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On her terms
The Oakland-raised singer and songwriter isn’t in a rush to explain herself, either. Her debut album, Yellow House, released June 5, feels less like a grand introduction and more like someone letting one read pages from a...
Long live Lady Day
When Stella Heath walks on stage to tell the story of Billie Holiday, she wears a gardenia in her hair, an homage to Holiday’s familiar appearance. Backed by her 10-piece band, she presents an evening of songs...
Shannon Shaw returns Hunx and His Punx to Oakland
Shannon Shaw is likely too humble to accept the title of Queen, but she’s earned it anyway. Between her seemingly endless roster of bands, tours and creative projects, one wonders when the Oakland garage-rock powerhouse actually sleeps....
Bay Area musicians organize benefit for Palestinian relief
While I do not practice the religion, I grew up in a Jewish family. I attended temple with my great grandmother, mostly for high holidays like Purim, Passover and Hanukkah but sometimes on a random weekend as...
San Francisco’s lucky break turns heartbreak into a debut album
The first album by Emma Gerson, the artist who goes by the name of lucky break, was made it! Gerson said she used lowercase letters for her musical pseudonym and the album title because she didn’t want...
Fog Lamp channels modern anxiety into post-punk catharsis
Fog Lamp came together in West Oakland during the pandemic lockdown. Aaron Firestone, the band’s singer and main lyricist, started jamming with his friend Adam Selken. They decided what direction to take as the band evolved.
“We tried...
Pacific Mambo Orchestra ignites Oakland Museum crowd
Having survived both the wild winds of the pandemic and the wild swings of the music industry, the Pacific Mambo Orchestra remains grounded and surprisingly invigorated. Led since 2010 by co-founders trumpeter Steffen Kuehn and pianist Christian...
