7000COILS—a nexus of Blackness, queerness, and wellness—is curating WC04 at El Rio on 3/30

In addition to our next special event announcement, explore the best in new Bay Area music releases, including 4d. on Lotek, Torrey on Slumberland, and Malicide on Transylvanian

We’re excited to announce WCO4—a continuation of our event series curated by Bay Area artists and collectives—taking place the afternoon of Saturday, March 30th at El Rio on their sunny back patio!

It is our pleasure to introduce our next curator, 7000COILS, a record label and holistic wellness movement rooted in the diaspora’s ritualistic sound alchemy, with a focus on Black and queer ownership. They amplify the voices of overlooked artists and are fueled by their ancestors as they pursue their wildest dreams.

With Queen as our host, we’re excited for performances from Blu Moon x Lalin St. Juste, Mahawam, Zero Charisma, DPNY, and Eartha Kunt. DJ sets from GHOSTMiLK and KKINGBOO, as well as a special all-vinyl DJ set by Madre Guía, will keep the energy high.

We’ll have local vendors including Brown Sugar Botanicals, Omi Magic, Garden Goddess Botanicals, and Bio Mechanic massage. A food vendor and fundraiser for charity will be announced at a later date.

We’re offering advance $15 general admission tickets and $10 for BIPOC folks. $20 at the door. We can’t wait to see you there! Get tickets here.

— White Crate

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LOVE STRUGGLE VORTEX

“A project reflecting the harsh reality of change and appreciation for one’s home.”

Lotek, an all-jungle imprint founded by local producer/DJ Soeneido, just last week released its first-ever full length album: Juxtoposition by 4d. Opening with a frenetic, noisy free jazz intro overlaid with cartoon sounds and sampled news broadcasts declaiming the serious challenges of affording life here, the album is simultaneously a love letter to the artist’s home in the Bay while also a no-rose-colored-glasses portrait of the wealth inequality that has completely transformed the area. It’s also an absolute party, briskly blending together bebop, dub, and soul palettes into its drum and bass vortex, elegantly juxtaposing tranquil half-tempo ambiance with 160+ BPM breaks as effortlessly as it juxtaposes the themes of struggle and love.

— Ronny Kerr

DRIZZLY INDIE POP

“During the dry years, the people forgot about the rich years, and when the wet years returned, they lost all memory of the dry years. It was always that way.” — John Steinbeck, East of Eden

Typically, we’ll start off with a quote from the band’s lyrics or promo materials, but for some reason Steinbeck came to mind today. It’s a quote about California, and so my mind went there after pressing play on Torrey’s new self-titled album, which starts with the track “Rain.” After this year and last, we’ve had so much of it.

But beyond the literal, there’s the musical drought long forgotten, as Torrey’s first record for Slumberland Records slots in yet another great drizzly indie pop record for the Bay. Start to end, it’s made up of humming shoegaze guitars, nostalgic lofi production stylings, hooky vocals, and more. Some of these songs, like “Slow Blues,” will sound like familiar old friends. And perhaps they are; because whether it’s the dry years or the wet years, there’s a thread that ties this music to the past—and future.

For more from this musical family, check out the first solo full-length album from Torrey’s lead vocalist and bassist Ryann Gonsalves: Ouch! was released on Dandy Boy Records just last month.

And definitely consider attending Oakland Weekender—taking place June 6-8 at Thee Stork Club—featuring the talents of Torrey, Tony Jay, Artsick, and many more of the best in local indie rock.

— Ronny Kerr

DARK EXTREME THRASH

“With all the setbacks from Covid, member changes, cancer, and life throwing curveballs at us constantly it took quite some time for this album to make it to your ears.”

Produced by Greg Wilkinson (“the evil wizard of Bay Area metal) at Earhammer Studios and released by Oakland label Transylvanian Recordings, Malicide is the second full-length album by Molten. The SF five-piece band growls a ravaging blend of death and thrash metal, musing on themes of war, corruption, and other world horrors. Tonally guttural and pounding staccato chains of sound permeate the album from end to end, with only the guitars occasionally breaking into higher registers above the fray. Dark, heavy, extreme, and a notable entrant in Bay thrash.

— Ronny Kerr

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SHOW RECS

Our top show recommendations for the coming week:

[punk] Aninoko, Violent Coercion, Mutilated Tongue, George Crustanza — Mar 15 at 924 Gilman

[country] Miko Marks, Kristina Train — Mar 15 at the Bankhead

[hip hop] Macarthur Maze, Sutro, Lanuola, Tall Tee, DJ Seamless — Mar 15 at Eli’s Mile High Club

[punk] The Zeros, Shutups, Gumby's Junk, Wife — Mar 15 at the Knockout

[club] Natural Selection 2-Year Anniversary ft. Farsight, Ritchrd, DJ Juanny, Discnogirl, Soba, Golem — Mar 15 at Mothership

[experimental] Cheryl E Leonard, Aine E Nakamura, Phipps Pt. — Mar 15 at Beauty Supply Arts

[experimental] Mirrored Fatality, TugBoyz, Only Now, Parallel, Matt & NFS — Mar 15 at Thee Parkside

[metal] Black Fucking Cancer, Deiphage, Vietus Mortuus, Ethos — Mar 16 at Arlene Francis Center

[club] Technopagan, Winnie Wanders, Cel Genesis, Diana Starshine — Mar 16 at Oakland Secret

[hip hop] Kamaiyah, ALLBLACK — Mar 16 at Temple Nightclub

[punk] Sutros, Trough, Murder Murder, Fog Lamp — Mar 20 at Kilowatt

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