Tonight at San Francisco’s Brick and Mortar Music Hall, you’re in for an evening of heavy rock that’s going to float over your holiday season with a psychedelic and soulful haze. Down Dirty Shake has an experimental soul sound that is unique, dirty and sensually garagey. If you’re into The Doors and dark soulful rock, you’ll totally get into their music. Down and Outlaws swing more to the country spectrum in regards of their soulful southwestern style ballads that are creative and a bit chilling. Finally, opening the show is Psychic Jiu Jitsu, a new face melting psych rock outfit. They play their instruments loud, fast and heavy, permeating more of a classic psych sonic atmosphere. They put on a great live show. 

We totally recommend you make it out to Brick and Mortar to check out this awesome line up. –je

Creepers are a band to watch. Formed out of members of fellow Bay Area bands Deafheaven, White Cloud and Golden Drugs, the group sounds like psych rock with a progressive rock twist. Formed in 2011, the band recently released its first EP in October 2013. The recent self-titled EP contains two songs – Forked Tongues and Drug Vision. With shallow vocals and instrumentals that gravitate between blistering and subdued speeds, the first (and longest) song Forked Tongues is an epic, and is more reminiscent of psych rock. Drug Vision is an up-tempo tune, where Creepers’ prog-rock influences are more apparent. In the end, the two songs come together to create a cohesive and dynamic release. –Erin Dage

Be sure to catch Creepers at the Hemlock Tavern with Wreck and Reference and So Stressed December 22.

When one thinks of Nina Simone, immediate visions of strikingly beautiful, heart wrenching messages accompanied by somber jazz melodies are called to the forefront of one’s mind, and when one thinks of San Jose-based experimental group Xiu Xiu, their radically innovative style isn’t one that is necessarily pegged in the same category. Nevertheless, the band’s album Nina offers a mind-blowing interpretation of the late songstress’ classic tunes. Xiu Xiu’s cover of Don’t Smoke In Bed maintains the same somber, melancholy theme it was originally created with, but with an added eerie twist of Jamie Stewert’s dramatic, breathy, stark and masculine vocals . Pirate Jenny bursts in with leading jazz lines (thanks to saxophonists Tim Berne and Tony Malaby) and a seemingly endless supply of hypnotic experimental sounds, only to wind back down as Stewart delicately whispers Nina’s masterfully crafted tale down the listener’s necks. Every component of this cover album fits together beautifully like a bluesy, emotion- laden puzzle of a homage. Nina offers a portal to a world of new possibilities for a revival of classics. -Kat Collins

Come celebrate the holidaze with resident Bay Area psychedelic rockers, The Electric Magpie and The Spiral Electric tonight at The Chapel! They’ll be opening for the dreamy beach-rock trio, The Black Tapes. Having evolved to a lineup of bass, primitive drums and guitar, this new instrumentation gives front man and founding member Matt Adams a new stripped down sound to explore. Songs like “Coast to Coast” and “Holly Roller” from this year’s release, Vacation benefits from this new approach, allowing the group’s endearing vocal harmonies to really shine.  

Be sure to stop by The Chapel to check out this awesome line up tonight. -Ethan Varian

Congratulations to the Americana-soul rock group, Vandella for winning The Deli Magazine San Francisco’s Artist of the Month Poll! Vandella worked particularly hard on promoting their nomination, and even made a youtube video to let their fans know they were the right band to choose to win this month’s poll! Not only did Vandella win because of their promotional creativity, but their mixture of Motown soul and homespun Americana style could coax anyone into supporting them. We wish them the best of luck on their future musical endeavors!

Stream. The word immediately conjures up feelings of smooth, slick deliverance; with cool intros, calming vocals and a seemingly endless supply of layers. Stream’s music does exactly what their name proposes. Their four-song debut EP contains a variation of sound, ranging from a slow buildup of emotion to an immediate introduction of power. Calming vocals deliver poignantly beautiful lines in "Slide Surfing (Antiquity)," as levels of soothing melodies and good vibes build upon each other, resulting in a lush, all-encompassing experience. "Waltz In The Park" may lead to an artist double take, as sounds reminiscent of Tame Impala usher in an extended intro and poetically simple lyrics (far from here and far from there/this is nothing like anywhere). With a new spin on a revived style, we can only expect great things from Stream. –Kat Collins

The super talented bubblegum pop group, The Younger Lovers, has recently released its latest album, Sugar in My Pocket on Southpaw Records. As a project of Oakland garage rock stalwart, Brontez Purnell, the band mixes lo-fi vintage style riffs with ’60s pop flair. The album is short and sweet, cramming in 12 songs in just over 20 minutes.The Younger Lovers use vocals that blur the line between poetry and banter, similar to Television Personalities with simplistic instrumentals to support this experimental vocal vibe. They have certainly polished their sound to near perfection within their last three albums. We’re very into this new release!

Sugar in My Pocket covers themes of love, heartbreak and existential crisis all in a short period of time. Some tracks that stand out are: Hey Now, The Man From Orange, the cleverly titled I Can’t (Kim) Deal With It and the last song on the album, My Tears Are Wasted (So Am I). Even as some of the song’s subject matter can appear bleak, Purnell maintains his popcentric composure throughout it all.

The Younger Lovers play TONIGHT at the Night Light in Oakland with Mattress, Dubais and Gray Lawns. –Erin Dage

Come check out local garage-psyche rockers The Spyrals who will be sharing the bill with Cool Ghouls, Unstrung and the L.A. based band, Santoros this Friday at The Brick and Mortar Music Hall! If you’re a fan of vintage rock and roll, psychedelic guitar freak-outs and an intense amount of reverb, then we implore you check out this heavy garage rock line up. The Spyrals are bringing a new batch of tight, melodic garage rock songs reminiscent of 60’s acts like The Sonics and 13th Floor Elevators. No strangers to a good old-fashioned feedback jam, The Spyrals also know how to bring raw energy to a live performance and are sure to put on a kick ass show. –Ethan Varian

Tonight, Secret Sidewalk, Disappearing People, and Klaxon Mutant All-Stars will be joining forces at Oakland’s Legionnaire Saloon to play Uncle Alberts Holiday Social.

The show features an array of bands that let instrumentals shine above all else. Headlining the shindig is Bay Area organic electronic quartet, Secret Sidewalk. Seeking to achieve an avant-garde “dirt wave” sound, the band puts on a chaotic yet seamless set. Oakland’s experimental lo-fi duo, Disappearing People will also be making an appearance. The band plays for the long haul cranking out reverb-heavy durational musical arrangements with psych-rock leanings. Klaxon Mutant Allstars also join in on the fun with its own brand of jazz-fusion. The instrumental quartet offers cohesive, caterwauling musical compositions. –Erin Dage

Local nu-soul crooner 8th Grader debuted the video for his song “The Sweetness” last week, and we’re enamored. Also known as Jayson Martinovich, the artist seeks to redefine the concept of slow jams by blending elements of pop, R&B and chillwave in his latest release Diamonds, Silver and Gold. As a different version of “All the Sweetness” from the album, the video gives a sultry, soulful air as he and his lady friend move in and out of the shadows in vignetted scenes. And the best way to view this video? Just kick back, relax, and let 8th Grader do all the singing.

If the video isn’t enough, be sure to catch him alongside songstress Jasmine Nichol at Brick and Mortar Music Hall on December 22. – Erin Dage

On a rainy Friday night in Mill Valley a few hundred soggy concertgoers packed into the Sweetwater Music Hall for a muggy but invigorating evening with Two Gallants. After a fiery opening set from the Once and Future Band, the sold out club welcomed the freaky americana-rock duo and their raw mix of country-blues and grungy rock and roll to the Marin suburb for their first Bay Area show in nearly four months.

From the opening moments of the set, it was striking just how much sound the band got out of only two instruments. Frontman Adam Steven’s distorted fingerpicked guitar and Tyson Vogel’s punk-virtuoso drumming interlocked seamlessly, enveloping the dance floor and transfixing the crowd. As the band kicked into their signature anthem “Steady Rollin,” the audience inched closer to the stage, swaying and singing along with Steven’s gravelly vagabond vocals.

Perhaps the most memorable moment of the night came as Stevens grabbed an acoustic guitar and harmonica while Vogel hopped off the kit to perform “Broken Eyes,” a plaintive folk ballad whose delicate harmonies revealed the intense chemistry between these two lifelong band mates. To close out the show the duo ripped through the cathartic “Nothing to You,” a manic waltz that gave everyone one last chance to sing along before finishing their beers, finding their coats and wandering out into the blustery winter night. –Ethan Varian 

Photo Credit: Charlie Villyard

San Francisco based alternative indie rock band, Guy Fox has released a new single entitled, The City Line. This quietly eerie, reverbed anti ballad is an ode to city living. The City Line breaks down with a funk style bass line and intricate atmosphere changes that brings a gritty and sensual feel to this well produced, dense song. This single, released on December 5th is a great segway to what Guy Fox will be bringing in the future. We’re excited to hear this new track and look forward to hearing new music, from this eclectically funky rock ensemble. –je