It’s just a few minutes before 8pm when I drive into Japantown and enter the small clothing boutique, 2Twenty5. Two studio photo lights direct my eyes towards Don Lacy, a.k.a. Don Prahfit, the highly animated and quick-witted host of the Lion’s Den, a live web broadcast showcasing some of Silicon Valley’s best… » Read More

You could fill a rolodex with adjectives to use when describing Wave Racer’s music—a high-energy mix of bright, shimmery synths and samples that wouldn’t sound out of place in the Nintendo 64 game from which Tom Purcell borrowed his stage name. One fan took to Twitter to proclaim that “listening to Wave… » Read More

Two years ago, in September of 2012, Pennsylvania emo-punks Spraynard broke up, seemingly out of nowhere. Not only were the three members long-time best friends, but the band was just starting to take off. Then, just as suddenly as they had disbanded, they became a band again. They played their first reunion… » Read More

Southern Rap’s bouncy party anthems are now ubiquitous in mainstream music. But it wasn’t always that way, especially in the ’90s when East Coast and West Coast Rap dominated the radio and commercial landscape. It was during this lull, in 1991, that Juicy J (born Jordan Michael Houston) plotted to build a… » Read More

Silicon Valley is about much more than ones and zeros. It’s a thriving cultural center, teeming with artists and thinkers, and this September, at the C2SV festival, some of the biggest names in technology, music and art are set to converge on San Jose’s SoFA arts district to discuss the big ideas,… » Read More

Roots-tinged rockers Hurricane Roses found a following with the earnest, revealing songs on their 2011 debut record. A quick follow-up would have made a lot of sense for the Bay Area band, but it also would have betrayed the authenticity that their fan base appreciates. In truth, the band members have been… » Read More

Growing up in San Francisco with a “beatnik” for a sister, it didn’t take long for Rick Estrin to be introduced to the blues. “When I was 11 years old she started showing me some of her blues records,” Estrin recalls. “I was instantly fascinated.” Champion Jack Dupree’s first album, Blues from… » Read More