Filming the Rebirth of Montreal's Wise Uses for Suicide Machines

Thursday, January 26, 2006
Film School
Bottom of the Hill
$10

Thursday, January 26, 2006
Film School
Amoeba Records, Haight Street
FREE, 6:00 p.m.

Join SF's own Film School for their record release show at Bottom of the Hill or a free in-store at Amoeba and hear some indie, post-punk, shoegaze, psych rock. The few songs I've heard off the new album on the radio indicate a good rock show. And the fact that its their hometown record release party at Bottom of Hill suggest a better than good show.

Friday, January 27, 2006
Rebirth Brass Band with Shotgun Wedding Quintet
The Independent
$20

Saturday, January 28, 2006
Rebirth Brass Band with Albino!
The Independent
$20

Fact: I’ve seen New Orleans’ Rebirth Brass Band live more times than any other band. I’ve seen them dozens of times, and will continue to do so whenever I can, even if it means dropping a hefty $20. The reason? So damn good. Founded in 1983, the RBB features a traditional brass band lineup (snare, bass drum, tuba, trumpets and trombones) and plays traditional NOLA second-line brass band music while incorporating a variety of modern musical styles, borrowing especially heavily from funk and hip hop. Continuous lineup changes over the years have kept the sound fresh from album to album and from tour to tour (although I hope for all attendees' sake that they take it back to the early '00s for a little "Casanova"). Dancing shoes required.


Friday, January 27, 2006
Gossip, Numbers & Tussle
Bottom of the Hill
$12

I believe there are three articles on the Gossip in the Guardian this week and I also believe that the show is sold out (Perhaps you would like to score some guest list and give me a call? Then again, I've never really had a problem scoring a ticket for no more than $5 over face value at a show). Its still one of my top picks for the week, I’m just going to keep it short and sweet. The Gossip do punky blues rock with all sorts of
genres thrown in for good measure. Local act Numbers do noisy disco punk with a heaping helping of electro. Tussle do disco punk cum dub. I’m pretty sure if you search below, you’ll find more on the Tussle.


Saturday, January 28, 2006
Of Montreal
Bottom of the Hill
$12

Another one that I'm pretty sure is sold out (and the Feb. 3 show at Great American appears to also be sold out). Athens, GA Elephant 6 Collective associates Of Montreal's brand of psych-pop comes at you hooks ablazing. With a huge discography and some recent genre defying work, Of Montreal is difficult to sum up quickly, so I'll just say dreamy melodies of the psych-pop of yesteryear fused with, well, a lot of crap. But that's crap in a good way. Like when you're on the road and you've been waiting for a gas station for 40 miles. That kind of crap.

Sunday, January 29, 2006
Pennywise, No Use for a Name and Suicide Machines
Warfield
$19.50

Gots to be true to my roots. Pennywise’s “Waste of Time” was one of the songs that got me started on punk. I still remember hearing it in a skate video and falling in love. I wish I could remember the name of the video. Biohazard, Sepultura, Bad Religion… That video turned me onto some bands that would reveal themselves to be crucial listening throughout my high school years. No Use for a Name’s Leche con Carne and Making Friends (especially Making Friends) were two of my favorite albums my senior year of high school. Suicide Machines may have only dropped one great album, but Destruction by Definition was just that: A truly great punk/ska album. The soundtrack to the movie about my life will definitely have “Hey” on it, for sure. Plus, I bet there’s going to be some pop punk teenie girls at the show. Does that do it for you? It does it for me.

For Those Who Do Not Like It Heavy

I apologize for the last minute posts of the past couple days. Perhaps the page could also be used as a last-minute “what should I do tonight?” reference. I’ll hit you guys up with the weekend as soon as I can. In the meantime, think about how much you’re into dub and what you are up to on Sunday night. More on that soon, but here’s what’s happening tonight:

Thursday, January 19, 2006
Vetiver, Espers and Feathers
12 Galaxies
$10

Local psych-folkie Andy Cabic’s Vetiver makes beautiful, quirky, simple folk. Imagine a less eccentric Devendra Banhart (who plays guitar on Vetiver’s first album and with whom Cabic started the record label Gnomonsong) with a more delicate voice, and you are on your way. Different stringed instruments (mostly guitar, cello) provide most of the non-vocal elements of the sparse yet warm music. Honestly, I haven’t listened to psych-folk Espers self-titled album in over a year, but I remember thoroughly enjoying it when I did. As for Feathers, I’m getting very busy at work, so I’ll leave you with a review and a track to download here. My money is on tonight being a night of beautiful psych-folk over at the 12 Galaxies.

For Those Who Like It Heavy

Wednesday, January 18, 2006
High on Fire
12 Galaxies
$12 advance/$15 door

Heavy, heavy doom/stoner metal from NorCal trio Guitarist Matt Pike (ex-Sleep), bassist Joe Preston (Thrones and ex-Melvins) and drummer Des Kensel. Heavy heaviness for those who like their heavy metal heavy.

Free Folk/Psych in the Park? Sounds Like SF to Me

Saturday, January 14, 2006
Tecolote Fest
Golden Gate Park, Fulton & Funston, Starting at 12 Noon
Free

Telecote Records, a fledgling local CD-R label, is introducing itself to the world with a bang. Before even dropping their first release, they’ve organized for a rather large festival to take place this Saturday in Golden Gate Park. The artists: The White White Quilt, Chinatown Bakeries, Ryan Stively + His Poison Band, Port O'Brien, Brenda Malvini, Adam Lipman, Mandarin Dynasty, The Owl & Ironic Pancakes, Wax Museum Pandamonium, Brown Recluse, Son Valley, Breezy Days Band, Sneaky Pines, Thanksgiving, Belly Boat and Whysp. To be frank, I haven’t heard of any of these groups before, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to go. After all, an indie folk/psych fest in Golden Gate Park, how Frisco is that? I can smell it now…

NES... Noise... Noi!!!

Thursday, January 12, 2006
The Advantage
Bottom of the Hill
$8

I'll lay it out for you: The Advantage will rock you harder than two dozen Gannons, a couple of Mike Tysons and a shitload of Contra. Two guitarists, a bassist and a drummer covering 8-bit Nintendo songs could be so terribly wrong, but it is so incredibly right (it doesn't hurt that the drummer is Spencer Seim, the guitarist from Hella, who I spoke of a couple posts back, if you're keeping track). Math rock seems to be the perfect vehicle for giving new life to these amazingly simple songs. They play the songs in such a straight-ahead, technically impressive way with such a reverence for the source material that you can't help but enjoy it. Super Mario Bros. 1 & 2, Ducktales, Wizards & Warriors, Batman, Ghosts and Goblins... Oh and Mega Man 2. Mega Man freaking 2. If you grew up on NES, this show is a wet dream. If not, come see how great some of the music really was.

Thursday, January 12, 2006
Qbert
Milk (8 - 10 p.m.)
Free

While we're on the subject, we've got one of the world's most skilled turntablists, who took his name from a game you might have played on the NES. He's playing a free set at Milk. Furthermore, according to the flyer, there is free Red Stripe as well. Since it only goes from 8 - 10 p.m., there's plenty of time to make it across town for the Advantage.

Friday, January 13, 2006
Pharoahe Monch and The A-Team (Aceyalone and Abstract Rude)
Mighty
$15 advance/$20+ at the door

On Friday, Mighty gives us a night of crucial underground MCs from the 90s, only now they’re all grown up. MC Pharoahe Monch got his start as one half of the early 90s seminal underground hip hop duo Organized Konfusion. The A-Team is Aceyalone (of another early 90s seminal underground hip hop group,The Freestyle Fellowship) and Abstract Rude (LA's Project Blowed). UK d’n’b duo Shy FX and MC Armanni and locals Romanowski (Future Primitive Sound) and Radioactive (Spearhead) will also be working the crowd.

Saturday, January 14, 2006
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and Secret Chiefs 3
Great American Music Hall
$16 advance/$18 door

Oakland’s Sleepytime Gorilla Museum bring their crazy live show and prog-metal that’s heavy on the strings and classical influences. Secret Chiefs 3 consists of all of the members of Mr. Bungle, minus Mike Patton, playing a schizophrenic musical mélange. Noise, metal, prog, middle eastern music, classical, surf rock, film music, etc., etc., etc., all work their way into the music without it sounding too crowded, allowing for experimental music that is still accessible (relatively speaking).

Saturday, January 14, 2006
Dead Machines, Rubber O Cement, The Skaters and 17 Bitch Pile Up
Hemlock (Early Show at 6 p.m.)
$6

Last week, I promised the triumphant return of noise to SF, and here it is. Dead Machines is the husband/wife duo of John Olson (Wolf Eyes) and Tovah O'Rourke. (Wooden Wand and the Vanishing Voice). While I’m not familiar with the Dead Machines’ incredibly large body recorded output, I am acquainted with Wolf Eyes’ brutally uncomfortable noise and WWVV’s dreamy free-folk explorations. If Dead Machines fall somewhere in the middle, we will be in for a treat. Good ol’ AMG says that they “utilize rewired electronics, homemade reed instruments, and metal percussion to create hazy post-psychedelic landscapes.” Sounds promising. For those who have not seen Rubber O Cement, I have nothing to say except that you must. I don’t want to say too much, except that it’s loud, they are crazy costumes and dancing and (seriously) watch out for the bass player. It’s a true spectacle and you will not be disappointed. I’m having trouble finding too much out about the Skaters, but here’s a review that seems to suggest that we can expect some serious vocal manipulation. 16 Bitch Pile Up? Sounds like they don’t really need an introduction. Let me close by saying that the one time I saw Wolf Eyes (I should add that this was my first noise show and that Rubber O Cement opened), there was a man in the audience who kept asking the band to kill him. Over and over again. Come for the people watching, stay for the noise.

Sunday, January 15, 2006
The Helio Sequence
Rickshaw Stop
$10

No work on Monday? Don't have to worry about waking up to drop the kids off at school? Head on over to the Rickshaw Stop and take in Portland duo the Helio Sequence’s dreamy electronic neo-psychedelia a la the Beatles and My Bloody Valentine. Highly recommended by Lenode’s roommate.

Sunday, January 15, 2006
KUSF Rock N Swap
McLaren Hall on the University of San Francisco Campus
$15 6 a.m. - 10 a.m., $3 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

KUSF, who I am forever indebted to, raises their money by having CD/vinyl/memorabilia swap meets a few times a year. I know a few of you out there who, like myself, compulsively buy music. So come out and support your local indie station and have something to show for it.

Speaking of Slight Freak Outs...

I have a serious love/hate relationship with my computer. There's nothing quite like spending a bunch of time working on something and almost finishing, only to have your computer tell you that the application has to close and that nothing will be saved. Its especially fun when you're tired and its getting close to your bedtime. Really.

Anyways, I apologize for the holiday/sickness-related delay in keeping up on my posts. I trust everyone found something to do on NYE in SF. There were quite a few options. To those of us who were fortunate enough to experience sweat dripping from the ceiling in at least two different venues: Mmmmm..... To everyone else: Jealous much?

On to the present, the post-NYE show landscape in SF seems to be slightly barren. Fear not, though: There's always something in our wonderful city.

Thursday, January 5, 2006
The Fearless Freaks
Red Vic (7:15, 9:25)

Director Bradley Beesley has been friends with Wayne Coyne for 15 years and has been documenting the Flaming Lips just as long. In addition to the interviews and footage he shot, there's home movies and music videos. Oh, and there's footage of Steven Drozd not only talking about his problem with heroin, but also cooking up. Fans of music docs and/or the Flaming Lips probably shouldn't miss out on this intimate portrait of this great band.

Friday, January 6, 2006
Chow Nasty and Peanut Butter Wolf
Mighty
$7

This Friday at Mighty marks a video release party for local electro-swamp boogie trio Chow Nasty. I'm not sure what to say about these guys except that, while I haven't seen them yet, I've heard rave reviews from all who have. On the wheels of steel, we have Stones Throw record label head Peanut Butter Wolf. I've seen him drop some serious soul and hip hop gems (as well as quite the melange of everything else) and seriously aid and abet those trying to get their freak on.

Saturday, January 7, 2006
B-Side Players and the Spam All-Stars with Pee Wee Ellis
12 Galaxies
$15

San Diego's B-Side Players do Latin reggae and they do it well. The Spam All-Stars are a latin group with DJ Le Spam mixing all the instrumentation live to create latin dub. Pee Wee Ellis will be playing with Spam, and this guy has street cred, considering he played with James Brown in the 60s and 70s. I personally guarantee a high level of groove (and, therefore, some freaking, if you're interested) at this one.

Can't wait for the next post? Too bad. I'm tired and need my beauty rest. But I can give you a taste of what's coming up next week. The Advantage's CD release party, a free Qbert show (with free brews to boot), Slum Village, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, KRS-One and the Helio Sequence. You can also expect the the triumphant return of noise to San Francisco in 2006. I can hear you breathing heavy already. Control yourself, you freak.