Category Archives: Discoveries

D tour: A Documentary About Rogue Wave’s Pat Spurgeon

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I had the pleasure to hang out with Rogue Wave’s Zach Rogue not too long ago and he told me about this amazing documentary film project chronicling their drummer, Pat Spurgeon’s, search for a living organ donor.  The film, D tour, reflects on Pat’s choice to keep touring with the band while searching for a kidney and the risky venture of performing dialysis daily on the road. At an even deeper level, D tour addresses issues with the healthcare system, the lack of affordable insurance, the importance of organ donation, and much, much more.

It’s an amazing story. Directed by Jim Granato, the film is a labor of love both creatively and financially. A brand new song by Rogue Wave (with Japonize Elephants) called “Positive Hero Worship” is a free download to anyone who donates to the film at www.dtourmovie.com. 

The film also features live performances from Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie), Nada Surf, Ryan Miller, John Vanderslice, The Moore Brothers, and of course, Rogue Wave.  The film will be screened as part of the San Francisco International Film Festival May 1-7.  Make sure to head out and see it.  The filmmaker and special guests will be in attendance!

Happy Earth Day – A Message from Bill Clinton

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“The science is clear. Virtually all climate experts agree that we must reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050. If we fail, the worst consequences of climate change threaten to increase the severity of health epidemics, disrupt harvest patterns, deplete water resources, and intensify poverty rates in the poorest regions of the world.

On this Earth Day we cannot let the current global economic recession slow us in the race against climate change.”  Bill Clinton on Earth Day 2009.

The new track from Black Moth Super Rainbow, “Born on a Day the Sun Didn’t Rise”, seemed apocalyptically appropriate for this post today.  It’s off their forthcoming album Eating Us due May 26. They’ll be playing Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco on May 28.

“Born on a Day the Sun Didn’t Rise”:

Record Store Day; Silversun Pickups Performing at Rasputin

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Saturday is Record Store Day, the one day of the year that all of the independently owned record stores around the world come together with artists to celebrate music (and help keep the independent record store alive).  A ‘holiday’ born in San Francisco, the first official Record Store Day was held at Rasputin Music with Metallica on April 19, 2008 and is now celebrated the third Saturday every April. 

There are lots of good live music and fun events happening around the Bay in support of the cause.  Be sure to check the Record Store Day website for participating locations. Amoeba in San Francisco will be featuring giveaways every hour, a contest to win a turntable package and special appearances by John Vanderslice, Loquat, Kelly Stoltz and Aesop Rock.  And, get this, The Silversun Pickups are performing live at Rasputin in Berkeley at 4PM.  Yowza!

Silversun Pickups, “Panic Switch”:

Elbow to Release Next Album in 2010

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Elbow has been on an extended worldwide tour, riding the wave of their Mercury Prize winning album, Seldom Seen Kid.  But they haven’t lost sight of their next album, their fifth, which is expected to be released in September 2010. 

The group is certainly feeling the pressure for their follow up to the acclaimed Seldom Seen Kid.  Bassist Pete Turner admitted to the BBC, “There is [pressure].  I think we’re up there for a little bit of a taking down almost – for us it means we’ll work a little bit harder.”

Part of working harder means the band will be more organized upon entering the studio, with songs in hand.  Something they haven’t done in previous sessions.  To that end the group has been diligently writing on the road, setting up writing rooms at every stop.

Elbow will be performing a smattering of US dates throughout the East coast this summer, including the recently announced All Points West Festival. The only West Coast stop they have scheduled is The Wiltern in LA on July 22.

Listen to “Running to Stand Still (U2 Cover), off the recently released War Child charity album.  

Phil Spector Found Guilty of Murder

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The New York Times reported today that creepy music producer, Phil Spector, was found guilty of murder.  A unanimous decision.  Why it took them 30 hours to reach that conclusion is beyond me.  I mean the guy is on record confessing “I think I killed somebody” with the gun in his hand. He faces a minimum of 18 years in prison for shooting a woman point blank in the face for spurning his sexual advances.

State Targeting Legendary SF All Ages Music Venues

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Bottom of the Hill - One of SF's all ages music venues in question

Bottom of the Hill - One of SF's all ages music venues under scrutiny by the ABC.

The San Francisco Chronicle ran a disturbing story this weekend on legally questionable new regulations the state of California’s Department of Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) is trying to impose on some of San Francisco’s legendary all ages music venues.  If enforced some of the City’s best music clubs – Bottom of the Hill, Great American Music Hall, Slim’s and Cafe du Nord – may be forced to close.

All of these businesses are able to operate as all ages venues because they serve food, as required by the ABC.  Recently, however, the agency has decreed that at least half of the clubs’ revenue must come from food sales. The problem is that most of their income comes from alcohol and ticket sales. While the code makes no mention of a minimum sales requirement, some clubs are having conditions set on their license by the ABC contingent upon these new requirements – such as food sales exceeding alcohol sales.

Luckily the jurisdiction of the ABC is being questioned by elected officials, including San Francisco Supervisor Sophie Maxwell and state Sen. Mark Leno.  Still, it can’t hurt for the community to get involved in the fight to preserve our best music venues – and a right of passage.  

(Thanks Al for forwarding this story!)

Treasure Island and Outside Lands News

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The San Francisco Bay Area festival season is gearing up!  Treasure Island Festival (my personal favorite) announced dates for their annual hootenanny, which will be October 17 & 18, 2009.  Almost a month later than previous years. And Outside Lands, scheduled for August 28-30, 2009, will be announcing their line up on Monday, April 13!  More to come!

Black Hat Brigade

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Listen to “Zombie City Shakes“:

Hmmm, check out this tasty nugget that arrived in my inbox from Canadian indie rockers, Black Hat Brigade. Do I hear a little bit of Wolf Parade and Handsome Furs in there?  The band is independently releasing their second EP, Fathers, on May 28 and have launched a fan-based donation project  to help bring the album to life.  A+ for ingenuity!  To donate visit the Black Hat Brigade MySpace page.

The Decemberists Death Count

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Listen to “The Rake Song”:

I loved this article in Paste Magazine that analyzes the death count of all 76 songs in The Decemberists’ catalogue of music.  The Decemberists frontman and songwriter, Colin Meloy, has killed upwards of 70 characters of his own creation. That averages out to about 0.92 deaths per track.   They detail the characters causes of death nicely in a spreadsheet, but here’s a summary:

Leading causes of death:

1. Cannibalism (31)
2. Drowned (6), unspecified (6)
3. War, unspecified (6)
4. Shot (5)
5. Childbirth (3), suicide (3)
6. Abandoned (1), beaten (1), beaten then burned (1), consumption (1), hanged (1), killed by ghosty kids (1), mining accident (1), poisoned (1), premature birth (1), stuck in chimney (1)

Deadliest releases:

1. Picaresque (44)
2. The Hazards of Love (8)
3. The Crane Wife (5)
4. Castaways & Cutouts (4)
5. Her Majesty (3)
6. Always the Bridesmaid EP (2), 5 Songs EP (2)
7. The Tain EP (1), Picaresquieties EP (1)

Deadliest songs:

1. “16 Military Wives” (36)
2. “The Rake’s Song” (5)
3. “Leslie Anne Levine” (3)
4. “I Don’t Mind” (2), “We Both Go Down Together” (2), “The Mariner’s Revenge Song” (2), “The Perfect Crime #2” (2), “Days of Elaine” (2), “Hazards of Love 4” (2)