There was a three-band show last Wednesday at Kimos, though the word didn’t get out very well — they played to an audience of about ten, and I’m including the mascaraed door guy.

An evening of two-piece bands, the first was synth-and-guitar duo Spiro Agnew, my favorite act of the evening (and the band that brought at least eight of the ten folks in attendance). Layered on top of an upbeat drum machine (running off a lap-top) were vocals that ranged from despondent to angsty, accompanied by distorted, droning guitar and synthetic tones and chimes throughout. Lyrically, Spiro Agnew eschews a distaste for modern culture and sympathy for the helpless individual trapped within.

Take their song "Desert of the Real," named after the most famous line in Simulacra and Simulation, a philosophical treatise by Jean Baudrillard. In a nutshell, Baudrillard claims that human society is a simulation of reality, not reality itself. That’s the kind of angst that drips from Spiro Agnew, a beat you can dance to but lyrics that make you feel lonely (e.g. "there’s something dead inside me, but I know it’s alright") and dissonant chords and keys that make you feel lost. I can really get behind pretentious music like that, and so I had a blast. You should check them out for yourself on June 16th, again at Kimos.

Sirly took the stage next; one musician handled the vocals and guitar, and the other had the drums. There were huge differences in the styles of the two band members – the drummer was laying down incredible and complex jazz beats while the guitarist/vocalist was mired in a simpler indie-rock jam vibe. When those two styles came together it worked out really well, but they didn’t come together in every song. Occasionally the singing and guitar became a distraction from the consistently amazing drumming, but all-in-all Sirly was a compelling fusion of styles that you don’t hear together all that often, offering a sound that has a lot of potential for further development.

The Stormtroopers came last in the line-up, and they were hands-down the hardest to take seriously. The bassist and singer had on white long-johns, and both he and his drummer sported cardboard masks painted to look like certain culturally relevant bleached imperial foot soldiers – a subtle choice. I can’t imagine how long it took them to come up with a name.

Indistinguishable yelping vocals, competent drumming, the occasional interesting bass line, and a whole lot of energy was what The Stormtroopers had to offer. Their music was loud and rough and seemed at odds with their I’m-trying-really-hard-to-look-silly vibe. if the crowd was much, much bigger I might have been able to get around their costumes and jump around with some smelly head-bangers, but as it was I just giggled at them for a few songs, finished my beer, and jumped on the 49 to head home.

–Words Kyle Wheat

Photos Desiree Mervau

With another relatively sparse weekend ahead, looks as though we’re settling nicely into the city’s summer musical slow down. Irregardless there are still a few shows worth checking out on the horizon.

This Friday the 7th, head to the Hemlock for the oddly compelling indie rock sounds of Control-R who will be sharing the stage with Victory and Associates and Here Come the Saviours, 9pm.

If you’re out in the East Bay on Saturday head over to Berkeley to catch Stomacher playing at Blakes on Telegraph, 8pm.

Of course, if Berkeley is too far for you (or too full of hippies as it is for me) then you could always head over to Thee Parkside on Saturday for the most adorable band in all the land (… of indie pop) The Ian Fayes. They’ll be playing with Ash Reiter and The Dead Westerns, 9pm.

–Ada Lann

Checking in with with the current activities of the railcars, it would seem Aria has been something of a busy little bee. While working on his cover of the Kate Bush album Hounds of Love he has also been getting a little remix-happy, having recently yet another to follow the one we reported on not to long ago. This particular one is a remix of Seamonster’s track "Oh Appalachia."

In addition to this remix by railcars, more remixes of the railcars’ song "Castles" have been surfacing. Both are from the free remix album we posted about recently that will be featuring Xiu Xiu, White Rainbow, Truman Peyote, and others. The first is done by No Age and the second by Jeans Wilder, who evidently has a split release with Best Coast (who played this years Noise Pop) that is apparently rumored to be aces. Check out all three tracks bellow.

–Ada Lann

 railcars remix of "Oh Appalachia"

No Age remix of "Castles"

Jeans Wilder’s remix of "Castles"

Spring is here, which of course generally means for the local music scene that we’ll be seeing a lot of our favorites kicking off tours and heading out for the summer. With that in mind, this weekend finds us with a few shows good shows as well as a send off for one local favorite embarking on an east coast tour.

Start your weekend off by heading out to the Hotel Utah on Thursday the 29th, for something of a hoe down with the folk-y bluegrass stars TV Mike and the Scarecrowes along with The Big Nasty and 49 Special, 9pm.

The centre of a lot of this weekends activity, Bottom of the Hill will be hosting Spency Dude and the Doodles along with out-of-towners Disappears and The Ponys, 10pm.

Certainly the show to see this weekend will be Maus Haus with White Cloud and Rafter this Saturday, once again at Bottom of the Hill. Maus Haus will heading to the East Coast shortly thereafter touring to support their recently released 7-inch Winter/Zig Zag and its accompanying EP Sea Sides (currently the Deli SF’s Album of the Month). For those in Oakland and too lazy to cross the large body of water separating you from the Bottom of the Hill, fear not. Maus Haus will also be playing the Uptown on Thursday the 29th with Javelin and The Splinters, 9pm. So if you haven’t seen them in a while you really have no excuse this weekend – go out and check out some of their wonderful new songs, and perhaps a few old favorites.

–Ada Lann

924 Gilman is a place that needs no introduction. The 23 year old Berkeley venue is a Bay Area institution in music history. They wrote the book on all ages shows long before venues in San Francisco started getting threatened by the ABC for not selling enough tacos. However, last week their website announced that a recent rent hike has put them under serious financial stress and the future is looking questionable. This news is disconcerting from a historical perspective and from a cultural one as well. 924 Gilman provides not only a space for persons of any age to come and see live music, but a space for a niche of music that is often over looked in the current musical trend of catchy melodies and Casio keyboards. And seriously, at what other venue can you go and dine on an organic bean burrito, apple juice and Red Vines for $3.00?

You can help the all-ages, volunteer run, music and performance venue by attending shows, donating to the Alternative Music Foundation and spreading the word.

-Nicole Leigh

Photo by Murray Bowles

The married Kansan duo Mates of State recently released a cover version of the Girl’s song "Laura" from the San Francisco band’s 2009 release Album. The single is part of larger project called Crushes (The Covers Mixtape) due out this summer with re-interpretations of songs from the likes of Tom Waits, Daniel Johnson, The Mars Volta and Fleetwood Mac. It’s hard to say if all this hi-profile internet buzz about the release will lead to bigger things for Girls or the Bay Area music scene but something tells me that the band might just see a bump in their sales of t-shirts and frisbees.

 -Nicole Leigh

Photo by Bao Nguyen

Last week, Grand Lake released the video for "Louise (I Live in A Fantasy)" from the fourth-coming album Blood Sea Dream which was co-produced by Jason kick of Maus Haus. This week, they announced they’ll be opening for Ok Go at The Fillmore on May 26th. Things are heating up for the Oakland based band so catch an intimate acoustic set with them while you can this Friday, April 23rd at Mama Buzz.

Blood Sea Dream comes out next month off of the Hippies Are Dead label but you can listen to it now on Grand Lake’s site.

-Nicole Leigh

After many a busy week (for music events at least) it would seem the city is taking a bit of a breather with only a couple, but certainly worthwhile, shows slated for this coming weekend.

For an evening easy on the ears, head out to El Rio tomorrow the 21st where minimalists The Matinees will be playing with The Better Maker and The Heated, 9pm.

Thursday at the Eagle Bare Wires will be playing their dirty garage rock with The Fresh & Onlys, Blank Dogs, and Cosmetics, 9pm.

On Saturday you should definitely find yourself wondering over to The Rickshaw where Sleepy Sun will be playing their psychish folk tunes with Little Wings and Late Young, 8:30pm.

A light weekend in comparison to weeks past, but certainly one with some interesting line-ups. Get out, see some live music, and check back again next week for some more suggestions.

–Ada Lann

If you remember, way back many moons ago, there was this little folk outfit, Burbank International, that put out this beautiful album City of Burbank that, as well as being worth much attention from your ears, was made The Deli SF’s Album of the Month in November of 08. Well it had seemed, without so much as a peep from them for so long, that San Francisco had succumbed to a tragic loss with the dissolving of H.A. Eugene’s folk project; however, with new evidence to contrary, it seems that in fact Burbank International had just gone into to an extended period of dormancy. This week they just announced a new single "2034 (When Machines Start Eating People)," now for sale on iTunes, as well a video to accompany it. If you haven’t heard them before you should definitely check out City of Burbank, but for now enjoy the video for this somewhat tragic and immensely beautiful song.  A nice and tender way start to your weekend.

–Ada Lann

It was announced this week that San Francisco band Social Studies has signed with Oakland’s Antenna Farm Records. This west bay / east bay marriage will consummate with a honeymoon tour of the West Coast in May and the birth of the bands first full length LP Wind Up Wooden Heart due in late July. Antenna Farm Records also represents Bay Area artists The Dry Spells, Bart Davenport, Sugar & Gold and The Papercuts, amongst others.

The tour stops in Oakland on May 14th and San Francisco on May 27th at the Rickshaw Stop.

Wind Up Wooden Heart is the follow up release to 2007’s first EP out of wedlock, This is the World’s Biggest Hammer.

 "Time Bandit"

-Nicole Leigh

Sitting restless two days into the work week, we have much hope that it will not require a boat to traverse the city this coming weekend (much as it was last), and while we await the final verdict on that there are a few shows that are worth adding to your calender coming up in the next few days.

Should you find yourself out and about this Thursday night make your way deep into the Mission to El Rio where Tokyo Raid will be playing with shoegazers Foreign Cinema, 9pm.

For something perhaps a little more upbeat and electronic, head over to the Rickshaw on Friday the 16th where Butterfly Bones (who recently played one of Epic Sauce‘s Milk showcases) will be laying down grooves with Princeton and the Swedish band Love is All, 8:30pm.

If nothing else, Hemlock should once again be your Saturday evening destination where psyche rockers Paranoids will be playing with Pets and Midnight Strangers, who are celebrating their CD release, 9pm.

That should about cover it for this week. Let’s hope it stays dry otherwise, screw it, show up drenched. Otherwise, check back again next week.

–Ada Lann

We are all moving at a breakneck pace. Our calendars are overflowing with events, we’re constantly running late for work and always attempting to catch up on sleep. However, on a occasion something will come along and make us stop and take a breath. Enter The Northern Key.

The Northern Key’s self titled album is the ultimate companion to San Francisco’s recent stormy days. Their perfectly stark, indie folk is meant for hibernation. Listening creates that satisfied calm that only happens when rain falls softly outside your window and the city grows quite. Singer Andrew Galluccio’s voice lingers on your ears like a crush’s whisper as each violin string is played at an octave that could break our heart.

Produced by Chris Chu of The Morning Benders, the album feels as if it was created with gentle care. Nothing is rushed or forced, each note feels right. Even down to their album art, the Northern Key convey a feeling that is beautiful and organic.

This album could easily be the soundtrack to a Sophia Coppola movie or the backdrop to a Cormac McCarthy novel. Opening track “Proof” eases you in with its bittersweet sound of somber lyrics over electric organ and gentle strumming. “Cowboy and Indian” grows a bit darker. “I just need to flush it from my system, toss the photos and soft copies of you,” Galluccio croons. The stronger “Spaced Out” takes you to the end of the road, gingerly shaking you from a melodic haze.

Do you self a favor and take this 40 minute mental health break.

– Alex Scioli