Video Premiere: Trebuchet dress up for new single “Failing Up”
You might say that 2020 has been a crazy year for Trebuchet. Since the dawn of the new decade, the North Bay indie rockers have welcomed a newborn into the world, endured career-threatening medical issues, witnessed a bold attempt to kill rock music, not to mention survived a worldwide pandemic that has left scorched earth where there once stood a music scene. And despite all of it, the band is dropping a new record this year. Entitled It's Fine, I'm Fine, the band's third LP continues where they left off with 2017's Volte-Face; weaving three-part vocal harmonies, intricate guitar hooks, and [...]
Noise Pop presents “No Place Like Home” livestream benefit series
This week, Noise Pop and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. will be launching its "No Place Like Home" livestream series to benefit the Bay Area music community. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening at 7pm, you can tune in to local artist favorites, who have partnered with Bay Area venues to raise funds for those affected by COVID-19 and promote awareness of their vital cultural contributions. Streaming is free, with recommended $10-20 donations that will go to the artists, venues, and Noise Pop's Staff Relief Fund. Schedule: May 5 K. Flay, Finish Ticket, Zelma Stone Benefiting Bottom of the Hill. Donate here [...]
All the fundraisers I know of for local venues
I'm sorry to start this off with such a sobering idea, but I think we've all thought it: San Francisco is going to be a very different place when this is all over. With restaurants, bars, and performance spaces having to shutter while we shelter in place, we are at grave risk of losing much of the nightlife we love so much here (seriously — I was talking to a bartender a few weeks ago and she said bar staff come specifically to the Bay to find work because we go so hard). To reduce the risk of having to [...]
The Seshen dive into ‘CYAN’ in time for Noise Pop
(photo: Brittany Powers) Synthesizers, drum machines, and live percussion blend with the cool, soulful voice of the Seshen’s Lalin St. Juste to create a harmonious combination of synth-pop and electronic R&B. On their newest album, CYAN (February 28), we hear influences the band didn’t previously engage with. There’s a little bit of indie rock, touches of folk, neo-soul, and hip-hop. We sat down with the band to talk about the release of their third album, their award-winning music video and upcoming short film, and the excitement around playing as part of Noise Pop. In the creation of their third album, [...]
Pom Pom Squad brings Brooklyn grunge to Bottom of the Hill
The grungy Pom Pom Squad are making their West Coast debut, co-headlining with Rosie Tucker at Bottom of the Hill as a part of the 2020 Noise Pop Music & Arts Festival in San Francisco. Bringing stereotypical New Yorker surliness to their sound, lead singer Mia Berrin alternates scoffs and wry grins through her lyrics. Their sound is in stark opposition to their cheerleader-inspired visual aesthetic, which serves to highlight the power in femininity while simultaneously critiquing the restrictiveness which comes part and parcel. Dubbed “quiet grrrl” punks, the band’s lyrics focus on both inter- and intrapersonal relationships, brashly attacking [...]
ZOLA, Emily Afton and Sandu Ndu play Cafe du Nord
This Thursday Noise Pop and Everything Ecstatic presents an evening featuring a couple of Bay Area prized possessions. Featured artist ZOLA (San Francisco) is a blend of of folk-pop, jazz, soul, and indie-pop with a very singer-songwriter vibe. This is her album release show, with full band and full energy — watch out for that finger picking. Also on the bill is Oakland delight Emily Afton, whose synth-pop heat is impressive and energetic. She has played to massive crowds in the past couple of years and we're excited to see what she's bringing to Cafe du Nord's intimate stage. ZOLA, [...]
Stella Donnelly’s stirring up some strong folk-pop at Swedish American
After releasing this year's album Beware of the Dogs (Secretly Canadian), self-proclaimed shit-stirrer Stella Donnelly is arriving in San Francisco January 14 as part of her US tour and the Noise Pop lineup. The Australian folk pop singer’s sweet voice is paired with a strong will. Donnelly boldly bashes the patriarchy and stands up to creepers. Songs touch on sexual assault, lame boyfriends, masturbation — and she does it with happy melodies and clever lyrics. Donnelly says, “This album made me feel like I was back in the driver's seat. It was really liberating and grounding to realize that no one [...]
Noise Pop announces more shows and more jazz
The 2020 Noise Pop festival just announced Phase 3 of the music lineup for the 28th annual event, happening from Monday, February 24 to Sunday, March 1 throughout San Francisco. Next year is slated to have a bigger and more diverse lineup than we’ve seen yet. For the first time, the festival will host a four-night series at SFJAZZ’s Joe Henderson Lab. We’re pleased as pie that Oakland’s Salami Rose Joe Lewis is on the bill, along with gypsy jazz group Barrio Manouche and Chicago band Resavoir’s electro-acoustic grooves (their words). Resavoir, led by composer and trumpeter Will Miller (Whitney), is [...]
Betabrand Podcast Theatre presents the Noise Pop Podcast
Every Thursday, Betabrand plays host to weekly live podcast and this week's feature is none other than The Bay Bridged Phono del Sol partner, Noise Pop. Led by Noise Pop Podcast host (and our bud!) Adrian Spinelli, the conversation features Oakland-based Mahawam, singer-songwriter ZOLA, the Bay Area's go-to producer Drew Banga and the dreamy folk artist Taylor Vick, better known as Boy Scouts. Betabrand Podcast Theatre: The Noise Pop Podcast Betabrand June 27, 2019 Free, 6:30pm
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 [...]