SF + POPFEST 2011!

Aloha All,

My updates on this blog are completely sporadic and it appears to be becoming something of a Travelogue....with this in mind, I'd like to update y'all on my trip to San Francisco!
Excess began early on this trip with a child-size Ralph Lauren dress that I actually bought in the airport. (It's gorgeous, so please don't hate.)I flew in, touched down, threw my stuff in a small motel and high-tailed it over to the Rickshaw Stop! It was time for SF Popfest, a very unique brand of the UK festival run by Deborah Bard and other lovely people. First on the night was Blackbird Blackbird. I was immediatley blown away by how amazing he was. With only a laptop and a live drummer, he managed to conjure sounds that were at once ethereal and immediate. I loved his set and was dancing like a fiend, which my friend Jake later dubbed as "hilarious." The drinks at the Rickshaw Stop are strong indeed, and it wasn't long til I was feeling like I was on vacation "proper."
Next day we headed to MOMA, where the permanent collection was as lovely as ever. There were also a fiew short video pieces that I thought were amazing. I met up with my folks for Teatro Zinzanni, a cute little circus + dinner act. This cast was made special with the addition of Rebekkah Del Rio, the singer from Lynch film "Mullholland Drive!" She actually sang "Llorando" (a cover of the Roy Orbison song 'Crying') right to our table! Amazing. After that we went to go see Dominant Legs, which features members of the band Girls. They were great and we actually got to meet them after the show, which was lovely. I missed the Motifs, which were apparently the highlight act of the night, but I fully intend to catch them again in the future.
I met up with my friend Glenn's old friends, Teva and Anne Marie, who put me up for the night. In the morning we went to the Alemany Farmer's Market! It was amazing, complete with a woman with an actual 'singing saw', as well as a steel drummer. It was also huge and the fruit selection was amazing. (This reminded me of how much I really need to start going to the KCC Market more often, as I too usually neglect fresh fruit in favor of coffee + muffins.) Super fun! That night I saw Melted Toys, the Mantles and the Undertones at the Rickshaw Stop. Melted Toys were amazing, and their beautiful melodic guitar work left me breathless. The lead singer can really sing as well, and the effects on the vocals only added to the "we are singing in a cave" acoustics! The Mantles were OK, a little blah for what I expected, but the Undertones were amazing. They still sounded as good as ever! I felt very grateful to have caught that show, for who knows when those guys will tour again?
An easy Saturday followed. I went to the De Young and saw more of their permanent collection. I watched "The Room," at the Red Vic, which included hilarious audience particpation, such as throwing spoons when there was a picture of a spoon. I hung out with long-time friend Candace in Oakland and had a great time watching Candy Darling and walking on Lake Merrit. On Sunday it was time to see the Beets, Catwalk, Seapony, and Eternal Summers! I met up with my friend Glenn and had a very spicy Pho dinner before heading to the Hemlock. Sadly we had missed Seapony. Catwalk were quite good. The Beets were somewhat irritating, in terms of a "Moldy Peaches-esque" vibe that somehow only the Moldy Peaches ever really pulled off well. I did like their lights, however, and the banner which read "The Beets: I'd rather watch paint dry." I expect to see more from them in the future. Eternal Summers were amazing. Their lead guitarist can play faster than any woman or man I've ever seen. She shredded and all just gaped in amazement.
For Memorial Day it was back to the East Bay. My girlfriend from high school, Amy and I, hung out in Walnut Creek and watched Labyrinth. It made me realize just how much I miss her, and makes me so glad that we've kept in touch over the years. Mom, Elliot and I had a wonderful dinner and caught up about everything. I can't wait til the days that I'm a wee bit closer to my family again, as I love them dearly.
Tuesday night hanging out with my high school friend Stephanie at the Bean Bag Cafe on Divis, which I still dearly love. Afterwards was Neon Indian and Sleigh Bells! I was totally unprepared for Neon Indian's amazing live set-up, which even included a theramin. It was noise-pop at its best, with most of the music being created completely live as well as the drummer playing to a track. It was gorgeousness and gorgeousity.... excellent show. Sleigh Bells were an interesting live watch, and certainly the loudest act I've ever seen. Up in the front row, Jake and I twisted our earpieces in to attempt to "listen," and this is not something I would do for any band. However, when I saw over 15 miked-up amps on stage, I figured this was a good idea. Alexis Kraus is a gorgeous woman, and her snake-hipped dancing made me as amped-up as the next bro, however the live show overall left something to be desired. For other acts that play similarly, such as Crystal Castles or Glass Candy, I felt that the vocals were better. Alexis seemed to be relying on backing tracks so much that I didn't really feel she was singing, and the guitarist seemed to actually be tuned down a bit. Jake described it as "somewhat metal, somewhat hip-hop, somewhat strip club" and this seemed to described the overall crowd's reaction as well. Still, it has to be said that it wasn't dull! I met up with Nate (GRLFRNDS) and his girlfriend for a pint on Divisadero, which was nice having a touch of Hawaii all the way out in San Francisco.
Last days in the city were with one of my best friends, Brian Darr, known for his amazing film blog hellonfriscobay.blogspot.com. All of you should check it out if interested in movies! Jake, Brian and I walked across the Golden Gate Bridge on our last day there. The weather was beautiful and not as biting cold as it had been. I found myself looking out to Tiburon, and the Marin Headlands, and looking foward to the days that I can cycle out there once again. (I used to cycle to Mount Tamalpais twice a month.) We went to Noc Noc, where I got a pint of actual Snakebite (a drink I used to make back in Edinburgh, what seems like ages ago) and talked about films pretty much for 24 hours straight. We saw "Boom" at the Castro, a Tennessee Williams adaptation that took all the fun out of the dialouge and delivered it through some sort of Qualude-Haze. Everyone involved seemed to be somewhat ashamed to be there, especially the stars Richard Burton and Liz Taylor, who I didn't know had been married twice! Well, the chemistry certainly wasn't apparent from the film :D
All in the all, the trip was so much fun, and the best kind of a vacation for me. I love culture, nature, and friends and this trip had all three. I can't wait til I'm headed back to the West Coast again. Til then, I suppose it's possible I'll update again, but it's dissertation time if I'm ever going to get off the rock!

Aloha For Now,

Rach