Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
Of all the movies playing at the San Francisco International Film Festival Jalsaghar (The Music Room) was what I wanted to see most.
An Indian film from 1958 that has been recently restored is not your usual popcorn popping movie. It’s more of a privilege to see and everything about my experience was just that. Continue reading “The Music Room SF International Film Festival”
The 53rd annual San Francisco International Film Festival concluded last night, thus ending this year’s edition of one of our fair cities’ most enduring and enriching cinematic traditions. After the jump, I’ll recap some of the festival’s highlights, ranging from Serge Gainsbourg lookalikes and Tilda Swinton speaking Italian, to James Schamus dismissing Brokeback Mountain enthusiasts and Jason Reitman teaching Terry Zwigoff how to be a douchebag.
Continue reading “SFIFF in Review: Roger Ebert, James Schamus, and Other Highlights”
As a child I was only allowed to listen to soft rock and classical music. Though I should have probably called CPS, I did not know any better. I do still however love both forms of music. This is probably why I thought Pianomania ruled. The music was absolutely enchanting. Continue reading “SFIFF Film Review: “Pianomania””
Feliz Cinco de Mayo de SpinningPlatters.com. He aquí una lista de formas divertidas y fabulosas para pasar sus vacaciones, así como la semana siguiente. Si me ves en cualquiera de estos programas, por favor, gracias a mi me entregando una margarita o tamal!
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 5/5/10-5/11/10”
Last night was yet another opportunity for San Francisco’s considerable population of Ohioan expatriates to cluster around and listen to one of our homeland’s finest musical exports. Dayton and Cincinnati were enthusiastically represented by the barreling, moody Midwestern rock of Heartless Bastards, while Akron was represented in absentia by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, whose influence is largely responsible for the recording careers of both the Bastards and opener Hacienda.
I was one grumpy bitch last night. The minute I left the house I knew it was bad news. But my brother was in town from Davis, so I dragged him along with me. When we were kids, and as he’s my younger sibling, there’s a long history of me pulling him with me to all the random shows I wanted to see growing up in the city. He even said the last time he thinks he went to a show was in 1999, and it was with me to some random whatever. I guess I have to drag him, because he sure won’t go on his own. Continue reading “Show Review: Rogue Wave with Man/Miracle at The Fillmore, 4/30/10”
I have always considered myself a big Courtney Love fan. I know that sounds bizarre to many, but I’ve followed her long, strange career like some follow their favorite sports teams (or so I’m told). It just so happens that Courtney is like one of those sports teams that has far more failures than triumphs, and tends to flunk random drug tests. But she usually comes through when it counts, and no matter how much her reputation has suffered over the years, I have never been capable of anything less than total love and adoration of her. Sadly, Nobody’s Daughter is just the latest challenge to that love.
Fellow Spinning Platters writer Marie Carney and I decided to take a different approach to writing a review of last night’s show from Everybody Was In The French Resistance… Now! at Bottom of the Hill. Taking a cue from singer Eddie Argos, best known from the band Art Brut where he also tends to speak-sing the lyrics, we decided to write a show review in conversation. I hope we would make Eddie proud. Continue reading “Show Review: Everybody Was In The French Resistance… Now! with A B and the Sea and Carletta Sue Kay at Bottom of the Hill, 4/27/10”
“Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky” twists the worlds of fashion, art, music and society together. It screams about the new-ness inherent in the early 20th century: in music, in fashion, and in people’s relationships. The film depicts the couple’s passionate affair along with what is billed (by the film) as each of their greatest works: Stravinsky’s ballet “The Rite of Sping” or “Le Sacre du Printemps” and Coco Chanel’s iconic fragrance Chanel No. 5. In this day and age where music and fashion are so intertwined the film successfully takes you into the world of 1920’s Paris where this was far from the truth. Coco Chanel is the unlikely patron here, bringing Igor Stravinsky into her world with money, and with that relationship forged, the pair change each other’s art and direction. Continue reading “SFIFF Film Review: “Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky””
Thank, Jason LeRoy, for stepping in last week with the list. I hope you all were kept entertained. As for this week, well, here’s what I want you to do: Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 4/28/10-5/4/10”