Author Archives: Bill

Report From the Show: Cloud Cult with JBM at The Independent, SF, 05.09.13

I can’t think of a better show for my first outing as a dad than Minneapolis chamber-folk-electro-enviro-orchestro-pop-rock band Cloud Cult. Continue reading

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A Taste of Things to Come: Cloud Cult at The Independent, SF

Man, I’ve never been to a show with so little front lighting. Makes it awfully hard for your average, intrepid blogger to get decent photos from about five rows back armed with nothing but a camera phone. And that’s the … Continue reading

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The Annotated Decemberists No. 11: Odalisque

Now, my knowledge of firearms is limited at best, but I do know this: You load shotgun cartridges with rock salt, not rifles. (At least I’m pretty sure, based on 30 minutes of research and a few Tarantino movies.) Continue reading

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Racking Up Plays: “Hearts and Minds” by Son Volt

This is like crack for Americana fans, and its been too long since Farrar has given us the good stuff in such pure form. Continue reading

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You Really Ought to Go See Kate Kilbane Perform Her Pop-Rock Opera Based on a Gruesome Greek Myth

It was worth the price of admission just to watch the girl, maybe 9 years old, in the front row—her mouth agape, her eyes filled with wonder—bewitched by the story of a young woman struggling to control both the powerful magic and emotions roiling inside her. Continue reading

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PHOTOS: Trampled By Turtles with honeyhoney at The Fillmore, San Francisco, 01.17.13

The boys from Duluth play a sort of blunt-force bluegrass, pounding out notes with all the brutal honesty of a garage band that has just discovered Ralph Stanley and Bill Monroe. Continue reading

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A Taste of Things to Come: Trampled By Turtles at The Fillmore, San Francisco

Here’s Wisconsin Minnesota (oh, how embarrassing—truly, I do know the difference between Wisconsin and Minnesota) alt-bluegrass band Trampled By Turtles and opening act Honey Honey filling up the stage at The Fillmore. That’s a lot of strings up there. Dang. … Continue reading

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Rankstravaganza: My 15 favorite albums of 2012

What can I say? My favorite albums contain my favorite songs. Go figure. Continue reading

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Rankstravaganza: My 30 Favorite Tracks of 2012

Here is this year’s obligatory list-making, by the numbers: 3 Bay Area acts 6 solo female artists 2 re-united ’90s bands A ton of vaguely folky indie rock—no surprise Just 2 hip-hop tracks—I apologize 1 song that actually got some … Continue reading

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Report from the Show: The Mountain Goats, The Fillmore, San Francisco, 12.14.12

John Darnielle didn’t avoid the issue. He met it head on. When he came out on the stage in San Francisco on Friday, before he played a note, The Mountain Goats‘ singer-songwriter acknowledged what was on everyone’s mind. Because, as … Continue reading

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