Category: Show Reviews

Show Review: Beth Gibbons with Cass McCombs at The Warfield, 4/15/25

On October 21st, 2011, I impulsively bought a ticket to see Portishead at The Greek Theater that night. My familiarity with the band was effectively “I know the singles” and not much more, but I had lots of friends attending, and nothing else was going on. When I did show up, I couldn’t find my friends, and eventually found a friend that I hadn’t seen in years, and enjoyed reconnecting. Then the music started, and I was profoundly transfixed for nearly two hours. It was emotionally turbulent and a genuine catharsis. Nothing happened as planned, and it may have been all the better for it. 

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Show Review: Hiromi’s Sonicwonderland at The Moore Theater, 4/13/25

I have to admit here right out of the gate that I’m pretty new to the world of Japanese jazz composer and keyboardist Hiromi Uehara. At some point last year, the YouTube algorithm decided to recommend to me her solo piano composition “The Tom and Jerry Show,” and I instantly became obsessed. However, like many YouTube recommendations, it allowed me a point of entry into her vast solo piano compositions, but for whatever reason, I couldn’t find a way into her combo-based music. Maybe I just got too wrapped up in the aural aesthetic of her solo piano work, or maybe I just got stuck. On April 4th of 2025, her newest album from her quartet Sonicwonderland, Out There, a 9-song jazz fusion masterpiece that clocks in at almost exactly an hour. On this crisp Sunday Seattle evening, less than two weeks after her newest album’s release, I gathered with an excited all-ages crowd at The Moore Theater to hear her and her virtuoso band breathe a different kind of life into her brand new Out There compositions. Continue reading “Show Review: Hiromi’s Sonicwonderland at The Moore Theater, 4/13/25”

Show Review: Martha Wainwright at Great American Music Hall, 4/2/25

Comes out and plays through the album that made her, that created a being separate from lineage, too mature for this crude southern land, the pedigree and the world wise chanteuse disorienting pop music. Self aware, the first line is an irrepressible fein to the Carpenter’s ‘Superstar’. The very first line claims a place: Long ago, and so very… Continue reading “Show Review: Martha Wainwright at Great American Music Hall, 4/2/25”

Show Review: Bit Brigade at Nectar Lounge, 3/23/25

“Virtuoso Musicianship via 80’s Nintendo Game Delivery System”

Long before I saw any live music or before I even owned an album on CD or cassette I listened to countless hours of Japanese composers that I didn’t know the names of as I fettered my preteen hours away playing video games on my Nintendo. To say that these songs had an impact on me would be an understatement. Experiencing Bit Brigade play two of the games I played the most often last Sunday night tapped into something more important to me and my development as a music listener than I can quite put into words. 

Show Review: Franz Ferdinand with Telescreens at The Warfield, 3/28/25

The last time I saw Franz Ferdinand live was in 2013, and they played a last-minute gig to raise money for a fan who lost everything in a fire. It was in the basement of the clothing store Vacation in the Tenderloin and admission was “Five Lotto Scratchers.” It was pretty damn magical. Like, in my top 10 show experiences ever. The problem with seeing a “peak magic” show is that it’s hard to go back.
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Show Review: The Linda Lindas with Be Your Own Pet at The UC Theatre, 3/20/25

It’s been about six years since Spinning Platters first encountered The Linda Lindas. They were all in middle school at the time but managed to score the opening slot for Bikini Kill’s second show in 20 years. They played 30 minutes worth of classic punk covers with the skill of players twice their age but with the enthusiasm and curiosity of, well, pre-teens. Fast forward six years, and they have three albums worth of critically acclaimed original material and have risen to be the band effectively leading Gen Alpha to rock ‘n roll. 

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Noise Pop 2025: A Recap

Noise Pop 2025 kicked off with a bang — and my festival experience started with picking up my badge at the California Academy of Sciences on a Thursday evening. Coinciding with the Academy’s weekly NightLife program, the scene was electric. Even though I was solo, it struck me as possibly the best Bay Area date night I’ve seen in years. Noise Pop was in full swing, contributing DJs and a dance floor to the evening’s programming. But the real magic came from the Academy itself. There’s something about wandering through the aquarium under black lights, music pulsing through the exhibits as exotic fish glide by. People of all ages roamed the space in pairs or pods, sipping craft cocktails from the multiple bars scattered throughout. Small science demos popped up in every corner, adding an intellectual edge to the atmosphere. It was a perfect blend of science, art, and social buzz — I’d give it a solid 100 for ingenuity and wholesome romantic fun. Continue reading “Noise Pop 2025: A Recap”

Show Review: Bonnie “Prince” Billy at Sebastiani Theater, 2/10/25

On February 10, 2025, the Sebastiani Theatre in Sonoma hosted an evening of quiet magic as Bonnie “Prince” Billy (Will Oldham) took the stage alongside David Ferguson and friends. The historic theater, small and warmly worn-in, made for the perfect setting—where the low lights and unpretentious charm made everyone feel like they were sitting in a friend’s parlor rather than a concert hall. The staff, gracious and welcoming, kept things running smooth, with intermissions brief and timely, never pulling the audience too far from the spell being cast onstage. Continue reading “Show Review: Bonnie “Prince” Billy at Sebastiani Theater, 2/10/25″

Show Review: JoJo with Emmy Meli at The Warfield, 3/6/25

JoJo has spent the last 21 years as the “other” one. When she was a 13-year-old prodigy, she was marketed as the “new” Aaliyah. She spent years making movies and putting out records without achieving the notoriety of fellow prodigies of her era like Hilary Duff and Miley Cyrus. I can’t decide if this is bad or not. She has immense talent, but it’s also allowed her to create her own identity and continue pushing the boundaries of what you would define as R&B or Pop. Her sound has developed in a way that places her as a precursor to boundary pushers like SZA and The Weeknd, and the folks that kept their ears on her learned this. 

I feel like in 2025, with her new EP, NGL, and her book, Over The Influence, it’s time for JoJo to make her formal re-introduction. This live show cements that. Continue reading “Show Review: JoJo with Emmy Meli at The Warfield, 3/6/25”

Show Review: Max Cavalera’s Schizophrenia

Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ConcertGoingPro

Max Cavalera tours a lot. Max and his brother Igor G. are best known for starting the band Sepultura in the early 1980’s, and since leaving that behind nearly 30 years ago, he has Soulfly, Nailbomb, Go Ahead and Die, and Cavalera Conspiracy keeping him and the Cavalera family very busy. They have plenty of good reasons to perform for their fans as much as they do, and that is because there is so much music to play! In fact, alongside Max on this particular excursion, both in the band and crew, is drummer/brother Igor G., guitar/son Igor A., manager/wife Gloria, and merchandise/son Richie. 

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