Rockbites: First Annual Sillycon Valley Brownout powers on

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First Annual Sillycon Valley Brownout powers on
18 April 2001

For the past three years, the city of Sunnyvale, California (in San Francisco’s south bay area, aka Silicon Valley), in collaboration with a local bakery restaurant, has run a weekly program of music for high school teens. It’s not quite Marty Culp and Bobbi Mohann-Culp (SNL’s Will Farrel and Ana Gasteyer) embarrassing themselves reliving hippy days.
    Dubbed The Fishbowl, the Saturday night event features local and national bands in a comfortable, low-key setting. It is free with a local high-school ID. This past weekend, inspired by the ongoing California power crisis, Fishbowl mastermind Eric Fanali brought in a dozen bands for a mostly acoustic 'Brownout' festival—the first of what he promises will be an annual series.
    The performers seemed energized by the unplugged theme. Teen heartthrob Derek Starr, accompanying himself on piano, offered up a smooth as glass, tongue in cheek performance—complete with deep, meaningful glances at the young audience members. The centerpiece of his set was an over-the top, pure schmaltz, Richard Clayderman-like rendition of Nine Inch Nail’s Closer To God. Never before has “I want to fuck you like an animal” sounded so innocently romantic.
    Fanali, fresh from another local festival the night before which celebrated the impresario’s 22nd birthday, took the stage with northwest US band Mall Security to sing The Who’s Kids Are Alright.
    Bay Area trio The Velvet Teen delivered a riveting if short set, powered by the stunning tenor/falsetto voice of lead singer Judah Nagler. San José Punk outfit Stunt Monkey metamorphosed into a folk quartet for the evening. With some surprisingly nuanced guitar work they songs from their catalog such as Save The Gay Baby Unborn Whales For Jesus.
    Experimental quintet Xiu Xiu (former members of Ten In The Swear Jar and Ibopa), also from San José, performed as a duo. The high point of their set a harsh, Art Of Noise style reading of Lionel Richie’s tale of unrequited love, Hello. | Fishbowl | | Richard Clayderman | | Stunt Monkey | | Ibopa | | top of page |

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