How was your high school prom? Good? Or lame? Did you wear a corsage or tuxedo, and have your very own grand entrance? Did one of your rebellious teenage friends spike the punch? Were you unexpectedly voted prom king or queen? But let’s be honest… Wasn’t something missing? Didn’t you feel that I don’t know, the...Continue Reading

There is nothing better than sitting in the park listening to your favorite bands play your favorite songs. This year's Phono Del Sol was no exceptionContinue Reading

Andrea, founder of Castle Peak Music, recently stopped by Balanced Breakfast San Francisco to shed some light on the process of music placement and licensing. Here are the finer points of what she covered. To start, there are two types of licensing: Mechanical licensing grants the right to release a modified version of a song not usually available for...Continue Reading

On a warm Saturday night during Pride weekend, the Great American Music Hall bustled with excitement. Not only were three amazing Bay Area bands about to share one of the most beautiful stages in San Francisco, but the Supreme Court had declared same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states just in time for LGBT Pride...Continue Reading

Fellow SF BBer Chelsea, drummer of VanWave (who recently released their first EP V A N W A V E) guided us through a brief talk and an interactive breakfast about our perceptions of ourselves and how we’d want to be perceived. She then dropped a quick recipe to help us distill the essential flavors of our image. Taste it out. Chelsea’s...Continue Reading

Waterstrider took to the stage at Leo’s in Oakland on May 28th to celebrate the release of the OIM Records compilation album of new local music. Check out photos from the event below, listen to Waterstrider’s newest album, and catch them when they return to the Bay Area on July 10th at The Great American Music...Continue Reading

I almost didn't make it to BFD this year … but my friends from Curious Quail hooked it up BIG TIME. Now I owe them a life debt!Continue Reading

Front man Hamilton Ulmer led a 7-piece band that delighted, pumped up, and intrigued the audience with their unique sound and energetic performance. Makeunder's skill, craft, and cohesion were apparent, and it was this high level of musicianship that allowed them to take listeners on a seamless journey, weaving through ever-shifting musical vignettes.Continue Reading

San Francisco BB Family Member Brent Curriden decided to delve into a question that we can all benefit from, applicable to all aspects of our life: How to take it to the next level. Specifically, how to take your music to the next level. We had a fantastic interesting discussion and came up with some...Continue Reading

Skating and Music: two industries that are more similar than you’d think. Here is a very brief summary of the main takeaways for musicians from fellow BBer Ted Maider’s TED Talk. Exclusivity:  This is a question of balance between ubiquity and exclusivity. On the one hand, you want people to be familiar enough with your...Continue Reading

The artists formerly known as The Tropics are entering this summer’s festival circuit as HEARTWATCH.Continue Reading

Catch the Bay Area’s own Waterstrider tonight at Leo’s in Oakland as they fill your ears, eyes, and esophagus with sweet shaky grooves. I really can’t speak highly enough of Waterstrider’s debut album Nowhere Now; its textured and vibrant sounds jump around from song to song, with many moving parts including hypnotic drums, deeply textured synths, and the cruising-altitude vocals...Continue Reading