Category Archives: TVD San Francisco

It’s hard to believe that Gary Numan has been at it for over 40 years and with a new album (Intruder) and North American tour in flight, it’s clear that he has no intentions of slowing down or letting up. And why should he? A Thursday night in San Francisco proves that his followers are more than happy to continue showing up as evidenced by the Fillmore which was absolutely packed, even by pre-pandemic standards.

I Speak Machine kicked things off with Tara Busch’s one-woman show who, in referring to herself as “we” no doubt was including the laptops, keyboards, buttons, knobs, gadgets and electronic doodads that surrounded her on stage. It seemed things could go one of two ways and thankfully Tara was able to step out from behind her equipment and absolutely crush her 30-minute set.

Gary and his band took the stage a few minutes after 9PM and launched straight into “Intruder” from his latest release. If you’ve never seen Numan before, what befell the Fillmore stage at that moment would likely be nothing like your mental image. Pushing past 60 years, Numan belies his age between the full shock of black hair and his incredible on-stage energy. Couple that energy with the thump of his music as well as a carefully crafted production and aesthetic and you have what proves to be one of the best shows you may ever see.

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There’s a bit of a hubbub over Turnstile’s latest LP Glow On. Released in August of 2021, the album quickly hit the radar of music fans old and new, making many “best of” lists and charting all over the place. With their North American “The Turnstile Love Connection Tour” kicking off in San Francisco with a pair of shows at the Regency Ballroom, it was the perfect time to catch the band live and see if all the hype is warranted.

Having somehow failed to have ever given Glow On a spin amidst the incessant brouhaha, the drive over the bridged served as the perfect opportunity to pull it up and see what was afoot for the upcoming evening. Let’s just say that there’s a lot to unpack in Glow On. Melodic with chorus-laden guitars, overdriven hardcore breakdowns, synths and some percussive creativity … one drive over the Bay Bridge was certainly not enough time.

The Regency filled up quickly and despite tickets still for sale at the door, the place was absolutely packed for openers Coco and Clair Clair who received an overly polite response from the crowd but fell in the category of “I don’t get it” for this dude. Next up was Citizen, with a fiery but brief 35-minute set that got the pit churning and had those that arrived early to grab a spot on the rail for Turnstile holding on for dear life in order to keep their spot.

A little Whitney Houston blasting over the PA got the crowd warmed up for Turnstile’s 9:45 entrance at which point all hell broke loose. Vocalist Brendan Yates literally attacked the stage—spinning, jumping and lunging as the band tore into “Holiday” in front of blinding strobes. The energy on the stage matched by the mob that packed the general admission floor, singing and dancing along, the hullabaloo punctuated by the occasional overly priced beers sailing overhead.

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Proving that they can be knocked down but not knocked out, The Struts successfully navigated their way through COVID infections and restrictions to bring their rescheduled “Strange Days Are Over Tour” to San Francisco’s Fillmore.

While some fans might have understandably opted out, The Struts managed to assemble a large and rather cheery crowd, happy to sip their cocktails and dole out some deserved appreciation for openers Charming Liars and World’s First Cinema. But when the lights finally dimmed, and The Struts took the stage and those that had been waiting patiently for this moment—completely lost their shit.

Tearing right into “Primadonna Like Me” it was clear that the band hadn’t missed a beat during the last few months off and was ready to pick right back up where they left things with frontman Luke Spiller … bedecked in floofy pink showing off his legendary swagger. The crowd ate up every note and when Luke demanded they jump, the floor noticeably flexed and when he demanded they sing …well, that was completely unnecessary because they already were.

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Metallica turns forty! If band years were calculated similarly to dog years, that would make Metallica (breaks out calculator) pretty freaking old. Let’s face it, the Four Horsemen have defied all odds by endured the ups and downs of being a band. From line-up changes to experimental music projects (LuLu) to putting all their shit out there for everyone to see (Some Kind of Monster) they’re seemingly bigger than ever, so it’s not a surprise that they’ve taken this as an opportunity to thank their loyal fans.

Unlike the series of intimate gatherings that marked their 30-year anniversary, Metallica decided to be more inclusive this time around, literally taking over San Francisco for the weekend with a series of events, gatherings, and community projects peppered between two mega-arena events at the Chase Center. All told, the festivities had fans traveling from around the world to participate.

Without an opening band, Metallica relied on comedian Dean DelRay and DJ Lord (Public Enemy) to warm up the crowd as they got their first glimpse of the stage. Historically big fans of playing in the round, Metallica unsurprisingly stuck with their tried-and-true approach, augmenting the production with massive curved LED screens of various sizes on which videos queued the arrival of the band. But there’s nothing quite like “The Ecstasy of Gold” to trigger that pavlovian response in every Metallica fan’s brain knowing that the band is about to take the stage as they join in singing.

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SACRAMENTO, CA | Freshly-minted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Foo Fighters brought the fire to the Golden 1 Center that had the streets of downtown Sacramento buzzing on a Tuesday night. And why not … with twenty-six years as a band, they were about to show the crowd why they’re one of the greatest bands of this generation. Oh, and if you ever wondered whether there were any perks to being Dave Grohl’s new favorite band, just ask Kills Birds who kicked the night off.

The band took the stage with little fanfare while Grohl, dimly lit by a spot, opened the evening a cappella with “Times Like These” as the crowd sang along. The lights kicked in when the band launched into the chorus, and it was immediately clear that the night’s show was not going to be a mellow affair as Dave dashed from one end of the stage to the other. In fact, the opening salvo of the setlist that went straight into “The Pretender” and “Learn to Fly” set the perfect tone for the evening’s festivities.

The sold out Golden 1 Center was absolutely packed top to bottom and front to back. And as the band settled into their groove, Dave claimed to be genetically programmed to scream for hours and promised to cover all the bases before cracking a joke about the smell of popcorn that permeated the venue. The guy literally doesn’t have an “off button,” injecting humor into even the most basic of moves. Case in point: blending right in with the vintage looking amps was a Marshall mini fridge, easy to dismiss as another piece of gear until Dave nonchalantly opens it to grab a cold one.

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Rock and roll is back and Rival Sons are carrying the torch across America, stopping at the historic Warfield to give the San Francisco crowds a much needed booster shot.

Openers Jameson Burt and Reignwolf kicked off the evening with guitars and rock and roll appetizers. Jameson’s one man show drew the gathering crowd in from the lobby and Reignwolf’s raucous set made sure they weren’t going anywhere, especially after guitar player Jordan Cook booted a perfectly good drummer from behind his kit to play both instruments.

Not that any band really needs an excuse to get back on the road as concerts finally open back up, but Rival Sons does indeed have reason to celebrate. 2021 represents the 10-year anniversary of their 2011 breakthrough album Pressure & Time.

For a band that has toured with mega-acts and has commanded a considerable buzz, the attendance on this particular night was criminally low. But that didn’t keep the band from bringing their all. With drummer Mike Miley and keyboardist Todd Ögren set up at the back of the stage along with some vintage looking amps, there was plenty of room for vocalist Jay Buchanan to work. And work he did. Sporting a black three piece suit, Jay delivered an inspiring performance that had the crowd singing along.

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SAN JOSE, CA | After being announced in May, Evanescence’s arena tour with Halestorm is finally here. On top of the long-awaited return to live music, the band has a new album (The Bitter Truth) to celebrate.

A quiet Tuesday night found the tour at the SAP Center in San Jose. While it was arguably ambitious to book this particular show in an arena, the crew curtained off the top level which made the vibe a little more intimate while leaving plenty of room for the impressive stage setup.

Halestorm took the stage promptly at 8PM and appropriately launched into their newest song “Back From the Dead.” Looking at the general admission area right up front you could easily forget that they weren’t the headliner because they clearly had some fans in the house that were more than ready to rock along. Lzzy Hale’s voice sounded as powerful as ever, clearly none the worse for wear after the pandemic-driven break. Heck, the entire band looked energized to be back on the road and in front of an audience of any size.

After “Amen” the lights went down, and the crew rolled out a white grand piano which Lzzy took a seat behind and was soon joined by Amy Lee for a duet of “Break In” that both impressed and amped up the crowd for Evanescence’s headlining set. After an hour, Halestorm finally yielded the stage but not before peppering the crowd with sticks, picks, setlists, and even a few bracelets straight off of Lzzy’s wrist.

With the crew making quick work of the stage, the arena lights dimmed at 9:30PM, the intro music rolled and Amy’s vocals for “Broken Pieces Shine” soared through the arena before she was revealed backlit on a riser behind the drum kit. The crowd went nuts and with good reason. Not only does Evanescence have a new album out, but they haven’t played the San Francisco Bay Area for over 3 years!

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Perched in the hills with stunning views of Silicon Valley, The Mountain Winery seems to have found itself leading the way as music venues in the Bay Area start reopening. Rolling with the ever-changing guidelines, the sold-out crowd was required to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test before getting in, but what a small price to pay for a return to a bit of normalcy after the complete shitshow of the last 18 months. And of course, there was the night’s headliner, Billy Idol!

Local rockers Down and Outlaws kicked off the evening as the sun started to set and the guests availed themselves of the ample wine selection, filling the seats as Billy Idol, Steve Stevens and the rest of the band took the stage and launched into “Cradle of Love,” his mega-hit from 1990’s Charmed Life.

All smiles, Billy played it up for the front row which was literally swooning as the band wrapped “Dancing with Myself” and Billy did a quick change of his shirt in front of the drum riser … likely an intentional tease before busting into “Flesh for Fantasy.”

While the setlist expectedly covered all the hits, there was even a little something for those wanting more, hitting on new material from his upcoming EP “The Roadside” (out September 17) with “Rita Hayworth” and “Bitter Taste.” While not rocking to the level of his early work, the pair of tunes fit in nicely with his earlier ballads “Eyes Without a Face” and “Flesh for Fantasy.”

The good news for the guitar nerds in the house is that Steve Stevens was granted some substantial airtime to show off his underrated skills. First a lengthy solo that meandered into Led Zep’s “Over the Hill and Far Away” and “Stairway to Heaven” and then a full length instrumental of the “Top Gun Anthem” highlighted why his legacy is well-deserved.

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The Struts hitched up with Harley-Davidson for a California mini-run, aptly dubbed the “Tour de California 2020.” Along with openers Starcrawler, Super Tuesday found them at San Francisco’s Warfield for a welcome reprieve from the relentless barrage of politics.

Opener Starcrawler kicked things off in front of a crowd that was clearly hip to what was about to go down, having not only arrived early but staked out a spot on the barricade. Simply stated, Starcrawler is a band that must be seen to be appreciated. All arms and legs, the waif-thin Arrow de Wilde commands the stage and demands attention with not only her vocals but, with her bodily contortions that are only accentuated by her 6’ 3” frame.

While this night’s set was arguably tame by Starcrawler standards (much to the appreciation of the germophobes in the photo pit), the band surely impressed in no small part due to guitarist Henri Cash’s shredding which didn’t miss a note even as he hopped into the crowd during the set closer “Bet My Brains” before hanging his guitar around a befuddled fan’s neck while he walked off the stage and the crew began to pack up.

By the time The Struts took the stage, the floor of the Warfield was packed and San Francisco was ready to party. So it was a good thing that compared to their last visit to San Francisco (The Fillmore, November, 2018), The Struts kicked things up a notch in terms of production—taking full advantage of the larger stage.

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It’s been a while since Black Label Society passed through the Bay Area, so when they hit San Francisco’s Regency Ballroom on a Sunday night, the fans packed the joint to the rafters for what would prove to be an epic evening of metal.

Portland, Oregon’s Lord Dying kicked things off early (7:30 PM!) to a room that was already filling up nicely. Clear concerns over the Coronavirus hasn’t reached the heavy metal community and by the time Obituary finished pummeling the room with their 40 minute set, plenty of bodily fluids had been sent flying from the pit.

After Obituary wrapped, the crew hoisted a curtain in front of the stage to hide the set change. Unfortunately, the height of the curtain was limited by the balcony to which it was affixed, leaving only “lack Labe” visible to the fans. Not that it mattered anyways, because it was pretty obvious to anyone watching the opening bands that under those black sheets was a wall of speaker cabinets.

A creative mash-up of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” with Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” (“Whole Lotta War Pigs”) blasted over the PA and pumped up the room as the band set up before finally launching into “Genocide Junkies” from 2002’s 1919 Eternal as the curtain dropped. Game on San Francisco!

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It wasn’t that long ago that Machine Head’s future as a band was in question. Long time members Phil Demmel (guitar) and Dave McClain (drums) both abruptly announced their departures from the band before what was certain to be an awkward final tour for everyone.

Leave it to Robb Flynn, front man and only remaining founding member, to dust off and move forward. Adding Vogg Kiełtyka (guitar) and Matt Alston (drums) to the lineup, Flynn went even further and announced that Machine Head would also be reuniting with Burn My Eyes-era members Logan Mader and Chris Kontos to celebrate the 25th anniversary of that album.

All this manifested into a five-week “Burn My Eyes 25th Anniversary” run across North America which wrapped up Saturday in Anaheim, California—but not before what would prove to be a hometown show of epic proportions at Oakland’s Fox Theater. Sticking to the “evening with” format which the band tested with huge success in support of Bloodstones & Diamonds, Machine Head kicked things off early and proceeded to pummel the audience for well-over three hours.

Split into two sets, Machine Head kicked off with a raft of classics that got the pit humming along at a good clip. Wrapping the first set up with “Halo,” Machine Head had already delivered a nearly two-hour set that most mortal bands (and their fans) would have been more than content with.

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It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride of late for Oakland, California’s High On Fire.

Their 2018 release Electric Messiah won a well-deserved Grammy award for Best Metal Performance a matter of weeks after the band was forced to cancel their touring plans (for the second time) due to frontman Matt Pike’s risk of losing part of his foot due to complications from diabetes. Fast forward to December and Pike’s medical issues properly sorted, High On Fire has made their triumphant return for a hometown show at Berkeley’s UC Theatre.

Creeping Death and Devil Master warmed up the sold-out room but things kicked into high gear for Power Trip’s raging set. These Texans’ special brand of thrash has developed a strong following in the Bay Area and the pit was flat-out bonkers. When their set finally wrapped, there was a mass exodus from the pit of sweaty dudes looking for fresh air and maybe a refreshing beverage leaving the question dangling—how the hell is High On Fire going to follow that!?!?

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It wasn’t that long ago that Pixies passed through the San Francisco Bay Area with Weezer. But if the lack of intimacy of an arena show coupled with a setlist confined to a supporting slot left you wanting, look no further than the band’s brief North American winter run.

Those lucky enough to secure a ticket to the show at San Francisco’s August Hall, which maybe holds 1,000 people, were treated to Pixies in epic proportions. From the opening notes of “In the Arms of Mrs. Mark of Cain” as smoke filled the tiny stage to the set closer “Bone Machine,” Charles/Frank, Joey, Paz, and David did not once take the foot off of the gas.

For their part, the enthusiastic crowd settled in for the long haul and soaked it all in, not knowing whether such an opportunity would ever present itself again as the Pixies plowed through their catalog including a heavy dose of their September release, Beneath the Eyrie.

This was no doubt one for the record books.

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No one can throw a party like Snoop Dogg—just ask anyone who packed the way-sold-out Fillmore in San Francisco for the kick off of his “I Wanna Thank Me Tour.” By the time opener RJMrLA took the stage, the wait staff was already hitting a feverish stride as the drinks flowed and puffs of smoke rose above the crowd as folks pondered the stripper poles that flanked either side of the stage.

The great thing about rap shows is the minimal change-over between sets—swap out a DJ and a microphone and the next act is up, so the momentum was never lost as the legendary Warren G picked up the mic in front of a room that was well-versed in his material and happy to play along.

Local boy Berner kicked things up a notch, striding on stage with a fat joint which he was more than happy to share with the front row. Afterall, what better way to market your own brand of weed than sharing it with a captive audience—even going so far as tossing out bags of his signature strain while instructing the fans to “roll it and share it” which is indeed what they did.

By the time Snoop took the stage a tad before 10 PM, there was a cloud hanging over the now-baked crowd—there was simply no escaping the inevitable contact high. With a microphone in his right hand and a joint in his left, Snoop proceeded to wow the crowd which by then was clearly pushing the capacity limits of the venue where a squadron of firemen and body-cammed police could be seen in the back trying to look concerned but obviously enjoying the spectacle as a pair of pole dancers made impressive use of the aforementioned stripper poles.

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The Aquabats wrapped up their current tour this past Saturday at San Francisco’s Regency Ballroom. The fans turned out early for their superheros and the kiddos were running rampant on the general admission floor well-before the openers took the stage.

Supported by some backing tracks, Jacob Turnbloom kicked things off with a solo set of originals but while the music was approachable, the vampire shtick made no sense. Nevertheless, he had a good-sized crowd that was receptive to vamp rock as they geared up for the Aquabats. But first they had to suffer through PPL MVR.

Never heard of PPL MVR? Imagine an unholy alliance between a yeti, Chewbacca, and the Grinch delivering abominably auto-tuned drivel designed to torture mankind. Unfortunately there were many small children in the room that will be forever scarred.

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