News: Act now to prevent smoking bans outside bars in San Francisco

Like to light up at some of your favorite hot spots in San Francisco? Smokers should be aware of a non-smoking ordinance currently under review that will attempt to ban smoking on the patios of places such as the Hemlock Tavern, Bottom of the Hill, Thee Parkside, El Rio, Eagle SF, Lucky 13, Zeitgeist and many more.

Those interested voicing their opinion can speak out this Monday, Feb. 1, at city hall in room 263 at 2 p.m.

This movement of smoking bans is spreading across California, with Los Angeles smokers recently losing their ability to light up in outdoor cafes and food courts after a city council meeting on Jan. 20. Other locations that have already banned smoking in outdoor dining facilities include Burbank, Beverly Hills, Calabasas and Santa Monica.

The Hemlock Tavern is attempting to create a grandfather clause to exempt current smoking patios at bars. For more information on general smoking rights, visit www.smokinglobby.com.

Live Review: Love in Stockholm // The Phix // Re-Up // Joy Daniels

The Middle East Downstairs // Cambridge, MA // Jan. 21, 2010

Love in Stockholm - Music Video Premiere at the Middle East from Love in Stockholm on Vimeo.

Jazz and soul was alive and well this past Saturday as several bands took the stage to celebrate the release of Boston's own Love in Stockholm's brand new video “Ordinary Man.” Close friends (and media alike) joined the band right before the scheduled concert to get a peek at the vid for their latest single, which was shot over only a couple days. The video, which features the band pouring their hearts out in a performance under a stream of Christmas lights, was followed by a live acoustic performance of the same song – which was one of the most intimate moments of the evening (if not the only one).

Love in Stockholm

Opening up was the powerful Joy Daniels. Equipped with tight instrumentation and a stage presence comparable to quite frankly nothing else, Joy shook the audience with songs that were not only upbeat and melodic, but packed with a powerful message as well. Songs like “Crazy” and “Do You Know What It's Like” packed an off-the-wall (and considerably brief) set right before Re-Up hit the stage. Combining soul with their own eclectic view of hip-hop, the audience was completely consumed with their relaxed-but-passionate demeanor as they crooned songs like the bittersweet love ballad “Still” and the ultra-slick “Bad Motherfucker.”

Following them were the Phix and the energy completely shifted from that of a laid-back concert-goer to a wild dance party. The Phix are masters of taking genres and flipping them on their heads. Fusing hip-hop together with pop, a little bit of rock and adding a dash of auto-tune sounds like too many ingredients in the pot to actually produce something you can successfully consume, but somehow they pull it off flawlessly. Cruising through tunes like “Boomerang” and “Fell in Love (In the Club)” with endless amounts of energy, they provided an interesting contrast to the final act of the night, Love In Stockholm. 

The Phix

The last band of the evening was greeted to a packed room of true fans or intrigued  listeners, and rose to the occasion practically without breaking a sweat. Fusing soul and beats that can't help but make you move, the boys put their acoustic side away and kept up the high-paced energy anointed to them previously by the Phix. Playing songs like “Don't Be Fooled” and “The Collector” from last year's Too Much Love EP, LIS gave it their all and the audience were quite appreciative. Trumpets mixed with harmonicas mixed with guitars and soulful vocals perfectly channeled their core sound of R&B/jazz. Overall, the boys put on a show they could be proud of.

-Review and photos by Candace McDuffie

New Records in the Office Today!

Vaus – The Floating Celebration

Derek Frank- Let the Games Begin

Mass Solo Revolt- Bend in Time

The Besnard Lakes- Are the Roaring Night

jj- jj n° 3

The Hammond Group- Bailout!

Jennie Arnau- Chasing Giants

The Organ Beats – Sleep When We Are Dead

Faith and the Muse- :ankoku butoh:

Three Day Threshold- Straight out of the Barrel

Joey Stuckley- So Far

Tokyo Rosenthal- Ghosts

Cagle and Nash- Soul Complete

Libby Johnson- The Perfect View

Trades- The Short Version

La Chansons- The King and Queen of the Dance Floor

Aloha- Home Acres

Joy Kills Sorrow- Darkness Sure Becomes This City

Check out what records we got in the office today

My Flea Circus – Flee Flaa Floo

DJ Rap – Synthesis

Rafter – Animal Feelings

Dave Daniels – Just Like Ghosts

Judgement Day – Peacocks/Pink Monsters

Okapi – Love Him

Chris Pureka – How I Learned To See In The Dark

Jennifer Leonhardt – Minstrel’s Daughter

Randal Bramblett – The Meantime

Çatarina dos Santos – No balanco do mar

The Villains – self-titled

Brendan Kelley – Music From the Motion Picture

7 Million Jigawatts – Taking Flight

The Strange Boys – Be Brave

Absinthe Rose – Diggin Ditches & Escaping Holes

Zamza – Manga Rock

Chris Laubis – Balance

Peggo – In Love

Melanie Mitrano – All Things Gold

Jes Perry – The Way That I Feel

Jamie McLean Band – Completely

Cinetrope – Once I Ruled The World

Jesse Liam – Father From A Man

Memphis 59 – Ragged But Right

Jonathan Badger – Unsung Stories From Lilly’s Days as a Solar Astronaut

Josiah Wolf – Jet Lag

The American Dollar – Atlas

Mr. Greg’s Musical Madness – Lots of Fun!

Blair – Die Young

Jimmy Landry – New Day

The Greening – (She’s So) Electric EP