Good or even just decent bands from San Francisco and its environs

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Indulge me.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 16 May 2003 12:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Dead Kennedys
Deerhoof
Comets On Fire
Erase Errata

And

MC Hammer (Oakland?)

immediately come to mind.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 16 May 2003 12:08 (twenty-three years ago)

Spice 1 and E-40.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 16 May 2003 12:09 (twenty-three years ago)

Metallica
Exodus
Forbidden
etc

― M Carty (mj_c), Friday, 16 May 2003 12:11 (twenty-three years ago)

Spacetime Continuum

― M Carty (mj_c), Friday, 16 May 2003 12:11 (twenty-three years ago)

flamin' groovies
rain parade
mummies

― pauls00, Friday, 16 May 2003 12:15 (twenty-three years ago)

Chrome
Faith No More

― rexJr., Friday, 16 May 2003 12:23 (twenty-three years ago)

Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Merle Haggard & the Strangers.

Buck Owens & the Buckaroos.

― James Ball (James Ball), Friday, 16 May 2003 12:40 (twenty-three years ago)

(I presume Bakersfield counts, so apologies if that's a geographically challenged choice.)

― James Ball (James Ball), Friday, 16 May 2003 12:41 (twenty-three years ago)

CONSOLIDATED
(for the first two albums, anyway)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 16 May 2003 12:46 (twenty-three years ago)

Jesus, just looked at the map and Bakersfield is frigging miles from San Francicso. I think I was getting it mixed up with Oakland.

― James Ball (James Ball), Friday, 16 May 2003 12:54 (twenty-three years ago)

I think Bakersfield is where California takes an irrevocable turn for the redneck. I'm sure a left-coast ILX0r will confirm/challenge this.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 16 May 2003 13:16 (twenty-three years ago)

Any Michael Franti project?

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 16 May 2003 13:37 (twenty-three years ago)

Tribe 8
Donnas

― Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Friday, 16 May 2003 13:41 (twenty-three years ago)

Matmos
Gold Chains
Kit Clayton
Kid 606
Safety Scissors and so on and so on and so on

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Friday, 16 May 2003 13:44 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm on safer ground with these I think:

Grateful Dead
Jefferson Airplane

― James Ball (James Ball), Friday, 16 May 2003 14:11 (twenty-three years ago)

Pearl Harbour and the Explosions!

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 16 May 2003 15:02 (twenty-three years ago)

The Avengers!

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 16 May 2003 15:03 (twenty-three years ago)

Romeo Void!

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 16 May 2003 15:04 (twenty-three years ago)

!!!!!!

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Friday, 16 May 2003 15:05 (twenty-three years ago)

American Music Club & Red House Painters

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 16 May 2003 15:08 (twenty-three years ago)

coachwhips. and any other project related to john dwyer.

― marcg (marcg), Friday, 16 May 2003 15:10 (twenty-three years ago)

JOURNEY!!

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 16 May 2003 15:11 (twenty-three years ago)

BLUE CHEER!!!!

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 16 May 2003 15:13 (twenty-three years ago)

Were there any good glam-era bands from SF or was everyone too busy eating their natural grain Wheaties in the fog waiting for another Dead show?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 May 2003 15:37 (twenty-three years ago)

huey lewis and the news

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 16 May 2003 16:17 (twenty-three years ago)

pablo cruise

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 16 May 2003 16:20 (twenty-three years ago)

I think Bakersfield is where California takes an irrevocable turn for the redneck. I'm sure a left-coast ILX0r will confirm/challenge this.

Heh. Don't kid yourself, the entire Central Valley is all about the rednecks.

― Nick Mirov (nick), Friday, 16 May 2003 16:30 (twenty-three years ago)

counting crows
dolphins of the forest
grateful dead

― jack cole (jackcole), Friday, 16 May 2003 16:37 (twenty-three years ago)

Blackalicious & all Quannum crew (Davis? Nah...they're Bay all the way, kinda)
The Desoto Reds

― Neudonym, Friday, 16 May 2003 16:42 (twenty-three years ago)

SLY AND THE FUCKING FAMILY STONE!!

TUXEDOMOON!!
Residents (although i don't really like them)
Fred Frith (teaches at Mills in Oakland still)

Souls of Mischeif
Del the Funky Homosapien
some of the members of Anticon (although i'm not really a fan)
Invisibl Skratch Picklz (ditto)

― JasonD (JasonD), Friday, 16 May 2003 17:07 (twenty-three years ago)

Digital Underground
Tupac

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 16 May 2003 17:32 (twenty-three years ago)

the ratpure

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 16 May 2003 17:35 (twenty-three years ago)

They moved to NYC, silly!

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 16 May 2003 17:37 (twenty-three years ago)

good glam-era bands from SF
dunno exactly where montrose were from ... i have always assumed sf and not la but i am not really sure.
joy of cooking
cold blood
certainly journey's first record or two, pre steve perry, are worth at least a listen.

― mig, Friday, 16 May 2003 17:38 (twenty-three years ago)

They moved to NYC, silly!

Jesus, just looked at the map and NYC is frigging miles from San Francisco. I think I was getting it mixed up with Oakland.

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 16 May 2003 17:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Wall of Voodoo

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 16 May 2003 17:41 (twenty-three years ago)

boz scaggs

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 16 May 2003 17:41 (twenty-three years ago)

Good:
The Loud Family (so, also Game Theory)
Shimmer Kids Underpop Association
Beulah
Sutekh
Blevin from Blechdom
Soft Pink Truth (Matmos was already mentioned)

Just decent:
Here Are The Facts You Requested

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Friday, 16 May 2003 19:26 (twenty-three years ago)

Fang, Crime, Bad Posture, the Possessed, Negative Trend, Pink & Brown, motherfucking Flipper!

― Kris (aqueduct), Friday, 16 May 2003 19:38 (twenty-three years ago)

Eddie Money, Primus, Y&T, the Doobie Bros, Hammer.

― Kris (aqueduct), Friday, 16 May 2003 19:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Switch-a-blade-a Sym-phon-y-a!

― Fivvy (Fivvy), Friday, 16 May 2003 20:28 (twenty-three years ago)

SF glam band: Blue Period.

― Sean (Sean), Saturday, 17 May 2003 00:38 (twenty-three years ago)

the offs
seizure
the idiot
archipelago brewing company
world of pooh
the dandruffs

― jack cole (jackcole), Saturday, 17 May 2003 00:41 (twenty-three years ago)

Operation Ivy

― Famous Athlete, Saturday, 17 May 2003 00:46 (twenty-three years ago)

fairways, aislers set, wussom pow!

― keith (keithmcl), Saturday, 17 May 2003 00:48 (twenty-three years ago)

Amber Asylum

― David A. (Davant), Saturday, 17 May 2003 03:31 (twenty-three years ago)

weakling

― your null fame (yournullfame), Saturday, 17 May 2003 03:36 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm on safer ground with these I think:
Grateful Dead
Jefferson Airplane

uh, no.

― Tad (llamasfur), Saturday, 17 May 2003 04:03 (twenty-three years ago)

monoshock, liquorball, rip offs, supercharger, trashwomen, bobbyteens

― duane, Saturday, 17 May 2003 04:54 (twenty-three years ago)

& the airplane & the dead of course

― duane, Saturday, 17 May 2003 04:54 (twenty-three years ago)

& the airplane & the dead of course

di and rainy put you up to that post to get me back for comparing their scene to belle and sebastian, yes duane?

― Tad (llamasfur), Saturday, 17 May 2003 05:31 (twenty-three years ago)

no i just like the dead & the airplane

― duane, Saturday, 17 May 2003 05:38 (twenty-three years ago)

Aren't Wall of Voodoo from LA, Alex?

Seconding the Comets on Fire thing.

― Matt Maxwell (Matt M.), Saturday, 17 May 2003 18:59 (twenty-three years ago)

another vote for the dead.

and weren't minuteman and meat puppets from SF? bcz if they are then they are in there.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Saturday, 17 May 2003 19:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Minutemen are from San Pedro. Meat Puppets are from Arizona.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 17 May 2003 19:21 (twenty-three years ago)

one year passes...

hahaha

― adam. (nordicskilla), Saturday, 28 August 2004 04:04 (twenty-two years ago)

thee more shallows! best band in sf

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 28 August 2004 05:50 (twenty-two years ago)

tarentel hahahaha

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 28 August 2004 05:53 (twenty-two years ago)

the drift

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 28 August 2004 05:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Some good current North Bay bands/artists (according to a friend who lives down there and plays in the last two):
Velvet Teen
The New Trust
Polar Bears
Life in Braille
The Americas
Archeopteryx
Little Cat

― AaronHz (AaronHz), Saturday, 28 August 2004 06:22 (twenty-two years ago)

The Coup!

― tremendoidorangeblazer, Saturday, 28 August 2004 06:23 (twenty-two years ago)

40 water (E-40)
Too Short had his moments

― tremendoidorangeblazer, Saturday, 28 August 2004 06:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Hair Police
Yellow Swans

― jack cole (jackcole), Saturday, 28 August 2004 06:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Saafir, for getting his wig split in Menace II Society and his ILL ILL ILL freestyle on Casual's first album and some(very little) of his own first album and the classic posse cut "Come Widdit" w/Ahmad and Ras Kass

― tremendoidorangeblazer, Saturday, 28 August 2004 06:32 (twenty-two years ago)

paris
roger and zapp
dave brubeck
caroliner
the zip code rapists
suckdog
smog

― gygax! (gygax!), Saturday, 28 August 2004 16:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Sylvester!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Saturday, 28 August 2004 16:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Aren't Deerhoof a San Francisco band? Am I thinking of somebody else?

― Zach Ayres (Z_Ayres), Sunday, 29 August 2004 02:31 (twenty-two years ago)

oh shit, nevermind, they're right there in the first post, didn't see 'em.

― Zach Ayres (Z_Ayres), Sunday, 29 August 2004 02:33 (twenty-two years ago)

The Youngbloods
The Mojo Men

I've heard Santana referred to as a bay area band, but I dunno.

― jim wentworth (wench), Sunday, 29 August 2004 02:43 (twenty-two years ago)

I had the impression that most of Deerhoof didn't actually live in the bay area. We'll claim them as our own anyway.

Here's some more:

Rogue Wave
Call & Response
Court & Spark
Dear Nora
I am Spoonbender

― mikef (mfleming), Sunday, 29 August 2004 02:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Sammy Hagar

― dave q, Sunday, 29 August 2004 02:45 (twenty-two years ago)

The Units
Minimal Man

― Bimble (bimble), Sunday, 29 August 2004 02:58 (twenty-two years ago)

frightwig!

― dan (dan), Sunday, 29 August 2004 03:47 (twenty-two years ago)

the call
huey lewis and the news

― jack cole (jackcole), Sunday, 29 August 2004 04:26 (twenty-two years ago)

clouddead
themselves
subtle

― kyle (akmonday), Sunday, 29 August 2004 06:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Minutemen and the Meat Puppets and Van Halen.

― dean? (deangulberry), Sunday, 29 August 2004 06:58 (twenty-two years ago)

jack, nice try with huey, i got that covered WAYYY upthread duders.

steve miller
steve malkmus
steve perry

― gygax! (gygax!), Sunday, 29 August 2004 08:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Jawbreaker and J Church and New Found Glory and Morrissey.

― dean? (deangulberry), Sunday, 29 August 2004 08:20 (twenty-two years ago)

chris isaak
montrose
third eye blind
train
eddie money

― gygax! (gygax!), Sunday, 29 August 2004 20:01 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

I AM SPOONBENDER!

― Kevin Klein, Sunday, 16 October 2005 05:24 (twenty-one years ago)

already mentioned!

― ken taylrr never her (ken taylrr), Sunday, 16 October 2005 08:38 (twenty-one years ago)

i heard rumors that the locust moved here. also read some article that claimed system of a down had moved to san francisco.

hella
octis/orthrum
the flying luttenbachers
six organs of admittance
xbxrx
leviathan
jeweled antler collective and associated projects (right?)
dj shadow
dan the automator
okay
dilute
xiu xiu
the melvins
vetiver
i think devendra banhart's based here now
same with joanna newsom
pretty sure both brian jonestown massacre and dandy warhols are from sf
joan baez
papa roach if you count vacaville
grandaddy if you count modesto
the gris gris
n.lannon and nLn
out hud and !!! are from sf before moving to ny
two gallants
the deftones are from sacramento, its kind of close
sleep, OM, and high on fire
i think fantomas are from sf
neurosis
takaru
sleepytime gorilla museum
john vanderslice

ive probably forgotten a bunch
and i'm pretty sure santana is indeed from sf

― whatever, Monday, 17 October 2005 03:20 (twenty-one years ago)

i think devendra banhart's based here now

he has been for a long time but now I think he lives in france.
same with joanna newsom

yes but she hardly ever plays here now

pretty sure both brian jonestown massacre and dandy warhols are from sf

BJM yes, DW no

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 17 October 2005 03:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Melvins, no.

― van igloo (van smack), Monday, 17 October 2005 03:57 (twenty-one years ago)

don't the melvins live in sf now (hence the (newly)annual jello-melvins show on halloween)? i didn't mean to imply that they originated here.

and thanks for correcting me kyle. it totally irks me when local bands don't play local shows. thats why deerhoof is the best band in the bay area- you can't turn a corner in sf without tripping over a deerhoof show.

― whatever, Monday, 17 October 2005 04:02 (twenty-one years ago)

oh man I forgot green day! and negativland. and, thankfully, third eye blind and smash mouth.
this is an alright list if you want the bigger names that have come from the bay.

― whatever, Monday, 17 October 2005 04:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I may be mistaken but I think Nirvana started there and then moved to Seattle and they were damn good!

― Voodoo Child, Monday, 17 October 2005 04:21 (twenty-one years ago)

the rapture started here then moved away and got better.

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 17 October 2005 05:04 (twenty-one years ago)

seventeen years pass...

Last night at the Kilowatt was a pretty heavy-hitter bill with:

Cindy
Chime School
The Reds, Pinks & Purples

On a motherchuckin' school night y'all... Good times, felt like the city did 20-25 years ago, lots of old (and I mean OLD) faces lol.

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Thursday, 21 September 2023 19:31 (three years ago)

speaking of which, here's a bunch of bands that fit this thread:

https://daily.bandcamp.com/scene-report/san-francisco-indie-pop-list

― alpine static, Thursday, 21 September 2023 20:02 (three years ago)

Hey Brian Blomerth illustrations AND indie pop? Nice!

― Evan, Thursday, 21 September 2023 20:04 (three years ago)

xxpost Yeah a couple of other friends went -- looked like a great show! I was at Dream Wife at BOTH, equally great -- and a younger crowd! but a few of us grizzleds as well -- and while the opening band Buzzed Lightbeer has a name that pains me to type, I did like their energy:

https://buzzedlightbeer.bandcamp.com/

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 21 September 2023 20:06 (three years ago)

i remember local bands. I feel like I haven't been hooked into anything in 17 years which aligns perfectly with when I became a father. Haven't played a show in almost 10 years now.

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Thursday, 21 September 2023 20:21 (three years ago)

Some other good local bands worth mentioning:

Spiral Dub
Sunami
Gumby's Junk

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Thursday, 21 September 2023 20:51 (three years ago)

*ahem*

― Οὖτις, Thursday, 21 September 2023 21:12 (three years ago)

Carta were good, whats up Kyle

― Οὖτις, Thursday, 21 September 2023 21:15 (three years ago)

i am very slowly writing and recording a new album. verrrrry slowly. actually it's written, it's the recording that's taking forever, mainly because everyone's parents are dying and we keep having to leave for weeks to months at a time.

society of rockets are a nice band. they have a new album forthcoming or so I heard.

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Thursday, 21 September 2023 21:21 (three years ago)

Reds Pinks and Purples were pretty good when they opened for Advance Base (the last local show I went to), I think Ned was there too altho we didn't cross paths

― Οὖτις, Thursday, 21 September 2023 21:31 (three years ago)

Aw man, I would have loved to see ya, Shakey!

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Thursday, 21 September 2023 21:34 (three years ago)

it's hilarious how bad some ilxors are at geography upthread. Hi shakey!

― sarahell, Saturday, 23 September 2023 22:04 (three years ago)

two years pass...

Some other good local bands worth mentioning:
Spiral Dub
...
― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Thursday, September 21, 2023 1:51 PM (two years ago)

So... Chad died last night which frankly leaves a huge hole in my heart. One of the most quietly confident superior frontman energy I'd ever seen.

RIP to a local legend.

― imperial frfr (Steve Shasta), Saturday, 4 July 2026 18:04 (four months ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq9noyJlSBA

― imperial frfr (Steve Shasta), Saturday, 4 July 2026 18:09 (four months ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDtuvSm8z94

― imperial frfr (Steve Shasta), Saturday, 4 July 2026 18:12 (four months ago)

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