Author Archives: Roman Gokhman
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Interview: British quartet Alt-J having fun on the road in America
Alt-J, courtesy. This much is certain about British indie pop quartet Alt-J: When answering questions for a journalist from the road and one of the band members is asleep and unable to defend himself, the remaining three will tease him mercilessly. The unlucky recipient currently is guitarist-bassist Gwil Sainsbury,…
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Interview: Reunited ‘90s alt-rockers Garbage thoroughly digging the indie life
Garbage, with Duke Erikson (right). Courtesy. After electronic alt-rockers Garbage cut short their previous tour in 2005, vocalist Shirley Manson moved to Los Angeles and took up acting; most notably as a killer android on Fox’s short-lived series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Drummer Butch Vig followed suit, and…
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Review: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros at the Greek, Sept. 7
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros perform at he Greek Theatre in Berkeley on Sept. 7, 2012. Roman Gokhman/STAFF. The magical quality of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros is that the SoCal folk pop band always seems to be making it up as it goes along. Whether it’s…
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Interview: The Hives refuse to go back to roots with new album
The Hives perform at her Warfield in San Francisco on Sept. 10, 2012. For 2007’s The Black and White Album, Swedish garage rockers The Hives – backed by Interscope Records – brought in a cadre of big-name producers like Pharrell Williams, Jacknife Lee and Timbaland. The quintet always had…
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Review: The Mountain Goats, The Dodos at Front Porch Music Festival
Mountain Goats perform at Front Porch Music Festival at Wente Vineyards in Livermore, Calif., on Sept. 1, 2012. Photos: Eric O’Donnell. Livermore’s Wente Vineyards, venerable for hosting big-name artists like John Fogerty, Sheryl Crow and Dianna Krall, went indie Saturday with a double-bill of The Mountain Goats and The…
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Interview: The more the merrier for The Family Crest
The Family Crest, courtesy. San Francisco orchestral indie rock band The Family Crest is recording its second album, but staying far away from the studio. OK Go, The Family Crest 2 p.m., Aug. 24 Sigmund Stern Grove, 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard, S.F. Tickets: FREE. To date, the sextet…
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Outside Lands 2012 in photos, videos, interviews with Two Gallants, Jukebox the Ghost
Stevie Wonder performs at Outside Lands at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on Aug. 12, 2012. Roman Gokhman/STAFF. Stevie Wonder performs at Outside Lands at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on Aug. 12, 2012. Check out more photos and a video playlist from the 2012 iteration of…
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Review & Videos: Fang Island at Great American Music Hall, Aug. 7
Fang Island performs at Great American Music Hall in San Francisco on Aug. 7, 2012. Many Bay Area music fans may not yet be familiar with Brooklyn prog-rockers Fang Island, being that the trio made just its second San Francisco stopover, Tuesday at the Great American Music Hall, since…
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Interview: Kristen Schaal part of Outside Lands’ spotlight on comedy
Kristen Schaal, courtesy. On-screen, comedian Kristen Schaal is best known for the off-beat, menacing yet lovable roles of band-stalker Mel on the HBO series Flight of the Conchords and, now, the Kenneth-abusing Hazel Wassername on NBC’s 30 Rock. Since first making waves in 2005, she’s had appearances as a…
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Interview: PAPA singer-drummer shuts window to one band, opens door to another
PAPA (Darren Weiss, left) performs at Outside Lands at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on Aug. 10, 2012. Even before the future of critically praised San Francisco indie rock band Girls was thrown into uncertainty, when singer Christopher Owens quit last month, drummer Darren Weiss knew that his…