Review: Birds & Batteries, Judgement Day, Sister Crayon @ Rickshaw 5/28
May 31, 2010
Photos by: Irja Elisa
In a city with heavy feet, three bands expertly got the kids dancing at the Rickshaw Stop last Friday. Spinning Platters presented a lineup that was a young folks’ response to the confines of classical music – making technically excellent music with fierce rawness and energy.
“Sister Crayon blew my mind,” was the refrain from both Birds & Batteries and Judgement Day, which was an apt description for this up-and-coming Sacramento band. Singer Terra Lopez’s wild and vulnerable singing is the ghost of a soul singer. The band uses a combination of live and electric drumming and guileless piano melodies to lay down a steady foundation; over this, Lopez builds and breaks down the songs, nimbly switching between a rap-styled cadence and an operatic, full-throated howl.
The video for their song “(in) reverse”, which garnered attention from VH1, MTV and Dazed and Confused, gives you a sense of their sound but has nothing on the vibrancy of their live performance. The band’s next performance is in Sacramento on June 6th at the Blue Lamp; their full length, Bellow, is due out in the latter half of 2010. Listening feels like: remixing a breakup opera in a haunted house.
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Wednesday, 6/2: WHY? returns to the Bay Area
May 31, 2010
WHY? returns to the Bay Area this Wednesday, June 2nd (8pm, $16, 18+, purchase tickets), at The New Parish in Oakland. Joining the band are The Donkeys and WHY? bandmember/Yoni’s brother Josiah Wolf, whose debut solo album, Jet Lag, came out earlier this year.
Also, Yoni’s Pavement cover from our New, Improved, LIVE session, which remains a favorite track around these parts:
Yoni Wolf (of WHY?) – “Shoot the Singer (1 Sick Verse)”
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Minipop return with Automatic Love EP, celebrate 6/25/10
May 28, 2010
June 1st will see the return of Minipop, in the form of the new Automatic Love EP. This is the first release from the indie pop band since 2007′s A New Hope.
Minipop – “Like I Do” (from A New Hope)
Automatic Love will be celebrated on June 25th at the Rickshaw Stop (8:30 pm, $10), where Minipop’s headlining performance will be preceded by locals the Trophy Fire and LA’s Chasing Kings.
Until then, stream the new songs from Automatic Love on Minipop’s MySpace page.
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Hanalei – “Rats”
May 28, 2010
Hanalei – Rats by chaseigliori
From One Big Night, the new album from Hanalei, local musician Brian Moss’ (Olehole, The Ghost) stripped-down solo project. The album comes out June 1st on Big Scary Monsters/Brick Gun Records. Hanalei’s playing tonight, 5/28, at Thee Parkside (9pm, $8), with Tigon, The New Trust, and The Abominable Iron Sloth.
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Weekend and Young Prisms have a new 7″ (and a release show Sunday, 5/30)
May 28, 2010
It’s not rocket science to predict big things coming for Young Prisms and Weekend, two SF bands whose debut Mexican Summer releases received strong acclaim and who both have full lengths forthcoming in the near future. They’re also “best buddies,” says Transparent, who should know, since they’re releasing the bands’ new split single. Transparent‘s generously posted both sides of the record, which are equally great. True to form, Weekend dishes out propulsive melody and energy on its side, while the Prisms deliver another hazy beach pop gem.
Young Prisms – “I Don’t Get Much”
Celebrate the new record’s release with both bands, Grave Babies, and Swanifant at the Hemlock Tavern on Sunday, May 30th (9pm, $8, 21+, purchase advance tickets).
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Starting tonight: Four Days of SF Popfest
May 27, 2010
As we’ve mentioned a few times now, San Francisco Popfest 2010 kicks off today, with a bunch of great shows worth checking out.
The Bay Bridged – San Francisco Popfest 2010 Mixtape (Tracklisting)
Popfest kicks off tonight at the Rickshaw Stop, with a headlining performance from Merrill Garbus’s tUnE-yArDs. Garbus’ album BiRd-BrAiNs was one of last year’s highlights, fusing a home-recording feel to winding, smart pop. Supporting are local indie pop bands Eux Autres and Social Studies, and Knight School, an NYC duo whose second full length is out on local label Make A Mess Records.
On Friday, things move over to Bottom of the Hill for a homecoming performance from Casiotone for the Painfully Alone. Redwood City-born Owen Ashworth is touring with a full band, befitting the more organic sounds on last year’s Vs. Children. He’ll be playing alongside Antarctica Takes It!, which formed in Santa Cruz and recently released their second album, Constellations, following a successful Kickstarter fundraising drive. Nodzzz and English Singles also perform.
Saturday afternoon, The Orange Peels top a Popfest show at the Hotel Utah. The Sunnyvale band’s fourth album, 2020, came out late last year. Peels leader Allen Clapp also produced the latest album by show opener The Corner Laughers. Brooklyn’s Dream Diary and Sweden’s Leaving Mornington Crescent round out the show.
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Thursday 5/27/10: Silian Rail/By Sunlight 7″ release + YACHT after party at Milk
May 27, 2010
Tonight, 5/27/10, both Milk Bar and Epicsauce.com will host a two-fold indie explosion, featuring the below acts, free admission and $3 Trumer/Tecate/PBR.
Starting at 8:00 pm, Silian Rail, By Sunlight, Ash Reiter and Devotionals will play in celebration of a new 7″ release. The 7″, split by Silian Rail and By Sunlight, officially comes out this week on Side With Us Records. This show is free with RSVP.
Ash Reiter – “La Bahia” (from Daytrotter Session)
Once midnight rolls around, it will be time for the YACHT after-party succeeding the band’s set at the Independent. The party will feature a DJ set by YACHT & The Straight Gaze and a live set by Jeffrey Jerusalem (both Portland acts). This party is also free with RSVP.
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Honeycomb @ Chasing the Moon
May 27, 2010
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Emily Ritz and Honeycomb are one of our favorite new bands in the San Francisco music scene. Miss Ritz, a self taught musician, brings a unique finger style and odd meters to her ukulele playing. In less than a year, Honeycomb has become a true collaboration, now living together in their outer mission hive.
Look out for performances from several familiar Chasing The Moon alumni: including Andrew Maguire’s fierce percussion playing, and Kacey Johansing’s sweet vocals tempering Emily’s feral lead.
Chasing the Moon releases new episodes about once a month. To be notified of future episodes you can subscribe to their podcast either through iTunes or with this feed.
Produced By: Brian Berberich; Shot By: Elijiah Pahati; Mixed By: Scott McDowell.
