Sam Amidon tells jokes, warms audience at the Great American Ane Skjoelaas October 25, 2014 Concerts, Festivals, and Live Reviews Folk artist Sam Amidon has jazzed up both his new record Lily-O (2014) and American tour with amazing guitarist Bill Frisell and bassist Shahzad Ismaily. Monday October 13th, they pleased their San Franci...
Devendra Banhart and Andy Cabic make melodic poetry at BAM/PFA Divya Saraf October 20, 2014 Concerts, Festivals, and Live Reviews, Photos Last Friday night, longtime friends Devendra Banhart and Andy Cabic (Vetiver) performed an acoustic set at the Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive gallery. Banhart, known for his soulful experimental fol...
Ray LaMontagne and The Belle Brigade lullaby Oakland Tuesday night Sam Putt October 17, 2014 Concerts, Festivals, and Live Reviews, Photos Ray LaMontagne, along with the Los Angeles based duo, The Belle Brigade, turned the Fox Theater into an encapsulating and classy affair complete with ushers, mirrors, end tables, and a stand-up bass in the alr...
Juno nominees Basia Bulat and Bahamas split stage before packed house Joanna Jiang October 14, 2014 Concerts, Festivals, and Live Reviews 1 Comment “It’s frustrating sometimes, the geographic boundaries we place upon ourselves." (Basia Bulat at Slim's, 10/11) Saturday night on the Slim’s stage (and off it), Canadians caroused. There were shirts, f...
Damien Rice fills Congregation Sherith Israel with melancholy and humor Ane Skjoelaas October 12, 2014 Concerts, Festivals, and Live Reviews Irish singer/songwriter Damien Rice has always puzzled me with his incredibly intimate and almost embarrassingly straightforward yet poetic lyrics. His music is a big collection of moody love songs; howev...
Q&A: Sam Amidon to adorn GAMH with “living jungle and wizened tribe” Monday Ane Skjoelaas October 10, 2014 Concerts, Festivals, and Live Previews, Interview, News London-based American folk artist Sam Amidon is known for his unique interpretations of traditional folk songs and other lyrical materials. His tunes reflect a wide range of emotions, from those with an in...
Mutual Benefit to bring lush sound and warm magic to The Independent Joanna Jiang October 8, 2014 News Most records begin at one point and end at another: they chauffeur their listeners from a departure point to a destination, with or without purpose. Mutual Benefit’s The Cowboy’s Prayer EP (2011, re-issue...
Canadian folk musician Bahamas to play Slim’s next Saturday after coffee Joanna Jiang October 3, 2014 Interview, News 1 Comment The good folks over at SPIN Magazine can’t seem to get over Bahamas (real name Afie Jurvanen) and his geographic diversity. Exhibit A: “Bahamas distills his brand of breezy soul... with summer-ready...
An evening with The Avett Brothers Luke Sheard September 17, 2014 Concerts, Festivals, and Live Reviews, Photos "If you put your ear to the street, you can hear the rumble of the world in motion: people going to and from work, to school, to the grocery store. You may even hear the whisper of their living rooms, their con...
Passenger confidently orates the Fox Theater, brings friends Stu Larsen and The Once Sam Putt and Luke Sheard September 13, 2014 Concerts, Festivals, and Live Reviews, Photos 1 Comment Eclectic human masses slowly oozed into the historic Fox Theater in Oakland on a Thursday evening. The opening acts of the night were short bursts of vocally-driven songs that filled the entire theater with...
Fink head south, grow progressive pessimism on Hard Believer Joanna Jiang July 15, 2014 Album Review UK-based, DJ-turned-songwriter Fin Greenall’s orchestral folk trio, Fink, is the Django Unchained of their genre, rooted in a Southwest image of covered wagons and rolling tumbleweed but still progress...
S. Carey’s ethereal vibes to hit San Francisco Kavitha George July 3, 2014 News photo by Cameron Wittig, courtesy of Jagjaguwar Perhaps most easily recognized as a pianist and percussionist in the indie folk band Bon Iver, S. Carey is returning to the West Coast for the first time in...
Susanna to bring contemporary chamber-folk to San Francisco’s Vortex Room Joanna Jiang June 16, 2014 News https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS9bjj5-gxY&feature=youtu.be Punk rock shows and disco parties are a blast, but, if you’re anything like us, it’s everything else that keeps you from losing yourself in ...
Folk veteran Kris Delmhorst to melt the work-weary at San Francisco’s The Chapel Joanna Jiang June 2, 2014 News photo by Joanna Chattman; courtesy of Sacks & Co. Having grown up among the lo-fi-est of the lo-fi, Brooklyn-native Kris Delmhorst ventured away from the great big city for more pastoral Massachusetts and...
DWNTWN gets ready for summer with confectionery self-titled EP Joanna Jiang April 22, 2014 Album Review, News DWNTWN sounds like a fairly ordinary indie pop four-piece. A good indie pop four-piece, though; one that has two EPs under their belt and the Kitsune stamp of approval. The band's formation in 2010 after a bot...