Gnarls Barkley, courtesy. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. After a wildly successful debut album and insanely popular single, it’s no surprise that many fans expected an even crazier follow-up from Gnarls Barkley. That is, everyone except the Atlanta duo — soul singer/rapper Cee-Lo and multi-instrumentalist Danger…

Zoo Station, courtesy. The Bay Area is home to plenty of bands that make their living by paying tribute to their idols and filling a hole for fans of those bands that don’t play here enough. There are tributes to Tom Petty, Sting and the Police, No Doubt, The…

Gang of Four performs at The Chapel in San Francisco on Feb. 9, 2019. Gary Chancer/STAFF. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. Thirteen years have passed since seminal post-punk rockers Gang of Four released new material. The Gang’s void has been filled by a new generation of…

Patrick Landeza, courtesy. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. Not long ago, East Bay native Patrick Landeza was the most sought-after slack-key guitar teacher and performer in the Bay Area. By 2006, the now 35-year old had released three albums and toured the country with the legends of…

Bell X1, Courtesy: Johnny Savage This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. Name an Irish rock band that shares its name with an American military airplane. Need help? This is a band that has sold out some of the largest venues on the Emerald Isle. The frontman’s first…

The Hives perform at her Warfield in San Francisco on Sept. 10, 2012. Roman Gokhman/STAFF. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. The five members of garage punk band The Hives gave themselves rock nicknames and credit many of their songs to a man who most likely does…

Mika, courtesy. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. Despite taking Europe by storm the last two years with an infectious mix of glam-pop — he went from singing radio jingles to selling out arenas, winning awards and being compared to David Bowie and Freddie Mercury — Mika isn’t…

John McCrea and Cake, courtesy. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. The New Year is a time of earnestness. It’s usually celebrated with a renewed hope for the future — not snarky cynicism, which is generally the type of lyric that rattles out of the mouth of…

Amy Millan of Stars and Broken Social Scene, courtesy. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. Montreal singer Amy Millan has two theories about why her hometown is now a den of great indie music artists. The sweet-voiced chanteuse’s first theory is based on two climates.  “I think…

Ghostland Observatory, courtesy. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. The two gentlemen of Austin, Texas, electronica-rockers Ghostland Observatory are blue-collar guys. Onstage, singer-guitarist Aaron Behrens wears two chest-length braids as he gyrates with moves from the’80s, and drummer/synth-man Thomas Ross Turner wears a cape while laying down…