pc: Shervin Lanez

With up to 20 years of playing music together under their belt, the familial union of these talented musicians can not be understated. This brass infused wonder band is packed with jam sessions that will satisfy even the biggest Phish fans. They have been back and forth through the years in the eyes of the media as far as whether or not they will stick together, but these guys just like to chill and go at their own pace.

Well they are back with a vengeance and at the Fillmore TONIGHT! There could not be a more perfect, historical venue to house this experience for not just them, but us, the fans. Be sure to grab an apple on your way in. It’s part of the Fillmore experience, and they’re delicious.

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If you’ve ever seen Tennis live before, you might be surprised to know that they are, in fact, a duo. In all their years touring, they have been backed by a band. The fun thing about being a traveling musician is that you can experiment and play with different formats to keep things interesting…Not just to provide variance for the fans, but to shake things up on your own creative pursuits. That’s why I commend Tennis for taking on this challenge and embracing the imminent growth that will come from the SOLO IN STERO tour.

Also, were you ready to take a trip down to Nostalgiaville? Because we’re going there, baby. Tennis is taking none other than Matt Costa with them on this unique tour! Two heavy hitters coming together under the intimately eery roof of The Chapel in SF. Tickets are sold out, but I’m feeling lucky for you on their event page.

Treasure Island Music Festival • Tickets

The amazing, wonderful, glorious, view-tastic, no-set-overlaptstick festival is back! You’ll have to excuse our excitement. After a two year hiatus, while on the hunt for a new location that could shed a light on the beautiful views of Treasure Island, the easily lovable festival returns. This is also despite hitting unruly waters in 2016 that unfortunately left a bitter taste in many mouths, even though it wasn’t the festivals fault at all. Those who were in attendance will forever remember the unique experience of everyone coming together literally in puddles and rivers, in sorrow over cancelled acts, or rejoicing over surprise DJ sets (Thanks Tycho!).

In 2018, they’re back with a vengeance of a lineup that has everyone over the moon to return to their beloved festival, regardless of the location. While TIMF boasts the most wonderful feature of staggered set times so attendees never have to miss an act, there’s still much else to do by way of exploring or silent disco-ing. That said, we highly recommend you find a good spot for the following acts. Also, remember to bring a jacket or a thick beer coat – it gets windy past sundown.

Nabi Air

San Francisco has always been a hot bed of creatives working to break through the intimate music scene. One way or another, every creative can (and should) find themselves learning about or embracing other parts of the industry. For Nabi Air, it started by hosting their own event series called Blank Cassette. Stationed in a gallery, it’s immediately evident how important all mediums of art are to these two.

Nabi Air’s infatuation with art extends into their music. In their debut, you’ll find theatrical synths, impactful breaks, and the powerful vocals of Yoonha Jeong coming together with the angst of a production duo wanting to be heard. Though this is just the beginning, there is much promise in their direction, and we look forward to their development in the next few years.

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Australia is in no shortage of musicians that shake the world with their musings. While Tame Impala has led the charge for the country’s psychedelic rock scene, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have been holding their own. Hailing from Melbourne, the eccentric group has managed to release 13 studio albums since 2012. Are they machines? TBD. Their style or the way they produce their songs reminds me a lot of what I love about Thee Oh Sees.

Your chance to see their energetic live performance, where they get much of their acclaim, is coming up if you’re in the Bay Area. They come to the historic Warfield Theater on Saturday June 2nd.

Inspiration can come from wherever you let it. Somehow, the comforting and soothing sensations of psychedelic surf-rock inspired a group of individuals from the 300 person town of Burton, Texas. After Khruangbin recorded their debut album in a countryside barn, they’ve touched souls from around the world with their semi-instrumental take on the genre. As it turns out, they were all too scared to sing on their own music, with the goal being to keep the attention on the music itself. Mark and Laura sing together in their songs to maintain that psychedelic feel that makes them so charming.

After playing festivals around the world and touring with the likes of Leon Bridges and Father John Misty, they’ve reached critical acclaim while winning the hearts of anyone who let’s them occupy their ear space. Their music being on the more relaxing side intrigues me as to how they will translate it live. Well, this week they play two sold out nights at the Fillmore, which just so happens to be one of my very favorite venues in San Francisco. Sample their debut LP below. Just start at the top, sit back, and ride the Khruangbin wave.

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Jordan Rakei, UK’s multi-instrumentalist young gun, is making his way to the Bay Area next week to flood the halls of The Fillmore with his sultry jams. Having accolades which include collaborating with Tom Misch and Disclosure while being a Nina Tune label mate of Bonobo, who he also toured with, you know something special is-a brewin’.

He has all the flavors of UK dance music and garage, but mixes it with R&B, jazz, and soul in a way that has us confidently awaiting his booming success. Rakei reminds me of the potential I saw in Sam Smith, but less poppy, more edgy, and ready to be discovered by the masses.

Take this special opportunity to see him at one of the world’s most storied and magnificent venues next Thursday on March 8th. Be sure to listen to his latest album Wallflower, which I included below. My favorite song is “May.” I get the chills just thinking about it…He’s able to take such a beautiful, uplifting chord progression into a booming, bass-filled chorus that has me closing my eyes and getting lost every time. Seriously can’t wait for this show.