“This is the first time my sisters and I have all been in San Francisco together,” said Este Haim, of the Los Angeles band Haim, after she joined siblings Danielle and Alana, and drummer Dash Hutton, onstage on Sunday, October 20 at the Treasure Island Music Festival. Her sister Alana added, “Actually we’re just happy to be in California.” The afternoon set occurred near the midpoint of the band’s North American tour supporting its debut album, Days Are Gone (Polydor Records). While Hutton manned the drums, Este played bass and percussion, Danielle (who has toured with Julian Casablancas and Jenny Lewis) played lead guitar and sang lead vocals, and Alana played keyboards.

The sisters, who were born in Valley Village (near North Hollywood), got a quick introduction to the whipping wind of the San Francisco Bay. “I feel like I’m Beyoncé right now,” Este quipped. The comparison seemed fitting due to the band’s sound, a modern blend of pop and indie rock that is often compared to Pat Benetar or The Pretenders mixed with ’90s R&B beats. The first track on the new album, “Falling,” with Este’s chant, “never look back, never give up,” also topped the band’s setlist during the performance. The sisters have said they wanted the first beats of the song to be a clarion call, functioning almost like the footsteps of the tyrannosaurus in Jurassic Park, and the tune immediately drew the crowds’ cheers.

Midway through the set, a fan threw candy onto the stage and Alana picked it up. The confection brought another San Francisco landmark to mind for Este. “The only equivalent to this is anything you get at Ghirardelli Square,” said Este. “I applied for a job there once, because I lived here for the summer. I didn’t get it… But whatever, I still love the city,” she added.

By Elizabeth Varnell

Setlist:
“Falling”
“The Wire”
“Oh Well” (by Fleetwood Mac)
“Honey & I”
“Don’t Save Me”
“Forever”
“Let Me Go”

Pictured: Danielle Haim of Haim at Treasure Island.
Photo by Mor Weizman

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