Review & Photos: EMA, Mas Ysa, Safeword at The Independent
(Photos by Daniel Kielman) Wednesday night marked the end of EMA's West Coast tour with Mas Ysa, as the two acts performed their final sets before going their separate ways. Oakland duo Safeword (Darren Russell and Jonah Strauss) opened the show, playing on the floor of The Independent rather than the stage. I'm not sure whether they requested this unusual arrangement or were simply forced offstage due to an abundance of gear, but the duo crafted energetic post-punk with a four-piece drum kit and an electric bass guitar, plus a bunch of pedals. Canadian synth act Mas Ysa (a.k.a. Thomas [...]
EMA and Mas Ysa ending U.S. tour in SF
On the heels of her third LP, Erika M. Anderson (a.k.a. EMA) will return to San Francisco on July 2 for a headlining gig at The Independent. Mas Ysa, the synth project of Canadian musician Thomas Arsenault, will support the show for its final night of the shared bill's Western U.S. tour. Mas Ysa made a strong debut with February's Worth EP. The Future's Void is EMA's first LP with Matador, and her third album under the solo moniker. The South Dakota native is also a founder of Gowns, a San Francisco-based noise-folk band that released three albums between 2006 [...]
Review: EMA @ Rickshaw Stop 3/1/12
EMA is the solo project of Erika M. Anderson, the former lead singer for defunct noise-rock band Gowns, and her four piece band plays a loose, groaning rock music that funnels the small town anxieties of drugs and love through a singing style that sounds like Elliott Smith resurrected with the emotional concerns of a young woman. Fans of her first record, Past Life Martyred Saints, are in for a surprise: with her tall stature, bold haircut and on-tempo dance moves, Anderson's onstage confidence stands in direct opposition to her self-conscious, frighteningly honest lyrics. Due to a van breakdown in [...]
Recommended, 10/10-10/16: Treasure Island, Thee Oh Sees (free show), EMA, Cults
Every Monday, we'll be offering you early picks for some of the week's best concerts. Do you think we omitted something worthwhile? Let us know in the comments! Be sure to visit our Local Concert Calendar for an expanded set of daily listings. Treasure Island 2011 is this weekend! Night shows this week too! We'll be spending a bunch of time this week exploring the many prospective highlights of this weekend's 2011 Treasure Island Music Festival, and the fest is our top recommendation for the week. In addition to the two days on the Island, there are a bunch of [...]
Ticket Giveaway Wednesday: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Peter Bjorn and John, Release the Sunbird, Chad Van Gaalen, EMA
To enter any contest submit an email to contest[at]thebaybridged[dot]com with your full name in the body and the concert you're entering the contest for in the subject line. You may only submit your name once to only one contest. Winners for each show will be decided using the guidelines listed below. Friday, October 7th The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Twin Sister @ Slim's To win a pair of tickets to the show be the FIFTH person to enter! The show starts at 9pm, $21, 6+. Purchase advance tickets here. Saturday, October 8th Peter Bjorn and John, Release the [...]
Live This Month: October 2011 – an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #258)
Live This Month: October 2011 (Podcast #258) In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area. While the Treasure Island Music Festival is the month's biggest draw -- and we'll have a separate mixtape soon showcasing TIMF's many great bands -- there are plenty of great shows this month. Girls cap a national tour with two big hometown shows, while The War on Drugs brings an acclaimed new album to SF. Meanwhile, EMA and Hooray for Earth return to the City, while locals The [...]