Giveaway: Sons of an Illustrious Father at the Chapel
(photo: Ebru Yildiz) It's Pride Month, and in San Francisco it's Pride Week. So this Friday, after the Trans March, come to the Chapel and celebrate Pride with the NYC genrequeer band Sons of an Illustrious Father. I interviewed them last year, and even got to catch them live twice in my 26 years of life. Both those times were very gay and made it apparent that every person in this band is talented and deserves equal amount of attention. Don't believe me? Well, you have the opportunity to believe it yourself, because we're giving away tickets. Opening for them [...]
Giveaway: Two nights of Speedy Ortiz
(illustration: Xaime Hernandez) Speedy Ortiz has been up there on my "favorite bands that are alive while I'm alive" list for years now, and with the release of their newest album Twerp Verse, I am happy to say that I am still very happy that I'm alive while they're alive. I am also very happy that I'm alive while you're alive, because Speedy Ortiz are playing two shows in the Bay Area this weekend. And due to the fact that you are alive (even if you're not happy about it), you can go see Speedy Ortiz live in concert in [...]
Giveaway: Jonathan Richman at the Chapel
First time I saw Jonathan Richman was at Burger Boogaloo in Oakland in 2015. The first thing he did was make sure that he didn't have to stand on stage, because he has never wants to be put on a pedestal. It was packed, but he tried his hardest to make everyone feel safe and included, and I feel like that is his legacy. A musical legend that actually cares about his fans and the people he surrounds himself with. He's also freaking talented, and is a legend because of his music alone. The Modern Lovers was created because of his [...]
Review: Le Butcherettes deserve your full attention
Coming back to San Francisco and finally seeing Le Butcherettes after spending a month in the hometown of Le Butcherettes (Guadalajara, Jalisco) was perfect timing, because Le Butcherettes are everything I love about being Mexican. They're what it feels like to let go of all oppression, the machismo, and the Catholic guilt I am buried under due to being Mexican and seen as a woman. They’re loud, unafraid, and proud of their nativx history. On May 15, 2018, I caught that fearlessness at the newly opened August Hall. A fearlessness that is not exempt from fear, but one that acknowledges [...]
Review: Daniel Johnston at the Herbst Theater
Since the moment I first listened to Daniel Johnston, I was devoted, because the ache in his voice made it obvious that this wasn’t a choice. For him creating was a necessity and continues to be. I don’t care how good of a musician you are if it’s not made out of necessity. I don’t care if your guitar or your voice or anything you touch is out of tune if I can tell the music is made because you need it. I am obsessed with those that create out of necessity. A good album is good even if recorded [...]
Support the oldest theater in San Francisco October 19
The Balboa Theatre is the oldest running movie theater in San Francisco: it was built in 1926, and has stayed in that location for 91 years. The interior did get a little damaged by a fire in 1978, but its character was rebuilt and now the Balboa Theatre is more than just a place to watch films. It's a time machine, a memory stood still, part of what makes San Francisco so idealistically pure. But with time, people get distracted — this year especially has been full of them. These distractions take a toll on the community. Local non-profits get [...]
Celebrate 20 years of Tiny Telephone tomorrow
This Saturday, come celebrate 20 years of Tiny Telephone at the place many great hits have and will be recorded. The Tiny Telephone 20 Year Bash is at Tiny Telephone, and with this comes free food, booze, music, and conversation. The music includes live sets from Mayya & the Revolutionary Hell Yeah and Pardoner and DJ sets by Toro y Moi and Astronauts, etc. Free food from El Metate and free beer from Lagunitas Brewing Co. Loving the local community is really easy when some of the best things are really free. Tiny Telephone was started by John Vanderslice in 1997 — 20 years ago, as you may have guessed. Tiny Telephone [...]
Sea Witch Fest continues tonight with hex filled tunes
Three different nights, three different venues, and three different lineups, but they're all worth it. Sea Witch Productions has been ensuring perfect lineups for a while, and now they're ensuring the perfect festival lineup that continues tonight. Tonight at Brick & Mortar Music Hall they got Wax Idols who are not a band to avoid or pretend you're too cool for. They have not only created music and a presence that is powerful, time defying, and unavoidable, but they also live that way and every bit of news I've ever read about them has only proved that point. Full bill is [...]
Review + Photos: Downtown Boys at Bottom of the Hill
Downtown Boys (photo: Aaron Rubin) I had been waiting for this moment for years due to being too depressed, sick, poor, to ever catch Downtown Boys before. There are so many reasons why I could not miss them this time around, mainly being that I finally had the energy and resources. Downtown Boys are one of the most important current bands, because every performance is curated to what is going on in the world right now (which is what has been going on in the world forever). They are not going to keep quiet to keep their white fans happy. The [...]
Giveaway: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart at the Chapel
(photo: Ebru Yildiz) Indie pop royals The Pains of Being Pure at Heart return to San Francisco to play the Chapel with The Courtneys on September 26. The reason I call them royals is because of how over the years their sound, a unique mix of twee, has been preserved. Now, what is twee? Twee: Indie Pop leaning in the DIY direction, tending to be melodic and happily depressing. Music that is not ashamed of the gooey and sad feelings that we all hold. Sometimes too happy, too cute, and still so good. Pains leans more on the happily depressing side. [...]