Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Miniature Tigers @ Popscene 7/31/2014

After Holychild! (LA), The Griswolds (Australia), people at Popscene were revved and ready to dance the rest night away when Brooklyn's Miniature Tigers hit the stage around midnight.
 
Miniature Tigers at Popscene 7/31/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini


 
 
Miniature Tigers at Popscene 7/31/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini
They jumped right into the set with their colorful synth-pop  and youthful energy which  was met with a lively reaction from the sold-out crowd. Algernon Quashie's vivid guitar playing paired with singer Charlie Brand's subtle interpretive dance moves garnered further attention from cheerful fans.  With it's laid back approach to love-struck anguish, Miniature Tigers'  recently released 4th album, Cruel Runnings, is well suited for any summertime sound track. These "popsters'" indie appeal and their signature bright, beachy feel made for a fun show at San Francisco's premier indie night club.
 
 
Miniature Tigers at Popscene 7/31/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
If you're heading down to Monterey this weekend for the Second Annual First City Fest make sure to Miniature Tigers on the Cypress Stage Saturday afternoon at 2:05pm!


 

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Sharon Van Etton @ The Chapel 7/29/2014

An invite only audience gathered at The Chapel in San Francisco for the Sharon Van Etten installment of The StubHub Concert Series presented by Pandora on the 29th of July.
 
Sharon Van Etten at The Chapel 7/29/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini
 
 Show-goers were still waiting in line by the time the free event started at 9:00pm but the old mortuary turned music venue had hit max capacity quickly. Inside, lucky attendees enjoyed a full open bar and a simple hashtag scored you freshly screen printed poster and t-shirt at the super neat, small pop-up screen printing set up downstairs!
 
Sharon Van Etten at The Chapel 7/29/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

Sharon Van Etten at The Chapel 7/29/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Currently touring the world in support of her new album Are We There, the acclaimed singer/song-writer was  accompanied by a small band made of her siblings, Heather and Peter Broderick. While most of the songs that night were solely Sharon on the piano or guitar, when her brother's beautiful violin playing was featured it single handedly added a hint of lightness to the somberness of the set. Heather's back up vocals complimented Sharon's singing with ease  and their harmonies were effortlessly enchanting while The Chapel's acoustics accentuated the stripped down sound of the show.  
 
Sharon Van Etten at The Chapel 7/29/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

 
 

Sharon Van Etten at The Chapel 7/29/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

Along with some self-deprecating banter and interjecting shouting show-goers (who were yelling at each other to be quiet) Sharon tried to lighten the mood with funny tid-bits about being stoned while writing certain songs, she also shared embarrassing stories from her adolescence.  The set was short, ending less than an hour later  with a cover of Karen Dalton's, "Red Are the Flowers", a fond farewell and a thank you to StubHub and Pandora for putting on the event.
Sharon Van Etten set-list 7/29/2014
 1. Afraid of Nothing
2. Life of His Own
3. Tarifa
4. Consolation Prize
5. Hotel 2 Tango
6. I Always Fall Apart
7. I Love You But I'm Lost
8. Our Love
9. Tornado
10. Everytime the Sun Comes Up
11. I Know
 
Encore
Red Are the Flowers 

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

The Soft White Sixties @ Popscene 7/24/2014

The Soft White Sixties at Popscene 7/24/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini


The Soft White Sixties filled Popscene with soulful retro rock n' roll at their sold-out show on July 24th. 
 
Caught a Ghost (from LA) opened the show with  a  gospel rock sound while the supporting act, The Crookes (from the UK) carried more of a surf rock/classic sound circa The Smiths  and both bands really set the mood for the headliners of the show.




The set opened by way of big guitar riffs before Octavio Genera burst on to the dark foggy stage beaming and belting out their version of the blues. Barely slowing  down to thank fans, Genera's super charged stage presence backed by glossy yet raw rock seduced the room to rock out, too.

The Soft White Sixties at Popscene 7/24/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini
The SF band won over hometown fans with the release of their EP in 2011 and they continue enthralling audiences on the current tour in support of their debut LP, Get Right. With a throw back sound bordering between 60's psychedelic rock and 70's arena rock N' roll, The Soft White Sixties keep their sound their own with heavy drum beats, melodic bass lines, nouveau vintage guitar riffs and a soulful singing style full of modern swagger.
 
The Soft White Sixties at Popscene 7/24/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

The Soft White Sixties at Popscene 7/24/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini
 
 
Produced by Jim Greer (Foster The People) in Berkeley, Get Right is available now and the band is offering fans a free digital sampler, download it right here.
 
The on going tour lands The Soft White Sixties at The Fillmore on September 25th! SF's  historic venue is the perfect setting for their retro rock n' roll show!

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

OKGO at The Independent 7/16/2014


OKGO @ The Independent 7/16/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

It's hard to believe that it's been four years since fans have heard (or seen) anything from the alternative indie band known for their wildly popular, visually titillating  music videos, OKGO. But, the long wait ended this past May with the release of a four track EP, Upside Out and a subsequent tour as a sort of prelude to the October release of their  fourth studio album, Hungry Ghosts!




OKGO @ The Independent 7/16/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini


The Independent was pretty much filled to the brim Wednesday night as excited fans
impatiently waited through the opening DJ set from Myles Hendrik who continuously fed the crowd whiskey and a weird mix of music  (everything from Led Zeppelin, Brittney Spears, Snoop Dogg, Pink Floyd, Die Antwoord and way more).
The packed house nearly exploded when the headliners hit the stage: behind a kaleidoscope of abstract images projected on to a mesh veil hiding the entire stage and the band, the  OKGO show started in true OKGO fashion! Soon enough, the band from Chicago now transplanted to Los Angeles, literally unveiled themselves letting the mesh veil fall to the floor half way into the second song of their set, "You're So Damn Hot".




OKGO @ The Independent 7/16/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini




The escalating elation permeating throughout the crowd peaked during the first chorus of "The Writing's on the Wall" when multiple confetti cannons showered everyone with little strips of colorful paper. And then it happened again during the second chorus and again during the third chorus! All of us were standing in at least 3 inches of confetti by the time the third song was over and all of us were definitely having a blast!









OKGO @ The Independent 7/16/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini


Front-man Damian Kulash, was all about connecting with and engaging fans when he wasn't singing:  casually sharing stories in form of conversation, going into and performing in the crowd, he also offered opportunities for a quick Q&A between songs. Charmingly quick with his wit when the first question, "We've missed you! Where have you been?!" was shouted out, he pointed out that it was dangerously close to being a statement.  He went on to candidly explain that writing and recording an album takes about two years, that the dope OKGO music videos take anywhere from 7 weeks to 6 months to make and that bassist Tim Nordwind, got his pilot license therefore he couldn't do anything for 7 months during that process.


SF fans were treated to brand new songs from the upcoming album, one of which found Tim on lead guitar instead of his usual bout on the bass and the new tunes had people dancing just as much as songs from past albums did.  As loud power pop engulfed The Independent, there few instances of glaring feedback and crackling audio which understandably annoyed Kulash but only for a second. With a dominating stage presence and whole hearted performance, OKGO's fun loving spirit stretches beyond their lighthearted music when you see them play live. 

OKGO @ The Independent 7/16/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

In addition to having a couple Q&A sessions with fans between songs, at one point they used an audio mixing app on one of their iPhones to record the crowd stomping then clapping and created a one of a kind beat from the show that night. Tim and Damien even  performed a song from Les Miserables while Dan Konopka and Andy Ross tuned up for the next OKGO song. I've never experienced a band having as much  genuine interaction with fans and crowd participation than at the OKGO show. It feels as if you're all friends and makes you feel good.
 
 
OKGO @ The Independent 7/16/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini


After playing an acoustic version of "Last Leaf" from the middle of the crowd, Kulash made his way back to the stage to preform  the rest set with the rest of the band.



OKGO @ The Independent 7/16/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini
OKGO @ The Independent 7/16/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini























Everyone had to know there would be an en core though because they hadn't played the hit, the one with the treadmills in the music video, "Here It Goes Again", that's what we were all waiting for. OKGO made their fans work for it though and after a few minutes of cheering, chanting and a short video montage of their dope music videos, OKGO came back to the stage!


OKGO @ The Independent 7/16/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini



The show ended two songs later, the last of which was "Here it Goes Again" and to say it was much to the delight of show goers that night would be putting it extremely lightly. OKGO left me feeling good down to my bones and I left the show smiling, a smile that stayed on my face until I went to sleep. I had no idea OKGO would be so great and uplifting live!


OKGO @ The Independent 7/16/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini



OKGO set-list 7/16/2014

1) Upside Down, Inside Out
2) You're So Damn Hot
3) The Writing's on the Wall
4) I Won't Let You Down
5) I Want You So Bad I Can't Breathe
6) Obsession
7) This Too Shall Pass
8) There's A Fire
9) Last Leaf
10) Get Over It
11) I'm Not Through
12) Do What You Want
13) White Knuckles
14) SkyScrapers
15) Turn Up The Radio

EN CORE
The One Moment
Here It Goes Again