Here come more people tickling our eardrums:
Philip Glass & Joanna Newsom, Monday, Warfield
Famed composer Philip Glass is calling on Bay Area music fans to rally in support of Big Sur’s Henry Miller Library, and asking them to do something rather simple: listen to Glass and fairy-voiced songstress Joanna Newsom make lovely together. This meeting of great musical minds seems like an odd coupling at first, but Newsom’s minimalist harp work begs the companionship of Glass’ subtle compositional touch. The two met just a month ago, but perhaps it will be the beginning of a grand collaborative relationship.
Tanlines, Wednesday, Brick & Mortar
Back by popular music demand, Tanlines’ distant electropop recalls the not-so-distant dance anthems of Cut Copy, at least when they’re at their best (start with the thoroughly righteous track “Brothers”). The Brooklyn-based duo hasn’t been around for long, but they’re already packing clubs (they killed a recent set at Rickshaw Stop a few months back) and winning favor from the trendsetting set, including a record deal with True Panther Sounds, one of the best seals of approval in the underground dance music world.
Foster the People, Friday, Greek Theatre
They keep pumping up their sneakers, and the world keeps pumping up their profile. Less than two years ago, they opened for some obscure Southern rock band at Rickshaw Stop, and now they’re headlining the hollowed ground of the Greek Theatre. This tour figures to be their biggest production yet, but don’t expect a bundle of new material — Mark Foster and company plan to get in the studio at the conclusion of the tour — just the hits. And if you can’t get out to the Greek in time for the show, the band will be offering up a DJ set a Manor West afterwards.
Growlers, Saturday, The Independent
Let’s call this alt-hillbilly rock. Or lo-fi lollygag-core, since this band never seems to be in a rush to get anywhere specific with their freewheeling song arrangements. Yet their songs rarely reach the 4-minute mark. When they do break form from verse, they generally head off into some oddball jam that leaves various tastes in your mouth — some good, some eerie. It’s Western and foreign at once, and always interesting.
$25 for a Young the Giant/Minus the Bear/Manchester Orchestra is probably the value of the week for the S.F. music maven. Young the Giant and Minus the Bear are known quantities by now, after a couple years on the medium-to-high-profile festival circuit. Manchester Orchestra has been around since 2005, and seems primed for a coming-out party. The Atlanta five-piece Southern punkish rock band makes rebellious points courtesy of lead singer Andy Hull’s unpredictable vocal spasms.
@ChrisTrenchard
