Keeping up with their trend of releasing new music every 3 to 4 years since 2000's The Art of Drowning, AFI's self titled album also referred to as The Blood Album comes 4 years after 2013's Bruials. It's their 10th studio album and it dropped on Friday January 20th, the day before their homecoming show at The Fox Theater in Oakland!
AFI @ The Fox Theater 1/21/2017
photo by Marc Fong
Loyal fans lined the Telegraph Ave sidewalks outside the venue, braving the the wind and the rain as they waited for doors to open. Punk. Goth. Grunge. Glam. Everyday schmos and plain janes of all ages filled The Fox early on. AFI haven't been in the (greater) Bay Area since they played at the Concord Pavilion in September 2014. Before that they were at LIVE105's Not So Silent Night 2013 at the Oracle Arena in Oakland and September of 2010 they played at The Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View. It's been a while since they've headlined a non arena show in their native Bay Area a it's so no surprise that the show Saturday night at The Fox Theater was super sold-out!
AFI @ The Fox Theater 1/21/2017
photo by Marc Fong
The Gothpunk veterans were scheduled to go on at 9:50 (which is kind of an odd start time) following the two openers, Souviners and The Chain Gang of 1974; however, because of a wardrobe malfunction, they ended up taking the stage at 10:00. Even with the set back, Davey, Jade, Hunter and Adam hit the stage quicker than the average rockstar 15 minute + delay.
AFI @ The Fox Theater 1/21/2017
photo by Marc Fong
Expecting to see Davey all done up and dapper, maybe with light-up lapels on a fancy suit or something, it was good to see that he tapped into his old-school rock days. He hopped on the stage in a Kanye West fashion-line style fit of faded dark shades of over-sized layers and a studded leather vest with the word BLOOD, handwritten on the back.
AFI @ The Fox Theater 1/21/2017
photo by Marc Fong
Like a kid jacked up on a sugar high, the straight-edge frontman literally jump started the set with "I Hope You Suffer" and he didn't calm down. Jumping off the drum kit and on/off raised platforms on the edge of the stage, Davey Havok jumped in to the crowd of adoring hands of fans happy to hold him up. And that was just the beginning! Banging out fan favorite hit after hit, they filled the set with at least one song off every album from The Art of Drowning to The Blood Album. Channeling that same burning passion and manic energy from their more hardcore days, the pretty leading man looked and sounded just as great as when AFI first hit the scene with their debut a little over two decades ago!
AFI @ The Fox Theater 1/21/2017
photo by Marc Fong
They managed to bust out 17 songs in about an hour with a couple pauses of thankful banter with Davey saying it was good to be back and we couldn't have agreed more! The Fox Theater in Oakland was definitely lit with A Fire Inside, proving that there really ain't no rest for the wicked when you wreak Havok.
AFI @ The Fox Theater 1/21/2017
photo by Marc Fong
Set List 1/21/2017
1. I Hope You Suffer
2. Girl's Not Grey
3. Aurelia
4. The Leaving Song pt. II
5. Dumb Kids
6. Beautiful Thieves
7. Ever and a Day
8. Medicate
9. Snow Cats
10. Bleed Black
11. 17 Crimes
12. Love Like Winter
13. Days of the Phoenix
14. The Killing Lights
15. Miss Murder
When I first listened to the latest album from Scottish experimental rock legends, Mogwai, I couldn't help but be reminded of the soundtrack of the 2010 remake of Tron, scored of course by today's disco -esque kings, Daft Punk. Mogwai's ATOMIC transports you to another time and place, mercifully suspending you in the murky unknown with futuristic, eerie instrumental melodies. It wasn't until after the fact that I learned that the album is actually based on a sound track: composed of reworked versions of the music recorded for the sound track to the acclaimed documentary, ATOMIC: Living in Dread and Promise directed by Mark Cousin.
January 18th was the first show of six U.S dates at The Theatre at The Ace Hotel in LA. These aren't typical shows though: consisting of a screening of the film with Mogwai providing live instrumental accompaniment of it. The second show of the mini-tour gave Bay Area fans the chance to see this Mogwai ATOMIC performance at The UC Theatre in Berkeley on Thursday night.
Filtering into the 1,400 capacity theatre when doors opened at 7:00, people found places to stand because contrary to belief the show was not a seated one. With no opening act, the house lights dimmed, the film rolled and the show was underway at 8:00.
The experimental documentary on the world following the A-bombing of Hiroshima, referred to as our Atomic World, is presented as a collage of propaganda. Archived footage of news reports, stories, astronaut training videos and images were exclusively used to depict the dreams and nightmares that spawned the Atomic Age in which we now live.
Except for the glimpses I caught of them when I balanced on my tippy toes, I couldn't see Mogwai from where I stood in a dark corner near the back of the theatre but I could definitely hear them. For as loud and engulfing as they, it was easy to forget that Mogwai was there, performing the soundtrack live as the documentary played. The experimentality of both works of art highlighted each other: if one had been more conformed the effect wouldn't have been as great. It would have been a totally different and probably not as an impactful experience if Mogwai wasn't there.
Intrusive vibrations from heavy bass hooks penetrated deep to the pit of your gut as you stood and watched with growing uncomfortability. Building angst with the continuous bombardment of images was magnified by the booming soundtrack. You couldn't escape the feeling, even if you looked away from the screen in attempt to rest your senses and calm your nerves, the music relentlessly consumed you. And, that was the point, right? It's so easy to forget, if you know for that matter, that there's an abundance of 15,700 nuclear war heads in the world which 1 trillion dollars will be spent on over the next decade. These are numbers that that should be known and not ignored and when you experience ATOMIC live, they can't be ignored.
This was very different than the last time I saw Mogwai at The Regency Ballroom in 2014 and not like any show I've seen. It was intense and loud, it stimulated senses as well as emotions and it was executed thoughtfully well.
It was chillingly appropriate to see this combo on the eve of Trump's presidential inauguration: I left with an uneasy feeling yet I am thankful that I am aware of the ATOMIC world heading into the next four years.
Last week, my supervisor surprised me with cupcakes and roses on my Birthday! It's been a while since someone gave me either of these which made her thoughtful surprise even sweeter.
When I opened the little, white, rectangular box sealed with a cute cupcake sticker I was delighted to see one standard size cupcake and not one but two mini-cupcakes! My three B-Day cupcakes were two of my favorite colors, too: pink and seafoam. Mmm Mmm!
The packaging was personalized so I thought that the cupcakes came from a boutique type shop but they were from Cala Foods! They were pretty fancy cupcakes for coming from a grocery store. All three were vanilla cake with vanilla frosting and each cupcake was topped with some little pearl candies. The cake was dense and buttery, the frosting thick like buttercream but on the sweeter side yet the sweetness of both cake and frosting was faint.
photo by Nikki DeMartini
Cupcakes of all sizes are always a tasty treat and somehow they taste better on your Birthday. And what girl doesn't like getting flowers?
My supervisor sure knows how to make a (Birthday) girl feel special!
The dancey, star-crossed love song, "Hold On" by The xx has been out for a few weeks but today marks date of the anticipated release of their third studio album, I See You!
With a glimmering, forlorn maturity, the three Londoners have grown from the romanticized introvertism of 2012's Coexist and the change up suits them well. I See You is a ying-yang of hopeful and wistful with high and lo tempos. It's a natural progression for the band, one which will see their fanbase boom!
The accompanying tour for the new album is already under way over seas and they've announced a pretty extensive North American tour too! Along with some sets at upcoming music fests, The xx will be headlining shows of their own starting April 15th at The Bill Gramham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco between Coachella weekends!
We're not even a week into 2017 and we're already being bombarded with Music Fest announcements!
BottleRock was announced early on Tuesday morning: this year's headliners include the return of Foo Fighters, Tom Petty and the Heart Breakers and Maroon 5! The Wine Country's 5th Annual Music, Food and Wine Fest takes place over Memorial Day weekend: May 26th, 27th and 28th.
Three day passes are already sold-out!
Coachella was announced right after BottleRock's announcement!
Known for an impressive line-up of shockingly sought after acts, epic comebacks and surprise appearances: this year the coveted Festival will have Radiohead, Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar as headliners. Coachella 2017 also will see highly anticipated return of The XX, Lorde and Justice. Save the dates for the three day music festival the weekends of April 14th and April 21st in the Indio desert!
NYC's 6th Annual Governors Ball line-up is here too!
This line-up has it all from big rock and hip-hop names like TOOL and Wu-Tang Clan to the exciting return of Lorde, Phoenix and Franz Ferdinand, indie-pop from Charlie XX, indie-rock from Local Natives and BANKS and good'ol EDM from FLUME, Marshmello and SO MUCH MORE!!!
This party at Randall's Island Park is June 2nd, 3rd and 4th!
This line-up for might be the most eclectic one yet! Alan Parsons Live Project, The Kills, Cat Power, The Dandy Warhols and She Wants Revenge will likely close out Starry Nites on March 18th and 19th in the beautiful, serene setting of the Live Oak Campground in Santa Barbara.
Don't miss Popscene co-founder DJ Omar's set!
San Francisco's NoisePop Festival was announced last year BUT it's coming up so it's worth a mention. Take a look at all the films and concerts this fest has in store for it's 25th year!
The line-up for Alabama's Hangout Festival is out! A bunch of 2017 festival circuit repeat offenders are on the bill for the fest on Gulf Shores May 19th-21st but not three of the four headliners: Mumford and Sons, Twenty One Pilots and Frank Ocean!!
(and MGMT?!?)
Bonaroo announces their line-up next Wednesday, January 11th!
Tickets go on-sale the same day!
It looks like the line-up SXSW 2017 hasn't officially been announced yet but there's a ton of shows already listed on the website!
Another Planet Entertainment gave us the dates of Outside Lands 2017 but we don't know who's playing! Keep your eyes open for the OSL 17' line-up (and menu) announcement!
The festival season is upon us and there's more where this came from! Which ones will you be at?!
2016 was a rough year in the music world. It started in January when we lost David Bowie then Prince and Merle Haggard both passed away in April, Sharon Jones and Lenard Cohen in November and we just learned of George Michael's death right after Christmas. That's not even the full list. . .
These were visionary artists. They were creative, free spirits in their own right. They pushed the envelope, broke, bent and blended musical genres. Without these musicians, singers, song-writers some of today's "stars" would have never found their voice, they would have never been heard. They didn't just change music, they shaped it in a lot of ways.
Some people say that 2016 is the year that music died and it's hard not to agree, but life isn't fair and we gotta have faith. As hard as it may be to see a silver lining, the last year did have some good stuff.
I get excited when bands and/or artists announce new albums and I wait to buy physical copies of my favorites, which is an anomaly now for a couple different reasons. A lot of people don't listen to albums anymore and I'm not talking about vinyl. I mean pressing play and listening to an album from start to finish. It's a trend I've picked up on the last couple of years: asking people what their favorite albums of the year are so far more often than not the answer is "I don't know, I don't really listen to whole albums." People listen to songs and they don't buy physical copies of music.
Even services like Spotify make it hard to listen to an album as it's meant to be heard. Sure you can listen to all of the tracks but the only option you have is to play it on shuffle which just isn't the same. Not only do I love full albums and listening to an album's tracks in the order the artist envision them to be heard but I love starting the new year, wondering what upcoming new releases will make it to my best of list. It's something to keep in mind all year long.
Here are my favorites from this year.
Albums
#1 M.I.A - A.I.M
After being shelved for months on end because the record label told her it wasn't controversial enough, M.I.A's 5th album, A.I.M, was finally released on September 9th! A.I.M isn't as world music sounding like we've heard on M.I.A's older albums, there's far less fog horns but like 2013's Matagni, M.I.A's lyrics could be considered controversial, you just have to listen and understand. She touches on topics of race, religion, refugees, Prejudices, acceptance and how the Western World has affected and continues to affect and influence all of that and everything in between. We've heard her sing these themes through out her career and I think this is her most beautiful piece of work: "Freedun" and "Survivor" being her prettiest songs.
I find it interesting that she recycles some of her old work, not by sampling but re-using lyrics from albums past or mentioning old lyrics and/or songs. I love that the name of the album is her name backwards, it plays into how introspective her music can be: how well she's come to know herself inside and out as an artist, an activist, a mother, a person and how she inspires others not to be afraid to do the same. Or to go ahead and be afraid but to knowledge that fear, own it and then overcome it. The album features collaborations: pop-star Zyan (One Direction) on "Freedun" and version of "Bird Song" by Blaqqstar. There's another version of the same song remixed by he ex (boyfriend/producer) Diplo, which I think is a wonderful testament to how great M.I.A is. Hopefully the rumors about this being her last album are not true but unfortunately because of her re-occuring VISA issues and now our President Elect, who knows if and when we'll see M.I.A on stage in the states again.
#2 The Kills - Ash & Ice
It had been five years since hearing anything new from The Kills so I was beyond excited in March when The Kills announced they were releasing their 5th album, Ash & Ice on June 3rd! And they were going on tour in support of it! The dynamic garage rock duo really grew up on 2011's Blood Pressures refining their raw grit yet remaining true to their rock roots. The same is goes for Ash & Ice. I love the way their voices compliment each other's and the way they harmonize...I can't put my finger on it...it's just a deep, pure sound that Alison and Jamie create. When you listen to The Kills there's a sense that they are meant to be, I can't explain it...but...you can hear it, especially on "Echo Home."
If I had to pick a standout track it'd have to be "Doing It To Death" but track for track this a standup album. Feels good to have The Kills back! They'll be back on the road again soon too, celebrating 15 years of rockin' and rollin'!
Lindsey and Julie have always rocked and I dare say they rock harder on their sophomore album, Femejism. They met in a knitting class, started playing music together and having been rocking the music scene since their 2011 debut. Last Year, the duo's drummer, Julie toured while pregnant with her first child and they were working on the new album! Now she has a baby and as of September 16th, we have their new album! Femejism is grittier with heavy garage rock influences and less greasy blues but that appeal is still there just not as prominent as it was on Sistrionix.
With big, confident guitar riffs, plenty of fuzzy reverb, coarse vocals and galloping drums, this album will bring you back to "Doll Parts" by Hole days, it has that sort of 1990's grunge feel.
"Baby Beauty Queen" and "Teenage Queen" are at the top of my favorite track list off this badass album from a couple of badass women.
#4 The Lumineers - Cleopatra
The Lumineers finally followed up their crazy successful self-titled debut four years later with "Cleopatra" on April 8th! It took a few listens for this album to really resonate: it has the acoustic friendly, indie-folk sound that The Lumineers do so well but it's missing that sparkling optimism we heard on the first album.Cleopatra is a bit sadder, like someone in the band went through a breakup, the album carries that sort heaviness. The first single "Ophelia" probably has the biggest optimistic spirit with a chorus that invites you to sing along in the same way that the chorus of "Ho Hey" does. I love the melancholiness in the lyrics of title track, "Cleopatra" and Cleopatra as a whole ended up making it to my last after a little tender listening.
Songs Not all of these are necessarily my favorite songs or singles of 2016 but there's no denying that they were some of the hottest tracks of the year!
Bang Bang - Green Day =Green Day is back with a BANG in the best way! With whirling guitars and rolling drums this song is fast the way a good punk song should be! It's one to be listened to loud and that's exactly what I do every time it comes on the radio! It's great to have these local punks back in action! I love the Beastie Boy's, "Sabotage"- esque music video for it too!
GUCCI COOCHI - Die Antwoord = The weirdness of Die Antwoord that captured weirdo's hearts has slowly been fading away but GUCCI COOCHI is dark, fuzzy, flirty and not as ravey as some of their other new stuff. And it features Dita VonTease so...that's awesome and hot!
Me Too - Megan Trainer =Learning to love myself isn't easy but this song helps!
Totally my #1 guilty pleasure of the year and it's great for any workout playlist!
Can't Stop the Feeling - Justin Timberlake = The hot single from the Trolls soundtrack quickly became the song of Summer of 2016 and heck, it could easily be the song of the year! You can't help but smile, sing and shake your groove thang when you hear this song, am I right?! Forget the suit and tie, Justin Timberlake brought sexy back with this pop sensation!
We The People... - A Tribe Called Quest = EIGHTEEN YEARS. That's the last time A Tribe Called Quest released new music and their sixth studio album, We Got It From Here...Thank You For Your Service, couldn't have come at a better time. "We The People..." is the first song off the album to get air-play.
HandClap - Fitz and the Tantrums = I'm honestly so sick of this song. It has saturated the radio (alternative, contemporary, and top 40 stations alike), commercials and fitness studios since it's release but it is good to see this band getting to revel in success. Blood in the Cut - K-Flay =The Bay Area's K-Flay is finally getting regular airplay with the uniquely catchy "Blood in the Cut" off her 2016 EP Crush Me and I couldn't be happier for this Stanford grad! It's a totally solid girl-power anthem! Work - Rhianna feat. Drake = This song got a lot of flack when it hit the airwaves earlier this year for being hard to understand (fans and critics alike would later learn Rhi-Rhi derived lyrics from a an English-based creole language called Jamaican Patios). Like it or not, it is another hit single from Rhianna. Just like a job, sometimes I like this song and sometimes I don't.
Starboy - The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk =I don't really care for this song but a lot of people do! Like Fitz and The Tantrums' Handclap this song has been everywhere all year! I didn't really care for the last Daft Punk single, "Get Lucky" either but regardless of what I like, the DJ duo know how to make a hit. Daft Punk's hand in this song played a role in making The Weeknd a (bigger) star.
Shows (this one goes to 11) Needless to say this list was not easy to compile and just because the shows that didn't make the list doesn't mean they weren't great: CHVRCHES with Wolf Alice, Cage the Elephant opening for Metallica AND headlining at the Bill Graham Civic, How to Dress Well & Bishop Briggs at Mezzanine, The Heavy at The Independent, Young the Giant at The Fox Theater, Oakland, The Head and The Heart at The Greek...I'm talking' about you!
Sleigh Bells @ Mezzanine 11/16/2016
photo by Evan Andrews
#1 Sleigh Bells at Mezzanine 11/16/2016
If you read my review of Sleigh Bells at Mezzanine in November you know how excited I was to cover that show! Alexis came down with laryngitis the night before their first of two scheduled shows at The Independent, however; instead of canceling both shows they merged both shows into one and moved it to Mezzanine on November 16th! How badass it that!?!
The front woman wasn't 100% but it didn't matter because Sleigh Bells still blew the roof off the place with an amazing, full throttle set!
The Lumineers @ Great American Music Hall 12/6/2016
photo by Nikki DeMartini
#2 The Lumineers at Great American Music Hall 12/6/2016
I caught their set at Bottle Rock Napa Valley but it doesn't get much better than getting to see The Lumineers in such an intimate setting. It may have been radio station show but they didn't phone it in!
Snoop Dogg @ The Fox Theater 12/12/2016
photo by Nikki DeMartini
#3 Snoop Dogg at The Fox Theater Oakland 12/12/2016
I saw the Dogg Father at a festival a few years ago but again, one off shows are always better and this was SNOOP DOGG at The Fox! He played all the hits and Warren G joined him on stage for a couple songs! Be still my hip-hop heart.
If you would have told my high school self that I'd see these legends share a stage at a show I wouldn't have believed you. I'm thrilled to cross this one off my show bucket-list!
Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros @ The Independent 4/11/2016
photo by Nikki DeMartini
#5 At The Drive In at The Warfield
One of my friends, a lovely lady who I admire a lot, was in town and had an extra ticket for At The Drive In and asked me if I wanted to go. It was so cool to see At The Drive In on their come back tour with one of my favorite people from the side of the stage! Cedric had crazy energy and their die-hard fans ate it up at the sold-out show!
#6 Outside Lands at Golden Gate Park August 9th, 10th, 11th
It doesn't matter who's playing, Outside Lands is always one of my favorites! I'm so grateful to be on the colorful team of vendor coordinators, working alongside Mitch this Summer in The Forrest learning how to put up fencing and scrim plus so much more.
Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, Third Eye Blind, Peaches, Big Freedia and Major Lazor were some of my favorite sets but being a vendor coordinator and working with that team is by far my favorite highlight of OSL.
#7 Green Day headlining Not So Silent Night at Oracle Arena 12/10/2016
Green Day's headlining set at LIVE105's Not So Silent night was amazing. The Bay Area proud band were on fire, playing classics, hits from American Idiot and new stuff. Billie Joe made a touching tribute to the victims and survivors and everyone effected by the deadly Ghostship fire in Oakland, playing "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" in their honor. He brought a boy on stage to preform with them and the kid blew everyone away with his bass playing skills, including the front man himself who let the kid keep the bass guitar! It was a stellar set from some of the best punks around. It's like Green Day never left.
#8 WEEZER at The Shoreline 7/31/2016
I was giddy with excitement when I got invited to this show and I'm not even a huge WEEZER fan! I'm not familiar with their new stuff but they played "My Name is Jonas" and "Say It Ain't So" and that's all I needed.
#9 The Kills at The Fox Theater Oakland
I love The Kills. I love The Fox. Ash & Ice is one of my favorite albums of the year so seeing The Kills perform songs off their new album live at The Fox was awesome!
Florence and The Machine @ Bottlerock Napa 5/28/2016
photo by Marc Fong
#10 BottleRock Napa Valley 2016 & Treasure Island Music Festival Day 2
This was my first time at BottleRock: perfect weather + wine + Florence and the Machine + Red Hot Chili Peppers + The Lumineers + Deap Vally + K-Flay + Diego's Umbrella + with one of my best friends = great festival experience!
I'm sad to see Treasure Island Music Fest go but I am happy I was there for at least one of the days of it's 10th and final year. I had a fun time experiencing my first Fest in the rain and got to see the two bands I wanted to see: Sylvan Esso and Purity Ring!
Purity Ring @ T.I.M.F 10/16/2016
photo by Nikki DeMartini
#11 Metallica at AT&T Park 2/6/2016 & Metallica at The Fox Theater Oakland 12/17/2016
Book ending the year with seeing Metallica is reason enough to squeeze these shows on my Best Shows of 2016 list.
Metallica @ The Fox Theater 12/17/2016
photo by Nikki DeMartini
New albums rumored for release in 2017
HAIM (Summer)
Lorde (TBD)
The XX (January 13th)
Nine Inch Nails (TBD)
Run the Jewels (January 13th)
Iggy Azalea (TBD)
Icona Pop (May 31st, 2017)
The Shins (January 2017)
Nelly Furtado (March 31st)
The Chainsmokers (TBD)
St. Vincent (Spring)
Depeche Mode (Spring)
Paramore (TBD)
Suicide Silence (February)
Wavves (April)
Sylvan Esso (TBD)
Who else is excited to hear what new music the new year has in store?!
