Live Music Q2 2017

Father John Misty at Coachella 2017

Ah, Coachella. This year, they added 25,000 more people, another stage, and 40 more acres. None of this was an improvement. It may be enough to keep me away next year, for the first time in nearly a decade (instead, maybe buy tickets to everyone I would have seen, but for full sets here in SF -- Fauxchella!). But The XX and Hans Zimmer were both very special.

Other highlights these past three months included PJ Harvey (even when I don't like her album, as a performer she's transfixing), Nick Cave (he's a force of nature, still), and King Crimson (three drummers, still amazing). Unfortunately, neither Low nor Amanda Palmer were up to their usual high standards this time.

This brings my half-way count for 2017 to 17 shows. Easily set to surpass my annual target of 26. Here's the run-down, favorites in bold, as usual.

• Mitski
• Coachella Day One (The Paranoyds, Sampha, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, The XX)
• Coachella Day Two (Floating Points, Moderat, Tycho, Bon Iver, Lady Gaga)
• Coachella Day Three (Mary Jane Coles, Bishop Briggs, Kiiara, Hans Zimmer, Lorde, New Order, What So Not)
• SF Symphony (Chamber Music Series feat. works by Martinu, Britten, Gaubert, Dvorak)
• PJ Harvey
• Anais Mitchell
• Amanda Palmer
• SF Symphony (Stravinsky)
• Low, MONO
• King Crimson
• Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Cat Power