Photos: Jay Demetillo OAKLAND — Chance the Rapper brought the gospel to the Oracle Arena Wednesday. The gospel of Chance, that is. Returning to the Bay Area for the second time in less than a year, Chance the Rapper stopped by Oakland on his “Be Encouraged” tour, bringing with him…

Photos: Diana Cordero SAN FRANCISCO – Pond brought a ravishing intensity with its performance at the Great American Music Hall Tuesday The Australian psychedelic rock band performed a high-energy 12-song set highlighted a strong heavy rock presence and incorporating upbeat synths to produce ’70s-infused melodies. The band opened with “30,000 Megatons,”…

Photo: Paige K. Parsons BERKELEY — Earlier this year, Minneapolis electronic pop band Poliça celebrated its fifth anniversary with a show at the city’s venerable First Avenue concert hall. Last week, vocalist-songwriter Channy Leaneagh, bassist Chris Bierden and drummers Ben Ivascu and Drew Christopherson began an amphitheater tour opening…

Blossoms may be one of the hardest-working bands in the business right now. The indie rock quintet from Stockport, a blue-collar city on the outskirts of Manchester, has been touring relentlessly since releasing their full-length self-titled debut album in 2016. The album, coincidentally, was the only one that held…

Pond has always been the spacier, looser offshoot to Australia’s tight, psych-band juggernaut, Tame Impala. Its last six albums imbibed a goofy spirit as the band members shape-shifted through rock, minimalism and garage pop; all within the limitless expanse of psychedelia. Pond’s upcoming seventh album, The Weather, bucks that trend. It is…

Mondo Cozmo, courtesy: Jess Lakin. LOS ANGELES — When Josh Ostrander first released his breakthrough hit, “Plastic Soul,” fans could access a free download only from the lawyer of the artist known as Mondo Cozmo. “Plastic Soul” sampled Erma Franklin’s “Piece Of My Heart,” which went on to be a caterwauling…

Photos: Alessio Neri SAN FRANCISCO — London electronic trio The xx began its U.S. tour Saturday ( a show at Coachella the previous night notwithstanding) with the first of three shows at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium—expecting to draw around 25,000 of fans during the run—using a beautifully lit production and…

Vancouver indie pop band The New Pornographers were gearing up for a show in Los Angeles Wednesday afternoon, but lead guitarist and Nova Scotia native Todd Fancey still made time to answer a few questions for us via Twitter. Fancey has been busy releasing a solo record and working…

Original art: Vivian Shih Chelsea’s 33rd birthday was going to be one she’d never forget. U2, her favorite band, was performing for two nights in Toronto, Canada, and the California native would be there to see both performances. “That is my happy place. That’s my church,” she said. “I go…

Photos: Alessio Neri SAN FRANCISCO — Before Chairlift officially parts ways at the end of the month, the Brooklyn electronic and R&B duo Thursday embarked on one last tour, beginning with two shows at Bimbo’s. Chairlift, Miya Folick 9 p.m., Friday Bimbo’s Tickets: $20 (Sold out). Singer-songwriter Caroline Polachek…