, giving us atmospheric dubby-deep bass genius and cerebellum-tickling techno in the harder vein. We like it when both sides come out to play — and why wouldn’t they at this As You like It party, with an amazing sound system and support from the also fascinating Olivier Deutschmann, Epcot (he’s back!), and Mossmoss.
Fri/3, 9pm-4am, $10 before 11pm, $20 after. Public Works, 161 Erie, SF. www.publicsf.com
>>G.A.W.K.
And now for something completely different — it’s OG club kid (and supposed progenitor of queer hip-hop) Jon Sugar’s birthday, and he’s having the party at his raucous regular Gay Artists and Writers Kollective showcase, with bands 5 Pines and Happy Idiots, fantasy solo performances, and an ever-lively crowd of the open-minded.
Sun/5, 7pm, free. Tikka Masala, 1668 Haight, SF. Email gawksf@yahoo.com for more details. Or just go!
“This is a joke right?” “BARFING FOREVER.” “You should be embarrassed that you even thought this was acceptable.” Just few choice responses to the news up north: Seattle Weekly posted its Best of Seattle issue this week, and the winner for Best CD/Record Store? That would be Starbucks.
Granted, the massive coffee chain (yes coffee, not music) did technically start in the city, so I suppose it’s sort of local there. Sort of. But regardless, those few recorded offerings by the register are meant as an after-thought to your supersweet morning scone. Starbucks will never offer deep cuts, rare vinyl, or non-signed local bands to the public. And calling it “Best CD/Record Store” does a disservice to the great people of that city.
As Seattle Weekly posts on the subject, “Hey, why the hell not! They stock all the records you love. They’ve got the Fleet Foxes, the Spoon, the Fiona Apple, and the Jack White.” Um, what about the bands that actually won in their poll, such as Best Hip-Hop Artist THEESatisfaction, or Best Pop Band Deep Sea Diver?
For reference, Seattle does of course have actual record shops, including Sonic Boom, Jive Time Records, Easy Street, and more.
(And in case you were wondering, Amoeba Music won Best Record Store here in the Guardian’s Best of the Bay issue)
Localized Appreesh is our weekly thank-you column to the musicians that make the Bay. To be considered, contact emilysavage@sfbg.com.
On the new seven-inch, Crimes, the persistent flow of Seatraffic feels like it’s washing over you like warm bath water. The San Francisco electronic pop duo takes a page out of the 1980s synth playbook, and executes it with a shiny modern gleam, incorporating dreamy reverb, and heavy, shoe-gazing beats.
If you climb over some sandy rocks at Corona Del Mar State Beach down in Southern California, you can jet down to Little Corona, a more secluded plot of warm sand and water with craggy little caves surrounding it. And if you should ever visit, I suggest playing Seatraffic’s Crimes on your portable record player, and bringing along edibles.
This is because vocalist Mark Zannad and drummer Brandon Harrison created cavernous atmospheres pressed on small white vinyl, just the right speed for a languid dip. It’s Seatraffic’s first physical release, and limited to 300 copies.
The band will perform live from the new release at a DJ-studded Project One gathering this week.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPOMr-u15q0
Year and location of origin: We formed in summer of 2010, in San Francisco. It was more or less an agreement that one day we’d start making music, we actually didn’t get serious until about six months later. I (Mark) had been working out a few songs and when Brandon heard them he thought it would be really unique to bring live drums into synthy music. We gave it a shot and the first time we made music together it just felt right. Despite having very different musical backgrounds we meshed really well and most of the songs came a long with little stress. Band name origin: The word Seatraffic, is suppose to be like Air Traffic, but we like boats better than planes. We had hundreds of names written down, most of them very bad. Seatraffic just sounded right to us, later our writer friend suggested we make it into one word.
Band motto: Never really thought of having a band motto, but if we had one it would be “Stay different, know your Identity” Description of sound in 10 words or less: Dreamy blend of whirling synthesizers, organs, bass, and heavy drums.
Instrumentation: Mark Zannad: Vocals, Organs, Synthesizers; Brandon Harrison: Drums, Percussion
Most recent release:Crimes 7-inch (2012).
Best part about life as a Bay Area band: The best part of being a band in the Bay Area is how open minded and diverse music enthusiasts are here.
Worst part about life as a Bay Area band: The worst thing about being a band in the Bay Area is that it is a very saturated place for music, it can be difficult to be heard locally.
First album ever purchased: Mark: Lion King soundtrack on Cassette; Brandon: Astro Lounge by Smashmouth
Most recent album purchased/downloaded: Mark: Ariel Pink’s Mature Themes; Brandon: Ty Segall Band’s Slaughterhouse.
Favorite local eatery and dish: This may be the most difficult question we have ever been asked because the food in SF is just so good. Mark: a mini-burger (don’t let the name deceive you) from Super Duper Burger; Brandon: Carne Asada Burrito from Farolito.
Seatraffic With DJs Boyfren, YR Skull, Shaky Premise, and Epicsauce DJs Thu/2, 9pm, $3 (free beer before 11pm) Project One 251 Rhode Island, SF (415) 938-7173 p1sf.com
Much has been made of London’s opening ceremony, and director Danny Boyle’s cheeky rejection of Beijing’s rigidly coordinated, assembly-line approach. (Seriously, will Queen Elizabeth and James Bond ever share the screen again?) Completely overlooked, however, was the dynamic, propulsive soundtrack, curated by Underworld: the unsung heroes of British electronic music.
The collaboration was a revelation upon its announcement late last year; Underworld’s big moment arrived in 1996, when its anthemic “Born Slippy” was featured prominently in Trainspotting, Boyle’s directorial breakthrough. Providing a driving undercurrent to the action, as well as a lush, ambient backdrop, the track complemented Boyle’s vision beautifully, making a lasting impression on audiences worldwide as it established Underworld’s deeply filmic approach to its craft.
While the group, comprised of Karl Hyde, Rick Smith, and Darren Emerson (until he left the group in 1999, in favor of the DJ circuit) hasn’t exactly landed another gig to rival its Trainspotting moment, it has developed its sound considerably over the past 15 years, from the moody, yet diversely paced, Second Toughest in the Infants (1996), to the clean, shiny Detroit techno-inspired Beaucoup Fish (1999), to the post-Emerson steeliness of A Hundred Days Off (2002) and Oblivion With Bells (2007), to, most recently, the high-gloss raver anthems of Barking (2010).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWuAc4pnYFc
Underworld put its back catalogue to great use during the opening ceremony, most notably during the long-established Parade of Nations. The Olympic teams marched energetically to uptempo tracks, such as “Dark Train,” “Dirty Epic,” and “Rez,” all of which lent a thumping force to the proceedings; Underworld’s generously layered synths highlighted the electricity in the air.
It makes perfect sense that ambient-music guru Brian Eno collaborated frequently with Hyde over the past few years, given Underworld’s emphasis on muted atmosphere, a rarity among dance-music practitioners. The Parade of Nations benefited greatly from this tone, which a more standard outfit like Chemical Brothers or the Crystal Method simply couldn’t have imparted. Underworld’s music packs a subtle emotional punch that most of its competition cannot equal.
The biggest draw for Underworld fans was the introduction of two new, extended tracks, produced especially for the ceremony’s creative segment. At 17 minutes, “And I Will Kiss” provided the backdrop for a shrewdly choreographed performance-art piece, chronicling Britain’s historic transition from pastoral wonderland to industrial superpower.
Recalling Peter Gabriel’s similarly high-concept OVO: The Millennium Show, held in London 12 years ago, the spectacle combined elaborate set-design and an extensive cast with a loud and pulsating, yet moody and subdued soundtrack. Industrialization represented a sense of forward progress, as well as a loss of innocence, for the British people, and Underworld’s musical contribution aptly reflected this emotional complexity.
The second original piece, “Caliban’s Dream,” filled the arena as a makeshift foundry was rolled onstage, casting the five rings that make up the iconic Olympic logo. Less successful than the other new composition, this track buckled under its own weight, incorporating electronics, orchestral elements, a Lion King-esque choir, and superfluous opera singing, with the hamfistedness of Yanni at the Acropolis. This misstep was understandable, given the sheer scale of Olympic opening ceremonies. However, Underworld thrives on nuance, and by that count, it missed the mark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mec8GZkEpD4
Original material aside, Hyde and Smith curated the soundtrack wisely, showcasing Britain’s musical exports in a universally approachable manner. An eclectic range of live performances included electronic composer Mike Oldfield, percussion virtuoso Evelyn Glennie, hip-hop wunderkind Dizzee Rascal, onetime “next-Oasis” Arctic Monkeys with a surprisingly inoffensive cover of “Come Together,” and of course, Sir Paul, himself.
Recorded material was also well chosen, particularly David Bowie’s “Heroes,” which played triumphantly as the British Olympic team marched out to the adoring home crowd. Lesser known artists, like rapper Wretch 32 and experimental duo Fuck Buttons, were thrown in for good measure, and “Eclipse,” the finale from Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, closed the ceremony with a bang.
Hyde and Smith churn out first-rate background music, and when Boyle handed them the keys to the opening ceremony, they were given the opportunity of a lifetime. Sure, NBC’s commentators, Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira, did American viewers a disservice by talking mindlessly over all four hours. In the end, though, Underworld’s soundtrack tinted the ceremony perfectly, framing soft, ambient impulses with an incessant rhythmic drive, while never distracting from the spectacle at the center. Bloody good work.
Punks, rockers — whatever you want to call it, the scene in Oakland definitely got more than messy this weekend as the Total Trash BBQ lived up to its name and then some. Between night one’s melee that spilled outside after the show (bloodied lips and all) and night two where MOM mucked up the floor (as she does), it’s safe to say partygoers got more than they bargained for.
Lately though I’ve noticed the East Bay does things a little bit different than San Francisco. For instance, Saturday at the time capsule of a venue called The Continental Club, patrons got infected by the sounds of Russell Quan, DJing oldies on full blast in between band sets.
The dance floor was always full of motion as people weren’t afraid to take advantage of the tunes. Comparatively, SF can sometimes be a little stiff. DJs’ sets at shows are often treated as background music. Then of course the whole scuffle incident was something out of the ordinary as people also weren’t afraid to throw punches.
Night One’s Mess:
The blueprint for things to come was laid down during an insanely intense set by LA’s Intelligence. You couldn’t escape the war call of driving drums and fatal sounding keys — I tried. I loved what I was hearing, but a combination of things inside of me had me seeking one of the club’s luxurious (in its own charmingly trashy way) booths to sit down for a spell.
From that vantage point I could see others in the audience reaching drunken thresholds, performing ninja kicks, and an older woman (who looked like she may have served some hard time) shoving her way through the crowd.
I caught my second wind and headed up front to see Shannon and the Clams. But it was towards the end of their set that I’d witness this one surreal episode: the guitarist-singer was supposed to chime in as usual with a distinct backing vocal, but was silent.
Shannon called him out on stage and simply said, “Cody!?” He was staring off to the side, kind of mesmerized. Seemingly dazed, he uttered into his mic, “uh…there’s a fight happening over there.” Sure enough it was the way-too-drunk ninja kicker and another dude who had gotten a little rambunctious during the last two bands.
From what I recall, there were attempts to bounce them. The crowd outside grew into a major distraction. The night pretty much dissolved into chaos at that point with aforementioned punches thrown. My friend and I high-tailed it out of there in an unfortunately expensive trans-bay cab ride after having seen enough.
But the night shouldn’t be characterized as being marred by violence. Overall it was fun to hang out in what truly was an impressive old soul circuit venue that I hope welcomes future shows. Slobsters did a comedic stink up the stage shtick while Rock N Roll Adventure Kids gave off all kinds of positive energy in their performance. Guantanamo Baywatch continued the good vibes so much that I even purchased their latest Burger cassette, Chest Crawl from the merch table.
Night Two, A Different Kind of Mess:
My friend in tow very accurately reviewed evening two at Eli’s Mile High Club by saying there was “purple drank and beaver everywhere.” While I didn’t try the concoction, plenty of bargoers washed grilled corn on the cob down their throats with the mixture out on the back patio.
The corn may have been tasty, but I have to credit MOM for her less-than-delectable (albeit less sweaty, bloody, and messy in general) antics than the last time I saw her. Sometimes she’d hike up her red dress, revealing that indeed she does go commando, other times her exposure just sort of happened as she’d be caught up in the moment writhing around in her own filth while distorted childrens’ music or the on-acid slow groove version of “Spirit in the Sky” played.
Given MOM’s reputation, it wasn’t surprising to see the audience clear a wide path for her performance. That’s not to say there wasn’t some nervous moments of me perched on a barstool, cornered next to her during Spin the Bottle. The only difference in her game was in true MOM form: victims were smothered in cake and pie. Somehow I made it out unscathed from a memorable messy weekend.
This is a week of ebullient greetings and sorrowful goodbyes. So long Snoop Dogg, welcome Snoop Lion‘s Reincarnated. Back down on earth – and more pertinent to concert-goers in the Bay Area this week – we’ll open our arms to the Yolks, finally on a proper tour. And say nice to see you again to Buraka Som Sistema, and welcome return to Peaking Lights (the duo met here).
And with a single tear rolling down the cheek, we’ll shout bon voyage to the current repertoire of Extra Action Marching Band, in this form at least – they’ll surely regroup with some magical new production soon enough.
Here are your must-see Bay Area concerts this week/end:
Bleached With the demise of their former band, Mika Miko, LA sisters Jessica and Jennifer Clavin dusted themselves off, imbibed in a steady liquid diet of early melodic punk, girl group pop, and woozy psychedelia, and formed infectious, so-very-California quartet Bleached. With DIIV, Lenz Wed/1, 8pm, $12 Rickshaw Stop 155 Fell, SF (415) 861-2011 www.rickshawstop.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–PGy31IeI4
Hood Internet The Chicago-based mashups artists (duo ABX and STV SLV) of Hood Internet have long been hailed as the Next Big Thing in the bridge between hip-hop and alternative rock/indie pop – if you think that sounds like something straight out of ’96 Lollapalooza (or perhaps, Homerpalooza), you wouldn’t be too far off. Recent mashups include Danny Brown vs. Dirty Projectors, and then there’s new single “Won’t Fuck Us Over,” which started as a cover of the National’s “Mr. November,” and features BBU, Annie Hart, and Hart’s screaming baby. Wed/1, 9pm, $14 Independent 628 Divisadero, SF (415) 771-1421 www.theindependentsf.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQWyqquA_xk
The Yolks Here’s yet another act from the Windy City. Chicago’s three-chord rock’n’rollers the Yolks are hauling a Hammond Organ out during this, their first actual tour after five years as a band. Though they’ve yet to travel, you may already know their sound thanks to our own Nobunny – he covered “Somewhere New” on his first LP, Love Visions. This week, Nobunny gave the Yolks another boost by enthusiastically noodging social networking fans, “GO SHOW ‘EM SOME LOVE.” You heard the bunny. With the Okmoniks, the Shrouds Thu/2, 9:30pm, $7 Knockout 3223 Mission, SF (415) 550-6994 www.theknockoutsf.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_mWgrGCyWQ
Buraka Som Sistema “Buraka’s a reportedly rough and tumble neighborhood in Lisbon; Som Sistema quickly translates to “sound system”; put it together and you have a partying collective of DJs, producers, MCs, and dancers spreading the Angolan-originated, techno and hip-hop influenced genre of kuduro. Understanding Portuguese is not a prerequisite, as the group’s seemingly competitive desire to hype up a crowd, proves immediate and universal.” – Ryan Prendiville Thu/2, 9pm, $20 Independent 628 Divisadero, SF (415) 771-1421 www.theindependentsf.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOMe-8Tf1Y0
Judgement Day Progressive string-metal band Judgement Day should be in high spirits this weekend – the San Francisco trio will be celebrating the release of its third full-length, Polar Shift at Bottom of the Hill. It’s the violin and cello-packed follow-up to 2010’s epic Peacocks/Pink Monsters. Check action-packed single “Forest Battle” below. With Giant Squid, A Sun That Never Sets Fri/3, 10pm, $10 Bottom of the Hill 1233 17th St., SF (415) 621-4455 www.bottomofthehill.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_kdTWRDvY0
Peaking Lights “Originally from the Bay Area, Madison, Wisconsin-based duo Peaking Lights weaves an infectiously stoney web of dub, Krautrock, and loopy, gloopy pop a la Panda Bear, seemingly tailor-made for record collectors and serial name-droppers. “ – Taylor Kaplan With Woods (co-headlining), Wet Illustrated Fri/3, 9pm, $16 Great American Music Hall 859 O’Farrell, SF (415) 885-0750 www.slimspresents.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HINIs3Sp5Lk
Extra Action Marching Band Seismic shifts are upon us. As the theatrical, whimsical, horny, and brassy Oakland collective recently stated, “These two shows will be the final performances [of] Extra Action’s current repertoire. We have begun work on an all new show and won’t be performing publicly for quite some time.” Get on that loyal fans, don’t miss the chance to see your favorite “high school marching band on acid.” With Itchy-o Marching Band, KROB, Donkey, Staiano Fri/3, 9pm, $12 Vitus 1410 Ballroom (14th and Broadway), Oakl. www.vitusoakland.com
With Itchy-O Marching Band Sat/4, 9pm, $20 Brick and Mortar Music Hall 1710 Mission, SF (415) 371-1631 www.brickandmortarmusic.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffQPG-OjIQc
Drive tour: College, Anoraak, Electric Youth Are we yet over the chilling, punctuating soundtrack to last year’s Gosselin vehicle, Drive? Nope, not yet ready to shift gears. We’re still very much engulfed in the Krauty, synth-filled drama. Hey Gosling, just keep driving – and check out these performances by bands off the noteworthy soundtrack while you’re at it. Sat/4, 9pm, $15-$17 Rickshaw Stop 155 Fell, SF (415) 861-2011 www.rickshawstop.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOWPA0oRSd0
Last week I decided it would be fun to check out Reggae on the River for the first time. I called up my brother DJ Guacamole to see if he’d like to come along, only to discover that he was DJing the late-night dancehall dome at Cooks Valley Campground. Without any further hesitation I jumped in my vintage Beemer and headed up to Sebastopol to meet up with him and his DJ buddy, Jacques of WBLK. Luckily for me, Jacques and Guac are well-connected in the NorCal reggae scene. We piled our stuff in Guac’s van, I stuffed myself into the rear seat between sleeping bags and coolers full of Guinness. Three hours later we were greeted by Guac’s dreaded friend in charge, Chris Tafari. He set us up with an awesome campsite just behind the dome stage.
The next morning, I woke up to scores of cars whose inhabitants were all trying to score the ideal camp spot. It was kinda like the frontier land rushes of the 1800s. Some of the most coveted spots were on the edge of the crystal-clear Eel River. It was that perfect temp that severs any hangover you might be tempted to throw its way. My first splash in the river helped washed away my puffy morning eyes like magic.
While cooling off in the water, I was soothed with the electro-dubstep sounds of Sacramento DJ J-Dubs from the River stage. I met a nice guy who offered me a sample of his hand-rolled, tobacco-free cigarette. Not being a smoker, I was quite hesitant, but seeing that I was at a reggae fest, I figured I’d better see what this stuff is all about. I took a little puff, and realized that the music playing in the background seemed to get a little clearer — and my social skills got a little foggier.
On Saturday I rode a crowded party shuttle to the main festival site. While strolling around the festival, sipping on my Bob Marley coffee, I walked past the vendor booths separating the two main stages. For the shoppers of the world, this festival was a paradise of red, gold, and green accessories.
I was sweetly surprised when I reached the main stage to find the soulful sounds of veteran singer Calypso Rose. She has a confidence and grace that has been built over the greater part of a century. Later in the day I witnessed the much-anticipated Alika, who came all the way from Argentina to tour around the US with her monumental style of Latin reggae. I really enjoyed that her band Quinto Sol — with this mix of music, there’s no way to stop dancing.
Back at the late-night dancehall dome, I watched as Guacamole and Jacques lured people from their afternoon naps to the dancefloor. Eventually, the dome was filled with couples grinding their bodies to the dancehall beats. I really loved the singing of Cocoa Tea and Norris Man. And the great DJ sounds of Jah Warrior Shelter and Silverback. I even got to listen to the great beats of Selecta Konnex, as the sun came up over the Eel River.
Eventually Monday rolled around, and we had to head back to Sebastopol, but no fear. The Monday after, we were treated to a special WBLK show with Alika and DJ Stepwise at the Hopmonk Tavern.
Back in 2008, someone at a Shearwater show in Chicago posted a shaky video to YouTube, in which the Austin-based ensemble covered Talk Talk’s “The Rainbow,” the ambitiously panoramic opening track from the seminal Spirit of Eden (1988).
Not only did the 10-minute clip showcase a band masterfully replicating a piece of music, previously determined by its creator to be unplayable in a live setting; it demonstrated just how far Shearwater has come since its beginnings in 2001 as a quiet, low-key spinoff of alt-country institution Okkervil River.
The band’s breakthrough effort, Rook (2008), raised the stakes considerably, treating the spacious, naturalistic folk-rock of their earlier output with a loosely psychedelic propulsion (somewhere in between Pink Floyd’s “Echoes” and Neil Young’s “Down By the River”) and a significant expansion of their dynamic range.
Fast-forward to 2012, and the release of Animal Joy: Shearwater’s most unrelentingly loud/quiet/loud statement to date. Last Tuesday, frontman Jonathan Meiburg, and his current, five-piece lineup of supporting players, stopped by Bottom of the Hill in support of their seventh full-length, and first release on Sub Pop.
After two competent, but ultimately dispensable, opening sets from Seattle folk revivalists Gold Leaves, and Australian psych-popsters Husky, Shearwater took the stage authoritatively, beginning with “The Snow Leopard” – the dramatic, erratic climax from Rook.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dcFdcsAOdw
Undeniably one of the highlights of the evening, it neatly encapsulated Meiburg’s thorough understanding of tension and release, its eerily quiet piano intro crashing into an explosive, beautifully cathartic jam, complete with thunderous drums and crunchy guitar stabs. Did the band shoot their collective wad early on? Arguably. But, what a first impression.
Another outstanding moment came halfway through the show, with “Insolence”, the similarly complex centerpiece from Animal Joy. Shifting between ruminative ballad-territory, and forceful, post-rock aggression, it exemplified Shearwater’s greatest asset: shapeshifting mini-epics whose loud and quiet sections feed symbiotically off one another.
Both “The Snow Leopard” and “Insolence” played to the strengths of Meiburg’s voice, which is a dramatic, versatile instrument, with the soft quiver of Aaron Neville or Roy Orbison, but the ability to pounce like Jeff Buckley at his most confrontational. However, the quieter songs left Meiburg’s vocals longing for the musical backbone they need to truly shine.
Therein lies Shearwater’s greatest fault; about half the time, the vocals are rendered over-theatrical by the the band’s incapacity to keep them in check. So, either the music needed beefing up, or the vocals required a dose of restraint, but something about the status quo certainly felt off.
Meiburg’s facial expressions were compelling, though, in their Jim Varney-esque elasticity. His eyes and mouth opened ferociously wide during more expressive moments, emoting with a “call-the-exorcist” level of wildness.
After a 90-minute set, Meiburg returned to the stage for an encore, which, at some point, crossed the line between “generous” and “overlong.” About half the bearded, bespectacled, plaid-wearing crowd filtered out, as Meiburg shared solo material, paid an a capella tribute to Scott Walker, and invited the band back onstage to close with a cover of REM’s “These Days.”
Though not exactly a hostage situation, one couldn’t help but long to give Meiburg the age-old “less is more” lecture. Still, he looked happy and engaged, so it feels a bit unfair to fault him for going overboard out of the goodness of his heart.
Even a decade into their career, Shearwater keeps searching, and refining their sound. Certain elements pale in comparison to others, as evidenced by their inconsistent appearance last Tuesday, but the stronger moments hint at a project with promising shelf life, and massive potential. Give them another ten years, they might bestow us with their Spirit of Eden moment.
Fountains of Wayne was exhausted, its effects pedals weren’t working, and the crowd was only half full at the Great American Music Hall last Thursday night. But for some reason, despite the band’s jet lag and the shortcomings of its borrowed equipment, the show sounded good. In fact, it sounded fantastic.
The smallish crowd had the excited energy of a sold-out show – it sang/shouted along to every word of every song the band played from its massive catalog, even the newest additions. Though the audience varied greatly in age – most were going gray, but the boys in front of me didn’t have two armpit hairs to rub together – they were unified by their enthusiasm and apparent passion for a great pop hook. “Thank you for not going to see Ray Davies at the Fillmore tonight,” joked bassist Adam Schlesinger. “He’s very talented.”
Fountains of Wayne has been churning out catchy riffs and hilariously poignant lyrics for 16 years. Despite a somewhat confusing Grammy win (the band won best new artist in 2007, seven years into its career) and the international popularity of MILF-honoring single “Stacey’s Mom,” the band never managed to break through to lasting mainstream success.
Apparently undaunted by this continued obscurity, FOW has managed to avoid a painful fadeout. After so many years together, the band members don’t seem to carry any tension – they exude an air of casual confidence on stage.
Fountains of Wayne’s tight songwriting and humble persistence has earned it a devoted core of fans, from people who have been listening to them from their first album to tweens who were born after the band was started.
And there we stood, beers in hand on a weeknight. Everywhere I looked people were smiling, hugging, dancing, laughing. Before the band had even come onstage, onlookers were singing along with the instrumental introduction to the first song, and they didn’t quiet down until after the house lights came on.
Localized Appreesh is our weekly thank-you column to the musicians that make the Bay. To be considered, contact emilysavage@sfbg.com.
San Francisco’s Rin Tin Tiger does it raw. The alt-folk trio just wrapped up recording an organic (no vocal editing here) live album at Tiny Telephone Studios.
The resulting record, Toxic Pocketbook, roars like the soul of a wild cat trapped in a faithful pup’s skin. It scoots along with twangy riffs infused with a rough rock’n’roll edge, and “a good thump” (as the band describes it below), with untouched – and gleefully twangy – vocals pumping up the natural energy.
In celebration of their respective new releases, the band co-headlines the Great American Music Hall this week with fellow locals Tumbleweed Wanderers. First, Rin Tin Tiger swipes its striped paw across Localized Appreesh’s ruddy cheek.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpIg0x_w808
Year and location of origin: 2011 – San Francisco, Calif.
Band name origin: Kevin wanted to call the band Rin Tin Tin after the dog but the name was already taken. As a joke Andrew said Rin Tin Tiger. We brushed it off and then had nightmares about it for eternity. Thus, RTT was born.
Band motto: Murk as much as possible.
Description of sound in 10 words or less: High energy, lyric heavy alt folk with a good thump.
Best part about life as a Bay Area band: Being able to busk the streets of SF as well as play all of the amazing venues in the city and the ability to play different markets like the Oakland or San Jose within a 45 minute drive.
Worst part about life as a Bay Area band: Cost of living/Rent.
First album ever purchased: Kevin: N’Sync, Home for Christmas; Sean: Weird Al Bad Hair Day; Andrew: Michael Jackson, Black Or White.
Most recent album purchased/downloaded: Kevin: I’ve been revisiting Underoath, The Changing of Times; Sean: the amazing new releases from local bands Picture Atlantic, Tumbleweed Wanderers, Owl Paws, Loquat and Dogcatcher!; Andrew: Fleetwood Mac, Rumors.
Favorite local eatery and dish: Indian Pizza at Zantes and The Classic cheeseburger at Burgermeister.
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass released its first of four teaser medleys today, take a listen and start tallying the acts. Everyone loves a guessing game, right?
At press time, HSB commenters have pointed out snippets of Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle, the Mekons and the Head and the Heart. Take a listen.
In 2007, then 20-year-old George Watsky and his band at the time, Invisible Inc., rented out Slim’s nightclub in San Francisco and put themselves on stage as the opening act. Sadly, Watsky spent years repaying back the loan that he lost on that show.
Flash forward five years to the present, and on Sunday, July 29 the now 25-year-old under the stage name “Watsky” will be headlining a show at Slim’s, presented by Slim’s itself. Watsky’s performance in San Francisco is part of a 22-city national tour, which kicked off on July 1 in Tempe, Ariz. and wraps up July 31 in LA (including three shows in London, England after the national tour ends).
The last time SFBG covered the Bay Area native and alumna of San Francisco’s University High School was back in 2008 when he was dominating the world of spoken word. He had recently been crowned champion of the National Brave New Voices competition and had made an appearance on Russell Simmons’ HBO show, Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry.
Since then, up until a couple weeks ago, Watsky has been at college campuses across the US, performing his highly demanded spoken word poetry. But in 2009, Watsky showed fans another side to his creativity with the release of a studio rap album titled Watsky.
I spoke to Watsky over the phone about his current rap success while Watsky and his band were en route to Illinois, for a show in Chicago the following night. “I’ve been rapping since before I started doing poetry,” said Watsky. “I’ve been doing my best to get my rap out there parallel to my poetry career it’s just taken a while to catch on to an audience.”
Well it finally caught on in 2011, when Watksy put out a Youtube video that launched himself into Youtube stardom, titled “Pale Kid Raps Fast”. The video went viral, spreading to teenagers’ computers quicker than it took for their Cup Noodles to settle. It quickly amassed millions of views (over 20 million to date), multiplied Watsky’s subscribers 20 fold, and earned him an appearance on The Ellen Degeneres Show.
For Watsky, the success of “Pale Kid Raps Fast” couldn’t have come at a better time. “That video came about in a time when I was really frustrated,” said Watsky, who had just moved to LA and was trying to make it as an actor, but with little success.
“When I came back to LA after Christmas I decided I was going to take matters into my own hands.” And that’s exactly what he did. Watsky boiled down all of his talents into a single video; adding elements of humor, lyrical skill, and impressive speed. “Everything just kind of came together” said Watsky “[Pale Kid Raps Fast] came out of a sense of what are kids looking for that could be shared around and can show them exactly who I am and maybe peak their curiosity to look into my other stuff.”
Along with his Youtube videos, Watsky continued to build a solid fan base with releases of mixtapes like his first in 2011 titled, A New Kind of Sexy. He followed in early 2012 with the release of a bluegrass/hip-hop EP, tag teaming with his bandmate Kush Mody titled, Watsky and Mody. And in June of this year, Watsky released his most recent mixtape, Nothing Like the First Time, which coincided with his national tour.
He’s been enjoying the support and energy he’s been receiving from his diverse audiences on tour. “I do have a young element to my fan base but I also have a bunch of older people coming out too and a lot of these kids’ parents actually like my music also. They’re anywhere from 15-years-old to 45-years-old,” he said, adding that some of the older audience members come to his shows because they’re fans of his poetry or saw him on Def Poetry Slam. “Even some English teachers come to my shows and tell me they use my work in their classroom,” he said.
Watsky offers a style that can’t really be defined. And often times critics who seem to have only heard a sample of Watsky’s work or even just seen a headshot, tend to throw him into the category of “white rapper” or the “Frat rap scene.”
“First of all, I was never in a fraternity,” Watsky joked. “I think the easiest way to go is to lump me in there with the other white rappers that are breaking right now. It’s accurate; I mean I am a white rapper.”
“But I’m different than Mac Miller, I’m different than Kreayshawn, I’m different than Bo Burnham, I’m different than Chris Webby in ways that I could go on about for a long time – and they’re all different than me. And it’s not like one of us is better or worse than the other, it’s just that we are speaking to different groups of people based on our experiences.”
Watsky is different. He offers something unique and genuine. “The one thing that I try and make sure that I always come back to is that [my music] is honest,” said Watsky. “When I go back to my earlier stuff, sometimes I feel like it’s not entirely me like my voice doesn’t sound like how it does in conversation. I always want people who listen to my poetry to feel like they are listening to the exact same person when they listen to my music and vice-versa and I think what’s really important to me is that I’m always coming across exactly as myself and that I’m not putting on any airs.”
You would think that after 48.5 million total Youtube views, two appearances on The Ellen Degeneres Show, two appearances at VidCon, and a profile on Last Call with Carson Daily, life would have changed dramatically, not really. “To be honest my day-to-day lifestyle didn’t change a whole lot,” said Watsky. “[It] didn’t change much at all until we hit the road. Until two weeks ago I didn’t see any real change in my life except for the increase in Youtube hits.”
After a decade of trying to make it on to the national scene, Watsky isn’t looking for a shortcut. Shortly after the video went viral, T-mobile offered Watsky a quarter of a million dollars to do a fast rap commercial. He turned down the deal.
Luckily for Watsky, the patience has paid off. In mid-May he was selected to perform at the 2012 Rock The Bells Festival in August, alongside hip-hop heavy weights like Nas, Jadakiss, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Kendrick Lamar, and Kid Cudi. “I’m thrilled,” Watsky said. “It’s going to be great because I’m the kid who was at Rock The Bells three years ago, fours years ago as an audience member. It’s totally unreal to be crossing over to the other side of the stage.”
At the moment, the stage Watsky is most looking forward to is the one at Slim’s. “I’m really excited to come back to San Francisco, it’s the show on the whole tour that I have been really excited about more than any other,” said Watsky.
My final question to Watsky was, what can we expect from a Watsky concert? A live five-piece band, songs from all of his projects, a little spoken word, and a lot of fun. Said Watsky, “Expect to be entertained and have a good time because we are going to put our all into it.”
Watsky With Dumbfoundead, the Breezy Lovejoy Band Sun/29, 9pm, $16 Slim’s 333 11th St., SF www.slimspresents.com
Total Trash’s bodacious two-day barbecue bonanza in Oakland tops the list of must-see live shows this week, but there’s plenty more to see, including synth heavy beach-pop created by an ex-choir boy, beat punk girl gangs, and some Adult Swim-approved indie rock.
Of course, Fiona Apple at the Fox Theater is long sold out, but if that wasn’t the case, Miss-Long-Album-Title would be here too. Enjoy it, ticket-holders. Or, squire your spots now for her Sept. 11 show at the Warfield.
But in the meantime, here are your must-see Bay Area concerts this week/end:
Crystal Stilts Someone commented on the video below, “The Doors mixed with The Velvet Underground calling from the grave!” And yeah, that’s pretty much it for the Brooklyn-based jangle-pop five-piece. Wed/25, 8pm, $15 Great American Music Hall 859 O’Farrell, SF (415) 885-0750 www.slimspresents.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zIJTwhsHjc
St. Lucia Synthy beach-pop? Holidays on molly-days? Futuristic yacht rock? Sun-baked dream-pop? Yes, St. Lucia is all that, and then a little sprinkle of white sand more. There are sax solos over synth and pinging calypso beats here, people. Sip a fruity cocktail at the show at the show, and soak in the warmth of shiny former choir-boy Jean-Philip Grobler. Thu/26, 9:30pm, $14-$15 Rickshaw Stop 155 Fell, SF (415) 861-2011 www.rickshawstop.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZYM3XwgHwA
The Ettes The Ettes are like a black-leather clad girl (and token dude) gang. And bone-rattling garage revival is the name of the game for the Nashville-via-LA crew. Or wait, they call it “beat punk.” Whatever. The perpetual openers – for stadium rock bands like the Black Keys, Dead Weather, and Kings of Leon – get some deserved spotlight/headline time at Thee Parkside. Here’s a weird video they made with Patton Oswalt. Thu/26, 9pm, $10 Thee Parkside 1600 17th St., SF (415) 252-1330 www.theeparkside.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJxkN9cKQAs
King Tuff A few years back, before he made the move from Vermont to LA’s Laurel Canyon, sleazy garage guitar wonder King Tuff recorded 30 demos in the middle of the night. It just pours out of him. The result was a self-titled Sub Pop album that stood out as something only Tuff could create. He later told me, “If I’m into something, it’ll bleed into my music…so sometimes, I don’t listen to anything.” Thu/26, 9pm, $12 Bottom of the Hill 1233 17th St., SF (415) 621-4455 www.bottomofthehill.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eghg8092l_E
Wye Oak “Baltimore rockers Andy Stack and Jenn Wasner make up indie rock duo Wye Oak, a band with a folk foundation but contrasting distortion and dream pop leanings. Recently commissioned to write and record a song for the Adult Swim Singles Program — a series of summertime freebie downloads — Wye Oak came up with “Spiral,” a swirling, poppy and decidedly darker track than previous tunes.” – Julia B. Chan With Dirty Projectors Fri/27, 8pm, $25 Fox Theater 1807 Telegraph, Oakl. (510) 302-2250 www.thefoxoakland.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-7dTjgn7dc
Total Trash BBQ Weekend Paint your face with tangy barbecue sauce – it’s Total Trash BBQ Weekend! What better way to celebrate summer – and all things sticky and American – than with your friends from Total Trash? Night one, do the Watusi on the swanky Continental Club dancefloor with garage doo-woppers Shannon & the Clams, surf-punks Guantanamo Baywatch, and more. And on day two (Total Trash Barbecue Bonanza), invade Eli’s Mile High Club with Oakland priestess Mom, fuzzy punks Pangea, colorful art-rockers Sam Flax, and so-many-more. Plus, there’ll be a corn-eating contest and grills for cooking. As always, bring a napkin. Sat/28, 7pm, $8-$10 Continental Club 1658 12th St., Oakl. Brown Paper Tickets: Night One
The Psychic Paramount “Spiritualized minus the spacecraft? Tortoise as a bar band? Post-rock without all the drama? The Psychic Paramount is a record collector geek’s dream band, reflecting countless sub-genres as it hammers away at a relentlessly Krautrockian insistence on mechanical groove.” — Taylor Kaplan With Phil Manley Life Coach, Barn Owl Sun/29, 8pm, $12 Brick and Mortar Music Hall 1710 Mission, SF (415) 800-8782 www.brickandmortarmusic.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeF8ksPNqXM
Hosting an all-day outdoor festival in the middle of a chilly SF summer was a crapshoot, but the Bay Bridged bet well. The sun sizzled so strongly over Phono Del Sol attendees and bands last Saturday that one musician had to call out into the crowd for coverage.
La Sera’s Katy Goodman (also of Vivian Girls) had to take a pause from her creamy crooning – likely at that moment singing of a break-up – to borrow a baseball hat from one of a few dude lounging in the grass just out front of the Potereo del Sol Park stage.
To stage right a handful of skaters glided through the skatepark, mostly rolling just above lip of the half-pipe then back down again. To stage left, a sea of women in sundresses and men in flimsy T-shirts stood behind the fence drinking $5 cups of beer, or munching Kung-Fu Tacos or Kasa Indian Eatery rice plates from the bank of food trucks.
It was a prime, summery, music-punctuated Saturday in San Francisco for the second annual Phono Del Sol, with a good turnout of fans parking themselves along the shade-covered hills first, then slowly filling in the direct-sun center bowl.
Host Broke-Ass Stuart popped up between each act with a Pauly Shore joke or witty aside, and DJs Andy Cabic, Kevin Meenan, and Zach Rogue, kept the music pumping while the acts set up. The break-down times were quick, leaving precious minutes to rush to beer and food. And Vitamin Water offered free, sticky-sweet beverages to those in need of non-alcoholic liquid between acts.
After Sacramento’s Sea of Bees left the stage, Stuart described its sound as “make-out music” and implored the then-sparse crowd of fans to kiss their partners, a rare awkward moment.
La Sera’s Goodman next arrived on the concrete stage, wearing one of those seasonal sundresses, and opening with dreamy, girl group-esque ditty “Break My Heart.” She asked for that aforementioned cap a few songs in and swayed steadily throughout the set, occasionally mentioning the “chill” vibe at the intimate fest.
Gardens & Villa came out pan-flute first, kicking off the set with “Thorn Castle” off last year’s self-titled LP, an insta-indie pop classic. As the director of the band’s video for “Spacetime” noted during the Phono Del Sol appearance, Gardens & Villa (that’s “vee-ya”) sounds precisely the same live as it does on the record – a notable achievement as the album was a joint project with legendary producer Richard Swift.
A cluster of sun-chasers later gathered to dance by the stage in a sinewy fashion during minimalist psych act Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s riff-heavy performance. You could get lost in those dance moves as the guitar crawled on.
The closing performance, by SF’s own the Fresh & Onlys, was the perfectly appropriate finale for such a pleasurable afternoon. Peppered with tracks off the upcoming Long Slow Dance, the swirling, hooky garage band’s set was both familiar and enticingly…fresh.
In a cap and camo jacket, swarthy singer-guitarist Tim Cohen seemed in relaxed spirits, repeatedly asking those in the crowd to hold up their kids (they obliged). He later addressed the general grass-sprawled audience, “you guys look like little kids at an assembly.” Pause. “That’s what happens you take acid.”
Only complaint? The entire bottle of sticky-sweet Vitamin Water I spilled on my weather-appropriate sundress. That and the sunburn.
Unfortunately, Charo had to cancel all of her Yoshi’s shows this weekend due to illness. We enjoyed the conversation so thoroughly, we’re publishing it anyways. Get well soon Charo.
Maria Rosario Pilar Martinez Molina Baeza. Charo. Cha-rrr-o (roll those Rs). The name brings to mind glittering sequined bodysuits, impossibly high hair, flashes of iconic moments sitting across from Johnny Carson or arms hooked with Dean Martin in the 1970s, and the perplexing catchphrase that made it into our shared lexicon: cuchi-cuchi.
Passionate, skilled flamenco guitar is the other thing that should be there in your conscious when you dream of Charo. The comedian-actress-drag icon has been playing guitar since before she hit puberty, back in ’50s Murcia, Spain.
These days, when she’s not grand marshaling pride parades or guest-starring on shows such as VH1’s Surreal Life, Charo is showcasing her variety talent at massive money venues: Las Vegas casinos, Southern California casinos, any dazzling commerce hotspot with slots and craps.
She was set to play far more intimate flamenco concerts at Yoshi’s this weekend and seemed beyond thrilled — or at least, that’s what she kept saying during a hyper half-hour conversation a few weeks back. Here are some of those interview highlights:
On San Francisco: “I’ve got a tremendous admiration for the city of San Francisco. There is nothing in these United States of America with the same light and energy. It’s a beautiful city, and there are a lot of cool people there.”
On performing: “To me, I’m never too happy with the success of yesterday. It’s always, what’s new? What can I do to improve? And what I discovered is that people really love and respect when I play guitar. I like comedy, and beautiful costumes and everything. But when I play the guitar, I feel like the audience is in disbelief and so respectful and appreciative.”
On flamenco guitar: “Flamenco is the spirit of excitement, passion, energy, and the position of the body; it’s telling you a story.
“In Spain, in the summer, the gypsies go to farms to help the owners take care of the animals. My grandma was nice and let them camp. They would say goodbye to the sun during sunset and make a bonfire and dance and play pure flamenco. It was so exciting around the campfire — no machine can produce what they do!
“So I began playing with them, and became part of their group. At ages 8 and 9 I knew buleria, rhumba, alegrías. Then when I auditioned for Andrés Segovia in Madrid, he was so impressed.”
On the media: “They were always a little ahead of the mentality. When I came to the United States in the 1950s, many audiences didn’t know the grandeur of musical flamenco or Latin salsa, but the media always knew it. So when I was playing heavy duty bulerias, the audience was thinking ‘okay, why doesn’t she do cuchi-cuchi?’ but the media would say, ‘this girl knows what the hell she’s doing.'”
On dealing with emotions: “When people say ‘ah, so beautiful! Everything is pink!’ that’s bullshit. Seriously, not every day is pink. But with my guitar, I try to make it easier. I go to a room with no telephones and no problems, pick up a guitar, and put my negative thoughts away.”
On reality TV: “When I appeared [on The Surreal Life], your generation had fun with me — the accent and energy, the guitar. So I’ve turned down two offers already for reality shows. One was to put cameras in my house. We are crazy! We would make the Kardashians look like they have a big case of diarrhea. I don’t know if you’ve seen the old reruns of The Beverly Hillbillies. But we are here in Beverly Hills with a bull.
“Jennifer Lopez was my neighbor; she probably is one of the people who have called the police department because, okay, I’ll bring mariachi at 10 o’clock, or we have big paella parties with flamenco. [But] the answer is, I do have a project coming, but it’s set in Hawaii where we have a house. It’s comedy, fun, and music.”
More on that bull: “His name is Manolo — it comes from the most famous matador in Spain, who was killed by a bull in the town where I was born. I hate bull fighting with a passion. They torture bulls before the fight. The young Spanish people hate it like me.
“I made a video complaining against the cruelty of bull fighting and I had a baby bull in the video — at the end of filming, I ended up with a baby bull. He didn’t know he was a bull. He’d be like ‘eh, mama mama!’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5phOPenZV2g
The neighbors complained ‘we saw a bull’ and we said, ‘no! It’s a big dog!’ [laughs]. I made a deal that he also has a residence in Malibu on a huge ranch that belonged to the late Bob Hope. [Manolo] is officially supposed to live there, but he has visiting rights here.”
For refunds, contact the Yoshi’s Box Office at (415) 655-5600.
Thick, wet reverb lays the sexy underwater groundwork for most Guantanamo Baywatch songs. Those surfy chords echo forever then build to dissolving fizzy chaos on the sleazy Portland, Oreg. trio’s full-length Chest Crawl, which veers towards the Ventures on uppers during mostly instrumental songs like opener “Barbacoa” and the title track, or rises to unintelligible screams like Dick Dale on crank on tracks such as “Frizella” and energetic doo-wop standout “Baby Please.”
There’s also some Phantom Surfers and our own nasally King Lollipop/Shannon and the Clams underpinnings, but this is under such a haze it’s difficult to make those direct comparisons. Despite all the racket, the record has the right timing for aliens go-go dancing on mars. Or better yet, San Franciscans surfing an urban packed bus.
The musicians performing at Brainwash Cafe have a lot to compete with. The roar of the espresso machine, the chatter of other patrons, the dinging of pinball machines, and, surprisingly for a venue, the opening and closing of washing machines.
For more than 20 years Brainwash has been providing food, coffee, beer, and a laundromat to SOMA patrons. It also provides a venue for several different open mics: Mondays are spoken word, Tuesdays are music, and Thursdays are comedy.
On a Tuesday night in July, the cafe is bustling. There are about 20 people watching the young woman at the microphone, who is singing, “”Magic mushrooms at Lands End in the spring/ These are a few of my favorite things.”
The total audience for the open mic is about 40, if you include all the patrons waiting on their laundry. The floor is cluttered with an assortment of instrument cases, making navigation to and from tables a challenge. As the young woman finishes up her set, onlookers call out with positive feedback. “Oh my goodness!” shouts another performer.
Some Gentle People
On a Thursday afternoon Dean Leto sits against the window at Brainwash, glancing back and forth from his iPad to me. “I’m one of those people who came here because of that song ‘San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers in Your Hair)’” he tells me.
Leto, who is originally from New York, has been emceeing on Tuesday nights for a year and a half, a comparatively short run for a musician with a history as extensive as his. Thanks to John Phillips’ iconic song, he’s been a performer in the city for over 30 years, performing ballet, hip-hop, and playing in a punk band at Mabuhay Gardens among other projects.
Leto found the ad for the emcee position on Craigslist and came in soon after for an interview. “I sold them on the idea that I’d stick around,” he says. So far he seems happy with the commitment, despite the mic’s inconsistencies. “On good days, I love it…It runs from hot to cold and back and in between for no reason,” he says. “I have no inkling as to why it happens.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OVerPtM_Do Danielle Ate The Sandwich at Brainwash but not at an open mic night.
At its worst, the open mic has been a venue for petty crime — earlier this year one of the performers’ laptops was taken during his performance. But the best nights, in Leto’s opinion, are the ones in which the youngest musicians set the bar highest.
“The highlights for me really are when I see the young, talented performers come down and strut their stuff,” says Leto. “I don’t care if their skills are developed or not. Here we’re all about the positivity.” Since it’s one of the few open mic venues that’s all-ages, Brainwash attracts a younger group of musicians than most open mic spots.
This youth demographic is one of the primary reasons that Leto continues to take pride in his role at Brainwash. During the day, Leto is a math teacher at Oakland High School. “I generally have a nurturing relationship with people who are under 18,” says Leto. He enjoys giving teens the opportunity to share their music and gain performance experience, especially since this is a rare opportunity for youths in the bar-heavy Bay Area.
Dean has formed friendships with many of the the regular performers and is eager to discuss their strengths and promote their groups “We have a nurturing attitude [at Brainwash]; it’s not about competition,” he says. “We encourage a lot of collaboration. We’ve introduced people that became acts.”
Part of the open mic’s friendly environment stems from the fact that the cafe closes at 10pm, keeping out the rowdier late-night crowd. “This is a very mellow, low-key open mic,” Leto explains. “It’s not high powered like the Utah or the Red Devil Lounge. You don’t have to take a number or be part of a lottery, and I’m able to offer everyone 15 minutes.” This is a significant time slot; most open mics offer 2 songs or ten minutes.
According to Leto, open mic nights serve an important function because it gives performers a place to develop their skills without the pressure of selling enough tickets and because there is nowhere else young people can go to participate in the local music scene. “[The open mic] creates a place where people can connect and interface and meet and perform together that doesn’t involve Facebook,” he says. “It’s somewhere we can meet and have a community.”
Open mics can also have a darker impact on the music community. Because no one (including Leto) gets paid for their services, open mic artists are sometimes exploited as a way for venues to make money off of free entertainment. “I don’t see that at Brainwash,” says Leto. “There’s no pressure for me to fulfill any sort of quota.”
Though Leto makes no money from his nights at Brainwash, he feels that having a place to hang out, meet people, and support local artists is worthy compensation. Through his open mic, Leto has even found a few people to join his own band My Blue Soul.
In addition to teaching statistics and hosting an open mic, Leto and his band perform weekly at the Condor Club in North Beach. “If you are a jack of all trades for a long time,” he says, “You become pretty good at some of those things.”
Localized Appreesh is our weekly thank-you column to the musicians that make the Bay. To be considered, contact emilysavage@sfbg.com.
Gypsy punk, that wild pluck-pluck-pluck of flamenco guitar, that bombastic percussion and brass, it all makes for a rather frenetic if sultry affair when bands such as Gogol Bordello do it well. And in our midst, there lives a gifted bunch of musicians – pulled together to form Diego’s Umbrella – that does it well too.
If you live in the Bay Area, you likely already know San Francisco’s Diego’s Umbrella. Perhaps you caught it at Outside Lands last year? Or you’ve heard any of its three peppy previous LPs? If not, here’s a chance to bone up. If so, there’s something new for you too.
The band’s latest, Proper Cowboy – said to be a “futuristic spaghetti western album” – drops today. The dance-worthy record, created in collaboration with San Francisco producers the Rondo Brothers, employs the frenzied Eastern European-influenced flamenco guitar and fiddle, along with analog synth and “an army of tubas” to create a mesmerizing landscape of sound, with images of twirling dancers in flowing red skirts and pirates with long swords held between their teeth spinning through the cliched mind.
The band plays a totally free record release show at New Parish this week. Get to know it here first:
Year and location of origin: Tyson and Vaughn have played music together in San Francisco since 2001, but the band as people now know it has been around since 2007.
Band name origin: From our friend Phil Burnett’s tattoo on his arm of Diego Rivera holding an umbrella.
Band motto: Let’s do this, people!
Description of sound in 10 words or less: Gypsy Rock.
Instrumentation: Vox/flamenco guitar, vox/electric guitar/percussion, electric guitar, violin/omnichord, bass, drums.
Most recent release: Proper Cowboy, released July 2012.
Best part about life as a Bay Area band: The best part about being an SF band is the passion and support from our incredible hometown fans. And we can’t imagine living anywhere else.
Worst part about life as a Bay Area band: Trying to find parking for our van/trailer.
First album ever purchased:In Effect Mode, by Al B Sure.
Most recent album purchased/downloaded: Fiona Apple’s latest.
Favorite local eatery and dish: I’ve recently grown quite fond of the ahi tacos at The Bell Tower, and the tea leaf salad at Mandalay is an all time favorite.
The US Air Guitar Championships held their SF Regionals at the Independent Saturday night. As such, a sold-out crowd of air-thusiests and the competitors’ family members gathered to see who would be crowned the SF champ and be given the opportunity to participate at Nationals in Denver.
As it was the final regional stop and only a matter of time before a 2012 Air Guitar World Champion would be crowned at the end-all event in scenic Oulu, Finland, “master of airemonies” Bjorn Turoque opened the night with a performance of “The Finland Countdown” (including the timely addition of a bit of “Zou Bisou Bisou”), accompanied by 2008’s World Champion, Hot Lixx Hulahan.
Hulahan would also judge the night’s competition – along with comedian Caitlin Gill and the Mr.T Experience’s “Dr. Frank” Portman – on the basis of technical merit, stage presence, and, of course, airness.
And the competition – full of requisite punny names, terribly great outfits, and ridiculous faces – was fierce, particularly the local rivalry between former SF regional champs Alex “Awesome” Koll and Matthew “Cold Steel Renegade” Feldstein.
As the event went on, it felt as though the faux-guitarists were going to attempt almost anything to up the take their performance to 11, particularly when Texan (and Jack Black/Norman Reedus love child) Taylor “Brock McRock” Fullbright precariously wobbled on a stage speaker only inches above my head.
Overcoming out-of-town disadvantage, NYC’s Justin “Seth Leibowitz” Hypes won the night, making a strong start with a heavy metal rendition of “Call Me Maybe” before seemingly levitating over the crowd in the final round. It was an impressive night, particularly if you followed Turoque’s advice at the start: “Don’t be sober, otherwise it’s just going to look kind of stupid.”
Use a selection of mixtapes as a base crust, add a pinch of sweet Young Magic, some crunchy Grass Widow(s), extract of Phono Del Sol and warm Summer Soul, along with a creamy dollop of pastoral My Best Fiend. What have you got? The week in San Francisco sound pie. Stick a fork in it.
Unfortunately, that recipe was supposed to include two spicy shakes of the flamenco passion of Charo, but she had to cancel her Yoshi’s shows this week due to illness. Here’s wishing her a speedy recovery. Check out this sexy video to see what we’ll be missing. Heartbreaking, really.
But don’t let it bring you down. Here are your must-see Bay Area concerts this week/end:
Young Magic Last time Australian electronic-psych trio Young Magic swung through town, then opening for Youth Lagoon, we declared them a band to watch. Here’s your chance, don’t blow it. With Quilt, Shock Tue/17, 8pm, $10-$12 Rickshaw Stop 155 Fell, SF (415) 861-2011 www.rickshawstop.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ydYhTG4LbI
Churches Local power-pop trio Churches (with members of Rogue Wave, Port O’Brien, and Grand Lake) channels reflections of the past, those rough, alienating, fresh hell years of high school in the loud grunge angst of the ’90s. With Waters, Tijuana Panthers, Chasms Wed/18, 9pm, $10-$12 Brick and Mortar Music Hall 1710 Mission, SF (415) 800-8782 www.brickandmortarmusic.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dztzf2Z8Nw8
Mixology, Mixtapes and Remixes More of an event than a straight-forward show, Mixology, Mixtapes, and Remixes does still have a rough sonic edge: music swapping, DJs, live music. The San Francisco Mixtape Society (recently profiled in SFBG) is hosting a swap, so bring a mixtape, CD, or USB stick inspired by the creepy/sensual theme of “night creatures.” There’ll be DJ remixing by Friendzone, Yalls, and Giraffage; along with performances by ethereal Heathered Pearls and Gorillaz co-founder Dan the Automator. With Push the Feeling (epicsauce DJs and YR SKULL) Thu/19, 6pm, $10-$12 California Academy of Sciences 55 Music Concourse, SF (415) 379-8000 calacademy.org http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKw58G4APDc
Grass Widow Its been called out here before as an absolute must-see, apologies. However this is the official album release party, so…go, celebrate Internal Logic with this harmonizing local post-punk trio. And read our interview with the band in this week’s issue. With American Splits, Wax Idols, the Worlds Longest Guitar Solo with Breaks Fri/20, 9pm, $10–$12 Rickshaw Stop 155 Fell, SF www.rickshawstop.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meCV2sfThYA
Summer Soul Friday Night San Francisco has a way of letting us float through a teenage Shangri-La, well into adulthood. Summer Soul Friday Night, hosted by the Bold Italic and Dusty Stax, sounds as though it will vibe like the Enchantment Under the Sea meets Motormouth Maybelle’s record store. There’ll be sharp-dressed young men in ties and ladies in skirts or dresses (as required) swaying to the soulful punch of the Gold Star Band, lead by Quinn DeVeaux and featuring guest star crooners Carletta Sue Kay, Paula Frazer, Tahlia Harbour of Sonny and the Sunsets, and Freddie Hughes, among others. Also included: Dick and Sama of Rooky Ricardo’s spinning vinyl, and a summer cocktail by Templeton Rye. Fri/20, 8pm, $30 Verdi Club 2424 Mariposa, SF summersoulfridaynight.eventbrite.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRHgav4AoCc
Phono Del Sol Music and Food Festival Phono Del Sol returns this weekend, and the price is still right: just $7 to $10 max (unless you go VIP) for the pleasure of chilling in the grass with pals while rollicking locals Fresh & Onlys, sincere globe-trotters Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and Santa Barbara synth-and-flute freaks Gardens & Villa fill the park with sweet music. Produced by the Bay Bridged blog, this year’s curated lineup also includes Vivian Girl Katy Goodman’s shimmery solo effort La Sera, along with Northern California bred acts such as Dominant Legs, Sea of Bees, and Mwahaha. Noon-6pm. $7–$10. Potrero Del Sol Park 25th Street at Utah, SF www.phonodelsol.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaUDCpTxmj4
My Best Fiend “My Best Fiend cranks out pastoral ballads of human frailty that mutate slyly into psychedelic, space-bound epics. The Brooklyn outfit’s debut full-length, In Ghostlike Fading, emanates a distinctly ’70s vibe, recalling the heady propulsion of Pink Floyd’s looser, slower jams; the stoned disillusionment of David Crosby’s If I Could Only Remember My Name; the sun-drenched melancholy of Neil Young’s Harvest.” — Taylor Kaplan With White Cloud Sat/21, 9pm, $10 Brick & Mortar 1710 Mission, SF (415) 800-8782 www.brickandmortarmusic.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P61iJ_I4i8
Ever wonder what it’s like to be a festival photographer? Allen David has been going to camping festivals in California for decades. He sent us over action shots from the July 5-8 High Sierra Music Festival, and wrote up his bird’s eye view of the Quincy, Calif. happenings — including his assessment of Hasidic reggae-rapper Matisyahu’s child-rearing skills
Last week, I packed up my vintage Beemer with all my camping needs; beers and crazy clothes. My trusty camera and I were headed up to High Sierra Music Festival in Quincy.
My drive took me up State Route 70 along the Feather River, one of my favorite places to cruise in California. Whenever you feel too hot, there is always a spot to pull over and cool off in the churning river. At sunset I reached the will call booth and waited in line with other festival revelers to earn my entry into a weekend filled with music, dancing, drinking, and debauchery.
My first mission after gaining entry was to meet up with Matisyahu for a brief interview. I was running late. Finally backstage, I found his publicist, who told me that Matisyahu was wandering around the festival with his two young boys. He said to stick around for a while, and Matisyahu would eventually show up. I waited with my friend Rachel for about a half-hour, ’til we were really starting to crave beers. But as we were leaving the bandstand we saw a very tall, clean-cut young man walking towards us with two young boys holding his hands. I asked him if he was Matisyahu. He was.
Maybe it was because his kids were running around our feet, but our conversation revolved around fatherhood. He’s quite a dad. The way he encouraged his young sons seemed to empower them — the eldest sang us a song while sitting on dad’s lap. Half way through, Matisyahu began to back his son up with some of the greatest beatboxing I’ve heard.
After our chat, my friend Rachel and I found the rest of our friends from the Samba Stilt Circus camped in a barn, which had a slight smell of pigs and horses. After some thorough investigation we found a stall that didn’t smell too bad, and made it our weekend home.
My favorite act of the whole week was a band I never had heard of before. I was spending time at shower camp (the camp that operates free showers for all fest-goers) with one of my best buds, Turner. Off in the distance I heard what sounded like the theme song from the classic TV show Nightrider, only with a Bollywood feel. I was drawn to the music like a rat to the Pied Piper.
When we finally found the stage in question, I was delighted to find that a tuba was being used to replace the electric bass in the band, Red Baraat. The group’s horn section, awesome grooves, and stunning good looks kept me shaking for two hours. At one point I checked out the rest of the crowd, only to find one of my other favorite acts from the festival were dancing along with me, March Fourth Marching Band.
As night progressed, and people preceded into the altered dimensions that booze — and possibly other things? — give you access to, people seemed to wake up and look for their next destinations. Many people went into the late night venues, yet as I am on a restricted photographer’s budget, I found the $30 extra to be a little much for me. I found friends and wandered around the festival enjoying the company of strangers that were on the same page as me.
Monday came, and I had to focus on the sad task of packing up camp. Yet once the Beemer was packed up and we were on the road, the Feather River greeted us with another great swimming hole, washing another great weekend into the past.
What’s your idea of a productive lunch break? Mine involves returning a failed online shopping purchase to FedEx with just enough time to grab a sandwich to shove into my face back at my desk.
DJ Matt Haze, of the Slayers Club collective, hates this. “A lot of my friends work in the tech industry or in finance,” he explains. “Even though they’re eating a nice gourmet lunch, they’re eating it at their desks. They’re not taking a moment to breathe or take their eyes off the monitor… I want to provide an outlet for people during the day.”
That outlet is RECESS, a new monthly (for now) midday party Haze is organizing with Sunset Promotions. The goal: to get as many young, San Francisco office workers to take full advantage of that magical allotted free hour during their day by getting sweaty with like-minded PYTs on the dance floor.
The daytime lunch party idea isn’t entirely new. The Swedes have been doing it with wild success since 2010, under the name Lunch Beat, but Matt is quick to point out that his idea for RECESS came independently. He first shared the idea of a lunchtime party with friend and Scoutmob Community Manager Lauryn McCarthy.
She was the one who told him about the Lunch Beat phenomenon, which he credits for motivating him to make RECESS a reality. “I was spurred into action,” he says, “knowing that someone else had a similar idea and was making it work in Europe. I thought if any city in the US should have a lunchtime dance party, surely it’s San Francisco.”
Surely indeed. On Wednesday, my coworker and I headed to the RECESS launch party (NOTE: future installments will be dubbed bEATs for Lunch out of respect to an already-existing Oakland Recess party that was just brought to the organizers’ attention).
That kickoff event was held at Monarch, a club at the lively intersection of Sixth and Mission Streets.
We passed a small crowd standing on the side of the Monarch building, eating sandwiches in the sunshine (RECESS provided free, vegetarian sandwiches from Ike’s to the crowd, but we were too late to snag a bite — alas, they looked pretty good).
With our IDs checked, we headed into the small bar and lounge area. Less than 10 people were scattered around the bar and a few couches, chatting and eating. House music bumped from the basement. I wondered if the dance floor was experiencing the same sparse attendance.
We ventured toward the music, passing two sweaty girls who were laughing and fanning their faces on their way up. I was shocked when we hit the basement.
Here was the party. Not the daytime awkward-fest I’d been imaging. It was a party-party with club lighting and projectors splashing trippy footage of abstract art and bare boobs and squiggly lines across the walls. Haze was dancing behind his turntables, spinning an electrifying set of house music mixed with the likes of Depeche Mode and eclectic world music.
And because everyone was coming from work, they were dressed casually. No guys in shiny button-down shirts or girls with torture-devices strapped to their feet.
The vibe was fun, inclusive, and warm. Maybe because we were all doing something a bit out of the norm, everyone was smiling and jumping, laughing and making real eye contact with each other. It was a genuinely positive atmosphere without dreaded pretension.
My coworker and I stayed for 45 minutes. We pounded a drink at the bar — this is another way the SF event differs from the strictly non-alcohol-offering Lunch Beat — and danced with abandon. People began trickling out around 1:45pm.
Back at the office, I was noticeably less tense and in a fantastic mood. It’s hard to pinpoint why RECESS feels so exciting and illicit. Yes, you’re sneaking off to a club in the middle of the workday, but it’s your lunch break. No broken rules there. Still, there’s a rush that comes with using that time to do something just for you.
The next bEATs for Lunch (formerly RECESS) will take place Aug. 8 at Monarch.
Caleb Nichols is impatient. Long part of the Bay Area music scene in bands such as Port O’Brien and his own Grand Lake, he’s perhaps forgotten that his new project with Rogue Wave drummer Pat Spurgeon and bassist Dominic East, Churches, is still in its infancy.
That restless feeling might come from the initial burst of interest in the act when its first song, chilling power-pop anthem “Save Me,” went up on Bandcamp. Recorded with close Nichols pal Van Pierszalowski of Port O’Brien and Waters at Tiny Telephone, the song was just the seedling of a new project Nichols came up with while on tour with Waters.
Nichols long knew he wanted to work with East Bay-based Spurgeon, but the drummer was often too busy with Rogue Wave. With that band on hiatus (though now, excitingly, back in the studio), Churches formed at the beginning of 2012. It was the positive response to “Save Me” that spurred Nichols and Spurgeon to put together a live show, hooking in East on bass and cementing the trio by February of this year.
“I’ll be like ‘why aren’t we doing this and this already?’ and then be like, ‘oh, because we’ve only been playing shows since February,” Nichols laughs over the phone from his apartment in Santa Cruz. “We’ve played like 10 shows, chill out.” The trio adds another show to that list next week opening for Waters at Brick and Mortar Music Hall.
Nichols adds, “We’ve all been in bands for so long, it’s hard to remember that this particular band is brand new.”
Despite its newness, the act already put up a free six-song EP on Bandcamp in April (which includes “Save Me”), and entered the 48-hour music video race in May. It also is about to get working on yet another EP, this time at the Hangar in Sacramento with Bryce Gonzalez. This next one will be “a little darker., more cynical…a little more aggressive” Nichols says, a bit more raw.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dztzf2Z8Nw8
But before that, and currently at the forefront of their collective mind, is the Kickstarter project with a goal of $3,000 that ends July 19. If the goal is met, the project will fund the vinyl recording of a song called “LOVELIFE” that the band hopes will become something of an anthem for the LGBT community.
I’ll let the Kickstarter description do the explaining here: “It’s a song about the important issue of marriage equality. We believe in this song and its message so strongly that we’ve decided to launch this Kickstarter campaign to help the song get properly recorded and pressed on 7″ vinyl…As a gay Californian, and American, I find it increasingly disturbing that so many people in my home-state and country have gone to their polling places and voted against my right to marry whomever I choose – voted against my right to fully participate and engage in a meaningful relationship – voted against my right to have the same rights as everybody else.”
The kicker: at the $100 level, donors will be able to come to the studio and contribute their voice to the chorus of the song. Said chorus goes, “Some folks think it’s not right / That I should have the right / To love my man and marry him / And live out in the light / Well I think that it’s a sin / To hate your kith and kin / I was born this way, now hear me say / I am just what I am.”
The chorus was written during a long drive back to Santa Cruz after an awkward dinner in Oakland.
Nichols says they added that bonus of bringing in funders to sing as a way to get the community involved – and as a way for him to personally connect more with the gay community. “I’m not a famous person, so it probably doesn’t carry as much weight as like, Anderson Cooper or Frank Ocean. I respect those people for coming out…just from where I’m at, in my career, I feel like it’s good to be very loud about these kinds of things. I’m tired of our personal lives being subject to political whims.”
He adds, “I don’t write a lot of political music…but this song has a purpose, it has a point for me.”
Nichols may not often write expressly about politics, but he is often writing from a highly personal place. Churches channels reflections of the past, those rough, alienating, fresh hell years of high school in the loud grunge angst of the ’90s. Growing up in tiny Los Osos, Nichols struggled with isolation, and “general outcastishness” – and he says these feelings have persisted into adulthood, though far less intensely. Still, thankfully, he can tap into those dark emotions to write the passionately distorted music of Churches.
Musically, he first picked up bass in early high school – he says another testament to his impatience as he thought it’d be easier than guitar – and played in Nirvana-esque bands in a local San Luis Obispo County music scene that included Van Pierszalowski and Myles Cooper, who were both in other nearby bands back then and have of course gone on to form SF projects.
When Nichols eventually moved to the Bay Area, he joined Port O’Brien, later forming Grand Lake in Oakland with his soon-to-be boyfriend, John Pomeroy. They just celebrated their three-year anniversary in Santa Cruz, where Pomeroy is going back to school and Nicholas occasionally works at the local record store. Pomeroy has slowly and steadily been making his new own music while Nicholas works on Churches, yet to show any to the public. “He’s the opposite of me, I do things really quickly but he takes his time,” Nichols laughs, forever a teenager at heart.
Churches With Waters, Tijuana Panthers, Chasms Wed/18, 9pm, $10-$12 Brick and Mortar Music Hall 1710 Mission, SF (415) 800-8782 www.brickandmortarmusic.com
