Let’s Go Crazy With The Best Albums of 1999!

Are we gonna let the elevator bring us down?
Are we gonna let the elevator bring us down?

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!”

Reflections on the 18th Annual San Francisco Silent Film Festival: The Sound (And Seasons) of Silence

Marion Davies in The Patsy (1928)
Marion Davies in The Patsy (1928)

The intoxicating, nostalgic scent of freshly popped, earthy corn merging with the salty richness of melting butter permeating the air is a familiar movie theatre setting. At the Castro Theatre in San Francisco, where the annual San Francisco Silent Film Festival (SFSFF) is held, our olfactory senses are still treated to this familiar comfort and all seems like a typical Castro event, at first. Not that the Castro Theatre is your ordinary strip-mall movie experience to begin with, however. The majestic landmark building, built in 1922, has grand stairways, a charismatic Wurlitzer organ, 1937 Art Deco chandelier, rare scrafitto wall décor, seats over 1400 patrons, and weekly shows “repertory cinema, foreign films, film festivals and special first run presentations,” as well as favorite cult classics, and occasionally hosts special live theatrical or sing-along events. It is certainly a major source of pride in San Francisco. Once you move past the enticing phantom of popcorn aroma lingering in the lobby and take a seat, the heavy, old-fashioned curtains part like a luxurious and dramatic movement Isadora Duncan would be proud of.

Continue reading “Reflections on the 18th Annual San Francisco Silent Film Festival: The Sound (And Seasons) of Silence”

Outside Lands 2013 Journal, Day 2: Saturday, August 10th

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Most photos by Jonathan Pirro. Ones without the logo in the bottom right corner were by me.

Day 2. A day that will live in infamy. Today I got to see my favorite local band play massive stage, my favorite band in high school make an epic comeback, and the greatest rap group of the last 20 years make a triumphant return to the stage. My life doesn’t suck…

Continue reading “Outside Lands 2013 Journal, Day 2: Saturday, August 10th”

Outside Lands 2013 Journal, Day 1: Friday, August 9th

All Photos by Jonathan Pirro
All Photos by Jonathan Pirro

 

Outside Lands 2013 may have been my favorite OSL yet. It was my favorite line up so far, and the weather was amazing. It never got too cold, nor did it get too hot. Also, I got to see two legendary, groundbreaking musicians that essentially rewrote how we listen to music. Not a bad way to enjoy a day in the park…

Continue reading “Outside Lands 2013 Journal, Day 1: Friday, August 9th”

Spinning Platters Interview: Laurent Brancowitz of Phoenix

Phoenix - Phoenix - General 3

It’s been a pretty amazing year so far for Phoenix. Their latest record, Bankrupt!, is receiving amazing reviews, and they are playing to the biggest crowds of their career! We had the opportunity to chat with their guitarist Laurent Brancowitz ahead of their upcoming set at Outside Lands. They are playing the Twin Peaks stage at 8:40 PM on Saturday night. Just a warning, we pretty much only talked about how much we like R Kelly.

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Top 10 Outside Lands 2013 Acts From the Bottom Half of the Poster

outsidelands

Whenever the line up for a big festival is released, everyone is always talking about the headliners. However, there are a lot more than just the headliners performing. You have nearly 100 bands performing over the course of three days, and there is a good chance that there is an amazing band in the bottom half of the bill that you will love, but you’re going to miss. Don’t do that. You paid your $250. You should get your money’s worth. Come out early. (Also, the food lines are so much shorter before 3 PM)

Continue reading “Top 10 Outside Lands 2013 Acts From the Bottom Half of the Poster”

Picks Six: Bay Area Cult Bands That I’d Love To See Play Again

trashwomen

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to see The Trashwomen play their first show in 12 years at Burger Boogaloo in Mosswood Park. The set was fierce and amazing, and the crowd, which ranged in age from 10 to 55, was ecstatic to see finally see this band. It got me thinking about other bands like this. The forgotten bands of the bay area. These are bands that never became big national successes, but were revered in the bay area, and I would love to see a rousing comeback show by any of thee bands. This is also the final “Picks Six” you will see on Spinning Platters. I know there are a lot of fans of lists out there, however, and we will have a regular column coming your way in the very near future that I hope you like.

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Save Big on SF MusicTech Summit #13

Robert Kaye of MusicBrainz at SF MusicTech Summit 12
People, including Robert Kaye of MusicBrainz, take their SF MusicTech seriously.

The next installment of SF MusicTech Summit is a week away. If you tend to follow the biggest music + tech-related events in the Bay Area, you might be asking yourself something along the lines of “wait, didn’t they just throw one of these events a few months ago?” Yes, it’s not your imagination; the last conference took place in February.

Why did the organizers decide to follow up so soon on their bi-annual event? Besides the basic logistics involved in organizing a massively popular conference, there’s a deeper progression at play. Read on to find out why everyone involved in some aspect of music should especially attend, this time around, and how Spinning Platters can save you 20% on registration.

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SFIFF Spotlights #5: Crystal Fairy / Cutie and the Boxer

My final two spotlights from the 56th San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF), which ends today. Information and tickets for the day’s final films at: http://festival.sffs.org/

Crystal Fairy
(Chile 2012, 100 min; English and Spanish with English subtitles)

Michael Cera in Crystal Fairy
Michael Cera in Crystal Fairy

Michael Cera is comically brilliant as Jamie, a know-it-all American seeking a mescaline high in Chile. Chilean director Sebastian Silva contrasts Jamie’s self-absorption and rigidity with fellow American Crystal Fairy (Gaby Hoffman). She’s free-spirited and new-agey, yet endears herself to Jamie and the Chilean brothers travelling with them; watching her conflict with Jamie is terrific fun. Silva’s very funny, sweet picture proves that even the most annoying of us are capable of growth and compassion.

Next showing:
Opens nationwide July 12, 2013. Continue reading “SFIFF Spotlights #5: Crystal Fairy / Cutie and the Boxer”

SFIFF Spotlights #4: Fill the Void / Prince Avalanche / The Way, Way Back

More spotlights from the 56th San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF), which ends this Thursday, May 9th. Tickets for screenings still available at: http://festival.sffs.org/

Fill the Void
(Israel 2012, 90 min; Hebrew with English subtitles)

Yiftach Klein and Hadas Yaron in Fill the Void
Yiftach Klein and Hadas Yaron in Fill the Void

In this Israeli Film Academy Best Picture winner, director Rama Burshstein takes us inside the Tel Aviv Hassidic community. Shira (Hadas Yaron) is a conflicted young woman under pressure to marry her recently deceased sister’s husband. Hadas Yaron, resembling Greta Gerwig both physically and stylistically, deftly conveys Shira’s uncertainty and vulnerability. At the Q&A I attended, Burshstein called the film a “journey of feeling,” an apt description of this beautiful meditation on commitment and love.

Next showing:
No U.S. release date yet; has been playing film festivals. Continue reading “SFIFF Spotlights #4: Fill the Void / Prince Avalanche / The Way, Way Back”