Bo Ningen open for Kasabian @ The Fox Theater 10/6/2014

After playing at SXSW,  Coachella and The Austin Pysch Fest earlier this year, acid-punk band, Bo Ningen toured the US with Kasabian!

Bo Ningen opening for Kasabian at The Fox Theater 10/6/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

Cloaked in black from head to toe with waist length straight jet black hair, lead singer Taigen Kawabe, had a creepy resemblance to Samara from The Ring when Bo Ningen hit the stage at The Fox Theater in Oakland.  Before lightheartedly introducing the band and quickly explaining that they're Japanese but from London,  I almost mistook him for a girl and wondered if his onset announcement cleared confusion with other show-goers, too.  

Lurking in the shadows of the dark stage, the four piece band launched into their set with all encompassing shrill guitar riffs and bass hooks so heavy they made the floor vibrate. The audience was awe-struck as Bo Ningen calmly delivered goth-pysch- rock from their 3 album catalog under a wild flurry of hair.  

Bo Ningen opening for Kasabian at The Fox Theater 10/6/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

 Kawabe's androgynous vocals, though inaudible at times accentuated their a loud, ominous sound while his involved yet nonchalant stage presence added a little more of  an eerie air to the performance. 

Bo Ningen opening for Kasabian at The Fox Theater 10/6/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

Though they kept to themselves for the most part the front-man did connect with guitarists Kohhei Matsuda and Yuki Tsujii, and drumer Mon Chan a couple times.  Kawabe even teetered on the edge of the stage, engaging the crowd with feverish, vertical bass playing and scary facial expressions  

They ended their set with a quick wave goodbye and a thank you to the headlining band, Kasabian. 

After wrapping up their 5 week US tour, Bo Ningen are back in London and just announced a co-release of a collaborative recording with fellow London based band, Savages. The 37 minute long track, 'Words to the Blind' will be available on November 17th! 

Royal Blood open for The Pixies @ The Masonic 9/30/2014

The newly renovated Nob Hill Masonic Center, simply known now as The Masonic, opened it's doors in September with a schedule of great shows including Royal Blood and The Pixies on September 30th.

Royal Blood @ The Masonic 9/30/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

Royal Blood @ The Masonic 9/30/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

The spacious yet intimate room filled up quick with people arriving early to see the emerging rock band, Royal Blood open for The Pixies. Space in front of the stage was snatched fast by fans who were prepared to stand their ground throughout the show which got under way right on time at 8:00. Situated on either end of the stage, in front of The Pixies back-lined equipment the duo immediately immersed the venue in roaring, low-tempo rock n' roll. Their combined stage presence was  humble in nature with a keen focus on their pristine performance and playing. The 23 year old front-man, Mike Kerr sounds very much like Jack White and between furious non-stop shredding of bass and drums it's easy to understand why Royal Blood is comparable to their influences: Queens of the Stone Age, The Black Keys and the White Stripes.

Royal Blood @ The Masonic 9/30/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

Royal Blood  @ The Masonic 9/30/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

The two young Brits have an effortlessly profound, attention grabbing sound and their bluesy grit came across clean inside the "new" venue. Accustom  to supporting highly acclaimed bands in the UK like Arctic Monkeys and Interpol, explains why Royal Blood is so comfortable on stage and they even took a second to share how  honored they were to share be playing with The Pixies in San Francisco.

Dignified and  unpretentious, Royal Blood exceeded expectations with their astounding capabilities, setting the stage for the great headlining act of the night like two pros.  




Royal Blood @ The Masonic 9/30/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

The Pixies @ The Masonic 9/30/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

Praising the abundance of extreme rock that was just experienced, people in the crowd talked about the openers long after they left the stage. And justly so because most bands these days are made up of more than two members and they can't even compete with the likes of  rising rock-stars, Royal Blood! I'm sure this band will be back on their own headlining tour soon! 

They put out their debut EP, "Out Of The Black” earlier this year, but you can also check out Royal Blood's new, self-titled debut album which is out now!  

The 8th Annual Treasure Island Music Festival is this weekend!

I've been a big fan of T.I.M.F since it's inaugural year in 2007 when Justice headlined to last summer when Alexis Krauss from Sleigh Bells joined Beck on stage for a once in a lifetime duet and I can hardly wait to celebrate year number 8 this weekend! 



Sleigh Bells @ Treasure Island Music Festival 2013
Photo by Marc Fong

San Francisco and  show goers in/around the city are inundated with Music Festivals through out the summer, yet the Treasure Island Music Fest  stands apart from all of the others for a few different reasons: 

Bliss @ Treasure Island Music Festival
Photo by: Nikki DeMartini

1) the 2 day lineup offers one day that is more geared toward rock while the other day has more of a  dance party appeal. So you can chose to go on the day that suits your personal musical preference or you can go both days and get the best of both worlds. 

2) the three stages are situated rather close to each other so it's super easy and really convenient to get to from one set to the next quickly without working up a sweat.

3) you can actually see every act in it's entirety because the schedule is strategically  planned so that set-times do NOT over lap at all! (if you frequent festivals you know how key this is and if you don't you're in luck because this is definitely  ideal).  

4) T.I.M.F always lands on a weekend during the infamous Indian Summer here in the Bay Area so the weather is optimal for enjoying an outdoor show (you should still plan on packing layers though  because once the sun goes down you'll want to bundle up. I mean, you are on an Island in the middle of the San Francisco Bay). 

Sunset view from Treasure Island Music Festival
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

On top of all of that ...the panoramic  views of the (ever-changing) SF skyline are breathtaking! It's safe to say that there's no other Music Festival location that compares, or even comes close to that of the Treasure Island Music Festival!

With huge headliners  who don't tour often and a slew of great bands in between, make sure to map out your weekend so you and your crew are ready and set to enjoy the show by the time you make it to the Island!   Check out the daily schedules online: treasureislandmusicfestival.com or download the Treasure Island Music Festival app to create a your very own customized schedule so you can be where you need to be to see the bands you want to see! 

Treasure Island Music Festival
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

 

CATHEDRALS & Lia Ices at Popscene

Last month I had the chance to cover two female led bands at San Francisco's premier indie night club, Popscene: SF's CATHEDRALS and NYC's Lia Ices. While their EPs and LPs have a Lana Del Rey/MS MR/Lorde sound which easily categorizes them in the sad-core genera, their live acts sound and feel significantly different from each other and their respective records.


 

CATHEDRALS at Popscene 9/11/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

Enthusiastic cheers rose from the crowd when the house DJ, Aaron Axelsen introduced San Francisco's own CATHEDRALS to the Popscene stage on September 11th. They were the second of three acts that nights and the already intimate club was packed with eager fans, many of which with the CATHEDRALS 7" red vinyl EP in hand. Glee-full cheers grew more bountiful still as the lights dimmed, barely illuminating the band before they began.  

CATHEDRALS at Popscene 9/11/2014
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

With the release of their self-titled debut EP three days earlier on September 8th and a strong turnout for their supporting act set at their homecoming show CATHEDRALS had a lot to be happy about. That happiness shined on stage with a flirtatious stage presence, big smiles and many thanks as fans randomly shouted out the names of the band members as they played.

Feeding off of their fans exuberant energy, the duo delivered their eerie indie tunes with an unexpected upbeat air. Their borderline gothic sound characterized by pristinely layered, sultry anthem-ish vocals paired with failing guitar riffs conjured more dancing and singing throughout the crowd than other up and coming indie bands have conjured up in the past at Popscene.

Lia Ices at Popscene 9/25/2014
Photo by Marc Fong

September 25th marked the 3rd show of her current tour in support of her 3rd full length studio album, Ices and the album's name sake Lia Ices graced the stage sporting a jersey with her name on it.

 

Lia Ices at Popscene 9/25/2014
Photo by Marc Fong

Wide eyed and appearing a bit timid, the lovely little singer-song writer graciously started her set amidst quiet conversations carrying on throughout the crowd. Her serene yet powerful singing over a blend of colorful beats created an easy going atmosphere with a chill party vibe.

Lia Ices at Popscene 9/25/2014
Photo by Marc Fong

The melodic hip-pop songs from her catalogue don't carry a sound that consumes a venue and
Lia Ices doesn't exactly dominate the stage, yet her performance is captivating. Her old soulful vocals are smooth, steady and remain fluid as she adds a funky flare with unique dance steps, circling the stage to interact with bandmates hiding in the shadows.

Bubbly guitar and swirling synths continued to fill the set list and Lia Ices, truly genuine and grateful for the support, politely thanked everyone between almost every song.

The Kills are touring this October!

The profound, deep, dark, sweetly cynical post-blues rock duo, The Kills   will embark on a select run of tour dates this month, including a stop in San Francisco on October 29th, at The Fillmore! 

The Kills @ Outside Lands Music Festival 2012
Photo by Marc Fong 

The edgy American beauty, Allison Mosshart and her British band-mate-beau, Jamie Hince will bring the depths of their rich rock sound to seven venues starting on the 21st. The mini October tour ends on Halloween night with Queens of the Stone Age in LA two days after their show in San Francisco!

Tickets for all of the shows are on sale now! 

Tuesday October 21st:    New York, NY @ Terminal 5 

Wednesday October 22nd:     Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero  

Sunday October 26th: Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom

Monday October 27th:    Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre

Tuesday October 29th:     Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom

Wednesday October 29th:     San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore

Friday October 31st:    Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum