VIDEO: Bay Area Concert Calendar: Aug. 21-27
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. RIFF’s video concert series features artists of all genres, with a focus on the best hidden gems the local music scene has to offer. If you’re looking for something to do this week, look no further.
Psychic Ills, LSD and the Search for God, K Skelton — The Chapel — Tuesday
This is one of the best tours to ever exist. These three bands have mastered the art of psychedelic rock, utilizing every psych subgenre out there, including noise pop and space rock. What really sets this show apart from the rest is the amazing visuals provided by Mad Alchemy. The audio combines with the visuals perfectly, making this a concert experience that no one should miss.
Mew — The Fillmore — Tuesday
It’s a trope to say, but Mew are actually one of those bands that no one else can emulate. Their indie aesthetic, dreamy atmospheres and progressive take on pop music has firmly planted them in a league of their own. Come for a live show like you have never seen.
Swans, Okkyung Lee — The Independent — Tuesday, Wednesday
Swans garnered a reputation in the ’80s as being one of the heaviest bands for their time, using crushing and sparse industrial percussion. Now they’re touring, mostly playing material from their last three albums, which have climatic compositions up to 35 minutes long. Who knows how long the live version will be?
Kamasi Washington — Mountain Winery — Friday
The contemporary American jazz scene was given a breath of fresh air when The Epic was released in 2015, a comeback to traditional spiritual jazz. So much modern jazz attempts to push the genre’s boundaries by adding unique electronics or by just being as experimental as possible, but Washington saw the value in making an album true to the spirit of Davis’s Bitches Brew and Coltrane’s Love Supreme.
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony — UC Theatre — Saturday, Sunday
Recognize the name, but only know a couple of classic tracks, such as Tha Crossroads? Well, you have two chances to see the historic and influential hip-hop group perform in Berkeley. This concert is sure to be enjoyable to hardcore and new fans alike.
Follow writer Michael Massaro at Twitter.com/michaelcmassaro.