We’re spoiled. We have at least 30 traditional music venues in the core of the Bay without getting into moderately concealed DIY spots, bars that just legally have a stage that fits a four piece, and the festival scene. That said, I am confident you still aren’t going to enough live music. To further convince you, here’s one that should have been on your calendar last week.
Chicago duo Friko are still flying high with a year now under Where we’ve been, Where we go from here and back on the road. The pair have their hands gripped tightly around a solid four branches of rock and give a sense that they won’t be satisfied until more become entangled in their sound. Listen closely and you might hear some conjuring of Phantom Planet, The Front Bottoms, or a slice of Shout Out Louds. The 2024 record bounces from tracks that feel like strapping into a Whoops-All-Loops roller coaster (“Crimson to Chrome”, “Chemical”) to a cello filled lullaby (“For Ella”) and back making sure you lose any attention. And if you just crave something to hum along to, maybe a gentle sway, they have that one waiting for you on “Statues.”
The band takes over Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco with tour mates youbet on Wednesday, May 7th [Event Info]. Here’s what Niko (vocals, guitar) has to report as they head west then straight down I-5 til they hit town.
We’ve been learning Spanish with this awesome app Language Transfer! After encountering so many different languages in different countries this past touring year, we have a goal of being able to communicate at least on a basic level with the people from these different places.
We’ve been listening to Heavy Metal by Cameron Winter a lot, the new Car Seat Headrest, and a bunch of podcasts.
With a switch of SF neighborhoods this visit, have you started placing any must do-eat-drink-see items on your Bay Area list when returning?
Ugh we went to this awesome Mexican place last time but I forgot the name. But any suggestions are appreciated! We don’t know SF that well, this is the first time we’ll actually have a off day here 🙂
*You heard them everyone, throw your taqueria recs in their direction on Instagram.
How do you like to arrange your set to balance the newer and older tunes? Do you ever feel a conflict in choosing between a fresh song vs a crowd favorite?
We’ll usually do a new one, then a couple of songs that people will know and that cycles through the whole set. We’re really excited about new music, but as music lovers ourselves it always sucks when a band you love doesn’t play the songs they know everyone wants to hear, haha!
If you have to sign off on what the official band-sanctioned listening environment for Where we’ve been, Where we go from here would be…
Definitely what we did when we listened for the first time, just driving in your car with a couple friends through the city/town you live in, adjusting speed according to the energy of the song.
How should first timers physically and mentally prepare for a Friko show?
We like having a good time so dancing and moving around is much appreciated. Then, when the ballads come around we get sad and quiet for a moment, get in our feels, then it’s right back to dancing, and that’ll cycle a few times.
Words: Mike Chouinard (DangerVenture)
Photo Credit: Pooneh Ghana
