We've got two contests this week, one to celebrate over a decade of experimentation and the other to to support some stalwart locals. Giveaway #1! On Monday and Tuesday, Blonde Redhead make their gorgeous art rock at Bimbo's with openers Annuals. Annuals weave intricate melodies with ambitious sounds while still giving you hooks to hold onto (and remind us a little of the wonderful Aloha in the meantime.) One winner will get a pair of......

Special video bonanza! Last night we made it out to the Noise Pop BAGeL Radio happy hour at Thee Parkside just in time to see Peloton. That's right, in case you haven't heard or experienced it yet, Noise Pop is in full swing here in San Francisco. Thee Parkside was packed with festivalgoers and BAGeL fans and DJ Ted couldn't help but beam proudly at the full house. It's good to see music fans supporting......

Noise Pop announced their full line-up this week and it has us feeling a little dizzy with excitement. The fest's 15th anniversary kicks off on February 27th with a free Opening Night Event (lineup TBA), followed by highlights including Sebadoh performing with their original lineup and Roky Erickson of 13th Floor Elevators' first Bay Area show in 25 years. Read all about the events and performances and get your all-fest badge while they're still......

SFist interviews Andrew Kerwin, guitarist of Trainwreck Riders...

We visited The Homestead for the first time last summer and it instantly fell in love with the relaxed ambiance, gilded decor and fantastic jukebox. We'd never seen a DJ in there before, so when we saw one this past Monday we were a little worried. It didn't take long for Shellac Shack, a weekly 78 rpm listening party hosted by DJ Chas Gaudí, to win us over. He plays blues, jazz, R & B,......

What? This isn't Thursday? OK, all this holiday brouhaha has made us a day late from our usual posting schedule but we just know you'll forgive us. To make it up to you, we want to share a brand new video from Trainwreck Riders. According to our buddy Nat, last week the band hit the streets with a super 8 camera and a bag full of costumes that they dug up from their basements. They......

SFist interviews Tyson Vogel and Adam Stephens of Two Gallants...

There sure are a lot of fans of The Decemberists, judging by the fact that they're about to play tonight and Friday night here at the relatively giant Warfield Theater. If you haven't heard their new album The Crane Wife, we're giving you a chance to win a copy of it plus a 20"x10" lithograph signed by all 5 members of the band. We'd show you a photo of the lithograph if we had one,......

Listen up, because SFist has a scoop for you. Our hometown boys in Two Gallants are heading out on a fall tour with Langhorne Slim and fellow San Franciscans Trainwreck Riders, starting in September and culminating with two nights at Bottom of the Hill on October 21st and 22nd. Two Gallants are supporting their sophomore release what the toll tells; you can still get it if you haven't already gotten it. Watch Trainwreck Riders rock......

So on Friday night, you may have seen that we described Noise Pop headliner Jason Collett as "rainy Sunday afternoon music." Ironic, then, that on the actual rainy Sunday afternoon, we went to see a straight-up bar band at the Bottom of the Hill, the Trainwreck Riders. The Trainwreck Riders were described to us as a country-punk type of outfit, but we didn't really hear much of the country in their raucous set -- it was instead loud drums and complicated guitar rhythms; our favorite! They tore through a number of songs (the lyrics of which we were totally unable to make out), to the bobbing heads of young, dark-haired fans. It was flannel shirt day at the club, apparently, and the rain gave the Bottom of the Hill an unfortunate mildewy odor, but a good time was had by all. And how sweet are these guys? They dedicated one of their songs to the drummer and bassist's mother, who was standing in the back of the club wearing a sensible sweater, for being really nice about them rehearsing all the time. It sort of reminded us of this week's Onion article, "Raccoons Force Garage Band Into Attic." We are very sorry we missed the gypsy-folk band >a href="http://www.noisepop.com/2006/artist_detail.php?artist=49">Gavin Newsome, who are actually the band formerly known as Full Moon Partisans and are taking votes for a new band name. (Why is it that the name "Gavin Newsome" is an excellent band name, but "Matt Gonzales" is not?) If you're looking for a new name, might we suggest..... CSI Plumpjack? ...