Live This Month: September 2011

Two big local-focused events top this month’s calendar. First, The Bay Bridged is co-producing the free, all ages 2011 Rock Make Street Festival, taking place on September 17 at Treat Avenue and 18th Street in the Mission District. Additionally, the Mission Creek Music Festival returns to SF and Oakland for its fifteenth installment this month. Beyond those fests, the September concert calendar seems heavy on out-of-town acts playing can’t-miss shows in SF, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a whole lot of great local bands accompanying them.

We’ll be serving up a Rock Make mixtape in the near future, in the meantime, hear new music from Pepper Rabbit, Devon Williams, Man/Miracle, Jens Lekman and more.

About the bands:

LA duo Pepper Rabbit (“Murder Room”) just released Red Velvet Snow Ball on Kanine Records. The band’s North American tour with BRAIDS and Painted Palms comes to Bottom of the Hill on September 27.

Devon Williams‘ (“Your Sympathy”) new album Euphoria came out this week on Slumberland Records. Williams’ West Coast tour behind the record comes to the East Nile on September 3 and the Rickshaw Stop on the 9/4.

Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman (“An Argument With Myself”) will be performing at the California Academy of Sciences on September 29. The show is a Nightlife event that is doubling as a Treasure Island Music Festival pre-party.

Local indie pop trio Dreamdate (“Pyramids”) is one of our longtime favorite bands. You can see Dreamdate twice this month: at 1-2-3-4 Go! Records on September 3 and at Thee Parkside on September 29.

September 27 is a big day for SF band Dominant Legs (“Hoop of Love”). That’s the day the band’s first LP, Invitation, comes out, and that night the group performs at Cafe Du Nord with Nurses.

Active Child (“Hanging On”) is LA musician Pat Grossi’s electronic pop project. Chad Valley and Silver Swans perform alongside Grossi at Bottom of the Hill on September 28.

Unfortunately, after the recording of this show, Tennis‘ (“Is It True?”) tourmates The Vaccines cancelled the bands’ upcoming tour due to illness.

Pamela (“Lie Down”) consists of two members of The Splinters, and the duo just released the Pamela is Hungover tape on Whoa Whoa Records. The band celebrates the release at Thee Parkside on September 15, with Part Time, Surf Club, and Permanent Collection.

The Ladybug Transistor (“Clutching Stems”) heads on a West Coast tour this month, landing at the Hemlock Tavern on September 8 with Red Pony Clock and Sea Lions. Clutching Stems is out now on Merge Records.

Oakland’s Man/Miracle (“Meditations on Nothing”) finishes a US tour at Bottom of the Hill on September 23. The Vacant Lots and Hiking also perform.

You can see PS I Love You (“Leftovers [Featuring Diamond Rings]”) on September 10 at the Hemlock Tavern with Balkans and Bad Bibles. Also, Diamond Rings play the Great American Music Hall on September 25.

Heavy Cream (“Watusi”) is a Nashville punk band currently touring with RTX. Both bands are at Thee Parkside on September 3 and The New Parish on 9/12.

True Widow (“Skull Eyes”) performs at the Rickshaw Stop on September 3, and at Oakland’s Merchant’s Saloon on the 9/7. The Texas “stonegaze” band released As High As The Highest Heavens And From The Center To The Circumference Of The Earth earlier this year.

SF’s Mi Ami (“Hard Up”) has not performed locally in almost a year, as both band members have been pursuing other projects separately. The duo unveiled the Dolphins LP in March, and will be at Public Works on Saturday, September 4.