“Oh no this living ain’t for the faint of heart, oh no this living is just a dying art” sings Adam H. Stephens in his new song “With Vengeance Come”.  Stephens’s solo album We Live on Cliffs (Saddle Creek Records) hits stores today (September 28th).

The nine tracks on the album range from the hushed beauty of the aforementioned song, to the catchy get-up-and dance (“Praises in Your Name”), to a song Stephens calls a “punk-jam” (“Second Mind”). Fans of his band Two Gallants will notice quite a shift from the bare-bone guitar, drums and voice combination that comprises the band’s brilliant songs. Stephens explores more musical complexity on this release, and coupled with his characteristically raw lyrics, the songs have something for everyone. The scratchy and powerful voice he employs for his songs with Tyson Vogel in Two Gallants is now replaced by a smoother, but every bit as effective, vocal pitch. Although it may seem he has stepped out of the character that he created for his tales of crime, loss and love in Two Gallants, Stephens does not feel that his current work is a different medium of expression for him. “My songwriting style was particular for the time. I’d like to think I’ve grown up and changed. Even if those lyrics were personal, as I am still growing my songwriting reflects that.”

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Photo: © J. Levinson

Tomorrow previous Artist of the Month Winners Blackstone Heist will be playing at 111 Minna, 8pm.

Friday at the Rickshaw Here Come The Saviours will be opening up for City Light and out-of-towners Sick of Sarah, 8:30pm.

If you’re inclined more towards a dance-party this weekend, head over to Milk Saturday night where oOoOO will be hosting a music video dance party, 9pm.

–Ada Lann

Tomorrow head over to Milk for yet another epic Epic Sauce show with Grand Lake headlining and support by Ash Reiter, Sunbeam Rd, and Burrows, 8pm.

Friday night catch Mist and Mast with Sands and Yelstin at the Hemlock, 9pm.

Saturday, for what looks like an exceptionally busy evening, head out to Thee Parkside for The Wiretap Music Festival featuring Religious Girls, Clipd Beaks, Grand Lake (again), Casy and Brian, The Dashing Suns, SIddhartha, and Color Chasm, 3pm.

If you’re looking for something a little more subdued for your Saturday evening then Kata Rokkar’s latest Snob Theatre, at the Dark Room, should be your stop. This time around they will be featuring Poor Baily and Con Brio with comedians Kevin O’Shea, Chris Burns, Jesse Fernandez and Sean Keane, 9pm.

Lastly, Sunday night head over to Amnesia for Dominant Legs, Young Prisms and Holy Shit, 9pm.

–Ada Lann

San Francisco’s The New Up are celebrating the release of their fourth album, Gold, this Saturday at Cafe Du Nord and The Deli SF is offering you a chance to win a pair of tickets to the show plus a copy of the album a month before it’s available to the public! Email sfeditor@thedelimagazine.com and tell us any story involving glitz, gold or rock n’ roll to be entered [and sorry kiddos, you have to be 21+ to win]. The winner will be notified on Friday.

Check out the video for "Bitch" here:

-Nicole Leigh

Don’t miss Grass Widow tonight as they celebrate the arrival of Past Time on Kill Rock Stars. The all ages show is on the cheap side ($5-10) sliding scale and also features sets by Shannon and The Clams as well as film projections from Oddball Films and Wu Li Leung.The fun begins at 7om at Cyclone Warehouse (1842 Illinois Ave, SF)

You can also check out Grass Widow performing tomorrow at Amoeba on Haight at 2pm. This will be you last chance to check out the threesome before they embark on a three month US and Europe tour.

Grass Widow – Fried Egg from Kill Rock Stars on Vimeo.

-Nicole Leigh

Phantom Kicks started the night off right, getting more people to dance before 10pm than I’m used to seeing. The three-piece (two guitars, a drummer, plus laptop) delivered uptempo catchy electro pop with a heavy emphasis on the guitar. In a way they reminded me of watching Minus the Bear, where all the other parts of the songs seem to somehow serve the guitar so you find yourself staring at it most of the time. Their songs acted as an appropriate accompaniment to the almost end of summer night.

San Francisco’s Spiro Agnew took the stage next donning two laptops, guitar, and an extra keyboard for good measure. The electro drums laid down the beat for the three members to perform over, culminating in some noisy cross section between Depeche Mode, Joy Division, and New Order. They were celebrating the release of a new CD, Oh What Model Citizens We Be on Tough Sluts Records.

And with that The Dont’s (the only band to not have a laptop) took to the stage and played some energetic indie rock. Lead by a charismatic, lab coat wearing lead singer the band (also in costume) were straight up good. The Dont’s were maybe the odd band out that night, having little electronic influence to speak of, but they had no problem getting the crowd on their side and tore through a good 40 minutes of music that left those of us in front sweating.

The final band to take the stage was San Francisco’s own My First Earthquake, a four piece band that resides somewhere in the land of more 90s sounding indie rock with a happy take on dance punk. It was clear that this was the band some people had come to see, audience members could be seen/heard singing along to the songs. Frontwoman Rebecca Bortman brought enough energy for the whole band and commanded the audience’s attention save for moments such as the guitarist smacking the strings of his guitar with a drum stick. It only took a song or two, but pretty soon My First Earthquake had the Rickshaw Stop dancing (or at least enthusiastically stomping its feet) to their tales of band breakups, walking around San Francisco, and the likes.

Fun was had by all, the Rickshaw was rocked and rolled and electroed, and another great night of Bay Area music was enjoyed by some of its finest residents.

-Glenn Jackson; photos by Adam Myatt.

With labor day behind us and fall out on the horizon, the calender seems to be showing a lot of competition for attention in the city’s year end show schedule. Here are a few selections for this weekend.

This Friday the 10th roll out to Bottom of the Hill where Stomacher will be playing with Oh Darling and Gentleman, 10pm.

Also on Friday, Tricycle Records will be presenting a show at Milk with French Miami, Geographer and Miles the DJ, 9pm.

Saturday head over to Mama Buzz in the East Bay where this coffee shop-cum-music venue will play host to electronic musicians James and Evander as well as Ben Thompson and Mike Hale, 7pm.

If the East Bay is not your Saturday evening destination head back over to Bottom of the Hill where the Magic Bullets will be playing with We Barbarians and Superhumanoids, 10pm.

–Ada Lann

Just a reminder for you to come out, tomorrow evening, for our latest Deli SF presents show with My First Earthquake (July – 1st half – Artist of the Month), The Dont’s (August’s Album of the Month), Spiro Agnew (album release show for OH What Model Citizens We Be), Phantom Kicks (July – 2nd half – Artist of the Month) and DJ Set by H.A. Eugene of Business 80 (July’s Album of the Month).  Roll over to the Rickshaw at 8pm to for some dance-party fun and enjoy this exciting line-up.

Grand Lake explore familiar waters on their latest release, Blood Sea Dream. Fuzzy guitars, clean melodies and vocal styling that sway between Win Butler, Thom York and on occasion, Jeff Buckley are featured throughout the debut LP from this Oakland foursome. Recorded and co-produced by Jason Kick (Maus Haus), Blood Sea Dream contains 10 new tracks along with 2 re-recorded tracks from their 2009 EP Nevermint [500 Records].

One of their signature songs, "Concrete Blond On Blond" gets slightly re-vamped recording and a new title that reflects a bit of their East Bay roots: "Concrete Blond On Blond (880 South)." It’s certainly one of their strongest tracks and without question the track that will have your roommate popping his head in your bedroom door to ask "hey dude, is that the new Arcade Fire?"

Highlights form the album include the thundering and emotive first single "Louise (I Live In A Fantasy)" and the bittersweet swaying lullaby, "Our Divorce." The somber subject matter of "Our Divorce" is lightened by the melodic and playful arpeggio exchange between the violin and guitar which feels almost deceptive when paired with lyrics like "may our divorce be trimmed and neat / limbs sawed off of family trees."

Grand Lake will be touring the Bay Area extensively in September starting with a show at Ghost Town Gallery in Oakland this Friday, September 3rd. More tour dates are available on their site. Check out "Oedipus Hex (Hwy. 1 North)" below.

 -Nicole Leigh

"Oedipus Hex (Hwy. 1 North)"

Sure as you can shake a stick you can predicate on any given Thursday Epic Sauce will be putting on a good show, and tonight is no exception.  This time around locals Summer Blondes and Party Effects will team up with Portland’s Reporter and Wampire for a Thursday night dance-party extravaganza.  At Milk, and but a measly 6 bones, consider this your warm up for this Saturdays Deli Presents shenanigans.

Come this Saturday the Deli SF will be presenting its biggest show to date. At the Rickshaw this time around, this Saturday’s show will feature former Artist of the Month winners My First Earthquake, current Album of the Month awardees The Dont’s, Spiro Agnew who will be celebrating their album release, former Artist of the Month winners Phantom Kicks and a DJ set by H.A. Eugene of Business 80, also a former of Album of the Month award winner. Sure it’s Labor Day weekend, and perhaps you’ve got barbecue plans, but honestly this must trump such activities. With such an epic line-up, what better way could you find to dance away your labor blues?  You can pick up advanced tickets here.

Tonight Kata Rokkar will be presenting their fifth, and what is promised to be their most exciting, Snob Theater with yet another host of comedians and musical performances. This evenings Snob Theater will feature acoustic sets by Ash Maynor (Ghost and the City) and Jonah Matranga (Far, onlinedrawing), and comedians Sean Sinha, Katie Compa, Chris Garcia, Ray Molina and special guest Kris Tinkle. Once again at the Dark Room, this looks like a wonderful way to spend your Friday night.

–Ada Lann