Mission Mission

Firstly, Matthew Dear rules. Just listen to this song — probably one of the best of all time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ3JnGqYuXA

And I can attest to that his live show is great too. Just gothy enough without being annoying. Danceable music made by a live band with a stoic but incredibly charismatic frontman. Kind of David Bowie-like maybe? And it’s not sold out yet! Tickets and info here.

Secondly, there’s also a movie on tonight that looks pretty good, about the life and times of Mark Sandman, the deceased frontman from Morphine, that band with the saxophone-driven mid-’90s hit “Honey White” that we all saw on MTV a million times. Here’s the trailer:

Tickets and info here.

Last night my friend Jess wanted to see Cursive with me at the Great American, but it (like so much of Noise Pop 2012) was sold out when we got there. We went around the corner for a beer at Edinburgh Castle, and then walked back so she could pick up her bike and just maybe get a ticket from someone once more people had arrived.

Cursive were standing on the street, in front of the O’Farrell Theatre, and we joked about asking them to get her in. Instead she decided to head home and I went inside.

Five minutes later, there she was! While she was unlocking her bike, some guy came up to her and asked if she needed a ticket:

Guy with ticket: Hey, do you need a ticket?
Jess: Yeah! But my friend just went inside with the money!
Guy with ticket: Oh that’s okay, my friends already paid me and anyway I can just get it from you at Mission Cliffs.

And Jess had no idea who he was. People in San Francisco really are nice!

If you missed Cursive, or otherwise haven’t had your fill of the emo on offer at this year’s festival, Christie Front Drive is playing Saturday at Café du Nord. Tickets and details here.

Seattle’s The Virgin Islands, opening for Cursive at Great American Music Hall as a part of Noise Pop last night, think San Francisco is a nice place:

It’s nice to be in a nice place. You guys in San Francisco try to act all tough and cool and indifferent… but you’re really all just nice.

Aw, thanks!

At Cafe du Nord, it’s a show starring the Soft Pack, that band that used to be called the Muslims. They’re kind of surfy garage rock. Local faves Shannon and the Clams support, along with FIDLAR and Surf Club, who are also surfy garage rock. Tickets and details here.

Upstairs at the Swedish American Hall, it’s Mac McCaughan from Superchunk doing a solo thing, with Rachel Haden, who sang the lead on Weezer’s “I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams,” and a couple other acts opening. Tickets and details here.

They’ll be at FIFTY24SF at 4pm apparently (before heading to their sold out headlining gig at the Regency later tonight). High on Gold reports:

The group will be presenting a special, one-night only installation to coincide with their tour stop in San Francisco in support of their newest LP, TEN$ION. In addition to the installation, Die Antwoord will be presenting and releasing a special collector’s vinyl sculpture of Evil Boy, made in collaboration with Good Smile Company. Select vinyl pieces will be hand-detailed on by Die Antwoord’s Ninja. [link]

They played Soft Bulletin in its entirety, fueled in part by at least one trip to Zeitgeist.

Rolling Stone was on the scene:

Before launching into it, [Flaming Lips frontman Wayne] Coyne invited Noise Pop’s producers onstage and presented them with a certificate that came directly from San Francisco Mayer Ed Lee, declaring February 21st- 26th Noise Pop Week. As if local music fans hadn’t known that already, for the past 20 years.

Read on for the full review.

[Photos by C'mon Pony and Drew Beck]

And there’s a cozy bench in front of it so’s you can put your feet up!

Noise Pop 2012 continues at Bottom of the Hill (and lots of other venues) through the weekend. Fresh & Onlys play there tonight, Thao and John Vanderslice tomorrow and Bob Mould Friday.

She’s our fave!

Anyway, that’s right, Noise Pop 2012 is underway. Lots of the best stuff is sold out, but there are plenty of alternatives. Have a look at the schedule.

(Ash Reiter’s most recent EP, “Heatwave,” as you can see, is available on iTunes, or you can stream it free on Facebook.)