24 May 2023

BISS List 5.24.23: Spotlight on Sgt. Splendor (6.2) + Best of BISS this Week

Happy National Brothers Day BISS Listers! Have you hugged your brother today?

#LastWeekend, We had a blast celebrating Spor’s birthday. Thank you to everyone who participated throughout the weekend! Dinner and drinks at Sheba Lounge were fantastic as always. The show with Lantz Lazwell & The Vibe Tribe featuring Jesse Jennings of the Higgs on keys was next level. I loved seeing so many of you getting down with Lantz Lazwell. As usual, I caught a bit of this show for you to check for yourself: https://bit.ly/LantzLazwell_BBR-05-19-23

The Regency hosted two back-to-back old school punk rock bands on Saturday night. The Dictators kicked off the show, followed by one of Spor’s all-time favorites, The Damned. Both of the bands put on a great show which you can check out a bit of each of their sets here: https://bit.ly/DamnedDictators_Regency-5-20-23vids

Love and Rockets at The Fox on Sunday night was simply amazing! The band sounded incredible, and the visuals were stunning. It was a well-crafted and entertaining show. They didn’t just play the same old songs from their albums, but instead switched up the arrangements and even the key on some of them. This made the show more interesting and engaging. The visuals were also amazing. The band used a variety of lights and projections to create a truly immersive experience. I can’t even begin to describe how incredible the show was, but thankfully, I captured a bunch of photos and videos from the show that I can share with you: https://bit.ly/LoveAndRockets_FoxOak_5-21-23vids

#TONIGHT, I am excited to be attending the annual HealthRight 360’s Black Tie and Tie Dye Gala. This year’s gala will feature musical performances by Moonalice and Momotombo SF, with honorees Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Warren S. Browner, and Ben Fong-Torres as Master of Ceremonies. I’m looking forward to a fabulous evening of live music, dancing, hors d’oeuvres, a hosted bar, and a silent auction. HealthRight 360 is a great organization that provides critical medical and behavioral health services in San Francisco and throughout California. I’m proud to support their work and I hope you will too. Tickets: https://www.classy.org/event/black-tie-and-tie-dye-2023/e458777

#ThisWeekend, I am going to keep my days & nights out to a minimum so I can properly prepare for my two week festival work run. It’s Memorial Weekend so there’s BottleRock this weekend in Napa. There is also Strawberry Festival in Grass Valley plus plenty of shows all over the Bay Area.. As always, check out the Best of BISS section and Win Tickets page. And don’t forget there is always more on the Full Calendar.

#NextWeek, Will you miss me when I am gone the next two weeks? I leave early next week for BackCountry Festival (*WIN*)and then straight to Hog Farm Music Festival so you will have to hold it down in the Bay Area for me. And don’t you worry. Jenni & Phillip will be handling BISS in my absence! I hope to see you at one or the other festival!

#NextFriday, #MarkYourCalendar for June 2nd as THEE night to be out! You should kick off your night with the Album Release Party for Sgt Splendor featuring Eric McFadden & Kate Vargas, which is taking place at Bottom of The Hill (*WIN*) This album is the debut production of Buena Vista West Records! (aka Joby & Aaron). More info in the spotlight below.

Then end your night with our friends Object Heavy playing late at the Boom Boom Room (*WIN*).

But wait, there’s more! This week’s #ListenToThis is “Fire and Brimstone” by Leftover Salmon from their recent album Grass Roots. Be sure to check it out below!

#seeyouattheshows,
~ Pamela aka Miss BISS

SPOTLIGHT ON DEATH OF THE HOOCHIE KOO

Sgt Splendor

June 2nd @ Bottom of the Hill

Before joining forces, the duo behind Sgt. Splendor were already formidable solo artists, Kate Vargas chalking up acclaim at outlets like NPR, HuffPost, and Vice; and Eric McFadden amassing an impressive resume including stints on guitar with George Clinton & the P-Funk All Stars, Anders Osbourne, Fishbone’s Angelo Moore, and Eric Burdon & The Animals, plus a slew of solo albums, and session work with everyone from Jackson Browne to The Clash’s Joe Strummer. This show will be both the record release for their new album Death of the Hoochie Koo and the launch of Buena Vista West Records

In Death of The Hoochie Koo, Sgt. Splendor invites listeners on a journey of social commentary and playful imagination in alt-funk, dirty blues. Many of the tracks on the album find the group organically entering a new era where they embrace politically leaning topics with courage and compassion. This sophomore release pushes outside of comfort zones striking the perfect balance between imaginative merrymaking and change-evoking calls to action.

***Check out all of our Featured Shows.

LISTEN TO THIS

Listen to “Fire & Brimstone” by Leftover Salmon, featuring special guest Oliver Wood of The Wood Brothers. From their new 10-track cover album Grass Roots.

Leftover Salmon’s Drew Emmit had this to say about the song,“‘Fire and Brimstone’ has been in the Salmon repertoire for many years. Previously, we covered it more based on the Neville Brothers version, but for this record, we decided to cover the original Link Wray version that is more raw and funky. This seemed like a perfect fit for Oliver Wood’s guest vocals and slide guitar work.”

You can catch Leftover Salmon next week at BackCountry Festival, and the following week at Hog Farm Hideaway.