Every Wednesday, San Francisco based bar and venue, The Milk Bar hosts an event showcasing local talent called, Milk Was a Bad Choice. This week, Bay Area artists Religious Girls, GuMMyBeAR, The Classical and Eitch will all be playing this ongoing event.

Oakland mainstays, Religious Girls have been perfecting their performances down to an art since 2008. Making the bold choice to play on the floor rather than a stage, they strive to have both the audience and performer on the same level. Playing their own brand of experimental pop which is heavily dependent on harmonies and percussion with intricate time signatures, we’re sure that Religious Girls will wow audiences tonight!

Another Oakland based artist, GuMMyBeAR is well known for playing experimental "glitch" hip-hop. Their instrumentals for the most part, creates light and airy beats. The Classical, a San Francisco based group, brings their style of subdued avant-garde indie pop to the table. And finally, San Francisco and New York based artist Eitch, pronounced, "H" has made a sound all her own. Striving to make music with equal parts alternative, electronica and pop, she has coined the term "altronipop" to describe her music.

Be sure to see all of these artists tonight at the Milk Bar! – Erin Dage

Bay Area grunge-pop band, Happy Diving has recently come out with a video for their song Never Been. Similar to Pinkerton-era Weezer and Dinosaur Jr., the song is melody-laden and filled to the brim with angst in the best ways possible. In the video, Happy Diving plays the duration of the song while photos from a projector flash rapidly on the wall behind them. Much like the song, the video’s shots are layered and create a hazy atmosphere. We at the Deli SF encourage you to listen to this band’s wonderfully sludgy style of power pop. With dead pan vocal delivery and a healthy helping of feedback in tow, Happy Diving will be releasing a self-titled EP on cassette on local label Father/Daughter Records on February 18th. –Erin Dage

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the intensely dark, screamcore metal band (and SF based band Happy Diving‘s side project), Harsh Vibes has graced us with three songs from their upcoming album. This collection of songs which is appropriately titled, III showcases the tracks, LOVESICK, ENDLESS and UNTITLED. It’s hard to say if or what the full length upcoming album is going to be titled, but the three songs that the band has released are disturbing, loud and awesome. III is aggressive and the instrumental basis of the songs are tighly composed and almost traditional with their metal stylings.

Keep an eye out for Harsh Vibe’s complete album. In the meantime, they’ve shared an insanely strong example of what to expect, and the level of the new material they have to offer. –je

Sultry, raspy voiced singer/songwriter Rykarda Parasol has returned to her native city of San Francisco from a long sabbatical of sorts, in Europe. Her grizzly vocal range is oddly beautiful and appropriate as she sings bravely honest lyrics, and carries a tune perfectly over acoustic folk pop music. Parasol sounds like a Bob Dylan and Lou Reed’s lovechild. Her style is a bit perplexing and will be cool to experience live.

She’s opening for uber famous Tele Aviv based Asaf Avidan who is a massive and breath taking talent. If you want to hear something different next month, and don’t mind being moved to the core, arrive at Bimbos at 9 o’clock to see and hear a great show. –je

San Francisco band, The Electric Magpie is headlining tonight at Milk Bar. They’ll be serving up a blend of ‘60s psych rock and mod, while Los Angeles-based, the Cigarette Bums deliver a blend of blues-infused budget rock with a slight surf influence. Also keeping it slightly bluesy is Sad Tires. Listing themselves as blues punk, their talent lies within their artfully crafted guitar riffs. And opening all the festivities is LA based garage rock band Criminal Hygiene. With an ever-so-slight The Replacements-esque influence is awesome. They recently released an EP called “Withdrawn” on Cultist Records earlier this month.

Be sure to see “Friday Night Fuzz Disco” at Milk Bar in San Francisco tonight! – Erin Dage

This Year’s Readers’ Poll Winner: Major Powers & the Lo-Fi Symphony

We’re sincerely pleased to congratulate Major Powers and the Lo-Fi Symphony for winning The Deli San Francisco Best of 2013 Readers’ Poll (for emerging artists). This hard working band was able to beat out 50 of the Bay Area’s best and brightest emerging bands for the coveted title of our Year End Poll’s top artist. This self-proclaimed “Adventure Rock” ensemble creates large overtures of sound that resemble bands like Weezer, and a more lyric and melody driven Andrew W.K.. We wish them the best of luck, and are always proud to see emerging bands succeed in the Bay Area.

Keep a lookout for an exclusive interview with Major Powers next week!

Runner Up: Down Dirty Shake

Down Dirty Shake is an incredibly enthusiastic band that always throws a hell of party. We’re so happy to give them an honorable mention because they crusaded hard and were in the lead early on in the voting process. With over 300 votes, this band didn’t do to shabby and we want to highlight their hard work, and their ability to pull their fans together. They’re always winners in our eyes.

Down Dirty Shake’s live shows are always a blast! Make sure you make it out to experience their high energy performances and psychedelic soul vibes.

Runner Up: The California Honeydrops

This is another early frontrunner band! The California Honeydrops are a veteran Bay Area group that deserves a lot of respect for their loyal fan base and great music. With a smooth classic rock and roll, blues sound, you’ll appreciate their well produced throwback musical style and songwriting. Make sure you support this amazing local band in all their endeavors. – Jordannah Elizabeth, Editor

Great American Music Hall hosts a stellar line up of intensely talented female singer/songwriters. On Thursday, February 5th, Kacey Johansing and Mara Hruby will co headline with similarly talented and musically smoldering musicians, Emily Moldy and Sparkbox.

This completely local assemblage of artists guarantees a full night of moving soundscapes that will keep you fully engaged and trembling from these musician’s powerful feminine presences and supremely crisp musical styles.

Mara Hruby and Kacey Johansing’s artistic approach to alternative, contemporary folk are full of depth, but distinctly different from each other. Hruby is slightly less traditional with her compositions, as they embody an experimental, electro acoustic style, with touches of hip hop influences. Emily Moldy is a pure minimalist folk composer and will perform solo while playing acoustic guitar. Sparkbox is a new project from two other Bay Area based artists, Kelly McFarling and Megan Keely. These two women are also staples in the close knit Bay Area folk community, and will be sure to bring an elegant combination of harmonies to the stage.

Make sure you make your way to the Great American Music Hall tomorrow night for an extremely well curated show. –je

The Deli SF will be curating events in 2014! Our first show featuring live performances from Midnite Snaxxx, Primitive Hearts, Quaaludes, No Bone and Bestfriend Grrlfriend will take place on March 8th at SUB-Mission. A part of the proceeds of this show will go to the Bay Area Girls Rock Camp! If you’d like to curate a Deli Sponsored event, or have a show, event or fundraiser already in the works that you’d think we’d be interesting in promoting, contact us.

We are happy to support emerging Bay Area bands and causes that develop and benefit the local music community. –Associate Editor, Jordannah Elizabeth

Contact: Erin.d@thedelimagazine.com
CC: sfeditor@thedelimagazine.com

Local promoter Shirley Sparks Presents has put together an excellent lineup of music featuring, POW!, Massanger, Los Craters and The Electric Magpie for this Saturday at The Hemlock Tavern. Since releasing Hi-Tech Boom on Castleface Records, POW!’s synth-driven, fuzzed-out warning to San Francisco has been rapidly gaining attention after Thee Oh See’s Jonathan Dwyer described it as a “punk eulogy to our fair city.” The minimalist post-punk trio is sure to live up to the hype and put on a killer show. SoCal garage dwellers Massenger and Los Craters will bring their freaky surf rock sounds to the party while SF’s The Electric Magpie look to obliterate your face with their feedback-laden raga rock.

So stop by The Hemlock Tavern, SF’s most intimate rock club, to check out some of the best emerging indie bands on the west coast! – Ethan Varian

Tonight the Hemlock Tavern in San Francisco is hosting a positively sweet show with the likes of Midnite Snaxxx, Primitive Hearts and So What.

Starting the show off is So What. This power pop band of sorts is influenced by “bubblegum, terrace stompers, nastiness, naughtiness, and aggravation” and aims to have “a good time…all the time.” Also playing is Primitive Hearts, a power pop trio from Oakland. They definitely take a few notes from the Ramones, and the band released a full-length album “High and Tight” last year. Filled to the brim with undeniably catchy tunes, we at the Deli recommend you give it a listen! Capping off the night as headliner is Oakland punk band, Midnite Snaxxx. Serving up budget rock with great hooks and garage rock flair, the band is not to be missed. Known for their quintessential self-titled release, the band is comprised of past members of Trashwomen, Bobbyteens, Cyclops, and Loudmouths.

So if you’re looking for a sugary-sweet punk show, this is your best bet! – Erin Dage

Hailing from the Richmond District of San Francisco, The Richmond Sluts have been playing in the underground garage rock scene since 1998. Revved up rock with a psych and punk sound, they are influenced by The Rolling Stones, The Clash, The New York Dolls and The Stooges. Having gained notoriety with their self-titled full length LP released in 2001 on Disaster Records, The Richmond Sluts have played alongside bands such as The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Blending psych, shoegaze, folk and even 70’s country, Asteroid No. 4 has seen a revolving cast of musicians come and go alongside founding core members Scott Vitt, Adam Weaver and Eric Harms. Playing since the late nineties and having toured the US, UK and Europe extensively, the band ranges in influences from Echo and the Bunnymen to The Flying Burrito Brothers among countless others. 2006’s “An Amazing Dream” was considered by fans and critics alike to be the group’s first album that displayed a sound completely their own and absolutely electrifying.

Formed in 2009, Black Mambas from Los Angeles range in sound from bluesy to garage to glam, with influences from The New York Dolls to The Joneses. The Mambas have a spirit about them that is exciting, young and fresh, and their debut full length is out now on Wild Records. – Tyler Weeks

Beautiful Machines‘ Disconnect : : Reconnect begins with the electro pop mammoth song, Tragic, adorned with a pair of airy and sawtooth synths, deep club drum beats, an instantly recognizable chorus melody and yes, this song is played with actual guitars. This track is a club climax stunner. It’s the one that provokes a concert goer to disregard bitter creditors, buy that perfect cocktail, abandon inhibitions and social cowardice and mount the dance floor while letting their limbs become possessed by a sound that carries them through the moment.

We then drop into a bit more of an industrial track titled Birds and Bees, which is textured and glittering, a compositional gift Beautiful Machines are noted for. There is a yearning that can be sensed in vocalist Conrad Schuman’s psyche that seeps into the band’s songs. Their new upcoming release Disconnect :: Reconnect continues in an emotional swell and release, and is always danceable and ever growing in an inflammatory exploration of rhythm soundscapes and electro popisms at their finest. Professional yet brimming with vicious emotion, this band has Impeccable musicianship and carefully crafted songs that give this electro pop landmark its credibility and beyond all else, listenability. –Hunter Stroope

Catch Beautiful Machines live at Public Works in San Francisco tonight with Pixel Memory, Bubblegum Crisis and Brouhaha DJs.

Animammal Official Trailer from Beautiful Machines on Vimeo.