When The Lights Go Down In The City
We've got a really cool giveaway this week. Everyone knows who Rufus Wainwright is, right? Please, tell us that you do. He's still crooning luxuriously behind the piano, wearing fabulously tailored suits and hasn't aged a day since his auspicious self-titled debut nearly ten years ago. His brand new record, Release the Stars, is hot off the presses and he's coming to play a special show at Nob Hill Masonic Center with Sean Lennon and A Fine Frenzy on Friday, August 3rd. Tickets are on sale this Sunday, and we're giving away a pair of tickets to one lucky SFist reader. Enter to win below (Contest ends June 6th; winner will be notified via email.)
Last Thursday night we squeezed into 330 Ritch to see Spoon, one of our favorite bands of all time. We'd just helped celebrate former SFist Eve's birthday at Tempest Bar and picked up our friend after her fire dancing class at Temple of Poi, and thankfully got to the venue just as Spoon hit the stage. Spoon were the consummate professionals as always, delivering a tight set without much banter or bullshit. We love them for playing a diverse set of songs from across their many releases. The opening riff of "Fitted Shirt" gave us a rush of excitement and nostalgia especially; such a great song about such an unlikely subject. The title of Spoon's new record has us puzzled, and hearing Britt's pronounce it like machine gun fire - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - was interesting to hear, but, yeah, we still don't get it. Speaking of Spoon, we're headed to their (and our) old hometown of Austin this week for a sunny vacation. The bad news is that we picked a week with no less than four shows that we're crushed to miss: Chris Garneau at the Hemlock tonight, Arcade Fire at the Greek on Friday and Saturday, Laura Veirs at Cafe Du Nord on Tuesday and Client at Amoeba on Wednesday. Watch Chris Garneau's video for "Relief", off of Music For Tourists and then read this week's show recommendations below.
Tonight there's that must-see show at the Hemlock with Chris Garneau, Liam Carey and Laura Weinbach. As you saw from the video, singer-songwriter Garneau sings torch songs with a reserved passion (think Sufjan Stevens' quiet voice). This is a show we're dying to see, but we're on vacation in Austin, remember! Also tonight, our friends at The Bay Bridged present Social Studies, Tempo No Tempo and The Lovely Public at Rickshaw Stop. Popscene presents a record release party for the locals in Scissors For Lefty and Brakes Brakes Brakes at 330 Ritch. There's a note on the website that tells us Brakes Brakes Brakes was formerly known as The Brakes, and this just makes us laugh. Are there any "The" names that haven't been taken? The Bougainvilleas? The Dodecahedrons?
On Friday, catch a free early performance at Amoeba by Oakland's own Dreamdate, an indie-pop all-girl trio. Or make the pilgrimage to the Greek Theatre in Berkeley to see Arcade Fire, playing both Friday and Saturday night. A few SFists are heading out to the shows, so watch for a review next week. On Saturday night, see The Raveonettes, Midnight Movies and The Meek at Cafe Du Nord. On Sunday, don't forget those Rufus Wainwright tickets go on sale!
On Monday, get on down to Great American to see Pretty Girls Make Graves on their last tour ever. We hope they mean this in an Ozzy Osbourne kind of way, and that they'll reform in the next few years. At Bottom of the Hill, local bands battle it out to get a coveted spot on the Live 105 BFD rockstravaganza. On Tuesday, the lovely Laura Veirs plays songs from her new album Saltbreakers at Cafe Du Nord. Veirs blends a simplicity of lyrics with a layered complexity of sounds that transports us. "Don't lose yourself, don't let yourself be lost," she sings, and we want to throw down breadcrumbs in our wake. Keep your eye out for an SFist interview with her.
On Wednesday, the sultry electro-synth goddesses in Client take over the Amoeba stage at 6pm for a free show. If you love the disaffected, dancey delivery of The Human League's "Don't You Want Me", you'll love Client. We're big fans of Client's last two records and we can't wait to get the new one called Heartland. Later that night head to Bottom of the Hill to hear Young Galaxy, Bellavista and From Bubblegum To Sky. At Hemlock, try something new with Hot IQ and My Second Surprise.
Watch Client's video for "Client" from way back in 2002.