Happy Place

​
Okay, so we don't think Metallica and Lou Reed's Lulu is as bad as many people do. But the San Rafael-recorded album has still inspired some fantastic shit-talking. The above review, which comes to us via Happy Place, is about as short, curt, and funny a description of the nearly 90-minute collaborative album as anything we've seen.

More >>

Christopher Victorio

Feist at the Warfield last night.

​
Feist
Chili Gonzales
Nov. 14, 2011
The Warfield

Feist brought the quiet solitude of her new album, Metals, to a packed house at the Warfield last night. SF Weekly photographer Christopher Victorio was on hand to capture her set along with opener Chili Gonzales, and sent back these images.

More >>

It was a double-whammy of big-name electronic dance music in S.F. this weekend. Friday saw bass-music wunderkind Skrillex take over the Warfield (see more photos here); then, on Saturday, Deadmau5 dragged his big beats out to a packed Bill Graham Civic Auditorium (see more photos). It one sense, any competition between the two shows was friendly -- Deadmau5 put Skrillex on his label, after all. But we want to know which show was better in that all-important way: the overwhelming spectacle of lights and graphics and moving screens that is each artist's visual set. Join us as we review a few of Matt Smith's choice pictures from each show and try to discern which artist had the more eye-arresting performance.

First, Skrillex at the Warfield on Friday, Oct. 28:

Matt Smith

Is it just a white wall?

​

More >>

Calibree Photography

Primus at the Greek Theatre on Saturday.

​
Primus
Omar Rodriguez Lopez
Vau De Vire
Extra Action Marching Band
Oct. 29, 2011
Greek Theatre, Berkeley

The Extra Action Marching Band started Saturday's Oddity Faire off with a furry, interactive performance, eventually dancing its way through the crowd. Vau De Vire was up next, with beauties doing death-defying trapeze, and ribbon and fire dancers. Omar Rodriquez Lopez opened up for the headliner, Primus, which kept fans singing along to "Jerry was a Racecar Driver" and many of the band's enormous hits, all the while the guests screamed "Primus sucks!" And of course the band showed us different. All photos by Calibree photography; setlist after the jump.

More >>

TV on the Radio at the Fox last night

Joseph Schell

​
TV on the Radio
Thee Oh Sees
Sept. 27, 2011

TV on the Radio came to the Fox Oakland last night, delivering its forward-leaning blend of lolling, synth-driven modern rock and wailing, otherworldy vocals. Photographer Joseph Schell was there to record the the action, and sent back these shots.

More >>

Snoop Dogg. Photographs courtesy of Julie Schugard for Spotify

​
Open bars of oysters, sushi, wine and cheese, and lots booze. Sound too good to be true? How about adding surprise musical entertainment by the Killers, Jane's Addiction, Snoop Dogg, and Kaskade?

Yep, it happened. Last night's post-f8 Spotify and Facebok party was planned and executed within 48 hours in small little warehouse at 140116th Street.

More >>

Christopher Victorio

​
Bassnectar
Wolfgang Gartner
Dan Deacon
Big Gigantic
Low RIDERz
September 17, 2011
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

Bassnectar, the Santa Cruz-based beatmonger whose given name is Lorin Ashton, turned Bill Graham Civic Auditorium into a "Bass Center" this past Saturday. Fans responded by turning up in their least subtle clothing and going nuts. SF Weekly photographer Christopher Victorio was onhand to document some of the mayhem and molly-ing with his camera. For more of his pictures, see our slideshow from Saturday.

More >>

Kesha came to the Fox Oakland last night. We couldn't hear the sonic damage from our home in the city, but we're sure it was cacophonous and despicable. The queen of trash-pop (or is it pop-trash?) is notorious for luring innocent, unsuspecting persons into those treacherous dens in which she performs, then forcefully converting them into devoted, sleazy Kesha fans. Once turned, supporters acquire set of traits that make them significant existential threats to decent, fully clothed, reasonably sober, monogamous human beings. Thus, Kesha fans are to be feared and stayed away from. Here are 10 of the best reasons why:

Gil Riego, Jr.

​
10. Kesha-loving women turn otherwise virile, self-determined men into helpless slaves.
And the poisoned males like it!

More >>

So Kreayshawn brought her swaggin' White Girl Mob back to her hometown last night, and the results were, well, so-so. That doesn't mean the Slim's show wasn't fun, though -- plenty of people there seemed to be having the time of their lives (which may not say much about their lives, but whatever). The music wasn't great, but maybe that doesn't matter? Here are eight non-musical reasons why people enjoy going to a Kreayshawn show.

1. Best excuse ever to dress trashy.

Christopher Victorio

​
Arguably even better than a Kesha concert.

More >>

Katy Perry at HP Pavilion on Friday night.

​
Katy Perry
Friday, Aug. 12, 2011
HP Pavilion

So you thought "Candyland" was just a theme for Katy Perry's "California Gurls" video, eh? Nope -- turns out it's kind of the overriding influence for the pop princess' live show. Intrepid photographer Jen Cash of Calibree photography checked out Katy Perry's live show at HP Pavilion on Friday night, and returned with these images. Be warned -- they're extremely sweet.

More >>