If you're like us you spend every Friday afternoon glued to DJ Ted Leibowitz and the Bagel Radio Friday Live Show. If you aren't like us, you should be - it's the best rock radio show around. Ted has been a huge part of the indie rock world here in San Francisco for quite some time, he's a friend of SFist, and his wonderful Web radio show has been a huge boost to any number of local up-and-coming acts (we're thinking right now of Birdmonster and the Heavenly States, but the list could go on for quite some time). Ted is the DJ that we wish was on commercial radio - the guy who not only knows everything about music, but has a deep and abiding love for San Francisco music. Heck, he even got married at the Great American Music Hall. more ›

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Last week we got to see one of our favorite new bands Scanners twice, in two different cities. At Cafe Du Nord there were maybe 50 people in the house, but in New York we were sardined amongst a few hundred sweaty, sweater-clad CMJers. No matter the size of the audience, frontwoman Sarah Daly pouts, glowers, stares and gives it her all. This band is talented, comely, exciting, dynamic both live and on record, and they're part of tastemaker label Dim Mak's hipper-than-thou roster. So why are we so worried that we're never going to hear from Scanners again? San Francisco music lovers, we know you will get this. Listen to their music and buy their record before they go back to the UK forever.
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Did anyone go see G n F'n R last night? Guns N' Roses, we mean. Apparently they're rocking the Warfield for two nights with opener Sebastian Bach. Our younger self is dying inside because this was our dream concert about 12 years ago, and here we are writing about music and somehow we don't have tickets. If you went, please tell us about the show in the comments so that we can all live vicariously. more ›

We first heard of Rogue Wave when they opened for Spoon a few years ago, and though we liked them back then, we had no idea they'd make such gorgeous records. Descended Like Vultures, released last October, is a must-own and with airplay on MTV2, a deal with Sub Pop and tours with Nada Surf and The Shins, they're not our hometown secret anymore. more ›

We're wishing Noise Pop a happy birthday today, as San Francisco's indie-est music festival kicks off its 14th year. The all-festival badges are sold out, as are tickets to some of the biggest shows, but SFist will bring you our coverage so you can live vicariously. Check the festival schedule for all the shows, and stay tuned for SFist's show reviews and what we're hoping is going to turn out to one Noise Pop giveaway every day this week. SFist Emily is also going to re-run her interviews with Noise Pop performing artists so you can know before you go. more ›

Our concert picks for the week of 2/2 - 2/8. more ›

Perusing the club listings for December, we're seeing an awful lot of blank calendars. We reckon that means many of SFist's great music venues are being rented out for holiday parties. Perhaps even parties to which we were not invited. Party throwers, don't be afraid to invite SFist. We promise not to do anything untoward that might tarnish our sterling reputation. Not like we did last year. more ›

Our concert picks for the week of 8/4 - 8/10. more ›

Our concert picks for the week of 4/28-5/4. more ›

Last week's winner, the East Bay Express. Dream cartoonist outdoes himself with a dream about fighting Lord Vader! Cover article: The Oakland band Heavenly States had a horrible trip to Libya. Hey, Jose Canseco's doing a book signing at the Jack London Barnes and Noble next Monday! SFist Jake, we hope you're there! Was Abbey Lincoln drunk or delusional at her upsetting Yoshi's show last week? And Savage Love: why can't we charge barebackers full cost for anti-viral drug therapies for their victims? The SF Weekly: Matt Smith, being contrarian and pro-business. We never really understand what he's so upset about, but we're sure he's right! Dog Bites: better California quarter designs. Backroom dealings about Indian casinos. Hey! There's an orchestra performance of the music from Final Fantasy (scroll down) next Monday! Cover article: cabaret singer Antony. OK Then had a nice time at the Saturday J. Newsom concert, and, biting the EBX's style from last week, the Weekly also runs an article about metal yoginis High On Fire. Hilarious undercover sting operations in the Guardian and the Weekly of the Week, after the jump. more ›

Our live music picks for the week of 2/24-3/2. more ›

Music-loving good samaritans, this is your lucky week. If you like to enjoy a little partying and live performance in exchange for your charitable contributions, you have no less than six different tsunami relief benefits to choose from. On Friday, The Independent is having their second benefit, featuring members of New Monsoon, ALO, Samantha and the Ritual for a donation of $10-50. Great American's benefit that night with indie kings Gibbard, Kozelek, Richman and Bachman is sold out, but buying a ticket from a scalper would be even more wrong than usual. Bottom of the Hill's "Wave of Relief" benefit is on Sunday, with Blind Justice, The MoFonics, OM&M, et al. Monday night Erase Errata, Murder Murder, Curse of the Birthmark and So So Many White White Tigers rock the Elbo Room. Wednesday night brings another benefit at Bottom of the Hill, with Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Jason Quever from the Papercuts and several others, for $7 and up. Also that night is a benefit presented by A Show of Hands at Rickshaw Stop with comedy, film, dance, theatre and music from the likes of Hard Nox and Killing My Lobster, for a donation of $5-20. Look at you, San Francisco, doin' so good! For those about to rock for a good cause, we salute you. more ›

I mean, when we heard from our musician friends that there weren't enough rehearsal spaces and music venues in the San Francisco area, we had no idea it was this bad. The Heavenly States, a locally based indie power-pop outfit that features a violin-forward aesthetic (that's how we guessed that "a California indie rock band" meant "a San Francisco indie rock band") came up with the idea of being the first Americans to rock Libya. Known for their progressive politics, but not necessarily known for their command of Arabic, the band is taking their sound to the Roman ruins of Leptis Magna, and hope to draw crowds at other stops by leafletting. more ›