The Coming of Spring Signals... Invading Angels

Ah… It’s starting to feel a little like spring here in San Francisco. The arrival of a little nice weather brings with it the possibility of long walks on the beach, picnics in the park, barbeques, cuddling under the stars, and… festivals. There’s been a lot going on in the festival department over the last couple weeks. Not only were there more additions to the already brutal-to-read-from-start-to-finish South by Southwest lineup, but we also got initial lineup information for So Cal’s Coachella , and the SF’s own Noise Pop. Going to be an expensive year for me in the festival department, I fear.

Here’s a one that almost slipped off my radar: ArthurBall. Fresh off the success of last fall’s ArthurFest (which I’m still upset that I didn’t attend), Arthur Magazine is bringing us another two-day festival on February 25 and 26 in Los Angeles. Acts include Joanna Newsom, Unknown Instructors (Saccarhine Trust/Minutemen side project), Om, Pearls & Brass, Colleen, The 5:15ers (new Joshe Homme project), Growing and more. In other words, they are bringing us a bunch of great (mostly) experimental music. One day tickets are $22 and two day tickets are $40. In addition to informing you of this one, I’m asking if anyone wants to go with me and happens to have friends that we could crash with. Or perhaps you just have someone who would be kind enough to put me plus one up? Let me know.

Noise Pop is going down a little later than usual (March 27 – April 2), but it will be bringing us, as always, a few really amazing shows and bunch of not particularly exciting shows. Some of the highlights of Noise Pop: Flaming Lips (at Bimbo's, no less), Feist, ISIS, Dirtbombs, Kieran Hebden (Four Tet) & Steve Reid, Two Gallants, Xiu Xiu and Kid Koala. Count me in for the Hebden & Reid show, for sure.

I just listened to Steve Reid’s excellent Nova a few days ago, am presently listening to Four Tet’s Pause and have officially confirmed that I definitely need to be checking at this show. Drummer Steve Reid, who has played with such notables as James Brown, Fela Kuti, Sun Ra, Miles Davis and Ornette Coleman (to name just a few), has incorporated many different styles into his drumming over the years but he has never lost touch with jazz, both free and in the groove. Kieran Hebden has been consistently putting out beautiful organic electronic music, incorporating elements of jazz and hip hop. The live shows that spawned the pair's collaboration on 2005's Spirit Walk and two upcoming releases received rave reviews, so expect a great show.

Did I mention the Flaming Lips are playing Bimbo's? Because they are. Tickets go on sale this Sunday, and you are advised to get them quick because this show has “scalpers” written all over it.

Coachella is taking place in April 19 and 20 in its ridiculously hot and unsurprisingly unshaded usual spot in the middle of the desert down in Indio near L.A. Near heat stroke aside, I had a blast when I went a couple of years ago (seeing the Pixies followed by Radiohead, both for the first time definitely sealed the deal). The lineup this year has the desert calling me back (although I think I might be up for some off-site camping or even a cheap hotel if I can get some other folks interested). See for yourself: Daft Punk, Franz Ferdinand, Sigur Rós, Damian Marley, Common, TV on the Radio, Ladytron, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Cat Power, Animal Collective, Devendra Banhart, The Walkmen, Lady Sovereign, Deerhoof, Tool, Massive Attack, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bloc Party, Scissor Sisters, Matisyahu, Sleater-Kinner, Mogwai, Wolf Parade, Coldcut, Digable Planets, Seu Jorge, Ted Leo/Pharmacists, Gnarls Barkley (Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse), The Go! Team, Murs & 9th Wonder, Mates of State, and The Octopus Project.

Now, perhaps you might like to know about some events going down a little sooner:

Thursday, February 9, 2006
The Black Angels
Cafe Du Nord
$10

Disclosure: One of my friends manages the band. Disclosure: It doesn't matter because they're fucking good and I’d be going to the show regardless. Much like the truly great bands that immediately come to my mind upon hearing Austin's the Angels (Velvet Underground, The Doors, early Pink Floyd), the music may be dark, psychedelic, etc. while remaining universally accessible. Who doesn’t like VU, The Doors and Pink Floyd? That’s how people should feel about The Black Angels, because their brand of “drone ‘n’ roll” (not my term, but I love it) will have them blowing up before too long. It wasn't accidental that BBC Radio 1's Zane Lowe was giving them a lot of play last year and it isn't coincidence that they are headlining a showcase at SXSW. Listen to “Black Grease” right here and judge for yourself. Just hear that riff drop and tell me you don't want to come check these lads and ladies out. More samples here. If you're coming, better get there early. Show starts at 9:30 p.m. and the Angels are the first band playing. Local chamber pop groups the Botticellis and Papurcuts headline and open, respectively.

Here are a couple of shows to check out after The Black Angels if you don't care much for chamber pop. Going to have to make it quick because I need to score a few z's:

Thursday, February 9, 2006
Meat Beat Manifesto and Dalek
Mezzanine
$18

Jack Dangers and Jonny Stephens make up Meat Beat Manifesto and have been doing their extremely influential dub, hip hop, trip hop, noise, jazz, et al. electronica thing for almost 20 years and it shows. When I saw them last year, the music was banging along to some impressive (albeit slightly disturbing) videos. Noise-hop trio Dalek open and they alone are worth a journey over to Mezzanine, with their industrial, dark beats and lyrics.

Thursday, February 9, 2006
U-Roy, Scientist and Fully Fullwood
The Independent
$20

Billed as the "Wild West Dub Tour," this show promises to be the best dub bill in SF for a while. All legends in the world of dub, DJ (slightly confusing, as he's actually a vocalist, but that's how it goes) U Roy, studio engineer Scientist, and bassist Fully Fullwood will be playing some heavy live dub, together no less. Just writing briefly about it is making me feel like I have to go see this once-in-a-lifetime gig.

Finally, to make amends for my somewhat irregular posting over the past couple weeks, here's the always tantalizing list of shows to come:

2/9 Thu – Mezzanine – Meat Beat Manifesto and Dalek ($18)
2/9 Thu – Du Nord – Black Angels ($8/$10)
2/9 Thu – Independent – U-Roy and the Scientist ($20)
2/10 Fri – Independent – Stars & the Elected
2/10 Fri – 12 Galaxies – Fucking Champs ($10)
2/10 Fri – Onesixgallery – Living Jarboe (ex-Swans)
2/11 Sat – BOTH – Ariel Pink ($8/$10)
2/11 Sat – 330 Ritch – Wolfmother
2/11 Sat – Rickshaw – Goblin Cock ($10)
2/12 Sun – RDL – Beatnuts ($18)
2/12 Sun – 21 Grand - Why?, Bat Rays, Telephone Jim Jesus + Pedestrian, Clovis Heald, Lucid, Newagey No Friends, DJ's Odd Nosdam and Jel + Vegan Treats and Stuff for Sale ($4-10)
2/14 Tue – Hemlock - Hey Willpower, Japanther, Madeline Adams and Two Tears ($5)
2/15 Wed – Independent – The Juan Maclean ($12/$14)
2/15 Wed – Café Du Nord – The Drones ($10)
2/16 Thu – BOTH – Archer Prewitt ($10)
2/16 Thu – Du Nord – Supersuckers with The Drones ($15)
2/17 Fri – Davies Symphony Hall – Philip Glass
2/17 Fri – DNA Lounge – DJ Revolution (?)
2/17 Fri – Mezzanine – Madlib's Sound Directions Live 8 Piece Band + DJ's Peanut Butter wolf, J-Rocc, Hakobo and Proof ($15)
2/17 Fri – Independent – Dirty Dozen Brass Band ($15/$17)
2/17 Fri – Café Du Nord – Jacob Fred Jazz Oddessey & The Dead Kenny G’s
2/18 Sat – Independent – Rjd2 and Aceyalone & Busdriver ($22)
2/18 Sat – Club6 – Special Enter the Dancehall with Live Performances
2/18 Sat – Café Du Nord – Jacob Fred Jazz Oddessey & The Dead Kenny G’s
2/18 Sat – Davies Symphony Hall – Philip Glass
2/18 Sat – Hemlock - Flossin (Willits, Zach Hill, Kid 606), Christopher Willits & Bevin Blectum, Safety Scissors (deejay sets)
2/19 Sun – Davies Symphony Hall – Philip Glass
2/19 Sun – Elbo Room - Dub Mission Special Dancehall Bhangra Edition ($8)
2/21 Mon – Concourse – Belle & Sebastian and The New Pornographers
2/22 Wed – BBR - Jazz Mafia Brass Band ($5)
2/23 Thu – Mezzanine – Dilated Peoples and Little Brother ($18)
2/23 Thu – Mighty – Cobra Killer ($10)
2/25 Sat – GAMH – Buckethead ($20)
2/26 Sun – Red Devil – Souls of Mischief
2/27 Mon – BOTH – Orthrelm ($8)
3/1 Wed – Bimbo’s – Yeah Yeah Yeahs & the Gris Gris($20)
3/2 Thu – Bimbo’s – Yeah Yeah Yeahs & the Gris Gris ($20)
3/2 Thu – Fillmore – Stereolab ($25)
3/3 Fri – 924 Gilman – xbxrx and Battleship ($6)
3/3 Fri – Independent – New Orleans Klezmer All Stars
3/3 Fri – Hemlock – Afrirampo, Mae Shi and The Husbands ($8)
3/4 Sat – Fillmore – Stereolab ($25)
3/4 Sat Independent – Low & Damien Jurado ($17)
3/5 Sun – Fillmore – Animal Collective ($22)
3/8 Wed – 12 Galaxies – Jackie-O-Motherfucker & Tarentel ($6)
3/9 Thu – Slim’s – Flogging Molly ($22)
3/9 Thu – Popscene – Test Icicles
3/10 Fri – BOTH – Pink Mountaintops ($10)
3/10 Fri – Mezzanine – Goblin Cock ($9)
3/12 Sun – BOTH - Oneida ($8/$10)
3/13 Mon – Fillmore - Matisyahu
3/18 Sat – Independent – Robert Walters Super Heavy Organ
3/18 Sat – BOTH – Howling Hex
3/19 Sun – Boca – Ellen Allien ($13/$15)
3/20 Mon – BOTH – Art Brut ($12)
3/21 Tue – BOTH – Serena Maneesh ($8)
3/21 Tue – Boca – Birdy Nam Nam ($8/$10)
3/21 Tue – Independent – Art Brut ($12)
3/23 Thu – Boca – Vitalic ($15)
3/24 Fri – GAMH – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
3/24 Fri – Fillmore – Metric and Islands ($20)
3/24 Fri – Mezzanine – Ghostface Killah and M-1 (Dead Prez) ($18)
3/24 Fri – Concourse Exhib. Ctr. – The Strokes
3/25 Sat – GAMH – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
3/27 Mon – Knockout – A Fir-Ju Well
3/28 Tue – GAMH – Isis (Noisepop, $13/$15)
3/28 Tue – Bimbo’s – Feist (Noisepop, $18)
3/29 Wed – Slim’s – Subhumans ($10)
3/29 Wed – Independent – Dirtbombs (Noisepop)
3/30 Thu – Independent – The National (Noisepop)
3/30 Thu – GAMH - Kieran Hebden (of Four Tet) & Steve Reid (Noisepop)
3/31 Fri – Bimbo’s – Two Gallants (Noisepop, $15)
4/1 Sat – Independent – Kid Koala (Noisepop, $17)
4/6 Thu – Fillmore – James Blunt and Boy Least Likely To
4/7 Fri – Slim’s – Subtle & Fog ($15)
4/12 Wed – GAMH – Jamie Lidell
4/17 Mon – GAMH – The Books ($15)
4/19 Wed – GAMH – Dinosaur Jr.
4/20 Thu – GAMH – Dinosaur Jr.
4/20 Thu – BOTH – Ex-Girl ($11)
4/21 Fri – Yerba Buena – Kronos Quartet
4/22 Sat – Yerba Buena – Kronos Quartet
4/28 Fri – Mezzanine – Ladytron ($18)
4/28 Fri – GAMH – Mates of State
5/1 Mon – Independent – TV on the Radio ($15)
5/2 Tue – Independent – TV on the Radio ($15)
5/2 Tue – Mezzanine – Coldcut & Blockhead ($20)
5/5 Fri – 924 Gilman – Total Shutdown
5/6 Sat – Independent – Soul Position
5/7 Sun – BOTH – Acid Mothers Temple