There is something about the cartoon series Avatar: The Last Airbender, almost twenty years old now, that was always unusual. Aside from being coined the first American Anime, it was nothing like any other cartoon on Nickelodeon or any other station for that matter. Taking place in a completely fictional world made up of societies and lands corresponding to the four main elements: Earth, Fire, Air, and Water, the story was a continuous adventure full of growth that built to a huge climax at the end of three seasons. But the most startling aspect of this story, for something supposedly targeted at kids, was that it was rampant with extremely adult themes, such as war, genocide, loss, and conflict. But at no point was the plot relegated to hopelessness. There was an idea of balance woven into the fabric of the story’s DNA. Countering all the negative hardships the characters have to live through, there was a cornucopia of warm moments popping up and bursting in the episodes, full of love, hope, friendship, laughter, caring for your fellow person, and fighting for what is right. Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: Bracing The Elements: Avatar The Last Airbender Podcast Live at The Great Star Theater, 1/28/24”
Author: Raffi Youssoufian
Let’s Go Crazy With The Best Albums of 1999!
All conversations converged to one singular point at the close of 1999: The End of the World, and because of it, every possible best list of the century. Whether it was about greatest album, or greatest toenail clipper, a list was compiled by the fanciest per-milenium robots. Now the singular list missing from the cornucopia of lists was: The Music of 1999. Everyone, consumed in their chicken little theories of Y2K and end of the world were too mad to see what was really happening. The end of music as we knew it! In reality it seemed to set the youth of America back about twenty years. (If you take a look at the top record sales for 1999, trust me, you’ll want to cry). I’m as easy going as the next guy, but the Grinch himself would have shuddered at the sound of pop music sung by teen queens, boy bands, and all the music to come out of the entire state of Florida. They all belonged on the naughty list, and should have been banished to the island of misfit albums.
Luckily I was able to see through the doomsday smoke, and find some albums to balance out the slew of trash on radio airwaves or Total Request Live. Continue reading “Let’s Go Crazy With The Best Albums of 1999!”
Show Review: Kate Nash, Emmy The Great at The Fillmore 11/22/13
Oh great music philosophers, Sorockcrates and Rufus (yes dudes, I went there), I beseech thee. Is there ever a good answer to the following question? Do you want your favorite artists to evolve or stay the same?
Unless you move to a desert island accompanied by your top ten albums of all time, there probably is no good answer. But like anything, we must realize, no matter how much you want your adorable puppy to stay that adorable puppy, it’s going to grow up. Being “excellent to each other” requires room for growth. Without growth, the chance for something even greater might as well be stuck in a phone booth stuck traveling through time. So unless you’re one of those people who go to great lengths to breed puppy versions of dogs (I’m looking at you desert island folk), I implore you to keep an open mind.
Continue reading “Show Review: Kate Nash, Emmy The Great at The Fillmore 11/22/13”
Show Review: Au Revoir Simone, Genius, CALLmeKAT at Slim’s 10/23/13
There’s always that one show you always kick yourself for missing. In the span of our lifetimes, some end up more important than others. Yes I still kick myself for missing that second night of Portishead at The Warfield back in 1998. Oh, I’ll catch them next time they come around I said. No big deal I said. 10 years and another Portishead show later, I vowed not to make the same mistake.
In 2009, Still Light, Still Night was one of my top 5 records of the year. They played Bimbo’s and what did I do? Lazy Raffi took over for some reason that night, and I laid still. Oh, I would see them next time. What idiot misses three girls playing three keyboards! Four years later I wasn’t going to miss that opportunity again.
Continue reading “Show Review: Au Revoir Simone, Genius, CALLmeKAT at Slim’s 10/23/13”
Fauxchella Review: Bat For Lashes at The Regency Ballroom, 4/14/13
Oh Fauxchella, how do I count the ways? While most of the world waits diligently to attend something overly populated with clutter, annoyance, and unwelcoming weather, the locally abounding intellects know you will be there for us. Engrossed entirely inside night four of eight, you gave me Bat For Lashes. While there were about seventeen other shows that night, none were more sincere than this one. So much so I’m sure the Great Pumpkin would have agreed.
While I may not be comparing Natasha Khan to a pumpkin patch, in an utmost elegance, I must say: she squashed it.
Continue reading “Fauxchella Review: Bat For Lashes at The Regency Ballroom, 4/14/13”
Rachael Yamagata, Dan Wilson, and Madi Diaz at The Independent 3.2.12
I know it’s the biggest cliché you can think of, but somehow, I keep falling into it. Sure I’ve liked Rachael Yamagata, that’s been “Known For Years” now. She’s a great song writer, great husky emotive voice, the piano, you know, the whole nine. But at times, I get bored. She gets the mood going, this dark depressing mood, and…actually, I think she explains it very well. On stage, she mentioned how she’s always surprised that people ask her to play their weddings. In her opinion she’s better suited to play their divorce proceedings. I thought she just might be a little stale and boring live. “The Reason Why” these clichés have apparently “Worn Me Down,” I really can’t say. But what I can say is that I was entirely wrong. There’s a reason you go see an artist play live. Sure they can always disappoint and sound exactly like they do on record, but the gamble is worth it when it pays off. Continue reading “Rachael Yamagata, Dan Wilson, and Madi Diaz at The Independent 3.2.12”
Who Needs New Music? My top albums of 1998!
“What’s wrong Chazzy Black, you look sad?”
“I don’t know Linux, I know we have all this great music that came out in 2011 (Spinning Platters Top Ten Albums of 2011), but I’m just not happy. I like dreamy guitars, sad depressing themes, and booty shaking grooves and all that, but I’m just not sure it means anything anymore. All these albums are derivative…”
“Chazzy Black you’re the only person I know that can take a wonderful thing like the music of 2011 and turn it into a problem.”
“Isn’t there anyone that can tell me what music is all about?!
“Sure Chazzy Black I can tell you what music is all about”
“Time Machine Please…”
“And there was my favorite music of 1998…”
Continue reading “Who Needs New Music? My top albums of 1998!”
Show Review: Loney Dear, Harbors at Cafe Du Nord, 11.9.11
Maybe it’s just me, maybe I’m just getting old, but maybe it’s everyone else who might have thought 9:30pm was too late to start a show, well on a Wednesday anyway. You’d think someone who has become a critical darling in Sweden, would have had people coming in by the truckload. Upon arrival, at best the place was maybe half full? But the education system in Sweden is much better than ours, so my gut is telling me to go with two-fifths full as my official number. After all accuracy in measurement is the key to successful construction of IKEA furniture.
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Show Review: Lisa Hannigan, John Smith at Slim’s, 10/2/2011
After looking up Lisa Hannigan’s past show archive, I have definitely missed her more times than I remember. Twice I’ve seen Damien Rice while she hadn’t been on the tour with him. (She was the better half of Damien Rice in my opinion). Then I systematically missed her only U.S. solo tour, her Apple Store in-store and her opening for both Jason Mraz, and David Grey on separate occasions. I only had to wait eight years right? Well I think it paid off, because I not only got to see her live, I had the chance to interview her as well! (See related article =) )
Continue reading “Show Review: Lisa Hannigan, John Smith at Slim’s, 10/2/2011”
Spinning Platters Interview: Lisa Hannigan
Lisa Hannigan is a wonderfully warm Irish Singer Songwriter who just released her second full length album Passenger which was written while she was on her last tour for her first release Sea Sew. Prior to her solo work, she worked with Damien Rice, as part of his band. When I called Lisa, she was in Southern California, having just played San Diego and Los Angeles, heading north to play in Santa Barbara the next night.
Leading into the first question, in her newest video for “Knots,” the entire time paint is thrown on Lisa while she is trying to sing the song. And in 2009 Lisa did an ad for Fair Trade Chocolate where chocolate was poured onto her.
I have to ask, though I think I might know the answer, was it more fun having paint or chocolate splattered all over?
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Interview: Lisa Hannigan”