White Rabbits, courtesy. SAN FRANCISCO — White Rabbits released their second album, “It’s Frightening,” last month just around the time when I was getting bored of bands coming out with sensational first albums and then disappearing. Their first, “Fort Nightly,” came out in 2007 and introduced haunting yet extremely catchy…

Kings of Leon perform at the Warfield in San Francisco on Oct. 18, 2008. Roman Gokhman/STAFF. SAN FRANCISCO — Many bands that are successful in other parts of the world fail to make it big in America. What makes the Kings of Leon — a quartet that’s huge in Europe…

The Presets, courtesy. SAN FRANCISCO — At last summer’s Download Festival, Australian electro-rocker trio Cut Copy overcame playing in the daytime and put up one of the best performances of the event. They worked the crowd into a tizzy for their entire 45-minute set. Sunday night at a sold-out show…

Torquil Campbell (center) and Stars, courtesy. SANTA CRUZ — There are so many possible uses for a rose at a rock show: Throw them into the crowd (less painful than drumsticks), use them as drumsticks (for the dramatic effect), or get them jammed in an adjustable microphone stand (which may…

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…

Stellastarr*, courtesy. SAN FRANCISCO — Stellastarr* were once one of the hottest buzz bands out the Brooklyn new-wave movement. But while some bands like Interpol have continued to climb beyond buzz-band status and others have fallen away long ago, Stellastarr* are content with their place. The quartet of singer Shawn…

Bell X1, Courtesy: Johnny Savage SAN FRANCISCO — With Bono focusing his humanitarian efforts on Africa, we should consider ourselves lucky we have our own Irishman to help out in America. Irish vacationers are now experiencing here the same thing that Americans were when they visited Ireland in the…

Nada Surf, courtesy. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. SAN FRANCISCO — In the world of pop music, you’re either “popular” or you’re forgotten. Nada Surf knows how it is. The New York indie band — singer-guitarist Matthew Caws, drummer Ira Elliot and bassist Daniel Lorca —…

Explosions in the Sky perform at The Fox Theater in Oakland on Sept. 16, 2019. Joaquin Cabello/STAFF. SAN FRANCISCO —“Cinematic rock” has become a cliche of sorts, but it holds true for Texas instrumental quartet Explosions in the Sky. And while plenty of instrumental indie rock bands have sprung…

Matchbox Twenty performs at HP Pavilion in San Jose on March 12, 2008. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. SAN JOSE — Nineties nostalgia overtook the HP Pavilion Wednesday night as recently reunited Matchbox Twenty, touring in support of greatest hits/new material double album “Exile on Mainstream,”…