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Little Boots and Dragonette at the Fillmore @ Fillmore

Mon, 8 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

Dragonette, the electro-dance group that's a little bit Canada and a little bit UK is dropping in on the bay area this Tuesday at the Fillmore to give our asses a dance-work-out.

They're supporting Little Boots, who you may know of because of synth pop savvy ways. We just wanted to give you a heads up NOT to miss this opener. They are sure to cure your almost hump day blues.

In February Dragonette released a Pick up the Phone, a free single, so go check that out. AND the video for Pick up the Phone below. We'll see early you at the Fillmore on Tuesday!

Follow Dragonette: Facebook - Myspace - Twitter

El Perro Del Mar & Taken By Trees @ Cafe Du Nord

Tue, 2 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

The irony was unbearable as the double-billed line-up of El Perro Del Mar and fellow Swede, Taken By Trees, took the stage last night at Du Nord, in the basement of the Swedish American Hall. Normally super cute pop explosion, El Perro Del Mar fronted the night wearing some sort or terrible quality a-symmetrical platinum wig and crimson lipstick. When we arrived, I had to do a double take, thinking some other band with a tranny singer was opening. Looks aside, El Perro Del Mar aka Sarah Assbring, shared a backing band with tour partner Taken By Trees aka Victoria Bergsman (formerly the lead singer of Concretes). Assbring stuck to her more pacifying melodic tunes from earlier years than the upbeat, electronic, love-obsessed songs off her latest Love Is Not Pop. A definite highlight of the evening included a spot-on cover of the xx’s “Shelter.” We venture to say she sounded nearly identical to the British youngsters, and it made just as big an impact.

Cute teensy brunette, Victoria Bergsman struggled some with relaying her intentions in English, but the attempts were admirable. The crowd ate up every little word, even half-convincing Bergsman to move to San Francisco at one point. Some songs lulled, but a majority of the show was interactive and entertaining. The obvious crowd favorite, a cover of Animal Collective’s “My Girls” brought the crowd to life, singing with excitement. This writer dares to say that even as an avid Animal Collective lover, Taken By Trees’ album version of “My Boys” might be slightly better. Overall, an excellent and rare Swedish combo that we’d see again in an instant.

Noise Pop: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros @ Bimbo's 365 Club

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

Looking like they raided their grandparents’ attic for clothes, and probably smelling like incense and dirty hair, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros strolled onto the Bimbo's stage with lackadaisical confidence. Smoke quickly circulated the room. Something about Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros feels so right in San Francisco. Maybe it's because they look like the type of people we see everyday begging for change along Haight St. Last night, however, they were prodding us to let go of our inhibitions. To feel alright with smiling and dancing around like a hippie struck by sunshine, especially as they warmed us with "Janglin."

Bearded messiah-esque, Alex Ebert - an archetypal cult leader of sorts - doesn't have the strongest voice. In fact, it always sounds like he's one chorus away from losing it. But what he lacks in song, he more than makes up for in delivery. To say that he is charismatic is understating. He is a hot mess of sunflower power bursting into sweat and energy right before your eyes. He walks the speaker monitors like he's walking a tightrope. His hair a complete mess, like he put honey in it and let a Care Bear lick it into a wrap.

Of course, it helps to have Jade Castrinos as his vocal wing-woman. Her infectious smile and gentle sway are the definition of CUTE. And yet this pint-sized human has a gigantic stadium-sized voice. Their chemistry is electric, particularly on the song "Home," a sort of Carter/Cash love ballad. The band appear like a pre-Grateful Dead parking lot jam session BUT are extremely tight and mutli-talented. They jump between instruments and percussion, and provide the harmonies that save Ebert's voice from getting lost in the music.

There happened to be a random fiddle player in the crowd. Apparently this guy likes to bring a fiddle to shows. This time it paid off. In a Bruce Springsteen "Dancing in the Dark" moment the fiddle fan was pulled onto stage like a young Courtney Cox to play along. He already embodied the bearded look and when the band quieted and gathered around him, he proved his chops. Maybe next time I'll bring my kazoo.

****

I didn't catch the Northern Key or have any interest in the Watson Twins. The only reason I got there early was for A B and the Sea. The youngsters didn't let nerves get the better of them. Certainly this is the biggest show they've played. What a flawless set. The 60s do-wop and surfer boy pop sound with a hint of The Shins was the perfect primer for Sharpe.

More pics by Dustin Mitchell here: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

Noise Pop: Memory Tapes, Loquat, Birds & Batteries, Letting Up Despite Great Faults @ Bottom of the Hill

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

Noise Pop has a way of billing bands you wouldn’t necessarily think compliment each other. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. In this case, maybe it didn’t work so well. Separately, each of these bands was great, but perhaps not to the projected Memory Tapes audience at Bottom of the Hill last night.

First up, Letting Up Despite Great Faults, a mouthful of a name, hiked it up the coast from LA with their melancholy new wave combinations of synth, unexpected guitar riffs, and strangely fitting percussion rhythms. It was a surprisingly delightful start to an already packed and ecstatic crowd.

Local up-and-comers Birds & Batteries took the stage with a little more of a veteran confidence, conjuring somewhat of a magnetic presence. You didn’t really know what was coming next, but you did know that you wanted to hear more. Normally sleepy, lo-fi indie, Birds & Batteries kicked it up a notch, showcasing their new EP in its entirety, Up To No Good. The electro-funk departure and bold, commanding lyrics were played flawlessly. A little bit different of a genre from Letting Up Despite Great Faults, but definitely more in the Memory Tapes vein.

Next up, SF locals, Loquat, filled the room with spooky guitars and strong vocals that carried throughout. They’re great musicians and together, compliment each other well, however, they didn’t appear to be playing to the right audience. For a bunch of electro-obsessed indie fanatics expecting heavy synths, intense rhythms and loud, compelling dance tunes, Loquat wasn’t exactly what the doctor ordered. With the exception of about a dozen Loquat super-fans, most everyone stood lifeless and cross-armed patiently, yet unhappily, waiting for the main event. Don’t discount them as a bad live show; we just think they would have been better suited billed at another event.

Finally, the infamous Memory Tapes took the stage around 11:30pm at an all-ages show (is there even still a curfew law?). One-man-band Dayve Hawk, normally known for his epic remixes of songs by anyone from Gucci Mane to Tanlines to Fool’s Gold, and Phoenix, etc was joined by a touring drummer. Rolling his pre-recorded backing beats, Hawk wailed on the guitar, and rolled through his album Seek Magic, colliding one song into the next. Although it seemed like the world’s shortest set (I think we timed it at 20ish minutes before encore), Memory Tapes followed through ultimately appeasing the hungry hipster crowd.

Noise Pop: Atlas Sound @ Great American Music Hall

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

A one man band this tour, Bradford Cox put on an impressive set on the fifth night of SF’s annual music festival. Playing last year’s opening night at the Mezzanine with Deerhunter, Cox described it as, “One of those shows where everything was going really good at first and then things got kind of weird.” I was there and it was a great show, but the guys have a habit of droning live and losing track of time. The crowd was at one moment totally into it and after some heavy drone half the audience left. Not me though, I could listen to Deerhunter reverb for hours. Cox knows he’s not the iconic broody showman, admitting, “I wish I could walk up here and play and then leave with a wave, and be all epic and mysterious.” While his music is filled with dark longing, he is ever the extrovert performer and happily interacts with the crowd all night.

Cox performed songs mostly from last year’s awesome Logos, including a stripped down version of “Walkabout.” “Shelia” sounded very close to the album version and it showcased how adept Cox really is with looping and sampling. The guy is an absolute master at sampling and looping. It was apparent that hours were spent practicing with the instruments and recording devices. And his ability to recreate his dense and textured sound by himself is surprising.

He had the Neil Young-esque harmonica around his neck which added texture to many of the songs. Indulging us with a new Deerhunter song that “he was not supposed to be playing without his bandmates,” Cox seemed like he just wanted to stick around and play longer. His encore of “Kid Klimax,” “Criminals,” and “Quarantined” from his debut brought a loud ovation from the audience. And still, we all just wanted the show to go on.

Noise Pop: Wallpaper, The Limousines, Butterfly Bones & Battlehooch @ Slim's

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

Snubbed by most indie enthusiasts, last night’s left-field Noise Pop show at Slim’s had the craziest crowd we’ve seen at the festival… ever. Music snobs checked their egos at the door as local favorites, Battlehooch, warmed up the crowd first with their hilarious stage antics (read: chicken hats, intense fist pumps, wild stage dancing, etc) and well-composed noise-rock. Known most commonly for their street busking style, these guys have earned a lot of respect from the indie scene and musicians alike.

Now here was the shocker of the evening, local San Francisco-by-way-of-Berkeley synth-heavy indie pop quartet, Butterfly Bones. Slim’s packed up. A line started winding down the block, and all the people outside could do was sneer and scream at bouncers, completely envious of the perfectly placed synth hooks blazing out the door. Dripping with sweat, Butterfly Bones had the entire crowd wildly gyrating, flailing arms, screaming, and jumping from the first song straight to the very last second. And I think the sea of wriggling, belligerent hipsters would agree with us when we say they definitely should have had that co-headlining spot. Their unrelenting energy, powerful presence, and perfect musicianship shows promise for a band we predict will be blowing up a-la Phoenix or Passion Pit-style in the very near future.

Co-headlining with Wallpaper, The Limousines, drew quite a crowd of fans sporting gear (a lot underage, and a lot getting booted presumably for too much pre-partying). Singer Eric Victorino commanded the stage with one arm, and a “broken wing,” as he called it, with a subsequently cast tarred with feathers. The crowd was given 3D glasses to compliment their stage setup of a dozen or so neon strobes flashing wildly while Victorino strutted his stuff. A laptop and camera was set to beat-maker (and genius by the way), Giovanni Giusti aka Gio’s, turntables to peep the action. Although the set was a little slow and repetitive following the Butterfly Bones insanity, it was still respectable and entertaining.

#2#When you think of going big on the weekends, do you think of Ricky Reed? If not, you’re really missing out. Oakland local, Eric Frederic’s alter ego, and one half of http://www.myspace.com/wallpaper Wallpaper, is single-handedly the most entertaining and ridiculous stage show we’ve seen in a while. Absolutely nothing is serious when the topics of conversation off their new record, Doodoo Face, include but are not limited to: Kim Kardashian, love via text, morning sex, going T Rex, bootytweeting, being completely wasted, chewing gum (and he’s not referencing Bubblicious), Del Taco, and special, ahem, birthday presents. The other half of Wallpaper, Arjun Singh, on drums, kept the mostly pre-recorded show on track, and occasionally took some verbal abuse from Frederic, er, Reed (90% of the show he was calling him Morgan Freeman among other things…just saying). Bel Biv DeVoe and MGMT covers, projector images of censored naked chicks, and Reed’s hyphy-meets-funk attitude made for a Noise Pop show that no one who made it in will ever forget.

More pics by Julie here: Wallpaper, The Limousines, Butterfly Bones & Battlehooch

by Julie Dyer

Noise Pop 2010: Far, Stomacher and Picture Atlantic at BotH @ Bottom of the Hill

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

If you've just exited a cave, you'll be happy to know that Noise Pop is happening, and every bay area blog is covering the shit out of every show. The Owl Mag is going to be honest with you for a moment - we can't cover every show.

Hell, we can't even cover who IS covering every show. We just know that there's a ton of good bands here, and the folks over at Noise Pop have done their homework and have picked some damn good bands.

Last night, I went to cover bay area indie bands Picture Atlantic, Stomacher, and the reunion show of FAR at Bottom of the Hill. Either these bands have quite the fan base, or everyone is really excited about Noise pop this year - as most shows are SOLD OUT. After walking in and hearing the first few minutes of Picture Atlantic - it's damn easy to understand why this one was.

San Jose band Picture Atlantic played a Benders Happy Hour during last years Noise Pop with SF boys Scissors for Lefty, and I've been a fan ever since. Honestly, I didn't think it was possible for PA to represent any harder than they did with their first impression last year - but these driven south bayers are killing it. Solid Songs. Solid Entertainment, and a refreshing ray of Radiohead meets Tori Amos. Yeah, it's THAT interesting, catchy, and new. Go pick up Kleos to get acquainted - and pumped for their new EP that's coming out 4/24.

Stomacher is an east bay band that I don't quite know much about, but I like it that way. It's tough to follow the energetic boys of Atlantic, but the torch was passed smoothly. The 4 piece post-pop-indie-avant-garde (you like that?) would be hard to confuse with any other band in the bay area - as it's the first time I've heard falsetto that I wouldn't mind doing a few dirty things to. Go ahead and check it out for yourself and get some free Stomacher tunes.

AND FAR. Honestly, I didn't stick around for the reunion. I hope it went well. Don't be mad at me (us) for doing that. I was just so full of indie tunes with these other bands that I'm not sure I could have handled any more.

Wrapping it up - If Picture Atlantic and Stomacher are signs of tunes to come, the Bay Area has quite the future in store. Make sure you check out our other reviews of Noise Pop events - especially those covering the local artists that kill.

Noise Pop: The Dodos and Magik*Magik Orchestra @ Palace of Fine Arts

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

For a supposedly sold-out show, there were an awful lot of vacancies at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre last night. Perhaps it was high ticket prices, or the fact that the show was excluded for badge holders, but those who were there scurried to their seats, and anticipation mounted as Magik*Magiksoloists strutted their stuff one-by-one on the big stage. At first suspiciously resembling soundcheck, a cello and a marimba collided for an entrancing 10-minute experimental piece, followed by percussion, piano and culminating into an orchestral collaboration featuring Minna Choi (Magik*Magik’s mastermind composer) and none other than John Vanderslice on vocals.

A very brief intermission, and The Dodos took their turn playing an acoustic set. Piecing apart and slowing down hits such as “Fables,” and “Fools,” where singer Meric Long took up an obsession with his looping pedal for an excellent effect and a beautiful breakdown. Though the set was fairly quick, The Dodos played solid the entire way through, feeding off the crowd love where awkward silences during tuning transitions were replaced by “Meric! I love you,” and “How do you guys do that? No, really!” and emphatic “Dodos,” chants.

One last intermission, long enough to get up and walk around, but short enough that everyone was slamming beers at the bar, and then it was the moment everyone was waiting for. A beautiful violin intro and backing vocals from the lovely Magik*Magik ladies complimented Meric’s acoustic, making “Walking” a truly special, and subdued version of the Visiter album starter. The night progressed with seamlessly integrated strings, backing percussions, tambourines, chamber choir, and brass – the works. Highlights included “Red and Purple,” “The Strums,” and “Ashley.” Surprisingly, the best arranged song of the night was “Two Medicines,” a so-so song on their newest album Time To Die, but it was almost as if this song was made to be played with an orchestra. In fact, we like the album version a little less now that the Magik*Magik collaboration version was so unbelievably incredible. After all the composed songs were through, Meric added an impromptu duet with composer Minna Choi for a heartbreaking version of “Undeclared,” concluding the night on a strong note.

The Dodos have well-established their reputation for an incredible live show. Adding this high-profile collaboration, and pulling it off without a hitch, adds even more to their never-ending resume. The future is looking pretty bright for these local superheroes.

More photos by SPENCER CROOKS here: The Dodos and Magik*Magik Orchestra

Noise Pop: Rogue Wave @ Bottom of the Hill

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

In true Noise Pop fashion, the first couple nights are always a bit hectic, and you never know what you’re going to get. Unfortunately, due to communication problems, we were forced to enjoy our two favorite openers (Two Sheds Two Sheds and Man/Miracle) from the cold cement outside. Capacity issues aside, we were front and center for Princeton, the up-and-coming LA indie group that most recently has supported the likes of Ra Ra Riot Ra Ra Riot, Vampire Weekend, and now Rogue Wave. Definitely not a bad resume. Dream boat twins, Jesse and Matt Kivel, command the stage with their surfer hair and unapologetic lyrics about the luxury life and everything in between (read: Vampire Weekend-light). And like their former tour-mates, they’re a little unpredictable. Whether or not you value that in a band, this could be the cause of their rise or their demise. Busting out one of their better songs from Cocoon of Love, “Calypso Gold,” Princeton fell a little flat mid-show, picking it up later when Yo La Tengo’s “Sugarcube,” appeared on the set-list. A noble effort from a band with a real hint of potential.

Avid John Vanderslice Twitter-followers were already pumped for his notification early on in the night, “I’m singing three songs with Rogue Wave tonight…” Eagerly anticipating his cameo, Zach Rogue (real name Zach Schwartz) and the crew decided to test the waters with nearly all new tracks from their forthcoming album Permalight, due out March 2nd. Highlights and hits with the crowd included, “Stars and Stripes,” “I’ll Never Leave You,” and by far the best, “We Will Make A Song Destroy.” Priveleged audience members can claim to be the very first to ever sample the new tunes, or as Rogue puts it, “Thanks for lending your virgin ears.” Either way, the completely in-sync fivesome kept the hits a-coming belting out “Lake Michigan,” and of course, “Eyes,” before enlisting their good friend John Vandersliceto collaborate for “Love’s Lost Guarantee,” and several others. For their first show in a very long time, Rogue Wave never let a dull moment slide in. Noise Pop collaborations and strong performances to eager, packed crowds, that’s what it’s really all about.

More photos by SPENCER CROOKS here: Rogue Wave

Noise Pop: Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band @ Fox Theater

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

To be honest I had no idea what to expect from last night's show at the Fox. I haven't followed Yoko Ono's career and, like most people I imagine, I really only know her as John Lennon's weird wife. I realize now that this is a great tragedy. Yoko Ono is an amazing artist. Maybe it was nostalgia or maybe it was the excitement of the opening night of Noise Pop or maybe it was the fact that the woman is 77 years old and refuses to slow down, but I was blown away by Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono Band.

Let me talk about the bad first. Full seating all the way to the stage, really? Maybe they thought everyone there would be 77 years old and would want to sit the whole time. The Plastic Ono Band is one that is best enjoyed on ones feet, dancing, swaying and screeching along with the band. Periodically people would burst out of their seats, unable to suppress their rhythmic urges, but if you're the only one standing it can get awkward. That's it for my complaining.

Despite the wall to wall seating, the Fox was the perfect venue for the show, both aesthetically and metaphorically. The Fox was recently rebuild into a beautiful modern theater with all the old classic charm just as Plastic Ono got a modern makeover but with all the classic avant 60's charm present when the band was originally formed (or so Wikipedia tells me since I wasn't around). The show kicked off with a 10 or so minute refresher course on why Yoko Ono is awesome, a documentary style film presentation beginning with childhood pictures of Ono and highlighting her diverse body of art and music through the decades and ending with footage of a young Sean Lennon with his parents and some of Ono's later projects.

#2#The band came on stage to a raucous standing ovation which filled the venue with an enthusiasm that lasted through the bands second encore. The band played a set of well structured, melodic rock songs, which were an interesting contrast to Ono's brand of disjointed chants, shrieks and occasional singing. It was modern indie rock mashed up with 60's avant beatnik poetry. It was a combination that I could definitely get used to, an added spice to traditional indie rock and a fresh take on, well, Yoko Ono because let's be honest, nothing compares. It was the kind of sound that you either love or hate which has been the story of Ono's career. But either way there's no denying that she puts herself out there and creates art with a great deal of emotion and strength.

An added bonus to the show was the strong family dynamic between Ono and Lennon. Lennon was heavily focused on the quality of the show, continually counting beats and conversing with band mates between each song ensuring that his mom fully enjoyed her time on stage, which she definitely did. At one point while Ono was explaining how the upcoming song is traditionally 12 minutes, but they would cut back for the Fox crowd, Lennon interrupted saying "Mom this is your show, you can play a 20 minute song if you want." Lennon and Ono performed a duet with Lennon on piano toward the end of the show. The night came to a close with openers Deerhoof joining Ono and crew on stage for a powerful rendition of "Give Peace a Chance," with the whole crowd signing along.

You can see more pictures of the show here: MOG

Vivian Girls @ Bottom of the Hill

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

Why don’t the Vivian Girls play “Where Do You Run?” I wasn’t that surprised when they were touring for their first record didn’t play it, but this round I was a little annoyed. It’s the song that broke them and made a semi iconic band out of the cute edgy looking girls with tattoos and severe bangs that can sing sixties doo wop and can legitimately rip.

I liked everything else about the set though, especially the a cappella section where they harmonized with each other as they stood together stage right. “Tell the World” is just as good as the aforementioned neglected song, and it was a privilege to hear “Wild Eyes”, and “When I’m Gone” from their new record. They’ve put out two very cool LPs (and some singles too, including a cover of the Beach Boys’ “Surfs Up”) and the crowd was into all of it, bouncing through the songs with each other.

Editors @ Warfield

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

Supporting their third studio album In This Light and on This Evening, Editors dominated San Francisco's Warfield last Monday night on their whirlwind tour of the States.

The Editors were joined by New York City's The Dig, who were performing in California for the first time. The Dig launched into a set that progressively became more danceable, Emile Mosseri and David Baldwin handing off lead vocals duty. Each called for a completely different sound from the band: while Mosseri led the band in a sound that was a bit shoegaze, even Vampire Weekend-like, Baldwin kept things strictly rock 'n' roll. Though sometimes it was a bit of an identity crisis, The Dig were completely enjoyable and entertaining.

Brooklyn's The Antlers took the stage next, and while they were phenomenal, especially with lead singer Peter Silberman's voice that could quietly cut through the room of chatter, they initially seemed out of place sandwiched between the enthusiasm of The Dig and what we knew to come with the Editors. The band started off a little low-key, with the type of music you'd drunkenly make out to, but gradually the band built a momentum chock full of Silberman's captivating vocalizations and Michael Lerner's intricate drum work. A smaller venue than the Warfield would have been preferable for The Antlers, so their music could eat you up whole. Standout songs were the beautiful “Sylvia” and “Two.”

#2#With a voice the likes of Ian Curtis or Jarvis Cocker, Editors' Tom Smith commanded the Warfield within the first thirty seconds of their set, which opened with “In This Light And On This Evening.” His vocals seem effortless and a tad bored even, but magnetic to the point that the drama and energy that infuses every syllable is soon revealed. Juxtaposing that voice with the heavier electronic hand that is Editors v. 2010, Smith and company have really stepped in the right creative direction. This was especially evident since the band played a healthy mix of tunes from each of their albums during their hour-long set, including “An End Has a Start,” “Blood” and “Bullets.”

Ed Lay was pretty much ridiculous on drums, exploding with energy behind the kit at the slightest inclination, repeatedly showing off his astounding control. The entire set list was smartly chosen, a constant roller coaster of emotion, full of surprising dips that pull at the bottom of your stomach. Chris Urbanowicz's work on the synthesizers was just spectacular, like in “You Don't Know Love” or “Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool,” one of the night's best. The underlying constant bass brought out the base natures of some of the audience, as they danced and moved to the dark sounds, and in one guy's case, bit his girlfriend's tit. Well, we assume it was his girlfriend.

The crowd of mostly late twenty-somethings lost their minds when Editors returned for an encore, playing “Munich” and Smith's growling “Papillon.”

The Soft Pack @ Rickshaw Stop

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Soft Pack show at the Rickshaw Stop on Thursday night brought me back to when I was a young punk. Not because I was surrounded by kids pounding Sparks outside of the venue, which is to be expected from any good Pop Scene show, and not because I was up late on a weekday, which has a whole new set of concerns now that I'm old. No, it was the music that made me feel like a kid again. The sound was gritty, the songs were short and the crowd was rockin'. While The Soft Pack doesn't necessarily bring a new sound to the table, they certainly bring new life to a style that was lost somewhere in the decline of grunge and punk in the 90s. Aside from a few relics of the genre, punk and garage bands have been confined to obscure venues around the city like Thee Parkside and The Knockout, so it's refreshing to see a young group rise up by doing nothing more than blasting through a set of 13 high energy rock songs in no more than 30 minutes, much like the old days of punk.

The Rickshaw was the perfect setting for The Soft Pack's brand of retro garage rock, being much like a garage itself. The crowd eagerly packed to the front, many excited to see the band for the second time this week after watching them open for Phoenix at the Fillmore and others stoked to see them for the first time, like me. After the first minute of their show, there was no question that Soft Pack is an unapologetic garage rock band as guitarist Matty McLoughlin broke a string and put the show on momentary hiatus as he scrambled to restring on stage. Again in true garage rock fashion his efforts were to no avail and a kind soul from the audience (which I'm pretty sure was Jon from The Hundred Days) lent him a guitar and the show went on. He later broke a string on that guitar, taking lead singer Matt's guitar and leaving him to focus solely on vocals. It just goes to show how hard they rock. The band blasted through their debut album (due out on Feb. 2); their 7"s and a few new songs keeping the crowd moving the whole time.

#2#Gone are the days of AFI at the Phoenix and Green Day at the Gilman, but the spirit and energy of the times is not lost. If you're longing for the days of fast, loud rock in a small venue with an enthusiastic crowd, then I suggest you keep an eye out for the next time The Soft Pack is in town. Though with the trajectory that these guys are on, there may not be many more chances to see them in this capacity.

Go here for more pictures of The Soft Pack:SPENCER CROOKS

AFI @ The Catalyst

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Driving down the curvy, foggy highway towards Santa Cruz to see AFI at The Catalyst, I did not know what to expect. When I was in high school, I knew of the band as hardcore punk. A couple years later, I saw them in a video all punk/gothed out, covered in black body paint jumping around like Teletubbies, and then live at the San Diego Street Festival during their glam era. If you do a quick image search of the lead singer Davey Havok, then you will know what I am talking about; the dude never looks the same during different album phases.

With this in mind, I had no expectations other than just enjoying the music.

The opening band, or should I say man, Luke Janela, was a ... (ready for it?)… A Cello player!? No expectations, right? For the most part, people welcomed him with curiosity. By the end of his set, he had the crowd intwined in his cello vibe. “Alternate Purpose” and “Strobe Light” are the songs to check out. His music comes across like a locomotive riding through dark country side with lighting giving hints and glimpses of a shadowy, scenic landscape.

The band before AFI was Ceremony, a hardcore, straight edge, punk band. Their set was primitive, intense, inaudible, dirty, and fun. Ceremony is about giving the audience an experience more than putting on a performance, which happens to be a solid hardcore performance, a lot of moshing with kids losing their vans and getting their t-shirts ripped. I observed a couple people leaving the pit with the shell shocked, breathing out the mouth, animal look.

AFI opened up their set with “Medicate” from their new album CRASH LOVE, which is of the call to arms sort. Gone was the goth and glam, well at least ascetically, now the band is bright colors with gold tented stage lighting. Theatrically and sonically however, AFI still has that engaging edge to them.

#2#Jade Puget is like a surgeon on the guitar. I honestly didn’t see him smile once. He just calmly dropped killer riffs, cord phrases, and even did some finger tapping. As a rock guitarist, he is the real deal. If anything Jade is the straight forward, deadpan man aside lead singer Davey Havok, who has an all engulfing stage presence. If the he is not jump off drum kits, he screaming bloody murder or singing awesome vocal melodies. He puts so much emotion and drama into a song that in the span of 4 min or less you believe it’s either going to be the end of the world or the best day of your life.

Check a cool video of Havok singing with Cermony:  Havok w/ Ceremony (may be offensive if you believe in religion, eat meat, drink booze. ...straight edge.)

Pee-Wee Herman @ Club Nokia

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

For 30 years, Pee-Wee Herman has been making audiences laugh with his bratty kid persona under which beats the heart of a boy who knows how to do the right thing. The right thing, lucky for all of us who have been waiting patiently for his return, is to go back to his roots: the stage of a theater in Los Angeles.

Thursday night I got to be 8 years old again. I was instantly transported back to a time when most of my mornings started with the words: "Good morning boys and girls, please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance". The lights came up, and I heard those words onstage, where I looked up to see Pee-Wee Herman smiling. Without a second thought every last one of us got up and put hands over hearts.

For the next 90 minutes we were treated to a LONG list of gags that came back to nearly everyone in the audience who clearly ranged in ages from late 20s to early 50s. We were informed by Pee-Wee's pal Conky of today's Secret Word, shortly thereafter we were shown just how big Pee-Wee's foil ball had gotten after nearly 20 years, and within minutes the flowers alerted us to the presence of a handful of our old friends including Cowboy Curtis (played by Phil LaMarr who you might remember as Marvin from Pulp Fiction who was shot in the back of Jules' car of whom The Wolf was summoned to dispose), Miss Yvonne (Lynne Marie Stewart reprised her role from the TV and stage show), and Chairy, Magic Screen, Flowers and Fish (voiced exquisitely by Lori Alan whose work includes Spongebob's "Pearl the Whale" and Family Guy's anchorwoman "Diane Simmons").

The set was full of its brilliant colors and pop art decor as well as the staples including the screen on which they showed a "Golden Age" cartoon: "Balloon Land" from 1935 as well as a film called "Lunchroom Manners" from 1960. There was a new character: Sergio, and some of the older characters were reworked and changed slightly. But for the most part, Pee-Wee's Playhouse was in full form.

Without spoiling, my favorite moments included comedy gold "balloon song" gag, the extra long "nooooo" and the computadora bit which takes the Playhouse well into the 21st century. The best part of the production was how "authentically Pee-Wee" the whole thing was, right down to the low-budget feel of the production which takes it right back to the days when they were selling out The Roxy in the 80s. The only part that was hard to accept was Miss Yvonne as the young, hot "most beautiful woman in puppetland" or as LATimes' Charles McNulty wrote "who now looks like Miss Yvonne's mother". The guy next to me commented the same thing at the end of the show. If they plan to take the stage show to NYC, I would recommend finding someone a little younger to fill those poofy dresses.

All in all, it was a wonderful night which culminated in a lovely post-show Q & A which carried on for a solid hour or more after the production with Paul answering questions from the audience, describing his next project and hugging teary-eyed fans from the audience who were so excited to hug their hero. The evening ended with teary-eyed Paul Reubens extending a heartfelt thank you to the audience for their support and love for him and his world for so many years. Dry your eyes Pee-Wee, we love you! And THAT makes you the luckiest boy in the world!

White Denim @ Independent

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Dear Owl Mag,

Last night, I was reminded of what "Rock 'n' Roll" really is. On a cold, rainy night the boys from White Denim filled The Independent with non-stop verve and smiles. When the Austin trio took the stage you could feel the audience start to bubble with excitement. With the strum of the first chord, these guys played music that honored rock and blues in a pulsating meandering path that took the crowd right along with them.

It's not surprising that White Denim hails from Austin. Encircled by a state that holds "Americana" close to its heart, the city holds its own by challenging the idea of such; it's the perfect breeding ground for a band like this. White Denim makes music that comes from a place everybody knows while taking them somewhere they've never been before. With a guitar, a bass, drums, and passionate vocals, James, Steve, and Joshua create an unstoppable sound that fuses rock, funk, and blues together in a way that makes you forget that they're different genres while also subtly revealing how they’re distinctive. Each song weaved into the next in a way that would make both Jazz and Jam bands proud—but these guys were rock all the way.

I hate to make the lame, dated reference but Joshua played the drums like he was, and would forever be, beating the crap out of the Energizer bunny. He was mesmerizing to watch. Steve played bass in such an out-of-this-world way, like he was sending out a signal to the mother-ship of talent who would be waiting outside of The Independent to pick him up. And James...God bless James. That man sang, played guitar, and danced his heart out to the point where you couldn't stand still even if you wanted to...and you were thankful for it.

#2#The band made me miss my friends rocking out in their Midwest college bands. When you watch people do what they love and play music influenced by the songs that changed their lives, you can't help but smile. The White Denim guys come across as the type who study music because they want to learn every intricacy behind what makes it tick. The guys who are musicians because the possibility of them doing anything else doesn't really exist. Teaching a little something more about music every time they play, they're the guys making real Rock 'n' Roll and they sent me out into the night with a big ol' smile on my face.

Well, the sun's coming up so it's time for me to go to bed.
Until next time Owl Mag.

G'night.

Asobi Seksu @ Swedish American Music Hall

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Sometimes, you go to see an unknown band whose sound is new and unfamiliar, and other times you go to see old favorites with a well established sound. Once in a while, however, you get to see an old favorite whose sound is new and unfamiliar, like Asobi Seksu’s Swedish American Hall show last Sunday. The tour is in support of their latest album Rewolf and finds the group abandoning their usual fuzzy, distorted dream-pop and stripping down their sound to its core with an all acoustic set.

Asobi Seksu's music translates flawlessly into an acoustic sound, which is a bit surprising considering how heavily they normally rely on effects pedals and distortion. The sound was enhanced by the atmosphere and acoustics of the Swedish American Hall, a perfect venue for the show. While Rewolf is comprised solely of Yuki Chikudate and James Hanna, the pair was joined by fellow bandmates Larry Gorman and Billy Pavone for the performance. With candles lit at the foot of the stage for ambiance, the band launched into a beautiful set of songs. The show offered an intimate look at the neo-shoegazers, exposing the strength of their compositions, and showcasing what a powerful and imaginative band they are. The performance was like seeing an old childhood friend after many, many years. The friend is grown up and a completely different person yet there is an undeniable familiarity and an overwhelming sense of comfort like you haven't missed a day. Chikudate confessed during the show that they resisted making an acoustic album at first. They wanted to concentrate on new material, she added, but after being "strong armed by the label guy" they agreed quickly, realizing that it was a good idea.

Throughout the show, Chikudate switched off between playing piano and xylophone. This included a solo piano performance of "Blind Little Rain" complete with an introduction about a mushroom trip in Martha's Vineyard and the mercy killing of Ziggy the bird. This was one of the few times that the band truly connected with the audience, something that should have been more frequent considering the intimacy of the venue and the performance. Nonetheless, Asobi Seksu put on a stunning performance that often left the audience in awe long after the songs finished with only a shy "thank you" from a band member to break the silence and spark applause. After seeing the live performance, I will definitely be purchasing "Rewolf," something I would have done at the show had the merch booth not been mobbed with people.

Real Estate and The Babies @ Brooklyn Bowl

Tue, 5 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Fronted by Kevin Morby (Woods) and Cassie Ramone (Vivian Girls), The Babies play spirited garage rock full of catchy melodies, simple riffs, and frequent vocal interplay between the two singers. The new band played a full set that showed definite promise, but they have yet to announce plans for an album.

Two big things have happened since I last saw Real Estate play during CMJ in October: first, after months of buzz, they released their debut album, cementing their status as one of the breakout bands of 2009. Second, Jersey Shore was unleashed upon the world. At this show, it was hard not to note that the band’s surfy New Jersey slacker anthems were worlds away from the fake tans, hair gel, hot tub hookups, and near-constant bar fights of the reality show everyone loves to hate. And with the comparison in mind, it was even easier to appreciate Real Estate’s nostalgia-laced vision of the Garden State--one involving rich waves of Fender reverb, twin guitar lines that meandered amiably but never strayed too far, and tales of dudes working crappy telemarketing jobs and swimming #2#in their neighbor’s pools. There was no Jersey Shore-style fist pumping during their set, but “Fake Blues” did inspire low-impact rocking throughout the crowd--let’s count that as the indie rock equivalent and call it a triumph.

More of Kiri's pics are here: Real Estate and The Babies

Francis and the Lights @ Red Devil Lounge

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Ahhh, technology: I hadn’t heard of the band that packed Red Devil Lounge on a drizzly Tuesday night, so I Googled them on my mobile device. I do mean packed: brimming, sold out, full house. What was all the hype?

The hype was for Francis and the Lights, a band that formed at Wesleyan College and three of whose members are from Berkeley, CA. They are currently based in New York, and have toured with fellow Wesleyan alumni and indie darlings MGMT. You can hear the similarity.

Francis and the Lights took the stage at a punctual 10:15PM. A four-person, one computer outfit, every member’s hair added at minimum two inches to his slender frame. A skeletal drumkit was wired to trigger 808s and other samples, and I presume the drummer (with a magnificent side-parted curly ‘do and a French-sailor striped shirt, I might add) was also managing ornate backing tracks: strings and supporting vocals, Afro-beat inspired percussion and bass. Jake Rabinbach played guitar, in Wayfarers and brown curls, and Jake played a couple of petite retro or retro-inspired keyboards.

Then there was Francis.

His workman’s jumpsuit (open at the chest to reveal a white collared shirt, over a beatnik’s black turtleneck) is pinned at the hips for a chic fit, paired with unblemished tux shoes. His curly black pompadour is three inches tall, reminding me more of Morrissey than Bob Dylan, as it does the fan on my right. Francis doesn’t have the strongest voice – a little bit like Randy Newman’s, with flecks of Prince’s falsetto, and I certainly couldn’t make out a word he sang. But I could hardly take my eyes off him. Bounce to spare, he delivers frenetic dance moves with the utmost commitment and even comical sincerity. Flaws and imperfection came across as refined and determined.

The music was ‘80s inspired, of course; the keys and guitar often paralleling Francis’ melody, but some of the backing tracks were quite sophisticated, tasteful, elegant. The compiled contradictions and committed performance held my interest: Like his patent leather shoes to his mechanic-inspired fashion, the backing tracks were in polished opposition to Francis’ gutsy performance.

Man next to me said “Finally, something to be into! Real indie rock!” and maybe he’s right: Sleek, pre-fab percussion paired with raw boogie risk. The Lights may look like a traditional rock band, but they sound much fuller. That auxiliary pre-tracked music adds something important to the show, and bridges the gap between hyper-produced dance pop and sparse White Stripes-like rock.

I enjoyed the show. I won’t be surprised if this band sees even more hype, there is talent and drive to spare, and an impressive commitment to entertainment.

Armed for the Apocolypse @ Underground SF

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Metal, the abused younger brother of rock and roll and the dangerous friend that punk rock looks up to. Enter Armed for the Apocalypse or “A4A” for short, a four piece metal band hailing from Chico, California.

These guys are soul pummeling and bone crushing heavy. Their down tempo juggernaut take on metal does not rely on speed but weighs more in relentless rhythm and emotional viscosity. Hearing their songs is like riding shotgun and smoking herbs with Thor in the eye of storm on a Viking ship bearing off the edge of a flat earth into oblivion.

Kirk the lead vocalist/guitarist, has this singing approach that comes from the belly then spreads and shreds across his vocal cords. While the rest of the band lays down this doomsday atmosphere that is just exciting and engulfing.

After seeing them live for the first time in San Francisco, it easy to see why the Nov. 09 issue of Revolver profiled them as a band to to watch.

After the show, these guys were some of the most approachable down to earth people I have ever met. We ended up drinking shots and shooting beers well into the night (yes, you read it right).

Hearing these guys, you might fear them. Meeting them, you will definitely like them. Do both and you respect them completely. A4A 4-Life.

If you’re in Helsinki, Finland you can catch these guys at the Tuska Open Air Metal Festival July 2010. You can find these guys at Armed for the Apocolypse and their debut DEFEAT album on iTunes.

Kaki King @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Celebrated guitarist and songwriter Kaki King played a special show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg to preview material from her forthcoming album, tentatively titled Junior. She performed a mix of her older instrumental work, improvised compositions, and the more straightforward singer-songwriter fare she has increasingly come to focus on. She was accompanied by a drummer and a multi-instrumentalist who often played a tube-like instrument King referred to as a "bong," saying she refused to answer everyone's questions about what it really was.

Watching King play guitar is a thrilling experience. The diminutive shredder attacks her fretboard with extreme skill and creativity, at times moving her fingers as if she were playing piano or drums rather than guitar. Her instrumental compositions are rhythmic and engaging, and don't require the attention span often needed to consume wordless rock music (one that I, for one, generally lack).

Her stage persona is equally compelling. Adorable and very young-looking (you'd never guess she's 30), she also curses frequently and isn't afraid of repulsing her fans; she referred repeatedly to her recently ruptured eardrum and directed the crowd to her Twitter account to see photos of her bloody pillow. Between songs, she said whatever came to her mind, announcing at one point that she was going to give herself an award after each song (awards included "cutest t-shirt worn on stage" and "most eyeliner"--neither likely to be contested by her older male bandmates).

King has said that she ultimately wants to be known as a good songwriter, not just the girl who can play guitar really well. The vocal-centric songs she played were catchy and endearing, ranging from a driving rocker about Cold War spies (the plot of which she later explained in great detail) to an acoustic ballad about an ex-lover (during which she responded to the crowd's laughter at a humorous lyric with the outburst, "It's a fucking sad song!"). With a well-received body of work already behind her, she still has plenty of time to establish herself as a songwriter, rock ukulele player (she played it on one song), or whatever else she can dream up.

Meaghan Smith @ Swedish American Music Hall

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Let me get this out of the way before we go further. Meaghan Smith is your mother's hipster. She's the singer you want to stick in your pocket and bring out when you're with some friends who like quirky, literal, and kitschy music. About four songs in to her set at the Swedish American Music Hall, Smith states that she used to suffer stage fright. Gasps emit from the 400-person audience because not a single soul believes her. I ask her later how bad the stage fright was to which she noted, "I used to throw up right before I'd play in front of people." Which comes off as completely adorable. Surprisingly.

I don't want to ruin the show for you with Smith, because I want you to go see her play. She's the kind of songwriter that not only lets her heart out in her songs, but also when she's telling the story about them. Her history and songs are nothing new to music and yet, somehow they are. Smith bounces from song to song about exes and friends - bringing the listener with her by means of incredibly cheeky charm and a scarlet voice. Anytime she opens her mouth to sing the crowd falls completely still, in awe.

It is a refreshing show, and much needed for me to escape in someone else's mind and get out of my own for a bit. After about eight songs, Smith closes with a song called "5 More Minutes." It is a request to the audience for more time, and we'd love to oblige. However, there are time constraints. Smith bows, and some people stand and cheer while others just want another story and song. I, on the other hand, just want to put her in my pocket.