Arts and Culture

Bay Area Beats for July 13 - 18

By Max Jacobs on July 13, 2010 - 10:03pm
Photo by Yancho Sabev.
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Bay Area Beats for July 13-18

Music: "Aint No Sunshine" sung by Bettye LaVette

Video: "Let Me Down Easy," Bettye LaVette's 1965 single



Here at KALW we try to highlight local musicians and talented artists who don't necessarily receive mainstream attention. So while Yes and Peter Frampton are playing in the Bay Area this week…we've got a list of some smaller more intimate shows from artists a bit under the radar. Here are your live-show picks for the week.


Locals



One of the great things about the Bay Area music scene is that awesome local bands often get asked to open for bigger name bands, even if they are not touring with that band. A couple years ago I went to Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco to see the reunion tour of the one-hit-wonder-turned-indie sensation band Superdrag. The best performance I saw that night, however, was the hometown opener, BIRDMONSTER. Aside from the excellent choice in band name, the SF quartet made it clear that they were there to have a good time (and to rock a little bit). If you're in Downtown Oakland to see some quality indie rock music (as opposed to looting local businesses), then stop by the Uptown on Friday night for a fun, and cheap, show.



After you've seen the DODOS in concert you'll ask aloud why drummers are always relegated to the back of the stage. Drummer Logan Kroeber shares the front of the stage with guitarist and singer Meric Long. This arrangement makes total sense when you hear how their songs are centered around the complex West African-inspired drumming. As the rhythm of the acoustic guitar harmonizes with the drums, you'll wonder how two instruments can create so much sound. With so much going on, you may also wonder which musician to watch when you see them perform live. You can cast your gaze on the entire SF-based band (three musicians total) as they open for the New Pornographers at the Fox Theater in Oakland on Sunday.



Out-of-towners



Little is known about the (new) New York band CULTS, except that they seem like a lot of fun. They have only released one 7 inch recording, consisting of three songs (which sold out months ago, but is available to download for free), but there is a buzz surrounding them in the independent music world. The two piece boy-girl group play retro bubble gum songs that remind the listener why that genre was so popular in the first place. A friend of mine sent me their single "Go Outside" and remarked, "I hope this is what summer is like." The 60s pop vocals and glockenspiel that float through their songs certainly go well with a glass of lemonade and a hammock. But better yet, you can see and hear this secretive band for yourself on Saturday night at Bottom of the Hill.



Spotlight



It seems that all manners of musical genres are coming back into style; 60s surf rock, 80s prog rock, Bob Dylan-era folk… We've been witnessing this musical reawakening for some time now, but a newer (yet fitting) sub-trend has emerged: the discovery of musicians who never quite made it in their youth and particular musical era but are still making music. Among those, one may have heard of Vashti Bunyan, Lucinda Williams, Sharon Jones (and the Dap Kings), and of course, BETTY LAVETTE. Discovered and signed at age sixteen in 1962, LaVette recorded "My Man - He's a Lovin' Man" which made the top ten on the R&B charts. She recorded a handful of successful soul and R&B singles over the next ten years but did not receive the same recognition of some of her fellow Motown singers like the Supremes or Smokey Robinson.



In 1972, however, she finally recorded a full length album. Atlantic Records was all set to release the recordings and send LaVette on tour but then decided to axe the project without ever explaining the reason why. It took ten more years until she had the opportunity to release an album, and while she has made numerous recordings over the years since, LaVette never became the soul star that record producers envisioned.



That is, until 2005, when she released the critically acclaimed "I've Got My Own Hell to Raise," the first of a three-record deal that finally got her the attention she deserved. LaVette, who's now 64, has not slowed down, but has in fact been eager to let audiences know what they've been missing all these years. Aside from numerous recordings since 2005, LaVette has performed at Radio City Music Hall with Paul McCartney and at President Obama's Inaugural Celebration.



LaVette will stop by the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco on Wednesday in support of her latest album “Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook.” After nearly 40 years in the industry, LaVette has sung all manner of R&B, country, blues and pop songs. When you hear her sing, though, it's clear she's a soul singer at heart.


Band with the best name playing this week



TIPPY CANOE AND THE PADDLEMEN, who play the Hemlock Tavern on Wednesday. With a name like that, and an entry cost of just $6…how bad could it be?

 
Do you know of a great band playing in the area? You can email us at news@kalw.org.