2023 Mill Valley Music Festival Single Day Lineups Are Here!

There’s nothing we love more than a new music festival except for an independent music festival, and there’s nothing more we love more than an independent music festival than an expanding music festival. That makes Mill Valley at least three things that we love! Because for its second year, the Mill Valley Music Festival has doubled in size. At this rate, it will be over a month-long in just five years! Let’s do it!

This year’s lineup is a near-perfect two days of music outdoors in the beautiful Bay Area. After our first real winter in several years, we’re all going to need the bright sunshine of a Michael Franti & Spearhead set on a Saturday night under the stars. And then on Sunday night, the 14th, we finish with dessert as Cake play their first announced Bay Area show since 2019!

Add to that the New Orleans rock/funk/rap/spoken word genius mashup of Tank and the Bangas, the horn-driven pop-soul of The Dip, the buttery smooth Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, the ecstatically joyous Remain in Light project from Adrian Belew and Jerry Harrison paying tribute to the classic Talking Heads album of the same name, the southern soul solo debut of Durand Jones, and much much more, and I don’t know even know how you could skip it. 

The second day of this is Mother’s Day. Your mother will love this. Bring your mother.

The day-by-day lineups: Continue reading “2023 Mill Valley Music Festival Single Day Lineups Are Here!”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 10/4/12-10/10/12

Playing at Slim’s on Monday night? Or what people will be doing all weekend at Golden Gate Park? You decide.

Oh, man. Rocktober continues! This weekend in the Bay Area is completely crazy. Fleet week, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, a 49ers game, the Giants and A’s in the playoffs, Oracle Open World, Castro Street Fair … and all the shows and concerts I’m about to suggest that you do otherwise. This is the absolute best time of year to live here, so enjoy it all!

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 10/4/12-10/10/12”

Show Review: Michael Franti & Spearhead, Alanis Morissette (Power To The Peaceful 2009), Speedway Meadow at Golden Gate Park, 9/12/2009

It was, indeed, an all ages show.
It was, indeed, an all ages show.

Michael Franti has been putting on the Power To The Peaceful festival every year since 1999, and it has always been the middle weekend in September. It’s a fun event that combines social activism and music, and is headlined by Franti every year. It’s also free. And seems to get bigger every year.  This year gave us The Honey Brothers, Sly & Robbie, Alanis Morissette, and, of course, Franti and his band Spearhead.

Continue reading “Show Review: Michael Franti & Spearhead, Alanis Morissette (Power To The Peaceful 2009), Speedway Meadow at Golden Gate Park, 9/12/2009”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: September 8th-14th

Opening for Flogging Molly at The Fox on Friday Night!
Opening for Flogging Molly at The Fox on Friday Night!

Now that Labor Day has come & gone, and the bridge is fully functioning again, here’s another guide to a week’s worth of rock & roll that you might enjoy:

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: September 8th-14th”

Spinning Platters Weekly Tip Sheet: July 21st-27th

This is Zoey, and she would like to see La Roux at Cafe du Nord with me tomorrow night, but she doesn't like loud noises, and I think they have a no cats policy. Who wants to take her place? At the show, not my home...
This is Zoey, and she would like to see La Roux at Cafe du Nord with me tomorrow night, but she doesn't like loud noises, and I think they have a no cats policy. Who wants to take her place? At the show, not my home...

Another week, another installment of our continuing series of me telling you what to do. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Tip Sheet: July 21st-27th”