San Francisco Bay Area Concerts

From EDM to Cathedral Acoustics: HAYLA's Journey with DARK

2026-08-30T05:15:28.382-07:00

HAYLA @ the Great American Music Hall (Photo: Kevin Keating)

It's been a year and a half since HAYLA stood on the stage at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall, playing her first-ever headline show in the city while introducing West Coast audiences to DUSK, the debut album she'd spent three years crafting. Back then, as she told SFBayAreaConcerts.com in our 2025 interview, she was still finding her footing as a performer, a self-described shy artist just starting to step into the spotlight. A lot has changed since then. She's played to her largest crowds yet alongside Kygo, staged an intimate and emotional free concert at London's St. Pancras Church, and somehow wrote and recorded a whole new album, DARK, in just eight weeks. And where DUSK leaned into her EDM roots, DARK strips things back into something rawer and more personal.

Now HAYLA is heading back to San Francisco, this time headlining the Regency Ballroom this week as part of her current U.S. tour. We caught up with her while she's on the road to talk about how DARK came together so quickly, what it's like performing her most personal songs live night after night, and how that unexpected night at a London church has changed the way she thinks about playing live. Catch the full interview below and be sure to get tickets to her show this coming Thursday at the Regency here.

HAYLA @ the Great American Music Hall (Photo: Kevin Keating)

SFBayAreaConcerts.com: Thanks so much for making the time today while you're on the road! I'd love to start by talking about your new album, DARK, which was released at the end of July. When we spoke last about your debut solo album, DUSK, you mentioned how it was a culmination of work across three years. How did the follow-up come about so quickly afterwards?

HAYLA: Well, I went into the studio for eight weeks to see what would happen and I said to my manager after the eight weeks, I was like, "Oh, I think I'm done." And he said, "What do you mean you think you're done?" I said, "I think I've got a body of work." So this DARK album only took eight weeks because it's a real pinpoint of my life. Apart from two songs that were written a year and a half before, it was an eight-week period in which DARK was written. And I think if I was to have had any pressure applied, I don't think it would have happened that way. But yeah, it was something that I just totally didn't anticipate at all, really.

SFBAC: The sound is quite a departure from the first album, too. It's much less of an EDM sound. This is much more... still melancholic, still kind of... I don't want to say 'dark', but—

HAYLA: Oh, yeah.

SFBAC: But it's raw and honest, right? It comes through. How did that sound come about?

HAYLA: I think it was just when I was getting into those sessions, we were just writing for the love of writing. I remember being in a studio session, one of them... the song "I Don't Believe It Anymore", with one producer and one of the co-writers, and also just, you know, playing around. And I said to them both, "You know, I haven't got any real idea of what I want to do, but do you want to just have a play around?" And we were like de-tuning guitars, playing synths, not writing with any sort of remit. And they said to me afterwards, and I said to them too, we were like, "We can't remember the last time that we just played around and not with any remit in mind." There wasn't any "it needs to be this, it needs to be that, it has to be this tempo, this pitch, register, key", nothing. We just... we were in the session and just writing for the love of creation. And I think I approached every session in that way. It was like the only thing that I thought about, really. I thought a lot about nature and I thought a lot about where in the end I'd like to sing these songs, and I thought about mountainscapes, forests. I thought about by the edge of the sea, and I think it was just more that not thinking about style and genre at all really allowed these songs to just breathe in the space that they needed to breathe in. So, without knowingly kind of writing an album that wasn't EDM-based at all, it ended up being the way that it is just totally naturally.

HAYLA @ the Great American Music Hall (Photo: Kevin Keating)

SFBAC: Are there, again, these songs that you have on both albums... they come across as deeply personal? One question is, would you ever put the album on just to listen to? Would you listen to your own music if you're at home, or relaxing, or in the car?

HAYLA: I don't think I've ever done that. I've listened back to songs in the sense of, well, because when I'm playing them... but I mean, as far as it goes for like being relaxed, with the one that I have listened back to... I haven't listened back to DARK in its entirety. Actually, I probably should. I mean, obviously I played it live and did the St. Pancras show with it, but the one that I do go back to, and that I have gone back to is "Dusk," just the title track from the first album. I've listened to that a few times. And I think that probably the reason why is because it's one that I've never performed live. And I kind of like the fact that because I wrote, recorded, and produced that myself. I think sometimes-sometimes I listen to it and I'm like, "I need to do more of this. I have to do more of this." So I listen to it and I think—I try not to pick it apart, you know, but I—I definitely have listened to that a few times. I'm like, it gives me this elated feeling. So I think maybe because I know that I need to chase that further. So maybe that song is probably going to have a bit of an influence on what I do next. I'd like to be able to say that that would influence my potential production a bit more because I do seem to listen to that more so than any other really, apart from the ones I sing live.

SFBAC: And when you say you're listening to that one in particular, are you listening to the actual vocal performance of the song? Are you listening to the mix of the song, and thinking you would have done this differently or brought this up in the mix differently?

HAYLA: Bit of both. A bit of both. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And also, it's funny because "Dusk" is actually just a section of an entire song. So, when I produced that song, it was a lot longer than it is, and I just loved the last bit. It's a very long song. It's actually like a seven-minute long piece, but I liked the end of it. So, I just chopped it in half and thought, "Oh, that makes sense there." So I listened to it and I'm kind of like, "Oh, I'm happy that I made that decision," but I'm also kind of like, "I don't know why I didn't ever put the whole song out because I could have just done that because it's my album." But it has kind of made me sort of—I'm trying not to be too self-critical, but it has made me think about what I could do better next time and what maybe I could build on next time. And so, in a kind of like, positively critical way, I suppose I listen to it, but yeah, it's hard not to be a critic of my stuff.

SFBAC: Given how personal these songs are to you, are there any that you aren't comfortable performing, or considering you don't really listen to either album much... songs that you just have a hard time listening to because they're too personal?

HAYLA: No. I mean, do you know what? I'm probably performing the two most personal songs on the album on this tour. Yeah, "Dark" and "Easier". I think are the two songs that I... when I first sang them, I did feel very emotional, and sometimes... well, still. I just think that I've got to a point where I'm able to sort of feel the emotion without—I say this now, it probably happens to me next week now, without choking, you know? I think sometimes I've had moments where I'm like, like I feel it a lot. And so I'm... sometimes I have to like, "Okay, get to the next line." It's kind of, you know, I view it in a sort of like, not getting through it, but I try and separate a tiny bit so it doesn't kind of ruin the performance and I have a bit of an emotional moment. But I feel like, yeah, that those two songs... the two most probably devastating songs, I've decided to fully go and put them in this set. So they're in this... they're in mind during this tour set. Which maybe in a way, somehow, is helping me heal a bit. I don't know. Maybe.

SFBAC: So DUSK mainly focused on heartbreak. DARK is more about healing -- while still grieving a bit. Don't take this the wrong way, but do you plan on writing any happy songs?

HAYLA: The thing is, I feel like I've got a happy disposition, but melancholy seems to be my favorite mood. So I, yeah, I think that most of my songs are definitely full of melancholy if not sorrow. I don't know why, I think that maybe I resonate with that so much more when I'm writing. I find it quite hard to write happy songs, and not because I'm not... not because I don't have a... a happy outlook, but... I mean, maybe I don't, I don't know. But... but I think... I think one day, the one thing that I know that I'm going to do for sure is that the next body of work, whenever I write it, I want to write it with glimmers of hope. And I think even if that comes from a melancholy standpoint, I want to write some music that make people feel like all the things that we've been through, there's... there's on the other side of that, there is hope, and there are glimmers of life that will make you feel hopeful. And I think it's important for me as well in my human journey, although I'll be carrying this for the rest of my life—the grief that I'm suffering at the moment, and also, like the heartbreaks I've been through and just generally bits in life, you know, I think that everybody goes through—but I think that whatever I write next, I think there's going to be an infusion of hopefulness. So whether they'll be happy, I don't know, but I'm hoping there'll be an over-kind-of-arcing, in a thematic kind of way, throughout whatever I write. Hopefully, there'll be an overarching thing of, you know, I'm going to be okay and we're all going to be okay, you know, I hope.

SFBAC: Well, 'HOPE' would be a good four-letter album name.

HAYLA: Yeah. I've got an album title already... you could probably work it out. My theme for the album titles, by the way, is my favorite times to listen to music. Dusk is one of my favorite times to listen to music. Dark is one of my favorite times to listen to music. And there may be another time of day that is also a favorite... So there... that's the theme of the album title.

SFBAC: When realistically would you like to put out another album? Are you writing or recording anything now?

HAYLA: No. I'm not writing at the moment, but as soon as I finish this tour, I'm going to have a little bit of a sort of rest and think about, you know, where and when I want to get back into the studio. But I think realistically it won't be next year. It's probably going to be... I think it'll probably be like, in a similar kind of way, nearly a two-year cycle. So maybe 2028 potentially? And I'm hoping that I'll have... I hope that I'll have some music to release next year, at least some singles. There's nothing at the moment, but I do have like two choruses written in my phone. So I have an idea of... I already know my album title for the next album. I already know the concept. I already know the stage design. I've kind of come up with that already. And I've also come up with like the costumes and also kind of fashion. So I know about it, but I haven't written about it yet. So, I'm kind of in that zone of... and I think that DARK is definitely going to infuse whatever I do, but I think that I'll probably be heading back into a sort of EDM crossing kind of body of work for sure because I realize the dance floor gives us so much and takes away so much, you know?

HAYLA @ the Great American Music Hall (Photo: Kevin Keating)

SFBAC: You're wrapping up the US tour in just a couple of weeks. Do you have a European tour planned?

HAYLA: No. Do you know? I would love to. There are quite a few people who are from like, more of a European side of the world, and I have had a few messages from people saying, you know, "would you ever come over?" So, I'm hoping that that would help influence potential shows over there because I would love to. And I do live in the United Kingdom, so it would be handy.

SFBAC: I was fascinated with your recent live concert from St. Pancras Church. First of all, it sounded great. I wish I could have been there just to hear you perform live in the church. I love music in cathedrals. How did it come about? And do you envision doing more of those?

HAYLA: So, the St. Pancras show was actually just initially we were going to do it as a content piece. So, we weren't going to invite an audience, and it was something that we have been toying with, sort of longer-form content. And, you know, obviously after this album it was kind of like, how do we show this album off? Because obviously we know it's not an EDM-leaning album. It's quite different. And we spoke with my label, and we just basically said, 'How about we do... like we put it online as a long-form piece of content so the album could also be a visual representation as well as an audible thing, you know?' So we genuinely were not going to invite an audience. It was going to be just... We basically went into St. Pancras, by the way, they do put on loads of different live performances from so many different genres and styles of music. So it's actually kind of a venue as well.

And when we went in, obviously we understood why, because the... the loftiness of the ceilings and the stone walls, the acoustics in there are incredible. So when we walked in there, we went on a site visit, and immediately we were like, 'I think it has to be here because it just... the setting of it just felt incredible, and the sound of it was amazing.' And I think when we went in, there was a cellist and a grand piano player just practicing for their show that they had that evening. And so we walked in and there was live music happening already in there whilst they were just rehearsing, and we were like, "This is like something we have to do... something here." So they already had a grand piano in there as well. So that was amazing for us to be able to use. We had a string quartet, and we were going to film it as a long-form piece of content just for YouTube so people could listen to it at home all around the world. But we decided last minute to make it a free gig, so it's completely free. I put it out online. I said to everybody, "There's no pressure. Turn up if you like, whatever you'd like to do." And I had, like, some people there like family and friends that I hadn't seen for... for like a while, you know? And there was 250 people who turned up. We did the performance of the show, I talked to people afterwards, and... and it was something that, like, I would absolutely love to take around. I would love to... we actually toyed with, and I'm still toying with, the idea of hopefully maybe doing it over this side of the world at some point.

I would love to, because I... I just think that the way that... it's not like a complete reimagining of the tracks, but I think that the life that's breathed into them with a space like that because of the... and I think more in a kind of like... in a completely non-religious way. It was just the... the acoustics of the space and— and what that kind of elevation of sound did to the music. I just think that I would love to be able to recreate something like that. And I think even if it wasn't necessarily like a cathedral or church, but if it was a space that would just have the... the acoustics like that. It's something that I will be seriously considering. If I can make it work, I really want to make it work. So, I'm thinking about it because it's probably one of my most favorite performances I've ever done. And I've done quite a few in my time, you know? I thoroughly enjoyed it. And it was quite an emotional night because there were family members there that obviously have been through this same loss that I've been through. And I was singing these songs for the first time to them. That was... that was difficult but beautiful at the same time.

SFBAC: We'd love to see it happen! Grace Cathedral here in SF would make for a great location, but we're obviously a little biased!

Thanks again for making the time today and we can't wait for your show at the Regency Ballroom this Thursday. Tickets are still available here at the time of this posting. Best of luck on the rest of the tour and hope to see you back in San Francisco soon!

Rosalía's LUX Tour Brings Symphonic Spectacle (and Chappell Roan) to Oakland

2026-07-08T08:25:38.229-07:00

Rosalía (Photo: Beth Savaro)

OAKLAND – Rosalía is back on tour in support of her latest album, "LUX," which was released late 2025. Her popularity has continued to rise, performing in arenas, as the last time she performed in the Bay Area was in 2022 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Not only has her fan base grown, so did her genre-bending songwriting and vocal talent. Rosalía is a one-of-a-kind act, and she truly shows it on this tour. From combining a full symphony playing opera-style instrumentals to the intricate stage design and dancers, the Lux Tour cannot be replicated.

Rosalía gets brought onto stage, being unboxed from a wooden box, as she goes through the beginning of tracks from "LUX," including “Sexo, violencia y llantas” and "Reliquia." The symphonic element added so much depth to the performance as it complemented her voice perfectly. “Porcelana” was a standout performance, especially with the hypnotizing ad-libs from Dougie F.

One element that I really enjoyed from the show was the live translation of lyrics that were highlighted above her screen. You get to really capture the essence of the lyrics she’s singing as it goes in real time. This was really highlighted when she sang “Divinize” and "Berghain," as she was carried by her background dancers in almost like a flash mob style. “This is my first time in Oakland!” as she thanks the crowd for their continued support for attending her shows throughout her visits to the Bay Area.

“Where are all my Motomamis?" she yells as she goes through tracks from her 2022 album "MOTOMAMI." Tracks like "SAOKO," “LA FAMA," and “LA COMBI VERSACE” hit fans with a bit of nostalgia from her previous sound. The lights dimmed, and Rosalía has a bit every show where she talks to a guest through a confession room. She then brought out pop star Chappell Roan to a sea of excited fans yelling at the top of their lungs. Chappell then shares a confession and story about an old situationship that ended negatively but ultimately ended up inspiring her songwriting.

Rosalía knows how to sing, and it truly shows when singing in different languages. She can sing in fluent Japanese, Italian, English, and Spanish. It’s truly impressive and sounds like such an artistic blend of cultures. She covered “Can’t Take My Eyes off You” by Frankie Valli, singing inside of a frame in front of an art backdrop as if she were the painting for a small group on stage. That group were hand-selected fans from the arena who got to witness a one-of-a-kind experience.

Rosalía then goes through tracks off “LUX” like “Sauvignon Blanc” after downing a glass of it and other notable ones including “La Yugular," “Dios Es Un Stalker," and "Memória." This part of the show was extraordinary as she moved her way to the floor of the audience, singing to die-hard fans and passing them the microphone, but later ending up in front of the choir as if she were directing it. She sings with passion and turns the Oakland Arena into a nightclub with flashing lights and electrifying techno beats.

Rosalía later moves back to the stage to once again thank the audience for their tireless efforts to support her career. She closes out the show with anthems like "BIZCOCHITO," "DESPECHÁ," and “Focu 'Ranni," closing it out with “Magnolias” off the latest album.

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Voxtrot's Ramesh Srivastava: First Love, New Album

2026-03-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

Voxtrot (Photo: Annie Gunn)

Nearly two decades after releasing some of the most beloved indie pop of the 2000s blog era, Voxtrot are back — and they have a lot to say. The Austin-based band, led by vocalist Ramesh Srivastava, spent years as streaming-era cult heroes before reuniting and channeling that renewed energy into Dreamers [In Exile], a debut full-length that feels both like a homecoming and a declaration. We sat down with Ramesh ahead of the band's San Francisco stop on Saturday, March 28th at The Independent (doors 8:30 PM, show 9:00 PM) to talk about the slow rollout of singles, the band's recording process, queer identity in their music, and why San Francisco has always held a special place in Voxtrot's heart. Tickets are still available — don't sleep on this one.

SFBayAreaConcerts: "Another Fire" dropped September of 2023. "New World Romance" follows shortly after. "My Peace," and then "Esprit de Coeur," are released in February and July of 2024.

What is the intention behind this slow drip of singles leading to this year's album? It felt a little bit like unraveling a mystery. And what was up with the pause in 2025?

Ramesh: Well, I like the idea that it's mysterious; I like that that's how it came off.

The reality is that we were working off the old school model: release a single, release a few songs, and see what happens. Maybe that will turn into a record contract; what path will that open up? In the end, we ended up finishing the album ourselves and releasing it ourselves.

I think the reason for the pause in 2025 is that we released those singles, we got good feedback. We had some promising conversations with labels, but nothing final materialized. And then we got to the point where we thought, "Well, we really like the thing that we're creating on our own, so let's just finish it on our own."

And at that point, we realized, "Okay, there's already four songs that are out. We need to just save the rest for the album." We just kind of changed tack and focused on finishing the album.

SFBayAreaConcerts: With Dreamers [In Exile], you created an album that is Voxtrot, but feels new, feels energized. One word that comes to mind is "urgent"—as if the band has a lot to say.

There are all these references to racing and fighting. What was the band's frame of mind when it came to recording?

Ramesh: The recording? Well, there were two chapters of recording for this album. The first chapter started in January of 2023, right after that reunion tour. All five original members were coming to this town where I live, (Lockhart, Texas) where actually Matt, Jason, and I live.

We were rehearsing, working on arranging the new songs, and then trying to record them at the end of each one of those week-long sessions. It was a very organized, very intentional process.

That's how we recorded most of the songs on the record, actually. For the second half, it got to the point where the two members that live out of state just weren't able to come as frequently. Then, it pivoted to Matt, Jason, and I, the ones that live here, to finish the rest of the record.

But the majority of the record is all five original members.

SFBayAreaConcerts: The "Esprit de Coeur" Variant Project was pretty fantastic. It must have been exciting for the band to see so many different interesting takes on what's unarguably a great song.

Did you learn something after synthesizing the song through other musicians?

Ramesh: Well, I was honestly kind of hands off with that. Mitch, the guitarist—I think he might have been the one that suggested it; or maybe James, our manager... But Mitch was the most involved with it as I recall.

I guess what I learned from it was, I was just kind of flattered to see how much love there is for Voxtrot—that people would do that. And some of them were great! I really enjoyed them for their own artistic merit.

But what I really took away from it is that I was really touched that people were interested enough and cared enough to do that.

SFBayAreaConcerts: There's obviously something about that song ["Esprit de Coeur"] that speaks to people, I think that's fantastic too.

The bass on "My Peace" sounds insane. In fact, the whole album is recorded and mixed with great clarity; the separation is there. Tell us a little bit about some studio tricks.

Ramesh: Oh, gosh if only Jason were here with me!

Jason, who is also the bass player, also recorded this whole album. What sets Jason apart from a lot of other engineers recording music right now is that he's really, really invested in getting great gear; and a lot of it is vintage gear and really nice vintage microphones.

There is a lot of intentionality behind the pure raw signal, before there's any kind of 21st century digital trickery. (And there's not that much of that with us.)

But there's a lot of care put into the original raw sound being very, very good.

SFBayAreaConcerts: I can hear that. The Höfner in the video, do you know if he's using that on that song or?

Ramesh: He definitely is, yeah. That's very cool.

SFBayAreaConcerts: There are a bunch of great songs on Cut from the Stone. Obviously, you gave that to the fans to chew on leading up to the new album.

You talked about "Kindergarten" with Consequence of Sound, but "The Dream Lives of Ordinary People" is another really exciting, powerful track. Can you tell us a little bit more about that song?

Ramesh: Yeah, that song title is inspired by this French movie called The Dream Lives of Angels. It's been so long that I can't even remember what happens in the movie... (I might be mixing it up with that other incredible French movie, Blue Is the Warmest Color.)

I think Dream Lives of Angels might be a lesbian love story, but I can't remember. It's one of the only Voxtrot songs from that era where I make direct reference to my being gay or just to my queer life as it's posed in that song.

That song is recorded in the same session as "Berlin Without Return," and that was the last stuff we did. The first time we were a band, that was the final thing.

I remember going in with both of those songs, not really having a plan, just trying a bunch of stuff and being really free and experimental—I love the way both of those came out. They have, to me, just a very special, really memorable feeling to them.

SFBayAreaConcerts: It does, yeah, it's really courageous too. And it's really catchy. So it's kind of the best of both worlds.

"The Start of Something" has just under 39,000,000 streams on Spotify. That's pretty impressive. What's your current take on the digital landscape for musicians? I saw you've been communicating through Bandcamp—today is a Bandcamp Friday! What is your take on what's going on right now in the streaming space?

Ramesh: My take is that I stopped having opinions about it a while ago. At this point, I just accept that it exists. I am aware of some of the mechanisms of what makes tracks appear in algorithms, and I know there's a science to it. But I drove myself so crazy the first time around about trying to mastermind it; how to do everything right and have the most visibility.

Now, I'm not saying I never look at the streaming numbers and that I don't care, but I'm pretty hands off with it.

SFBayAreaConcerts: Okay, that's probably a pretty healthy way to be. We love tools like Bandcamp because it gives fans more opportunity to obviously engage with musicians; and the direct funding through Bandcamp Fridays is really cool.

When Raised by Wolves was first released, it felt to me that each song was like a little character or a short story: unique, different, and self-contained. Twenty years later, what strikes you most about that EP and can you tell me something you remember about recording Wrecking Force?

Ramesh: Well, something that strikes me about that EP is that I think... if I had to say what makes that collection of songs so loved as it is still, statistically the most listened to of the Voxtrot material, I would say that it's because the emotion on it is so pure.

All of those songs, except for "The Start of Something," are written about the first person that I fell in love with—one of my best friends in Glasgow. It was complicated by the fact that he was straight, and I was gay. I guess now, twenty years later, I think there's a little more room in the cultural consciousness for just the concept of queerness. That's the mystery of love: it kind of transcends, you know? Gender can transcend societal limitations.

But all those songs are, except "The Start of Something," about that one person. I think it's just apparent that the emotion is real, you know? Like, there's almost nothing cultivated about it. This is really how I feel.

Clearly, first love, the first cut is the deepest—pretty much everybody has felt that. So I think that's what makes it kind of eternally relatable. Definitely universal.

SFBayAreaConcerts: The Independent is a great venue. The sound there is fantastic with some great history. Do you have any favorite San Francisco stories to share? And do you remember that show at the Great American Music Hall in 2010?

Ramesh: San Francisco, and California in general, with both LA and San Francisco, we've always had great experiences there.

LA is a bigger market for us numbers-wise. I guess technically that's our strongest market; but San Francisco, that's like one of the places we felt the most loved.

Most of us had never been there before we played, and I just remember going there the first time on our first West Coast tour. And of course, because I'm obsessed with the 60s, I know so much about San Francisco. I've read about it since I was, like, 12.

Just getting out of the van, I just thought it was instantly the most magical place. It's unbelievable to look at when you're coming over the bridge—you just can't believe that any city in the U.S. or elsewhere could even look like that. It's like a fairy tale.

And we had an amazing time. We played at The Rickshaw Stop at this indie pop fest, and there was this crew of people who we ended up becoming friends with for years, to this day. They just loved Voxtrot, they knew all the songs, and they took us out to all these parties, just from the get go.

It was one of our favorite places and I loved playing at The Independent last time; those people are awesome.

We used to always play at Bottom of the Hill and then the Great American Music Hall. Truly, one of my favorite venues on Earth. It's really beautiful. The people that work there are awesome.

SFBayAreaConcerts: Thanks so much. And thanks for this album—it's truly something great.

Ramesh: Thanks!

Ghost Skeletour 2026 Review: A Haunting Night at Sacramento's Golden 1 Center (2/20/26)

2026-02-21T12:13:00.000-08:00

Ghost @ the Golden 1 Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Ghost lead singer, creator and visionary Tobias Forge stirred up quite a bit of intrigue for fans of the band heading into Friday night's packed Skeletour 2026 concert at Sacramento's Golden 1 Center. In a to-be-published interview with Sweden Rock Magazine (indeed it may even be published by the time you are reading this coverage), Forge announced that Ghost would be taking a long pause as soon as the 2026 tour had concluded. After the Sacramento show, only two Southern California dates remained, and the question remained unanswered if this show could in fact be the end of the band's 20-year run.

Ghost @ the Golden 1 Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Formed in 2006 as a Swedish "theater band", Forge remains the only uniquely recognizable band member as he performs surrounded by a band of "Nameless Ghouls." Though Forge originally only wanted to play guitar, after being turned down by multiple potential vocalists, he stepped up and then some as he became the face and voice of the band with a unique style and flair for approachable theatricality in concert. The band's rise over the last decade has seen their music evolve from an origin of death metal into a sound that injects pop and arena-worthy anthems into their firmly heavy base. It's a successful evolution that has carried them to Grammy nominations, topping the Billboard charts and headlining arenas throughout the world.

Ghost @ the Golden 1 Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The Skeletour began in April of 2025 and carried on Ghost's theme of a satanic takeover of the papacy. In concert, Forge had taken on different versions of church leader Papa Emeritus since 2010 — starting with Emeritus I through 2012 and finishing with Emeritus IV in 2025. This tour introduced Papa V Perpetua a year earlier in February 2025 (OK, if you are a true Ghost aficionado, Saxophonist Papa Nihil did don the robes from 2018-2020 as a predecessor). Each of the Papas suffered a death before their replacement came in. Originally each of the "Nameless Ghouls" represented one of the five elements and so were referred to as "fire", "water" etc. There has been some public debate as to whether the backing members' faceless anonymity was to promote focus on art over personalities or to make them easily replaceable. But indeed, Forge himself was not identified and singled out until 2017 and band member identification seems to be a popular sport on the internet with few lineup changes since Covid.

Ghost @ the Golden 1 Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

This desire for the audience to focus on the art was on full display at Golden 1 as the Yondr system was used where cell phones were placed in pouches and not allowed to be used in the arena. It was my first time attending a concert with these requirements and while it forced me into trying to take and somehow later decipher notes handwritten in the dark, the concertgoing experience was incredibly refreshing. Concertgoers seemed much more involved in the show and interacting with band members than the usual sea of phones being held up for videos that will likely never be seen again. However, I must admit that several times I reached for my phone and it was truly an odd feeling to spend the 120+ minutes without accessing it.

Ghost @ the Golden 1 Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The concert began with a dark shredded curtain in front with lights out and only Forge seen singing "Peacefield" on the side video screens. As the curtains dropped and blinding white backlights blasted forward with an audience on their feet, it was striking to see all the arms up in the air with not a single phone in sight. Shortly Forge emerged in character with his black tuxedo jacket, gloves and striking silver mask. The band performed against a flat backdrop of only lighting and their set for the first three songs (we were allowed to photograph "Peacefield", "Lachryma" and "Spirit").

Ghost @ the Golden 1 Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Despite the lack of flashy backdrop or video behind them, the energy and theatricality of Ghost more than compensated for it. While the audience could not see the faces of the "Nameless Ghouls", the band members were in constant motion, and their exaggerated physical expressions and posturing pushed their distinct and over-the-top personalities forward and connected deeply with a completely focused audience.

Ghost @ the Golden 1 Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

By the time they played their 2015 hit "Cirice" about eight songs in, the crowd remained on its feet as Ghost performed beneath a giant church backdrop of stained glass with demonic figures in the panes. "Darkness at the Heart of My Love" began with the band and audience snapping along with the beat and then saw dramatic fog creating an illusion that the background singers and keyboards were playing precariously above an abyss. "Satanized" off their latest album seemed to be the most energetic and enthusiastic moment for the band in the main set with Forge telling the crowd "We are going to find out how Satanized you are here in Sacramento!"

Ghost @ the Golden 1 Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Forge left the stage much more frequently than most lead singers — not just for costume changes, but seemingly to allow the rest of his band members to share in the spotlight as the three string players did taking center stage under purple light during "Umbra". For "Year Zero" Forge emerged in full papal robes and hat as Papa V Perpetua with the band almost ceasing to move until allowed by their leader. Steam cannons were supplemented by a large amount of pyro for the biggest visual production of the night.

Ghost @ the Golden 1 Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

For "He Is" the demonic figures in the stained-glass background were replaced by smiling, hippie-like faces and Forge changed out of the papal robes and into a gold tuxedo jacket for "Rats". After an intro lamenting that they would not be able to stay the night in Sacramento and an audience participation exchange urged on by blown kisses, Forge and Ghost delivered "Kiss the Go-Goat" in a style that was reminiscent of Jane's Addiction and more disco than death metal. Under Forge's hand, the song became a joyous incantation for the packed arena.

Ghost @ the Golden 1 Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

"Mummy Dust" and "Monstrance Clock" finished out the main set. As the band exited the stage, the screens continued to show the chorus of "Come together, together as one" again and again until Forge emerged for the encore. "We keep a few bangers until the end for the people that stay," he told the still nearly intact crowd. "Mary on the Cross" led off the encore, followed by a version of "Dance Macabre" that would have been completely at home in a club. The band ended the night with the traditional closer of "Square Hammer" to send the Sacramento audience home having seen one of the last Ghost concerts for the foreseeable future.

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Jorma Kaukonen Birthday Bash: Jefferson Airplane Legend Joined by Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi at SF Masonic

2025-12-06T14:04:00.000-08:00

Jorma Kaukonen, Susan Tedeschi, and Derek Trucks @ the Masonic (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Jorma Kaukonen's 85th birthday celebration swung into SF Masonic for a hometown gig on Friday night with the Hot Tuna / Jefferson Airplane founding guitarist playing to a more than sold out crowd as he was joined onstage by family and friends in a loving tribute to his legacy.

Jorma Kaukonen & Jay Blakesberg @ the Masonic (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The night began with iconic rock photographer Jay Blakesberg presenting Kaukonen with a certificate from San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie proclaiming December 5, 2025, as "Jorma Kaukonen Day" in The City. Blakesberg shared the story of how he acquired his 1978 image by tracking Kaukonen to a restaurant and getting the more than wide-eyed Jorma to turn to the camera and smile. The intro was more than fitting given Blakesberg's 47-year history since of capturing Jorma in various phases.

Jorma Kaukonen @ the Masonic (Photo: Sean Reiter)

After giving a standing ovation, the crowd settled back into their seats for an acoustic night that featured soft and intricate playing throughout- starting with a solo Jorma interpretation of his "Song for the North Star." Throughout most of the night, you could hear a pin drip inside the stone hall and any and all conversations seemed to be pushed to the halls outside the theater's bowl. Other than rapturous applause following nearly every of the 17 jam-filled songs - only the occasional shout of "We love you Jorma" or request were heard throughout the performance.

Peter and Jorma Kaukonen @ the Masonic (Photo: Sean Reiter)

"In music, everyone calls each other 'Bro'", Jorma told the crowd as he welcomed his first guest. "But in this case, he really is." Jorma's brother, Peter Kaukonen joined him for an acoustic guitar duo on "How Long Blues" and "Fair & Tender Ladies." John Hurlbut then followed Peter's exit to join Jorma for another pair of mesmerizing acoustic guitar covers with Roger McGuinn's "Ballad of Easy Rider" and Dylan's "I'll Remember You."

Jack Casady & Jorma Kaukonen @ the Masonic (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The crowd erupted in a long-standing ovation as longtime Airplane and Hot Tuna bassist Jack Casady was introduced and joined on bass – along with Hot Tuna drummer Justin Guip and harmonica player Ross Garren. Casady had been forced to bow out of Jorma's recent concert at Carnegie Hall due to a health issue, but seemed to have more than bounced back as he spent nearly the entire night on stage with his electric bass.

Jorma Kaukonen & Susan Tedeschi @ the Masonic (Photo: Sean Reiter)

After they'd played Jorma's "Flying Clouds", legendary Susan Tedeschi (Tedeschi Trucks Band) was joined for one of two stage appearances on the night. Following a rollicking "Uncle Sam Blues", Jorma turned to Tedeschi and jokingly remarked "If I could play like that I coulda' been someone."

Sam Grisman & Jorma Kaukonen @ the Masonic (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Mill Valley's Sam Grisman (son of legendary mandolinist David Grisman) had multiple impressive turns on his upright bass throughout the night – supplementing Casady's electric bass in the various group formations. Grisman's smiling and energetic stage presence (often seen in the Bay Area with his Sam Grisman Project) makes him hard to take your eyes off. With this wide smile throughout the night and kinetic motion despite his instrument's immobility, Grisman is a natural band leader and took over vocal duties on both "Jimmie Brown the Newsboy" and the murder ballad "Poor Little Ellen."

Jorma Kaukonen & friends @ the Masonic (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Though he often consulted with Casady on this night, Grisman's stage command is unescapable. Indeed, whenever he tried to walk off, Jorma would beckon him back on with a "Don't Go Anywhere, Sam." This led to one of the night's funniest moments when Grisman tried to exit the stage and had to bring the setlist to Jorma's attention before he finally could wrestle his way away as Jorma told the crowd, "Hold on a second. We are having a band meeting."

Bruce Cockburn & Jorma Kaukonen @ the Masonic (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Bruce Cockburn next came to the stage and delivered heart-wrenching versions of "Pacing The Cage" and "O Sun By Day O Moon By Night". The longtime San Francisco resident's guitar and voice were stunning on a night that was filled with terrific guitars and vocals. Though physically slowed at 80, his talents seemed to have only deepened with the years.

Derek Trucks @ the Masonic (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The moment many had no doubt waited for came next as both Susan Tedeschi and husband Derek Trucks came to the stage to join Jorma for the last four songs of the main set. Their version of Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" provided the greatest highlight of the night with SF Masonic's walls providing the perfect acoustics for Tedeschi to belt out the lyrics and the intimate guitar-playing of both she and Trucks. Indeed, Trucks played the entire night in true acoustic style with his guitar strumming going into a microphone rather than being plugged in with any type of cord.

Jorma Kaukonen & friends @ the Masonic (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The group was joined with a return to the stage by most of the night's performers for a final version of Airplane's "Good Shepherd" that featured a great harmonica solo by Garren and a fierce display of bass by Casady. After the full group stood to take in the crowd's appreciation, the stage was left to only Jorma and Casady for a quite rendition of Hot Tuna's "Water Song" to close out the night.

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Review - The Cult Live at The Warfield - Final Tour Concert Review (10/27/25)

2025-10-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

The Cult @ the Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Monday night's concert at The Warfield offered a chance to see a headline set by The Cult of their greatest hits, combined with a shorter set just prior of songs from their Death Cult era and an opening set by the impressive LA duo Patriarchy.

The Cult @ the Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The Cult concert was carrying a heavy weight after the band's announcement last week that the ending concerts of this tour would be the end of The Cult touring for "an undetermined amount of time." "Mother Nature has a cycle of change & evolution that is inevitable. The moon's phases change, tides rise & fall," the band posted on social channels. "Change is necessary for creation & rebirth...we have decided to step away from touring for an undetermined amount of time...we shall now shift our focus to writing, recording new music, and exploring other projects that shall be revealed over time. It is a time for us to turn inward to recharge our spiritual batteries. When we return to the stage, it shall be with an even stronger fire and energy that we will share with all of you."

Ian Astbury of The Cult @ The Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

With only two concerts after The Warfield show remaining on the calendar, Astbury seemed committed to enjoying and savoring every minute of Monday night's show. Astbury has had a long connection with San Francisco - having professed his obsession with both the Haight-Ashbury and psychedelic art.

Bill Duffy of The (Death) Cult @ The Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Despite adopting the Death Cult persona for their first set (really the main differences were a different kick drum cover and guitarist Billy Duffy and bassist Charlie Jones wearing a jacket and long-sleeve shirt, respectively. Death Cult was formed by lead singer Astbury with Duffy in 1983, a year or so before they dropped "Death" to become the more mainstream acceptable "The Cult". The band's 8-song pre-set focused mostly on songs from their 1983 album "Ghost Dance".

Charlie Jones of The (Death) Cult @ The Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Death Cult (in its current lineup configuration of The Cult members) will release a new 16-track live album recorded from their 2023 tour entitled "Paradise Live". The coming live album's early release song "Resurrection Joe" was one of the main highlights of the Death Cult set. "Love you! Love San Francisco!" a gushing Astbury shouted after "Christians", "Cuz we Built this City on Rock n roll. This is for anyone who was at the I-Beam back in 1984!" A terrific version of "Horse Nation" followed (with Astbury teasing the San Francisco Starship classic) before "Spiritwalker" closed out the set.

Ian Astbury of The Cult @ The Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

"This is the best kept secret of the year," Astbury said as the band exited the stage. "That was Death Cult. You might never see that again." Then, spotting a crowd member holding up a lighter in respect, he exclaimed "Is that a REAL lighter?? F@#k yeah!! Thank you!!!"

The Cult @ the Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

When they retook the stage as The Cult, Duffy ignited the crowd with the unmistakable guitar intro for "Wild Flower" as the crowd erupted and the packed general admission floor danced, sang and lifted their arms high in the air. After a driving version of "The Witch" was met with loud applause, Astbury continued his frequent engagement with the crowd. "There you are. That's the San Francisco I know. I can feel that. They are bringing the love here."

Ian Astbury of The Cult @ The Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

"Jim Marshall - I love you. Pigpen - I love you!...City Lights - I love you..." "War (the Presence)" followed with drummer John Tempesta firing at machine gun speed while Duffy got snarly and slithering on guitar.

The Cult @ the Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

"Rain" saw a floor full of cellphones up in the air to video the moment for posterity. A very haunting version of "Edie (Ciao Baby) started with just Duffy and Astbury slowly and methodically easing the song forward (with a bit of assistance from an off-stage keyboard). When the bass and drums kicked in (with some of Tempesta's most memorable drumming of the night), it elevated the song to rock anthem before bringing the song home with a return to Duffy's spotlighted guitar solo.

Ian Astbury of The Cult @ The Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

As the twelve-song The Cult set continued, Astbury continued to soak in the moments -- frequently pausing to take in the crowd and engage with them. Duffy's main engagement came near the end of the set after the band had played "Fire Woman". "Well, I fucked up and on the setlist, we were supposed to play this song before the last one. So, here's a little bonus track and one of Ian's Favorites," he told the crowd. Indeed, a search of prior setlists showed that the song "Lil Devil" had come before "Fire Woman" in the other shows.

The Cult @ the Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Finally, the band brought the show to an end with the set closer "Love Removal Machine" and then an encore of "She Sells Sanctuary". After the song had concluded and house lights were brought up, Astbury provided enthusiastic introductions of each of his bandmates as much of the crowd lingered and applauded. He then got down onto the carpet near his microphone in a Zen position and appeared to meditate for a final moment.

Actually Huizenga of Patriarchy @ The Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Earlier, the night was kicked off by the "industrial electro-shock rock" two-member band Patriarchy who took the stage in near darkness and created a wall of music that was reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails and The White Stripes. Lead singer and guitarist Actually Huizenga's confidence and stage presence was mesmerizing. Her theatrical approach and looks -- combined with drummer AJ English's terrific stand-up drumming and sampling -- created a memorable 30-minute performance that was memorable and stood out among rock acts. Their energy and sound filled The Warfield -- even spilling out into the lobby. While, a traditional rock fan may have been caught off-guard, I thought their selection was refreshing and would put them on my "must watch for the future" list from 2025.

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Review - Garbage and Starcrawler Live at The Warfield (10/24/25)

2025-10-25T12:20:00.000-07:00

Shirley Manson of Garbage @ the Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

"If you're ready for love," Garbage lead singer Shirley Manson repeated over and over as she stood bathed in a solo white spotlight at The Warfield Friday night - looking every bit the alternative rock star in a black and white leather jacket, large thigh high black boots and black kilt-like skirt with leggings beneath. The band -- opening with "There's No Future in Optimism" the lead song off their 2025 album Let All That We Imagine Be The Light brought their "Happy Endings" tour to San Francisco on their final lap of a US Tour with phenomenal LA band Starcrawler in the support role in a concert that showcased both the past and future of alternative rock 'n' roll.

Shirley Manson of Garbage @ the Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Garbage's original lineup of Manson, drummer (and producer extraordinaire) Butch Vig and guitarists Steve Marker and Duke Erikson have stayed consistent since Scotland's Manson joined the others in Madison in 1994. Vig had already established himself as an incredibly successful producer having cut Nirvana's Nevermind (in a terrible trivia note: Vig first saw Manson perform live with her prior band Angelfish in London on the night that Kurt Cobain's suicide was announced).

Butch Vig of Garbage @ the Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

While Manson may have joined the others, Friday night it was clear who the spotlight belonged rightfully to as she prowled the stage back and forth with dark eye makeup and a long ponytail pulled tightly back (so tight that in some of my photos under the bright spotlight, she actually looked bald).

Shirley Manson of Garbage @ the Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The band's core four were joined by impressive bassist Nicole Fiorentino who had previously been a member of Veruca Salt and Smashing Pumpkins. Fiorentino may have been a late addition to the band, but her bass line was front and center all night long and her backing vocals were terrific providing a layer of depth to feed Manson's choruses in all the right moments.

Nicole Fiorentino of Garbage @ the Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Manson continually engaged with the crowd and celebrated being in San Francisco -- even adding a VERY personal accent to the show. "Well, well, well San Francisco! It is a true joy to be here again," Manson told the audience about a half-hour into the show. "I think this is the seventh time we've played this incredible theater. I have a lot of personal attachments to this venue. My parents came out here and saw us play here and this was my father's favorite city in America," she continued to loud applause.

Garbage @ the Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

"He crossed in the QE2 from Scotland and drove all the way across the country from New York to study at the University of (California at) Davis...I lost my father about three weeks ago and he's been on my mind all day today. When he was dying, he was really in a lot of pain and they gave him a lot of painkillers and his fantasy was that he had to get better because he was due to catch a flight to San Francisco," Manson shared as she fought back tears along with the audience members, who then responded with supportive applause. "So, you can imagine waking up in this city this morning was quite a thing. So, I'm gonna' dedicate this to my old man!" With that Garbage, delivered an inspired (and ironically titled) "The Trick Is to Keep Breathing."

Shirley Manson of Garbage @ the Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

After a powerful version of "#1 Crush," Manson took the moment to make their philosophies clear in the difficult and divisive modern climate. "We've made a point of playing this next song every night of our tour. It's important at a time when the whole wide world seems to be "othering" and pointing fingers at people and telling them they are wrong and don't live properly.... I just want to make it clear to anyone who is here tonight" We don't give a flying f@#k what God you worship. We don't give one flying f@#k what color your skin is or what gender you are, what sexuality you are, who you want to f@#k and how you want to f@#k them. We don't care what kind of foods you prefer, what kind of animals you like in your home or how you decorate your house. It's all so f@#king stupid. Live and let live and let everyone do what they want to do -- how they want to."

Shirley Manson of Garbage @ the Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

"It's of immense importance that we all hold each other's hands through this...it's all so full of nastiness and bitchiness and hatred and intolerance that it is going to make us all sick. So, what we have to do is focus on what makes us all the same and stick together like glue." A back-to-back of "Bleed Like Me" and "Queer" followed that solidly connected with the Warfield.

Shirley Manson of Garbage @ the Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

New release "Chinese Fire Horse" shined as a defiant anthem with Fiorentino's strong background vocals and Vig's powerful driving beat combining to lay a strong foundation under Manson's repeated cry of "Wait a f@#king minute." Manson later clarified that they would not be touring the whole US again, but didn't rule out future shows in the Bay Area "You are on the coast, so you are lucky c@#ts," she told The Warfield. "But we didn't want to thank you all for 30 years" as the lights came up on the crowd and both the band and audience lustily applauded and cheered. "We have been told numerous times that "they are over" and nobody is interested...and then you all miraculously kept us alive. The fact that you are all here tonight and showed up for us and we were so grateful. I hope you can feel how sincere this and how beautiful this has been." Vig then launched the band into a driving version "Push It" and then into a hypnotic version of "When I Met God" to close out the main set. Garbage returned to encore two of their biggest hits "Stupid Girl" -- where Marker's tapping of the keys felt surprisingly ominous live - and "Only Happy When It Rains" where Manson encouraged and regaled in the audience handling the chorus "Pour your misery down on me" to finish the night.

Starcrawler @ the Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Earlier, Starcrawler absolutely blew the audience away with their unique combination of classic and punk rock delivered in the spirit of classic performers such as Aerosmith. Taking the stage to an ironic "Tumbling Tumbleweeds", the LA band launched into a sting and drum intro that was reminiscent of a smoke-filled 80's Cow Palace before lead singer Arrow de Wilde burst onto the stage. The band was all the great things about live rock and roll - poses, dramatic pauses in their songs and shouting choruses.

Starcrawler @ the Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

I'm not overstating the potential of Starcrawler when I say that this band - with their combination of songwriting, playing and dramatic stage presence -- must be headlining arenas soon or rock is truly dead. Songs like "Roadkill", "Stranded" and "It's 3 AM" blasted the appreciative Warfield audience with brothers Henri and Bill Cash dazzling on guitars as bassist Tim Franco and drummer Seth Carolina provided a powerful rhythm support. But Wilde's presence was absolutely magnetic as the tall, thin and long-haired singer was in constant motion and provided a 30-minute adrenaline burst for the crowd. Here look and stage command blended the best of Steven Tyler, Joey Ramone and Patty Smith into a delicious performance cocktail.

Starcrawler @ the Warfield (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Garbage's Manson was perhaps the most enthusiastic supporter of her opening band and summed them up nicely "I need to thank the amazing Starcrawler for opening for us this evening. They are so fantastic, and they work their f@#king asses off and they are very special and unlike any band out there. They are so disciplined and always smiling and gorgeous. Here's to Starcrawler! Long may they reign!!"

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Review - Justice and Kaytranada Deliver Spectacular Co-Headlining Show at Oakland Arena (10/22/25)

2025-10-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

Justice @ the Oakland Arena (Photo: Matt Pang)

OAKLAND – Two of the most prominent electronic musicians of this generation have collaborated to present a one-of-a-kind tour. After completing the Hyperdrama tour, Justice returns to present yet another polished high-production show. Collaborating with producer/artist Kaytranada, who recently released his album AIN'T NO DAMN WAY!, the two have defined what it means to bring top-tier talent together in one concert.

Sam Gellaitry @ the Oakland Arena (Photo: Matt Pang)

Sam Gellaitry kicked off the night with funk and disco vibes that filled the dancefloor. He played hits including START UP A RUMOR, Picture in My Mind, and NEW WAVE while a purple light illuminated his CDJs. Sam provides a new, refreshing feel to his disco DJ sets, performing collective hits like his viral song "Assumptions," which got everyone dancing.

Kaytranada @ the Oakland Arena (Photo: Matt Pang)

Kaytranada took the stage next, stunning the crowd with a 360-degree setup placed in the center of the Oakland Arena. As the lights dimmed, a deep blue glow illuminated his CDJs, and the energy in the arena instantly surged. He kicked off his set with favorites from TIMELESS and Bubba, including "Drip Sweat," "Hold On," and "Need It." The production was on another level with lights pulsed across the arena, synced perfectly with every beat. Suddenly, the stage began to rise, lifting Kaytranada more than 50 feet into the air as he continued his set. The entire arena transformed into one massive dance floor, filled with smoke, light beams, and pure movement.

Kaytranada @ the Oakland Arena (Photo: Matt Pang)

He kept the crowd on its feet with remixes like Rihanna's "Kiss It Better" and Janet Jackson's "If." Throughout the performance, his energy was infectious raising his wine glass, smiling, and thanking the crowd for their energy. He closed with songs from his latest album AIN'T NO DAMN WAY!, including "SHINE YOUR LIGHT FOR WE" and "SPACE INVADER," as the arena turned green and the Space Invader graphic played across the screens.

Kaytranada @ the Oakland Arena (Photo: Matt Pang)

As the audience turned toward the front of the arena, the anticipation for Justice was rising. A series of beeps built into the iconic horns of "Genesis," and two silhouettes emerged as Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay of Justice flashed on stage. The lights burst from behind, revealing the duo with their signature cross glowing bright. They opened with a mashup of tracks from WWW before diving into a seamless blend of classics like "Canon x Love S.O.S." and new songs from Hyperdrama such as "Mannequin Love" and "One Night/All Night." Justice's lighting design once again elevated the experience, delivering a visual as powerful as their sound.

Justice @ the Oakland Arena (Photo: Matt Pang)

One of the highlights of Justice's set was how effortlessly they mixed songs from past albums with new material, creating smooth, refreshing transitions. Tracks like "Neverender" and "Safe and Sound" flowed into "Love S.O.S." making familiar songs feel completely fresh. The magic of these sets is that you may hear the same track twice, but it will sound completely different because of how it's being mixed.

Justice @ the Oakland Arena (Photo: Matt Pang)

They closed the night with a reworked version of "D.A.N.C.E.," layered with a Jay-Z sample and transitioning to "Safe and Sound" and "Neverender." The crowd was electric as the duo took their final bow beneath the glowing cross. "The End" from Hyperdrama played as Gaspard and Xavier stepped down from the stage to greet fans, shaking hands and signing autographs, a perfect close to an unforgettable night.

Justice @ the Oakland Arena (Photo: Matt Pang)

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Review - Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2025 Review: Courtney Barnett, Lucinda Williams & More (10/3 - (10/5)

2025-10-06T20:11:00.000-07:00

Lucinda Williams @ Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2025 (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass once again filled Golden Gate Park with stages of diverse, talented musicians on the first weekend of October in the City's beloved annual free musical festival. Supported by the philanthropy of the Warren Hellman Foundation, the festival has long presented a weekend that leans heavily on great music and stays light on overt commercialization.

Celebrating its 25th year, this year's lineup was stacked every day and throughout the day. Here's a look at some of the highlights and photos HSB 2025:

Day 1 - Friday

BALTHVS started us off sexy

BALTHVS @ Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2025 (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The three-person, psychedelic Columbian groove band created a sexy and trance-like vibe opening up Friday's Tower of Gold stage. While this band draws many comparisons to Khruangbin, they brought their killer vibe to Bottle Rock earlier this year in a set that had the crowd abuzz. Friday's tough 1 pm slot saw them quickly win over the crowd. Their decision to throw in a delightful cover of Grateful Dead's "Shakedown Street" in the Golden Gate Park setting was smart and electrifying.

Margo's infectious enthusiasm in the afternoon sun

Margo Price @ HSB 2025 (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Margo Price and her band delivered once again on a big Bay Area festival stage with a set at the Banjo Stage that included a blend of her defiant and liberated originals ("Hurtin' (on the Bottle)" and "Don't Wake Me up") and classic covers (Dylan's "Maggie's Farm", George Jones' "I Just Don't Give A Damn" and an encore of Janis Joplin's "Mercedes Benz"). For many, the highlight seemed to be when Rodney Crowell came out to join the barefoot singer for a fun version of "Don't Let the Bastards Get You Down."

The Reverand fired them up

The Reverand Horton Heat @ HSB 2025 (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The Reverand Horton Heat took the Towers of Gold Stage resplendent in a beautiful blue suit with his retro, guitar-forward rock 'n' roll driving the crowd's energy. His set provided a nice blend of sneer and smile and his cover of "Big River", and finale of "Big Red Rocket of Love" served as highlights.

ALO and The Mother Hips brought the hometown vibes

ALO @ HSB 2025 (Photo: Sean Reiter)

ALO and The Mother Hips have long been two of the Bay Area's most consistent and energetic live performers whether playing at smaller or larger venues throughout the Bay. Though they tour throughout the country, there is a devoted and passionate local audience that identifies them as "ours". Friday saw them scheduled for back-to-back sets at the Swan and Towers of Gold stages in front of crowds that were extremely packed and passionate for the mid-afternoon Day 1 slot. ALO threw out a terrific version of "Maria and were joined by local treasure Laurie Lewis for "Rare Air." The Mother Hips didn't allow the blazing midday sun to keep them down one bit as they blasted through classics like "Later Days", "Honeydew" and "Am I Allowed."

Nitty Gritty goes deep and long

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band @ HSB 2025 (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Hardly Strictly runs a tight and on-time ship, but longtime favorite rockers Nitty Gritty Dirt Band wasn't leaving until they considered the job done and no one seemed to protest their finish going into overtime with a rollicking, long cover of The Band's "The Weight". Versions of Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere", Hank Williams' "Jambalaya" and Jerry Jeff Walker's "Mr. Bojangles" seemed to have aged nicely when presented by NGDB.

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats delivered the energy

Nathaniel Rateliff NEVER disappoints. His never wavering, authentic enthusiasm is second to none and Friday's performance felt like a church revival combined with a daytime keg party as he headlined the Towers of Gold stage. Songs such as "I Need Never Get Old" and the always rollicking "SOB" had the crowd shooting their hands in the air, dancing and singing along.

"Finding Lucinda" Friday Night

Ismay's 'Finding Lucinda' event @ The 4-Star Theater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

After Nathaniel Rateliff, Amos Lee and The Devil Makes Three had long finished their headlining sets, a HSB star-studded event was held up the hill at Clement Street's The 4 Star Theater with a screening and performance combination celebrating Ismay's documentary "Finding Lucinda". The film captures the search of Ismay (Avery Hellman) for answers about how and whether she should pursue her musical ambitions as she embarks on a road trip to explore the origin and legacy of Lucinda Wiliams. Prior to the screening of the film, eventgoers in the intimate theater were treated to live performances and stories about both Ismay and Lucinda from Hardly Strictly luminaries that included Steve Earle, Chuck Prophet and Jimmie Dale Gilmore – along with Olivia Wolf, Elizabeth Lubin and Ismay herself. The documentary is well-worth purchasing or renting on Apple TV, Amazon or other stream services for any fans of music - with a compelling storyline, fascinating anecdotes and stunning cinematography.

Day 2 – Saturday

Courtney Barnett delivered straight-ahead headliner rock to a huge crowd

Courtney Barnett @ HSB 2025 (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Courtney Barnett brought all her fun and rock power to Saturday's headlining set on the Swan Stage and delivered the most memorable set of the weekend. Despite being placed into a timeslot that required festivalgoers to decide between catching her set or those of HSB stalwarts Steve Earle and Robert Earl Keen. Barnett brought the youngest and seemingly most enthusiastic crowd out in overflowing numbers – estimates ranged from 50,000 to 80,000. Barnett and her fellow bandmates - drummer Stella Mozgawa and bassist Bones Sloane – took the stage with confidence and power and never let up. Barnett had the crowd pulsing throughout the set and frequently voiced here appreciation of the moment while delivering a sonic assault with her left-handed guitar playing. I was lucky enough to be able to see and capture her performance from the far back of the massive crowd to being on the stage. Based on the comments I heard the next day – I was far from alone in labeling Barnett's effort the most memorable and captivating set of the weekend.

Tweedy made it a family affair

Jeff Tweedy @ HSB 2025 (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Jeff Tweedy's set at the Towers of Gold Stage featured the Wilco Frontman with a full band that included his sons Spencer (drums) and Sammy (vocals). The set was highlighted by the live debut of "Betrayed" early and a version of "California Stars" that he delivered as Saturday's bright sun gave way to the evening's golden hour before sunset. Like Barnett, Tweedy brought a huge crowd. Many who saw the big crowd for Barnett chose to try to fight their way for a good spot, but rather steady in place to listen to the headline set.

Cimafunk brought the party and invited many to join

Cimafunk @ HSB 2025 (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Cimafunk's exuberant set on the Swan stage featured a large collection of musicians and a ton of loving fans on the side of the stage. Their Afro-Cuban sound shot energy into the crowd and was then underlined by audience members being encouraged to join them on stage. By the time the set was done, the stage was completely full of celebrants!

A Toast to Audie

Austin De Lone Celebration @ HSB 2025 (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Bill Kirchen gathered fellow band members and musical friends earlier in the day at the massive Banjo Stage to celebrate the life and music of longtime Mill Valley keyboardist and musical treasure Austin "Audie" De Lone - who passed away in January of this year. Kirchen was joined by De Lone's daughter, singer Caroline, Nick Lowe, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and De Lone's beloved bandmates form Wreckless Strangers, among others for a musical sendoff that featured many of De Lone's song. The set was highlighted by a brilliant guitar battle between Kirchen and Wreckless Strangers' David Noble.

Max Gomez showed a full Horseshoe Hill that he's one to watch

Max Gomez @ HSB 2025 (Photo: Sean Reiter)

New Mexico's Max Gomez has played several well-attended shows in the North Bay in recent times and his early Saturday slot on the intimate Horseshoe Hill Stage was well-attended and provided a nice bit of early day shade for those seeking an escape from the weekend's never-ending sun. Gomez put his compelling blend of likability and storytelling – combined with great songwriting – on full display.

Day 3 – Sunday

Madeline Hawthorne kicks things off in style

Madeline Hawthorne @ HSB 2025 (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Colorado's Madeline Hawthorne played the hand she was dealt - an early day slot on the tucked back Arrow Stage – and won. Hawthorne's talent and stage command was on full display as her magnetic performance brought crowd members over in droves from the Banjo Stage, food stands and the nearby entrance. By the time she stepped off stage from her first HSB appearance the crowd had swollen and roared with appreciation. It seems likely that her next visit to HSB will be on a bigger stage and a later slot!

Moonalice was all good vibes on The Swan Stage

Moon Alice @ HSB 2025 (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The positive energy of Moonalice was overflowing on Sunday – best evidenced by the never-ending smile that founding guitarist Roger McNamee had on his face as he played along with 85-year-old Lester Chambers on songs such as "Let's Get Funky and "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love and Understanding." The T-Sisters shined on "Me and My Family" and the band leaned into a "Turn on Your Lovelight" that had the audience shooting their hands up and singing along

The Man of 1,000 Personas presented another great one

Chuck Prophet @ HSB 2025 (Photo: Sean Reiter)

At this point, Chuck Prophet has presented himself to adoring audience in the Bay Area in so many different formats and bands that it should have come as a surprise to no one that he would bring Chuck Prophet & His Cumbia Shoes to HSB. Prophet - who stared down Stage 4 lymphoma earlier in the year – presented the music that inspired him through his recovery to a big crowd at Towers of Gold Stage as a blend of South American sounds with his San Francisco influences in a fun and engaging performance.

High times for Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets

Nick Lowe & Los Straightjackets @ HSB 2025 (Photo: Sean Reiter)

While there may be a huge visual difference between the debonair rock 'n' roller Nick Lowe and the Mexican wrestling-masked Los Straitjackets, the blending of their 50's and 60's guitar pop influenced rock sound was undeniable. The band darted through more than a dozen songs in their set – including a terrific opening "And So It Goes", "Heart" (Rockpile) and their 2024 collaboration "Jet Pac Boomerang".

Lucinda found on the Banjo Stage

Lucinda Williams @ HSB 2025 (Photo: Sean Reiter)

A massive final day crowd filled the bowl in front of The Banjo Stage and spilled up the surrounding hill and back into walkways to pay homage to Lucinda Williams. Williams – who has overcome multiple health and life situations that would have completely sidelined most of us – stood before the huge crowd holding herself steady with her microphone stand as she launched into her recent song "Rock 'n' Roll Heart" followed by massive hit "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road." Williams roared through her 11-song triumphant set – finishing with a cover of Neil Young's "Rocking in the Free World."

From Tragedy Comes Beauty

Alan Sparhawk & Trample by Turtles @ HSB 2025 (Photo: Sean Reiter)

When Low cofounder Mimi Parker passed in 2022, co-founder Alan Sparhawk lost not only his bandmate and creative partner, but also his wife. The Duluth rocker emerged from the tragedy joining with fellow Duluth natives Trampled by Turtles for a new album and tour. Knowing Sparhawk's back story, their festival closing set on The Swan Stage was a powerful, emotional exploration that displayed the power of music to make you feel. Sparhawk's singing seemed to be equally filled with hope and despair while Trampled by Turtles set a beautiful musical canvas below for him to paint upon.

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Review - Neil Young’s Homecoming: Bridge School Spirit Revived at Shoreline (9/12/25)

2025-09-13T20:37:00.000-07:00

Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Neil Young made a triumphant return to Mountain View’s Shoreline Amphitheatre Friday with a concert that deftly balanced his enormous hits and newer messages with a few choice cuts tossed in for good measure. The sold-out bowl and packed grass up top were evidence that he has maintained his drawing power, and there was a heavy murmur of longing for the return of the Bridge School Benefit held at Shoreline every Fall from 1986 through 2016 (except 1987).

The Bridge School Benefit was held as a sacred weekend for many Bay Area music enthusiasts – bringing together older artists combining with newer artists and mostly acoustic versions in short sets. Every year seemed to bring incredible highlights – whether it was a young Green Day bashing their way through a very punk acoustic set or Metallica turning song interpretations inside out with their acoustic approach. The late Eddie Van Halen joined Simon & Garfunkel for “The Sound of Silence” in 1993 and Paul McCartney dueted with the late Bay Area treasure Tony Bennett in 2004.

Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Young hadn’t been back to his home turf for nearly a decade since that last Bridge School Benefit in 2016, and he seemed at moments to be taking it all in. It was clear that Shoreline was a very special stop for the tour. At one point, he looked up at the audience, making his frequent question of “How you doing out there?” when he spotted the giant lit sign up at the very back of the lawn. “What the ‘Sky Bar’? What’s that up at the top?” Later, he paused a few beats after once again thanking the audience. “This was Bill Graham’s favorite place…” he said – leaving it to hang in the September air.

Young’s distinctive vocal style seemed to have defied aging. The man equally at home with throwing sneers or causing tears seemed to have retained his range, and all the complexities of his voice were present. Whether it was the tender “Ambulance Blues” he opened with or the stunningly still appropriate anger of “Ohio,” he effectively took the audience on an emotional journey throughout the show. His many solos served as powerful and howling reminders of his prowess with the instrument. “The Father of Grunge” of course wore his flannel and sent waves of fuzzy guitar chords out into the night.

Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

But it was not just Young himself who wowed the big Shoreline crowd for Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts. The infusion of adrenaline and relative youth from guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Micah Nelson (Particle Kid) and bassist Corey McCormick (Promise of the Real) was bright for both the eyes and ears all night. Nelson – son of Willie Nelson – brought all the grunge/punk/psychedelic elements of his Particle Kid musical persona and threw them into Young’s musical stew. Whether on guitar or keyboards, his presence in every song was forward well beyond a support player. McCormick kept the pace high while sending deep bass lines into Shoreline’s foundation, combining leaps, leans, and a smile that remained glued to his face all night.

Young seemed all too happy to include his fellow string players in the spotlight, and most every song contained a moment of the three coming together for an extended, fun jam that underlined the energy of the song. Don’t get me wrong, both drummer Anthony Logerfo and longtime Young organist Spooner Oldham were substantial contributors on the night. But Nelson and McCormick seemed like they were playing their dream gig up there with Young for all two hours of the show. And the harmonies of McCormick and Nelson were second to none for a man who has spent his career with some of rock’s ultimate harmonizers.

Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

And what a show it was! It was clear after the first few songs that Young was deciding what they would play only after a song had been completed. It was fun to watch the group briefly huddle to talk about what song would play and then the guitar techs would scramble to gather the right instruments. That spontaneity was in keeping with Young’s often-shared philosophy that the first time is generally the best version of a song.

“Long Walk Home,” the 1987 song from one of his times with Crazy Horse, was particularly poignant as Young leaned into a verse he had recently re-shaped to support the state of the world: “From Canada to Old Ukraine: We broke our word and left the pain.” The crowd responded with a roar as Young tenderly played out the song on piano and harmonica with a quiet, jazzy background from his band. “Take care of yourself in this crazy world. And your friends too,” he told the crowd afterward. “I’m just glad to be here tonight.”

Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The night of course provided plenty of songs that still seem to be as purposeful and poignant as they were decades ago. Whether Young was pointing out racism in “Southern Man,” government oppression and violence in “Ohio,” or a driving version of “Be the Rain” that emphasized his chosen cause of protecting the planet and respect for Mother Nature. Young was a master of changing the pace of songs, coming out of the angry thrust of “Ohio” into the singalong protest of “Big Crime” (eliciting huge cheers with “Get the fascists out! Clean the White House out!”) and then into the sweet and wandering “Silver Eagle” and “Sail Away.”

As the show rounded the turn toward the finish line, Young made one more reference to the foreign (to him) sign up top. “How we doing in the Sky Bar,” he asked. “You got the wrong sign, ok??” Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts then blasted to a close with the final five songs of the two-hour show. “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)” saw Young fiery as ever on guitar, bringing Nelson and McCormick in tight multiple times as the whole audience sang the chorus. The power and fury of “Like a Hurricane” was preceded by a sweet “Name of Love” that saw Young on the organ. An acoustic “Old Man” signaled the end of the main set. Finally, the band finished the night appropriately, encoring with the song that had closed so many Bridge School Benefit Shows. “Rockin’ In The Free World” sent the audience home with the message and a reminder of the power and timelessness of both Young’s songs and the man himself.

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Review - Goo Goo Dolls Deliver 40 Years of Hits at UC Berkeley's Greek Theatre (9/4/25)

2025-09-05T18:30:00.000-07:00

Goo Goo Dolls @ the Greek Theatre (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Goo Goo Dolls delivered a hit-filled night at UC Berkeley's William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre that showcased their nearly 40 years of memorable music with a few turns into new and more obscure songs. Founder John Rzeznik (vocals and guitar) and Robby Takac (bass and vocals) seemed to be energized by the full Greek crowd and weather that signaled the start of Fall in the Bay Area.

Goo Goo Dolls @ the Greek Theatre (Photo: Sean Reiter)

After Rzeznik had led a version of "Naked" that began stripped down with him under a solo spotlight and then the band had the crowd buzzing with 1999's "Slide", he asked for the house lights to be brought up so he could see the audience. "Well, it's Berkeley. Of course you're all beautiful," he joked. 2006's "Stay with You" followed before the band went to big hits "Big Machine" and "Black Balloon" that saw black balloons emerge from the audience and end up on stage. "It's nice to be back in California. Always." Rzeznik told the crowd.

John Rzeznik of Goo Goo Dolls @ the Greek Theatre (Photo: Sean Reiter)

"Miracle Pill" – the title song off their 2019 album saw the band appearing to have fun with a looser presentation of a lesser-known song. The song gave both drummer Craig McIntyre and guitarist Rzeznik a chance to stray from any radio formula singalong to more of a jam structure. "What I need is a new true love edible!" Rzeznik sang.

Goo Goo Dolls @ the Greek Theatre (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Many people might not know that the band that brought so many hits to VH1 and may have created the "adult alternative" niche, had a far different beginning. Back in 1986, Rzeznik and Takac started off as "Sex Maggots" a Buffalo, New York band that morphed from covers into a punk sound with Takac handling the lead singing role. Takac still takes turns at the microphone - evidenced at The Greek by his versions of "January Friend" (a song that truly shows their punk roots) and 2019's "Life's a Message." Everything took a distinct turn in the mid-1990's when "Name" and "Iris" both brought them mainstream radio and video success and saw them constantly charting top 40 singles – all with Rzeznik on lead vocals and little of the punk sneer on display.

Goo Goo Dolls @ the Greek Theatre (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Their DNA remains underneath the exterior. Rzeznik can still play guitar with a speed shredder's edge and Takac's bass lines and constant motion on stage are in keeping with their origins. Goo Goo Dolls simply evolved becoming one of the biggest songwriting bands of the alternative era and - as a result - selling more than 15 million records. "Here is Gone" from 2002's "Gutterflower" album was one of those top 40 hits and followed "Nothing Lasts Forever" from their new 2025 album "Summer Anthem."

John Rzeznik of Goo Goo Dolls @ the Greek Theatre (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Rzeznik introduced an acoustic swing through the set that also included the best interactions with the audience of the evening. "Are you guy happy?" he asked the crowd. "I want you to be happy because the world is f@#king insane and the best part of tonight is we are all in here and that s@#t is out there. Don't you all just need a minute to say "ENOUGH!"? Well, just hit your vape 10-20 times tonight and relax. OK, That's the end of John's Ted Talk. In summary: The world is f@#king crazy. Just stick together and smoke pot," he finished in semi-self-mockery.

Robby Takac of Goo Goo Dolls @ the Greek Theatre (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Rzeznik delivered a beautiful solo version of "Sympathy" and followed that up with "Acoustic #3" with only himself and Jim McGorman accompanying him on organ. He introduced "Name" with some personal reflections thrown in. "This song was (our) first song that was ever a hit on the radio. We'd been driving around in a van for 8 years before anyone gave a s@#t," he recalled. "It's funny because you go from having nothing to having too much and that can be worse for you…. The good part is I still get to play this for everyone, and you guys are the reason we are still doing this. So, this is OUR song tonight."

"Name" was begun as solo acoustic before Rzeznik went to acapella singing with the crowd and then the full band rejoined to bring the audience jumping to their feet. "Thanks for keeping us alive!" Rzeznik shouted at the end.

John Rzeznik of Goo Goo Dolls @ the Greek Theatre (Photo: Sean Reiter)

From the acoustic moment, the set steered perhaps a bit too long into the new and/or lesser-known songs without a familiar anthem thrown in to the mix. A five-song stretch that began with "Over and Over" and then went through new songs "Ocean", "Run All Night", Takac's takes on "Life's A Message" and "Bringing On the Light" seemed to lose the audience energy a bit.

Robby Takac of Goo Goo Dolls @ the Greek Theatre (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The familiar piano intro to "Better Days" (with Rzeznik throwing out a hilarious "Merry Christmas" as he began the song that was originally part of a Target Christmas album) shot the crowd with a bit of adrenaline and as the song built the audience began to sing along with the chorus. "Broadway" saw the band return to form with the power and energy of the early set before the band closed the set and encore with "Not Goodbye (Close My Eyes)", a surprise cover of Tom Petty's "You Wreck Me" and the band's gigantic hit "Iris."

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Review - The Offspring at Shoreline: Punk Rock Perfection (8/30/25)

2025-08-31T21:07:00.000-07:00

The Offspring @ Shoreline (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The Offspring headlined a diverse night of throwback alt-rock at Shoreline Amphitheatre that demonstrated how fun and entertaining a concert can be when both the band and the audience share a high level of enthusiasm and appreciation for each other.

The Offspring @ Shoreline (Photo: Sean Reiter)

For The Offspring, the fun didn’t start with their set. After the end of feature act Jimmy Eat World’s set, the audience was treated to a fun series of interactive video and crowd participation moments designed to keep connection and enthusiasm up. It was my first time seeing such an all-out effort at keeping the crowd involved during an intermission and it worked incredibly well! Featured bits included their roving gorilla moving throughout the audience for interactive trivia and giveaways, merch launchers, and fan cams that included “kiss cam,” “booty cam” and the very popular “give ‘em the finger” cam. It played well with an audience that included many in their forties and fifties, but also a large number of young kids and teens enjoying a concert night with the family.

The Offspring @ Shoreline (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Taking the stage to one of their biggest hits “Come Out and Play,” the band had the crowd up and roaring from the get-go. The band delivered a straight from the book version of the song, before lead vocalist Dexter Holland handed over his guitar and took the mic to crisscross the stage as the band ripped through a blistering “All I Want.”

The Offspring @ Shoreline (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“Want You Bad” started off with Holland singing as Jonah Nimoy (yes…he’s the grandson of Leonard Nimoy of Star Trek “Spock” fame) accompanied on organ. Holland’s semi-tender opening led into a fury of fast guitar by the strings and rocket attack by drummer Brandon Pertzborn.

The Offspring @ Shoreline (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The end of the song brought pyro and then the first of many fun interactions from Holland and Noodles about and with the crowd. “NorCal! You gotta’ love it! You guys are already going off,” Holland told the crowd. “You’re so close. This is either the best night of my life or I’m just incredibly high from all the weed smoke that’s coming up on stage here.”

“Could be both!” Noodles exclaimed.

The Offspring @ Shoreline (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Throughout The Offspring’s performance, the screen behind provided many amusing graphic moments that seemed to be inspired by a blending of the cartoon style of The Simpsons and Beavis & Butthead and provided extra fun graphics all night. For much of the middle of the set inflatable skeleton heads with upper torso served as a background on either side of the back of the stage. The performance was augmented by the skulls’ lighting changing and smoke emitting from their mouths at various times of the performance. Unfortunately for the photos included here, the skulls were inflated before “Staring at the Sun” – well after the first 3-song photo limit had been reached.

The Offspring @ Shoreline (Photo: Sean Reiter)

After they blasted through several more songs – including “Bad Habit,” Morse, Holland and Noodles took time to roam the stage greeting the crowd. “Mountain View. You are un-f#$king-stoppable right now!” Noodles shouted. “There are more people here than there were last night…. They are telling me we are setting a record with 1,315,222 people here tonight!! World record!”

The Offspring @ Shoreline (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“It’s not just how loud they are. It’s how much they are singing. Are you hearing the singing coming from these guys?” Holland asked. “And how well they are singing?”

“Beautiful! Their tone, their timing, their pitch,” Noodles said. “It couldn’t be better! A choir of earth-bound angels here in Mountain View tonight!” Holland conducted a singalong for the intro of “Bad Habit” before pyro exploded, and the song took off at full fury.

The Offspring @ Shoreline (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The band then went through a handful of covers. Beginning with an Ozzy tribute with the first few verses of “Paranoid” (“Everyone here over twelve years old was stoked with that,” Noodles said) and then delivered a more extended version of “Crazy Train” (with Nimoy unleashing the famous Randy Rhoads solo) before covering the lesser known “In The Hall of the Mountain King” and finishing up the medley with an impressive cover of The Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated.”

The Offspring @ Shoreline (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Returning to their catalog, the band rocked through “Gotta Get Away” and then Pertzborn delivered a quick, but powerful drum solo that took me back to concerts of the 80’s and 90’s where solos were far more common. The skulls deflated, a piano was brought out center stage and Holland took the stage under a solo spotlight. In the night’s most sensitive and touching moment, he told the crowd, “I want to do something special. A little different tonight and play one of our old songs on piano. This is a song about loss and having someone very close to you pass away – which is what was happening to me when I wrote this. I was struggling with that loss and wanted to write a song to help me through it. I believe music has the power to heal.” Holland asked the audience to light their phones in memory of someone as nearly the entire crowd raised their phones with the flashlight blazing. “This is something very special,” he said, emphasizing the moment. He then set off a solo version of the song on piano with fog covering the floor of the stage and light spreading dramatically over him. It was touching and a reminder of the power of music to bring our shared humanity forward. Toward the end of the song, the entire band kicked in powerfully for a chorus as sparks shot up and rained down across the stage before Holland finished the song solo on piano.

Fans of The Offspring @ Shoreline (Photo: Sean Reiter)

From there on, the concert was a series of more lighthearted fun. Giant 6-foot beach balls flew into the crowd as the band played the ska-influenced “Why Don’t You Get a Job.” Streamer cannons and giant, bendy inflatables were raised for “Pretty Fly for a White Guy” (after Noodles had conducted a Freddy Mercury-like operatic sing back with “Fuck Yeah” as the verse). The main set ended with a thunderous version of “The Kids Aren’t Alright” before the band came out for a two-song encore that started with “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid.”

“It just keeps getting better and better!” Holland exclaimed.

“It started out being the best one already and it keeps getting better and better exponentially,” Noodles added. “This gathering of humans tonight is the best thing that has happened in the history of rock ‘n’ roll.” The huge beginning of the final encore song “Self-Esteem” started off powerfully when suddenly the sound of guitars cut out as the drummer continued until the band signaled him to pause. “We were rocking so fucking hard. We broke the stage.” Holland and Noodles told the crowd. “You guys have to stop rocking so hard,” Holland warned the crowd before resuming the closer successfully and the band brought the night to a perfect end. “You guys rule!” Holland announced as streamer cannons fired off and the band exited the stage with feedback reverberating through their final bow.

New Found Glory @ Shoreline (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Earlier in the night, New Found Glory opened the show - playing at the front of the stage in what Jordan Pundik shared was a bit of a confined space for him. Between his constant motion and the leaping of bassist Ian Grushka and fill-in guitarist Dan O’Connor, it was a crowded scene. During their third song, “Hit or Miss” Pundik roamed up and down the main aisles – interacting with the crowd. “I had to get out. We were too squeezed in there.”

New Found Glory @ Shoreline (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The band maintained a light spirit as they went through hits such as “All Downhill From Here” and “My Friends Over You” despite the weight hanging over the band. Founder and lead guitarist Chad Gilbert is missing current dates as he has had a setback with a return of cancer forcing him out of action again. The band didn’t let it stop them or turn down the tone, but Pundik told the crowd, “This goes out to our guitar player Chad who is at home as he’s battling cancer. He’s kicking its ass and he reads all his messages so send him a note.”

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Review - Creed Returns “Higher” with Sevendust & Mammoth @ Shoreline Amphitheater (8/9/25)

2025-08-10T01:55:00.000-07:00

Creed @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Creed brought a powerful song catalog and singer Scott Stapp’s many positive messages to a near-capacity crowd at Shoreline on their “Summer of ’99 Tour” celebrating the 25th anniversary since their two biggest albums 1997’s “Human Clay” and 1999’s “My Own Prison.” The 140-minute, 15-song show – supported by Sevendust and Mammoth – was packed with memorable, singalong at full volume songs and soaring moments with a hugely enthusiastic crowd behind them all the way.

Creed @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

It’s easy to forget that right before the turn of the century, Creed may have been the biggest rock band in the world. From 1997-1999, they released a string of giant anthem after giant anthem. Along with a #1 song, a Grammy (and three nominations), the band’s combination featuring powerful playing combined with positive messages sold 53 million albums, but seemed to draw the snark from critics who continually disregarded the band’s talent and looked for negative stories.

Mark Tremonti of Creed @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Started by Florida State students singer Scott Stapp and guitarist Mark Tremonti in 1994, the band’s popularity exploded over the next near decade before they abruptly disbanded in 2004 due to conflict between Stapp and the rest of the band (who went on to form Alter Bridge with singer Myles Kennedy). Stapp particularly felt the wrath of critics after a series of incidents involving excessive alcohol and painkiller use and a sex tape scandal involving Kid Rock and Stapp with four women. It took nearly a decade (and a few on-and-off reformations of Creed) for Stapp to receive assistance with a bipolar diagnosis and achieve sobriety. Judging by both his impressive physique and positive sermonizing throughout the show, the stepson of a Pentecostal minister is inhabiting a much better space these days.

Scott Stapp & Mark Tremonti of Creed @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

After opening with a spoken word intro into “Bullets” (where pyro lit up every time Stapp repeated the “Look at Me!” lyric), Stapp set the night’s tone with an introduction to “Torn.” “Mountain View. What a beautiful night for a concert. Tonight, we want to take you on a musical journey through the human experience as we live it in the physical realm and spiritual realm. Come with us on this trip my friends,” he told the crowd.

Scott Stapp & Mark Tremonti of Creed @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The band lifted “Torn” off the ground gently before fully engaging the rockets with Tremonti hammering away with power riffs while drummer Scott Phillips and bassist Brian Marshall laid down a sonic foundation that vibrated the chests of fans and concrete below their feet. Rhythm guitarist Eric Friedman added live depth to the sound to provide the anthems throughout the night with extra punch.

Brian Marshall & Mark Tremonti of Creed @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“Are You Ready?” was delivered powerfully with the strings gathering up at the front of the stage as fire shot from the back and steam cannons released continually up front. “Now remember this,” the muscular, black tank top-wearing Stapp told the audience before issuing the final line of “Your life has just begun” as the rest of the band stood on the front platforms with guitars held high.

Scott Stapp of Creed @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“Never Die” was dedicated to Brad Arnold – lead singer of 3 Doors Down, who is battling stage 4 cancer. Stapp remarked on Arnold’s childlike spirit. “It helps him to remember that anything is possible. Remember when you were a kid and nothing was out of reach…life slowly beats that out of us my friends…so hold onto it my friends and never let it die.”

Scott Stapp of Creed @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“There are prisons we’ve created in our mind,” Stapp told the crowd in the intro to “My Own Prison.” “Self-erected walls and barriers prevent us from moving forward. Adversity, loss, pain, struggle. Any difficulty in life that gets you so wrapped up that you are staggered and can’t move forward is a prison you need to free yourself from. Every day is a new beginning…Life is not about the setback; it’s about the comeback! And that can happen over and over and over again!...Keep the prison time in your rear-view mirror to remind you of where you never want to go again.”

Scott Stapp & Mark Tremonti of Creed @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

With that, Tremonti stood on a riser strumming one of the most recognizable tunes of its time. Stapp quietly and patiently began the lyrics as he and Tremonti built up the tension as the song coiled slowly for a good 90 seconds with Creed television logos on the big screen before Tremonti dug his pick across the fretboard for the squeal that signaled the release of the song’s full power.

Mark Tremonti of Creed @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Following “Say I” with windmill-like pyro shooting out in all directions behind Phillips’ drumkit, the band launched into the second half of the set that would feature seven giant hits in a row. Tremonti introduced “What If” with the promise that the craziest, best Creed fan during the song would win the PRS Tremonti guitar he was playing. The audience needed no encouragement and gratefully obliged. Marshall took a huge bass solo near the song and after the song finished Tremonti was true to his word – recognizing a small girl named Annie in a pink shirt on top of the shoulders of her father and bringing her on stage to receive a guitar that was nearly as tall as her – an experience that she will no doubt carry with her for a lifetime.

Scott Stapp of Creed @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Stapp reached his ministerial peak with the positive – and so true to these times – sermon he delivered as the intro to the powerful “One.” “We live in such a divided world. A system that is intentionally designed to keep us separated – where each of us get bound into different ideological groups where there is no way to connect because we are so rooted in our ideological differences. How can we change anything if we are always fighting within ourselves? That’s exactly what the system wants. EXACTLY what the system wants.”

Scott Stapp of Creed @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“Tonight, I see 20,000 people united with music as their guide – coming together with no difference in sight,” Stapp continued. “Just unity. Just oneness. If we start focusing on what we have in common instead of what separates us, that’s 90 percent of what we are. It’s the 10 percent that divides us. The only way we can change this world is for all of us to unite behind it. The only way is one, Mountain View.”

Scott Stapp & Mark Tremonti of Creed @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Two mighty ballads followed with the power ballad “What’s This Life For” supported by a giant rain of sparks falling from the light rigging above and a gigantic, but tender “With Arms Wide Open” featuring nearly all 20,000 phones up in the air with their flashlights on. “Higher” soared with fire, vapor cannons and strobes emphasizing Tremonti’s solo and Phillips’ powerful drumming to bring an end to the main set as feedback screamed from Tremonti’s guitar.

Scott Stapp & Mark Tremonti of Creed @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The band retook the stage for a two-song encore to a standing ovation from a crowd that had stayed. Tremonti laid into the signature intro to “One Last Breath” as the song began softly and winding and then exploded with Stapp’s screaming out “Do you believe?” and the audience lustily singing along with the chorus: “Hold me now. I’m six feet from the edge and I’m thinking maybe six feet ain’t so far down.”

Scott Stapp of Creed @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“My Sacrifice” saw Stapp start the song off with the crowd singing almost the entire intro after a one phrase push-start from Stapp. The song served as a perfect end to the 100-minute, 15-song set that saw Creed demonstrate all the talents and traits that made them huge in their first run and packed 20,000 plus people into Shoreline twenty-five years later.

Wolfgang Van Halen of Mammoth @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Earlier in the evening, Mammoth opened the night’s three-band bill with a 30-minute sun-soaked set that put lead guitarist and singer Wolfgang Van Halen’s talents on both the six-string and at the microphone. Van Halen has done an extraordinary job of balancing paying respect to his late guitar-God father Eddie, while stepping clearly out of his shadow. While he demonstrates absolute mastery of the guitar at moments – one need only reference his playing at the Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts to be dazzled by his ability to shred – Wolfgang seems locked into being the band leader and leaning into vocals and song more than long show-off guitar solos.

Wolfgang Van Halen of Mammoth @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The last time I had seen the band was 2021 at Wrigley Field where they opened for Guns N’ Roses. Back then, the band was playing as “Mammoth WVH” - “Mammoth” in tribute to the first band that Eddie and Alex Van Halen had started as kids and the “WVH” tied to Wolfgang’s famous family initials. Four years later - and following the May 2025 release of their third studio album “The End” – the initials have been dropped, and the band has continued to grow together. Guitarists Frank Sidoris and Jonathan Jourdan, bassist Ronnie Ficarro and drummer Garrett Whitlock all go back to the band’s formation and both the camaraderie on the Shoreline stage and their musical fluidity were demonstrable benefits of the band’s continuity.

Wolfgang Van Halen of Mammoth @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Wolfgang shared an amusing story after Mammoth’s third song “Epiphany.” “The last time I played here was ten years ago with Van Halen with my dad,” Wolfgang – who played bass with Van Halen from 2007 to 2015 – told the early arrivers. “I have a particularly funny memory from here as there was a guy sitting right up front over there who flipped me off pretty much the entire concert.” At the completion of their six-song set Wolfgang unleashed tap solos à la his father both on the intro and outro of the new album’s title track “The End.”

Mammoth @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Sevendust joined the “Summer of 1999” tour at Shoreline for their first night as the feature act on the tour (Daughtry had served in the role in prior dates). Lead vocalist Lajon Witherspoon is perhaps the most positive, engaging frontman in metal and his nonstop smile and engagement of the crowd lit up Shoreline and readied them for Creed. Like the headliners, the band featured long-term members. Bassist Vinnie Hornsby, drummer Morgan Rose, and guitarist John Connolly all founded the band back in 1994 and shortly after their first demo were joined by Witherspoon and guitarist Clint Lowery.

Sevendust @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Witherspoon encouraged fans to come down front early on and throughout the show, but security was strict in enforcing seating hierarchy (understandable given the high-ticket prices paid by those in the front rows). Not to be denied his energy and connection, he spent nearly the entire concert at the front of the stage exchanging fist bumps and shooting smiles and locked glances with the crowd.

Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Witherspoon was continually appreciative of the Shoreline crowd as the stands and lawn above had nearly filled by the time Sevendust took the stage. “One day, I’m going to have enough money that we can get a whole bunch of buses so we can take a crowd like you to the next town to show them how to do it.”

Sevendust @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The singer also alluded to the welcoming nature and diversity of the Bay Area: “I wanna’ tell you something. A lot of places, I have to take the temperature when I go in. I don’t have to take the temperature here. You guys love regardless of color. You are the freaking rock stars,” he said to wild cheers. He dedicated “Waffle” to Ozzy Osbourne.

Morgan Rose of Sevendust @ Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Drummer Morgan Rose was a vision to watch and a presence to feel throughout their set. The bright red-haired and black-clothed drummer nicknamed “Alien Freak” pounded away at the drums with his arms frequently fully extended above his head before being brought down upon his kit with thunderous power. He frequently threw his drumsticks up in the air with an apparently perfect night of catching them, while often hurling the apparent casualties of his power out into the arms of the adoring crowd.

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Review - From ‘The Perfect Drug’ to the Perfect Drip – Nine Inch Nails @ the Oakland Arena (8/6/25)

2025-08-06T22:01:00.000-07:00

Nine Inch Nails @ the Oakland Arena (Photo: John Crawford)

Nearly a month after Nine Inch Nails kicked off their Peel It Back tour in Dublin, Ireland, the band finally made their stateside debut at the Oakland Arena this past Wednesday night (August 6). It marked the long-awaited return of Trent Reznor’s industrial powerhouse — with an added twist: the comeback of drummer extraordinaire Josh Freese.

Nine Inch Nails @ the Oakland Arena (Photo: John Crawford)

The lineup shift came suddenly. Just days after wrapping their European leg, longtime drummer Ilan Rubin announced his departure to join Dave Grohl’s Foo Fighters — the very band that had parted ways with Freese only a month earlier. For fans, it was a full-circle moment: Josh had previously manned the NIN kit from 2005 to 2008, leaving only for family commitments. If you’re unfamiliar, Freese is one of modern rock’s most in-demand drummers, a go-to for everyone from Devo to A Perfect Circle. That’s why Grohl tapped him after Taylor Hawkins’ passing. Whatever the backstory behind his Foo Fighters exit, his return to NIN felt right — even inevitable.

Josh Freese & Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails @ the Oakland Arena (Photo: Andi Elloway)

Late in the set, Trent saved Freese’s introduction for last, noting with a smirk that Josh had learned the entire set after just one day of rehearsal. Yes, he’s that good.

The excitement was already palpable before the first note. Winding my way through the Oakland Arena parking lot, I was struck by the sense of community among fans — and the unmistakable sound of NIN blasting from dozens of car stereos. Teenagers there for their first NIN show mingled with grey-bearded veterans like me, the kind who first discovered Reznor on MTV’s 120 Minutes. Different generations, same connection: this music has carried us through life’s rough patches. Trent’s recurring themes — addiction, heartbreak, depression, withdrawal, loss — still resonate deeply, whether you’re a disaffected teen or an adult looking back at your own storms.

(Pro tip: take BART. At $40 a car, parking is highway robbery, and the post-show crawl out of that lot is enough to kill your encore high.)

Nine Inch Nails @ the Oakland Arena (Photo: Andi Elloway)

The announcement of this tour was a surprise in itself. It’s NIN’s first since 2022, and they’re not promoting a new album. The band has been relatively quiet while Reznor and creative partner Atticus Ross have been racking up awards for their film scores — beginning with David Fincher’s The Social Network (2010) and continuing through a decade of critically acclaimed work.

Nine Inch Nails @ the Oakland Arena (Photo: Andi Elloway)

But last February at Disney’s D23 Expo came a curveball: the upcoming Tron: Ares would be scored not by “Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross” but by Nine Inch Nails. A Disney exec reportedly insisted on the NIN name — a curious distinction. Was it a branding play? A tonal choice to lean into NIN’s darker sonic identity? We’ll find out when the film drops this October, but here's a taste of what to expect from the lone song performed off the upcoming Tron: Ares soundtrack:

Right at 8 p.m., German-Iraqi DJ/producer Alex Ridha — aka Boyz Noize — took the stage… or rather, the riser. Positioned behind the soundboard in the back of the arena floor, he delivered a pounding, hour-long set that fused abrasive textures with danceable beats, like a club-ready Aphex Twin. One track even coveren Nitzer Ebb’s “Join in the Chant,” a highlight for this longtime NE fan.

Nine Inch Nails @ the Oakland Arena (Photo: John Crawford)

At 8:59 sharp, the curtain around a small square stage at the center of the floor dropped, revealing Reznor alone at a keyboard. He opened with a hushed “Right Where It Belongs,” the crowd erupting so loudly it nearly drowned out the first verse. Blending a hint of “Somewhat Damaged” into a slowed-down track, Reznor then broke into “Ruiner” as Atticus Ross and Alessandro Cortini joined in. By “Piggy (Nothing Can Stop Me Now),” guitarist Robin Finck had entered the fray, prowling the small platform with Reznor to get the crowd whipped up even more.

Nine Inch Nails @ the Oakland Arena (Photo: John Crawford)

Then came the night’s even bigger eruption: Josh Freese’s face lit up on the MainStage curtain as he tore into a two-minute drum solo, giving the rest of the band time to transition from the b-stage to the main one. Without pause, they launched into “Wish” — the 1993 Grammy-winning track that still hits with the same ferocity three decades on.

Nine Inch Nails @ the Oakland Arena (Photo: Andi Elloway)

NIN shows have always been as much about the visuals as the sound, and this one was no exception. The b-stage’s overhead lighting rig created a floating cube illusion, mirrored later on the main stage by a semi-transparent curtain. Video projections blended with live performance, at times multiplying Reznor’s silhouette into ghostly, staggered copies — particularly stunning during “Copy of A.” Minimal set pieces, maximum impact.

Nine Inch Nails @ the Oakland Arena (Photo: Andi Elloway)

Midway through the set, during a reworked “Sin” with Boyz Noize guesting, water suddenly cascaded from the lighting rig — right onto Reznor and his keyboard. Crew members scrambled with towels, but from my vantage point, it looked like the instrument may have shorted. Trent ceded the part to Atticus and Boyz Noize, finishing the song without touching the keys. At the end, he spoke about what rained down and essentially said — “Thanks, Oakland, for the privilege of being dripped on.” -- take a watch below:

After “The Perfect Drug,” Trent thanked the crowd for kicking off the U.S. tour, saving Josh Freese’s intro for last: “This fucker rehearsed with us one day — one day — when it took us months to learn this shit.” From there, it was a sprint through “The Hand That Feeds” into a cathartic “Head Like a Hole,” before closing with a heart-wrenching “Hurt.”

No new album. No filler. Just Nine Inch Nails doing what they do best — peeling it back, and leaving the Bay Area crowd raw, wired, and wanting more.

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Review - From Café du Nord to Chase Center: The Lumineers' San Francisco Journey (8/5/25)

2025-08-05T20:43:00.000-07:00

The Lumineers @ Chase Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Despite headlining multiple nights at ballparks like Boston's Fenway Park and playing stadiums like Chicago's Soldier Field and Seattle's T-Mobile Park, The Lumineers appearance at San Francisco's Chase Center on Tuesday marked their biggest venue yet in The City. The near sell-out crowd was witness to a night that deftly combined the grandiosity of a stadium show with the intimacy of a theater concert in a city that the band had both professional and personal history.

Wesley Schultz of The Lumineers @ the Chase Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Founders Wesley Schultz (lead singer, guitarist) and Jeremiah Fraites (drums, percussion, guitar, piano) led the band into storming the stage with a fast and powerful version of "Same Old Song" – the first song off their current 2025 record "Automatic." Throughout the concert, the band alternated between coming forward to perform on the thrust stage for great moments of the connection with the crowd and falling back to the main stage for the lights, background visuals and set that one would expect from a big arena show.

The Lumineers @ Chase Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The entire band came forward for "Flower in Your Hair" – which Schultz noted as "the first song off our first album" as his fellow multi-instrumentalists launched the song with Lauren Jacobson on violin, Byron Isaacs on bass, Fraites on kick drum and Stelth Ulvang on accordion. Ulvang was in motion and a blur all night. Climbing up on top of his piano at points to wave his arms to the crowd and leaping time and again off various stage objects. While all of the band was energetic and sent positive energy out into the crowd, Ulvang stood out as head cheerleader delivering with an endearing and authentic positive charisma.

The Lumineers @ Chase Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Understandably, the band's first monster hit "Ho Hey" drew a huge reaction and had everyone out of their seats as the band performed it all up front. "That song was a breakup song," Schultz told the audience afterward. "This next one is a romantic song, so if you're a romantic, here's 'Dead Sea'". As Fraites played on a drum kit that rose in the middle of the ramp leading to the thrust stage, the rest of the band was demonstrative and interacting non-stop with the audience. As Schultz held the song's most memorable note for a seeming eternity, he removed his hat as the crowd roared and appeared to wipe a few tears from his eyes.

Wesley Schultz of The Lumineers @ Chase Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

As the band began "Brightside", with Fraites on guitar and the rest of the band centered around a lone microphone around him, Schultz jumped down to the arena floor and sang the song as he walked down the aisle and around the entire floor of the arena making contact with fans.

"Sleep on the Floor" was punctuated by band members climbing on top of stage objects to lead clapping and giant confetti cannons spraying confetti into the crowd while Isaacs pounded away on the giant bass drum at stage left. For "Gloria", Ulvang added a unique percussive touch as he pounded away on his piano with drumsticks and the song reached the peak of the concert's energy.

Jeremiah Fraites of The Lumineers @ Chase Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

There were many other highlight moments in the night's performance. Stripped down versions of "Keys on the Table" and the new song "Automatic" – with just Schultz and Fraites – demonstrated the band's ability to connect deeply with the crowd without having to display the physical activity of so many other songs. On the other end, "Ophelia" saw Schultz and Ulvang out on the thrust stage throwing tambourines back and forth all the way across to each other (it appeared they had a 100% success rate in their musical version of "catch").

Wesley Schultz of The Lumineers @ Chase Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

"Big Parade" saw a huge spinning carousel wheel projected over the stage with every member of the band taking a turn singing as Schultz introduced them. Schultz announced that Jacobson had made a half-court shot backwards earlier in the day. When he went to introduce co-founder Fraites, Schultz joked "I've been playing music with this next guy for twenty years. And for twenty years, he's been wearing the same shit every night. White t-shirt, suspenders and a top hat."

Jeremiah Fraites of The Lumineers @ Chase Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Late in the concert, Schultz got extremely transparent and personal with the crowd sharing about his younger brother, Sam who shockingly passed away in May at 39 and the connection they had to San Francisco. "I am coming out to you with a pretty heavy heart – my whole band is as well – a couple days ago this Sunday we just had a funeral for my little brother. came back from the funeral of my little brother. He was 39 and passed away out of nowhere…they said it was a heart attack and just bad luck," Schultz told the completely hushed crowd.

Wesley Schultz of The Lumineers @ Chase Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

"And I had this really great, powerful memory of him. It was probably 2011 and we were playing here in San Francisco at Café du Nord. My brother lived in San Francisco until he very recently moved to Denver. So, this was his home. His name was Sam and now two kids. So, he came to the show, and he could see that things were starting to take off. He was so proud at the time…and he just started crying. He was so proud of us and me. I was so proud of him. He was the most amazing guy and my best friend. And I've been trying to play these concerts for him…This is for my brother Sam," Schultz said, seeming to wipe away a few tears.

Wesley Schultz & Jeremiah Fraites of The Lumineers @ Chase Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The band then launched into a touching acoustic cover of Justin Bieber's "Ghost" as many in the young audience seemed to sing along and know all the lyrics to sing along with the song. As he finished the song and turned his back and stepped out of the spotlights, Schultz's fellow band members came to him one-by-one to rub his back, touch his shoulder or offer another form of physical comforting. It was a poignant and memorable moment that those up close could witness.

Wesley Schultz of The Lumineers @ Chase Center (Photo: Sean Reiter)

They ended the concert returning to the thrust stage out front. First, with a powerful version of "Cleopatra" – with Schultz once again thanking the crowd with "This is the biggest show we've ever played in San Francisco. So, thank you!" They then closed the show with a rollicking version of "Stubborn Love" that saw Ulvang going deep into the crowd on the floor level before climbing up over the glass into the 100s level to finish the song.

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Review - Katy Perry’s “Lifetimes” Tour Transforms Chase Center into a Pop-Theatrical Universe (7/18/25)

2025-07-22T19:47:00.000-07:00

Katy Perry @ the Chase Center (Photo: Skyler Greene/Chase Center)

Arriving at San Francisco’s Chase Center just after 7 p.m. on Friday night, I was greeted by something I’d never encountered before at the venue—even for a sold-out show: massive entry lines. We’re talking shoulder-to-shoulder crowds snaking through the courtyard, stretching beyond any reasonable expectation. Sure, it was Friday, but were this many people really arriving all at once? Or was something else going on? A security issue? Staff shortages? A quiet employee sick-out? These were the questions swirling through my head as I navigated the chaos in search of an entry line that didn’t feel like a half-marathon.

Katy Perry @ the Chase Center (Photo: Skyler Greene/Chase Center)

Then, a small miracle. As a frequent flier, my eyes caught sight of the Clear Plus member entrance—practically empty by comparison. Not to sound like a walking ad for Clear, but it felt like a backstage pass in the middle of a logistical nightmare. Within minutes, I was through the gates and headed toward my seat.

The clock was ticking close to the 7:30 p.m. start time, when opener Rebecca Black was scheduled to perform—but something still felt off. Ushers were halting people from entering the arena bowl. There was no way the show could start on time if nobody was allowed to sit. Sure enough, only after 7:30 were fans finally let into the seating area. It wasn’t until later in the night that we’d learn the truth: a significant technical issue had nearly derailed the show entirely.

Rebecca Black @ the Chase Center (Photo: Skyler Greene/Chase Center)

Rebecca Black eventually took the stage at 8:00 p.m., flanked by two shirtless male dancers in white shorts and leather chest harnesses. Her voice was strong, her stage presence confident—but her lyrics skewed a bit more risqué than what some might have expected for a Katy Perry audience. In my section alone, a quarter of the crowd appeared to be made up of pre-teens and their parents. The crowd was wonderfully diverse, though—young kids in LED fairy wings, proud parents, and of course, a lively and colorful LGBTQ+ contingent. The costume game was on point across the board.

Then, at 9:00 p.m. sharp, the lights dimmed and the giant LED screens flickered to life. We were transported into a digital narrative: Katy Perry, now a cyborg, had been tasked with conquering five dystopian realms to gather the power needed to defeat an AI villain who had stolen the world’s butterflies.

It became immediately clear—this wasn’t just a concert. It was a full-blown theatrical experience.

Katy Perry @ the Chase Center (Photo: Skyler Greene/Chase Center)

Katy made her grand entrance by rising from the center of the stage—an infinity-shaped structure that spanned the floor of the arena. Draped in futuristic cyber-glam, she mimicked tearing away the tubes that tethered her to a computer mainframe (à la The Matrix’s Neo waking up from the machine world). Suspended midair, belting out the opening track “ARTIFICIAL,” she hovered above a dozen dancers delivering tightly choreographed moves below her. It was a jaw-dropping moment—and it was only the beginning.

Early in the show, Katy finally addressed the elephant in the room:

“So I know you’ve been waiting all night—and it was a little late getting in. But let me tell you, two and a half hours ago, we didn’t even know if we were going to be able to do the show. And I was like, ‘No! We’re in tech city—they’ll figure it out!’ So yeah, maybe you bought a little more merch while you waited, but we’re here now—and we’re ready to party!”

Crisis averted. Time to blast off.

As the show progressed, we followed Katy’s journey through fantastical realms, each one punctuated by elaborate sets, intricate costume changes, and a cascade of hits. During the “Woman’s World” segment, she cheekily introduced the next song—“California Gurls”—saying it should be a crowd favorite. The crowd roared in agreement.

Katy Perry @ the Chase Center (Photo: Skyler Greene/Chase Center)

But it wasn’t all spectacle. What set this show apart was how deeply Katy connected with her fans. She read signs, shouted out costumes, borrowed phones for selfies, and even invited fans on stage during a choose-your-own-adventure portion of the night. A QR code appeared on the massive screens, letting fans vote for the next song—cleverly requiring an email to participate. (An interactive moment and a smart bit of marketing.)

Among those invited on stage were two young sisters, ages 5 and 8, dressed identically and plucked from the second-to-last row of the nosebleeds. Another was a pregnant fan whose handmade sign caught Katy’s eye—it asked her to name the unborn baby. Katy spent nearly 20 minutes engaging with her guests, sharing stories about her own 5-year-old daughter (who apparently woke her up at 5:15 a.m. that morning). She called motherhood the best thing she’s ever done.

Katy Perry @ the Chase Center (Photo: Skyler Greene/Chase Center)

As they marched around the infinity stage, the on-stage guests helped Katy perform the sweet, percussion-driven “ALL THE LOVE” using egg shakers. It was a heart-melting moment, and one that made the giant venue feel a whole lot smaller and more intimate.

The final acts of the night brought the battle with the rogue AI to its climax. Katy rose from the stage astride a giant butterfly suspended from the rafters, soaring across the arena. At one point, the butterfly unexpectedly dropped several feet—but Katy didn’t miss a beat, calmly continuing her vocals before landing back at center stage like a seasoned pro.

Though there was no formal encore, the grand finale came in the form of “Firework.” As pyrotechnics lit up the Chase Center and confetti rained from above, Katy addressed the sold-out crowd:

“San Francisco, you’re my biggest North American show—and I love you for that! Stay weird, San Francisco. You’re gay, you’re loud, and you’re gay loud!”

The show wrapped around 11:15 p.m.—well past curfew, but not a soul seemed to mind. As fans poured out of the arena buzzing with energy, one thing was clear: Katy Perry didn’t just deliver a concert—she delivered an experience. And for those lucky enough to be there, it was a night they won’t soon forget.

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Preview - Outside Lands (8/8 - 8/10/25)

2025-07-16T22:11:00.000-07:00

Outside Lands, one of the most renowned music festivals, is returning to San Francisco this year at the Golden Gate Park from August 8th - 10th. With a star-studded lineup panning across all genres, they’ve hit all of the checklists for a fantastic weekend.

Headliners include: Tyler the Creator, Hozier, Doja Cat, John Summit, Anderson Paak & The Free Nationals, Vampire Weekend (matinee and night set), Glass Animals, Gracie Abrams, Jamie XX, Doechi, and Gesaffelstein.

Personal favorites include Tyler, the Creator, who just had a huge year through the extensive tour of Chromokopia. Jorja Smith finally gets to return to the stage after a short hiatus and a few cancelled North American shows. 2hollis brings the young energy of hyperpop and rap together and had a large turnout at his other festival runs.

Mayer Hawthorne is guaranteed to have you moving your feet to the sweet melodies of romantic funk. Other highlights include Sammy Virji, who has only sold out bigger shows, consistently bringing the fun energy of EDM back. If you’re a big fan of Anderson .Paak, don’t forget to check out his DJ set as DJ Pee.Wee, who’s known to spin records of old and modern disco fusion.

The Bay Area’s favorite LaRussel will also not disappoint. He’ll bring the hometown energy of positive and enthusiastic rap. Another great voice is Kate Bollinger, who’s playing only 1 of her 2 shows this year, so it’ll be a rare one! Her indie sound matched with her band will be perfect on a sunny afternoon. Lastly, I would check out Midnight Generation, who are a disco electronic group from Mexico that have been on my playlists for the past few years.

The Dolores stage will also make a comeback for its third year, which is an inclusive dance floor where everyone is welcomed, while also celebrating the queer and trans communities.

This year will be an exciting one as Outside Lands will debut the Duboce Triangle stage, named after the San Francisco neighborhood. This new stage will be located in the shaded area of McLaren Pass. This will be a perfect opportunity for you to catch your favorite artists up and personal on this intimate stage. Each day will have new acts performing, which include The Emo Night Tour, Mayer Hawthorne (DJ Set), Kate Bollinger (Solo), Electric Feels, and much more.

Think you’ve got what it takes to perform at Outside Lands? The festival is giving you the perfect opportunity with Bay Area group Rainbow Girls, who are having an open mic every day at the Duboce Stage supporting local talent.

There will be a wide variety of pop-ups and food booths as well, making Outside Lands one of the weekends you can’t miss! There will be the finest culinary offerings along with Grass Lands, the first curated cannabis experience at a major American music festival. Other experiences include Wine Lands, stocking some of the most innovative California wineries, and Beer Lands, bringing you the Bay Area’s award-winning craft brewing options. Don’t forget Cocktail Magic, where you can grab a drink with a unique, one-of-a-kind experience, including magic and different acts.

Outside Lands 2025 is not sold out yet, so readers can still purchase a 3-day pass to attend all days of the festival or 1 day if they cannot attend all days. Be sure to purchase them soon, as prices will start to increase closer to the event.

3-day passes start at $539; single-day passes start at $235. There are also options for GA+ and VIP, along with the Golden Gate Club, which acts as the most premier option, allowing guests to have front-stage viewing and having a personal cart chauffeur.

All ticket details are available here: https://outsidelands.frontgatetickets.com/.

Review - Summer of Loud Festival @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (7/6/25)

2025-07-07T18:43:00.000-07:00

Beartooth @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

By the time Summer of Loud Festival headliner Beartooth took the stage at the Toyota Pavilion at Concord, as the eighth and final band of Sunday, you could have forgiven a sun-soaked and pyro-dazzled crowd if they lacked enthusiasm. But Beartooth frontman Caleb Shomo and his bandmates were having none of that as they delivered an energetic performance and the singer more than once heralded the audience as the best of the tour so far. “This is far and away my favorite show of the tour,” Shomo announced before “Riptide” near the end of their set.

Beartooth @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Shomo - who has been very up front about his struggles with mental health - was filled with smiles and his positive energy had more of a pop vibe than “metalcore” while his band laid down a thick layer of hard rock underneath him. Underneath a giant snake that enveloped the stage, Shomo was in constant motion crisscrossing the elevated walk at the front of the stage and frequently leaping out onto the subwoofers on the pit floor to get close to the crowd. Shomo was clad in a t-shirt of his fellow tour mates Devil Wears Prada that appeared a few sizes small on the tall lead singer as he slithered about the stage and out to the audience. “This entire show is dedicated to the Devil Wears Prada!”

Beartooth @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Shomo’s lyrics and performance put Beartooth on a different level as the band displayed their commitment to mental health and support with the energetic initial song “The Lines.”

We are the sons
We are the daughters
The generation of Disorder
What is the poison inside of me
The sickness in my head?

“Sunshine” and “Might Love Myself” – songs that could have come from AJR just as likely as Beartooth - showed their poppier side and continued the theme of mental health. They ended their set with a call and repeat intro to “In Between” before unleashing a furious version of the song and then going back into a fun interactive singing moment with Shomo and the still ready to sing crowd to end of the night.

I Prevail @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Prior to Beartooth, Michigan’s I Prevail – a more traditional metalcore / nu metal band unleashed an apocalyptical amount of pyro amid the growling vocals of lead singer Eric Vanlerberghe. “Bow Down” served as their first song of the 40-minute set and was delivered with blinding white backlights so that each of the band member was silhouetted. Rhythm guitarist Dylan Bowman stepped up with clean singer Brian Burkheiser out with a medical issue (here’s to his July-predicted return). Bowman not only provided some of the clean vocals but had frontman level energy throughout the performance.

I Prevail @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

As they performed in front of a set adorned with metal and barbed wire between giant roman columns, the band leaned heavily into the pyro with fire balls in the back and columns of flame erupting from the front throughout. “Body Bag” saw the band kick their intensity level up to 11 with machine gun drumming and rapid-fire flames.

I Prevail @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“If you don’t know the devil, then you don’t know me!” Vanlerberghe continually chanted ominously under deep red lighting as the band continued to turn the dial higher with 2022’s “Self-Destruction”. The intro – along with the chorus – brought the crowd to the night’s emotional peak.

I Prevail @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“Oh…. you like the heavy s@#t…?” Vanlerberghe asked the crowd a few songs later after they had played “Violent Nature.” “OK…here’s some heavy shit,” he told them before the band launched into their pounding cover of Taylor Swifts “Blank Space” (which worked incredibly well in this genre).

Later, Vanlerberghe paid tribute to Dave Shapiro, the music executive from Sound Talent Group who represented the bands on the bill and tragically died on May 22 in a plane crash. “This next song is one of my favorites and means the world to me and the band. We were going through a lot of stuff as a band this song meant the world to us. The ONLY reason this whole Summer of Loud is happening is because of a man named Dave Shapiro who was taken away from us way too soon. This is song is ‘Hurricane.’”

I Prevail @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

After the band had paid tribute to Shapiro, they wrapped up their set with “Gasoline” as Vanlerberghe called for all the propane tanks to be emptied for pyro. interesting note: Most of the gigantic pyro in the front of the stage was fueled from standard propane tanks that you would use with a gas grill (albeit with a thicker hose).

Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Killswitch Engage showed why they’ve been nominated for multiple Grammys over their 25-years with a performance that saw vocalist Jesse Leach not only moving continually on stage, but also throughout the pit of the Toyota Pavilion. Multiple times during the set, Leach hopped off and either climbed over or pushed aside a metal barricade to get among the people.

Killswitch Engage @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Co-founder and bassist Mike D’Antonio was all smiles and poses throughout the set as he crossed back and forth as the Massachusetts band showed their more melodic approach to metal. As a longtime fan of heavy metal, Killswitch’s sound served as a nice blending of traditional metal with the more modern sound. Their version of metalcore combined some of the sreamier moments of metal with beautiful harmonies – filled in by guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz.

Killswitch Engage @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Dutkiewicz was fun and engaging throughout the set – think Will Farrell combined with Scorpions’ Rudy Schenker – as he provided terrific guitar and vocals while clad in a “Beer” headband and. “Yes. we look stupid and we are truly nothing without you guys,” Dutkiewicz told the crowd at one point. In tribute to their influences, Killswitch ended their set with a driving cover of Dio’s “Holy Diver” that had the entire crowd on its feet.

Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

A headline-worthy band placed in a late afternoon slot, Parkway Drive put on a set that rivalled any of the three that followed them and seemed intent to steal the show. ‘Their set was fire” can’t begin to describe the end of their 50 minutes that saw the entire stage surrounded by flames, as well as fire surrounding the drum kit of Ben Gordon as he played upside down on a kit that had rotated a full 180 degrees. The Australian band – now in their third decade – showed why that have topped the chats with their metal sound (evolved from an earlier deathcore tone to more traditional). Vocalist Winston McCall and guitarist Jeff Ling looked out into the audience to see fans on the rail holding up handheld signs with their faces on them.

Parkway Drive @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Ling has a likeability and look up front that reminds of later Eddie Van Halen days. McCall in his cut off shirt had the audience on their feet, arms up with an active mosh pit throughout the performance. Songs like the powerful “Vice Grip” and “Carrion” saw McCall deliver his mostly growl-style lyrics while Gordon thundered away on drums. The finale of “Crushed” reminded a bit of Linkin Park as McCall alternated between clean and growl singing and the previously mentioned flames engulfed nearly the entire stage.

Parkway Drive @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The Devil Wears Prada seemed to have the most energetic fan base on the day – despite their fourth band of the day status. Like many of the others, the Ohio metalcore band measures their longevity in decades – not years – forming in 2005. Lead singers Mike Hranica and Jeremy DePoyster were entertaining throughout. Their initial arrival on stage was interrupted when DePoyster found he was not turned on properly.

The Devil Wears Prada @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“Did I ever tell you about the concert in Concord, California where I s@#t the bed at the very start of the show,” DePoyster asked his bandmates while the fix was underway. It set the tone for a fun and tongue-in-cheek set that clearly demonstrated TDWP as a band to never be missed. Though on schedule and delivered according to plan (after the initial snafu), the band had a making it up as they go mentality that fun to watch and multiple times could be caught watching the crowd that was watching them with mosh pits and walls of death being frequently present.

The Amity Affliction @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

No band on the bill has a longer list of former members than The Amity Affliction. Following the departure of founding lead vocalist Ahren Stringer in February, the Australian is now without any of its founding members. Ironically, screaming singer Joel Birch – who, in fairness, has been with the band since year two – broke his foot a few days before and was forced to come on stage with crutches and a leg cast. Showing his tough Australian grit, he performed most of the set leaning up while performing – despite the lure of a tall stool next to him and at the ready if he needed it. Kudos to the clean vocals and bass work of the impressive Jonathan Reeves who performed double duty on the day by also serving as bassist and clean vocalist for Sacramento-band Kingdom of Giants – who opened the show. On a day that was filled with growls, Reeves clean vocals stood out and Birch pointed out how thankful the band was to have him doing such heavy lifting with two groups on a hot day.

Kingdom of Giants @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Opening bands Kingdom of Giants and Alpha Wolf both did admirable jobs performing before most of the crowd had arrived or was hidden in the shade to avoid the heat. Australian Alpha Wolf sported San Deigo Padres gear that they had been gifted during the tour’s stop earlier in the week.

Alpha Wolf @ the Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The Summer of Loud was a great display of the variety of the metalcore generation and that despite the growling the genre is paying attention to emotional and mental health and delivering aggressive music in a highly positive manner. Though the show logged in at nearly eight hours, it was compelling, entertaining and fiery throughout.

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Review - Shakira @ Oracle Park (6/30/25)

2025-07-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

Shakira @ Oracle Park (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Shakira lit a chilly and windy Oracle Park on fire Monday night as she brought her Las Mujers Ya No Lloran World Tour to San Francisco and dazzled a packed crowd with a performance that was long on energy, likeability and bass.

Disclaimer at the outset – I do not speak nor understand Spanish very well, but for anyone wondering, the performance Shakira put on bridged any and all language gaps. She leaned very heavily into her deep repertoire of dance, as well as her ability to vocally change from dance track to rock to ballad and everywhere in between.

Shakira @ Oracle Park (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Shakira began the parade to the stage at 8:45 pm (Shakira was the only performer on the night) as she and a team made their way through the crowd and walked up the steps to the end of the catwalk in the middle of the huge crowd on Oracle’s floor level. She wore a spacesuit-like pants and jacket combination and sunglasses for the procession - quickly getting rid of the shades. After the platform rose and she had completed the first song “La Fuerte” she returned to stage level and then tossing her jacket into the crowd before proceeding up the catwalk to the main stage. There at center stage, two of her dancers then pulled the pants off revealing her full pink short dress as she and the matching dancers performed “Girl Like Me.”

Shakira @ Oracle Park (Photo: Sean Reiter)

A well-choreographed disco-feeling “Las de la intuición / Estoy aquí” followed with her full female dancer team performing with light saber like colored glow sticks behind her. Shakira took turns at the top of the stage with them and proceeding back and forth down the catwalk. At the end of the song, she stood once again at the end of the stage and on the last night of Pride Month, the longtime LGBTQ supporter took time after her fourth song to deliver an address to the crowd specific to the night.

Shakira @ Oracle Park (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“How wonderful that it is the last day of this significant month to celebrate love and freedom and the bravery of so many who raised their voices every day! The world is much better when we live with respect, with the truth and with pride. My heart will always be with you.”

Shakira @ Oracle Park (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Following her message, a violin intro led into a dalliance into her powerful English-language hard rocking hit “Empire” as Shakira donned a guitar. A sweet singalong moment of “Inevitable” turned into one of the biggest rock and roll moments of the night as the full power of the band was unleashed and Shakira let loose on guitar.

Shakira @ Oracle Park (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“Acrostico” saw her singing the ballad accompanied only by piano with beautiful blue light streaming through the stadium thanks to both the stage lighting and the thousands of wristbands handed out to concertgoers that created a light show from every seat.

Not surprisingly, the once in a lifetime hit “Hips Don’t Lie” was a huge highlight of the night with Shakira dancing on the raised platform at the end of the catwalk and then accompanied by female dancers and reaching a huge crescendo to the roaring audience. However, the next song “Chantaje” was perhaps the most interesting as the camera followed her below the stage and to the backstage area for a costume change as she continued to sing and then made her way back to the stage to dance with her male dancers.

Shakira @ Oracle Park (Photo: Sean Reiter)

A medley of “Copa Vacia, “La Bicicleta” and “La Tortura” saw her wear a red dress reminiscent of being wrapped in seaweed (and barely wrapped at that). The song choreography emphasized her amazing body control and movement. It seemed that her ability to move every body part belied her 48 years. Based on camera angles chosen and her glances that accompanied her dancing, Shakira is more than comfortable in her own skin and Bicicleta featured a cute moment as her male dancers formed a human bicycle that she proceeded to mount and ride, and the crowd sang along full-throated with the chorus.

Shakira @ Oracle Park (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“Ultima” saw her emerge in a spectacular diamond mirrored gown to sing softly with only piano accompaniment before the ballad was offset by a gigantic bass and string into “The Sorceress” that had the floor of Oracle Park vibrating and would not have surprised to register on the Richter scale.

Shakira @ Oracle Park (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“Pies Descalzos, Suenos Blancos” was delivered as a straight-ahead rock ‘n’ roll song after a video intro that showed her history as a performer from the time the Columbian performer was just 14 years old. The rocker was once again followed by a ballad with an acoustic version of “Antologia” being sung by many in the crowd at the top of their lungs.

Shakira @ Oracle Park (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The final song of the main set “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” was a huge colorful production number involving all the dancers. The encore of “She Wolf” saw a gigantic wolf taking over the majority of the stage as the rest of the performance moved to the catwalk and then down into the audience throughout much of the finishing number “BZRP Music Sessions #53” as Shakira posed for selfies and slapped five while performing the song with her full complement of dancers.

Shakira @ Oracle Park (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Perhaps the most impressive element of the concert was Shakira’s stamina and the shows intense focus on her and her alone. Yes, there were backup dancers on occasion, a handful of video interludes to allow her to catch a break and very impressive lighting and the occasional pyro effects. But make no mistake, the concert rode more intensely on the talent and energy of the one performer for the entire two hours. Whether she was dancing, singing, talking or just shooting a look to the crowd, she oozed charisma and likeability that is universal across the globe. The more than sold-out crowd was as diverse as they come and while certainly many were singing along in Spanish with her hits, there were a substantial number of others swimming in the joy of the night without regard for translation - myself and several other reporters and photographers included.

Shakira @ Oracle Park (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Earlier in the day, Shakira had sent out a message to fans (translated from Spanish): “I just heard tonight is completely sold out again and the people of Live Nation tell me they are literally adding new chairs to accommodate more people. How exciting San Francisco! If you’re out there, we’re right by the water. Just bring your boat and listen to the show from your boat!”

Shakira @ Oracle Park (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Though the windy and chilly night may have dissuaded most boaters from making the rocky excursion, outside the right field knot hole many people were catching various glimpses (albeit without the video that accompanies games) and an even larger group had set up across McCovey Cove in lawn chairs and folding chairs across the entire waterway. People danced, sang and partied like they were inside as the music carried across the water and bracelets and lasers lit up the night. As I exited the park and walked by the Willie McCovey statue across the way, the Cove crowd was still buzzing and seemed in no hurry to end their night.

Thanks for reading and while you're at it, you can follow us as well here: Instagram | Facebook.

Review - Sleater-Kinney @ Stern Grove (6/29/25)

2025-06-30T21:11:00.000-07:00

Sleater-Kinney @ Stern Grove (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Sleater-Kinney brought a 21-song, full-volume punk concert to a full Sunday afternoon crowd at San Francisco’s beloved Stern Grove Festival last Sunday in a display of their continued power and relevance. Co-founders Carrie Brownstein and Corin Turker delivered a set that went deep into the band’s catalog while also spotlighting some of the newer songs off their phenomenal 2024 album “Little Rope.” The duo of Sleater-Kinney with Destroy Boys opener seemed a perfect fit for the final day of Pride Weekend in San Francisco as the parade wrapped up on the other side of town.

Sleater-Kinney @ Stern Grove (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Many in the audience of the always diverse weekly festival lineup may have best known Sleater-Kinney co-founder, guitarist and co-lead vocalist Carrie Brownstein from the hit show Portlandia where she starred opposite SNL alumni (and accomplished drummer) Fred Armisen. But this was the second San Francisco festival appearance for the band in recent times as they also delivered a great (but shorter) set at last October’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. Brownstein was a driving force at all times – matching her distinctive guitar style with constant movement and compelling facial expressions that alternate between ferocity and joy.

Sleater-Kinney @ Stern Grove (Photo: Sean Reiter)

After opening with “Price Tag” and “Bury Our Friends,” the Brownstein delivered a terrific version of the pop punk “Needlessly Wild” off their phenomenal 2024 album “Little Rope.” The song provided riveting balance of the sound of 80’s Los Angeles girl groups with a harder punk edge.

Sleater-Kinney @ Stern Grove (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Brownstein introduced the fourth song “The End of You” as “shouting out the people who are brave enough to be themselves.” Brownstein was a never-resting dervish during the song as banged her head, kicked, jumped and even did a Pete Townsend windmill guitar move while Tucker sang most of the song’s lead vocals.

Drummer Angie Boylan drove a fast tempo version of “Hunt You Down” off the new album. Brownstein and Tucker leaned heavily into the threatening (and oh so true) chorus of: 'The thing you fear the most will hunt you down.'

Sleater-Kinney @ Stern Grove (Photo: Sean Reiter)

With a touch of sadness obvious in her voice, Tucker introduced “The Future is Here” as a song originally written “when Trump was first elected and we were feeling bad. It’s about being close to the people who can get you through something really tough…You need people who are close to you to build a coalition to fight against the hatred that is happening right now,” she told the crowd. “That’s what we are going to fight it with – Love.”

Sleater-Kinney @ Stern Grove (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Brownstein later made mention of the fact that it was a bit awkward to be playing loud punk music in the middle of the afternoon, but then seemed to catch herself and said, “But if not here in San Francisco, then where?” The band held nothing back –even busting out a live debut of the new album’s “This Time” and performing “Far Away” off 2002’s “One Beat” for the first time in eight years. They ended their set with a three-song encore of covering both the Ramones’ “Judy is a Punk” and Green Day’s “Holiday” before blazing through a raucous version 2005’s “Entertain.” “Thank you so much,” Brownstein told the crowd. “Stay safe. Stay vigilant. Stay f@#king awesome! We love you guys.”

Sleater-Kinney @ Stern Grove (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Destroy Boys led off the day with a fun and compelling set that saw them bring their punk and metal energy with an infectiously fun spirit. Lead vocalist Alexia Roditis, wearing a Malcom X t-shirt, was constantly in motion across the stage – skipping back and forth. Guitarist Violet Mayugba, who co-founded the Sacramento band in 2015, had a wide smile throughout the show as she whipped her long black hair and occasionally took over lead vocals.

Destroy Boys @ Stern Grove (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The band’s traditional four-person lineup that included drummer Narsai Malik and bassist David Orozco were joined by Jigsaw Youth guitarist Nastacha Beck who loaded their live act with a depth of sound and added a cool metal look to the band. The band had the capacity crowd dancing and applauding throughout their set as they connected with audience with both their music and their messages of defiance and acceptance.

Review - Metallica @ Levi's Stadium - Night 1 of 2 (6/20/25)

2025-06-21T03:30:00.000-07:00

Metallica @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The mighty Metallica roared back to Santa Clara this weekend with their M72 Tour bringing a Bay Area Takeover weekend that saw concerts at Levi’s Stadium on Friday and Sunday with a variety of event occurring across the Bay Area on the Saturday between. Friday’s night one saw the band supported by Ice Nine Kills and Limp Bizkit while Sunday’s concert had Suicidal Tendencies open and Pantera filling in the feature slot.

James Hetfield of Metallica @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The weekend was a triumphant homecoming for the Bay Area’s belove metal masters who hadn’t been here since the M40 Takeover Weekend at Chase Center and San Francisco that celebrated their 40th Anniversary. Since that weekend, the band has crisscrossed the globe on their M72 Tour – with almost all stops taking on the same format of shows on Friday and Sunday and celebrations in the host area on the day between.

Lars Ulrich of Metallica @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The concerts were performed in the center of Stadium Floor on a huge circular stage that featured multiple elevations and angles, at least a dozen microphones spread throughout and four different drum kits that rose from below the stage surface. The stage also surrounded the VIP “Snake Pit” – an area that housed about 1,000 fans within the stage. Finally, the stage was surrounded by eight giant towers that housed both the video and sound systems for the evening.

Metallica's James Hetfield @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Friday’s night one was proceeded by the traditional video intro of AC/DC’s “It’s A Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna’ Rock ‘n’ Roll)” and then the orchestral build-up of “The Ecstasy of Gold” as the crowd roared in anticipation and wide searchlights passed around the entire stadium. The band then exploded with “Creeping Death” with guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo mainly staying close to Drummer Lars Ulrich’s home base while Hetfield remained apart singing at a microphone on an elevated tier about 25 feet away. Hetfield encouraged the crowd to sing along with the chorus and Ulrich brought the song to a thunderous close as the houselights shot on.

Kirk Hammett & James Hetfield of Metallica @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

A pounding “Harvester of Sorrow” followed and led into a blitzkrieg version of “Hit the Lights” that many in the crowd sang along with. The song – from the band’s 1983 debut album “Kill ‘Em All” still seems to have both an original sound and classic familiarity. During “Hit the Lights” the band ventured further around the stage with Hetfield and Hammett teaming up on guitar and Ulrich jumping off his stool at the end to come physically

Robert Trujillo & Kirk Hammett of Metallica @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“Welcome to the first night of the Metallica Bay Area Takeover,” Hetfield told the crowd as the band took their first gasp of air after the three-song assault. “We are amazed at how many people are here. After forty-some-odd years, thanks for showing up for us and yourselves to celebrate live music.”

A young Metallica fan & James Hetfield @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

A seemingly timely “King Nothing” followed and was delivered without any expressed political sentiment - though I’m sure many of the Bay Area and indeed worldwide fans thought of the current events as they screamed along with “Where’s your crown, King Nothing?!” The band spread over the entire stage during the song. “Great singing Santa Clara – thank you!” Hetfield told the audience.

James Hetfield of Metallica @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

After a brief video and audio interlude, the second drum set appeared on the eastern side of the stage and the band went into “72 Seasons” - the tour’s namesake and title song off their most recent, 2023 album and then “If Darkness Had a Sun” for the only two songs from the newest album. As the band spread further across the stage, it exposed both the positive and negative of the setup as wherever you were positioned in the audience, the band members were directly facing toward you and at other times you were staring at someone’s back or blocked by one of the giant towers from seeing the band member. The non-traditional video approach on the towers interspersed graphic accents to the songs along with shots of band members. The screens added emphasis to keep focus on what was going on the stage and the band successfully connect with the audience through an overall closer proximity in a giant stadium. Indeed, the center-stage lay out allowed for approximately 75,000 people to attend each night.

James Hetfield & Kirk Hammett of Metallica @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“Are you having fun. Well, you’re just in luck. You’re lucky you are. Speak good tonight, I am,” joked a tongue-tied Hetfield as he introduced Trujillo and Hammett’s unique strings composition they had titled “Primo.”

“Welcome to the party! So great to be back in the Bay Area where it all happens,” Trujillo told the crowd.

“Man, I love the Bay Area goddammit,” Hammet followed. “The Bay Area is so, soooo metal. The best metal comes from the Bay Area, right? I heard a term “RBAS” – Real Bay Area S@#t!”

Kirk Hammett of Metallica @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The duo then crushed their composition before another brief interlude brought forth the third location of Ulrich’s drum kit. Hetfield sat on a stool under a bright solo spotlight strumming the intro to “The Day That Never Comes” before the full band delivered a truly memorable version of a song that has always been a live highlight on any night it makes the concert setlist. Spotlights shot up out of the stage as Hetfield jumped off his stool and the crowd roared to one of its loudest levels of the night.

James Hetfield of Metallica @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“Cyanide” off Death Magnetic followed and has been in regular rotation in 2025 after rarely seeing a performance in 2023 and 2024. A very extended version of the classic instrumental “Orion” off 1986’s “Master of Puppets” was played with depth and emotion evident throughout. The band brought the song to a close gathered tightly around the drum kit. “That is ‘Orion” for you and for our fallen brother, Mr. Clifford Lee Burton. We miss you and love you so much,” Hetfield told the audience and then looked skyward.

Metallica's Lars Ulrich @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

From that point on, the band blasted out one mega metal hit after another. An intricate “Nothing Else Matters” was delivered beautifully as Levi’s Stadium was lit up by cellphones (I couldn’t help but think back to the ‘80s when lighters would have been used to create the effect for countless metal ballads).

Kirk Hammett & James Hetfield of Metallica @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“Oh my God. I’ve got the best job in the whole world,” Hetfield said after bringing loud cheers out of the opposing sides of the stadium. ”With a show of hands, how many of you are here tonight for your first Metallica experience?” A larger than expected percentage raised their hands and cheered (my eyeball estimate was about 30% of the crowd). We are so glad you’re finally here and welcome to The Family.”

Kirk Hammett of Metallica @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“Do you want heavy right now?” Hetfield asked the crowd. “Good, because ‘Tallica gives you heavy baby.” The band then delivered a pounding version of “Sad but True” that shaking vibrations through the stadium. During the song, Trujillo rode a raised disk through the Snake Pit while he played, and Hetfield brought the song to a close holding his guitar triumphantly aloft and then dropping to the ground for intense feedback.

Robert Trujillo & Lars Ulrich of Metallica @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Lars moved to the fourth and final drum set for the last four songs that formed a close any Metallica fan would have to envy. Absolutely burner versions of a breakneck “Battery” and pyro-filled “Fuel” led into “Seek & Destroy” featuring giant M72 ballons that on a blustery night had a very difficult time ever making their way up into the crowd. The finale of “Master of Puppets” brought the evening to a close just before the hard 11 pm Santa Clara curfew and sent Metallica fans home singing and amping up for Sunday’s night two.

Metallica's James Hetfield @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Earlier, Limp Bizkit performed in the feature role. The last time I had seen Limp Bizkit live was 1999 at Live 105’s BFD Concert – the once beloved annual summer showcase for both the year’s biggest and up and coming alternative bands. The lineup that day also included Blink 182, Cake, Sugar Ray, Live, Shinedown, Eve 6Smashmouth and a young Kid Rock and was headlined by Red Hot Chili Peppers!

Wes Borland & Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The current version of Limp Bizkit consisted of its core original members. Vocalist Fred Durst is still blasting out angry lyrics to the Nu Metal musical support of guitarist Wed Borland, bassist Sam Rivers, drummer John Otto and turntablist DJ Lethal. The quintet has been through a wide variety of ups and downs over the more than two decades since BFD as they fell in and out of public favor due to a blend of self-caused issues and changing musical tastes. Indeed, the band (minus Borland at the time) had played with Metallica on 2003’s Summer Sanitarium Tour in 2003 and stormed off the stage early at the Chicago stop at Hawthorne Racetrack as the crowd chanted “F#$k Fred Durst!”

Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

But the 2025 version of the Bizkit is loads kinder and certainly softer-hearted while still carrying the same energy and power in their songs. Durst comes across as the uncle at the family picnic who everyone loves but can’t seem to avoid saying something that offends. On Friday, that moment was a strange homophobic comment that came after he talked about his time in the Bay Area.

Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“You guys are going to believe this,” he told the nearly full crowd. “But I was in the navy once, until I figured out how to trick my way to get out of the f@#king navy. And I was stationed right here in Alameda and Moffett Field in 1989. So, if you were around then, you probably saw me on Haight Street. You mighta’ saw me at The Warfield, The Fillmore, Cow Palace. But never saw me s@#king anybody’s d@#k. That was way before cell phones.” He then asked the crowd “How many people have been caught s@#king d@#k on a cell phone?”

Wes Borland of Limp Bizkit @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

That moment aside, Limp Bizkit still brought a lot of levity and good times to their featured slot. Borland teased Metallica and Pantera during “Hot Dog.” Durst announced “We’re gonna’ take this back to 1999 before “My Generation.”

Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

“Ladies and gentlemen, Tom Cruise is in the house!” Durst announced as the band played the Mission Impossible theme song, and a not so-identical roadie was brought on stage before being revealed as a fraud when he attempted a Cruise-like Sprint around the stage. The band then launched into “Take A Look Around,” with Durst pleading with the lyrics “Why you wanna’ hate me?” An extended interlude of “Carless Whisper” with Durst encouraging the crowd to hug someone near them introduced their cover of George Michael’s “Faith” before the band finished with “Break Stuff.”

Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Ice Nine Kills led off the night with a performance that presented as a modern take on Alice Cooper’s theatrical stage show presented by and for a generation that has grown up with horror and gore movies at the top of the movie charts. The band’s show would have been much better served up in a darkened venue with a more centered visual. The action felt spread throughout the vast stage and was a bit hard to follow as a first-time attendee of their concert.

Ice Nine Kills @ Levi's Stadium (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Prepping for the concert, I became a big fan of the band’s music, and their catalog is both impressive and fun (an Adele cover?). It would be an understatement to say that there was a lot happening on stage at any one time. Zombies crossed back and forth as zombie hunters pursued them. A Hannibal Lecter scene was acted out. Chainsaws and cleavers were used to bludgeon, murder and behead various victims. The band was highly entertaining and despite performing in bright daylight and a crazy spread-out stage, they dazzled the early arrivers.

Thanks for reading and while you're at it, you can follow us as well here: Instagram | Facebook.

Interview - Daisychain Breaks Down, Then Breaks Through

2025-06-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

Daisychain @ the Bottom of the Hill (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Daisychain had suffered a moment out of a cliché band movie before we sat down with them last Sunday in the green room at San Francisco’s classic Bottom of the Hill venue. The Chicago band’s van had broken down outside of Los Angeles – forcing them to cancel their San Luis Obispo concert on Saturday and turning their days off between San Francisco and Sacramento into figuring out how and when guitarist Frankie Sripada and touring drummer Forrest Kelly could get the van back up north.

So many bands on the rise have faced the van breakdown moment and Daisychain was not about to let it cause any further disruption as they followed their charted course back to Chicago for the June 20th record release party for their excellent debut album All In A Name. Recorded and produced by the legendary Sylvia Massy - whose genre-bending credits include Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Sublime and Slayer – the album takes the band’s music to the next level.

Sophia Williams of Daisychain @ the Bottom of the Hill (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Their Sunday night performance saw them tearing through songs they had road-tested for months, while leaning just as heavily into the new tracks. There was a buzz and vibe of getting to see a band about to break out in a big way in a smaller venue. Seeing the multiple photographers capturing the show, one concert-goer grabbed me. “There are so many people photographing tonight. They are going to be big, aren't they?”

In this interview, we sat down briefly with bassist/singer Nickole Regala, rhythm guitarist/singer Sophia Williams and lead guitarist Sripada to hear more about the process of creating All In A Name – first in their hometown of Chicago and then at Massy’s studio in Ashland, Oregon.

SFBayAreaConcerts: Welcome to the Bay Area! As a former Chicago resident, I wanted to know how Chicago influenced your sound and your approach?

Nickole Regala: Well, the blues for sure.

Sophia Willams: Definitely. We love the blues and obviously Chicago is known for it and has extended roots in it.

Frankie Sripada: You’ve got so many different generations and scenes that have impacted the world -whether it's the electric blues, jazz, industrial music, house music or all these big rock bands. You meet different people at all the same places - everyone winds up at the same after hours funny enough and so you immediately cut your teeth in these different areas - but all on the same stage.

Daisychain @ the Bottom of the Hill (Photo: Sean Reiter)

SFBayAreaConcerts: I listened to your new album twice and then listened to the past EP. Can you talk about your evolution or revolution in this album All In A Name coming out June 27th?

Sophia Willams: We did a lot of experimenting as far as the writing. We had the task of writing 100 songs so we just let all inhibitions go and threw everything out there. Any idea was a good idea and we were all super open-minded about rolling with the punches, working with whatever was presented and running with it.

Nickole Regala: It was the first time that we had a set deadline that “we need this amount of ideas by this date.” I think that definitely influenced the evolution because we had to just put our heads down.

Sophia Willams: It wasn’t as self-conscious as far as thinking ”we only have so many ideas to present and all of them have to be really good and super polished.”

Nickole Regala: Just a story or a hook or anything…

Sophia Willams: Without feeling as much pressure.

Frankie Sripada: On both Different Shades (2022) and the self-titled EP (2020), the recording situations, process and resources were very austere. We recorded Different Shades in a home studio in Peoria, and we only had a couple days hanging out there to do things. The prior EP - the main four tunes we literally did in two days: One day doing instruments and one day doing vocals. So, the amount of time to commit to getting the best performances was night and day.

Daisychain @ the Bottom of the Hill (Photo: Sean Reiter)

SFBayAreaConcerts: Working with Sylvia Massey - everything she’s done - just the work she did with Rick Rubin alone.

Nickole Regala: She’s amazing!

Sophia Willams: And she’s such a wonderful person, too. All the things she’s done aside. She’s a pleasure to work with and open-minded about any idea or direction or instrumentation.

Nickole Regala: She was part of the whole process, too. From the jump, she was in the room. So that was really special. She even took us to a train tunnel because she does a lot of method recording where she could get weird sounds from weird places and then manipulate them. So, that was really cool and I was really very honored honestly that she gave us the whole experience.

Sophia Willams: She carved time out for us. It was really special.

Frankie Sripada: Her team was very surprised at how much time she gave to us. To me - the guitar player - they were like “Don’t expect her to be around too much for you. She's mostly gonna’ focus on vocals and drums.” And then later they said something to the effect of “We haven't seen her this excited and involved in a project in like 10 years.” Her sense of humor alone was so lubricating to ideas.

Nickole Regala: Especially, the drums, because she’s a total drum nerd.

Sophia Willams: She had a water hose connected to a microphone looped around the drum kit. It was really cool.

Nickole Regala: She was a drummer when she started out.

Nickole Regala of Daisychain @ the Bottom of the Hill (Photo: Sean Reiter)

SFBayAreaConcerts: How do you feel about the reenergized Shoegaze scene?

Sophia Willams: We draw from everything, and we definitely touch on some Shoegaze, but we identify more with Psych.

Frankie Sripada: There was an interesting point made of more and more people listening to music in some form of background situation - whether it's driving in their car, at the gym, going on a jog or something. Some music or tones fit that a little bit more and that may have something to do with the Shoegaze resurgence in popularity. I love it for the guitar zones. In some of my writing I definitely took to listening to some Catherine Wheel and Ty (Segall) – tremolo, swirly guitars.

Daisychain @ the Bottom of the Hill (Photo: Sean Reiter)

SFBayAreaConcerts: Tell me more about the 100 songs you had to come up with. Talk me through that process.

Sophia Willams: We had a few months to do it. We got the deadline around New Year’s and had to have it finished by the end of March. We had to write about eighty songs in that time. We had a solid fifteen or so before that we had prepared. But we were doing this on top of working full-time jobs, so we were going from the second we woke up to every second we could. We live next door to each other in Chicago, so it was every day.

Nickole Regala: Getting yelled at by my neighbors. I was like “We’re recording with Sylvia Massey! I’m sorry.”

Sophia Willams: We had to have morning rehearsals because we had to work.

Frankie Sripada: We’d make a mug of coffee and show each other each two or three new ideas. Then, go over whatever ideas had been flushed out in the last week and run through one more time. OK, this is the arrangement and this is the part and then we’d also be putting 3 to 6 more ideas on the stove. And then it was lather, rinse, repeat for three months.

Sophia Willams: We went out to my parent’s house for a week and did twenty songs in a week. It was insane.

Nickole Regala: We were getting down to the nitty gritty. But I was surprised at how many of the new ones (Massey) chose. I thought “She’ll definitely choose these old ones that we’ve been hashing out live forever.” But she chose a lot of new ones.

Daisychain @ the Bottom of the Hill (Photo: Sean Reiter)

SFBayAreaConcerts: It feels like the production is pretty clean on this album. Sometimes, it feels like production can get so muddy. But this one is clean and when it’s fuzzy, it’s fuzzy in all the right places. I was really impressed and am excited to hear the songs live.

Sophia Willams: Thank you. I think that has a lot to do with Sylvia and her team and I also think they wanted to honor rock ’n’ roll and keep it clean. Not too digitized.

Frankie Sripada: Regardless of what microphones or if somethings’ done to analog or dumped into a DAW right away - it's still the four people in the room playing instruments that are gonna ‘shine through regardless.

SFBayAreaConcerts: What do you want people to know about your band and what’s up next?

Nickole Regala: We fu#$ing love rock ’n’ roll!

Frankie Sripada: The next classic record of 2025 comes out in a couple weeks.

Sophia Willams: We’re going to be touring the midwest and Colorado starting in July. With more tours to come.

Nickole Regala: We’re coming to a city near you!

Albums Are Good, Singles Are Bad: The Church's Steve Kilbey on His Beautiful Contradiction

2025-06-08T20:55:00.000-07:00

The Church (Photo: Adam Nicholas)

When The Church takes the stage at August Hall on July 21st (tickets here), they'll be bringing 45 years of atmospheric Australian rock to San Francisco—a city that frontman Steve Kilbey considers a spiritual sister to his native Sydney. Best known for their hypnotic 1988 hit "Under the Milky Way," The Church has crafted a catalog that spans from jangly post-punk to sprawling psychedelic soundscapes, with Kilbey's introspective lyrics and the band's signature guitar interplay combining to create their signature sound. In our recent conversation, the refreshingly candid Kilbey—who describes himself as having "a bit of a personality disorder" and being "too honest for my own good"—opened up about his complicated relationship with singles versus albums, why he's conflicted about playing hits tours, and how The Church's deep catalog offers "byways and highways and shortcuts and cul de sacs" for listeners willing to explore beyond "Starfish." Whether discussing his respect for Led Zeppelin, his memories of feeling like "the cat's pajamas" at legendary Bay Area venues like the I-Beam, or his belief that rock music can make statements other forms can't, Kilbey proves as thoughtful and unpredictable in conversation as The Church's music itself.

SFBayAreaConcerts: 45-year retrospective of songs that are still moving people. How does it feel?

Steve Kilbey: Pretty good. because I have a bit of a personality disorder, I'm too honest for my own good.

I am very conflicted about singles, and I always have been ever since I was about 16. I met a guy at a party and he said, “What are you listening to?” I told him all these songs. He went, “They're singles! What do you mean? You're listening to singles? You're not listening to albums?!” I took it on that I have to be an albums person. And I still, unswervingly, feel that from that one night at that one party when I was 16.

I've watched Becoming Led Zepplin the other night…

SFBAC: What'd you think?

Steve Kilbey: I mean, fucking hell it’s Led Zeppelin!

I think Led Zeppelin, the band are amazing. I think Robert Plant and his singing and his lyrics are stupid, which is my big problem with Led Zeppelin. The band and the music are incredible, but I don't like what he [Robert Plant] does. At some point, Jimmy Page goes, “Let me be clear—there will be no singles.”

And I'm like, “Yeah, that's me right there!” The singles are kind of like, they're sort of trinkets. They're like…

So I'm conflicted, right from the word go about this whole singles business. It started off in Australia where The Church had a lot of hits singles. The promoter in Australia said, “Hey, we've got to do this single show. It's going to do really well. It's what people want.” And then our American managers went, “Hey, let's do this in America.”

I'm still yet to be convinced that that's necessarily what we should have done. Having said all that, and now people are going, “What the fuck? You're supposed to be selling tickets, not telling people to stay away!” Having said all of that, none of our singles were ever intended to be singles. Every one of them was just an innocent album track until somebody somewhere went, “Hey, that should be a single!” And then that song became a single.

SFBAC: Looking at your different greatest hits, your singles collections, it made me think that you have such an interesting approach to your “hits.” Hindsight is finally available on digital platforms. That compilation is an entry point for a number of people

Steve Kilbey: Is it?

SFBAC: Yeah, I'd say so. It has singles, non-album tracks, and some deeper cuts which makes it interesting. What’s your relationship with a compilation like that?

Steve Kilbey: Yeah, I think on the original notes, and I got into trouble for this…I just can't go along with the showbiz thing where you go “Oh! Everything I do, this is the greatest thing, and I really wanted to do this! And oh, I can't wait to get out in America and play all my singles!”

I think even back in the day, when I wrote the liner notes for Heyday, there was one song on there, which is a very obscure song called Trance Ending. In my liner notes, I wrote, “This is my favorite track on the album. I guess that shows where my head's at.” People at the record company were really, “You can't fucking put that on there!” It ended up being allowed to stay, but yeah, still it's very hard to shake off this thing: Albums are good, singles are bad.

SFBAC: I get it.

Steve Kilbey: It's very hard. So the singles always started life as album tracks, and then they became singles because somebody thought that they would be. Sometimes they were right, and sometimes they were wrong. There will still be a lot of what we now call ‘deep cuts.’ It's just that they happened to be singles too.

Also, a lot of them really weren't really actual physically singles either. That whole business had been dropped in The Church world by about the mid-nineties. And the singles were more like a focus track or a taster—a teaser or something.

So yeah, I reckon it'll be good. I reckon it'll be a really good show, And at the end of it all I'll go, “Wow, who would've thought that would've been such so much fun to do all that?”

SFBAC: You're coming off of two really strong albums too, which is interesting, timing-wise.

Steve Kilbey: Yeah, I know. It's a weird thing to do. It's like a chess game where you've suddenly stopped; you're pressing the advantage and something really important's happening. Then suddenly you start going back and fiddling around with a bone somewhere. It's kind of a weird thing to do, but that appeals to me as well. It appeals to me, the weirdness of The Church going out and doing a singles tour.

In Australia, it's like a no brainer. I know that's what people really want. And the shows are almost already all sold out here, the single show Imagine. But in America, it's almost such a middle of a road thing to do and such a strange and unusual thing for us to do that it's almost taken on some kind of, it's almost like a weird thing that we've suddenly gone so straight.

SFBAC: That's true. Speaking of not going straight, El Memento Descuidado is a perfect example of putting something out there mixing things up, changing out the structures of songs that people know. It's interesting when you take a single and turn it and twist it. What made you decide to approach some of those classic songs a little differently on that album?

Steve Kilbey: Well, okay, so this record company came along and said, “Hey, we specialize in putting out these acoustic versions. Would you like to do some acoustic versions of your singles?” And I was like, “Yeah, as long as we can do some new stuff as well, and as long as we can fuck around with the singles.”

They were like, “Okay!” And so we did. And I think some of them we fucked around successfully. And I think other ones like "[Under The] Milky Way" is a disaster on that record; that's a terrible version of "Milky Way". But "Unguarded Moment" turned into something rich and strange where the normal version of it is sort of like, ah…

Look, my desire is always to be left of center.

SFBAC: I get it.

Steve Kilbey: Yeah, I know you get it.

SFBAC: Are there songs that you have coming up for this tour that you think you're going to take in a little different direction that than people are used to expecting? Or how are you going to put some of that stamp on?

Steve Kilbey: No, no. We're going to play the singles as they were intended to be heard. No, we're not reinterpreting any of the singles or doing anything different with them.

I don’t know why, I think that I'm not a big fan of that, and I've never seen it very successfully done; someone is always disappointed. When you go and see David Bowie and he’s dreamed up some new way of doing Ziggy Stardust…

SFBAC: Dylan does that sometimes.

Steve Kilbey: Dylan, oh, Dylan's the worst! When he did that reggae album…

So things like that have really put me off and made me feel like if people want hear fucking "Unguarded Moment" live and they want to hear fucking "Under the Milky Way" live, we are going to try and do it like the studio version, but with more oomph. With a bit more live oomph, but not totally remodel it.

SFBAC: That makes sense.

Steve Kilbey: Yeah. So the songs we're doing, you will hopefully recognize; it won't be like three quarters way through the song you go, “Oh, he is doing like a Rolling Stone!”

Yeah. I don’t know why people do that, quite frankly. Every now and then someone does take some old song and gives it a thorough reworking and you go, “Wow.” But very rarely.

Mainly, I don't think the audience really want that. I think they want to hear it the way they…in Australia they want to hear 'em the way they remember them.

SFBAC: When you're billing a tour as singles-based event, then obviously you're right, people come in with a certain expectations.

But speaking of singles, you were talking about how sometimes you have a different approach to a song and you don't know if it's going to be a single or not. "Realm of Minor Angels": That's the type of song that unfolds over time—it’s hypnotic and exciting, but you don't know if you'd call it a single at first. So are there songs where you thought, “People are going to get it,” versus songs that take a little momentum?

Steve Kilbey: I'm glad you mentioned that song. That's one of my favorite Church songs ever.

When we did it, I said to the whole band, “I cannot tell you how much I love this song.”

SFBAC: It's a special one.

Steve Kilbey: Yeah, it really was. And a guy told me last week, who'd broken up with his wife, he said, “I put this song on and I listened to it 15 times in a row, and I just cry and I cry and I cry.” And I go, “That's fucking amazing.”

So yeah, that one, we’ll definitely be doing that one. And I love that song; but it's strange with The Church, there's been very much a thing where we play a lot of our early stuff, and then in America we play a lot of the later stuff. There’s this huge middle period, we seem to hardly touch.

Well, I hope to rectify that a bit on this tour and play some of the things from albums After Everything Now This and Forget Yourself and Uninvited like The Clouds.

SFBAC: "Sealine"? That would be great.

Steve Kilbey: Wouldn't that be good? That'd be great. Yeah. And one of my favorite Church albums, which I think is up there, is Untitled #23. I'd really like to do a couple of those, like "Pangaea" or "Dead Man's Hand".

SFBAC: Yep, that would be fantastic. Those are singles. They feel like they fit into the whole ouvre of what you have; an evolution of the sound.

Steve Kilbey: Great. Well, and then I think the other thing with the singles show is: Mix it up! Don't do 'em chronologically. Mix 'em all up and try and make it so someone who's never heard, the band won't know which period they're coming from.

SFBAC: That's cool.

Steve Kilbey: Yeah. So look, I know I sort of disparaged the idea a bit, but talking to you, because you are the second journalist I've talked to about this, based on the things you're saying, maybe this can be a really good idea.

And, it's not chiseled in stone. In Australia, it's chiseled in stone. Like the promoter's gone, “Hey, you guys are going to play the singles, and you're going to play the singles, right?”

In America, if we fucking feel like playing something that wasn't a single, it might be the exception. That breaks the rule.

SFBAC: Especially in the Bay Area.

Steve Kilbey: In the Bay Area, you can do whatever you like!

SFBAC: Yeah. Well that's one of the things I was going to ask you. Great American Music Hall, Slims, so many venues, so many places you've played in the Bay. Do you have a favorite place or two that you just love?

Steve Kilbey: I used to love the I-Beam.

It might be before your time, is it? That's where I met Donette Thayer one night. And she was in a band called, oh Jesus, how could I forget what was the band was called?! They were a big band at the time, and they had this album out called Lolita Nation. [The band was Game Theory.] I can't believe it, I must be losing my mind!

Anyway, yeah, the I-Beam—I used to feel really, I felt like I was at the hippest in the world. In 1986 when I walked on stage at the I-Beam, I thought I was the cat's pajamas.

SFBAC: That's awesome.

Steve Kilbey: And the Warfield’s a great theater. Of course, all those other gigs you mentioned Slims and the Fillmore—playing there’s like…Imagine being a kid growing up in Australia in Canberra, and you see these posters, these psychedelic posters. Tonight, Cream! Country, Joe and the Fish! And then you actually get to go there and play there. It's more than just…I don't know, it's like suddenly part of something much bigger than yourself.

San Francisco's always had a good connection with The Church. Although our popularity has ebbed and flowed and waxed and waned, playing in San Francisco, certainly I can feel like a lot of these people here are my people. There's a tradition here of psychedelia and smoking weed and musical wig outs. And after all, Sydney and San Francisco are Sister Cities. Did you know that?

SFBAC: I did not know that.

Steve Kilbey: Yeah, so playing in San Francisco is a special kind of reconnection.

SFBAC: So regarding different versions of different songs. "Grind" is an example of a track where the acoustic version is just absolutely haunting. And yet on Gold Afternoon Fix, you went with the full plugged in version. What makes you decide when a song needs to be a full band version or when something needs to be more stripped down?

Steve Kilbey: Usually it's full band version. Unless someone's saying, “Hey, make an acoustic album.” I think full band version is always the best thing.

That's why I'm a rock musician, not a folk musician. I'm not a singer-songwriter standing there alone with my acoustic guitar. I think that if I could live for another thousand years, or even another million years, give two guitars, bass drums, and I believe I would never run out of things to do with it. I think what we have so far explored with these instruments is like a puddle in a huge forest.

I think that, I really believe that rock music is capable of making statements that other forms of music can't make. Because of electric guitar, because what electric guitar can do it, it can be sweet, it can bleed, it can hemorrhage, it can sound like all the other instruments in the orchestra.

You look at Ride—when Ride first came out, you can't even tell what's going on. It's just a total blanket of sound, and it's just got this general melodic surge to it. So ideally my favorite thing is to be on stage with The Church, with the electric guitars and the drums pounding. And that's always my ideal version of a song.

SFBAC: That's awesome. And this band you have is so strong that you get to hear these songs with a different, like you said, a different type of energy in a different way. So I think that'll be really exciting for people to see on this tour.

Steve Kilbey: Hopefully.

SFBAC: Heyday is one of my favorite albums. From the first to the fourth to the fifth song, that whole suite in the beginning is just so incredible. And that's something that you get from an album experience.

I was going to ask you earlier, you talked about albums versus singles before, but obviously there's some albums that have their own narrative. They’re created where you can just pluck out singles. Is there an album that you have that delivers the most complete experience listening beginning to end?

Steve Kilbey: Priest=Aura.

SFBAC: Yes!

Steve Kilbey: I think Heyday started off with a bang, and the first four songs—wow! And then halfway through the second side it ran out of steam, unfortunately. It seemed to start off with the best song in my opinion. And then by the time you get to the three last songs on the other side, it's sort of like, “Ah…” It didn't keep it up.

But Priest=Aura, I feel like for that version of the band was definitely our high point. It all feels like an album. You don’t go, “Oh, all the good stuff was at the beginning.” Or, “There's a great track at the beginning, a great track at the end, and everything in the middle is filler.”

SFBAC: It feels like it's a story. It feels like there's a narrative.

Steve Kilbey: Yeah. And then, as I said, I think Untitled #23 did that. That’s an album not a lot of people ever seem to mention or talk about—journalists or fans or anybody. And then of course, [The] Hypnogogue and Eros Zita [and the Perfumed Guitars] I feel like they came together.

Strangely, after, we made a brand new album in Austin last year, which is coming out at the end of this year or early next year. It’s an album of unrelated songs that don't have anything to do with each other, but we'll see how that goes.

SFBAC: We could think of a few of those, like Quick Smoke at Spot’s. I remember to these fragments of pieces and thinking “Wow.” It's interesting to have some of those albums out there where it's like short stories.

Steve Kilbey: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, short stories. Yeah, a collection of short stories.

Another one that's pretty hard to track down, you might not even have heard of it, is called Back With Two Beasts. Have you ever heard of that?

SFBAC: No.

Steve Kilbey: I think you can get it on streaming, but it was only available from us. And there was a CD of when I think when we did Forget Yourself or there were all these songs left over that I took away and finished on my own. It's a really weird and wonderful kind of record. At the end, when it was all over, I was like, “why didn't we release this instead of the other one?”

But yeah, if you get into The Church, there's a lot of byways and highways and shortcuts and cul de sacs. There's a lot of stuff to explore. And El Momento Descuidado and El Momento Siguiente—all these records, and Hindsight; there's a lot of stuff to get into. The band is a lot more than just Starfish.

SFBAC: Oh sure. Of course—definitely. Steve, you have been so generous with your time.

Steve Kilbey: No worries mate.

SFBAC: Yeah, well, we'll be seeing you real soon. Thanks. And the Bay Area is looking forward for some psychedelic Church rock and roll.

Steve Kilbey: Absolutely. Keep on rocking in the free world!

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Thanks for reading and be sure to get your tickets to see The Church at August Hall on July 21st here. While you're at it, you can follow us as well here: Instagram | Facebook.

Review - Ministry @ the Warfield (6/3/25)

2025-06-04T07:34:00.000-07:00

Al Jourgensen of Ministry @ the Warfield (Photo: Kevin Keating)

Walking into the Warfield Theater last night for The Squirrely Years Tour, you knew exactly what you were getting into if you've been paying attention—but that didn't make it any less surreal. Die Krupps, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, and Ministry were headlining, but this wasn't going to be the usual industrial carnage we've come to expect from Uncle Al.

Ministry's Al Jourgensen @ the Warfield (Photo: Kevin Keating)

For the first time since Reagan was president, Al Jourgensen dragged his ancient synth-pop ghosts out of their graves, dusting off songs from With Sympathy (1983) and Twitch (1986)—albums he'd buried so deep that most fans figured they'd never see daylight again. Uncle Al had sworn a blood oath never to play this material live, but here we were, witnessing what might be his final act of musical archaeology before hanging up his industrial crown for good.

Ministry @ the Warfield (Photo: Kevin Keating)

The catalyst? His current bandmates ambushed him last year with rough sketches of these forgotten tracks, reimagined through four decades of sonic evolution. The result became The Squirrely Years—a modern industrial rebirth of Al's Arista and Sire Records days, when record executives still thought they could cage this wild animal in a synth-pop box.

Al Jourgensen of Ministry @ the Warfield (Photo: Kevin Keating)

Let me lay my cards on the table—I discovered Ministry during their Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste era, when Uncle Al had already escaped the major label prison from Arista Records and was building his wall of sonic destruction. To me, Ministry was always that grinding wall of guitar brutality, pounding drums, and Al's sandpaper vocals delivering politically charged haymakers. With Sympathy? That was skip-button material, something I'd accidentally put on and immediately eject like a bad date.

Al Jourgensen of Ministry @ the Warfield (Photo: Kevin Keating)

So yeah, I had morbid curiosity about this whole thing. Fighting South Bay rush hour traffic to watch my favorite industrial overlord potentially embarrass himself? It felt like rubbernecking at a highway accident—awful, but impossible to look away from.

Paul D'Amour of Ministry @ the Warfield (Photo: Kevin Keating)

But first, let's talk about the warm-up acts who reminded us what we came for originally.

Die Krupps hit the stage first, and damn if they didn't bring exactly what you'd expect from a traditional Ministry opener—hard-charging industrial metal that felt like getting punched by a robot. First time seeing these guys, and they delivered the goods. They promised they'd be back, and I'm holding them to that threat.

Groovie Mann of My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult @ the Warfield (Photo: Kevin Keating)

My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult followed, and this marked at least my sixth or seventh encounter with TKK since the mid-90s—easily the biggest venue I'd seen them conquer. These guys were my teenage rebellion soundtrack, the dangerous uncles who taught me about "The Devil Does Drugs" and convinced me they were "Kooler Than Jesus." If you needed a band to terrify your parents, TKK was your weapon of choice -- at least they were mine!

Groovie Mann and Buzz McCoy, backed by longtime bassist Mimi Star and drummer Justin Bennett, delivered a solid 40-minute greatest hits parade. But something felt... tamed. Maybe it was the Warfield's size diluting their usual intimate club energy, or maybe the years have mellowed their edge. Groovie seemed anchored to center stage instead of prowling like the funky predator I remembered from smaller venues. Still sounded fantastic, but the dangerous electricity felt dimmed.

Fun fact: Groovie's been in Al's orbit since the early 80s, starting in Jourgensen's first band and sharing Wax Trax! Records DNA—making this whole evening feel like a twisted family reunion.

Ministry's Paul D'Amour @ the Warfield (Photo: Kevin Keating)

After intermission, Al's current ministry—Cesar Soto and Monte Pittman on guitars, Paul D'Amour on bass, Pepe Clarke Magaña behind the kit, and John Bechdel on keyboards—took their positions around a center-stage cross microphone stand adorned with blood-red roses. The symbolism wasn't subtle: we were about to witness either a resurrection or a crucifixion.

"Are you ready to hop in the hot tub time machine?" Al growled, and honestly, none of us were prepared for what came next.

They opened with "Work for Love."

"Work for Love."

When was the last time you heard Al Jourgensen sing about love? The same throat that gave us "Just One Fix" and "So What?" was now crooning, "I said, 'girl, hey, do it if you dare; where I'd like to go our love will flare.'" The cognitive dissonance was absolutely staggering—like watching Godzilla perform Shakespeare.

Dez Cuchiara of Ministry @ the Warfield (Photo: Kevin Keating)

What struck me most was the complete 180-degree transformation in Al's songwriting journey. These early tracks read like love letters and poetry instead of the gut-punch anthems we know him for, yet the fundamental pop architecture remained solid throughout his evolution. The verse-chorus-verse structure that would later house his industrial manifestos was already there, just dressed in completely different clothes.

The band worked through both early albums almost exclusively, throwing in a handful of covers including—and I'm not making this up—Rod Stewart's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" as their closer, originally released under Al's Revolting Cocks side project. Because apparently this night needed to get even more surreal.

Monte Pittman & Dez Cuchiara of Ministry @ the Warfield (Photo: Kevin Keating)

This was pure musical archaeology—a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse into an alternate universe where Ministry remained synth-pop darlings. With Al's retirement looming and one final album with original bassist Paul Barker still in the works, this felt like witnessing something that should be impossible.

The tour wraps soon, and if you missed it, you've probably missed your only shot at this particular brand of beautiful madness. When Uncle Al returns for his final victory lap, we'd better match his decades of ferocity with our own energy—because legends like this don't come around twice.

Al Jourgensen of Ministry @ the Warfield (Photo: Kevin Keating)

Here's to the upcoming Ministry album, the return of that crushing wall of sound, and sending Al Jourgensen into retirement with the same intensity he's given us all these years. The hot tub time machine was wild, but I'm ready for one last ride on the industrial steamroller.

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Review - The Black Keys @ the Greek Theatre (6/1/25)

2025-06-02T17:41:00.000-07:00

The Black Keys @ the Greek Theatre (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The Black Keys headlined a sold-out Sunday night show at the William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley that showed that the band has retained all of their power and originality despite last summer’s tour-related controversy. Guitarist / Lead Singer Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney may have assisted at times by percussion, keys, bass and rhythm guitar backing musicians, but the Keys sound remains centered on the Akron, Ohio duos power.

The Black Keys have rebounded in 2025 from a terrible 2024 that saw their 12th album receive a lukewarm reception and a cancelled arena tour (allegedly due to lower than anticipated ticket sales) that led to a very public split from their management company. While a “more intimate” tour that was talked about for 2024 never occurred, the band went back in the studio and recorded the upcoming “No Rain, No Flowers” which will be released August 8th.

The Black Keys @ the Greek Theatre (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Whatever bad mojo may have existed last year, none of it was on display or made mention of on the chilly Berkeley night as Auerbach danced and smiled throughout the night as he egged the audience on and unleashed his guitar wizardry. Carney – with his drum kit positioned at the very front left of the Greek stage - provided the big drum sound and complex rhythm.

Auerbach and Carney began their performance alone in front of a giant red curtain performing a medley of Thickfreakness / The Breaks / I’ll Be Your Man. Despite only the two men performing, the sound was far from stripped down or acoustic, but rather ripping rock ‘n’ roll with plenty of distortion. Auerbach, his guitar connected to his amp by a long white coiled guitar cable, continually bounced between his microphone on the front edge of the right-side of the stage and standing atop Carney’s drum-riser to play up close with his musical partner for the last twenty-five years.

The Black Keys @ the Greek Theatre (Photo: Sean Reiter)

As the duo launched into “Your Touch”, the curtain opened to reveal the supporting musicians and a large tassel curtain behind them. The full band then ripped through two of their biggest hits with a roaring version of 2010’s “Howlin’ for You” leading into a blistering take on “Gold On The Ceiling” from 2011’s “El Camino”. Those songs that have become associated with movies, commercials and sporting events in the decades had a fresh life to them when performed live with Auerbach’s endless energy and Carney’s thunderous beats.

“Fever” saw the first use of the video screen behind the band as a scene unfolded like a giant warehouse as trucks assembled The Black Keys logo letter-by-letter until the “The” was winched down on top. As he did most of the night, Auerbach hopped throughout the song and continued to encourage the audience with occasional insertions of “C’mon!”

The Black Keys @ the Greek Theatre (Photo: Sean Reiter)

The band played a 70’s funky version of “Wild Child” before Auerbach introduced “I Got Mine” with “We’re going to play you an oldie but a goodie. This one’s for Akron.” The song was accented by strobe lights, but the lighting was kicked up a notch for “Everlasting Light,” begun with Auerbach under a bright solo spotlight before a huge disco ball projected fantastic light all around The Greek. Auerbach gave a sweet, syrupy solo on the tune and Carney drummed softly underneath Auerbach’s falsetto.

While “Next Girl” was the ninth song of the evening, it was only the first time the band was shown on the giant video screens behind them. For most concerts these days, it would be unheard of, but the positioning of the core duo so far forward on the stage made the screens almost unnecessary. Unlike most arena or stadium shows where giant video screens can draw and keep the attention of the crowd away from the stage, Auerbach’s constant motion and their proximity were the center of focus at all times.

The Black Keys @ the Greek Theatre (Photo: Sean Reiter)

Two tracks from the upcoming album were played: the current, poppy single of “The Night Before” was delivered with breakneck pace to it and the title track of “No Rain, No Flowers” had a blend of 80s and 90s pop to it with a great hook to the chorus. In between the two new ones, Auerbach and Carney brought highlights like Auerbach’s screaming solo on “Lo/Hi”, a version of “Weight of Love” that had hints of Pink Floyd to It and spotlighted Carney’s drumming.

After the new album’s title track, the band finished with straight-ahead rock versions of “Heavy Soul” and “She’s Long Gone” that saw Auerbach leaning heavily into feedback and distortion and Carney thundering the song to a finish with strobes flashing and the crowd roaring with approval.

The Black Keys @ the Greek Theatre (Photo: Sean Reiter)

For the encore, Auerbach and Carney returned to perform a tender at first version of 2011’s “Little Black Sub” in front of the red curtain before finishing the night with a full power, full-band version of “Lonely Boy.”

Opening the night, The Heavy Heavy brought their modern take on the classic Laurel Canyon 1960’s sound back to Berkeley for the second time in three years and provided another impressive set as the audience filled in during their 45-minute set. Lead singers Georgie Fuller and Wiliam Turner harmonized just as much as they sang solo and were ably joined by bassist Tom Holder, guitarist/keyboardist Frank Fogden and drummer Joe Bordenaro.

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