Sizzle & Fizzle: Highs and Lows from the Last Week in S.F. Music

Comments (0) By SF Weekly Staff Wednesday, Jul 20 2011

Sizzle

Vedder ruled in Oakland.

Santana’s new tequila.

Location Info

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Bottom of the Hill

1233 17th St.
San Francisco, CA 94107

Category: Bars/Clubs

Region: Potrero Hill

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• Eddie Vedder packed two nights on the local stop of his solo tour, and understandably so: The two-hour set ran through Pearl Jam faves, film songs, and Vedder's new ukulele stuff. He performed mostly alone, save for a few appearances from opener Glen Hansard. The music was great — well, the uke stuff was just okay — but Vedder's wandering storytelling made for the most memorable parts.

• Alkaline Trio has played S.F. three times in the past month. But Sunday's show at Bottom of the Hill was still spot-on, with a great setlist and precise performances from the bandmembers that sacrificed none of the humanity the band is known for. We'd even go see 'em again.

• Local label Porto Franco Records posted a spine-tingling video of New Orleans singer LaTosha Brown singing "I Know I've Been Changed" on its website. The clip — captured during a break in recording another artist's album — exploded on YouTube, getting more than half a million views so far, and earning attention for this previously unknown singer. Awesome.

Fizzle

• The free Phono del Sol Festival sounded like a great idea — music and food in Potrero Hill — but apparently no one told the skaters who normally call the park home (they got rather grouchy). Among them, the politicos seeking petition signatures, and that howling summer wind, we hardly got a chance to take in the music.

• Local guitar god Carlos Santana announced his endorsement — and part ownership — of the Casa Noble tequila company. That makes him the second Bay Area rocker, after Sammy Hagar, to slap his name on a fancy bottle of distilled agave nectar. We're hoping the two of them will settle the inevitable question of whose booze is better with a drink-off one of these days.

• How to not be a douche to the bartenders at shows: Don't ask them to take you backstage, don't make out for extended periods in front of their bar, don't treat them like slaves, and please, people, keep your shirts on!