Show Review: Dead Man’s Bones at Bimbo’s 365 Club, 10/27/2009

Ryan Gosling directing the choir in front of the beautiful backdrop
Ryan Gosling directing the choir in front of the beautiful backdrop

Dead Man’s Bones is an interesting musical project brought to you by actor Ryan Gosling, of Mickey Mouse Club/Young Hercules/Lars and the Real Girl fame (what? The Notebook? What’s that?), and friend Zach Shields. It is dark gothic music accompanied by a children’s choir. It may sound kitschy and weird, which it is, but it is also wonderful and skillfully arranged. Underneath all the macabre cheese is a strong beating heart that keeps the project as more than a throw away joke. This show would silence any doubters. Dead Man’s Bones is a real, and excellent, band. Continue reading “Show Review: Dead Man’s Bones at Bimbo’s 365 Club, 10/27/2009”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: October 28th-November 3rd

Landing at The Independent on Sunday night
Landing at The Independent on Sunday night

Dakin’s in Florida this week, so when he sent me his Bay Area concert guide for this week, it was a bunch of shows happening in the Tampa Bay Area. I know some of you would fly down to Tampa to see Styx, REO Speedwagon and Night Ranger share the stage at the state fairgrounds on Friday night, but most of you want to know what’s happening back here in the San Francisco Bay Area. So I’ve scrapped Dakin’s otherwise useful column (Attack Attack! at the State Theater in St Pete?  We’re there!) and brought you some shows to check out here at home. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide To Bay Area Concerts: October 28th-November 3rd”

Spinning Platters Picks Six: Songs For Getting Ready to Go Out

No one here knows why this picture is here.
No one knows why this picture is here.

The best thing about getting ready to go out is the cheesy cliche dance party in your room while half-dressed. There is a reason this scene is included in every teen film since the 80’s- it’s because it’s really fun to do and everyone does it. Even though I am beyond my teens, I still find myself jumping around my room singing into my lip gloss at least once a week a la Hillary Duff in the Lizzie McGuire Movie. (I mean, I never saw that movie. Who’s Lizzie McGuire?)

If you think you can stand the heat of being taunted by your roommates/neighbors/cat, here are my top 6 songs for getting ready to go out. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Picks Six: Songs For Getting Ready to Go Out”

Show Review: The Gossip and MEN at The Regency Ballroom, 10/25/09

Beth Ditto belting it out.
Beth Ditto belting it out.

Can I take a nap instead of writing this review? Believe it or not, that’s a complement to last night’s show by The Gossip. I’m exhausted and that’s often the most tell-tale way for me to know I had fun at a show. Continue reading “Show Review: The Gossip and MEN at The Regency Ballroom, 10/25/09”

Live Show Review: Bridge School Benefit at the Shoreline Amphitheater, 10/25/09

The view from 201, Row I
The view from 201, Row I

When I saw the lineup for this year’s Bridge School Benefit, I got excited. When I saw that hardly anyone was buying tickets for Sunday’s version of the show, I waited for the discounts to happen. And when Livenation reminded everyone that they should only buy tickets on Wednesdays by lowering decent pavilion seats to $40 including service charges, I was in.

It turns out Google offers free wifi throughout Mountain View, including here, so I’m hoping to post the first full length review of the show. With that in mind, I’m writing this review during set breaks. Keep reloading or revisiting, and I’ll add bands as I go. Continue reading “Live Show Review: Bridge School Benefit at the Shoreline Amphitheater, 10/25/09”

Show Review: Mika at The Fox Oakland, 10/24/2009

IMG_4997
Either singing or reacting to the painkillers

I didn’t find out I was reviewing this show until I stumbled in to the beautiful Fox Theater, stressed and tired, in the middle of opener Gary Go’s last song.  “Who’s reviewing the show?” I ask David Price and Gordon Elgart, senior members of the Spinning Platters staff.  They laugh and say “You are!” and I protest:  “my computer’s still broken!”  But I was betrayed by the fact that my ancient laptop can slowly chug along and allow me to post this.  Three blog writers, all unwilling.  I lose.  Boo!  There was a time when I would have loved to review a Mika show, but now is not that time. Continue reading “Show Review: Mika at The Fox Oakland, 10/24/2009”

Show Review: Noah and the Whale at Swedish American Music Hall, 10/22/2009

Should sell t-shirts that say sweater vests are sexy
Should sell t-shirts that say sweater vests are sexy

I decided to go to the Noah and the Whale show on a whim.  I have random hodge-podge of songs on my iPod, but I never listen to them.  But lately I had been hearing their name about, and English indie folk rock isn’t a risky genre for my entertainment.  So, I blew off my normal Thursday night choices (dinner with a friend and Project Runway) and headed out to the Castro for some music. Continue reading “Show Review: Noah and the Whale at Swedish American Music Hall, 10/22/2009”

Show Review: Boys Like Girls and many more at The Warfield, 10/23/09

Watching the watchers watch the watched
Watching the watchers watch the watched

Being able to go see all the best shows that come through town is the best part of writing for a Bay Area music site. The flip-side of this is that sometimes we need to see some of the … not best shows that come through town as well. Since I never judge in advance, and sometimes I’m surprised, going to see a show with four bands I’ve never heard and a fifth I’ve fondly dismissed in the past, is either a blessing or a curse.  So which one of these was Boys Like Girls, Cobra Starship, The Maine, Rocket to the Moon and Versa Verge? Continue reading “Show Review: Boys Like Girls and many more at The Warfield, 10/23/09”

Week in Review: Top 5 Posts for Oct 16-23

Sunglasses are cool.
Sunglasses are cool.

Every week I post our top 5 most trafficked posts for the week, and every week someone complains that their post didn’t have a chance because it went up the same day I calculated the winners.  I didn’t realize that the writers here were gambling on the outcome, but it turns out there’s quite a large (virtual) office pool going on over this.  Why just last week, Vanessa won SIXTEEN whole M&Ms by writing the most read post.  Oh, what’s this?  I forgot to do the week in review last week because I was too busy getting ready for Treasure Island? Sorry, Vanessa!  I owe you some M&Ms.

And because of this, I’ll now be doing this weekly review on Saturdays. And with that said, the top 5 posts for this week! Continue reading “Week in Review: Top 5 Posts for Oct 16-23”

Show Review: Dragonette at 330 Ritch (Popscene), 10/22/09

Actually seeing the band at Popscene is a nice change
Actually seeing the band at Popscene is a nice change

The setting: A 27 year old dude sitting in a bar where the definition of cool can no longer legally apply to him. He is sitting in an 18+ club. The clientele ranges from creepy E-ridden middle-aged men in sports jackets to fresh, young 18 year-old girls trying to define their sexuality.

Imagine the scent of pickled matter slowly overpowering your senses. Imagine confusion. Continue reading “Show Review: Dragonette at 330 Ritch (Popscene), 10/22/09”