Show Review: Ministry and Carpenter Brut at The Fonda, 12/20/18

“This is The Twilight Zone!”

It seems I’m developing a bit of a reputation for my love of metal music. Sure enough, most of my tastes gravitate in a heavy, guitar crunching, angry spitting, violent dancing, political attack that much of metal shares with the world. This is why it should come as no surprise that I leapt for the chance to see Ministry at the Fonda Theatre one Thursday afternoon. However, this was no ordinary metal show, for Al Jourgenson and his cohorts were sharing the stage with 80s horror synth revivalist Carpenter Brut – whom I’ve also become deeply enamored with over the past year since Leather Teeth was released – and newcomers Alien Weaponry from New Zealand.

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Spinning Platters’ Top 10 Albums of 2018

By The Spinning Platters Editorial Staff

It’s that time of year again… That time when you’ve read every other music site’s Album of The Year list, and have hated all of them because you haven’t seen the best one yet! We have an incredibly diverse group of records… Some you’ve seen on other lists, some you haven’t, and some you’ve likely never heard of before clicking on this post!

So, without further adieu, on with our list:

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Film Feature: Carrie’s Top 10 Films of 2018

What were your favorite films of 2018? There were lots of worthy contenders, and choosing just ten can be challenging, but Spinning Platters Film Editor Carrie Kahn has given it a go. Below Carrie shares her ten favorite films of 2018, presented in descending rank order. You can also check out her list from last year, here. 

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Film Review: Aquaman

Porpoise-less fish tale drowns in mediocrity 

Aquaman (Jason Momoa) strikes one of his favorite poses.

Yes, I know that headline is a real groaner, but so is the movie that inspired it, so fair is fair. Aquaman is the latest DC Comics superhero to headline his own picture, and, unfortunately, this idea is one that never should have floated to the surface. Australian director James Wan (of the Fast and Furious and Saw franchises) throws in a bit of everything with Aquaman, but ends up with a whole lot of spectacle, and — if you’ll forgive me another water pun — not a lot of depth.
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Show Review: Aaron Lewis with Kyle Phelan at Uptown Theatre Napa, 12/8/18

It’s been awhile since I last saw Aaron Lewis.

It’s hard to believe, but it’s been nearly six years since last I saw Aaron Lewis at the Uptown Theatre in Napa. I promise I’ll never say this again, but I’m shocked to look back and realize that I can say yes, in fact, it’s been awhile. What never occurred to me, however, was how those several years could make such a difference. Last time, Lewis toured with his first full-length country album, The Road. This time, he’s back with Sinner, and he’s fully embraced his country side with no apologies. The evolution of Lewis’ music from rock-tinged to full-blown country is not the only important shift, however – last time I saw him, the world was a different place. When I turned up with a girlfriend to see him earlier this month (December 8, to be exact), I would soon discover that some things were very, very different… Continue reading “Show Review: Aaron Lewis with Kyle Phelan at Uptown Theatre Napa, 12/8/18”

Show Review: Me First and the Gimme Gimmes at Slim’s, 12/7/18

Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ConcertGoingPro

For the uninitiated, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes are a punk rock cover band, made up of luminaries from other well-known punk rock bands such as NOFX, Lagwagon, Swingin’ Utters, Bad Religion, Face to Face, Social Distortion, and Foo Fighters.

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Show Review: The Headhunters at Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff, Wales, 12/6/19

The Headhunters are probably best known as Herbie Hancock’s backing band from the 1970’s, when the great jazz pianist began branching out into fusion and funk. He recruited players like Bernie Maupin (sax), Mike Clark (drums) and Paul Jackson (bass) and the recently deceased Wah Wah Watson. They produced the eponymous first album, then Hancock moved on to other projects – but the band continued in various guises up until today. Continue reading “Show Review: The Headhunters at Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff, Wales, 12/6/19”

Theater Review: Bay Area Musicals presents Crazy for You – A Delightfully Charming Gershwin Classic

Danielle Altizio (Polly) and Conor Devoe (Bobby) dance to save the town. Photo Courtesy of Jonathan White, 2018.

New York City banker Bobby Child (Conor Devoe) has a dream — dancing dreams — but his parents just aren’t having it. Neither is his fiancée, Irene (Morgan Peters), who’s wondering why they’ve been engaged for five years without wedding bells… and she’s understandably at her wit’s end. His parents’ plan is to send him to Deadrock, Nevada to foreclose a rundown theater. His plan is to dance for the acclaimed artistic director Bela Zangler (Tony Michaels), but one quick mishap during an impromptu audition and he’s on the first train to Deadrock. Continue reading “Theater Review: Bay Area Musicals presents Crazy for You — A Delightfully Charming Gershwin Classic”

Album review: John Grant’s Love is Magic

 

John Grant, the individual, is remarkable; he began his musical training at age four, and, prior to becoming a working indie rock star, with his band The Czars, had worked as Russian-English medical translator. He speaks four languages, and spent his childhood in Colorado, where he grew up in a religious family, and came out as gay in his twenties. He has struggled with addiction, and continues to struggle with severe anxiety. He is intense, wry, smart, and neurotic, and these traits inform his music. Continue reading “Album review: John Grant’s Love is Magic“

Film Review: Widows

Men … and their messes

From left: Elizabeth Debicki, Viola Davis, Michele Rodriguez, and Cynthia Erivo in Widows

Steve McQueen’s new film Widows opens high above a modern Chicago, in a lofty lovers paradise of pearly white sheets, bodies in contact, and a feeling of time standing still. It’s a cunning and perplexing opening. It leads us to place of hope and optimism, and sets us up for the dark brutality to follow.

Passion gives way to the realities of the day, and Veronica (Viola Davis) and her husband Harry (Liam Neeson) part ways, she to her job as a school district administrator, and he to his gang’s heist of two million dollars.

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