Photos
Armand Hammer + Injury Reserve at The Social
In the sphere of experimental, esoteric-leaning hip-hop, the duos Armand Hammer and Injury Reserve have reigned supreme. After last year’s thrilling LPs – HARAM and By The Time I Get To Phoenix (respectively), the groups brought their gritty live shows to The Social in Orlando to the delight of die-hard fans. Scroll through for the highlights
Built to Spill at 9:30 Club
Big Thief with Tucker Zimmerman at Observatory North Park
Brooklyn indie folk superstars Big Thief demonstrated that they are one of the very best bands in the game right now with a stunningly poignant performance at Observatory North Park in San Diego. Also, pioneering folk legend Tucker Zimmerman delivered a very rare and special opening set.
Cruel World 2022
The first edition of Cruel World brought legendary acts of the goth and new wave persuasion to the Rose Bowl, much to the delight of the black shirt and mascara-wearing crowd. TR/ST, Public Image Ltd, The Damned, The Church, Devo and Bauhaus were among the many highlights.
Royal Blood at The Fox Theater Oakland
Royal Blood, the English rock duo of singer/bass guitarist Mike Kerr and drummer Ben Thatcher, played the Fox Theater in Oakland, CA on May 3rd.
Paul McCartney at Oakland Arena
Rock and roll icon/pioneer/legend/member of Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Sir Paul McCartney played the second of two sold-out shows at Oakland Arena on mother’s day, May 8, 2022. The third stop on his Got Back tour, McCartney and his band kicked off the 36-song set with the Beatles’ “Can’t Buy Me Love,” and tore through a career-spanning set going back to his Quarrymen days (“In Spite of All the Danger”), and hit after hit from the Beatles, Wings, and a few new songs for good measure. There were tributes to his late bandmates, playing a ukulele version of the George Harrison song “Something,” and the song he wrote after the death of John Lennon, “Here Today.” The set crescendoed with a pyro-technic filled “Live and Let Die” followed by a arena-wide sing along of “Hey Jude,” before an encore that featured a virtual duet of “I’ve Got a Feeling” with a video of Lennon, and closed out, fittingly, with the Beatles’ “The End.”
Amyl and the Sniffers at Great American Music Hall
Austrialian punk/pub-rockers Amyl and the Sniffers, touring in support of their second record Comfort to Me, hit San Francisco for two sold-out nights, with fellow Aussie band C.O.F.F.I.N opening both nights. Check out sets from both bands from the first night, May 6th.
Interpol at The Greek Theatre Berkeley
New York City indie rock vets Interpol played the Greek Theatre in Berekely, CA on April 30th. Previewing songs from their upcoming record, The Other Side of Make-Believe, the band are also celebrating the 20th anniversary of their critically-acclaimed debut record Turn On The Bright Lights. Bay Area ambient/chillwave band Tycho played an hour-long set as well, after opener Matthew Dear. Photos from all three sets in the gallery…
Hailey Whitters at The Independent
Country star Hailey Whitters, Grammy-nominated for co-writing the Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile single “A Beautiful Noise,” played the Independent in San Francisco.
Snail Mail at Fox Theater Oakland
Snail Mail, the solo-project moniker of 22-year old singer/guitarist Lindsey Jordan, played the Fox Theater in Oakland on April 24th. She released her critically-acclaimed second record, Valentine, last year. Australian indie-pop band (and Matador Records labelmates) The Goon Sax opened the show.
James Arthur w/ Nina Nesbitt at The Masonic
James Arthur’s “It’ll All Make Sense in the End” kicked off this month, and hit the Masonic in San Francisco on April 23rd. Scottish singer Nina Nesbitt opened to an extremely enthusiastic audience who came early for her set. Check out photos from both sets…
Hovvdy at Union Stage
Cavetown with Tessa Violet and Addison Grace at The Fillmore
Cavetown, AKA the English singer/songwriter, and YouTuber Robin Daniel Skinner, headlined the Fillmore on April 13. A rapturous (and young) crowd turned out and were equally enthusiastic about openers Addison Grace and Tessa Violet, the latter of whom executed a mid-set, onstage costume change from an anime-inspired dress to a sparkly, winged unitard.
Check out the photos from all three sets…
Sasami at The Chapel
Sasami Ashworth, the singer/songwriter performing mononymously as SASAMI, played the Chapel in San Francisco on April 12. She released her second solo record, the 90s-rock-tinged Squeeze, in February.
Ashe at The Fillmore
Bay Area native Ashe played the Fillmore in San Francisco on April 8th, the first of a two-night stand in the City (she played a much more intimate show at the Independent the next night). The “Moral of the Story” singer thrilled the sold-out crowd, running back and forth across the stage, reaching into the crowd, and generally feeling it all night. Check out the gallery from her set and opener Blake Rose…
