Concert Log
Acid King - The Chapel (SF), 11/15/2024
This has got to be, by far, the most exciting concert experience I've EVER HAD. I went to this one solo, because I figured nobody I knew would enjoy the music (or vibe) in the slightest. It was a little anxiety-inducing, since I've never been in a big city on my own, let alone at night! I ended up bringing a cane for security and because I headed out way early, so I figured I'd be walking around alot. Anyway, I had NEVER heard of ANY of the bands who would be performing: Castle Rat, Early Moods, and Acid King. I bought the ticket on a whim because a band called "Acid King" sounded right up my alley. Boy, was I right... and I ALSO wasn't expecting to enjoy the other acts so much! It was definitely a great idea not investigating these bands beforehand, because I got to be surprised by how amazing they all were.Castle Rat fucking blew me away. It felt like an 80's medieval fantasy pulp novel came to life, backed by DOOM METAL no less! The costumes went crazy, the lead singer looked like one of the scantily clad warrior princesses you would expect to be on the cover of a book with yellowing pages. She also looked at me a couple times and it made my brain go haywire. The little ... (what do I even call it?) bits of lore between songs were so enchanting, and the part where the singer had red blood-potion dripping out of her mouth went so hard. They got a new fan FOR SURE. Early Moods were also friggin' awesome, although this is where one of The Chapel's flaws as a venue comes to light: I could not hear a peep from the singer, and his ass was YELLING.1 I'll have to check them out on my own later for that, because I did indeed enjoy what I heard. Their doom sound really scratches an itch in my brain, where there's alot of spaces in the song for repetitive (positive) jamming, like you'd get in plain ol' stoner metal.
Which brings me to Acid King, which I don't have much to say about in general. That's not because I disliked them, but because I was sort of... put in a trance by their repetitive riffage, so much so that it felt like I was BECOMING the fuzz. That may or may not be related to shrooms, and the joint being passed around, but the point still stands. I was also deeply fascinated by the bassist, Bryce Shelton, who was pretty directly interacting with the crowd. One guy brought him a cup of whiskey and another guy handed him his vape, which he took a LONG hit off while jamming out on bass, resorting to only playing with the fretting hand as he handed it back. That's a true pro. His picking technique was also fun to watch; you can tell he is very familiar with his instrument, like they're one and the same. He inspired me to really want to seriously take up bass again, which I got to tell him after the show.
Since I've been in a pretty piss-poor mood lately I was worried I would have a bad time... and I was feeling a bit shitty at first, leaning against the wall as everyone socialized before the show started. That wore off mighty quick once the show actually started. After Castle Rat, an older man started up a conversation with me about how amazing the Bay Area music scene is. He disappeared a bit before the Early Moods came out after encouraging me to get back into performing and finding people to jam with. By that time, the crowd almost completely turned into a mosh pit and I ended up on the right side of the floor to the left. I couldn't help grinning and laughing while I was being knocked around like a pinball while others were crowd surfing. An older guy behind me got so drunk he had to hold onto my shoulders to steady himself. Then there was the joint being passed around, which really made me feel like a Real Person around Real People. Heading out, I nearly got dragged along to a bar by some of the bassist's friends... which I WOULD have gladly accepted if I wasn't broke and didn't have to catch a train before they stopped running for the night.
Overall, I had an amazing time. I really felt like I was part of something that night, like I'd found my people. It was a healing experience, one that could not be replicated by a solo walk through nature or any number of self-help books. This concert felt like a religious gathering, and I intend to seek out more like it with great urgency.
Mong Tong - The Chapel (SF), 10/14/2024
Ohhh, what an experience this was! I went with the same buddy as the last Mong Tong show, and I'm glad it was him! The previous show was all Epigraphy (and some Tao Fire I believe), but this one was most of the old stuff, like Mystery and Music From Taiwan Mystery. I can't even begin to describe how amazing it was to see them perform my favorites in person... Dì Fǔ live was especially amazing... I said this last time, but I had no clue how they managed to pull off certain sounds! What a thing to behold! I also really enjoyed the openers, Adam MacDougall and Isaiah Mitchell. I think there were some technical difficulties, but it seemed like they played one long atmospheric piece. The music combined with the kaleidoscopic visuals projected on the walls and ceiling made me feel like I was in Electroplankton. Need to investigate this duo proper sometime!As for the physical experience, I had gotten a chance to explore the area around The Chapel for a bit and discovered that I actually love SF. Also, in the spirit of my first psychedelic trip, I took a therapeutic dose of shrooms which really heightened the vibes. I felt like being here, seeing a great band live, with all these other people enjoying the vibe was the exact place I was meant to be. Truly amazing. The venue was more packed than I expected, and there were a rowdy group of guys in the back who were REALLY digging the music. They seemed to be superfans like me! After the show, I bought a poster (signed) and got to chat with the brothers (I only got to speak to Hom Yu last time) and even take a picture with them!! I was even more loosened up than last time so it felt more natural speaking to them and letting them know how much I love their work. Fingers crossed for another 2024 SF show from them!!!
Tropical Fuck Storm - The Chapel (SF), 10/11/2024
Brought the lads along for this one, and they had fun thankfully! Openers were Michael Beach and YHWH Nailgun; we got there a little too late for me to have too much opinion on Michael Beach, but I ended up really liking YHWH Nailgun! I might need to check out some of their other work... I sat upstairs with the guys for a bit during the openers, and it was pretty cool getting a look at the AV tech guy do his work. Ran downstairs once TFS showed up and it was so much funnnnn!! I couldn't hear too good but I remember Gareth calling us "you American cunts" which just felt great. You Let My Tyres Down live ALSO FELT GREAT, that's been one of my favorites for ages... there was one I hadn't heard before that had such an amazing crescendo I need to go back through their entire catalog just to figure out what it was. Desperately need to see them again ASAP.JPEGMAFIA - Regency Ballroom (SF), 8/20/2024
This was amazing.... although I was sleepy and made a bit of an iffy outfit choice for this concert. I figured it'd be good to dress a little more punk since I was going with Cosine (who is tiny and cute) so I wore my Doc Martens, but since I still haven't broken them in, it killed my heels so I was having a hard time jumping and moving like I wanted LMAO. So much for moshing!! That being said, I am incredibly glad I went!! The energy was absolutely incredible both from the crowd and Peggy. Got to hear all my faves too :3 Highlight for me may have been the brief Call Me Maybe cover.Mong Tong - Neck of the Woods (SF), 3/23/2024
WOOHOOO!!!!!!! THIS WAS AWESOME!! I was supposed to go to this with my parents, but they flaked so I went with a friend who offered to drive me instead. The venue was very small and cozy, full of hipsters (as one would expect). First time I haven't recognized alot of songs from a band I enjoy, but I think it's because they played alot of the new stuff off Epigraphy and the latter half was from Tao Fire. It was a real trip to see how they actually construct these songs, with the loop pedals and vocals I actually thought were samples initially?? I managed to nab some merch (including a Tao Fire CD!!!) and actually got a chance to talk to the brothers afterward! I'm so happy I got the chance to see them live, I had an amazing time. (Also, the opener, K'in Sventa is great too! Gotta check his work out.)Sonic Symphony - Dolby Theatre (LA), 9/30/2023
Another landmark for me, my first time going to LA! I wasn't super duper excited for the show exactly as a moderate Sonic enjoyer, but more excited to get out of town for a few days. But by the time we actually got there, I got insanely hyped. It was a REALLY nice theatre for one thing, way more fancy than we were dressed for (I had my Scaring The Hoes shirt on). This was the first time I've ever seen an orchestra that was just... overjoyed to be performing? The conductor was so excited and the musicians looked so proud. The music was even better, cause the first song suddenly got my nostalgia going and I even teared up a few times. I was going crazy by halfway through the show and I never wanted it to end. Like, Crush 40 and Kellin Quinn live??? Jesus. Transcendent experience.Earl Sweatshirt - Regency Ballroom (SF), 4/18/2019
THE BIG RETURN SHOW... I went to this with a friend and a guy he knew. It was actually my first time going out of town without a "guardian" (because, technically, I was my buddy's guardian LMAO) as well as taking public transport. This was an awesome show. In the line, we saw MIKE look out the tour bus and wave at us and my buddy (a huge MIKE fan) was overjoyed. Once we got in I found myself stuck in a sea of white boys. They stayed flaccid during the opening acts (which were fire??) and the second Earl came out, they surged forward and I was barely able to breathe at this point. It was also crazyyyy how loud these guys were cheering and screaming, to the point Earl himself was like "why are y'all going so hard for this one?" or something along those lines. It was really funny and enjoyable.Brockhampton - The Warfield (SF), 3/4/2018
I distinctly remember this was during orange jumpsuit era. I went with my mom and grandpa and we ended up getting seated in the disabled section because my grandpa was using a cane at the time :3 Very convenient, else poor ol' man would have had to deal with all the teenagers in the pit. The concert was great, but it ended up getting cut short for me because of my mom. Kinda left a stain on listening to BH for me, but it weren't the band's fault lol. Just wish I'd have gotten to see them one last time before they broke up to make up for this experience!!!Alice in Chains - Masonic Auditorium (SF), 10/7/2016
First concert I ever went to! Since I was a youngster I went with my grandparents and mom and it felt like I was transported to heaven when I got there. We had seats up high above the pit (where people were fighting LOL. I had an amazing time seeing my favorite group in person and they played AWLLLL my favorite songs. Also, I swear, William DuVall looked at me some point. I dunno how but I seen it and my mom seen it. Transcendent.