Charli And Jack Do America Is Officially Cancelled

Well, it happened, the 2nd leg of the 'Charli And Jack Do America' has been cancelled. It is quite a bummer. I was to lucky to have gone to the show at the Fox Theater in Oakland, and it was extraordinary.

I was supposed to write the review of the show, but my grandma suffered a stroke (which I will write about later), so I didn't get to do it, and I might just have to.

Here's Charli's statement, and you can read Jack's here.

Dear angels, friends and fans. I have some bad news. Regrettably I will not be continuing my spot on the “Charli and...
Posted by Charli XCX on Friday, August 21, 2015

Such great show, seriously... file this one under WAAAAAAHHHHH!!!

West Coast Night With The Neighbourhood

Photos Courtesy Of: Adrian Jusue

It never fails that the few occasions when I go to a show, as merely a fan, my writer instinct kicks in and I start itching to get home and write a review. And, that is exactly what happened after attending night one of The Neighbourhood's concert at the Fox Theater in Oakland.

The city of Oakland was lucky enough to be the last stop of El Blanco Tour (the United States part of it), and the band has had such success that the show sold out and they had to add a second night. The band brought along two fantastic opening bands, White Arrows and Bad Suns – both from LA, just like the guys from The Neighbourhood. 

Let's talk about Jesse Rutherford, and his unpredictable choice of outfit – basketball shorts, a band tee, and a leather jacket. While slightly odd, it worked, and two of the other guys follow suit with the ‘shorts' theme of the night.

The concert kicked off with "Female Robbery," Jesse's voice echoed throughout the Fox, and the young crowd of mostly female fans went wild! Shortly before "W.D.Y.W.F.M.?" Jesse addressed the crowd saying that this song was dedicated to all of the ex-boyfriends and ex-girlfriends – and the fans could not wait to sing along to the tunes of "Maybe you're right, maybe this is all that I can be, but what if it's you, and it wasn't me? What do you want from me? What do you want from me?"

The band also performed "Honest" which served as one of the songs from the Spiderman 2 soundtrack. One of the highlights of the night was when the band performed "West Coast." Jesse once more addressed the crowd, and talked about how, out of all of the tour stops California has been the best with Oakland being the third California city from the tour – the rendition of the song was an acoustic version, which let the lyrics of the song shine through… "I was the one who wasn't coming from where they're coming from. I speak poetically, and never pride my ignorance, but this California shit is rigorous, They say it's happy here, happiness is figurative. I'm happy 'cause of me, doesn't matter where I'm living."

Towards the end of the concert, the band introduced the first single off their new soon-to-be-released-album Black And White – the name of the single is "Dangerous."

The concert could not come to an end without the band's rendition of "Sweater Weather" and the encore being "Afraid." Because, let's face it, what's better than a sold out crowd singing along to "Keep on dreaming, don't stop breathing, fight those demons, sell your soul, not your whole self. If they see you when you're sleeping, make them leave it, and I can't even see if it's all there anymore so…You're too mean, I don't like you, fuck you anyway, you make me wanna scream at the top of my lungs. It hurts, but I won't fight you, you suck anyway, you make me wanna die…"

Seriously, if you don't know about The Neighbourhood, this review is the perfect opportunity for you to get to know them – while the concert was short, it was definitely sweet!

So, It’s Official! I’m In Love With Sam Smith!

Yes, I know most of you have known about Sam Smith from that contagious collaboration with Disclosure on the track “Latch.” And, while I love that song, and “La La La” which he collaborated on with Naughty Boy – the song that got to the chords of my soul was “Stay With Me.”

You see; if you are anything like me, certain songs or lyrics, represent your current state of mind, or that of your heart. Perhaps it’s been broken, let down, or recovering from unrequited love. Whatever the case may be, Smith’s debut album In The Lonely Hour will speak to your muscle of blood. 

And, while the album does not debut in the US until June 17^th, our friends over at NPR scored a streaming version for us to enjoy, and, TRUST me when I tell you this – you will want to buy the album IMMEDIATELY!

I have been playing the album all day (seriously!), and as I type away, each track reveals to be so relatable! such great melodies, such heart-felt lyrics.

Ahhh! The track “Not In That Way” talks of that unrequited love – how many of us have fallen for someone who simply didn’t want us? Or have changed their minds about wanting to be with us. Well, Sam Smith knows your struggle! “And I hate to say I want you when you make it so clear you don't want me…” Or, how about the track “I’ve Told You Now” ….. “But why the hell, why do you think I come 'round here on my free will? wasting all my precious time…” 

Amazing albums are hard to come by nowadays – artists rely so heavily on the “technical” aspect of an album, that they often forget that what is important is the content. Thankfully, Sam Smith came to the rescue! In The Lonely Hour is a gem from beginning to end! At 22, Sam is wise beyond his years!

He will be hitting the road, and his show at the FoxTheater in Oakland is officially SOLD-OUT! (let’s hope a second date opens up.) He is the HOTTEST ticket around since Lorde made her debut.

I leave you with the video for the song “Stay With Me.” In The Lonely Hour comes out on June 17^th, available on iTunes & Amazon. 

A Chat With Foals Lead Singer Yannis Philippakis

Foals At Fox Theater In Oakland

I had the opportunity to have a little chat with Yannis, lead singer of one of the most popular bands in the world after their big success over the years, having their latest album as one of their best albums they have recorded so far called Holy Fire. This casual conversation took place at a bar in San Francisco a few days ago.

Yannis and the rest of the band were drinking and I happened to show up at the bar, and the band was there in a corner with a group of friends. I decided just to have a drink and head over to say hi to them. Yannis Philippakis said hi to me, and I introduced myself. He then said: "Hi my name is Yannis I play on a band called Foals." He began to introduce band members from Cage the Elephant; Matthew the lead singer, and Brad the guitarist.

So then we started talking for a while and Yannis treated me to a drink. I certainly accepted and realized how cool this guy was. So as we talked, I began asking him about everything. I told him that I enjoyed all of their music and loved their latest album Holy Fire. Yannis asked me what song was my favorite and I answered "Late Night" and "Out of the Woods.” He nodded and told me that he loves playing "Late Night" & "Providence." Yannis said that his favorite song to play is "Providence." I asked him if he ever gets tired of playing the same songs, he answered of course and that's why he tries to play different songs during their sets, but he also said that there is one song he will never get tired of listening and playing to... "Spanish Sahara."

I asked him if he prefers to play at big venues & music festivals or if he rather play smaller shows. He responded that he prefers the smaller shows because they are more intimate and they go with his personality. He gets to interact with his fans at the shows jumping, crowd surfing, making everyone scream and dance to the lyrics. While talking about music I asked him about his biggest music influences. He said that Nirvana, The Pixies, Placebo and a lot of underground bands. And that he hates bands like the Sex Pistols or bands that are too mainstream. He explained to me that he has an appealing taste for underground bands. He is constantly on the look for up-and-coming-bands.

As we were talking, I told him that I own almost all of his vinyls, and some of them are really rare and expensive, and that I love buying records and CDs. He also confessed that he is addicted to shopping for records online, and that he tends to buy unique vinyls at ridiculous prices. He also told me how he loves playing in Mexico and UK, he stated that fans are the craziest when they are at their shows. He loves their energy and said that they sing like there is no tomorrow. He asked me if I ever seen them play in Mexico or London. I, unfortunately, haven't seen them there, but that it is on my bucket list. He smiled and said that his favorite place to play is London, he loves London culturally and loves living there. He began to tell me how beautiful London, Manchester, Oxford and some other places are, and that I should visit. He said that he loves playing here in America for the fact that they can go out freely and not many people know them.

Something that I couldn't resist asking was how he likes meeting people and being asked for pictures and greeting fans all over the world. I told him that he seems so down to earth and that I really appreciated the fact that he is very friendly and very easy to talk to, unlike other bands like Arctic Monkeys, who are not so eager to meet and greet with the fans. He smiled and said, “you got to understand that Arctic Monkeys since their early beginning, they have been successful and they are rich.” He said that he has questioned a few times Alex, and then Yannis said to me "When you work on this industry you got to prepare for these things, is something natural, as natural as someone asking for a picture or media getting on them all the time." Talking about Arctic Monkeys; I asked him what band or album he has been listening to recently. He said that he barely has time to listen to new music because of the constant touring and the busy life he is living, but the latest album was AM from Arctic Monkeys. He said: "such a great album, definitely the best album from them." Then he smoked a cigarette and said that his favorite song was "I Wanna Be Yours" song which was based on John Cooper's poem and converted this into a masterpiece. We talked about so many things, and I even managed to score some info about the new album. He said that they need to finish their tour, go back home and relax and bit, and then they will focus on a new album. They already have some songs in the works, but have a long way to go.

I thanked them all Yannis (Foals), Jimmy (Foals) and Matt (Cage the Elephant) for hanging out with me, and for the chat – safe to say that it was one of the best nights of my life!

 

Guest post by: Adrian Jusue

Adrian is a music fanatic who always scores meeting band members, he is also a freelance photographer. 

You can check out some of his work HERE, or follow him on twitter.

These New Yorkers Are Taking Over California And The World!

Phantogram are giving mad love to the Bay right about now, Josh Carter & Sarah Barthel are currently on a tour promoting their latest release Voices.

Lucky for those in the Bay Area, the duo has made several stops - yesterday they made a pit stop at the Pandora headquarters in downtown Oakland, and later in the afternoon they were at Amoeba Music in San Francisco. 

Photos Courtesy: Adrian Jusue

While at Amoeba, they took the time to meet fans, perform some songs, and some lucky fans even scored autographs. Despite some technical difficulties the band played songs like “Black Out Days” and "Fall in love.” Sarah the lead singer was grateful to those hundreds of people who showed up. After the session, 200 lucky fans who acquired their LP or album at the store had the opportunity to meet the band and get an autograph.

Tonight, Phantogram will play a SOLD-OUT show at the Fox Theater in Oakland, and their tour will continue in Sacramento, LA, and they will stop at places as far as Amsterdam & Germany.

The album Voices is out, and you can find it on itunes or amazon. For more info about the band, check out their website where they are posting regular updates about the tour.






 This blog post was written alongside Adrian Jusue

If You Ever See The Script

The Script is currently touring and doing TV appearances to promote the band’s latest album titled #3. Danny, Mark, and Glen (The Script), made an electrifying return to the Fox Theater in Oakland. The eager female fans made their way to be as close to the stage as possible, all to be able to be up and close to the band and be delighted by their music.

The lights dimmed, and the guys came on stage to see the loud screaming of the fans, who were obviously anxious to see them. The band waved at the fans, and the melody took off. Danny was moving rapidly from one side of the stage to the other. Even the photographers at the pit had a hard time keeping up with his energy. During the first two songs, Danny came down from the stage and almost crowd-surfed! He got close to the fans, at some point even having fans sing along songs.The energy inside the Fox Theater was contagious; everybody was singing along to each song and Danny, Mark, and Glen addressed the audience several times during the show. Danny even told the audience how happy he was to be back in Oakland and how beautiful the Fox Theater was.

We Cry, The Man Who Can’t Be Moved, For The First Time, and If You Ever Come Back were some of the songs that were part of the repertoire of the night. Right before the band performed the song Nothing, Danny and Mark said that they call that specific song the “drunk dialers” song and how, many people in the audience could relate to being put in that situation. Mark encouraged the audience to make a drunken call and the crowd responded to the request; Danny even picked up a cell from the crowd and sang the entire song to the person on the other side of the call – it was a moment that brought cheers from the audience.

There were several of the songs from the new album as well  - a special moment was when they played the song If You Could See Me Now;  Mark explained that it paid tribute to his parents who passed away, as well as Danny’s father. Mark was specially moved when he realized that the fans were singing along to the song, being that it is from the new album which has only been out less than a month.

The Script will continue the tour which will take the guys to Atlanta, Boston, Houston, Orlando, among other cities – make sure to pick up a copy of #3, which you can also buy via Amazon and iTunes.


Credits: Epic Records

The Timeless Café Tacvba

There are only a few bands that can outlast generational gaps of music and remain relevant, fresh, and loved by fans of all ages - Café Tacvba is able to go on timelessly.

I have been to the Fox Theater many, many times for different types of concerts, but I what saw on Thursday, August 9th, certainly left me speechless. As I was walking towards the venue, all I could see was a never ending line of people patiently waiting to be let into the Fox. The people in line were not there simply to attend a concert, but to make sure that they were up and close to Café Tacvba.

One would think that the band’s fan base is older, you know people in their late 30’s, maybe even in the late 40’s, but the band is just that timeless that their fans are pretty much a wide range of ages. I could see some teenagers, some early 20’s peeps and of course, the longtime fans well in their 40’s. When the band first came out in 1989, I was in kindergarten! And here I was stoked to see them live again for what seemed to be the 100th time.

Café Tacvba was starting their US tour, and they could not have picked a better city or better venue to kick off the first stop; accompanying this incredible show was Bang Data. You all already know my devoted love towards Bang Data. I cannot say enough how talented they are and how every single one of their shows feel as if I’m checking them out for the first time.

 

As usual, Bang Data kicked off what was going to be a spectacular show! Deuce Eclipse wearing a jacket that read “Nicaragua” pumped up the crowd. There were a lot of loyal fans and a lot of people who were checking their set out for the first time. As I was walking around the venue, I could hear people singing along the songs and others paying close attention to the set.

 

It was then time for Café Tacvba to take the stage; I was at awe when I saw Rubén Albarrán – it was as if time had not passed. He is aging extremely gracefully, or there is something magical about being part of such a kick-ass band that made him not age at all. He came on stage looking humble, and his gaze showed just how grateful he was to be on the stage surrounded by thousands of people. When Meme, Joselo, and Quique came on stage, the feeling of gratefulness grew even more. It was crazy to see how, despite their over 3 decades of being together and their international fame, they remain humble, friendly, and grateful towards their fans.

There was not a single song that the fans did not sing along to – even when the band sang their first single, De Este Lado De El Camino (from the new album which comes out in September titled "Lo Que Antes Se Llamaba Disco”) – fans were mumbling the song even if they didn’t know it completely.

The Fox Theater was filled; there wasn’t an empty corner or space, and there were people everywhere and all around the venue. The lucky fans who showed up early enough and waited in line outside rushed to the front of the stage, they didn’t care that they were being packed like sardines. All that mattered was the magical moment of seeing “Cafeta” up-close.

No Controles, Eres,  Chilanga Banda, La Chica Banda, Volver A Comenzar, Dejate Caer, El Baile Y El Salon, La Locomotora, Ingrata, El Puñal y el Corazón – the repertoire of songs did not disappoint.  I can say from what I witnessed that night, that I was not the only one who felt as if they were seeing Café Tacvba for the very first time, the band is simply that magical and timeless.

Credits: Rogers & Cowan / Another Planet Entertainment

Puerto Rico + Oakland+ Bay Area ALL AS ONE!

Calle 13 made a triumphant return to the Bay Area, and this time the band lit up the Fox Theater in Oakland. Compare to their visit to the Bay in October, where they had no opening band, and the DJ set was less than stellar. For this show, Bang Data was in charge of the opening set and DJ Kool Kyle on the turntables.

Bang Data has been working so hard and nonstop, currently promoting their latest album called La Sopa. As a fan of this extraordinarily talented Bay Area band; I could not have been prouder to see them on stage at the Fox Theater.

 

The guys came on stage and instantly pumped up the crowd- many of the people in attendance had seen Bang Data play live, while others who were first-timers were instantly charmed with the band’s infectious sound. There is something about the dynamics amongst the guys (Deuce Eclipse-Lead Vocals, Caipo-Drums/Producer, Marco Guzman-Bass Dave Shul Guitar) that makes people want to dance and sing along their songs. In other words, they rocked the heck out of the Fox Theater! Bang Data is out to blow up! If you are new to their music, get to know them NOW! Once Bang Data’s set was over, the fans were ready and eager for Calle 13 to get on stage, DJ Kool Kyle kept the hype going with a fantastic set! I myself was singing and dancing as he was on the turntables. In my eyes, that’s what a great DJ set is all about.

 

As the crowd dance away, it was time for Calle13 to rock the Fox Theater- the band came on stage at exactly 9:30PM (a complete opposite from the hours of delay from their show back in October at the Fillmore.)

Residente (Rene) rocking the track pants and a black wife beater, a now typical “outfit” for most of the shows, Peje 13 wearing tight red pants and a cropped top, Visitante with his hat (staple of his outfits.) Another member from the band was showing Oakland love by wearing the A’s hat and Cespedes jersey.

 

As with every single one of their shows, the band makes fans sing along to every song, dance and pay close attention when Residente talks politics and social issues. During one of the many times that Rene addressed the crowd, he discussed the never ending violence in Latin America. There were Puerto Rican flags waving throughout the place, flags from other countries and one voice echoing everything that Rene was saying. Calle 13 is well-known for being politically active and extremely outspoken against the government, violence and the injustice around the world.

 

The show did not disappoint! The fans were extremely satisfied and it showed, the Fox Theater was filled to the max. The band is off to Mexico and will be part of the Wirikuta Fest in Mexico City on May 26th at the Foro Sol.


Credits: Press Junkie PR

Talented, Beautiful & Beyond Artistic

It had been a little over a year and a half since I last saw both Ximena Sariñana & Julieta Venegas. A lot has changed since they last performed in the Bay. When Ximena last played, she was still working on the material which eventually became her self-titled debut English album, and Julieta Venegas was pregnant and exuding "mommy" glow.

These beautiful and talented Mexican singer-songwriters played a show at the Fox Theater this past Sunday. Ximena opened the show, wearing a remarkably relaxed style which consisted of skinny jeans, Uggs, a plaid shirt and a sweater. Ximena did not need a fancy outfit or excessive makeup, her music did all of the work. She delighted the audience with songs from her English self-titled album, some which included Different, Echo Park and the Spanish song Tu Y Yo and of course she had to sing one of her fans favorite songs, Mediocre. She addressed the audience throughout her whole set and went back and forth between Spanish and English. Her set was a bit shorter than I would have liked, but she made the very best of the short time that she had.

Shortly after Ximena’s set concluded and after a relatively quick stage re-arrangement, Julieta came on stage accompanied by a six member band. Unlike the last time that she played at the Fox Theater, this time around, a skinny Julieta donned the stage wearing a fabulous fringed and long black dress, hair down and styled straight.

She performed for almost two hours alongside her band. From just singing to playing the guitar and the accordion (which has been her staple musical instrument of choice). Some of the songs that were part of Julieta’s repertoire from that night included: Canciones De Amor, Me Voy, Limon Y Sal, Eres Para Mi, Amores Perros, Seria Feliz & La Jaula De Oro. It seemed like the concert went by way too fast, but I was extremely pleased. It does not matter how many times I get to see these talented women perform, it is never the same.

Do not forget to check out Ximena’s latest CD, if you have enjoyed her Spanish music, her English album will not let you down.


Credits: Another Planet Entertainment 

Julieta Venegas Lights Up the Fox Theater

Julieta Venegas came on stage and there was something different about her, there was no famous accordion on sight, such was replaced by a pregnant belly. It was perhaps the “mommy” glow that Julieta Venegas displayed but there was something magical in the air and all the attendees knew that it was going to be a great show. The place to witness this magic was Another Planet Entertainment sponsored Fox Theater in Oakland.
The artist in charge of opening for the night was none other than Ceci Bastida, who like Venegas led the Mexican Band Tijuana NO. Bastida has been collaborating with Venegas since she sang back-up on several albums since 2000. It was only obvious that there was no other singer better suited to join Julieta Venegas in her series of concerts than Ceci Bastida also expect her in Lilith Fair, which will be coming to the Bay Area in July.
The anticipation for Venegas to set the stage was quickly rising until the spotlight captured the essence of her presence, wearing a simple cotton dress with ruffles and her hair up in a bun she was ready to delight her fans with a simply breath taking performance.  Her repertoire consisted of older songs such as, Seria Feliz from her 2000 album Bueninvento, De Mis Pasos, Limon Y Sal & Me Voy from her 2006 Limon Y Sal album. She also performed songs from her latest album titled Otra Cosa, one of such songs was Debajo De Mi Lengua.
Julieta Venegas definitely left her fans wanting more, due to her pregnancy, the show only lasted about an hour and a half, but it was absolutely an amazing show. She is definitely one of the most re-known female rockers deriving from Mexico. Expressing her political views she encouraged her fellow Mexican fans to show those who oppose immigration that Mexico is a country of vivid culture which has given birth to legendary icons, which was in the wake of the controversial new law in Arizona.
We will wait and see what she comes up with after she becomes a mom, in the meantime, pick up her new album “Otra Cosa.” The album is available in CD and digital version. For more information about Julieta Venegas or Ceci Bastida, check out their myspace, facebook & twitter and also their official websites:  www.julietavenegas.net or www.myspace.com/julietavenegas.

Mexican band Café Tacvba First Spanish Rock Band to Play at the Fox Theater in Oakland

Legendary Mexican Rock band Café Tacvba, is celebrating their 20th anniversary with series of 20 concerts in 20 different cities. The band made a stop to play at the newly renovated Fox Theater in Oakland. The band is the first Spanish Rock band to play at this venue.
There were fans from all over the Bay who came to the Fox Theater to see the band performed. There were a lot of non-Spanish speaking fans who were there to support the band and sing along the songs.
Their discography includes 10 records and the band took this 20th anniversary concert to perform several songs from all the records they have put out. The hysteria among the fans was contagious and everyone in attendance was singing along each song, dancing, jumping and overall enjoying  this great show. The band played for over 2 hours and proved once again that they are here to stay. The members were grateful to each of the fans who attended the concert.
The band will continue touring until December 19th when they will play their last concert of the year in Mexico.