2018 was a pretty big year for this little ol' blog and a busy one at that. Sweet Sound Bites' 6th year anniversary was in March, we were approved to cover two festivals (Our Music Fest in Berkeley and The Emerald Cup in Santa Rosa), we covered some awesome shows and there was multiple contributing writers this year! Being approved to review a show is always exciting and it's very rewarding to be able to give friends the opportunity to review shows.
Here's my list of the best shows I was lucky enough to attend this year:
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| G-Eazy @ The Fox Theater Oakland 3/1/2018 photo by Marc Fong |
It may not have been the smartest decision to go to a show the night after returning from being in a Costa Rican Rain Forest for 9 days, working at a Music and Yoga festival but...it was G-Eazy. I'm not familiar with much of his music but I am familiar with easy on the eyes G-Eazy himself and by the sounds of the blood curdling screeches from ladies at his show in Oakland, I am not the only one.
The handsome Bay Area rapper preformed the one song I do know and enjoy by him, "No Limit" and that alone made it worth it.
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| St. Vincent @ The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium 1/22/2018 photo by Nikki DeMartini |
I never got on the St. Vincent bandwagon but the amount of buzz that surrounded the 2018 re-worked version of her 5th album, 2017's Masseducation as Massseduction lured me in. I signed up to work her sold-out show in San Francisco and am happy that I did. Her neon pink latex one piece and thigh high patent leather boots with furry pink arm cuffs, choker and matching pink electric guitar, she was like a modern day Barbarella meets Fembot. Standing in front of huge projections screens, her band was completely hidden so it was just her with her electric guitar that you saw on stage.
I hadn't seen that before, a solo artist hiding their band at live shows to keep up with the appearance of being solo. (Kimbra did the same thing a few weeks later at her headlining show at The Regency Ballroom). Her robotic nature on stage played into the theme of both of her new albums which was pretty neat for a "rock show" and when her electric guitar ripped through the crowd it was killer. Her very visual show included "Los Ageless" and "Masseduction" which of course, were very cool to see live.
8. Cherry Glazerr @ Coachella, Sonora Stage, April 21st, 2018
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| Cherry Glazerr @ Coachella, Sonora Stage 4/21/2018 photo by Nikki DeMartini |
Cherry Galzerr was the only full set I saw at Coachella while working the consecutive weekend festival in the desert. It was weekend 2 and they played on the Sonora Stage, a small stage tucked inside with an underground punk-rock scene feel. It was so nice to be able to get out of the glaring sun and away from seas of millennial selfie takers into a dark, dank room with music so loud it made your ear drums ring. There weren't too many people there that afternoon, so my coworker and I were able to get right up front. It was my first time seeing Cherry Glazerr and they totally rocked! They even brought female wrestlers who fought it out on stage as the band slayed the end of their set. I can't wait to see Cherry Glazerr on their headlining tour in 2019!
The season opener at The Greek Theatre in Berkeley this year was a wet one! But people braved the rain, filled the outdoor arena with plastic ponchos. It was my first time seeing HAIM and Lizzo and the energy from the crowd before the show even started made me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. A playlist over the house PA was on a loop and every time "Dance with Somebody" came around the whole place filled with people singing along.
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| Lizzo @ The Greek Theatre in Berkeley 4/6/2018 photo by Nikki DeMartini |
HAIM and Lizzo fans literally belted out Whitney Houston's 1987 hit every time it came as if it doing Karaoke. It was something else and one of those magical moments when you witness first hand the power music has to bring complete strangers together in happy unison.
Lizzo's opening performance was probably the best opening act I saw all year. She was vivacious as she performed all of her singles, keeping up with her two back-up dancers who's leopard print outfits matched her own.
As soon as the HAIM sisters hit the stage they were so gracious: seeing everyone out in the cold, getting wet but sticking around to see their show brought one of them to tears. They dominated the stage with their collective drumming, guitaring and Joe-cool attitude. Both acts made it a point to connect with their fans that night and that's always one of the best parts of any show.
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| HAIM @ The Greek Theatre in Berkeley 4/6/2018 photo by Nikki DeMartini |
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| Sleigh Bells @ The Shoreline Amphitheater 8/7/2018 photo by Marc Fong |
From the looks of it, there was a lot of people there but the majority were in the super long lines for merch when I arrived. I've been a big fan of Sleigh Bells since their 2010 debut, Treats and I've seen them at multiple concerts and sold out headlining shows before. However, when I saw that the seated section in the Amphitheater was bare before their set I wasn't that surprised.
Weezer has been around since the early 90's and Pixies have been around since the mid 80's, so Sleigh Bells were new to a lot of people there that night. That's one of the reasons I thought this show was so cool: Weezer essentially took Sleigh Bells under their wing, bringing the brat-punk band on this tour that was sure to sell out shows, inevitably getting Sleigh Bells more exposure to grow their fan base. That and I love Sleigh Bells, they always slay with an energy charged show and thanks to their bad-ass front-woman Alexis Krauss they delivered a solid opening set. Plus, what a great all around indie bill this was: Weezer with Pixies and special guest Sleigh Bells.
Out of all of the musical acts at Outside Lands this year, three African American ladies own the show, in my book. All three played the Lands End Stage which is the main stage situated in the Polo Fields of Golden Gate Park. Lizzo played on Saturday afternoon (August 11th) and Janelle Moane and Janet Jackson played on Sunday, August 12th. (Janelle Monae played that afternoon and Miss Jackson closed out the festival).
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| Lizzo @Outside Lands 2018 photo by Nikki DeMartini |
Lizzo was as fiesty, flirty and self-loving as she was when she opened for HAIM in April. The same back up dancers were there, too keeping up with her and that spunky energy. In an eye catching daffodil yellow evening gown engulfed with tulle, she paraded around the stage flaunting a grandiose air which was just as entertaining to watch as it was empowering. She even got off the stage and perused the photo pit with a bottle of Patron in one hand and giving high fives to fans in the front row with the other hand (I was one of those fans who got a high five from Lizzo!)
Janelle Monae played mid-day on Sunday and pretty much stole the show up until that point. Her set had back up dancers, choreographed moves, costume changes. At one point she stopped and made a motivational speech about loving each other and love is love is love and had everyone hold up their hands in the shape of a heart, filling the Golden Gate Park Polo Field with hearts from everybody to everybody. She played her single "Pynk" off of her 2018 release, Dirty Computer and wore the same vagina pants that are featured in the songs' music video which was definitely a highlight for me.
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| Janelle Monae @ Outside Lands 2018 photo by Marc Fong |
Miss Janet Jackson took the Main Stage on Sunday night to close out Outside Lands 2018. Isn't it weird to think that women hardly ever headline music festivals?
Beyonce was the first woman to headline Coachella just this year (technically it was Lady Gaga who was the first woman to headline the coveted festival in the desert in 2017 when Bey had to bow out because she was pregnant with twins).
In it's 11th year, Janet Jackson was the first woman to headline the Outside Lands Music Festival. She danced, she sang, she paid tribute to her brother Michael and she looked good doing all of it.
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| Juliette & The Licks @ Cornerstone Berkeley 7/19/2018 photo by Nikki DeMartini |
Juliette Lewis is a bad-ass who has been in some great movies. So, when I was approved to cover the sold-out Juliette & The Licks show at Cornerstone Berkeley, I was beyond stoked to see her bad-assery live in person! I went with a good friend and it turned out that her friend was in the opening band which made the night that much cooler. Juliette wore the Evel Knievel jumpsuit she's known to ware at her live shows and she never stopped rocking. Headbanging, jumping around the stage, kicking off her shoes, screaming, growling, stage diving. Juliette Lewis plays the rockstar role well and knows how to put on a rock show!
The last time I saw Nikka Costa was in 2012 at The Red Devil Lounge in San Francisco (which doesn't exist anymore) with my Dad. My Dad is a huge fan of Nikka Costa (did you know that her godfather is old blue eyes, Frank Sinatra?) so when tickets went on-sale for her show in Oakland and he asked me if I wanted to go I made sure to be free that day. She played at Yoshi's in Oakland on May 24th, a few days after my Dad's Birthday. Near Jack London Square along the waterfront in Oakland, it was my first time being to a show at Yoshi's. It's really nice and clean, half restaurant half music venue so ticket holders can get a drink or a bite right there before doors open.
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| Meet and Greet with Nikka Costa @ Yoshi's Oakland 5/24/2018 |
We had meet and greet tickets so we got to go in a little early and had our picture taken with Nikka before the show. She's very nice and was surprisingly soft spoken for the huge stage presence I know she has when she preforms live. Yoshi's hosts all seated shows and our table was in the front row, like practically on the stage. Nikka put on a rockin' show. She has such a powerful, soulful voice and she wiggles her hips so much you'd think she was Shakira. Her firecracker energy was contagious as people got up and out of their seats, dancing and singing along with her. It was a great way to celebrate my Dad's Birthday. The best part was I knew my Dad had a great time, too.
In August 2017 Sylvan Esso played at The Fox Theater in Oakland and less than a year later they returned to the East Bay. Only this time around they played a venue practically 4 times bigger, The Greek Theater in Berkeley.
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| Sylvan Esso @ The Greek Theater in Berkeley 7/12/2018 photo by Marc Fong |
I had been excited about the show since they announced their 2018 tour dates and was curious to see how their one-off, headlining show would compare to their set at Bonnaroo which I had seen just a few weeks prior. Both Nick and Amelia took moments through out their set to take it all in and share memories of their first Bay Area shows at Bottom of the Hill and opening for tUnE-yArDs at The Fillmore and how they wouldn't be where they are with us, their fans.
I was at the tUnE-yArDs show, so it was special to experience that shared moment. When I saw them at The Fox Theater their second album, What Now had only been out for about four months so seeing them a year after their latest album came out was cool because everyone was more familiar with all the songs they played. They always deliver a genuine heartfelt show with soaring energies and dancing bodies on and off the stage.
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| Sylvan Esso @ The Greek Theater in Berkeley 7/12/2018 photo by Marc Fong |
This time was no different.
Amelia even wore the same amazing, tasseled sleeve bodysuit she wore when I saw them at Bonnaroo.
1. Sylvan Esso @ Bonnaroo, June 9th, 2018
I've gotten into a habit of not really looking at the line-ups of the Music Festivals I work because on show days there's no way of knowing what your work day will look like. I did however, glance over the Bonnaroo line-up when it was announced last January and I got a little giddy when I saw Sylvan Esso on it. In Tennessee I found out that one of my dearest co-workers there was also a huge fan and so was our new co-worker, whom we both bonded with immediately, and of course this bonded the three of us even more).
The three of us made sure that on Saturday night, June 9th we'd be at that set in THAT tent. And we were. It might have been the muggiest day of the festival, even after the sun went down the air was thick and everyone was sticky. THAT Tent was so packed for Sylvan Esso people were spilling out of it. We weaseled our way to the stage left, viewing area and got as close as we could get. It was even hotter inside THAT tent, breathing the stale air, waiting for Sylvan Esso. And then, just when I thought my body temperature couldn't get any hotter, I couldn't be anymore sweaty or sticky and I couldn't possibly dance, Sylvan Esso started. I don't think there was a moment throughout their set that my co-workers and I stopped dancing or singing. For the most part we weren't even dancing with each other but we were...everyone there was dancing with each other.
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| Sylvan Esso @ Bonnaroo 6/9/2018 photo by Nikki DeMartini |
Everyone there was dancing with Sylvan Esso. They're an expressive duo and their own awe was apparent at Bonnaroo. Amelia really brought it to the stage, hair clinging to her face as she tirelessly kicked high and wiggled low, tassels blowing in the air in the wake of her dance moves. They did not sell their festival set short and it was magical. Just as soon as it started it ended, leaving us with permanent smiles for a good while after as we rode the high. We had the best time together at Sylvan Esso. I walked out of THAT tent knowing that it was probably going to be my favorite set of Bonnaroo 2018 even though there was still a one whole day of music left.
I did not know it would wind up being my favorite show of the year, even topping their headlining show at The Greek Theater in Berkeley.
But it did. Maybe it was because I was with my girls. Maybe because it was a well deserved work break. Maybe because Sylvan Esso always bring it. Maybe because all those factors combined made it the best.
I did not know it would wind up being my favorite show of the year, even topping their headlining show at The Greek Theater in Berkeley.
But it did. Maybe it was because I was with my girls. Maybe because it was a well deserved work break. Maybe because Sylvan Esso always bring it. Maybe because all those factors combined made it the best.
honorable mentions:
- Matt & Kim @ The Warfield 4/3/2018
- Eminem and Dr. Dre @ Coachella 2018
- Bob Moses @ Envision 2018
- Sofi Tukker @ The Fox Theater in Oakland 5/18/2018
- The War & Treaty @ Bonnaroo 2018
- Bishop Briggs @ The Fox Theater in Oakland 9/4/2018
- Walk Off The Earth @ August Hall 8/26/2018
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