Music

This Must Be The Place: A Weekend-Long Festival of Post-Punk Documentaries

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

This weekend, our pals over at The Roxie are showing their truly massive compilation of obscure films and documentaries shot during the rise of post-punk. It's a solid chance to check out some rare footage from one of rock's most interesting eras. And on Saturday night, they're showcasing films on San Francisco's post-punk scene—something we don't usually hear too much about. Imagine, an evening focused on historical SF art and culture that doesn't revolve around Haight Street or Beat poets.

Maximumrocknroll caught up with The Roxie's Mike Keegan for a bit of background into the show:

I watch a tremendous amount of rock documentaries, and I am more or less enthralled by even the weakest entries in the genre. One of the major bummers of the world of rock docs, however – especially in the light of the proliferation of hastily put-together docs about baby boomer and post-baby boomer bands – is the default cinematic language that’s codified around them. That is: rad archival footage cut woefully short by contemporary interviews with participants contextualizing and excusing away bad behavior and youthful exuberance from the comfortable armchair of middle age. To that, I say: fuck that weak noise, let’s see what they meant when they said it.

If you want to check it out for yourself, we're giving away a pair of weekend passes to someone who likes this post on Facebook. (And if you don't want to chance it, you can go ahead and buy some tickets now.)

Finally, here's the preview for the show to hold you over until Friday:

Martuni's: A Piano Bar in a Karaoke World

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

For this week's cover story, the SF Weekly took a long look at Martuni's, the delightfully dark, drunk and oft-forgotten piano bar on the corner of Market and Valencia. The article goes at length talking about the personalities inside the bar, and what the last remaining piano bar in a city that used to be littered with them does to stay in business.

“Nothing ever changes,” notes the Weekly's Joe Eskenazi. “A customer can sit at the same table and order the same drink from the same bartender, year in, year out. This is why [Martuni's] won't switch to plastic glasses or revamp décor regulars affectionately refer to as 'Disneyland's Haunted Mansion.'” (The bar even spends $200 a week replacing glassware as a consequence.)

But the real story here, in my not so humble opinion, is the contrast between piano bars and karaoke:

[The Great American Songbook] is now perceived as anachronistic, as are the piano bars where it was celebrated. And the market for anachronisms is limited. For all but a few souls, the only remaining outlet for public singing is karaoke, a musical drinking game. Karaoke patrons doing “My Way” are not actually doing it their way; they're singing along to whatever inflexible arrangement is programmed into the machine. There's a striking difference between following the bouncing ball for a machine and a professional musician following you, accentuating your strengths and covering up your weaknesses; it's painting vs. paint-by-numbers. But, for most people, the distinction between karaoke and piano bars is something they either don't see or don't care to. Karaoke bars, in this and every city, are plentiful. Piano bars are dinosaurs.

All that is probably true, but I couldn't help but think of DJ Purple's saxophone-infused karaoke shitshow.  He may not be “a professional musician following you,” but just one night listening to him light up the room with thundering sax solos between verses will make every other karaoke night in the city just seem… boring.  It may not be as intimate as listening to a piano man and vocalist fill a candle-lit room—and I don't see Jack's tossing out their pool table in favor of a parlor grand anytime soon—but it's hard not to look at karaoke, a musical medium defined by its approachability, accompanied by live instrumentals as the future of bar entertainment.

Piano bars may be dinosaurs and karaoke might be an unworthy and rigid successor, but the hunger for the unpredictably and energy of a live musician is still there.  They just need, as the article suggests, to adapt.

[SF Weekly]

The Sunset From the Academy of Sciences Roof is Pretttty Nice

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

I've gone to a few NightLife events over the years, but never thought about going up on the roof at sunset.  Mistake!  You've got a perfect view of the de Young, Golden Gate Park's famed flora, and the last throes of sunlight battling the fog.  And after enjoying the show for a few minutes, you realize it's kinda cold up there and go back inside and watch baby ostriches be baby ostriches while Dan the Automator plays Dan the Automator.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

'San Francisco's Greatest Anthem'

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

Above is the queer electro-hop kids of Double Duchess marching down Mission Street in what SFist thinks could be our city's greatest anthem yet:

The song is beyond infection and the accompanying video (joyously directed by Epli Made) injected with everything you should hold near and dear to your heart — e.g., ice cream carts, drag, standing in traffic on Market with a bullhorn, and impossibly long legs.

And they got fireworks and bikes and that guy in the sandals too, so you know it's a goodie. Check it:

Mobile Bowling Lanes to Make Their Debut at Phono del Sol!

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

We were already plenty excited for next weekend's Phono del Sol Music Fest, but now we learn that the festival will see the debut of Mission Bowling Club's new mobile bowling lanes:

One of the few downsides of being at Phono del Sol is that you won’t be knocking down pins at the awesome Mission Bowling Club. But what if you could do both at the same time?! Because you can! Mission Bowling Club will be debuting some mobile bowling lanes in our beer garden at Phono del Sol, so be sure to stop by, grab some beers and do some outdoor bowling!

And it gets better:

If you’re looking to burn some steam between Phono performances, be sure to check out the assortment of activities and games that will be provided by the folks at Fun and Game Rentals. Stuff like midway games, a bounce house, an inflatable jousting area — you know, good, old-fashioned fun!

If you haven't already, buy your tickets now.

Previously on Uptown Almanac: 

Oh Apparently 7X7 thinks it knows about Underground HipHop

— By Serg |

They mentioned AesopRock which made me do a double take, unfortunately the smarts behind their local shows round up failed to realize he is not an SF native. Whatever little shit, I use to bang float and earthworms a lot. Anyways if 7x7 is mentioning Aesop Rock shows then fuck it I'm gonna mention some shows.

scary time at DNA lounge for spooky day but if you want an early jump on scary time White Ring is also going to dj at FuturePerfect Thursday at Public Works.

Hey remember Kreayshawn? well her sidekick is at 330 ritch if you like bullshit.

This fool is playing Tormenta saturday.

Tidal Wave Metal Fest out at McLaren Park Saturday & Sunday and that shit is free fool.

flyer

Monday show gramps but for this one I'm actually giving away a pair of free tickets on Stay Hatin (a rap podcast I do). But yeah if you like raps about sucking dick with scary time beats or if you want to stage dive feet first you might want to holler at it.

 

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