I’m back! Miss me? I bet you were all like, “Where am I going to get my music fix?!? GAAA!!” Well calm down, I’m here to save you from mediocrity and things like that. First off I had a very good vacation out in New York with the family and friends. Took some time out to listen to the new Gifts From Enola, Riceboy Sleeps, Here We Go Magic, Dirty Projectors, and Marissa Nadler. All are very good and I should have brief reviews up shortly. So lets get a move on and showcase some of this week’s best in Bay Area shows.
Tonight is kind of tame with the Low Red Land, Two Sheds, Birds & Batteries, and Finn Riggins show at the Fort Gallery in Oakland canceled. Which means you’ll have to look elsewhere for experimental Americana folk music tonight.
Monday has psychobilly act Reverend Horton Heat and Nekromantix freaking out the The Great American Music Hall.
Tuesday I’ll be at the Dirty Projectors and What’s Up? show at The Independent. Being that I can’t help but enjoy Dirty Projectors’ newest album, ‘Bitte Orca’, no matter how much I crank up the critic-o-meter, it’s still a damn good album. So I’m looking forward to this one. You might already have tickets to Duran Duran at The Fillmore that night as well. Have fun with that.
Wednesday has person L, The Dangerous Summer, and Ace Enders And A Million Different People which features members to The Early November at the Bottom of the Hill. Expect some sappy heartfelt sing-songwriter tunes coming from out there. Also, catch Nightmare of You and dance-rocker Plushgun at the Swedish American Hall with Magic and Brian Bonz.
Good friend of Kata Rokkar and respected Bay Area music website ipickmynose will be hosting a show with locals The Rural Alberta Advantage to say farewell as lead writer Adrian departs to South Africa. I highly recommend you go and show some love and enjoy a good night of local music. If you’re more in the mood for moshpits and mohawks, Rise Against, Billy Talent and Rancid will be making noise at the Oracle Arena in Oakland the same night. Oh yeah and Bay Area based indie pop duo Rubies celebrate their album release party at the Rickshaw Stop that night as well.
Friday has psychotrance dance duo Infected Mushroom at Club Vertigo in San Jose (Correction: San Jose, Costa Rica, but no worries, they’ll be in San Fran on the 17th; thanks eric), The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (they got back together again?) and Voodoo Glow Skulls at The Fillmore, and Texas noise rockers Indian Jewelry play 21 Grand in Oakland.
Saturday is pretty eventful with Death Cab for Cutie, Andrew Bird, and Ra Ra Riot at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley. That’s quite a line-up. Lastly, Brooklyn noise rock heroes Oneida play the Bottom of the Hill with Wooden Shjips (not a typo).
See you out there!
Rubies – Room Without A Key
The Rural Alberta Advantage – Don’t Haunt This Place
Want to find a reason to get out of the rain and into some amazing live events? I give you Noise Pop 09! The Noise Pop Festival, which runs this Tuesday, February 24th through Sunday, March 1st, 2009, is an ambitious iteration of San Francisco’s favorite indie music, arts and film. For their 17th anniversary, Noise Pop 2009 will honor what’s made it the best-loved celebration of indie music and culture since its humble birth in 1993. This years music will feature such indie superstars like Antony and the Johnsons, Martha Wainwright, Stephen Malkmus, Deerhunter, St. Vincent, A.C. Newman, French Kicks, No Age, The Submarines, and Ra Ra Riot, among many many others. Noise Pop also features a long list of artist/photographers whose work is currently being displayed at the Mini Bar at 837 Divisadero St in San Fran. Also, there are some great films being showcased this week including Wilco’s Ashes of American Flags, Andrew van Baal’s Largo (a movie I’ve been waiting to see for months), and independent record store documentary I Need That Record. Of course I’m leaving out a whole bunch more but that’s what I’m looking forward to. I plan on catching one or two films and hopefully see Kool Keith (Dr. Octagon vs. Dr. Dooom) at the Mezzanine. All listed Noise Pop shows will be highlighted in blue; so go grab a badge and have fun this week.
As for non-Noise Pop events; today is quite busy for the Bay Area. You’re got Far (live video below) at Slim’s, Modest Mouse at the Fox Theater, and Michael Zapruder at the Bottom of the Hill tonight. See you out there!
The first ever LOL Arts Showcase is today at the Coffee Bar in San Francisco. The art show and silent auction is a benefit for Partners in Reading which helps with adult literacy. I honestly have no clue what to expect. However I bought tickets for myself and Abi to witness this monumental occasion. Apparently the show involves art inspired by the humor and language of the LOL cats phenomena. Tickets are unfortunately sold out so if you haven’t already bought yourself a pair, waitz until da next yr plz kthksbye!
Kata Rokkar is a place where you can download free mp3 from artists and bands that I currently love and listen to. They are only for sampling purposes and to influence you to go out and support these artists by purchasing their records and going to their concerts. If you are a record company or an artist that is displeased with a song being displayed, feel free to contact me and I will remove it ASAP. Thank you and enjoy!
Rubies – Room Without A Key
The Rural Alberta Advantage – Don’t Haunt This Place
Want to find a reason to get out of the rain and into some amazing live events? I give you 
