StrateJacket Count Down Their Top 10 Favourite Bay Area Haunts

It’s been a much-delayed debut for StrateJacket, but they are certainly making the most of it. The trio recently released their debut EP, a supercharged barrage of memorable hooks, dark humour, and electric energy. Lead singer and guitarist Jackson Roemers, bassist Fabian Angel, and drummer Nate Mangold formed StrateJacket in 2019 in Sunnyvale, California. As a live band, they could play one gig after forming. Yes, just one. The pandemic arrived and shot everything to hell. But the band members remained committed and maintained their resolve to make something of this musical endeavour.

And they did. They used the downtime to focus on their songwriting and musical chemistry. They pinned down the sound they were pursuing through merging their own individual influences. As connoisseurs of alternative and punk bands of the 1990s and 2000s, they found a starting point. They recorded the EP in Vancouver at Armory Studios with JUNO Award-winning producer/songwriter Brian Howes. With a DIY approach, the band used a guerilla approach to touring to start. Within San Francisco, they played under bridges, on beaches, and in warehouses. The crowds began to expand, and when they did, EDGEOUT Records took notice and signed them.

As a tribute to the Bay Area and everything it offers, bassist Fabian Angel joins us today for a countdown of the band’s Top 10 favourite spots to hit up while in this wonderful region.

1. Cash Only – www.cashonlysj.com

“Super chill bar that surprise, surprise takes cash only. I unfortunately learned the hard way when I tried to pay with a card. Cheap cocktails that’ll have you leaning and tasty snacks that’ll have you geeking. Never been a bad time.”

2. Moon Zooom – www.instagram.com/moonzooomvintage_sj

“Whenever you have free time and need some new drip, you’ll leave Moon Zooom looking sick. Got every band tee you can think of. If I’m in San Jose, I’m going to Moon Zooom. No question.”

3. Gil’s house

“I apologize in advance. This location is not accessible to all of the public. But, we had to mention it because they’re too many good times at Gil’s house. Usually, we’d come here before going to Cash Only or San Jose for a night out in general. Shout out to Gil, aka: ‘The Dude.’”

StrateJacket ‘StrateJacket’ album artwork

4. State of Mind Pizza – www.stateofmindpublichouse.com

“After rehearsals every now and then, we like to come by State Of Mind. We always get ‘The Ultimate’ and some of those Dirty Fries oh yeah. Not to mention they have pretty much every it’s-it flavour known. Which really pushes it to be on this list, personally.”

5. Phoenix Theatre – www.phoenixtheatresf.org

“I don’t really know if this counts as the bay, but whatever. Have to mention it. Every show we’ve seen and played here has always been so much fun. Sounds always great. The crew who works the venue are always chill. If you’re around the Petaluma area or across the Golden Gate Bridge, definitely check it out.”

6. Savers – www.savers.com

“Probably have been to every Savers in San Jose and a little more north. Most of our closets are full of clothes from there. If you dig deep enough, you’re bound to find something. Maybe a little too many clothes from there, because it’s so cheap and it’s one of one. Actually got the Outlandos D’Amour record from The Police for like two dollars. The record was warped, but it was still worth it to hang up the vinyl and the poster inside.”

7. Crossroads – www.crossroadstrading.com/location/san-jose-west-san-carlos

“Crossroads is a really cool assortment of thrifted clothes. Every time we go in we always leave with something without fail. I recently copped some cool striped long-sleeves and jeans that I wear for shows. The staff there are pretty chill and it’s near a bunch of other clothing stores. Y’all should check it out.”

8. Bottom of the Hill – www.bottomofthehill.com

“Bottom of the Hill is one of the best venues in San Francisco. We’ve played there a couple of times and even checked out other bands when we had the chance. The sound there is amazing and the stage is a good size for us, there’s enough room for us to throw ourselves all over the place.”

9. 924 Gilman – www.instagram.com/924gilmanstreet

“924 Gilman is such a goated venue. We love playing shows there, with all our band homies. We’ve played with some talented bands like Cirkus, Jellyfish Method, and Rat Bastard Radio. The locals always welcome us with open arms, we are extremely grateful for what the Bay Area scene has done for us.”

10. Starving Musician – www.starvingmusician.com

“We love going to the Starving Musician in Santa Clara. All the employees there are extremely goated. They’re kind, respectful, talented, and really good friends. Going there honestly kind of feels like a hub to just hang out and have a good time. We’ve had the privilege to play a couple of shows with those guys and we can’t wait for the next time we play with them. Maybe we’ll have to go bother them some time and try to set something up.”