turn off that KFOG, y'all

I am streaming Western Addition Radio right now, and it's fanfuckingtastic. Totally free, no ugly ads, lots of information about totally independently produced music and they take requests!! The site is perfect because they constantly show you what track & artist is playing, a feature that isn't always available when you're streaming. You can click on the recently played tracks and get a list of what other songs they play. So far i have been thrilled to find Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Belle & Sebastian and Mogwai. But i've also heard bands that are completely new to me. Finally i got to hear Pretty Girls Make Graves (they're cool). Hoooray for free music! Today, I will rock.

This weekend I rocked to Stars at Bimbo's. The live show is better than the recorded music, which is true in many cases with bands. Except for like, Brian Wilson. He drools on stage and drinks generic soda from cans and repeats his songs. Save yourself the horror and buy Pet Sounds. Anyway, the thing about Stars is that i never ever get sick of listening to their albums. They don't grow on you, they grow in you. They are often described as a Canadian indie pop band, but I consider them a straight up rock band. It's rock music with strings and horns and harmonies (and harmonicas!) and two incredible vocalists--male & female. You can read about their connection to Broken Social Scene here. That show had my booty shakin' nonstop, thankyou. My only complaint was that the microphones kept giving feedback. Didn’t they rehearse? Also, they played a few ballads that didn't quite captivate the audience.

The funny thing about the show was that the lead singer, Torque Campbell, is normally the focal point, with his angry political speeches and lambasting of the Bush administration and his theatrical expressions and glaring looks. But this time, guitarist Amy Milan was suddenly injected with a turbo boost of stage presence, as noted by noticeable cheering as compared to the Torque songs. Or maybe it was an injection of heroin? Waving at the audience mid-strum and making bizarre comments throughout the show, she transformed from stoic cold fish to an impressive doped-up Kelly Osborne impersonator. Not that it mattered, because she sounded incredible and seemed to steal the show. Incidentally, she's supposed to be coming out with a solo album soon.

Bimbo's is one of those places in San Francisco that strategically emits an air of sophistication, probably to perpetuate its reputation as a historical San Francisco supperclub from the 1930s. In the bathroom, they have one of those old fashioned "attendants" who'll pass you a paper towel or a breath mint or whatever it is they're hired to do. Mostly, this woman is ignored and all parties involved feel awkward. The bartenders are dressed in ship captain regalia, for what reason I do not know.

But don't let their finery fool you! My tender served me a glass of red wine in a deeply cracked glass. I pointed this out to him and he asked if I'd like a new glass. You'd think a sophisticated bartender in a ship captain's uniform would be embarrassed for serving a broken glass and immediately replace it. Oh no, he didn't. He was probably envisioning me slicing my lips off and chuckling inside. Because I'm not the type to make a fuss and I needed that wine stat!, I declined his offer for a replacement glass, but now I resent him for not immediately correcting his faux pas. That's probably just my own problem. I always forget to be bitchy when I have the right to. With or without the costumed staff, the place is quite lovely inside. When I get back from my DC adventure, I want to start going to see more shows more often. Living Space, anyone?