Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
I often times enjoy a mellow a Sunday evening spent enjoying the soothing sounds of traveling minstrels with the company of fellow locals. I opted to spend this past Sunday eve at a popular Portrero Hill tavern to enjoy the song stylings Foxy Shazam. The show filled me with great joy, despite the fact that I’m unsure as to whether or not everyone managed to survive.
If I could sum up this week’s biggest live Bay Area events in one nonsensical fake-Spanish declaration, it would be this: ¡YO LA COCO! Over the next few days we’ll have multiple live performances from both Conan O’Brien and Yo La Tengo, as well as an exhaustingly awesome array of other rad shows. Check out some of our favorites after the jump.
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 4/21/10-4/27/10”
Kate Nash’s second release, My Best Friend Is You manages to circumvent the usual route taken by hyped artists’ sophomore releases. It’s not about the perils of fame and it’s not experimental for difference sake nor does it sound like Made of Bricks: The Sequel. Kate Nash managed to release a second album that contains the same quirky lyrics about love, friendship and self from her debut but with an overall more mature sound that comes about in a really wonderful way. Continue reading “Album Review: Kate Nash — My Best Friend Is You”
Anyone who hasn’t seen The Avett Brothers perform live is missing out on one of the most dynamic, and talented bands to tour in (my) recent memory. Lucky for those people, they have been consistently putting out material since 2002, and touring the world is not likely to ease up anytime soon. I, myself, am still a couple of albums behind. While The Avett Brothers are touring to promote their newest album, I and Love and You, I’m still learning songs from The Second Gleam. But whatever song from whatever album you claim favorite, they probably played it tonight. Continue reading “The Avett Brothers at The Fox Oakland, 4/17/10”
Everything you really need to know about Transatlantic’s virtuoso performance on Sunday night at The Palace of Fine Arts can be summed up like so:
Six songs, three-and-a-half hours.
If this doesn’t appeal to you, you’re probably done reading. If the thought of such things makes you grin uncontrollably for hours, then this review is for you. Read on, prog nerd. You’re among friends here.
Continue reading “Show Review: Transatlantic at The Palace of Fine Arts, 4/18/10”
Anyone passing through the lobby of the Fox Theater last night would have guessed, by the WHOMM WHOMM WHOMM of thudding bass and the polychromatic splashes of color across the glass entrance doors, that the normally-rock-band-friendly theater had been taken over by a massive rave. While there were, indeed, sparkling electronics, trumpeting synthesizers and a solid sense of rhythm, a live band was to be found onstage, with five total members contributing to intricate layers of percussion, electronics, and even vocal duties. The quintet, however, was not a group of tribal-clad or neon-covered techno gods; they were, well, five fellows who love music just as much as the next guy. Collectively, they are known as Hot Chip.
Continue reading “Show Review: Hot Chip with The xx at The Fox Oakland, 4/16/2010”
I am, and there’s no better word for it, a Blur superfan. They’ve been my favorite band since I was 17. That was 1995. You can do the math. But all old jokes aside, I was very sad that I couldn’t make the trek to London to stand in line for hours and get one of the 1,000 copies of the new Blur 7″ “Fool’s Day” released for Record Store Day in the UK. As an old-school collector who spent all my lunch money on imported Blur singles, this was a painful decision. At least no one could go because of some sort of apocalyptic devil-ash, and I take solace in that. And in the fact that the internet exits… but I’ll get to the song now. Continue reading “Single Review: Blur — Fool’s Day”
All I can REALLY say is that you didn’t go to this show, you’ve just made the biggest mistake of your life. Let me tell you all about it. Maybe you made it up to yourself by seeing it last night in San Francisco, or you can make it up by traveling to faraway lands. Really, its worth it. Continue reading “Show Review: Jónsi at Zellerbach Hall, 4/15/10”
An international man of mystery. No, not that one. Thom Yorke’s experimental genius continues to grow over the years and has culminated into his current project entitled “Atoms For Peace.” Bay Area music fans were treated to two performances on what has been a very brief and selective tour, ending with a headlining performance at this year’s Coachella music festival. As most ticket holders to Wednesday’s performance have already claimed, they did not leave disappointed. It would be safe to assume that a large majority of Thursday’s audience were veterans of the previous night’s performance. Given the opportunity, who wouldn’t allow Thom and his new group of lads to dazzle them two nights in a row?
Continue reading “Show Review: Atoms For Peace (Thom Yorke) at the Fox Oakland, 4/15/10”
Sorry to everyone who expected to see this last week. Due to some unexpected laziness I only listened to new releases and didn’t review them. There was general outrage and I won’t do it again. Continue reading “New Release Round Up, 4/13/10 — 35 Instant Album Reviews”