Osees Bring Their Psych-Rock Marathon to San Francisco

San Francisco’s long-running rock institution Osees brings its relentless live show back to the city where the band first took shape in 1997. What began as John Dwyer’s solo freak-folk project grew through countless lineups and name changes—OCS, Thee Oh Sees, Oh Sees, and more—into one of modern rock’s most prolific acts.

Today’s Osees pairs Dwyer with a tight rhythm section: Tim Hellman on bass, drummers Dan Rincon and Paul Quattrone, and keyboardist Tomas Dolas. Their sound folds garage rock, krautrock, psychedelia, and folk into a dense, wired blend, and the recent studio album Off Course welcomes back longtime collaborator Brigid Dawson.

With roughly thirty studio albums behind them, a live set can reach across eras and moods, from lo-fi acoustic beginnings to heavy progressive rock. Expect a sweaty, high-energy marathon that keeps the audience off balance—the off-kilter visual and musical world of Osees.