Sunday, August 16th, 2009
Just another eventful week in the Bay. Vans Warped Tour returns with another mediocre line-up, but I’ll do my best to pick out the best in case you’re going. Here we go…
Tonight features the “Divas of the Dark” showcase with dark cabaret soulful singers Jill Tracy, Nicki Jaine and Loop Station at Café du Nord.
Monday has Elvis Costello & The Sugarcanes at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga and the whimsical mighty tiger play at Om Sweet Om.
Tuesday it’s going to be Green Day and Franz Ferdinand at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Emilíana Torrini sweetens up The Great American Music Hall, and Pissed Jeans tours their new album with Mi Ami opening at Bottom of the Hill.
Wednesday has post punk act The Prids, Swann Danger, and Butterfly Bones at the Bottom of the Hill, Crocodiles rocking at the Rickshaw Stop and Canadian indie pop act Mother Mother kick it at Café du Nord.
Thursday has Vans Warped Tour 2009 visiting the Shoreline Amphitheatre. Another shit line-up but there are a few gems if you’re one of those unlucky enough to go. OKay only four; Thrice, Less Than Jake, P.O.S., and Manic Hispanic. Thrice has always been a favorite of mine and P.O.S. has made one of my favorite hip-hop albums of the year. Less Than Jake and Manic Hispanic are just a blast to see live. That’s about it.
Friday hosts minimalistic electronic artist Steve Bug at 444 Jessie St, Dizzy Balloon rocks The Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, and straight-up rock act The Trophy Fire play Blake’s on Telegraph in Berkeley.
Saturday we’ve got technical thrash metal band Forbidden play at Slim’s, Jedi Mind Tricks hit up The Independent, and Bay Area favorites Flipper and Triclops! destroy Annie’s Social Club. Oh and don’t forget to check out Jay Reatard playing at San Francisco’s Amoeba Records at 6pm.
See you out there!
Pissed Jeans – 
False Jesii Part 2 from King of Jeans (2009)
Mother Mother – Hay Loft from O My Heart (2008)
Crocodiles – Neon Jesus from Neon Jesus (2008)
Thrice – Kill Me Quickly from The Illusion of Safety (2002)
Jill Tracy – The Fine Art Of Poisioning from Diabolical Streak (1999)
Tags: Crocodiles, Divas of the Dark, Dizzy Balloon, Elvis Costello & The Sugarcanes, Flipper, Green Day, Jill Tracy, Mother Mother, Nicki Jaine, p.o.s., Pissed Jeans, Steve Bug, The Prids, the trophy fire, This Week In Bay Area Live Shows, Thrice, tiger play, Vans Warped Tour 2009
Posted in Concerts, Music, This Week In Bay Area Live Shows | 5 Comments »
Sunday, June 21st, 2009
I’m seeing Grizzly Bear Today!
If you haven’t already immersed yourself in their newest album, Veckatimest, you need to do that right now. I’m serious, this is no joke, Veckatimest is one of the better albums released this year. If you’re already on the Grizzly-train and in the Bay area, you probably already have ticket to their Sunday and Monday shows at The Fillmore. It’s going to be a special night. Oh and I’m hearing great things about the opening act, Here We Go Magic. So show up early.
If you’re not attending the GB show tomorrow night, check out post-metal giants Isis and Helms Alee at The Blank Club in San Jose or at The Great American Music Hall on Tuesday. Also going on Monday is an early performance by non-other than Elvis Costello at Amoeba Record in San Francisco. It’s at noon, so those of you who don’t have to work, you’re in luck!
Tuesday brings post-rock spoken word act mewithoutYou with prog-rockers The Dear Hunter (no, not that one) at Slim’s and electro-pop band Starfucker hits up the Bottom of the Hill.
Wednesday has folk artists Papercuts and Port O’Brien at The Independent, Canadian indie rocks Sunset Rubdown at the Rickshaw Stop, and synth-pop act Deastro (Kuestionnaire on Tuesday) and Tempo No Tempo at Bottom of the Hill.
Yanni in Oakland at the Oracle Arena on Thursday!!! I didn’t even know he was still around. You can also check out noise-pop act Sugar and Gold, Castledoor, and Music For Animals at the Rickshaw Stop and The Karriem Riggins Virtuoso Experience Tour with special guest DJ Pete Rock.
I will be in NY for this but …
…if it’s not already sold out (probably is though), The Grand Ballroom At the Regency Center is hosting Phoenix, Boys Noize, DJ Vadim, Diplo, Amazing Baby, and a monsterload of Bay area DJs for this year’s Spectrum Festival on Friday. Meanwhile, David Byrne and DeVotchKa brighten up the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, funk-trnoica act Major Lazer hit up San Francisco’s Amoeba Records at 6pm, and Wilco and Okkervil River will be at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga as well as the Greek Theatre on Saturday.
Saturday also bring one of the most soulsucking tours in recent memory, Vans Warped Tour 2009. What used to be a celebration of individuality for young kids quickly turned into a Monster Energy Drink sponsored shitfest. There are (very) few exceptions though. Prog-metal act Thrice, indie rockers Dear and the Headlights, and brutal hip-hop artist P.O.S. light up the line-up…but only a little.
If I were not in NY on Saturday, I would see Cursive and Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band at the Great American Music Hall or the heavy metal onslaught of YOB and Will Haven at Slim’s. But I won’t…oh well.
See you out there!
Sunset Rubdown – Apollo and the Buffalo and Anna Anna Anna Oh!
Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band – Cheer For Fate
Grizzly Bear – Cheerleader
Dear and the Headlights – Talk About
Major Lazer – Hold The Line (DJ Edit)
Tags: amazing baby, Boys Noize, Castledoor, Cursive, David Byrne, Dear and the Headlights, Deastro, Diplo, DJ Vadim, Elvis Costello, Grizzly Bear, Here We Go Magic, Isis, Major Lazer, mewithoutyou, p.o.s., Phoenix, Starfucker, Sugar and Gold, The Dear Hunter, The Fillmore, The Karriem Riggins Virtuoso Experience Tour, This Week In Bay Area Live Shows, Thrice, wilco
Posted in Concerts, Music, This Week In Bay Area Live Shows | 1 Comment »
