Blog

I'm testing my memory.

Aberdeen - Twice, both with Trembling Blue Stars. The first time at The Bottom Of The Hill was their better set.
Aerospace - At Pop Fantasy 2003, made all the girls go ga-ga, even Lupe of Pipas.
Air - Sexy French boys.
The Aislers Set - One of the best live bands ever.
The Apples in Stereo
Architecture in Helsinki - A fun band to watch.
The Autocollants - At Pop Crush 2005, and whoa, it seemed as if they've never left the scene.
Ballboy - Opened for Cinerama, surprisingly good.
Bart Davenport - At Pop Fantasy 2003, eh?
Baskervilles - At Pop Crush 2005, didn't leave much of an impression. They did dress well.
The Bats - Twice, on consecutive days.
Belle and Sebastian - Three times: at The Greek Theater, The Warfield, and at The Concourse; next month: The Hollywood Bowl with The Shins. One of my most favorite bands!
Belly - I remember thinking how unbelievable it was seeing Tanya Donnelly onstage.
Bloc Party - Tight.
Blossom Dearie - According to her, I'm the first Filipino she ever met! An underrated jazz pianist, but man, it's the voice.
Boyracer - About three or four times, the last time was on my birthday last year and Stewie gave me freebies.
Bunnygrunt - At Pop Crush 2005.
California Oranges - Seeing them at Pop Crush 2005, I wished Holiday Flyer would reform.
Camera Obscura - Saw them on my birthday two years ago, will see them again five days after my birthday this year. Although people say they're boring live, I still am going to see them.
The Chemical Brothers - Opened for New Order, fantastic lights show, fantastic breakbeats.
Cinerama - Gedge-magic.
The Clientele - Breathtaking.
Cocteau Twins - An unforgettable experience!
The Consultants - At Pop Crush 2005.
Crabapples - At Pop Fantasy 2003, sharp, noise pop, nice to see Mike of Slumberland having fun onstage.
The Cure - Saw them when I was no longer a fan, at the Curiosa Festival.
DJ Spooky - In-store, played an upright bass, awesome.
Dot Allison - Yes, lucky me.
Doug Shepherd - Acoustic folk, I have him on video.
Dressy Bessy - Tammy Ealom sounded like she was struggling hitting the high notes, the band was good, she was having a bad night.
Elephone - I shouldn't have mentioned them here.
Even as We Speak - At Pop Fantasy 2003, just Mary Wyer backed by members of Boyracer, The Evening Lights and Marine Research.
Evening Lights - At least five times, dreamy, reminds me of the stuff I did with Soft Pillow Kisses.
4 Hero - Part of Fourplay.
Free Loan Investments - At Pop Fantasy 2003, delicious Swedish delights.
The Frenchmen - About four or five times, improving each time but still not enough for me to buy their records.
From Bubblegum to Sky - About two or three times, really couldn't listen to them.
Gilles Weinzaepflen - From Toog, opened for Momus.
Gregory Webster - Twice: at Pop Fantasy 2003, at Pop Crush 2005.
Head Automatica - At Curiosa, was not that interested, don't even remember how they sounded like.
His Name Is Alive - Haven't really listened to their post-Home Is In Your Head materials at the time, seeing them didn't make me want to.
Hole - Not owning any Hole records, let's just say I was starstruck.
Honeybunch - At Pop Fantasy 2003, love them to bits.
The How - At Pop Fantasy 2003, fucking fantastic!
Human Television - At Pop Crush 2005, unexpectedly stole the night.
Interpol - Lost interest after watching them at Curiosa.
Isobel Campbell - Sigh. It was also exciting for me to see Eugene Kelly and Jim McCulloch supporting her.
Ivy - I've heard people say they weren't a good live band, I say bollocks.
Jazzanova - Part of Fourplay, my favorite from all the Fourplay artists.
Jens Lekman - Twice: at Café Du Nord during the Noise Pop Fest 2005, at The Rickshaw Stop 2006, both marvelous live shows.
Kahimi Karie - Oooh, that whispery, purring voice. Oh my.
Kanda - Electronic-happy set. Yummy-licious.
Komeda - My first taste of live Swedish, wasn't disappointed at all.
Kraftwerk - I was sitting, my toes a-tappin' to 'em dance beats.
Ladies And Gentlemen: We Are A Dance Band - Strange, poppy dance music, liked them better than VHS or Beta.
Ladytron - Remarkable live band.
Laura Watling - Twice or thrice, very sweet, very light, very cute.
The Lemonheads - Wasn't that much of a fan, but they've got snappy songs sometimes.
Lil' Hospital - Twice: The last time at Pop Crush 2005.
The Lotus Eaters - They took Manila by storm.
The Lucksmiths - About seven or eight times, first band I considered travelling just to see them, always a joy to watch live!
Luna - Twice, astonishing live act.
Magnet - Great job on the guitar effects, but he sounded like that Coldplay bloke, which means not good in my book.
Math and Physics Club - Twice, both striking performances.
The Maybellines - Not as popular as Dressy Bessy, but they were better live.
Momus - The joy of hearing The Homosexual live! A legend in my book.
The Moore Brothers - Liked them live, didn't like them on record.
Mosquitos - Twice, different from The Mosquitos, not interested.
The Mosquitos - Opened for Air, was expecting too much, was disappointed.
munia - Featuring former Brittle Stars member(s), I wonder what happened to them. I was hoping they would release something.
The Music Lovers - About two or three times, once at Pop Crush 2005, very sophisticated pop, a little bit like The Tindersticks.
My Favorite - At Pop Crush 2005, I was kind of put off by Michael's stage antics.
Nedelle - Opened for Jens Lekman, wasn't really there for her.
New Order - I wish I've seen them during their heydays, still, they were extraordinary.
The New Pornographers - Not my cuppa tea, sorry.
The Orange Peels - At Pop Crush 2005, no disrespect to Allen Clapp, but I went home before they finished their set.
Origami - At Pop Fantasy 2003, too punk rock for me.
The Quails - Opened for The Aislers Set, wasn't arousing enough.
The Rapture - Not interested, not really my type.
Pipas - At Pop Fantasy 2003, sloppy, down-to-earth, lurvely.
Poundsign - Twice, shambolic, I thought that might be how The Pastels played early on in their careers.
The Radio Dept. - At Pop Fantasy 2003, along with The Lucksmiths and The How, they were the best among the Pop Fantasy bands.
Radiohead - Before they were huge.
Red House Painters - Disappointed that they didn't play Katy Song, but was very pleased of their set.
Red Pony Clock - At Pop Crush 2005, indiepop polka fun.
Remedy 'n' Wren - About four or five times, lacks punch live but they've got some nice tunes.
Ritchie Hawtin a.k.a. Plastikman - Not much into his music, but he did impress me.
Rose Melberg - Calm, quiet, serene, one of the sweetest voice ever.
The Rosebuds - Wasn't into them, too off-kilter country for me.
Saint Etienne - Twice, and oh yes, there was much dancing, have dreamt of Sarah a number of times afterwards.
salteens - At Pop Fantasy 2003, entertaining pop geeks.
Seksu Soba - At Pop Fantasy 2003, in place of Lil Pocketknife, they were so-so.
The Sheets - A one-off cover band by the boys and girls of The Autocollants and Shelflife Records.
Sprites - At Pop Fantasy 2003, I like them better than The Salteens.
Stars - Not really impressive live, too bad because I like them.
state of samuel - with Li'l Hospital at Brainwash.
Stereo Total - Fun, fun, people dancing onstage, on the dancefloor, was dumbfounded at how well-known they are here in SF.
Stereolab - If people find them monotonous, I suggest they see and hear the band live.
Teenage Fanclub - One of the best bands ever.
The Trash Can Sinatras - After the show, I got myself a cd copy of their set, listened to it once I got home, listened to it again the following day.
Trembling Blue Stars - Twice, once with Aberdeen backing up Bobby Wratten, in which after their set, Alexander Bailey of Radio Khartoum said to me, "That was pretty good."
Tullycraft - At Pop Fantasy 2003, went outside to talk to other people who aren't into them.
The Verve - Before they were hugely popular, with just one guitar, they still sounded like an orchestra.
Vetiver - Opened for Belle And Sebastian at The Warfield, found them boring, and their loudmouth guitar player turned me off.
VHS or Beta - Watched first half of their set, went outside and watched cars go by during the second half, waiting for Cinerama to go onstage.
Voxtrot - At Pop Crush 2005, enjoyed their fabulous Felt cover.
Walt Mink - Hard-rockin' three piece, too rockin' for me.
winnebago - Sloppy, happy twee punk.

Soon: Jose Gonzalez, hopefully Vashti Bunyan