Category archive for ‘Reviews’

• M. Ward at The Fillmore for Fauxchella [Photo Review]

  4/12/12 • (1)

  

  On his way to Coachella while promoting his new album, A Wasteland Compilation, M. Ward played last night at San Francisco’s legendary venue, The Fillmore. SF Critic photographer, Victoria Smith basked in his blue rock glory. His new album is fantastic, and its first single, “Primitive Girl” higlights M Ward as a maturing and confidant vocalist. M. Ward: ”Primitive Girl”

• Brother Ali and Aesop Rock at Cafe du Nord

  4/07/12 • (1)

  

  Last night in front of a sold-out Cafe Du Nord, Brother Ali performed a remix to Rakim & Eric B’s “I Aint No Joke.” Not too long ago, the Minneapolis rapper toured with the historical rap figure in support of his latest album, Us. Those of you who don’t know Rakim’s work word for word, probably are familiar [...]

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• Flight Facilities at Popscene [Photo Review]

  4/02/12 • (0)

  

  Last Thursday night, Australian DJ duo Flight Facilities rocked the Rickshaw Stop with their San Francisco debut. Filled with a mixed crowd, this 18+ up event completely sold out. The group was surprisingly showy for a DJ group. The Deadmau5-es of the world use staging to help up the ante of their performance, but Captain Earnest Bon-Huffington along [...]

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• SXSW Film & Music 2012 Photo Recap and Story

  4/01/12 • (1)

  

  SXSW Film and Music Festival wrapped up in Austin, Texas.  It was the usual experience of too much to see with not enough time or life force to see it all.  Hearing of the secret guest appearances you missed like Kenny Rogers coming on stage with Lionel Richie and Donovan performing with Eric Burdon would whittle away at [...]

• fun. and Avalanche City at The Independent [Photo Review]

  3/29/12 • (0)

  

  I’ll admit, I started out with a bias against the crowd. A sold out show promoted by the radio station Live 105 meant, to me, one thing: the majority would be fans who’d heard fun.’s single on the radio (or on the super bowl commercial) and weren’t at all interested in the band as a whole at all. [...]

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• Kendrick Lamar @ The Regency Ballroom [Photo Review]

  3/29/12 • (1)

  

  If only all hip hop shows were like Kendrick Lamar’s performance last night. The 2011 “XXL Freshman” headlined the Regency Ballroom for the Monster Outbreak Tour, eschewing any indication of a novice emcee waiting to break. From the moment he stepped on the stage,  the crowd cheering, fists pumping, he was a star. In all the shows this [...]

• Elephant & Castle – Transitions LP [Album Review]

  3/27/12 • (0)

  

  I’ve always found it difficult to describe my tastes in electronic music. Mainstream sources often lean to either extremes of heavy bass or mellowed ambient. Leaving my fondness for subtle distortions, varying rhythms, unusual samples, and intricate layers as jargon phrases to the average listener. I’ve tried highlighting popular musicians (in my mind) to explain elements like Flying Lotus’s layering, [...]

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• Pure X and Nick Waterhouse @ SXSW 2012 [Day 4]

  3/23/12 • (0)

  

  Nick Waterhouse I went to MWTX Saturday morning to hear an Austin band I adored, and left infatuated with a San Francisco group I never knew. A twist of fate you might say. For two years I’ve followed Austin lo-fi rockers Pure X, eagerly awaiting a performance in SF but never getting the chance. So you can be [...]

• Purity Ring, Caveman, Wallpaper & Neon Indian @ SXSW 2012 [Day 3]

  3/22/12 • (0)

  

  Purity Ring @ MWTX After listening to the womping bass, I’d say Purity Ring should aim for a bid to steal Bass Drums of Death’s name. During their performance the bass frequency rattled the metal roof of the warehouse that housed MWTX, as though a tornado was approaching. At times bridging hip hop rhythms (drawing comparisons to jj), Purity Ring also has elements of avant-rock [...]

• Ghostly International Showcase @ SXSW 2012 Day 1

  3/21/12 • (0)

  

  There is only so much dance music one man can take. Whether it be top 40s (which encompasses every single radio station these days—WTF), or la crème de la crème (Ghostly International in my case last night)—at some point “umph umph” becomes a little “umph umph” enough.  It’s not because the creativity isn’t there, the rhythms aren’t unique, [...]