Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Spader
written by: Tony Kushner
directed by: Steven Spielberg
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for an intense scene of war violence, some images of carnage and brief strong language
Starring: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris and Judi Dench
Written by: Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and John Logan
Directed by: Sam Mendes
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for intense violent sequences throughout, some sexuality, language and smoking
Continue reading “Film Review: “Skyfall” (aka The New James Bond Movie)”
If you think you’ve seen every possible narrative variation on a man trying to lose his virginity, then allow me to introduce you to The Sessions. A cheerful film of irrepressible optimism and remarkable sexual frankness, it is the true story of Mark O’Brien (John Hawkes), a man who was left near-paralyzed following a childhood bout with polio. Having attained local fame for graduating from Berkeley by attending classes on a motorized gurney, Mark now spends the majority of his days in an iron lung. His physical movement is limited to a 90-degree rotation of his neck, which he doesn’t let prevent him from pursuing work as a writer and freelance journalist (and what have you done lately?). When a magazine assigns him a story on sex and the disabled, his research leads him to “sex surrogate” Cheryl Cohen-Greene (Helen Hunt), essentially a physical therapist with an emphasis on sex. Yes, her vocation involves having sex with her clients. With great trepidation, Mark (still a virgin at 36) decides to undergo a series of therapy sessions with Cheryl to see if he is indeed capable of performing sexually.
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Interview: John Hawkes and Helen Hunt on “The Sessions””
Have you ever felt like you were in on a big secret? And nobody believed you when you told them this secret? Like the one where one of the most influential bands of the last 40 years staged a reunion in a 1,000 person night club that, somehow, didn’t sell out in 30 seconds? Because on this unseasonably warm November night, the good people of San Francisco got to experience something that we haven’t seen in 13 years. Fred Wesley was James Brown’s trombonist and band leader during the classic 70’s funk era. Although he’s been recording and touring with a band called “Fred Wesley & The New JB’s,” this was the first time in many, many years that he’s played with any of the players that recorded those classic songs with James Brown.
Here is a whole slew of shows… Because there is absolutely nothing else to do. So, please, everybody enjoy some rock in the Bay this week!
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 11/8/12-11/14/12”
Treasure Island, Day Two: It was sunnier, and the music was, well, more guitar driven. It was also the first time in the six years of the festival that I was here for every note of music. I made it to the festival at 11:55, and walked in for the opening note of Imperial Teen. I was on the final shuttle leaving the island. It was a beautiful day.
Thanks again to Kelly Hoffer for taking all of these amazing photos!
There are, perhaps, no artists more deserving of the term “post-punk” than those who are recognized as the forefathers of the punk movement in the first place. Ironically, those who have had that mantle thrust upon them are often the most unwanting and abhorrent of such a term, as the entire focus of the original scene and movement was the antithesis of labels and stereotypes in favor of doing something that upset the common thread of order that society had comfortably settled into for so long. The English quartet known as the Sex Pistols — the oddest choice of icons, as they themselves were “manufactured” from a ragtag group hand-picked by designer Malcolm McLaren — birthed one particular member who took the concept of turning pop music upside down to a further extreme: John “Johnny Rotten” Lydon, the vocalist of the group and the founder of the collective known as Public Image Ltd.
I decided to see Matt & Kim on a whim and a general sense that it would be a good show. I’ve seen them once before and remembered it being full of fun and positive energy, which is exactly what I needed after a sucky week at work. I just hoped I remembered them correctly. Continue reading “Show Review: Matt & Kim with Oberhofer at The Fox Theater, 10/26/12”
Normally the Treasure Island Festival likes to separate Saturday and Sunday by genre: Saturday is the electronic day and Sunday is the rock day. However, as the lines blur between the two worlds, so did the festival. As Sunday will have a fair amount on laptops, Saturday seemed to have a healthy dose of live drums and guitar. And, well, for me, a lot of new music to tap into. This may be the first year where I was largely unfamiliar with the bulk of the acts playing on Saturday, which made my day even more exciting. I had a nice adventure, and I hope you enjoyed yourself, too. And if you didn’t, well, I feel bad.
(All Photos are by the fantastic Kelly Hoffer)
Continue reading “Treasure Island Music Festival 2012 Diary: Day 1”
There’s something unique about Switchfoot. As a result, their fans have a different vibe than those belonging to your average rock band, and so their shows have a different feel to them than most I find myself attending. Sure, some consider Switchfoot a “Christian band,” but it’s not quite that simple. Yes, the members themselves are Christians. Yes, much of their lyrical content has spiritual undertones, and no they don’t try to hide it. But truth be told, I’m not sure I’d give them much of a second listen if they were the kind of band marketed solely to “Christian rock” radio. That just isn’t my thing. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that…) Because these guys prefer to live their lives as good, salt-of-the-earth people with a great sound and steer far clear of anything that might feel like they’re pimping their beliefs on me, I’ve been hooked for over a decade. But it’s more than that… There’s honestly a kind of “live and let live” mantra between the band and its fans: as long as you respect what I believe, I can do the same for you and we can all get along and enjoy each other. And that’s the sort of breath of fresh air that inspires me at a Switchfoot show, and what keeps me coming back. This week, they played San Francisco’s tiny Regency Ballroom Tuesday night, alongside Nashville indie rock band Paper Route, and before the night began, I was full of anticipation and excitement for a night of music by the band whose music has been something of a soundtrack for the last decade of my life. Continue reading “Show Review: Switchfoot with Paper Route at Regency Ballroom, 10/23/2012”