In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area.
While the returns of Thee Oh Sees and Ty Segall to SF this month are certainly cause for excitement, one former local we’re especially psyched to see is Tamaryn (pictured above), previewing songs from next month’s Cranekiss at the Rickshaw Stop. While the artist’s first two LPs found her voice floating amidst atmospheric waves of guitar, her new album incorporates elements of dance-pop as well, and finds her collaborating with another former local, Shaun Durkan (of Weekend), as well as Violens’ Jorge Elbrecht.
Speaking of atmosphere, San Francisco experimental punk pioneers Chrome are hitting the road for a West Coast tour that ends at Bottom of the Hill later this month. Founded 40 years ago, the Helios Creed-led group released its most recent LP, Feel It Like a Scientist, last year, and ought to be more heralded for its groundbreaking sonic weirdness.
Plenty of great touring bands are coming through town this month, too, including Providence’s Downtown Boys. The group’s debut LP, Full Communism, is one of the most exciting punk albums we’ve heard lately, delivering intensity, heart, and brains packed into some killer songs. Also highly recommended is the latest from Dick Diver, one of the many terrific Melbourne bands from the Mikey Young/Eddy Current/Total Control/UV Race universe. Whatever is going on Australia, it’s working, and Dick Diver’s new LP, Melbourne, Florida, is a jangle-pop delight.
Finally, we have to mention how excited we are for the 2015 Phono del Sol Music and Food Festival on July 11. Produced by The Bay Bridged, the fest features 11 stellar local and touring bands, ten food trucks, and a whole day of fun. We’ll see you there!