live nation

Dido at The Masonic | San Francisco, California | 6/26/2019 (Concert Review + Photos) (Bonus Portland + Seattle Mini Reviews/Photos)

July 1, 2019 by Jason DeBord

“…one of the reasons it passed so quickly for me was actually – I had a kid. He’s magic. And I’ve basically wanted to hang out with him so I’m sorry I disappeared.” Dido offering some explanation of why she’s not done a world tour for the past 15 years, and as an introduction to one of two encore songs – her very personal “Have To Stay” – in her performance at The Masonic in San Francisco on Wednesday night. I’m actually one of those people who have waited to see her for the past 15 years, so it was an amazing experience. Supporting her brilliant new album, Still On My Mind, Dido played many hits and lots of new music, and still left us all wanting more, even with a 20-song set. This was actually show #1 of 3 for me and Shelley (Mrs. Rock Subculture), as we took time to also catch the subsequent shows in both Portland and Seattle (mini reviews included below) as Dido wrapped up the U.S. leg of her tour in California and the Pacific Northwest. Hopefully it won’t be another 15 years for her to come around again, but it was well worth the wait. [Read more…]

Metric & Zoé at Hollywood Palladium | Hollywood, California | 3/6/2019 (Concert Review + Photos)

March 9, 2019 by Jason DeBord

“You happy? It’s really a trip putting this set list together, as you can imagine, seven records, right? The past, the future… You know? So we kinda want your help at this point; this is the time traveling section of this set… We’re going backwards because we can’t go forward… So here’s the dilemma and here’s the choice we want you to make… Do we go back old world and do “Dead Disco” right? That whole thing, right? Or do we go Fantasies… butterflies, optimism, and do “Give Me Sympathy”? It’s tricky, it’s tricky… So let’s vote…” Emily Haines of Metric, giving the audience a chance to vote for the next song late in their set at the Hollywood Palladium on Wednesday night. Going by the audience reaction, it was pretty close, but Emily heard a larger reaction for “Give Me Sympathy”. However, once they finished that fan favorite song, she said “fuck it” and they played “Dead Disco” as well. It was really a fantastic evening of music with Metric and Zoé taking their co-headlining tour across the U.S., along with special guest July Talk supporting. Going by that set list, Metric went in deep with their latest album, Art of Doubt (one of my favorite albums of 2018), while Zoé celebrated their Grammy win for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Music Album for Aztlán. The massive tour is running through May, with some festival appearances to follow. It will definitely go down as one of my favorite shows of 2019.

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Metric & Zoé Co-Headline Massive U.S. Tour for 2019

February 18, 2019 by Jason DeBord

Metric and Zoé are taking a co-headlining tour across the U.S., along with special guest July Talk supporting. Metric is taking their latest album, Art of Doubt (one of my favorite albums of 2018), out to the masses while Zoé will be celebrating their Grammy win for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Music Album for Aztlán. The massive tour kicked off last week and will run through May, with some festival appearances to follow. [Read more…]

Florence + the Machine at Harvey’s Outdoor Arena | Stateline, Nevada | 8/9/2018 (Concert Review + Photos)

August 11, 2018 by Jason DeBord

“Thank you so much for having us back; this is the first night of the “High As Hope Tour”. This next song is from… oh you guys flustered me! This next song is from High As Hope and I wrote it about the place that I was born which is south London, which has a lot less trees than this…” Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine at Harvey’s Outdoor Arena in South Lake Tahoe on Thursday night, kicking off her latest tour in support of her amazing new album. “I’m with you… I’m with you like… at the moment my heart, it hurts a lot of the time and I just want to say I want you all to hold hands because I really believe in you and I believe in the power of change. And I believe in love and I want you to hold hands for this song because if we connect, I really think amazing things can happen”. A lot of performing artists say things about connecting with their audience, and say those things from the stage, and the audience watch from below as they perform. With Florence, it is not just words. Toward the end of her set, into the song “Delilah”, Florence came off of the stage and ran deep into the audience while she sang, literally connecting with fans in the crowd. Then she actually came running across (barefoot of course) the seat in the row I was in, and I got to witness first hand something unlike anything I’d ever seen at a concert. Florence was engaging with fans one at a time, one on one. In many instances she was grabbing their faces and pressing her forehead against theirs, as if she was forming a mystical bond with them. She was right in front of me for a good length of time, and it was kind of surreal to hear her voice singing directly from her, not just through the sound system. It’s actually been years since I uploaded concert footage to my YouTube channel, but it was such an incredible experience, I thought this would be the best reason ever to share a snippet of this amazing concert moment (iPhone quality, unedited): LINK Really, it takes a lot to put me at a loss for words, but this concert really transcended what anyone might expect from a live show. For some fans, I think it was a near religious experience. Currently tied for my favorite concert of the year. Definitely the best tour of 2018 I am guessing. And since this was the first show on this tour, everyone has time to try to get out to make one of the upcoming dates.

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Final 2018 North American Tour Dates for Depeche Mode Announced, Including Golden 1 Center in Sacramento

February 8, 2018 by Jason DeBord

Today, Depeche Mode announced their final set of North American concerts as they complete their “Global Spirit Tour”, which began last year. Live Nation announced that the band will be visiting nine cities in North America – Anaheim, Sacramento, San Antonino, Tulsa, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, and Toronto – in-between previously announced European dates and festivals. Depeche Mode have been touring in support of their fourteenth studio album, Spirit. Fans can register for a Ticketmaster Verified Fan pre-sale scheduled for Monday, February 12th. Tickets will go on sale to the public on Friday, February 16th. [Read more…]

Depeche Mode’s Global Spirit Fall 2017 North American Tour

February 28, 2017 by Jason DeBord Leave a Comment

Depeche Mode’s fourteenth studio album, Spirit, is due out on March 17th, and today the band announced the dates and venues for their “Global Spirit Fall 2017 North American Tour”. The dates announced thus far run from late August through late October. The North American dates follow there European stadium tour kicking off in early May. [Read more…]

Pixies at Ace of Spades | Sacramento, California | 10/26/2016 (Concert Review + Photos)

October 28, 2016 by Jason DeBord Leave a Comment

“I try to think about tomorrow, but I always think about the past… about the things that didn’t last… if I could go to the beginning, then for sure I would be another way… make it better for today…” Pixies (the “loud quiet loud” band) are a quiet band on stage in-between the generally quick songs, so we are left with the music, and the lyrics within, to try to figure out what is going on with them. It was less than one month ago that they released their sixth studio album – their second without founding bass player and vocalist Kim Deal – and their first with new full-time member Paz Lenchantin. The new album serves as fuel for this tour, with just four rare dates in Calif0rnia this month as prelude to many shows across Europe, England, Australia and New Zealand, keeping them busy until early next year. So it was interesting seeing them and hearing some of their new music performed at Ace of Spades in Sacramento on Wednesday night. The Pixies in Sacramento. A rare thing indeed. One of my all-time favorite bands playing in the city where I was born, and where I first saw the band way back in 1990, about a quarter of a century ago. A different time. So much has changed, but so much about the band remains the same. I’ve taken the new album, Head Carrier, for a spin and those lyrics above stuck with me. Interestingly, the vocals on that particular song are delivered by Paz, who is no Kim soundalike (on vocals or bass), though obviously the message in those lyrics is for Kim. So the Pixies in 2016 is older, mature, different… and the band is at once both old and new; looking backwards and forwards. The album sounds quite different from everything that came before (even 2014’s Indie Cindy). And I think that the sentiments expressed in that song, “All I Think About Now”, kind of sums up this new iteration of the Pixies. With this live show, the old and the new were mixed together to create a different sort of Pixies show, giving something fresh to both new and old fans alike. But there are still those songs that carry on and remain classic to those who were with it at the time, in the band’s short-lived first incarnation in the late 80s and early 90s. The concert was a tribute to that as well.

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Garbage at The Masonic | San Francisco, California | 9/24/2016 (Concert Review + Photos)

September 28, 2016 by Jason DeBord Leave a Comment

“It’s a very special evening for us, because this is the culmination of a lot of hard work… we’re about to take a month’s vacation, so tonight’s party night!” Shirley Manson of Garbage, playing before thousands at The Masonic in San Francisco, the band’s last U.S. show on their current tour (sort of, with a special one off show in Los Angeles next month). With this tour, they are supporting 2016’s new studio album, Strange Little Birds. As a follow-up tour to last year’s “20 Years Queer Tour”, we now see the band looking to the future more than reflecting on the past, though there is still some of that too, with stories about the birth of their music in the 90s and of course they are still playing those fan favorite songs and hits.

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Jane’s Addiction Celebrates the 25th anniversary of Ritual de lo Habitual; Coming to The Masonic in San Francisco on Sept 21

September 15, 2016 by Jason DeBord Leave a Comment

Alternative rock pioneers Jane’s Addiction are celebrating the 25th anniversary of Ritual de lo Habitual this year in a variety of ways, including a live set at The Masonic in San Francisco next week. Also in store for fans is their upcoming Sterling Spoon Vinyl Box Set due in October, which is up for pre-order now. The six LP set includes rarities, demos, and live tracks and is limited to 5,000 copies. [Read more…]

Journey & The Doobie Brothers Continue U.S. Throughout the Summer with their “San Francisco Fest Tour”

August 4, 2016 by Jason DeBord Leave a Comment

Rock and roll legends Journey continue their massive series of shows in the U.S. as part of their “San Francisco Fest Tour”, ending appropriately enough in San Francisco in early September. Founded in San Francisco in 1973, Journey has sold over 80 million albums worldwide, recording countless top hits in their career. Neal Schon (founding member and lead guitarist), Ross Valory (original member and bassist), along with longtime members Jonathan Cain (keyboardist) and Arnel Pineda (lead singer) are joined on this tour with Steve Smith on drums – the first time he has toured with the band since 1998. Also performing on this tour are The Doobie Brothers and Dave Mason. [Read more…]