PSYCHED! FEST 2025 presents:
Kelley Stoltz
Singer/songwriter Kelley Stoltz grew up in the Detroit area, but eventually found his way to San Francisco after taking a detour to New York City, where he worked in the mailroom at Jeff Buckley’s management company. Armed with a four-track recorder and a wealth of lo-fi pop songs, Stoltz began recording his own material, performing all the parts himself and drawing comparisons to artists like Brian Wilson and Captain Beefheart.
Those songs caught the ear of Monte Vallier, who helped Stoltz clean up and sweeten the recordings for release as The Past Was Faster in 1999. After that, Stoltz upgraded to an eight-track and self-released Antique Glow in a limited quantity of 200 vinyl copies, each one housed in a different, originally designed sleeve by Stoltz himself. Antique Glow was then picked up by Jackpine Social Club for wider release in 2003, which both raised his profile and allowed him to quit his teaching job.
Stoltz found a more permanent home for his music in 2005, when he signed with Sub Pop and released the Sun Comes Through EP. A full-length album, Below the Branches, followed in March 2006. Stolz’s band toured that summer as the opening act for the Raconteurs and returned to the studio in 2008 to record his lushest production yet, Circular Sounds. Two years later, he toured with Echo & the Bunnymen and released another layered pop album, To Dreamers, which featured his live band on two tracks.
His affiliation with Sub Pop having run its course, Stoltz next spent time behind the scenes as a member of Sonny & the Sunsets and producing albums for the Mantles and Tim Cohen. He returned in 2013 with an album for Third Man called Double Exposure. In 2015, Stoltz found a new sponsor in Castle Face Records, the label founded by John Dwyer of Thee Oh Sees. They released In Triangle Time, a set of songs that blended Stoltz’ love of the music of the ’60s and ’80s, in early November 2015. That same year he collaborated with Sarah Bethe Nelson on her record Fast Moving Clouds.
His next musical move came as a bit of a surprise to anyone who didn’t know that Stoltz recorded a song-by-song recreation of Echo & the Bunnymen’s Crocodiles album in 2001 or that he once had a Echo cover band with Spiral Stairs called Crockodials. In 2016, he joined the Bunnymen as a touring guitarist, playing the songs he grew up loving. That ’80s influence became even more evident on Stoltz’ next album for Castle Face, 2017’s Que Aura.
Kelley Stoltz entered his 20th year in the record business with the release of his tenth full-length album, My Regime. This was his second release for the Spanish label Banana & Louie after prior albums on Castleface, Third Man Records, and Sub Pop. A longtime DIY home recording multi-instrumentalist, Stoltz again engineered, mixed, and played all the instruments on the album, and his unique brand of '60s/'80s pop, garage-rock, and folk sounds seem to have gotten better with age. Less a household name, more a word-of-mouth survivor, Stoltz continues to make records that are consistently listed in year-end best-of affairs with Mojo, Uncut, and others.
My Regime was recorded during an emotional year that saw him get engaged to marry, his father pass away, and his tenure as rhythm guitarist with longtime heroes Echo & the Bunnymen come to an end. Jovial and reflective moods ensued and were put to tape by Stoltz in his Electric Duck Studios at home in San Francisco.
The first single “Turning Into You” ponders the delight and soul connections of love, while “2020” asks “have you got what you need to ride it out… I wish I could see peace in 2020”, in reference to the chaotic politics at home. “Fire on Fire”, written with his Dad on his mind, and is a big beat slow burner reminiscent of the Church’s “Starfish” years.
The reedition of his album Antique Glow was released in 2021.
Bandcamp | IG
Prog Frog
Bandcamp | IG
Loco Tranquilo
Julián Armando Gervasi also known by his stage name Loco Tranquilo, is a singer, songwriter, and composer originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, now based in San Francisco, California. Immersed in the arts from a young age, Julián began crafting his musical identity at 20, inspired by the vibrant culture of his hometown.
After moving to San Francisco in 2016, he quickly became a standout figure in the Bay Area music scene. As Loco Tranquilo, Julián is celebrated for his evocative live performances and innovative sound, which blends Argentine rock with psychedelic pop, jazzy melodies, and touches of freak folk. His work is heavily influenced by artists like Devendra Banhart, Ty Segall, Thom Yorke, Luis Alberto Spinetta and Gustavo Cerati, resulting in a rich and distinctive musical style.
Through heartfelt lyrics and melodies, Loco Tranquilo explores themes of love, self-discovery, and optimism, crafting an introspective yet accessible listening experience. His dreamy compositions transport audiences to a place where emotion and creativity collide, making his music both deeply personal and universally relatable.
Known for his genre-defying sound, unique voice and sincere storytelling, Julián Armando Gervasi has built a reputation for creating music that transcends boundaries as Loco Tranquilo. His unique blend of cultures, influences, and emotions solidifies his place as a dynamic force in today’s alternative and indie music.
Bandcamp | IG
Dinner Date
Dinner Date (f.k.a Secret Secret) is a collaboration between four friends who grew up in San Francisco, CA.
Bandcamp | IG
DOORS at 7:00PM | MUSIC at 7:30 PM
