Spinning Platters Interview: David Owen, Janet Varney, and Cole Stratton: Founders of SF Sketchfest

Cole Stratton, Janet Varney, David Owen. Not Pictured: Burritos (Photo By: Jakub Moser)

In 2002, three Bay Area comics organized a festival featuring some of their favorite local sketch groups. They dubbed it Sketchfest, and it was a success. The next year, comedy legend Fred Willard joined the event, and every year subsequent year, the event became bigger and bigger. This year’s festival has grown to 2 1/2 weeks long, and features the biggest line up yet, featuring the likes of Eddie Izzard, Amy Poehler, Wil Wheaton, Barry Bostwick, and scores of other people so famous that even your grandparents know who they are. (You may need to ask your grandparents who Barry Bostwick is)

SpinningPlatters had the opportunity to chat with founders David Owen, Janet Varney, and Cole Stratton about the evolution of the festival, the struggles of putting it on every year, where to grab a burrito, and a whole ton of hypothetical situations that were good fun to ask. Be sure to go to SFSketchfest.com to check out the line-up and purchase tickets.

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Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 12/22/11-12/28/11

Yo, I'm Woody Allen. And you will never be me. Life is tough, ain't it.

Yes, this is kind of a slow show week. Why? Because it’s Christmas week. Even venues need to take to occasional holiday. But, you know what, the biggest badass in America is coming to town! So, yeah, Merry Christmas.

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Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 12/8/11-12/14/11

This is an early picture of a popular Bay Area musical group. I'm not sure which one, but I'm pretty sure it's the one that 2Pac used to dance for.

Yes, we all know that Metallica are taking over The Fillmore this week, and only very special people will be getting into those shows. Remember that Metallica also totally blow, and everything on this list is better. Or, at least tell yourself that, because you aren’t getting in. Don’t worry, I’m not getting in, either.

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Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 11/17/11-11/23/11

Opening for The Sounds on Saturday night at The Warfield

Dakin’s taking the week off from recommending shows. He’s busy shopping for just the right turkey for his Thanksgiving dinner, I guess. Personally, I recommend getting a bottle of Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau to bring wherever you do end up going for Thanksgiving. It’s the ultimate Thanksgiving wine.  But enough booze talk. Let’s go see some shows! (And don’t forget to tip your bartenders.) Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 11/17/11-11/23/11”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 10/20/11-10/26/11

PORTIS Hat & Coat Rack from IKEA. $29.99. Current average price of Portishead tickets on Stubhub? $150.00

This is another week where you just have to feel lucky living in the bay… It’s a great combination of living legends and awesome low profile gigs, so I hope you have some money and sick time, because this one is gonna be busy!

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Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 10/06/11-10/12/11

Very excitied about the Nuclear Rabbit reunion.

I can easily see myself doing 7 days straight of shows… This week is amazing in the quality of shows we’ve got. Normally I need to do some research to make this list, but this time it all just slid right out. So, yeah, support live music!

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Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 9/29/11-10/05/11

Opening for Blink 182 at Shoreline on Wednesday

Summer festival season is over, but Fall music festival season is in full swing! Last weekend we had LovEvolution, and this weekend is Hardly Strictly Bluegrass…. And, since we are in the midst of a heatwave, fair citizens, it is time to embrace the nightlife, because this is a very, very busy week.

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Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 9/22/11-9/28/11

Tuesday Night at Bottom Of The Hill

There are few things more exciting than stumbling across a live show  from an artist that you have never heard before. This Monday, at Knockout, SpinningPlatters is giving you that thrill. You and a guest can enjoy fine beverages at one of my outer mission bars, and enjoy the beautiful sounds of country singer Alana Amram & The Rough Gems. Check out he Van Dyke Parks assisted single Summer Winds right here, and to enter the contest, simply fill out this form!

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 9/22/11-9/28/11”