48 Hills music critic John-Paul Shiver is reporting this week from the Noise Pop Festival. Follow all his coverage here.
See, I’m trying to be optimistic in a world of “breaking” bad news. And for that, I thank Noise Pop for being the ultimate diversion this week, as everything else goes to rot.
I know. Started with that bummer shit. But sometimes, that’s the correct jump-off. It can only go up from there. Right?
Speaking of up, sometimes, for the sake of clarity, or some type of peace, and in this case just general regularity, you’re not in the mood for the next upcoming jazz musician who’s fusing whatever is hot in the dance music trades. Cancelled electro? Gabber for arrhythmics? Minimal leftfield blog-bleep jukework? Not today, Satan.
That Bish is gonna fall to the back of the line.
I need something personal, something reflecting our more human tendencies.
When the world gets cold, I need to feel the warm.
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Oakland’s self-proclaimed songwriter, producer, and human girl Dani Offline played two, count ’em, two sold-out shows in the Joe Henderson Lab as part of Noise Pop and SFJAZZ’s collaborative partnership this year. These Thursday night sessions, filled to the brim with an energetic multicultural attendance, felt like the kindhearted Oakland hug we could all use these days.
Accompanied by pianist Will Henley-Dias, the funky-ass drummer who is Carson Fratus, and David Exhume, a cooler-than-you bassist who would sing along to Dani’s songs unprovoked (bro was killing it) with the eyes closed. This is the type of healthy entertainment, fun and eclectic, that lovers and those who want to be can dig on for a bit, amid a world getting real wonky. When Dani sings about moving the furniture around in her apartment, getting her life sorted, and losing the dude all at once, these are real situations; at least, they feel that way.
The natural dramatic pauses are delivered with such poise. Gentle persuading, and that vibrant glowing charm. It’s damn compelling. Even if the love ain’t working in the song, that self-love emanates from the stage, taking the W.
As for Dani, she played keys and guitar, engaged the crowd in a couple of sing-alongs, and made sure to remind everyone her first album, Mirror EP, still sounding incredible, was produced in her bedroom using her computer. And to this oh-so-budding artist’s credit, performing in a live setting with the band, the arrangements felt jazz-adjacent in that type of presentation and analog vibe.
As much as I look forward to that Joe Henderson Lab, one of the best-sounding venues in the city, to get a little buck wild with free-jazz skraonk outs, or some type of electronic music dancefloor ready-heady-and-sweaty burner, Thursday night was a cool return-to-center type of jazz moment.
Couples swooned, Jack. Partners got real close with pleasure while Dani did this slow-motion arm wave on stage during performances, and jeez, that just made the evening.
I’d been having this conversation with music writers in line for shows, happy hour attendees, fast women who claim to be sincere and then proceed to milk your human kindness, and I’m trying to figure out if Noise Pop could just go 100 percent all Bay Area talent one year.
Expanding our reach with what we’ve created here in The Bay could likely make this February festival global. While I can’t say for certain yet, I envision Dani-Offline as an ambassador because that magic instills hope.
