The first four notes of the Star Wars main title blast to life in the beautiful Davies Symphony Hall, and members of the audience cheer loudly, whistle, applaud, and some even rise to their feet. Only John Williams, the movie score composer who’s been writing music to accompany the silver screen since the late 1950’s, and who’s responsible for countless universally recognized themes, can induce such a response at a “classical concert.” Such was the general atmosphere at the San Francisco Symphony’s Monday night event, Williams and Spielberg: Maestros of the Movies, a night dedicated to the impact of the award-winning composer (5 Academy Awards, 48 Oscar Nominations, 21 Grammy Awards…etc. etc.).
All photos by Kara Murphy. Check out the full gallery here!
The last time Kathleen Hanna performed music in San Francisco was over 8 years ago, opening for Beck at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. It was the first time I had gotten a chance to see her, after being consistently sold out of gigs for most of my life. Their 45 minute set was excellent, but I kept wanting more. I wanted a crowd that cared. Alas, I had to wait nearly a decade to see the woman that coined the phrases “Riot Grrl,” “Girl Power,” and “Smells Like Teen Spirit” play a full set of music. Sure, I really wanted a Bikini Kill reunion, but getting her to dig up her old Julie Ruin moniker with fellow Bikini Killer Kathi Wilcox on board was a suitable replacement.
For the first time, a David Sedaris work has been adapted for the big screen. Kyle Patrick Alvarez, the young filmmaker that helmed the acclaimed indie, Easier With Practice (2010), received the great (and very first) honor of a green light from Sedaris and co. to move forward on an adaptation of the short story, C.O.G. I met up with Mr. Alvarez at Luca in West Hollywood to discuss C.O.G.’s journey to the big screen. After some tea and pleasantries, and some friendly banter about other summer flicks like The To Do List and Kings of Summer, we dove in…
How has the festival circuit been treating you?
It’s been good. It’s been different. My first movie didn’t get into any major festivals at all. We really had to fight for it to get into festivals and fight for people to see it. And this time around, getting into Sundance just set a precedent and made it a little easier. The festivals that are going to be interested in your movie will seek you out. Not to say I haven’t inquired about some festivals I’ve wanted to be a part of, but, it does take a little bit of the leg work out of it. So it’s been good. It’s been weird too, a lot of young filmmakers think ‘well you know, it’s a movie so it should play at festivals’ but they don’t ever ask themselves, which festivals and why. Having sold our film out of Sundance, it became about making sure we’re playing the right cities, where we’ll open the movie later down the line, so that people can see it there and be aware of it. It’s just a different strategy, but it’s been great!
Not many musicians have the longevity to release nine full-length studio albums. Laura Veirs is one of the few. The Portland, OR resident has been producing a constant flow of beautiful folk rock and delicately woven lyrical tales since 1999. It’s only appropriate, then, that Veirs’ new effort, Warp and Weft, is aptly named using the terms for the crossing threads in weaving. It is tightly constructed, contemplative but also commentative, and weaves together vivid images and stories of lives long gone and some yet to pass.
Remember when Adam Ant was a guest star on Northern Exposure? Remember Northern Exposure? Am I the only one that watched this show as a kid?
It’s another good week for rocking… We have a known recluse doing a rare tour, a bunch of holograms of rappers, an R&B singer that cannot allow more than two e’s in one word, a bay area classic rock double header, and half of Bikini Kill. Not bad, if I say so myself!
Social Studies have had an amazing year… They are currently gigging in support of last year’s excellent Developer, and have played high profile gigs at Noise Pop, Phono del Sol, Converse Represent, and most recently opening the Twin Peaks stage at Outside Lands. We recently had the opportunity to chat with Natalia Rogovin, Michael Jirovsky, Tom Smith, Ben McClintock, and Jesse Hudson about the past year’s experiences and the plan for the future. Special thanks to Raffi Youssoufian for helping me out with this interview. Social Studies are playing Bottom Of The Hill on Saturday, September 21st
Imagine Dragons were all I, um, imagined. (And more!)
When Imagine Dragons‘ breakthrough hit “It’s Time” first started to climb the charts late last summer, its lyrics about never changing who you are immediately hit home for me. Before long, it had become my anthem for a tumultuous 2012. Over the course of the year that followed, I downloaded Night Visions, became a full-fledged fan, and made every reasonable attempt to see the band live when they came my way. Unfortunately, a free evening and the opportunity could not be found on the same night. Until now… Thankfully, after much sold out tour success, the band agreed to perform at summer festivals across the country, including LAUNCH Festival, in Downtown Sacramento. Continue reading “Show Review: Imagine Dragons at LAUNCH x Music Festival Sacramento, 9/8/2013”
I love music festivals. And, living in the Bay Area, we get plenty of them. In fact, I think I’ve spent more weekends at music festivals than not this Summer, without having to travel anywhere. However, sometimes you’ve got to see how it’s done elsewhere. So I ventured up north to Seattle to enjoy some surprisingly sunny and warm weather and the 42nd edition of the Bumbershoot Festival.
Vin Diesel fans will be overjoyed. The rest of us will pick it apart.
Don’t mess with Vin. He’ll knife you without hesitation.
I’ll admit it up front. I only saw Riddick as a favor to my fiancee. She’s got this thing about Vin Diesel that a lot of people have. He’s a real love-him-or-hate-him kind of guy. There was a time back in the ’90s when it looked like he was going to get a shot as a serious actor. His roles in Boiler Room and Find Me Guilty were well received, but now if you want to see Mr. Diesel, it’s in a Fast and Furious movie, or it’s as the titular character, Riddick. Continue reading “Film Review: Riddick”
