Show Review: Pink with New Politics at SAP Center, 10/15/2013

Pink makes her grand entrance: dangling in the air, held by three muscled men.
Pink makes her grand entrance: dangling in the air, held by three muscled men.

To sum up P!nk in one word seems at first like an impossible challenge. And then you see her live, and if you’re a word lover like me, the right one might dawn on you, just as it did me when I saw her Tuesday in San Jose at SAP Center on The Truth About Love Tour. Ready? The word is spectacular. Give it a minute: she can dance her ass off (both in the traditionally choreographed styles we’ve come to expect with pop acts and more modern/contemporary styles. She’s a bad ass aeralist in her own right, and she’s not too shabby when it comes to acrobatics these days, either. And of course, she’s singing 100% live the entire time, too, as she doesn’t believe in lip-synching. Even when she’s suspended in mid-air upside-down, she’s still singing, and it’s near perfect. Add a great opening act (New Politics), a fun set, costumes, makeup, and a “story” throughout the evening, and it gives you quite the spectacle to behold. So there you have it: Pink = spectacular! Continue reading “Show Review: Pink with New Politics at SAP Center, 10/15/2013”

Show Review: 30 Seconds to Mars with New Politics at SJSU Event Center, 10/11/2013

J Leto: "I'm no Jesus.  Neither are you, my friend..."
J Leto: “I’m no Jesus. Neither are you, my friend…”

In the years since I became a 30 Seconds to Mars fan, it’s been a bittersweet ride. The first time I ever saw them live was two and a half years ago, at this very same venue. As you can see from that review, I was ready to let Jared Leto himself baptize me into the “cult of Mars.” I also said regularly that I’d be happy to inject the band’s music into my veins if I could just figure out how. And then I took my best friend to see them, where we had a little issue with front man Leto, and ever since, I haven’t quite felt the same about the band. Frankly, I’m not made of whatever that stuff is that allows a person to be a fan of someone they dislike as a person. I’m just not. For two years, I’ve tried to convince myself that maybe that was just a bad moment, and Jared really is who I want him to be: a fantastic actor with an amazing voice and musical talent, and hopefully even a decent human being to boot. So yes: I couldn’t wait to see Mars again Friday night when they came back to SJSU’s Event Center, and try to make up my mind once and for all. (And it has to be said that the band’s most recent album, LOVE LUST FAITH + DREAMS, is nearly as good as the one before it, the epic This is War. It certainly couldn’t hurt my chances of enjoying my evening that I had several new favorite songs I expected to hear…)

Continue reading “Show Review: 30 Seconds to Mars with New Politics at SJSU Event Center, 10/11/2013”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 6/13/13-6/19/13

Psst: He's playing at Brick & Mortar Music Hal on Thursday. He's not hiding out in Asia.
Psst: He’s playing at Brick & Mortar Music Hal on Thursday. He’s not hiding out in Asia.

Not only do we have a ton of great shows, but if you look on Thursday, we also are giving away tickets to California Academy of Sciences’ Nightlife event this week!

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 6/13/13-6/19/13”

Dakin Hardwick’s SXSW Journal Day 3

What the devil is happening here? I have no idea...

Tired. So very tired. It’s raining today. That sucks. I’m tired… Want to know why I’m so tired? Read on…

Continue reading “Dakin Hardwick’s SXSW Journal Day 3”