Treasure Island 2010 Lineup Announced

We've been loving the Treasure Island Festival from day one. Always immaculately organized, always a great lineup, and always a beautiful (albeit sometimes cold) view of the city by the Bay. This year is no exception, as the festival organizers (Another Planet and Noise Pop) have just announced this year's lineup.

Similar to past years, Saturday is more of an electronic day, and is headed up by LCD Soundsystem, with some old school support from Kruder and Dorfmeister, and some serious action from !!!. Sunday is, once again, the "rock" day, and as predicted, Belle and Sebastian are heading the lineup. Combine that with the awesomeness of Broken Social Scene, The Sea and Cake, and The National, and well....this is gonna be good.

Oh, By The Way: This Year's Outside Lands Looks Fantastic

Yes, we know the Outside Lands lineup dropped a while ago: calm yourselves. The fest isn't happening for another two months, and we're certainly not going to subscribe to this "give it to me now" internet culture that all you kids seem so keen on. Nope, not one bit!

That being said, we'll just come out with this: the lineup for Outside Lands 2010 looks fantastic. As always, it's a pretty solid mix of acts and genres, with a "something for everyone" vibe. At the same time, it features a triumvirate of three of our favorite bands of the modern era: Kings Of Leon, The Strokes, and Phoenix will all be making appearances at the fest.

Yes, you read that correctly. Never mind that the re-formed Strokes alone would be enough to get us out there, add in two of the most solid live rock bands playing today, and suffice it to say, we'll be in attendance. On top of those three, we were more than a little psyched to see My Morning Jacket, Cat Power, and our recent faves Dawes all in the lineup.

In a change from previous years, the fest will only be a two day affair, which is actually probably a blessing for all of those folks coming from work on Friday. While it does make the fest slightly less epic, it also makes it a lot more manageable for a lot of folks, which is nice.

Anyway, as you can see, we're very psyched, and you can bet we're going to be there. We're guessing you will too - seriously, Julian asked us to invite you. xoxo.

Coachella 2010 Lineup Announced, Best In Years

No, we can't really believe it either: Coachella has bounced back from a few languishing years with a lineup that will have you doing double takes as far as the eye can see. Frankly, Sunday seemed like *the* day at first, but the more we look at the lineup, the more we feel like the whole weekend may necessitate attendance. Discussing the awesomeness of this lineup would just devolve into a list of bands we love, so take a look for yourself up above. The enormity of the whole thing just boggles the mind.

The whole deal goes down April 16th-18th, which will hopefully be early enough in the year to alleviate the killer desert heat, at least as much as possible. We can't guarantee we'll be in attendance, but you can be damn sure we're going to try! Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 AM.

In Case You Were Wondering About The 2010 Noise Pop Lineup....

It's been a few weeks since this year's Noise Pop dates got announced, and in the meantime, the organization has released some of the festival's 2010 lineup. It's (unsurprisingly) pretty tasty; we're pretty excited to see that Foreign Born on the bill, Atlas Sound will be in attendance, and Magnetic Fields will be making a return as well. What's more, there's a host of San Francisco mainstays, including John Vanderslice, Rogue Wave, and the multi-talented Mark Kozelek. The full schedule is still to come, but to see even more of the acts announced thus far, head to the Noise Pop schedule page.

Grand Lake Announces Free Live EP, West Coast Tour

It's been a little while since we caught up with Grand Lake, so we were psyched to see some quality news come over the wire this morning. The band, who have recently regrouped as a three piece consisting of bassist Caleb Nichols, guitarist Jameson Swagnon, and drummer John Pomeroy. Word is the new lineup has been hard at work, both on new tunes and in the live environ.

All that hard work is apparently paying off: the band is working on on upcoming record, tentatively entitled Boontling, for release later this year. To tide listeners over, the band has taken two of the songs from the new record, "Louise" and "My Father As A Forest Full Of Trees", and made them available as a free download via bandcamp. (We hate that click through email crap, so we made the tracks available below as well)
In addition, the band has lined up dates for their first all-encompassing west coast tour, and will be travelling everywhere from San Diego to Washington over the last two weeks in August. We're psyched to see the band (especially with the lineup tumult) staying on track, and we have to say: get out and see these guys on this tour. Their live show is a real treat, and at the pace things are going, you're likely to catch something completely new as well. Win!

Grand Lake Summer 2009 West Coast Tour

8/15 - Old Ironsides, Sacramento, CA w/ Buildings Breeding

8/20 - Silver Factory Studios, Los Angeles, CA w/ Dirt Dress

8/21 - Tin Can Ale House, San Diego, CA w/ Manuok

8/22 - The Uptown Nightclub, Oakland, CA w/ Guidance Counselor

8/25 - The Comet, Seattle, WA w/ Origami Ghosts

8/26 - House Show, Olympia, WA w/ Guidance Counselor

8/27 - Holocene, Portland, OR w/ Guidance Counselor

mp3: Grand Lake - Louise (Live)
mp3: Grand Lake - My Father As A Forest Full Of Trees (Live)

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2009 Lineup Announced: Steve Martin, Aimee Mann, Neko Case, Okkervil River, Old 97's And More

The always-classic, always-free tradition of San Francisco's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival is back, and this year seems to be more firmly cemented in its country roots. A partial artist lineup has just been announced and the headliners include Steve Martin, Aimee Mann, Neko Case, Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson and others.

Conspicuously absent are the heavyweight rock figures that have graced the festival in the past couple of years. We found this particularly surprising given Elvis Costello's particularly folky recent release. However, it is worth mentioning that a number of "alt country" bands are putting in appearances, including The Old 97's, Okkervil River, and Dr. Dog. It's nice to see the "rock" side of the festival continue to be represented, even if it's not by such heavyweights as Costello and Plant.

The festival will take place the first weekend in October in Golden Gate Park. Head over to the Hardly Strictly site to check out the full list.

Grand Lake: Knockout Pics, New Drummer, New Song

There's been a lot going on since we last caught up with Grand Lake, and we figured it made sense to bring you up to speed. But first: while we shot some great video when we last caught the band at The Knockout, we also took some photos. Those photos have never seen the light of day until now - we figured we'd dig them up for your enjoyment. Now, on to the news!

The most significant chunk of news is that the band has decided to change drummers. In a statement on their blog, they had the following to say:

A large factor in the formation of our band was our amazing drummer, Mr. Ryan Christopher Parks, AKA B. Hamiliton. Ryan is an excellent musician, and like many excellent musicians, has a lot of projects going on. Its been decided that for everybody's long-term happiness, Ryan will be leaving Grand Lake this month.

They go on to mention that a new drummer has already been chosen, and will be on the band's lineup almost immediately:

Replacing Mr. Parks on the drums will be difficult, however, our good friend Mr. John William Pomeroy will most certainly be up to the task. John is an amazing musician who also fronts his own band called the Cerfs. John's first show with Grand Lake will be at the Starry Plough in Berkeley on June 5th, with our very good friends Sister Grizzy.

We have to admit, we're curious to see how the change will affect the band's sound: a drummer is a huge part of any band, and Grand Lake certainly had a solid on stage rapport. Developing.

In addition to the lineup change, the band has also announced that they are going to forgo any further entries into their "singles series", and instead embark on recording a second record at the end of the summer. We have to say, we definitely endorse the idea. The band's first record is fantastic, and it seems that singles can have the unfortunate consequence of being overlooked until they make their way to a compilation.

Finally, we've managed to get our hands on a new track from the band, and we have to say we like it very, very much. Entitled "Song For Louise", the track was recorded live in Santa Cruz and digs much more extensively into what we see as the band's strengths. Specifically, it leverages Caleb Nichols' fantastic vocals with a strong melody line, and plays them extremely well off the sonics of Jameson Swagnon's guitar. The result is a sparse but aggressive arrangement that manages to transcend the cleanliness of their first record. We can't wait to hear this one in the studio.

Grand Lake are at the Starry Plough on June 5th

mp3: Grand Lake - Song For Louise (Live In Santa Cruz)

More pictures at the HAD Archive

Outside Lands Lineup Announced, Considerably Less Balanced Than 2008

Okay, we have to admit - we're a little surprised. After last year's Outside Land Festival had a wonderfully balanced artist lineup (a little bit indie, a little bit classic, a little bit mainstream), it seems that this year they've decided to opt strongly (at least in the top slots) in the direction of mainstream bands, leaving the indie world to the likes of the Treasure Island Festival and Noise Pop.

Specifically, the main headliners for the festival (with the exception of Ween and possibly M.I.A.) are all easy, accessible, mainstream artists. Granted, there's nothing wrong with that per se. Obviously with a festival of this size needs to cater to the masses, and with headliners like Pearl Jam, Beastie Boys, and Dave Matthews, this lineup is certainly doing that.

Last year we genuinely were thrilled with Outside Lands, and a lot of that had to do with the unique way the lineup catered to so many different types of fans. It did a fantastic job at mirroring San Francisco's diversity, both musically and culturally. More than anything, it just made for a really varied and interesting experience. By contrast, this year's lineup seems far more targeted at one specific demographic, and that's a bit of a let down.

That being said, the lineup is certainly not without merit. We're psyched to see The National, TV On The Radio, Deerhunter, Modest Mouse, Band Of Horses and John Vanderslice in the mix. What's more, the lineup has a good number of artists who fall into the "we've always been interested, but never got a chance to catch them live" category, which is also helps to make for a great festival.

At the end of the day, this year's Outside Lands lineup will no doubt be a solid entry into the festival's evolving history. It's just maybe not exactly what we would have liked to see in terms of headliners and the overall vibe they send. Even so, we had a great time at the fest last year, and we're pretty sure that's one thing that won't change this year. You might just find us at the smaller stages.

Noise Pop 2009: Night Four Commences!

Tonight is the first weekend night of this year's Noise Pop, and as such we imagine you should be prepared for slightly more packed (and probably more rowdy) crowds. Tonight's lineup is strong, with more of an emphasis on "fresh blood" - all the headliners tonight are bands that have just realized success in the last couple of years. That being said, new music is just what Noise Pop is all about, so we can't think of a better way to kick off the weekend. As always, headliners below, full lineup here. Start your engines!

Noise Pop 2009 Night 4:
Maus Haus, Sugar and Gold - Benders (Happy Hour, 5-8PM)
Ra Ra Riot (Acoustic Set), Loch Lomond - Diesel (Happy Hour, 5-9PM)
St. Vincent - Great American Music Hall
The Morning Benders and the Submarines - Slim's
Ra Ra Riot - The Independent
Telekinesis, Dear and the Headlights - Bottom Of The Hill
Port O'Brien - Cafe Du Nord

Noise Pop 2009: Night Three Is Here

We're still reeling from the goodness of Noise Pop thus far, and we're not even half way through! Nights one and two brought us so much awesomeness, that we're hard pressed to see just how it could continue to stack up. Still, that's the key to Noise Pop: it continues to hit home with awesome tunage every night! Here's what's in store for this evening (Headliners below, full lineup here):

Noise Pop 2009 Night 3:
Scissors for Lefty - Benders (Happy Hour, 5-8PM)
Thao Nguyen - Swedish American Music Hall
Josh Ritter - Great American Music Hall
Martha Wainwright - Slim's
Goblin Cock - The Rickshaw Stop
From Monument to Masses - Bottom of the Hill
Thee Oh Sees - Cafe du Nord
Kool Keith: Dr Octagon vs. Dr. Doom - Mezzanine

Festival Lineup Hullabaloo: Coachella, Bonnaroo

It's getting to be that time of year: Summer looms drearily on the horizon, and most bands find themselves opting for outdoor venues or festivals, if for no other reason than to save themselves from being packed in a 90 degree club at 1 in the morning. As such, the festivals have been busy booking bands, trying to cater to a wide group of fans, while at the same time maintaining integrity. It's a fine line, but someone's gotta walk it. This week both Coachella and Bonnaroo disclosed their lineup announcements, and frankly: it looks to be a good year for festivals.

Bonnaroo (as is typically the case) seems to be catering to a wider range of fans, with slightly more mainstream acts, and a notable nod to the jam-band crowd. Headliners include Bruce Springsteen, The Beastie Boys, Phish (two shows), Nine Inch Nails, David Byrne, Wilco, Al Green, and Snoop Dogg. That being said, if one looks a bit further, the list of slightly less mainstream bands is pretty well populated as well. MGMT, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Of Montreal, TV On The Radio, Band Of Horses, and Grizzly Bear (to name a few) are all making appearances. All that, and a solo set by Elvis Costello! We have to say, it seems like the bigger issue at this show will be managing your time well enough to catch all the awesomeness.

Coachella, by contrast, is pretty solidly positioned in the alternative/indie rock scene. Headliners include Paul McCartney debuting his Fireman material (which we're psyched for), The Killers, The Cure, My Bloody Valentine, Yeah Yeah Yeahs (dubs!), Franz Ferdinand, and Morrissey. The rest of the lineup is a virtual who's-who of the present indie rock scene including (but certianly not limited to) Fleet Foxes, Band Of Horses, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Liars, M. Ward, TV On The Radio, Conor Oberst, and many, many more. Frankly, we'd be willing to go just for MBV and Paul McCartney - the rest is icing!

So, all things being equal, the two festivals are a bit different, but both brimming with talent. We have to say that most people's pick will probably depend less on lineup and more on location. Still, it's nice to see that regardless of which (or, both!?!?) you decide on, that the lineup is incredibly diverse and solid. So now here comes the waiting game: Outside Lands? Treasure Island? What's in store for San Francisco's festival circuit this year? Should you be travelling to get your fill of festival goodness? Stay tuned and we'll be sure to keep you up to date. In the meantime...

Click here for the full Coachella lineup.
Click here for the full Bonnaroo lineup.

Noise Pop Announces New Headliners: Malkmus, St. Vincent, French Kicks, Ra Ra Riot and More

The folks over at Noise Pop HQ promised more headliners were on the way, and now they've up and delivered. The 2009 lineup has been significantly expanded to include what's being billed as Stephen Malkmus' "San Francisco Bay Area live solo debut", along with shows by St. Vincent, Josh Ritter, French Kicks, Ra Ra Riot, Martha Wainwright, Broken West, The Morning Benders, and The Submarines.

We have to say, we're pretty psyched to catch a Malkmus solo set (especially since they seem much more prone to including a few Pavement classics), and we're definitely devotees of The French Kicks. Given that we missed Ra Ra Riot's fall date (Spoon @ The Fillmore, anyone?), we also wouldn't mind catching a bit of that action as well.

In addition to the new lineup, Noise Pop has also announced that festival badges are now on sale at early-bird prices. If that's you're thing, better pick em up before they're gone!

First Rumblings Of Noise Pop 2009 Lineup Drop, Badge Onsale Date Announced

Well, we're getting into the second half of the year, which means that the buzz about this year's Noise Pop will be starting right about....now.

The Noise Pop...Committee? Organization? Promoters? We don't know. Anyway: those kind folk who bring you Noise Pop each year have announced the initial bands in the 2009 lineup. The list includes AC Newman, No Age, Antony and The Johnsons, Clues (former Unicorns), Goblin Cock, and Dear And The Headlights. Obviously, as is the case with such a monster event, there are more names (100 bands!) still to come down the pike.

Additionally, the on-sale of Noise Pop badges (read: admission to all gigs, space permitting) has also been announced. The haloed admission passes will be going on sale December 10th at 10 AM via an exclusive site that has yet to actually exist. Indeed.

Obviously Noise Pop 2009 is still very much developing, so keep an eye out for more news. As a side note, tonight at Madrone there will be a showing of a Noise Pop 2008 video compilation. Free to all takers, so, you know - if you're looking for something cheap to do, probably a solid bet.

Outside Lands Begins Tonight

Well, if you've been waiting for the city's most massive concert event of the year, it looks like you're in luck. The Outside Lands Festival begins in Golden Gate Park this evening at five. You can check out the schedule here, and grab tickets here. As for anything else, well, standard festival common sense applies. Looks like the weather is supposed to be great (upper 80's in the city tomorrow?!?!), so bring sun block and enjoy!

UPDATE: If you can't make it to the fest, you can still stream the live performances here. Woot!

Treasure Island Festival Lineup and On-Sale Announced

This past week the Treasure Island Festival lineup was officially announced. Similar to last year, day 1 is more dance music and electronica, while day 2 is more rock and roll. While we're not quite as stoked as we were last year (it happened to feature some of our favorite acts), this year's lineup is still quite a contender. The set of bands seems to be leaning quite favorably towards more experimental and "indie" acts, and (thankfully) Jack Johnson is nowhere to be seen. As we mentioned last year, the festival experience at Treasure Island was unbeatable in both location and organization. We're definitely going to be heading back to check out this year's fest: the artist selection stays away from the easy festival choices, and instead focuses on some really artistically choice independent acts. Tickets go on-sale (with a variety of options) May 30th.

The lineup is as follows:

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss To Headline Hardly Strictly

On the heels of their well received album Raising Sand, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will be headlining the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park this October. The lineup this far also includes Loudon Wainwright III, Gogol Bordello, and Bonnie Prince Billy. It will always be host to such bluegrass heavyweights as Earl Scruggs and Del McCoury. As always, the festival is free, and sure to be completely mobbed from start to finish. Do as you will.

Outside Lands Festival Daily Lineups Announced

Over at the Outside Lands website, they've announced the daily lineups. No real surprises, except that we continue to be flummoxed by the idea that Jack Johnson is bigger than Wilco. Clearly there's some loop that we're out of.

There seems to be a nice mix of music over the three days, and no one day seems to be the "must see" that trumps the others. That being said, Friday and Sunday seem to have a bit more of a "new music" feel, whereas Saturday seems to be the "make everyone happy" lineup...