8 posts tagged “photos”
ON TELEVISION. Hold yer horses, crazies.
"House of Cards" will be the track 'performed' on Late Night With Conan O'Brien tonight; rather than fly over to do the song, the band is being green and is sending the song over to be broadcasted instead. Those Oxford blokes, saving the world and shit...
Oh, did I mention I'm going to three Radiohead shows up and down the West Coast in August? So much for me being nice to Mother Earth. (But a happy birthday to me!)
I missed all the great haps last night because I care about my education...
Damn it...
Anyway, last night was part bust, part amusement, but overall I am glad I went. This week will prove to be crazy, but I think I will love every second of it. Tonight I am working the Jamie Kennedy film opening for "Heckler" (of which I have a goal - read below), and then will try to hit up both Quasi and The Walkmen shows - they both have spectacular openers (peoplepeople and N. Lannon, respectively). Hooray!
Two other things:
(a) My crazy carrot picture from the coverage I did for the Treasure Island Music Festival accompanied the announcement for this year's dates in September in today's edition - it's coming back! More ferris wheels and video games, please...
(b) I know I said I'd comment on The Hives show I went to last week, and I figured out all I have to say is really this: yes, the schtick is there. Yes, it works. Yes, they dance and rock out and climb amps and threaten to hang from chandeliers. Yes, they bang out post-punk-indie-alt-weird-guitar-drum tunes, and it rules. But if I can get fan girl on here right quick, Howlin' Pelle is so fucking attractive I can honestly say I was really distracted. Just a bit.
I mean, if you saw this beautiful creature screaming his head off during "Main Offender," wouldn't you fall in love?
I was telling someone the other day I think I now love Sweden more than IKEA. And that does include the Swedes themselves.
Anywho, original clip for today's article here. Let the drinking commence!
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Live - Noise Pop Opening Party @ Rickshaw | SF
I barreled down to the Rickshaw Stop around 11 PM after I left the clutches of my education, and saw a throng of hammered festival aficionados littering the sidewalk, holding Noise Pop schedule booklets in their hands. I found my friend Nick eating Pringles from a lime green tube, professing his love for the snack every ten minutes and asking me who I was while his friend Mike ate white cheddar popcorn and looked on. Man, apparently I had missed out on everything.
Wandering into Rickshaw, it looked like a war zone; party streamers cluttered the floors, kegger-looking cups strewn about, and every person I bumped into was blitzed beyond belief. I found my friend Becca sipping Hennessey, and she described in great detail the free sushi, the madness, and the open bar factors I had missed earlier. Who starts a party at 8 PM? If there's nothing I've learned from being in college, it's that true epics don't start until at least midnight. I mean, this is Noise Pop's 16th birthday - I was at least expecting some table dancing and maybe corner groping high school style. The 15th year celebration included booze, free ice cream, a photo booth, Har Mar Superstar, and me stalking David Cross.
Ah, c'est la vie; it was time to grab some shut eye before embarking on the madness of the Noise Pop spirit. I've yet to concretely determine my schedule for the festivities, and am even considering learning how to ride a bike just to jump between shows (I had a sheltered childhood). I'll keep you posted, but here are some preliminary goals I have for this year's NP 16, subject to change, addition, and drunken tomfoolery:
- Hug Jamie Kennedy Wednesday after his Q&A, or maybe during? (Bonus points for a friendly smooch.)
- Meet/hang out with Pete and the boys and see their battle wounds, rock out to "Lemon Hill" from The Walkmen on Wednesday because I am so in fucking love with that song right now.
- Go to like all the FADER/Diesel free happy hours (Two Gallants on Thursday, my husband and Port O'Brien on Friday for sure.
- Stay away from drinks the color of my hair for fear this might happen again.
- See The Dodos on Thursday and attempt to break into a Magnetic Fields show because hey, the worst I can get is arrested, then dance at Popscene and to Great Northern.
- Check out the Elliott Smith photo exhibit by awesome photog Autumn de Wilde.
- Get shy with Holy Fuck again on Friday.
- Somehow hit four additional shows on Friday (Mountain Goats, Rosebuds, Cursive, Wale).
- Attend the Expo on Saturday and get my learn on.
- Somehow hit six shows on Saturday (Mountain Goats if I miss them Friday, Gutter Twins, Port O'Brien if I miss the acoustic Friday, MSTRKRFT, The Virgins, Panther.)
- Attend the Pop And Shop on Sunday and eat some delicious waffles.
- Check out She and Him on Sunday and fucking drool the whole time.
I'm so jazzed. I've stocked up on AA batteries, Red Bull, and all the lollipops I can find. Viva le Pop de Noise!
By JENZ
Feb 27, 2008 in
NEWS
I think it reads for itself.
Original clip here.
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Live - The Kills @ Popscene | SF
The U.K-with-some-Florida vibe duo were in town on a special appearance
for the heart-themed holiday, the skinny-jeaned, black-clad Alison
Mosshart and Jamie Hince on stage in middle of positively burning holes
in the carpet with their jagged guitar licks and breathy, "fuck you"
vocals. We were grinding to the sounds, partly because of the Black
Keys meets dirty jazz and garage feel, but also because we had also
drank an entire bottle of champagne in the car before coming in. Life
was good.
The Kills have this innate sense of being attractive without trying, for emitting this badass "I take shit from no one" attitude purely by moving simply; Hince standing on both heels before dipping take a deep slash at his guitar in such a stealthy swoop my heart skipped a beat; Mosshart closing her eyes and approaching her stand to sing, bangs in her face before cocking her mouth right at the cusp of the mic in a seductive way. These two know how to perform, and know how to play, and it is hot. "URA Fever" and "Love Is A Deserter" live are massive treats, an effortless yet intricate tangle of guitar and drum woven together for maximum effect. It was like I was living in the "No Wow" video all night, and it ruled.
Needless to say, we further celebrated the night after The Kills took off, upholding the idea of sexy and having more drinks and hugs and kisses and making out. Then additional drinks were had with throwing shot glasses into buckets in the smoking room and falling into the street at the end of the night and then somehow miraculously using the bathroom without any assistance. After that we went to 7-11 for Slurpees and got sympathy from a homeless dude while leaning out the car door for you-know-what. In the end, I woke up an hour late for the paying job the next day. Valentine's Day really may be in competition with my antics from New Year's, to be honest. If this is the rate I am going at for the 2008 holidays, I might be seeing little leprechauns on St. Patrick's Day telling me to do keg stands...
By JENZ
Feb 19, 2008 in
NEWS
- Radiohead announced the first leg of their tour this morning. California won't be announced until they come back from Europe in the summer, so me thinks a weekend Texas trip is in order. My grandmama lives in Houston, and my dear editor Erin said she'd be down for a road trip...I'm thinking maybe YES. I'm so pumped on this news, totally not even focusing on today's work...
- Tom Jones is insuring his chest hair for $7 million. Can you imagine? What if you pulled out two on accident? Do you owe him like $80,000?
- My Super Furry Animals/Holy Fuck show review went live today. New favorite band as of late (the latter).
ALL SORTS OF AWESOME!!
Now to go back to researching plane flights...
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Live - Super Furry Animals, Holy Fuck @ Great American Music Hall | SF
Thus, some serious dancing needed to happen to shake me of my sorrows. I was bummed all Saturday day; calling various places I remotely recalled having accounts at (Blockbuster, I'm sorry I used you last in August 2006). But I knew anything could be solved with a show.
A good friend and I approached the box office at Great American Music Hall for the Super Furry Animals/Holy Fuck gig, and I was itching to move my feet. Remembering I was on the latter's list, the woman at the ticket counter asked me which one I was on, and I actually stuttered.
"Holy F-f-f-f-...um, Holy F-f-f-f-uuuuck," I said slowly, like I was unsure I was going to get in trouble for saying the F word. Holy cow, holy crap, holy deuce, and holy shit - these guys are all in my vocabulary, but "holy fuck?" Was that blasphemous? Could a fuck be holy?
(Don't answer that.)
San Francisco's local kids Here Here were just finishing up their set as we walked in, the stage strewn with brass instruments and plaid. I was hooked. As we waited for the kids in Holy Fuck to grace our presence, we squeezed into the crowd and took our places, braving the increasing temperature on the dance floor and stripping down to our first layers of clothing.
The Fuck guys came on stage nonchalantly, and immediately I could sense tightness between these Canadians. Minimal vocals, tons of gadgets, and a whole lot of hair bouncing in sync together, my favorite was when the blondie in blue started doing what seemed like jazzercise to his own music - priceless. Song three we were bobbing our heads, and song five we were dancing amongst a sea of people with quizzical and adoring gazes. It was an electronic jam band pulling out the live drums for a spin, and adding some killer keys and a sense of urgent "Get out here now and fucking dance" statements. Hearing a song like "The Pulse" on record and tapping your feet at work versus observing it at a music venue with a sheer sound that envelops your brain is ridiculous. Needless to say, we fell in love with these guys. They make the electronics non-boring.
I had to escape the crowd after Holy Fuck's set because I literally could not inhale clean air. I stepped outside to take a breath, and it was one of those rare San Francisco nights where the atmosphere outside was infinitely better than inside. I almost didn't want to go back in for Super Furry Animals, but I had a sneaking suspicion I was going to be highly entertained. Thankfully, I was.
We got to be transported back in time to a place where folk ruled, headgear was in, and potentially many drugs were taken. Lead singer Gruff Rhys emerged on stage wearing a head covering that looked like a cross between a motorcycle helmet and the Red Power Ranger's helmet, and that was about three times too big, holding the mic near the visor opening to sing. Later he changed into a spring green beanie that was in the shape of a Smurf hat. I was enjoying this.
Sounding like he had experience singing in piano bars crossed with doing a lot of acid, Rhys rumbled through new songs off Hey Venus!, the band's current full-length. A '60s infused rock with a Britpop twist, the Furries delivered both rock and ballad tunes, "The Gift That Keeps Giving" showcasing the melodic and slow baby making music that the band can dominate, complete with a little distortion and sultry vox. "This song is about one of our favorite animals - the golden retriever," said Rhys of the rock song of the same name ("Golden Retriever"), then later making the audience place their hands on their heads palm out to wiggle their fingers to an outer-space/alien beat for about 30 seconds. I giggled the whole time.
Amusement all around? You bet. Thanks to some dancehall Canadians and some stoner rock musicians to make me smile. Identity theft has nothing on this.
By JENZ Feb 12, 2008 in NEWSMy only problem is that I didn't listen to this earlier. Holy shit, sexy as hell. Me likes.
Original clip here. She's playing in February at the Fillmore with Har Mar Superstar, which should be an amazing show.
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Sia
Some People Have Real Problems (Hear Music)
Release Date: 01.08.08
I first fell in love with the Australian crooner when she did work with
downtempo band Zero 7; she had me at "I'm watching porn in my hotel
dressing gown" in their track "Destiny." Her solo full-length Some People
will shake people's convictions for her being a strictly ballad singer
from her gained notoriety with "Breathe Me," which was featured on
HBO's Six Feet Under series finale.
Harboring a hybrid of Fiona Apple's sultry hooks and Shannon Wright's lyrics, Sia's voice is her strongest instrument, her inflections and the folds of her range producing such an incredible tidal wave of sound. Also maybe channeling some Elvis for her deep belly bellows, Sia's voice already sets her apart from the rest on her sheer distinction, which I can't say of a lot of singers in general these days.
Track one "Little Black Sandals" opens the Sia show with soft drums, piano, and a distinct pop/R&B vibe, "These little black sandals are walking me away" being sung through clenched teeth. Current single "Day Too Soon" has all the elements of making it radio friendly but still keeping true to her rough, warbling roar. The video for the song also features her riding a swan boat through a park, which is so strange and endearing at the same time, but seems to fit.
"I Go To Sleep" is the standout sleeper ballad, a string-infused powerhouse of piano and hat cymbals coming together for a sexy and tragic romantic feel, full of regret, nostalgia, and naughtiness. I can feel it in the depths of my own belly as she bolts out "I go to sleep" in the chorus. From "The Girl You Lost To Cocaine" and the lyric "I never get laid while I'm running your life," to "Playground," an upbeat light synth showcase, to "Soon We'll Be Found," a harried track composed of a sense of urgency, Some People shows that Sia is here to stay. I imagine her playing in a lounge bar atop a glittery piano just as much on stage at the Fillmore, and I love that about her.
Sia's tour starts the day after Valentine's Day, which includes a stop at this year's SXSW; be sure to check her out post-chocolate coma.
Sia Live
02.15.08 - San Diego, CA (Belly Up Tavern)
02.16.08 - Tucson, AZ (Club Congress)
02.18.08 - San Francisco, CA (The Fillmore)
02.19.08 - Portland, OR (Wonder Ballroom)
02.20.08 - Vancouver (Richards)
02.21.08 - Seattle, WA (Showbox)
02.23.08 - Salt Lake City, UT (Avalon Theater)
02.24.08 - Boulder, CO (Fox Theatre & Café)
02.26.08 - Minneapolis, MN (Fine Line)
02.27.08 - Milwaukee, WI (Turner Hall)
02.29.08 - Chicago, IL (Park West)
03.01.08 - Detroit, MI (Magic Stick)
03.03.08 - Toronto (Mod Club)
03.04.08 - Montreal (Les Saints)
03.05.08 - Boston, MA (Paradise Rock Club)
03.07.08 - Washington DC (9:30 Club)
03.08.08 - New York, NY (Webster Hall)
03.10.08 - Atlanta, GA (Variety Playhouse)
03.11.08 - New Orleans, LA (The Parish)
03.12.08 - Houston, TX (Warehouse Live)
03.14.08 - Austin, TX (Stubbs for SXSW)
03.15.08 - Dallas, TX (House of Blues)
"Day Too Soon"
Kevin was a riot! A thank you to Angela for intro'ing us. Original story here.
(And, if you have a moment: what do you think of my photography skillz?)
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A Chat With Division Day
We had a chance to chitchat with them back in the mid-fall about the new record as well as catch them at their very last show of 2007 at Popscene in late December. Beartrap Island, which came out on Eenie Meenie Records in October, finds the Los Angeles band with some Bay Area roots paying tribute to indie rock patrons before them while also combining a furious but subtle electro and cadence section.
Division Day played a fall show schedule with friends The New Trust, which found the four piece making the rounds across the country on their first national tour, and also taking the band cross-country in big cities, sometimes double playing shows in the day and night time. When we caught up with Lenhart in October at Bottom of the Hill, he said that the grueling schedule "is what we live for" and that having the traveling bug "is so great to get to have in a band."
It's not bad for the group who used to play in their native Visalia along the ranks of the Cellar Door and Howie's Pizza venues, which would feed the bands that played and had a great vibe, according to Lenhart.
At their Popscene show, which closed out a phenomenal year of music for both the indie club and the band themselves, Division Day climbed on stage to deliver rhythmic anthems like "Tigers," which included harmonies and guitar picks true to the likes of early Spoon and traces of Pinback. The band blended a good combination of pop and dance rock tunes for the sold-out crowd to bob heads and raise beers to.
Lenhart says Division Day will focus effort on new writing while touring for the current one; here is to 2008 being good to the boys as 2007 was.
Photos by Jenz
By Jenn Hernandez ||||| [Jenz]
Jan 04, 2008 in
NEWS
I've been raving on and on and on about Beirut for months now, and I am finally going to see them in about a week and a half. Having never been to Herbst Theatre in the War Memorial Opera House here in SF, where they are playing, I decided to do a quick Google search and I found this:
MAJESTIC.
Oh, and did I mention how I have third row seats? How this can be any more perfect, I'm not sure...I better not press my luck.
So Austin and Denver both got music festivals the same weekend as San Francisco's Treasure Island Music Festival, but I ask this: did those fools have a Ferris wheel, a photobooth, or zero-emission luxury buses in addition to fantastic music? I don't think so...
I had my doubts about this festival initially, as concert go-ers had to be shuttled to the island from San Francisco, from a parking lot behind the Giants' stadium to alleviate parking congestion - worries about being stranded on an island or being left behind was a major concern. In addition to a "green theme," where environmental awareness was being pushed by using bio-friendly materials for food and drink consumption, it seemed there was a lot going on for such a short weekend. But I casted my doubts aside to embrace the unknown after I stepped off my earth-friendly shuttle and picked up my photo pass in the press tent on day one.
Upon entrance into the festival grounds I was bombarded with such a cluster of color it was hard to concentrate. With two platforms perpendicular to each other across a field, aptly named the Bridge and Tunnel stages, I set off to explore while West Indian Girl took on the Tunnel stage. The good people at Another Planet and Noise Pop partnered up for this two-day celebration, and I wrote about the latter's hosting skills back in February: these are people who don't fuck around when it comes to partying. The aforementioned Ferris wheel was in effect; people in strange, grotesque monster costumes were pacing up the walkways finding targets to hug and/or hump; a variety of individuals in Victorian garb on stilts were sweeping through the crowd to find dance partners; and a vintage arcade sat near the entrance of the festival for those seeking to kill time in between sets. Wait, there was music too? Damn dude...
I found a friend of mine by chance, who dragged me to the Ferris wheel with her boyfriend and daughter as DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist were on the decks on the main Bridge stage.
Caving in to my childhood indulgences, we were whisked around on the ride at a considerably fast pace and were also subjected to quite possibly the best seat in the house.
The DJ duo were spinning old gems from each respective's catalogue as well as current radio singles from friends' bands alike: I heard Justin Timberlake's "Damn Girl" re-interpreted with horns and trumpets followed by a house-version of Bloc Party's "The Prayer," with the Foo Fighters' "Everlong" coming after - all set to an Alicia Keys video being projected behind them. Another friend of mine tipped me off to to the DJs' use of strictly 45's as a part of their hour-long set, which only enhanced the crowd's energy.
After we touched down and grabbed some beer, it was back to the Tunnel stage with Chicago DJs Flosstradamus. Never before have I seen a crowd so pumped by music emanating from the speakers - it looked like someone had decided to throw the kegger of the semester at their parents' house senior year, and everyone showed up to dance on the tops of the counters and tables. It was like my dream mix CD: Kanye West's "Stronger," Daft Punk's "One More Time," Benny Benassi's "Satisfaction" cover, Eric Prydz's "Call On Me." Just when I thought I was going to stop dancing, they started in again with Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin" and went on to throw on a Klaxons track, "Smack My Bitch Up" by the Prodigy, and then spun some Kelis and her "Milkshake" for good measure. Each song was greeted by thunderous yelling and clapping, the Flosstradamus DJs yelling "Hey, it's our last song! Act like a fucking fool!" at the end of their set.
After a quick stop at the Imeem photobooth (always a favorite), it was time for Gotan Project and to take advantage of the VIP area. I have a theory about outdoor festivals that was born from my first Coachella a few years ago: whatever band plays the sunset of the festival usually ends up being the one you fall in love with. That Coachella, it was Air; at Curiosa the following year, it was Interpol. My theory held up in the case of Gotan Project, as the only analogy that I feel is appropriate for this band is if Gabriel Garcia Marquez's poetic, passionate, and deeply sensual language was woven into music. Having never heard of Gotan, a Parisian-by-the-way-of-Argentina band, I literally had my mouth open for the majority of their set - I have not been impressed by a band so much like them in a very long time.
It was tango music meets electroclash, accordion meeting break beats, some tunes with a soul singer who crooned in Spanish, others by a rapper who looked about 19. The sheer amount of sex appeal and tight-knit talent exuded by the members of Gotan was off the charts. Opening song "Diferente," colored with a vibrant string arrangement, and traditional-inspired "El Norte" complete with a mariachi-esque vibe put them easily as best in show in my book. They by far won my heart and I furiously dug up any audio on them I could when I arrived home.
I decided to venture out back to the Tunnel stage to catch Kinky after picking up a dear friend at the gate, ultimately getting distracted by the video game tent and us playing three quarters each on "Area Site 4," one of the best shooter games ever instead. We also passed by Dave Eggers' brainchild McSweeney's/826 Valencia tent and saluted in spirit of being at a festival on an island in which gold lies in the foundation dirt.
I scurried to the photo pit to make my cutoff to take Thievery Corporation's pictures; with a sitar as a main instrument paired with synthesizer, I knew some awesomeness was going to occur. Sure enough, the tour belly dancer came out every other song, and the crowd stayed through most if not all of the Washington, D.C.-based outfit's set. There is something about seeing live music with a lit San Francisco skyline in the background, with ships sailing by and the soft bristle of the bay air on your skin. I know I had fought the festival originally being somewhere else that was not in the city limits of San Francisco, but watching Thievery with a backdrop of such luminescence was ridiculously beautiful. I knew the next day was only going to be sweeter.
