Music in San Francisco

Wednesday September 29, 2010 at Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco will be a great show featuring Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and SF’s own Thee Oh Sees.  It is sure to be an historic event.

The Spits, No Bunny, Scumby and DJ Carolyn Keddy - Mostly local show this Wednesday at Bottom of the Hill (The Spits are from Seattle).  It’s a super line-up and is guaranteed to get your body moving.  The Spits put on a great live punk/garage rock show.  No Bunny (local) is fun and freaky garage rock.  Scumby features members of the Rock & Roll Adventure Kids (Oakland) and though I have not seen them, I will guess that it’s upbeat and rockin’.

The Mission Creek Music Festival is happening this week around San Francisco.  Check out http://www.mcmf.org/ for information.  I just saw Rykarda Parasol, along with Kevin Junior at the Cafe du Nord and it was a great show, especially Rykarda Parasol.  One of the best shows coming up is in McLaren Park on Saturday July 17 - featuring The Fresh & Onlys (SF band), Grass Widow (SF band) and others.

San Francisco’s Thee Oh Sees have a new album called Warm Slime and it’s another great record from these prolific garage rockers.  It’s got it all: fuzz, psych, multiple moods and never a dull moment.  If you like them, I think you’ll dig this.  If you don’t know them, check it out.  Also, check them out live - they put on a crazy, fun live show.

Local band Hank IV is the opener for a great night of music this Monday at the Hemlock Tavern.  X (from Australia) is the headliner (not to be confused with X from Los Angeles) and one of my favorites bands, A-Frames, are in between.  I have been looking forward to this one for a while.  Check it out if you like garage punk/rock.

Local San Francisco garage rockers, The Reaction, are doing a free show on Saturday May 15, 2010 at Thee Parkside at 3:00 PM.  This band features Wade Driver (The Degenerates, Hickoids, Corduroy, et al.), Liz Byrne, Anthony Hernandez, and Radek.  They are a great band to see live, excellent musicianship and they really get the crowd going.

I took this photo a couple of years ago whilst walking in LA (believe it or not).

If you like dark, Faulkner-esque lyrics and intense music, performed by cool chick with a raspy voice, then you should check out Rykarda Parasol this Saturday at the Cafe du Nord.  I have seen her several times and interviewed her once on February 16 of this year.  She is worth checking out and always has great musicians playing with her.  I don’t mean to “pigeon hole” her music, but it is along the lines of early Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Crime & The City Solution, Siouxsie & The Banshees… I’m sure you get the picture.

I saw Didmao at the Hemlock Tavern on March 13, 2010 and they were really cool.  I’ve been enjoying their self-titled record on Cococonk, and was curious to see how the music translates from the studio to a live audience. My conclusion:  It translates very well.  The live experience made me realize that Didimao has elements that make me think of Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, as well as Bauhaus (believe it or not).  It was dark and rhythmic, but not without humor and odd timings.  They seem to play around San Francisco often so, if you get the chance, you should check them out.