I don't think before I type's Posts
As seen on the insane flier above (courtesy of the lovely Sam Bartos), I'm hosting a free in-studio performancerecording at Studio SQ with The Secret Secretaries and Demimonde. The show will take place at 7 this Sunday and the good people at Lagunitas are bringing us all of the beer in the world. Did I mention free beer? There'll be free beer.
Since it's a semi-private party and you guys are my best friends, you can totally come but you must RSVP by emailing me to get on the list or the door guy will laugh and laugh and laugh once more right in your face and tell you to go fart on your own hands at home.
As you might recall, The Secret Secretaries recently received rave reviews from Uptown commenters "Everything Sucks" and "frisco music isn't all bad", who noted "this is actually good" and "I thought SF music had hit the shitter, replaced by tech dorks. apparently not."
BYO tech dork.
Previously on Uptown Almanac
Hey guess what, the green energy elixir from Sidewalk Juice is totally a great coffee replacement. April fooools..
But seriously, you guys. SF dirtwave band The Secret Secretaries released a single today that sounds, as my friend Ryan put it, like if Kurt Cobain was the singer for Hum. Behold:
Pretty sick. Good thing they're playing at Bottom of the Hill tonight. They go on at 9. I'll be the one in the front row with the rubber chicken.
Santa Barbara four-piece Dante Elephante are easily one of this blog's favorite west coast bands. The stock foodagey video above plays along to the bands unreleased new single, "Never Trust A Junkie," off their impending release which may or may not be titled Teenage Boys. Based on the few tracks we've heard so far, its set to be a consistently likable follow up to the band's 2012 debut, German Aquatics.
Dante Elephante will be playing an intimate in studio performance/live recording this Sunday at Studio SQ in the easily walkable Bayshore neighborhood, along with Mission sweetheart Kitten Grenade.
Tickets and beer will be free at this event, but there are only a few spots left. Shoot me an email to me at sierra@studiosq.com if you'd like to get your name on the list.
Local music lovers, (all five of you)
I was a little disappointed to discover that Curious Quail wasn't a bird-themed Modest Mouse cover band until I heard their debut LP, Instant Gratification, which was, well.. instantly gratifying.
If you're like me, you'll be braving the light mist and forking over the paltry cover charge ($8) to check out this wonderful Bay Area seven-piece at Bottom of the Hill tonight. They're set to go on around 9.
The show is especially recommended to anyone who likes insane accents and/or violins. But don't take my word for it! Check out Curious Quail's sweet jam, When The Cats Learned To Speak.
Los Angeles New Gaze band Francisco the Man is playing a happy hour show at Bender's this evening with fellow Angelino bands, Kitten and Beach Party. The show's presentation is a combined effort of LA's Echo/Echoplexpresents and Noise Pop, the imaginary San Francisco music festival.
Francisco the Man will perform at 7 - probably wouldn't miss that if I were you. Their forthcoming single, In the Corners is exactly what I want to hear in 2013.
Hey guys,
Welcome to Sierra's Frostown Bandmanac. Hopefully you're ready to head out to all the shows I recommended for tonight. But first, here's some inspiration to get you in the mood.
In their new video, Fake Your Own Death, a group of guys who have lived in The Mission since you were in grade school, tare up Lone Palm, Mission Bar, Beauty Bar, and the Attic to the tune of the band's sad and hopeful new single, Tijuana. There's also definitely some Lucha Libre stuff happening toward the end of the video. All in all, it's one of the Missionest things I've seen all week.
These guys are hitting all the right marks for me: band bonding hour, cute guys in their late 30's*, the original rock'n'roll handlebar mustache, and tasty post-punk guitars. Good show, Fake Your Own Death. These guys are among the few SF bands I'm truly stoked to catch at SXSW.
*very late 30's?
For those of you brave enough to brave Turk and Leavenworth on a Tuesday evening, I'd recommend checking out tonight's show, an installment of the wonderful Fiasco Sessions.
Fiasco performances showcase artists who are affiliated with the space, an upstairs warehouse that looks down on many a 'loin crackhead, where artists unveil new material, get loud, drink beer, and so forth.
Tonight's show features Rupert!, who plays tripped-out electronic instrumental hip hop stuff, like this sweet track, Bossonova.
Rupert! will be joined in his set tonight by Jeremiah Travis Caster of Jesus Dude Mom (best band name of all time) who plays slacker pop like the gem heard below.
Not sure what their combining forces will look or sound like, but have faith that these two rights won't be equaling a wrong.
Other acts tonight will include:
Kitten Grenade (the lovely stylings of Katelyn Sullivan, with her usual array of ukuleles, loops and keyboards!)
Desiree Wattis (great songwriter and full-blown babe)
And other people too!
If you want to stop by, please text (510) 904-8402 for the address. How underground is that?
Today has been a big Butt Problems day for me and I hope it can be for you too.
In preparation for tomorrow night's show at The Knockout, I've spent much of the morning listening to all five of this super heavy comedy/thrash band's songs on their myspace. Oh yeah, and the band is called Butt Problems.
Old favorites of theirs include Pretty Girl Shit Blast, Deer Fight, and Crafts, which is an intense song about crafts and making crafts.
Even if thrash/comedy really isn't your thing--though I can't imagine why that would be the case--The Secret Secretaries are playing support and are definitely worth catching.
These kids sound like they combine high the energy slacker sound developed by the SF Dirt Core bands of a decade ago, and 1980's Dark Wave's brooding sensibilities. You guys know I'm not one for new, hyper-specific genres, but I'm pretty sure The Secret Secretaries are in the process of coining Dirt Wave. This can be heard most clearly during the later tracks on Side A of Fixations, but for now, have a listen to their single, which is probably the least "Dark" track on the record because it's a certifiable jam.
All the info you need for tomorrow night's show can be found above on that gnarly flier.
SF music maven and all-around sweetheart Ursula Boots was one of the three dozen people displaced in the December 29th Capp Street Fire. A benefit concert is being held this Wednesday, February 20th (tomorrow) at Brick and Mortar Music Hall to help offset some of the setbacks the fire caused in this wonderful lady's life. Here's some more info about Ursula's situation:
Rite Spot bartender (as well as ex Bottom of the Hill, Amoeba Records, SF Bay Guardian employee also former KFJC and KUSF dj) Ursula Boots aka Ursula Rodriguez house burned Dec. 29th in the 23rd and Capp Street fire after a neighbors house caught on fire then unfortunately burned a few of the houses near. A few days later Ursula was given 20 minutes to gather items from her fire and water damaged apartment but unbelievably someone broke into her car and lifted every last one of the few things she had been able to salvage. It's a shitty end to an especially shitty year for Ursula having lost everything in a house she'd lived in for 15 years in San Francisco. Finding a place and moving is tricky these days around here as rents have beyond sky-rocketed over what she was paying in her rent controlled apartment. There are so many long time San Francisco residents getting pushed out by the massive salaried Google, Facebook, Twitter big money accelerated rents beyond control (and reason). Ursula is essential to San Francisco and we need to do everything we can to help her get back on her feet as she tries to rebuild her life and find a home as well as show her that we care and support her in these exceedingly tough times.
Ursula has given so much to San Francisco over her countless years as a resident, in particular to the music community.If you cannot attend the event and/or are able to contribute more here please do. Ursula's paypal account is: Ursula Rodriguez at krasabitza2@yahoo.com
There you have it, guys. Sliding-scale tickets available HERE.
Previously on Uptown Almanac
When I first checked out Void Boys a few weeks ago, the recordings they had up were terrible to the point of being indiscernible as music. I don’t know if it was their Space Punk-themed photos or their name that endeared them to me so much–call it a premonition– I couldn’t help but think that this band must have more to offer than live house-show recordings of what one could only assume were songs.
And wouldn’t you know it, last Tuesday the ‘Boys put up what I’ll refer to as their first actual song on Bandcamp. The single, Cherubim of Jezebel (go figure) also sounds pretty bad, but has for sure crossed over the crucial threshold from bad-bad to good-bad. Cheribum shows off singer Shannon Bodrogi’s incredibly charming, squawky girl voice and carries kind of wistful energy most often accomplished by bands that aren’t afraid to play with structure. Play as in play, not as in rearrange.
This blogger is definitely looking forward to hearing more songs and hopefully at least a little bit better recordings from Void Boys, but the one song I’ve heard so far has been stuck firmly in my head for days.
Void Boys are planning an EP release for April or May. They’re easily on my list of artists to watch in 2013.
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