510 Embarcadero West, Oakland
September 18, 2025
For her second year running, Oakland local Aneesa Strings hit the stage at Yoshi’s, backed this night by Wayne Matthews Jr on drums and a light-handed, smooth and tinkling Brandon Cordoba on keys. From high pony to high-heeled boots—and all the drama of her stark red and white, crisp and lacy fit in between—the songstress and bassist sauntered on stage ready to serve up smoky, sultry vocals, plunging, plucky bass, some tender moments, and a whole lot of Oakland attitude.
Celebrating (and selling, on vinyl no less) her latest EP, The Calm, she opened with new song "H2O," entering to a tinkling, charming and slowly building and burgeoning cocoon of noises from Matthews and Cordoba. Spare and precise, gently washing over the room. A light rain stick-type noise, where was that coming from? Warm, a bit plaintive, Strings’ voice adding to the mix, the three coming together to create a full and lush sound. Big in the cushioned room, they reached each patron in a back seat (children included, first time I’ve seen at Yoshi’s I can recall) as clearly as the folks fawning up front.
Between sweet husky crowd banter, powerful and guttural vocalizations, and a general comfort in her stage presence, it is clear that Strings has been exercising her performance muscles and is ready for the larger and more venerated stages and venues she has started to play. Her often effortless transitions between genres and styles, a laid-back but intentional hand on her basses, offers a wide range of possibilities to her audience. From atonal, shifty and angsty jazz club singer to Fugees tribute sound and back again to smooth and soft RnB songstress—sometimes all in a few lines—Strings remained in control of her vocal instrument, her stringed ones, and the crowd’s energy throughout the set. Photo ops were to be “preferentialized to those who buy records”, the smiling and chuckling Strings warned. Perhaps it was due to being a hometown show, but the crowd hoping to catch her for that photo, signed vinyl, and a hug after the show was thick, each anxious for their turn.
Medleys and tidbits from local legends — a moment dedicated to “a real one we lost this year, D’Wayne Wiggins”; “Blow the Whistle”, intended to warm up the crowd and her electric bass but receiving the quietest auditory participation she’d “encountered in 10 years in the Bay, let alone Oakland!”— were interspersed with her originals, and a true standout moment involved another one of the Town’s gems. “You’ll recognize him by his silhouette,” Strings offered, as “the Real Mr.” Martin Luther McCoy joined the ensemble for “Rather Go/ Tennessee”, a soaring harmony between the two singers and a heartwrenching but still swoon-worthy mashup of two well-loved songs.
I found her strongest moments to be those fully engrossed in her emotions, in the feeling of the performance. She has a gift for emoting through sound, for touching lightly but stirringly with her voice, an etheric quality balanced with deep, well, bass. In short, she slaps, especially if you’re a simp.
Wayne Matthews Jr, left, repping his singer, and with very excited attendees.
