We promised that we would premiere local singer/songwriter extraordinaire, Mark Nelsen’s new music video this week, and now we are fulfilling that promise.

The title track from Nelsen’s new solo album, Homeward has been morphed into a beautiful live action music video, and the film is just as impressive as the music. With a ‘50s era art nouveau mystique, and hazy intergalactic touches, this video brings a new perspective on psych music and experimental local rock and roll. Mark Nelsen has a unique artistic vision for this new album, and we think his creative ideas and productions should be praised.

If you missed his album release show at the Vortex Room last weekend, you can catch his full live band, Mark Nelsen Band at the Down Dirty Shake residency at Milk Bar tomorrow night. You won’t regret checking out his band, and indulging in the strange outer space experience he has created around his new album Homeward. –je

Mark Nelsen – Homeward from Andrew Herwitz on Vimeo.

Oakland based art-progressive metal band, Free Salamander Exhibit is playing live at Bottom of the Hill with Drag City Records band, Dead Rider on July 30th. This show will kick off a brief tour the band will be embarking on. This mysteriously heavy and eerie band has yet to release a recording.

FSE employs clout from their defunct music project, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, and is slowly moving their way through becoming an emerging, recording local band in their own right. We encourage you to take a chance on a band you’ve never heard before. That is the fun of being a part of the local underground scene. You can hear a little of this, and a little of that, and hopefully become pleasantly surprised as you wade through the array of different genres and artists who perform in the Bay Area. Check out Free Salamander Exhibit and tell your friends how the show was. Word of mouth is a great way to get the scene excited!

San Francisco based underground experimental black metal band, Botanist has released a new track from their upcoming album, VI: Flora LP. We like strange music, and Botanist creates mathy, experimental black metal for the music connoisseur.

The new track, Callistemon is pretty trippy and apologetically ambient. With rich screamo vocals, this off kilter metal band creates a chilling atmospheric vortex of a unique combination of soundscapes that are probably under appreciated, particularity by traditional metal enthusiasts. Nonetheless, the music is interesting if anything. We recommend you check out what Botanist is doing, especially if you’re looking for something new as a listener. -je

San Francisco based psych soul musical project, Mark Nelsen Band has released their new album, Homeward EP this week. This chillingly poignant and beautiful album, is a prelude to the band’s upcoming live performance at the Vortex Room in San Francisco on Saturday, July 5th. Nate Porter, Justine Lucas and Xeena Paul will be supporting artists on the bill. If you’re into singer/songwriters who enact highly proficient and moving musical performances, you should definitely check this show out.

We’ll be premiering Mark Nelsen Band’s upcoming music video for the title track, Homeward next week. Keep your eyes and ears open for that. Until then, enjoy a track from the new album, and make sure you buy a custom cassette tape with download card at the show this weekend!

The fans have spoken, and we’d like to congratulate Annie Girl and the Flight for winning the Deli Magazine San Francisco Artist of the Month Poll! It was a close race, but this talented female fronted band whose music washes over you like a warm mist, has stolen the hearts and favor of a number of our readers. 

We wish them success and the best in all of their endeavors! 

Amnesia will be hosting a strong local line up this weekend. San Francisco based Black Cobra Vipers will be headining the show, along with up and coming mover and shaker, Annie Lipetz’ post shoegaze band, Annie Girl and the Flight and garage psych band, FpodBpod. We’re excited to share the details of this event with you, because this is going to be an impressive show.

We totally recommend you make it out and support these hardworking local musical outfits, this Saturday, July 5th at Amnesia in San Francicso!

San Francisco based minimalist avant singer songwriter, Justine Lucas has touched our hearts with her recordings of smooth rhythmic guitar melodies, and softly haunting atmospheric backdrops of birds singing, and natural sounds bellowing under her beautiful voice. She released an album last year entitled, Hologram Lagoon, and you can check it out in its entirety via Bandcamp.

Justine will be performing live this weekend on July 5th at the Vortex Room to celebrate, fellow musician and songwriter, Mark Nelsen’s album release. You may recognize Lucas from her work in The Jaunting Martyrs. Her solo music is a lot sweeter and calming, but her talent translates through every project she works and sings on.

We at The Deli think you should listen to her music, buy her album, and see her play live. Not everything has to be in your face to be relevant and awesome. Sometimes a subtle touch is all you need when it comes to good music. -je

The winners of 2013’s The Deli Magazine San Francisco Artist of the Year, Down Dirty Shake have organized a brilliant five week residency hosted by the Milk Bar. Handpicked and curated by Down Dirty Shake and Innerlight Presents, the line ups for each show are strong and we’re totally impressed and thrilled to share a complete look at Down Dirty Shake’s annual Milk Bar Residency, starting July 5th! Make sure you come out and party with us!

Nite 1 (July 2nd)
Down Dirty Shake
The Love Dimension
Buzzmutt
Talk of Shamans
Dj Niel Boyeetz
Beer Belly Pop Up Kitchen Artwork by Catbreast (shannon gluyas)

Nite 2 (July 9th)
Down Dirty Shake
Lemme Adams
Mark Nelsen Band
Silent Pictures
DJ Liam Caton
Beer Belly Pop Up kitchen Artwork by Scott Franklin

Nite 3 (July 16th)
Down Dirty Shake
Coo Coo Birds
Void boys
Smiles
Trendy Dad
Dj Moses
Beer Belly Pop Up Kitchen Artwork by Shannon and the void boys.

Nite 4 (July 23rd)
Down Dirty Shake
The Electric Magpie
Autonomics/Mufassa (PDX)
JAM
DJ Bazooka Joe
Beer Belly Pop Up Kitchen Artwork by Breck Bronson and Roxzann De Marco

Nite 5 (July 30th)
Spindrift
Down Dirty Shake
Down and Outlaws
The Spiral Electric
DJ Al lover
White light prisms- visual artist all night
Beer Belly Pop Up Kitchen
$10 at the door no RSVP Spindrift movie screening 7-8:30 Each nite hosted by comedian Adam Pearlstein

San Francisco based avant psych band, Balms has announced the release of their new EP, due out later this summer. Balms played The Deli Magazine San Francisco Sponsored Event at DNA Lounge earlier this month, and we love their washed out, shoegazey psych sound. We’re super excited to announce this band’s new release, and we’ll keep you posted when their upcoming music video and single are ready for your eyes and ears to experience.

Until then, you have a couple of chances to see Balms live in the Bay Area:

THURSDAY 6/26 @ BRICK & MORTAR
FUZZ BOX PRESENTS: COOL GHOULS, PINK SLIME, BAD BAD, BALMS

SATURDAY 7/5 @ HEMLOCK
BALMS, COUCHES, NO MAPS (SJ), DRIVERS

Future Twin will be supporting The Garden tomorrow night at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco, along with Austin, TX based Sweat Lodge.

This is going to be thrilling show. The line up is well curated, and will flow well throughout the night. While Sweat Lodge’s sound is closer to doom and stoner rock, San Francisco based Future Twin embodies a crisp post punk sound, touched with dark and twisted musical undertones. The Garden has a similar style, and this combination will make the energy and sounds of the night swell and blend in and through your ears and the venue. We recommend you check out this show! You won’t regret it.

San Francisco based indie folk musician, Keith Alan Mitchell will performing live at Hotel Utah on June 20th. This upcoming show will be in celebration of the release of Mitchell’s upcoming full length album, This Clumsy World. The album is a classic sounding American folk record that gives nods to ’60 and 70s era folk music, but Michell’s rich voice gives depth to his self produced musical release. You can’t go wrong with this album if you’re looking for a laid back reminiscent album to enjoy. He will be sharing the bill with Grand Avenue Sound with special guest, Tia Carroll and Katja Davis. Make sure you don’t miss this local line up of sensuous folk musicians.

From Friday, June 20th through Sunday, June 22nd, Hickey Fest will be highlighting some of the best and brightest independent bands in California. Some of our favorite Bay Area based bands will be performing, including the festival’s coordinator, Ash Reiter. We’re excited to share a comprehensive look at who is playing the fest so you know when and where to be to catch your favorite bands! We’re going to highlight a few bands we think you shouldn’t miss, but the full schedule is posted below for you pleasure.

"I dreamed up Hickey Fest because I liked the people in my music community, but felt that many of us never had the opportunity to just hang with each other. We admired each other from somewhat of a distance and tried to connect over the din of rock and roll clubs or between sets for a couple minutes while people smoke out in the cold. But for me this was a hard environment to really get to know anybody. With Hickey Fest I’ve tried to create a relaxed yet stimulating atmosphere where our community of musicians and friends can forge meaningful relationships or even meet for the first time. I’ve seen these relationships carry over from last year’s fest and people are constantly telling me how it was the highlight of the summer. I encourage folks to unplug for a weekend, leave their phones, computers and jobs behind for a couple days and immerse themselves in some real California magic. In fact, what could be more quintessentially Californian than an old fashioned rock and roll concert in the redwoods on the river? I really think Hickey Fest is the type of thing you might look back on 20 years from now and proudly tell your kids "I was there. I was part of that," because the west coast really does have some cool stuff brewing and its wonderful to be able to shine a light on all these great artists." – Ash Reiter

FRIDAY, JUNE 20th: 

4-4:40 Foxtails Brigade
5-5:40 Cellar Doors
6-6:40 Black Cobra Vipers
7-7:40 Mike Sempert (of Birds and Batteries)
8-8:40 B Hamilton
9-9:40 Annie Girl and The Flight
10-10:40 Old Testament
11-12am Harry and The Hitmen

FRIDAY:

Cellar Doors

Black Cobra Vipers

B Hamilton

SATURDAY, June 21st

10-10:40 SHOWGA (Yoga accompanied by live music)
11-11:40 Shimmering Leaves
12-12:40 Assateague
1-1:40 TV Mike and the Scarecrowes
2-2:40 The Memories
3-3:40 Indianna Hale
4-4:40 Waterstrider
5-5:40 Deep Ellum
6-6:40 Graves
7-7:40 Sandys
8-8:40 Tommorows Tulips
9-9:40 Sugar Candy Mountain
10-10:40 Sonny and The Sunsets
11-12am Allah-Las

SATURDAY:

Assateague
​

Sugar Candy Mountain​
​

Sonny and The Sunsets

SUNDAY, JUNE 22nd:

10-10:40 SHOWGA (Yoga accompanied by live music)
11- 11:40 DRMS
12-12:40 Tambo Rays
1-1:40 Sparrows Gate
2-2:40 Farallons
3-3:40 Michael Musika
4-4:40 Mark Matos
5-5:40 Odawas
6-6:40 Everyone is Dirty
7-7:40 Ash Reiter
8-8:40 Papercuts
9-9:40 Chris Cohen ​
10-10:40 The Blank Tapes
11-12am Duke

SUNDAY:

Ash Reiter

Mark M​atos

DRMS​

​Tambo Rays​