Ways You Can Support Artists AND Help Fight Police Brutality and Systemic Racism

Photo courtesy Raymond Ahner

That headline is a mouthful, isn’t it? It’s been difficult processing all of my feelings about everything that has happened this year… From Australian burning to the destruction of Nashville to COVID-19, this year has been a rough one, but it’s been particularly bad for the music business. Yet, in the last few weeks, coming off the heels of the tragic deaths of Breonna Taylor and Charles Floyd, there has been an outpouring if activity coming from musicians, all donating to worthy causes that will fight the infrastructure that has led to so many innocent people of color dying at the hands of the people they pay to serve and protect them. 

All I am asking of you is to do something you probably want to do anyways: buy merch from your favorite artists. Many of these artists are leveraging that June 5th is “Bandcamp Day,” where Bandcamp waives their fees, so artists get everything. Here are just a handful of campaigns happening now from some Spinning Platters favorites: 

Continue reading “Ways You Can Support Artists AND Help Fight Police Brutality and Systemic Racism”

Single Of The Week: Literary Hoax by Bam! Bam!

For this week’s Single Of The Week, I decided to remind you that Tool have finally put their back catalog on streaming services. You may ask why I mentioned this… Well, the answer is SEO reasons. Because my favorite Bay Area band has new material out TODAY! And they are called Bam!Bam!, which is definitely something you can do with a tool. Usually a hammer.

Oakland’s Bam! Bam! have been putting out great punk singles for years. They’ve put out so many excellent 7″‘s that I find it hard to believe they have yet to release a full length record. Well, today changes that, as their debut record, Nails, was released TODAY and can be enjoyed here. The single off this record is “Literary Hoax,” an infectious earworm of a track. The accompanying video may not be entirely suitable for work, is an excellent piece of filmmaking that provides an uncomfortable visual to such an upbeat piece of music.

Enjoy Nails as your soundtrack to the first weekend of the last month of Summer!

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 7/10/14-7/16/14

The other phono del sol...
The other phono del sol…

Another weekend in July. Another excuse to hang out in some of the Bay Area’s under-appreciated parks. Last weekend’s Burger Boogaloo was amazing. This weekend brings us Phono del Sol. A one day event that brings the absolute best in indie rock to it’s natural habitat- The Mission. I’ve gone every year, and at $25, it’s a steal! For one price, you get Wye Oak, Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, Nick Waterhouse, Tony Molina, Blackbird Blackbird, White Fence, Yalls, A Million Billion Dying Suns, The Tambo Rays, and Bill Baird. It’s going to be an epic time for all. Oh, and we’ve got other shows this week, too: Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 7/10/14-7/16/14”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 6/5/14-6/11/14

When I hear the name "Nashville Pussy," this is what I think of. Also, there's a benefit for Cat Town tonight.
When I hear the name “Nashville Pussy,” this is what I think of. Also, there’s a benefit for Cat Town tonight.

Thursday, June 5th Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 6/5/14-6/11/14”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 5/1/14-5/7/14

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Coming to Slim’s this week.

Thursday, May 1st Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 5/1/14-5/7/14”

Show Review: The Bruises with the Hot Toddies and Bam!Bam! at Slim’s, 1/31/14

Photos by Dakin Hardwick
Photos by Dakin Hardwick

In a word, this show was evolutionary. Attendees were first treated to a newer duo. Next, an established trio played new songs and old favorites. And finally we had a four-piece playing its last show ever.

Continue reading “Show Review: The Bruises with the Hot Toddies and Bam!Bam! at Slim’s, 1/31/14”

Show Review: Schande / Silent Pictures / Bam! Bam! at Hemlock, 7/30/11

 

Alexander Mann of Silent Pictures

Saturday Night’s show at the Hemlock was a reunion of sorts.  Most people there probably didn’t realize that each band was a new project of a former member of the queercore band BoySkout.  What that gave the audience was a varied show with seasoned musicians that somehow fit together just right. Continue reading “Show Review: Schande / Silent Pictures / Bam! Bam! at Hemlock, 7/30/11”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 7/28/11-8/2/11

From the "whatever happened to?" file: One of these people is playing a show this week.

So, I’ve spend the last few days drooling over the Treasure Island Festival line up… So much that I almost forgot to do this. But, that would be sad for everyone out there, because this week is awesome. Besides, there are great shows every night until that shindig happens.

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 7/28/11-8/2/11”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 2/3/11-2/9/11

Cat Power!

You know what’s awesome about February? It’s one step closer to Noise Pop, Fauxchella, and SXSW. It may be a little slow, but there are plenty of reasons not to go to bed early this week.

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 2/3/11-2/9/11”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 9/9/2010-9/15/2010

Opening for Helmet.

Here’s another fun week of fun stuff to fill with funness. Happy funny funtimes!!

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 9/9/2010-9/15/2010”