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Spinning Platters’ Top 20 Albums of 2020

By The Spinning Platters Editorial Staff

What a shit year, am I right? I guess that’s the consensus all around. It was also a weird year for music… The first half of the year had a bunch of great records that were released with touring in mind, full of epic live songs that are meant to be heard in a crowd and that simply didn’t happen. The second half was full of intense projects made while in seclusion. Projects where the recording is really the only means of connecting. This was a great year for the art of the album, despite it being a terrible year for musicians to make a living. Which is why we are giving you a top 20 this year! A lot of independent artists mixed in with the big ones, so please buy a record or two, or some merch to help keep them alive and able to hit the road when it’s safe.

A quick note: We begin this process in October, so our years is 11/1-11/1. So, yes, you will see at least one late 2019 album on this list. Continue reading “Spinning Platters’ Top 20 Albums of 2020”

Film Feature: Carrie and Chris Pick the 2019 Oscars

Film critics Carrie and Chris on who will – and who should – win the 91st Academy Awards

The 91st Academy Awards air this Sunday, February 24th, on ABC at 5:00 pm PST (with the requisite pre-show fashion assessments starting hours before). As they did last year, Spinning Platters film critics Carrie Kahn and Chris Piper share their predictions – and hopes – for the major categories. Guild awards – often harbingers of Oscars to come – have been all over the map this year, so there may actually be some genuine surprises. Tune in on Sunday to see how things play out, and to find out if we correctly read the minds of Academy voters.

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Film Review: A Star is Born

Lady Gaga, not Cooper’s debut film, is the real Star here

Mega star Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) and up-and-coming singer Ally (Lady Gaga) bond over songwriting.

What do the years 1937, 1954, and 1976 have in common with 2018? They, too, all had versions of the film A Star is Born playing in cinemas. Whether or not the movie-going public really needs a third remake of the 1937 original is up for debate (the ’54 and ’76 versions famously starred Judy Garland and Barbara Streisand, respectively), but actor Bradley Cooper apparently felt strongly that 2018 is the right moment for another try. He makes his writing and directing debut here, directing himself in a modern version of the classic story that, while showcasing the incredible talent of his co-star Lady Gaga, brings nothing fresh or extraordinary to the well-worn tale.

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Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 5/29/14-5/28/14

Thursday, May 29th Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 5/29/14-5/28/14”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 1/17/13-1/23/13

On Sunday, if you don't watch his team. he may get mad. Don't make him mad. — On Sunday, if you don’t watch his team. he may get mad. Don’t make him mad.

Dakin’s off this week, and he left me in charge, which means I totally mentioned sports. It’s championship week in the NFL, and for those of you not as sports minded as the rest of us (aka those of you make jokes like “what’s happening in sports ball this week?”), I’m also recommending some “music concerts” for you. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 1/17/13-1/23/13”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 3/17/11 – 3/23/11

Check out the concerts happening around the Bay Area over St. Patty’s Day weekend — after the jump.

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 3/17/11 – 3/23/11”

Spinning Platters Picks Six: Former Teen Idols Playing SXSW

teenidles_back — Nope, Teen Idles aren't getting back together this year...

SXSW is a great place for a band to go to generate buzz at the beginning of their career. It’s also a great place for a band that was once on the top of the universe, but isn’t anymore, and is looking for a career resurgence. Many of these bands at one point in time were “icons,” some may have even qualified as teen idols. This is a guide to some of my favorite former rock stars gracing the SXSW stages:

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Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 8/12/2010-8/19/2010

pigeons hate beards — Pigeons hate beard rock. Love the Outer Richmond. Let's see what happens to Kings Of Leon this time!

This is Outside Lands weekend, and a surprising number of excellent non-Outside Lands related gigs are happening concurrently. So, if you don’t feel like watching Kings Of Leon getting pooped on (although who wouldn’t love to see that!), you’ve got some crazy good options. Read On!

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 8/12/2010-8/19/2010”

Spinning Platters Picks Six (More): Fun Cover Versions

Back in September I revealed my secret love of searching out cover versions on Youtube and posted six of them. You can read/listen to that here

So here we are in February 2010 and I decided to do it again. Check out these six songs and let me know what you think. Maybe post some of your own ? Continue reading “Spinning Platters Picks Six (More): Fun Cover Versions”

Spinning Platters Picks Six (x2) – 12 Best Musical Moments of 2009 from TV or Movies

Since I probably watch more TV and movies than 98% of the population I thought I would bring you a list of great musical moments I saw in 2009. Please enjoy the videos below whether they are new to you or a reminder of your favorites. Please leave your choices in the comments, though I must mention two things were left off this list on purpose. First, the Michael Jackson movie This Is It which I did not see and will never see. The second, Kanye making an ass out of himself during Taylor Swift’s VMA award speech, isn’t really musical, or at least there is no song associated, so it didn’t qualify. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Picks Six (x2) — 12 Best Musical Moments of 2009 from TV or Movies”