Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 7/3/14-7/9/14

This weekend in Mosswood Park!
This weekend in Mosswood Park!

Historically, July has been a dead period for big music festivals. Recently, however, we’ve seen two amazing festivals pop up. Next week is Phono del Sol. This week, however, is the positively epic Burger Boogaloo! There is going to be 50 years worth of the finest garage bands ever in Mosswood Park, near MacArthur Bart in Oakland. However, there is plenty more happening this week in addition to that: Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 7/3/14-7/9/14”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 5/9/13-5/15/13

Opening for Kate Nash on Saturday!
Opening for Kate Nash on Saturday!

While the majority of the bands playing in the Bay Area this week are up at Bottle Rock in Napa, which, yes, in an amazing looking festival, it isn’t quite the Bay Area. The following shows (with one exception) are all easily accessible via BART. So enjoy your rock n roll, and remember not to drink & drive!

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Show Review: Ultraísta with Astronauts, etc. at The Independent, 10/22/2012

Laura Bettinson of Ultraísta
Laura Bettinson of Ultraísta

There’s an interesting conundrum that a new band faces when one of its members is a well-known and deeply admired member of the music world, but theirs is not a front-and-center role in said new band. While it is pleasing and exciting to know that the group will gain attention and followers simply by this connection, it’s frustrating or sometimes embarrassing when the enjoyment and appreciation from their fans is entirely directed at the aforementioned member, with the other bandmates struggling to pull the limelight back to themselves. It helps, therefore, to bring a set of people with you who are delightfully talented and demonstrating show-stopping performances in and of themselves. Thus, it was a delightful treat when a small contingent of Radiohead fans, drawn to the Independent to see the new work of their long-time producer Nigel Godrich, were surprisingly dazzled and mesmerized by all three members of English outfit Ultraísta, which Godrich formed with fellow musicians Joey Waronker (drummer for Atoms For Peace, R.E.M. and Beck) and fresh new face Laura Bettinson earlier this year.

Continue reading “Show Review: Ultraísta with Astronauts, etc. at The Independent, 10/22/2012”