The Bay Brewed, San Francisco’s only indie rock beer festival, returns on December 7 at Public Works for a third year of great music and beer. Over the next month, we’ll catch up with all six of the festival’s superb local bands to discuss how beer, music, and the Bay Area all fit together. In this edition, we chat with Golden Void whose 2012 self-titled album was a favorite around The Bay Bridged office, and the band has news about a new record, the inside scoop on how to get guitar lessons from their frontman, and their picks for the best local musicians and beers.
The Bay Bridged: Golden Void released its debut near the end of 2012 and then a 7-inch single for Record Store Day 2013. What’s next on the (recording) horizon for the band?
Justin Pinkerton: We’re currently working on some new songs for a new album, hopefully next year sometime. We’ve got a lot of ideas, just need to wrangle them all together.
I see that Isaiah is booking guitar lessons via Skype – can he really teach even the biggest of amateurs like myself how to shred like he does?
Pinkerton: Isaiah is a great teacher, he was kind of my unofficial guitar teacher growing up, playing in bands together. I’ve been a witness to his Skype lessons and I do believe that he can turn you into a master shredder, he’s that good of a teacher!
Isaiah Mitchell: I’m always taking new students and they can contact me at izillainfo@gmail.com. Also, I have a website www.isaiahmitchell.net that has tons of info about me and teaching.
What’s the best Bay Area music venue to play as an artist?
Aaron Morgan: Great American is such a classy, classic, SF venue, can’t beat it! For smaller venues, Golden Void certainly has to give credit to The Hemlock, a classic SF venue in a different way. I think we played our first five to 10 shows there! It’s like our home away from home.
Camilla Saufley: GAMH and Bottom of the Hill are tied in my and Isaiah’s opinions. Great sound, awesome, generous staff. Great people.
What’s the best Bay Area music venue for catching a show as a fan?
Pinkerton: I’ve always liked Cafe Du Nord for smaller shows and Great American for bigger shows. Cafe Du Nord just has a nice intimate feel (and sounds great). Great American is nice because it’s a larger venue but still feels intimate.
What’s your favorite album from a Bay Area artist this year?
Morgan: The Mantles are great buds of mine, their newest album Long Enough to Leave, recorded by Kelley Stoltz, was released this year. It’s been on my record player for a long time!
Saufley: Shout out to Hot Lunch for their new release.
What other artist or band are you most looking forward to seeing at The Bay Brewed?
Morgan: Hard to say, great lineup! I’ve always been a fan of Kelley Stoltz, SF classic, will be fun to see him play. Also, Mikal Cronin’s album MCII is one of my favorite new albums. I was stoked when I saw him listed as the headliner.
What’s your favorite San Francisco-brewed beer?
Saufley: Have to plug Cellarmaker as the best SF beer!!!!
Mitchell: Totally! And it actually IS the best beer in SF. Hands down.
Saufley: It’s kind of the best beer this side of the Isar River
Which brewer’s beers are you most looking forward to sampling at The Bay Brewed?
Morgan: All of them!
Head over to our Eventbrite page now to get your tickets to see Golden Void at The Bay Brewed, along with Mikal Cronin, Shannon and the Clams, Kelley Stoltz, French Cassettes, and Magic Fight. The event will also feature unlimited tastings from over a dozen local breweries all day long thanks to the SF Brewers Guild.
