Julie Dyer

Vampire Weekend

It feels like it was just yesterday when the festival touring circuit was over. Well, the winter hibernation is over, and with festivals like SXSW, Coachella, Sasquatch and Bonnaroo just around the corner, there are some big music decisions to make on the home front. Here are our March and April suggestions.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Was that a band of traveling gypsies dancing down the street and around the corner at Bimbo's last night? Oh, no that was just the cult of feather and banjo-clad Edward Sharpe enthusiasts. And if the scene outside wasn't enough, the at-capacity venue was brimming with positive energy and eclectic personalities.

We Were Promised Jetpacks

After somewhat quick and early success, these Glasgow-by-way-of-Edinburgh youngsters hopped on tour with (now labelmates) Frightened Rabbit last fall. Adam Thompson (singer/guitarist), Sean Smith (bass), Michael Palmer (guitar), and drummer Darren Lackie, all 22, gained fast fame across the world for a three-song demo, so when These Four Walls was finally released on FatCat Records, it was obviously met with critical acclaim.

Rogue Wave courtesy of Spencer Crooks

In true Noise Pop fashion, the first couple nights are always a bit hectic, and you never know what you're going to get. Unfortunately, due to communication problems, we were forced to enjoy our two favorite openers (Two Sheds and Man/Miracle) from the cold cement outside.

Butterfly Bones

We're still tripping off of Butterfly Bones' looped beats, and heavy synths from the last Rumble at Cafe du Nord just a few short weeks ago.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

We're excited to announce, although you savvy folk are most likely already aware, that Noise Pop is finally upon us! Chaos will enrapture the City next week when nearly a dozen venues fill to capacity with indie bands, rare film screenings, and irresistible happy hours. Get ready SF, here's our must-sees.

Editors

Showing off their brand new album In This Light And On This Evening, Editors have made a stealthy comeback with a whole new sound to match. What they're calling "dystopian, apocalyptic, mechanical ambience," translates to heavy synths, way more soaring guitars and lyrics dedicated to London, their "adopted home town." What's not to love?

Felix Da Housecat

Time flies when you're having fun, and we sure must have been having a lot of it because January came and went with a blink of an eye. However, February in San Francisco is an exciting time for music lovers. Not only does it signify the beginning of festival season (Noise Pop's pre-party is on 2/18 and they're pumping music nearly every night straight through 3/1), it's also the start of big artists' West Coast legs of their tour. Yay for us! Noise Pop coverage to come, but to warm you up  here's this month's hot list.

NYDailyNews.com

After nearly a year’s hold from the Department of Justice, the path has been cleared for a Ticketmaster/Live Nation merger, ultimately forming Live Nation Entertainment. New operations may begin as early as Wednesday, meaning immediate “consequences” for consumers, venues, and artists. There are widely varying opinions on the long-term effects of this live entertainment monopoly and many artists aren’t coming out publicly because of label constraints.

Luke Franks Or The Federalists

Ladies and gents, IndieFest/Winter Music Fest is upon us. In case you couldn't wait another month for Noise Pop, the lovely folks at SF IndieFest and Talking House bring you some great indie movies and artists over the next week (1/29-2/4). The best part? Each show is $10 (if not free), or buy the WinterMusicPass at a reasonable $70 for all access. That's 43 bands in seven days to choose from. Take your pick. Here are some of our highlights: