Children of San Francisco, you are blessed. Seriously. There are 40 shows that could have made this week’s list. Don’t take these shows for granted:
Ty Segall, Great American Music Hall, Monday/The New Parish, Thursday
Local garage rocker makes profound with simple measures and chord progressions. His latest album Sleeperaddresses some intense family issues, but this is so much more than a therapeutic exercise. This is a generational status update on angst. This is our version of Nirvana. Bring elbow pads.
Superchunk, The Fillmore, Tuesday
Did someone say “angst?!?" Here’s looking at you, Superchunk, one of indie rock’s punk/indie/rock/whatevercore forefathers. Times have caught up with these veteran trailblazers, but albums like Foolish have endured (and emo has proved to have a bit of staying power, after all…hmmmph). Superchunk’s brand of insight and thought-rock has spanned 20-plus years and shows zero signs of waning. Superchunk’s most recent album, I Hate Music, is treasured by fans new and old equally.
Charles Bradley, Great American Music Hall, Wednesday-Thursday
Feeling lonely? Spiritually vacant? Hopelessly cynical? Charles Bradley has your prescription. The 62-year-old phenom has lived quite the life, and only recently has it been in the public sphere. Sure, there’s plenty of wisdom involved, but it’s really about Bradley’s appreciation for life and inspiring others and handing out hugs during shows, because why not? We can either love each other, or we can say forget it. Bradley opts for the former.
German indie electro-house act Digitalism can’t stop (won’t stop) touring. The ten-year-old act, best known for its 2011 record I Love You, Dude, came to the Independent earlier this year for a riveting night of synthetically inspired dance. Friday should offer a few more additions to their set list, but fists will pump and bodies will shake all the same.
Titus Andronicus, Great American Music Hall, Sunday
Lead singer Patrick Stickles seems to be angling for my job, so I’ll do my best to keep him busy with his day job, leading indie rock group Titus Andronicus. It’s no wonder Stickles gets the scribe assignments. His voice jumps into your eyes and ears with equal wonder. Lyrics like “you ain’t ever been no virgin kid / you were (effed) from the start” stir in the head for days, weeks, years even. The mark of a true artisan author.
Follow @ChrisTrenchard for more words like these.
