Oh The Shows...

Sad to say but I've fallen a little behind on the blogging in the last couple months. Those travel ones took so much time I got a little burned out. But never fear loyal readers (aka Mom), I'm back at it! Even though I went to see the following shows in November and December, they were great enough to rehash.

The first weekend in November I went to see Charli XCX at Slim's in SOMA. She's a saucy English singer and songwriter who's been at it since 2008 (when she was 15). She gain notoriety when she was featured on Icona Pop's big hit, "I Love It." I enjoyed her second album "True Romance," which featured songs like "You- Ha Ha Ha," "Set Me Free" and "Cloud Aura." In concert she was very energetic and fun to watch. She's still pretty young so don't expect anything too deep, just an upbeat tempo that good for dancing and running. If she keeps playing smaller venues with space to dance I'd recommend checking her. In recent news she's been added to the SXSW 2014 lineup and will be releasing her third studio album in June.

The following week I went to check out a new venue and band in the Mission. The show was at the new venue, The Chapel, on Valencia. It was originally a mortuary and is now a venue, restaurant, bar and outdoor patio. The restaurant is called The Vestry. We ate and had drinks there before. They have a fun cocktail menu and a lot of small plate and flatbread options that are going for sharing. The cuisine is a blend of French, Italian and Mediterranean. The best part? Our server was fully up on what was happening at the venue next door so we knew exactly when it was time to pay the tab and head over. Inside the venue, you could tell it had been a mortuary at some point, with the high ceilings, stained glass windows and Gothic feel. The ambiance was original and very cool, with the size just big enough for an intimate show experience. The show we saw was Glasser, who I hadn't heard of until the friend I went with recommended her. Glasser is an American singer/songwriter hailing from Boston. Her first EP debuted in 2009, followed by her full album in 2010. Her other album dropped in 2013. Her sound is very funky. On her Wiki page they compared her to Joni Mitchell but with the eerie electronic vibe I'd go more with someone like Purity Ring. It was a good show, pretty outside the box, but considering what we paid plus the venue I'm happy I went.

Near the end of November I went to the Fox Theater in Oakland for Chvrches. I was very excited by this one, as they've started selling out shows since they got big and I missed them the first time around. Chvrches (don't ask me say this band name out loud although apparently it's just "churches") is a Scottish synthpop band that formed in 2011. The band has no religious affiliation, just thought the name "sounded cool." They started releasing tracks in 2012, including my favorite "The Mother We Share." Their next single "Recover" starting blowing up in early 2013. Chvrches ended up 5th on BBC's Sound of 2013, of which Haim was named the winner. Another lesser known favorite of mine, Little Green Cars, was also on the list. Back to the show, it was amazing. The lighting was fun but not overdone. Sometimes when you hear synthpop live it just sounds like over-processed EDM but their sound was crystal clear. Her voice sounded exactly like it does on the albums, so there's no digital processing there. I would highly recommended seeing them live if you can.

In early December I went back to the Fox to see the Head & the Heart. an indie folk rock band out of Seattle. They formed in 2009 and self-released their first music in 2010, got signed and released the album on CD and vinyl in 2011. The band is comprised of five guys and though it's not on their Wiki page (which lacks detail and clearly needs to be updated), there's a girl member (who plays a killer violin). Their songs range from being piano, violin or percussion driven, which shows a wide range of skill. Their lyrics are beautiful and soulful. Live it was one of those truly impactful shows where you can tell the whole audience is having an emotional connection with the music. While already a darling on the indie scene, I think this band is still in the process of taking off even more. Expect them to start showing up on a lot of festival lineups. Definitely check them out.

A Foodie Ode to Oakland

I don’t know if I’ve ever written an Oakland restaurant review and for that I am sorry. I’m working on getting over my bias of Oakland that most Bay Area-ites tend to have (although believe me, there are parts of the city that fit the stereotype). Most of my Oakland eating has taken place within an immediate radius of the Fox, but I have trekked as far as Beer Revolution for drink before. Make Westing has strong drinks and awesome sandwiches. Hutch Bar & Kitchen was bourgeois for the area, overpriced Southern food, super slow service, mediocre drinks and an overall disappointment.  A favorite standby of mine is Rudy’s Can’t Fail Café. Yes, it is typical diner food but it’s delicious and exactly what you need before a show sometimes. Plus they have a jalapeno cucumber margarita that’s to die for and outside seating right on Telegraph next to the Fox so you can laugh at all the under-agers who thought waiting in line for 2 hours prior to doors opening was worth it. If you’re sticking to a couple blocks of the Fox, Xolo Taqueria is my top recommendation. There’s a breakfast burrito that almost makes me wish there were morning concerts, but the surf-n-turf burrito’s a good dinner alternative. The tacos are comparable to those you would find at a more upscale Mexican joint in the Mission. If it’s not too sweet for you, get the horchata. Yes, there’s no alcohol in it but you’re going to drink enough at the show anyway and this beverage is worth the wait.

 

Anyway, I’m dedicating this post to my new favorite restaurant in Oakland, Mua Lounge. It’s semi-tucked away on Broadway, but the small patio area is buzzing on nice days. The inside of the restaurant is unexpectedly large, at two floors that span pretty far back. We were seated upstairs and quickly assessed the cocktail menu. I started with the strawberry ginger lemonade, which was so delicious it was hard to tell it was alcoholic at all. It’s a little sweet though, so later in the meal I switched to the Joe Smash, which is Belvedere vodka (it’s always nice when a place uses top shelf), Cointreau, mint, red grape and lemon. This was the favorite cocktail of the table, so I highly recommend it. For the food, we took a look at the starter salads and they all sounded so tasty that we ordered 3 different ones. And they were all worth it. The pressed watermelon with feat, pine nuts, mint and olive oil was light and refreshing. I want to try and recreate this salad on a hot summer day. The kale salad (you know my obsession with kale) was mixed with pine nut, currant, kohlrabi, onion and manchego shredded cheese. It was pretty good as kale salads go, I always like when pine nut is added and currant was a new flavor. Lastly we tried the beet salad, with mache (sweet, nutty and leafy- the newest rage in the lettuce world), goat cheese and pecan. I’m all for mache becoming the hottest new leafy green (behind kale of course) and I liked the pecans pairing with the beats in place of walnuts. We ordered the brussel sprouts, which were sautéed in a brown butter sauce so they weren’t greasy. The mac n’ cheese is a must order. The catch is, there’s no cheese in the dish! The pseudo-cheese is made with butternut squash and cream, yet tastes like a light and healthy version of mac n’ cheese. If I was a better cook, I would try to recreate this as well. The grilled artichoke was fine but not the best I’ve add. The tarragon aioli is was topped with needed citrus zest or something a little more punchy. There also wasn’t enough aioli on the dish and they were hard to cut up and share. The burrata cheese plate, with Portobello, red pepper, squash and balsamic was good, but you really can’t mess up burrata. The fried calamari was a nice warm addition to the meal. The chili and shallot mixed in helped bring it a step above your standard restaurant calamari dish. Lastly, the lamb cheeks are a must order. They were daube braised (a French style way usually reserved for making stew with wine, vegetables, garlic, and herbes de Provence) and served with parsnip. The meat was so tender and flavorful. They came in a plate filled with the sauce, which I then wanted to dunk my brussel sprouts in, it was so good. These may be easy to miss when scanning the menu but I definitely recommend them! 

Oh Oakland, You Grown On Me

As any slightly dedicated reader of my blog knows (I like to pretend there’s a few of you), the Fox Theater in Oakland is my favorite place to catch a show. I’m probably there at least once a month (although I aim for less than once a week). Two Fridays ago I was there for the second night of Alt-J, an English indie rock quartet. According to their Wikipedia page, they formed in 2007 but didn't release their debut album until 2012. The first few years was just them jamming in their college dorm. Interesting fact: The band's unusual sound stems from the fact that due to living in student halls, noise had to be kept to a minimum and so they were unable to use bass guitars or bass drums. They were then signed to a label in 2011. The band is actually one of the more interesting ones I've read about. There’s a clear adoration of triangles, with two different ways to decipher their name and on the album cover. I actually spent a while at the merch table trying to find secret triangles in one of their concert shirts. At the show we got tickets a little late in the game and ended up in the balcony, which I’m not a huge fan of but is sometimes okay for a more chill show. I’m actually glad we were up there for this show, as they had one of the most beautiful lighting/special effects shows I've ever seen. They used the fog to create geometric shapes in the fog. The majority of the show was back lit  as these are not egocentric guys, which gave it a dramatic effect. The colors and lights changed every song and were very reflective of the mood/beat of each song. They only have one album, so it was a short show but they played every song. They have a very apparent zealous fan following, as most of the audience knew every single song. They didn't even sing the chorus of “Matilda,” as the crowd more than carried it. And who could resist a song that references “Where the Wild Things Are” (found in Breezeblocks)? The only negative thing I have to say is that I really wasn't as fan of their opener, Canadian band Royal Canoe. To me they sounded like an unpolished garage band but in the restroom I overheard two girls raving about them, so to each their own.

Last Friday I was back at the Fox for Big Gigantic, a two man group from Boulder, CO. If you ever go to the Fox on the first Friday of the month, take a stroll down Telegraph and check out the art murmur, First Friday. We went to dinner at Mua Lounge beforehand, which is my new favorite Oakland food spot (review to follow). The Big Gigantic show was interesting. Definitely a fun group to dance to. Feeling that “electronica” is a label that does not fairly cover their sound, I looked them up on Wikipedia too. They are described as an “instrumental livetronica, hip-hop and jazz musical group.” The best way I can paint a picture is imagine Justice but then take the electronica down a notch and add in a killer saxophone. Seriously, the guy who played the saxophone absolutely killed it. The light show was pretty stellar and almost felt like being at a Pretty Lights show. I don’t think I could sit around listening to their music but the live show is a lot of fun so if they come through your town or are playing at a festival, go check them out. Very high energy and an entertaining crowd.

Musical May

I was worried after April, and all of its Fauxchella fun, was over. What will I do on the weekends? How will I keep disintegrating my ear drums bit by bit? What if I get too much sleep on weeknights? Never fear, May was chalk full with great acts coming through town.

The month kicked off with Bottle Rock 5/8-5/12. I'll admit, I'm getting told old for a four day music festival so I went with the 3 day pass. This was the very first year of Bottle Rock, which takes place in Napa. A music festival in wine country? Yes please! Word on the street is that they got a 10 year contract, so this festival will be around for many more years to come. There was a little shadiness, as the fest got approval from the Expo board without consulting the city. The verdict is still out on if Bottle Rock hurt or helped Napa, but overall it sounds like the 35-40,000 attendees made most business happy. The lineup was pretty solid. I'd have to say my favorites were The Flaming Lips. Wayne puts on a crazy show with plenty of lights and lasers. Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros were pretty good too. I unfortunately missed Allen Stone, a soul and R&B musician from Washington, who's on the cusp of blowing up. I'll probably go next year, although I hope it's less hot next time. The lineup will hopefully be just as solid and the food/wine selection was one of the best I've seen in a while. Hopefully they'll finesse all the first year issues (namely the disastrous parking situation and the dust). Tip: Book your place to stay up there as soon as dates are announced, all hotels/airbnbs will fill up fast!

Next up I caught Dragonette and The Presets at the Fox Theater in Oakland. When you look out into the crowd and it's just women, gay men, glow sticks and sparkles, you know it's going to be damn good party. I've seen Dragonette live before and love them. Martina Sorbara, the lead singer, knows how to get the dance party started. She's energetic and gives her all no matter the size or enthusiasm of the crowd. I liked them better than The Presets, although they were good too. It's just with The Presets (a two man Australian electro duo with vocals, drums and keyboards), they're stuck behind their instruments which can limit the stage energy unless you're someone like Justice.

After that, we hit Tame Impala, which was also at the Fox but had a completely different feel. Walking into the Tame Impala show was like walking into the 70s, completely with psychedelic lights and weed. When bands play slow jams these days, everyone usually holds up their cell phone lights. At this how everyone actually held up legit lighters! I forgot how beautiful that looks. Tame Impala is a rock band that reminds me almost of the Australian version of someone like Dinosaur Jr, which more funk thrown in. Elephant is probably their most well know song but my favorite is Feels Like We Only Go Backwards.

Last weekend I went to Mumford & Sons at the Greek Theater, a gorgeous outdoor amphitheater in the hills of the UC Berkeley campus (seriously, we parked at a frat house). I love Mumford and these days it's hard to find people who don't, they've gotten so big. They played three nights straight at the Greek, which sold out in minutes. For those of you living in a cave, this four man English folk band formed in 2007 hit the scene big in 2009 with their release of "Sign No More," which won them the Grammy for "Best New Artist." In 2012, they release their second album "Babel," which in my opinion is just as good as their earlier stuff. Seeing them live is great because they really put their all into it and interact with the crowd. They were able to get the entire Greek Theater (8,500 seats + the lawn) to be completely silent while they played a couple acoustic songs, which was amazing to behold. While you never really know if artists are telling the truth, they said this was the most silent they've ever gotten a large crowd to be and a memory they would treasure. Regardless, it was a pretty great show.

Last Saturday (and technically in June), we went back to the Greek (should have just slept there, is this an option??) for the xx. Again, another English band, who started as an indie duo and added on 2 more once they started touring. Their sound is hard to explain. It's a little electro, a little instrumental, with almost eerie whispering vocals. They hit it big with Crystalised in 2009. They release "Coexist" in 2012. The lead duo is a introverted, so it's a totally different experience and while I love them, I could take them or leave them live. They did have a pretty decent light show with some cool lasers (you can't go wrong with lasers). When at the Greek though I hate being up in the seats because you can't stand up and dance.

The Shows of September

Let me preface this by saying I'm really, really trying to cut back on the amount of shows I go to. It just didn't work this month. Oops. Well, technically this is less than August! Here's quick snapshot of some amazing bands that made their way through San Francisco last month. 

I went to Slim's in SOMA for the first time ever and it's now one of my favorite venues in this city. The tickets are cheap, the crowd is the right amount of raucous, the drinks are affordable and the space is the perfect size. I was lucky enough to see The Heavy here for my first experience. The Heavy is a British rock band with strong instrumentals and saucy vocals. Their music almost has a vintage sound, like classic R&B. Their stage energy reminds me of Fitz & the Tantrums. They get everybody dancing and singing a long. Next time the tour the US I would definitely recommend checking them out. Some of my favorites singles of theirs are How You Like Me Now? and Colleen.

Later that week I went to my main spot, the Fox Theater in Oakland, to check out The Tallest Man On Earth. One of the friends I went with introduced me to his music and I was definitely impressed by what I heard online. While I'll be honest that I didn't catch the whole set, I was even more impressed by him live. The Tallest Man On Earth is Kristian Matsson from Sweden and he's actually pretty short. However, he's so charismatic on stage that it makes up for any lack of height. He's pretty much a one-man-band with an occasion backup support guy. At one point he was playing so hard his guitar string snapped but he just tossed it over his shoulder and kept on going. His style could be classified as indie folk, but he also is reminiscent of American folk from the 1970s. His voice is often compared to that of Bob Dylan, though I think that's a bit of a stretch. These days I'd classify him in the same category as Mumford & Sons or Bon Iver. Great music for an evening of chilling at home.

After that, I was back at the Fox Theater the week after for Hot Chip, which was a lot less mellow and a lot more dance party. Hot Chip is a Euro-Indie-Electric-Synth band (I think I just invented this genre) from London. They've been around since 2000 and are a great addition to any upbeat party or dance off. The band is bigger than I realized (5-7 guys). Their lighting and stage setup was very apropos for their sound. My only wish is that they had talked and interacted with the audience a little more, as many of these people have been huge fans for 10+ years. Still a great show though, so I recommend catching them if they swing through town. My favorites and some of their biggest known singles include Ready For the Floor and Night & Day.

At the end of September I saw Dragonette at the Mezzanine in SOMA. The Mezzanine hosts a lot of electronic, synth and DJ shows. They have a great space for it, but make sure you go on a night when there's a good show. Otherwise it turns into a rather drug-filled rave with people who appear to have fake IDs. This show was a great dance party and in my opinion a lot more energetic than the Hot Chip show. Dragonette is a Canadian electronic band, with songs verging on an 80s/90s vibe. I love the lead singer, Martina Sorbara. She has great energy, slightly reminiscent of Robyn. While the mainstream may have heard of Dragonette from their part in Martin Solveig's "Hello," I think some of their best singles are Let It Go and Fixin To Thrill.

Fauxcella Fun

While I wasn't able to make it to either Coachella weekend this year, the perk of living in Northern California is that "Fauxchella," which happens in the weeks surrounding Coachella in Southern California. Bands either swing by the Bay Area on their way to or from the festival, or they fly up between weekend to perform. For the full Fauxcella lineup. Sadly, I missed Radiohead when they came up to San Jose but I was able to catch a bunch of other great acts.

Last Wednesday night I caught M.Ward at the Fillmore. The Fillmore is by far one of the best music venues in the city and has so much history. There's concert posters and photos covering all the walls of shows that have happened there since it was built. They keep with traditional, with a bucket of free apples near the entrance and an artistic concert poster on your way out if the show is sold-out. The M.Ward show was one of the more mellow shows I've been to in a while but his music is still danceable. I was surprised that he also played songs from his group projects, Monsters of Folk and She & Him. You can tell his musical skills no matter what he's playing or singing. And the show sold out so I got a beautiful M. Ward poster on the way out with butterflies flying out of a photograph. For more information on The Fillmore.

Last Thursday I went over to Oakland to see Miike Snow at the Fox Theater. The Fox Theater is my favorite venue in the full Bay Area and is definitely worth the trek to Oakland (it's only one block from the BART stop). The opener was Penguin Prison, a band my friends have turned me onto recently. Outside of their name being totally awesome, their songs are bouncy and fun. I didn't make it until halfway through their set but for the songs I did catch, they were energetic and crowd engaging. I heard from other show goers who hadn't heard of them before that they would be checking out their album. I've seen Miike Snow (it's an indie pop group from Sweden, not some guy named Miike) live before at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis when their 2009 album "Miike Snow" came out. This show was to support their second album, "Happy To You." They always put effort into their stage performance. They usually start out in masks and cloaks for the first song or two. There's always crazy light installations and the stage is covered in fog. If you ever have the chance to see them live, definitely do it. They play a mix of slower and more danceable songs, working in a ton of different instruments. The crowd is always engaged and it's just one of those shows that always leaves you wanting a second encore after the first.

This Tuesday I went to see Justice back at the Fox Theater. I've been dying to see Justice live so I was psyched. I have friends who go all over the world to attend their shows, so I knew I was in store for something spectacular. Unfortunately I missed the opener, The Rapture, but I heard good reviews. Justice is an electronic duo out of France. Their know for their signature sound that varies from other electronic groups in that it often incorporates a strong rock beat or indie influence. Their latest album, "Audio, Video, Disco" came out last year. It's pretty good but I'm partial to the older songs off "A Cross the Universe." If you don't think you've ever heard Justice, chances are you've probably heard their most well-known single "D.A.N.C.E." played at some party or bar. Back to the show, as soon as they went on stage the energy level in the place blew up. Their lights were intense (but awesome), filling the mood. Both guys were standing on a stand higher up, so even shorties like me could see them. Their signature giant glowing cross hung in the middle. It was an epic show and I wouldn't have expected any less. If you want the ultimate dance party, you need to see Justice live.