Film Review: “Dog Man”

Dog Man stays on a kid-friendly leash

Dog Man leaps into action!

Author and cartoonist Dav Pilkey’s successful kids book series, Captain Underpants, was adapted into a 2017 box office success. Pilkey’s other book series, Dog Man, is receiving the same treatment. The Dog Man feature film is, for lack of a better term, harmless. The script’s jokes are cute, the narrative is briskly paced, and the voice acting is solid. If you have small kids, there’s a strong likelihood that they’ll really enjoy Dog Man. If you don’t have kids, there’s not a lot in the film for you. Continue reading “Film Review: “Dog Man””

Show Review: Alan Sparhawk with Circuit des Yeux at Great American Music Hall, 1/20/25

The Great American Music Hall, steeped in San Francisco’s history since its opening in 1907, is a venue that seems to absorb the spirit of every artist who graces its stage. Once a bordello and later a jazz hotspot, its gilded balconies and chandeliers whisper stories of the countless musical legends who’ve played there. Last Monday night, the Hall once again became a sacred ground for music, hosting Alan Sparhawk in a performance that felt both monumental and deeply intimate. Continue reading “Show Review: Alan Sparhawk with Circuit des Yeux at Great American Music Hall, 1/20/25”

How Did Nadia Quinn Get Here?

Nadia Quinn is an NYC-based singer, songwriter, comedian, writer, and actress, and she probably has 100 other jobs that we neglected to cover. We had a great conversation about family and comedy and the stress of comedy music.

Nadia has TWO appearances at SF Sketchfest this week. She is part of the Middle Aged Dad Jam Band at Great American Music Hall on February 1st and brings her own show, The Nadia Quinn Show, to The Lost Church on February 2nd. The State’s Ken Marino and Thomas Lennon are expected to crash both events. I plan on attending both shows, so if you see someone who looks like a visually impaired Jack Black, feel free to say hello!

Added To Noise Pop: St Vincent! Ben Gibbard! Earl Sweatshirt! David Lynch Tribute!!!

A slew of new shows are on sale tomorrow with Noise Pop, including some huge stars in small places, including at Grace Cathedral: St Vincent on Feb 23rd and Benjamin Gibbard on Feb 25th, Fantastic Negrito at the 4-Star Theater in the Richmond(!), Marc Capelle’s Red Room Orchestra doing a Tribute to David Lynch on Feb 19th, and two nights of Earl Sweatshirt at Great American Music Hall Feb 25th and 26th! 

Tickets are onsale tomorrow (Friday, January 24th) at 12 pm. Or you can buy a Noise Pop badge today! 

SF Sketchfest Review: Airplane! 45th Anniversary Live Read at Palace Of Fine Arts, 1/18/25

Photos By Jakub Mosur

I have no idea how old I was when I first saw Airplane!. All I knew was that it was likely far too young, but it’s been a significant part of my entire life. Which makes sense since I’m 45, and it turns 45 this year. Who is to blame for this movie following me my entire life? You guessed it. My own father is the one who showed me this piece of chaotic art at far too young an age. Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: Airplane! 45th Anniversary Live Read at Palace Of Fine Arts, 1/18/25”

Single of the Week: “Wax & String” by Shannon & The Clams

Shannon & The Clams KEEP GETTING BETTER! “Wax & String” is a one-off 7″ following up their best record yet, The Moon is in The Wrong Place. And while The Moon… was a contemplative and almost melancholy affair, “Wax & String” is a psych party jam, exhilerating in a way that seems almost innappropriate for 2025. 

“Wax & String” is available to stream now, with a 7″ coming March 7th. Preperations for it’s arrival can be made now. Shannon & The Clams have recently been added as the Day 2 Headliner off Mosswood Meltdown. Other additions include the great Bleached, La Luz, Giuda, and, performing in Oakland for the first time EVER- L’Trimm. (Yes, “The Cars That Go Boom” band!) Tickets are available NOW!

Film Review: “Wolf Man”

Wolf Man has a simplistic horror appeal, but is that enough?

Charlotte (Julia Garner) stares into the increasingly lupine eyes of Blake (Christopher Abbott) in ‘Wolf Man.’

From Leigh Whannell, the Australian director of Upgrade and the masterful modern-day reimagining of The Invisible Man, comes his new take on a Universal Monsters horror classic, Wolf Man. Distilling the werewolf mythos into a visceral it-all-happens-in-one-night movie, Wolf Man is efficient in its pacing and scares. However, the film lacks the emotional gravitas of a romantically strained family trying to reconnect during extreme circumstances. So, because Wolf Man clocks in at under two hours, is pleasantly ultra-predictable, and contains quality thrills, it’s a great choice for a frivolous movie night. Continue reading “Film Review: “Wolf Man””

SF Sketchfest Spotlight: How Did Demi Adejuiygbe Get Here?

Most people know Demi Adejuiygbe as the mastermind behind the legendary “September” videos. You may not know that he was a writer on The Good Place, possibly the greatest TV show ever, as well as The Amber Ruffin Show. As per the usual, we talked about his career, how he works, and, of course, there is a healthy dose of cat talk, complete with advice on how to properly AirTag your feline.

Demi has a sold-out show at Great Star Theater on Friday Night as part of SF Sketchfest doing his classic one-man show Demi Adejuyigbe Is Going To Do One (1) Backflip, as well as appearing as part of Stamptown! at Club Fugazi on Saturday, January 18th. A limited number of tickets are available at the door, so I suggest you line up now for any and all of his SF Sketchfest appearances.

A Nerd’s Guide to SF Sketchfest 2025

I LOVE writing the Nerd’s Guide to SF Sketchfest. It’s probably my favorite piece to write and research, and I always find something interesting and cool. (Special Thanks to Gordon Elgart for writing up Sup Bro & Albert Brooks)  This year is no exception, and I’m pretty excited to share it with you. More shows than usual are selling out early, so please act quickly! The full schedule is here. 

I will also note that a big chunk of the SF Sketchfest family is based in Los Angeles and is somehow STILL putting this thing on while their home is experiencing great tragedy. For those looking to donate, I am a big fan of Mutual Aid LA and their work, and I trust them to put your donations to good use. And folks in the Bay Area can bring items to Hella Positive to get them to our neighbors. Continue reading “A Nerd’s Guide to SF Sketchfest 2025”

Festival Preview: BottleRock Napa Valley 2025

It’s that time again, music festival fans: BottleRock Napa Valley has announced the lineup for 2025’s festival, which will take place this May 23-25 near downtown Napa.

Headlining this year’s event are Noah Kahan, Green Day, and Justin Timberlake. I’ve seen Kahan once, but am happy to catch him again. I’ve never seen Green Day and can’t wait to finally get my chance! I’ve seen Timberlake many times, but it’s been nigh on two decades since then (not since 2007/ FutureSex/LoveShow days). I’m definitely curious to see how his performances have evolved over the years, as I haven’t really followed his music much (unless Trolls counts)…

Anther act I’m looking forward to checking out is Khruangbin (though I would have loved this even more if the powers-that-be had arranged it when Leon Bridges was there as well, so they could perform together a little). I’m hoping to arrange my schedule to catch some of the following artists as well: Cage the Elephant, Ice Cube, Sublime (loved them with Rome, but I’m really excited to see Jakob Nowell as the new frontman), Goose, Sofi Tukker, 4 Non Blondes, E-40, Flo Rida, Kaleo, Allen Stone, Sharon Van Etten, Two Feet, Kate Hudson, and BBY.

On top of all this fantastic music, remember you can always count on BRNV to provide an endless stream of insanely delicious food and wine choices (this is Napa, after all), plus craft beer & cocktails, shopping, BottleRock Spa, Silent Disco, the Williams-Sonoma Culinary Stage (the lineup for that will be announced as we get closer to the actual event, but it’s always a good time), and much more!

I’m ready now, but the event is still months away. To pass the time, check out this year’s BottleRock Napa Valley Preview Playlist here: I hope you enjoy listening as much as I do! If you don’t have tickets yet, you can get them here. See you in May in Napa!