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When The Lights Go Down In The City
Huge congratulations to our friend DJ Ted from BAGeL Radio who landed in the New York Times this week! A photo of BAGeL Radio HQ is featured in the story called "Big Radio Makes a Grab for Internet Listeners", along with a quote from Ted and mentions of bay area-based Soma FM, Live365 and Pandora. Ted's fighting the good fight to save internet radio from being crushed by soaring broadcasting fees. He's got full details on how to help the cause on his blog, along with an announcement of a benefit show on July 1st at Bottom of the Hill. We'll keep you posted with details on the show as it approaches.
Anyone looking for an arresting new album to fall into? We always are, and we're pretty sure we've found our favorite candidate in Shearwater's latest release. Begun in 2000 as a project with Okkervil River's Will Sheff, Shearwater has morphed into the full vision of Jonathan Meiburg, anchored by the arc of his voice, from a whisper to a wail, and propelled by epic songwriting. Sublime and intense, this is the type of music you must give your full attention to -- throwing on their new record Palo Santo while vacuuming would be just...wrong. Shearwater play Wednesday night with Jamie Stewart (Xiu Xiu) and Minus Story at Bottom of the Hill. We've got tickets to the show plus a copy of the CD for one lucky winner. Listen to several songs from Palo Santo and enter to win. (Contest ends 6/18; winner will be notified via email.)
"Scratch your name into the fabric of this world before you go." - Noisettes
Let Noisettes show you the future tonight at 7pm for free when they perform at Amoeba. Singer Shingai Shoniwa's voice is a force in and of itself, but we give her two snaps up for bringing some true new rock-n-roll style to the stage as well. Popscene presents a full set by Noisettes later tonight at 330 Ritch, a scene where a creative outfit is always appreciated, along with The Maccabees, yet another band of British blokes.
Also tonight there are three great options for singer-songwriter fans. Go old school at The Independent with the time-tested professionals Jonatha Brooke and Steve Poltz. See a familiar voice in a new setting at Hemlock when MC Taylor of Court and Spark fronts Hiss Golden Messenger. Or catch something relatively new when The Dodos (a.k.a. Meric Long and Logan Kroeber) play at Make-Out Room. A friend of ours was on a six week sabbatical here from the UK, and she said one of the main things she'll remember is how great it was to see The Dodos play live. Tomorrow night we tip our hats to Scissors For Lefty who are celebrating the release of their new album Underhanded Romance at the Independent.
Listen to: Hiss Golden Messenger, The Dodos and Scissors For Lefty
Saturday brings the unlikely marriage of ukelele and Bowie as Rickshaw Stop presents Uke-y Stardust with The Uke Apocalypse, Stella! and more. Better yet, head to Hemlock to see Social Studies and The Ian Fays. Show your support for the fine sport of roller derby on Monday night, when Bottom of the Hill hosts a B.ay A.rea D.erby Girls Benefit with Bad Men, Los Dryheavers and theDEVOLVERS. If you're in the market for something far more experimental and avant garde, see Gang Gang Dance and Ariel Pink at Independent. On Wednesday night, we'll be at Bottom fo the Hill to see Shearwater.
Listen to The Ian Fays on The Bay Bridged and watch their video for "All The Phones Are Broken":