The Blacks Call It a Day with Tiger Songs
May 21, 2009
It breaks my heart to report word from Tricycle Records that San Francisco-New York trio The Blacks are breaking up, with a farewell performance at the Rickshaw Stop on Thursday, June 18th. Making the final show extra bittersweet, it’ll also double as the “guitar noir” band’s record release party for their second album, Tiger Songs.
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The Blacks – “Ammunition” (from Tiger Songs)
Knowing the band’s electrified live show, their final performance is sure to be more wake than funeral. To that end, the group promises “the biggest tambourine experiment yet”–referring to their mayhem-fueling habit of distributing tambourines to crowds to perform along with them. Before the final show, you can learn more about the band by listening to our feature podcast on The Blacks from late 2007.
Tickets for the band’s final show, with The Red Verse and The Ferocious Few, can be picked up at RickshawStop.com. The band has created the following Frequently Asked Questions regarding their dissolution.
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Absolutely Kosher gives away Soon
May 20, 2009
Local label Absolutely Kosher Records and partner Misra Records are giving away Soon…, a free digital sampler containing eight songs from both labels’ forthcoming releases, including a number of recently signed acts:
With the widespread offering of this EP, Misra formally announces the signing of Pittsburgh folk singer Emily Rodgers, while Absolutely Kosher makes official the additions of Victoria, BC band Chet (featuring Ryan Beattie of Frog Eyes & Himalayan Bear who are also signing to the label) and two UK acts, punk-inspired experimental one man show The Rollercoaster Project from Sheffield and post-everything collective Buttonhead from London. We are extremely excited about every single one of them.
You can download the sampler here, or stream it at the labels’ Muxtape page.
The full tracklisting is below: [More...]
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Port O’Brien’s stuck on a boat to Europe
May 20, 2009
An update from Port O’Brien brings much news of productivity as of late. Before a trip to Europe (most likely by plane, not boat) the band will embark on a short summer tour on the west coast, predominantly with Papercuts. On this tour, Tyson Vogel (Two Gallants) and Gram LeBron (Rogue Wave) will assist on drums and guitar.
Aside from live shows, Port O’Brien has been recording in both Sacramento and San Francisco, and are now finishing the recording process in Eagle Rock, CA. Release details are still TBA. But if you’re itching for something fresh, remember that the Winter 7″ released earlier this year and recorded by Jason Quever (Papercuts) is available on iTunes and InSound.
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Port O’Brien – Fisherman’s Son
Tour dates below: [More...]
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Tonight: Judgement Day opens for Dredg @ Bimbo’s
May 20, 2009
After pizza for dinner and canolis for dessert, why not stroll North Beach a little further to Bimbo’s? Local stringed metal Judgement Day will be opening both SF tour dates for Dredg: last night at Great American Music Hall — but in case you missed it, also tonight at Bimbo’s — both with Torche (Atlanta). Dredg, also from the Bay Area, will give a sneak peak of their album The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion coming out next month.
Judgement Day – “Out of the Abyss”
On a related note, have you heard what else Anton Patzner (Judgement Day) has been up to? Devotionals is his newest project with Tyson Vogel of Two Gallants, quite the busy Bay Area musicians. More information about the project is on the Two Gallants MySpace blog.
They’ve just been confirmed to reveal themselves at The Rickshaw Stop on June 3 with Garrett Pierce and Conspiracy of Venus.
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Photos: Sean Hayes & The Botticellis @ The Independent – May 16th
May 19, 2009
Photos by: Agata Kamler
Sean Hayes
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Odawas (Podcast #164)
May 19, 2009
Stream the episode:
This week’s podcast profiles Odawas, a duo fusing ambient synth tones and singer-songwriter rock. Michael Tapscott (“keyboards, guitars, vocals, harmonicas, dry skin, songs and sounds”) and Isaac Edwards (“keyboards, patience, ears and beards, sounds and songs”) met as students in Bloomington, Indiana in 2004, and the band moved around the Midwest before ultimately settling in Berkeley last winter. Their arrival in the Bay was soon followed by the release of their excellent latest album, The Blue Depths (Jagjaguwar), a critically-acclaimed work that they’ve supported with performances up and down the West Coast. It’s been a busy 2009 for Odawas, with little sign of letting up.
The band’s unique sound results from shared interests and divided roles. Both Tapscott and Edwards have a love of film soundtracks and electronic compositions, and they harness the grandeur of these styles to maximize the emotional impact of what remain, at their core, rock songs. Rock songs composed principally on keyboards, that is, and written initially by Michael alone, who then delivers his rough sketches to Isaac for refinement and reworking. That separation works for the band, but it seems a little surprising, given how cohesive the mix of organic and electronic layers is on The Blue Depths. “Cohesive” understates it considerably; this is a lush album full of riches to enjoy.
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Ticket Giveaway: The Blue Up Ball this Saturday at the Independent
May 19, 2009
If you’re looking for a break between BBQing and enjoying at the Mission District’s Carnaval this Memorial Day Weekend, The Independent is throwing The Blue Up Ball – an all Northern California party featuring Lake Tahoe’s Blue Turtle Seduction and San Francisco’s own The New Up and Blue Rabbit.
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The New Up – “Better Off”
The Blue Up Ball marks the only summer show from Blue Turtle Seduction here in San Francisco and will also celebrate the local release of Better Off, the second in a series of three EPs being released by The New Up cataloging 15 recordings done by the band in 2008 and early 2009.
As an added bonus, we are giving a pair of tickets away to one lucky winner! To enter send an email to contest@thebaybridged.com by Friday at noon and answer the following question:
What is your favorite thing to barbecue on Memorial Day and why?
The winner will be chosen at random and notified via E-mail.
The show starts at 9pm is $14 and 21+. Advance tickets can be purchased at a $2 discount here. Copies of Better Off will be available at the show and the album will be out in stores in August.
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Two benefits this week
May 18, 2009
Two benefits worth supporting take place this week, both of which feature some great local music.
The “Note for Note” concert supports the Haight Ashbury Community Nursery School, with money raised going to enable the school to offer scholarships, purchase supplies and equipment, and maintain the Grattan Playground. The concert’s at the Swedish American Hall on Thursday, May 21st, with performances by Indianna Hale, Chris von Sneidern, Foxtails Brigade, and Bias Tape. Doors open at 7pm, and it a $15 suggested/sliding scale donation to attend.
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Birds & Batteries – “I’ll Never Sleep Again”
One day prior, Wednesday, May 20th, Noise Pop is presenting “Music Matters: A Root Jam Session with Little Kids Rock!” at Cafe du Nord. Little Kids Rock is a nonprofit working with schools to help them develop and sustain engaging music education programs. The show features performances by Birds & Batteries, Vs. Them, Faith in Phantoms and Cat Caspar, and an early evening performance by San Francisco students in Little Kids Rock programs. Doors are at 6pm, with a suggested donation of $10-$20.
