Nearly 13 years ago, Australian band The Paper Kites charmed the indie-folk community with the release of their debut EP Woodland (2011). Today, it would be hard to find anyone who has not heard the band’s first single “Bloom.” 

The band’s latest album, At the Roadhouse, released in 2023, is a daring transition from their earlier releases and mixes their classic indie-folk sound with rock and blues influences.

On March 6, The Paper Kites and their eclectic team of musicians, The Roadhouse Band, brought the stage to life at August Hall in San Francisco on the sixth stop of their current tour. 

With the stage all aglow in a warm orange light, The Paper Kites proved that after all of these years their relevance is enduring. 

Article by Anna Armstrong, Photos by Lucy Gleeson

The shoegaze renaissance is upon us and we can thank Slowdive for that.

Shoegaze is a genre of music popularized in the 1980s and 90s and is characterized by its use of distortion, guitar pedals and muddied vocals. Modern interpretations of shoegaze music could not exist without their experimental and revolutionary predecessor, Slowdive.

Slowdive is to shoegaze what Pixies were to alt-rock – true pioneers. Genre definers.

On Oct. 12, Slowdive lit up the stage at The Warfield in San Francisco and gave concert goers a truly unforgettable sonic experience.

Shhh… I am going to let you in on a little secret.

What if I told you you could go to a concert where you didn’t know who was playing the show and you didn’t know the location until 36 hours before?

Sounds like an adventure, right?

Well, these concerts aren’t imaginary and they are likely happening somewhere in your neighborhood.

Sofar Sounds, is a global music community, that hosts small, intimate shows in unusual venues like living rooms, galleries, breweries and backyards.

Sofar shows encourage artists and audience members to interact and engage with one another to create an intimate music community.

No one commands a room quite like Gus Dapperton.

On Sept. 30, Gus Dapperton took the stage at Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco as part of the tour for his latest album, Henge (2023). Dapperton delivered one of the most energetic performances I have ever seen.

Through a unique use of vocal and synth effects, Dapperton manages to create a style of music that is truly genre-bending and wholly his own.

One thing became clear that night: Gus Dapperton is bound for stardom… Read more here.

It’s been just over a year since indie rockers, Flipturn, released their debut album, Shadowglow (2022). Since then, the band has released a deluxe version of the album and played packed shows at iconic venues like Red Rocks and House of Blues Orlando.

Fans of the band – who are currently on tour opening for Shakey Graves – were treated to a one-night headline show in Berkeley at The UC Theatre on Oct. 4.

Prior to the show, the band sat down with The Berkeley B-Side to chat about Shadowglow Deluxe (2023), touring with Shakey Graves and some of the major milestones they have experienced since The B-side’s last interview with the band one year ago… Read more here.

Before The Smashing Pumpkins, The Killers, Death Cab for Cutie or even the Arctic Monkeys, there were the Pixies.

Formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1986, the Pixies have long been associated with the great alternative rock movement of the 1990s and are widely regarded as one of the most influential forefathers of modern alternative and indie rock music.

In August 2023, the band hit the road to tour with Modest Mouse and Cat Power. On September 15, the musical legends played Oxbow Riverstage in Napa, California and The Berkeley B-Side was in attendance.

Nearly four decades after the band first formed, they still managed to deliver one of the most memorable performances of a lifetime, securing a lasting legacy in musical history… Read more here.

Anna Armstrong and Kyle Garcia Takata:

Tiny Dorm, whose name affectionately plays off the famous NPR web-based concert series Tiny Desk, is a campus club that puts on “cozy, home-style performances by student artists.”

Founded in Fall 2022, the club gives student musicians the opportunity to collaborate on musical projects and provides them with opportunities to showcase their talents through a variety of performances.

“I love this club because it’s where you can really see human connection,” said Qing Qing He, a member of the executive team.

One of these performances was hosted on May 2, 2023 on the rooftop of the Identity Logan Park apartment complex, and featured a diverse group of student bands and artists. Berkeley B-Side was in attendance to talk to the artists and photograph their sets. Read more here.

Just over a year ago, the world went dark — the live music scene was silenced by the surging COVID-19 pandemic. Music halls with no music, venues with no lights, and hundreds of thousands of people out of work. Music lovers were devastated to see concert after concert and festival after festival canceled. Bands and artists who were unable to tour; their world had come to a standstill. However, musicians were not the people hurt most. Artists and bands earn streaming revenues and on average earn more than the people who make live music possible: venue staff, stage crew, and tour photographers. They are the lifeblood and labor of live music, yet their stories remain untold.  

According to Pollstar, a trade publication for the concert industry, in the first quarter of 2020, prior to the start of the Covid-19 Pandemic, ticket sales for live music events reached $39,000,000. In the first quarter of 2021, a year after the world came to a halt, ticket sales for live music events reached a mere $397,388. All across the country, small independent venues were forced to close their doors for good. The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) conducted a survey and found that it was likely that ninety percent of their 2,000 members would have to close their doors permanently. NPR said that the live music industry sits “on the brink of catastrophe.” 

These are not just statistics. Behind every venue closure and every cancelled tour are the stories of thousands of hardworking individuals forced out of the industry that they know and love. These are human stories.