Emily Davis @ Thee Parkside
Emily Davis
Emily Davis is a singer/songwriter from El Paso, Texas. She covers Bad Religion, other bands, and has many original songs up on youtube. I came across her music a while back while watching Bad Religion videos on Youtube. She and her husband are big BR nuts — they’re even active members on thebrpage.net.
Emily has an great voice and can really rock the guitar. She recently embarked on her first US tour and I was excited to check out her show in San Francisco. Her BR covers drew me in and I dig her original tunes as well.
I was happy to support an up-and-coming artist and a BR fan. She’s talented and I won’t be surprised to see her making a big name for herself soon. Check out her tunes here: http://www.myspace.com/therealemilydavis
Streetlight Manifesto @ Slim’s // San Francisco
Streetlight Manifesto
Simply put, this was a fun ska show. This show reaffirmed my faith that ska is not dead in San Francisco (the last LTJ show here seemed so dead, even after factoring in the NOFX show down the street that night).
Streetlight Manifesto played a good mix of songs from their albums new and old. They even played an older favorite of mine, one I’ve seldome heard before, Dear Sergio. Their cover album 99 Songs of the Revolution dropped recently two tunes from that made it into the setlist: Hell (yes!) and Linoleum (third time hearing that one, still a fun song). Most songs came from Somewhere In The Between.
The crowd was really into this band. The floor audience was dancing and singing right along with the band. Streetlight Manifesto seemed to give it 100%, but didn’t strike me as really putting out anything “above and beyond” for this SF show. No points knocked, just an observation. These guys help keep fun music alive and well and I look forward to their next gig.
Jughead’s Revenge @ Fort Mason // San Francisco
Jughead's Revenge
A skate/punk rock/tattoo festival-type show sprang up in San Francisco and featured a bill with Face To Face, Circle Jerks, The Ataris, Adolescents, and more. The Ataris dropped out because their singer was in a car wreck and Jughead’s Revenge dropped in. Bummer about the accident, but I was happy to see JR playing in the city. The event’s website listed their set time at 7PM. I got there at 6:55PM and they were already playing. That was the first sign of the crappy show to come.
The show was held in a long warehouse on a pier at Fort Mason. Such a building can be used for many things; a rock concert should not be one of them. The sound and acoustics were just so bad. The music sounded muddy and reverberated. It was clear enough to make out the songs and vocals, but degraded enough to leave a bad impression.
As for the band, they sounded great. It’s a shame I missed a good part of their set, but what I did catch was a nice mix — Pain, Domino, Just Start Shooting, Kill Security, and they closed with one of my favorites, Victims and Volunteers.
I hadn’t seen Jughead’s Revenge in a good 10 years, but I still had a solid idea what they looked like. When I saw them yesterday I hardly recognized the singer as he had put on a few pounds and was rocking some longer hair. But the important thing here is they still sounded the same and looked like they had fun performing the show. It seems hardly anyone in the audience knew their songs, though a few people seemed to enjoy the music. I hope JR keeps up this little comeback they have going and even write some new material.
The poor sound quality and just overall vibe from the event was off-putting enough to drive us out of there after only one band, but that worked out cause then we caught the Sharks playoffs game at a nearby bar…win win! Next time, Face To Face, next time.
The Bronx, Mariachi El Bronx @ The Independent // San Francisco
The Bronx
Mariachi El Bronx
Jennifer and I checked out The Bronx/Mariachi El Bronx at The Independent. That as my first time a) seeing those bands and b) going to a show at that venue. Jennifer if a big fan of LA’s The Bronx and I dig their tunes so I was happy to check out the show.
First up was Mariachi El Bronx. I had actually not heard a single song from this band, though I know the same guys make up The Bronx. I wasn’t sure if it’s just a gimmick or a serious project that these guys have a Mariachi band, but these guys seem pretty committed to playing some real songs and honoring the Mariachi tradition. I’m not rushing out to buy their album just yet, but it was wasn’t bad music and it may even grow on me.
Then it was time for The Bronx. I only have their first two albums, and only have gotten into them in the past couple months, so I’m not very familiar with their work. I knew a few of their songs tho and was already hoping to hear Around The Horn. I liked when the singer came out in a blue Dodgers cap. He’s so proud of being form LA, but professed his love for SF and said he was very excited about this show. After seeing Bad Religion a few days earlier, I can now say I’ve seen two punk bands with balding singers in the same week. The band is pretty lively on stage tho and gets the crowd moving…so much so in fact, that this show had one of the better pits I’ve seen in SF. They encourage stage divers and for the crowd to just go all-around nuts. During the show one guy came up, swiped the singers LA cap from where it sat upon an amp and tossed it to the pit floor. The singer basically gave out a “Oh you guys, you got me good there!” After someone tossed up a Giants cap to the stage, the singer reciprocated the love by stuffing that garbage in his pants and tossing it back. I liked how he’d preface most songs with a short explanation of the song, sort of working up the crowd, or maybe just himself, that much more. They put on a good show and I look forward to checking out The Bronx again.
Bad Religion, Strung Out @ HOB Sunset // Hollywood
Bad Religion
Strung Out
Saved the best for last. This was round 4 for me of the 30th Anniversary HOB tour and this one was my favorite. Strung out…Bad Religion…HOB Sunset? Count me in. I went to this gig with Jennifer, Kelvin, and Anthony. Strung Out brought in Jennifer and Anthony. While Kelvin and I are SO fans, we were there even more for BR.
Strung Out played a good show, and had a decent setlist. I enjoyed hearing Velvet Alley the most, but also dug a bunch of the other tunes. Their shows always reinforce just how much I don’t know their older catalog as well as I know the newer material. The bummer about the SO set was the crowd…the meatheads. The pit was just vicious with the Beef n’ Cheddar crowd and a couple bloody fights even erupted. So lame. We stayed out of the pit for SO for that reason, but also Kelvin and Anthony where in good spots toward the front and I just wasn’t feeling like going in with this band. I still enjoyed watching their set and they made a good opener.
Then after the usual half hour intermission came on the Bad Religions, of course opening with Do What You Want. I was excited for this show and was in and out of the pit the entire set. I ran into my BR buddy Keshav at the show. The crowd was much improved for BR, so the pit was actually fun and just how it should be for a punk rock show: chaotic, but not stupidly dangerous. Jennifer joined in the pit for the No Control songs and Anthony stayed behind the pit mostly for the show. The block of Process of Belief songs was a nice surprise, those first three songs on that album always get me pumped. They played a very nice setlist and it was just an awesome show.
My thoughts on the whole tour?
I made it to four of the Hollywood shows. Not too bad considering I live in San Francisco. That’s one of my favorite venues, and hey, with my parents house in LA that makes it easy.
I liked the mix of songs, even if the setlists were a bit predictable and the encores were repeated (I know, I know the process of choosing the setlist considers several factors). It was pretty rad hearing tunes like Marked, The Handshake and Delirium of Disorder live.
Brett only played one of the shows I attended, but hey it was cool having the extra bit of dynamism/depth for the one show. I don’t consider his absence lacking, but rather his presence a bonus at shows.
Two of the my four shows unfortunately had a high number of meatheads on the floor, but aye, I know that’s a part of the scene.
My favorite shirt worn on stage of the tour has to go to Baker for his Larrydavhead t-shirt. Haha, so good.
Cheers to BR for playing a rad tour, and still looking like they’re having fun every night. At this rate, I look forward to the next HOB romp in 2012!
BR will be touring the US for new album tour in the Fall. I’ll be there.
Bad Religion @ HOB Sunset // Hollywood
Bad Religion
Round 3 of the 30th Anniversary tour. Alison, Kelvin and I made it to this one shortly before BR took the stage, missing The Dickies open up. I half-expected us to stay back off the pit floor on this one and I was fully-correct. We were just to the right of the soundboard. Though a bit further back than I’m used to, and out of the action, we still had a nice view. I didn’t mind taking a break from the pit for one show, even if a few songs nearly made me weave my way down there. This was the first show of the tour that I saw with Brett playing as well. That third guitar adds a nice sound to the performance. They played a couple songs I hadn’t heard in a while: Marked and Delirium of Disorder. Other than that, the setlist was as expected. I’m glad I made this show, but I have to say I’m looking forward to the next one, this Saturday, most of all on the tour.
Bad Religion, The Vandals @ HOB Sunset // Hollywood
Bad Religion
The Vandals
Great show. Kelvin and I got here just as the Vandals started at 9:15pm. They had a short set due to the line-up that night (Joe Sib speech after them), but oh what a setlist. I couldn’t have chosen a better one. All songs Hitler Bad, Vandals Good or older included Anarch Burger, Urban Cowboy, And Now We Dance (my favorite), People That Are Going To Hell and Ape Drape. Vandals always put on a fun show. And yes, Warren sung a song at the end. It wasn’t I Have A Date as exected, but instead a Queen song.
Joe Sib gave a fifteen minute talk on California Calling and then at 10:30, the Bad Religions came out. To the crowd’s delight, as it was Easter Sunday, their bassist Jay Bentley dressed up as the Easter Bunny, haha. I’m impressed he kept that suit on the entire show. Photo credit to Kelvin on the above BR shot. Muuuch better crowd this night (far fewer meatheads) and a great setlist. Old, new, rare. In the middle of the set some blonde girl started flailing her arms, pretty much attacking me out of nowhere. I was able to block the blows and fended her off before she calmed down/security told her to GTFO. I guess she mistook me for someone who hit her in the pit. A guy next to me just looked at me with a “Crazy bitch!” look about her. And a crowd surfer’s foot made contact with my mouth…stupid crowd surfers. No bruies from this show, however, just a good time.
Bad Religion @ HOB Sunset // Hollywood
Bad Religion
Well it’s another Bad Religion “world tour” of Southern California, another House of Blues romp. Last time they did this was in 2008 with a score of shows in Hollywood, Anaheim, San Diego, and Las Vegas. I caught eight BR shows that tour — eight shows within a five-week span, six at Sunset, two at Anaheim. I also lived in LA at the time. This year, I live in San Francisco. If you know me, you know that won’t stop me from catching a good show, namely one put on by my favorite band. I must concede, due to distance and maybe just getting older, I have toned it down a bit…only four shows this tour.
Last nights show kicked things off. Dan and I got there just in time for BR’s 10:30pm set. The fanfare began with playing some cliche triumphant melody and then the band broke out into Do What You Want. The show was sold out, so that sure made the floor packed. Unfortunately, there were far too many meatheads for my liking in attendance, but aye, what can ya do? I was around the pit for this show, but held back around the perimiter (rather than bordering it or inside) a bit more than expected. But songs like New Dark Ages and Generator will always bring me out and to the front.
It was my first time hearing the electric version of Won’t Somebody and the new song Resist Stance, so that was cool. The setlist was cool, but didn’t bring out any super rare tunes. It was a nice enough show and I look forward to a better one tomorrow.
Alkaline Trio, Cursive @ HOB Sunset // Hollywood
Alkaline Trio
Cursive
Round 2 of the Alk3/Cursive tour. I saw this show recently in San Francisco, but while I’m back home for the weekend in LA, a free ticket and convenient timing led to seeing this lineup once more.
Alison, Kelvin, Monica and I got to the HOB just in time for the start of Cursive’s set. I didn’t recognize much of the first half, but caught some familiar favorite later on, including The Martyr and, of course, Art is Hard.
This show was pretty mellow for us as we stood not up front on the floor, but a bit further back, standing behind the sound boards. Still a great view of the stage, but no sweaty punks running around. I was in the pit last time, and while that’s fun, I didn’t mind hanging back for a change. We had some beers, ran into familar faces and just stood back and enjoyed the music.
At around 10:30, the Alkalnie Trios came out. Their setlist wasn’t too much different from the SF set; they played a mix of old and new songs, though skewing towards newer. They had a horn player come out for the new tune Lead Poisoning, and drummer Derek played bass for a couple songs in the encore, putting Skiba onthe drums and Dan on guitar. The crowd was into it, we were into it, it was a nice show.
New Found Glory @ Regency Ballroom // San Francisco
New Found Glory
I didn’t expect to say this, but…this was a really good show. My take of NGF going into this show, and still after, is this: their last two albums are kinda horseshit, but Nothing Gold Can Stay is brilliant and their self-titled album is one of the top pop-punk albums ever. S/T is oh-so catchy to the point of me knowing the lyrics to pretty much every song. I admit I like Sticks and Stones as well, but I never caught on to that one quite so much.
Anyway, 2010 marks the 10-year anniversary of the S/T album and NFG celebrated by playing the entire album on this tour. I was expecting this show to be a routine gig with a mix of songs throughout their career and me pretty much enduring the newer/unknown ones to have fun with the older tracks. So that I got to hear one of my favorite albums live (I still feel like such a pop-punk geek admitting that, but it’s solid, and if you can’t at least admit its catchiness…get over yourself) was pretty rad. It was nice hearing the rare-live-song Black and Blue. This show totally took me back a decade; I would have attended this easily in 2000. The band played that entire album then came back for an encore of a handful of other newer songs. I was a bit bummed they didn’t include any songs from Nothing Gold Can Stay.
Saves The Day, along with two others, opened the show. I caught the end of the STD act. I never really got into them, tho I can admit they have a couple cool tunes. The show had a good crowd that rocked along with the openers and just exploded for NFG. Thanks to Krista for convincing me/giving me an excuse to go to this show. Even my metal-head buddy Casey, who isn’t into these bands so much, granted they put on a good show. Who knows if I’ll catch them again, but I’m glad I made this one.