One of the worst ways to corrupt an electronic music track is to throw in police sirens — not only is this anxiety-inducing for people listening and driving in cars, but it’s also downright unpleasant. Yet this is precisely what Zedd chose to do to his hit single, “Clarity,” at Read More…
This past Saturday, a crowd of hip, 20-something San Franciscans gathered around the low stage at The Mezzanine for what Trevor Powers of Youth Lagoon fame called “the last American show [he] will play in very, very long time.” Powers was dressed in a black and white striped blazer that Read More…
“Do you like these guys a lot? I found them on Pandora.” asked one concert-goer to me at the Independent last week. She was referring to Wild Belle, the brother-sister, dusty reggae-folk group of Elliot and Natalie Bergman headlining that night. It’s easy to like Wild Belle — they are Read More…
Unknown Mortal Orchestra played The Fillmore in San Francisco on Thursday with jam-band tendencies that would make any Deadhead in Berkeley over the weekend jealous. The simple stage aesthetic of hanging album art in the background from their upcoming acoustic “Blue Record” EP and frontman Ruban Nielson’s priest-like poncho evoked Read More…
With his hair combed into an immaculate Teddy-boy coif and his hip popped to one side, Alex Turner mesmerized Oakland’s indie rock fans last Thursday night during the last of the Arctic Monkeys’ back-to-back gigs at the Fox Theater. Band’s latest triumph, AM, centered around Turner’s verbal dexterity and compelling Read More…
Last Friday and Sunday, crowds flooded the Hearst Greek Theatre to see arguably one of the most successful groups in popular music right now. You’ve probably heard their songs on the radio upwards of a thousand times, but what exactly has made fun. so successful? Read More…
Harley Streten started making music as a teenager after tinkering with a music programming CD that came packaged with his breakfast cereal. Now, at 21 years old, Streten is known by his stage name, Flume, and his “high-brow dubstep” (as was described to me by the lighting engineer) has made Read More…