Sarazino, courtesy. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. As a son of a diplomat in Algeria, Lamine Fellah grew up around politics, asking questions about why people fight and why different countries can’t get along. Angelique Kidjo and Sarazino at Stern Grove 2 p.m., Sunday Stern Grove…

M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel (She & Him), courtesy. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. A 2008 San Francisco gig demonstrated how far She & Him, the musical collaboration between alt-rocker M. Ward and indie actress Zooey Deschanel, has moved up in the world. She & Him…

Florence and the Machine, courtesy. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. She did not yet have a band or any paying gigs, but Florence Welch — whose musical experience at that point included open mic nights and tinkering with a piano in a friend’s bedroom studio —…

Metric performs at The Masonic in San Francisco on March 13, 2019. Joaquin Cabello/STAFF. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. When Metric was a new band trying to break onto the music scene in the early 2000s, the Toronto troupe needed the kind of exposure that a…

Emily Haines of Metric performs at The Masonic in San Francisco on Feb. 23, 2013. Roman Gokhman/STAFF. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. Success has made even an urbane landscape exciting for Metric frontwoman Emily Haines. Cheerfully chatting from Metric’s bus at a “beautiful” parking lot in…

MuteMath, courtesy. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. New Orleans alt-rockers MuteMath have toured through the Bay Area several times, but their most vivid memory here is of an animal shelter near Slim’s in San Francisco. Live 105’s BFD, featuring 311, The Offspring, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, MuteMath,…

Franz Ferdinand performs at Outside Lands at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on Aug. 12, 2012. Roman Gokhman/STAFF. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. The lads in Franz Ferdinand don’t even know his (or her) name, but they know they owe a great deal to a…

Carrie Underwood performs at Oracle Arena in Oakland on May 17, 2019. Mike DeWald/STAFF. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. Wearing the same dress she donned at the 2006 Country Music Association Awards, Carrie Underwood poses for photographs with her fans at Madame Tussaud’s in New York.…

Cut Copy, courtesy. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. Australian dance-pop trio Cut Copy has a secondary mission as it embarks on its largest headlining tour of America and Mexico: Drink as much good coffee at as many different coffee shops as possible. Cut Copy, the Presets…

The Dandelion War, courtesy. A few months ago, San Francisco post-rock band The Dandelion War were watching one of their idols, “Explosions in the Sky,” play the Great American Music Hall. The six members, keyboard player Dave Tran, singer Larry Fernandez, guitarists Jeff Kay and Mikey Fuson, drummer Julius…