Three dangling crimson bulbs trace a straight line through the hall, directing eyes to the stage at the far end of the room, while another set of orbs cast a sanguine glow on the shiny black surface of the bar. There, two men sit, sipping bottled water and surveying their brand new…
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This weekend marked the final curtain call for The Blank Club. After 12 years of booze-fueled, punk rock parties and indie discos, the owner of the San Jose venue, Corey O’Brien, allowed the club’s lease to expire. O’Brien plans to open a new venue in the SoFA district in March. It will…
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It can be hard to believe now, but two decades ago ska had a pretty big moment. It was a time before Gwen Stefani’s solo debut and Bradley Nowell’s overdose, when alternative radio stations were spinning bands like the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Reel Big Fish, Goldfinger and Less Than Jake with regularity. And…
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No one in The Chop Tops has a day job. It’s been that way for the Santa Cruz-based “revved-up rockabilly” outfit since sometime in 2007. But even though they’ve been doing little else besides playing and writing music for the better half of a decade, you’ll never hear Gary “Sinner” Marsh, the…
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Up and coming San Jose new wave band The Trims celebrated the release of their new self-titled record, playing to a sold-out crowd at The Blank Club on Friday. The local quartet ripped through a high-energy set of angular, post-punky dance-rock tunes, including their new single, “Now You’re Gone.”
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Aaron Carnes on August 13, 2014
When the Murder City Devils disbanded in 2001, the Seattle group were drawing more fans to shows, were no longer struggling to make ends meet, and were scheduled to produce another LP for their label, the storied Sub Pop Records. But none of that really mattered, according to MCD lead singer, Spencer Moody.
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Richard Faulk on August 12, 2014
The annals of popular music teem with ersatz nobility: self-proclaimed dukes, kings and princes. But no one deserves her title more than Wanda Jackson, Queen of Rockabilly.
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These days, when a rock band wants distorted guitars or an overdriven vocal, they can simply kick on a stomp box or apply a digital effect to the mix. But back in 1960, when the Sonics were first developing the gritty sound that would come to be known as garage rock, there…
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Brian Palmer on July 24, 2014
Roots-tinged rockers Hurricane Roses found a following with the earnest, revealing songs on their 2011 debut record. A quick follow-up would have made a lot of sense for the Bay Area band, but it also would have betrayed the authenticity that their fan base appreciates.
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Richard Faulk on December 3, 2013
There are moments in modern life when nature intrudes and reality is transformed. When I was living in New York, a twister skipped across my Brooklyn neighborhood. It was tiny as tornadoes go, but enough to tear off roofs, flood the streets and knock down far too many trees. In the aftermath,…
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