Part two
July 27th 2007 18:14
PART TWO of the chapter extracted from my book, SAN FRANCISCO MUSIC VIBES OF THE 2000’S, available for preview/purchase at www.lulu.com/winterbear…
I run a calendar at my website on which I list a selection of SF music
performances, and I have come across several venue names that crop
up time and time again. Were these the places that the bands actually
chose to perform at, or just where they could grab a gig, I pondered.
Where do the performers themselves most enjoy playing or most want
to perform, I wondered.
Was there a specific favorite venue with better features, truer sound,
friendlier staff, or larger crowds maybe? Perhaps there was this one
place they had always wanted to play, but not yet reached their dream
and done so. Did they care where the music was played at all so long
as it was live?
These thoughts lead me to ask, “What is your favorite venue?” in order
to discover where the musicians themselves really wanted to be
playing.
RYAN OF ABSENT MIND:
“My personal favorite is Slim's. It’s small. The setup for the bar and the
upstairs seating makes it a pretty nice place to play, and see a show.”
DAVE OF ASTRAL:
“Café Du Nord. Its cozy, tons of ambiance, and how many venues out
there were formerly a speakeasy from the prohibition period?!”
EMRYS SAMSON:
“The Hotel Utah, beautiful interior with history behind it. And good
sound.”
MIKE WELLS OF GRIDLOCK:
“Probably the DNA in San Francisco. Great sound, great lights, great
stage. Love it.”
JAMES OF HWW:
“Our favorite venue so far, has to be the iMusicast. If you haven’t been
there or played there, do so, because it is the best place you will find
around here.”
ISAIAH POWELL:
“I would say my favorite venue is the Fillmore. It has such a unique
energy and feel to it.”
JOSH FIX:
“Café Du Nord.”
KEITH VARON:
“The Fillmore. I haven't played there yet, but when I do, I know that I will
have accomplished part of my dream.”
ELIOT BISHOP OF KINGSTREET:
“We haven’t played there yet, it’s the Fillmore. Someday, someday.”
CRIS OF LYP:
“The staff and sound quality at Slim’s can’t be beat. There’s a perceived
level of quality playing that venue that has huge positive psychological
ramifications. If you tell someone you’re playing Slim’s, they’re
automatically making positive assumptions about your band, even if
they’ve never heard a note.”
MATTHEW OF LVR:
“To see bands, Slim’s. To play at, either the Grange Hall or the
Gaslighter...I didn't like the bigger venues that much.”
LOVE, HOPE & FEAR:
(Alex) “The Pound!”
(Frank) “Bottom of the Hill or The Pound. But I've never played Bottom
of the Hill, so The Pound.”
BRYAN BINDLOSS OF MADELIA:
“The old Balazo gallery.”
DON OF MIGGS:
“Depends on our mood! The best big one we’ve played has to be
Shoreline Amphitheater (17,000) but that was more to satisfy a dream.
The most fun are the 1,000 seaters like the Catalyst in or the Canyon
Club in Agora Hills CA. Great American Music Hall in San Francisco is
pretty special, too! We always have fun at the Red Devil Lounge in SF,
too!”
IAN OF MY REVOLVER:
“Of what we've played, the Bay to Breakers marathon. But we really
want to play at the Great American Music Hall.”
ROY OF ORGANIK:
“Café Du Nord. (I may be biased since I do sound there)”
MICHAEL NOBODY OF PISS & VINEGAR:
“Big shows- Great American Music Hall. Small bands- Bottom of the
Hill.”
T.BIAS OF PLASTINATION:
“So far the DNA Lounge has been the best. Ridiculously good sound,
great lights, and I know a lot of the staff whom are very professional.”
DON OF SINISTER DEXTER:
“I'd say we have 2 – the Elbo Room is definitely the coolest place we've
played, but the Lost and Found Saloon in North Beach is our favorite,
because we're a regular group there, and all the bartenders love us, so
it's a lot of fun to play, and we always get a good crowd.”
SPUTTERDOLL:
(Rio) “Studio Z (San Francisco, CA), Jive N Jave (Fallon, NV), Bothell
Hell House (Bothell, WA), Marco's Pizza (Corning, CA) and Riff Raff
(Chico, CA--RIP!) are up there, but our recent tours have brought us to
Fulcrum Records (Chico, CA) and Madlin's (Temecula, CA--also RIP)”
(Bern) “I have to agree with Rio. These venues treat us really well and
we always have a great time.”
(Dennis) “I like a lot of venues but if I had to pick one I'd have to say a
little place called Bindlestiff in San Francisco. The audience is always
so very supportive of us and the Asian-American underground music
scene.”
STOO ODOM OF THE GRAVES BROTHERS DELUXE:
“Li Po Cocktails on Grant St. Actually, La Faena in Mexico City.”
SCOTT COOPER OF THE SPECTERS:
“The Phoenix Theater, Petaluma CA.”
MANO DIO GRACIAS OF THE WILDLIFE:
“I like Bottom of the Hill mainly because of the history of it, and the
bands that have played there, and the nice people behind the scenes.”
I run a calendar at my website on which I list a selection of SF music
performances, and I have come across several venue names that crop
up time and time again. Were these the places that the bands actually
chose to perform at, or just where they could grab a gig, I pondered.
Where do the performers themselves most enjoy playing or most want
to perform, I wondered.
Was there a specific favorite venue with better features, truer sound,
place they had always wanted to play, but not yet reached their dream
and done so. Did they care where the music was played at all so long
as it was live?
These thoughts lead me to ask, “What is your favorite venue?” in order
to discover where the musicians themselves really wanted to be
playing.
RYAN OF ABSENT MIND:
“My personal favorite is Slim's. It’s small. The setup for the bar and the
upstairs seating makes it a pretty nice place to play, and see a show.”
DAVE OF ASTRAL:
“Café Du Nord. Its cozy, tons of ambiance, and how many venues out
there were formerly a speakeasy from the prohibition period?!”
EMRYS SAMSON:
“The Hotel Utah, beautiful interior with history behind it. And good
sound.”
MIKE WELLS OF GRIDLOCK:
“Probably the DNA in San Francisco. Great sound, great lights, great
stage. Love it.”
JAMES OF HWW:
“Our favorite venue so far, has to be the iMusicast. If you haven’t been
there or played there, do so, because it is the best place you will find
around here.”
ISAIAH POWELL:
energy and feel to it.”
JOSH FIX:
“Café Du Nord.”
KEITH VARON:
“The Fillmore. I haven't played there yet, but when I do, I know that I will
have accomplished part of my dream.”
ELIOT BISHOP OF KINGSTREET:
“We haven’t played there yet, it’s the Fillmore. Someday, someday.”
CRIS OF LYP:
“The staff and sound quality at Slim’s can’t be beat. There’s a perceived
level of quality playing that venue that has huge positive psychological
ramifications. If you tell someone you’re playing Slim’s, they’re
automatically making positive assumptions about your band, even if
they’ve never heard a note.”
MATTHEW OF LVR:
“To see bands, Slim’s. To play at, either the Grange Hall or the
Gaslighter...I didn't like the bigger venues that much.”
LOVE, HOPE & FEAR:
(Alex) “The Pound!”
(Frank) “Bottom of the Hill or The Pound. But I've never played Bottom
of the Hill, so The Pound.”
BRYAN BINDLOSS OF MADELIA:
“The old Balazo gallery.”
DON OF MIGGS:
“Depends on our mood! The best big one we’ve played has to be
Shoreline Amphitheater (17,000) but that was more to satisfy a dream.
The most fun are the 1,000 seaters like the Catalyst in or the Canyon
Club in Agora Hills CA. Great American Music Hall in San Francisco is
pretty special, too! We always have fun at the Red Devil Lounge in SF,
too!”
IAN OF MY REVOLVER:
“Of what we've played, the Bay to Breakers marathon. But we really
want to play at the Great American Music Hall.”
ROY OF ORGANIK:
“Café Du Nord. (I may be biased since I do sound there)”
MICHAEL NOBODY OF PISS & VINEGAR:
“Big shows- Great American Music Hall. Small bands- Bottom of the
Hill.”
T.BIAS OF PLASTINATION:
“So far the DNA Lounge has been the best. Ridiculously good sound,
great lights, and I know a lot of the staff whom are very professional.”
DON OF SINISTER DEXTER:
“I'd say we have 2 – the Elbo Room is definitely the coolest place we've
played, but the Lost and Found Saloon in North Beach is our favorite,
because we're a regular group there, and all the bartenders love us, so
it's a lot of fun to play, and we always get a good crowd.”
SPUTTERDOLL:
(Rio) “Studio Z (San Francisco, CA), Jive N Jave (Fallon, NV), Bothell
Hell House (Bothell, WA), Marco's Pizza (Corning, CA) and Riff Raff
(Chico, CA--RIP!) are up there, but our recent tours have brought us to
Fulcrum Records (Chico, CA) and Madlin's (Temecula, CA--also RIP)”
(Bern) “I have to agree with Rio. These venues treat us really well and
we always have a great time.”
(Dennis) “I like a lot of venues but if I had to pick one I'd have to say a
little place called Bindlestiff in San Francisco. The audience is always
so very supportive of us and the Asian-American underground music
scene.”
STOO ODOM OF THE GRAVES BROTHERS DELUXE:
“Li Po Cocktails on Grant St. Actually, La Faena in Mexico City.”
SCOTT COOPER OF THE SPECTERS:
“The Phoenix Theater, Petaluma CA.”
MANO DIO GRACIAS OF THE WILDLIFE:
“I like Bottom of the Hill mainly because of the history of it, and the
bands that have played there, and the nice people behind the scenes.”
| 30 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
