It’s not easy being the frontman of a Celtic punk band. Shane MacGowan of the Pogues was once so drunk he knocked himself out falling down in the middle of the street—and his teeth actually looked better afterward. Al Barr of the Dropkick Murphys is going to have to sing “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” at every show for the rest of his life.
And then there’s Paul McKenzie of the Scot-inspired Real McKenzies. He knows when people are looking at him on stage, they’re only thinking one thing: What’s under the kilt? All too often, they’re not shy about finding out for themselves. Continue reading »
You might believe the Dum Dum Girls to be coy, which they are. And you might believe them to be precious, or ditzy, or immature about their craft—which they most certainly are not. On their second album Only in Dreams, the band has grown considerably, bucking accusations of triviality and affectation. Continue reading »
As if it wasn’t hard enough getting a new summer music festival off the ground, the I Love This City festival scheduled to debut May 25 and 26 has apparently run into what are being called “production challenges” at The Lot at AT&T Park, and has been moved to Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View. The move brings a few changes for the neon-and-glitter-ready raver’s paradise, as the festival attempts to bring together some of the big names in the EDM (Electronic Dance Music) craze. Continue reading »
Sigur Rós’s second album, Agætis byrjun (1999) was awarded Iceland’s best album of the century. Yes, that is a real award. And that’s saying a lot considering Iceland gave the world Bjork, not that Bjork isn’t adored in Iceland. There’s just something about the gorgeous, atmospheric slow-buildups of Sigur Rós songs that drive Icelanders crazy. Continue reading »
Corpus Callosum always wanted to go on tour, but that is easier said than done. With seven members, multiple instruments and loads of theatrical props, a mini-van just won’t cut it. That’s why they are putting together a kickstarter fundraiser to help get them on the road for their first ever nation-wide tour. Continue reading »
The DMC Championships, which has has helped launch the careers some of the most famous DJs in world over the past 20 years, is offering DJs around the world a chance to attend the DMC World Finals in London through an online voting process. San Jose’s own DJ Ichy the Killer is currently in the top five of the second round and has one more round to go before making the finals. Continue reading »
Asian Man Recording artists Andrew Jackson Jihad have always been known for fierce lyrics. They’re all about those uncomfortable blunt truths and the hyper-honest self-depreciating admissions, delivered with a lot of humor in an upbeat folk-punk style. Continue reading »
Rock Bottom bring a taste of San Franicsco’s Mission District to the Caravan tonight (May 10th) with their brand of “sleaze rock ‘n’ roll.” We caught up with singer/guitarist Alex Kieth for an interview before the show. Continue reading »
by
AARON CARNES on May 9, 2012
It’s been almost a year since James Fenwicke and the rest of the original Mumlers lineup parted ways with singer-songwriter Will Sprott. So far, life after the Mumlers hasn’t been a bad thing for Fenwicke. It’s meant that Plantain, a side project of his since 2008, now gets his full attention. Continue reading »
FM station 94.9’s Wild Jam 2012 was set for this Thursday, May 10, and featured the most interesting line-up yet for the station’s sporadic HP Pavilion megaconcerts. Nicki Minaj, E-40, Gym Class Heroes, B.O.B., Dev and Neon Hitch were set to perform, with the headliners billed as “Nicki Minaj vs. E-40.” An intriguing tease, especially considering E-40’s collaboration with headliner Drake at the 2011 Wild Jam. But a tease is all it will ever be, now that this week’s Wild Jam has been cancelled. The question is: why? Continue reading »
