Mission Mission

Our recent post where Belle and Sebastian’s Stuart Murdoch expresses regret for having missed the Fugazi show in Dolores Park back in 2000 elicited all sorts of nostalgia from readers who lived here at the time.  Knowing that my friend (and bandmate) Eric was around back then, I asked him about it at practice last night.

Turns out, not only was he (along with the rest of the Mission) at the park for the show, but Ian Mackaye also borrowed the Marshall Cab that now resides in our practice space in order to play.  While I was still grappling with this information, Eric moved aside the head and revealed a surviving piece of masking tape on which was written, “IAN Return to j,” so that all of the equipment Fugazi borrowed for the Dolores Park show would get back to their owners.

It’s obviously been a rough decade for the cab after its pinnacle in the park, as this hulking relic is now merely used as a PA for our singer when we practice.  Nonetheless, stop by Secret Studio to give it some Pope-style reverence if you feel like your music is in a rut and need some transitive inspiration from one of the greatest bands ever.

Oh, and buy our record if you get a chance!

Traditional jazz outfit Gaucho has been holding down the Wednesday 8-10pm slot at Amnesia for over 7 years. That has got to be one of the longest-running gigs in the Mission, right? Their new album “Pearl” was released today by the Mission’s own Porto Franco Records.

The record was recorded in Amnesia early this year while the bar was closed during the day. I was fortunate enough to sit in on those sessions while munching on my first ever Rhea’s sandwiches and it was a real treat. “Pearl” is almost entirely original compositions by guitarist and band leader Dave Ricketts that feel right at home with classic trad jazz standards.

A few songs feature vocalist Tamar Korn who they met last year on tour in NYC. Her amazing falsetto voice makes me feel like I’ve travelled back to a time where “dudes” where “fellas” and “fixies” were “penny-farthings“. Here she is singing a song about Dave’s cat:

You buy the record (CD or download) and check out some free tracks at Gaucho’s web site.

[photo by Brenda Ernst]

I wrote about these guys last year, after I’d heard the sad news that we’d lost their leader. (And I stand by everything I said.) Yesterday, I learned of the existence of this recently uploaded terrible but wonderful video of them rocking the Purple Onion some 17 years ago.

Now go buy their record. It is as real a classic as you’re ever gonna find.

Sure, there were dozens of highly paid touring acts on stage at Treasure Island this past weekend, but a highlight for me were local boys the Ferocious Few, who appeared at some kind of throwback carnival midway tucked back away from the main-stage action. They played at various intervals throughout both days of the fest, and drew big crowds every time.

These guys have traditionally done their best work on street corners (and in gutters), but I feel a change coming on. I think the festival organizers would do well to put them on one of the real stages next year.

Also, they’ve printed up some hot new t-shirts. Keep a lookout.

P.S. I took this picture clean through a big green tarp. Impressed?

Previously:

Ferocious in the Streets

This is a new video for a song by Holy Fuck, whose set yesterday (I’m told) was one of the highlights of the Treasure Island Music Festival. My buddy Jake says they brought the energy like no one else. (I missed it because I stayed in bed when I saw it was raining.) Watch this thing already:

[via Maya]

Before breaking into a spirited rendition of Piazza, New York Catcher, Stuart inquired about our pennant-racing boys in black (and orange):

I don’t know how the game ended up today.  Oh?  It wasn’t good, eh?  Not to worry, we’re bringing it back home 1-1.  That’s how you want it to be, really.

Those Phillies don’t stand a chance.

Where will you be on Tuesday at 4:20?

What the Mission Mission commenters say

SFist weighs in as well

Previously:

Go Giants!

Dugout Prank

“My advice to you, San Francisco? Join a band,” he says, “It’s a lot of fun.”

!!! ruled, btw. Love watching those moves.

[Photo by A. Sarkarati]

From a recent profile detailing the origins of Belle and Sebastian:

On the day he had to return home, Murdoch remembers, the seminal D.C. post-punk band Fugazi played a show in Dolores Park. He’s still sad about not being able to go. But it was then, health improved, guitar skills in tow, first songs already written and performed, that Murdoch vowed to return to San Francisco with his own band.

“I always wanted to play in Dolores Park,” he says, still wistful after nearly two decades. “I hope that Treasure Island will have a similar vibe.”

Oh, cool. Wait. Treasure Island has a fine vibe, but it’s no Dolores Park. CAN WE GET A BELLE AND SEBASTIAN SHOW IN DOLORES PARK PLEASE??

P.S. Wait. FUGZAI PLAYED A SHOW IN DOLORES PARK!?

According to this picture by photographer Chris Belew, and this VH1.com article, they played there in 2000, with Sleater-Kinney, but that would’ve been well after Murdoch started Belle and Sebastian. So, FUGAZI HAS PLAYED MULTIPLE SHOWS IN DOLORES PARK??

CAN WE PLEASE GET SOME COOL BANDS PLAYING SHOWS IN DOLORES PARK AGAIN PLEASE???!?

“I’m used to there being a partially nude man next to me on stage,” Murphy says, referring to drummer Pat Mahoney’s penchant for short shorts. Last night on Treasure Island, where it was cold as grim death, Mahoney wore jeans, to the chagrin of short-shorts fans the island over.

Nonetheless, LCD Soundsystem destroyed. (They opened with the album opener and closed with the album closer!)