Say what you will about Stephan Jenkins (and there’s plenty to say), but he’s a poet, and he’s always had unique phrasing and wordplay that have distinguished him and his band Third Eye Blind from the pack. It may be hard to look past his huge personality, but the…

Ricky Martin, pictured here Livin’ La Vida Loca. I’m taking a risk and pre-writing all my October columns. Why is that a risk? Because it’s 2020. The last time I wrote a column early a civil rights movement broke out between the time I filed it and when it…

André Allen Anjos (RAC), Courtesy: Jules Davies. It’s March 48 (who’s keeping track, though?) and musician-producer André Allen Anjos, better known as RAC, seems happy to see a new human face. After several weeks of keeping indoors at his Portland, Oregon apartment, Anjos, like most of us, is living…

SXSW. Courtesy. UPDATED 3:00 P.M. SUNDAY, MARCH 15 — California governor Gavin Newsom announced at a press conference Sunday that all bars, clubs, wineries, and brewpubs in California will be closed in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. Restaurants can say open, he says, but their capacity…

Former Third Eye Blind bassist Arion Salazar photographed with Xeb at Slim’s in San Francisco on Jan. 6, 2017. Alessio Neri/Staff. The frontman of Third Eye Blind is suing one of his former bandmates for alleged streaming royalties theft. The attorney for the former band member, Arion Salazar, is…

The Beatles marching toward spring. Bay Area, something amazing happened: It stopped raining. I know, I know. I shouldn’t complain. We recently went through a three-year stretch with no rain at all. But if I wanted to live in Seattle I would, and that month-long run of wet weather…

Another year I was in high school and into modern music, another excessively long longlist of songs it kills me not to include. So before we get started with the official lis, here are some songs that didn’t make the final cut that you should still listen to: Our…

Third Eye Blind in 1998. Photo: Otto Kitsinger RIFF wants you to get out to more shows! To help you with that, here are our picks for where to go and who to see next week, April 3 to 10. Our concert calendar features artists of all genres, with a focus on the best…

Xeb photographed at Slim’s on Jan. 6, 2017. Photos: Alessio Neri SAN FRANCISCO — Bay Area turn-of-the-century rockers Third Eye Blind last week announced a tour commemorating the 20th anniversary of their self-titled debut album. If turnout for Stephan Jenkins and company’s performance at last year’s Outside Lands music…

SAN FRANCISCO — Three former members of Third Eye Blind performed that band’s self-titled debut album as Xeb in San Francisco Saturday, months after similar attempts were apparently blocked by Third Eye Blind frontman Stephan Jenkins. The Slim’s show was just the third time original 3eb guitarist Kevin Cadogan, original…