See Moir Music: March 2023
I'm snoozin and slippin my way through 2023 so far
Hi folks, I’m writing this tired from last night’s excellent set. Let’s do a quick recap:
Flight Facilities and warner case at 1015 had serious sound issues. I've never heard the main room so quiet. Word is that the DJs themselves keep turning down the main mix.
Unfortunately I ended up skipping Tourist and Jacques Greene because I was so tired 🫠I knew it would be an incredible show but I've seen each of them twice before, so I stayed home and slept for 10 hours.
Given that debacle, I napped before heading out to Henrik Schwarz and Kettama at 1015 Folsom. Great sets from them both, but I missed out on over an hour of Kettama's set because he was, unbeknownst to me, playing in the basement. Nap tactics meant I at least made it until 2:30am, so I think this plan will stick.
Will I survive the string of Thursday night shows ahead of me? Only time will tell.
Where I’ll Be
Thu 3/9 – Barry Can't Swim at Monarch
Given that this is promoted by Another Planet Entertainment, tickets were steeper than expected for a show at Monarch, but all you need to do is listen to his latest single Sunsleeper and you'll be nabbing a ticket for yourself.
Sat 3/11 – Skin on Skin at a ~ secret location ~
The email said RIYL Bicep so I looked up a set of his and it's pretty sick. He's on Mall Grab's label Steel City Dance Discs. Gonna be bass-heavy and good.
Thu 4/6 – Caterina Barbieri at The Lab
At the last (good) show I saw pre-pandemic, Jacques Greene dropped her track Fantas and I've never shazammed something so many times in my life.
Thu 4/6 – Mall Grab at 1015 Folsom
Double header from chill vibes to HIGH ENERGY so let's hope I can make it happen.
Thu 4/13 – Overmono at 1015 Folsom
They were amazing live at Monarch, the crowd will be a different vibe at 1015 and TBD if it will be a live show as well, but either way, psyched to see them again a scant few weeks before they put out an album.
Sat 5/13 – Black Coffee, Joe Kay, and Kevin Saunderson at Frank Ogawa Plaza
Stellar lineup at a great spot right downtown Oakland. See you there!
Thu 5/18 – salute at 1015 Folsom
Most anticipated DJ set of 2023 so far. Get hype.
What's Happening
Phew I already shared what I'm going to, but I guess I'll bold what else I recommend because there are so many shows coming up!
March
Fri 3/10 – Garage Access: Coco Bryce, Lucy Stoner, Nightware, and DJ Staley at Monarch
I'm tempting fate doing one on one off one on, so I can't do a triple header, but the boys have been pulling in excellent DJs from across the pond.
Fri 3/10 – Capital Cities (DJ set) at Rickshaw Stop
Fri 3/10 – Marsh at Great Northern
Fri 3/10 – Paul van Dyk at Public Works
Sat 3/11 – Defected Records San Francisco with OFFAIAH and Rimarkable at Halcyon
Sat 3/11 – Parov Stelar at the Fox Theater
Sat 3/11 – PUP at Regency Ballroom
Sat 3/11 – Justin Martin at Audio
Sat 3/11 – Steve Aoki at Billy G
Sun 3/12 – PUP at Regency Ballroom (second night)
Mon 3/13, Tue 3/14, Wed 3/15, Thu 3/16, Fri 3/17 – Godspeed You! Black Emperor at The Chapel
Wed 3/15 – Titus Andronicus at The Chapel (but outdoors, and not conflicting with GY!BE)
Fri 3/17 – Max Cooper (3D/AV) and Machinedrum at The Midway
Surprised to see him go from Public Works to the Midway. Gonna be a good show, I won't make it out for this one. Only tier 1 is sold out, so maybe tell your friends, eh?
Fri 3/17 – J. Phlip at Monarch
Fri 3/17 – Felix Da Housecat at Audio
Fri 3/17 – Robin Schulz at 1015 Folsom
Sat 3/18 – LF System at Monarch
Their song Dancing Cliche is such a banger but I'll be out of town.
Sat 3/25 – Christian Martin at Halcyon
Tue 3/28 – Anna Lapwood at First Methodist Church in Palo Alto
First, watch her play with Bonobo at Royal Albert Music Hall. Then watch it again, this time actually watching her play alongside the music. Goosebumps.
Wed 3/29 & Thu 3/30 – Tallest Man on Earth at the Chapel
Thu 3/30 – Anna of the North at The Independent
Thu 3/30 – Tortoise at GAMH
Fri 3/31 – Marie Davidson at Monarch
Her track Work It was remixed by Soulwax and it was excellent, and Monarch has a great vibe.
Fri 3/31 – Christian Löffler at Great Northern
He had a great set for Cercle, playing an original track for it as well called Ronda which captured me.
April
Sat 4/1 – Colony House at August Hall
Sat 4/1 – Sébastien Léger at Audio
Sun 4/2 – MoBlack at Audio (day party)
Fri 4/7 & Sat 4/8 – SG Lewis at The Warfield
Sat 4/8 – Burna Boy at Oakland Arena
Sat 4/8 – Qrion at Audio
Sat 4/8 – Dragonette at Rickshaw Stop
Thu 4/13 – Yaeji at Fox Theater
Thu 4/13 – Elderbrook at The Warfield
Thu 4/13 – Christine and the Queens at Regency Ballroom
Fri 4/14 – The Blaze at 1015 Folsom
I saw them the last time they were in town and played at 1015 Folsom and they were so good I stayed until they closed out the place and the lights went on. I can't b2b nights but you should go to this. 😭
Fri 4/14 – Big Wild at Greek Theatre
Fri 4/14 – Jan Blomqvist and others at Public Works
Sat 4/15 – Lewis Ofman at GAMH
Last saw him open for Yelle at Rickshaw Stop wearing a wristband that indicated he was under 21. He was excellent.
Wed 4/19 – 2MANYDJs and EUG at 1015 Folsom
Wed 4/19 – MUNA at the Warfield
Incredible queer pop music, I might have to go to this…
Thu 4/20 – Chromeo and Starfari at Fox Theater
Thu 4/20 – Mura Masa and Sofia Kourtesis at 1015 Folsom
Would love to see Sofia Kourtesis live for more than the short bit I caught her at Portola, but I learned many years ago that 4/20 shows are decidedly not for me.
Fri 4/21 – WhoMadeWho (Live) at 1015 Folsom
Sun 4/23 – Bonobo, Franc Moody, TOKiMONSTA, and more at the Midway (block party)
Lineup is tempting but the branding has me confused about the vibe of the show… also it's the Midway.
Tue 4/25 – FKJ at the Fox Theater (second night)
Wed 4/26 – Tennis at the Fox Theater
Fri 4/28 – Themba at Halcyon
Amazing Afro-House DJ and producer, recommended.
Fri 4/28 – Joseph at The Fillmore
Fri 4/28 – Amtrac at the Independent
I’ve been listening to Amtrac for awhile and he’s been branching out into singing more and that's clear on his latest album.
Sat 4/29 – Boiler Room x Fake & Gay San Francisco at The Midway
Lots of local DJs lined up for this latest iteration of Boiler Room SF.
May
Mon 5/1 & Tue 5/2 – Caroline Polachek at the Warfield
Fri 5/5 – The Blessed Madonna at 1015 Folsom
Fri 5/12 – Worakls at Audio
Fri 5/12 – Cassian at 1015 Folsom
Sat 5/13 – Whethan on the San Francisco Belle for a boat party!
Tue 5/16 and Wed 5/17 – M83 at Fox Theater
Fri 5/19 – Snakehips at 1015 Folsom
Fri 5/19 – Moon Boots at GAMH
Mon 5/22 – Sampa the Great at the Fillmore
Tue 5/23 – MEUTE at the Fillmore
Promo photos for this show so far seem very incorrect, but I checked and yes it is the live brass band that plays electronic music.
Wed 5/24 – Meg Myers at the Independent
Sun 5/28 – Cautious Clay at August Hall
Later
Sun 6/4 – Re:SET with boygenius, Clairo, Dijon, and more at Frost Ampitheater, Palo Alto (Stanford)
Sat 6/17 – Lane 8 and more at Great Northern (outdoor day party)
Sat 7/15 – Diplo, DJ M3, DJ Dials, and more at the Midway (outdoor block party)
Wed 8/2 – Yellowcard, Mayday Parade, Anberlin and more at Billy G
Tue 8/8 – Big Thief and Lucinda Williams at the Greek Theatre
Big Thief's album last year was on a lot of top albums of 2022 lists, both of friends and ~ publications ~ so this should be a great show.
Wed 8/30 – Sylvan Esso at the Greek Theatre
Mon 10/9, Tue 10/10, and Wed 10/11 – The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie at the Greek Theatre
Other fun events
Sat 4/15 – Writing on Raving: Zoë Beery, Geoffrey Mak, and Mckenzie Wark at The Lab
I'll be here, because writing and music. I've been following Mckenzie Wark online for some time, and recently met Zoë on the internet, so I'm extra excited.
Audium sound sculptures every Thu, Fri, and Sat in March
Intriguing but also perhaps unnerving? See how well you do in an immersive dark environment bathed in sound.
Fri 6/9 – Ocean Vuong at Sydney Goldstein Theater for City Arts and Lectures
Ok so tickets aren't actually on sale yet, but by gosh, what a poet and observer of humanity. Highly recommend.
Art events
Hear from the artists about their project that explores aerial imaging technologies and “their influence and power in everyday life."
Now – Thu 5/11 – Close to Home: Government's Pivotal Role in Redlining and Housing Exclusion exhibit at the Main Branch of the SFPL
Now – 1/2/24 – Ragnar Kjartansson: The Visitors at SF MoMA
Perhaps the most entrancing and engrossing a/v art installation I've ever encountered. Highly, highly, highly recommend. I still gotta make it out.
Thu 3/16 – Wed 5/31 – Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: TECHS-MECHS: A Survey of Mexican Technological Culture at Gray Area
Other notes
The Misalignment Museum just opened in the mission and it looks fascinating, and is somewhat relevant as well to the comments I made about AI in my last newsletter.
Listening lately
I've been spending my time listening either to pop music or grimy garage (or whatever it is that Mall Grab and KETTAMA produce). Thus it felt right to me that KETTAMA closed out his set with Sean Paul's Temperature.
Some of these might be cut off because I’m bad at brevity BUT I've been enjoying these tracks lately (loosely grouped by vibe for ease of discovery)(don't ask me to describe the vibes):
Saba - One Way or Every N**** With a Budget (with thanks to Said The Gramophone's best of 2022 list)
Sleepy Hallow - Die Young (ft 347aidan) (again with thanks to STG best of 2022)
070 Shake - Cocoon (again with thanks to STG best of 2022)
Mar'One - Morning Sex (Edit) (with thanks to SoundCloud's Discover Weekly)
Overmono - Is U (and everything else off their forthcoming debut, Good Lies)
Mall Grab - 1ofthozdaze / On My Ones (Single)
Surusinghe - BAD GIRLS (with thanks to Jamie xx)
Abby Sage - Backwards Directions (with thanks to friends for delightful recommendations I wouldn't have gotten algorithmically)
The Nunnery - Floating Garden (again with thanks to STG best of 2022)