SF cafes you should know about

So, growing up in San Francisco, I have become quite accustomed to the cafe life. It seems to be a universal feeling in the Bay Area to reject chains as much as we can and find that little independent cafe we will dedicate our patronage to. Cafes in San Francisco are usually full and busy, and it is totally normal for someone to sit in one for one or two hours working or reading. It is also normal for friends to meet at one and then actually hang out there for a while. This is so different from other major cities I have visited in the US. San Francisco's cafe life is more akin to the small restaurants on corners in Paris or the coffee houses of Italy.

Whether you have experienced this accept of San Francisco or not, I am about to make it even better through the offering of ten delicious and wonderful cafes in easy to locate areas. I have even sorted them out by neighborhood and included MUNI directions, just to make things even easier for you.

1) Cafe La Vie
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
Address: 514 Octavia St
I really love this cafe for a lot of reasons. One is the vibe - it's in an old garage so it opens completely up on the street in front. The ceilings are high, the music is good (last time I was in, they played The Dodos), and the chairs are comfy. Another reason to really love it are the low prices - it has remained cheap in this economic crisis, where even Mels had to raise their stakes. But not here. I can get a hot chocolate and a bagel with cream cheese for $3.25. On top of it all, the people who work there are super nice and the service is quick. If you stake out there with a laptop, they will be more than happy to keep the coffee coming. Bonus: delicious iced tea with a different flavor every day. I recommend the pomegranate.
Muni: 21 Hayes to Octavia and Hayes, or any underground to Van Ness station

2) Coffee To The People
Neighborhood: The Haight
Address: 1206 Masonic Ave
This is located right as you're getting to the end of the main stretch of Haight st. It is an awesome place; they are based around a theme of organic and fair trade products, always appreciated in today's world. It's a cool and busy atmosphere, and the staff is non-judgmental (which is not quite an abundant personality in the Haight). It's perfect for coffee and free wifi or to grab something with a friend. In addition to the name being extremely catchy and witty, the cafe actually does live up to it quite nicely with a very alternative anti-industry feel to the whole place. A popular cafe for many hip youngins' in SF.
Muni: 71 Haight to Haight st, or N Judah to Carl & Cole, or 43 to Masonic and Haight

3) Tart To Tart
Neighborhood: Inner Sunset
Address: 641 Irving Street
Okay so it doesn't have the cutest decor or homiest atmosphere, but their cookies and pastries are amazing, as are the coffee drinks they can mix up for you. The cakes they sell are also delicious. And of course, the tarts are a favorite. Tart To Tart also boasts a large selection of San Francisco native Double Rainbow Ice Cream, which seems to be getting used less and less (damn shame, it's delicious). It is reasonably priced too, and in a good location: there's a lot to do around there, from the de Young museum to the Botanical Gardens. I choose Tart To Tart over the Starbucks on block down any day.
Muni: N Judah to 9th and Irving

4) Cafe Cole
Neighborhood: The Haight
Address: 609 Cole Street
I adore the location of this cafe, and love their vibe and set up. The people who work there are really cool, and they still make the best mochas I have tasted to date. Cookies could be better, but the specialty apple cider (amazing) and bagels totally make up for it. Plus they always seem to a really good selection of pastries. When you're in there, look at the paintings of scenes from Wind of the Willows on the wall. They're very old and were there even before Cafe Cole was; however, no one seems to know where they came from or what they were there for.
Muni: 71 Haight to Haight, or 37 Corbett to Cole, or N Judah to Carl and Cole

5) Tartine Bakery
Neighborhood: Mission
Address: 600 Guerrero St
Okay, so it's more a bakery. Whatever. You can still sit and have coffee and something to eat. This place is incredible. The food is delicious and the location is perfect. The only downside I can find to it is that everyone loves it so much that it's always crowded. However, if you do grab a bite and a delicious coffee, then manage to get a spot, it is perfect. On a sunny day, outside spots can be tough but it's possible. Nothing like people watching with a yummy croissant. This place is also a real neighborhood cafe, big for gatherings of people or meeting up. The busy aspect is kinda cool.
Muni: 49 to Mission and 18th, or 31 to Guerrero

6) Java Beach
Neighborhood: Outer Sunset
Address: 1396 La Playa St
It's a long trek via the N all the way to Ocean Beach and The Great Highway, but once you're there and the ocean is gorgeous and Java Beach makes you feel like you live on a tiny island...you'll love it. Good food and drinks, outdoor seating, and a unique set up inside. The ceiling is low and arches ornament different parts of the cafe. Very intimate feeling. Even if it's raining, there's something about Java Beach that makes it seem so cozy. You really want the indie cafe vibe, go here. And ocean beach is literally 20, maybe 30, steps away, just across the Great Highway.
Muni: N Judah all the way to the end


7) Cafe Corbas
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
Address: 364 Hayes St
I've been going here since I was born practically. My mom is a regular there, like so many Symphony employees (the symphony is just a block away), and has been popping in there for many years. I remember many a hot chocolate. I still like to go here now. It's a tad expensive, yes...but the coffee drinks are delicious (amazing latte, voted best in SF) and Nadi, the owner, uses really good products. If you become a regular here, or even just pop in once a week or so, the staff and Nadi are great to you and super welcoming and kind. He also gets to know your preferences very fast. Every time I walk in, it's "English breakfast tea, two tea bags, with milk?" Word. Sidenote: great sandwiches made with care.
Muni: Any underground to Van Ness, or 21 Hayes to Hayes

8) Caffe Trieste
Neighborhood: North Beach
Address: 601 Vallejo Street
SF classic, famed through the Beat Poets. I just really love being in here, not only for the historical significance, but also because since it's in North Beach, it has that awesome Italian cafe feeling. It opens up onto the street really freely and is bustling and alive. Amazing coffee. Bring a book or a conversational friend and soak it all in.
Muni: 30 to Stockton and Columbus, or 9 to Columbus and Broadway, or 20 to Columbus and Broadway

9) Peet's Coffee
Neighborhood: all over
Address: word
Even if it is a chain, it's a local one, and their food/coffee/settings are still great. Plus support anything but Starbucks, right? Try and locate your favorite SF Peet's; they're all really different when you feel 'em. I love the one on Fillmore the most just for it's cozy seats and couches. I had my first mocha ever at a Peet's (8th grade) and thought it was the most amazing thing I have ever tasted.
A little story on Peet's of Berkeley

10) Cole Valley Cafe
Neighborhood: Cole Valley
Address: 701 Cole Street
It's just a block up from Cafe Cole, but they are totally unique and different. Cole Valley Cafe feels more yuppie compared to Cafe Cole, but that is not a bad thing! It's warm inside, friendly and inviting, and I love their hot chocolate. Make sure to get whipped cream on it because the whipped cream is hand made right there on location. It is delicious. They have a very wide selection of sandwiches and bagels to choose from, plus free wifi and plenty of seats. The bagels I recommend strongly, especially cream cheese and lox. They don't skimp on the fixings like so many cafes do.
Muni: N Judah to Carl and Cole, or 37 to Cole, or 6 to Parnassus and Cole

Lee Miller at SFMOMA

Once again, here I am, plugging away for SFMOMA. What can I say? It's my favorite museum in San Francisco and their exhibits are put together with style and class. Not to mention they always seem to snatch up exhibits by some of my favorite artists.

For these reasons, this post is to persuade you to visit SFMOMA some time in the next mont and check out their latest photo exhibit, which has come straight from the Victoria & Albert museum in London. Fancy stuff, I tell you.

This exhibit has but a couple more weeks left but there is still time to catch the photography of one of the most important photographers of the 20th century, not to mention a woman photographer. In a world where even the business of artistic photography seems to rely on what men can produce, Lee Miller's photos are different, interesting, and a long awaited view from a woman's prospective. While many of the photos remain dark or candid, others are simple and depictive of every day life.

Most often described as a surrealist photographer, she was heavily influenced by Man Ray after meeting him. Miller doesn't forget where she came from though either: she modeled for years before being a photographer.

I loved this exhibit because it doesn't just leave out what got her to photography: it's the span of her life. It really is a personal glimpse at her and her work.

The collection is extensive and vast and definitley a must see to comprehend where photography is going and from where it has come.

Like the surreal and candid? It's for you. Just like photography in general? It's definitley for you.
The Art of Lee Miller
Click here for more info
Exhibiton runs till September 14th, 2008
More than 150 photos
http://www.sfmoma.org/

I thought I would also take this moment to announce my moving to Vermont. Tonight, I am boarding a plane to head over there. While I will still be back in San Francisco for a good amount of the year, most of my blogging will be from over there and thus mostly reviewing of CDs or bands. Still, you can all count on Blaine and Anna to fill up all the happenings of the Bay, as both are still in residence here.


I will miss SF, but I will be back. Thank you for all the support so far!

Extremely Belated - Fleet Foxes @ BotH 6/26 and Matmos @ GAMH 7/12

Part I: Fleet Foxes

The show got kicked off nicely with two openers: Mist & Mast, and the Dutchess (no typo) & the Duke.

Mist & Mast, a local band, have a widely varied sound in the sense that it's hard to tell what exactly their focus and future musical destinations are; their songs are strong compositionally, but so far there isn't a huge amount of continuity on the level of the overall body of work. From seemingly Nirvana-inspired croons to surf-rock-reminiscent riffs to walking-rhythm folk melodies, Mist & Mast's music is like a crazy agglomerate of everything rock-related that you've ever heard. The medley of genres doesn't quite show in their paltry selection of recordings on myspace, but it is beautifully organized - and it's up to the listener to decide whether they're trying to cover more bases than there are on the field, or whether they're doing a great job experimenting with the sounds that the past has laid out as influence on contemporary developments.





Seattle's the Dutchess & the Duke, on the other hand, are driven by one goal only: fast folk with few instruments and powerful harmony. With the duo on vocals and guitar and a third person on percussion (tambourine, maracas...), the D&D filled the space with rolling wanderer's ballad after rolling wanderer's ballad. The songs are full of contrast - big sound from few things, an up beat with lonely lyrics, the male-female harmony, and so on. While the tone of the music is more somber - the song 'Reservoir Park' sounds like 'House of the Rising Sun' played in double time - it did establish its folk origins, preparing the crowd for the main set by Fleet Foxes.

Fleet Foxes kicked off their set with 'Ragged Wood,' and the concert was filled with nearly every song from their eponymous album that was released earlier this year. Given the genre, it certainly wasn't a wild show, but the group gave their performance a very personal feel, responding even to oddly enthusiastic viewers' comments like "Nice capo!!" The stage was crowded with instruments and mics and people, which created a kind of living-room close ambiance that combined nicely with the cozy mountain feeling radiating from the music. From 'White Winter Hymnal' to 'He Doesn't Know Why,' the crowd was charmed by impeccable instrumental work and bassist Wargo's amazing harmonies. The show was peppered with anecdotes from the tour - people got sick in Europe; London reviewers made mocking remarks on their long hair and the youthful looks of the guy on ukulele (on the far right of the photo; couldn't find his name). All in all, the night transported everyone to a different world - simpler, more comfortable, and very down to earth and woodsy; it was a campfire world with the benefits of electricity, and well worth experiencing in any setting at all.

Part II: Matmos

The Matmos show opened with a performance by the Baltimore-based Wobbly (John Leidecker). Operating several machines and accompanied by another person doing live visual effects that were created by sliding and crumpling various textured items under some sort of projection apparatus, Leidecker shows off his 10+ years of experience with his instrumental techniques by sending out gigantic waves of powerful noise, spontaneous repeating rhythms that seem to vanish as quickly as they appear, and tiny ear-taunting samples. The visual effects enhanced the sound by reflecting what the ear was experiencing in realtime: a soar in the quantity of abrasive noise would be partnered with rough-looking materials being crumpled or shaken, and rotating gentle patterns would be performed (no other word quite fits) when Leidecker played smoother sounds. The projection screen was damned riveting, but if the eye happened to stray, it would be sure to fall upon Leidecker's feet, tapping the machines' pedals under the table and behind a curtain of cords, and his head, bobbing and swaying with new sounds just as he generated them. Somehow the whole arrangement made me conjure up a strange phrase to describe it: "post-apocalyptic show-and-tell;" it was like having a non-voice from the future describe in detail everything that would exist if the world was bombed to wreckage, and you couldn't help but listen.


Matmos' performance began with the group wandering through the audience with little lasers. At first there was silence; then bleeps and scratches emerged; the music began to build and mix. How was it happening? A light-receptive module in the apparatus onstage would emit sound every time a laser hit it, and as the members of Matmos approached and the frequency of laser hits increased, the abrupt sounds became more continuous and metamorphosed into the music. Like Wobbly, Matmos was accompanied by visuals, but these came in the form of previous recordings. Some told a story with the music, such as that of Steve (was that his name?) who goes out to his (?) small backyard pool one sunny afternoon to masturbate. The first video, shown at left, was of a girl speaking slowly with her eyes covered by what may be halves of ping-pong balls. Others were just beautiful, like a grid of swelling black dots on a white background or a field of dots in a circle changing colors, swirling, and turning into spirals. Some noises were new, and others sounded familiar from the group's latest album, "Supreme Balloon;" everything sounded amazing. If you have yet to hear the sounds of the ARP 2600, the musical creations of Matmos are most definitely one of the best ways to first experience it.
Standing right next to a speaker is not highly recommended as a general rule, particularly for extremely loud shows like this, but I defied my better judgment to feel the higher-pitched beams of Matmos' (generally) all-synthesized sound in addition to the low ones that boomed in the floor and made everyone's shirts shake. It was quite a mind-blowing (and ear-popping) experience: every sound seemed more powerful than the next, each demanding the listener's full attention in turn and holding everyone captive in a deep trance that was more akin to a series of smacks up the side of the head than a soft embrace. And yet somehow I felt lulled to sleep, a concept that even now I cannot fully grasp. There's just something so delightful about hearing (and feeling) a plane landing next to you - one of my favorite sounds of the night - that there's no way to describe the way it warms the heart, revs up the ears and mind, and makes you want to jump up and down like a kid, all at the same time.

Frida Kahlo at SFMOMA

The above is by far one of my favorite Frida Kahlo paintings.

So I've been interning this summer at SFMOMA, and let me tell you, it has been great. To be surrounded by art 24/7 is fantastic and exactly what I hope to do for the rest of my life.

In any case, as I worked, the Frida Kahlo exhibit opened to the public. I knew this exhibit was going to be big: it contains not only an enormous selection of her paintings, but also photographs, very personal ones, of her life with her husband or family or friends. These photographs are rare and shed a light on Frida we have not seen before. It is a beautifully put together exhibit (it arrived at SFMOMA from MoMA in NYC) and definitley worth your time.

Heres the catch: you need a timed ticket. This exhibit is so big and so popular that it has drawn in the crowds like nothing I've seen before at SFMOMA (besides when Devendra Banhart played there). You buy a ticket, it says a time, and you arrive 10 minutes before (members get express entrance). You may think this is a big ol' load of baloney, but, my friend there have been lines every day stretching out of the galleries in which it's located. Dayum.

Being on staff, I walked through the exhibit on the day the museum was closed (hallelujah, Wednesdays!) and going through the empty rooms with only the paintings and me...I wish it is something you could all experience. Really amazing.

Still, it would seem most of you have to brave the Frida Fanatics. Some people seem to believe they have a special deep connection with Kahlo and have the urge to stand extremely near to the paintings or make sudden movements near priceless works of art.

Hey. I said it was unlike anything you'll have seen before.

For information on this exhibit, just click here

Frida Biography

http://www.fridakahlo.com/

http://www.sfmoma.org/

Enjoy the exhibit. It really is worth it.

The Contemporary Jewish Museum, and Islands at Bimbo's 365

Photos by me, the newbie!

Part I: The Contemporary Jewish Museum

Or the CJM, as I affectionately refer to it. The museum opened its doors on the 7th with much fanfare; DAWN 2008, the festival organized for its unveiling, was a huge success - according to local newspapers (after an hour of waiting in line in the freezing wind, it was announced that tickets weren't being sold at the door due to some unforeseen planning snafu... however, this is beside the point).

The current CJM exhibits bring a lot to the table. The William Steig exhibit showcases Steig's work through the years, and those of us brought up on his stories will relive fond memories of childhood as we see individual drawings from old favorites such as Shrek! and Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. However, the artist's cartoons from his many years at 'The New Yorker' - he began illustrating for the magazine in 1930 and produced hundreds of drawings, as well as over 100 covers, for it - round out the show and demonstrate Steig's talent with social commentary and his depictions of his own reality. Also of interest are his 'Symbolic Drawings,' which illustrate various states of mind with witty captions; you can see 'Man in a Deep Depression' here for a bittersweet example: http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/12/13/arts/1214-STEI_6.html

The John Zorn Aleph-Bet Sound Project is quite amazing, but its setup in the museum leaves a little to be desired. The music that the artists produced for the Project is quite the type that one would expect from them; each piece is a unique and thought-provoking interpretation of a letter from the Aleph-Bet and incorporates often industrial, always avant-garde jazz sounds. The space, however, is not ideal for this exhibit - presented in the 'Yud' gallery, located in the eye-catching metal-encased octahedron (I believe) section of the building, the incredible music is played at an underwhelming volume that leaves listeners fantasizing about a mass uprising involving the attack of the hidden schoolmarm holding the volume controller. I stuck around for the first 5 minutes of Erik Friedlander's 50 Gates of Understanding, based on the letter [Nun], then gave up on trying to hear the music over the deafeningly blank walls of the gallery space. Both the music and the room are awe-inspiring - just not in combination. I hope that a CD of this astounding collaboration gets published and is available for purchase later, making it possible to blast the music at high (or at least audible) volume!

The last highlight of the CJM is the presentation of various artists' interpretations of Genesis centering on the story of the Creation. The works range in style from Marc Chagall, to Auguste Rodin, to Tom Marioni, to Trenton Doyle Hancock, covering a wide range of takes on this fundamental passage of religious texts and showing how much we can gain, religious or not, from thinking about this - the artists themselves are creating a new, indirect way through which we can ponder Genesis and other aspects of religion. Each artist seems to bring new views and interpretations to visitors, and with over a dozen artists it certainly wouldn't do any of the work justice to try and describe it all here - it's something you've got to see along with the rest of the museum.

Part II: Islands at Bimbo's 365 with Crayonsmith and Despot

Crayonsmith, a group from Dublin, Ireland, stepped up first with a not-bad set. Initially, my mind turned to thoughts of "I think I like their bass guitarist's Built to Spill shirt more than their music..." but such ideas were proved wrong by their 3rd song, which got the crowd going with a more upbeat and wonderfully synthy sound. Although they have a number of audible influences - a concept justified by the plethora of bands listed under 'Influences' on their myspace page - they are bringing something of their own to their sound and have some definite potential and are worth a good listen. They're like a guitar-shot Notwist, or a higher-strung Casiotone for the Painfully Alone. The songs played were 'Anxious' and 'Scarytale' with 3 or 4 others, and the band closed with 'Lost in the Forest.'

This aside, the band also gets some mad props for having the lead, Ciaran Smith, abandon his guitar mid-song (apologies for not knowing which) for a yellow-plastic-encased fold-up glockenspiel, on which Smith then proceeded to tap out some awesome harmony. And if that wasn't mind-blowing enough, Smith also changed mid-set into a polar bear suit with a Roman helmet. I'm not sure if this is some kind of metaphor for a war on global warming (hehe I'm clever) but it seems to be open for interpretation, since it appears on the cover of their album 'White Wonder' as well. Any suggestions as to what it means are welcome!

Despot, from Brooklyn, came onto the stage shortly after and generally surprised us all with his insane rapping skills and clever lyrics and song titles. From 'Crap Artists' to 'Get Rich or Try Dyin' ' to 'Puppets on a String,' Despot's got booming, instrument-rich bass lines that carry a wide range of genre influences and lyrics that not only have messages different from the ubiquitous sex/drugs/alcohol/anger topics of so much hip-hop and rap, but also bring wit and thought to the music with words like "Look Ma, two hands!" and "Home is where the heart is/That's a coffee cup and a subway token for the heartless."

Despot also has some comedic talent, and didn't fail to omit it from his set - his DJ was/is (?) dubbed 'DJ Princess Harriet,' and about 3/4s of the way through the set a fake DJ (a disguised member of Islands) made his way onto the stage in sunglasses and a green sweatshirt with a "Hello My Name Is [DJ]" sticker on it to have a silent/funny-awk skit confrontation with Despot on the DJ Princess Harriet situation. Not to mention the most-necessary "This club [Bimbo's] was named after all your mothers" joke. And the mini audience-participation aerobics session. And Despot's lip-syncing to the backup vox. All in all, a great performance that definitely revved up the group for...

ISLANDS!! How to put this... The show started off dark, with the fake shrubs in the background of the previous photos glowing red as the only light onstage for the first song, 'In the Rushes.' Shortly into the 2nd song, 'Kids Don't Know Shit,' a huge wave of people shoved forward from the back of the crowd and the show exploded into full intensity - the entire club was jumping to the beat all the way through favorites from "Return to the Sea" and "Arm's Way" alike, like 'Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby,' 'Life in Jail,' and 'Pieces of You,' and the sounds of vocals, guitar, drums, violin, and synth (as well as some ingenious percussion, like dropping chains) all soared out powerfully (without any one overpowering another) over the audience like currents in a sea of dancing people.

The show only got better and better as the night went on despite the fact that I had no idea where my bag, which I had idiotically placed on the floor by my feet, had been kicked to after the mid-2nd-song surge. This aspect of the show - the missing bag part - was refreshed in my memory when, before my very eyes, the copy of The First Word (my latest read) that I'd been carrying with me was lifted into Nick Thorburn's hands during an instrumental! After he flipped through it and showed it off to the crowd (why? I don't know), he lowered it down to someone in the audience. My response was instinctive and effective: "Hey! THAT'S MY BOOK! MOTHERF***!!!" Oh, mysterious brown-jacketed boy who helped me yell for my book, and man with the glasses who got it to me, thank you. You guys rock.

But I digress. Islands was kicking some veritable technical ass with soaring sound that built up and showered us with joy and all-around incredible and overwhelming emotion. "Arm's Way" shows new developments in the band, but Islands isn't afraid to keep the old with the new, and that's part of the show's beauty - everything was there, even at the most literal level. Sounds. Lights. Movement. A group entrancing the crowd with it all, and the crowd entranced. It was everything that a true concert is and should be. Outstanding show.

(For those who may fret about the missing bag, all was good in the end and it was worth it to get my cell phone screen broken in exchange for a legendary story of the Book Held By Nick Thorburn.)

Sorry I don't know how to post up freebies yet... so I'm going to have to let ya down with that bit.

Los Campesinos at Bimbo's 365

All photos by me. Thank you.

If you have listened to Los Campesinos, you'll know it is incredibly impossible to not at least tap your foot or bob your head to their music. This fact manifested itself entirely at the band's show at Bimbo's last night. The entire audience, whether there just for a night out or to see a band they absolutely adored, was a perpetual body of people bouncing to the beat. Even people sitting at the tables, enjoying a nice dinner or after dinner aperitif, couldn't help but move their head in time to the catchy poppy and bouncy music that is Los Campesinos.

The opening band of the night, Parenthetical Girls, is a group you might just have to check out. Intriguing the entire audience as the lead singer, Zac Pennington, descended from the stage and proceeded to sing the whole first song from the floor of the venue, illustrates exactly what the Parenthetical Girls seem to do best: intrigue. While most of the rest of the band stayed highly platonic during the set, Pennington was lively and awake. This sharp contrast added an element of creepiness but also, you guessed it, intrigue.

Instrumentations using glockenspiel and loud guitar chords with smashing drums evokes an almost death-march like tune, yet with so much energy and feeling you'd swear the person for which the march is for is springing back to life. Their songs are definitley full of emotion and you can feel it in the way they all play, but perhaps the most in the vocals of Pennington.

Their music is compared to the likes of Casiotone For The Painfully Alone and Xiu Xiu, but I would akin it more to something like a minimalist Animal Collective slowed down or Casiotone with tons of caffeine and helium. Depends on what song they are playing. While I spent most of the set debating whether I liked them or not, I decided at the end that I had thoroughly enjoyed their set. You may be confused as to what you think at first, but I believe Parenthetical Girls will capture you like they did me. Definitley give them a holla. Sidenote: Pennington asked us midway through if we have our name on Google Alerts...no one really responded, but I guessed this means he does, so hey man, I'm tagging your name, in case you read this.

Los Campesinos took the stage with stride. While Bimbo's was full, it was not crowded, and I learned the show had not sold out. So despite all the hype surrounding this little indie pop group, you'll be happy to know they remain easily acessible and down to earth.

Los Campesinos played all the favorites, from "You! Me! Dancing!" to "We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives". If there was a song someone wanted to hear, they played it. It's impressive how fully LC can play their songs live. On the record, you might think at some points that one particular song is pratically inachievable live, but no. LC played them all and they sounded just as good, if not better, live. Their handling on their instruments and the domain they hold over their sound shows how rounded they are in their music, and how well they know themselves. LC also covered a Pavement song, rendering it their own but also paying hommage to the original in a wonderful way.

Their stage presence is nothing to be trifled with. With seven people commanding the band, they fill up the stage in a big way and are ever present in each and every instrument, from glockenspiel to guitar to violin to random noise makers. The singer Gareth's incredibly energetic stage presence of running around, throwing his arms and jumping is contrasted to the second singer Aleks' timidness and quiet demeanor; there is a contrast onstage that makes this band unique. Yet all members are obviously invested in their art.

LC haven't lost any personal touch either. They showed us they can make the "SF" symbol with their hand, and used to to apologize for the fact that they think "Frisco" sounds good (a sidenote: it definitley does not). Gareth also explained that they have been rating their audiences. "You're better than Sacramento!" he said. Unfortuanetly, we are only in second place behind Eugene, Oregon. "At least you beat LA!" Gareth exclaimed. True that.

After leaving the stage, LC came on for one more song and then they were gone, almost as quickly as they had taken the stage. I guess the only thing that would show their grown popularity would be that at their GAMH show in November last year, they came out right away after it was over, while at this show there was no sign of them. Their bus has also grown in size immenseley.

Still this is not a problem, as long as LC manages to keep true to their roots, and stay in touch with who loves them. As proven last night, they have.

Freebies!
Los Campesinos: Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks
Los Campesinos: Drop It Doe Eyes
Parenthetical Girls: The Weight She Fell Under

Haight Ashbury Street Fair this weekend!

This Sunday, June 8th.
This is about to be awesome, so be there or just...suck it.

There are going to be over 50 different booths, chock full of contests, giveaways, free stuff, information, and lots of cool people who need your input, support, ideas...you name it.
Among some of the booths, please welcome:
Booksmith
Looking Glass Collage
5733 Clothing
Oaklandish
Catch23.com
Zip Car
Slainte Bags
Haight Ashbury Beat
The Green Cross
Cold Stell
Kai Wai Li
Haight Music Center

...and many many more. For a full list of booths, go here: http://www.haightashburystreetfair.org/drupal_hasf/hasf/vendor_directory

Not to mention the food at this festival is about to be delicious. Booths for food are provided by just some of our local favorites: Barrett's Lemonade, Escape From NY Pizza, Diva Dogs, Ti Couz Restaurant, and on and on.

There will be live performances by musical acts and street performers up and down Haight.

The fair stretches from where Stanyan and Haight cross to Masonic, about five blocks long. So from GG Park to Ashbury basically.

Expect many drugs, beatniks, hippies of all ages, and the new wave crowd of youngsters, hipsters, and more. I will be popping in and spending some time checking it all out, getting involved. You know, helping out my neighborhood.

It's gonna be a great day.

Sunday June 8th
11 AM to 5:30 PM
http://www.haightashburystreetfair.org

Flight of the Conchords at Davies Symphony Hall

Oh yeah. It was business time last night at Davies Symphony Hall. And Flight of the Conchords were leading bringing it all. I had the beauty of sitting very near the front, dead center, and it was great. A wonderful view of the entire wonderful show.

You know a band has the audience eating out their palm when one of the members of the band laughs a little too loudly and this sends the audience on a two minute laughing spree. They didn't even have to speak. At some points, their deafening silences were enough for the audience to laugh and laugh. And that was the beauty of it.

Ranging from playing songs to merely talking onstage, the Flight of the Conchords two and only members, Bret and Jemaine, put on a wonderful show. The hilarious jokes they entwine so carefully and wonderfully into their songs fully encompasses the feeling of joy they bring to anyone fortunate enough to bear witness. Ranging from lyrics like "You're so beautiful...you could be a part time model!" to "There are angels in the clouds...DOING IT", the night barely missed a musical genre (except maybe metal). Conchords were hitting all the different kinds, from folksy to bedtime story to hip hop to plain rocking out.

The moment of punch lines and jokes came wonderfully too. In their comedic timing, Conchords are perfect. Their ability to improv and make things up as they go along onstage was also quite impressive. Some of these improv moments were almost even more wonderful than the songs themselves, since the improv was completely unseen before. One particular moment of a good laugh: Bret and Jemaine attempting to show us how a whale would have problems dialing 911.

This being a particularly rowdy (and lets say horny) audience was really the whipped cream on the milkshake. At moments it was dead quiet, and Jemaine and Bret would look around quite confused as to what to do and merely say "Maybe if we turned out the lights we could all have a good sleep."

Then there were moments when the cheering was overwhelming, especially in a 1700 seat concert hall. And of course, the inevitable "take off your shirt!" and "I love you!" resounded all around the walls and ceilings, although Bret and Jemaine seemed surprise at the excess of it this particularly evening, like they had never gotten quite as much heckling before. One girl even yelled "I want to touch you!" then preceded to go onstage and...touch them. Rub them actually. Fantastic evening.

The guys kept making jokes about how "intimate" the setting was. I am not sure if they realized it, but the way they behaved and spoke rendered the room actually more intimate than you might expect with two guys onstage and 1700 people watching. The little conversations between themselves and casual manner of handling the audience made it feel not so formal as it might have seemed. At one point, Jemaine turned to us and said "Talk amongst yourselves for a bit...I feel like you guys are just...looking at us."

The Conchords played favorites like "Jenny", "Business Time" (for the ladies), "If You're Into It" (you can imagine the yelling during this one with our special audience), "Albi the Racist Dragon" and "Mutha-Uckers". They also played some new ones, including one about all of Jemaines past loves, in which a new instrument posed quite some problems. They needed to fix it, and stopped twice during the song itself. "I'm sorry," Bret said. "Jemaines exhausted. We've been on the road for four days. It's intense."

After leaving the stage on a standing ovation (which my two friends and I started) they came back on for two encores and thanked the audience profusively, saying they "thought San Francisco was...pretty cool." "I like that you have stairs in your sidewalks," said Bret.

A night of jokes, improptus monologues, crazy panty-throwing (yes, seriously) audience members, music, and two guys with New Zealand accents singing onstage. Seriously? You want more?

PS A nod must be made the Conchord's warm up comic, Aziz Ansari. You may know him as the racist fruit vendor in the "Mutha Uckers" video, or Clell Tickle on YouTube. He is now holding a part on "Human Giant" on MTV. He was hilarious and had me in stitches. Upon stating that Cold Stone Creamery "molests" their ice cream, I was gone. Thank you Aziz.

Sidenote: I went backstage after the show and poked my head in the dressing room. There they were. Bret on a couch, Jemaine reading some papers and pacing. And then this huge security guard, just chilling. "Great show!" I said brightly. They turned, smiled cheerfully, and thanked me. And that was all I needed.

The Dodos at Amoeba

That's right. It's The Dodos at Amoeba...FO FREE.
With waffle fries.
And it's Wednesday. So after work, school, illicit drug deals, whatever it is you do day to day, head on over.

Not only do these guys put on a great live show, their music is wonderful and they are, drumroll, San Francisco natives! Bonus! This is a great oppurtunity to check them out if you haven't yet (in which case you are insane). The show may get crowded fast though, so show up a bit before, do some shopping or browsing, then sit back and enjoy the smooth yet rough sounds of The Dodos.

You may see below a review of their show when they performed here at GAMH with Les Savy Fav, a superb show if I may say so.

Wednesday, May 14th
Show starts at 6PM
Should be about forty five minutes or less
At Amoeba in the Haight

Once again, The Dodos are a very good band.
Believe me.

Freebie:
The Dodos - Paint The Rust

Colin Meloy at The Fillmore

So, one guy, his guitar, sultry lighting, and an accoustic set should equal a passive, relaxed evening of music and ambient sounds, right?

Wrong.

So wrong with Colin Meloy.

Through an hour long set, then fifteen minutes of encores, Meloy had the audience practically eating out of the palm of his hands; hungry for more each time, Meloy pushed his music and talents to a limit that can only be reached in a live setting. His voice carried strong and true, ringing at all points of the large Fillmore auditorium. His guitar's twangy, folksy sounds filled the space. And the celtic and irish feel to his tunes made you want to move to the beat in any way possible, even if it was just by swaying back and forth.

Playing wise, Meloy uses every inch of the guitar and his vocal range, creating a plethora of different noises, sounds, and melodies. Some of the songs Meloy played use the most beautiful keys and chords I have ever heard. Combined with Meloy's smooth, strong voice, the outcome is a range of ear pleasing songs. His guitars are not instruments; only extensions of himself that he uses to create this sound from inside him. His quirky ways, like having to stand on his tippy toes to tune his guitar, bring out his different and yet extremely effective playing style.

Along with superb musicianship, Meloy creates a very personal and intimate relationship with the crowd. Talking directly to us as individuals, and yet addressing everyone at once, Meloy made jokes, responded to questions yelled out, and provided witty and amusing anecdotes to either go with songs or accompany a theme. Every time a certain person near the front yelled something at him, Meloy would respond "Inside voice, man. You could work in show biz."

It was wonderful to see Meloy able to make fun of himself, laugh at himself, and play around with his music. Seeing that he does not take himself too seriously was refreshing and made the night all the more memorable. Meloy had everyone in laughter as he sang "The Perfect Crime #2" and repeated "perfect" about ten more times than he usually does in the song, walking back and forth on the stage between mics humorously.

From singing electric guitar solos himself, getting the audience to do it, or merely saying mid-song "This is the guitar solo part", the overall style and feeling of the concert was unique, different, and wonderful. A powerful accoustic set, rendered intimate and personal, yet still large and maginificent in a musical way.

Meloy mixed it up with a few songs of his own, old and new, a cover of Sam Cooke, and songs from his band The Decemberists. At the end of the set, all of us were screaming and chanting for more, stomping our feet and clapping our hands, until Meloy came back on, finishing with the epic "Mariners Revenge Song". What a way to end. And who knew this song, usually performed with about 7 instruments, could sound so powerful on accoustic guitar?

Maybe it was the antics of frontman Colin Meloy. Maybe it was the audience filling in for other band members singing roles. Maybe it was the entire crowd stomping and clapping like real mariners on deck, in time with the music.

Whatever it was, Meloy brought it out of us in the best way.

Les Savy Fav at The Great American Music Hall

While I was slightly fearing this show because

1) both friends I was supposed to go with bailed on me and

2) my brother had told me horror stories about Les Savy Sav shows
I remained optimistic and excited to get inside the GAMH and get into it.
I was going mostly for, I confess, The Dodos. They are a recent band who have captured my heart and I love them dearly. I was so excited to be going to see them. Les Savy Fav is a band that I have listened to on occasion, but who I definitley know. Not only have they been raised up to a sort of indie Gods status over the years, their live shows are quite frankly the talk of the town. I was greatly anticipating my little date with them.

The Dodos played about a 45 minute set of bliss. They performed extremely well and their songs sounded even more powerful live. The record gives off a sort of folksy, yet amped up and feeling-filled sound, and live these sentiments are still strong. Yet they come off stronger and hit you more directly by many different factors. Firstly, both members of The Dodos, Meric Long and Logan Kroeber, are energetic and obviously very much into what they are doing. It's hard not to watch them play and observe their tactics of either rushing back and forth between instruments, pedal pressing, or their smooth transitions between songs (just as smooth as the record. Extremely impressive).

Touring with an extra member who played xylophone, an extra drum, and toy piano, The Dodos filled the stage and entire room with their music and messages. The echoing vocals and twangy notes from the guitar paired with the intense smashing of cymbals and drums is beautiful and intense in a wonderful way.

That being said, if you haven't heard the album, I don't know whats wrong with you.

As soon as The Dodos left the stage, I found myself sort of wanting them to be headlining, yet extremely excited to see Les Savy Fav perform. I have to say that this was the aboslute shortest amount of time I have ever waited between bands when the headliner was about to go on. Really. It was at most twenty minutes.

My brother had told me to go on YouTube and watch videos so I knew what to expect. I didn't. I'm glad I didn't.

What is a Les Savy Fav performance?A way of life.

First off, the band is just plain great. They are awesome musicians with skill and precision despite the rantings and random vocalizing of leading man Tim Harrington. And Harrington there just are no words to describe. He is a mass of energy that fills the entire crowd...quite literally. Harrington came down off of the stage no less than four times to dance and mosh with everyone even while continung a song quite strongly. The entire show held together and the energy did not drop, not even for a moment. Their charisma is amazing.

From forcing people to kiss his toes, to pouring beer all over the crowd, Harrington made things far from boring for the spectators. Being directly in the front, I got to experience many of his antics first hand, including having beer spit all over me and water thrown down my back. All watched in a strange mixture of disgust and admiration as Harrington hacked a loogy into the air and caught it back in his mouth perfectly. Simply stunning.

The music live is something to behold. On CD, these guys are already pretty in your face and rough when it comes to yelling lyrics, smashing guitar riffs, and insane drummings. Live, this all comes off even more intensely, especially paired with Harrington's disgusting yet fascinating escapades of debauchery. The entire room shakes as everyone dances, pushes, shoves, and screams along with deep bass beats, fast guitar solos, loud drums, and the yells and shouts of vocals. I couldn't help but notice that all the instruments were amped up far above what is normally expected (as someone behind me observed before it began and they were sound testing, "Damn, this is gonna be loud").

Les Savy Fav had us yelling and dancing, all crouching on the ground then springing back up at the last moment together, and begging that we might just might get caught in another beer spray.

After an hour set, LSF returned for three encores which Harrington performed in a full body leotard, jiggling around the stage with ferocity. The end was a smash of noise, sweat, and yet pure love for LSF . At the end, as the rest of the band left the stage smiling and waving, I saw Harrington dash to the sound guy and embarassingly pass him a mic he had broken the top off of. "I'm really sorry..." he said sheepishly. This really finalized the evening. On top of it all, no matter how insane they were onstage, look how much they cared...

...for you, for me, for that microphone: they just want you to have a good time.

Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco is going to rock

I swear, Outside Lands in San Francisco (yeah! hometown cred!) is the festival to be at this year. Coachella dissapointed many...well here is what is going to rescue us all from total festival deprivation (besides Sasquatch! north of us).

The Outside Lands festival announced more lineup bands today, way more past the top three who we have heard repeated over and over.

Now, joining Radiohead (oh heck yeah), Tom Petty, and Jack Johnson (it's okay, I can deal with Radiohead there) are the following incredible bands and artists:

Primus, Beck, Widespread Panic, Wilco, Manu Chao, Cafe Tacvba, Cold War Kids, Devendra Banhart, Regina Spektor, Broken Social Scene, Andrew Bird, M. Ward, Matt Nathanson, Two Gallants, Steve Winwood, Kaki King, Dredg, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, and Sean Hayes.

And yes, more are still waiting to be announced! Unebelievable. As Gregg Perloff of Another Planet Entertainment who are presenting the festival said "We can't believe our lineup." WELL US DOWN HERE CAN'T EITHER! Way to cinch Radiohead you sneaky awesome people.

Not only is the lineup fabulous, but the concert will take place in Golden Gate Park...isn't is about time some big happening went down there? Something enormous like this? Nationwide? GG Park, a symbol of San Francisco. Hippies, the 60s, now Outside Lands. It's wonderful.

From the SF Chronicle: "The stages will be spread across adjacent areas of the park - from the massive Polo Fields to the Lindley and Speedway Meadows, where the annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival is largely staged. The park will receive a portion of the proceeds."

On top of all of this...the logo art is looking good.

No I am serious. It's a great blend of retro and moderne (french accent)

The festival will take place August 22nd to 24th, 2008

This is the first year this festival is being done

Three day tickets: $225. On sale 10 a.m. Sunday. (415) 421-8497

Website: http://www.sfoutsidelands.com/

Not So Silent Night 2007: unholy night.

Lets dumb this down a bit. Lets bring this down a first grade level, and mask it in the form of a question your teacher might ask while pointing to a brightly colored groups of objects in the book you are using:
Which one of these do not belong?
Modest Mouse, Jimmy Eat World, Angels & Airwaves, Spoon, and Paramore.

My friends, there are two correct answers, and I'm sure a good amount of you who feel the same way I do (and you do) know what I am talking about.

In my opinion, the lineup for Not So Silent Night has been getting progressively worse each year. And I have only attended three years of this concert. Each time I went, it was fun to be there in the atmosphere and hear all these bands together. They mixed well, and the crowd was a good medley of different types of people. But I began to notice that there was always one major let down every year. Who can forget The White Stripe's bomb performance? Or the, er, shall we call them "sound issues" for Modest Mouse? I began to believe that this was what happened at NSSN: every year something bad just had to happen.

But this year, I never expected it to occur before I could even buy a ticket.

Upon hearing this lineup from my friend, I was infuriated. I was even angrier when they announced the order the bands would be playing in. I mean, lets be real people. They put Spoon second. Second. That gives them, what? A forty-five minute set? Hello Live 105. That is Britt Daniel. You are giving Britt Daniel a forty-five minute set. Spoon co-headlined Treasure Island Music Festival with Modest Mouse. And now you're throwing them into second place.

On top of this, they have managed to enclose Isaac Brock and Tom Delonge into the same backstage area. Enter Tom Delonge: whiney voice, cute face, pop-punk ruler of the universe of the former maniac fan band blink 182, who sported lyrics as "'I said I was the cops, and your husband's in jail. This state looks down on sodomy!' And that's about the time that bitch hung up on me." Since these frantic post-post-post teen days have passed, Tom has sacrificed himself to his new project, Angels & Airwaves, growing bangs over his eyes and dying his hair black.

Now enter Isaac Brock: Modest Mouse front man, grew up all over the North West, and lived in a shack for a good part of his adolescence. He has been accused for DUI, drug abuse, and has served jail time. Songs like "Shit Luck" demonstrate his immediate need for a bit of stirring up in his world, and not the prank phone call kind, with the opening being him yelling "This plane is definitely crashing!".

Now place these two in a glass box together and what is going to happen? Conduct the experiement yourself. Or attend NSSN this Friday night and watch.

To make matters worse, this so-called evening of celebration of independent music and the holidays is none of the above. Okay, so I made up the holidays part. But there is obviously some sort of correlation, what with it being December and the name of the freakin' gig. But the independent, anti-mainstream music? This sentiment has dissapeared.

I lost hope in Live 105 a long time ago, but I thought maybe this once a year outreach to the music community might still be their chance to demonstrate their real desires. Alas, no. Once again, I ask you to study the lineup. Modest Mouse have strong connections to the independent music scene, as they worked their way up through it, and Brock used to be at Sub-Pop (he signed Wolf Parade). Spoon have always been considered to be an American indie band. But Jimmy Eat World have been signed to a major label since day one. As have Angels & Airwaves, since Tom coming over from probably one of the most commerically successful bands of the past ten years aided that. Paramore, although more unknown than the previous two aforementioned, still have strong ties with MTV (their videos are constantly played) and VH1. You name the "music" channel, they are there.

Look, NSSN: I don't wanna totally bring you down. Because I think this show is a great idea! The three years I went, I had a great time. I'm not going to pretend I didn't. I loved it, Meg's drunken escapades and all! Because I loved it, I care about it's future. And by caring I am giving my opinion. That is all.

This Friday night, expect to see me in a cafe with some friends, having our first non-NSSN ever. It hurts, Live 105. It really does.

For your listening pleasure:
Modest Mouse - Shit Luck
Modest Mouse - Gravity Rides Everything

Spoon - The Infinite Pet
Spoon - Back To The Life

Angels & Airwaves - The Adventure

Casiotone for the Painfully Alone @ BOTH

I discovered Casiotone for the Painfully Alone (henceforth referred to as Casiotone in this entry, just for brevity's sake) fairly recently. It was one of the bands that I found by clicking through a lot of "similar artists" and neighbors on last.fm, until I finally ended up on Casiotone's page. I downloaded some songs, and immediately was taken by the simplicity and airy feeling his songs gave off. They are enchanting little pop/electronic ditties that create a small kingdom of their own.

The brains behind Casiotone, Owen Ashworth, started to make music on a small casio keyboard back in 1997. His first two albums, "Answering Machine Music" and "Pocket Symphonies for Lonely Subway Cars," were made using nothing but small, battery-operated keyboards and Ashworth's own voice (along with occasional accompaniment by guest musicians). These early albums are now available on one CD, appropriately titled "The First Two Albums by Casiotone for the Painfully Alone." After this, he has released numerous EPs and albums, all to the happiness of those who follow his steady beats and lyrical style.

Owen is coming to Bottom of the Hill this coming Wednesday. Definitley head down and check it out.
He will be playing with
Papercuts and DJ Matt Bonar

Info:
Wednesday, December 5th
9:00 PM (doors a t 8:30 PM)
$10
All-ages

And now, for your listening pleasure:
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Young Shields
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - When You Were Mine

Music & Videos From the Dump at Herbst Theatre

The first performance of "Junkestra" at the SF dump

Last Friday, the 16th of November, I attended a presentation at Herbst Theatre made by the Norcal Waste Systems. Surprising, no? A dump putting together a lovely little evening in the artistic district of San Francisco...the evening was one of amazingly wonderful paradoxes and interesting perspectives, artworks, and music.

Unknown to many people, the San Francisco dump has an artists in residence program that supports artists who wish to come to the dump and create art using whatever material they may find there. Fridays performance was an evening to showcase some of this art that has been created through the program. The theme of the evening: recycle, reuse, and do not waste!

The first half of the night, movies by different visual artists were shown. The films were relatively short and very interesting, at times funny, sometimes more there to show us something, to convey a fact, than anything else. Works were shown by Reddy Lieb, Banker White, Robin Lasser, Don Ross, Nomi Talisman, and Philip Bonner. All of these artists went through the artists in residence program at the dump, and all their films conveyed some aspect about the waste site. Each one touched on something different, which worked out nicely and effectively.

After intermission, the second half was devoted to a very interesting piece of music. Composer Nathaniel Stookey (funny story: his mother, Martha, taught me theater for two years of high school) decided to apply to be an artist in residence using music. He went to the dump, found a bunch of items, and contrsucted musical instruments. He then composed a 15 minute piece (in three movements) on these instruments made out of trash that he called "Junkestra". It was first performed at the SF Dump in May this year, and this one at Herbst Theatre Friday night was only the second performance. It is a piece performed by members of the San Francisco Youth Orchestra and conducted by Benjamin Schwartz.

The piece is, and I do not take this word lightly, brilliant. It sounds amazing and is fun to listen to and, most importantly, to observe. I was in awe at how many sounds he made with what he had. I was shocked when Nat Stookey told the audience that he had not cut or modified any piece of trash he picked up. He made these sounds with how he found the items originally.

The piece was an enormous success and the audience demanded it be played again, to which one witty audience member yelled "Recycle!"
An amazing piece that everyone should hear.

Which is lucky! You can listen to the piece at the main page for Nat Stookey's residence:
http://www.sfrecycling.com/AIR/stookey.htm

Enjoy!

SF Dump site: https://www.norcalwaste.com/
Artist in Residence program: http://www.sfrecycling.com/AIR/index.htm
Photos of the Junkestra: http://www.flickr.com/photos/artatthedump/sets/72157600047671773/

of Montreal at The Great American Music Hall

Wednesday night, of Montreal wrapped up a successful three nights here in San Francisco. I heard nothing but good things about the other two nights, but I only went Wednesday; therefore I can only speak for what I saw. Although judging from what I saw, I can't see of Montreal could ever doing a bad job at entertaining an adoring crowd.

The two opening bands were fun, jumpy...a good warm up. They definitley got the crowd hyped up very nicely. MGMT have stolen a part of my heart. They're fun, talented, danceable...what more do you need these days? The second opening band, Grand Buffet, proved to have great showmanship. A two person group, they not only performed very well but also had the crowd laughing left and right. I sincerely hope they got their uppers.

The wait for of Montreal was hot, sweaty, sticky, and filled with anticipation, but when they did get onstage around 10:15, no one complained about it being a little on the late side.

The show was an incredible experience. While two members were elevated high up on pedastols that flashed different colored lights, the remaining three members stayed down on the stage and intimate with the audience. As always, flamboyant outfits, makeup and stage show were the norms. The whole crowd was erupted into one big dance party of sweaty goodness.

of Montreal played a good mixture of "older" songs, like "I Was Never Young", "So Begins Our Alabee", and "Rapture Rapes the Muses". There was also a very good amount off of their new (fabulous) album, like "She's a Rejector" and "Bunny Ain't No Kind of Rider". (Thank you for playng She's a Rejector. Thank you)

They covered three Prince songs, opening with "I Would Die For You" and "Baby I'm A Star" and closing with "Purple Rain" right before coming back on to play three encores of their music: "Wraith Pinned to the Mist And Other Games", "The Party's Crashing Us" and "The Repudiated Mortals".

An amazing show and experience.
No one is lying or trying to sound experienced when they tell you "You have to see of Montreal before you die!" (several people told me this before I had seen them at Coachella). They really really mean it. So go people, go!

MGMT- The Youth
Grand Buffet - Dark Autumn
of Montreal - I Was Never Young
of Montreal - She's A Rejector

Enjoy.

The Decemberists cancel rest of tour

Yep, you heard right. You read it on Pitchfork. You saw it on your lastfm events. Or maybe you got that depressing email notification. In any case, it's true. The Decemberists have decided to sit out the rest of their tour after only two dates into it.

A message for their fans from them:
"One of our band members has been ill for a while but we thought all would be well in time for these tour dates. After a couple shows, though, it has become clear that the illness is much worse than we had initially realized. We need to return home so our friend can mend.

It saddens us to disappoint our fans. We hope everybody understands it is only because of an extreme situation that we had to cancel a tour we've all been excited about doing since the idea was originally hatched.

Our deepest apologies but at this time no plans are being made to reschedule the dates. Ticket holders should seek refunds at poin of purchase."

No plans? Oh you're killing me.
Still, at this point, I'm hoping this sickness isn't serious and the member can make a full and satisfying recovery. Our thoughts go out to you, my friend.

So yes, Bay Area: the four scheduled dates at the Fillmore have been cancelled:

-Friday, 11/23/07 Long of it
-Saturday, 11/24/07 Short of it
-Sunday, 11/25/07 Long of it
-Monday, 11/26/07 Short of it

I planned on going Sunday. Argh.

Refunds anyone? Those tickets were not cheap.
Venue number to inquire for refunds: 415-346-6000
Venue location:
1805 Geary St, San Francisco Ca. 94115.

Here's hoping for a full recovery, perhaps another tour, and smooth refunds.

Jeff Wall exhibit at SFMOMA

I had the pleasure of going to the donor preview of this exhibit on Wednesday night, and wow was I blown away. It's an incredible exhibit, well put together and wonderfully shown. Jeff Wall's work is different, and it's clear through his images what his intention and goal is.

I think the most interesting thing about these photos is how they are shown. They are huge: taking up practically entire walls. Also, they are shown by being mounted and lit from the back, like ads at bus stops or in the subway. Wall justifies these two choices of exhibition with two reasons. For the first, he believes in the preservation of traditional art, and so he exhibits his photos in large format as if they were enormous canvases; traditional art style. For the backlit, bus stop ad style, he is exploring the use of cinematography.

Jeff Wall also carefully poses his photos. While we seem to be catching glimpses of spontaneous moments, look carefully: everything is so sharp and clear and clean you can see the slight cinema aspect to it.

One thing I noticed through his photos is that, while his pictures depict enormous scenes, the title is usually a very small part of the photo. Example: one photo is called "Story Teller" and after a long examination, you see the story teller. She is in the bottom left hand corner, very small. I like his inclusion of everything and yet focus on one thing.

Go see this show. It's fabulous, interesting, and extremely nice to look at.

Runs till january 27th 2008
More info click here

I would have to say my personal favorite photos were:

-"The Flooded Grave": Life and death. Life growing in death. Go see it (google it if you are unable).

-"A ventriloquist at a birthday party in October 1947": So. Very. Creepy. And yet...we can't look away.

Aliens in America cast comes to the Bay Area

Okay I don't know if anyone else is as obsessed with this show as I am (so far I know, count 'em, two people who watch it), but I'm throwing it out there anyway. It is certainly, out of the new shows the CW slammed in our face this fall, one of the funniest and one that's doing very well in viewers and reviews. If you aren't watching it, maybe you should check it out.

In any case, whether you're a huge fan, an advocate for the cause of actual funny shows, or if you're just hungry for some fame, I am here to spread word about the CW Cup Youth tournament. This Sunday October 27th in Morgan Hill, the CW is going to be hosting a large festival, complete with games, contests, etc. While I strongly dislike this kind of fair meets too many sponsors event, light shines in this one: Dan Byrd and Adhir Kaylan, the actors who play the two main characters of Justin and Raja, will be there signing autographs.

This TV show is still pretty small and unknown. I remember the cast of Veroncia Mars came to the Bay Area before that show became popular and I missed meeting them. Big mistake.

If you can endure the cheesey festival atmosphere, go for it. Should be very cool to meet these two guys.

When: Sunday, October 27th
Where: Morgan Hill
More info: http://cwbayarea.com/cwcup
Watch "Aliens in America" online: http://www.cwtv.com/cw-video/aliens-in-america

Jenkins Johnson Gallery's current show

Cheap Trick, By Lynn Godsmith

The Jenkins Johnson gallery, famous for their exquisite collections and exhibits, have only two locations worldwide: New York and San Francisco. How very lucky for us. Past shows this year here in San Francisco have featured Don Williams, Ben Aronson, and Nancy Switzer. It's been a very good year to say the least, and yet this current exhibit seems to be the cream of the crop.

Jenkins Johnson is featuring the photography of Lynn Goldsmith, particularly two series: "Icons of Rock" and "Imagination". I can't say I know much about her "Imagination" series, but the "Icons of Rock" is one you must see. The series is a collection of potraits and portraitures of legendary "rock" musicians like Patti Smith, Sting, Frank Zappa, Courtney Love...and of course, Mr. Dylan. The list goes on.

Even if the whole classic rock scene isn't for you, you should go for the pure artistic quality of the photos. They are beautiful artworks, interesting and wonderfully composed. Example? My favorite of hers is the one above, featuring Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick. I do not listen to Cheap Trick at all, and yet I can say I adore that photo.

Go for the historical significance. Go for the art. Go for the love of music. If anything, just go because it's here now and we are lucky.

Show runs till October 30th.
Exhibit Page
Gallery Site
Location: 464 Sutter St.