Why did these 5 make the cut? First off, they make great music. Then, they have the drive, putting themselves out there nonstop. They have great songs, beats, lyrics, and stage presence. Plus they’ve got the X factor. And to be considered up and coming, they had to have less than 10,000 myspace friends. That means they’re still kind of a secret.
In no particular order…
Astra Heights: This band of brothers plus one friend recently opened for She Wants Revenge. Their pop rock music shows a number of influences, The Beatles, Wilco, and a hint of their Texas roots. The band is releasing an album soon that is sure to impress based on the tracks already available for listening.
The Gray Kid: Fresh off a cross country tour, The Gray Kid is sure to have left many cities buzzing with his own brand of hip hop. Smart lyrics and beats that sound both fresh and familiar have made ‘…5,6,7,8’ in heavy rotation in my workout mix.
Immigrant: Immigrant recently released their debut album, Novakinesis, and have been opening shows for Muse. No small feat for a band that has only been together for 6 months. Their classic rock sound and unique look has in the know San Franciscans talking.
Honeycut: This trio has been traveling like mad in support of their album, The Day I Turned to Glass. Though they’ve shown their goods to Street Scene and Lollapalooza, SF has been lucky to have them around town like a socialite on the party circuit. Their dancey funk music gets the crowd going every time.
Maldroid: Barely a year old and already a win under their belt- this band won a YouTube Underground contest for best music video. Their electro rock music has been a fixture on the SF/Oakland music scene ever since. They are on the Fuzz label, a growing social music network that might soon be giving MySpace a run for their money.