Mansion celebrate release of ‘Early Life’
(record release flier by Sam Lefebvre) After months of inactivity, Oakland's Mansion returned with news of an LP and promptly set off on a tour that took them to New York and back. The quartet's time in hibernation proved fruitful, yielding 11 tracks of pointedly focused noise, where every instrument is wielded like a drum and strange sounds are wrung from detuned guitars. Despite its density, the record is full of memorable moments - from opening track "Cell Phone"s towering lead to "Ronny Goes to Jail"s dissonant, marching verse. Candace Lazarou's vocals reign the songs in - adding melody where menacing guitars [...]
Get To Know: Nelsen & Farney
Near the end of their song "New Direction," Nelsen & Farney sing, "So if my style turns you off, please just stop listening." That's going to be awfully hard to do given that their latest LP, One For Many Roads, is drenched in mellifluous harmonies and memorable melodies. Though the song itself is a satirical lashing of the insipid state of mainstream music, the duo, comprised of singer-songwriters Mark Nelsen and Devin Farney, don't exactly forge an entirely new direction as their music is heavily indebted to past pop masters like Harry Nilsson, Paul Simon, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. [...]
Silver Shadows to play El Rio on Monday
If you have gone to El Rio on a Monday, then you already know it's one of the craziest nights to be there, because it's their classic $1 beer and $3 wells night. Lately, they've also been smacking great live bands on top of this. Next Monday is a perfect example, as two of my favorite local bands grace the ears of the cheaply drunk. Silver Shadows from SF, who in the past year have opened for La Luz and Shannon and the Clams are the main band, and one I am very excited about. Their music excretes a feeling in me as [...]
Wicked Man releases ‘Terranean Tremors’ EP
We first told you about Oakland's Wicked Man over a year ago, and since then they've added members, and just dropped a second EP, Terranean Tremors. The EP premiered on Culture Collide, where the author compared each track of the EP to a more well-known track. It's a great read, but Wicked Man are really doing their own thing with Tremors. Yonatan Tietz's voice is entirely unique, the rhythms throughout the EP are full of surprises, and the female guest vocalists are a great complement to Tietz. All-in-all, they're a great representative of an East Bay scene that's pushing music [...]
Gold Minor to release debut LP “Bone Flowers” this weekend, throwing masquerade party
Finally. I first covered Gold Minor way back in April and assumed they would also be releasing their debut album Bone Flowers at the time as well. I was excited. I had listened to the entire record numerous times, admiring the crunching riffs and soaring vocals and big, hallelujah rock n' roll arrangements and was happy the world would soon similarly enjoy the music of Gold Minor like I had been for weeks. They would finally be in on the band that, at the time, was practically the Bay's best kept musical secret. Well, I'm pretty sure the secret's out now, [...]
The Bay Abridged: Nov 4 – Nov 10
Photo by Harland Spinks In this recurring feature known as The Bay Abridged, our staff writers will provide short, witty recaps on shows they attended around the Bay Area. A scene check, a heat check, and sometimes more — stop by every Wednesday for the most comprehensive and concise recap of last week's Bay Area concert scene. Jeffertitti's Nile, Down and Outlaws, Everyone Is Dirty for The Gothic Luau II at Rickshaw Stop (SF) Nov. 4 A little different vibe than you typically expect on a Wednesday night in the city — the hosts were handing out lei's [...]
Conservatory of Flowers comes to life in December with Extra Classic and Heron Oblivion
The Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park is one of the oldest and most beloved buildings in the city. Since its completion in 1878, it has housed some of the rarest and exotic plants in the world, captivating visitors with its elegant wood and glass architecture. Being a city, state, and national historic landmark, it is no wonder the Conservatory remains one of the most photographed attractions in San Francisco. Although known mainly for its exceptional botanic collection, the Conservatory of Flowers will extend its regular day hours to offer a night of music on Friday, December [...]
Giveaway: The Max Savage Show Episode 3: A Storm of Sword-Sharp Intellects
After two triumphant installments, The Max Savage Show returns for "Episode 3: A Storm of Sword-Sharp Intellects" tomorrow night at the lovely Starline Social Club in Oakland. Joining max will be musical guests Waterstrider (plus an unnamed super secret musical guest!), weed expert David Downs, Avery Trufelman from design podcast 99% Invisible, followed by a DJ set from Astronauts, Etc. As if that wasn't enough, all profits from the show go to Arts for Oakland Kids. Learn more here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSFx7MkYOps&feature=youtu.be Max tells me he was inspired to start the show by an "amazing weirdo guy in Baltimore named Ed Schrader", [...]
Strange Hotel cast a spell with new single “Witchcraft”
Though I’m a bit disappointed the new single by Strange Hotel wasn’t premiered on The Bay Bridged in time for Halloween, I’m glad the band finally released a recorded version of “Witchcraft” to the world. I’ve seen the guys play it live at a number of shows now and it always succeeded in capturing even the shortest attention spans in the crowd, making more than a few think twice before heading off to the bathroom or outside for a smoke break. The song grapples with a familiar theme in the literature of rock n' roll – a woman’s mystical, seemingly [...]
Golden Void’s crushing grooves coming to Bottom of the Hill this Friday Night
Masters of Bay Area psych-rock Golden Void are playing a one-off show this Friday night at Bottom of the Hill. Celebrating the release of their new LP Berkana, the band cements their status as headtrip heroes able to dish out some of the most crushing grooves, chunky riffs and dense sonic arrangements around. Tracks like the ethereal "Astral Plane" and jazz-tinged "Silent Season" also see the group expand to the outer reaches of the genre. Though the term "psych-rock" is casually tossed at any band that dials up the reverb and writes songs that stretch pass the four-minute mark, Golden [...]