Following in the tradition of two years of acclaimed events, BATO 2010 features our best lineup yet, with performances by fifteen of the San Francisco Bay Area’s hottest artists, who represent a broad cross-section of the Bay’s fertile indie music scene. Highlights include psych-rockers Sleepy Sun (ATP Recordings), the raw rock and roll of Ty Segall (Goner Records), and, back by popular demand, a set of magnetic electro-R&B from Wallpaper. (Eenie Meenie).

The full list of terrific acts includes:

Wallpaper.
Sleepy Sun
Ty Segall
Or, the Whale
Still Flyin’
Birds & Batteries
The Sandwitches
Young Prisms
Man/Miracle
Tempo No Tempo
Geographer
The Ferocious Few
Sonny and the Sunsets
Leopold and his Fiction
Hottub

With DJ sets from Bagel Ted (Bagel Radio) throughout the day.

More information about the party can be found at TheBayAreaTakeover.com. The party is FREE, but you should RSVP at the BATO web site to receive priority admission. Profiles of all bands and additional details will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Bay Area Takeover is sponsored by Site and Sound, BAGeL Radio, and Tricycle Records. Affordable sponsorship opportunities for the event are still available. Please contact christian@thebaybridged.com for more information. Media inquiries about the event should be directed to thebaybridged@gmail.com.

Kacey Johansing has had an important influence on the vision and direction of Chasing The Moon since it was barely an idea, so it’s only fitting to begin our second season with her lovely music! She put together an incredible crew of musicians for this performance, including Emily Ritz improvising a dazzling light show on the overhead projector.

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.

The Splinters – “Mysterious” (from Kick)

Berkeley/Oakland band The Splinters release their debut full-length, Kick, on March 9th, 2010 on Oakland’s Double Negative Records. The quartet formed in 2008, and have a couple of releases (CD-r, 7″) under their belts, but Kick, with its blend of garage rock enthusiasm and girl-group/indie pop catchiness, has them poised to make a bigger splash nationally. To that end, they’re heading down to SXSW and doing a bunch of touring in the coming months.

The band’s record release show is at Amnesia on March 4th, with Hunx and His Punx and Magic Bullets, but you can first see The Splinters at the Rickshaw Stop on February 24th as part of Noise Pop.

Review by Aaron Sankin

Under Eric Johnson’s porkpie hat sits a head full of deep thoughts. Johnson is the lead singer and creative force behind Fruit Bats, who headlined a solid evening of indie rock at Slim’s last Friday night. Fruit Bats called their latest album The Ruminant Band, which suggests a bunch of chin-stroking English majors mulling matters philosophical more than it does people who actually stand on stage and rock. Luckily, while their country-flecked live show is certainly cerebral, the sound is much more muscular than that implies. Front-loading their set with crowd-pleasers like “The Ruminant Band” and “Canyon Girl”, the band was a fitting capstone to a night that owed as much to 1970s Laurel Canyon as it did to the usual canon of indie rock touchstones.

Fruit Bats – “The Ruminant Band”

The first band of the night was Extra Classic, who play a reverb-soaked combination of dub and rock. Singer Adrianne Verhoeven, formerly of Kansas emo band, The Anniversary, sure can wail — highlighting the band’s trip-hop flourishes, Verhoven often sounds like an American version of Portishead’s Beth Gibbons. While the group was endearingly earnest, the whole thing didn’t always cohere. At points, it sounded like the rhythm section was in a different band than everyone else, making the proceedings too rhythmically crowded (a much graver sin when playing something with a reggae vibe than in virtually all other genres of music). That said, this didn’t bother everyone coupling up and spinning in circles like it was a middle school dance during some of Extra Classic’s more ethereal compositions.

Citay – “Mirror Kisses”

Next was Citay, a big, seven-piece band of San Francisco locals who had just come back from playing the Echoplex in LA. With everyone but the drummer lining up on the lip of the stage, Citay gave the visual impression of a solid wall of humanity, which is actually a good snapshot of their whole atheistic. The band produces a wall of sound, from which individual instruments occasional break out and then fall back in line. With a lineup and style like this, there’s a danger of getting mired in a murky sonic void if the arrangements aren’t carefully plotted to give each individual element enough space. It’s a testament to the band’s artistry, though, that every song always maintained an internal logical consistency, even when there were seven people rocking out as hard as they could.

Like fellow locals Wooden Shjips, Citay is at it best when in the midst of a soaring guitar solo, often recalling the late, great Widespread Panic guitarist George McConnell. Whereas Wooden Shjips start with a simple blues riff and smother it with enough guitar squall to please Thurston Moore, Citay takes the classic rock of Fleetwood Mac and Elvis Costello as a starting point and piles on the noise, equal parts Allman Brothers and Yo La Tengo, from there. While the band has a tendency to make every tune sound like Costello’s “Tokyo Storm Warning”, this is: A) not necessarily a bad thing and B) perfectly forgivable when songs reach orgasmic heights with anything close to the regularity that theirs do.

After Citay, came Fruit Bats. Years ago, I saw the band open for The Shins at the Great American Music Hall and the 2010 band is light years away from the one I’d seen before. Fruit Bats have beefed up their sound to something powerful enough to blow people’s brains against the back wall every so often, but agile enough to immediately shift back to a pleasant groove without anyone batting an eyelash. Johnson, who is now a full-time member of The Shins, sounds eerily like James Mercer, that band’s lead singer, only with a more soulful croon.

One of the smartest things a band can do is pick its covers really well and Fruit Bats did just that. They masterfully threw Harry Nilsson’s “Jump Into the Fire” into a pit of dissonant noise and gave a true-to-the-original treatment to Bob Dylan’s “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere”, a song made famous by The Byrds on their country album, Sweetheart of the Rodeo.

“The first time the Fruit Bats played San Francisco, it was nine years ago. It was at Bottom of the Hill and there were ten people there,” Johnson reminisced with a laugh. “Also, I fell off the stage.” This time, playing to a mostly packed crowd, things went, to put it mildly, much better.

Since its inception, the Rock n’ Roll Camp for Girls has spread beyond its Portland roots, expanding into regional camps in Austin, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Sweden, Canada, and many more. The concept behind the Girls Rock Camps is simple, and entirely necessary: girls ages 8-18 come together and attend honest-to-goodness Rock and Roll Summer Camps, where they learn to play instruments and make music together. A supportive and dynamic environment is created by a staff of enthusiastic female volunteers, and together, a new community of creativity and self-confidence is born.

The Bay Area Girls Rock Camp opened doors in the summer of 2008, and continued its success in 2009 through the opening of an after-school program and another set of summer camps. The 2010 girls camps have been scheduled (June 21st – 25th and July 12th – 16th; more info on the website), and 2009 also saw the inaugural Bay Area Ladies Rock Camp, taking place in May and capping off with a performance at the Starry Plough.

The Ladies Rock Camps exist as both an opportunity for women to participate in the Rock Camp experience, and as a fundraiser for the equivalent regional Girls Camps. This year’s Bay Area Ladies Rock Camp is set to take place April 9th – 11th at the Oakland School for the Arts, and will involve the standard instrument instruction, band formation, workshops and live showcase to top off the whole experience. All women ages 19 and older are allowed, and no previous instrumental experience is necessary. Tuition for the weekend is $400 (food included, plus other perks), and gift certificates are available.

Find out more info and register for Ladies Rock Camp by visiting the Bay Area Girls Rock Camp website.

Chen Santa Maria – Live at ATA’s 21st Anniversary Fundraiser

Friday: Thao Nguyen with the Get Down Stay Down, The Thermals, Grass Widow @ Great American Music Hall (9pm, $17)

Thao with the Get Down Stay Down – “Know Better Learn Faster”

Saturday: The Lonely H, Leopold and His Fiction, The Blank Tapes @ Bottom of the Hill (10pm, $10)

The Blank Tapes – “Brand New Start”

Sunday: Little Wings, Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers, Paula Frazer @ The Makeout Room (8pm, $7)

Little Wings – “Sandy Babe”

It’s always a good time to feature music from the oft-neglected East side of the Bay. Davyd Nereo of Beatbeat Whisper and Winnie Byrd has completed a new recording project: a local compilation, full of exclusive tracks from Oakland-based bands.

The compilation consists of 15 bands and solo artists from Oakland, including Ash Reiter, The Blank Tapes, Belly of the Whale, Jen Weisberg, Mark Deutsch, Quinn Deveaux, Roberto Miguel, Ayla Nereo and more.

Ash Reiter – “Red White and Blue”

Those interested in picking up a copy of this new disc can do so at the Starry Plough this Friday, February 5th, where a celebration of sorts will be taking place. The show costs $8, and will feature performances by Ash Reiter, Quinn Deveaux and Blue Beat Review and Winnie Byrd.

Winnie Byrd – “So Not Pura Vida”

The Thermals – “Now We Can See”

To enter send an email to contest@thebaybridged.com with your full name and the phrase “I want to see Thao and The Thermals!” in the subject line. The TENTH person to respond will win a pair of tickets to the show!

The show is at 9pm, $17/$19, 6+. Purchase advance tickets here.

Sands – “Dawn and Delta”

Sands has undergone more retrofit than just the name change in December; for this show they’re bringing two guests on board: Sam Coe (Two Sheds, Low Flying Owls, Seventeen Evergreen) on drums and their friend Phil from DC on keys. After this weekend of shows, Sands heads to Sacramento’s Hangar Studios (Devil Makes Three, Devendra Banhart, The Mumlers) to record 5 new songs.

Jaguar Love – “Up All Night”

As per usual, the Rumble (presented by Future Sounds, Stranded in Stereo, and the Owl Mag) will be one big party, with bands and drinks and dancing galore. Jaguar Love from Portland will headline, preceded by local bands My First Earthquake and Butterfly Bones, with DJ sets by BAGeL Ted in between. The event starts at 9:30 pm, 21+, and is free with RSVP via Sonic Living ($5 otherwise).

My First Earthquake – “Cool in the Cool Way”

Subscribe to The Bay Bridged’s podcast to get each week’s new episode downloaded free to your iTunes!

About the bands:

Thao with The Get Down Stay Down (“The Give [New, Improved, LIVE session]“) are touring the West Coast this month. Catch Thao and The Thermals at the Great American Music Hall on February 5th and at UC Berkeley on the 12th. SF’s Grass Widow open the Great American show.

Tricycle Records band The Northern Key (“Proof”) celebrate the release of their self-titled debut at the Make-Out Room on February 3rd. It’s a Penny Arcade show with Loquat, Marabelle Phoenix and Todayokay.

Bethany Cosentino leads Best Coast (“Up All Night”), who have a new single out on PPM next week. Vivian Girls and The Bananas join Best Coast at Bottom of the Hill on February 9th.

The Dry Spells (“Lost Daughter”) recently released their 2009 debut, Too Soon For Flowers, on vinyl, and headline a show at Cafe Du Nord on February 7th. The Sarees and The Lambs also perform.

Memphis band The Magic Kids (“Hey Boy”) recently signed to True Panther Sounds. They’ll be at the Great American Music Hall in a sold-out show with Girls, The Smith Westerns, and Hunx and the Punkettes on February 14th.

Prior to opening shows for Spoon, Austin band The Strange Boys (“Heard You Wanna Beat Me Up”) are at the Elbo Room on Saturday, February 27th. Tourmates Chain And The Gang and locals Ty Segall and Nodzzz also perform.

Oakland’s Boy in the Bubble (“In the Company Town”) celebrate the release of their new album The King with a show at Bottom of the Hill on February 19th. Also playing are Birdmonster, Girl Band, and Here Come The Saviors.

Paula Frazer (“Sleeping Dreams”) has a previously unreleased song on the upcoming In A Cloud compilation, out on Secret Seven in March. She’ll be at the Make-Out Room on February 7th with Nicki Bluhm and Little Wings, and at the Great American Music Hall on February 27th with Mark Kozelek.

Swedish experimental duo Wildbirds & Peacedrums (“There Is No Light”) recently released the “My Heart” single, the latest from the band’s second album, The Snake. They’re touring with St. Vincent and will be at Great American Music Hall on February 8th.

Washington band The Lonely H (“Diggin’ a Hole”) are touring the country this month, having released their third album Concrete Class last year. Excellent locals Leopold And His Fiction and The Blank Tapes round out the bill.

With a new album out in March, Jaguar Love (“Up All Night”) headline the latest Rumble party, which doubles as a Noise Pop Warm Up show. The event’s at Cafe Du Nord on February 3rd, with My First Earthquake and Butterfly Bones.

The Northern Key – “Proof”

SF’s The Northern Key celebrate the release of their self-titled debut this Wednesday night at the Make-Out Room. The band is the latest project from singer/songwriter Andrew Galluccio, and the album is “a collection of songs inspired by and named for the Varnaline record Songs in the Northern Key.” Also notable, the album was recorded and produced by Chris Chu of The Morning Benders.

Wednesday’s show is the latest monthly installment of the monthly Penny Arcade series, so expect semi-acoustic performances from Loquat, Marabelle Phoenix and Todayokay as well. The Northern Key is available from Tricycle Records.

The Sandwitches – “Back to the Sea”

Hopefully, by this point, you’ve already given money to one of the numerous organizations doing relief work in Haiti (and if you haven’t, come on already). But while you may have maxed out your “giving” budget for the time being, here’s a way to use your entertainment dollars charitably. Tuesday night (9pm, $10-50, 21+) at Cafe Du Nord, there’s a Haiti benefit show with Thee Oh Sees, Kelley Stoltz, Ty Segall and The Sandwitches.

Noble purpose aside, this is already a top-flight bill of great live local bands, so even if you’re one of these Ayn Rand-inspired, self-obsessed sociopaths, you’ll want to grab a ticket for this one. But because you’re a good person, I trust you’ll go as high up the sliding scale as you can. Also, there are no ticket fees for advance tickets on Ticketweb, and it would be difficult to see this one not selling out.

Other upcoming Haiti benefit shows include:

- Sean Hayes at Amnesia on February 6th (9pm, $7-20)

- T.I.T.S., Eats Tapes, Houndsound and DJs C.L.A.W.S., Kit Clayton, Suteck at Elbo Room on February 10th (9pm, sliding scale)

The Heated (aka Cristina Espinosa) has focused her DIY spirit and embarked on the Twelve Songs Project, a project that involves recording and releasing one song at a time for every month of 2010. Her classic, bluesy Liz Phair style is well-represented in “Cars Roll Down,” the first song of this project that will be available for free download until the end of February. Subsequently, February’s song will be available for all of March, March’s song for all of April, etc. Listen to and download the songs from the Twelve Songs Project, and check out the video for “Cars Roll Down,” embedded below:

In preparation for their forthcoming Permalight release (March 2nd), Rogue Wave have put out a special “Behind the Scenes” video, providing some background for the new album as well as two previously-unheard tracks (“Solitary Guns” and “Stars and Stripes”):

Continuing his tradition of providing stellar remixes of indie rock favorites, Amplive has released his various takes on Why?’s Eskimo Snow. The result is a set of five remixes with Amp’s hip hop seal of approval:

Why? – “Against You” [Amplive Remix]

Lastly, there have been several Bay Area visitors to the Daytrotter studios as of late. Port O’Brien did an encore session, Social Studies were warmly discovered in this session by the Daytrotter folks, and the Mother Hips recorded this session to add to their years of work.

Oakland string metal maniacs Judgement Day premiered today a video for “Cobra Strike,” the first single off the band’s upcoming album Peacocks/Pink Monsters, out on April 13, 2010. The hyperkinetic video introduces the video game “Violin Hero,” and then colorfully shows how the game leads to societal downfall. You can read the band’s story behind the video and its production at their web site.

Judgement Day co-headlines a Noise Pop 2010 show on Friday, February 26th (9pm, $12) at Bottom of the Hill, with Scissors for Lefty, Ghost and the City and Glaciers.

Swanifant – “Steps”

For Strange Dog 1, expect a range of dark wave, shoegaze and more paradoxical styling from Bay Area bands we’re curious to hear more from. Oakland’s Swanifant seemingly has yet to bring their live rampage out of the domestic arena. But for a preview, a long list of free downloads are posted via their Last.Fm radio station. By a brief survey, Swanifant stretches from over-pedaled noise to hum-songs fit for a campfire.

Skeletal System – “Dialogue”

A new instrumental project has popped up here in the Bay, and making debuts in less traditional ways. Islay Banks, comprised of members of Jake Mann & the Upper Hand and Sholi, are set to release their debut cassette (that’s right, CASSETTE – time to break out the old decks you’ve kept around for these just-in-case scenarios) via Beehouse Records this spring.

To kick things off, Islay Banks have remixed Jake Mann & the Upper Hand’s “Signal Reprise,” pulling indie rock into a darker territory that’s full of drone and eerie instrumental swells.

Islay Banks will participate in “The Listening Party” at the Queen’s Nails Annex this Saturday, January 30th (7-11:00 pm, free), curated by artist Crystal Am Nelson.

Jake Mann & the Upper Hand – “Signal Reprise [Islay Banks remix]

Amidst plenty of real concern about the future of local all ages music venues, it’s encouraging to receive word that the Epicenter Cafe (Harrison Street b/w 3rd and 4th) is now booking Saturday evening all ages local indie rock and punk shows. The first show is this Saturday the 30th (7-10pm, FREE), with Stirling Says, Street Pyramids and Daikon.

Stream Stirling Says’ full length Balboa below:

The cafe’s calendar doesn’t have a lot listed for the future, but this certainly is a good start.

Rykarda Parasol – “Covenant” (from For Blood and Wine)

Rykarda Parasol’s latest album For Blood and Wine was self-released late last year, another slice of “rock noir” from this talented local songwriter, who has drawn comparisons to Nick Cave and The Black Heart Procession.

Parasol’s got a couple of upcoming local shows, including a performance to kick-off the Winter Music Fest on Friday, January 29th (9pm, $10, 21+) at Bottom of the Hill with The Action Design, The Trophy Fire and Dave Smallen. She’ll also be at the Hemlock Tavern on Thursday, February 18th (9pm, $8, 21+), joined by Chambers and Summer Blonde.

Rykarda Parasol – “A Drinking Song” (from For Blood and Wine)

Below, Rykarda recently participated in Amoeba Music’s “What’s In My Bag” video series, discussing some records she picked out on a recent trip to the store:

Silver Swans – “Bi Polar Bear”

Friday: Clipd Beaks, Late Young, White Cloud, Raccoons @ Hemlock (9:30pm, $6)

White Cloud – “Galapagos (demo)”

Saturday: Battlehooch, Judgement Day, The Hot Moon @ Bottom of the Hill (8:30pm, $10)

Battlehooch – “Take the L Train”

Monday: Mates of State, Rubies @ Cafe du Nord (8pm, $20)

Rubies – “Stand in a Line”

Opening the gates to all mix-making styles is the first annual event by SF Mixtape Society, brought to you by veterans of Brooklyn’s similar meetups, recently transplanted to the City. “Back in Brooklyn, the mixtape clubs were a great way to meet people and make friends,” SFMS co-founder Annie Lin explained an email, “so our hope is to recreate this as well as inject a very SF contest component as well.”

The theme of Sunday’s exchange is “Cities vs. Towns,” and although hands leaving with a mixtape must bring one to trade, the event is free and a mix is not required for admission. Any medium is welcome (CD, tape, USB) and there will be contests for the best track listings and packaging. More information about the Mixtape Society and Sunday’s first event can be found on their website. Look for my report next week, as I will venture out to participate in the event.

In case you haven’t noticed, the Red Devil Lounge is shedding its oft pigeon-holey description of being a cover bands only spot by mixing up their billing with some really great music. Coming up tonight happens to be one of those non-cover band evenings.

Kicking off the evening will be a favorite of mine, Bhi Bhiman, bringing his sometimes quirky, sometimes deep, always lyrically and vocally rich, neo-folk that is sure to be one hell of a good time. You can read our previous coverage of him here and here.

Bhi Bhiman – Telouise

Coming as a very special treat by way of Nigeria and Germany will be the amazingly talented soul songstress Nneka Egbuna, known onstage simply as Nneka. Critically acclaimed across Europe, Nneka will be dropping her first US release on February 2nd. Her soul piercing voice is equally at home bringing strongly political rhymes as well as heart wrenching ballads. She’s always got a bit of an edge to her sound, whether its in the lyrics or the music itself. For those who find themselves as fans of Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, or Mos Def and his progressive (both musically and socially) hip-hop brethren, this is a show not to be missed.

Red Devil Lounge (corner of Clay and Polk), Wednesday Jan 27, $10 advance/$12 door, doors at 8pm.

Citay – “Nice Cuffs” (from New, Improved LIVE Session)

To enter, send an email to contest@thebaybridged.com with your full name and the phrase “I want to see Fruit Bats!” in the subject line. The FOURTH person to enter will win!

The show is $15, 9pm, 6+. Purchase advance tickets here.

Saturday, January 30th – The Mermen (Record Release for In God We Trust) @ The Independent

To enter, send an email to contest@thebaybridged.com with your full name and the phrase “I want to see The Mermen!” in the subject line. The SIXTH person to enter will win!

The show is $20, 9pm, 21+. Purchase advance tickets here.

Tuesday, February 2nd – Do Make Say Think, Happiness Project, Years @ Great American Music Hall

To enter, send an email to contest@thebaybridged.com with your full name and the phrase “I want to see Do Make Say Think!” in the subject line. The THIRD person to enter will win!

The show is $16, 8pm, 6+. Purchase advance tickets here.

For being a bunch of early-twentysomethings, this San Francisco-via-Santa Cruz band sure has a mature psych rock sound, fully realized on Embrace, which Spin recently named one of the “10 Best Albums You Might Have Missed in 2009.” Engaging songs, relentless touring and the prospect of another full length can only mean even bigger things for this potent sextet, who have quickly become one of the best live acts in Bay Area rock. Here, the band seizes that live electricity, taking the songs from their debut to the next level.

New, Improved, LIVE, featuring: Sleepy Sun

1. – “New Age” (originally from Embrace)

Download: 160kbps mp3 / 320kbps mp3

2. – “Sandstorm Woman” (originally from Sleepy Son)

Download: 160kbps mp3 / 320kbps mp3

3. – “Snow Goddess” (originally from Embrace)

Download: 160kbps mp3 / 320kbps mp3

4. – “White Dove” (originally from Embrace)

Download: 160kbps mp3 / 320kbps mp3

Interview with Sleepy Sun

The Bay Bridged: Thanks for playing a New, Improved, Live session.  How did you pick the songs to play during the session?

Sleepy Sun: No magic trick really, just an old fashioned group consensus.

TBB: What is the status of your next full length record?

SS: Our second album has been recorded and mastered!  We took a break from touring in April of 2009 and hunkered down at the Hive in Vancouver BC to lay down tracks for a couple of weeks.  The record will be coming out by the end of May 2010. We should have a release date slated soon.

TBB: Could you tell us a little bit about what to anticipate from your new songs?  What might fans be surprised by on the new songs?

SS: It’s the soundtrack to a burlesque adaptation of Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. Surprise!

TBB: Of the songs you played in the session, which has changed the most from Embrace to now?  Which is the best to play live?

SS: They’ve all changed  from the record. Any given record is a snapshot of the song at that particular time. Immediately after recording we go about rearranging, improving, polishing, etc. Most have the same spirit.

TBB: Could you talk a little bit about the background of “Sandstorm Woman”?  Was there a particular reason that it didn’t end up on Embrace?

SS: Sandstorm was the first jam we started to work on during our emergence in San Francisco, upon returning from the recording of Embrace. it was actually one of the last songs we wrote with our former bassist, however evolved immensely following his departure. We performed Sandstorm nearly every show, as its powerful song which conjures great emotion and sonic deliverance within our group. its a song about letting go of yourself or any of those constraints that fight the flow of the wind, so to speak.

TBB: How was the experience of doing a live-in-the-studio session?  How did it compare to your other recording sessions?

SS: This particular session went fairly smoothly.  It’s better to approach a live session with an open mind and not let yourself get too focused on mistakes because that is usually what makes a live set interesting to listen to from an outside perspective.  One mans sonic mistake is another mans sonic treasure…

TBB: What’s been the best live show the band has had so far?  Where was it and why was it so good?

SS: In summer of 2009 we played along the Italian coast in a town called Marina di Ravenna.  The stage was on the sand overlooking the Mediterranean sea. We swam three different times that day: Once when the van pulled up, again after sound check, and finally we all jumped in after we played our set and tried to get the crowd to follow us into the sea. Many ran to the shore are warned us of sharks. At one point during our set, Bret climbed up onto the roof of the patio while we were playing beneath.

Photos

 

Credits
Audio: Eli Crews, John Finkbeiner
Photos: Nicole Browner

For being a bunch of early-twentysomethings, this San Francisco-via-Santa Cruz band sure has a mature psych rock sound, fully realized on Embrace, which Spin recently named one of the “10 Best Albums You Might Have Missed in 2009.” Engaging songs, relentless touring and the prospect of another full length can only mean even bigger things for this potent sextet, who have quickly become one of the best live acts in Bay Area rock. Here, the band seizes that live electricity, taking the songs from their debut to the next level.

For even more, check out videos and photos from the session and an interview with the band at our New, Improved, LIVE page!

New, Improved, LIVE, featuring: Sleepy Sun

1. – “New Age” (originally from Embrace)

Download: 160kbps mp3 / 320kbps mp3

2. – “Sandstorm Woman” (originally from Sleepy Son)

Download: 160kbps mp3 / 320kbps mp3

3. – “Snow Goddess” (originally from Embrace)

Download: 160kbps mp3 / 320kbps mp3

4. – “White Dove” (originally from Embrace)

Download: 160kbps mp3 / 320kbps mp3

We’d like to thank Sleepy Sun for the excellent session. The band will be performing at The New Parish on February 26th.

We’ve got plenty of great performances scheduled to come in future months, and all of our past episodes, featuring Thao with The Get Down Stay Down, Port O’Brien, Yoni Wolf (of Why?), Citay, and Deerhoof, can be found at thebaybridged.com/new-improved-live/. Acclaimed performers and a top notch studio means great free music that redefines the studio experience: New, Improved, LIVE.

Tonight’s bill at the Hemlock Tavern (9 pm, $5) will include two Bay Area standbys, plus some San Diego music thrown in for good measure. Worker Bee will be joined by Silian Rail, and that sunny city down south will be represented by Boomsnake (currently on a West Coast tour).

Silian Rail – “‘I’ is Sombody Else”

Worker Bee have been playing on and off in the Bay Area since 2006, culling music into EP form and strengthening their craft along the way. Their haunting lo-fi has echoes of post-rock on songs from Tangler, the band’s 2009 full-length debut, which you can listen to and purchase by visiting Worker Bee’s Bandcamp site. The energetic two-piece known as Silian Rail continue to support the wonderfully intricate And I You, to Pieces, which is out now via 500 Records – a worthy excuse to make the trek out to Polk St. and indulge in the cozy atmosphere of the Hemlock.

It’s time to shine for San Francisco’s music photographers — at their own showing at the Rite Spot in Outer Mission, with a reception this Saturday from 5-8pm.

Running through mid-March, the show features work by our local photogs, including Julie Schuchard (Noise Pop), Deb Zeller (Playing in Fog), and our featured photographer, Charlie Homo, whose display just might include shots familiar to this website, such as here, here or here.

For a similar event, look to Noise Pop’s exhibit, “Outside the Crowd” at Hotel Biron; many more local photographers will partake in sharing their rock photography collections, beginning on February 4th.

Subscribe to the The Bay Bridged weekly podcast to get each new episode downloaded free to your iTunes the moment it’s published!

About this week’s bands:

The Morning Benders‘ (“Promises”) highly anticipated upcoming album Big Echo comes out on March 9th on Rough Trade Records. The band will be at The Independent on March 30th with Miniature Tigers.

SF’s Spencey Dude & The Doodles (“Flirting”) recently released their Greg Ashley-produced debut 7″ on Atlanta label Rob’s House Records. The trio are playing Bender’s on February 26th as part of a Noise Pop Happy Hour. More on that soon…

Dominant Legs (“Clawing Out at the Walls”) have been burning up the blogs with their experimental pop demos. No local shows or upcoming releases announced, but we’ll keep you updated.

Grand Lake (“Louise”) continue to evolve with their latest, the Louise EP. Catch them at Thee Parkside as part of Winter Music Fest, with Two Sheds, Fake Your Own Death and Kuma/Koshka.

Papercuts‘ (“White are the Waves”) latest work is the White are the Waves 7″, available now on Gnomonsong. They’ll also be appearing on a charity compilation entitled Sing Me To Sleep, to be released in May on American Laundromat Records.

San Francisco’s Mark David Ashworth (“Clean Slate”) sees the release of his second album, Bright is the Ring of Words, on Feburary 23rd, 2010 on Autobus Records. No upcoming local dates have been announced.

Permalight is the upcoming album from Rogue Wave (“Good Morning [The Future]“). The band bookends its upcoming tour with dates at Bottom of the Hill (on February 24th) and The Fillmore (on April 30th).

Moon Duo’s (“Stumbling 22nd St”) new LP Escape comes out on Woodsist on February 16th. The band’s at the Hemlock Tavern on February 11th, with Nothing People and Epikurs Euforie (Norway).

At the very least, the SF Winter Music Festival (January 29th through February 4th) is a primer to the impending festivities of Noise Pop 2010. From a broader perspective, however, the Winter Music Fest is a well-rounded and admirable tribute to our local music scene, in its own right. The festival, presented by SF Indie Fest and Talking House Records, gathers a myriad of excellent Bay Area bands and showcases them over the course of seven days and eleven shows.

The Winter Music Festival is a new development, set up as the preemptive musical half of the 12th annual SF Independent Film Fest, which starts on February 4th and runs through February 18th. Before experiencing the film side of the spectrum, the Winter Music Fest will present several genres of Bay Area music from a total of 43 bands: from string metal (Judgement Day), to noir-rock (Rykarda Parasol), to bluesy folk (Two Sheds), to alt-pop (The Hot Toddies), and every other band in between (such as Luke Franks or the Federalists, Grand Lake, Tempo No Tempo, Dave Smallen, Evacuee, the Stone Foxes, the Downer Party, and many more).

The festival kicks off on January 29th at Bottom of the Hill, and will feature shows at BOTH, Thee Parkside and the DNA Lounge until February 4th. You can view the schedule and performers after the jump, and purchase tickets over at the SF Indie Fest website.

Two Sheds – “You”

Grand Lake – “Concrete Blonde on Blonde”

Tempo No Tempo – “Kilometer”

Friday, January 29

Bottom of the Hill – 8:00pm
Rykarda Parasol
Dave Smallen
The Trophy Fire
The Action Design

Saturday, January 30

Bottom of the Hill – 8:00pm
The Hot Moon
Judgement Day
Battlehooch

Thee Parkside – 1:00pm (All Ages Show)
DFR
Fever Charm
Lou Lou and the Guitar Fish
Finish Ticket
Emily’s Amy

Thee Parkside – 8:00pm
Evacuee
The Soft White Sixties
Bird By Bird
The Stone Foxes

Sunday, January 31

Thee Parkside – 8:00pm
Kelly McFarling
Daniel James
Bhi Bhiman
Eric McFadden

Monday, February 1

Bottom of the Hill – 8:00pm
Scene of Action
Luke Franks Or The Federalists
The Hundred Days
Please Do Not Fight

Thee Parkside – 8:00pm
Duckmandu
Devil-Ettes
Tom Jonesing
The Goldenhearts

Tuesday, February 2

Thee Parkside – 8:00pm
Kuma/Koshka
Fake Your Own Death
Two Sheds
Grand Lake

Wednesday, February 3

Bottom of the Hill – 8:00pm
Fighting the Villain
Tempo No Tempo
The Hot Toddies
The Downer Party

Thee Parkside – 8:00pm
Damn Handsome and the Birthday Suits
Switchblade Riot
Blammos
The Struts

Thursday, February 4

DNA Lounge – 9:00pm
Smash Up Derby
Kid Beyond
Gooferman

Little Wings – “Sandy Babe”

This Wednesday in the Yoshi’s SF Lounge (9pm, $5), a group of the Bay’s best singer-songwriters gather for the “Family Folk Opry.” The show features solo and group performances from Kyle Field (Little Wings), Matt Adams (The Blank Tapes), Kacey Johansing, Moomaw, and Mark Matos (Mark Matos & Os Beaches). Seriously, that’s one hell of a bill.

Some more preview songs below:

Mark Matos & Os Beaches – “Hired Hand”

Moomaw – “March”

To those without invites to either sold-out Devil Makes Three shows this weekend, here’s another electrifying option: Birds & Batteries host the eclectic Swedish band MOVITS along with Oona (Oakland) at Bottom of the Hill Saturday (10pm, $10).

To describe what MOVITS are doing is still beyond me, but for a start, I’d predict that these Swedes grew up Squirrel Nut Zippers fans while simultaneously vacationing in Jamaica every summer. Fans of Matisyahu would definitely be intrigued by this trio.

Birds & Batteries – “The Villain”

Birds & Batteries are preparing for the busy festival season — their Noise Pop performance will be with out-of-towners Memory Tapes on Feb. 27 and after that, they’ll head out to Austin to play our annual showcase, The Bay Area Takeover.

It is with a tear in our eye and a gryphon on our left shoulder that we announce that Dubious Ranger will be going on indefinite hiatus after this month. It’s been a great run, and we are forever thankful for the support and love you’ve given us over the last three years.

Friday’s bill will also include fellow Bay Area bands As a People and Mass Fiction. Advanced tickets for the show can be purchased here.

As a goodbye gift, Dubious Ranger are giving away most (if not all) of their Magnetic Fields/Jens Lekman-inspired music, at the convenient price of “pay-what-you-want.” Listen and download as much as you’d like via Bandcamp.

Dubious Ranger – “Here Comes Alice”

Additional commentary by Jake Butler after the jump.

I’ve had the honor and glory of seeing Dubious Ranger full tilt at Hotel Utah last fall. I was super stoked on them. I don’t normally let loose with my Californian vocabulary when writing, save for “gnarly” which is a far underutilized palabra, but they were undoubtedly bringing the super stokage aggressively. I had an opportunity to see them again at Pissed Off Pete’s, but sadly illness kept me at bay. Had I known then what I know now, I would’ve let nothing stop me from seeing them.

Dubious Ranger – “Heart of Glass” (Blondie cover)

This is what I know now: Dubious Ranger is going on an indefinite hiatus. I was told this by bassist Aaron Sankin via email earlier this week. There is a silver lining, as difficult as it may be to see a silver lining in this situation. The metallic colored trim is that their final show* will be at the Red Devil Lounge tonight, and from what I’m told, it’s supposed to be a rager of a good time. That is something I can get behind any day of the week. Hell, it’s Friday. You ain’t got job (maybe you do but forget about that for now), you ain’t got shit to do . . . go wish the guys well and have a couple drinks while listening to some kickin’ tunes. Their funk-punk-pop blend surely has something for everyone.

*It’s like when your parents tell you they’re just getting separated and not divorced you hold out hope that they’ll get back together. Dubious Ranger isn’t breaking up, they’re going on indefinite hiatus, so I will continue to hold out hope that they will get back together.

Coming together over the span of a year and a half, the album was recorded in Ashworth’s tiny room in San Francisco’s Mission District and in a middle school orchestra room north of the Golden Gate, where his multi-instrumentalist collaborator, Tristan Arnold, teaches.

“Clean Slate” showcases Ashworth’s engaging baritone and an ambitious orchestral palette.

Mark David Ashworth – “Clean Slate”

Ashworth will be performing at Mama Buzz Cafe in Oakland on Saturday, January 23rd, with Eliot Rose and Hanalei.

Port O’Brien’s US tour dates with the soul-psych Alaskans Portugal. The Man are after the jump:

US TOUR WITH PORTUGAL. THE MAN:
2/25 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
2/26 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
2/27 St. Louis, MO @ The Gargoyle/ Washington University
3/1 Oxford, MS @ Proud Larry’s
3/3 Dallas, TX @ House of Blues/ Pontiac Garage
3/4 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live (Studio)
3/5 Austin, TX @ The Parish
3/6 Austin, TX @ The Parish
3/9 Gainsville, FL @ Common Grounds
3/10 Ybor City, FL @ Crowbar
3/11 Orlando, FL @ The Social
3/13 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
3/18 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
3/19 NYC, NY @ Highline Ballroom
3/20 Milvale, PA @ Mr. Small’s Theater
3/21 Cincinnati, OH @ 20th Century Theater
3/24 Columbia, MO @ Mojo’s
3/26 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
3/27 Vail, CO @ The Sandbar
3/28 Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Aspen

Rogue Wave – “Good Morning”

Rogue Wave recently announced many of the pertinent details surrounding Permalight, the group’s upcoming album, out March 2nd. The album emerged following Zach Rogue’s severe slipped discs injury in September 2008, an injury which steadily worsened until Rogue lost feeling in his right hand. In 2009, as he began to recover, Rogue envisioned writing a “total dance album.” Says Zach in a recent press release, “I decided when I picked up the guitar again I didn’t want to play anything I knew. Even if that meant yelling into the microphone or detuning a guitar, I wanted to record all those ideas.”

We actually witnessed a little of this firsthand when we recorded Rogue Wave’s contribution for The Bay Bridged, Volume 2 shortly after Zach sustained the injury that September. At the time, it wasn’t clear how bad things would get, but it was apparent that Zach was in a lot of pain, as he spent most of the session laying on his back (where he played the keyboard) and applying a neverending series of hot pads. We’re truly grateful to Zach and Pat for their contribution to the record, both on its own merit and as a testament to the group’s support of Bay Area music.

Rogue Wave’s upcoming Permalight tour is bookended by local dates. On February 24th, they’ll be at a Noise Pop show at Bottom of the Hill (with Princeton and excellent locals Man/Miracle and Two Sheds). On the back end, they’ll be at The Fillmore on April 30th. Full tour dates below.

02/24 – San Francisco, CA @ Noise Pop
02/26 – Toronto, ON, CA @ Mod Club
03/01 – Club Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock
03/02 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
03/03 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
03/04 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church Sanctuary
03/05 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
03/06 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
03/08 – Atlanta, GA @ The Loft
03/09 – Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge
03/10 – Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree
03/13 – Orlando, FL @ The Social
03/15 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks
03/16 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
03/17 – Dallas, TX @ The Loft
03/18 – 03/20 @ SXSW
04/07 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Rio Theatre
04/09 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
04/10 – Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s
04/13 – Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre
04/14 – Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck
04/15 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Cafe
04/16 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon
04/17 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
04/20 – Columbia, MO @ Mojo’s
04/21 – Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
04/24 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
04/27 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern
04/29 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
04/30 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore

A B & the Sea – “Suzie”

To enter send an E-mail to contest@thebaybridged.com with your full name and the phrase “I want to see Dizzy Balloon!” in the subject line. The FOURTH person to enter will win a pair of tickets to the show.

6+, $15, 8pm. Purchase advance tickets here.

Wednesday, January 27th – The Cribs plus Jemina Pearl @ Bimbos 365

Jemina Pearl – “After Hours”

To enter send an E-mail to contest@thebaybridged.com with your full name and the phrase “I want to see The Cribs!” in the subject line. The NINTH person to enter will win a pair of tickets to the show.

$20, 18+, 8pm Doors. Purchase advance tickets here.

Purchase the band’s 2009 album, Downstairs, and My First Earthquake will donate all proceeds to Haitian relief efforts. You can either pay $7 for the album through the band’s website, or name your own price by purchasing the album through Bandcamp. [via Mission Mission]

My First Earthquake – “Cool in the Cool Way”

Discussion Topic for Flux Summit 002: What’s Shaking Down SF Music Venues?

What does the future hold for San Francisco’s nightlife? The venues, artists and musicians who spend their lives dedicated to music and the fans who enjoy it are being threatened by the actions of the California Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC). Hear about the issues first hand from top representatives in SF’s music nightlife including club owners and city representatives and get involved in a group discussion. Learn about the challenges facing our community and find out how you can get involved.

Moderator: Michael Winger (Advocacy Committee Co-Chair, SF Chapter of Recording Academy)
Panelists:
Terrance Alan (Founding President, SF Entertainment Commission)
Mark Rennie (Entertainment Law Specialist)
Tim Benetti (SF Nightclub Co-owner, Bottom of the Hill)
Debra Walker (Entertainment Political Figure, Candidate for San Francisco District 6 Supervisor)

As we’ve documented repeatedly, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s “War on Fun” continues to jeopardize the existence of many of the City’s longstanding venues. Add to that an economic climate where venues are closing with disturbing regularity (recently: Annie’s Social Club closed, House of Shields sold, and The Eagle looking for a purchaser), and you have a pretty negative state of affairs for local live music.

The Flux Summit takes place this Thursday, January 21st at Pyramind. Doors open at 6pm, with a mixer and listening session to follow the discussion. The summit is free, but you need to RSVP in advance.

Subscribe to the The Bay Bridged weekly podcast to get each new episode downloaded free to your iTunes the moment it’s published!

We sat down with Ryan in December, discussing his early experiments in recording and where he hopes to take his music in the future. We’ve also included four great songs from his discography in the episode (“Never Have Fun”, “Going Out When It’s Warm At Night”, “The Red Bow” and “Your Backs”).

Upcoming Shows:

That Ghost doesn’t have any upcoming dates listed, but we’ll keep you posted. You can always check That Ghost’s MySpace page for any upcoming shows.

Links:

- Visit That Ghost on MySpace and Facebook.

- Purchase Young Fridays and Get It and Get Out EP from iTunes. Young Fridays and the I Crossed Out the Options 7″ are available from twosyllable records, while the Never Have Fun 7″ is out on Transparent Records.

- Check out videos for “The Red Bow” and “Open Windows” on YouTube.

The release party for the EP will work in conjunction with Honeycomb’s Noise Pop appearance (with John Vanderslice, Nurses and Conspiracy of Venus at the Swedish American Music Hall Feb. 26). But for a sooner preview, they’ll be performing this Wednesday at the Elbo Room with The Spindles and Annie Bacon & Her Oshen (9pm, $7).

Update: As noted in the comments, Honeycomb won’t be playing Wednesday night, although Annie Bacon & Her Oshen and The Spindles will still be performing. Honeycomb will, however, be playing on January 29th with Michael Musika at a special Chasing the Moon event. More details here.

To hold us over, Honeycomb recently sent us this soulful number from the upcoming EP:

Honeycomb – “Milky”

For a more thorough preview of their upcoming release, head to the Elbo Room tonight, also playing are Annie Bacon & her OSHEN and The Spindles.