Another Saturday night in San Francisco, and another great psych show. DJ Mr. Robinson spun all vinyl throughout the night, starting out with some chill Ravi Shankar at door time, and building throughout the night through an eclectic mix of classic psych and modern rock music. The projections were provided by White Light Prism, a mix of post-modern collage art and optical art moires throughout all the sets. Each band got their own visual pallet, making each song unique and different looking. Often there were two smaller split screens behind the bands, juxtaposing imagery with flashing strobes of nature visuals, classic 60s psych imagery, surf imagery, and film-grain urban landscapes of San Francisco. Hopefully nobody had a seizure, but there was plenty of stimulation between the DJ, the custom visuals, and the bands themselves, which made for a great night overall, leaving the audience with a full sensory experience that you don’t get at most shows nowadays, with just stage lights and playlists on an iPod.
My Dallas Teens from Grass Valley, CA opened the night as a five-piece band, complete with a tambourine player. Jumping right into it, the band went full throttle into some songs that had unique chord progressions that never seemed to rest down into the 4/4 format, giving a sense of motion and movement. The two guitars melded together, both 12 and six string taking turns with riffs and solos. Both the guitar player and the drummer sang, giving nice harmonies between the two of them, with the tambourine player never missing a beat and playing perfectly in the mix. I’ve seen this band a few times before, but the combination of these songs in this set, as well as the excellent sound at Kilowatt, made each instrument stand out in the mix, allowing the audience to hear all the subtleties of the guitar effects and low-end bass lines holding it down. There was some impressive songwriting on display during this opening set. Each song was a toe tapper. Ending their showcase with the chorus, “Maybe I’m coming down,” acting as a nice somber yet majestic ending, taking the audience on a nice journey through their musical landscape, and setting up the stage for the next two bands to follow. I’ve been listening to the live recording of this set quite a bit, and their studio work is unique as well. They play SF quite a bit, and I would check them out before they get big.
Video & Photography by emi – emi-arts.com
Down Dirty Shake was back with a small reunion show of sorts, with the guitar player coming up from LA to join his Nor Cal brothers and sisters through some classic Down Dirty Shake songs. Guitar, keys, bass, drums, and even a new bongo player joined the band on stage, giving a nice Latin feel to their already Latin/Soul sound, with some songs sung in Spanish. Past members joined on vocals and percussion for a few songs, giving the songs a very full sound with as many as seven people on stage. The set varied from slow jams and smooth Fender Stratocaster riffs to more high-energy songs throughout the show. There were some great levels of musicianship on stage. The vocals were very soulful, with the lyrics being very distinct, and the messages of each song very clear. “Woman, maybe it’s me, maybe it’s you…I don’t know what to do” elicited a big emotional response from the audience. The band closed the night with a cover of Sade’s “Ordinary Love,” doing their own heart-felt version. Down Dirty Shake has their own sound that encompasses all the corners of Rock, Soul, and Latin vibes. Visuals of flames and fire were projected behind them for the final part of their set, keeping the audience moving, and setting the stage for the final act of the evening.
Video & Photography by emi – emi-arts.com
The Love Dimension headlined the evening’s musical festivities. While not overtly reliant on any San Francisco psychedelic nostalgia, this band seems to carry the San Francisco spirit of the 60s into the 21st century, with their songwriting as well as visual aesthetic on stage. With male and female vocals together on many of the songs, there is a gender universal blend to their sound, as they reflect both the feminine and masculine shades of each song, much like Marty Balin and Grace Slick of the Jefferson Airplane. There was an energy of acceptance to the crowd as The Love Dimension took the stage, giving their whole set a very welcoming feel for anyone who wanted to listen. Everyone is welcome to vibrate into the dimension of Love. This band has the best karma of any musical group that has ever existed in the history of rock music. Each song is like a shot of Reiki into the universe, with themes of acceptance, togetherness, and gratitude washing over the individual souls of the audience. The lyrics themselves feel healing, as the syntax of the words resonate within the psyche of the mind. One can’t help feel good after their set, and perhaps their music can cure any ailment you may have at the moment. The surf-infused “Together Again” was accompanied by vintage surf visuals behind the group. You just want to get up and dance. This was the 15th anniversary of the band, and its status as a San Francisco “Super group” was evident, as many past members joined them for this show. The stage was packed with musicians as they played through most of the band’s greatest hits over the years, which is hard because they have such a diverse catalog of music at this point. No show is ever the same. A surprise cover of Smashing Pumpkins “1979” delighted the audience, before bringing down the house with “Got Gratitude,” a punk/psych song that has always been a personal favorite of mine. I’ve seen the audience go nuts to this song over the years, and it’s always a good closing number for them to play. An excellent night overall for all the bands and people in attendance.
Video & Photography by emi – emi-arts.com
Social Media Links:
