Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
Summer is past its halfway point. It’s getting really hot, so if you are looking for a reason to spend your evening indoors, here are a few good ones: Continue reading “Spinning Platters Guide to Bay Area Concerts: 7/30/15 — 8/5/15”
I’ve been waiting to see this band for a long, long time. They’re one of my absolute favorites, so when I got my little fan club email about tickets going on sale, I was ALL over it. Like woke up at the crack of dawn over it. Their newest album Zonoscope was just starting to have little early “leaks” that were streamed over the internet. I’ve been beside myself for months… I was going to see Cut Copy on this US tour no matter what. Continue reading “Show Review: Cut Copy with Holy Ghost! at the Regency Ballroom, 4/16 and 4/17/2011”
I don’t know what’s happened to Popscene over the years. When I was in my early and mid-20s, it was pretty much just a dance club. Then every once in a while, a really awesome band would come play. It was a fabulous treat, but really, it was still a dance club with lots of dancing before and after the band played (if there was one that night). Moved away to LA, moved back, basically fast forward to a world where I’m now 31 and haven’t been going out dancing as much. But I have been coming for shows every once in awhile. But maybe that’s what happened, more and more relevant bands have been playing this venue, so its turned more into a place for great late night shows than it is a place for dancing. Because there was sure no dancing going on this past Thursday night, well besides me with my recovering foot dancing almost by myself, when all the young kiddies were being lame and hanging out by the walls. Continue reading “Show Review: MNDR at 330 Ritch — Popscene, 12/09/10”
Friday night at The Fox Theater in Oakland, the Bay Area had Wolf Parade back in town for the tour for their 3rd album, Expo 86 ,which came out last month. The guys in the band are made up from quite a few other successful bands such as The Handsome Furs, Sunset Rubdown, and Hot Hot Heat. There’s an Arcade Fire song under their belt, among others projects as well. That’s some major Canadian indie rock street cred. Continue reading “Show Review: Wolf Parade with Moools and Zola Jesus at The Fox Theater, 7/28/2010”
I was one grumpy bitch last night. The minute I left the house I knew it was bad news. But my brother was in town from Davis, so I dragged him along with me. When we were kids, and as he’s my younger sibling, there’s a long history of me pulling him with me to all the random shows I wanted to see growing up in the city. He even said the last time he thinks he went to a show was in 1999, and it was with me to some random whatever. I guess I have to drag him, because he sure won’t go on his own. Continue reading “Show Review: Rogue Wave with Man/Miracle at The Fillmore, 4/30/10”
All I can REALLY say is that you didn’t go to this show, you’ve just made the biggest mistake of your life. Let me tell you all about it. Maybe you made it up to yourself by seeing it last night in San Francisco, or you can make it up by traveling to faraway lands. Really, its worth it. Continue reading “Show Review: Jónsi at Zellerbach Hall, 4/15/10”
I was excited for the opportunity to see Murder By Death again. The last time I had seen them was at 12 Galaxies on July 12, 2004. An eternity ago, as that venue doesn’t even exist anymore. Murder by Death was at the beginning of their career and their 2002 debut album Like The Exorcist, But More Breakdancing has forever been a favorite of mine since I first heard it back then. Actually, that’s all I’ve really known of them, and I was fine with it because I loved it so much. So in gearing up to see this show, I gave their new album Good Morning, Magpie a listen. Boy was I surprised that they barely sounded like the same band! I had to get my hands on everything in between to catch up to how they’ve been developing over the years, as they’ve been working hard putting out albums every two years. Continue reading “Show Review: Murder By Death with Ha Ha Tonka and Linfinity at Slim’s, 4/08/2010”
Sitting at a table alone with two strange boys, I toyed with my drink, waiting for my friend who fell asleep to show up. I saw a girl on the dance floor throw her cell phone on the floor, pick it up, then storm off leaving her two friends with stupefied looks on their faces. Boy trouble! Don’t I know it.
Which is where I was at when I first heard The Drums on KALX last week. Continue reading “Show Review: The Drums at 330 Ritch (Popscene), 11/12/2009”