Bay Area Bourgeois

BAB's New Look

2010-09-10T12:04:00.000-07:00

Hello dear readers!

The past week or so I have been working at finally transferring the site over to wordpress so that we can do more advanced techy stuff, but I just realized that this may have interfered with subscriptions and whatnot. If you head over to www.bayareabourge.com now it should redirect you and you can view some excellent posts written by Megs this past week which you may have missed out on. You may have to re-subscribe in order for posts to show up in your Google reader. We'd also like to hear from any email subscribers whether or not posts are still getting to them so we can work on fixing that.

For now, the old site will still be up and accessible, but won't be updated. We hope that you lovely readers come along with us to our fancy new digs, we look forward to continuing coverage of the Bay Area Scene!

HCFM: Little Gold

2010-09-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

If, for some reason, Hoodstock just isn't providing enough live music and excitement for you this weekend (what? don't you sleep?!) then hit up Hemlock to catch the out-of-towners: NYC based Little Gold and NOLA based Lovey Dovies.

Show at 6, $5, +21.

Little Gold - "Bird's Eye" - Le Loft Rooftop from DUKE STREET on Vimeo.

Show Preview: Hoodstock

2010-09-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

As a former city dweller, I can attest that it sometimes feels like all the things worth doing happen in the city. As a new resident of the town, I can only apologize and hang my head for ever thinking that was the case!

Hoodstock - the four day musical extravaganza scheduled for this weekend - is clear proof that Oakland holds it's own in the Bay Area music scene! (no word on which side of the bay Treasure Island leans toward). Full run down on this weekends raucous good times below!

Friday pre-party with Le Heat @ Paradisio and Hoodstock art opening at Eli's Mile High Club.

Saturday show at Oakland Metro Operahouse. Hosted by Najee "Chip" Renee. Show at 8pm, $7, +18.

Stage 1
Ill Text
Young Savage
B. Hamilton
Shiney Things
LDeeZ
Hongry
Tha Pessimist
Juiceboxxx
Hot Tub
Japanther

Stage 2
Oakland City Rockers
Shari La La's
Cycloptopus
Big Kids
Bro Montana
The Blank Tapes
Younger Lovers
Summer Blondes
Shannon and the Clams

Sunday is Bikestock, presented by Hoodstock and Bikes4Life. Parking lot at Peralta & 7th next to Revolution Cafe.
Deadman
Mystic Knights of the Cobra
Inhaler
Mongloids
Koalacaust
Young Haunts
Careerers
BeMe
Safari
Mancub
Uzi Rash
Religious Girls
La Plebe

And bike competitions! Track stand, bike trick and bike mechanic throw downs and a raffle with prizes from Manifesto Bikes, Bay Area Bikes, Montano Velo, Eli's Mile High Club and everyone's favorite vegan soul food joint, Souly Vegan.

Also, rumors of a Bikestock Alley Cat race. $7 admission also gets you into Bikestock.

Another Reason Why the Bay Area Rocks: Bike-tastic!

2010-08-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

The Bay Area has always been known as a hub (ha!) of bike culture and the coming weeks offer up a bevy of events to drive - or maybe bike - home that association.

While the idea of touring with a band might seem exciting and foreign to us stationary folk, Ben Sollee is taking it one step further. On his Ditch the Van Tour 2010, Ben and his band are biking across the country to bring their sweet sounds to you. The quartet started their long ride last week in San Diego and will end it in October in Kentucky, Sollee's home state. Check out a video of last years tour here. You can catch them this weekend at the Rickshaw Bags Warehouse in Dogpatch.
Show Saturday at 5pm, $10, all ages.

For some East Bay bike-lovin', hit up Hoodstock/Bikestock next weekend. Bikes4Life, Bay Area Bikes and Montano Velo are coming together to host a day-long all-ages extravaganza of DJs, bands, events and raffles. Free admission, suggested donation. 7th and Peralta in Oakland. Check out the facebook invite for more details.

Are bikes and books are your thing? Swing by my new favorite bookstore - Diesel - for a reading and discussion of bike historian David Herlihy's latest, The Lost Cyclist. The Lost Cyclist explores the adventures and disappearance of Frank Lenz, a high-wheel racer and long-distance tourist. Herlihy's reading is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 12 at 3 pm. More info here.

HCFM: Brilliant Colors

2010-08-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

Dunno if it's my recent relocation to the city of the East Bay Rats or just this chilly bummer summer but something has me itching to have a PBR too many and jostle among the confused youth at some dark and dingy punk show. With their fuzzed out post-riot grrrl rock, Brilliant Colors are perfectly suited to scratch that itch and Mama Buzz is definitely one of the better venues in which to do so.

Neonates will be throwing their LA based surf-punk into the mix with Brilliant Colors at Mama Buzz Sunday. Show at 7!

HCFM: The Frail & Stripmall Architecture

2010-08-06T10:24:00.000-07:00

Help the Uptown celebrate their new status as Best of the East Bays Readers Choice Best Club tonight with a free show. Local electro-pop favorites The Frail and Stripmall Architecture will be playing at 9 pm. Hopefully, they'll bust out a live version of this charming LCD Soundsystem cover.

HCFM: Hippie Dayz

2010-07-30T14:58:00.000-07:00

For a bonanza of psychedelic indie pop and mustaches, hit up El Rio tomorrow. Their day-time line-up is a veritable smorgasbord 70's throw-back AM radio pop ditties.

Show starts at 3, 21+, $8, free BBQ!

Line up:
The Love Dimension
These Hills of Gold
Nectarine Pie
The Aerosols
B and not B

Check out B and Not B's adorable (sorry guys, no better way to put it) tour video for a preview of tomorrows shenanigans!

Discount for BAB Readers: Taste the Nation at Napa Resort!

2010-07-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! BAB readers have been offered a promotional code for $15 off the $75 ticket price to an upcoming fine dining and tasting event in Napa Valley called Taste of the Nation. The discount code comes courtesy of one of the event's main sponsors, Pretzel Crisps.

The Wine Country’s top chefs and wineries will gather under the stars with live music by The Fancy Dan Band and specialty cocktails by celebrity mixologist Manny Hinojosa. In addition to fabulous food, the event will also feature one of a kind live and silent auction items. Pretzel Crisps," an exceptionally thin, all-natural flat-baked pretzel brand," would love you to join them there.

100% of tickets sales support Share Our Strength, a national organization working to end childhood hunger. The event will take place Thursday, August 5th from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the gorgeous Silverado Resort.

The code is PRETZELCRISP and can be used online or if you purchase by calling 866-26taste. Please note it is case sensitive. More information on the event and the Share Our Strength organization can be found in the notes section of www.Facebook.com/PretzelCrisps.

Another Reason Why San Francisco Rocks: Rabid Indie Music Fans!

2010-07-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

Check out this awesome home-made music video for BAB favorite band, My First Earthquake!

Doesn't it remind you of that awesome Blind Melon video?

Catch MFE at the Bottom of the Hill on Thursday, August 5 with Little Red Radio and Elissa P. Show at 9, 21+, $8.

PS- My First Earthquake now has a song on Rockband! "Outta the Band" can now be played in the comfort of your living room by none other than you (and your Xbox). They made a video to celebrate the momentous occasion.

Download it to your xbox for the low, low price of FREE!

Hump Day Inspiration: Spa Day

2010-07-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago I had a little birthday, and took the day off to indulge myself in a spa day at the Claremont Hotel & Spa in Berkeley.

My first ever professional massage and hour-long pedicure were thoroughly needed... and the best part is that if you make an appointment for one of their services on a weekday you get to take full advantage of ALL of their amenities: whirlpool, steam room, crazy showers with 9 heads, big fluffy robes and sandals... we're talking the whole shebang here people. It was an amazing way to treat myself and I'm seriously considering trying to make this an annual tradition. Maybe next time will include drinks and an amazing view at the hotel's Paragon Bar as well :)

Photo Recap + Review: All Shook Down Fest!

2010-07-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday's all day North Beach-based line up and crowd were equally diverse: families, latin hipsters, little old Asian ladies and even a few genuine North Beach guidos. Punk bands, psych rock bands, jazz bands, hip hop groups, DJs and indie pop bands sprinkled the line up.

Janelle Monáe and her backing band brought the incredible hair, the on-stage theatrics, their classy black and white garb and the crazy vocal acrobatics. Janelle rocked it so hard she shook her impossibly neat and tall pomp loose shortly before her backing bassist threw down with a Hendrix-esque rendition of the national anthem and ceremoniously tossed his pick into the crowd.

Personal + the Pizzas, a local 3 piece punk group comprised of older dudes in half-buttoned thrifted Tommy Bahama floral shirts and the obligatory Chucks, played a deeply entertaining, old-school set. Their inter-song banter and off-beat song topics had me giggling through the entire set, which was cut short in part, I think, due to the Ramones-esque tempo and 1.5-2 minute length of all of their songs. Despite - or perhaps because of? - the eardrum numbness, I would definitely catch this local gem of a band again and suggest you do the same.

Backed by a new touring band, Neon Indian did sparkly tracks from their recent hit album, Psychic Chasms. The curly hair and bouncing tambourine player suited the quartet fabulously and there were crowd murmurs of a redemption of the band's most recent Bay Area performance (late March at the Mezzanine). Chills rolled in with the chillwave as fog hopped Telegraph Hill.

One disappointing burrito and a few slices of Golden Boy later, we caught AB & the Sea doing their summery indie pop thing at Maggie McGarry's. Their cover of "Don't Worry Baby" typifies the sound of AB & the Sea: sunny, sweet and carefree.

No glitches, awesome goodie bags, rad bands, excellent food. All Shook Down was a great day. Can't wait for next year! For more photos of the event, click here.

Eat Real Festival

2010-07-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness Megs has been around to pick up my slack- I haven't been able to blog since I recently started helping out with the new Oakland institution that is the Eat Real Festival!

The Eat Real Festival, now in it's second year, is a three day event held during the last weekend of August which celebrates street food and urban homesteading. With over 80 food vendors, 25 of which are trucks, and 3 stages (one of which Megs will be DJing on!), craft collaborations, DIY workshops, tons of booze, and competitions to watch as well as partake in, this is one foodie event no one should miss. It's taking place at Jack London Square and is FREE admission. It's twice as big as last year, and sure to be twice as tasty.

I am in love with the people who are responsible for putting this together and have been having a blast being a part of their team. They're looking for volunteers to help out at the event, so if you wanna work with some awesome food-loving locals check out the website for more info. You can also peep the Eat Real Twitter feed and facebook page for ongoing foodie news.

The Week Starter: Summertime

2010-07-26T09:00:00.001-07:00

Sandals with pink toes, sleeping in nothing but your bare fur, sun-kissed highlights and messy braids, finding coastal treasures...

more pics at flickr.com/marispacifica

HCFM: Fundraisers

2010-07-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

No shortage of options to hear some live tunes this weekend!

If classy sandwiches and John Vanderslice are your thing, check out the Bay Bridged's second annual fundraiser show, Regional Bias. The soiree is uber local, with local artists, musicians and foodies filling the bill. And all proceeds go to fund the Bay Bridged's efforts to support the indie music scene. Show is tonight at 7, tickets here.

If an all day festival sounds more appealing, check out All Shook Down in North Beach on Sunday. 40 bands will be staking out several venues in the historic neighborhood. Cooler still, the venues are sorted by genre. Punk rock your thing? Head to Columbus Cafe. Hip hop more your speed? Hit up the Royale! Tickets are $14 or $40 for VIP. Get 'em here!

Weekend To-Do List

2010-07-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

[photo by Maris!]
Grab a super-local, super-underground, super-tasty dinner with the Wild Kitchen this weekend. For the $80 ticket price (or an equivalent barter) you can sate yourself on locally grown or hunted morsels. Location announced the day of the event! It's like a warehouse rave but with better food and fewer drugs!
Get your tickets for Friday or Saturday.

If street food is more your speed, fill up on food cart winners tonight at Off the Grid. Fort Mason is weekly host to some of the fore-runners of the street food movement like the Creme Brulee Cart and Seoul on Wheels. If the Marina is a bit far for you, it looks like this food phenom will soon be branching to out to the Haight, the Mission and Civic Center.

After noshing, hit up a film in the "Another Hole in the Head" series at everyone's favorite Mission theater, the Roxie. The curators of this special series have culled some of the finest horror, sci-fi and fantasy films. If killer geishas or killer hillbillies are your thing, check out the line up here.

HCFM: James + Evander

2010-07-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

Usually, when we think of electronica we don't necessarily think romanticism. The new-ish shoegaze-electro wave that's rolling through the Bay (is it mean of me to admit that I'm more than ready for freak-folks replacement?) is making me rethink my assumptions. James and Evander had no small part in that change in thought.

The duo have a decidedly electro pop flair but lean more make-out party than dance party. The guys' - neither of whom are actually named James or Evander - most recent efforts include a series of remixes of indie pop groups like Fleet Foxes and Buildings Breeding. Added bonus: you can download the tracks on the groups' Bandcamp for free.

Check out J+E with Summer of Glaciers, P.D. Wilder and Posted at Mama Buzz (and grab one of their tasty fake meat and bagel sandwiches while you're at it) on Monday at 7. Free show!

<a href="http://jamesandevander.bandcamp.com/album/songs-we-wish-we-wrote-you-vol-1">Buildings Breeding - Stacking Up Reasons (James & Evander Remix) by James & Evander</a>

Heads Up + Ticket Giveaway: Snob Theater

2010-07-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

In Snob Theater, some of our favorite things collide: local music and comedy. And at one of our favorite venues - the Dark Room - no less!

Put together by fellow local music bloggers, Kata Rokkar, the night promises to be a cozy celebration of Bay Area culture. Established musical acts like Sean Hayes will share the 50 seater with veteran comedians like Miles K.

Grab your tickets now; the tiny theater may fill up. Or nab our pair of giveaway tickets! Email us at bayareabourgeois@gmail.com with your name. Deadline is Thursday at noon.

HCFM: Au Revoir Simone

2010-07-09T10:28:00.000-07:00

If you've been following our blog for a while, you'll have noticed that very few HCFM posts feature anything serious, sombre or sorrowful. I suppose I should probably go ahead and take credit for that. I tend to lean towards Junior Senior and away from Elliott Smith. There, I said it. I just don't like sad music.

Au Revoir Simone is one of those lucky bands that helps the terminally cheerful indulge their serious sides. Classics like "Sad Song" and "Only You Can Make You Happy" hold all the structure, synth and vocal harmonies present in chipper party music while the lyrics attest to a slightly darker view of the world and human relations.

If you're into tunes with thematic contradictions (and who isn't from time to time?) check out Au Revoir Simone at the Great American Music Hall tomorrow! Show at 9, $16. Openers include Social Studies and Alexa Wilding

Au Revoir Simone "Sad Song" from may redding on Vimeo.

Art For a Cause

2010-06-28T09:46:00.000-07:00

Today at noon please check out the online shop created by SF-based art blog My Love For You Is a Stampede of Horses- all of the proceeds go towards the Gulf Restoration Network and over 80 artists have contributed. Give a little, get a little, help those helping us. For more information and to check out a sample of some of the work being offered, please click here.

Online Shop here: http://myloveforyou.bigcartel.com/
Shop opens up at 12pm PST, 3pm EST

Weekend To-Do List

2010-06-24T11:39:00.000-07:00

f you're in the East Bay tonight come to the newly re-opened Oasis Bar and check out the artwork and installations of over two dozen artists for a very public birthday party. If you haven't checked out the Oasis yet, you really need to. Unassuming from the front.... and then a huge party out back- it's like the mullet of Oakland. There will also be projections, performances, and a tea temple. For more information check out The Wondercommon Ball on facebook.

If you're in SanFran tonight then check out the next epicsauce.com party at Milk (1840 Haight St) with Tussle, Boyz IV Men, Religious Girls and Kid Meets Cougar. One of our new favorite events at one of our new favorite venues, there will be $3 Trumer Pils/PBR/Tecate lined up for you all night long. Be sure to RSVP on facebook for $5 entry!

Tomorrow, if you're not one the lucky ones witnessing Pavement's resurrection at the Greek Theater in Berkeley, you can check out Oona at the Uptown in Oakland. Doors @ 9, $10 cover.

Saturday evening should be cleared for the amazing Goldfrapp at Fox Theater, check out the awesomely weird video for "Ride a White Horse." GaGa- take note. And can someone please give Alison Goldfrapp her own float for this weekend's Pride Parade?! Forty and fabulous, love love love!

Sunday offers an interesting event at the hidden gem that is the Kaiser Rooftop Garden... "Scenes From a Lingering Garden" is a sound installation by local artist Hugh Livingston. From 5-8 pm, you can stroll above the Oakland rooftops listening to antique victrolas and whatnot- how cool is that? For more info check out Livingston Sound.

Earlier on Sunday 'come play in the streets' during Oaklavia- from 10 am til 2pm the main roads of Oakland will be closed to automobiles so people can walk, bike, skate, or whatever to their hearts' content! There will be food vendors and activities along the route (from Uptown to Jack London Square) and the weather is supposed to be warm and wonderful... viva summertime!

Photo Recap and Review: King Baldwin

2010-06-20T12:14:00.000-07:00

King Baldwin's set started in a semi-serious fashion with tracks like "My Brain Is..." which showcased the bands more sentimental and serpentine side. Alexander's keyboard skills were well demonstrated and he repped pretty hard for the theatrical, classical side of the bands repertoire.

The less melodic, more rocking half of the set loosened up the band and convinced the crowd to relinquish their 10-15 foot safety distance. At this point, Theo's classic 70's guitar rock background was on display. Their cover of "Golden Years" was, as always, a crowd pleaser and "Crumbling" was a joy to watch, even if just to observe Jon's fingers fly over the strings of his bass.

The quartet was joined by Bhi Bhiman for the latter portion of their set. Bhi rounded out the incredible vocal harmonies on tracks like "Adolf Hitler" and the groups cover of the Talking Heads' "This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)". Any set that ends with 50-odd fans howling along to the doo-wop vocal stylings of David Byrne spells a good set to me.

Ticket Giveaway Winner!

2010-06-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

A quick congrats to Dan, our King Baldwin ticket giveaway winner!

We'll be at the show tonight too so look for our coverage.

In the meantime, learn to play the piano with Alexander:

HCFM: Eagles of Death Metal

2010-06-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

The best way to first experience the Eagles of Death Metal: in a dark, dingy club, burlesque dancer walks onstage, lights come up, and the track starts.

The first 3 seconds of the act feature some saucy toe-tapping before the crazed guitar comes in and then there's a flurry of limbs, hair and pasties everywhere. The track is "Kiss the Devil" and you're probably in awe.

If guitar and awe are your thing (say that 3 times fast!) you should probably check out the Eagles of Death Metal at the Mezzanine tomorrow night. Lyrics Born and DJ Ras MG are also among the 10 bands on stage that evening. Doors at 6:30, 21+, call the following mysterious number for tickets: (888) 236-1266.

Special added bonus: the show is associated with this weekends most THC-tastic source of entertainment, the High Times Medical Cannabis Cup. I've been watching too much Weeds.

Sunday Night: Free Standup, Movie Screening @ Oasis Bar, Oakland

2010-06-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

Join us for a FREE night of the comedy at the newly re-opened Oasis in Oakland!

3 comedians, 2 screenings, and 1 DJ will provide an awesome night of laughs and a dance party under the stars in the outdoor courtyard at The Oasis.

We'll be partying in the tiki-inspired outdoor courtyard with DJ Dizzan, on tour from NM, who was recently voted "Best DJ in Albuquerque" and making us laugh will be 3 fine comedians from San Francisco and the East Bay.

*Additional musical surprises to be announced!

Drink Special: $4 for a beer AND a shot!
Admission is FREE (donations are encouraged!)

We'll be screening the indie phenomenon "WASTED...", a smart-yet-twisted TV pilot in talks with Comedy Central! Loitering in their own lives, the employees of a struggling Midwest head shop try to justify the way they spend their time at their dead end jobs. Check it out before it hits the air! You'll earn serious bragging rights!

Also Playing: “The Tale of Lester Rhymes”, an animated short voted "BEST FILM ON CAMPUS" by MTVU.com.

Comedians performing include:
Fred Le - 8pm
Robert Keith - 8:40pm
Lee Sanger Goldin - 9:20pm

Move Screenings begin at 10 PM

Trailer and Review for WASTED...: http://www.cinemasoldier.com/articles/2010/4/26/wasted-shows-real-promise-for-local-lansing-filmmaker.html

Market Day, (Almost) Every Day

2010-06-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

TODAY, Thursday June 17: Island Earth Farmers Market will open at its new location of 40th and Haven at Emeryville City Hall, across from Pixar Studios. The market will be open from noon until 6pm, more info here. This news got me thinking about how great it would be if it were possible to meander through open air aisles of fresh produce any day of the week... which, turns out, you basically can!

Tuesday- Ecology Center Farmer's Market in North Berkeley, Derby and MLK (2-7pm)
Thursday- Ecology Center All-Organic Farmer's Market in Berkeley, at Shattuck and Rose (3-7pm)
Friday- Urban Village Farmer's Market in Old Oakland (8-2pm)
Saturday- Agricultural Institute of Marin Farmer's Market at Grand Lake (9-2pm)
Sunday- Pacific Coast Farmer's Market at Jack London Square (9-2pm)

You can find a great directory of even more markets at SF Gate