Show Reviews – Page 19 – Spinning Platters

Spinning Platters Presents: How Did I Get Here? Episode 3 with Vickki Acuna of General Election LA

Vickki Acuna has been working in music for years, putting on shows before she was old enough to drive, street teaming for Part Time Punks, running the Box Office at The Echo in LA, and working as the Digital Coordinator for Goldenvoice Festivals in LA, including Coachella & Stagecoach. Now she runs General Election LA, an organization leveraging our darkened venues to help get out the vote!

Vickki is active on social media as herself, in addition to General Election LA. To follow: Continue reading “Spinning Platters Presents: How Did I Get Here? Episode 3 with Vickki Acuna of General Election LA”

Show Review: Thundercat, Guapdad 4000 at The Fox Theater, 3/6/2020

Thundercat caught my attention with his 2015 release, Lone Wolf/Where the Giants Roam and continues to keep me intrigued today. Whether he was collabing with the late Mac Miller or releasing a chopped and screwed version of Drunk, he continues to showcase his broad musical tastes and deliver unmatched energy. The new single, Dragonball Durag, is a perfect example.

Before tonight, I’d only caught Thundercat for his set at Camp Flog Gnaw last year. Michael McDonald joined the stage to perform “Show me the Way” and treated the crowd to McDonald’s own “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near).” In my opinion, one of the top moments of the festival! Sadly, it was overshadowed by Millenials booing Drake off stage. Needless to say, I was psyched for this show and ready to see Thundercat deliver to the Fox Theatre in Oakland. Continue reading “Show Review: Thundercat, Guapdad 4000 at The Fox Theater, 3/6/2020”

Show Review: Habibi, Rudy de Anda, Babewatch at Bottom Of The Hill, 2/29/2020

In the world of garage rock, it’s expected for bands to put out material quickly and furiously. Bands like Thee Oh Sees and Ty Segall have set the bar so high that one record a year comes off as “slow.” When Habibi didn’t follow up their 2014 debut – a delicious blend of garage crunch, 60’s girl group harmonies, and Iranian melodies – right away, people just assumed they called it quits. It wasn’t until 2018, when they put out a short EP, that I thought they were even still a unit. However, it took six long years before we got a proper follow up. It also meant six years without a proper visit to SF. I’m glad that 2020 gave us both. Continue reading “Show Review: Habibi, Rudy de Anda, Babewatch at Bottom Of The Hill, 2/29/2020”

Single Of The Week: Backyard by Personal Trainer

This week’s Single of the Week comes from Personal Trainer. This is the debut single from this power trio based out of both Philadelphia AND Brooklyn. (Odds are that there is some infighting about which town has the best pizza) This track starts out sounding deceptively simple, but builds into a delightful aural treat that spans an insane amount of emotions on 4:18. This song is a stunner, and I can’t wait to hear more from this band.

“Backyward” can be found on Soundcloud and Spotify. You can also follow the band on Instagram and Twitter to stay in the know when they put out more material.

Show Review: Wynonna & The Big Noise featuring Bob Weir and Cass McCombs, Christina Vane at The Fillmore, 2/6/2020

Tonight was an intimate, unique, and heartwarming night of music at the Fillmore, despite being a little rough around the edges at times. Continue reading “Show Review: Wynonna & The Big Noise featuring Bob Weir and Cass McCombs, Christina Vane at The Fillmore, 2/6/2020”

SF Sketchfest Review: Everything’s Great! at Cafe du Nord, 1/25/2020

Winding down my time at this year’s SF Sketchfest, I wanted to make sure to catch one more stand up variety show. Everything’s Great!, hosted by Demi Adejuyigbe, Nick Kocher, and Addie Weyrich, has been on my list as a must-see in Los Angeles. Past guests on their line-up have included Sasheer Zamata, Joel Kim Booster, Kyle Kinane and Rachel Bloom, amongst other big talents. Plus the hosts themselves are ridiculously entertaining; each of them has their own extensive and cool list of projects in comedy. Catching their SF Sketchfest show was exactly how I wanted to wrap up this year’s festival.

Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: Everything’s Great! at Cafe du Nord, 1/25/2020”

SF Sketchfest Review: UCB East (Highwater) vs. UCB West (Leroy): The Harold Competition at PianoFight, 1/24/2020

I’ve studied improv throughout the last 15 years, but nothing has been more simultaneously challenging and rewarding than studying the Harold, a longform improv style that became popular back in Chicago, thanks to legendary improvisation teachers Del Close and Charna Halpern. This particular style of improv is taught at the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) Training Centers in New York and Los Angeles, where house Harold teams perform weekly to packed houses. It is a genuine treat to see UCB’s Harold Night, and I was delighted to catch two teams from New York and Los Angeles come together to compete for SF Sketchfest.

Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: UCB East (Highwater) vs. UCB West (Leroy): The Harold Competition at PianoFight, 1/24/2020”

Show Review: Dermot Kennedy with SYML at the Masonic, 1/30/2020

Dermot Kennedy’s got that power over me.

I don’t know what it is about Dermot Kennedy. I first discovered his music when I heard “Power Over Me” on a music channel on my TV. It was literally love at first listen. Kennedy’s voice is unlike any other I’ve ever heard: haunting, soulful, and incredibly powerful. Add to that his ability to write lyrically and musically beautiful works of art, and I’m a fan for life. For now, Kennedy is still relatively unknown in the US, but those who know his music flock to his shows, resulting in regularly sold-out shows. Such was the case at last night’s show with SYML at the Masonic.

Continue reading “Show Review: Dermot Kennedy with SYML at the Masonic, 1/30/2020”

SF Sketchfest Review: Fred Armisen: Comedy for Guitar Players but Everyone is Welcome at The Chapel, 1/26/2020

Fred Armisen has come a long way since his days drumming for Trenchmouth. He’s been the bandleader for Late Night with Seth Meyers. He’s drummed for Devo. He had a sketch comedy series with Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein where he took every opportunity he could to show off his musical chops. He’s had success in multiple fake bands on his other show, Documentary Now!. Despite acclaim as an actor and comic, he always seemed most at home as a musician. It came as no surprise when I learned he was doing a stand up special called Stand Up For Drummers, in which he exclusively told drum related jokes. When SF Sketchfest announced that he was branching out to guitarists this year, I decided that it was necessary for my own survival that I attend one of these. Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: Fred Armisen: Comedy for Guitar Players but Everyone is Welcome at The Chapel, 1/26/2020”

SF Sketchfest Review: BriTANick and Friends at the Gateway Theater, 1/23/2020

Years ago, one of my closest friends introduced me to BriTANick’s videos. I was instantly hooked. I’ve always loved sketch comedy, but BriTANick was the first sketch comedy group of my generation that seems to truly understand and master absurdity in their work. So when I learned that Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher were bringing BriTANick back to SF Sketchfest, I lost my goddamn mind—I had to go to this show. I wasn’t in town during their previous Sketchfest appearances and was over the moon to finally see them performing live. Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: BriTANick and Friends at the Gateway Theater, 1/23/2020”