BFF.fm announces annual San Francisco music scavenger hunt as city returns to form
(photo: BFF.FM) As San Francisco clamors to get to a post-pandemic world again, BFF.fm fans have something to look forward to, and no, it's not another online radio show. As a means to celebrate the city's rich music history, the beloved local online radio station has announced their first ever music scavenger hunt. The in-person, 56-hour event will feature more than 100 challenges to test music lovers as they navigate the city's iconic landmarks, independent venues, and local businesses. Challenges will range from trivia to other and will unlock access to secret pop-up shows, special freebies, and a variety of [...]
FREDDIE bashes back with new single, upcoming performance at Oaklash
After a year that prompted artistic development and activism, Bay Area resident FREDDIE is back and ready to shake it all off with a scorched-earth new single, "BASHBACK!". With a run time of just over one minute, 30 seconds, the track runs at a fast clip to match, showcasing FREDDIE's bombastic, rowdy assembly of hip hop and rap with pop vocal stylings. With its blink-and-you'll-miss-it bars and themes of over-policing, anti-capitalism, and queer reclamation, the song feels like the perfect protest to soundtrack Pride month in 2021. To celebrate, FREDDIE is debuting the single as a headliner at this weekend's [...]
Bluegrass Pride announces 2021 Porch Pride festival lineup
Bluegrass Pride, the Bay Area's frontier nonprofit whose mission is to uplift and center LGBTQ+ musicians and creators in roots music, has announced their 2021 lineup for Pride Month. Now in its second year, the virtual festival and fundraising event will take place all month long in June. The month will feature performances by folks like Lavender Country, Rainbow Girls, Gangstagrass, Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Jake Blount, and Sunny War. Beginner players have a chance to join a jam session as well. In the COVID-19 era, vital discussions and hunger for equity and visibility in the arts has bubbled to the [...]
Playlist: Our lost year, captured.
(Rexx Life Raj photo: Salihah Saadiq) It's been a year and a week since the Bay Area collectively dimmed the lights on our venues — not that you needed a reminder. And while we'll all be glad to retire words like "pandemic," "unprecedented," and "quarantine" from our vernacular later this year, "defund," "Karen," and "climate change" are likely here to stay. In a lot of ways, the past year has felt like a slow-motion collision of disparate moments shoved unceremoniously into a time capsule for future generations to gawk at in horror and awe. Isolation, grief, survival, wildfires, and yes, [...]
Oaklash drag festival hits the virtual stage this weekend
[Graphics by broobs] Oaklash's unique imprint on the Bay Area is hard to overstate, even while the event is still in its infancy. From traditional drag numbers to tributes to ball culture to avant garde drag, Oaklash has featured a wide array of perspectives as a means of centering and continuing the spirit of Bay Area queer culture. A diverse collection of talent, the drag festival has quickly become a haven for queer artists seeking for a safe, celebratory space for expression. This year, despite what might seem like a barrier due to COVID-19, many artists have felt empowered to push [...]
FREDDIE releases debut EP, hosts digital release party for ‘Melanin Monroe’
Fresh off a recent stint at Black Joy parade (remember those?), Bay Area local Freddie Seipoldt is primed for the spotlight. Their EP, released digitally today, is a vibrant showcase of a growing talent, skillfully deploying '90s production techniques while blurring the lines between hip-hop, soul, and R&B. Freddie joins a cast of queer-forward artists in the Bay Area who are unapologetic about who they are, deeply enriching the soil along the way. Want to turn up? Prominent early singles "Fitness" and "Banjee" are bangers that will have you vibing in your home during quarantine. Meanwhile, standout track "YDKMN" flips [...]
6 local online radio stations to keep the tunes going during shelter in place
With a growing abundance of livestreams and online concert series to online sales, musicians and institutions are quickly adapting to be resilient as possible in the face of the painful disruption of COVID-19. Artists struggling to survive in the Bay Area is nothing new, though, so if you're able, consider supporting them. After all, it seems we'll all be relying on a variety of entertainment to get us through the next few weeks (at the very least). In line with some of the recommendations other writers here have given, below are some local online radio stations worthy of streaming. Whether [...]
Quaran-tunes: Coping with shelter in place, Bay Area edition
It sure didn't take long for our world to be upended, did it? Look, there's no way to pussyfoot around this: COVID-19 sucks. It will cost countless lives the world over. But as we hunker down in this preemptive shelter in place quarantine, why not fire up the stereo and pass the days away with some tunes? Music is always a good antidote for when there's not one in sight for the foreseeable future. Here's a selection of "quaran-tunes" from local artists that we hope will be a balm for these unprecedented times. Follow us on Spotify! Jody Amable, Content Director [...]
Noise Pop 2020: awakebutstillinbed, Mary Lattimore, Frances Quinlan close out the festival
Frances Quinlan (photo: Jon Bauer) Feeling more like a quaint backyard barnstorm gathering with your closest friends than a blowout party, the last night of Noise Pop was an endearing showcase of four female artists each equipped with truly charming, idiosyncratic music. Starting the night was Bernie and the Wolf, hailing from Chicago. As attendees began to gather to sit on the floor beneath the Edison lights illuminating the exposed rafters, Bernadette “Bernie” Conant eased the crowd into the night with her solo acoustic set. Utilizing the power of her voice to make up for the lack of her bandmate, Erik [...]
Noise Pop 2020: Mannequin Pussy, Best Coast wash away grief at the Regency
“So much happens that makes me want to scream. Our fucked-up collective pain leaves us nowhere safe to do this. So we created a place to scream." That's certainly one way to frame frustration. These were the words of Mannequin Pussy's Marisa Dabice as she introduced the searing, scorched-earth tune, "F.U.C.A.W.," during their opening set Saturday night at the Regency. If you haven't caught on, Mannequin Pussy doesn't exactly do things lightly. Their set was blistering, with Dabice's shredding guitars and screams throughout. It seemed an odd placement to be opening for the happy-go-lucky stoner dreams of Best Coast, but beneath [...]