The Jewish Music Festival presented Hadag Nahash, a popular Israeli hip-hop/funk band, at Oakland's New Parish last night. Their signature catchy songs ignited the entire club, driven by the band's versatile keyboards and horn section, and a pair of turntables too. The show kicked off the opening weekend of the Jewish Music Festival, which will feature concerts around the Bay Area through March 25. The audience at tonight's show was a map of the Bay Area's diverse Jewish community. Several organizations were represented, many having contributed to the show's marketing efforts. The range of ages was impressive, from young adults to the elderly, all of whom enthusiastically danced the entire time. A number of the Jewish Music Festival's older donors were present, a testament both to the festival's wide range of programming, and to Hadag Nahash's universal appeal. The show itself was full of non-stop energy, and the singers were deeply connected to their material. Shaa'nan Streett, the lead MC, said that a lot of Hadag Nahash's songs are about life in Israel, but he added that a couple are more personal. Ultimately, though most of the songs were in Hebrew, it was still possible to understand their meaning through...
Last Saturday night, the audience at San Francisco's Regency Ballroom was instantly floored by Sainthood Reps' energy, and captivated for the length of their 35-minute set. From their pounding drums, louder and harder than the Beastie Boys, to their catchy melodies, peppier than Green Day, Sainthood Reps brought an innovative yet familiar sound to their unusual show. It began with rhythmic, echoing drum hits, and the passionate lyrics of lead singer Derrick Sherman. The raw power of Sainthood Reps' soaring guitar riffs was engrossing, especially when the band featured unexpected harmonies, and the driving beat moved every song forward. The energy enveloped bass player Jani Zubkovs as well - in one particular song, he bounced from beginning to end without stopping, playing all the while. The most unusual part of the performance was the rhythmic complexity of many of the songs. They would start out in a solid square meter, and then suddenly shift into a triple meter for the chorus. These changes took me completely by surprise, perhaps because they're so rare in commercially popular music, and they added to the inventive nature of Sainthood Reps' sound. Later, Sainthood Reps showed off their sonic diversity with a slower, more...
Iration, the young Reggae band from Hawaii, brought a special energy to Oakland's Fox Theater on Jan. 15. The crowd ranged from teenagers to middle-aged adults, a testament to Reggae's infectious rhythm, and Iration's particular appeal to everyone in attendance. The set began strong, with an explosion of Island style, and the energy never dropped off. Drummer Joseph Dickens - shirtless though he was - laid down a consistently intricate and danceable beat, never wavering throughout the set. Every song felt real - perhaps it was due to Iration's youth, but their music comes with the sincerity of a group that believes in its writing. The audience sang along to many of Iration's songs. The band has been around long enough for their songs to develop a following, but they still play with the excitement of a newly-discovered band on tour for the first time. The dramatic stage lighting certainly deepened the experience as well, following the individual contours of the music. Scattered tastefully throughout the set, Micah Pueschel's guitar solos brought an intensity that propelled several of the songs to new heights. Each one energized the entire audience, and their enthusiastic dancing increased in proportion. Reggae fan Samantha Heller...
Performing in San Francisco last Tuesday, for the first time in years, Bedouin Soundclash rocked out at Slim's to an eager audience. The show drew people of all ages, including older couples, groups in their 30s and 40s, and even families with young children. The opening band, Gyasi Went Home, really got the concert going, after which the Soundclash played several songs from their newest album, "Light The Horizon" (released Sep. 28). They also shared a healthy dose of their older goodies. It was the Soundclash's first time performing with their new drummer, Sekou Lumumba, a man who beat out complicated rhythms as easily as strolling through the park. Lumumba brought a special vibe to the show, and the two other band members said they have much respect for his work. Later, they played a song that vocalist Jay Malinowski said bassist Eon Sinclair wrote a long time ago, and was "a cover of one of the songs Sekou wrote while he was a member of his previous band." This song featured a 5-minute drum solo that had the audience grooving and shaking until the end. Bedouin Soundclash played a reggae song, then a few more from their albums, old and...
Peter Wolf, who was recently nominated to be in the rock and roll hall of fame, puts on a performance with electricity. With a voice reminiscent of Bob Dylan combined with the raspy quality of Tom Waits, Wolf wooed the audience on Oct. 2nd at Yoshi's in San Francisco. He filled the night with blues, jazz, and rock and roll. All the bases were covered with a five-member band: two guitars, bass, drum and keyboards, and the lap-steel guitar came out for a few songs. He is electric, and he is bluesy, but most of all, he enjoys what he does. Wolf played some songs off of his upcoming release "Midnight Souvenirs." But when his old songs came out, some people got up from their seats to join in the dancing. Hugh Laurie - star of TV's House - said on Inside the Actors Studio that if he could have any profession besides actor, he would be a rock and roll star. Well, Peter Wolf skipped being an actor and jumped right in, and it is apparent in all that he does. Wolf truly loves performing rock and roll, and if he could have any other profession, he'd probably still play rock and roll. He...
Tuesday's show, Matisyahu Unplugged, was an acoustic performance for an audience of over 400 people, sponsored by Chabad of the Tri-Valley. Matisyahu headlined on vocals, accompanied by D.P. Holmes of Dub Trio on guitar, with an opening performance by Josh Cohen, at Livermore's Bankhead Theater. The atmosphere was full of Chabadniks and other local Jews together for a chill evening. As Matisyahu improvised, receiving thunderous applause upon his arrival, he gave an impression of the mood by saying into the microphone "Hey Rabbi, you told me this was going to be a low-key evening!" Low key it might not have been, but it was a unique opportunity to meet a contemporary musician and a practicing Orthodox Jew. Advertised at local congregations around the East Bay and beyond, one major draw of this performance was the fact that the Jewish community had the chance to find out what's inside the head of a practicing Jew who is simultaneously following his dream performing music. The mood was light and "playful," according to Margaret Sawyer, an avid arts enthusiast. Matisyahu's demeanor with the audience between songs showed a side of him that few get to see. In-between some of the songs, Matisyahu had Q&A sessions, asking...
