Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 1/23/14-1/29/14

Wake up and go to shows this week! So many shows...
Wake up and go to shows this week! So many shows…

The thirteenth annual SF Sketchfest is upon us, littering San Francisco with night after night of too many good things at once.

To help with these sorts of problems, please consult “A Nerd’s Guide To Sketchfest 2014.” Yes, Dakin’s full-on once-over of this year’s fest is just the right guide to help you make those wrenching nerd decisions about which one-of-a-kind Sketchfest show to choose from on each jam-packed night. Too much good stuff is a good/ANNOYING problem to have. You are fortunate. We are fortunate.

This week! We have Canadiens! Sleepwalkers! Metal! Tim! Punk rock benefit shows! And science! O you lucky person, you — to have all of these awesome things to choose from.

Here’s what’s coming up this week.

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 1/23/14-1/29/14”

Sketchfest Review: w00tstock Founders’ Night at Marines Memorial Theater, 1/29/12

This was the backdrop for most of the night, so you can enjoy it as you relive the evening.

Reviewing w00stock is a silly concept. I’ve done it once before. Because the event is performed under the Creative Commons non-commercial, attribution, share alike license (as is this website), the entirety of the thing is online in video form for your viewing pleasure. But which videos are the best? That’s the hard part. So rather than a standard review, I’ll instead give you a guided tour to The Best of w00stock Founders’ Night, as found on the Internet. Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: w00tstock Founders’ Night at Marines Memorial Theater, 1/29/12”

A Nerd’s Guide To SF Sketchfest 2012

A sketchy nerd!

For 11 years, San Francisco has had the opportunity to witness the best in comedy. And, for the third straight year, we’ve helped you dig through the 500,000,000 amazing shows to find the best shows for only the nerdiest of San Franciscans. And, since I am a man of exquisite taste, you will trust my guidance.

You can purchase tickets for these and all of the other shows at SFSketchfest.com. Many of these sell out, especially the ones that I want you to go to, so decide quickly!

Continue reading “A Nerd’s Guide To SF Sketchfest 2012”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 9/16/2010-9/22/2010

Yes it comes time for another installment of Weekly Guide to Bay Area concerts. In this edition, a lot of family friendly shows… And some rather vulgar ones, as well…

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 9/16/2010-9/22/2010”

Show Review: W00tstock: 3 Hours of Geeks & Music, Swedish American Hall, 10/19/09

Guess which are the geeks and which are the music!
Guess which are the geeks and which are the music!

The Swedish American Hall was the host to a brand new event last night.  This was called W00tStock, and was advertised as “3 Hours of Geeks & Music.”  It turned out to be part concert, part convention, and part comedy show.  I can say without a doubt that it focused on the geeks more than the music, and that what music there was also fell onto the left side of the ampersand.  I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Continue reading “Show Review: W00tstock: 3 Hours of Geeks & Music, Swedish American Hall, 10/19/09”

10 Quick Questions with Paul and Storm

Give me dancing robots, and I'm there.
Give me dancing robots, and I'm there.

After their epic performance at this year’s Penny Arcade Expo, the world was breathlessly awaiting Paul and Storm’s next move.  Fortunately, they had already announced this move a couple of days earlier.  What brings them to San Francisco this week is an absolute geek fest called w00tstock, that also features Wil Wheaton, Adam Savage, and “other surprise guests,” most of whom have been announced and are listed at the bottom of this post. I’ll be there, and I strongly recommend picking up a ticket for Tuesday night while you still can.  I spoke with Greg “Storm” DiCostanzo and asked him if he would do an email interview with Spinning Platters when the show got closer, and he graciously agreed to do so.

Spinning Platters: Your most well known song, featured in Rock Band, is “Opening Band.”  What happens to that song when you headline? Continue reading “10 Quick Questions with Paul and Storm”

Show Review: PAX Concerts, Seattle Convention Center, 9/4/2009 & 9/5/2009

The new fab four?  Molly, Paul, Storm and Joco
The new fab four? Molly, Paul, Storm and Joco

Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle is a lot of things, but mostly it’s a gathering of a community of like minded gamers.  These are nerds and geeks who live by a simple credo popularized by Secretary of Geek Affairs, Wil Wheaton.  It simply states, “Don’t Be a Dick.”  So what does a bunch of gamers getting together in Seattle have to do with a music website?  First of all, this is the second year I’ve gone (out of many I will attend; it’s populated by uniformly awesome people).  Every year, PAX invites some musicians that are popular in the gamer community to perform at a popular series of concerts.  It’s time that these shows got a traditional concert review, so here it is. Continue reading “Show Review: PAX Concerts, Seattle Convention Center, 9/4/2009 & 9/5/2009”