San Francisco based heavy psych band, Electric Shepherd will be headlining a great line up on May 7th at El Rio in SF. They’ll be sharing the bill with the awesome local post-noise band Buzzmutt, and Tennessee based experimental psych band, Linear Downfall.

This is one of those classic San Francisco shows that represents what the local music scene truly has to offer. Buzzmutt and Electric Shepherd are creative, seasoned (but still wild has hell), hardworking underground bands that always put on a loud and eccentrically fulfilling show.

Make sure you make it out to the El Rio to get your local underground fix. –je

Make sure you buy your tickets to the upcoming Brian Jonestown Massacre show at the Fox Theater in Oakland. On May 8th, BJM will be performing in the Bay Area to promote their new album, Revelation, which is set for release on May 19th. This legendary Bay Area based psych revivalist band will be performing classic and post era songs, which will make for an amazing show.

One of the "longest serving" members of BJM, percussionist extraordinaire, Joel Gion has recently created another direct descendent of Anton Newcombe’s visionary tribe of neo psych and shoegaze offspring, called Joel Gion and the Primary Colours. Gion and his band will be opening the show and giving the Bay Area a double dose of his musical talent.

Brian Jonestown Massacre only rolls into town once every couple of years so don’t miss this event. You won’t regret it. –je

Congratulations to the insanely talented San Francisco based gypsy soul band, Royal Jelly for winning The Deli Magazine San Francisco’s Artist of the Month Poll. The fans and voters have spoken and Royal Jelly has come out on top! This innovative vintage band has been playing speakeasies and jazz/soul venues all around the Bay Area, reaching crevices of the city that are not as adorned as they should be. RJ dares to be authentic with their brand of swing music that stands out from the local scene’s status quo! We’re into it. 

We wish them all the best on their future endeavors!

The Deli Magazine San Francisco has a number of upcoming events coming in May. Not only are we throwing Deli Magazine Sponsored Events, which are being hosted Fridays at DNA Lounge (upstairs), we’ve also got an awesome benefit show coming up!!!

Wednesday, May 7th – The Deli Magazine SF Benefit Show – The Elbo Room 

Deli SF Sponsored Event Series:
Friday, May 9th – DNA Lounge 
Friday, May 16th – DNA Lounge 
Friday, May 30th – DNA Lounge 

Wednesday, May 7th The Elbo Room Doors at 8 pm $7+ donations

Spider Heart, Void Boys, Sea Dramas, along with the brand new San Francisco based musical outfit, Vollmer will be celebrating the growth and community involvement of The Deli SF! SF based community and intercultural advocate; Jason Wyman will also grace us with a reading celebrating the Bay Area and our amazing music community. Don’t miss this event!

Friday, May 9th – DNA Lounge Doors at 8 pm . $8

Bay Area based bands, The Spiral Electric and Pharoahs will be joining touring bands Ghost Box Orchestra and Dead Gurus to create an atmospheric night of neo psychedelia rock and roll. These bands will all bring a different interpretation of potent, washed out psych vibes to your world, and particularly to DNA Lounge this weekend!!!! We’re so excited to hear all these bands.

Friday, May 16th – DNA Lounge Doors at 8 pm . $8

Los Angeles based legendary rockbilly band, The Dollyrots will be headlining a show with the Bay Area’s best and brightest underground bands. The Shanghais, Mark Nelsen Band and Whorhaigh Kayado will be rounding out a great line up. This show is going to be eclectic, unique and high energy. If you want to discover some new blood in the SF music scene, check this show out!

Friday, May 30th – DNA Lounge Doors at 8 pm . $8

The Deli Magazine San Francisco’s co editor (and underground local punk-garage rock connoisseur), Erin Dage personally curated our May 30th show! We are the Men, Sweat Lodge, Unstrung and Asthma will all be performing at DNA Lounge! Don’t miss this show. We’re excited to have these Bay Area based bands close out our May shows!!

A Million Billion Dying Suns‘ new music video for Hey Man, off their 2013 release, Strawberry EP is an intensely striking modern fairy tale that will take you on a 6 minute wild ride of an Oakland hipster’s worst nightmare.

Plagued with the torment of bikers, wizards and reptiles, one ordinary man’s bike ride around town turns into a dark and violent labyrinth of events. Escape is futile until he wakes up from the spine chilling alternate reality (which could even be an alternate Bay Area), only to find himself back home, but more lost than ever.

Produced by French Press Films, directed by Andrew Juncker and gifted with a supreme performance by actor, Andrew Riddell, this video is totally impressive. The acting, twists and quality are a very pleasant surprise in a world of DIY, lo fidelity production, –not that there’s anything wrong with them. Hey Man will show you just what a little time, passion and budget can do to pump an already great band and album.

Kudos to A Million Billion Dying Suns for producing a great music video. There are a couple of chances to see them perform live in the very near future.  -je

05.01 San Francisco CA – The Make-Out Room
05.10 Los Angeles CA – The Satellite
05.22 San Francisco CA – Converse Store, Downtown SF

Tonight the Hemlock Tavern in San Francisco is hosting a show with performances by: Parae, VAINHEIN, Grendel’s Claw, and Tyler Holmes. Each band holds true to a slew of genres – spanning all the way from electronic music to post-punk.

Opening is electro-goth solo act Tyler Holmes. Also playing is highly surf punk two piece Grendel’s Claw. VAINHEIN is a musical act from Oakland that plays dark, experimental house music. Parae is a San Francisco-based trio that creates post-punk-tinged experimental art rock. The band has confrontational-sounding vocals amidst rough-edged, noisy instrumentals. Last year the band came out with a full-length called Crystal Venom, which is sure to bend conventions of genre. –Erin Dage

The sound of ’80s is back and more progressive than ever, thanks to SF based quartet Melted Toys. Smooth guitar leads and thumping drum beats are easily accessible in their newest album "S/T," released with Underwater Peoples.

Easygoing, sweet vibes mixed with on-point vocal waves a la Christopher Owens build and swell in Bummed Out while things take a more post punk vibe with Horizons. A Postcard slows down with breathy vocals and rich basslines to fill the air with demure head swaying happiness. Blush begs to be blasted during a golden coastline drive with the windows down and volume up. Bongo drums make an appearance in Joy Fit as palm trees sway in the distance and echoey vocals flow over a deep bass. The group’s more techno-savvy side comes out in Citrus Honeymoon as silver synth sounds glissade over short guitar bursts and a slowed-down mood. With chill beats and slick-smooth sounds, Melted Toys bring the bacon and all of the syrup. – Kat Collins

San Francisco State University’s music and arts venue, The Depot is putting on an all ages show highlighting some of the Bay Area’s most fun and energetic young bands. Oh, and the show is free! Topping the bill is Wild Moth, a four piece from San Francisco that recently released their latest album, Over, Again through Asian Man Records. Their sound ranges from frenetic (think Jay Reatard or Pavement’s “Cut Your Hair") but with a heavy dose of post punk.

Setting the stage is Oakland’s surf-rock wonder kids, Meat Market. The band recently finished wrapping up their March Madness tour which included stops at SXSW. Labor Temple and Bicycle Day, who sound similar to John Dwyer’s Coachwhips or early Oh Sees projects will kick off the night.

This will be an early show, running from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., but making it down will be well worth your while! –Skyler Warren

SF based group, The Y Axes blend clean, sweet vocals with calming melodies and plaits of deep basslines with animated guitar pulses in their newest album, Sunglasses & Solar Flares. The follow up to the release of their previous ep, Moon Rock 2.0, this 13 track album keeps up the spacey theme with titles like, "Nanoseconds" and "Neon Street."

Timely beats and pleading lyrics brush up against each other in "Nothing With You". "Green To Gold" says hello with electronic warbly synth lines and lyrics sung with a smile. "Dotted Lines" features a reverberating beat and a spicy guitar solo in a tale of love and poetically passing time. With their album set to release on May 17, keep an eye out for The Y Axes as we enter the future of pop music. You can listen to a single from Sunglasses & Solar Flares below. –Kat Collins

Polish and lace up your best dancing shoes, press a good shirt, or pick out a dress that’s easy to twist in because Royal Jelly is looking to help you get over your slump on humpday. As part of their April residency, Royal Jelly and John Lee Hooker’s Boom Boom Room will be hosting this jazz-inspired, dance inducing band who posseses plenty of rhythm and soul to go around! 

Joining Royal Jelly is another funk filled, soul/ hip hop group, The Pull, who are coming fresh off of winning San Francisco State’s Battle of the Bands. You can catch DJ Honeycomb Brown, spinning vintage funk hits guaranteed to keep your toes tapping. Don’t be shy because this show will be a super fun time! –Skyer Warren

This month for The City: SF Sounds presents, a monthly free concert series hosted by NBC Bay Area and Jack Daniels, it’s all about danceable rock. Bay Area bands Animal Super Species and The Trims will be playing the event April 24 at The Milk Bar in San Francisco.

Animal Super Species is a band that is the vein of The Faint, playing scuzzy dance pop. Be sure to check out their debut album, Yearbook – its filled to the brim with danceable tunes. Followed in the theme of the night, is The Trims, an alternative dance pop group from San Jose. The band came out with Delete You After last year and it has definite post-punk and dance influences.  –Erin Dage

If you’re in the mood to see a cool show in San Francisco, The Hemlock Tavern will be hosting a showcase made up of a plethora of talent. Foli will be a refreshing treat for psychedelic soul music fans. Their sound ranges between mellow and introspective grooves to full-on rock and roll assault, which makes for an exciting show.

And for music lovers who are into a steady and washed out sound, shoegaze group, Upstairs Downstairs will give you a spiritually chill experience with their silky vocals and delicately woven instrumentals. Folk soul artist, Breck Omar Brunson will be making his San Francisco debut as a solo singer songwriter after experiencing moderate success as a band front man and contemporary artist in Washington DC. This show is going to be entertaining, intimate and down to earth. Make sure you attend this show if you’re looking for something a bit different then your average Bay Area rock show. – Kat Collins