Dakin Hardwick’s SXSW Journal Day 1

Basia Bulat at noon. Things started getting fuzzy after that, like the picture taken with an iPhone.

I’m sitting in a hotel room as my colleagues are getting ready for the day. As for yesterday, well, I saw a lot of great music, and a few bits of really boring music. I won’t talk about the boring stuff much, because I don’t remember it. Here was a few words about the great things I enjoyed yesterday, not including the wonderful BBQ chicken from the amazingly polite people at the Canadian Blast BBQ. (Seriously need to give respect to those folks: not only do they book a great bill and are insanely polite, just like the stereotype)

Continue reading “Dakin Hardwick’s SXSW Journal Day 1”

Noise Pop Show Review: Dizzy Balloon, The Hounds Below, Visqueen and Laarks at Bottom of the Hill, 2/28/10

I forgot my camera at home, so instead you get this reference to Bottom of the Hill Sundays of the past.

The annual Sunday day show at Bottom of the Hill is an odd little affair. The sunlight coming through the window feels jarring, for sure, but what was odd about this year’s version was the crowd. This was an all-ages show featuring a headliner made up of young boys playing sunny rock, and that brought a crowd of admiring teenage girls to the venue. Mix them with the usual Sunday afternoon crowd of hungover aging hipsters Noise Pop veterans, and what do you get?
Continue reading “Noise Pop Show Review: Dizzy Balloon, The Hounds Below, Visqueen and Laarks at Bottom of the Hill, 2/28/10”

Spinning Platters Picks Some Noise Pop 2010 Shows

This one man will begin a great week of music

It’s here! Noise Pop 2010 starts today with two excellent shows, and your first opportunity to show-hop. Start at Bender’s Bar for the happy  hour with Har Mar Superstar, and then cross the bridge (or better yet, take BART) to the Fox Oakland to see Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono Band. Many of your favorite Spinning Platters writers will be there. But then what? You’ve got a whole week of shows, and you’re not sure what to see?

How did we decide? It was simple. If one of our writers requested to cover a show, we’ve included it. Where is our staff hoping to see all of you? Read on to find out. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Picks Some Noise Pop 2010 Shows”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 2/17/10-2/23/10

Sharing a bill with Visqueen & 311 in Santa Cruz caused this goat to faint.
Playing at the Catalyst this Monday night.

As we warm up to the upcoming Noise Pop Festival, here’s a few shows to let you warm up your earplugs with.

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 2/17/10-2/23/10”