Oakland trio Shannon and the Clams (singer/bassist Shannon Shaw, guitarist Cody Blanchard, and Ian Amberson on drums) was raised largely on teenage death anthems of the 1960s. But Shaw still counts Kermit the Frog as one of her favorite singers, so you know the gloom isn't too thick here.
In fact, this band offers quite a bit of whimsy within its honest, homegrown sound, which fits right into the Bay Area's obsession with garage music, and its image. It's not unusual to see Shannon and the Clams pretending to be Trekkies or members of the Lollipop Guild.
Catch Shannon and the Clams live at the New Parish in Oakland with Calvin Love and Al Lover on March 5 and the Knockout in San Francisco with Mane and Marriage + Cancer on March 11.
