If perusing the Outside Lands schedule isn’t enough to keep your musical inclinations/ambitions busy and satisfied, don’t forget that the music never stops coming through SF. Never. And here’s the proof:
Peaking Lights, Wednesday, New Parish
Aaron Coyes and Indra Dunis’ sonic experiments make for an irrationally irresistible brand of pop music. They’ve got the oddball swagger and the casual psych-dub wonder of Stereolab, the kind of layered music that begs to be explored. Check out their track “Beautiful Son” for an idea of how exotic and mysterious good music can sound:
Tears for Fears, Thursday, Nob Hill Masonic Center
Be excited. These iconic ‘80s pop geniuses, and authors of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” don’t come around often. When they do, it’s one of the finest ways for folks to remember a time, a place and a feeling. Put on your Donnie Darko shirt and get ready for this:
Soul Asylum, Friday, The Independent
The nostalgia train carries on at the Indy on Friday when veteran alt-rockers Soul Asylum remind San Franciscans of their existence. Authors of famed track “Runaway Train,” which blew up the airwaves in the mid-90s, were actually already a decade into a career when they took the world by storm. Nearly 30 years later, the band is still fighting the good fight and releasing fresh material. They’ve got a new album out, Delayed Reaction, and holy 1993 — it’s actually getting decent reviews.
Woods, Friday, Great American Music Hall
Brooklyn’s Woods blends a psych-y lo-fi mix of charming melodies and fuzzy, seizure-inducing guitar lines. The product has won the favor of tastemakers and critics and anyone with an ear for the timeless folk stuff. The band’s last three albums have all been consistently excellent: the experimental Songs of Shame, the trippy backyard minimalist jamming of At Echo Lake and their increasingly polished and accessible Sun and Shade. Also: If you miss Peaking Lights on Wednesday in Oakland you can catch them co-headline with Woods on Friday.
The Dodos, Saturday, Public Works
One of San Francisco’s most prized musical treasures, The Dodos should be on any local music fan’s must-see bucket list. Drummer Meric Long’s trigger-happy percussion is worth the price of admission alone, but the complete package is an alternatively uber-fun and soothing experience. New fans — start with the 2008 release Visiter and work your way up through 2011’s No Color for a proper Dodos primer.
@ChrisTrenchard
