February 2009 - Concert Archive

02/04 - Nobunny (Knockout)
02/05 - Eagles of Death Metal (Fillmore) **
02/06 - The Bad Hand + Aimless Never Miss + Rademacher (Hemlock)
02/09 - The Bird and The Bee (Independent)
02/13 - NOFX (Fillmore)
02/15 - Lykke Li (Fillmore)
02/20 - MC Lars + K-Flay (Uptown Oakland)
02/20 - Scissors for Lefty (BOTH)
02/21 - The Builders And the Butchers (Bottom Of The Hill) **
02/22 - Modest Mouse (Fox)
02/24 - Deerhunter @ Noise Pop opening party (Mezzanine) **
02/25 - French Kicks (Independent) ** NOISE POP
02/27 - RA RA RIOT (Independent) ** NOISE POP
02/28 - AC Newman (Independent)
02/28 - Portugal. The Man (Cafe du Nord) ** NOISE POP

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Hot Chip and Peter Gabriel cover Vampire Weekend

I discovered a collaboration of Hot Chip and Peter Gabriel covering Vampire Weekend's 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa' on Blip.fm. i'd like to see future collaborations between Peter Gabriel and Hot Chip.. but I do like the original version of this song better... although, I do love that PG had some creative license with the lyric, "It feels so unnatural. Peter Gabriel, too. And it feels so unnatural to sing your own name..."

Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa - Hot Chip & Peter Gabriel

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SF Outside Lands Festival 2009

UPDATED (4/13) Lineup announced... see link here: Outside Lands 2009 Lineup announced

The rest is old news.
-------------------------------

Through several unconfirmed rumors, it seems that the Outside Lands Festival will be the final weekend of August. Per Jim Harrington of Mercury News

It just wouldn’t be the summer concert season without the Dave Matthews Band announcing a major tour. Predictably, the mega-platinum group is planning to hit the road during the warm-weather months, with a stop planned for San Francisco on Aug. 29.

The exact venue for the Bay Area gig is being listed, mysteriously, as “TBA.” Yet, there aren’t many venues in the actual city of SF that can accomodate a DMB-size crowd. One of them would be the Outside Lands Festival in Golden Gate Park. Dates for Outside Lands have not been announced, nor have the acts, but the timing for DMB to be the Saturday headliner at what’s likely to be a three-day fest seems to work out nicely.

I just hope that DMB is not scheduled on the same day as Gogol Bordello.

Here's the full 2009 Concert Festival Calendar.

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Epic Rockumantary Added to the Annals of Rock History

The most important bands in the history of Rock and Roll often document their story in the form of video documentary, or 'rock'umentaries. Among the most well known are:

Monterey Pop - 1968 concert film documenting the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival
Gimme Shelter - a 1970 documentary chronicling the Rolling Stones' 1969 US tour
The Decline of Western Civilization - a 1981 American documentary about the Los Angeles punk rock scene from '79 to '81.
Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten - a documentary film Joe Strummer, the lead singer of The Clash
Shut Up and Sing - a film that follows the all-woman Texas-based country music trio the Dixie Chicks over three years

Thanks to YouTube, economical video editing software, and lots of spare time... we now have:
'The Builders and the Butchers: Deep Inside (Parts 1 and 2)'. In the video, you'll see the band deal with serious challenges that face a band on tour like van life, sharing, politeness, and the flu. You'll also see the introduction of Harvey's new banjo and a controversy over name pronunciation almost tears the band apart in part 2.




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Noise Pop 2009 - THS Picks of The Festival

While Noise Pop is always a fun and exciting time, there are often difficult decisions to be made with regard to the artist schedules. So after lots of deliberation, here's what I'm thinking:






TUESDAY FEBRUARY 24:
OPENING NIGHT PARTY @ Mezzanine -- DOORS: 8:30 PM - SHOW: 10:00 PM 21+
ACTS: Deerhunter, Lilofee :: plus: DJs Jimmy Tamborello (Postal Service), Aaron Axelson and Omar (Popscene)

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 25
5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
NOISE POP Venue: Benders - 21+
ACTS: The Aimless Never Miss + The Sleepover Disaster
8:00 PM -
NOISE POP Venue: The Independent - 21+
ACTS: French Kicks + Broken West + Here Here + The Don'ts

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26
5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
NOISE POP Venue: Benders - 21+
ACTS: Scissors For Lefty, Picture Atlantic, Man/Miracle
9:00 PM
NOISE POP Venue: Mezzanine
ACTS: Mike Relm + Kool Keith: Dr. Octagon Vs. Dr. Dooom (co-headline) + Crown City Rockers, Kutmasta Kurt

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 27
5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
NOISE POP Venue: Benders - 21+
ACTS: Maus Haus, Sugar & Gold, Tempo No Temp
8:00 PM
NOISE POP Venue: Slim's, (All Ages)**
ACTS: The Morning Benders & The Submarines (co-headline) + The Mumler, Rademacher
OR
8:00 PM
NOISE POP Venue: The Independent (21+)**
ACTS: RA RA Riot + Cut Off Your Hands, Telekinesis, The Hooks
**GAME TIME DECISION**

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 28
1:00 PM - MATINEE SHOW!
NOISE POP Venue: Bottom of the Hill (All Ages)
ACTS: The Matches + Dizzy Balloon, Ex-Boyfriends
4:00 PM -
NOISE POP Venue: Benders (21+)
ACTS: Music For Animals + Aim Low Kid, Audio Out Send
8:00 PM -
NOISE POP Venue: The Independent (21+) **
ACTS: AC Newman + Dent May and His Magnificent Ukulele, Devon Williams, City Light
9:00 PM -
NOISE POP Venue: Cafe du Nord (21+) **
ACTS: Portugal. The Man + Japanese Motors, Girls, Love is Chemicals
** GAME TIME DECISION: Priority for the Saturday night show goes to Portugal. The Man since I know that they NEVER disappoint. However, I could be swayed to stick it out with AC Newman if I can confirm that Nicole Atkins will be accompanying him.

SUNDAY MARCH 1
1:00 PM -
NOISE POP Venue: Bottom of the Hill (All Ages)
ACTS: NO AGE + White Circle Crime Club, Infinite Body, Veil Veil Vanish
8:00 PM -
NOISE POP Venue: Mezzanine (21+)
ACTS: LES SAVY FAV + The Mae Shi, The Drums


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Sasquatch Music Festival 2009 Lineup

Sasquatch Music Festival 2009 - George, WA
Dates: May 23 -25
Ticket Info: n/a
Lineup: Confirmed

Saturday, May 23th

Kings of Leon / Yeah Yeah Yeahs / The Decemberists / Animal Collective / Bon Iver / Devotchka / M. Ward / Doves / Sun Kil Moon / The Gaslight Anthem / King Khan & The Shrines / Ra Ra Riot / Shearwater / Passion Pit / Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band / Vince Mira / Blind Pilot / Owl City / Arthur & Yu / Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele / Death Vessel / Hockey

Sunday, May 24th

Jane's Addiction / Nine Inch Nails / TV On The Radio / Peter Bjorn and John / of Montreal / The Avett Brothers / Calexico / M83 / The Airborne Toxic Event / The Walkmen / The Wrens / St. Vincent / The Dodos / John Vanderslice / The Submarines / Viva Voce / The Builders And The Butchers / AA Bondy / Fences / Point Juncture, WA / Jon Benjamin

Monday, May 25th

Ben Harper and Relentless7 / Erykah Badu / Silversun Pickups / Fleet Foxes / Gogol Bordello / Santigold / Grizzly Bear / Explosions In The Sky / Girl Talk / Blitzen Trapper / The Knux / Monotonix / Bishop Allen / Black Moth Super Rainbow / Beach House / Mugison / The Dutchess And The Duke / School Of Seven Bells / Horse Feathers / The Pica Beats / Loch Lomond / BLK JKS

Check out my complete 2009 Concert Festival Calendar

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The Builders and The Butchers - This Saturday!!!!

Many of you who read my blog know already that I think that The Builders and The Butchers have one of the best live performances around. I first saw them when they opened for The Helio Sequence during Noise Pop 2008 at the Independent and since have seen them 5 times in 4 different cities. I'm not a crazy stalker or anything. I just happened to be in the places that they were playing while I was traveling on business trips.

At any given point, TBATB have at least 5 people on stage and often times, there are more. They play an dark, yet animated southern-rock with double drummers (wearing tambourines on their ankles) and 'singing and shouting with guitar, bass, mandolin, banjo, accordian, drums, xylophone, bells, and washboard.'.. and and trumpets, and a tin funnel... They hand out instruments (shakers, tambourines, etc) for the audience to participate which makes for a very fun experience. Singer Ryan Sollee has a unique and compelling voice and delivers his masterfully written lyrics with a passion that you don't hear very often. Alex Ellis plays non-upright acoustic bass and sports a sweet 'stache. Harvey switches between mandolin/banjo, and Ray and Paul play the drums and the trumpet.. among other shit.

Every person I introduce to their music is immediately taken, often blown away. Every person I bring to their live show immediately walks away muttering superlatives incredulously. For this reason... if you have the means to get to Bottom of the Hill this Saturday, February 21, 2009, you must go. They will be opening for Murder by Death (also awesome), so get there early.

Here's some video:



P.S. To Current fans of The Builders... go listen to a new song, titled 'Barcelona' on their myspace page.

Here's quote from Denver's Westword:

"Luckily, the Builders and the Butchers saved the day with their double drummer, country-rock infusion on hand to bring the mood back down to a pleasantly depressing level of euphoria. The place was packed, and you could feel that same energy resonate through the whole theater by the time Murder by Death took the stage to elevate the Valentine's Day blues factor to a whole new level. Songs from the act's new album, Red of Tooth and Claw, comprised an hour and a half of whiskey-driven rock and roll, while a video played in the background to keep all senses engaged. The video, which was in sync with the music and looked like something out of an art school kid's nightmare, perfectly set the mood for the other album that dominated Murder's set, Who Will Survive and What Will be Left of Them? - which the outfit also played in its entirety.

Quote from Brooklyn Vegan

"The Builders and the Butchers started the show with an up-tempo set, echoing other new traditional bands O'death and the Decemberists - especially in its strained, twangy vocals and mandolin/banjo on the side. The muddy stage mix accentuated the malleted drums, which sounded like steel-toed boots kicking Rubbermaid containers (in the best way possible). Singer/guitarist Ryan Sollee passed the crowd hand percussion for the last chorus of the band's last song. All together, the band came off like a fun work-in-progress, with its various songwriting and stage-show parts fine-tuned enough for the welcoming, appreciative crowd."

Quote from WouldbeHipster from a show that boasted Amanda Palmer as the headliner

The heavy lifting started early as Portland-based openers The Builders and Butchers took the stage, immediately jumping into their percussive-heavy songs about, what else, death and dancing. Now, don't get me wrong, their CD is a solid dose of goth-punk-blues. However, you can't bottle lightening (lest you end up as one of their future song topics no doubt). Live, there's a delicious take-no-prisoners element and more instruments than you can shake a washboard at. By the end of the blistering half hour set their need for percussion was so great, many audience members were enlisted as back up, one lucky person armed with the band's kick drum.

Quote from the Owl Mag:

Though the band only performed on the shorter side of a half hour, the set was the right amount of intense with not a bit of pretension. The Builders and the Butchers tossed out tambourines, cymbals, and maracas for their last song "Bringin' Home the Rain." Those that couldn't reach an instrument embellished the music with clapping and stomping. The simple percussion was by far one of the most beautiful moments of the night.

Other reviews:
Phoenix

Sound on the Sound





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San Francisco Tax Day Music Festival

No.. It's not really a music festival, but each year as we approach Coachella, amazing bands come through San Francisco all at once. This year (so far) Fleet Foxes, Franz Ferdinand, The Ting Tings, and Los Campesinos! are all playing on April 15. Also playing during that same week are Junior Boys, Band of Horses, the Black Keys, and a 2nd Fleet Foxes show.

My recommendation is: The Ting Tings @ The Fillmore and then Los Campesinos! @ The Slims.

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Ladytron Announces Tour dates

The Music Slut posted the Ladytron concert schedule which includes two nights at the Fillmore (April, 29 and 30) where they will play with The Faint

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Eagles of Death Metal @ The Fillmore

When you look up 'Rock 'n Roll' in the dictionary wikipedia, this is not the picture you see... but it should be. This is Jesse Hughes (A.K.A. The Devil / Boots Electric), lead singer of The Eagles of Death Metal and he not only knows how to rock and roll, he is rock and roll... Let's see... Sunglasses, check; handlebar 'stache, check; Greasy Hair, check; tight Jeans, t-shirt, check, check; lyrics about sex, selling soul, check, check; face-shredding riffs, check.

The Eagles of Death Metal take all the fun parts of Rock and Roll bands from the Rolling Stones to the Kings of Leon and put them together. While I'm sure they take their music seriously, they don't take themselves seriously. These guys packed up whatever egos they had and shipped them off to Axl Rose who has apparently used up all of his. It was clear that they were at the Fillmore to have fun, and it makes it really easy for the audience to have a good time, when the band on stage is having fun (as opposed to 'working'). Bands often say 'You're the best audience we've ever played for' and that's kind of annoying to hear, especially when a crowd clearly isn't into the band. But the Eagles of Death Metal never said that and yet I was convinced by Jesse Hughes reactions that we were the best audience they've ever played for. As the lyrics go to the title track of their newest album, Heart On "Shoot to Kill, Aim to Please / What good's a heart if it ain't on your sleeve?" Thank You, EODM for the pure, unadulterated, fun rock & roll. I bought the '68' t-shirt.





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Worst.News.Ever - Live Nation and Ticketmaster in Merger Talks

Live Nation and Ticketmaster - my two most hated organizations in the universe are rumored to be in talks of a merger. In most cases, one might think that two negatives could make a positive, but I can't imagine that being the case here. I've already been subjected to paying $5 promoter fee, $3 Building fee, $6 convenience charge, and $2 'ALLOW ME TO PRINT OUT THE TICKET MYSELF' fee for a $15 concert ticket and I feel dirty and cheated every time I do it. CNN's Alan Duke defends Ticketmaster's charges because they 'pioneered' online ticketing and fans no longer have to wait in long lines for hours to buy tickets. This is true, but I can think of a million other services that are more convenient because of the internet that don't charge a 'convenience' fee.

The merger, if it goes ahead, would combine the world's largest concert promoter, Live Nation, and the leading ticketing company, Ticketmaster. This news comes on the heels of Ticketmaster messing with Bruce Springsteen's ticket sales. Ticketmaster was caught passing ticket-buyers to their secondary ticket site, TicketsNow. TicketsNow is a broker (like StubHub) and can inflate the value of tickets based on demand. Well, the funny thing was that there were plenty of tickets still available for the Springsteen show. I got news for you, Ticketmaster... YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE BOSS.

“Last Monday, we were informed that Ticketmaster was redirecting your log-in requests for tickets at face value, to their secondary site TicketsNow, which specializes in up-selling tickets at above face value. They did this even when other seats remained available at face value. We condemn this practice,” Springsteen and his tour team said in a letter posted on Bruce’s official site. “We have asked this redirection from Ticketmaster to TicketsNow cease and desist immediately and Ticketmaster has agreed to do so in the future and has removed its unwanted material from their and our site.”

The Boss continues, “A final point for now: the one thing that would make the current ticket situation even worse for the fan than it is now would be Ticketmaster and Live Nation coming up with a single system, thereby returning us to a near monopoly situation in music ticketing. If you, like us, oppose that idea, you should make it known to your representatives.”

President Obama has vowed to toughen antitrust enforcement, and I hope to God that he starts with Evil Nation and Ticketmassa. If you are a San Francisco resident, Click Here to write to Nancy Pelosi and let your thoughts be known regarding this merger.

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More about this:
Coolfer.com
CNN.com

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RATATAT returning to The Fillmore

RATATAT will be returning to San Francisco, playing two nights at the Fillmore on April 1st and 2nd, 2009. Tickets go on sale on Sunday February 8 at 10am through Live Nation.


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Langerado Music Festival Canceled

2009 Langerado Music Festival Has Been Canceled; Tickets to Be Refunded
The Langerado Music Festival has suffered from not selling enough Tickets and will Cancel 2009 Festival.
Read Article Here

Get more info on other Festivals on the Music Festival Calendar

Flight of the Conchords coming to Berkeley

New Zealands fourth most popular digi-pop band, Flight of the Conchords, will be performing live at the Berkeley Community Theatre on 05/25/2009. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 10am through Ticketmaster.com.

i just can't wait to see Sugalumps performed live:




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Lily Allen Announces Warfield show

Earlier today, Lily Allen announced her North American tour which includes a night at the Warfield in San Francisco on April 4, 2009. Opening for the Brit-pop cutie is Natalie Portman's Shaved Head. Natalie Portman's Shaved Head opened for CSS at Bimbo's in December 2008.

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Rodrigo y Gabriela on Tour?

With the announcement of the Bonnaroo lineup it was revealed that Rodrigo y Gabriela will be touring again this summer. Keep them on your radar and don't miss them if they come to a city near you.




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Bonnaroo 2009 Lineup Preview Video!

Bonnaroo 2009 Lineup...



Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Phish (2 shows), Beastie Boys, Nine Inch Nails, David Byrne, Wilco, Al Green, Snoop Dogg, Elvis Costello Solo, Erykah Badu, Paul Oakenfold, Ben Harper and Relentless7, The Mars Volta, TV on the Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Gov't Mule, Andrew Bird, Band of Horses, Merle Haggard, MGMT, moe., The Decemberists, Girl Talk, Bon Iver, Béla Fleck & Toumani Diabate, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Galactic, The Del McCoury band, of Montreal, Allen Toussaint, Coheed & Cambria, Booker T & the DBTs, David Grisman Quintet, Lucinda Williams, Animal Collective, Gomez, Neko Case, Down, Jenny Lewis, Santogold, Robert Earl Keen, Citizen Cope, Femi Kuti and the Positive Force, The Ting Tings, Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Kaki King, Okkervil River, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Crystal Castles, Tift Merritt, Brett Dennen, Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Revue, Toubab Krewe, People Under The Stairs, Alejandro Escovedo, Vieux Farka Touré Elvis Perkins in Dearland Cherryholmes Yeasayer Todd Snider Chairlift Portugal. The Man. The SteelDrivers Midnite The Knux The Low Anthem Delta Spirit A.A. Bondy The Lovell Sisters Alberta Cross More Artists to Be Announced

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DeVotchKa + Crooked Fingers @ The Fillmore

Friday night I went to see the first of DeVotchKa's two-night stint the Fillmore. Here are some pictures and a video. You can read the review at Hard Rock Chick who wrote a great post about the performance .





Theremin in action


One of the Slavik Sisters acrobatic performance on the hoop...



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