Blasting fuzz, doubled guitars, sitar like instrumentation that was out of this world. The Black Angels are still unlike any other psych band in the world today. Pow Magazine covered all three nights of their San Francisco residency where they played the first three albums in full along with new material.
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Sun Atoms – Live Show and Everything Forever Album Review
Portland, Oregon’s own Sun Atoms came through the Bay Area circuit a little while back, stopping by Kilowatt in San Francisco to give an unforgettable performance. I love being introduced to bands by seeing them live, and this was an introduction to remember. Sun Atoms were the 3rd and final act to grace the stage that night, following performances by Rykarda Parasol and Ardent Sons. Sun Atoms were absolutely incredible to watch. Prior to seeing them live, I’d never seen a darkwave artist live. They were completely locked-in on their performance. Their passion for their music was deeply evident throughout their set. Lead singer Jsun Atoms really commanded the room…
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W.I.T.C.H. “Zango”
This 2023 release is the first new music from the band in over 40 years. It is also the first album since 1976 to feature front man and co-founder Emmanuel “Jagari” Chanda. Joined by a younger band of European musicians who breathe new life into the music, the album retains classic elements of the band’s signature sound, even with an analog recording feel. The title “Zango” refers to a central meeting place in Zambian villages where the community can gather, and exchange ideas and learn from each other. W.I.T.C.H. recently played a free outdoor show at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in San Francisco. This “Zango” community feeling was present at…
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Kilowatt Bar 3.9.24 – My Dallas Teens, Down Dirty Shake, The Love Dimension
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…
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Kilowatt Bar 2.1.24 – Green Door, Silent Pictures, Morrison Graves, The Spiral Electric
Photography by emi – emi-arts.com Another winter rainy night in the Mission, San Francisco. Even though it was the first of the month, and pouring down rain, the show was still a great turnout. There was no DJ, no lightshow; just four solid bands from SF, the East Bay, and Portland. Turnovers were fast, and each band played a lengthy set, getting warmed up and hitting the grooves very fast. Drug and sex movies played behind the bar on TV screens, and lots of photographers were in attendance, as this event was highly documented. New and old friends were all there, like any good SF psych show. Opening the night…
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IVY ROOM 9.23 | Star Decay, The Love Dimension, Melting Elephants
It was a good turnout for a Wednesday night in Berkeley. It’s good for San Francisco and East Bay bands to play shows on both sides of the Bay. Different people from parts of the city make it out who would not otherwise. It’s hard to always be going to San Francisco or Oakland for shows, as band members often live in many different parts of the Bay Area. People like to go out locally on a weeknight for shows, and it showed at this event. The Ivy Room is a great venue in North Berkeley to do shows for those who live in that neck of the woods. It…
