Dakin Hardwick – Page 16 – Spinning Platters

Bad News and Good News from Bethany Cosentino!

First, the bad news… Best Coast is on “Indefinite Hiatus.” So those of us that caught them on tour last year were, well, the last folks to see them for a bit. The good news? Bethany Cosentino is going solo and gifted us with her first single, “It’s Fine.” The track starts out with a scream that gets deep under your skin before taking us through an excellent country-rock track. The pop-punk and surf elements of Best Coast have been replaced by Jenny Lewis-style emotive and vibrant delivery and lyricism. This track is solid.

“It’s Fine” is the first single of Cosentino’s debut solo record, Natural Disaster, coming for your heart and eardrums on July 28th. Preorders and Presaves are currently active.

Single of the Week: “A Child’s Question, August” by PJ Harvey

I mean, new PJ Harvey is generally cause for celebration in almost any situation. “A Child’s Question, August” is not quite what I was expecting, but it was a happy surprise. The song opens not with her deep, powerful, blues-inflected alto that we’ve known to expect from her but a tender, quiet, almost fragile soprano. The song builds like a classic shoegaze anthem- raising in emotional intensity and volume slowly. There’s an Elvis-referencing chorus that flips “Love Me Tender” on its side and a chilling, baritone harmony from the modern voice of Paddington Bear, Ben Wishaw.

“A Child’s Question, August” is the first single from I Inside The Old Year Dying, Harvey’s first album of new material in seven years, coming your way July 7th. I will also note our honorable mention for Single Of The Week- a surprisingly spare and dissonant track from Kesha, “Eat The Acid.”

Mosswood Meltdown- Single Day Line Ups // Afterparties // New Acts!

“Mosswood Meltdown is a pissed-off July 4th weekend celebration for the punk rock elite. Slum-goddess feminists, butch twinks, homo-masculine straight guys-we’re all ready to pogo our way to musical mayhem.”

– John Waters

Our good friends at Mosswood Meltdown continue to make the greatest festival lineup ever (according to me) even greaterest! (WTF? Grammarly didn’t flag that word?!?!) In addition to the previously announced returns of Le Tigre, Bratmobile, Gravy Train!!!!, Mika Miko, The Rondells, JJ Fad, and too many more to name, we have been gifted with four ridiculously cool additions! We have Oakland’s Twompsax bidding us adieu with their last two performances ever. We also have Japan’s greatest surf band, The 5678s, returning to the US for the first time in a while. For those of you sick of music played by humans, the Teddy Bear Orchestra (which really is a band comprised of robot teddy bears) will give pleasure to your ears as a distraction while they plot to take over the human race.

They’ve also FINALLY let us know who is playing on which days. For me, personally, that stretch of SNOOPER to Bratmobile on Sunday is about as perfect as a music festival could possibly be. Full details are below, as well as info on the afterparties! Tickets are available here, and get them while you can! This is looking like selling out is not out of the question…

Continue reading “Mosswood Meltdown- Single Day Line Ups // Afterparties // New Acts!”

The 2023 Stern Grove Fest Line Up is Ridiculous!!!!

We are so very lucky in San Francisco. The lineup for the Stern Grove festival was just released, and it feels unfair how good it is. We are already lucky enough to live in the greatest place on Earth, but to see this array of acts FOR FREE?!?!?! In an absolutely stunning outdoor amphitheater? The rest of the world is full of envy for us.

I kinda want to go to everything… I mean, it opens with jazz experimentalists Snarky Puppy on June 18th. Then a bill where NEKO CASE IS THE OPENER?!?! Of course, she’s opening for the legendary Indigo Girls on June 25th for a bill that’s way more than closer to fine. (Sorry!) Avant-Pop icon Santigold on July 2nd. Lyle Lovett with our dear friend Andrew St James on July 9th. Legendary singer Angelique Kidjo is gracing our presence on July 16th. Jammy Funksters Lettuce is playing with the SF Symphony, which is just, um, !!!!!!. On July 20th, we’ve got the house double bill of Bob Moses and Neil Frances. August 6th brings us the FINAL SF PERFORMANCE from Buddy Guy. Competing with Outside Lands on August 13th (Damn right, I’m angry) is Patti Smith, possibly the most captivating live performer I’ve ever seen, paired with former Husker Du and Sugar frontman Bob Mould. And closing the whole thing out? The Flaming Lips on August 20th.

As with the last two years, tickets are free but do require RSVP. RSVP Links are below, along with the day and time they go live. (Which appears to be the same date as the show in the prior month at 2pm) And, as usual, they are selling tables to The Big Picnic with The Flaming Lips on August 20th.

June 18 Snarky Puppy, Isaiah Sharkey (RSVP Opens May 18th at 2pm)

June 25 Indigo Girls (with Full Band), Neko Case (RSVP Opens May 25th at 2pm)

July 2 Santigold, Ogi (RSVP Opens June 2nd at 2pm)

July 9 Lyle Lovett and His Large Band, Andrew St. James (RSVP Opens June 9th at 2pm)

July 16 Angelique Kidjo, Jupiter & Okwess (RSVP Opens June 16th at 2pm)

July 23 SF Symphony with Special Guest Lettuce (RSVP Opens June 23rd at 2pm)

July 30 Bob Moses, Neil Frances (RSVP Opens June 30th at 2pm)

August 6 Buddy Guy Damn Right Farewell Tour, Eric Gales (RSVP Opens July 6th at 2pm)

August 13 Patti Smith, Bob Mould (RSVP Opens July 20th at 2pm)

August 20 The Big Picnic Featuring The Flaming Lips, Alan Palomo (Neon Indian DJ Set) (RSVP Opens July 20th at 2pm)

Outside Lands Daily Lineups HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED!

August seems so much closer in the last week than it has been… It might be the fact that our three months of ACTUAL WINTER have finally drifted away, and the sun has revealed itself. Although if you are a real San Franciscan, you are most excited about Karl The Fog returning in August, which makes Outside Lands consistently the most comfortable music festival in America.

But I digress… Single Day lineups have been announced, so you can kinda start planning? It looks pretty likely that we are gonna get Janelle Monae warming up the crowd for Kendrick Lamar, which is basically gonna cause my brain to implode. We also see Orville Peck and Trixie Mattel playing on the same day, so keep your fingers crossed that this happens! Will they try to find a way to combine Fake Fruit and Venus & The Flytraps for the most uncomfortable concoction for Gastromagic on Sunday? I certainly hope soo…

Single Day GA, GA+, VIP, and Golden Gate Club passes are on sale Wednesday, April 19th at 10 am at sfoutsidelands.com!

Single Of The Week: “Too Many Things” by The Linda Lindas

The Linda Lindas are too good for how young they are. We have been trumpeting the brilliance of this formerly tween, now mostly teen rock band since 2019. Their debut record, 2022’s Growing Up, is possibly the most exciting and diverse debut of the pop-punk canon. However, my first listen to “Too Many Things” still surprised me. The pulsating, anxious bassline. The lyrics? A deep, introspective look at the feeling of being overwhelmed that wouldn’t have been out of place on a Sleater-Kinney or Go-Go’s record. (The two bands that, IMHO, have best conveyed “anxiety” on record)

“Too Many Things” is out now in all the usual places. They are spending the Summer opening for Paramore everywhere (except the SF SHOW!!!!), and the press release teases that more is to come this year from The Linda Lindas, so keep an eye out!

I will also note that this has been the hardest week for Single of the Week, and there are a TON of great new releases this week to give your ears a nice little treat! Veruca Salt’s Louise Post graces us with her debut solo single, “Guilty.” The triumphant return of Speedy Ortiz, “Scabs.” NYC’s soul group 79.5 has a genuine Summer anthem ready for you with “B.D.F.Q.” Pinkshift returns with a burner of a track, “to me.” And if you are looking for evidence of how blessed and lucky you are, the first Natalie Merchant album in nearly 10 years, Keep Your Courage, is out today!

Single of the Week: “Salad” by Blondshell

I usually don’t like picking multiple tracks from the same album as “Single Of The Week.” But each track off Blondshell’s self-titled debut record has been better than the last. “Salad” is a brilliant piece of work. Like, it’s positively chilling. This is the kind of storytelling in song that I thought was perfected by Nick Cave and Kristin Hersh. Vocalist Sabrina Teitelbaum sings with a haunting quiver, bending her voice around the vulnerable ferocity of her backing band. This song is simply amazing.

You can find Blondshell’s debut everywhere TODAY! This record is fantastic. Do your ears and your heart a favor and pop it on today!

Single of the Week: “Hand Grenade” by Be Your Own PET

When Be Your Own PET got back together last year to open a few shows for Jack White at his personal request, I thought those few shows were going to be it. They last graced our eardrums with new material in 2008, when the members of the band were still barely out of high school. Their frantic chaos still delighted me ever so much, and they stayed in my rotation for the last 15 years. BUT! Sometimes the future does hold something good, as Nashville’s finest (Suck it, Diahrrea Planet!) has gifted us with a brand new track, “Hand Grenade.” And, I know some of you might be disappointed, but the band has certainly matured over the years, living as civilians and not a bunch of punk kids riding around the country in a van. It’s a solid, heavy piece of rock n roll and I can’t wait for more. And a West Coast tour, please and thank you?

BREAKING: Raphael Saadiq is touring with Tony Toni Toné!

I was walking down Grand Ave to get to my barber, and I looked up and saw a giant billboard with Raphael Saadiq, D’wayne Wiggins, and Timothy Riley and the words “Raphael Saadiq presents Tony Toni Toné” to the left and “Just Me & You Tour 23” to the right. This seems pretty obviously an old-school way to let the world know that 2023 is getting one of Oakland’s most important and influential bands back together. Digging deeper, there are no dates, nothing other than a cryptic “Text Raphael Saadiq at 310-861-2685.”

This is one of the few bands left on my bucket list, and I’ve gotta say, I’m stoked and needed to share. Until we’ve got more info, here’s a sampling of their greatness from 1993: