Where the hell is Obscurity anyway?
Sounds like somewhere in upstate New York to me. Possibly between Binghamton and Schenectady on Highway 88.
For such an outta-the-way township, I have to say it's quite remarkable how many people one seems to meet that are on their way from Obscurity to other parts of the globe. Other folks are rumored to dwell in Obscurity in fact, but one rarely, if ever, seems to meet them at all.
Showy McShow is, apparently, on Highway 88 right now. Headed west of course, 'cause as the late Lizard King once said, 'The west is the best.'
A message of musical mayhem... from the road:
|||||| THURSDAY 7/30 ||||||
Gomez @ the Fillmore - $27.50
Friday & Saturday shows. If you have forgotten, Gomez will remind you why rock n' roll is awesome. They're an English crew that rocks with equal parts energy and melody, with creative songwriting and fantastic musicianship. In fact, their three(!) singing, guitar-playing frontmen could easily have successful bands of their own. Instead, they fill one stage with their presence and just plain rock the hell out of the joint. I may go Friday...
http://www.gomeztheband.com/
|||||| FRIDAY 7/31 ||||||
Gomez @ the Fillmore - $27.50 (SOLD OUT, see Craigslist)
Friday & Saturday shows, see above.
http://www.gomeztheband.com/
Joe Bagale @ Yoshi's SF - $10/14
Join me for the debut of one of the Jazz Mafia's most esteemed members at Yoshi's! Joe is a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who is a modern master of old-school R&B. Whether he's belting out vocals like Stevie Wonder (yeah, really) or layin' down beats on the funky drums, Joe is an authentic talent and an all-around force to be reckoned with.
http://www.joebagale.com/
|||||| SUNDAY 8/2 ||||||
Melvin Seals & Jerry Garcia Band @ McLaren Park - $FREE
Daytime festival. The annual Jerry Garcia Day celebration culminates with headliner Melvin Seals and his current incarnation of the Jerry Garcia Band. With much more roots/gospel/soul influence than the Dead ever had, many people feel that the Jerry Band was the best thing Garcia was involved with. From listening to recent recordings, the band (featuring original members) sounds great—sweet and soulful with vocals that manage to emulate Jerry on a very good day.
http://www.jerryday.org/
|||||| MONDAY 8/3 ||||||
Reel Big Fish | the English Beat | the Supervillains @ the Regency Ballroom - $
Skaaaank it up! This will be a hoppin' night for the rude boys with heavy hitters spanning two generations of ska. Reel Big Fish were one of the third wave's most energetic and popular ska bands with their driving horn lines and often hilarious, irreverent lyrics. The English Beat is an icon of the second wave of ska, and they're still putting on a rockin' show 20 years later.
www.reel-big-fish.com/
http://www.thebeatuk.com/Home.
|||||| WEDNESDAY 8/5 ||||||
Phish @ Shoreline Amphitheater - $50 (SOLD OUT, see Craigslist)
The day of reckoning... the moment of truth... it has arrived. Next week the Bay Area will find out if Phish—in my opinion the single most innovative rock band of the last quarter century (yeah, I said it)—can re-create the magic of their best years. In the '90s this band was untouchable. The telepathic dynamism of their improvisations, the fierce virtuosity of their musicianship, the fire and passion and sheer creativity that they brought to the live experience, it was unmatched by any single rock band I've ever seen... on a good night of course. Unfortunately as they went out on and came back from hiatus in the 2000s, they got sloppy, the good nights came less and less often, and some of the messiest shows I've heard were played. Now back again from a long break, the recordings and reports from friends have me thinking that finally, at loooong last, the magic is back. On Wednesday night I'll brave the lawn down at Shoreline (shudder) to find out... OH! And they just announced a 3-day festival in Southern California on Halloween too. Uh-huh.
http://phish.com/
Realistic Orchestra Michael Jackson Tribute @ Yoshi's SF - $10/14
If you've ever been to a Jazz Mafia tribute show, you know that no one brings the party like these cats. They have a way of bending, twisting, and squeeeeeezing the funk out of everything they touch. That's why this MJ tribute is NOT TO BE MISSED. The Realistic Orchestra will absolutely kill it with multiple vocalists and a 20 piece wall of sound. They'll make you forget all the weird (well, most of the weird), and remember all that you loved, about the late King of Pop. I can hear that Billy Jean bassline right now in fact... on an upright... maybe with a tuba...
http://www.jazzmafia.com/
|||||| UPCOMING ||||||
8/7 - American Steel | the New Trust @ Bottom of the Hill
8/8 - Los Amigos Invisibles @ the Fillmore
8/11 - Crooked Jades @ Cafe du Nord
8/14 - Orgone @ Boom Boom Room
8/14 - Sol'Jibe @ Mojito
8/18 - Shotgun Wedding Quintet @ Coda
8/20-8/22 - Brass, Bows, and Beats @ Yoshi's SF
8/28 - David Grisman Quintet @ Freight & Salvage
8/28-8/30 - Outside Lands Festival @ Golden Gate Park
8/30 - Mike Dillon's Go-Go Jungle @ Boom Boom Room
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