Film Review: The Last Black Man in San Francisco

Contemplative, timely film considers a changing SF

Jimmie (Jimmie Fails, r.) and his friend Mont (Jonathan Majors) reclaim Jimmie’s childhood home.

Opening on the heels of two recent, widely criticized national pieces bashing the “new” San Francisco in the New Yorker and the Washington Post, writer/director Joe Talbot’s first feature film, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, couldn’t be timelier. But Talbot has the advantage over those much dismissed east coast writers: he’s a San Francisco native (fifth generation, no less), and, as his film’s protagonist declares about our fair city by the Bay, “You don’t get to hate it unless you love it.” Continue reading “Film Review: The Last Black Man in San Francisco“

Single Of The Week: Your Hands My Pockets by Team Dresch

It seems that all of the Riot Grrl comeback story headlines this year have focused on the return of Bikini Kill, which, I do agree is very big news. However, the return of Queercore originators and fellow Riot Grrl originators Team Dresch deserves to not be overlooked. Their infectious hooks and blunt lyrics helped open up the pit to people that aren’t just straight white guys, and also helped those straight white guys understand a little better about what it’s like to not be the demographic that holds power.

In addition to reissuing their excellent back catalog as well as releasing a compilation of singles that don’t appear on any record, Team Dresch have also released their first single in 19 years! Surprisingly, it’s infectious, bouncy love song called “Your Hands, My Pockets” that could end up being a bonafide hit! I keep repeating it!

Team Dresch are about to embark on a nearly sold out US Tour. Dates are here, but don’t delay in buying tickets!https://teamdresch.bandcamp.com/album/choices-chances-changes-singles-comptracks-1994-2000

Theater Review: SHN Presents Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at Golden Gate Theater

Sarah Bockel gives us a show as Carole King. (Photos courtesy of Joan Marcus/SHN, 2019.)

“There’s so many dreams I’ve yet to find…” sings Carole King at her piano, as played by Sarah Bockel, in “So Far Away,” a powerful opening number that feels like an intimate concert. Bockel captures the nuances of King’s voice from her start in Brooklyn to her finish at Carnegie Hall. The musical returns to San Francisco, where it first premiered at the Curran Theatre in 2013. If only life worked like that, as Bockel’s King sings, “it would be so fine to see your face at my door…” and it takes a really strong songwriter to capture so much in one song. It’s the vulnerability through which she shares her life that allows her to speak for so many through her voice. Continue reading “Theater Review: SHN Presents Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at Golden Gate Theater”

Show Review: IDLES, Fontaines D.C. at The Fonda Theatre 2019/05/22

“If you don’t like cliches, fuck yourselves.”

As I get older, I have to admit that I really appreciate having a barricade to shoot photos from. I get that it’s not most audience member’s cup ‘o tea, but when you’re lugging around 5k worth of camera equipment it’s nice to not have to worry quite as much about being shoved around by rabid fans. This is one of the reasons why I tend to truly enjoy concerts at the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood. Continue reading “Show Review: IDLES, Fontaines D.C. at The Fonda Theatre 2019/05/22”

Single Of The Week: ‘Til We Lose The Feeling by Gemma

This week’s single of the week comes from New York’s Gemma! This track is a frantic disco number, and it’s doing a fine job with pulling out of the doldrums of the final week of May. The build up, the lyrics, everything is great about this song. Every mistake you made this week doesn’t matter, because it’s in the past. Just take what you needed to learn from it, and then dance it the fuck out. This is the song that I needed today, and I bet it’s the song you need, too.

Gemma’s latest record, Feeling’s Not A Tempo, is available now in all the usual places.

Film Review: Rocketman

Overstuffed effort … but worthwhile viewing

Taron Egerton as Elton John at Dodger Stadium in 1975
Taron Egerton as Elton John at Dodger Stadium in 1975

There are any number of Elton John lyrics that would fit nicely here, to start this review of Rocketman. You’re thinking of them now. You know you are. There are so many. How do you choose? You’re also picturing the former Reginald Dwight, festooned in iridescence and bedecked in enough feathers to set off hundreds of allergic reactions, enough sequins to blind at 100 yards. And now that you’re thinking about Elton, you’re tripping back over the bio and musical highlights: Big ’70s rock star, years of excess, late ’80s resurgence, recent marriage and fatherhood, late-career comparisons to Tom Jones or maybe Van Morrison.

Great, you think, but how, you ask, does all that get stuffed into a two-hour long mainstream movie? Great question!

Continue reading “Film Review: Rocketman“

BONUS Single Of The Week: Hurry On Home by Sleater-Kinney

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STOP THE PRESSES!!!! Sleater-Kinney have dropped their first single in two years, and the first track to come off their upcoming, hotly anticipated follow up to 2015’s brilliant No Cities To Love. It’s a driving rock number that doesn’t sound like anything the band has ever done. Elements of industrial, no wave, and post punk color the song, with Carrie’s signature snarl taking center stage while Corin’s passionate yelp providing color and discord.

STOP THE PRESSES!!!! Sleater-Kinney have dropped their first single in two years, and the first track to come off their upcoming, hotly anticipated follow up to 2015’s brilliant No Cities To Love. It’s a driving rock number that doesn’t sound like anything the band has ever done. Elements of industrial, no wave, and post punk color the song, with Carrie’s signature snarl taking center stage while Corin’s passionate yelp providing color and discord.

The full length record, produced by Annie Clark of St Vincent fame, street date is still TBD. However, if this track is any sign of things to come, then Sleater-Kinney will have released 8 perfect records in their lengthy career. You can stream the single in all the usual places, or you can preorder the 7″ here! And the band will be on tour from Indigenous People’s Day to Thanksgiving, so make sure you book hotel rooms and get time off from work NOW so you can hit as many of these as possible. Or just go to the show in your hometown…

Show Review: The Specials at The Fox Theater, 5/25/19

It’s been 21 years since 2-Tone veterans The Specials have released any new, original material. Their legacy would have been preserved just fine if they decided to continue touring the classics, and audiences would still keep coming out to the shows even if all they did was keep playing the hits. It would seem that a band best known for their activist roots and songs with shrewd, biting observations about class warfare, racism, economics, and such, would only start writing again if the current world situation were to inspire it. And, sure enough, this year’s Encore is a full length response to the rise of fascism throughout Europe and the Americas. Continue reading “Show Review: The Specials at The Fox Theater, 5/25/19”

Single Of The Week: Got You by Amyl and the Sniffers

Australia has been killing it lately with great rock n roll! Courtney Barnett, Julia Jacklin, Wing Defence, Camp Cope, and so many more amazing musicians keep popping out of our friends on the other side of the Earth. The latest of these excellent bands is Amyl and the Sniffers, giving us a nice healthy dose of bratty garage rock to get you through your Friday doldrums.

Their new record came out TODAY and can be found streaming in all the usual places, or you can order the fancy splatter vinyl here! Also, they are touring everywhere this Summer, including a stopover at Burger Boogaloo, where you can enjoy them alongside The Jesus + Mary Chain, Shannon and the Clams, Dead Boys, fellow Aussies’ The Scientists, and many, many more!

Sleater-Kinney’s Social Media Profiles Are All Black?

UPDATE?: Spin may have uncovered an album name and a blurb from Carrie

It seems that Sleater-Kinney have set their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram profile pics to the color black. Now it’s time to speculate wildly as to what that means… Is the new album coming sooner than expected? Or does it mean something else? I’m just really excited about this and needed to tell the world.

In the meantime, they also have a contest running to win a signed Stratocaster and a Sleater-Kinney Prize Pack! You can enter that here!