In case you missed the last four days’ reports, my good friend Patrick Luddite, who I see every six months when I am out West, has been kind enough to agree to file reports from San Francisco’s Noise Pop Festival, just completed. It’s long been one of America’s best music festivals (I prefer it, actually, to SXSW, because it’s much more about the bands and fans, and much, much less a music industry confab).
If you missed the last four days’ reports, with reviews of original lineup Sebadoh, The New Trust, Love of Diagrams, and The Bent Mustache from the first night, and Roky Erickson & the Explosions, Oranger, Howlin’ Rain, and Wooden Shjips on the second, and Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Georgia James, So Many Dynamos, Pony Come Lately on the third, and The Ponys, Gris Gris, Lemon Sun, and The Rum Diary on the fourth, don’t worry, you can still read them by clicking my name in dark red just above.
Here is his report on the final night five, another blow by blow description of everything he saw/heard/sensed. And now we let him go home for some well earned sleep. Cheers! And my thanks again to Patrick, who really, clearly did a yeoman job for us, and I hope you enjoyed this as much as I.
Jack Rabid
Noise Pop 2007, San Francisco, Final Night #5
By Patrick Luddite
I’m not sure what to make of this evening, number five of Noise Pop 2007. It’s the last night and I’ve of two minds about it. I’m glad to be able to stay home tomorrow evening after five nights out (and working full time), but I’m also a bit sad that I won’t be out tomorrow night seeing live music as it’s been a good laugh. What I do know is this: tonight’s show is at Bimbo’s 365 Club on Columbus Avenue in North Beach. For those of you not familiar with SF, North Beach is an Italian neighborhood adjacent to both the financial district and Chinatown. North Beach has long been a favorite of mine though it is touristy, but I never say no to a visit. What’s more, I’m fine sharing the wonders that are Stella’s Pastries, Golden Boy Pizza, Vesuvios, and especially City Lights Books with the masses. And Bimbo’s of course.
As to the club itself, the card on my table says it best: ”Bimbo’s 365 bas been accommodating San Francisco’s entertainment needs for over 75 years. Bimbo’s is the home to the famous DOLPHINA—the girl in the fishbowl. The family run business was founded in 1931 by AGOSTINA “BIMBO” GIUNTOLI.” “Bimbo” is the Italian word for “boy.” it’s worth noting. The club was originally located at 365 Market Street and moved to the current location in 1951. I haven’t been here in a while and had forgotten how beautiful this place is—without a doubt the jewel of SF music venues. The main room holds approx 900 people with a large dance floor in front of the stage and a tiered/tabled area leading to an ornate bar in the back of the room. Think swank supper club. The side bar that I am sitting in now is attended to by a bartender in coat and tie and the average club goer tonight is dressed a bit smarter than most of the indie rock kids I’ve seen this week. Long-legged chorus girls used to rule the stage (including RITA CANSINO who changed her name to become screen legend RITA HAYWORTH), but my concert-going experiences here have involved the likes of THEE HEADCOATS, THE URINALS, and MUDHONEY. Other bands such as the WHITE STRIPES and FLAMING LIPS have also played in recent years. Tonight’s card is filled by SCRABBEL, THE BOTTICELLIS, MONEY MARK, and CAKE. I’ve heard of Money Mark but it ends there. Why am I here you ask? One wonders. I’m supposed to be covering THE DWARVES show at Bottom of The Hill but there is some dispute as to whether or not I can get in, so I figured I’d start the evening at Bimbo’s and see what develops. When life gives you lemons make lemonade (and it looks like I’m going to make gallons tonight).
While I was locking my bike around the corner from the club, I asked some people waiting in line (in hopes that a few tickets for tonight’s sold out show would be released) if they had heard Cake. Can’t hurt, right? Guess what; they had all heard Cake. Well, what are they like? “Kinda funky, a little rock, alternative…” ugh. Someone mentioned they were in the vein of SOUL COUGHING and PAVEMENT. Boy, I am out of my element but no matter.
At 7:35 local band Scrabbel takes the stage. Started in 1999 by DAN LEE (who spent some time with the AISLERS SET) and BECKY BARRON, the group has also at times contained members of TOTAL SHUTDOWN and LADYBUG TRANSISTOR. The list of instruments is a bit different with this group: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, drums, bass, xylophone, and cello. Given the last two, it’s a fair bet that I’m at least going get a variation on the indie rock sound I’ve grown used to over the past few days. Change is good. Lo-fi guitar and a light pop sensibility inhabit the first song, and I’m not too unhappy with it. During my research on the band, I read that their recent LP, 1909, is a study of the life of Korean patriot AHN JOONG-GUN, who was executed in 1909 after assassinating a Japanese general. Heavy themes for twee pop, but at least I’m learning something with this endeavor, so I won’t complain!! As luck would have it, the second song is “1909.” The song begins with the acoustic guitar strumming and the cello slowly driving and building as the singer recounts the history of Joong-Gun. A good three minutes of pop about the prevention of Japanese annexation—wow, I’m impressed. Just when you think you’ve heard everything!!! The band plays on to the slowly growing crowd and they go down pretty well. The songs all tend to be three-four minutes, and toward the end we gets nice doses of squealing feedback over the twee pop. The cello really adds a nice, thick undercurrent and at times a beautiful overlay to the music. Well done Scrabbel.
The Botticellis are up next and get things going at 8:30 sharp. This local four-piece has been at it for some time, and it’s clear from watching them play together. Two guitars, bass, drums, and occasional Rhodes piano help bring their brand of indie pop to the appreciative Bimbo’s crowd. I hear elements of BIG STAR and BUILT TO SPILL in the mix, and the crowd seems to like it as they bounce through their set. The sound is all very straightforward and not terribly memorable, but they’re by no means bad. If light pop with a bit of cheek is what you go for, keep an eye out for The Botticellis.
The between-band music has been all over the map tonight, with lush pop bleeding into indie rock on to hip hop, and I generally don’t recognize any of the artists. Out of nowhere comes “Free for all” by TED NUGENT, and I have to be honest, it’s the best sound I’ve heard tonight! “When in doubt I whip it out/Got me a rock n’ roll band/Yeah it’s a free for all.” Ah, the cheek of the Nuge! Take that Botticellis!! [And this editor, who has always hated the man and his music.—JR]
9:15 rolls around, Money Mark (real name MARK RAMOS-NISHITA) strolls out and sits down in front of the keyboard. After offering a short greeting which included quizzing the audience about his earlier in-store appearance, Money Mark gets at it with the first song he ever learned on piano as a small child. Oddly enough, as he is playing, all I can think is that I’ve stumbled into a RANDY NEWMAN rehearsal or some such. Thankfully the man is just so dripping with personality that the spectacle so far is nothing if not entertaining. In looking around the very crowded room I get the sense that the crowd finds this fellow very engaging. After the first song the band walk out and pick up their instruments. It’s a fairly standard allotment of musicians: Guitar, keyboard, drums, and bass. The next number is the first track on the new Brand New Tomorrow LP, and it’s called “Color of your blues.” How’s the sound? At this point all I can think of is mid-tempo groovy light rock?!? Yeah, the word “groovy” makes me wince, too, but it fits. Problems with the keyboard force Money Mark to pick up an electric guitar at this point and the pace changes a bit; no matter, as the crowd seems to dig it and the dancing is really starting to pick up. Why do men think they can dance? The women seem to know how it’s done, but clearly these guys don’t get enough practice. This point is brought home even further, as Money Mark invites people on stage for the next song, another from the new LP, which is titled “Pick up the pieces.” [Not the TSOP disco funk ‘70s hit I imagine—JR] And who goes up first?? A guy. Then another. And one more, before the first woman takes the plunge. Eventually we have six or seven people “dancing” on stage, and it’s a crowd pleaser to be sure. This guy has played on a few BEASTIE BOYS records, and also with a member of THE MARS VOLTA and DAMO SUZUKI, so I have to say that I’m disappointed/surprised that the music is so uninteresting! But again, this being not about me, I’ll be fair and note that the crowd is loving it, and the atmosphere is that of a booze-infused party (albeit one that I wouldn’t normally attend). The next song is from Push Your Button, which apparently came out “back in the day.” After about 30 minutes, I realize I’ve had enough and head out for a short walk and some air on Columbus Avenue. I get a block and half when I’m nearly trampled in front of a comedy club by a crowd of people pouring out of the early JON LOVITZ show fumbling for their smokes.
The point of my walk was to (briefly) get away from people, and so I turn back dismayed and slink back to the club. I decide to sit outside by the curb and review/add-to my notes for the evening, before heading back in to find a prime spot from which to have my Cake. I get comfortable behind a Prius with a bumper sticker that reads “ Take You Country Back Perot 92.” Yeah, it really says “Take You.” Guess there is a reason ol’ ROSS PEROT disappeared! Anyhow, as I sit there, the stage door to the club flies open and out come Money Mark’s band (no sign of Money) lugging their equipment and asking “where’s the damn van?” Not knowing the answer and not being addressed, I decide it best not to chime in, so I listen for a minute. It’s nothing too interesting really, just the bass player and the keyboard monkey complaining about technical problems and missing a queue or two. Such is life in Money Mark’s band, I guess. I stay outside for a few minutes before heading back to in so I won’t miss the start of Cake.
Good timing: the lights dim shortly after I get good spot at the side of the dance floor. The crowd erupts at the light-dimming, and goes absolutely crazy when the lights hit the mirrored ball on the ceiling. You’d think Jesus Christ or AL GORE had walked into the room. Come on folks, it’s a mirrored ball!!!
“We are Cake and we are here to serve you,” and the band launches into their first song. Sacramento’s Cake has been around since 1991 playing their brand of alterna/indie rock to ever growing crowds. They immediately have this crowd in the palm of their collective hand. I’ve not heard a crowd sing-along like this since the last NAKED RAYGUN show I was at. I can’t help but be somewhat impressed at this early point, though I can only wonder what the rest of the folks are hearing that gets them so jazzed. The band is very tight and professional playing their up-tempo rock and I do hear elements of Soul Coughing and even THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS as the band tear through the second song, which I think is called “Stick Shifts and Safety Belts”. Next up is “Baskets,” the first song from the album Pressure Chief. The crowd is far, far around the bend at this point, and it’s really hard for me to see how they can get more excited. I keep hearing shouts of “Comanche” from the crowd, so I think I may get a reprieve in the form of a LINK WRAY cover. As luck would have it the band have written their own song with the same title, and while the crowd loves it, I can only feel a bit let down. I have to give it to Cake, they really know how to put on a show for their fans. And let me assure you, it is a show. They may look like average Joes (and they really do), but they are engaging showman with the singer commanding the crowd’s attention and getting it. At one point in between songs the singer asks one of the many cameraman (this event is being filmed) to stop filming him as Cake “hates cameras.” When the cameraman does not stop, the show goes on as if nothing had been said. So much for conviction folks. The seventh or eight song is a WILLIE NELSON cover and it’s given traditional treatment as opposed to what I figured would’ve been the alt-rock treatment. The crowd loves it and it seems a good note to walk out on, and again, I’m supposed to be on the guest list for the Dwarves across town at Bottom of The Hill. This seems a better way for me to end the evening and Noise Pop 2007, so I’m off. Cake is great at what they do. Really. They pulled in about 900 adoring fans that seemed to be having the time of their lives. Isn’t that the point, after all? You already know if you like Cake or not. Don’t listen to me.
I arrive at the Bottom of the Hill about 25 minutes later only to find out that they’ve never heard of me. To say I’m a bit annoyed doesn’t really get to the heart of it, but I don’t push it with doorperson. I’m exhausted after having seen 20 bands combined over the past five days along with working and trying to find time to write these. I’ve had a great time and met some interesting people along the way and find it hard to complain about much about this so I’ll end here.
Favorite band of the week? WOODEN SHJIPS. Tough choice, but they rose above the pack. Thank you Great American Music Hall, Bottom of the Hill, and Bimbo’s staffs. Thank you also JACK RABID for letting me blather on and on. Finally a big thank you to KEVIN ARNOLD and all at Noise Pop. Well done.
‘Bye.
