Category: Show Previews

A Music Nerd’s Guide To SF Sketchfest 2010

Music and Sketches? Get It? Ha Ha Ha!

As San Franciscans, we love festivals. We also love music and laughs, and it seems that line is blurring between the two worlds more & more everyday. And, although our music festivals have been littered with comedians quite a bit lately, especially with Tenacious D functioning as headliner at least year’s Outside Lands Festival, the music leaking in to the comedy festivals has been a bit subtler. That’s why we’re here to guide you through the music of San Francisco’s Sketchfest. There is lot going on, and a lot of very special things that will pique the interest of any music nerd.

Continue reading “A Music Nerd’s Guide To SF Sketchfest 2010”

Spinning Platters Guide To Bay Area Concerts: January 1st-5th

A rare screening of Penelope Spheeris' most disturbing film outside of Wayne's World

The holiday gives a short week this week. I’m sure you are eager to start the new year by seeing live music as often as you can in the coming year. Here’s a few days of good fun!

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Guide To Bay Area Concerts: January 1st-5th”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: December 9th-December 15th

Opening For The Aquabats on Saturday Night
Opening For The Aquabats on Saturday Night

It’s a really big week this week, mostly because this is widely viewed as the last week people can get down and party before focusing their attention (and finances) the the wretched beast known as “Late December Holiday Season.” So, for all of you out there that wish to blow all that money you’ve been saving on a nice new golden chariot for grandma, here are a few really great shows for you to attend:

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: December 9th-December 15th”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: December 2nd-December 8th

 

Grannies at Annies. Nuff Said.
Grannies at Annies. Nuff Said.

Shows, shows, shows… That’s all I ever talk about. In this column at least. Ok: go support some live music venues!!!!!!

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: December 2nd-December 8th”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: November 18th-November 24th

Not playing Cafe du Nord on Monday, but their legacy is...
Not playing Cafe du Nord on Monday, but their legacy is...

So, it looks like the people of the ABC are getting super angry, and are doing some nasty things to our DNA. It also looks like the economy is laying to waste one of San Francisco’s greatest venues at the end of the year. So, please, please help keep live music alive by going to a show or two this week. And next week is Black Friday, a day that you will be shopping early in the morning. I suggest all of our readers power shop, then power nap, and then attend an all ages show somewhere in town, then head to Annie’s Social Club afterwards for some late night punk rock karaoke. But, we won’t have an extensive Black Friday show guide until next Wednesday. Until then, here’s this week:

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: November 18th-November 24th”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: November 4th-November 10th

Playing Sunday Night At The Hemlock Tavern
Playing Sunday Night At The Hemlock Tavern

I have returned from Florida, and I am back to control your life… Here are a few suggestions:

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: November 4th-November 10th”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: October 28th-November 3rd

Landing at The Independent on Sunday night
Landing at The Independent on Sunday night

Dakin’s in Florida this week, so when he sent me his Bay Area concert guide for this week, it was a bunch of shows happening in the Tampa Bay Area. I know some of you would fly down to Tampa to see Styx, REO Speedwagon and Night Ranger share the stage at the state fairgrounds on Friday night, but most of you want to know what’s happening back here in the San Francisco Bay Area. So I’ve scrapped Dakin’s otherwise useful column (Attack Attack! at the State Theater in St Pete?  We’re there!) and brought you some shows to check out here at home. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: October 28th-November 3rd”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: October 21st-October 27th

Dragonette are playing Popscene this week!
Dragonette are playing Popscene this week!

We’re changing things around a bit, and I’m gonna start posting this on Wednesdays now. Which means: we missed Tuesday. The good news is, the best show of last night is getting repeated tonight, and the show that you were going to go to wasn’t so good, so we I think we did you a favor by not posting. So, on with the shows!

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The Insiders’ Guide to the Treasure Island Music Festival

No, I'm not sure how to get to where this picture was taken.
No, I'm not sure how to get to where this picture was taken.

This weekend’s Treasure Island Music Festival has quickly become my favorite musical event of the year. There are no conflicting set times, so you can see everyone on the bill. The size of the festival is fairly small, so it’s easy to get around. The setting in the middle of San Francisco Bay is absolutely stunning. And something about all of these combine to keep the people going in a relaxed, pleasant mood that makes being there all the more enjoyable.

Now, you might think going to this festival is as easy as hopping in your car and going to the festival to enjoy some music, but you’d be wrong. Read on, and I’ll teach you how to avoid rookie mistakes. Continue reading “The Insiders’ Guide to the Treasure Island Music Festival”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: October 13th-October 19th

Sadness be that it is merely an island of treasure, not a planet
Sadness be that it is merely an island of treasure, not a planet

As we all know, this weekend is the Treasure Island Music Festival.  It’s always a really good weekend, and the night shows are pretty awesome this year, too! I will be there, and you should, too! But, just in case you have a deep phobia of pirates and buried treasure, we’ve got a few more ideas for you:

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: October 13th-October 19th”