Review & Photos: Kids on a Crime Spree, Bad Bibles, Adios Amigo @ The Hemlock 1/27/12
January 31, 2012
The stage at last Friday night’s show at the Hemlock hosted an eclectic motley crew of understated indie crooners, confrontational post punk performers, and fuzzed-out pop embraces.
The night began with Adios Amigo, which features Johnny Major from another Spanish-named band, Il Gato. Their music is more low-key than in your face, with subtle crescendos and washed out three-part vocal harmonies. It’s the perfect music for the end of a day at the beach, when the late afternoon sun pales everything to a light golden hue. If that is your thing, their new album is available for a free download here. [More...]
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Review & Photos: Nobunny, Bongwater & Black Swans, 1/24/12 – 1/25/12
January 30, 2012
“Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of Fuel. Sentimental people call it Inspiration, but what they really mean is Fuel.” – Hunter S. Thompson
No, this photo is not from last week’s show at 1-2-3-4 Go! Records. It was all ages after all and Nobunny kept his clothes on. The room was completely packed and no one was safe from the moshing, flying jackets and projectile vomit. The short set ripped through much of the Nobunny catalog including the signature “Boneyard” and “I am a Girlfriend”. The grande finale was a fueled up version of Weird Al Yankovic’s “Eat It”. Out front the kids were cussin’ and slappin’ each other around. Full on all ages experience. The photo is from SXSW ’09 at the oldest bar in Austin, the incredible Scoot Inn. I think I got my buddy Chuck all signed up to join me in Texas this coming March; hard to believe it is nearly February. [More...]
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The Boulevard Ear – 1/13/12: Of Bohemians and Bon Vivants
January 19, 2012
Welcome back to the Boulevard Ear, a regular feature on The Bay Bridged, where our man about town examines a community’s live music offerings over the course of one evening. What is it like to be a show-goer whose experiences are dictated entirely by location? Follow Todd as he explores Bay Area music venues by neighborhood, finding a variety of independent music along the way.
The Boulevard Ear ~ Of Bohemians and Bon Vivants
While the widespread indignation over gentrification and economic pressure on local artists may be somewhat overwrought (since there is such a lively music scene going on after all), who among us would question that making a life of music here has become ever more challenging? Are we nostalgic, or was the local music community once more rife with veterans of five, ten, fifteen or more years tenure, faithfully plying their trade in a network of small, fraternal venues?
It is thus the sincere aim of the Bon Vivant – who, distinct from the committed Bohemian, has stable sources of capital and only visits the demi-monde – to devote our humble pulpit to heralding the music makers and inform you of their nature and achievements.
And we will presently address this, but let us not to haste. We are not poised to hear the troubadours until we survey leisurely the firmament of which they sing. This is, in modern parlance, how we roll. [More...]
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Two-for-One Review & Photos: Mist and Mast, Fine Steps @ Make-Out Room; Bootcuts, Harkenbacks @ Plough and Stars, 1/6/12
January 11, 2012
Mist and Mast – “Getting Out Soon”
The Make Out Room sits in the center of a hot scene – Cafe’s Lolo and Revolution and a mini-park across the street and all – and yet it operates in relative quiet and on its own terms.
One such example – the happy hour show. For whatever reasons, the management often splits the evening between live music early and DJ sets later- the music afficionado’s penchant to still be napping or eating before 9:30 be damned.
And so, with two bands I very much wanted to hear at the Plough and Stars at nine, a well-intentioned reviewer such as myself had no choice but to cover two shows. [More...]
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Review & Photos: Songs For Moms at 1-2-3-4 Go! Records 1/4/12
January 9, 2012
Songs For Moms
It is with great joy that I report to you from Oakland’s 1-2-3-4 Go! Record Store. Truly the lil’ record store that could. They now boast live music on a very regular basis and host some of the best shows in town. No booze, but it’s all ages and the big kids can go next door to Homeroom for some delicious tap beer (and 4000 kinds of mac n’ cheese). The headliner tonite was Oakland’s own Songs For Moms, a band I was sadly unfamiliar with. These grrrrls rawwwwwk! Take a listen to “In the West” from their 2009 record I used to Believe in the West, then join the fan club or at least track them down for a show. Not only do they write, sing and play well (a rare combination) but the drummer, Carey is the executive director and founder of the Bay Area Girls Rock Camp! Since 2008 this uber cool camp has been dedicated to the empowerment of young girls (8 to 18) building confidence and creativity through music. Very uber cool. [More...]
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Review: Scott Miller at the Starry Plough, 12/4/11
December 6, 2011
Still metabolizing the last bits of barley, hops and potato salad from Saturday’s incredible Bay Brewed, I somehow managed to crawl to the Starry Plough the very next afternoon. It was an increasingly rare chance to hear Scott Miller. His band Game Theory helped get me through the 80s, plus they slept in my college living room in ’89! Their 1982 debut album, Blaze of Glory (recorded in his bedroom in Sac) and 1985s Real Nighttime remain my favorites, but Big Shot Chronicles from 1986 does contain several brilliant tunes including “Erica’s Word” featured above.
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Ian Fays, Strand of Oaks and Crooked Fingers at Bottom of the Hill 11/23/11
November 28, 2011
It’s the always eerie night before Thanksgiving and I’m already seeing double. This time we cannot blame the Wild Turkey. San Francisco’s Ian Fays include twins Lizz and Sara, older sister Lena (on triangle, tambourine and more!), Lizz’s husband on drums plus “a friend” on bass. It is, as they announce, “a family affair”. Lizz and Sara don’t appear to be identical twins, but in their matching outfits it’s still quite a spectacle. There is something incredibly powerful about sibling bands. From the Jackson 5 to the Strange Boys, The Brothers Johnson to the Sadies and Meat Puppets!!, you can imagine these kids growing up together listening to music, playing music and understanding the mission completely.
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Review & Photos: Wild Flag at GAMH, 11/4/11
November 7, 2011
Photos by: Anna Gazdowicz
So-called “supergroups” either come and go (remember Temple of the Dog?), or form lasting impressions on the face of rock history, like Crosby, Stills and Nash (and sometimes Young), Cream, Journey, the Foo Fighters, and so on. Will Wild Flag — comprised of Mary Timony, Carrie Brownstein, Janet Weiss, and Rebecca Cole — go down as a just a flash in the pan for these seasoned indie songstresses, fueled by dueling egos? Or will they continue to make powerful records like this year’s self-titled debut?
Fingers crossed for the latter.
The well-hyped fab four came to San Francisco last weekend and played a couple of energetic shows at the Great American Music Hall. Expectations were high, giving the pedigree of the band members, and they certainly delivered, but what made the most lasting impression is the sheer joy the band seemed to have while playing together. They were clearly having a lot of fun and it rubbed off on to the crowd.
