Do415

What to do in San Francisco

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Sidechella with Tumbleweed Wanderers

There’s a party in a car tonight! We kid you not. One of our favorite local bands, Tumbleweed Wanderers, will be riding around in a Sidecar waiting to serenade you as you hop from one Fauxchella show to the next. It’s all a part of #Sidechella, which is Sidecar’s creative campaign to bring some of the elements of Coachella to music fans who didn’t make the trek down to Indio.

Ready for a concert on the go? Pull up your Sidecar app and look for a special “Sidechella” stamp in the car’s profile picture, then snag that driver.  

Also, if you Tweet or Instagram a pic of you in a Sidechella car you'll be entered to win $100. See you out there. 

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We caught up with Australian band Jagwar Ma on their way to play a show in Vegas and asked them a few questions about Coachella, what they were up to the last few months, and their two shows at the Fillmore with MS MR.

You guys are in Vegas right now?

Jack Freeman: We are driving to Vegas. We’ve just crossed the border from Arizona to Nevada and we should be in Vegas in an hour or two, I think.

Are you guys headlining a show over there?

JF: Yeah we’re playing a show there tonight. Our last show before we go to California for Coachella.

Oh yeah, Coachella! Who are you excited to see?

JF: We’ve just been listening to Stankonia by Outkast. We’re all real huge Outkast fans. This is kind of like a childhood dream come true for me, at least.

What’s your favorite Outkast song?

JF: My favorite Outkast song? At the moment, is probably the song “Vibrate” off of The Love Below. Which is I think the last track of The Love Below. Yeah I like their more musical songs to be honest. I like that and I like “Prototype”.

So I saw that one of you guys was working with Stella and Theresa [from Warpaint] in Australia earlier this year. They were jamming with King Krule and Earl Sweatshirt. Do you know if they had something that they could possibly use in the future?

JF: I don’t think anyone really knows what’s happening with that, or if anything is happening with that, but I wasn’t there. Maybe you can ask Jono.

Jono Ma: Hello!

Hey Jono! So I was asking Jack about your jam session with Earl Sweatshirt, King Krule, and some members of Warpaint. I was wondering if you guys came up with anything that you could possibly use in the future or was it just for fun?

JM: Yeah possibly, but you left the most important person out of that line up which was Jonti [Danilewitz], he’s probably the lesson earned in this, but I mean there’s no plan, there were no plans at the time, and there still are no plans. It was kind of just a fun thing to do while everyone was in the same room. 

Yeah, cause I know Stella worked on Howlin’ with you guys right?

JM: Yeah Stella played drums on “Come Save Me”.

  And you worked on one of [Warpaint’s] tracks, “Biggie” from their self-titled album.

JM: Yeah i worked on like the early incarnation of their song, “Biggie”, when they were in the pre-production stage of their record.

So have you guys started working on your next album, or are you taking it slow for now?

JM: There’s been a lot of conversations about it and we’ve been touring heavily since we put out Howlin’ with very few breaks, so we haven’t sat in the studio and focused on new material yet. We’ve just been focusing on touring Howlin’ and kind of doing that record justice first and there’s been a few remixes and mixtapes and stuff like that that we’ve put out.

I saw you guys are releasing a split single with Temples that’s coming out for Record Store Day.

JM: Yes that’s correct!

Are you guys excited to come to San Francisco? You guys are playing two nights in a row with MS MR.

JM: Yeah absolutely! Every time we’ve played in San Fran we’ve had lots of fun. We’ve played there twice and like both times that we’ve played there it’s felt like the crowd’s been really receptive, particularly physically, like everyone seems to move a lot. And San Fran which is always pretty rewarding as a musician to kinda watch the whole crowd kind of dancing to your music.

Are you guys planning on checking the city out the two days that you’re there since you’ll have much more time than usual?

JM: We’re driving there straight from Coachella, so I think we get in on the day that we play and then we’ll have a bit of time off before. We probably won’t have too much time to kind of go sightseeing and such, but we’ll probably try and get to Amoeba and look at some records and things like that.

I recommend going to Rooky Ricardo’s! It’s somewhere on Haight. I’m not sure exactly where though...

JM: I’ve heard of that store! It’s quite famous, but I’ve never been there. We’ll definitely check it out!

I asked Jack this same question, what acts are you excited to see at Coachella?

JM: Same as Jack, I’m pretty excited to see Outkast out of the headliners and there’s a few DJ’s at some of the smaller stages and after parties like DJ Harvey he’s playing a six hour set somewhere which I think that would be pretty fun to go see. 

Awesome. We just had the lineup for Outside Lands Music Festival released the other day and I saw you guys were also playing that in August.

JM: Yeah we’re really excited about that too!

How was the Latin American tour?

JM: That was really quite mind-blowing. It was our first time there, so it was really exciting just as people, as tourists, and as musicians.

Were there any memorable events that happened during that time? 

JM: Each city has amazing energy. Getting to Rio de Janeiro was definitely a highlight. Its an amazing looking city. 

Cool! So I wanted to ask Gabriel a few questions. What acts are you excited to see at Coachella?

Gabriel Winterfield: I think Outkast is pretty important to me. Cause “Hey Ya” was probably one of the first songs I’ve ever learned how to play on guitar. I also want to actually see Lana Del Rey. I’ve never seen her play, and I want to see Flatbush Zombies play as well.

Have you guys toured with MS MR before or have met them?

GW: We have! We played on the same stage as MS MR I just can’t remember where, but we have actually played with them. At Paradiso in Amsterdam. But I haven’t seen them because I think we sort of went straight to play our show, but it should be cool!

Are you excited to play with them at the Fillmore?

GW: Yeah! That should be really good. I’m really excited about playing at the Fillmore, as well.

You’ve got a sold out show!

GW: Sweet! Even better!

Check out our very fantastic interviewer, Ivette Diaz on Twitter!

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That moment when you're glad you didn't wear your Hellraiser-esque, demon bird outfit to a concert at the Fox. Pics from an unreal show by The Pet Shop Boys, courtesy of living legend John Collins.

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The Cult played The Regency Ballroom last week and were great, OBVI. Shouts to the wonderful John Collins for capturing their glory for us. 

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Do you love good music?

We only ask because we've got the brand new video for "Tie Mao to Mined" by Luke Sweeney and it falls directly in that category. It's the catchy b-side to "Miss Me?", which just so happens to be available digitally and also on cassingle over on Bandcamp. Dust off your walkman and get into it! Even better, you can catch Luke Sweeney this Wednesday at Rickshaw Stop, opening for Rin Tin Tiger and Sheppard!

[do415]

Mikos Da Gawd

Classmate of Mr. Carmack and roommate of The Whooligan, Miles Douglas, better known as Mikos Da Gawd, keeps good company. Born and raised in San Francisco, Mikos has quickly made a name for himself in the Bay Area beat scene. With a healthy dose of hip hop and slick flips, his Soundcloud is a treasure trove of tasty treats and Los Angeles-based label Soulection took notice, recently tapping the 25-year-old for the sixth release under their White Label Series. We spoke with the Golden Gate's Gawd about growing up in SF and what making music means to him.

Do415: So first things first, a little background. You're from San Francisco.

Mikos Da Gawd: Yup. Born and raised. Grew up on Jamestown Avenue right by Candlestick Park.

Do: And you went to SF's own Ruth Asawa School of the Arts?

MDG: Yup! Me and Carmack. I've known him since he was 14. 

Do: Wow, you guys go way back. Were you always interested in music or did that start at SOTA?

MDG: I started writing raps when I was in elementary school. I was obsessed with hip hop. Kept writing them, then when it came time to apply to SOTA, I turned those in as poems and they accepted me into the Creative Writing program. I had started making beats the year earlier without having any musical knowledge or anything, just messing around, and I just kept doing beats. I was in a rap group called Get Live Crew with Watsky, who I still produce for, and then after high school a couple of us from that group along with The Whooligan started 40Love. I rapped on the first two albums we put out, but then I decided to just focus on DJing.

Do: You rap?! Do you ever think about rapping again?

MDG: I rap all the time, ask anybody who makes beats with me haha. But nah, I love rapping, I'd just rather focus on one thing and with the DJing, it gets to be a little much. I once saw this Chris Rock interview where he said that he does stand-up and acting separately, a couple years for one and a couple years for the other. That stayed with me.

Do: Is there a DJ or producer who you look up to, either musically or career-wise?

MDG: Timbaland and J Dilla will always be my favorites for beats and production. And with DJing, honestly just coming up watching my big bro The Whooligan murder his sets was a big inspiration for me. He taught me how to DJ. We met when I was 17 or so when he was working at Amoeba on Haight Street. We would chop it up about records, mainly Slum Village. And now he's my roommate and our living room is full of records haha.

Do: What's your work process like? Are you making beats every day?

MDG: Definitely, it's all I want to do right now. My work process is pretty random and I like to keep it that way so I don't do the same thing. I'll either start banging on the piano or on a synthesizer, or chopping up some drums, or creating some sort of mashup in Ableton Live. I really just like getting hands-on in Ableton. It's a crazy program that everyone is using right now and it's a lot of fun. If I'm inspired to work on something then I know I'll be able to truly create a feeling out of it. I like to rely on that feeling of inspiration, that initial rush.

Do: Can you imagine doing anything else besides making music?

MDG: Being a leader in Soka Gakkai International, the Buddhist organization that I'm a part of. Working with youth. Feeding the hungry. Anything that's the opposite of being an egomaniacal entertainer lol. I don't know, I see my little brother getting into environmental work and I feel like I should do the same. But music is important to me and my family and it makes them very happy to see me doing it full time.

Do: So we have to ask, where'd the name Mikos Da Gawd come from?

MDG: Mikos is my middle name and what my close friends call me. Julio (The Whooligan) and I used to call each other "gawd" and stuff for years. I had him as Whooligan Da Gawd in my phone even. When I did one of my first nights with him, he threw "Da Gawd" next to my name on the flyer and it just stuck.

Do: Being a native San Franciscan, you have a unique perspective on the current state of affairs in the City. Thoughts?

MDG: I think all the money around is great and I have to recognize the good fortune I have to still be here. But culturally, it is suffering, and the culture is what made myself and everyone I grew up with so prideful of where we're from. There are people getting pushed out, but that's not a San Francisco thing, that's a capitalism thing. If we're going to fight it, we must get to the root of the problem.

Do: So what's next for you? Long-term goals as a DJ and producer?

MDG: I would like to become a mainstay in the Top 40 hip hop production landscape while maintaining artistic integrity. And to travel the world rocking parties. I just want to be constantly surrounded by good music.

Surround yourself with good music courtesy of Mikos Da Gawd this Friday at Sloane SF.

*Interview by Kate Horton*

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With The Purple Onion set for a series of work-in-progress screenings at the Cinequest Film Festival on March 9th, 11th and 15th, our own Allan Abelido got together with director Matt Szymanowski to talk about what it takes to make a home-grown, Bay Area labor of love into something that takes on a life of its own.

Do415: What was the ultimate goal you had for this film?

Matt Szymanowski: I wanted to tell a story about how people need each other, and how the relationships we foster give us strength, which in turn help us reach our own bliss. But because that sounds like some heavy-handed after school special I wanted to cloak that idea and fuse it with something a little darker. I used the characters of a struggling and tragic comedian and his estranged mother who mysteriously shows up after an unexplained absence, and then I made them have sex. Well, kind of. You have to see it to get it.

Do: What would make it a success to you/is it a success now?

M: People are fascinating: They’re filled with latent desires, tiny fixations, dreams, contradictions all that often manifest in strange ways. In our film, Johnny the comedian, stuck in an existential malaise, filled with loneliness, regret and longing, begins down a path to deviance and perversion, ultimately leading to his humanity. That was one of our goals to convey. And if someone can relate to our film on any of these levels, I think it’s a success.

Do: What made you chose an Asian American to have a the lead role?

M: I'm sharing a story credit with my lead actor, Edwin Li, a Chinese American. The process of writing started when Edwin and I met while I was working at Punchline comedy club. He was performing on stage and his comedy just hit me. The idea of this alter ego character of ours began to grow as we got to know each other. We would talk about tragic and funny scenes and situations that someone could experience. We shot a few skits where Edwin played the lead. And when the idea came to actually make a feature film, it felt natural to have him play in it. We had built up to that point together, so it would have been disingenuous to cast anyone else. And he just happens to be Asian American.

Do: So you met at The Punchline, but your film is named after The Purple Onion, an iconic SF venue that unfortunately is now a part of the city’s past. How did that come to be?

M: Since Edwin and I first began thinking about this film, we had The Purple Onion in mind as a location for the final scene, partly because its legacy, partly because of how catchy and absurd the name is. But as we were finishing the script, the club was bought out and forced to close it's doors after about 60 years of business. We were really bummed. We even thought of scrapping the whole project at that point. We had already invested months of time and energy into the idea. We decided we would make our film like an homage to the club, which at that point we were going to explicitly refer to in the film. Then, as we were editing we ended up cutting out those few moments since they didn’t add enough to the story. Later I read somewhere that the club was named after a whorehouse the founder had heard of in Paris or maybe visited. I thought that seemed random.

Do: What would you want the audience to takeaway from your film?

M: I want the audience to say this to themselves after watching the film: "That was strange. A little twisted. I feel kind of funny. But I'm better now. And I want more."

Do: Has the making of this film changed you in anyway?

M: Oh yes. This was a very great experience. I looked inward, deep within myself, and when I came out I was in debt.

Do: Why are these screenings so important?

M: Cinequest has allowed us to do test screenings of our unfinished film. When you work on something for so long sometimes you need to come up for a breather and see how everyone else is doing. That's what this screening is about. It's a way to check in with everyone. We'll gauge audiences reaction by having them fill out short questionnaires and give us their two cents in mini video interviews after the screenings. We'll see what works and what doesn't. And what we hear may end up influencing how the film turns out.

For more info and to purchase tickets to the screenings, check out The Purple Onion on Do415

[do415]

Every music scene needs a shepherd and Bay Area collective HGMNY is quickly separating itself from the flock. Bringing such acts as Mr. Carmack, Djemba Djemba, King Henry and rising star Saint Pepsi to San Francisco in the last three months alone, HGMNY is proving to be a sure bet on delivering a good time. On the eve of the collective's latest show with bass music heavyweights Lindsay Lowend and DJ Hoodboi, both making their San Francisco debuts, we spoke with co-founder Amir Raad about the roots, rhyme and reason of the Bay Area's newest noisemakers.

Do415: First things first: What is HGMNY?

Amir Raad: HGMNY (pronounced he·ge·mo·ny) is a music-based collective that was formed in the pits of Santa Cruz in 2009. Our aim is to bring together great people and the music we love to enhance our social and auditory lives. We support innovative artists and the term “genre” is just some French word we don’t adhere to, but we generally bring acts that are developing music with new perspectives in hip hop, R&B and bass music as a whole.

Do: How did HGMNY start?

AR: We started HGMNY when I was in school at UC Santa Cruz. My friends and I were dabbling in the "DJ" world and had gotten really into electronic music after attending our first festival together, the Raindance Campout. It was the fall of 2009 and my birthday was coming up and I wanted to throw a fat party with loud, quality music. One problem with Santa Cruz is the city has a very strict noise ordinance and amplified music or anything deemed "noisy" is considered an infraction. So if you threw a house party and the cops came to break it up, usually right before midnight just when things are gettin' sexy, they have the power to write a ticket for every tenant. This noise ordinance really sucked and still sucks, so we had to escape it by throwing what is known as a "renegade."

Do: What's a "renegade?"

AR: It's basically a party thrown without a permit. The idea was to take over a public space and throw a legit party for us and our friends. We rented a sound system and a generator and went up to the Santa Cruz Mountains to party from midnight 'til 7 in the morning. Although it was technically illegal, we felt strongly that we weren't causing harm to anyone else and if you're going to pass a noise ordinance, well there's no one to complain about noise in the middle of nowhere. And the renegade was sort of political and a fun form of direct action- that's how the name HGMNY came to be, actually, after Gramsci's theory of Cultural Hegemony. So the first HGMNY party literally went down in the middle of a road haha. Everyone had such an amazing time that we decided to do it again. And then again and again, about 5 more times before we graduated.

Do: How did you make the transition to legal parties, or indoors, as it were?

AR: We started to really make a name for ourselves when we brought Matty G out to one of our forest renegades. From there we started playing house parties, when they didn't get broken up because of the sound ordinance that had driven us to the forest in the first place. But a lot of the DJs you see on our current roster are the same peeps who played in the forest and at house parties. And then eventually we all moved up to the Bay Area and began DJing here, and that led to a monthly residency playing the backroom at F8 | 1192 Folsom. Soon the owners and GM Rafael Fierro offered us the opportunity to throw a party of our own and that's when it really clicked. Throwing those parties in the forest required a lot of planning and preparation, and throwing a party in a club is no different, except for money being on the line and more paperwork haha, but it's in the same vein of having to coordinate a bunch of things to make sure the party is successful. So HGMNY started as a group of friends that loved similar styles of music and were down to party. Shoutout to the homies who have made this shit successful through the years and are part of the HGMNY Crew- Monique Biega, Daniel Fried, Michael Gushanksy, Dylan Macturk, Levi Williams, Parker Catalano, Anthony Schwartz, Max Siekierski and Angeline King.

Do: Where do you see HGMNY going?

AR: The plan is to keep pushing the boundaries and bringing artists we love to the Bay. Hopefully one day we can create a following where we're able to book that dude with 200 Soundcloud followers and the show would sellout because people trust what we bring to the table. That's my dream. I would also love to do some more hip hop shit. My roots are in hip hop. My older brothers introduced me to the Fugees, Blackstar, The Roots and a lot of other music when I was in 6th grade, although the first tape I ever bought was in 3rd grade and it was Chumbawamba, that one with the "I get knocked down" song on it haa. But yeah, I've always loved music, and hip hop is where my heart rests for sure, so I'd love to bring more of that to SF.

Do: What's next for HGMNY this year? Who would you love to book in 2014?

AR: Well we got some crazy shit in the works. This Saturday we're featuring the SF debuts of Lindsay Lowend and DJ Hoodboi. March 8th- we have a show in celebration of International Women’s Day featuring all female lineup, with Astronautica, Sosupersam, Kittens and a bunch of amazing local acts. And March 29th we got something special as well but we can't announce it just yet. As for the rest of the year, we've got some big ideas in store... But really, if we could book Ginuwine with an Aaliyah hologram, I would be in heaven.

Interview by ladymisskate

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When it comes to freshness in the music industry, no one does it better than Red Bull Music Academy. They've worked with some of the most forward-thinking artists in the industry and they'll be showing SF some love when they roll through this weekend for RBMA Bass Camp! They've got a trio of great events going on, including a screening of their incredible film about music, What difference does it make? You can RSVP here for free entry, and check out their full slate of events for some other dope stuff, like a chance to win free tickets to see Erykah Badu drop a DJ set at 1015 Folsom!

[do415]

The Lonely Girl's Beer Guide to San Francisco: Jaded Love

Lonely Girl gets the most lonely on Valentine’s Day. Seeing all those couples around makes her extra sad that her only past time is going to bars alone. Nothing stops her from doing this even on holidays such as this one. But every once in a while, in a fair blue moon, you find a couple that brings you more joy then the bitterness of being utterly alone. That couple reminds you why people fall in love and why love even exists. Why it’s a beautiful thing to share our lives with someone that we care so much about. Even though Lonely Girl is a firm believer that the one we can truly give all our love to is ourselves, every once in a while a couple like this comes along and she, herself questions that idealism. Sure enough, that random blue moon struck Lonely Girl and there they were. The perfect couple, a couple you can be a 3rd wheel with and still feel good about yourself. And that couple that came along happened to be some of the greatest bartenders in San Francisco. How they met? Purely a freak accident, but the greatest sign that fate exists. I’ll stop talking about myself in the third person and get to the real story.

  Recently an article came out in The Bold Italic about bartender couples and their stories. I couldn’t wait to share this article with this couple I speak so highly of. Of course their respond was as expected,

  “Our story is so much better.”

  My respond, “I agree.” And somehow I was able to convince them to write a little something something about themselves.

  Lonely Girl presents, the greatest San Francisco love story of all time. You will laugh, you will cry. You’re welcome:

  “What makes two people fall in love? Similar interests? Must love dogs? World of war craft? Serendipitous moments? All these things can be the catalyst of a great love story. This Valentines day think of your current love or the loves of your past and think about what drew you two together, and more importantly what kept you together. We want to share our romantic success story. San Francisco is an amazing city, although it can be very hard to find love. Such a diverse dating pool makes for many misconnections, and hurt feelings. People are disposable these days, everyone is a text or craigslist response away. On to the next one... it’s a downward spiral and everyone is doing it. How did we find each other? I guess you can call it serendipity. Two people, similar interests, both coming off failed relationships. We were very lucky to find each other, paths crossed, no regretful nights or forced meetings by mutual friends to thank. Just two random people in the middle of their busy San Francisco lives - and we caught each others eye. We didn't meet in a bar the way many unsuccessful relationships begin. And we didn't meet online like many others. Real life, real people, just like it used to happen. We love this about us. Being in love in this city is great, always an adventure.

        Shortly after we started our courtship we found out each other’s occupation. Bartender Couple!!!! We never thought we would date another bartender but it was too late and too good to stop. Early on in our relationship, very much in love, very much in our honey moon phase things began to change. After a long night at the bar we would both meet in our nocturnal abilities and swap stories. Each night we got a little more comfortable and talked a little more shit. People look at bartending as a glamorous lifestyle. Free sex, after hours parties, and all the booze you can pour down your gullet... We disagree. We quickly learned that we were the perfect support system for such professions. Only another bartender can relate to the ridiculous shit we endure every shift. Imagine this: you go to work, the guy on the other end of the phone you are closing a sales deal with is hammered and won't agree terms you had discussed. You then go to get some printer paper, and the office supply guy makes a comment about how good your lips would look around his dick, or you go back to your cubicle and your co-worker decides to blow a fireball to show off his flair bartending skill that he learned off a groupon deal. You try to find some peace and quiet and your receptionist pukes on your feet as you pass. Insanity!!! This only in our first hour on the job and we have 7 more to go. Ok maybe that’s a bit dramatic but we aren't that far off.

        We have it pretty good, but if there is one thing about bartending we didn't know is how much it would make us hate. San Francisco is a peter pan playground for the well to do and overly entitled. We don't care who you are, what you invented, who you know, and please take off your fucking Google glasses when you are talking to us.

        Every once in a while when we share a night off we like being on the other side of the bar. We like to spread the love around town, so chances are if we didn't serve you then you definitely served us. We all see each other, week after week. When we sit at your bar its not an open invitation to stroke yourselves publicly. We are glad you can make any drink ever known to man - and you have a really cool bartending tattoo, but can you please just make our fucking drinks? We dont want to hear it, we just want to drink, eat, and be merry. The who's who of San Francisco nightlife/mixology/popularity contest does not concern us. We are here to hustle, make money and maybe a few friends in the process.

  We don’t want to seem ungrateful, we love our jobs, we love what we do, and most importantly we love each other. We share similar values and morals and as we like to say.... "The couple that hates together, stays together..."

PS. Here is a drink to help you swallow that bitter pill. 

Jaded Lovers

  1.5 oz St. George Dry Rye Gin

.75 Green Chartreuse

.75 Punt e Mes

2 dashes of orange bitters

  Add Ingredients to a mixing glass

Stir and strain into coupe

Garnish with 2 brandied cherries

  Enjoy with your lover

[do415]

Make this one a Monday even Garfield would appreciate by getting yourself over to The Independent this evening to rock with a couple of our favorite bands, Augustines and My Goodness. All the deets you need are right here, it's gonna be a wonderful night and we hope to see you there!

[do415]

With a new EP dropping later this month, a slot at Italy's Spring Attitude Festival alongside such heavyweights as Four Tet and Com Truise, and major labels like Stones Throw and Carpark knocking at his door, 21-year-old musician and Long Island native Ryan DeRobertis, better known as SAINT PEPSI, is poised for success. Do415 had the chance to chat with the young producer as he readied for his first trip to the Golden State and his West Coast debut in San Francisco on February 15th.

Do415: First things first: We're crazy excited you're coming to San Francisco.

Saint Pepsi: I'm so excited too! I've only been to New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Florida. I never, ever travel. I haven't been so excited for something since I don't know when. It's like all I think about.

Do415: That's the best. You must be counting down the days.

SP: Half of me is, the other half is rushing to finish as many new edits/new tracks to premiere at the show. I never get the opportunity to do things like this so I want to make it super special.

Do415: The momentum you've picked up since the release of Hit Vibes this past summer has been incredible to watch. We can only imagine what it's been like on your end.

SP: It's been unbelievable, but to be honest, my life was literally about to crumble into pieces before Hit Vibes came out. I was still at Boston College and I had worked myself into this really bad depression. I had stopped attending classes and warped my mind and I was just a mess because I thought I didn't have control over my life. I was a political science major. It was STUPID. I made Hit Vibes the first month I was home from BC. And Long Island's sort of like a cultural wasteland in itself. Growing up my parents sheltered me so I never went to Brooklyn or anything for fun. So it took all the positive energy I had in my body to make 'a unifying dance record' in spite of all the bullshit, the academic inconsistency, the lashing out at my upbringing. Just wanting to be something different.

Do415: It's pretty remarkable that an album that just absolutely radiates joy came out of a time that was so dark for you. Has music always been a part of your life?

SP: My dad took me to see Duran Duran and Depeche Mode, which were amazing experiences in themselves, but I was also like 5 years old haha. My first 'real' concert was Toro y Moi when I was 18. But I started writing my own songs when I was 14. They were really weird because they weren't GOOD, but they were a lot different from what everyone else did at the time. Then I put this shitty song on iTunes when I was 16 and everyone at my school thought I was famous hahaha.

Do415: You're singing! SAINT PEPSI sings?!

SP: Yes! I can't wait to start singing again on the new SP record that will be coming out later this year. It'll be an official release and my proper label debut.

Do415: Big things! Is this where you always saw SAINT PEPSI going?

SP: Hahaha not in the slightest. It's kind of a funny story. In November of 2012, I did a whole album called Adversaries under the name The Cold Napoleons. Wrote and recorded it in 2 weeks. And then over winter break I started SAINT PEPSI as sort of an art project, but it was very tongue-in-cheek. The running joke was 'imagine SP becoming the biggest project out of anything you've ever done.'

Do415: And now here you are. And here you'll be in no time at all! What's at the top of your to-do list while in San Francisco?

SP: ...Is it bad that I don't have an agenda?

Do415: Not at all. Cheers to that.

Get refreshed when Do415 and HGMNY bring you Saint Pepsi live at F8 | 1192 Folsom this Friday September 15th

by Kate Horton

[do415]

SXSW V2V is coming back to Las Vegas this Summer and we want to make you a part of it by giving you a pair of free tickets! Nobody does creativity like SXSW and the ideas that get sparked over these four magical days in July will have a profound positive change on the startup and venture capital communities. The best news of all might just be their innovative and highly interactive PanelPicker, which lets your voice be heard in determining who the speakers will be this year! Head to our SXSW V2V event page for more details and a chance to win those tickets, submit and vote on speakers with the PanelPicker, plus check out some great videos from last year. We can't wait to see you in July!

[do415]

Top 10 Bay Area News Stories of 2013

When, as predicted, the world ended last December, many of us could never have guessed that our first year post-existence would bear an uncanny resemblance to the years that preceded it, full of the same highs and lows, triumphs and failures that we had come to recognize as part of life on Earth. 

This applied to life in the Bay as well, as a number of local stories touched on a range of recognizable emotions, from anger to compassion and shock to joy. The real spirit of a city that sometimes seems to be at war with itself was best represented when we came together to make a little kid's dream come true, so while these stories are presented in no particular order, the only place that made sense to start was with Batkid.

1. Batkid saved the City.

2. Peter Shih hated SF, SF hated Peter Shih harder.

3. A plane crashed and so did the common sense of the people at KTVU.

4. We got a new bridge.

5. A naked acrobat ruined our BART experience.

6. But NO ONE ruined our BART experience more than BART.

7. We fought to keep our city's identity, as the tech boom threatened to take it.

8. A fire started to burn... and burn and burn and burn.

9. We gave The 'Stick one helluva sendoff.

10. We got married!

[do415]

Top 10 Female-Fronted Acts of 2013

2013 offered quite the spread of kickass female-fronted acts.

Here are my top 10 picks, in no particular order. Included are songs and performances as justification. Enjoy!

#girlpower

1. haim

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

2. phantogram 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5d3sb32Plg

3. chvrches

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98CYvQOtxo8

4. london grammar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6drfp_3823I

5. lorde

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0m26fAGUxs

6. ms mr

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sGyi82WDcY 

7. polica

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlnjKYR7TBo

8. still corners

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgEB3rY8ZGI

9. sky ferreira

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFCZP1Nz3Ds

10. daughter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-OoG1aGYO0

-Abby Greenberg

[do415]

Top 10 Bars of San Francisco - 2013 (The Lonely Girl’s Guide)

It’s so hard to make a list of the best bars in San Francisco, because there are honestly way too many to choose from. I mean, if you’re a local most likely you have a set 3 bars that are your go to, 2 you go to strictly for first dates, and every once in a while you’ll try a new one just for kicks, but usually you don’t make your way back there for another year. For now, this is my top 10 list of bars that I frequented in 2013 and enjoyed (alone and with friends because I do hang out with people I swear). If you haven’t been to any of these on this list, well, you should probably go. And here’s why, as if you really needed an excuse to go out drinking… 

10. Fly (Sutter St.) 

Not to be confused with Fly’s evil twin sister on Divisidero. Fly of Sutter St. is the go to spot for my group of friends. Chances are regardless of the time of the day one of us will be there. Because of this, we all know the menu by heart and most likely know all the bartender’s schedules. I don’t go there as much as most of us, but I do enjoy it every time I go. Everyone is super rad, the food is decent and the drinks are strong. My recommendation: the House Sangria. 

9. Homestead 

Not a lot of people make their way out to the “other” side of Folsom, but if you find yourself wandering about 19th and Folsom, be sure to wander into the Homestead for a drink. I like this bar because I can do there by myself, read a book, and eat peanuts and throw the shells on the ground (bonus). For some reason whenever I'm at this bar I really want to drink cheap beer straight from the can and top it off with a shot of Jameson. Nothing special, but my recommendation if you ever go here.

8. Vesuvio 

How can you not? This is a staple of San Francisco. Don’t consider yourself a real San Franciscan if you never been there. Just saying. If you haven’t gone, stop what you are doing right now, and go there for a simple yet quant gin and tonic. I don’t know what it is about the gin and tonics at Vesuvio I never crave gin unless I am here. They are made with pure love. Enough said, go here make some tourist friends or something. 

7. Monarch

Most of time I tell people to avoid 6th street at all cost, right now I’m telling you to go there. Like sun shining at the end of a foggy San Francisco morning, Monarch is that same shine in the break of crack heads. The bar is beautiful, gold and red everything, fancy furniture and a crazy wild party in the basement. Whenever I go there, I feel like I’m not supposed to be there as if it is a speakeasy or a gentlemen’s club. By afternoon it is a classy bar for fancy cocktails, by night head down to the basement and enjoy their incredible sound system and some fireball shots. How could you go wrong? 

6. Thee Parkside 

And here I go raising the standards for bars with outdoor seating. Many people would probably think that I would put Zeitgiest here because it's central, that is, it is the go to bar for most people. But no, as much as I like that bar... Thee Parkside does it all better. If you want to smoke outside with your drink, eat amazing food, listening to your punk rock. Well look no further then Thee Parkside. I love this bar for many reasons, but mostly because the staff is nice, the drinks are strong and the food is delicious. I don’t personally smoke, but the smell of smoke and whiskey is very comforting to me. My recommendation for this bar, a margarita to wash down their world famous pulled pork sandwich. 

5. Butter 

I actually don’t understand why more people don’t talk about this San Francisco staple. Like Vesuvio, if you haven’t been here before you have a serious problem on your hands. This white trash themed bar is determined to get you shit faced the moment you walk in. Whether it is through the numerous Jello shots you are offered every ten minutes, a forty of miller high life literally served in a paper bag or, my personal favorite vodka nightmare, the after school special (vodka and grape soda), you are surely going to black out. Not only do they have the strongest drinks that taste like sugar, they also have a DJ who plays all your favorite 80’s/90’s mashups as well as a trailer that will deep fry anything and serve it to you. There is so much to go wrong with all these combinations but it is worth every questionable thing you don’t remember doing in this bar. What happens at Butter, stays at butter. Next time look for my friend's pink bra hanging from one of the water pipes on the ceiling, it’s there… true story.

4. Magnolia Gastropub & Brewery 

Got to have at least one brewery on this list, if I had to choose one, I would have to go with Magnolia. Conveniently located on Haight Street this bar has some of the finest beers on tap one could ask for. Completely overshadowed by it’s brewery competitors in the city, people forget about Magnolia constantly. Those people are what I like to call “crazy.” Very difficult concept to grasp so I’ll make it easy for you, Stout of Circumstance, or if dark brews aren’t your jam, Sara’s Ruby Mild. You honestly can’t go wrong with any of these beers if you consider yourself a beer lover. The flavors are complex and keep your mouth watering for more. Not to mention, they grill an excellent burger. Pure bliss. 

3. Churchill

The sweet smell of whiskey and wood haunt me forever, in the best kind of way. Churchill will make you the greatest concoctions involving your favorite alcohol. They don’t shy away when you ask them to make something they think you might like, they simply ask you how you are doing and make something based on what you are feeling, it is quite fantastic. If you want a glass case of emotion, they are going to make that for you, you’ll love it I guarantee. However, magic is in the classics here, my recommendation is their old fashioned. 

2. Moby Dicks 

Need I say more? If you’re familiar with my column, you know that this place is one of my top favorites! Seriously though, a gay bar straight boys can also enjoy? Who would have thought? Everyone I know who has been here is down, it’s one of the happiest places on Earth. I’m not going to elaborate much, if you really want to know the details of this beautiful place check back in on my article about it here (When In Doubt Drink With The Gays) 2 for 1 Margarita/Lemon Drop specials everyday, how could you go wrong? SHOUTOUT TO MARY THE BARTENTER. 

AND THE NUMBER 1 BAR IN SAN FRANCISCO IS.... 

1. Dear Mom

Dear Mom now occupies a building that has always held a special place in my San Francisco heart. Back when I first moved to this glorious town almost 6 years ago this building on the corner of 16th and Harrison was an interesting bar called El Ricon. I liked going here (when I was 18) because local bands from my art school always played there and they served nachos. Of course, this bar had a dark shadow as it was the only place I’d ever seen someone literally get smashed over the head with a glass bottle. Needless to say, this place was shut down and unoccupied for some time. That is until Dear Mom moved on in, at this point I could drink legally so I was curious to see what they had done with the place. And I was pleasantly surprised. Owned by Whiskey Thieves and Thieves Tavern, this place surpasses all expectations. You got your tasty drinks, local food (different venders occupying the same kitchen changing weekly), and ping pong tables. A match made in heaven. It’s also big enough so if you run into an ex-boyfriend you can hide very easily, amazing. The lighting is cool, the people are awesome, the drinks are cheap, the bathroom is usually nice. No bad things to say about this place. Always a great time, even when it’s packed. Go here, be happy, enjoy drinking out in public. 

[do415]

Top 10 Albums of 2013 x 2

After months of obsessively listening to new music and numerous in-office debates about the merits (or lackthereof) of Drake, Miley and everyone else who made waves this year, we've called upon two of our own to bring you their picks for the 10 best albums of the year.  Dawson Ludwig                                  

10. Blood Orange - Cupid Deluxe

9. Volcano Choir - Repave

8. Kanye West - Yeezus

7. Drake - Nothing Was The Same

6. Disclosure - Settle

5. Chance The Rapper - Acid Rap

4. Mutual Benefit - Love's Crushing Diamond

3. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of The City

2. Darkside - Psychic

1. Rhye - Woman

Dylan Macturk

10. Lucki Eck$ - Alternative Trap

9. Saint Pepsi - Hit Vibes

8. Kelela - Cut 4 Me

7. Waldo - NSDE/OUTSDE

6. Pusha T - My Name is My Name

5. Kaytranada - Kaytra Todo

4. Blood Orange - Cupid Deluxe

3. Jai Paul - Jai Paul

2. Mr. Carmack - Bang, Vol. 3

1. Kanye West - Yeezus