Imagine you are a San Francisco company, desperate to change your image and to relaunch your identity. Imagine you need some artists to help you in your launch party. Imagine you bring in Ash to help ring in the new. This is exactly what Levi’s did Thursday night in SF at the grand re-opening of their flagship store on Union Square.
The Northern Irish quartet was still in town after their opening shift on the Area:Two tour and someone pulled the sufficient strings and roped the band in to play the opening slot on a two-artist bill with Dan The Automator. Tim Wheeler, frontman extraordinaire, bantered with the crowd the entire time, imploring people outside the roped off private-party area to breach the barrier and jump in and have a good time. And that they did, especially after the 11 or so Irish kids jumped into the mix. The kids had been kicking around a soccer ball in Union Square and heard the music start up and almost had a heart attack upon learning that 5000 miles from home, one of their favorite bands was playing a very intimate show. The show may have been outdoor in the arctic San Francisco summer, but jams such as “Shining Light,” “Goldfinger,” “Oh Yeah,” “Kung Fu,” “Walking Barefoot” and “Burn Baby Burn” were all unleashed to warm the collective. The best song of the night, however, was the band’s initial single, “Jack Names The Planets,” which was not offered out at their Area:Two show the night prior. The energy was infectious and it was a perfect way to warm up the night, before heading off to popscene, sadly missing the DJ set from The Automator. Oh well. Next time…
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