Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
This week is the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in Golden Gate Park. It’s the best thing that ever happens in this town. You will go to this, but there are a few things going on at night that are pretty good, too. Check them out:
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: September 29th-October 5th”
Una de las mejores cosas sobre viviendo en los Estados Unidos es el hecho que todos quieren ser el crossover aquí. Esto significa que conseguimos a las estrellas arena-clasificadas de los países extranjeros que aquí tocan pequeños lugares a las pequeñas audiencias. Incluso si usted no conoce el trabajo del artista, todavía recomiendo enteramente ver uno de estos conciertos. Es una experiencia bastante asombrosa para conseguir un espectáculo grande en un pequeño lugar.
One of the greatest things about living in America is the fact that everyone wants to crossover here. This means that we often get arena-sized stars from foreign countries playing small venues to small audiences here. Even if you are unfamiliar with the artist’s work, I still wholly recommend seeing one of these shows. It’s a pretty amazing experience to get a big spectacle in a small place.
Continue reading “Reseñar de concierto: Paulina Rubio en teatro de Fox — Oakland, 9/26/09”
[Editor’s Note: Spinning Platters does not actually encourage the murder of pop stars.]
I really can’t stand Kanye West. The character that he has created, the socially awkward egotist, comes off unnatural and a bit bothersome. He has become an icon that is bigger than the music he creates, which is generally a bit boring. His emotional outbursts in the beginning were funny, but now are just embarrassing. I agree that George W. Bush may not care about black people, but I don’t think Kanye was looking to make a statement, he was looking for a soundbite.
I should not be so judgmental. He may even be a nice guy! So, I will do the Christian thing and compile a list of six things that Kanye West has done that I believe are good things.
Thus begins my six reasons not to kill Kanye West:
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Picks Six: Reasons Not To Kill Kanye West”
Fall has begun, which means lots of shows that aren’t big festivals… Get back to the clubs and help those kids make some money!!!
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: September 22nd-28th”
So much notoriety on this bill! Every single act on this bill has been a major part of musical history, yet none of them have experienced much in the lines of commercial success. We have The Paul Collins Beat, featuring Paul Collins of The Nerves. Classic power pop band best unknown for originally recording “Hanging On The Telephone,” later made in to a monster hit by Blondie. (If you ever listen to Sound Opinions, their version is the one they sometimes play before going to the listener feedback portion of the show.) Pansy Division’s claim to fame is being the all-gay pop-punk band with innuendo filled lyrics that Green Day selected as the opening act for the big Dookie tour in 1994. It seems that the parents weren’t very happy with them in the Midwest. The Avengers were the band that opened for the Sex Pistols at Winterland Ballroom in 1978, which of course was the last show the Sex Pistols ever played. (We do not discuss the Sex Pistols reunion.)
Continue reading “The Avengers, Pansy Division, Paul Collins Beat at The Uptown Nightclub, 9/17/09”
Welcome to the next part of the saga… I will tell you what shows you will be going to this week, and then you marry my 2nd cousin, but just so you can stake claim to his portion of the hope diamond.
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: September 15th-21st”
We are a hip music site. We cover all the latest and greatest sounds that are bubbling under. So, one might ask why we are covering the blink-182 concert? Isn’t this just a cash grab spawned by the band’s recent return to the spotlight because of drummer Travis Barker’s plane crash? Even the most avid fan has to admit that the band’s performance on the Tonight Show was underwhelming at best.
I have always enjoyed this band, from my senior year of high school, when the new kid that just moved up from San Diego gave me a dubbed tape of his favorite band from his home town. That cassette was Cheshire Cat, which I still own and cherish. I was very split about whether or not I even wanted to attend this show, since I didn’t want my memory to be forever altered by the current version of the band. As the days led up to this show, I kept hearing “Josie” in places. At the grocery store, coming out of passing cars, and, well pretty much everywhere. I decided that I needed to go.
Continue reading “Show Review: blink-182, Weezer at Shoreline Amphitheater, 9/13/09”
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.
I am going to let you in on a little secret- I have never heard Yo La Tengo before. I love the indie rock, and I have even worked at a record store (or 5). I understand who they are, and I understand the effect they have had on society. I know that every new record store employee will file them in the Spanish-language section. (Once I had a fellow employee bring me the Yo La Tengo section from rock and let me know that somebody was misfiling them) They are a band that has been through a lot, even overcoming this great tragedy!
Continue reading “Album Review: Yo La Tengo — Popular Songs”
So, yesterday was 9/9/09, the day of the Beatle. While everyone was at home listening to the newly remastered stereo and mono boxsets or playing the make believe Beatles video game, I opted to attend a performance by a slightly younger band that may only be as big as the Pope, not Jesus. (Now, if anyone at Harmonix or EMI is reading this, and would like me to review either Beatles Rock Band or the new remasters, feel free to send them my way: email me at dakin@spinningplatters.com and I will give you my mailing address)
Continue reading “Show Review: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, YACHT at The Fox Oakland, 9/9/09”