Show Reviews – Spinning Platters

Noise Pop Review: The Fiery Furnaces with Spacemoth. at The Chapel, 2/26/26

I’ve seen The Fiery Furnaces just once before. Opening for The Shins at The Warfield just about 20 years ago. I was taken aback by their joyful weirdness… So many layers, and it was magic. And I’d yet to have an opportunity to see them again. So when Noise Pop added them to The Chapel, one of the most stunning spaces in SF, I jumped on tickets. Yet, I had no idea what I was in for…

Before Eleanor Friedberger and her brother Matthew, the sibling duo that leads The Fiery Furnaces, took the stage, we were treated to a rare solo performance by local psych hero Maryam Qudus. Better known by her stage name, Spacemoth.. She treated us to layers of samples and washes of guitar and synths, all played by Qudus herself. She crafted blissful pop symphonies, effectively replicating the full-band sound of her debut record, No Past No Future. Early in the set, she played “This Shit” with its chorus, “When is this shit gonna end? Gonna End?” a statement that resonates really well in the current climate.

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I was initially caught off guard by the stage setup. Once Spacemoth. cleared her gear, all we saw on stage was an upright piano and a mic stand. It became clear to me that I wasn’t getting the same band that I’ve wanted to see again for two decades. I was nervous about the show.

Matthew sat at the piano, and Eleanor picked up the mic. Fiery Furnaces treated us to… An acoustic duo set! The layers were stripped away, and the songs were brought to the forefront. They played a career-spanning set, hitting almost every album. But, instead of the big, experimental songs, we got cabaret. Eleanor’s voice was in fine form tonight, sending chills at the right moments. Matthew played a delicate balance of jazz, showtunes, and pop on the piano. It was a fantastic show, despite not being the show I expected.

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Show Review: Cat Power at The Fox Theater, 2/18/26

I found out about the show late. I had asked the magazine for a photo pass and was told Chan wasn’t allowing photography. No cameras in the audience. That was the boundary. Instead, they handed me a viewing ticket at the last minute, which felt generous and slightly strange. I’m usually moving around the pit thinking about light and angles. This time I took a seat. Front row balcony, the Fox opening up beneath me.
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Noise Pop Review: Death Valley Girls, Forty Feet Tall, Grooblen at Kilowatt, 2/23/26

Photos by Emily Anderson

You know how some venues seem to have the right “vibe,” and you can feel the fun as you walk in? It seems that the classic Mission District bar, Kilowatt, has that energy. Because there was an intense joy that I felt from the moment I walked in. To my right was the perfect long bar with silly things behind it, including Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. I understand why the folks of Noise Pop have gone all in on this space. And with the loss of Thee Parkside and the impending death of Bottom Of The Hill, I felt optimistic that SF won’t be without a small rock n roll venue. I bought a $15 cocktail that was a very strong pint of Mexican Mule because it seemed right, and the price was clearly right, and from a time long ago in SF. I window shopped the merch, and then found a spot right in front of the stage, ready for some rock n roll. Continue reading “Noise Pop Review: Death Valley Girls, Forty Feet Tall, Grooblen at Kilowatt, 2/23/26”

SF Sketchfest Review: Wife Material with Sydney Kane at Eclectic Box, 1/25/26

Photos by Gabrielle f. Korein

Eclectic Box SF is the kind of small Mission venue where nothing is hidden, and everything lands a little harder, making it an ideal setting for Wife Material. The show arrived wrapped in an I Love Lucy-adjacent aesthetic, all bubblegum pink and tongue-in-cheek humor, but quickly revealed something far more anxious and intimate underneath. Kane entered in full Britney pink, with a headset mic, sorority curls pulled into a half-wedding updo, and towering six-inch square platform heels, immediately establishing both control and exposure. From the start, she blurred the line between performer and audience, pulling a small cluster of front-row participants into a scripted interaction that cracked the fourth wall and set the tone for the vulnerability to come. Behind her sat two nonchalant, middle-aged indie rock types on drums and keys, steady and almost indifferent, which only heightened the emotional contrast onstage.
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SF Sketchfest Review: Smoke Show with Sweetin at BATS Improv Theater, 1/24/26

Photo by Tommy Lau

Dave Coulier is forever marked as the guy who enjoyed his time in the theater a little too much. Lori Loughlin is permanently associated with the worst college admissions scandal of all time. Candace Cameron is an outspoken Trump supporter. John Stamos has never heard Papa Roach. Being a Full House alumnus is a hard job.

But you know who has stayed under the radar as the coolest from the show? Jodie Fucking Sweetin. We interviewed her a few years ago, and it was really fun. In the last decade, she’s managed to endear herself to the LA stand-up and improv scene and done something that few people have succeeded at- she’s progressed from child stardom to a truly respected and admired artist. It takes a lot to get me out to a 10:30 PM show. But, yeah. I need to see Sweetin do her thing.

Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: Smoke Show with Sweetin at BATS Improv Theater, 1/24/26”

SF Sketchfest Review: Chaos: Natasha Leggero + Chelsea Peretti + Sabrina Jalees at Marines’ Memorial Theater, 1/25/26

Photo by Tommy Lau

Saturday was a weird day for me. Weird, because my day job had me working at an art festival in the city, and it was a really busy workday with only enough downtime to drink water and use the bathroom occasionally. I was oblivious to any news that came down the pipeline. As soon as we were done, I chugged a Red Bull and ran as fast as I could to the theater so I didn’t miss the show. Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: Chaos: Natasha Leggero + Chelsea Peretti + Sabrina Jalees at Marines’ Memorial Theater, 1/25/26”

Show Review: Cattle Decapitation, Aborted, Frozen Soul, Tribal Gaze at The Belasco, 12-20-2025

“Every Body a Host, Every Body Infected”

If there is one Death Metal band that seems to consistently captivate me and grab my attention, it is Cattle Decapitation. Having grown up in a rural area with a progressive background, I couldn’t help but develop a strong sense of respect for environmental ecology. I went to clear cut protests in high school, I’ve been a supporter of indigenous tribal water rights and the movement to remove the Klamath Dam (which thankfully came through a few years ago and has already seen a healthy increase in Klamath Salmon numbers now that their run has been restored), and I’ve been staggeringly aware of man’s effects on our home. So when I wandered by the local record store one day and saw the promotional art for Cattle’s death grind album Humanure, let’s just say I knew I was going to be on board with their mission statement: Earth First, Humans Last.

Continue reading “Show Review: Cattle Decapitation, Aborted, Frozen Soul, Tribal Gaze at The Belasco, 12-20-2025”

Show Review: Boris, Lack of Interest at The Belasco, 11-22-2025

Boris obliterates a sold out Belasco

I first saw Boris performing Pink in San Francisco before the pandemic forever changed life as we know it. To say that it was incredible is an understatement, as I became not only a fan, but utterly obsessed with the band, having covered them numerous times for this publication as evidence. Of course, when this tour was announced, I had to jump at the chance to cover them again.

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Show Review: Not For Radio presents Winter In The Garden at The Fox Theater – Oakland, 1/7/26

I’ll be very straight with you- I had no idea what to expect out of the Not For Radio performance at The Fox this night. I knew very little about this project, other than this was only their third show EVER, and it was the third of three sold-out weekday nights at The Fox. I really enjoy the lead singer Maria Zardoya’s other band, The Marias, but the opportunity to attend this show came up so unexpectedly last minute that I barely had a chance to listen to the record. Continue reading “Show Review: Not For Radio presents Winter In The Garden at The Fox Theater — Oakland, 1/7/26”

Spinning Platters Interview: J. Willigoose, Esq. of Public Service Broadcasting

This month sees the stateside return of one of the 21st century’s great independent bands, Public Service Broadcasting. Over the last dozen-or-so years, they’ve been releasing these brilliant storytelling albums, mixing historical audio with music that can be beautiful, exciting, sad, uplifting, and even fit for the dance floor. Their most recent album, The Last Flight debuted at #3 on the UK album chart and its remixed counterpart Night Flight has recently dropped. And here in San Francisco we’re being honored with a rare live performace by the band in the United States, and I couldn’t have been more thrilled that J. Willigoose, Esq, guitarist and founder of the band, got on a call to chat with me about Amelia Earhart, the secretive future of album concepts, writing on commission, the challenges of touring, and so much more.

Spinning Platters: I’m just going to start going to start with Amelia Earhart. So I don’t know if you saw that the US has started declassifying all the Amelia Earhart documents. Have you heard about this? Continue reading “Spinning Platters Interview: J. Willigoose, Esq. of Public Service Broadcasting”