Author: Gordon Elgart

A music nerd who probably uses that term too much. I have a deep love for bombastic, quirky and dynamic music.

Noise Pop Show Review: Rogue Wave at Bottom of the Hill, 2/24/10

Ain't no party like a Rogue Wave party!

When a Rogue Wave show ends with a couple dozen people dancing on the Bottom of the Hill stage, you know a sea change has happened in the band. The press materials for the new album Permalight go into a lot of detail about this, but nothing in the press materials could prepare you for the new sounds coming out of the band: a little bit of dance (backing tracks?), a lot more volume, and some spirited takes on some old friends. Continue reading “Noise Pop Show Review: Rogue Wave at Bottom of the Hill, 2/24/10”

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 Podcast – Episode 17: Noise Pop 2010

Best Week Ever?

On the newest episode of the Spinning Platters Podcast, we welcome Dawson Ludwig from Noise Pop to talk about the upcoming 2010 Noise Pop Festival. Join us as we discuss our highlights of the festival, wonder about the history of the festival, talk about what we’ve been listening to, and go off in a million different directions. You can subscribe by clicking the giant button to the left, or listen below. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Podcast — Episode 17: Noise Pop 2010”

2010 Fauxchella Lineup Announced!

Don't look like this guy. Enjoy Fauxchella instead!

Sure, you can reload Consequence of Sound three hundred times and find out the lineup for the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. Then you could pay hundreds of dollars for a ticket, drive down there, find a hotel, deal with traffic, the heat, and worst off, end up wearing an umbrella hat.

You could also enjoy Fauxchella. What’s that? Continue reading “2010 Fauxchella Lineup Announced!”

Spinning Platters Picks Six: European Pop Acts You Should Go See at SXSW 2010

Here's one of six bands you shouldn't miss in Austin this March.

You could go to SXSW and see lots of indie buzz bands from Brooklyn. If that’s your thing, great! As for me, I’ll be running around Austin chasing down the chance to see bands from other countries visit our shores, sometimes for the first time, sometimes for the only time. (I even have a tradition of seeing a band I’ve never heard of, from a country I’ve never been to. Give this one a shot.)

So if you go to Austin, and want to hear the best of pop music from the Old World, make sure to check out these six bands.

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Picks Six: European Pop Acts You Should Go See at SXSW 2010”

Week in Review: Top 5 Posts from 2/5/10 – 2/11/10

All those people in the crowd? They visited the site this week.

This week at Spinning Platters, we reviewed a few new albums, saw a few shows, and told you what shows to see. Although this post is meant to tell you the busiest new posts of the week, I’d like to mention that we had a strange boost of traffic on an old review of a show by Rooney and Tally Hall. It got mentioned on a Rooney message board, and Rooney fans are spectacularly loyal. Welcome, fans of Rooney! I hope you’re still reading. As for our top five new posts? Continue reading “Week in Review: Top 5 Posts from 2/5/10 — 2/11/10”

Show Review: Mumford & Sons at 330 Ritch (Popscene), 2/11/10

Here's Mumford, in a childless photo.

Popscene is known for getting its share of buzz bands on the way up. Marcus Mumford, lead singer of Mumford & Sons, the newest such band to grace the Popscene stage, commented on this as well.

“There’s a wall of fame downstairs, and it’s a bit intimidating.”

Will Mumford & Sons follow in the footsteps of such past performers like Muse, Bloc Party, Amy Winehouse, The Killers, and countless others? I’m guessing yes. I’m also guessing it’s not going to be cool to like this band in a few years. I should explain. Continue reading “Show Review: Mumford & Sons at 330 Ritch (Popscene), 2/11/10”

Show Review: Dave Rawlings Machine at The Fillmore, 2/9/10

dave-rawlings-excitement

There’s an amazing thing that  happens when bluegrass musicians get together. Anyone can be in the band at any time playing any song, and everyone will know the whole thing. This happens in jazz and blues, but you’re not going to see a bunch of indie bands trading licks and verses on a flawless version of “Oh Comely” without a little bit of rehearsal. So when Dave Rawlings showed up at The Fillmore with a tight five-piece combo, was there any question the night would end with twice as many musicians on stage? Continue reading “Show Review: Dave Rawlings Machine at The Fillmore, 2/9/10”

Album Review: Titus Andronicus – The Monitor

Tasked to review the new album, The Monitor, from Titus Andronicus, I find it difficult to expand upon my reaction to this album. “I’m pretty sure it’s better than their first album, but I sure do like it a lot less” is what I said. I think it works like this: if you’ve been loving The Airing of Grievances for over a year, and shouted “your life is over” along with the band when seeing them live four times in a week, you may find this album disappointing. Otherwise, I think you’re going to like it. Continue reading “Album Review: Titus Andronicus — The Monitor”

Week in Review: Top 5 Posts from 1/29/10 – 2/4/10

This photo should help you understand Joel's line about a missing drum

Due to popular demand, this weekly Saturday column has returned! I can’t tell you how many people have clamored for its return because the writers have gone back to  betting on the outcome. So which writer is collecting the pot? And which one is drinking from the king’s cup? Read on to see our top five most visited new posts of the last week. Continue reading “Week in Review: Top 5 Posts from 1/29/10 — 2/4/10”