San Francisco legends Afrolicious will bombard Great American Music Hall on Friday, March 15th, complete with 12-piece live band, to celebrate their first full length release, California Dreaming. Hatched from the acclaimed weekly Afrolicious dance parties, the Afrolicious band preserves the electro-world flavor of the DJ sets while emphasizing the funky Afro/Latin feel only a horn section and live percussion can supply. The players on California Dreaming hail from a diverse range of cultural and geographic backgrounds. Despite the variety of tastes and styles they throw into the pot, the resulting dish definitely gels.

Hosted by Blue Note/Motown artist DJ Smash, the event touts a fully packed roster. In addition to sets by Afrolicious co-conspirators DJs Pleasuremaker and Señor Oz, supporting acts include Bay Area based soul band Midtown Social and KCRW/Los Angeles DJ Jeremy Sole. California Dreaming is available March 12th. You can sample the title track below. -Andy Lambert

Local Bay Area lady, Ash Reiter and her band are taking their decidedly Californian, dreamy pop music on tour. The track I’ve Got Something I Can Laugh About, from their late 2012 album Hola, exemplifies the snappy melodies and retro 60s tones that characterize the group. The stylized instrumentals combined with Reiter’s wholesome vocals make for upbeat, good clean fun. She does, however, sneak in the occasional sly remark to spice things up. Ash Reiter plays Disco Volante in Oakland this Wednesday, March 6th, along with David Glasebrook of Santa Cruz Americana outfit Deep Ellum and Portland’s Wild Ones. After their local show Ash Reiter and her band will play an extensive tour with their label mates, Li Xi and Couches. 20 Sided Records is sending these talented San Francisco bands all over the US. Make sure you catch them when they arrive at a city near you. -Andy Lambert

20 SIDED RECORDS TOUR DATES:

03.08.13 – Tempe, AZ @ Yucca Tap Room w/ High Horse,Couches, Li Xi, Ash Reiter
03.09.13 – Cottonwood, AZ @ Cactus Kate’s Saloon w/ Li Xi, Couches
03.10.13 – Durango, CO @ The Summit w/ Couches, Li Xi, Ash Reiter
03.11.13 – Santa Fe, NM @ Stats Bar w/ Cuches, Li Xi, Ash Reiter
03.13.13 – Austin, TX (SXSW Festival)
03.14.13 – Houston, TX @ NOTSUOH/DEAN’S(Somewhere Southwest Fest) w/ Couches & Li Xi
03.15.13 – Shreveport, LA @ Bears Bar w/ Couches, Li Xi
03.16.13 – Fayetteville, AR @ Smoke & Barrell Tavern w/ Couches & Li Xi
03.17.13 – Tulsa, OK @ Soundpony (20 Sided St Patty’s Day Party) w/ Couches, Li Xi, Ash Reiter
03.18.13 – Wichita, KS @ Rock Island Live w/ Couches, Li Xi
03.19.13 – Denver, CO @ Unit E w/ Rubedo, Ash Reiter, Li Xi, Couches & Scatter Gather
03.19.13 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Bar Deluxe w/ Rubedo, Ash Reiter, Couches
03.21.13 – Pocatello, ID @ Flipside Lounge w/ Rubedo, Ash Reiter, Couches
03.22.13 – Boise, ID @ Off (Treefort Festival)
03.23.13 – Boise, ID @ Red Room (Treefort Festival Showcase) w/ The Blank Tapes, Rubedo, Ash Reiter, Ugly Winner, Pony Village
03.24.13 – Hood River, OR @ Trillium Cafe w/ Ash Reiter, Pony Village, Couches
03.25.13 – Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar (Post-Treefort Party) w/ Animal Eyes, Ash Reiter, Pony Village, Couches, Talkative

Oakland, California based alt folk rockers, Known to Collapse‘ The Collectives LP was released last week on Secret Library Recordings. In addition to Lehner’s vocals, guitars, and piano, it features bassist/vocalist David Somerall, drummer Matt Bryant and, as hinted by its title, several other talented contributing artists. As such, the eight tracks combine a range of genres that underline a penchant for experimentation. The dreamy “Stop Back” kicks off on a gentle, hopeful note as the acoustic, narrative-like “The Grey Area” diffuses a slight country-western vibe. The mood picks up with the multi-layered “Felicity City”—arguably the most experimental track—with its intense bridge that opposes its epiphanic chorus. The upbeat and catchy “Kelly’s Eyes (Kelly’s Island)” engenders optimism that contrasts the blunt, edgy rebuke that is “Hate Hater.” Yet, ironically, a lack of lyrics just might have the strongest impact through the beautifully moody, piano-backed instrumental tune, “Cander.” The concluding piece “No One Can Teach You To See” features Kevin Lehner and Alora King in a duet, where gritty guitar riffs parallel the bittersweet undertone of relationships and life lessons.

With tracks alternating between laid-back and intense, dreamy and harshly sobering, Collectives feels relatable through its honesty. If there’s the occasional cryptic lyrical content, it’s a nod to another level of experimentation and uniqueness that opens the door to personal interpretation. – Natacha Pavlov

Wax Idols, an Oakland based post-punk rock band has dropped a new single entitled, When It Happens. When It Happens is the first single from Wax Idols’ new album, Discipline and Desire which is due out on March 26th on Slumberland Records. This is the band’s sophomore album and is described as a stronger manifestation of their debut album, Fortune, with Discipline and Desire exuding stronger melodies and fuller expressions of intensity. You can catch Wax Idols live as they are performing a plethera of shows this Spring:

03/06 Oakland, CA – New Parish
03/07 San Diego, CA – The Void
03/08 Tempe, AZ – Sail Inn
03/09 El Paso, TX – Lowbrow Palace
03/13 Austin, TX – Red 7 – Force Field PR / Stones Throw Showcase (SXSW)
03/13 Austin, TX – The Iron Bear – Slumberland Records Showcase (SXSW)
03/13 Austin, TX – CMRTYZ/DOLCE VITA SECRET SHOW (SXSW)
03/14 Austin, TX – Waterloo Records – SXSWATERLOO (SXSW)
03/14 Austin, TX – Tillery Park – GET BENT (SXSW)
03/15 Austin, TX – Gypsy Lounge – Castleface/CMYR (SXSW)
03/16 Austin, TX – Greenhouse 701 – Castleface/ HOZAC (SXSW)
03/21 Salt Lake City, UT – Richard Street Art Collective
03/22 Boise, ID – Treefort Music Fest
03/30 San Francisco, CA – Brick & Mortar Music Hall (Record Release Show)
03/31 Los Angeles, CA – The Echo (Record Release Show / Part Time Punks)
04/20 Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle
04/21 Detroit, MI – PJ’s Lager House
04/22 Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups
04/24 St. Louis, MO – The Heavy Anchor
04/25 Nashville, TN – The Stone Fox
04/26 Atlanta, GA – The Earl
04/27 Durham, NC – The Pinhook
04/30 Baltimore, MD – Metro Gallery
05/04 Brooklyn, NY – Shea Stadium

Oakland based electro-noise party punkers, Religious Girls have recorded a new single, "Dead Dog", and shot a bizarre new video for the track to formalize its release. The trio has been busy collaborating with Bay Area production, Sprinkle Lab on the new video and embarking on an expansive US tour. Dead Dog offers a taste of the forthcoming album, I Want To Believe, which will be released this summer by fledgling indie label, Field Conditions. Religious Girls combines lush synths, frantic drumming and wailing vocals in an onslaught that’s extremely effective in getting an audience riled up.They’ll end their tour on April 18th at the Milk Bar in San Francisco. – Andy Lambert

Mar. 12th – SXSW Austin, TX @ The Granada House

Mar. 13th – SXSW Austin, TX @ Royal House Co-Op

Mar. 14th – SXSW Austin, TX @ SXSWendys

Mar. 15th – SXSW Austin, TX @ SXSHALLOWEEN!

Mar. 17th – SXSW Austin, TX @ HOLE IN THE WALL 

Oakland based post indie sad pop band, Magic Fight has released a new single called FANGS. FANGS Is a song from their upcoming debut LP, Wooden Swords and Stolen Echoes, which the band plans to self release on April 1st, 2013. You can catch Magic Fight live in San Francisco at Brick and Mortar Music Hall with local San Francisco bands, The Lawlands and The Disposition on March 14th. This young Bay Area band has a lot of potential. Take a listen to their new single and make sure you grab their new album when it is released.

San Francisco based singer/songwriter, Jeff Campbell has been named one of the top 10 finalists in the 2013 Guitart Center Singer/Songwriter Competition. Campbell was chosen along with the other finalists by Grammy Award winning producer, John Shanks, who has produced 67 #1 albums, and will produce a four track EP for the winner of the competition. As a finalist, Jeff has already won a Martin acoustic/electric guitar and a standard Telecaster, amoung other great tools and resources. Shanks will name the winner of the competition after watching Jeff and the other finalists perform live at Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles on March 2nd. Check out the video that got Campbell the top honors in the competition.

Kacey Johansing, an accomplished singer/songwriter based in San Francisco, has released her sophomore LP, Grand Estates. Her feminine and melodious new album is the follow up to her 2010 debut album, Many Seasons, and deals with the subject matter of loss. Grand Estates is dedicated to Kacey’s loved ones that she lost during the recording of the album. Kacey is also playing a string of shows in March between San Francisco’s Noise Pop Festival and Austin’s SXSW Fest.

NOISE POP FESTIVAL – MARCH 2nd 2013 @ The Great American Music Hall – All Ages – Doors open at 7 pm

Advanced Tickets Here

SXSW – MARCH 12th @ Red 7 (Terrorbird Media Day Party)

MARCH 14th @ J. Blacks (The Deli Mag)

MARCH 16th @ J. Blacks (The Deli Mag)

San Francisco based experimental garage rock band, Petejota has released their debut EP, Hunting for Pleasure. This band’s music is unqiuely interesting and almost embodies math rock components due to their experimental and strangly syncopated music. This fuzzed out Bay Area music project can also fall in sync with SF’s psych rock scene as the music is touched with reverb and a bit of passion. Give Hunting for Pleasure a listen if you’re looking to hear music that’s abstract and creative.

San Francisco based instrumental post rock band Form and Fate have emerged from a long live performance hybernation to play the DNA Lounge on March 6th. After a two year hiatus, Form and Fate will be sharing a bill with Boston based art rock, nugaze metal band, Junius, Death Valley High and Silver Snakes. Do your best not to miss this show. For ticket information, click here:

http://www.dnalounge.com/calendar/2013/03-06d.html

Like contemporaries The Black Keys, The Steepwater Band, and The Black Angels, SF’s The Stone Foxes summon the days of hard-driven blues-rock.

Their full-length album Small Fires, set to release February 12th, is suffused with fuzzy guitar riffs, heavy, seductive vocals and dark, simple choruses. Their single “Everybody Knows” alludes to Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart,” weaving a sinister theme into a hard-hitting, disconsolate song. Small Fires delivers as pure a dose of rock as can be found today—gritty, spacious, and to-the-point.

Check them out at Amoeba Records on the 12th or in Oakland at the New Parish Music Hall on the 13th. – Tina Aita

On February 26, Noise Pop returns for its 21^st year to bring us independent music, film, and art. There’ll be some incredible emerging—and not so emerging—musicians playing this year, but there’s only room for one preview per blog entry. Here’s the first: