Rilo Kiley’s remarkable return
On Wednesday, May 7, I ventured to one of the last places on earth where twee appeared to be alive and well: the Rilo Kiley concert at Libbey Bowl in Ojai. Residents of the idyllic town and surrounding enclaves...
When Worlds Collide: Music Sampling as a Contact Zone
The intersectionality of two genres is much more than meshing two separate sounds because subcultures, histories, and aesthetics are ingrained within those sounds. When conjoined, opposing genres can communicat...
Seeing sounds: An instructional guide to predicting the sound of an album before you listen to it
Art by Anais Roatta
Here at B-Side, your local student music publication, we delve deep into the music we love in order to understand its evocative power and cultural necessity—we celebrate music’s capa...
When the music plays twice
Never, without exception, is there a reason someone should cover The Beach Boys. Of course, I love me a Fiona Apple cover of Across the Universe, but The Beach Boys is a whole different ball game. One weekend a...
These Nerds Can Rock! Band Night at the Thorsen House
This was my first time at the Thorsen House, a very historic home that houses the Sigma Phi Society. Walking down to the house was quite a venture within itself. My friend and I started at Dwight and Piedmont, ...
Songs that make me gag: soundtrack to my high school years
One evening during my sophomore year, my roommates and I sat in our living room and scrolled through our Spotify accounts in search of songs that we could not stand to hear anymore. Whether these were songs tha...
Story of an artist: The life of cult singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston
"The best thing you can say about me is that I have been and I always will be in the twilight zone, and I'm serious. I live a different life. I'm lonely, but it's not just being lonely. It's the things that I s...
I got sidetracked by the soundtrack: musical lingerings of various films
While going through the Bridget Jones trilogy, I was in awe of the song choices—especially in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004), when “I’m Not in Love” by 10cc was played. It was the perfect comb...
My thoughts on “When a Thought Grows Wings”
What happens when the Asian-Canadian thought daughter of our generation goes through a breakup? Luna Li's latest and greatest LP When a Thought Grows Wings (2024) provides a lush, heart-shattering answer. Captu...
I went to the Michael Seyer show and all I got was farted on
Where do I begin?
I first want to thank my wonderful friend Riya for accompanying me on this journey and for her growing patience.
When I asked if anyone knew Michael Seyer, the following story was the la...
Sun Room: The Final Breaths of a Carefree College Lifestyle
Last Thursday (April 11, 2024), I had the privilege to catch a performance by the band SUN ROOM as they made a pit stop in Northern California, playing two shows in Sacramento and Berkeley. This weekend, th...
Billie Marten Ascends to New Heights at August Hall
I remember the first time that I listened to Billie Marten: sitting in the dark of my room in April 2020, the soft yellow glow of Christmas lights over my desk blinking before me. I was transported into a new w...
The Mystique of Elliott Smith’s Demise
Elliott Smith is one of the most intrinsically devastating and crucial indie-folk musicians to date, known for his lyrics of absolute despair. The only thing more twisted and heartbreaking than his music is the...
In Holy Flux with Weyes Blood
Hearts were aglow at the Warfield on Wednesday night where Natalie Mering, aka Weyes Blood, took the stage for her "In Holy Flux: Unleashed Tour." As the venue lights dimmed, gothic candelabras glowed on stage....
HANNAH SHARES APERTURE WITH THE BAY
Support from Miloe & Lance Redeker primed what became Hannah Jadagu’s stage through and through. She breezed into the city Wednesday night, immediately following her show at the Echo 24 hours prior, to pl...