San Carlos Library: A cheapskate music lover's dream

Going broke ain't no joke in the Bay Area.

Nevermind the ridiculous cost of living, every goddamn band in the world is touring through these parts, like, all the time. This isn't really a problem, per se. In fact, it's like winning a small-jackpot lottery when you find out your favorite band is coming through town.

But I spend too much goddamn money on shows. So much money that I never have the funds to buy all of the albums I want.

My cheapskate solution? Raiding my local library's CD racks.

While I've espoused the glory of the Millbrae, Pacifica - Sanchez, and South San Francisco branches, it is the San Carlos Library that is the real king of the bunch in terms of the best music collection.

Check out my score this weekend: Liars - Sisterworld, Passion Pit - Manners, Handsome Furs - Plague Park and Face Control, Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation, Sonic Youth - The Eternal, Conor Oberst - S/T, Baroness - Blue Record, Polvo - In Prism, Why? - Eskimo Snow, New York Dolls - S/T, Dredg - The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion, deadmau5 - Random Album Title, Other Lives - S/T.

Sure, some of these came out awhile ago, but for a measly 75 cents you can place a hold on newer albums, which tend to be checked out more quickly, and get 'em fairly fast. I've got The Arcade Fire's newest (coming out Aug. 3) in my hold queue already.

The library is a hip, hip place.

I think it's love. 

Give the sun the finger this weekend: Pitchfork Music Fest streams live

Those Chicago folks have it good, getting what may be the best overall festival of the summer for indie music fans in this weekend's Pitchfork Music Festival.

Well lucky for us West Coasters, Pitchfork is broadcasting some of the sets on the Internets, and today just might be the best day -- there's Real Estate, Titus Andronicus, Wolf Parade, LCD Soundsystem and Panda Bear, who played this "Untitled" track at Spain's Primavera Sound Festival this year that floats my boat into an ocean of holiness, not to overstate its awesomeness. I'm frothing at the mouth for Titus Andronicus, as well. Worth forgoing a bit of that Saturday California sunshine to tune in.

Saturday July 17 

1:00  (11 a.m. PST) Free Energy
1:45 (11:45 PST) Real Estate
2:30 (12:30 PST) Delorean
3:20 (1:20 PST) Titus Andronicus
4:15 (2:15 PST) Raekwon
5:15 (3:15 PST)  The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
6:15 (4:15 PST) Wolf Parade
7:25 (5:25 PST) Panda Bear
8:30 (6:30 PST) LCD Soundsystem 


Sunday July 18 

1:00 (11 a.m. PST) Allá
1:45 (11:45 PST) Cass McCombs
2:30 (12:30 PST) Girls
3:20 (1:20 PST) Beach House
4:15 (2:15 PST) Lightning Bolt
5:15 (3:15 PST) St. Vincent
6:15 (4:15 PST) Major Lazer
7:25 (5:25 PST) Big Boi
8:30 (6:30 PST) Pavement 

GAMH to sail the seas of Primus

Well hello there. 

What is this I see?

A show announcement, a BIG show announcement today.

Primus will play unarguably the best venue in the Bay Area on July 18. 

Great American Music Hall bitches!

Tickets go on sale Friday July 9, 10 a.m. sharp. 

Try to score tickets my little pretties, just wash, rinse and repeat: "I think I can I think I can I think I can."