Glass Animals @ The Fox Theater 9/19/2015

Glass Animals @ The Fox Theater 9/19/2015 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

There sure was a bunch of young, female show goers in short shorts and ankle boots arriving on the later side to the sold-out Glass Animals show last weekend at The Fox Theater in Oakland. Eclectic DJ, LA Priest, spun funky, industrial, house party beats before the headliners took the stage around 9:15.

Glass Animals @ The Fox Theater 9/19/2015
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Framed by faux palm trees, six triangular color changing hanging lanterns,a back drop of the cover their 2014 debut album Zaba, shades of violet, emerald and indigo  lightly illuminated the stage throughout the set. It's a crafty stage production that brings the album artwork  and Glass Animals' general indie-island vibe to life right before your eyes.

At the forefront and full-steam ahead, Dave Bayley led the band from one song to the next with a vivacious yet collective energy that kept the crowd pumped up. About three or four songs in, he stopped to say hello and to announce that it was the first show of the tour and as fans cheered for the inaugural show, Glass Animals carried on with the next song . 

Only a couple more times after that to comment on intense aroma of marijuana and to intro doing a cover of a song  (if you listened closely it was a Yeah Yeah Yeahs song, which Glass Animals totally made it their own by drastically slowing the tempo down so much so that it  was almost unrecognizable) banter was light and far between. This, along the fact that they only have one album to date, made for an early night because of the naturally short(er) set. 

Glass Animals @ The Fox Theater 9/19/2015 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Bayley's performance came off a little rushed at times but I think it was his excitement of having his fans enjoy as much of their material live as possible, rather than wanting the show be over that was his driving force. After all, even with their successful break out last year, Glass Animals are still on the rise. Surely hoping to garner more new fans as they go, jam packing all of their songs into an hour long set is understandable. It's something fans attending shows through out the rest of their tour, which continues until December 8th, will definitely appreciate! 

Atlas Genius @ The Independent 8/30/2015

Two days after the release of their sophomore album, Inanimate Objects, Atlas Genius kicked off their North American Tour with a sold-out show at The Independent in San Francisco. Both openers, LA's The Shelters with their gritty rockabilly and Brooklyn's Dreamers with their dreampop grunge,  got about an hours worth of stage play as the cohort of show-goers filed into the already  crowded club.

Atlas Genius at The Independent 8/30/2015
Photo by Marc Fong 

There's a different energy felt at a sold-out show, a certain excitement that subconsciously permeates through the air.
Yes, people at any show are generally excited to see the bands, or band, that's why they're there but when a venue hits max capacity and you're among the people there who got a ticket in, that collective buzz of anticipation for an act is incomparable to shows that don't sell as well.That was the case Sunday night. Appropriately enough, Atlas Genius took to the stage as the Etta James classic, "At Last" played over the PA until they were ready to start.  The crowd perked up upon hearing the familiar, deep, hearty hooks of "Symptoms", off of  their first album When It Was Now and as the Aussie bred band's enthusiasm synced, they quickly clicked with fans. Frontman, Keith Jeffery was visibly, genuinely happy to be there, welcoming everyone with utmost sincerity, to the first show of the tour in support of their brand new album.

Atlas Genius at The Independent 8/30/2015 
Photo by Marc Fong 

Soft cheers rose as familiarity continued with bubbly, electro-rock melodies carrying  the sweetly somber undertones of "If So".
The crowd swayed as Keith's crooning washed over the harmonious blended beat and airy guitar hooks of the emotion strewn song and you could hear people sing along to the simple, pain-tinged chorus. The positive energy levels continued to rise as the set shifted to highlighting new material.



Exploring their alt-pop roots with lavish layers of keyboard soaked electro well balanced with bright drum riffs and cool guitar, Atlas Genius have refined their sound since their 2013 debut. Positively glowing, Keith's performance fully embodied their euphoric indietronica: beaming the entire night with a light-hearted pride and making fans swoon when he teetered on the corner edges of the stage. His brother Michael humbly held it down on drums and the effortless fluidity of the band as a whole accentuated the show's fresh vibe.

Atlas Genius at The Independent 8/30/2015 
Photo by Marc Fong 

Their sound has blossomed with a sparkly maturity and Atlas Genius is still every bit as enjoyable live as they've ever been!

SET LIST 8/30/2015 

Symptoms

If So

Friendly Apes

A Perfect End

Back Seat 

Centered On You 

Stockholm

Through the Glass 

Refugees 

Don't Make a Scene 

Spin Me Round (cover)

On A Day 

Friends with Enemies

Balladino 

Stone Mill 

Molecules 

Electric

Trojans 

Sweet 16

Strawberries and Cream was a fitting cupcake flavor to celebrate my cousin's 16th birthday this summer! It was about $4.00 for a four pack of Rubicon Bakery cupcakes from Whole Foods. That's about $1.00 per cupcake, which is steal, especially for the booshie health food store!

Rubicon Bakery, is based in Richmond and exclusively makes these cupcakes for Whole Foods, so they're not just any, typical store bought cupcake, they're special.  My cousin might be young but she has a certain swanky, high-standard style making these specialty store bought cupcakes a good choice for her special day. 

Sweet Strawberry aroma seeped out of the packaging, tickling the air with a scent reminiscent of sugary Summer treats and a Sanrio Surprises store. The fragrant smell made my mouth water while en route to meet up with my family. 

The birthday girl had hardly finished eating dinner before she was ready for dessert and after singing Happy Birthday to her, my two cousins, my aunt and myself each enjoyed a cupcake. 

Rubicon Bakery handcrafts all of their baked goods with high quality, all natural ingredients and you can taste the difference between their cupcakes and other store bought cupcakes. 

The vanilla cake is buttery, not heavy and decadent but fluffy and fresh. Laced with Strawberry, the powder-pink, sweet buttercream frosting was creamy with the right amount of yummy flavoring. 

Deep inside the vanilla cake is a small portion of sweet whipped cream to complete the Strawberries and Cream flavor! I haven't had a frosting filled cupcake since having Hostess Cupcakes as an afternoon snack in middle school and the classic touch is a good one. I do have a substantial sweet tooth, so this amount of frosting wasn't too much for me. It might have been a bit too much for my cousin though seeing as she finished all but some of the Strawberry frosting which she left behind in the cupcake wrapper. 

Rubicon Bakery has 4 different flavors of their 4-Pack Cupcakes each season and being that the season is about to change so will the flavors offered at Whole Foods!  

Outside Lands 2015 Recap

August 7th, 8th and 9th marked this year's Outside Lands Fest and for the 8th year in a row the Music, Food and Art Festival did not disappoint!  Warm sunshine added to the enjoyment as thousands of people flocked to Golden Gate Park to peruse 70+  food vendors  and 100+ bands  over the weekend long fest this year.  

Here are some highlights from the festivities!

Friday, the first day of the festival, Swedish sisters of the folk-indie duo, First Aid Kit graciously hit the main stage just past 3:00 that afternoon. Along with friendly banter and popular songs off last Summer's Stay Gold, the girls covered Black Sabbath's "War Pigs". It was pretty awesome to hear their danity version of Ozzy's heavy metal hit in the middle of the park! 

Across the way on the Sutro Stage in Lindley Field, George Ezra covered "I Try" originally by Macy Grey. By the sound of the throngs of fans singing along, I'd say the guitarist's rendition was an overall crowd pleaser!

Cold War Kids @ Outside Lands 2015
Photo by Marc Fong 

Though I only had enough time to catch one song from 2015's favorite indie-pop-ska act, Misterwives , after lunch on Saturday,  I was more than happy that I did! Daring to wear white denim and matching Doc's, the band's petite leading lady had a big stage presence with a bubbly, charismatic, extremely engaging energy.  Hopefully I'll make it to the fun filled show at The Fillmore when they return this October!

I never noticed how much the lead singer of Cold War Kids  looks like Will and/or Win Butler of Arcade Fire until seeing them at Outside Lands on Saturday. Stern yet playful, Willett demanded attention as he and his band mates each played various instruments including, keyboards, guitar and maracas throughout the set which  included "Hang Me Out to Dry" as well as songs off of their new album.

Billy Idol @ Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

It was pretty neat hearing the infamous Billy Idol sing his 1980's hit "White Wedding" as I made way over to the Sutro Stage to catch some of the Milky Chance set.










The massive crowd was way too out of control  to make it to the Twin Peaks Stage Saturday Night headliner, Kendrick Lamar (where I later heard later people had to get rushed to the ER after catching shoes and bottles to the face) but after 7 years I did finally make it to my first OSL after show!

Kendrick Lamar  @ Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

Unknown Mortal Orchestra  @ The Indpendent 8/8/2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

Unknown Mortal Orchestra  played the Twin Peaks Stage at 2:00 on Saturday afternoon and their OSL night show at The Independent, which  was announced late that week, sold-out super quick! They started after 11:00 that night,  keeping to themselves on the dimly lit stage as they filled the intimate venue with ambient, psychedelic indie-rock. After spending all day outside at a music festival, the stoner friendly set was a very nice way to unwind.







If you've been missing the band fun. as much as I have hopefully you were at Outside Lands on Sunday for Nate Ruess!  He was full throttle the moment he burst on to the main stage at 3:00 and never (really) slowed down. Kicking off the set with songs from his solo album, Grand Romantic, he'd pause briefly  between songs to introduce the next one, thank his beloved fans, or express his excitement for playing Outside Lands again (fun. played the same stage in ...) before jumping (quite literally) back into the performance. He and his band did a great cover of  Prince's "Let's Go Crazy" in the beginning of their set before later playing hits by fun. including "Carry-On" and "Some Nights".

Nate Ruess @ Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

The Panhandle Stage was the place to be at 5:55 on Sunday evening for Dan Deacon's set!

Dan Deacon @ Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

Dan Deacon  @ Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

The University-trained composer took the stage accompanied by a drummer and an instant fan connection was made as he invited everyone there to bring a hand to their chin, raise their head to the sky and blow any anxieties to people  passing by the pandhandle stage. Though the visual pleasing light show his shows are known for was hindered because of the time of day he played, Deacon's interactive crowd participation was on point with insightful  exchanges and even included a Kanye-esque request for fans clear a circle in the middle of crowd. To his credit Deacon's request was warranted with dance off purposes and fans were happy to oblige. His lighthearted demeanor carried the dancey set with a feel good vibe. 

Mac Sabbath @ Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

Parody Heavy Metal tribute band, Mac Sabbath was the last band to play the GatsroMagic Stage this year.  Chef's prepared chicken nuggets behind the visually vivid, LA based band cover Black Sabbath songs with lyrics based around McDonalds and the fast food chain's menu.
With full on costumes, crazy fun and animated stage antics, Ronald Osborne, Slayer McCheese, Grimalice and The Catburgler deliver a highly entertaining show!

Green Velvet @ Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

I had never heard of the Techno DJ duo Green Velvet before seeing a few songs of their set on Sunday night and I am so happy that  Outside Lands introduced me to them! I had a blast getting my dance on to their dance-party-anthem track, "Hit Me With Those Laser Beams".

A bedazzled and absolutely fabulous, Sir Elton John was an unforgettable way for Outside Lands 2015 to end! Nearly 70 years old, the Tiny Dancer singer sounded flawless through out his two hour long set.  Everyone in attendance would probably agree that it's an honor to have seen him perform live! 

Elton John @ Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

Here are some other highlights aside from all of the music at Outside Lands 2015: 

- Best Meal:cheese burger and spicy fries from 4045 Meats. I love me a burger and this is easily the best dang burger in the city! 4045's cheese burger needs no added fixin's because it's juicy quarter pound, grass fed beef patty is loaded with crispy lettuce, melted Gruyere cheese and a secret sauce that's absolutely delish on a grilled sesame/scallon bun. Paired with a side of their spicy fries: hand-cut, tallow fried french fries topped with chimichurri sauce and a lemon-parsley aioli this filling meal is not intended for the light eater! This is high quality fest fuel that'll fill you up and keep you going. 

 Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

- Trending: People carrying signs so the rest of their crew can spot them and get to them in the thick of crowds has always been a big thing at OSL. There have been some good ones over the years but this was the first year a bunch of  people carried huge photos of their own faces around! This new fest fad is funny and kind of trippy! 

Ratatat @ The Regency Ballroom 8/3/2015

An announcement for the sold-out Ratatat show at The Regency Ballroom on July 31st came from the band early that morning alerting ticket holders that the their tour bus broke down so the show had to be re-scheduled.  Fans were understandably bummed that the Friday night show got moved to that following Monday night but they were actually really lucky that Ratatat was able to reschedule so quick. The Brooklyn based band had an open slot on their tour and their bus was repaired and en route to SF over the weekend! I for one would rather go to a show any night of the week than have to
wait weeks or even months to see a show that had to be rescheduled.

Ratatat @ The Regency Ballroom 8/3/2015
Photo by Marc Fong

Flashy  riffs wafted from the guitar of Mike Stroud as "Pricks of Brightness" as  luminous bass from Evan Mast steadily blended in with rhythmic drum machine beats filling the room with  euphoric rocktronica sound. Huge, hanging pieces of plexiglass which bookended the stage (the same ones they had the last time they played in SF aft The Warfield a few years back) were used to project cool holographic images and a wild array of color-changing lasers, blinding lights and pulsating strobes,  amplified the experience of Ratatat's live performance.

Ratatat @ The Regency Ballroom 8/3/2015
Photo by Marc Fong

The crowd joyfully cheered at the top of each song of the well balanced set which covered all five albums and included: "Loud Pipes", "Kennedy", "Grape Juice City", "Falcon Job". Of course the room roared real loud with applause for "Wildcat", the bands most well known single which surprisingly wasn't saved for the end of the show.

Ratatat @ The Regency Ballroom 8/3/2015
Photo by Marc Fong

Ratatat is known for exploring the avenues of electronica, taking it to unexpected places with rock driven instrumentals. The two musicians poured their passion into their work on stage, delivering a high quality show of their multi-faceted sound.

 Sweaty, smiling fans peacefully danced to the crafty, hypnotic electro-indie with only a few, welcomed interruptions of "thank yous" from Stroud and Mast between songs on Friday night, giving them more time to churn out tunes for fans to enjoy.




Sweet, chill, retro surf-rock melodies of "Supreme", washed over the crowd cooly as they transitioned to the end of the show but the dance party wasn't over yet. The room erupted in a controlled craziness, for the high and low tempos of the last song of the regular set "Seventeen Years".

The two song encore included the swirling, adrenaline pumping, breakdown/buildup riddled "Shempi" off 2008's LP,  which again sent fans into a little, happy feet frenzy. 

It was definitely anything but a mundane Monday and as fans spilled out of the venue it was clear to see that some might be hurting at work the next day, but everyone there knew  it was well worth it! 

Susie "Cup-Cakes"

When a friend of mine stopped into SusieCakes on Chestnut Street in San Francisco to pick-up a cake for a Birthday Picnic we were heading to, I couldn't resist getting mini-cupcakes for us. SusieCakes is an all American, homestyle bakery and all of their classic treats are made entirely from scratch! They have a few locations in NorCal and a few in SoCal too! The store fronts are super cute with an old-fashioned neighborhood experience. 

I am a sucker for the color seafoam and on that warm, sun filled Sunday I treated us to a little vanilla cupcake with seafoam colored, vanilla flavored frosting. All of the mini-cupcake flavors were also available in standard cupcake size but we were going to eat cake later, therefore mini-cupcakes were just right this time! 

The staff was attentive, friendly and really knowledgeable about what the store was offering that day as well as everything on the menu.
I was asked if I wanted to eat them there or to go, I opted to get my order to go, then went to the cash register to pay without knowing the price because there no prices displayed in the store. The total for two mini-cupcakes came out to around $4.50 which was more than I thought two mini-cupcakes would cost ($2.25 each) but it was a special occasion and I don't get a mini-cupcake from Susie Cakes everyday.






The vanilla cake was fresh and vanilla frosting was so exceptionally fresh that it practically melted on my lips! The dollop of frosting was a little sweeter than the subtle sweetness of the vanilla cake it topped and while the cake wasn't super moist or fluffy the frosting was rich yet light, rounding out the cupcake well. It was rather refreshing for a cupcake! I probably could have eaten the whole mini-cupcake in one bite but I didn't and I still had room for a piece of Birthday Cake later that day! 

Summa Jams 2015!

It's already the 3rd day of August and that means Summer is slowly slipping away from us, so before it's gone, this is the perfect time to share my Summer 2015 playlist with you.  I'm not sure what it is about Summer that makes me want to put together a playlist: maybe it's because people love summer time, enjoying the sunshine by the pool, on the beach, barbecuing, vacationing...people just seem happier during the months of Summer. People also love and enjoy music, so why not compile new music releases and singles that can bring you back to that happy place as the warm weather fades? Plus, Spotify makes it easy to find music, pick a song and save it to a playlist to share!
Here are my picks from this Summer on my Summa Jams 2015 playlist!

"Lean On" - Major Lazer & DJ Snake feat. MO 

I came across this Mazor Lazer single featuring MO and Diplo on-line in the beginning of Summer and it has blown up since then! With it's Bali-wood hooks, catchy dance beats and sentimental lyrics sung by indie artist, MO, who has collaborated with Tove Lo and Iggy Azalea in the past, Lean On is refreshing, reflective and fun making it perfect for any Summer soundtrack.

"Want You to Want Me" - Jason Derulo

Definitely my #1 guilty pleasure this Summer. I just can't help but turn this song up all the way up every-time I hear it nor can I resist singing and dancing along. It really riles me up, what can I say?!

Who doesn't want to hear a hot guy to say that they want you to want them? It's great boost of confidence on the fly.

  

"Talking Body"- Tove Lo

Last summer it was her break through single "Habits (Stay High)" that got me and this Summer the starlet songstress got me again with her titillating single, "Talking Body". It has a slower tempo but it's hot topic will pick and perk you up. It's also a good one to turn to when you need motivation to get beach body ready, too!

"Running Behind" - HOLYCHILD

Hands down, my favorite new band find of the year so far is the self-proclaimed Brat-Pop act, HOLYCHILD.  Everything I've heard from these new kids on the scene is ear catching and dance inducing. The swirling marching band drum rolls, synchronized enthusiastic clapping and a youthful, vibrant, sparkly vibe on Running Behind might very well be a Summer Music Festival anthem in the making!

"Stirred Up" - Matt & Kim

Matt & Kim have done it again! This fun loving couple have an insanely contagious energy which you can catch on every one of their tracks and Stirred Up is the stand out one from their latest album New Glow. Strewn with baritone back-up vocals and a beat that drops, this track's hip-hop undertones add a new flare to Matt & Kim's signature sound. 

"Radio" - Santigold

Mum might be the word on if Santigold has been enjoying motherhood or not, but other than releasing Radio for the Paper Towns movie soundtrack, the singer/songwriter has been m.i.a since 2012's Desperate Youth. "Radio" is pure gold...Santigold!

"Mom & Dads" - Waters

Pegged as a band to keep an eye on, Waters not only has a name that can be tied to fun times in Summer time, the song Mom & Dads, conjures thoughts of college kids returning home over Summer break. It's chillax vibe is an essential one for the season. 

"Can't Feel My Face" - The Weeknd

Have you ever had the kind of Summer lover who always made you smile? Being with them just made you so happy that your happiness was plastered on your face? The Weeknd knows that feeling, or lack there of and his new hit single will make you feel good. Heck, it just might bring a smile to your face, too! 

"Electric Love" - BORNS 

I can't put my finger on who indie's latest emerging artists reminds me of (Banks? Cathedrals?) but I really like it! Their galactic, glam, indie, electro-pop remains safe within an experimental range delicately bending the indie-pop genre. The way the song ends is probably my favorite part of "Electric Love" : as they "play" so to say with the words in their own lyrics, changing it up just a bit before the somewhat abrupt ending.
Don't be fooled by the high pitched, feminine vocals! The singer is a dude!  

"Molecules" - Atlas Genius 

The sophomore album, Inanimate Objects  from Atlas Genius will be available every where on August 28th but you can enjoy "Molecules" today! The Aussie guys dance around indie boundary-lines with a slight build up to a late breaking break down. They drop and even briefly switch the beat before bringing us back to the existential questioning track before it ends.  

"Dreams" - Beck

Beck's creative juices haven't stopped flowing since his dreamy 2014 release, Morning Phases won him the album of the year Grammy. His tune has turned more the optimistic side, with more of a dance/indie-rock appeal than a folk-rock one, inviting you to lose yourself in Dreams.  

"Supreme" - Ratatat

The 5th studio album from Ratatat has been 5 years in the making and the spirit lifting Magnifique was well worth the wait! The un-mistakable surf-rock sound heard on "Supreme" midway through the album is a wonderfully relaxing way to wrap up my Summa Jams 2015 playlist!