Photo: Jay Demetillo This is the final in a three-part series. Read how I’m scoring my list and find out about my “special consideration” acts in PART 1 and 10 through 6 in PART 2. Favorite Shows 2016 | Favorite Shows 2015 | Favorite Shows 2014 Favorite Shows 2013 | Favorite Shows 2012 5 – TOM PETTY at BottleRock…

U2. Getty Images Editor Roman Gokhman spoke to musician-producer Daniel Lanois yesterday about his current collaboration with lap-steel guitarist Rocco DeLuca and their upcoming tour, which will make a stop in San Francisco at the Independent on June 7, as well his his next work. But we also asked Lanois…

Photos: Tim Durkan SANTA CLARA — On its own, U2 performing its 1987 breakout album, The Joshua Tree, is significant for two reasons. Foremost, it means the Irish band has accepted its position as a legacy band with a storied songbook that the casual fan prefers over new material. But…

Courtesy: U2 By Joseph Ahorro The themes of U2’s last album, 2014’s Songs of Innocence, and the subsequent Innocence + Experience Tour primarily highlighted the Irish band’s upbringing as youth on the north side of Dublin, and the artistic, social and political influences that ultimately shaped their music. U2,…

When Zucchero Fornaciari first visited the United States in 1984, the Italian musician was on the cusp of greatness in his native Italy. The singer-songwriter, now Italy’s most famous bluesman, was just beginning to blend the American genre into his own Mediterranean style. Zucchero 7:30 p.m., Sunday, March 19 The…

U2 is still working on Songs of Experience, the awaited follow-up to 2014’s Songs of Innocence, but this morning announced a shortened two-month stadium tour during which the band is expected to perform songs off its groundbreaking 1987 album The Joshua Tree. The album will be played in full, from start…

U2 performs at Dreamfest, the Salesforce Dreamforce concert, at the Cow Palace in San Francisco on Oct. 5, 2016. Roman Gokhman/STAFF. DALY CITY, Calif.  — Dreamforce, the high-stakes tech conference/theme park/party that takes over San Francisco for one week in the fall has grown larger and larger each year.…

Lykke Li, courtesy. I couldn’t believe it when U2 released a complete album yesterday. I didn’t think they had the guts to “pull a Beyonce.” Yeah, there were rumors, but still. I figured we’d get an Apple ad and maybe a new song. As the shock was wearing off,…

Daniel Lanois, photo: Roman Gokhman. I’ve interviewed producer-musician Daniel Lanois three times, now, and have been able to meet up with him a couple of times. In fact, you should check out one my previous stories. He’s very thoughtful in conversation, and a great guy to get to know…

Moonalice, courtesy. This story originally appeared in the Oakland Tribune. San Francisco psychedelic rock and blues jam band Moonalice can appear as a contradiction. On one hand, its members made their biggest contributions to music in the ‘60s and ’70s. On the other, the band is technologically ahead of…