AltWeeklies Wire
Oakland's Saviours Keep Angry Music Simple as Hellnew
The members of Saviours don't spend much time thinking about what kind of metal they are. Metal (with the "heavy" implied) is specific enough, and anything else is a fool's errand.
East Bay Express |
Dan Abbott |
01-23-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Into Abaddon, Saviours
Black Cobra Goes the Distancenew
Songwriting by mail blossoms into unrepentant metal, endless touring for the metal duo.
East Bay Express |
Dan Abbott |
01-09-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Black Cobra
Chris Brown Amps Up His Talent With Technologynew
The artist presents himself as a disciple of Prince and Michael Jackson, and for the most part, he can justify the comparison. But you wouldn't really know that from watching a recent, nearly sold-out show in Oakland, which emphasized fancy pyrotechnics and Vegas-style chorus lines over actual singing.
East Bay Express |
Rachel Swan |
01-09-2008 |
Concerts
Tags: Chris Brown, concerts
2008 Predictions for Urban Pop Culturenew
From posthumous rap tours to hyphy folk-rock, we look forward, tongue (mostly) in cheek.
East Bay Express |
Eric K. Arnold |
01-02-2008 |
Music
Rock is Dead. Long Live 'Rock Band'new
Not much comes easy in today's sinking music industry, yet it's certain that video game licensing can play a huge role in breaking and revitalizing careers by fostering powerful connections with potential fans. Fun titles like Guitar Hero and Rock Band are serious business.
East Bay Express |
Nate Seltenrich |
12-19-2007 |
Music
Willow Willow Un-Freaks the Folknew
"We sing pop music," singer-guitarist-songwriter Miranda Zeiger says. "The freak-folk bands and the punks and rockers get attention, but people don't seem to want straightforward pop. They want stuff to be weird and ironic, and we're not."
East Bay Express |
j. poet |
12-12-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Willow Willow
Breast Pumps and Budweisersnew
After five quiet years, local indie faves Imperial Teen returns.
East Bay Express |
Catherine Plato |
12-12-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Imperial Teen
American Steel Re-Reinvents Itselfnew
After a five-year break and detour as indie rockers Communique, Oakland punk band American Steel reunites.
East Bay Express |
Catherine Plato |
11-08-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: American Steel
Jennifer Johns: Soul with Swaggernew
The singer shakes it up with new confidence and a remarkable new album.
East Bay Express |
Rachel Swan |
10-17-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Jennifer Johns
Robert Smith Needs Helpnew
The lipsticked frontman grapples with writer's block as the Cure prepares for a rare Bay Area appearance.
East Bay Express |
Gelu Sulugiuc |
10-03-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: The Cure
Fast Forward to the Pastnew
Free jazz has become an increasingly fringe art form, but Ike Levin is a lifer.
East Bay Express |
Rachel Swan |
10-03-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Ike Levin
San Francisco LoveFests Promises a Strong Third Yearnew
Spawned by the Berlin Love Parade that began in 1989, features some of the nation's top DJ talent, including the Chemical Brothers, Mark Farina, Afrika Bambaata and Miguel Miggs.
East Bay Express |
Rachel Swan |
09-26-2007 |
Concerts
Tags: San Francisco LoveFest, concerts
History According to DJ Joe Quixxnew
As the original DJ for The Wake Up Show, he helped to put KMEL on the hip-hop map two decades ago. Since then, he's been a mentor to many younger DJs in the Bay Area, sharing the wisdom learned in a lifetime of DJ-ing like a Yoda-esque Jedi (mix) master.
East Bay Express |
Eric K. Arnold |
09-26-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Joe Quixx
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Fest Turns Sevennew
One of San Francisco's biggest free music festivals kicks off October 5 in Golden Gate Park for three days of mostly traditional music, courtesy of Warren Hellman, billionaire investment banker, bluegrass aficionado, and, yup, banjo picker.
East Bay Express |
J. Poet |
09-26-2007 |
Concerts
Terence Blanchard Returns to a Classic Soundnew
In this wrenching album, the jazz trumpeter emerges from a long electric phase that followed his late-'80s collaborations with Donald Harrison and informed the soundtracks he wrote for Spike Lee.
East Bay Express |
Rachel Swan |
09-19-2007 |
Reviews
