The UnSceneSF Instagram started recently just as a way to put up pictures of live shows I like to attend and write about. People just started following back. Text Me Records was one of them and as I started looking into the label and I wanted to find out more. Shout out to whoever runs their social media. The opportunity presented itself when they were putting on a show with GRMLN, The Total Bettys, and Same Girls here in San Francisco’s Cafe Du Nord. After some research, I found out that most of the bands were local and that information was almost non-existent. I decided not to check out any music as I wanted to come in with an open mind and no bias. I bought my ticket on the day of the show.
Venue: Cafe Du Nord
Originally opened in 1907, San Francisco’s Cafe Du Nord was hosting tonight’s musical guests. Cafe Du Nord was previously a speakeasy space which explains why it is located below in what is essentially the basement of the historic Swedish American Music Hall. The venue is known to have hosted many now-famous bands when they were just starting out and now that Noise Pop is at the helms of their lineups, maybe that tradition can continue. Over its long lifespan, it has gone through many phases from speakeasy to music hall to restaurant and as of June 2017, going back to its roots as a music venue. With locations for live music closing such as San Francisco’s Elbo Room, Cafe Du Nord is a much-needed space for the City’s live music scene.
The 4,500 square-foot bar was remodeled in 2015 and has kept the majority of it’s 30’s and 40’s décor and feel. The bar is located away from the main stage and the bathroom setup is smart. It’s not segregated by gender, building up lines during performances, it is whatever stall is available with a communal sink area. This makes it efficient when people are pounding drinks and as an added plus makes it all gender inclusive. The bar serves decent cocktails and many people like the IPA’s on tap. Now that the venue is focused on live shows, it definitely has the layout with plenty of room to stand and carefully thought-out seating.
Promoters: The Chapel Presents, Noise Pop & Text Me Records
The event was put on by San Francisco’s Noise Pop, promoting live indie music since 1993 and presented by local venue The Chapel. Be sure to check out Noise Pop Music Festival happening February 25th through March 3rd here in San Francisco as it’s tons of fun. Artists and relationships were mostly booked by Text Me Records, a Publisher, Label, and Production Company based out of Different Fur Studios here in San Francisco. Text Me Record’s “overall goal for everyone is sustainability,” as it’s founder Patrick Brown once explained in an interview with KQED. Text Me Records is on the mission to revive the Bay Area music scene and this show is part of it. Tickets were sold online in advance through EventBright and at the door for around $20. The event was 18+ so the crowd did cover a younger spectrum but it didn’t stop those who wanted a drink and offered an eclectic mix of locals.
The Stats
I love statistics and numbers. Having taken Finance, part of the skill is to form opinions and “speak to the numbers,” but in this case they are arbitrary. The stats and numbers do not matter. I did find them despite the limited information available about the bands but the reason they don’t matter is that they are truly underground and local with the exception of GRMLN. They all can be found on SoundCloud, Spotify, and some social media platforms. These bands so far have had a short lifespan, are still switching personnel, experimenting and refining their acts. At this point, the only thing that matters is great music, a fun time and making sure more people hear about them. The numbers only come into play if they were around longer and had a wider footprint. This is truly ground level and I love it.
The Live Show
Doors opened at 7:30 p.m. with people lining up outside and trying to quickly get in to avoid the persistently erratic San Francisco rain. The intriguing thing about coming to a show like this is not just the music but also the crowd as whenever there is freedom of creativity and expression, the crowd reciprocates it in the fashion choices of the night. I am not a fashion person but I can spot trends when I see them and I think it’s what makes up part of the sub-cultural scene and community’s identity only pushed forward by a feedback loop between artists, trendsetters and followers. Eventually, it spills over to the rest of the City’s people and at some point defining a broader population’s tastes, but it all starts in places and groups like this.
The room was chattery and those who could ordered drinks. People socialized and welcomed known faces with excitement. The DJ was playing remixes of Smashmouth and other Pop Punk songs twisting them into whatever he felt appropriate while the attendees settled in. The venue started to fill up and for some reason, no one wanted to cross some invisible line to get all the way up front. People held behind it but centimetered their way forward.
Same Girls
At 8:30 p.m. Same Girls got on set and provided some live high energy. Same Girl is local, meaning as in Oakland and East Bay and have not been around for that long. With two moderately paced guitars (Taifa Nia and Tyler), a solid bass (Mike) and drums (Otto) to keep them in sync, the band has an upbeat bright pop-rock California feel. Singer Taifa gives a range of vocal hooks that engage the audience with lows and highs. The music was like a roller coaster with upbeat and melodic slowdowns and fun ramp ups. Playing music from their recent album Young Minded. It was great! The music was an instant draw and the crowd responded well to songs such as Sailing, Domino, and Inner Space. It was a spectacle to see Taifa and Tyler dual and shred the guitar having their own moments. The music varied and they were very playful with their performance. Tyler’s guitar at one point busted a string and he just kept playing through it. “Please slow it down, let’s get a little funk,” said Taifa and with that Mike shined through with really danceable bass lines keeping the rhythm going. They had a really great stage presence and it just seemed like they really had fun making the most of their night. At the end of the set, Mike shouted, “drink more beer!”, prepping the crowd for the next band.
I caught them outside the venue. Internet can’t reach the basement as you are siloed. We started talking music. “I needed a solid band and they needed a bassist,” as Mike mentioned that he actually has only been with the band for 6 months. They practice twice a week and live close to each other in the East Bay.
“I love playing this game,” Otto shouted as I told them I was trying to dissect influences. Each member of Same Girl mentioned their influences and it started to come together and make sense. Funk, Jazz, and New Wave. Nine Inch Nails and White Stripes were some of the first albums they bought growing up. They scour and listen to Neo Soul, RNB such as the Supremes and throw in the Smiths. Taifa was unanimously accredited as the “melody man” of the band as he spoke about how “the whole song in rap is a hook.” Mike did study music and started talking about technicals bringing up the meshing of rock pop, modern jazz with minimal tonality and textures. I realized that although at first through their music it doesn’t seem like it, all their influences are peppered in and I actually found out I have more musical interest in common with them then I might have thought, which is pretty cool.
Before escaping the rain and viewing the next band, the members discussed that they will be working on their next project soon with Text Me Records in the studio and that their next show will be at The Bottom of the Hill on February 26th. It’s worth the show just for them as the band puts in hard work in addition to holding down their day jobs. Otto and I talked about our drinking habits and how he can’t go all out on Friday as he would like to be 100% for a show on Saturday. Commitment.
I did check out their other stuff when I got home and really liked their minimal soundscape electronic tracks that are chill and downtempo. The ambient tracks have a melodic hook that you can just relax and have in the background. This provides that their talent goes beyond just the pop-punk rock material that I saw that night and just means that they are free to experiment and come up with good stuff.
The Total Bettys
At 9:30 p.m. The Total Bettys took the stage and brought on more music. The crowd now inched closer to the stage but hasn’t crossed that invisible line yet. The Total Bettys are total San Francisco local talent. It shows diverse backgrounds and forward thinking this City is known for. Starting out since 2015 they have played in various venues in the Bay area including Bottom of the Hill and Oakland’s Octopus Literary Saloon. The four-piece, queer, feminist pop-punk band writes music about relationships, anxiety, awkwardness and other themes that people can relate to and connect with as I am sure we have all been there with similar fears and angsts.
Their influence of the City shines in their music if you listen closely and with Maggie Grabmeier on vocals, Reese Grey on guitars, Chloé Lee on bass and Kayla Billos on drums, the band is nothing but fun. They had followers attending the show and I got to meet an attendee that has been following them for some time as she showed her excitement talking to about them. They played songs from their catalog such as No Kings, Dark and Stormy, and I’ll Fix It.
Chloe Lee is a “Total Betty Forever,” Maggie said in the middle of the set as it is her last performance with the band after being with them for two years. For many, this is the first time and last time they will see Chloe play the bass with The Total Bettys. You can play a song on Spotify as many times as you want but it’s the live shows that give you special experiences connecting to the artists directly with what is going on. By the time you hear the new record, you might not even know that a new member joined. With that being said, they offered a great set and made it truly special for the fans that came out to see them.
After the set, the members of The Total Bettys went out to greet the crowd and friends answering questions and talking about what awaits them next. Maggie was at the merchandise table (best way to support your artist) while Chloe enjoyed her time socializing on her last performance. People were rushing them and I couldn’t get a chance to really ask any of the members questions. I thanked Reese for a great set and let them work. If you haven’t heard of The Total Bettys, please check them out as they are a local talent that deserves a listen from anyone who lives in this City.
DJ Studio_Dad
During breaks in the performances and interludes, DJ Studio_Dad, Patrick Brown, tends to his musical guests with music mix sets in between to keep the vibe going. Patrick is the owner of Different Fur recording studio and founder of Text Me Records. His roster of credits and clientele include the likes of Toro y Moi, K.Flay, and the Morning Benders just to name a few.
Patrick has really built a family of local musicians, songwriters and mixing engineers that really see him as their studio dad. He is giving up-and-coming Bay Area artists the infrastructure and tools needed to create music and grow a renaissance of music production here in San Francisco. His music family is not just what was showcased tonight, but also includes RNB, Rap and other genres that create the eclectic musical fabric you might expect from an ever-changing San Francisco.
GRMLN
Tonight’s headliner was Yoodoo Park, stage name GRMLN. The 21-year-old has been playing music since the age of 13 and has not stopped since. Born in Kyoto, Japan, Park moved to Southern California at a young age. He started making music for himself and later developed it into full projects. He now lives in Kyoto with his wife playing the bass whom he met in Japan. It is safe to say that GRMLN has the most following out of tonight’s bands and a bit more recognition.
GRMLN started off the set at 10 p.m. and wore a simple hoodie covering most of his head. The high energy garage and punk music hit the spectators with the deep blue shades of light. At this point, that invisible line that nobody wanted to cross has been crossed and everyone was upfront stage. There were about 50 to 80 people attending. Park has a funny don’t give a fuck attitude that the crowd just loves. “I use to work at that Whole Foods across the street and they tried to fire me for spilling a bunch of grease,” he told the crowd as he laughed. Yes, although Park is in Japan, he has a history of living in San Francisco. Sure he isn’t a “local” but it’s his other home and as he puts it, “my favorite city to play.” Park did, in fact, live in San Francisco in 2013 when he recorded his album Empire at Different Fur Studios. During the show, Park gave thanks to his longtime friend Patrick.
The show kept going and everyone was at that point just bobbing and enjoying themselves. Bassist got tired of wearing her shoes and simply just took them off without missing a beat. The show closed out and everyone was enthused greeting Park. Apologies for the photo below, I shoot everything on the phone without flash and write most of it on the default notes app.
I briefly talked to Park and asked him how he does it between Japan and the States. He told me that he doesn’t travel with the same band but actually has a band in Japan and selects some when he comes to the states. That GRMLN is him and the band is a piece fo the project. He wants to come back to San Francisco to record with Patrick again but for now, he is recording everything at home as it is easier and streamlined. When asked about his time at Whole Foods he was honest and “just didn’t care about the job, managers were always looking for ways to fire me.” Park is not a lazy guy he puts in the work into his passion and it has paid off. He takes his music seriously and when you know you are destined for better things, I too wouldn’t care if I spilled grease. After the show, he wrangled his group in search of a taqueria. Very San Franciscan.
The Verdict: Worth It!
For about $20 you get to visit one of San Francisco’s oldest venues curated by Noise Pop and constant local talent scouted by Text Me Records. The acts were solid with plenty of room to grow and they are just getting started. I’ve never heard of them before but now they are on my Spotify for sure and I think anyone living in San Francisco should check them out. Many people including myself got to listen to new music for the first time and experienced the departure of a bandmate and the return of an artist who once called San Francisco his home.
Cafe du Nord is returning to its roots by teaming up with Noise Pop and using the relationships that Text Me Records has built with up and coming local talent. I see many good things happing if it continues on the current trajectory. Everyone involved in that night’s performance put in the hard work needed to showcase to an audience that San Francisco music is still here. At the end of the night, you got more than $20 in value, making it totally worth it.
