Live This Month: May 2014 — an audio guide to upcoming SF concerts

In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area.

It’s a big month for local bands Doe Eye and Papercuts, both of whom have record release shows for exciting new albums. Doe Eye’s Television is the first LP from Maryam Qudus and her band, and, on first listen, it’s a real winner. Embellishing Qudus’ singer-songwriter pop with impressive studio inventiveness, there’s a feeling of liberated creativity to the album that calls to mind the works of its producer, John Vanderslice. With respect to Papercuts’ Life Among the Savages, it’s Jason Quever’s fifth full length, not his first, but it’s been a criminally long three years since his last record. As one might expect from Papercuts, the album is a rich, well-crafted affair with depth that makes it more than worth the wait.

Two names included in this mix might be better known for past projects. Juan Wauters is now out solo, but he previously crafted some of the best jangly pop out there with The Beets. Ditto Pillar Point‘s Scott Reitherman, who cut his indie pop teeth with the cult band Throw Me the Statue. Meanwhile, Detroit’s Protomartyr delivered a raucous set of churning punk at South by Southwest (hence their inclusion in that podcast too), and their Hemlock Tavern show is rounded out by some great local punk bands.

Enjoy the podcast and then go see some concerts!

Subscribe to The Bay Bridged Podcast!

Track listing and more about the bands:

1. Eagulls – “Possessed”
   Playing at Bottom of the Hill with Twin Peaks and The Tet Holiday on May 31
2. Pillar Point – “Eyeballs”
   Performing at the Elbo Room on May 6; Soft Swells and Strange Hotel open
3. Juan Wauters – “Escucho Mucho”
   The Reds Pinks and Purples and Michael O. (of The Mantles) support Juan Wauters’ set on May 17 at the Hemlock Tavern
4. Doe Eye – “Stay in the Past”
   Appearing at the Great American Music Hall for an all-local bill with DRMS and The She’s on May 29
5. Nothing – “Get Well”
   Headlining Bottom of the Hill on May 25; Whirr and Youth Code support
6. A Minor Forest – “John Gets Leftovers Again”
   The reunited trio headlines The Chapel on May 17; locals Phil Manley’s Life Coach and Golden Void round out the evening’s lineup
7. Protomartyr – “Come & See”
   Performing at the Hemlock Tavern with Synthetic ID, Life Stinks, and Skate Laws on May 23
8. Papercuts – “Life Among The Savages”
   Jason Quever’s Papercuts headlines The Chapel on May 31, with support from Fool’s Gold
9. Chet Faker – “Talk is Cheap”
   Coming to The Independent on May 26 with Sweater Beats
10. Identical Homes – “Old Game”
    Sea Lioness, Ilya and Sunny Jim Brown join Daniel McKenzie to launch A. Hydrophelia at Bottom of the Hill on May 24
11. Fear of Men – “Waterfall”
    On May 6, the band’s tour with The Pains of Being Pure at Heart arrives at The Independent; Ablebody opens
12. Moonbell – “Caught Dead”
    Balms, Black is Bright and Dissolve perform with Moonbell at the Hemlock Tavern on May 22
13. Survival Knife – “Fell Runner”
    Playing on May 8 with Hungry Ghost and California at the Hemlock Tavern
14. Big Eyes – “Nothing You Could Say”
    Joining Tony Molina and Flesh World at El Rio on May 28
15. Monster Treasure – “The Heat”
    Opening an SF Popfest show at The Knockout on May 22; also performing: Dressy Bessy, Dreamdate and Swiftumz