KMFDM • The Warfield Theatre • September 30, 1995


I went to this show because it was a free ticket given to me by a co-worker, I was curious to see what KMFDM was all about, not having heard a lot about them, but the main reason for my going was to check out the opening act, Korn. Back then they were a hot new band with a single off their first album that was getting much airplay, and this was back in the day when I actually still listened to radio. That first album was something new to mainstream metal. The music was unlike anything I'd heard before, and those vocals! Jonathan's delivery was intense and completely unique. I played that CD constantly. They came out and the moshers went ballistic. They definitely had a lot of fan presence at this gig, and they weren't even the headliners. Watching them then was bearing witness to a young band that was lean and mean, a group of guys that were hungry–so unlike what they would eventually become. They didn't have the stupid stage props, Jonathan wasn't wearing sequined jogging pants or Rasputin style gowns; when I saw them on this night it was all about kicking ass with just the power of the music. At one point the singer started one song with a bagpipe intro, and people lost their shit. KMFDM put on a good show, but Korn blew those techno goth motherfuckers up like The Godfather. Oh yeah, and I loved how when Korn left the stage, all the knucklehead jock/thug types moved to the back (or left) and all the goths emerged from out of nowhere to take their places up front. Nice.


Acid Mothers Temple • Bottom Of The Hill • September 30, 2005

Pelican • Great American Music Hall • September 27, 2006


Can't recall too much about this show, just that Daughters opened up and the hipster congregation went apeshit throughout their entire set. I liked them a lot. They were like The Stooges meets Arab On Radar. Each song would go from chaotic & noisy to straight ahead rockin' at the turn of a dime. I remember thinking the drummer would be great in a grind band. He was the perfect picture of intensity and aggression behind the kit.

Album(s) of the Week

Swans, Swans Are Dead
This is my favorite era of Swans: the period right before they called it quits in 1997. I think their music reached the pinnacle of everything it could be when Michael Gira decided it was time to move on. This 2-disc set captures the band live in all their terrible, sublime fury, for what was to be their last couple tours. It's one of my favorite live albums.



Khanate, Things Viral
Though these purveyors of avant doom have lamentably disbanded, I just got word that their final studio album will be released sometime this Winter. It'll be titled Clean Hands Go Foul.

Mono • Bottom Of The Hill • September 23, 2005


This gig was the first time I saw Tokyo's Mono, which made me a fan for life. Their set hasn't changed much over the 2 years I've been able to see them since, but it doesn't matter to me–they're great songs and hearing them live is the best way to experience them. Bellini from Italy opened and they were rockin'. The Drift from our own fair city started the whole night off, though I missed their set completely.


Photo © Anders Jensen-Urstad

Autumn Equinox 2008

To absent friends, lost loves, old gods, and The Season of Mists; and may each and every one of us give the devil his due.


Time to bust out the sweaters, cook some pot roast, and get re-acquainted with Cocteau Twins, Red House Painters, The Cure, Khanate, Black Sabbath, Asunder, Swans and Corrupted. I listen to much of this shit on a regular basis anyway, but now it's just more appropriate for the season. Go Autumn!

Mogwai • The Fillmore • September 22, 2003


Mogwai played 'My Father My King'. Isis opened up, and I think they won many Mogwai fans over. I just remember this being one of the heaviest shows I'd ever been to.

Dead Can Dance • Paramount Theater • September 22, 2005

Dead Can Dance • Paramount Theater • September 21, 2005


Having decided to put their differences aside and re-unite for a special tour of both Europe and America, Dead Can Dance graced the Bay Area with their presence at the wondrous palace that is the Paramount theater in Oakland for 2 unforgettable nights of music. I attended both shows. This is the most I've ever spent for any concert, but I must say it was so well worth it. The band was exceptional. I never thought I'd ever get to hear 'Rakim' live again, and now I got to hear it twice. Other favorites were 'Yulunga', 'The Wind That Shakes The Barley', 'Saffron', and 'Hymn For The Fallen', which managed to reduce some audience members to tears. Lisa Gerrard must be some angel sent down to us from heaven.

Chris Cornell • The Fillmore • September 20, 1999.



Antony & the Johnsons • Palace of Fine Arts • September 20, 2005

Onion Plant

Mogwai, Regency Ballroom 9.8.08

This show was damn loud. That's a good thing. And I thought my hearing had been dulled to the point where I can no longer tell whether one show is any louder than another. The ear-splitting decibel levels at this concert ranks right up there with Nine Inch Nails in '93 for the Downward Spiral tour, and any Metallica show I've ever attended as the LOUDEST SHOWS EVER. Honorable Mention goes to Merzbow with Mike Patton, where I saw nearly everyone at the front of the stage without earplugs covering their ears with their hands, and to dronelords Sunn O))), whose subsonic frequencies literally rattle my bones every time I see them. But back to Mogwai. The setlist:

the precipice
yes! i am a long way from home
thank you space expert
friend of the night
i love you, i'm going to blow up your school
cody
i'm jim morrison, i'm dead
hunted by a freak
mogwai fear satan
(ithica 27o9?)
helicon 1
two rights make one wrong
like herod
batcat

No encore. Not that they needed one. The one-two punch of "Like Herod" and "Batcat" (off the newest album) rendered that seemingly obligatory (and rather tired, in my opinion) concert ritual utterly useless. The lads from Glasgow were in fine form throughout their 90+ minute set, with "Mogwai Fear Satan" and "Batcat" being my personal favorites. The latter is a full on rocker from start to finish, which the band played with great fervor, while the former perfectly exemplifies their Quiet-Loud-Quiet-Loud style of song writing for which they first became known. Right, and did I mention that it fucking rules live? What a great way to start off the week. New album drops in a couple weeks.

It's On

The 'Catalyst' show at fifty24SF Gallery opens tonight at 7PM. It will be amazing. Runs through September 25.



Gonna hit up Cafe du Nord after the show to check out Witch, featuring J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. fame on drums. I've been waiting for these guys to finally play a show out here, so I'm pretty excited. They play with San Diego's Earthless, truly a force to be reckoned with. Saw them destroy SD's Casbah last year, and I'm thinking they might own the stage tonight.

Chihuly at the DeYoung 2

Chihuly at the DeYoung 1