NOISE POP 2024 PHASE 1 LINEUP!!!

SOUND THE ALARM! It’s time to start planning your 2024 ALREADY!!! Noise Pop dropped their Phase 1 lineup, and it goes on sale TOMORROW! Highlights include two nights of Snail Mail at Great American Music Hall (including one night with The legendary Softies opening!), The Mountain Goats are doing a stripped-down, solo acoustic set (at Grace Cathedral, of all places!), Nine Inch Nails’ (and first ever Italian to get inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, in case you were wondering) Alessandro Cortini is playing Gray Area, and many other Spinning Platters favorites like Cherry Glazerr, chokecherry, Kendra Morris, Thee Sinseers, Roman Candle and more! Full lineup below! Tickets for single shows are on sale 11/10 at 10am here. A limited number of badges remain and you can grab those here

Interview: George Chen of Zum Audio

George Chen has been a friend of Spinning Platters for many, many years. In fact, we’ve interviewed him before! And I’ve appeared on his podcast, Sup Doc to discuss 2020’s documentary on The Go Go’s. With all the years I’ve known him, we’ve never talked about his record label, Zum Audio. So we decided to chat about Zum’s history as well as his upcoming Noise Pop Showcase! It’s happening at Bottom Of The Hill on Tuesday, February 22nd, and features Body Double, The Acharis, and My Heart, An Inverted Flame. You should buy your tickets here and then read the interview: Continue reading “Interview: George Chen of Zum Audio”

A Letter From The Editor: Let’s Make Sure Live Music Stays Alive

Someday, when we meet again…

So, as you may have noticed that this site has been quiet for a few weeks. That’s not so much because a lack of content, but, to be totally frank with you, this whole COVID-19 thing has left me feeling, well, really depressed. In a way where I just didn’t want to touch the site at all, because I didn’t want there to be a long stretch of “this is how we are going to handle things in the COVID-19 era” content with livestreams and think pieces and weird, meandering posts about whether or not the live event industry can overcome this without any real knowledge of when this will end. It all became more real when I lost my day job as Venue Success Specialist at Eventbrite, because, well, nobody can put on events pretty much anywhere in the world right now. Continue reading “A Letter From The Editor: Let’s Make Sure Live Music Stays Alive”

Show Review: Habibi, Rudy de Anda, Babewatch at Bottom Of The Hill, 2/29/2020

In the world of garage rock, it’s expected for bands to put out material quickly and furiously. Bands like Thee Oh Sees and Ty Segall have set the bar so high that one record a year comes off as “slow.” When Habibi didn’t follow up their 2014 debut – a delicious blend of garage crunch, 60’s girl group harmonies, and Iranian melodies – right away, people just assumed they called it quits. It wasn’t until 2018, when they put out a short EP, that I thought they were even still a unit. However, it took six long years before we got a proper follow up. It also meant six years without a proper visit to SF. I’m glad that 2020 gave us both. Continue reading “Show Review: Habibi, Rudy de Anda, Babewatch at Bottom Of The Hill, 2/29/2020”

Spinning Platters Guide To Noise Pop 2020

Noise Pop week.  It’s pretty much impossible, isn’t it? It’s the single best programmed week of live music the Bay Area gets all year! And this year marks the return on the Noise Pop Film Series!  There is other fun stuff in store, like a photo exhibit at Hotel Biron, and some secret late shows at Cafe du Nord! So, yes, there is plenty do to that ISN’T seeing a band. Which is my life’s blood, and probably your’s, too, since you are reading this preview. Since there is a lot to do, this is not a comprehensive guide to the fest by any means. (That can be found here) This is one show per day that you should go to, plus a movie on some days. And if you don’t want to buy nine sets of tickets, pick up a badge that can get you into EVERYTHING! Continue reading “Spinning Platters Guide To Noise Pop 2020”

Single Of The Week: Chow Nasty by Lost Puppy Forever

Lost Puppy Forever are a bass/drums punk duo from San Francisco. They dropped their debut EP a few months ago, and I, personally, slept on it. But, it’s never too late to find your favorite new band. “Chow Nasty” is their first single and video, and this song is “thick as fuck” and really gets you in your chest. Don’t understand what that means? Put on some headphones, and play this song really loud. You’ll feel it in the center of your chest.

Noise Pop Fest is coming around the corner, and they are running a contest for bands to play! Go here to vote for your favorite band. And, by favorite band, I mean go vote for Lost Puppy Forever. Contest ends January 14th. And if you really want to support the band, head over to their Bandcamp page to pick up a digital copy of the EP!

Single Of The Week: Come My Habibi by Habibi

Habibi is an Arabic word meaning “my beloved.” And, from the moment I first heard them listening to Pandora at work six years ago, I was immediately in love with their mix of garage punk, classic Arabic music, and Motown girl group. I also genuinely thought they had called it quits after their first, self-titled record. Then, late last year, an EP came out called Cardamom Garden, where they toned down the punk and turned up the psych. It only left me wanting MORE HABIBI! Well, you’re in luck! Er, I’M IN LUCK! This week’s Single Of The Week is the lead single from Habibi’s upcoming second full length, Anywhere But Here. It’s a track called “Come My Habibi,” and it’s a lofi, bilingual, psychedelic masterwork.

This record is destined to be one of the best reviewed albums of 2020. You can preorder the physical record here, or preorder a virtual copy here!

Also, don’t forget to see them at Bottom Of The Hill on February 29th as part of the Noise Pop Festival! (Tix on sale now!) And, Noise Pop also dropped a killer second wave of acts, including Spinning Platters’ favorites Best Coast, Destroy Boys, Clit Kat, Mannequin Pussy, and many more! Tix for those shows can be found here!

Single Of The Week: Glorious by Sudan Archives

Sudan Archives have been floating around for a few years, and, well, I haven’t really given her any attention until now. Her latest single, “Glorious,” is a stunning blend of virtuoso violin work, African rhythms, and trip hop vocals and just enough hip hop. This is a slow burner that sticks with you.

Sudan Archives’ latest record, Athena dropped today, and is available from all of the usual stores and streaming services, or you can purchase the limited edition on Black & Cream vinyl with bonus 7″ and sheet music from Bandcamp!

Noise Pop 2020 also dropped their line up earlier this week, and it’s AMAZING! But, most importantly, Sudan Archives are playing Swedish American Hall on February 24th as part of the fest!

Spinning Platters Interview: Niki Bodemann of Noise Pop

This year marks the 26th year that the Noise Pop Festival debuted at The Kennel Club (now The Independent). Since then, it’s grown to become one of the primary tastemaking music festivals in the world! Past performers that have broken shortly after their Noise Pop debut have included The White Stripes, Death Cab for Cutie, Tash Sultana, Vince Staples, and many, many more. Spinning Platters recently got to speak to Niki Bodemann, one of the bookers of the festival to talk about what it takes to make a week of music that even frustrates the most decisive music fan.

Festival badges, single show tickets, and a full schedule can be found here!

Spinning Platters: How long have you been booking for Noise Pop?

Niki Bodemann: So, I have been a full-time talent buyer at Noise Pop for like a year and three months now. Then before that, I was an assistant talent buyer. So, I would like help with the support bookings like all the openers on our shows and stuff um, but like booking actual headliners and stuff. Uh, it’s been a little over a year, yeah. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Interview: Niki Bodemann of Noise Pop”