Allyson Baker of Dirty Ghosts, courtesy: Molly DeCoudreaux. Allyson Baker may have black hair, play guitar and wear leather jackets and black clothes, but she doesn’t own any Joan Jett albums. Instead, she looks for inspiration to albums like Captain Beefheart’s Mirror Man, Chrome’s Red Exposureand Duran Duran’s self-titled…

Public Enemy, courtesy: David Wong. When Public Enemy burst onto the music scene in 1987, helping to popularize rap (along with the Beastie Boys and Run DMC), socio-politically conscious co-founder and MC Chuck D polarized the country with lyrics that criticized the justice system and the media. White Middle…

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…

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…

Outside Lands 2012. The way Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich sees it, he would be attending the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival even if his band was not headlining the second night of the Bay Area’s musical crown jewel. That was the case last year, when he took his…

Organist David Hegarty plays at SF Sketchfest on Jan. 7, 2016, at The Castro Theatre. Courtesy: Tommy Lau. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. This review is brought to you by Patriot Brand Cigarettes. Or, it might have been, had the sponsors of the hilariously charming “Thrilling…

Scott Devendorf of The National performs at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley on April 26, 2014. Roman Gokhman/STAFF. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. Cincinnati-via-Brooklyn alt-rockers the National were two shows away from finishing their current tour when they arrived in the soggy Bay Area Sunday afternoon…

The National, courtesy. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. Why are the men of the now-soaring Brooklyn quintet The National so sad? Maybe it’s because their fans want them to be. Treasure Island Music Festival, with LCD Soundsystem, Belle & Sebastian, the National, more 12 p.m., Oct…

The Jesus and Mary Chain performs at The Fillmore in San Francisco on Oct. 19, 2017. SAN FRANCISCO — The folks behind this year’s Download Festival, held Saturday at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, targeted fans of newer bands in the dance, alternative and Britpop molds, as well…