The Bay Area’s own, Shannon and the Clams hit a milestone in their musical career Thursday night when they played a sold out show at the historic Fillmore theater in San Francisco. They are now part of a club of some of the industry’s best musicians who have previously done the same and have posters commemorating those sold out shows displayed throughout the venue. This was definitely a very special night for them to play, as it brought out a crowd of fans, friends and family that have been following them from their earlier days playing smaller shows around the Bay Area. It was wild seeing so many familiar faces in the audience since frontwoman Shannon Shaw and I both share the same hometown of Napa. Although I didn’t personally know a lot of the familiar faces I saw, it was really cool to see how many people made the trip to be supportive.
LA based band, The Paranoyds, were the first band to come out and help kick off the night. I have to admit that I wasn’t familiar with them or their music before that night, but I was pretty into it. I’m not sure what it was about them, but they gave me Hole vibes with their grungy style that reflected off their fashion sense and music.
The Paranoyds were followed up by a solo performance from Shana Cleaveland. Shana is best known for being the lead guitarist and vocalist to LA based band, La Luz. For her set, she was joined by her partner Will Sprott, who plays the keys in Shannon and the Clams. This was by far the most chill performance of the night. Shana led the band with her acoustic guitar and silky vocals backed by an upright bass, soft keys and light drums to top it. The openers for the night were an eclectic mix that provided something for everyone to enjoy.
Once the lights went down and Shannon and the Clams made their way to the stage, the crowd started to welcome them with cheers. The band seemed to have gathered help from local artists and close friends that helped bring the show together and make it as special as possible. From the art and props that decorated the stage, to the backup vocals that were provided, the show was a success that was made possible by the support system that came together to celebrate all that this band has accomplished throughout their career. If you ever get a chance to catch these guys while they’re on the road, do yourself a favor and grab a ticket. The powerhouse vocals provided by both Shannon Shaw and Cody Blanchard are incredible and mindblowing.
You can check out their music and view their upcoming shows on their bandcamp
