Show Reviews – Page 9 – Spinning Platters

Show Review: NOFX Final Tour, Punk in Drublic @ The Cow Palace 09-16-2023

Farewell tours are a strange business. How does a band perform with sincerity and a sense of purpose that feels genuine without the trappings of a cash-grab mentality that us cynical fans have come to expect? I’ve personally never been to a farewell show outside of bands in the local music scene where I grew up, so I wasn’t very sure what to expect aside from what I was seeing on social media. A 40-year-old punk band going on with an absolute bang at each and every show, celebrating not only their longevity but celebrating the music scene that they came up in. What better place than San Francisco, the second home to one of the most iconic bands to come out of the 80s hardcore punk scene in Los Angeles, to wave goodbye to an incredible career?

Continue reading “Show Review: NOFX Final Tour, Punk in Drublic @ The Cow Palace 09-16-2023”

Show Review: Dream Wife with Buzzed Lightbeer at Bottom Of The Hill, 9/20/23

There’s nothing more exciting than realizing you’ve reached “fan” status with a band. And after picking up Social Lubrication, followed by their 2020 live album IRL, I’ve gone officially “all in” on the political dance punk stylings of Dream Wife. My turntable has pretty much alternated between both discs all year, reminding me that I need to pick up the two earlier records so I don’t wear out the other ones. This show has been on my calendar for most of the year, and it was also my return to Bottom Of The Hill, one of the most magic venues on the west side of SF Bay.

Continue reading “Show Review: Dream Wife with Buzzed Lightbeer at Bottom Of The Hill, 9/20/23”

Aftershock 2023… and why it will be better than Power Trip!

Show Preview by: Alan Ralph @AlanHasPicks

The extended weekend of October 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the year 2 0 2 3 has been leaving fans of heavy metal music in decision limbo since the beginning of April. In mid-March, the annual heavy metal pilgrimage to Sacramento, called Aftershock Festival, announced another stellar (as always) 4-day lineup for an unforgettable weekend of Rock N Metal. What nobody knew then is that a mere two weeks later, Power Trip (not the band) would announce a killer classic metal lineup for their festival, to take place simultaneously on the same weekend, albeit in the southern California desert. Goldenvoice had just put Danny Wimmer Presents (DWP) on notice, and fans then had to decide which to go to! Now, with t-minus two weeks and counting, Spinning Platters is here to explain why Aftershock Festival is thee festival to attend and how they will not be relinquishing their West Coast Fall Festival crown…

Continue reading “Aftershock 2023… and why it will be better than Power Trip!”

Festival Review: Through The Looking Glass at Children’s Fairyland, 9/16/23

Children’s Fairyland is a pretty magical, at times even mythical place. The place that may or may not have inspired Disneyland has certainly inspired the imaginations of many generations of children who have grown up in the Bay Area. Yet, aside from the annual open-bar fundraiser, there haven’t been many opportunities for adults without children to really experience the wonder of this place. Really, it would take a special type of person, an artist who understands what fairies mean to grown-ups, who can bridge the beauty of approaching the world with a childlike curiosity with an adult’s maturity. There are probably three local musicians who are capable of curating an event at Children’s Fairyland and doing it right. It would be either Les Claypool, Tom Waits, or SPELLLING. And, really, we all know SPELLLING is the only person who could really do it right.

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Show Review: Pixies and Modest Mouse with Cat Power at Oxbow River Stage, 9/15/23

This is my favorite time of the year: the hottest days of the summer are in the rearview, and fall is just around the corner. Before the warmth of the season fades completely, if we’re lucky, we might get one last chance to catch a spectacular show outdoors before it gets cold. This past weekend presented me with one such chance, in this case, to see the Pixies and Modest Mouse with Cat Power at Napa’s Oxbow River Stage. Continue reading “Show Review: Pixies and Modest Mouse with Cat Power at Oxbow River Stage, 9/15/23”

Show Review: Boris, Melvins, Mr. Flyzzz @ The Belasco 08-24-2023

“Boris knows and Boris likes it all.”

It’s been quite the year in live music so far, and it seems like every band on the planet is touring right now, but when two heavyweights like Melvins and Boris announce a tour together, and not only that, but they announce that they’re going to tour a full album each, it’s a no brainer for me. So I rode off to Downtown Los Angeles for an evening of loud as fuck music from two titans of the genre.

Continue reading “Show Review: Boris, Melvins, Mr. Flyzzz @ The Belasco 08-24-2023”

Show Review: Flogging Molly, The Bronx at The Warfield

Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @AlanHasPicks

According to Spinning Platters’ crack data analysis research team, Flogging Molly has been to the Bay Area every year since 2000 (except 2010… and 2020, obviously), with eight shows at Fox Theater Oakland, seven at Slim’s (R.I.P.), four at The Fillmore, four Warped Tours at Pier 30/32, four at The Warfield, and one each at Greek Theatre, Bottom of the Hill, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, and an Oyster Fest at Fort Mason.

Before the 3rd song at this, their latest Bay Area appearance, vocalist Dave King mentioned that it has been TEN years since they last performed at The Warfield, so we simply had to fact-check him and determined that it has actually been SEVENTEEN years since they last stood on this stage! (September 28, 2006; March 14, 2005; September 14, 2004 were the only times) Continue reading “Show Review: Flogging Molly, The Bronx at The Warfield”

Bumbershoot 2023- The 50th Anniversary In Pictures

Bumbershoot is one of the oldest and longest-running music festivals in America. Sure, it took a bit of a hiatus after the 2019 edition to regroup (and that pesky pandemic had a bit of a part in it, too), it returned in 2023 with a heavy focus on the talent of the Pacific Northwest, including sets from such luminaires as Sleater-Kinney (who played 1/2 of Dig Me Out as well as a cover of Sinead O’Connor’s “Emporer’s New Clothes,”) Sunny Day Real Estate, and The Dandy Warhols. We got to take our camera around and enjoy the sights and sounds of this event, and we even got to take a turn behind the mic for queer/bar staple Burleskaraoke (but, sadly, only the folks at the event got to experience that magic). It was a delightful weekend of both sunshine and rain, and it was such a joy to see Seattle having fun.

[Show as slideshow]

BONUS SINGLE OF THE WEEK: “Are You Awake?” by Lauren Mayberry

My lucky, loyal readers… I’ve got a second single for you this week, mostly because I CAN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT! News of Lauren Mayberry putting out a solo album came about a month ago, around the same time CHVRCHES announced the 10th Anniversary editions of their smashing debut record, The Bones Of What You Believe. However, not a note of music has seen the light of day until now. And when it does? It’s a beautiful, heartbreaking break up song that’s primarily just Mayberry’s voice and piano. And two lines keep repeating in my head:

Hometown hero is a poisoned chalice choice
If they don’t love you you’re just destined to disappoint

I can’t help but speculate wildly. IS THIS SONG ABOUT THE BAND?!?! HAS THE WEIGHT OF BEING CHVRCHES IMPLIED A NEED FOR A BREAK?!?! And is Mayberry unhappy about it? I HAVE NO IDEA!!! But I will keep listening and studying this song until I know for sure. As you should, too! She’s also hitting the road, and I have no idea what to expect, but I’m sure it’s gonna be good.

Show Review: Weezer with Spoon and White Reaper at the Greek Theatre, 8/24/23

Back in 1994, when Weezer released “Undone – The Sweater Song” and “Buddy Holly,” I was 15. Despite being into grunge bands like Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots, I was also hiding a pop music-loving heart. Weezer was neither really pop or grunge, but I didn’t care: I loved them. Having said that, I must admit that I was the kind of casual fan who didn’t own a single album but knew all the words to every one of their radio hits. And that’s how it went for twenty years. Then, in 2014, I finally caught Weezer’s act live (at BottleRock Napa Valley). I was absolutely floored, and that was the day that my Weezer fandom finally became real. So almost ten years later, when they embarked on an epic “Indie Rock Road Trip” tour with White Reaper and Spoon that was coming to an amazing small venue near me? You better believe I wasn’t going to miss it. Continue reading “Show Review: Weezer with Spoon and White Reaper at the Greek Theatre, 8/24/23”