Live This Month: January 2013

Plenty of local bands are highlighted among this month’s picks, including Kowloon Walled City, a heavy SF quartet celebrating their new LP, Container Ships, with a show at the Hemlock Tavern. It’s a great bill from top to bottom, rounded out by SF psych rockers Golden Void and instrumental trio Minot. Meanwhile, after last year’s terrific Under Neon EP, Lenz is poised to release Ways To End A Day on 1-2-3-4 Go! Records in January. The band includes members of now-defunct Bay Area groups like The Cuts and Impediments, so it’s no surprise that Lenz’s songs are catchy as hell.

With last year’s Light Up Gold being re-released by What’s Your Rupture? this month, New York punk band Parquet Courts are headed on their first U.S. tour; songs don’t come much nervier than “Borrowed Time,” which we’ve included in the mix. Unlike Parquet Courts, LA’s FIDLAR has been to the Bay Area numerous times, delighting crowds with their rowdy surf punk. Their latest show is part of a cross-California jaunt coinciding with the launch of the band’s first self-titled LP.

Those highlights just scrape the surface, though; fans of electronic pop, psychy prog rock, and folk music will also find plenty to like in this mix. Enjoy the podcast and then go see some shows!

Lenz — “Leaving (The 21st Century)”
Playing at Monarch January 10 and headlining a free album release show at The New Parish on January 23

Warm Soda — “Spell Bound”
Opening for Thee Oh Sees at The Independent on January 11 and January 12.

Parquet Courts — “Borrowed Time”
Playing January 16 at the Hemlock Tavern with Andy Human and Fine Steps.

FIDLAR — “Cheap Beer”
Touring with Pangea and Meat Market and coming to Amoeba SF and Bottom of the Hill on January 18.

Solos — “Carpe Diem”
Headlining Bottom of the Hill on January 10 with E V Kain and San Francesca.

Kowloon Walled City — “The Pressure Keeps Me Alive”
Headlining the Hemlock Tavern in support of their new album, Container Ships. Minot and Golden Void also perform.

Radar Brothers — “If We Were Banished”
Appearing at the Hemlock Tavern with Michael Zapruder on January 31.

White Fence — “King of the Decade”
Supporting Ty Segall at The Fillmore on January 18.

Marissa Nadler — “Apostle”
Performing at The Chapel with Entrance on January 5.

Bells — “Kazoo”
Celebrating the release of a new single on January 10 at the Brick & Mortar Music Hall; Yesway and Zakiya Harris support.

Niki & The Dove — “The Fox”
Coming to The Independent on January 26. Vacationer and DJ Aaron Axelsen also perform.

Mister Lies — “Dionysian”
Performing with Giraffage and Some Ember at Bottom of the Hill on January 11.

Jeffrey Jerusalem — “This Week”
Joining Yacht (who is doing a DJ set) at “Push the Feeling” on January 11 at Underground SF.