World Famous In San Francisco

I think maybe this should be filed under World Famous in LA given that Anavan is a totally LA affair. If you're not familliar, imagine you started an ESG inspired dance band but you were weened on nineties post punk/post hardcore weirdness (well, Anavan were on GSL). Also you're really taken with that whole nu rave scene going on (or do I mean ravesploitation). Throw in some football helmets fitted with mics for a good electro aesthetic and you've got Anavan. I swear!

Anyway, last month they visited TransAm -- speaking of, its that time again. TransAm is this saturday with Ex-Boyfriends -- and pretty much brought the house down. Maybe those helmets were more literal than I thought, it was like they were running plays out of their retard football playbook: running around, rolling on the floor, and feeling up the boys in the audience. Oh, and playing their hearts out.

I had a great time at the show, but I'm getting less mileage out of the tour EP. It has more to do with being over the ESG sound after the great post punk boom of the early 2000's than anything to do with the EP proper. I'm not overly familiar with Anavan's past albums, but this EP does feel like the band is sniffing around for a new trail to follow. I like the new wave explorations of 'Not Sure' the best, but I'm going to put up a song called 'Traumatology' as I think it sounds the most representative. Look and listen!

Anavan - Traumatology

I've seen a lot of people bemoaning the state of SXSW. Its not as fun as it used to be. Its too crowded. The corporate sponsorships are too intrusive. And, worst of all, the music isn't that great. Well, ok. Its true. SXSW is way too big for its britches. I mean, this really isn't surprising. The festival is now old enough to drink, and twenty one year olds are troublesome when they decide to party.

Having never been before, I was overwhelmed by many of the festival's growing pains. From the desperate search for a hotel room, to the lines for shows, to the lines for after parties, to the bouncers who guarded the brightly colored wristbands that you needed to get into VIP shows (which, once you got into you couldn't figure out what the fuss was about). Its a bit much to go through just to see a few bands. Except that bands are so promotion crazed they're after as many shows as possible in four days. I heard some bands had show counts in the double digits. Its like sport fucking for bands! I noticed a lot of shows seemed to be under-attended, so in the end I'm not sure this strategy is really paying off.

Also, there's the joy of being in Texas. I know, I know, Austin is different but maybe the rest of Texas floods in for the festival to throw beer bottles at you for wearing white pants, or to hang out of their pickup trucks to scream at you that they (correctly) think that you're a faggot, or cosy up to you on the dance floor to try and chew (literally!) their way into your heart. But the real nail in the coffin for the festival was when the interactive section was added. The geeks are making their desperate grab for cool, and thats usually when you know its time to move on.

All of that aside, we still managed to have a blast. The trick is to go to the 'unoffical' events and bypass all the above silliness. These were much more laid back, friendly, and sonically interesting. I wrote a ton about The Smell/Deathbomb Arc showcase already but another fun showcase we hit up was the Social Registry/Cake Shop showcase which is pretty cool if you like some scuzzy modern psych (which I do). Speaking of, I was totally enjoyed Knyfe Hyts, one of the scuzziest, ugliest sounding bands. And they've got a look to match. Check out "Smoke The Milk" on their myspace page, it was seriously hypnotic live. Pictures!

Monday Night Smile is the best. Totally the best! I love going out on Mondays, its like Presidents Day. And this Monday was extra cool because The Interchangeable Hearts, Citadelle, and Lumerians played and The Vortex Room did the visuals. I got some neat photos this time maybe you should go look at them!

First was Interchangeable Hearts and I heard somebody bagging on the band before they started. I was totally surprised because almost everybody I've talked to recently says you shouldn't bag on local bands because they have it hard enough. Anyway, based on what I heard I thought I wouldn't like this band. And, their brand of pop (like, an indie rock Carly Simon) isn't my favorite, but I liked this girl's voice and her keyboard playing. I shall be keeping an eye out. And word on the street is they have a record release show in April at the The Hotel Utah.



Next was Citadelle. Everybody was there to see them. They were on tour, or actually it seems like they've just moved here. They are obviously plugged into some scene I don't know the first thing about as I had never heard of them. They played a sort of heavy seventies psych that was (... sigh, is still) super popular and people cared like it was 2001 and this were Comets on Fire (if it were 2001 I think I'd be saying they were better than Comets on Fire). That means I thought they were really good for what they did, I'm just not feeling the heavy seventies in my light thirties.



Last was Lumerians. I thought the performance was pretty good. They play a psych drone fuzzfest kinda thing, but with some sonic youth (or some other song based group) worship thrown in. I could have done without the hissy fit they were throwing over the persistent feedback issues they were having. Obviously that is frustrating, but did it really detract from the music they were playing? Not as much as they might have thought. Which is maybe a problem -- whats going on under all that fuzz? I'll have to check out the music on the myspace.

Based from what I saw though, I might describe them as "What if Wooden Shjips were as awesome as everybody says they are?". And thats not so bad.



way more here, super cool!

Well, Raccoons seem to be all the rage. Atleast with the folks involved with Mushrooms International's upcoming festival: they're on the latest edition of cobain in a coma and Myles seems to like them. Or their boners, I can't tell. I mean, who doesn't like boners? Anyway, I'm going to stroke the raccoon boner some more, here's some photos from their show with girls:





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Some older photos. All The Young Children On Crack are a Television Personalities cover band featuring current and ex members of the Passionistas and they were super fun. Fake accents and all:







Tea Elles were next and they took a million years to set up. Its two guitars and drums, which I think were shared with the other bands, come on! Put the drink down, tell your friend you'll talk to them after the show. If you think they won't be there after, well...





Nah. Actually, I was sick and cranky so every little thing was annoying me. The band was ok -- definitely better than their myspace. I had the tonsillitis though, so after a few songs I just couldn't keep up with all the acrobatic guitar and had to go home and stare at my disfigured tonsils in the mirror.

There's a nice review of The Passionistas show at Trans Am over on the deli (shhhh!). I missed the show, but I've scored some photos:


Photos by Geof Teague
Those boys (and gal) know their audience. I did actually make an appearance at the club, but after the bands and the drag queens and the general faggotry. Even though it was late (by San Francisco standards that is) the gays still seemed to be out -- so it seems I wasn't out past the general buggery. There was a pretty good dj downstairs playing some standard eighties fare (siouxie and the like) but I heard some Opal and that was cool. Upstairs was this other DJ and his fall out boy record collection -- I don't really know what that could have been about, some kind of ironic fraternity boy worship? -- and I needed to get away from that fast but Myles and I were asked to pose for gay.com. Completely absurd, we can't wait to see what that looks like!

Oh boy! More low light photos from my point and click. Myles, elton, and I all ventured out to check out the re-appearance of Dealership and the Retox Lounge. The show was downstairs which was decorated to look like an airplane flying in a storm. A side panel from an airplane lined the room and business class seats along two of the walls. I thought it looked kinda ok, but Myles thought it looked like some kind of burning man installation and google confirms that the Retox is some kind of 'burner' lounge. I'm slightly horrified to have liked something that could be a burning man installation, but come on, it wasn't anything like this. Right? I like it out on third street though, more venues here please!

Anyway, we missed The Attachments. Dealership has a new member, so now they're a four piece which means a fuller sound and indie rock quiet loud dynamics. I used to really like these guys, but I've kinda tapped out on that whole college/indie sound. Its so serious! Even though I wasn't as into them as I used to be, these guys do what they do really well. If you like the indie rock though, go see them!



We couldn't stick around for all of the Sweetie set, but Myles and Elton thought their drummer was great.


See the rest on flickr

Thursday night at the eagle tavern is one of my favorite nights in the city. Doug Hilsinger throws a curve ball at the local leather queens by inviting some pretty awesome bands to share the bar. Actually, the leather queens handle it just fine, its all the regualar queens who don't know what to make of it.

Last night speed queen and ex-boyfriends and a tribute to THE GERALDINE FIBBERS helped kick off folsom street fair weekend confusing queens world wide. I got there late and only got photos of ex-boyfriends. Look!






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It was the my fair lady beyond thunderdome party. Come on San Francisco, you're not carrying your weight in the theme party department!





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Look at our photos! You have no choice, I've added them to the header.