Film Review: “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”

Third time’s a (fantastic) charm!

Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) turns from the fire.

It’s the third (released) attempt at a Fantastic Four movie, and after two truly embarrassing attempts, this time Marvel Studios got it right. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the best Marvel feature film since Avengers: Endgame. The Fantastic Four could have been an interesting and worthwhile introduction to a new phase of the MCU, in its aesthetic, tone, and multiversal angle, had it been released following Endgame. Unfortunately, here we are, with a decade-long experience of watching Marvel cinematic fodder, constantly lowering expectations, and suffering from superhero fatigue. Luckily, Fantastic Four: First Steps pushes through any worry and/or fatigue with a fun, concise (don’t think about the plot too much!), and beautifully constructed story setting with the best character chemistry since the first Avengers film. Continue reading “Film Review: “The Fantastic Four: First Steps””

Film Review: “Smurfs”

Smurfs uses familiar tricks and catchy tunes to reset the series, but is it too late?

A whole lotta Smurfs in Smurfs.

After three feature film attempts between 2011 to 2017 to push The Smurfs brand back into mainstream culture, with diminishing returns, Paramount Animation is restarting with a new film, Smurfs. Losing the ‘The’ in the title is a futile way to differentiate itself from the previous set of forgettable films, even though this new film represents the best of the bunch. Smurfs is beautifully and creatively animated, and features catchy songs and skillful voicework, but still comes off as a stale retreading of tropes, jokes, and plot devices from superior animated films of the last decade. Continue reading “Film Review: “Smurfs””

Single of the Week: “SOME WOLVES” by torpedo

90 seconds of build-up. That’s it. 90 seconds is NOT the perfect song length. “SOME WOLVES,” however, is a perfect metaphor for the reality of life. It’s simply unresolved tension that hangs there with no resolution. Which is right where we are living- everything is tension upon tension, and the closest we can get to relief is a new tension. 

So fucking good.

“SOME WOLVES” is the lead track off torpedo’s latest record, What the fucked do we all do now |- Lights, the perfect album title the fuckery of now, and happens to be out NOW on Broken Clover Records. 

West Coast Tour Dates began, um, yesterday? 

TORPEDO – LIVE 2025:

07/10 San Diego, CA – The Tower Bar

07/11 San Pedro, CA – The Sardine

07/12 Los Angeles, CA – The Redwood Bar

07/13 Palmdale, CA – Transplants Brewing

07/15 Visalia/Fresno – TBA

07/16 Santa Cruz, CA – The Crepe Place

07/17 Sacramento, CA – The Press Club

07/18 San Francisco, CA – Bottom of the Hill

07/19 Chico, CA – Naked Lounge

07/20 Eugene, OR – John Henry’s

07/23 Portland, OR – High Water Mark

07/24 Yakima, WA – Bearded Monkey

07/25 Bremerton, WA – The Charleston

07/26 Bellingham, WA – The Shakedown

07/27 Seattle, WA – Substation

How Did Molly Neuman Get Here?

Molly Neuman is a rock n roll legend. She is the drummer for Riot Grrl groundbreakers Bratmobile. She was also a member of The Peechees and The Frumpies. AND she helped run Lookout Records in the late 90s. AND managed The Donnas. AND was Vice President at early digital music distributor eMusic. This is only a small portion of her career.

She’s now President of CD Baby and hitting the road with Bratmobile this Summer: Continue reading “How Did Molly Neuman Get Here?”

Show Review: the MFkn’ O.G. Original Gangsta ICE-T at GAMH!

Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ConcertGoingPro

WHAT!? There’s no way that legendary O.G. Original Gangster rapper Ice-T (and heavy metal singer… and movie star…. and longtime Law and Order: SVU television actor) would be performing at the 470-capacity Great American Music Hall?! Is this for real? Ticket purchased immediately! Yes indeed, on Friday June 27, the I the C the E the T himself rolled into “Frisco” (his words) with his O.G. DJ Evil E and performed a ninety-minute set including shout-outs, NSFW jokes, and he even showed off a few of his special Bay Area friends.

Continue reading “Show Review: the MFkn’ O.G. Original Gangsta ICE-T at GAMH!”

Show Review: Bayside celebrates their 25 years at August Hall!

Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ConcertGoingPro

25 years ago, Bayside did not have to look very far for the inspiration in choosing their band name. They hail from Bayside, Queens (New York)! 25 years later, they are still actively writing, recording, and touring the world. On this The Errors tour, Bayside put together two setlists containing 44 songs spanning their nine albums and have been performing two nights of shows in every city, including a pair at August Hall.

Continue reading “Show Review: Bayside celebrates their 25 years at August Hall!”

Single of the Week: “Wake Up, Baby! (E Vui Durmiti Ancora)” by Amanda Pascali

I almost ignored this one. The headline of the press release said “Former Fulbright Scholar,” which is a cool and interesting achievement. I honestly thought it was some SPAM. Then I re-read it and saw that it truly the best way to describe this project. Texas Native Amanda Pasacli has taken the classic Sicilian folk song “E Vui Durmiti Ancora,” flipped the gender, translated it into English, and gave it a stunning, Roy Orbison-inspired arrangement. I keep wanting to replay it. And then use it to scare the last bit of hair off Stephen Miller’s head when he hears an American singing a bilingual song. And then they learn that they are actively curious about other cultures and enjoy surrounding themselves with diverse people. 

“Wake Up, Baby! (E Vui Durmiti Ancora)” comes from Pacali’s upcoming full-length record,Roses & Basil. I’m pretty excited to hear more off this record. 

Film Review: “40 Acres”

40 Acres is heavy on tension, light on details

Hailey (Danielle Deadwyler) creeps toward action.

At the beginning of 40 Acres, Hailey Freeman (Danielle Deadwyler), a strict and worried military mom in a post-apocalyptic world, tells one of her daughters “don’t waste bullets” after they fend off a gang of encroaching marauders. Mere moments later, Hailey tells her son to end the life of one of the marauders, who has been shot, and is now helpless and bleeding out on the ground. The son shoots the marauder in the head, a complete waste of a bullet. Hailey doesn’t seem to care. And, that, in a nutshell, demonstrates both the impressively directed atmosphere and the frustrating details in R.T. Thorne’s new thriller, 40 Acres. Continue reading “Film Review: “40 Acres””

OUTSIDE LANDS NIGHT SHOWS!!! HOORAY!!!

We are less than two months away from Outside Lands 2025! And fellow San Franciscans are currently enjoying classic Outside Lands weather (overcast and cool- sorry, THE REST OF THE USA. But, also, why not escape the heat and join us in the park in August?) One of the last big announcements for the big event dropped today- THE NIGHT SHOWS! Although enjoying music in the park is great, you also have an opportunity to see folks like Thundercat, Still Woozy, Midnight Generation, FCUKERS, Hope Tala, Luna Li, and more in intimate venues, starting late enough for you to get to after a great day in the park. 

Eager Beaver and Golden Gate Club ticket holders will once again have the first opportunity to purchase tickets, with presales running from Wednesday, June 25, at 10:00 a.m. PT to Thursday, June 26, at 11:59 p.m. PT. The festival ticket presale for ticket holders is Thursday, June 26, from 10 am PT to 11:59 p.m. PT. Any remaining tickets for Night Shows that are still available will go on sale to the public on Friday, June 27, at 10 am PT. Eager Beaver, Golden Gate Club, and festival ticket holders will receive an email with their respective presale codes. Details and ticket links here!

Full schedule below: 

Continue reading “OUTSIDE LANDS NIGHT SHOWS!!! HOORAY!!!”

Show Review: Winona Fighter, Tess & The Details, StrateJacket at Brick & Mortar Music Hall, 6/19/25

If someone had told me in 1995 that Pop-Punk would remain a vital genre of music, continuing to strike a chord with young people 30 years later, I wouldn’t have believed them. But my Thursday Night out at Brick & Mortar Music Hall showed me that the younger generation not only really connects to this genre, but might be doing it far better than Gen X did. 

Continue reading “Show Review: Winona Fighter, Tess & The Details, StrateJacket at Brick & Mortar Music Hall, 6/19/25”