live 105

Grouplove at Fox Theater | Oakland, California | 10/6/2016 (Concert Review + Photos)

“Oakland, San Francisco, how the hell you doing tonight? We played here almost six years ago opening up for somebody… Who here was there? Was anybody there at the show? I’m just sayin’, I do see a lot of people who have been with us all six years, and for all of you who have come to all these shows, all these years, thank you so much!” Andrew Wessen, guitarist of Grouplove, a band who always has their gratitude and appreciation on display. They played a scorcher at a packed Fox Theater on Friday night, supporting their third studio album, Big Mess. Just one date into their new U.S. tour running through the end of the year (followed by dates in Australia), they sounded and performed better than ever. One of my favorite live acts, they put on a high energy show that had the crowd bouncing throughout, embracing the excellent new songs as much as the favorites. Definitely a must see tour. The latest album, produced by Captain Cuts (Grouplove’s Ryan Rabin) and Phil Ek is characterized by their signature sound and style, and may be their best yet. With their “Big Mess World Tour”, one dollar for every ticket sold will be donated to the organization charity: water to help fund water projects like drilled wells, spring protections, and BioSand filters that help provide clean water to communities around the world. [Read more…]

Live 105’s BFD 2016 at Shoreline Amphitheatre – PART TWO (MAIN STAGE) | Mountainview, California | 6/4/2016 (Concert Review + Photos)

As per tradition, Live 105 held their BFD 2016 festival at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountainview, California on Saturday, June 4th. This year saw 30 artists perform throughout a very long day that began early in the morning and ran for over 12 hours. The main stage focused on the artists with the top billing this time around, and was an eclectic mix of styles and genres and eras that represents “The Bay Area’s Alternative” radio station’s wide ranging tastes in music. This article features my PART TWO coverage, which focuses on the daytime “Main Stage” artists and performances from The Offspring, Fitz And The Tantrums, Silversun Pickups, The Naked And Famous, and BØRNS.

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Live 105’s BFD 2016 at Shoreline Amphitheatre – PART ONE (FESTIVAL STAGE) | Mountainview, California | 6/4/2016 (Concert Review + Photos)

Live 105’s BFD 2016 festival was held at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountainview, California on Saturday, June 4th – marking the 22nd time that the event has been held. Live 105, “The Bay Area’s Alternative”, had again put together a custom curated line-up of both well known and emerging acts, covering a wide range of musical genres that all fall under the “alternative” banner, boasting 30 artists across four stages. This article features my PART ONE coverage, which focuses on the daytime “Festival Stage” artists and performances from Bad Religion, Wolfmother, The Wombats, Jake Bugg, Broods, The Story So Far, Lucius, Finish Ticket, Never Shout Never, The Strumbellas, Reuben And The Dark, and JR JR.

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22nd Annual Live 105 BFD 2016 Line-Up, Tickets, and Details Announced for Music Concert Festival at Shoreline Amphitheatre on June 4th

Live 105 is holding BFD 2016 on Saturday, June 4th this year at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View. This will be the 22nd annual event, and the day long festival event is expected to run from 11am to 11pm. Artists on the bill include The Offspring, Fitz and the Tantrums, Silversun Pickups, The Naked and Famous, BØRNS, Bad Religion, Wolfmother, The Wombats, Jake Bugg, Broods and more! [Read more…]

“Not So Silent Night 2015” by Live 105 (#LIVE105NSSN) at Oracle Arena | Oakland, California | 12/11/2015 (Concert Review + Photos)

Not So Silent Night (NSSN) is Live 105’s “Annual Holiday Rock Show”, with 2015 bringing it back from a two-night event to a one night show. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I tend to avoid the massive outdoor Summer-style festivals (too hot, dirty, sweaty and crowded, though I did cover Live 105’s BFD this year – see Part 1 & Part 2), so I really enjoy these indoor ones that happen in the colder weather. With this one being an annual event, they are extremely well organized and somehow improve upon their formula year after year. The night kicked off early at about 5:30 and ran up towards midnight, so it was a very long evening of excellent artists doing their thing (with scant 5-minute breaks in-between as the did quick stage rotations). It was also an interesting mix of artists, with newer bands as well as some that have put in a lot more years, with Weezer topping the billing. All in all, it was a great line-up that flowed well and all performers seemed to step up and deliver to their own fans as well as making some new ones.

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LIVE 105’s Not So Silent Night 2015 (#LIVE105NSSN) To Feature Weezer, Death Cab For Cutie, Bastille, Halsey, Silversun Pickups, Chvrches, Foals, and X Ambassadors

The line-up and date for LIVE 105’s annual Not So Silent Night concert event has been announced, with a one-night show at Oracle Arena this year on Friday, December 11th. 2015 will feature Weezer, Death Cab For Cutie, Bastille, Halsey, Silversun Pickups, Chvrches, Foals, and X-Ambassadors. [Read more…]

Live 105’s BFD 2015 at Shoreline Amphitheatre – PART TWO (MAIN STAGE) | Mountainview, California | 6/6/2015 (Concert Review + Photos)

Live 105’s BFD 2015 festival at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountainview, California marked the 21st time that the annual event has been held. Live 105, “The Bay Area’s Alternative”, had a well curated line-up of known and emerging acts, covering a wide range of musical genres that all fall under the “alternative” banner, including 15 local acts. All of this resulted in a quick sell out for the entire show. With a vast line-up, they managed to squeeze it all into one day, with two “Festival Stages” that alternated back and forth throughout the day (to mitigate any downtime – it was literally non-stop music) as well as a “Subsonic Tent” and “Soundcheck Local Band Stage”, which ran concurrently. It all lead up to the “Main Stage” acts within the Shoreline Amphitheatre itself, which ran back to back through the night. A fantastic show that seemed to come off without a hitch, playing to over 20,000 fans. This article features my PART TWO coverage, which focuses on the nighttime “Main Stage” artists and performances.

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Live 105’s BFD 2015 at Shoreline Amphitheatre – PART ONE (FESTIVAL STAGE) | Mountainview, California | 6/6/2015 (Concert Review + Photos)

Last weekend was Live 105’s BFD 2015 festival at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountainview, California. Representing the 21st time that this annual event has been held, it sold out in advance of the concert date on June 6th. Live 105, “The Bay Area’s Alternative”, had a well curated line-up of known and emerging acts, covering a wide range of musical genres that all fall under the “alternative” banner, including 15 local acts. With a vast line-up, they managed to squeeze it all into one day, with two “Festival Stages” that alternated back and forth throughout the day (to mitigate any downtime – it was literally non-stop music) as well as a “Subsonic Tent” and “Soundcheck Local Band Stage”, which ran concurrently. It all lead up to the “Main Stage” acts within the Shoreline Amphitheatre itself, which ran back to back through the night. A fantastic show that seemed to come off without a hitch, playing to over 20,000 fans. This article features my PART ONE coverage, which focuses on the daytime “Festival Stage” artists and performances.

[Read more…]

Meg Myers Playing U.S. Headlining Dates and Festivals; The Boardwalk in Orangevale and Live 105’s BFD in Mountain View

Alternative singer-songwriter Meg Myers has some live dates coming up, taking her around the United States from now through October, including appearances at some of the best festivals including Life Is Beautiful in Las Vegas and Austin City Limits. Her last big release was the fantastic Make A Shadow EP, which has gained significant critical acclaim as she continues to build a fan base for unique style of music. Her latest single, “Sorry”, was released just a few months ago. I’ve been a huge fan of her work since seeing her supporting some Pixies live shows in Los Angeles a few years ago, as well as her show with Broods last year. [Read more…]

21st Annual Live 105 BFD 2015 Line-Up & Details Announced, Concert Festival at Shoreline on June 6th

Live 105 is holding BFD 2015 on June 6th this year at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View. This will be the 21st annual event, and the day long festival event is expected to run from 11am to 11pm. Artists on the bill include Modest Mouse, Of Monsters And Men, Panic! At The Disco, Cold War Kids, Atlas Genius, and dozens more. [Read more…]