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.
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!
It’s everyone’s favorite time of the week: When SpinningPlatters tells you what shows you should be going to. These are all pretty good, even the crappy ones
Peter Hook performs at Mezzanine in San Francisco last year. Photo by Jonathan Pirro
A few weeks ago, Spinning Platters had the pleasure of chatting with Peter Hook, the legendary bass player for Joy Division, New Order and Monaco, as he prepares for his upcoming North American tour. (He is coming to Mezzanine in San Francisco on Saturday, September 17th) This conversation happened about a week before it was revealed that New Order were recording and touring again without Hook. Instead, Hook is bringing his ace band The Light around the states to perform the classic Joy Divison record Closer in it’s entirety, as well as other key tracks. We did get to discuss the tour, the general response to the gigs from people close to Ian Curtis, the Joy Divison vocalist that passed away 21 years ago, and about other projects in his plate.
Now that you have been doing Joy Division songs (with The Light) for about a year, have audiences responded differently?
Sadly, one of the highlights of the Fall concert season is taking a year off: Michael Franti’s Power To The Peaceful festival in Golden Gate Park. It’s ok, it’s coming back next year. I think that you will find plenty to do, don’t worry about it.
Miranda Cosgrove canceled her gig at The Fox this week due to a bus accident. Boo!
My cat keeps sitting on my hands, making it really hard to type something witty. So I’ll get her to talk to you instead:azMNBSAMBDS,MCDEHBJCD GQWCHVJEC VEN
As we wind down our Summer, it feels good to know that our live music experiences will keep coming at you. Here’s what I think you should be doing this week in San Francisco and it’s surrounding cities.
The artist currently known as Katy Perry, back in her Contemporary Christian Pop days.
It’s a busy week, you guys. In addition to the Outside Lands Festival (or, as I know it, Stay the Hell Away From Golden Gate Park Weekend) and the San Jose Jazz Festival, the Bay Area will also host concerts from two of the most defining artists on the pop landscape, for better and worse (in that order): Adele and Katy Perry. I should also note that three bands I tend to confuse with each other – Calexico, Califone and The Sadies – are all playing this week. Look after the jump for a full rundown.
We will make this a little easier for you to navigate.
For four years running now, the good people at Another Planet and Superfly have put together a massive outdoor music festival in the part of San Francisco so far west that most people don’t even know it exists. The weather is unpredictable, the terrain in this portion of Golden Gate Park is difficult, and with 5 stages, decisions are always tough to make. Well, all I can say about the first two is to bring layers and wear sturdy, comfortable shoes. As for who to see when? Well, I’ve studied the band schedule and the map, and based on my impeccable taste in music I am ready to present to you the most fulfilling plan for your Outside Lands experience.