Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
Remember Lost Highway Records? The label behind O Brother, Where Art Thou and all sorts of great bluegrass and alt. country tracks in the 00’s. Well, looks like they are still around and signing… GREAT ROCK ACTS? “Hands Tied” by Emma Ogier is reminiscent of Juliana Hatfield and Liz Phair and is a bloody great little rock song.
“Hands Tied” is off her upcoming release Fly 1111, coming out, you guessed it, November 11th!
Editor-in-chief, Dakin Hardwick here! Introducing you to the latest addition to the Spinning Platters team, Ammar Hasan! He’s a great photographer and writer, and he joined us in a pinch when our original photographer on Portola had an emergency and couldn’t make it. Without further ado, here’s his coverage of Portola Music Festival 2026: Continue reading “2026 Portola Festival Diary: Day 2”
I’m the kind of person who prefers a person with a microphone fronting a live band, so if you had told me I’d basically stop going to Outside Lands and become a regular at Portola, I wouldn’t have believed you. Yet here we are! Continue reading “2026 Portola Festival Diary: Two Days on a Pier With Beats, Not Boats”
Carly Rae Jepsen is a favorite of Spinning Platters. I mean, we road-tripped to her intimate EMOTION show at the Troubadour last year. That record was also #2 on our top albums of the 2010’s. We love her. Night & Day is her best record in a minute (which is saying a lot, since Dedicated and The Loneliest Time are both excellent). Suffice it to say, we are STOKED that Ms. Jepsen has gifted us with a Spring tour next year. I CAN’T WAIT!
Sign up for Artist Presale Access HERE by Sunday, October 4 at 11 pm ET. Public onsale Thursday, October 8th at 10 am local time. Tour dates below: Continue reading “CARLY RAE JEPSEN 2027 TOUR DATES”
The Gathering tour was a long-anticipated family BBQ. Fans of all generations packed the almost sold-out Chase Center Arena. Weezer, the geek-pop-rock band, connects to the fun side of everyone. Frontman Como Rivers mentioned the warnings for listening and “thank you anyway.” Everyone knew every word of every song, vintage or fresh; every word in tune and as loud as possible. No one mentioned this wasn’t a sing-a-long, and a few times during the song “Beverly Hills,” my section of the stadium was louder than the band.
It is still a mystery how fans are selected for the “air-guitar” feature, but Anastasia Gorski from the upper deck was fabulous during ‘Buddy Holly.”
Just after “Pork and Beans,” while Cuomo was on the drums, Patrick Wilson (drummer) picked up a guitar riffed as if it was a 1982 heavy metal concert. Cuomo ran over,
reminded Patrick it was 2026, and he returned to his beautiful gold drum kit. What would happen to the Weezer world if Patrick’s metal riff continued? Only smiles from me.
The Shins
The shiny happy side of the Shins came out 30 seconds in on the 1st song, with the audience blissfully swaying with their cell phones in the air. It all ended with an all-out release of madness when they closed the set with REM’s “It’s The End of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine).
Silversun Pickups
The night started with the Silversun Pickups. Despite the many months they were touring their latest record ahead of “The Gathering” tour, their energy could give the local power company shutdown notice. “Lazy Eye,” despite the song title this band energy could put PG&E out of business. Hair flying like the original headbanger days. Everyone should see them play more than once.
Tonight was my first time back at The Castro since the controversial renovation, which turned it from a classic Art Deco repertory movie palace into a classic Art Deco live music venue. I begrudgingly admit that they did an excellent job. The concessions moved from the lobby inside the theater, the bathrooms improved dramatically, and the sightlines for music were nearly perfect. It was a bit confusing that the men’s and women’s restrooms were switched on the main floor, almost causing what would have been a disturbance in a space less accepting of the gender spectrum.
Continue reading “Show Review: Melanie C with Sur Beck and Lady Camden at The Castro, 9/22/26”
It’s been just under a decade since I first saw Peter Hook and the Light prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they’re more fun than New Order. I’m not here to rag on New Order; they’re doing their thing the way they want to do it, but the fact is that there’s a spark at Hook’s shows that is severely lacking among his ex-bandmates, and judging by the ever increasing crowds at his shows when he comes into town, I’m not alone in that assessment.
Continue reading “Show Review: Peter Hook & The Light at the Hollywood Palladium (Los Angeles)”
How have I not written about Lambrini Girls yet? This generation’s finest political punk band has gifted us yet another mosh-friendly jam. An earworm assault on the senses that could, potentially, make its way to mainstream alternative radio in the States if programmers were willing to take the chance.
“Bang Bang Bang” is the first single of Lambrini Girls’ upcoming album, No Refunds, coming out just in time to miss all the best of 2026 best of lists: January 8th, 2027!
WOO HOO!!! The biggest surprise of 2026 is the groundbreaking riot grrl duo Heavens To Betsy getting back together and playing shows again. I did not expect to also get a new album. And by a new album, actually an album of demos recorded by Bratmobile legend Molly Neuman back in 1992.
baby’s gone is coming to you from legendary punk label Kill Rock Stars on October 16th. Preorders, along with new merch, are available starting now! And, of course, don’t forget the tour! So many shows are already sold out, so don’t delay in locking in. I have waited my entire teenage AND adult life for this to happen.
Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ConcertGoingPro
Each summer for the past 89 years, Stern Grove Festival presents ten weeks of free concerts every Sunday on the stage at Sigmund Stern Recreation Grove. Beginning in 2024, Stern Grove began to have a two-show final weekend called The Big Picnic Weekend… and the penultimate show of the 2026 season featured none other than Chuck D. and Flavor Flav and Public Enemy!
Continue reading “Show Review: Public Enemy “Bring the Noise” at Stern Grove!”
