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Live This Month: January 2012

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If the beginning of January feels a little slim on the live music front, things should ramp back up into the usual overwhelming number of interesting shows by the month’s end. Several young local bands recently came onto our radar — including Churches, Poor Sons, and Primitive Hearts — and they’re all partaking in locals-heavy bills in the next few weeks.

On the coming-into-town front, it seems that, by sheer coincidence, a number of the month’s highlights all offer variations on electronic pop. From the most immediate and dance-oriented, like Fujiya and Miyagi, to the more experimental, including High Places and Religious to Damn, synth fans have a lot to get excited about in January. Enjoy this mix of thirteen tunes and then go see some shows!

About the bands:

Deleted Scenes (“Bedbedbedbedbed”) is touring behind Young People’s Church of the Air, the D.C. band’s latest collection of psych-pop. A Lull and Ravenna Woods also perform at the Rickshaw Stop on January 23.

Brainstorm (“Forms Without a Frame”) is a big-sounding experimental pop duo from Portland. The band’s touring comes to Vitus on January 5 and the Hemlock Tavern on the 1/11.

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After the recent release of the Heatwave EP, Ash Reiter (“Heatwave”) will be performing at Cafe Du Nord on January 11 and the Starry Plough on January 27.

Churches (“Save Me”) is a new band that includes Caleb Nichols (of Grand Lake) and Pat Spurgeon (of Rogue Wave). You can see them at a free show at The Uptown on January 6, with Grass Widow, Culture Kids, and Wave Array.

Oakland rock and roll trio Primitive Hearts (“Killin’ Time”) has some great demos you can download on Bandcamp. The band is playing at 1-2-3-4 Go! Records with SorryEverAfter and Dark Beach on January 19.

The Dyunes EP is the first release from SF’s Poor Sons (“Scales”). Party Owl and Cool Ghouls perform alongside the band at the Hemlock Tavern on January 14.

Jeffertitti’s Nile (“Mountain Jam”) is touring the West Coast this month. See the LA psych band at Thee Parkside on January 19 and at The Knockout on January 23.

Captured Tracks released the self-titled album from Blouse (“Videotapes”) last year. On January 19, the dream pop band joins labelmate The Soft Moon at Cafe Du Nord.

UK quartet Fujiya and Miyagi (“Yoyo”) hit the US following the release of the new single, “Ecstatic Dancer.” The Frail open their January 30 show at The Independent.

Starfucker‘s (“Bury Us Alive”) US tour finds the synth-pop act playing the Bay Area three times in four days: at The New Parish on January 4, the Great American Music Hall on 1/6, and The Independent on January 7.

LA experimental pop duo High Places (“Year Off”) will be taking part in a Berkeley Art Museum event inspired by the moon. The night is part of the museum’s L@TE series of shows, and takes place on January 27.

January’s shows mark the first West Coast appearances for NYC band Religious to Damn (“Glass Prayer”). The group joins Wax Idols and Alexis at the Elbo Room on January 18.

The reliably-great Vetiver (“Can’t You Tell”) performs at The Independent on January 15. Magic Trick, Prairiedog, and DJ Britt Govea will also be performing.

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