“Joy is not supposed to… it’s never meant to be this seamless stream of happiness, you know? Joy happens in moments, in little minutes, in little capsules of time…” Alison Moyet, talking about the ideas and themes and inspiration behind her latest studio album, The Minutes. As I gushed about in my preview last month of this very special three date, three city stop in the United States by New Wave icon Alison Moyet, she has been one of my all-time favorite vocalists, so I had really high expectations for this concert. I expected it to be a highlight among the approximate 100 concerts I’ll have attended by the end of the year. Remarkably, my expectations were exceeded in every way. Truly a fantastic concert and I know from being within the crowd of fans that I am not alone in my assessment. She was joined on stage by band members John Garden and Sean McGhee, and there were ample songs from her latest album (in my opinion maybe her best solo record of her career) as well as favorites going all the way back to her beginnings with Vince Clarke with whom she partnered with for Yazoo (Yaz in the U.S.). It is too bad for the masses here in the States that this must-see show is limited to just San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York, but if you have a chance to catch one of the other two upcoming dates, it is well worth it. A phenomenal and unforgettable show by one of the most gifted singer-songwriters of my generation.
Alison Moyet to Make Rare Three Date Concert Stop in California and New York in November for “The Minutes”
Alison Moyet, who is personally one of my all-time favorite vocalists, will be making just three concert appearances in the U.S. this year – two in California and one in New York – in support of 2013’s The Minutes. The English singer-songwriter has published seven solo albums following her collaboration with Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode, Erasure) as Yaz (or Yazoo in the UK). This is definitely one of the tours I’ve most been looking forward to all year, so I expect it to be amazing. [Read more…]
Mazzy Star Launch North American Tour in Support of “Seasons of Your Day”, First New Album in 17 Years
Hope Sandoval and David Roback’s Mazzy Star launched their first new album in 17 years, Seasons of Your Day, last month, and are kicking off a modest North American tour running the month of November. It definitely ranks as one of the best albums of the year, so it should be a fantastic concert tour. [Read more…]
Cameo Holds Special Concert Engagement at Yoshi’s Oakland and Yoshi’s San Francisco, including “Funky Halloween”
American funk group Cameo will be having special concerts at Yoshi’s San Francisco on October 31std and at Yoshi’s Oakland on November 2nd. The band, best known for 80s hit “Word Up!”, will have a special Halloween show on the 31st, with a “70s vs 80s” costume contest. There will be two shows (early and later) on each date, so four concerts in total. [Read more…]
Savages at The Independent | San Francisco, California | 9/29/2013 (Concert Review)
The real thing. Real, authentic rock artists can’t be manufactured… they are born. And standing witness to the phenomenal performance by London-based post-punk revival rock band Savages, I had a deep feeling that maybe they were born a few decades later than when they should have been, yet it makes them that much more powerful. Having been born in 1973 myself, I was too young and on the wrong continent to catch the original shows put on by pioneering artists such as Bauhaus, Sex Pistols, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and The Cure… but I had this deep sense and feeling in watching Savages at The Independent last night that maybe what I felt like experiencing their show is what it may have felt like back in the day with those iconic bands. This was the second of two sold out shows in San Francisco. It was a different sort of show – unlike any of the 75 or so others I’ve attended thus far this year, and the many more going back years prior to that… there is nothing contrived or manufactured about Savages. Nothing at all – it is just pure post-punk art at its finest, in the best format of all – a live concert performance. They have brought something new to this space that hasn’t been felt in decades – even by those original players still recording today. A true resurrection. And given the state of society and culture today, it could not be more timely.
Thunder Valley Casino Hotel Plays Host To Hip Hop Halloween House Party with Whodini, Kurtis Blow, and Rob Base on October 25th
WorldOne Presents, Sacramento’s V101.1 & Maita Honda have put together the Hip Hop Halloween House Party at Thunder Valley Casino Hotel on October 25, 2013. The special concert will feature Whodini, Kurtis Blow, and Rob Base. [Read more…]
Savages Play “Silence Yourself” With Concert Tour Around The World Through The End Of 2013
London’s post punk band Savages will be touring the world through the end of 2013, supporting this year’s debut album, Silence Yourself. [Read more…]
Monophonics with AM & Shawn Lee Playing The Independent in San Francisco on Saturday, September 28th
San Francisco-based Monophonics will be bringing their “Psychedelic Soul & Heavy Funk” style of music to The Independent in San Francisco on Saturday, September 28th. Joining them on the bill are AM & Shawn Lee, who had an album release party in June that I reviewed, following the release of their second collaborative album this year, La Musique Numberique. Also performing will be DJ Bcause. [Read more…]
Arctic Monkeys World Tour Supporting New Studio Album “AM”
British indie band Arctic Monkeys are currently in the midst of their world tour supporting their fifth studio album, AM, which was released earlier this month. [Read more…]