Ding Dong and Blog

End of August Shows

2011-08-16T14:28:00.001-07:00

I just realized the last time I posted something new was back in June. Whoooppsssiiiiesss.
Who cares, here are some shows:

Tuesday, August 16th - Bipoloroid, Nectarine Pie, The Shrouds @ The Knockout

Wednesday, August 17th - The Mallard, Chase Frank, Burrows @ Hemlock

Thursday, August 25th, 26th, 27th - 20 Sided Records "Better Days Ahead" Comp Release Parties featuring: On the Tundra, Schande, The Pentacles, Street Pyramids, Rubedo, Thralls, Slow Trucks, Evacuee, Party Owl, and more... @ Kimo's

Friday, August 26th - Total Trash 3 Presents.. Traditional Fools, Outdoorman, Uzi Rash, The Shrouds @ Thee Parkside

Saturday, August 27th - Total Trash 3 Presents.. Dukes of Hamburg, Legendary Stardust Cowboy, Rock n Roll Adventure Kids, Daddy Long Legs, The Shankers @ Thee Parkside

Sunday, August 28th - Total Trash 3 Presents.. Moonhearts, Pangea, King Lollipop, Si Si Si @ Hemlock (day time show, 2pm). Mikal Cronin, Mouthbreathers, Cosmonauts @ Hemlock (night show, 9pm).

Wednesday, August 31st - White Wires, Personal & The Pizzas, The Wrong Words, Okmoniks @ Thee Parkside

Uhhhh I think that's it. Mostly Total Trash. Which has been great so far. Went to see King Tuff, Christmas Island, Nobunny, and others at Duke's R&B, a super fancy joynt in Oakland. I had never been there. There was a painting of an old black blues man hanging over the stage, literally rolling his eyes at all the honkeys with their whitey music. There was a guy who opened the front door for you. It was all velvetty inside. Cool place, but odd surrounding for the "trash" music.

Seems like there are new venues (or new to me) popping up in Oakland. I played a show at a DIY-punk type place, Eli's Mile High Club. Cool place but I'm not sure how'd it translate for any other band besides a DIY-punk band.

I recently talked to someone about the LoBot Gallery in Oakland. I hadn't been there in forever, and remembered one of the last times I was there. It had an art "piece" entitled "Human Zoo", where 7 people lived in small cages, maybe equally proportionate to a hamster in a hamster-sized cage. They were allowed to bring in 2 items, most people brought a pillow and a laptop. This one guy brought a large history book, which seemed like an informative time-killer. By the end of 3 days, over half the people gave up. And by the end, only 1 person survived. There were able to get out of the cage to pee, poo, and shower and shave, but were mostly inside that dam cage. When I talked to one guy, he seemed mostly out of it and I felt bad because there was an art show and music playing and it's not like he could really be alone there. It's not like he could control his surroundings or decide to leave. That would probably kill me the most.

I kind of miss some Oakland art gallery/venues like that and the French Fry Factory or... god it's been so long I can't even remember the names. I will be moving to Oakland somewhat soon, so I look forward to discovering new bands and new music. Don't worry SF, I will always love you first <3

Two-Week Calendar

2011-06-09T11:46:00.001-07:00

I seriously hate these dimensions I'm stuck with. Click to view larger image!

Upcoming Shows

2011-05-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

Again, I really do not get how to make this image not so shitty, blurry, and small. What the hell. Click on it to get a bigger, better picture.

Thoughts, Feelings

2011-05-17T22:33:00.000-07:00

I don't share a lot of my own thoughts being in a band in SF, and this certainly isn't Livejournal, but I was thinking today about how hard it is to connect with other bands in this city.

I mean, it's easy if you're already friends with other people who play music, who literally play the SAME music, who literally LISTEN to the same music. But when you're just kind of starting on your own and not every single one of your friends is in a band.. well it makes things hard.

And it's not like there is some shortage of good bands, I'm just saying that it's hard to get bands to play with you when they don't know you. People judge your myspace/facebook/bandcamp whatever, I mean I do it too. I wish there were a space for like-minded musicians to be able to contact each other. I tried using myspace/facebook/bandcamp to find SF bands but there is such an array of different music cultures in this city (which is great), but if you are more specific - you're not just indie rock (in the sense of wimpy Spin-fueled indie rock)- you're not all garage- you might mesh with psych- you are NOT punk ENOUGH- not dancy enough- and you don't want to play with a band with a singer who sounds like Morrissey (or trying to)... well your options are limited.

And yeah, it hurts the ego to write some band you don't know, "Hey my name is _____ , I play _____ in the band ____. I like your guys' music influences, and I saw you play at _____ last week. We have a show booked at _____ and would like to play with you guys." blah blah blah, it's so sad and desperate and I hate feeling like I'm selling myself in anyway. And you want to be casual, but upon re-reading the message, you just sound like an idiot. What's even worse is when they don't bother to write you back.

This is a tough business, and I'm not really in it for the "business". I just want to play fun shows. But that's hard when you are not connected to those who play fun shows. And even if you're super gung-ho and try to meet people and really get in there to find other bands to play with, you end up always getting burnt out, scorned, and like you're just doing too much in a band that is suppose to be "fun".

I'm opting to just form my own circle of fun individuals that want to play fun shows. HM!

May Shows-New Calendar!

2011-05-02T14:19:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make something a little more visually appealing for the 2.5 people who read this and have a visual sense like I do. Above is the all-new monthly shit to do calendar! (in 3-week form, who plans that far in advance?)

It's too bad it comes out blurry and small as hell, but if you click on it, a bigger calendar should pop up. These dam dimensions are limiting!!

April Shows

2011-03-20T22:34:00.000-07:00

Saturday, April 2nd - Hunx and His Punx (CD Release), Shannon and the Clams, Grass Widow @ Bottom of the Hill

Wednesday, April 13th - Animal Collective @ Great American

- Lightning Blot, T.I.T.S., High Castle @ Rickshaw Stop

Friday, April 15h - Nodzzz, Art Museums, Gun Outfit @ Bottom of the Hill

Sunday, April 17th - Wire @ Slim's

Thursday, April 21st - Ty Segall, TRMRS, Nick Waterhouse & The Tarots @ Bottom of the Hill

Friday, April 22nd - Off!, Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Culture Kids, Zero Progress @ Gilman

- Kurt Vile and the Violators @ Bottom of the Hill

Tuesday, April 26th - tUnE-yArDs, Buke & Gass, Man/Miracle @ Great American

... hm. Not much going on here. Maybe everyone's anticipating being too tired after SXSW.

Surfer Blood < (times a billion) Pavement

2011-03-20T22:32:00.000-07:00

So yeah yeah, I've been hearing about this "Surfer Blood" thing for a while now, and I just checked them out. Not impressed. A blog mentioned they did a cover of Pavements "Box Elder" at SXSW this year, and ALSO mentioned they did Pavement better than Pavement. Impossible!

I really now hate this band.

That is all.

Oh, and Pavement rules.

Flu-You//Rap//March-April

2011-03-04T17:16:00.000-08:00

With my flu approaching its end, slowly dissipating into its last convulsive cough followed by gooey spit-wad, I regain consciousness and remember.. oh yeah, I have like 5 awesome rap CDs to import into my iTunes, courtesy of a sick-gift from my BF. I have a compilation, RAP: On the Lighter Tip featuring seriously light Will Smith's once alter-ego, The Fresh Prince, and homey DJ Jazzy Jeff (there's also Sir Mix-a-Lot and Wrecks-n-Effect), SWV (Sistahs with Voices) - It's About Time, my brother's favorite Naughty By Nature, the CLASSIC Dr. Dre - The Chronic (which was awesome to see iTunes automated-ly ask "Would you like The Chronic to be imported into your library", to which I say.. uhhhyyessssss), and my personal favorite -- Mary J. Blige - What's the 411? Ahhhhh too many hits.. it almost makes my heart create a beat I can actually feel pulsate through my sick little veins.

This is a sweet little break away from indie-rock. Or garage-rock. Or rocknroll. I miss the rap and R&B I grew up listening to as a Bay Arean, especially a 510-suburban youngster who watched CMC (I HOPE someone knows what I'm talking about) after school.

Anyways, I'm more alive than ever.. which means here are my picks for March and April for live shows:

MARCH

Sunday, 03/06 - Lacoste, Religious Girls, Simo Soo @ Rickshaw Stop

Tuesday, 03/08 - Starfucker, Unknown Mortal Orchestra @ The Independent

Wednesday, 03/09 - Legendary Stardust Cowboy, Teutonics, Superstitions, Churckleberries @ The Knockout

Thursday, 03/10 - Mean Jeans, Apache, Welcome Home Walker, Chemicals, Midnite Snaxxx @ The Eagle Tavern

Wednesday, 03/16 - Vows, Stirling Says @ Bottom of the Hill

Thursday, 03/17 - The Ex, Death Sentence: Panda!, Street Eaters @ Bottom of the Hill

Monday, 03/21 - Destroyer, The War on Drugs @ Great American

Tuesday, 03/22 - Slow Trucks, Cutter, Maxirad @ Hemlock

Friday, 03/25 - King Tuff, Personal and the Pizzas, The Rantouls, The Wrong Words, King Lollipop @ Thee Parkside

Saturday, 03/26 - Traditional Fools, Audacity, Culture Kids, Underground Railroad to Candyland, Skumby, The Shrouds @ Thee Parkside (day-show)

- Davila 666, Mean Jeans, The Biters, The Booze @ Thee Parkside (night-show)

Sunday, 03/27 - Nobunny, Apache, Wild Thing, Midnite Snaxxx, Egg Tooth @ Thee Parkside

Tuesday, 03/29 - Mallard, Sugar Sugar Sugar, Will Ivy @ Hemlock

to be continued...

January Shows

2011-01-02T20:34:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, Jan. 5th - Ash Reiter, The Pentacles, The Thralls @ Hemlock

- Apache, Wild Thing, SF Blows @ Knockout

Friday, Jan. 7th - Gestapo Khazi, Grass Widow, Ty Segall, Rank Xerox @ El Rincon

Sunday, Jan. 9th - Grass Widow, The Babies, White Fence, Bad Back @ Hemlock

Sunday, Jan. 16th - The Rantouls, Wrong Words, Tropical Sleep @ Hemlock

Wednesday, Jan. 19th - Dead Westerns, Mosshead, Street Pyramids @ Hemlock

- White Manna, Greg Ashley, Outlaw, Rachel Fannan (Sleepy Sun) @ Elbo Room

Saturday, Jan. 22nd - Pigs, Outdoorsmen, Dead Meat, Dadfag @ Hemlock

Friday, Jan. 28 - Deerhoof, Ben Butler & Mousepad, Nervous Cop @ Great American

- Monotonix, Ty Segall, Nodzzz @ Rickshaw Stop

Sunday, Jan. 30th - Glitter Wizard, Smoke & Feathers, Lecherous Gaze @ Hemlock

- The Blow, Sonny & The Sunsets @ Great American

Noisepop 2011

2010-12-13T14:23:00.000-08:00

Looking ahead to 2011, I'm excited about Noisepop. It will feature artists such as:

Tues, Feb. 23rd: Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band and Deerhoof @ The Fox Theater
Wednesday, Feb. 24th - Foreign Born, Fresh & Onlys, Free Energy, The Splinters @ Rickshaw Stop
Friday, Feb. 26th - Atlas Sound, Geographer, Magic Wands, Nice Nice @ Great American
Friday, Feb. 26th - The Mumlers, The Growlers, Sonny & The Sunsets, The Ferocious Few @ Cafe Du Nord
Saturday, Feb. 27th - P.E.E., True Widow, Ovens, Grass Widow @ Cafe Du Nord

.. and a lot more including films, listening parties, and DJ sets by band members.
Not too bad. Although the two that I'd want to see (the Feb. 26th shows), are already sold out. Bummer.

The rest of 2010. Woah it's already November?

2010-11-04T23:19:00.000-07:00

Maybe I'm just lazy, or maybe it's the slow season, but not many shows worth mentioning coming up. Unless I missed anything? Let me know. Thanx

Tuesday, Nov. 9th - Kurt Vile & The Violators, The Soft Pack, Purling Hiss @ The Rickshaw Stop

Thursday, Nov. 11th - Thee Oh Sees, Intelligence Blasted Canons @ The Eagle Tavern

Wednesday, Nov. 10th - Personal & The Pizzas, Natural Child, The Wrong Words @ Rickshaw Stop

Saturday, Nov. 13th - Devo @ The Warfield

Thursday, Nov. 18th - Wild Flag, Grass Widow, Royal Baths @ Bottom of the Hill

- Monarchs @ Sub Mission

Friday, Nov. 19th - Clinic, The Fresh & Onlys, The Loons @ The Independent

- Blonde Redhead, Olof Arnalds @ The Warfield

Tuesday, Nov. 23rd - Apache, Rocketship Rocketship, TBA @ Knockout

Saturday, Dec. 4th - Tropical Sleep, Midnite Snaxxx, Hondettes @ Hemlock

Sunday, Dec. 5th - Jonathan Richman @ The Great American

Thursday, Dec. 9th - Little Teeth, Blackbird Raum @ Hemlock

Saturday, Dec. 11th - Shannon & The Clams, The Night Beats, Outlaw @ Hemlock

Saturday, Dec. 18th - Schande, Bam!Bam!, Kera & The Lesbians @ Hemlock

I noticed there was a whole lot of underground hip hop shows within the next two months. Is it because it's winter and rap is so ICE-T??? hahaha I'm stupid.

.. and don't forget about Diego's Umbrella @ The Independent next month!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAAAHAHA

Just kidding, that band SUX! I am just full of it tonight!

I hate Spin magazine and I hate Brandon Flowers

2010-10-01T20:39:00.000-07:00

So I know I bring up hating Spin magazine all the time in my posts, but it's for good reason. Somehow I've been getting free Spin magazines every month - I think it's from Treasure Island tickets I got last year - and when I go home to Fremont (where it's mailed to), I peruse through it thinking, "So this is what the kids are listening to these days." I'm interested in at least staying up to date and current with what's "major" these days in the music industry. I understand it's a major music magazine, that features big artists, but I get the sense that they're trying to be the "indie" Rolling Stone or something. They're constantly naming new bands, what are the new hot little shits to listen to, but every time I try to give Spin's Picks a chance, it's always a let-down.

Today's cover features Arcade Fire.. I do like this band, however, what really got me was that Spin called them "indie's biggest band". Spin's always giving bands some label. The biggest blah blah blah. The best beep boop bop. The top too-ha-ha. It's stupid. And always untrue. Who cares anyways?

On top of that, there was a "In My Room" section about Brandon Flowers, in which they take a photo of an artist surrounded by different music-related objects set up in a practice space, or in this case, the music memorabilia show-off room in a mansion. They go through each object and the artist talks about what they mean. This one was the worst I've ever read. First, he has a giant black and white photograph of The Boss. This is what he says about it.. "It's my yarmulke, always reminding me there's someone above me." God forbid he has to remind himself of that.. ?? Then he talks about some nectarines.. "They're my fruit of choice. My mother knew that, and I'm lucky enough to have a good wife who knows it." .. Does that sound creepy to anyone else? I think the "good wife" party is sooo weird. Like he owns his wife. Or she is a robot wife. Or a maid. Or a MOTHER. Creep.

He just sounds so damn smug the whole time, it makes me want to ralph all over his photo. Ohhhh .. look at me, I get pianos from Elton John. He's my friend now. And ohhh I have a teacup from Morrissey. And oohhh I have epiphanies. guh. He looks like the spoiled kid in middle school who wore silk boxers, and threw a fit when someone splashed him with a water hose.

I'd also like to point out the heavy New York/London vibe going on in those pages. I want to project that about 90% of the bands and artists listed in Spin are from either the Big Apple or Foggy London Town. Where's the California love? There are so many bands in SF that put all those twiddling, good-looking, image-heavy musicians to shame.

And as I'm writing all this, I'm listening to the free 18 songs that Spin's editors picked for a free download, and all I have to say is... SHIT. Oh and when did Abe Vigoda become a electronic dance-band? It's like they picked the most Spin songs out of relatively good bands. I mean, I love Bear in Heaven and Dungen, but the songs they picked weren't nearly as good as others I've heard. Some don't even sound like the same band.

Aaaaaaand I'm done.

The Rest of Sept./October

2010-09-16T20:02:00.001-07:00

SEPTEMBER:

Thursday, Sept. 16th - Jimmy Edgar, Loose Shus, Boyz IV Men @ Rickshaw Stop

- Tyvek, Nodzzz, Art Museums @ Hemlock

- Grand Lake, Ash Reiter, Sunbeam Rd., Burrows @ Milk

Friday, Sept. 17th - Ratatat, Dom, Bobby Birdman @ Warfield

Saturday, Sept. 18th - The Mother Hips, Nathan Moore @ Fillmore

- Religious Girls, Clipd Beaks, Grand Lake, Casy and Brian, The Dashing Suns, Siddhartha, Color Chasm (Wiretap Music Festival) @ Thee Parkside

Sunday, Sept. 19th - Summer Blondes, Glitterwizard, Hot Fog, Ugly Winner, Blue Rabbit @ Indie-Mart Street Fair (Thee Parkside)

Monday, Sept. 20th - Frankie Rose & The Outs, Hunx and His Punx, Lilac, Wax Idols @ Rickshaw Stop

Thursday, Sept. 23rd - Admiral Radley, Laura Stevenson & The Cans, The Albert Square @ Crepe Place (Santa Cruz)

Friday, Sept. 24th - Band Of Horses, Admiral Radley @ Greek Theatre

Saturday, Sept. 25h - The Thralls, Bleached Palms, My Revolver, Ricky Lee Robinson @ Kimo's

Monday, Sept. 27th - The Twinks, Dirty Cupcakes, Shannon and the Clams @ El Rio

Wednesday, Sept. 29th - Dungen, The Entrance Band, The Fresh & Onlys, Matt Baldwin @ New Parish (Oakland)

- The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Thee Oh Sees @ Bimbo's

- Party Owl, The Mallard, Burrows @ Hemlock

Thursday, Sept. 30th - The Black Keys, Nicole Atkins @ Fox Theater

OCTOBER:

Friday, Oct. 1st - Flaming Lips, Ariel Pink, Thee Oh Sees @ Fox Theater

- Hardly Strictly Bluegrass! featuring a shitload of people

Saturday, Oct. 2nd - Flaming Lips, Health, White Hills @ Fox Theater

- Hardly Strictly Bluegrass! featuring more shitloads of people

Sunday, Oct. 3rd - AIDS Wolf, Zulus, No Babies, Boyz IV Men @ El Rio

- Hardly Strictly Bluegrass! even MORE shitloads of people!

Monday, Oct. 4th - The Clean, Barbara Manning @ The Independent

- So Cow, The Wrong Words, Neighbors @ Hemlock (early show @ 6:30pm)

Tuesday, Oct. 5th - High Castle, Zulus (ex-Battleship), Scumby @ Hemlock

- Guided By Voices, Times New Viking @ The Warfield

Wednesday, Oct. 6th - Child Abuse, Burmese, Death Sentence: Panda! @ Elbo Room

Sunday, Oct. 10th - Marc Sultan, Hunx & His Punx, Shannon and the Clams @ Rickshaw Stop

Monday, Oct. 11th - Eels @ The Fillmore

Tuesday, Oct. 12th - Teenage Fanclub @ The Fillmore

Thursday, Oct. 14th - The Dickies, Nobunny, Sharp Objects, Eastern Span @ Uptown (Oakland)

Saturday, Oct. 16th - Sic Alps, Carlton Melton, Wooden Shjips, White Manna, Glitter Wizard, Assemble Head, In Sunburt Sound + more (The Frisco Freakout) @ Thee Parkside

Sunday, Oct. 17th - Hot Chip, Sleigh Bells @ The Warfield

Friday, Oct. 22nd - Budget Rock 9!: Jack O and the Tearjerkers, Roy Loney, East Bay Grease, The Wrong Words, The Scrams, DJ Kevin Spaghetti & The Daggerman @ Thee Parkside

- Starfucker, Octopus Project @ Great American

Saturday, Oct. 23rd - Budget Rock 9!: Skipper, Shannon and the Clams, C'Mon Everybody, Tropical Sleep, Larry & The Angriest Generation, Midnite Snaxxx @ Thee Parkside (early show, 2pm)

- Budget Rock 9!: Oblivians, Icky Boyfriends, Wounded Lion, Wild Thing @ Bottom of the Hill

Sunday, Oct. 24th - Budget Rock 9!: The Muskrats, The Tee'n'Dee Explosion, Outdoorsmen, Spencey Dude and the Doodles, Scumby, Angora Debs @ Thee Parkside (early show, 1pm)

- Budget Rock 9!: Reigning Sound, The Flakes, Ty Segall, The Touch-Me-Nots @ Bottom of the Hill

- Azure Ray, Tim Fite, Whispertown @ The Independent

Monday, Oct. 25th - Best Coast, Sonny & The Sunsets @ Great American

Friday, Oct. 29th - Deerhunter, Real Estate, Casino Versus Japan @ Great American

- Built to Spill, Revolt Revolt, Finn Riggins @ The Fillmore

- Of Montreal, Janelle Monae @ The Warfield

Saturday, Oct. 30th - The Apples in Stereo, Fol Chen @ The Independent

- Deerhunter, Real Estate, Casino Versus Japan @ Slim's

- Built to Spill, Revolt Revolt, Finn Riggins @ The Fillmore

Sunday, Oct. 31st - Monarchs, Slow Trucks, Ugly Winner, Big Mittens, Oceanography @ Kimo's

Die Antwoord.. what?

2010-07-14T23:43:00.001-07:00

This name has been floating around and I sort of checked them out today. I guess the big question is.. is this real? is this fake? who cares? should we care? These South Africans are doing.. hip hop? Comprised of a new-wave hair-do'ed rapper with what has to be the ballsy-est notebook-doodle tattoos who calls himself "Ninja", a creepy androgynous little girl with matching kid-like vocals and pretty typical beats. It kind of reminds me of that shitty 90's group called Aqua, but for today's world, with a little more style and humor. I'm really not into the music myself, but I can't help but be intrigued by all this. I'm hoping it's just one giant joke on the music world. And if this is real, holy crap, that's kinda better.

Oh yeah, and check out their version of "What's In My Bag?" by Amoeba in LA:

I think if anything, I'm more intrigued by Ninja's tattoos. "If you don't like funerals dont kick sand in Ninja's face". I mean, c'mon.

Treasure Island Line-up Announced

2010-07-12T12:51:00.000-07:00

LCD Soundsystem? How many times have I seen these guys at a music fest? And Belle & Sebastian? This is looking like a line-up from 2004 or something. Here's the rest of the island crew:

SATURDAY:

LCD Soundsystem

DeadMau5

Kruder & Dorfmeister

Miike Snow

!!!

Die Antwoord

Little Dragon

Four Tet

Holy Fuck

Phantogram

Jamaica

Wallpaper

Maus Haus

SUNDAY:

Belle & Sebastian

The National

Broken Social Scene

She & Him

Superchunk

Rogue Wave

Surfer Blood

Ra Ra Riot

Monotonix

The Sea and Cake

Phosphorescent

Papercuts

The Mumlers

Now, I never really care for the first "dancy" "techno" "what-have-you's" day, but Sunday is all indie, so I'm all for it. I'm a little surprised at a few choices here. !!!? I haven't listened to their party-and-drug themed album since 2003. I don't even remember what it's called. Also, B&S are a band I enjoyed.. enjoyED back in the day. These bands don't seem like relevant and fresh new bands.. or you know, being new isn't really the problem here. It's more like they don't have any staying power with me. Yes I liked some of these bands, but in such a different state of my life. It's not like the Pixies, where I was really into them, then not so into them, but I can BE into them at any moment, given it's LIVE. That's what this fest needs.. some staying power.

Broken Social Scene, She & Him, Rogue Wave.. these are all bands I've seen at MANY a festival line-up before. Nothing new.. nothing that exciting. I'd say the only band I'd be genuinely excited to see would be Superchunk. I've never seen them live and I love their music. All the other bands on Sunday are names I hear and read about in a shitty Spin, and they're all hyped up, and when I go check em out live or listen to their myspace, 9 times out of 10, it is a major let down from what a corporate magazine is advertising them to be. Never trust Spin magazine.

And for the price of $99.99, an early special, I don't think this will hold up to $100 + fees out of my pocket. I hate to be a hater, but this line-up just doesn't compete to its predecessors such as, The Flaming Lips, MGMT, Beirut, YO LA TENGO, The Walkmen, Edward Sharpe, Grizzly Bear, Dr. Dog, John Vanderslice, The Dodos, Modest Mouse, MIA, Built to Spill, Clap Your Hands, Spoon, and the list goes on.

Anyways, if you want to waste some money on this, go for it. I'm sure it'll be enjoyable still, considering the island has some magical views, and the food is great, and well there's beer involved. And a ferris wheel.

Boycott Pissed Off Petes!! He calls people NERDS!

2010-07-08T01:58:00.000-07:00

Now, this isn't the one and only incident I've heard at Pete's. It's one of MANY. And kind of a last straw for a lot of people. The owner Pete is a horrible person and treats bands really poorly. It's too bad since the place is cool and its in the Excelsior and wasn't too popular yet. A good dive bar to see some local music. Here's what Shannon from Shannon & The Clams said about her experience playing there recently:

"Shannon Shaw boycott pissed off petes!!! Pete himself called me "fat bitch, fat cunt, evil bitch, fat whore, ugly bitch, stupid whore and a NERD because a mic stand was accidentally swapped by an opening band. they tried to charge the clams for the swapped stand because I wouldn't comply with their demands so I was abused. when Ian my drummer defended me Pete, the owner, tried to attack him. do not patronize pissed off Petes."

The last time I played there, my friend from The Dead Westerns asked the door guy if we had any payment from the front door guy who said that people snuck in and no one paid.. which wasn't true. Pete overheard and yelled at my friend calling him a nerd and a liar. Words were exchanged (mostly angry words by Pete), and eventually Pete had pushed my friend out the door and started choking him on a car hood. Stooooopid.

So everybody BOYCOTT PISSED OF PETE'S!!

AUGUST SHOWS/OUTSIDE LANDS SUXX

2010-07-08T00:25:00.000-07:00

Sure.. it's only July 8th, but I'm on a blog kick and I gotta keep typin!! Here's what August is lookin like:

Sunday, August 1st - Tartufi, Silian Rail, Honeycomb @ Rickshaw Stop

Thursday, August 5th - Shannon & the Clams, White Mystery @ Hemlock

Friday, August 6th - Club Chuckles presents: NEIL HAMBURGER (2 shows - 8pm, 10:30pm) @ Hemlock

Saturday, August 7th - Thee Oh Sees, Yellow Fever, Bare Wires @ The Independent

- Social Studies, 60 Watt Kid, Maus Haus, Montra @ Rickshaw Stop

- Hunx and His Punx, Tropical Sleep, Wrong Words @ The Uptown (Oakland)

Wednesday, August 11th - Thralls, Sunbeam Road, Ghost Animal, Rangers @ Hemlock

Saturday, August 14th - Jello Biafra & the Guantanamo School of Medicine @ Great American

- Mark Matos & Os Beaches, The Blank Tapes, Apache Thunderbolt @ Hemlock

Wednesday, August 18th - Black Francis (solo acoustic) @ Great American

- Woven Bones, The Sandwitches, The Splinters @ Bottom of the Hill

- Wavves @ Rickshaw Stop

- TOTAL TRASH FEST: The Rantouls, LaTeenos, Larry & The Angriest Generation, The Jinxes @ Thee Parkside

Thursday, August 19th - TOTAL TRASH FEST: Box Elders, Shannon & The Clams, Miss Chain & the Broken Heels @ Thee Parkside

Friday, August 20th - TOTAL TRASH FEST: Gentleman Jesse and His Men, Personal & The Pizzas, Barreracudas @ Thee Parkside

Saturday, August 21st - TOTAL TRASH FEST: Mean Jeans, Anomalys, Moonhearts @ Thee Parkside

Thursday, August 26th - Th Mrcy Hot Sprngs @ Hemlock

- Lazer Sword, Rainbow Arabia, Religious Girls, Sister Crayon @ Rickshaw Stop

Friday, August 27th - 20 Sided Comp CD Release Party (Part 1): Stirling Says, Evacuee, The Flag Poles, Daikon, Touch Committee, Finest Dearest, Mantra @ Kimo's

Saturday, August 28th - 20 Sided Comp CD Release Party (Part 2): Slow Trucks, Monarchs, Mosshead, Street Pyramids, AM Magic, Thralls, The Dead Westerns @ Kimo's

- Cap'n Jazz, Abe Vigoda @ Bimbo's

And I'm not going to even mention the fucking Outside Lands. Who wants to see Kings of Leon, Phoenix, Wolfmother, or other crap bands I don't care to mention. I think the only bands I'd really want to see are My Morning Jacket, The Soft Pack, Little Wings.. and maybe The Strokes to remind me of 2001. I have a question for you Outside Lands people. Where are all the LOCAL bands on the bill!? Who cares about Dave Matthews Band when you have ten MILLION times better local bands at your fingertips?! This mammoth festival sucks, not even considering how much ticket prices are for this thing. How cool would it be to see your local favorites among BETTER indie bands in Golden Gate Park? This thing sucks.

If you missed Pavement @ The Greek.. I feel bad for you.

2010-07-07T23:27:00.001-07:00

WOW. All I can say is WOW. I meant to write a review of the Pavement/Quasi show at the Greek, but I forgot, and well, just remembered now. I honestly cannot describe my feelings towards this show.. to put it straight, this is my DREAM show. My two favorite bands, playing at a great venue. I missed the first two songs of Quasi as I was making my way up the steps to the Greek from street level. They sounded amaaaazing. Mostly a lot of the new album stuff, but songs I thoroughly enjoyed nonetheless and Sam Coomes got a haircut. He looked good. I think I have a thing for old 90s indie-rock men? Stephen Malkmus.. Sam Coomes.. Beck.. Dean Wareham.. ok and kind of Wayne Coyne (is that weird?).

Aaaanyways, Sam Coomes new 'do and new tunes impressed me, alongside favorite drummer Janet Weiss, and kickass bassist Joanna Bolme. Coomes really rocks out on guitar lately and it looks like he was having a lot of fun, and I like to see him in this way the best.

Pavement strolled in like old pro's and literally played a lot of the hits.. everything from Crooked to Wowee to Slanted. They even opened up the show with "Cut Your Hair", a total classic, and sparked up the show just right. Everyone around me was smiling with glee and jumping up and down like little school children when that song came on. I felt like I just transformed back into the early 90's, as did my friend who proclaimed, "It smells like 1992 out here!". My group all agreed that Bob Nastanovich has the best job ever.. jumping around, sometimes playing toms, and screaming his guts out. He's like Pavement's hype man. Oh, and then the not-so-young Gary Young, just strolls out and starts playing drums and I started to feel excited, but then kinda nervous cause the guy's almost 60 years old. It was a little raw and he was off beat a few times there, but what the fuck? Who cares.. this guy rules and he's a champ, a drunken old champ who can still play drums with the rest of Pavement after so many years. I wish I could be that much of a champ.

Overall though, excellent show, one I'll probably remember for the rest of my life. It's always been a shame to me that I should really be older than I am, so I could actually have seen old indie bands in the late 80s and early 90s in their heyday. I was still watching Disney movies at that age. But it's good to know, there are always reunions in the works.

Oh, and check out this little gem I found on youtube: Pavement on Jay Leno in 1994:

New Bands I Likes-a-Lot

2010-06-17T13:57:00.000-07:00

I've been listening to a lot of good bands lately.. mainly ones I played with whilst on tour. These are my favorites:

Rubedo

I don't know what it is about them.. I can't quite put my finger on it. The whole "megaphone voice" thing has been said and done, but I really like it with this backdrop. It's got swirly guitar riffs, monster-jam drums that go all over the place but fall back when the time is right, and it's almost all animalistic when I think about it. It's heavy, playful, yet really dynamic and serious. Plus they are awesome to watch live. And they're on tour! And they're coming to SF! From Denver, they are traveling to Arizona, southern CA, up here, up north through Portland and Seattle, and and back down through Idaho. They will be playing in on Monday, June 28th at RETOX Lounge and I plan on bein there. Care to join me??

Spokesmen

Fresh off a name change from Ooh Barracuda (which I actually liked), Spokesmen went on tour from Nashville to Austin to sunny California, through Colorado and back towards home in Carbondale, IL. Slow Trucks got a chance to play with them at Kimo's last week and they've been stuck in my brain ever since. I actually bought an album from them (with a helping $1 discount), and I hardly ever buy tour CDs from some band I never heard before. But after hearing them, I was convinced. These guys are great! They are loud for a three piece, and thrashy like a three piece should be. Not to mention super tight on the drums! There's a certain quiet rock n roll ness among the dudes, but nothing obnoxious at all. Just a little notion of "we know we're good". It's good to be confident! Oh yeah, also worth mentioning: they ended their set with Devo's "Gut Feeling". Awesome.

Fa Fa Fa

All the way from the grime that is Reno, NV, Fa Fa Fa remind me that amazing music can be found ANYwhere. I've been to Reno about a thousand times in my life, but really got a chance to see the REAL Reno when Slow Trucks toured through there and played an official Fa Fa Fa House Party. This is where I learned to play beer pong for the first time, and where we both got cut off from playing due to.. well.. cops. But we did play with them the day before in Tahoe, so it's alll gooood. They're music is really fluid, and kinda spacey, but rockin as well. They were a pleasure to see live, two guitars, bass, lady on keys, and precise as hell drummer. Really catchy.

Sleepy Seeds

There's really no way I could mention this band without mentioning Built to Spill. There's definitely a direct correlation between each band members' singers. There's a definite influence there. It's like Built to Spill's little brother's band. And I don't mean to say that in any sort of condescending way, it's just true. The guitarist gets a really nice tone to his riffs that make you want to go up on the stage and take a magnifying glass to his pedals to figure out, "how this hell did he make that noise?". I also have to say that I enjoyed when the horns came out for a few songs. Normally, I hate this, but it works so well and it makes your ears perk up. They're really mellow, and almost sweet, but mostly convey a lot of emotion and thought.

Schande

I've mentioned this in the past, but I really don't care for most lady vocals. But Schande is that one perfect exception to my rule. Jen isn't all Joan Jett about it, or Christina Aguilera obnoxious-wailing it either. It seems more real to me, not like she's trying to sound like anyone who preceded her. The overall vibe of the band is pretty mellow, a quiet pause in the makeshift of noise. But, also with good timing on parts where loudness just calls for loudness. I'm excited to see them again.

Good stuff!

July Shows

2010-06-11T14:12:00.000-07:00

Here's my pick for July!

Thursday, July 1st - Pinback presents The Rob and Zach show, Little White Teeth @ The Independent

- Thee Oh Sees, Eddy Current, Suppression Ring, Kelley Stoltz, Sonny and the Sunsets @ The Eagle Tavern

Friday, July 2nd - Thralls, Beaver Feaver, Disastroid @ El Rio

Saturday, July 3rd - The 5th Annual El Rio Big Time Freedom Fest! Featuring: Sands (Low Red Land), Finn Riggins, Slow Trucks @ El Rio

- Thee Oh Sees, Eddy Current, Fresh & Onlys, Sic Alps @ Serra Bowl (Daly City)

- The Pentacles, Neighbors, Whisperlights, Little Bridges @ Fort Gallery (Oakland)

Tuesday, July 6th - Dadfag, Gay Beast, Ezee Tiger and the Soundmen @ Hemlock

Thursday, July 8th - Deerhoof, The Donkeys, Southeast Engine @ Bottom of the Hill

Saturday, July 10th - Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Magic Kids, Pearl Harbor @ Bimbo's

- Laudanum, Al Qaeda @ Kimo's

Sunday, July 11th - Bears! Bears! Bears!, Odd Owl @ Kimo's

Thursday, July 15th - Built to Spill @ Slim's

Saturday, July 17th - Bare Wires, Moccretro, Heavy Hills, Family Matters @ Hemlock

Sunday, July 18th - The New Pornographers, The Dodos, Imaad Wasif @ The Fox Theater

Wednesday, July 21st - The Spits, Nobunny @ Bottom of the Hill

- MGMT, Francis and The Lights @ The Fox Theater

Wednesday, July 21st-Friday, July 23rd - Jonathan Richman, Olof Arnalds @ Swedish American Music Hall

Friday, July 23rd - Admiral Radley, Sea of Bees, Built Like Alaska @ Bottom of the Hill

- Rock N Roll Adventure Kids, Larry and the Angriest Generation, C'Mon Everybody, Cowabunga Babes, Woah Hunx @ The Fuzzplex (Oakland)

Saturday, July 24th - Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Little Teeth, miRthkon @ Great American

Monday, July 26th - Bear in Heaven, Twin Sister @ Rickshaw Stop

Thursday, July 29th - Monarchs, TBA @ Bottom of the Hill

Saturday, July 31st - The Rantouls, The Saucy Jacks, Dirty Cupcakes @ Hemlock

"I'm SOOOO Bitter" Songs

2010-05-14T23:06:00.000-07:00

So since moving home with the folks, I've had the pleasure of looking through my old diaries from the years 2003-2009 (I haven't been able to afford a new journal since the end of 2009 sadly). One thing I noticed I did a lot was write down what song or band I was listening to at the time of writing. Some are good, some are bad, most of the old ones are HILARIOUS. These are the things I listened to when writing, followed by the year:

Coldplay - Trouble (2003)
Binary Star - Honest Expression (2003)
Des'ree - Kissing You (2003)
The Strokes - Automatic Stop (2003)
Peanut Butter Wolf (2003)
K.G.B. - Space Cadet (2003) hahahhaa
Zion I - Inner Light (2003)

The Faint - Worked Up So Sexual (2004)
Air - Playground Love (2004)
The Flaming Lips - In the Morning of the Magicians (2004)
Interpol - The New (2004)
Grandaddy - Revolution (2004)
International Noise Conspiracy - Capitalism Stole My Virginity (2004) hahaha!
Modest Mouse - Doin the Cockroach (2004)
Athlete - Vehicles and Animals (2004)
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here (2004)
Badly Drawn Boy - A Minor Incident (2004)
The Eternal Sunshine Of the Spotless Mind Soundtrack (2004)

Jon Brion - Row (2005)
Nico - These Days (2005)
Seu Jorge - Life On Mars? (2005)
John Lennon - Look At Me (2005)
Gorillaz - O Green World (2005)
The Beatles - I Should Have Known Better (2005)

The Animals - When I Was Young (2006)
Miles Davis (2006)
The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (2006)
Weezer (2006)

Quasi - R&B Transmogrification (2007)
Daniel Johnston (2007)
Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat (2007)
The Microphones (2007)
David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust (2007)
Electrelane - To The East (2007)
Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans (2007)
Wilco - A Ghost Is Born (2007)
Bob Dylan - Idiot Wind (2007)
M. Ward - Story Of An Artist (2007)
60 Watt Kid - Everyday (2007)
Sort Of Invisible - Picturesque (2007)

Swan Lake (2008)
Sunset Rubdown (2008)
She & Him (2008)
Destroyer - Blue Flower/Blue Flame (2008)
Radiohead - In Rainbows (2008)
My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges (2008)
April March - Chick Habit (2008)
Grandaddy - Skateboarding Saved Me Twice (2008)
Dr. Dog - Keep a Friend (2008)
The Dodos - Bob (2008)
Pavement - Wowee Zowee (2008)
The Dutchess & The Duke - Back To Me (2008)
Nina Simone - Gin House Blues (2008)
Devendra Banhart (2008)
The Arcade Fire - Haiti (2008)

Okay - Huggable Dust (2009)
Teenage Fanclub - Everything Flows (2009)
The Clean - Slug Song (2009)
Pavement - Harness Your Hopes (2009)
The Walkmen - Seven Years of Holidays (2009)
E.S.G. - Dance (2009)
The Fresh and Onlys (2009)

I kind of stopped around mid-late 2009, so the rest of last year was kind of not accounted for. But I think it's intersting to look at the progressions/changes of my musical taste over the past 7 years. I started writing more seriously when I left the nest and began my life in SF, and a lot of people/experiences changed what I listened to.

In 2003, there was still a lot of underground hip hop I was listening to, but hardly anyone I hung out with in the dorms listened to this. So I began to discover a lot of new music there. 2004, my first serious boyfriend opened up my world to a lot of Air, The Flaming Lips, Grandaddy, and Pink Floyd. 2005, was the year of a LOT of Wes Andersen soundtracks. 2006, was a little lost and I think I was mostly listening to The Beatles cause I was taking a Beatles course in college. 2007 was where indie had kind of struck a chord with me, with Quasi and Daniel Johnston coming in, as was more softer tracks by Wilco, M. Ward, Sufjan Stevens, and Electrelane. 2008 was when I got into my Spencer Krug phase (and I still totally favor the side projects over Wolf Parade ANY day). And 2009 was pretty random, but I'd say I got a little more into 90's indie last year.

I'm thinking of starting a new blog based on my old journal entires of my formative years of 18-25. We'll see! If you made it this far, I applaud you.

June Shows You Knows

2010-05-12T23:51:00.000-07:00

This is all I could find.. hey, I'm a little lazy. Hey, lemme know if I missed anything. The four of you who read this. I'm really defeated tonight hah.

Tuesday, June 1st, Wed. June 2nd - The XX, Phantogram @ Great American

Monday, June 7th - Bone Thugs-N-Harmony @ The Independent

Thursday, June 10th - folkYeah! Presents: Sleepy Sun (CD Release), The Fresh & Onlys, Moon Duo @ Great American

Friday, June 11th - Woods, Kurt Vile, The Art Museums, The Mantles @ Slim's
- Sonny & The Sunsets, Wounded Lion, John Wesley Coleman @ The Hemlock
- Slow Trucks, Prizzy Prizzy Please, Ooh Barracuda @ Kimo's

Sunday, June 13th - Sam Vicari, The Pentacles @ Kimo's

Monday, June 21st - The Brian Jonestown Massacre @ The Fillmore

Wednesday, June 23rd - Wisdom Tooth, Little Teeth, Pineapple Explode @ Hemlock

Friday, June 25th - PAVEMENT (!!!) @ The Greek

Saturday, June 26th - Tyla Jones' bday party! featuring: Slow Trucks, Monarchs, Party Owl, Moody Fruit @ Li Po Lounge

Sunday, June 27th - Ty Segall, Grass Widow, Sonny & the Sunsets, The Baths @ Bottom of the Hill

I also just really wanted to mention my re-love for "one-man-bandist" Sort of Invisible whom I used to listen to all the time. Recently, my yearn for heavy pop has returned, and thus.. you should all listen to this genius-ness:

Sort of Invisible, click here for greatness

MGMT///Congratulations (seriously good job)

2010-05-02T19:55:00.000-07:00

Whilst watching my Hulu version of SNL, I pleasantly stumbled upon what many had stumbled upon: the MGMT performance. First off, I.. yeah.. sort of liked the first album (but reluctantly because of its ultra popularity and clubby-remixed songs), and thought it was very catchy and inventive for pop music. But this second album, Congratulations, in my humble opinon, is much MUCH better. It's a darker, moodier, more personal feel (and not so much an "electric feel" if you will), with much more lower-end keys that are remniscent of a cartoon trip to Count Dracula's mansion. Spooky is the word. It sounds as if they're playing music more for themselves, not music that's all dance-y and sounds almost like a joke. Mostly, I'm really delighted that they didn't make a Oracular Spectacular Part 2. It's a whole 'nother beast.

The hit "Brian Eno" is one of my top favorites and has been stuck in my head for the past week. I really like the way he hits those high-pitch BRIAN ENO! whiney points in the vocals. "Flash Delirium" is another good one, also performed on SNL, and has a really smooth, lucid, laid-back vibe.. again another nice change from heavy hitters like "Time To Pretend".

The acoustic beginning to "Someone's Missing" is also a pleasant surprise, and hits the right nerves with me. The faint, again SPOOKY, keys in the background are a nice touch as well. The guitar and drums stroll in nicely mid-song and really turns it up.

So far I've noticed a lot of the songs are all somewhat modeled just like "Someone's Missing". A misty, acoustic opener, a build in sound/denseness, and a lead to the magical land of heavy pop. "Congratulations" is beautiful, really simplistic, and really highlights Andrew VanWyngarden's feathery vocals. And what IS that in the background? A harp? It sounds like some ancient Chinese instrument, but it's probably just keys or something. And in the pure spirit of the word, the song ends in applause. And I applaud you, MGMT, for a more thoughtful album.

April/May Shows

2010-04-14T22:42:00.000-07:00

Thursday, April 15th - The Soft Pack, Male Bonding, Nodzzz @ Bottom of the Hill
- Thralls, Voice on Tape, Bill Wild @ Bluesix
- King Khan & The Shrines, The Fresh & Onlys @ Bimbo's

Wednesday, April 21st - Camera Obscura, Best Coast @ Great American

Thursday April 22 - Saturday April 24 - YO LA TENGO!!!! (Goin on the 23rd!) @ The Fillmore

Friday, April 23rd - Thralls, Mantra @ Kimo's

Saturday, April 24th - Dr. Dog, Sean Bones, Pepi Ginsberg @ Great American
- Sleepy Sun, Little Wings, Late Young @ Rickshaw Stop
- Slow Trucks, Big Mittens, Smalls @ Li Po Lounge

Sunday, April 25th - Dr. Dog, Deer Tick, Pepi Ginsberg @ Greamt American

Monday, April 26th - Growing, Eric Copeland (of Black Dice), Death Sentence: Panda! @ Bottom of the Hill

Wednesday, April 28th - Japanther, The Reaction, Dirty Marquee, Street Eaters @ Hemlock

Thursday, April 29th - Emily Jane White, Helene Renaut, Chloe Makes Music @ Hemlock

Friday, April 30th - Party Owl (first show ever!!), Camp Followers, and TBA @ Epicenter

Saturday, May 1st - Broken Social Scene @ The Fillmore

Tuesday, May 4th - The Mantles, Dimmer, Weekend @ Rickshaw Stop

Wednesday, May 5th - Watchdawg, The Purrs, Street Pyramids @ Kimo's

Saturday, May 8th - The Flakes, Tropical Sleep, Only Sons @ Hemlock

Wednesday, May 12th - Lime Colony, Passenger & Pilot, Blood and Sunshine @ Bottom of the Hill

Monday, May 17th - Meta, Stirling Says, Burnt Thumbs, Slow Trucks @ Bottom of the Hill

Wednesday, May 19th - The Pentacles, Dashing Suns, Belly of the Whale @ Uptown

Thursday, May 20th - An Evening with Chuck Palahniuk @ The Swedish American Music Hall

Friday, May 21st - Fresh & Onlys, Jacuzzi Boys, Sonny & The Sunsets, Art Museums @ Thee Parkside

Tuesday, May 25th - Spectrum (ft. Sonic Boom of Spacemen 3), Wooden Shjips @ Great American

Friday, May 28th - Casiotone For the Painfully Alone, Nodzzz, Antarctica Takes It!, English Singles @ Bottom of the Hill

Saturday, May 29th - Frog Eyes, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, Dominique Leone @ Hemlock

Freshly Bruised From Tour

2010-04-14T17:53:00.000-07:00

So it's been a pretty long time since I've been here, all four of you who might read this, but I have valid excuses! A month long tour! My birthday! Being "on the go"! I've been a busy lady, but I am happy to be back home in Fremont aka my work station. I have sunshine rolling through my window, my cat nearby to distract me, and it's a Wednesday, which means Mom and Dad (and brothers) are busting their butts at the ol' office! Which really means I get the house to myself (well and my grandmother who doesn't really speak English) and so I get to blast music all day and get some serious work done.

Tour was amazing, I'm going to spend a few hours later putting up a tour diary I wrote down on several different pieces of scrap paper from Slow Trucks's month-long tour. No doubt it will be a lengthy, but enjoyable read for those of you who are super curious of how tour went.

But onward! I'm really sick right now but I have an excitable energy equivalent of a toddler on CapriSun. I wanted to start off by saying I discovered a lot of new music lately on tour, and have been keeping a steady list of bands I want to dive into. Here's my list so far:

Titus Andronicus (heard them in a record store in the Pacific Northwest)
Admiral Radley (saw them at SXSW)

Moses Campbell (played a show with them in Olympia, originally from LA)

Mean Jeans (I couldn't resist their album cover)

... and these few here are bands I've been meaning to listen to, or want to listen to more, or am just intrigued by somehow.

The Mona Reels

Moon Runners

Cymbals Eat Guitars

Davila 666

The XX

Sic Alps

Sonny and the Sunsets

Wavves

I am currently myspacing all of them to get a little taste. I'm gona go through them all right now and here are my first impressions:

The Mona Reels: The fact that their myspace says they're from Olympia, WA kind of excited me, but then when the singing came on.. I was already over it. I'm real picky about vocals lately and I don't like these harmonies. Or lyrics. "Jut pick up the phone.. pick up the phone.. blah blah blah.. he doesn't look in front of her, he smiles before he shrugs, but my body knows what she could do to me, she makes me feel like I'm on drugs... blah blah blah." I didn't even mean to put those last three blah's in italics, but I'm leaving that accident. It's like even my almost-broken laptop knows I don't like this.

Moon Runners: My favorite new Olympian, Freddie, hosted a last minute house show for us and played this before we went on. I LOVE THIS. It's fucking raw and machinery-y, and slightly mathy. It makes me want to put on some heavy boots. I can see why they are (from what I've heard) Olympia home-town heros. By far the most catchy song is "I Wanna Say No", really brilliant bass and guitar riffs, not to mention a sweet little surprise organ at the end. It makes me want to do step claps, haha, if you can gather what that looks like. The song is telling me to say no, but I wanna say yes yes yes ye sye syeysyesyeyseys. Side note: I heard they only have cassettes available for purchase. Nice.

Cymabls Eat Guitars: The last time I listened to this I was really, really stoned and liked it, so listening to this sober now is gonna be interesting... yep still like it. I like the jangly-ness of it all. It sombers out, then it gets wretched, then it gets sad, then it gets jazzy for a smidge, then it screams at you. It's a little all over the place, but it's done well. I'll probably come back to this and like it more the second time around. Er, third time around.

Davila 666: I've seen this name around for a while now, but haven't gotten around to listening to them and really had no sense of who they are. I'm slightly impressed by their "top friends", but that can mean anything these days. But so far so good, I can see them as a band I'd put on once in a while. I do enjoy the never-ending clapping on "Dimelo Ya"; snappy drums, fuzzed out yelps, and guitar tone on "Basura"; and I can really imagine their live shows to be really REALLY energetic and fun to dance/bob around to. Ruff and cute stuff.

The XX: I first saw these Londoners in a free copy of Spin or something awful and thought, these guys looks STUPID. But then I heard them in Thralls's van on tour and really like them, especially while driving on a windy road, in crap weather, in Portland.. half asleep. Listening to them now with wide eyes, they're still just as good. Really nice vocals, they need to teach Mona Reels a lesson on what pretty harmonies are suppose to sound like. Everything else besides vocals is set heavily in the background, and normally I would hate this, but it works well for them. Simple beats paired with lovely vocals is simplistic enough to work here.

Sic Alps: Apparently they don't have a myspace anymore, but I found some stuff there anyways, and their website. This took me waaaay too long to listen to this more seriously. This is great. This is what I need right now, something new to get myself into. Something GOOD to get myself into. The songs make me really want to venture out and see them live. Really catchy, really melodic, really sooollliiiiddd. Looks like they're about to do some shows with Pavement, which is just perfect, and just toured with Sonic Youth, which is making me kick myself even more for not going to that show.

Sonny and the Sunsets: I had listened to this a while ago after my man, Stu Ruggling, recommended it to me. I remember being really into it, but then not doing anything about it. I've seen shows of theirs listed, but now I really want to make an effort to go! Great poppy, doo-wop style vocals and nice head-bobbing rhythms. I like this, especially when music becomes too serious and you want to relax with a song. Definitely relaxing. I especially enjoy, "Mario", and its sweet heart-thumping lyrics. "I stick a dagger in the heart of a fool that tries to take my man." Aaawwww...

Wavves: I forgot where I heard this name from.. somewhere around SF, who knows. It's nothing new, but I didn't really expect that for some reason cause I think I get this band mixed up with other bands, and its in this grouping that gets lost to me. Nonetheless, it's good enough to keep my attention and it's loud and fuzzy and kinda strange if it weren't for that steady rhythm section. The fuzzed-out vocals literally make me think of getting stuck in a cycle of ocean waves that keep crashing down on you. For some reason this review sounds more negative than I want it to, hah, whoops. I think I'll be more into this at another time.

I started writing this post around 4pm or so today, and it's now a little after 10pm. I took some breaks to do a crossword, try to find a job, BBQ-ing chicken, phone calls, reading shitty articles in my free Spin mag, and trying to bluetooth my cell photos to my laptop. What a day! Now off to research some shows.. I need me some live music!!

FEB/MARCH: I wish I could go to all of these!!!

2010-02-17T20:52:00.001-08:00

Noisepop 2010 is next week, so I thought I'd mention some good shows from that and then I was like.. might as well do March. I'll be gone most of March on tour, but hopefully you will all have a good time at these shows!!

Friday, Feb. 19th - The Thralls, al Qaeda, White Pee @ LiPo Lounge

Monday, Feb. 22nd - Slow Trucks, Evacuee, Blessed Deep, French Cassettes @ Kimo's

Wednesday, Feb. 24th - Noisepop 2010: Foreign Born, The Fresh & Onlys, Free Energy, The Splinters @ Rickshaw Stop

Friday, Feb. 26th - Noisepop 2010: Atlas Sound, Geographer, Magic Wands, Nice Nice @ Great American
- Noisepop 2010 Happy Hour: Hunx and His Punx, Spencey Dude and the Doodles, Weekend @ Benders (5pm show)
- The Mumlers, The Growlers, Sonny & The Sunsets, The Ferocious Few @ Cafe du Nord
- Thee Oh Sees @ Parklife Gallery (all ages)

Saturday, Feb. 27th - Ty Segall, Chain and the Gang, Strange Boys, Nodzzz @ The Elbo Room
- Shannon & the Clams, The Pharmacy, The Rantouls @ Hemlock

Sunday, Feb. 28th - Noisepop 2010: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, The Watson Twins, A B & The Sea, The Northern Key @ Bimbo's

Wednesday, March 3rd - La Corde, Stirling Says, Only Sons @ Hemlock

Thursday, March 4th - Thee Oh Sees @ The Exploratorium!

Friday, March 5th - NoBunny, TV Ghost, The Outdoorsmen, Mom @ Thee Parkside
- Manatee, Tropical Depression, Evacuee @ Kimo's

Saturday, March 6th - Little Teeth, Hermit Thrushes, Fertile Crescent @ Hemlock

Sunday, March 7th - Abe Vigoda, Lovvers, High Castle @ Bottom of the Hill

Tuesday, March 9th - The Cave Singers, The Dutchess and the Duke, The Moondoggies @ The Independent

Wednesday, March 10th - QUASI, Explode Into Colors @ The Independent
- Thee Oh Sees, Fresh & Onlys, Ty Segall, The Baths @ El Rio

Friday, March 12th - Or, the Whale, The Stone Foxes, The Maldives @ The Independent
- Xiu Xiu, tUnE-YaRdS, Noveller @ Bottom of the Hill

Tuesday, March 23rd - The Thralls, All Time High @ Hemlock

Thursday, March 25th - al Qaeda, Nondor Nevai & Ben Wolcott @ Hemlock

Friday, March 26th - Slow Trucks, Monarchs, Evacuee, The Thralls, On the Tundra, Adveture Galley @ Kimo's

Audio Surf: The Best Game To Kill Time

2010-01-25T20:53:00.000-08:00

Audio Surf is.. "a music-adapting puzzle racer where you use your own music to create your own experience."

In other words, you pick your OWN song to play to, a race track is created from that song (the faster the song, the faster the race), and you move your car along three lanes with colored blocks and it pretty much plays like the basics of Tetris. This is seriously super addictive and challenging, but most of all, you don't have to sit through some blip-blop electronic tune created by some gamer. You get to control the music, and decide how fast or slow you want the race track to be. And as you get the hang of it, there are multiple levels for multiple skills.

It's only 9 bucks, but try out the demo first for yourself. I promise you won't be disappointed. Here's the link: AudioSurf

I'm not sure how all of a sudden this became a post about a cheap computer game, but I can't help it. Music love and nerdyness go hand in hand.

Happy 2010! The year looks good already...

2009-12-31T12:47:00.000-08:00

Saturday, Jan. 2nd - Slow Trucks, Mama Lion (CD Release!), The Dead Westerns @ SUB-Mission Art Space
- Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin, Okie Dokie, NASA Space Universe, Old Blood @ El Rincon

Sunday, Jan. 3rd - Hunx & His Punx, Brilliant Colors, Gun Outfit @ Hemlock

Tuesday, Jan. 5th - The Blank Tapes, Cannons and Clouds, Mystery Lights, Worker Bee @ Cafe du Nord

Wednesday, Jan. 6th - Evacuee, Monarchs, Happy Dwarf, Sister Grizzly @ Kimo's

Tuesday, Jan. 12th - Buzzer, Spencey Dude & The Doodles, Shannon & the Clams @ Hemlock
- The Lickets, Moon Duo (members of Wooden Shjips), The Spyrals @ Cafe du Nord

Thursday, Jan. 14th - Absolutely Kosher Presents: Little Teeth, Odawas, Powerdove @ Cafe du Nord
- Sharp Objects, Boars!, Bare Wires @ Thee Parkside
- Thee Oh Sees, Mayyors, Ty Segall, Ganglians @ The Eagle Tavern
- The Dead Westerns @ Amnesia

Friday, Jan. 15th - Nobunny, Dreamdate, Touch Me Nots @ The Stork Club

Sunday, Jan. 17th - Passenger & Pilot, Gwyneth Morel @ Hotel Utah

Monday, Jan. 18th - The Yummy Fur, The Mantles, Sonny & The Sunsets @ Cafe du Nord

Thursday, Jan. 21st - KUSF Presents: Black Lips, Nobunny, Personal & The Pizzas @ Great American

Thursday, Jan. 28th - Dadfag, Baths, Neighbors, Makeing Tents @ Hemlock

Friday, Jan. 29th - Clipd Beaks, Late Young, White Cloud @ Hemlock

Saturday, Jan. 30th - Evacuee, The Soft White Sixties, Bird By Bird, The Stone Foxes @ Thee Parkside

J. Mascis = Exciting

2009-12-30T23:54:00.000-08:00

Try to get through the end. I have an idea that the person who edited this was like.. oooook, now let's add some stock footage at all possible moments to liven up this thing. A good series from Amoeba, otherwise.

Alternative Tentacles 30th Anniversary "Incest-a-thon" this weekend

2009-11-02T16:29:00.001-08:00

One of the longest lasting independent music labels Alternative Tentacles (most known for founder Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys) is celebrating its 30th Anniversary at the Great American Music Hall this weekend. Lovingly called an "Incest-a-thon", the three-day headliners, sir Jello Biafra and Guantanamo School of Medicine, will switch different sets of bands each night. Also lovgingly, the shows will be all ages.

Thursday, November 5th: Jello Biafra and Guantanamo School of Medicine, Citizen Fish, Star Fucking Hipsters, MIA.

Friday, November 6th: Jello Biafra and Guantanamo School of Medicine, Ludicra, Munly and the Lupercalians, Knights of the New Crusade.

Saturday, November 7th: Jello Biafra and Guantanamo School of Medicine, Alice Donut, Victims Family, Burning Image.

Each show is only $20, or you can get a pass for all three days for $50. Buy Tickets

Built to Spill on Halloween

2009-11-02T16:13:00.000-08:00

I don't want to get all braggy, but I'm gona definitely sound really braggy. So I apologize in advance. Anyways, through a friend of a friend, I managed to get on Built to Spill's bus before the show on Halloween. Of course I was nervous to semi hang out with one of my favorite bands, but it was probably the most mellow bus hang out of all time. No bad vibes, no pretentiousness lingered. We smoked with Doug Martsch and he showed us some hand-drawn band pictures done by friends. My favorite was a pencil-darwn picture of all the members, naked, with different sized weiners. It was classic. We left a little while later, after some more rounds and more comments on the comfortability of the bus couches.

The show itself was absolutely amazing. They played a lot of old hits and some new songs from the latest album (which is also amazing with amazing artwork. AMAZING). Built to Spill always delivers in my book. They feed my expectations, and go beyond with really good jam outs and on-spot changes.

After the show, Doug Martsch DJ'd for the strewn and leftover Halloween partyers at the Fillmore. A lot of good jams, some old soul, some 80's, and mostly dancy tunes. Then I heard the opening drums and bass of "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder and I was like, yes, this guy's good.

Happy Halloweeniers!

Oh did I forget to mention?

2009-11-02T15:23:00.000-08:00

Warren G is also performing during November. Tuesday, November 24th at the Independent to be exact. So gather up the family before Thanksgiving and REGULATE.

November Shows

2009-10-28T11:43:00.000-07:00

Here we go again..

Sunday, Nov. 1st - Dirty Projectors, Little Wings @ Bimbo's

Monday, Nov. 2nd - Touch Committee, Stirling Says, Daikon @ El Rio

Thursday, Nov. 5th - Blues Control, Hank IV, Celine Dion @ Hemlock
- White Cloud, Happy Hollows, Grand Lake @ Thee Parkside

Friday, Nov. 6th - Hallelujah the Hills, Mist & Mast, Pancho-san @ Hemlock

Saturday, Nov. 7th - The Finches, Little Wings, The Mantles @ Hemlock
- Still Flyin', Yellow Fever, Nodzzz @ Cafe du Nord
- Slow Trucks, The Suicides, AM Magic, Peacefull Valley @ Li P Lounge

Sunday, Nov. 8th - Panther, Death Sentence: Panda!, Shakes Gown @ Hemlock
- The Dutchess and the Duke, Greg Ahsley, El Olio Wolof @ Bottom of the Hill

Tuesday, Nov. 10th - Passenger and Pilot, Jen Grady, Yellow Dress @ Kimo's

Wednesday, Nov. 11th - Jad Fair (Half Japanese), Grass Widow @ Hemlock

Friday, Nov. 13th - Pinback, Joe Jack Talcum @ Bimbo's

Saturday, Nov. 14th - BACKYARD BBQ PARTY PT. 3!!! featuring.. Slow Trucks, Stirling Says, Monarchs @ 843 Capp St. (bw 23rd and 24th)
- Mission of Burma, Erase Errata @ The Independent

Wednesday, Nov. 18th - The King Khan & BBQ Show @ The Independent

Thursday, Nov. 19th - Room For a Ghost, Cuban Cigar Crisis, Daniel Monkus @ Kimo's

Friday, Nov. 20th - Make Me, Schande @ Kimo's
- The Fiery Furnaces, Cryptacize, Dent May @ Slim's

Treasure Island review (not so great).

2009-10-22T14:41:00.001-07:00

I meant to write this a few days ago, but have been preoccupied. Anyways, here's what I thought of this year's Treasure Island:

First of all, I have to premise this by saying that I got in for free last year and got backstage VIP passes. So my expectations of this year were VERY high. I've also seen The Flaming Lips, Beirut, and The Decemberists before, at very VERY good shows. So really, my experience was a little biased.

I only went to the second day (not real into Brazilian Girls, The Streets, or Passion Pit, etc of the first day), and was expecting sort of a mellow indie day with an exciting exclamation point at the end with headliners, the Lips. In a way, I got what I wanted, but maybe a little more.. everything was really REALLY mellow. Like mellow yellow. Like, hey man I want to get up to get chips cause I'm so stoned, but I'm way too stoned to get up right now.

I get there around the time Tommy Guerrero is playing, and am fully impressed by this old time sktater ripping out tunes. It was definitely enjoyable. Next, was Thao and The Get Down Stay Down. I wish I got down and stayed down away, far far away from the stage. Her voice bugged me, it was all shaky, and the music wasn't much better. It made me think of Feist, but so light and airy and full of "I'm a cute little asian, and I say cute little things, and I play cute little music". It made me go.. ehh.. let's move on, which is really not the best sort of reaction you want from a band at an outdoor festival.

Spiral Stairs were pretty good, not much to report there. It was at least a pick me up from Thao. I was equally impressed by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros's jingly-jangly hodge podge band that semi reminded me of Arcade Fire. Everyone one stage looked so happy, it made me happy and I like happy. It seemed like there were some sound problems on the Bridge Stage, and even though there was a lot of instrumentation going on during this band, it didn't seem to all come together in a POW! factor. Thus was the rest of the evening..

I skipped most of Vetiver, and headed over to Grizzly Bear. Mostly I was impressed by the lead vocalists' harmonies. But at this point (I had been there for about 5 hours now), I felt a little lost. Where was the POW! factor all day? It's not like the music was bad or I wasn't having a good time, but the music was soooo mellow all day long. It was almost too laid-back. The audience seemed to have no energy, and it was probably the most silent outdoor festival I've ever been to.

Beirut looked like they changed some of their line-up. When I saw them a little over a year ago, it was a complete full band, almost 10 members playing a ton of horns, ukelele's, banjo's, and guitars. But this time I got some old guy on drums (and the snare was REALLY quiet and disappointing), and a lot less people on stage. Last time I saw them, there was so much energy and crazyness. This time, I got nothing. It was pretty disappointing overall. It lacked punch, and heftyness.

Thank God for The Walkmen. My friend and I looked at eachother with the same feeling of "finally" when The Walkmen delivered some energy to the crowd. I've never seen them before and am looking forward to another visit. The vocalist was really amazing, and wailed long notes that sent shivers down my spine. Mmmmm...

The Decemberists were okay. 'Nuff said. Yo La Tengo blew my brains out. First time seeing them for me, and hoepfully not the last. They came out like OG's and the guitarist really let loose and experimented and jammed. Any Yo La Tengo fan would have loved it.

As the sun was settling down, and the night grew darker and windier, I was ready for some Lips action. Now, anyone that has been to a Lips show can saw without a doubt that they are truely the best live band. "It's like a religious experience," I kept saying (and what Juliette Lewis says in "The Fearless Freaks"). BUT. This experience was not so soul lifting. More like soul drowning. I commend the Lips for starting off well with a bang, and busting out the confetti guns early on. Then a couple new ones which were really dark and kinda spooky. What really bothered me was when they played the hits, they were done all almost acoustic-ly, slowed down to the pace of a snail, and full of long pauses between verses. And even moreso were the speech-riddled pauses between each and every song. At many points I got the feeling a lot of poeple around me were thinking the same thing: Play the damn song already Wayne!! Mr. Coyne kept going on politically about hating George Bush, giving it up for Obama, and how much he loved San Francisco and its freaks. It also seemed like the energy between band and audience had to keep being picked up again and again. Wayne Coyne kept enticing the audience to scream more, to get more energy, something that SHOULDN'T happen at a Lips show. Maybe it was the end of the night, maybe it was the strong breeze coming off the coast, or maybe the Lips just didn't deliver like before. I dont' know what it really was, all I knew was that I had left The Flaming Lips set early. And that's never a good sign.

But hey, I can't be all hateful. I still love the Lips and am awaiting their newest release on vinyl. All in all, Treasure Island this year can be described mainly as one adjective: MELLOW AS FUCK.

Jay Reatard show cancelled

2009-10-18T10:19:00.000-07:00

Bummmmmmmer. I heard through the grapevine that the band broke up, and thus the show was cancelled. Way too soon Reatards, way too soon.

In other news, I wanted to mention some REALLY awesome bands Slow Trucks has been playing with lately. Here's a little link list that will delight your ears:

Miniature (Seattle)
Blue Horns (Portland)
Moms (Oakland)
Wowies (Oakland)
Evacuee (SF)

And now I'm off to Treasure Island.

Solo Indie Night Favorites

2009-10-16T11:25:00.000-07:00

The other night I got a chance to DJ by myself for INDIE NIGHT at Koko Cocktails on Geary near Van Ness. Now, DJing throughout the night was no difficult feat, as I've done it plenty of times before at other nights. But I will say that playing basically any type of indie music by yourself is sort of gratifying. I get to control what people hear, or moreso, I didn't even give a fuck and played what I wanted to hear. I got a couple of "what the fuck is this?" looks and some uneasiness at the bar, but the bobbs, and sing-alongs and looks of recognition fueled me. Here were my top favorite albums to play at INDIE NIGHT:

Ty Segall - Lemons, Horn the Unicorn
Modest Mouse - Lonesome Crowded West
Grass Widow - Grass Widow
The Clean - Compilation
The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends
Thee Oh Sees - The Masters Bedroom is Worth Spending a Night In
Pavement - Wowee Zowee
The Fresh & Onlys - Grey-Eyed Girl
Sparklehorse - Dreamt For Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain
Silver Jews - Tanglewood Numbers

Some old, some new, some blue. But all listen-worthy. Come out next month for INDIE NIGHT, Sunday, November 22nd @ Koko Cocktails and your ears will be happy.

ROCKTOBER (see what I did there?)

2009-10-02T18:12:00.001-07:00

HOLY SHIT. Too much good stuff in October. Too bad I'm broke. Makes me re-think that offer that guy gave me to be a "street walker". Wait, what?

Saturday, October 3rd - The Bugs, DadFag, Sad Horse @ Hemlock
- Schande, Who Cares, Belly of the Whale, Sleeptalks @ Thee Parkside

Wednesday, October 7th - Mumlers, Emily Jane White, Osage Orange @ Hemlock

Friday, October 9th - Polvo, Moggs @ Slim's
- A Hawk and a Hacksaw, Damon and Naomi @ The Independent

Saturday, October 10th - Disastroid (CD Release), Big Blue Whale, The Solid @ Hemlock
- Vitiligo, The Thralls, Miniature @ Kimo's

Sunday, October 11th - Hanalei, Daikon, Themes, Polar Bears @ Thee Parkside

Tuesday, October 13th - Yogoman Burning Band, Makru, Slow Trucks @ Cafe Du Nord
- The Yellow Dress, Lime Colony, Passenger & Pilot, The JJ Schultz Band @ Bottom of the Hill

Wednesday, October 14th - Great Lake Swimmers, The Wooden Birds, Laura Gibson @ Great American

Saturday, October 17th - Why?, Mount Eerie, Au, Serengetti & Polyphonic @ Great American
- A Place to Bury Strangers, These Are Powers, All The Saints, Geographer @ The Independent

Monday, October 19th - Jay Reatard, Nobunny, Hunx and His Punx, Box Elders, Digital Leather @ Great American (Shattered Records Tour)

Tuesday, October 20th - Nodzzz, Thomas Function, Yussef Jerusalem @ Hemlock

Friday, October 23rd - Islands, Jemina Pearl, Toro y Moi @ Bottom of the Hill

Saturday, October 24th - Stirling Says, Finest Dearest, System & Station @ Hemlock
- "Budget Rock Happy Hour!" featuring: Nobunny, RocknRoll Adventure Kids, Personal & The Pizzas, Johnny & The Limelight, The Pizzas @ Thee Parkside
.. then later @ Thee Parkside: The Mummies, Younger Lovers, Harold Ray Live in Concert, The Okmoniks, The Corman's, and the DJ's from Teenage Dance Craze

Sunday, October 25th - "Budget Rock 8!" featuring: Sector Zero, Box Elders, Wounded Lion, Superior Units, Wild Thing, Outdoorsmen @ Thee Parkside
- and.. Gris Gris, Thee Oh Sees, Dan Melchior, Und Das Menace, The Fresh & Only's @ Bottom of the Hill

Monday, October 26th - Sunset Rubdown, tUnE-yArDs @ Great American

Thursday, October 29th - The Dodos, The Ruby Suns @ Bimbo's
- Shonen Knife, Ty Segall, Kepi Ghoulie @ Rickshaw Stop

Friday, October 30th - No Age, Residual Echos, Magic Bullets @ Great American
- Nobunny, East Bay Grease, Apache Dropout @ Hemlock

Saturday, October 31st - BUILT TO SPILL @ Fillmore

I pretty much pee'd by pants after typing all this. Also, if you're as broke as I am, then you'll really benefit from the FREE Hardly Strictly Bluegrass this weekend! I'm excited for Steve Martin with a banjo.

Facebook is rough

2009-09-24T12:47:00.001-07:00

Why is it so difficult to create a band profile on facebook? Oh, excuse me.. band PAGE. Or GROUP. I really tried to avoid facebook as much as possible after trying to set up a facebook for a label I worked for (we finally did it, but it took forever), but with the ever-growing popularity of facebook over myspace, I wanted to try it out. It took me three hours. Am I just really dumb? I thought I was pretty good at the whole social network thing, but man. It gave me a headache after three hours of perusing around the help section to get some answers. It's like they don't want to make it easy. It's like "they" want you to struggle man. This is why I love myspace. So easy. So quick. So.. user-friendly.

Facebook sucks. But check out my band! It took me a lot of energy, so become my fan!!

Slow Trucks

Promote Your Page Too

Also, go see Slow Trucks perform a double-duty of rock this weekend. Friday in SF at Kimo's and Saturday in Oakland at Quarter-Century Michael Jordan House.

Another good one at the Eagle...

2009-09-19T11:45:00.000-07:00

I love how the Eagle can become this sort of go-to place for garage-y/psych pop bands that follow along the lines of indie-popular Thee Oh Sees. It's amazing that this bear bar (accompanied by bear flags, bear men, and well.. teddy bears) can transform itself into the "it" bar of the night. I recently went to see one of those Oh Sees shows at the Eagle and it was fantastic - high energy, sweaty and grimey, close quarters, and FUN. If I was maybe a foot taller, I could actually SEE the bands, but the crowdedness didn't bother me - it just made me feel part of something. Like when I'm older I'll remember, "Hey, those Oh Sees shows were rad."
But not to be forgotten is the rest of the bill. The Fresh and Only's (who will be touring with Thee Oh Sees shortly), opened up the night with fervour and tang. I really enjoyed the vocals that seemed haunting, but really punchy too. I like that combination. Somewhat jangly, somewhat psychadelic, somewhat a band that I'm falling in love with. Too soon?

I hate bashing any sort of band live, but when Wooden Shjips came on, I realized that maybe it was a good thing that this was my first time seeing them live. I think they're a much better sit down and listen type band. Not too exciting of a live band for me, sorry dudes. Not to say I didn't enjoy the music, but with all the riff raff of hipsters crowding around, I left my sweet spot near the front and took this as some ample air time. Repetitive drums/bass are great, something I always enjoy, and something that Thee Oh Seees do well, but this was a little more than I could handle. Maybe I just don't got the patience? Or maybe I was too ready to hear the next band.

This seems too obvious to even type, but Thee Oh Sees were amazing, as usual. It's rare to me to find a band that can create so much havoc, so much energy, and so little pretentiousness. If some foreigner were to come to San Francisco and ask me which SF band was best to see live, I'd without a doubt say Thee Oh Sees. I've been to several shows of theirs, but mostly enjoy these Eagle moments when the crowd crashes and surfs around them like some little Japanese fan girls. It's cute. And they're so good at jamming without boring me. They could probably do the same chords/beats/vocals over and over like a broken record, and I'd still be bobbing along. This is truely an exciting time for me, just to be able to witness really, REALLY good music with heart, energy, drive, and ambition. P.s. I really like this band live.

Overall, the Eagle shows lift up my week and make me excited to be living in San Francisco.
awwww, I love you.

Some September shows I missed

2009-09-12T10:57:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple shows I forgot to mention for September:

Tuesday, Sept. 15th - Chris Garneau, Christina Courtin, Emily Jane White @ Cafe du Nord
Friday, Sept. 18th - Sea Wolf, The Old-Fashioned Way, Sara Lov @ Bimbo's

and this isn't music related but I really hope this isn't sold out yet:

Saturday, Sept. 19th - DAVID CROSS @ The Warfield
*Squaggles!!!*

Also, the Fillmore is hosting some choice shows coming up that delight my 90's indie tongue:
10/31 & 11/01 - BUILT TO SPILL
11/06 - DINOSAUR JR.

Space Gallery: Live Music, Music Photography

2009-09-12T10:51:00.000-07:00

Space Gallery is hosting a Music Photography & Tour Happenings event this Sunday, Sept. 13th.

Live Music by:
JAPANTHER
STREETEATERS

Photography by:
JASON HALLAS
JEREMY CONANT
RYAN FURTADO
AUSTIN McMANUS

Also, a Spartyhard zine release!!

DJ Slow Trucks spinnin sweet vinyl!!!

Space Gallery
1141 Polk St.
6-10pm
21+

GOOD SHIT!!!

September Shows

2009-08-27T22:51:00.000-07:00

Another rad list for another rad month:

Tuesday, Sept. 1st - Slow Trucks, The Thralls, Golden West Service, The Reed Sea (Oregon), and Street Pyramids @ Li Po Lounge

Wednesday, Sept. 2nd - Davila 666, Mannequin Men, No Bunny, Bridez @ Thee Parkside
- Big Blue Whale, Hurry Up Shotgun, The Dashing Suns @ Bottom of the Hill

Thursday, Sept. 3rd - AM Magic (record release!), The Thralls, Finding Fiction, Parae @ Kimo's

Friday, Sept. 4th - Outrageous Cherry, Devon Williams, Thee Makeout Party @ Hemlock
- Gary Wilson & The Blind Dates, James Pants, Jel, Odd Nosdam @ Elbo Room

Wednesday, Sept. 9th - Vivian Girls, The Beets, tba @ Rickshaw Stop

Friday Sept. 11th - My Revolver, Zodiac Death Valley, The Dead Westerns @ Bottom of the Hill

Sunday, Sept. 13th - Blank Tapes, Magic Leaves, Twain @ The Make-Out Room

Thursday, Sept. 17th - Rademacher, Young Hunting, The Gold Medalists @ Hemlock
- Thee Oh Sees, Wooden Shjips, The Fresh and Onlys @ Eagle Tavern

Friday, Sept. 18th - The Dodos @ AMOEBA (FREE!!!)

Saturday, Sept. 19th - Long Legged Woman, Broken Nobles @ Hemlock

Friday, Sept. 25th - Slow Trucks, Moms, Wowies, Happy Birthday Secret Weapon (Seattle) @ Kimo's

Saturday, Sept. 26th - Slow Trucks, Moms, Happy Birthday Secret Weapon @ Quarter Century Michael Jordan House

Monday, Sept. 28th - Dead Meadow, Spindrift, Howlin Rain @ Great American

If I've forgotten anything, I apologize. I searched long and hard for these. That's what she said! Is that old now?

Laaaagsville

2009-08-24T11:05:00.001-07:00

Not like a lot of people are drooling to read my next post, but I gotta apologize for my laziness/busyness lately. Me so sorry.

Anyways, my roomate told me an interesting story about how Deerhunter's recent tour in Europe only paid them about $2000. What a jip! Now, I know that indie musicians don't get paid very much, even when as popular as Deerhunter or big enough to tour Europe. But that seems like a travesty of an amount for all that work and time. I'm sure it was fun, and exciting, and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to tour around Europe, but musicians gotta get paid! That kind of infuriated me and I was curious to discover other poorly-paid bands vs. money-bags bands. I'm gona research this more and come up with some shit.

Also, yeah, I'm not "going" to Outside Lands this weekend, but I'll most likely try to sneak in (last year was really easy, so I heard) or just sit around on the outskirts, cause you can still hear everything a lot. Plus, I'm not really dying to see Pearl Jam or Dave Matthews Band. However, parts of the line-up made me do a double-take. Tom Jones? Black Eyed Peas? MIA? And of course Tenacious D's semi last minute add on was a surprise as well.

Here's my picks for the weekend:

Friday: Akron/Family, The Dodos, Autolux, Built To Spill, Q-Tip
Saturday: Zion I, Deerhunter, Os Mutantes, Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band (No, I do not like TV on the Radio or The Mars Volta)
Sunday: John Vanderslice, The Avett Brothers, Lucinda Williams, Atmosphere, Band of Horses, Modest Mouse, Ween, MIA, Tenacious D.

Clearly, Sunday is the best day by far. I only wish Deerhunter, The Dodos, and Built To Spill were on Sunday - then I would buy a ticket for sure (and maybe if Quasi magically appeared, that'd be good too).

And like so many people I know, if you're too broke to purchase an Outside Lands ticket, there are plenty of good local shows to see around the city. Here are my picks:

Thursday, August 27th - Akron/Family, Howlin Rain @ Rickshaw Stop

Friday, August 28th - High Times in Low Places featuring Opio & Pep Love (Hieroglyphics), Aesop & Bicasso (Living Legends), with DJ Fresh and more... @ Slim's
- Mayyors, Lamps, Christmas Island, Wounded Lion @ Hemlock
- Passenger and Pilot @ House of Shields

Saturday, August 29th - The Dirtbombs, The Sermon, Ty Segall @ Rickshaw Stop

Sunday, August 30th - Gang Gang Dance, Ariel Pink, Amanda Blank @ Rickshaw Stop
- Slow Trucks, Monarchs, On The Tundra, The Thralls @ Kimo's
- Dungen, Woods, Kurt Vile @ Bottom of the Hill

Not a shabby job by the Rickshaw Stop this weekend.

If you missed Deerhoof last night, I am sad for you

2009-08-03T15:36:00.001-07:00

After coming back from a long, sweaty drive fom LA on Sunday, I could tell I wasn't in the mindset to even fathom seeing the greatness that is Deerhoof. I had smoked about twenty cigarettes on the way up, was in a daaaze, and didn't stop between LA and the Great American. But after some Jameson and ginger ale I found my place in the balcony section to seal a good resting post/viewpoint. In short, the show totally woke me up.

Death Sentence: Panda! started off the show with a hoot (literally), with 2/3 of the band comprised of a clarient and a flute. The heavy drums filled out the equation, resulting in some sort of noisey tribal band from the Zion of the future. And some animal-dying squeals that shook my bones awake. All wrapped up in mod attire. This was my first time seeing them live, after hearing some tunes over the ol'space, and I totally plan on visiting this zoo-gone-caaarazy vibe again.

I felt more alive after DS:P! but felt even more vibrant afte Zach Hill. Playing through a straight 25-minute, non-stop bustathon, the duo rocked heavy, fast, and hard instrumental explosions. My arms felt like puddy after witnessing that drumming-drool fest that you couldn't help but to get lost in. Just pausing for one water break, the dummer played insanely for what felt like forever! It totally ruled!!

Abe Vigoda mellowed things out after that, but served really well as a stepping stone for Deerhoof. After being on the rode for a while, and driving 11 hours in from Portland, I'm sure they were relieved to be just a little bit closer to home. They were like a warm blanket for me, familiar, cozy, and totally reached my expectations - mild mosh-pit, and all.

Then Deerhoof stepped out like old pro's. With improvised-synchronized moves, simplistic yet not simplistic drums, crowd-surfing, awkward speeches, glowing mini-basketballs, and a little Japanese cutie-explosion of energy, Deerhoof was entertaining our anticipations. Not only does every Deerhoof-concert-goer have fun, but the hoofers themselves look as though they're having just as much fun, if not more. It really vindicated my crunch for hating depressing bands that looked totally depressed.
I could go on about the music, but really everyone knows and loves Deerhoof. I'd rather talk about when the audience failed to crowd-surf a 100-pound little Japanese girl. After falling the first time, vocalist/bassist Satomi said "let's try again" and she jumped on the crowd that had seemed to have improved. They carry her for a while and as they're returning her little bod to the stage, they totally dropped her heavy! The best part though was she remained laid down on her side, away from the audience, and her bandmates fell down with her. Now that's a band that sticks together.
Really, she is the life of the party in that band. She jumps up and down, does these funny little arm moves, stands right in peoples' faces, CROWD SURFS, and basically does every little Japanese woman justice.

Totally awesome last night, now I'm going to sleep for ten hours.

August: LIVE SHOWS!!

2009-07-22T17:13:00.000-07:00

August is fast approaching and there are multitudes of great shows to see. Here are my picks:

Saturday August 1st - The Deli Magazine Presents Dorkfest: The Heavenly States, French Miami, Railcars, 60 Watt Kid, Anderson Congress, Vitiligo @ Cafe du Nord
- The Perverts (7" release!), Splinters, Brian Glaze @ Amnesia

Sunday August 2nd - Deerhoof, Abe Vigoda, Zach Hill, Death Sentence: Panda! @ Great American (Got my tix today!)
- Davila 666, Mannequin Men, No Bunny, Bridez @ Thee Parkside
- Japandroids, Weekend @ The Hemlock

Thursday, August 6th - The Dead Westerns @ The Bollyhood Cafe for "The Invisible Republic" hosted by New Maps of the West

Friday August 7th - KUSF Presents: Gris Gris, Spindrift, Ty Segall @ Great American

Tuesday, August 11th - Slow Trucks, Stirling Says, The Rustangs @ El Rincon (totally there!)

Thursday, August 20th - Blank Tapes, Campo Bravo, Mantra @ The Rickshaw Stop

Sunday, August 23rd - Folkyeah! Presents: J Tillman (of Fleet Foxes), The Moore Brothers, Pearly Gate Music @ Cafe du Nord

Sunday, August 30th - Slow Trucks, On the Tundra @ Kimo's (sooo there!)
- Dungen, Woods, Kurt Vile @ Bottom of the Hill

Phew!

Snacks and Music

2009-07-20T13:28:00.000-07:00

Two of my favorite things. I recently had a conversation where I said something along the lines of, you should eat certain foods while listening to certain bands. Or moreso, eating curry goes along with listening to Beirut. I've compiled a list of food and music that should hold hands.

Hot Dog/Iron Maiden
Omelette/Air
Spaghetti/Grandaddy
Coleslaw/Beck
Jelly Beans/Daniel Johnston
Turkey Club/Dr. Dog
Waffle/Devo
Flan/The Flaming Lips
Apple/Wilco
Chocolate Pudding/Deerhunter
Ice Cream/Nodzzz

I plan to try these all out. Update later after the results!

*Update 07/21/09: Jelly Beans/Daniel Johnston... whimsically delicious.

Budget Rock 8 in SF!!!

2009-07-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Buzz Church for averting my attention to this great news: Budget Rock 8 in SF! woohoo! One of my favorite times to see some good 'ol ROCK. October 22-25 looks really delicious:

The Mummies, Necessary Evils, The Brentwoods, The Fevers, Donny Denim, Gris Gris, Dan Melchior, Jeffrey Novak, Thee Oh Sees, Black Time, Nobunny, Box Elder, Hunx and His Punx, Fresh and Onlys, Wounded Lion, Personal and the Pizzas, Johnny and the Limelights, The Pizzas, RockNRoll Adventure Kids, Superior Units, Wild Thing, Outdoorsmen, The Primitivas, Young Offenders, and more TBA!!!

Hosted by Bottom of the Hill with additional shows at Thee Parkside and The Eagle. Not too shabby.

The rest of July looks good

2009-07-19T13:14:00.000-07:00

Monday, July 20th - Miranda Lee Richards playing w/ Emily Jane White, Helene Renaut, and Chloe Makes Music @ Cafe du Nord
- Black Gold spinning sweet soul (sweeter than molasses pancakes!)!! @ Koko Cocktails, Geary bw Polk and Van Ness

Tuesday, July 21st - Hot Lunch playing w/ Paula Frazer, Casual Fog, Jeff Ramano @ The Knockout
- Brian Glaze & the Night Shift playing w/ Sam Flax & Higher Color, Greg Ashley, and Chris Lacey @ Cafe du Nord

Thursday, July 23rd - Geographer playing w/ The Old-Fahsioned Way, White Cloud, and 100 Swans @ Cafe du Nord

Friday, July 24th - Hunx and His Punx playing w/ Icy Lytes, and Myles @ El Rio

Saturday, July 25th - Nodzzz playing w/ Grass Widow, and Brilliant Colors @ 2822 Folsom St.

Friday, July 31st - The Thralls playing w/ Al Qaeda, Evacuee, and DJ Slow Trucks @ Matador

Buzz Church rulez!

2009-07-17T11:50:00.000-07:00

I found Stu Ruggling has a REALLY good writing voice. Better than mine! So spend some time reading his words..

Buzz Church

with a read-worthy feature on SF band, Stirling Says. It's like he took the words right outta mah mouth! Big ups to the "hippest" person I know (harhar).

Wednesday, fun day!

2009-07-14T14:56:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night will be fun for many reasons:

Check out Passenger And Pilot perform at Hotel Utah, opening for Spirits of the Red City and The Yellow Dress.

AND THEN...

Head over to Koko's and request some Pavement from me at:

INDIE NIGHT
featuring DJ SLOW TRUCKS
@ Koko Cocktails
1060 Geary bw Polk and Van Ness
10pm-2am
*spinning everything Indie Rock*

See you there!

Tonight! High Castle!

2009-07-14T14:25:00.000-07:00

High Castle playin at Hemlock Tavern tonight!!
w/ Dimples, Base of Bass

Hemlock Tavern
1131 Polk St. @ Post
9pm. $5.

This video is AWESOME

2009-07-14T13:16:00.000-07:00

A friend from I Come To Shanghai out of Oakland sent this to me.. I'd like to think most of my other friends would totally enjoy this and want to eat it for breakfast every morning. Plus, it has multiplying hot dogs! My dream come true!

I Come To Shanghai: Your Lazy eye from Adventureface TV on Vimeo.

Vinyl's just the best

2009-07-13T16:43:00.000-07:00

Some choice vinyls I've been spinning lately, some new and some old, and two that I finally, FINALLY got over the internet (guess which ones those are).

Deerhunter - Microcastle/Weird Era Continued 2xLP
Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer 2xLP
Nodzzz - Nodzzz LP
Tweak Bird - Reservations EP
No Age - Nouns LP
Quasi - Field Studies 2xLP
Quasi - Featuring "Birds" LP

Records and sunshine and my not-lost cat = good Monday.

Welcome to Ding Dong and Blog!

2009-07-13T16:21:00.000-07:00

Don't ask me why I chose Ding Dong and Blog. I see a doorbell noise. Most might see a Hostess cake. Some might see a weiner. It really has nothing to do with any of those things. Mainly I started this to support and write about friends' bands or local bands or any band I like. In the future, I'd like to get more features going, or interviews, and definitely contributors. If you'd like to write something or mention a show or cool band, just ding dong me (.. e-mail me).

Hope you all like it!

Ding Dogger Melissa