A love letter to skate video soundtracks
As cringeworthy as it may sound, my favorite band for a little while was Minor Threat. Yes, that Minor Threat; the somewhat preachy hardcore punk band who coined the term “straight edge.” Now, I’m not say...
The British are coming: black midi at Rickshaw Stop
I’ve recently reached the age where I’m no longer young enough to believe that my big break is coming. When you’re 18 or 19, you can always say, “Oh yeah, I just need to hustle a little harder, I’m su...
Anti-Folk has a band now: Jon Bunting at the Red Heron
If you just clicked on this article and you don’t know who Jon Bunting is, stop. Don’t you dare make any assumptions because you saw the picture of a dude in a beanie playing acoustic guitar. Go listen to h...
Pavement revealed to be on payroll of the haircut industry: true stories with Kieran
STOCKTON - Documents recently released by the Federal Independent Rock Music Investigatory Commission have revealed that the pioneering lo-fi band Pavement have been fooling us all along. A federally-funded inv...
Talking backyard parties, “tactical” stuff, and not actually wanting to be a lo-fi band with The Missionaries
If you’ve ever drunkenly ended up at a backyard house show during any point at your time at Berkeley, there’s a pretty solid chance you’ve seen The Missionaries play. The quartet plays songs that you’ll...
Negativland and Chumbawumba: 20 years of anarchy
If I were to list off my favorite bands based solely on their onstage antics, gimmicks, and overall performance of hijinks, Negativland would easily be in my top three. In 1991 they released their EP U2, contai...
Iceage and Shame put the post back in punk at the New Parish
Walking into the New Parish on Tuesday, I had my mental checklist for a weeknight post-punk show going, and those boxes were getting ticked off pretty quickly. Dude in an Idles shirt? Check. Bowl cuts? Check. U...
Sheik Yerbouti: forty years old and raunchy as ever, for better or for worse
March 2019 sees the 40th anniversary of one of the most controversial records by the free-thinking guitar virtuoso Frank Zappa, Sheik Yerbouti (1979). The double disc, part-studio, and part-live record was the ...
The five weirdest music genres you’ve never heard of, live from Bandcamp
I’ve decided to give up honest music writing for the sake of pure clickbait, so here we are. This list is absolutely not the definitive top five, but hopefully, it can give a glimpse into the dustier corners ...
On dangerous paths: an introduction to dungeon synth
A hush settles over the plains as a cold moon rises, casting long shadows as you notice the ruins in the distance. Your bones ache from the day’s tribulations, and your heart skips a beat at the thought of a ...
In a sunburned country: The Aussie rock comeback is upon us
Ah, Australia. Land of kangaroos and sausage rolls and Foster’s beer (at least according to the advertisements). Most of what I know about the country comes from Jim Jefferies stand-up and Bill Bryson’s tra...
Windhand and Satan’s Satyrs host an occult ritual at the Starline Social Club
It was a quiet, foggy night in Oakland. The students were studying; the working folk had all gone home. Not a single automobile was in any one of the normally crowded intersections. A few drifters loped across ...
Ween on the green at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2018
“The Boognish is smiling down upon us!”
After what feels like hundreds of tiny, well-placed footsteps through a seemingly endless floor of blankets and lawn chairs, we rejoice with the joy of plane crash...