An Intimate Evening with MIKA in San Francisco 3/25/2013

Back in February MIKA announced that the 2013 tour in support of his latest album, Origin of Love, would be held at small "intimate" venues across the States and tickets to this very rare chance to hear new arrangements of his entire catalog were gone in less than 60 seconds for the show here in San Francisco!








The show may have been stripped down but MIKA was dressed to impress, giving JT a run for his money in suit in tie at The Great American Music Hall Monday night.














Most artists place hit singles somewhere in the middle of their set if not the very end but not MIKA. With that said I was surprised that the show opened with Grace Kelly, which is easily the most popular MIKA song to date however I was not surprised that everyone (everyone) in attendance sang along. 










Without getting up and with a genuine smile still reaching from ear to ear Michael Holbrook Penniman, Jr. greeted his fans from his piano with a polite "Good Evening San Francisco" before the second song of the night "Toy Boy".




Instead of sparking a sing along during the a kid-show theme song-esque chorus of the bumble-gum pop song, "Lollipop", fans opted to clap along to the beat leaving the singing to MIKA, it was exuberantly engaging. 


"Sucking too hard on your lollipop
Oh, loves gonna get you down
Sucking too hard on your lollipop
Oh, loves gonna get you down
Say love, say love
Oh, loves gonna get you down.
Say love, say love
Oh, loves gonna get you down."




After asking for assistance to turn his piano so that it faced the audience following the song "Billy Boy"  MIKA exclaimed, "Oh thank god! Well it's good to be back in San Francisco!" and the charm and charisma oozing off of the small stage at The Great American Music Hall continued to fill the venue a warm-fuzzy feeling. Six songs off the new album were featured in  set list and even though I thought there would be more new material it was clear that the crowd appreciated the more or less even mix from all three albums.






Just like the latest album, Origin of Love which MIKA himself describes as "more simplistic, less layered than the last one" it's accompanying intimate tour seeks the same sort of maturity but it will still bring out the kid in you plus it gives you a reason to get dressed to the 9s and that's always fun!



 SET LIST 3/25/2013

1. Grace Kelly
2. Toy Boy
3. Lollipop
4. Blue Eyes
5. Billy Brown
6. Popular
7. Love You When I'm Drunk
8. Only lonely man
9. Underwater
10. Stuck in the Middle
11. Emily (sung in French!! Ooh La La!)
12. California
13. Origin Of Love
14. Big Girl
15. Century man
16. Relax
17. Love Today
18. Celebrate
19. Happy Ending

20. Stardust
21. Over My Shoulder

Bajofondo @ Bimbo's!

 Bajofondo brought their Argentine-Uruguayan tango fusion flavor to Bimbo's 365 Club last week!
The dance floor was still filling when the Latin-Gammy Award winning band hit the stage just after 9:30 with brand new track  Codigo de barra off of their latest album  Presente. 

  Javier Casalla's vibrant violin playing dominated the  the first half of the show but did not steal any attention from enthuastic bandmate,  Martín Ferrés as he got up close with fans playing the bandoneón on the edge of the stage.



Riling more excitement through an already engaged crowd after 5 energized instrumental songs,  right when I thought the set might be a purely instrumental one, guitarist Gustavo Santaolalla lended his  vocals to Pena en mi corzan!




Drummer Adrián Sosa got on the mic while violinist Javier Casalla filled in on the drumset and Juan Campodónico sang from behind his turntables at one point. 





Smooth transitions of on-stage exchanging of instruments as different members of the band got behind the mic during different song didn't slow the show down or distract the crowds attention at all.


Wide smiles and theatrical facial expressions were pleantiful from all 8 band members between chorus' as Bajofondo inginited the dance floor with an energy I've never personally experienced at Bimbo's 365 Club.

Currently on tour in support of their 4th album Presente, Bajofondo played a bunch of songs off of that album as well as some tracks off of their some older albums.

Bajofondo told fans that San Francisco is one of their favorite cities in the whole world and after the performance they gave at Bimbo's 365 Club there was no reason not to believe them!

New Music News

Where did the week go?!

People have been talking about (and hoping for) new material from Daft Punk for a year or so!

Finally, word on the street is that new details surrounding new Daft Punk are legit!

13 tracks, which are rumored to weigh heavily on sounds from the disco era are said to be released sometime in 2013...

Of course this news along with the DP artwork released earlier this year (above) doesn't confirm anything, the Punks haven't denied anything either...

hopefully this buildup won't let us down!

Building up to the May 7th release of their 3rd album Modern Vampires of the City,Vampire Weekend released 2 new songs; Diane Young (left) and Step this week.

 The New York-based band also played the new song, Hey Ya (right) at SXSW during the music festival-ending show on Saturday night.

Chances are Vampire Weekend will play these 3 new tracks, maybe more, at their (sold-out!) show at The Fox Theater in Oakland on April 17th.

Barely 14 months after their last album was released, Sigur Rós are at it again!

Nine new tracks that make up Kveikur will arrive on June 18th but you can listen to a couple of the new tracks, watch the music video for one of those new tracks and see Sigur Rós live at The Fox Theater in Oakland before then! 

Kveikur tracklist:

01. Brennisteinn
02. Hrafntinna
03. Isjaki
04. Yfirbord
05. Stormur
06. Kveikur
07. Rafstraumur
08. Bláprádur
09. Var

Confirmation came on  Wednesday that AEG Live will be the promoter behind at least 18 upcoming, Rolling Stones arena shows across North America! 

An announcement for the tour hasn't been officially confirmed but will most likely come before the end of the month!

The Airborne Toxic Event is coming to SF!

The Airborne Toxic Event headlines at The Warfield just days before the release of their 3rd studio album, Such Hot Blood. 

The band has been busy with the  release of The Secret EP  last week and debuting of the music video for the single, Timeless last night on David Letterman.

 

Don't miss your chance to see poetry in motion! Get your tickets to their show on April 11th today!

Such Hot Blood will be available on April 16th and The Secret is available now!

Sweaty Ellie

Music can inspire in so many different ways: it can affect and/or enhance your mood, comfort you, help you focus while studying, it can get you through a workout.  Maybe your favorite band will make you and your friends want to start your own band or learn to play an instrument. 

Photo by: Marc Fong

I for one love when my parallel passions for music and fitness meet, especially when music's influence inspires me to run harder, faster and longer. For instance, Ellie Goulding. Singer, songwriter, musician, (guitar, drums, keyboards, bass guitar, mandolin, clarinet) record producer, runner.

She had me at runner. Ok, in 2010 her debut album, Lights won me over but her folk-tronica dream-pop isn't the type of music I'd chose to get me through any given run. Ellie Goulding inspires me because I found out that she too, is a runner (she wears Nike's just like me!). 

 More over, Ellie Goulding is training to run the Nike Women Half Marathon DC on April 28th!

  

Touring, like running, takes a toll on a person as a whole: you love doing it but it isn't glamorous, it's grueling but in the end it's so rewarding. So when I  hear about artists who keep up with a regimen while on the road my appreciation for them and their music grows.
If an artist can train on tour then run 13 miles on an off day, then I can too and so can you!

It definitely takes talent to turn it up on the road and the stage. Take a look at Ellie training for the Nike Women Half Marathon DC  ,her dedication is inspirational!

Celebrate St.Patty's with Cups and Cakes

 

Tucked away at 451 9th Streeet in San Francisco, Cups and Cakes Bakery pride themsleves for specializing in scratch-baked, homemade cupcakes in over 75 flavors. Each Cups & Cakes Cupcake is served in their own little solo-paper cup instead of the typical cupcake wrapper. Clever!

Lucky for us they have 5 flavors to get us into the spirit of St. Patricks Day!



The Girl Scouts Thin Mint Cookie better watch out!

Peppermint Patty:

Dark Chocolate Cake. Peppermint Buttercream Filling. Dipped in Dark Chocolate Ganache.

What the dark chocolate cake lacked in decadent chocolateness was made for with it's some what intense peppermint buttercream filling. Topped with a thin layer of rich dark chocolate ganache this combonation of flavors rounds out nicely.

Pot O' Gold:
Green Velvet Cake & Cream Cheese Frosting

It's a red velvet cupcake only it's green!

A cloud of savory sweet cream cheese frosting is the perfect match for the velvety green cake. Adorned with a Rolo pot of gold sprinkles at the end of a rainbow colored sour-candy strip Cups and Cakes Pot O' Gold cupcake is easily the cutest cupcake I have ever seen...and eaten!

Irish Coffee:
Coffee Cake.  Jameson Irish Whiskey Buttercream. Clover Sprinkles.

The cake of the Irish Coffee Cupcake was my favorite, not only because it's made with real coffee but it's sweet, fluffy and buttery! Yum! The buttercream could use another shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey because it could pass as vanilla frosting.

Lucky Charms:
Vanilla Cake. Vanilla Butter Cream. Lucky Charms Cereal.

Marshmellow Cereal-Treat or Cupcake?

With it's buttery moist vanilla cake, mild vanilla buttercream and Lucky Charms Cereal topping Cups and Cakes Lucky Charms Cupcake is like biting into a magically delicious sugar sanwhich!

Black & Tan:

Guiness Chocolate Cake. Bailey's Irish Cream Buttercream. Chocolate Drizzle.

Rich chocolate cake infused with guiness and a  buzz-worthy Bailey's Irish Buttercream the Black & Tan cupcake is more like an Irish Carbomb Cupcake and it's really, really good.
 

Even though it's missing a pale-ale counter part the Black & Tan  was my favorite because it tasted just like eating the popluar St.Patty's celebratory beverage!

Don't be green with envy!

You can head over to Cups and Cakes Bakery to get a yummy pot of gold for your St. Patricks Day festivities!



New Music News

Some music news from the past week to fill your ear-holes with!

In 2008 we were introduced to Empire of the Sun via their award winning debut LP Walking on a Dream now, 5 years later the Austrailan duo will deliver their second LP, Ice On The Dune  in June!

What's to be expected from these experimental new-wave synth-rockers?
Check out the trailer of Discovery, produced by the company run by Sci-Fi fav J.J Abrams!

On Monday She & Him (Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward) released "Never Wanted Your Love" the first single off of their next album, Volume 3 due out May 7th!

The single is available for purchase on iTunes where you can also pre-order Volume 3.

JT is back, as long as he has his suit and tie that is. . .
 

March 18th is the official release of The 20/20 Experience BUT fans can stream JT's complete new album on itunes before then!

(Only on desktops and iPads!)

In celebration of their next North American tour canadian indie sensation, Stars is sharing a stream of the new Sem Thomasson house remix of "Give It".

The original track "Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It" is on 2012s' critically alcaimed, The North, Stars 6th studio album.

See Stars with Tegan and Sarah at The Catalyst in Santa Cruz on April 18th!

Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/ Getty Images

Yeah Yeah Yeahs opened their SXSW set Wednesday night with title track from their forth coming album "Mosquito".

Through out their hour long set on the Stubbs BBQ stage, Yeah Yeah Yeahs played more new tunes including "Subway", "Under the Earth" and "Sacrilege".

 



"Totally worth the wait" - Esquire

"Bowie's strongest work to date" - CBSNews.com

"One of the best albums of his career" - Oakland Press

"A fine rock record" - New Yorker



 On March 13th, The Next Day the first new album from David Bowie in a decade, was released and  has already made it to #1 in 40 different countires!

The new album from the King of Glam Rock has also landed a spot in the Top 10 on iTunes.

Alabama Shakes Secret Show

Alabama Shakes put on a private performance across the street from where they would later play their sold-out show  at The Fox Theater and I was super excited to be part of the experience!!

At 1:00 last Tuesday afternoon, The Uptown Night Club in Oakland welcomed a  handful of LIVE105 winners inside and less than hour later Alabama Shakes hit that stage with "Goin' to the Party." 

In a red flannel, a pair of blue jeans, a matching jean jacket and hair pulled back in a pony tail Brittany Howard's casual fashion (as well as the ensemble of her bandmates) was comparable to the vibe of the set inside the dark dive nightclub.

Though the set it self was short fans were not sold short of a sweet and very gracious show. In between belting out her heart and soul, Howard whispered thank yous as they proceeded to play 7 songs instead of the expected 5, which surprisingly did not include hit single "Hold On".

Seeing a band on the rise in such an intimate setting (on show day no less!) is something else. I wasn't lucky enough to make it to their show that night at  The Fox Theater but I have no doubt it was phenomenally fantastic!

Bringing their Southern roots grit and the feel of 50's flare to the familiarity of today's folk-bandwagon, leading lady Brittany Howard will continue to climb the ladder to legendary as the Alabama Shakes' tour rocks and rolls on through September!

New Music News

There's so much new music news there's no way anyone can keep track of it all but we can try!

These are just a couple note worthy music-news-stories from this past week that I caught which you might have missed.

They Might Be Giants released their 16th full length studio album, Nanobots on Tuesday!

The Two-time Grammy Award winning Brooklyn based band best known for their otherwise kooky style of alternative rock return with electrifying pop melodies and lively lyrics on 25 brand new tracks.

 Created at the private studio of T.M.B.G's  long time producer Patrick Dillett (St. Vincent, David Byrne, Mary J. Blige), Nanobots is now available digitally, physically and streaming-ly!

M.I.A is back in action! 

Earlier this week the brash West Londoner released a streaming Kenzo collaboration mixed-tape of her 4th album, Matangi. 

 The snippet is bali-rockin' with world beats, heavy dropping bass, a (surprising) absence of fog horns and expressing her self confidence through F-Bombs, I'd say M.I.A is ready for this album to be released already!

Matangi will be available April 15th!

We may be moving closer to a Brittany Howard/Jack White collaberation...


On Monday, Third Man Records shared an exclusive cover of Rodriguez's "I Wonder" b/w  "When My Man Comes Home" by of two of modern music's front women Alabama Shakes' Brittany Howard and Ruby Amanfu.

Pre-order the 7" single here, it's available March 12th.

As of March 5th, Welcome to Oblivion, the new album from How to Destroy Angels (Trent Reznor & Mrs. Trent Reznor's band), is available to buy and listen to for free! 

 

On Thursday hip-hoppy violinist  Emily Wells announced her next tour which includes a stop at SF's very cool, new venue, The Chapel! 

Emily's trip-hop acoustics and soulful attitude will blend beautifully with the vibe of this intimate venue on June 14th.

Strawberry Short Cupcakes

 Winter and holiday seasons are filled with decedent treats and with Spring around the corner we're  lightening things up with small Strawberry Shortcakes. 

That's right, Strawberry Short Cupcakes.

Krisa pointed out that shortcakes are either a biscuit (cookie) or sponge-cake so a decision had to be made before we could bake. We decided that because we were making cupcakes that sponge cake would be better  than cups full of cookie (though that does sound kind of delicious).

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup butter (lightly salted)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

 - Beat eggs in large mixing bowl with paddle attachment for 4 minutes.  Do not skip this step!

- Add sugar, and continue beating for another 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and stir on low until just combined.

We replaced the vanilla with brandy and the whole milk with heavy cream then Krisa started beating the eggs while I mixed the flour, sugar and baking powder together.

  - In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients.  

Add to eggs and sugar on low speed until just combined.

                                                                                                      - In a saucepan, heat milk and butter on low heat just until    butter is melted.  Add to batter, beat just until combined.

 The cake recipe yielded enough batter for 2 1/2 dozen cupcakes so we decided to bake one batch with and one batch without strawberries in the spongecake.  First we washed, sliced, diced then mixed the berries from the patch into the batch and stuck them in the oven. 

(we used about 10 whole strawberries for this addition).

- Preheat oven to 325 degrees 

 

- Pour into cupcake cups. 

 
- Bake at 325 degrees until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

- Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. 

 

Krisa, being the true baker here, added white sugar, confection sugar and a splash of brandy to a container cool whip creating a  thicker constancy for the whipped cream "frosting". 

 The cupcakes without strawberries baked in were topped with a dollop of  whipped cream then covered in sliced strawberries and since the other cupcakes had strawberries baked in they were topped with whipped cream sans strawberry slices. 

Once these babies are frosted make sure to pop them in the fridge so the whipped cream "frosting" doesn't melt!

Look at how cutesie these cupcakes are! 

Not only do they look good, they taste delightful! The cupcakes with strawberries baked in were a little more moist than the ones with out and the brandy was untraceable in the spongecake and whipped cream (maybe we'll add more next time, maybe not). 

As with every cupcake our Strawberry Short Cupcakes are best fresh when the whipped cream "frosting" is still fresh and the strawberries are still juicy!