Cheap punk show or poolside dance party? Our recs for a local music New Years' Eve
New Bay Area music reviewed: Affectionately's full live performance at Tiny Telephone and rifftastic black metal on the self-titled debut by Ancient Rage
Happy solsticetime friends!
We’re planning to take a break from the newsletter next week.
Hope you’re able to enjoy rest, relaxation, and release too.
Much love <3
— White Crate
A DOZEN INDIE LOVE SONGS
“If I had a dollar
Every time I said ‘I love you’
I’d be Taylor Swift”
We included Affectionately in the list of our favorite music from the Bay Area in 2024 purely on the strength of their single, “Your Life Is the Wheel,” a sensitive, arresting, and pining call-to-action of an emo indie rocker we first heard as the band’s closing song for a live performance at Tiny Telephone in Oakland. A recording of that complete set is now on offer as Live at Tiny Telephone 9/24/2024.
Opening up the night for Silverware, bandleader Zach Elsasser sounds both endearingly awkward in the spotlight but also at ease surrounded by a backing band of smiling friends—including Asha Wells on piano and backup vocals. But who wouldn’t be a bit shy singing a dozen personal songs about love? (“Love” in all its forms, Elsasser says, sharing halfway through the set that two of the songs are about a dog named “Ornament.”) In other words, it’s the kind of warm, joyous set that could only happen in someone’s living room or at a storied studio like Tiny Telephone.
— Ronny Kerr
THRASHY HELL OF A TIME
At least one blind spot in our recent wrap-up of the best music from the Bay in 2024? Not enough metal. Well, let’s tip the scales ever so slightly with this thrashing hell of a time released this month: the self-titled debut album by Ancient Rage. With riffs and rhythms as merry as Motörhead but guts as dark and hellish as your favorite black metal monolith, Ancient Rage never relents, driving forward its constant firey aggression. Maximum volume but mostly restrained to punkish song lengths (2-3 minute), it’s a devouring listen.
Ancient Rage was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Greg Wilkinson at Earhammer.
— Ronny Kerr
SHOW + NYE RECS
Our top show recommendations for the coming week, including New Years’ Eve:
[rock] Brown Dog, Pateka, Dirt — Dec 27 at Spats
[club] DJ Primo — Dec 27 at Bar Part Time
[folk] Chuck Prophet & His Cumbia Shoes, Louie Ortega (of Louie & the Lovers) — Dec 28 at the Chapel
[hip hop] LaRussell, Richie Rich, Mistah Fab, Spice 1, B-Legit, Kamaiyah, Celly Cel, Nef the Pharaoh — Dec 29 at McCormack Hall
[club] PROGRAM x ARCANA ft. Bored Lord, sfcowboy, Adam Kraft, mothbot, b0nitababy, DJ of the Week, crysol & more — Dec 31 at Arcana
[club] SUNDAY MASS (IDHAZ + CHERUB WYA), 3:33 (Discnogirl + DJ CARO + Tom Marsi), RITCHRD, QUEERMOM — Dec 31 at Mothership
[club] David Harness, Juanita More!, LBXX, Charles Hawthorne, Duarte, Bettyie Jayne, Sir Joq — Dec 31 at the Phoenix Hotel
[rock] Zeros, Pardoner, Buzzed Lightbeer, George Crustanza, DJ Untypical Girl — Dec 31 at the Knockout
[rock] Dengue Fever, BOLERO!, Mild Universe, Alien Fiancé (DJ) — Dec 31 at the Chapel
[soul] The Casuals, Joel Robinow, Coleminer (DJ), Miller Genuine Draft (DJ) — Dec 31 at Brick and Mortar Music Hall
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