Show 9pm // $21 General Admission // Ages 18+
Cornerstone Presents:
GIMME GIMME DISCO: A DANCE PARTY CELEBRATING DISCO
Calling all Dancing Queens! Here we go again! If you can’t get enough ABBA then do we have a dance party for you. We are a DJ based dance party playing all your favorite ABBA hits, plus plenty of other disco hits from the 70s & 80's like The Bee Gees, Donna Summer, & Cher (DISCO ATTIRE ENCOURAGED). So honey honey, take-a-chance and you’ll be dancing all night long. Grab tickets, bring your friends, and have the best night of your life!
Show 9pm // 18+ // $18 Advance & $20 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
PINK PONY CLUB - CHAPPELL ROAN NIGHT
Your dream girl’s dream club night has just landed!
Introducing ･ﾟ: *✧ Pink Pony Club ✧*:･ﾟa night of Chappell Roan mixed with your favourite gay n girly pop bops ♡
Our DJs will spin Chappell & friends, and there'll be performances from our favorite local drag queens along with themed cocktails.
Go get your pink cowboy hats. We’ll see you on the dance floor!
Note: This event series is not affiliated with or endorsed by Chappell Roan or her management. Chappell Roan will not be appearing at the event.
Show 8pm // $26 Advance // $31 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
THE NEWEST OLYMPIAN LIVE SHOW
The Newest Olympian Live brings all the joy of the #1 Percy Jackson podcast to a stage near you! This comedic podcast covers the journey of Mike Schubert, a grown man, making his way through the Percy Jackson series for the very first time. Each episode and each live show, Schubert chats with longtime PJO fans to cover the plot, take stabs at what happens next, and nerd out over Greek mythology. This show will cover chapters of The Lost Hero, the first book in the Heroes of Olympus series (Percy Jackson sequel books). Like every Mike Schubert live podcast, the show will end with audience Q&A, and also like every Mike Schubert live show, you will have the time of your life! Per-See Ya there! (Check @NewestOlypian on Instagram account closer to the show date to see exactly what is being covered at the show if you want to prep)
Show 8pm // $22 Advance / $25 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
THE BUTTERTONES - SELF TITLED 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
with SWMRS and LADY DENIM
The Buttertones - The Buttertones are a Los Angeles-based cult rock band. The Group has built a loyal fan base via their atmospheric live shows and cinematic catalog. From 2017's Gravedigging, 2018's Midnight In A Moonless Dream, and 2020's Jazzhound, the band has left lasting impressions at Coachella, Tropicalia, When We Were Young, and beyond.
Lady Denim - Lady Denim officially surfaced in January of 2019 while attending Colorado State University. Just a few weeks into that same year, they released "Pipe Dream" which would be the first track off of their debut EP, “For Edgy Girls, Like Ramona”.
Early on, they performed their limited discography at dive bars and crammed college basements, garnering a cult-like fanbase along the way. They quickly transitioned to headlining prominent venues around Colorado and supporting national acts, such as Saint Motel, Sports, The Unlikely Candidates, Generationals, Spin Doctors & more!
The 4-piece is currently based out of Fort Collins, CO consisting of members Nick Lundeen (Vocals/Rhythm Guitar), Miles Jenkins (Drums), and brothers, Nic Lubin (Lead Guitar) & Chris Lubin (Bass). The band pulls elements of 80's pop and Indie Rock together to create an upbeat unison. Their fanbase continues to remain dedicated to the energy and positivity that the band provides.
Their sophomore EP, "loosely held hands” is out on 9/10 :)
"Lady Denim is the Colorado band you probably don’t know yet – but should." - 303Magazine
“Bright, energetic, and bursting with youthful pop polish. That’s been the name of the game for Fort Collins indie rockers and it’s paying off” - Bandwagon Magazine
Doors 7pm // Show 8pm // All Ages // GA Advance $39.50 // GA Last Chance $49.50 // GA Balcony $69.50
Cornerstone Presents:
Y&T: 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TOUR
Before Mötley Crüe, before RATT, even before there was a Metallica, Y&T was slogging away in sweaty rock clubs around America. When the band formed in the early 1970s, little did they know they would set the standard for hard rock bands that trailed. Many of the biggest acts of the ’80s became popular opening for headliners Y&T—and cut their teeth on the band, as evidenced by the Y&T mentions in tell-all books by acts such as Metallica and Mötley Crüe.
Born in Oakland, California, Y&T is one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s own innovators of the hard rock sound. Whether performing to a festival crowd of fifty-thousand or in an intimate nightclub, Y&T’s high-energy set and passionate performances still captivate legions of fans around the globe, proving Y&T’s music timeless.
Originally formed as Yesterday and Today, the initial powerhouse quartet—featuring Dave Meniketti (lead guitar/lead vocals), Phil Kennemore (bass), Leonard Haze (drums), and Joey Alves (rhythm guitar)—tore through the ’70s and ’80s with their own brand of hard rock. After two ’70s albums on London Records, they shortened their name to Y&T and released eight albums on A&M in the ’80s. Two more albums with Geffen Records marked an era of change with Jimmy DeGrasso (Alice Cooper, Suicidal Tendencies, Megadeth) on drums and Stef Burns (Alice Cooper, Berlin, Huey Lewis) on guitar.
With a discography of 18 albums, three greatest hits collections, plus a boxed set, Y&T has sold over four million albums since their 1974 inception. The band’s most recent single I’m Coming Home has climbed to roughly 1.5 million views on YouTube. Y&T received extensive airplay with hits such as Forever, Rescue Me, Mean Streak, Don’t Stop Runnin’, and Summertime Girls—which played in heavy rotation on MTV. Y&T songs have been featured in a multitude of movies and television shows, including Real Genius, Out of Bounds, Baywatch, and Hunter. After five top 100 albums, songs that tipped into the 40s, two Bammie Awards, and many international television appearances, Y&T’s hits are still played on VH1 Classic and classic rock radio stations worldwide.
With the passing of Kennemore, Haze, and Alves, it’s Meniketti who carries on the legacy that is Y&T. Y&T continues to tour the world, featuring the dynamic original frontman Dave Meniketti (lead guitar/lead vocals), John Nymann (guitar/vocals), Aaron Leigh (bass/vocals), and Mike Vanderhule (drums/vocals), playing songs that span the band’s five-decade career and including all the hits and fan favorites. Prepare to have your face melted.
Show 9pm // All Ages // $22 General Admission
Cornerstone Presents:
PETE FLOYD
Step into the enchanting world of Pete Floyd, an extraordinary Sonoma/Marin-based Pink Floyd tribute band, where the spirit of Pink Floyd's legacy comes alive through the captivating performances of eight exceptionally talented musicians. Led by the dynamic duo of skilled Petes, Pete Delaney, celebrated for his exceptional guitar skills and captivating vocals in The Grain and Avocado Sundae, and Pete Hale, who adds a multitalented dimension with his contributions from The Hots and The Dictator Tots, this band is a musical powerhouse devoted to authentically bringing Pink Floyd's experience to life.
The seeds of Pete Floyd's collective vision were sown in the summer of 2021, leading to the meticulous assembly of an exceptional lineup. The lead vocals are graced by the captivating voices of Marin's cherished favorites, Teal Collins from Mother Truckers, and esteemed alumnus of Terrapin Crossroads, Paige Clem. Bob McBain, with his well-traveled musical expertise on the keys, adds depth to the melodies, while Toby Tyler, another member of The Hots, lays down mesmerizing bass grooves. The rhythm section is fortified by Sean England, locally renowned as a drummer star, with an unforgettable presence behind the drum kit. And completing the lineup is the mesmerizing Sonoman, Alex Garcia, whose soulful saxophone melodies infuse the band's sound with a unique and captivating allure.
Together, this talented group of musicians creates an unforgettable experience, honoring the legacy of Pink Floyd. Their dedication shines through their rigorous rehearsal regimen, which aims to respectfully duplicate the timeless sounds of psychedelia and concept albums, transporting audiences on a dream-like journey. Imagine lounging on a beanbag, surrounded by spinning vinyl and the subtle aroma of incense, or feeling the exhilaration of being part of a sold-out arena crowd, utterly captivated by the music.
With a carefully curated selection of iconic hits and hidden gems, spanning from Meddle to The Wall, Pete Floyd's constantly rotating setlist is designed to delight everyone, from the casual listener to the most devoted fans. Beyond the classics, the band pays homage to Pink Floyd's live performances, incorporating early favorites and later renditions from David Gilmour and Roger Waters.
Embark on this extraordinary journey with Pete Floyd and experience the magic and passion that fuel their performances as they lovingly pay tribute to the timeless world of Pink Floyd. Each note, each melody, carries the essence of Pink Floyd's legacy, ensuring an awe-inspiring and unforgettable musical adventure for all who join them on this mesmerizing tribute.
Show 8pm // $21 Early Bird / $26 Advance / $51 VIP
Cornerstone Presents:
CALEB GORDON - THE EDEN EXPERIENCE
with KENNY RIVERS
Caleb Gordon is an emerging artist from Ocoee, Florida specializing in Christian Hip-Hop. Caleb is best known for his hit song, “West Orlando Flow,” which has gone viral on multiple platforms. With over 1 million followers across social media platforms, over 15 million likes on TikTok, 1.5 million + monthly listeners on Spotify, and 76 million streams on Apple Music, Caleb Gordon is touching and transforming hearts through his work. He has a mission to reach a whole generation and spread truth through his music. Caleb Gordon’s versatile sound, creativity, and excellent work ethic truly separates him from other artists. From writing and producing his own music, to dropping hits every week for the past 70 weeks, his work ethic has played a huge role in his success today and will continue to contribute to his success to come.
Show 8pm // $21 Advance & $26 Day of Show
The Hard Times Presents:
SEEYOUSPACECOWBOY
with THE CALLOUS DAOBOYS, OMERTA, STATESIDE and MAJOR PAIN
Show 8:30pm // $21 General Admission Advance / $26 General Admission Day of Show // $31 VIP Balcony Advance / $36 VIP Balcony Day of Show
Sean Healy Presents:
BANNERS - ALL BACK TO MINE TOUR
with CULTURE WARS
English indie-pop act BANNERS (a.k.a. Michael Joseph Nelson) is known for his effervescent melodies and immensely relatable lyrics about the human condition. With Nelson’s latest full-length, All Back to Mine (Nettwerk), out March 29th, it’s safe to say he owns a market share in feel-good anthems streamlined to soundtrack your best life.
“Someone to You,” his soaring track about simply being “seen,” has nearly 750 million streams on Spotify. The single proved so unforgettable, BANNERS performed it on Season 16 of American Idol. Previous to that, his hit singles could be heard all over television, among them: “Ghosts” on Suits and Teen Wolf, ”Half Light” on The Royals and New Amsterdam, and “Got It in You” on The Good Doctor and America’s Got Talent.
Written and recorded over nine months, primarily in Liverpool and on the breathtaking Scottish isle of Lewis, the title, All Back to Mine, refers to an exuberant, long-awaited return to his hometown of Liverpool after spending seven years in Canada to get his career going. Rich in romance and optimism, it’s as positively infectious as you’d expect.
“I put my heartstrings all over this album,” Nelson says. “You want to fill your life with experiences, don't you? And the more of them, the better. I can't judge what's good and what isn't anymore. All I can do is try to make something that matters.”
Show 8pm // All Ages // $39.50 Advance & $43.50 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
THE GREEN
with NATURAL VIBRATIONS
With almost a decade and a half in the music industry, The Green is one of the most successful and adored bands to come out of Hawaii. In fact, they are among the very first reggae bands from the Hawaiian islands to extensively tour the US mainland, supporting American reggae bands including Rebelution, Iration, SOJA, and even Jamaica’s Damian Marley. Grammy winning pop superstar Bruno Mars even selected The Green to open his three sold out shows at Honolulu’s Blaisdell Arena in 2014 and his two sold out dates at Honolulu’s Aloha Stadium, Hawaii’s largest outdoor venue, in 2018.
The Green have also appeared on several of America’s biggest music festivals, including the Vans Warped Tour, Wakarusa, Life Is Beautiful, Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, One Love Cali Reggae Festival, California Roots Festival, Holo Holo Music Festival, Lake Tahoe Reggae Festival and Rebelution’s Bright Side Festival in Jamaica.
From their first album release to their latest EP, Summertime, The Green’s musicality has always transcended fans to a place of sincerity, culture, and growth. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, The Green released Brand New Eyes, by performing two consecutive shows on May 20-21, 2021, at an event called Brand New Eyes: The Experience. It was held on the rooftop of Waikiki’s International Market Place and is Hawaii’s first rooftop concert; the concert footage can be seen on The Green’s YouTube channel. Speaking to the importance of family, strengthening relationships, and overcoming adversities, The Green’s writing has consistently drawn in fans all over the world.
The Green will be hitting their Step Out Winter Tour, with Mike Love on select shows, early 2024. The tour will be a West Coast to East Coast run, touching on markets the band hasn’t visited in years, with a renewed energy and even a few brand new tunes!
Show 7pm // $26 Advance & $31 Day of Show
Cornerstone & The Hard Times Present:
Show 8pm // All Ages // $18 Advance & $20 Day of Show // $15 4-Pack
Cornerstone Presents:
CAREER WOMAN, THE MOONDROPS, UNIVERSE, and SUBAK
Show 9pm // $20 Advance / $25 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
Show 9pm // $19.50 Advance & $25 Day of Show // $99 VIP
Cornerstone Presents:
YATTA BANDZ: TUFF LUV TOUR
Show 7pm // $80 VIP Stage Package / $30 Floor Standing / $40 Balcony Standing // 18+
Cornerstone Presents:
OASIS PRO WRESTLING
Show 6:30pm // All Ages // $18 Advance & $20 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
BASTARDANE x OTTTO
Bastardane - One of the bands of all time. Bastardane gives you music. With high-gain riffs, groovy grooves and dissonant chord progressions, the boys in Bastardane supply an untamed concoction of sludge, thrash, progressive and melodic rock for your listening pleasure.
Show 8pm
Ventura Music Hall Presents:
club xcx
WELCOME TO CLUB XCX 🔥
CALLING ALL BERKELEY ANGELS FOR A BRATTY CHARLI NIGHT! 💚
EXPERIENCE A PARTY, GIRL:
🫧 Cornerstone
🏍️ Thursday, September 5
💅 8PM
💃🏻 18+
VROOM VROOM B*TCH / TIX @ WHATTHEDANCE.COM 🎟
Blasting the best of Charli XCX, ARCA, Slayyyter, Shygirl, SOPHIE, 100 gecs, and more! 💿
DJ sets by @papa.xanny & @discnogirl 🎧
Follow us for more @thedanceparties 🥳
Show 8pm // $24 Advance & $27 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
An Evening of Music and Comedy with CREED BRATTON & LIVE BAND
Show 8:30pm // All Ages // $21 Advance & $26 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
THE PURPLE ONES - Insatiable Tribute to Prince
with BLACK STONE FUNK REVIVAL
The Bay Area's FUNKIEST Prince party!
About The Purple Ones…Since 2012, Oakland California’s The Purple Ones treat the music and patented vibe of Prince’s legacy with the utmost respect. The musical dexterity of The Purple Ones – with 10-12 pieces on stage (including a 3-4 piece horn section and 3 vocalists that trade off lead vocals) – delivers their own spin on Prince’s (and other Prince related artists such as The Revolution, The New Power Generation, Sheila E., Morris Day & The Time and the general Minneapolis Sound) live onstage, as this funk machine, dance party has to be experienced to be believed!The Purple Ones is a group of world-class musicians that carries out the Purple Legacy of the MUSIC. TPO brings the energy to the audience with the electricity Prince brought on his iconic live shows, something that no other Prince tribute out there can do. No karaoke studio arrangements here! TPO is NOT a typical tribute band. There is no impersonator or look- a-like, nor do they dress up in goofy costumes or wigs.The Purple Ones has been packing venues, fairs, festivals and concert series up and down California, night after night, by speaking Prince’s musical language. energy, rhythm, creativity and of course…a serious dose of unadulterated funk. The Purple Ones tap into that soulful artistry like none other.
The Purple Ones is a labor of love that was born in 2012 when Bay Area based bandleader and founder, Morty Okin (“The New Morty Show”, co-founder of the Michael Jackson tribute “Foreverland” and Neil Diamond tribute “Super Diamond”,) decided to focus all of his energy on building the greatest Prince homage on the planet.
The Purple Ones have been packing concert venues since their inception, growing a fan base over the years that includes long time Prince devotees and newbies that are just discovering the icon. Levi Seacer (Prince’s New Power Generation) played with TPO for almost 8 years, Brown Mark and Matt “Doctor” Fink from The Revolution have performed with TPO onstage and is not uncommon for the band to be joined on stage by “Honorary Purple Ones” like celebrity “Super Fan,” comedienne Margaret Cho and members of the artist’s extended musical family, including renowned percussionist (and brother of Sheila E,) Juan Escovedo who toured the world with Prince in the 80’s, as well as Sheila E’s longtime saxophonist Eddie M.
Show 8pm // $16 Advance / $18 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
Show 8pm // $20 Advance / $25 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
Show 8pm // $25 Advance / $30 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
KPOP CLUB NIGHT
Show 8pm // $21 General Admission Advance / $26 General Admission Day of Show // $31 VIP Balcony Advance / $36 VIP Balcony Day of Show
Sean Healy Presents:
GALACTIC EMPIRE
with POWER GLOVE and SUPER MADNES
The mighty Galactic Empire is coming to Berkeley! Join the galaxy’s foremost progressive technical heavy metal Star Wars cosplay John Williams tribute band as they lay waste to Berkeley, Planet Earth. Prepare for an evening of most impressive heavy metal. There’s no one to stop us this time!
Galactic Empire is the galaxy’s foremost instrumental Star Wars cosplay heavy metal John Williams tribute band. Their first music video was a viral hit, gaining over 10 million views with national press coverage including Huffington Post, Guitar World, Entertainment Weekly, and MSNBC, along with a live TV performance on E! Entertainment during their coverage of the 2016 Academy Awards. The band has released two full-length albums with Rise Records (produced and mixed by Carson and Grant), along with four more music videos. They’ve toured extensively, headlining multiple national and overseas tours, including Canada, Europe, Japan, and Australia, along with appearances at major festivals, comic cons, sporting events, and supporting arena acts Ozzy Osbourne and Babymetal. In 2022 the band signed with Pure Noise Records, and released their third studio LP “Special Edition” May 3. The band is primed to continue their journey toward becoming the ultimate power in the universe.
Show 9pm // All Ages // $26 Advance & $29 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
THE HOLDUP
The Holdup is the musical project of Michael Garmany. Coming from San Jose, CA, he has built a cult following writing and producing his own brand of groovy, melody driven, pop music, borrowing influences from R&B, reggae, and hip-hop. Often mistaken for a group, The Holdup has been a one-man labor in the studio, with Garmany writing, producing, performing and engineering everything you hear on his albums. His catchy hooks and unapologetic lyrics have helped him sell out mainstay venues, such as The Roxy & El Rey Theatre, across the U.S. as well as clock in over 150+ million worldwide streams and counting…
Show 7pm // All Ages // $39.50 Advance & $45 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
DEYA DOVA
with GEOMETRAE
Show 8pm // All Ages // $21 Advance & $26 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
FRIDAY PILOTS CLUB
Some bands just can’t agree on the merits of Primus. Some bands just aren’t meant to spend a month at a remote cabin in Georgia in an attempt to finish their long-in-the-works debut album. Thankfully, Friday Pilots Club is both of those bands.
Formed in 2017 as a duo of vocalist Caleb Hiltunen and bassist Drew Polivick, the Chicago-based combo has grown in recent years to include guitarists Sean Burke and James Kourafas and drummer Eric Doar, whose contributions are readily apparent on Friday Pilots Club’s electrifying first full-length, Nowhere. On an album positively crammed with irresistible grooves, big riffs and even bigger choruses, its most distinctive quality might just be the varied tastes and talents of its members, demonstrating once and for all how consensus is overrated but compromise is often key.
“For me, that's what I'm most proud of,” says Polivick, who met his bandmates while they all pursued music or music-adjacent majors at Columbia College. “We used to be a two-piece, and then we were a two-piece with these three guys. They started writing with us and playing on the songs, but it still didn't quite feel like a band. We finally feel like this album is an amalgamation of what all of us like and what all of us believe in.”
Alluding to a previous dark period when Friday Pilots Club felt creatively stifled while signed to a restrictive major-label deal, he continues, “It has been a tough road with a lot of sacrifice, but I think we did a damned good job navigating it.”
Indeed, Nowhere boasts a wealth of sonic riches, from the delicious guitar line and earworm chorus of “Nothing or Forever,” the dance floor-ready first single “Vampire Disco” and the sleek soul ballad “Coffin,” which manages to weave in references both to prosecco and Egyptian queen Nefertiti. Songs often boil over into incendiary alt-rock workouts before evaporating back down to their elemental foundations as acoustic guitar and hushed vocals, with subtle production accents (Ween-esque pitch-shifted singing, nighttime cricket sounds) adding to the widescreen listening experience.
“I've been obsessed with sexy-sounding music for a long time,” admits Hiltunen, pointing to vintage favorites such as Humbug by Arctic Monkeys and Rubber Factory by the Black Keys. “But I’ve also been chasing a sound that's a little bit more intimate. There’s a darkness to it that is not sad. It’s more moody. I don't think we could have done that as well three years ago. There's an undertone of it on the album which makes me really, really, really excited.”
Hiltunen credits his bandmates for not only providing constructive feedback on his own lyrics but helping write their own. “Many, many times, somebody would come to me and bei like, hey bud, not everybody wants to read Shakespeare every single time they pull up the lyrics of a verse,” he says. “Sometimes I don't know what I'm saying, so I just throw in big words. Thankfully, everybody here is actually a really, really good lyric writer, so we could bounce things off of each other and figure out, OK, what's the Friday Pilots Club thing to say?”
Band members point to “Vampire Disco” as the perfect synthesis of Friday Pilots Club’s sound as the calendar flips over to 2024. “It's got Caleb’s crazy poetic, Shakespeare-ass lyrics, Sean's crazy guitar shit, goofy synths, Eric ripping the drums and James wrote the fucking most incredible top line of all time,” Polivick enthuses. Adds Hiltunen, “it’s just fun.”
While the wait for Nowhere was at times maddening, it afforded Friday Pilots Club the opportunity to “put the song first rather than the production,” according to Polivick. “For a very long time as a band, we were focused on making crazy sounds. We couldn't even play songs live that we were making because they were so fucking insane.” Adds Burke, “we all have a willingness to change, evolve and allow ourselves to write through trial and error. We can just … let it be, you know?”
Songs such as “We Don’t Wanna Talk About It,” the rifftastic “Nosedive” and the measured, powerful closer “Favorite Part” will soon find their places in Friday Pilots Club’s acclaimed live shows, which will this year visit some of the largest venues the band has ever played. “The guys have taught me patience because I'm a highly, highly impulsive person,” Hiltunen says. “If it was me pulling all the strings, we would have made an album five years ago and it would have been probably pretty bad. We’ve now arrived at a point where we recognized, this is what Friday Pilots Club sounds like.”
And while his bandmates haven’t been able to change Hiltunen’s mind about Primus (he says he’s heard them one too many times at the drugstore at this point), they did convince him to come with them to the aforementioned rural cabin where, promptly, all of them but Burke came down with COVID.
“Even though we were isolated together, there was an inner isolation going on,” Hiltunen recalls. “All of us were having to come in at different parts and pull weight. It wasn't just Drew behind the computer. It was really interesting what we walked out of there with. The experience had a really big effect on this record.”
“We’d kind of been working with the title of Nowhere for the record and I’ve been trying to figure out why it felt right to me,” says Polivick. “Sometimes you end up at this place that's not exactly what you thought it was gonna be. We all had this idea of what Friday Pilots Club was,
is and will be, and it's not that. We all thought going to Georgia was gonna go a certain way, and it didn’t, which makes you feel like you've ended up nowhere. But we realized ‘nowhere’ is actually a place you can live in, in that it's maybe not the destination you wanted, but it's the destination you're at. There's beauty in that somewhere.”
Show 8pm // $26 Advance & $31 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
STRUNG OUT & ADOLESCENTS
with A WILHELM SCREAM
Show 9pm // 18+ // $16-31
Cornerstone Presents:
Fall Fest 2024 | Berkeley's Biggest Back To School Party
Show 8pm // All Ages // Tickets $35-115
The UC Theatre and Cornerstone Present:
RICKY MONTGOMERY
General Admission Standing Room with Limited Seating
Music always lures Ricky Montgomery back. He blames the internet. First a devotee of the Vine underground, and now—nearly a decade and several jobs later—an unexpected hitmaker, the Los Angeles native has spent the last few years trying to reconcile with his artist self. He recently surpassed 1 billion global streams thanks to Platinum indie-pop hits “Mr. Loverman” and “Line Without a Hook.” But those songs, written when he was a teen, have come to feel like they were by a whole other person—at least to Ricky. In 2023, we get to meet Rick, a sophomore set that comes seven years later, rich with electro-laced, emo-tinged alt-pop that spins stories about life in all its messy and mundane glory. Ricky's journey fits the bill: a childhood in L.A. interrupted by divorce, an adolescence playing in the basement bands of suburban Missouri, a viral explosion on a soon-to-implode platform, and a brief music career back on the West Coast that sent his songs up the Rock and Alternative charts. That was in 2014, before life intervened and he quit music for good… until the world discovered his sunny, sardonic songs. With millions of social followers and a string of sold-out tours under his belt, Ricky now sets out to document "my long, awkward path toward remembering myself as an artist," he says. "It’s been embarrassing and difficult, but also thrilling. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted to do but was too scared to try.”
Show 8pm // All Ages // $18 Advance & $20 Day of Show // $15 4-Pack
Cornerstone Presents:
JOSH SPINNER, BEAR NECESSITIES, MOON BLOOM and THE PANSIES
Show 8pm // $28 Advance & $31 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
NIKKA COSTA
Born into the lineage of renowned producer and arranger Don Costa, Nikka Costa embodies the essence of music in her very being. From the tender age of 7, she embarked on a journey marked by 2 full length albums, world travel and performances to crowds of unprecedented size, laying the foundation for an extraordinary upbringing as both a woman and a musician.
In her formative years, Nikka's influences spanned from the soulful melodies of Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin to the infectious rhythms of Motown and Stax. Her dedication to mastering every harmony and intricacy of sound became a testament to her unwavering passion and commitment to her craft.
With a string of critically acclaimed albums, beginning with her 2001 Virgin debut "Everybody Got Their Something," Nikka emerged as a luminary in the "nu-soul" landscape, renowned for her signature blend of American soul, funk, and rock— a captivating fusion uniquely her own.
Under the guidance of icons like Prince, Nikka flourished, touring alongside luminaries such as Lenny Kravitz, Coldplay, and Beck, and collaborating with esteemed artists like Mark Ronson, D'Angelo, and Femi Kuti. Her accolades include MTV Music Award nominations, chart-topping singles across Europe, and a stirring performance at the Chris Cornell tribute concert at The Forum in Los Angeles in 2019.
Beyond her prowess as a performer, Nikka's songwriting skills have left an indelible mark, crafting compositions for film, television, and fellow legends like Prince and Eric Clapton.
Known for the raw magnetism of her live performances, Nikka commands the stage with a presence likened to the greats — from Janis Joplin's fervor to Chaka Khan's soulful swagger to Sly Stone's electrifying energy.
After a hiatus of six years, Nikka is poised to make her triumphant return with "Dirty Disco," an electrifying fusion of funk and disco produced by her longtime collaborator Justin Stanley (Eric Clapton, Prince, Jamie Lidell). With a global tour on the horizon and the album slated for release on June 7th, Nikka Costa is primed to ignite stages and hearts alike with her infectious rhythm and soulful spirit.
Show 8pm // All Ages // $24 Advance & $27 Day of Show
Mon Rovîa has partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 per ticket goes to supporting Tennessee Alliance for Kids and their work engaging the community to meet the emergent needs of children in foster care, those at risk of entering care, and youth aging out.
Cornerstone Presents:
MON ROVÎA
I'm Mon, born in Mon Rovia, Liberia. My life can be summed up by being born into a civil war, escaping the life of a child soldier, rescued by the hands of missionaries. Spent a lot of my developmental years living in a variety of places with a number of life experiences. And then layered on top of all of this is the assimilation I felt being a transracially adopted refugee. My music in a nutshell is a culmination of these experiences blended with the empathy I feel for the experiences with others. The mission of my music is to heal with others — with every nation and tongue, in due time.
Show 8pm // $31 Advance // $36 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
THROUGH THE GRIFFIN TOUR: HOSTED BY THE SUPER CARLIN BROTHERS
You may know the Super Carlin Brothers YouTube Channel from The Pixar Theory, deep dives into the Wizarding World, trailer breakdowns, movie reviews, TRIVIA or the famous Year Long Conversation between brothers. For over ten years now we have made it our mission to provide a welcoming corner of the internet for folks to come together to share our enjoyment of our favorite fandoms.
J and Ben Carlin are two brothers who grew up getting lost in their favorite fictional worlds. Although it was to their own surprise when people started to come to them for their opinions and insights on everything from Disney, Pixar, and Star Wars to Harry Potter and Marvel. Since the channel's launch they've accrued an audience of over 2-Million subscribers, started families, and found new perspectives on their favorite fandoms as they've watched them grow and evolve
Show 8pm // All Ages // $26 Advance & $31 Day of Show
Artdontsleep and The UC Theatre Present:
KAHIL ELZABAR ETHNIC HERITAGE ENSEMBLE
Show 7:30pm // $19 Advance & $23 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
SURFER GIRL
with CLAIRE WRIGHT and BACKSET
Introducing Surfer Girl, led by the charismatic Carter Reeves, the former front man of the hip-hop/pop sensation Aer. Embodying the laid-back spirit of coastal living, Carter has seamlessly transitioned from his Aer days to craft a sound that's all about good vibes and groovy rhythms. Their music seamlessly combines indie-pop, reggae, surf-rock, and hip-hop elements. Hailing from Wayland, MA, Carter's music captures the essence of sun-soaked days and breezy evenings.
In the past year, Surfer Girl has left an indelible mark on the festival circuit, gracing major stages at Sea.Hear.Now, SunFest, Cali Vibes, Reggae Rise Up and many more. Carter's magnetic stage presence and Surfer Girl's infectious tunes create an atmosphere that's both nostalgic and fresh. Audiences can't help but get swept up in the sonic journey, making every performance a memorable experience.
As a seasoned performer with a knack for connecting with diverse crowds, Carter Reeves and Surfer Girl bring a unique blend of musical prowess and beachy coolness to every show.
Show 8pm // $21 Advance & $25 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
THE NATIONAL PARKS
You know the feeling when the clouds part and the sun shines down on you, the rush you get when you run and jump into a lake at full speed, or the moment a gust of morning air brings new life as you step outside and look at the world around you? The National Parks translate these sensations into songs. The Provo, UT quartet—Brady Parks [vocals, guitar], Sydney Macfarlane [vocals, keys], Cam Brannelly [drums], and Megan Parks [violin]—breathe in inspiration from the world around them and exhale cinematic indie folk-pop powered by soaring harmonies, organic orchestration, and luminous electronics. Emerging in 2013, the musicians have consistently captivated audiences. They’ve generated over 150 million streams across Young [2013], Until I Live [2015], Places [2017], and Wildflower [2020]. As one of many highlights from the latter, “Time” amassed over 9.3 million Spotify streams as the album incited widespread critical applause. Parade raved, “Wildflower is chock full of adventure, wonder, freedom, and inspiration,” while The Line Of Best Fit attested, “it seems that the sky really is the limit for this quartet.” Mxdwn noted, “The National Parks have perfectly melded folk with catchy melodies, strong grunge chords and poetic lyrics in Wildflower.” The four-piece maintained this momentum with a sold-out headline tour and 2021’s A Mix for the End of the World pt.1. Now, the group expand their vision yet again on their fifth full-length offering, 8th Wonder.
Show 8pm // All Ages // $16 Advance & $19 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
SURF HAT
Surf Hat are a psych-surf group from Squamish, BC, Canada. Their debut record “Surf Hat” has gathered over a million streams and they have established a rapidly growing fan-base across North America. The classic power-trio lineup delivers the verby, jangly surf-rock guitar style of modern bands mixed with the sweetly harmonized vocals of beloved classics. Picture Allah-lahs meeting The Ventures or The Beatles. Surf Hat are looking to take their signature sound on the road for the next million years or so. Surf Hat released their sophomore album “Surf Hat Ranch” in March 2024.
Show 8pm // $26 Advance / $30 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
MIKE LOVE & THE FULL CIRCLE
with BOOSTIVE and SOUND DESTROYER
Show 8pm // $26 Advance & $31 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
PIANOS BECOME THE TEETH:10 YEARS OF KEEP YOU
Doors 8pm // Show 9pm // All Ages // $23 General Admission
Cornerstone Presents:
ANNUAL TOM PETTY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION WITH PETTY THEFT - San Francisco Tribute to Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
At the forefront of legendary Rock and Roll bands, you are sure to find Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers.
Since 2003, San Francisco based Petty Theft has been touring the United States performing Tom Petty’s songs true to the originals and in the spirit of the Heartbreaker’s live shows.
“Best of Marin 2023 : Best Tribute Band” – Pacific Sun
“Best of the North Bay 2023 : Best Tribute Band” – The Bohemian
“Best of the North Bay 2022, 2021 : Best Cover Band” – The Bohemian
“Best of Marin 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018 : Best Cover Band” – Pacific Sun
“Best of Marin 2015: Best Local Band” – Pacific Sun
“Best Band San Francisco North Bay” – 2013, 2012, 2011 – The Bohemian
Show 8pm // All Ages // $21 Advance & $25 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
CHINESE FOOTBALL
Chinese Football is a four-piece indie rock/emo/post rock band based in Wuhan,China. Chinese Football formed in 2011 when vocalist Xubo met guitarist Wang Bo. The current lineup completed when bassist Li Lixin joined in 2012 and drummer Zhen Zili jumped on board in 2016.
Since the release of their self- titled debut album "Chinese Football " in 2015, they have garnered recognition from fans both domestically and internationally, delivering dynamic headline performances and major music festivals sets worldwide. Following two mini-albums "Here comes a new challenger! " & "Continue? " in 2017 and 2019 centered around "the game of life", Chinese Football unveiled their full-length album "Win&Lose " at the beginning of 2023, thus concluding their "game trilogy" of compositions.
Inspired by late 1990s emo pioneers like Jimmy Eat World, Get Up Kids and American Football, Chinese Football specializes in a potent guitar-bass-driven wistful indie rock sound. Their music, characterized by a fusion of simplicity and complexity, narrates tales of passion, fantasy, and disillusionment. Mixing brainwashed guitar riffs with Mandarin lyrics, Chinese Football is devoted to expressing the fantasy of youth and its frustration.
Chinese Football is :
Guitar/Vocals: Xu Bo
Bass: Li Lixin
Guitar: Wang Bo
Drums: Zheng Zili
Show 8:00pm // $19 Advance & $22 Day of Show // $69 VIP Meet & Greet
Cornerstone Presents:
BABY BUGS & SOLYA
Show 8:00pm // $30 Advance & $35 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
GIRL ULTRA
with SANJE and SHAO
Show 8pm // $20 Advance & $24 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
MICHIGANDER
with CECE COAKLEY
Michigander, who delivers elevated and eloquent songcraft, uplifting instrumentation, and plainspoken heartland storytelling punctuated by alternative flare, has racked up over 60 million career streams globally and garnered the acclaim of NPR, Paste, Consequence, SPIN, Forbes, BrooklynVegan, Guitar World, Ones To Watch, and more. In 2016, the now Nashville-based singer, songwriter, producer, and guitarist's independent debut single "Nineties" achieved viral success, claiming real estate on multiple major Spotify playlists. Michigander's first two EPs, Midland [2018] and Where Do We Go From Here [2019], have become fan favorites, with the latter's standout single "Misery" eclipsing 10 million streams and earning Michigander his first Triple A radio hit. 2021's critically lauded EP Everything Will Be Ok Eventually (C3 Records) elevated his career via the Top 5 Triple A radio hit "Let Down" and Top 10 Triple A radio hit "Better." On the road, Michigander has shared the stage with Manchester Orchestra, Band of Horses, The Lumineers, Hippo Campus, Mt. Joy, and graced the stages of such marquee festivals as Lollapalooza, Electric Forest, Summerfest, Shaky Knees and more as well as SXSW. In 2023, Michigander was back, breaking personal records, charting at radio again, and on the road with a new set of songs and a re-energized passion for his craft. Listen to the latest EP It Will Never Be The Same everywhere, out now via C3 Records and look out for a new project coming from Singer in '24.
Cece Coakley is hitting her stride. In the wake of her debut 2022 EP “Tender,” the 22-year old singer-songwriter is exploring a world beyond her native Knoxville, literally and metaphorically. Fresh off touring with rising acts like Medium Build, Stephen Sanchez, Field Guide and Ella Jane, Coakley has no shortage of new experiences to draw from. “The first EP came out of living at my parents’ house,” she explains. “Now I’m writing new songs on the road and trying them out live the same night –– I’ve grown up so much making this new music.” Splitting her time between Nashville and LA, Coakley partnered with new collaborators like Andy Seltzer (Maggie Rogers, Samia) and Jake Munk (Miley Cyrus, Ethan Tasch) to help her cultivate her ideas without “dimming their light.” Throughout her new writing, Coakley examines life on a larger scale –– from missing friends across time zones to the bittersweet feeling of returning home. The old version of Coakley is its own character in her writing, forcing her to look over her shoulder at the life she grew out of. In the lineage of other crossover artists like Taylor Swift and Kacey Musgraves, Coakley’s reflections on coming of age feel both universal and intimate, delivered in soaring pop hooks over beds of jangly acoustics, banjo and slide guitar. The influence of the country artists she grew up on shines through, delivering her narrative lyricism with an emotional, powerhouse voice.
Since her debut in 2021, Coakley has cemented herself in the indie landscape, amassing over 4.9 million Spotify streams to date and nabbing slots at festivals like Bonnaroo and Briston Maroney’s Paradise Festival. Her upcoming sophomore EP deepens Coakley’s journey of self-discovery, as she continues to strike a chord with her young audience. She may have found her footing, but this is only the beginning for Cece Coakley.
Show 8pm // All Ages // $31 Advance/ $36 Last Chance / $41 Day of Show
Artdontsleep & The UC Theatre Present:
BILAL
Show 8pm // $26 Advance / $30 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
STEELY DEAD
Show 9pm // $28.50 Advance / $35 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
MARC E. BASSY & SKIZZY MARS
Show 8pm // All Ages // $21 Advance & $25 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
STEPHEN KRAMER GLICKMAN
Show 8pm // $26 Advance & $31 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
FOREST BLAKK
RIAA Platinum-certified artist, Forest Blakk has spent his career soundtracking love stories of all kinds, including his latest single "Love Somebody Again" and "I Choose You" — the latter having arrived just days after his very own Nashville wedding to Tooley Jones in a beautiful ceremony covered exclusively by PEOPLE Magazine (read here).
Most recently, Blakk released the holiday EP, "Wake Up! (It's Christmas Time)" co-produced by Blakk with Tawgs (Josh Groban, Scott Helman, ROZES, Walk Off The Earth) and featuring three new Christmas records alongside fan favorite track "Sing Along With Me."
The new project follows last year's intimate and relatable Every Little Detail EP, featuring his breakout Platinum-certified smash single "If You Love Her," which alone has amassed over 450 million total global streams, earned Blakk his official US chart debut on Billboard's Emerging Artists chart, his national US TV debut on ABC's Live with Kelly & Ryan, top 30 placement on the Hot AC radio chart & saw the singer/songwriter collaborate with Meghan Trainor on a stunning duet version. Meanwhile, Blakk's follow-up single "Fall Into Me" (co-written alongside Matchbox Twenty front man Rob Thomas and Gregg Wattenberg) reached top 30 on the Hot AC radio chart and Gold-certification status in his native Canada, in addition to being featured in a perfectly fitting ad campaign for Kay Jewelers. His songs have also become a staple of Netflix's hit show Love is Blind — having been named the "patron saint" of the show by creators with the Los Angeles Times pointing out "(Blakk's) earnest mid-tempo love songs turn up on 'Love is Blind' nearly as often as hosts Nick and Vanessa Lachey."
Highlighted as one of PEOPLE Magazine's "talented emerging artists making their mark on the musical landscape" and deemed an "artist on the rise" by Billboard, Blakk made his debut with his 2018 EP Minutes and follow-up 2020 sophomore EP Sideways — the latter of which saw Blakk collaborate with the likes of Will IDAP (Train, Florida Georgia Line), Nick Long (King Princess), Carl Ryden (Ricky Martin, David Guetta), Ollie Green (Freya Ridings, Gavin James) & more to tell a love story through an incredibly realistic and candid lens. The 6-track collection featured singles "I Wish I Knew" (deemed an "introspective look at love and love lost" by American Songwriter) and uplifting anthem of resilience "Put Your Hands Up," which debuted on an episode of ABC's Grey's Anatomy. A compelling live performer, Blakk has toured extensively supporting NEEDTOBREATHE, Gavin James, Dean Lewis & earlier this year embarked on a sold out 17-date North American headline tour.
Show 8pm // All Ages // $21 Advance & $26 Day of Show // $51 VIP / $101 VIP Deluxe
Cornerstone Presents:
NOBIGDYL
with JON KEITH and AKLESSO
nobigdyl. is most known most for combining concept driven lyricism with eclectic production. musically he bounces from hard-hitting to ethereal—pulling from trap, jazz, golden era hip hop, underground and beyond to create his own sound. The Dove-Award winning, President Obama Playlisted, NPR Tiny Desk Contest Fan Favorite rapper is a storyteller at heart. His lyrics are part memoir, part stream of consciousness, as he wrestles with concepts such as faith, ego, love, and loss.
Show 8pm // $23 Advance & $26 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
STOP LIGHT OBSERVATIONS
Show 7:30pm // All Ages // $36 General Admission / $41 Day of Show
The Hard Times Presents:
with AGAINST ALL AUTHORITY, CATBITE and OMNIGONE
Show 8:30pm // $26 Advance & $31 Day of Show // $76 VIP
Cornerstone Presents:
LEANNA FIRESTONE
with SUNDIAL
Leanna Firestone is an impressive artist and talented musician from Nashville, Tennessee. While attending Recording Industry school, Leanna entered the professional world of songwriting by fusing her writing with the community of anime stans she found when she first joined TikTok. Ultimately, this led to a short snippet of what would become her first release, “Strawberry Mentos” which reached 5M streams. Then, in 2021, her next track “Least Favorite Only Child” reached 4M streams, while her EP Y/N peaked at #8 on the US singer-songwriter iTunes Charts. One of her songs was also featured during an episode of Love Island UK. In early 2022, she released her first full album Forward / Slash, featuring “Diet Coke”, “Gambling Addiction” and “Smitten.” Currently, Leanna is signed to Frtyfve Records out of London.
Show 8pm // All Ages // $19 Advance & $23 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
THE MYSTERY LIGHTS
The Mystery Lights story begins in 2004 in the small town of Salinas, California when friends Michael Brandon and Luis Alfonso — whose shared fondness for groups like The Mc5, Velvet Underground, Dead Moon, and The Fall (to name a few) — joined forces to craft their own brand of unhinged rock and roll. From there they spent the better part of 10 years touring relentlessly before migrating to Queens, New York in 2014.
With a live show known for its visceral energy and relentless assault — leaving little to no stoppage between songs — they barreled through countless NYC haunts and DIY venues, quickly amassing a fervent local following. The buzz soon caught the attention of Daptone Records execs who were in the beginning stages of launching a new rock-centric imprint, Wick Records. Impressed by the groups’ groove, endless supply of energy, and understanding of musical history, The Mystery Lights were quickly signed to Wick. Though a rock band at heart, the parallels to what Daptone Records had traditionally looked for in their soul artists was undeniable.
The Mystery Lights are set to release their new LP Purgatory on September 13th, with tour dates North America / UK / Europe in the fall.
The Mystery Lights are: Mike Brandon (lead vocals / guitar), LA Solano (lead guitar), Alex Amini (bass), Lily Rogers (keys), and Zach Butler (drums).
Show 8:00pm // $30 Advance & $35 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
BEAR HANDS - DISTRACTION 10: CELEBRATING TEN YEARS OF DISTRACTION
with WORRY CLUB
Post-punk electro band Bear Hands is making a highly anticipated return with their first bit of new music in five years. Today, they share the euro-deranged “Intrusive Thoughts,” which takes a left turn from where they left off in 2019 with their album Fake Tunes. The track was recorded at a small home studio in Cherry Hill, NJ and produced by Elliott Kozel (Yves Tumor, Jean Dawson, Lizzo), Alex M and the band.
2024 also marks ten years since the release of Bear Hands’ acclaimed sophomore album Distraction. To celebrate, the band has confirmed the “Distraction 10” Fall tour of North America, with dates kicking off on October 27 in West Hartford, CT, and concluding in Seattle, WA, on November 17.
Show 6:30pm // $26 Advance & $31 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
Show 8pm // All Ages // $24 Advance & $29 Day of Show // $74 VIP Meet & Greet
Cornerstone Presents:
JESSE BARRERA & ALBERT POSIS
with PATRICK HIZON
Show 7pm // $30.50 Advance & $36 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
THE SLACKERS
with THE BANDULUS, DJ DR WOOD + SPECIAL GUEST TBA
For 33 years, the NYC-based and critically acclaimed Slackers have been touring the world with their blend of Ska, Reggae, and Soul.
Since 1991, the Slackers have released fifteen albums and countless singles, while their 1000s of live performances feed their fans with energetic sets of ecstatic music.
The Slackers have been called ‘the Sound of New York’ by the New York Times. They were described by Brooklyn Vegan as a “clean mix of Ska, Reggae, and Soul that gets dirtied up by Vic Ruggiero’s tough New York accent.’
In April 2022, The Slackers released a new album, “Dont Let The Sunlight Fool Ya” (Pirates Press) which quickly shot to the top of the US Billboard charts. The first time that a Slackers’ album has charted! Ironically after 30 years as a band, they qualified as a Billboard ‘new artist!’ The Washington Post noted that the Slackers “remain at the top of their game.”
The chart topping sales of “Dont Let The Sunlight Fool Ya” capped a 2 year comeback of the Slackers. When Covid stopped live shows in 2020, the Slackers pivoted to livestreams and made 5 full band concerts that were broadcast internationally to an audience of thousands. After the streams, they stayed in the studio and recorded the tunes that became ‘Dont Let the Sunlight Fool Ya.’
The Slackers capped this comeback with a series of frenetic tours in 2022 and 2023. They played everything from clubs to festivals in the USA, Canada, Europe, and Brazil.
In 2024, they are currently booking 90 shows. They are also currently working on a 20th anniversary reissue of their classic album, ‘Close My Eyes’ for September and on a new single of original music for October.
Official Website: www.theslackers.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theslackers
Instagram: @theslackersband
Listen to the Slackers on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/02YdqekgXBbl7t1N59tVh3
Show 6:30pm // $31 Advance / $36 Day of Show
Cornerstone Presents:
NILE & SIX FEET UNDER
with PSYCROPTIC and EMBRYONIC AUTOPSY
Six Feet Under - From the opening moments of “Know-Nothing Ingrate,” which kicks off Killing for Revenge, it’s immediately clear that Six Feet Under focused their energies into something that’s as brutal, lyrically visceral and musically dazzling as one would hope for from the ground-breaking Tampa-bred death metal lineup on their 14th studio album.
Killing for Revenge, a gnarly beast of a record that’s not for the faint-hearted, dishes up nightmare-inducing imagery courtesy of frontman Chris Barnes via the vocalist’s trademark guttural vocals. Both the album title and darkly detailed red-hued album cover by artist Vince Locke are perfect containers for the brutality within. “I chose the title Killing for Revenge after we completed writing and noticed that all the lyrics and storylines had a common theme of revenge. Revenge by human or revenge by nature—or both in the song “Bestial Savagery,” which describes the destructive paths of man-made storms,” Barnes says. “The album title describes the flow of the stories within the lyrics perfectly.”
Killing for Revenge marks the second album that Barnes and guitarist Jack Owen (ex-Cannibal Corpse) have created together since reuniting for 2020’s Nightmares of the Decomposed, an album one critic praised an “often slow-ish and doomy yet crushing death metal” which offered an “uncompromising show of strength.” Owen also produced Killing for Revenge, with Barnes as production assistant. “We worked well together in Cannibal Corpse,” Barnes says. “He was probably my favorite person back then in that band. I loved him to death as a friend and a musician, so I'm really comfortable giving him the reins because I just have such great respect for him as an artist.”
It’s clearly a partnership that works, given the brilliance of Cannibal Corpse’s early work under Barnes and the fact that the Owen-Barnes rekindled symbiotic relationship has breathed new life, or perhaps new death, into Six Feet Under. “I asked Jack to map out what parts of the songs he wanted lyrics for, and he just started writing lyrics instead and gave me a demo vocal track for pretty much all the songs,” Barnes says. “I thought it was great. That's how the music and lyrics wanted to appear this time, so I just let it come through that way and worked with him in a collaborative way. Like we did back in the old days, like on the song ‘Shredded Humans’.”
Six Feet Under was initially formed as a side project for Barnes during his final years with the band that he co-founded, Cannibal Corpse. It became the frontman’s sole focus in 1995, coinciding with the release of their debut, Haunted. Only Barnes remains from the original SFU band, but the quality has remained remarkably consistent. The current lineup of Barnes, guitarists Owen and Ray Suhy, bassist Jeff Hughell, and drummer Marco Pitruzzella make for a devastating unit.
While Barnes is the sole remaining member, Six Feet Under is about more than he and Owen. The singer is thrilled with the current lineup, and what each member brings to the table. “Jeff and Marco have been with me for about 10 years,” Barnes says. “I'm really fortunate that I have probably the best musicians in metal. If you look at it, we have the same amount of original members as Cannibal Corpse. Jeff is a killer bass player. Marco’s probably the best drummer out there. Jack's the greatest songwriter I've ever been involved with over the 30-plus years I've been doing music professionally. And Ray is just a phenomenal guitarist who can play everything from jazz to death metal. The lineup now is untouchable.”
The chemistry between the five men is palpable; listening to Killing for Revenge, one could be forgiven for assuming that they hid themselves away somewhere for a couple of months and hammered it out in blessed, creative seclusion. Not the case.“We all recorded it on our own, in different parts of the country since we're all spread out,” says Barnes. “I think the most important thing is to put everybody in a comfortable space so that they get a great performance. That's what you want to capture. It's really hard nowadays to afford everyone being in the studio recording like we used to back in the ‘90s. It can be done just as effectively this way.”
The songs on Killing for Revenge—highlighted by the singles “Know-Nothing Ingrate,” “Ascension” and “When the Moon Goes Down in Blood”—dive headfirst into subjects that are as gleefully vile, graphic and downright grotesque as you might dream of from a Barnes/Owen project. After all, the two men were vital cogs in the Cannibal Corpse band that released such delightfully offensive death metal classics as Butchered at Birth and Tomb of the Mutilated. Highlights of this latest Six Feet Under opus include “Compulsive,” which tells the tale of a disturbed individual in a padded cell, eating himself alive: “Display of carnage for the poor soul who finds you; To discover sick survival that binds you; Heaving lungs the only thing intact; Scattered expelled organs your final act.”
“Jack wrote 90 percent of the lyrics on this album, and that was one that he came up with the storyline to,” says Barnes. “How you want to interpret it is up to you. You can find deeper meaning or metaphors or symbolisms. But I would say a good interpretation is someone suffering who is devouring himself. You could look deeper as it being about addiction.”
The album opener, “Know-Nothing Ingrate,” launches Killing for Revenge as the LP’s first single.
“I kind of went back and forth on what song should be the first one to throw out into the world,” says Barnes. “Jack liked the idea of ‘Know-Nothing Ingrate‘ as the first single as well.”
“Know-Nothing Ingrate” was written early in the album process. “We wanted to keep the aggression of a prior Six Feet Under song like ‘Amputator,’ explains Owen. “I wrote music in the style of early Dark Angel or Kreator, who always had cool driving drum beats. I had all the riffs in my head as I wrote the drums in a couple hours. Lyrically, It's basically about online trolls who voice their uneducated and unnecessarily spiteful review of any artist's output. You're entitled to your opinion, and I'm entitled to mine.”
Six Feet Under also recorded a cover of Nazareth's "Hair of the Dog," which appears on all formats of Killing for Revenge with the exception of vinyl. “’Hair of the Dog’ has such a heavy groove to it and the vocal is so killer and memorable that it seemed like a perfect fit for us, and something fun to add to the album as a bonus track,” explains Barnes. “Plus there’s cowbell!” Clearly, 2024 is shaping up to be a massive year for Six Feet Under, and Barnes hopes to take full advantage.“I'd like to get a tour put together,” he says. “I would love to get back out on the road. It's been too long. Three of those years were due to the pandemic. I love being on the road. I love being in a tour bus and being in front of people on stage. I have missed it so much. It's what I was meant to do.”
Show 8pm // All Ages // $31 General Admission
Artdontsleep & The UC Theatre Present:
GYEDU-BLAY AMBOLLEY
Gyedu Blay Ambolley is a musical luminary hailing from Ghana, West Africa, with a staggering 29 albums under his belt. Known affectionately as the "Simigwa Do Man,” Ambolley’s musical journey began in the vibrant port city of Sekondi-Takoradi, in the Western Region of Ghana. His early fascination with music blossomed into a lifelong passion. From mastering his father’s flute at the tender age of eight, to honing his guitar skills under the mentorship of “Uncle Bonku”, Sammy Lartey and Ebo Taylor, Ambolley’s musical odyssey has been nothing short of extraordinary. This all led to Ambolley becoming a musical life force and exploding on the scene in 1973 with a jazzy highlife sound called 'SIMIGWA-DO'. His name has become synonymous with Simigwa music and dance.
Coming of age amidst the zenith of Ghana’s highlife era, Ambolley emerged as a pivotal figure in its evolution, lending his talents to esteemed bands such as Houghas Extraordinaires, Meridians Of Tema and Ghana Broadcasting Band. It was during this time that he caught the attention of his compatriot and friend, Ebo Taylor, who recruited Ambolley to be a member of the Uhuru Dance Band. This all lead to a transformative journey to Nigeria in 1973, where they shared the stage with the legendary Fela Kuti at his renowned Shrine venue.
