Single of the Week: “Midnight Legend” by Special Interest ft. Mykki Blanco

The best songs transplant you to another place. The let you feel something that your current surroundings can’t give you. I haven’t dug into the lyrics of “Midnight Legend” quite yet, so I may re-assess this in a month, but this song and accompanying video manage to take me back to my harder partying days, both the good and bad of those nights. 

“Midnight Legend” is the latest single off New Orleans’ band Special Interest’s upcoming record, Endure, due out on November 4th. You can get a fancy yellow vinyl pressing with TWO bonus 45s if you preorder here!

 

Show Review: Descendents, The Circle Jerks, Fake Fruit at The UC Theatre, 8/26/22

In my humble opinion, The Decline of Western Civilization is the greatest film ever made about youth counter-culture movements. Director Penelope Spheeris later directed Wayne’s World, another impressive depiction of youth culture that captured the much-maligned and misunderstood 80’s LA punk scene. The NYC and UK scenes were the “important” scenes. LA was overly aggressive and lacked artistic credibility in the eyes of music critics. This is where hardcore was born, which often marked the “end” of punk for many folks. Continue reading “Show Review: Descendents, The Circle Jerks, Fake Fruit at The UC Theatre, 8/26/22”

Single of the Week: “Mushroom Punch” by Zella Day

I feel like I’ve slept on Zella Day. Or maybe it was the right time for me to find her. “Mushroom Punch” is my first introduction to her, despite her name floating around for ages, and this song is great. It’s a part of a bigger trend of singer/songwriters turning pop songs into dramatic journeys while still keeping concise (see Ashe, Mitski) This song is either about a lover that experiments with psychedelics, or it’s comparing the stress of a relationship to that of psychedelic drugs. Either way, this song is “heady.” (God, I hate that word because it makes me think of someone that smells like patchouli and is wearing flip-flops and is trying to convince my vaccines are the government controlling our brains.) 

I digress… “Mushroom Punch” is Zella Day’s latest single off her forthcoming record Sunday In Heaven, in stores and on your favorite DSP on October 14th! 

Show Review: The Killers with Johnny Marr at Chase Center, San Francisco, 8/23/2022

Recently I had the pleasure of attending a music festival in Spain where The Killers were one of the headliners. Top-billed along with Metallica, Muse, Florence & the Machine, and Jack White, they were by far the highlight of the 5-day affair, their set becoming a joyous singalong among tens of thousands of fans. I’ll admit to being a bit concerned about the contrasting fanbases. Is Chase Center even able to become the joyous sing-along venue? Continue reading “Show Review: The Killers with Johnny Marr at Chase Center, San Francisco, 8/23/2022”

Single Of The Week: “Tres Hermanos” by Hermanos Gutierrez (featuring Dan Auerbach)

This one is specifically for my fellow Latinxes whose parents were born in the 50’s and made sure that the music of Santo & Johnny was always in rotation at home. I forgot how much my soul needed some lazy Sunday morning, reverb drenched guitar instrumentals. Enter Hermanos Gutierrez! This track, produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, is the exact soundtrack for making pancakes and staying in your pajamas until 2pm. 

“Tres Hermanos” is the lead single off their upcoming full-length El Buen y El Malo. It’s coming your way on October 28th, the day after my birthday, and you can preorder/presave here! 

Show Review: Stern Grove Festival – Taj Malah and Monophonics -A Legend is Present

Taj Malah concerts are legendary and, for me, a soulful, personal connection to self. The anticipation for this concert was huge, as he has many Grammys, a large following, and relatable lyrics. Preparation was beyond the normal process of selecting a close location to the stage and gathering friends and snacks. It was a trip and opportunity to recharge life with positive wonders yet to be seen. This audience was tight – a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. Yet, as I roamed the venue, there was always space for one more. Continue reading “Show Review: Stern Grove Festival — Taj Malah and Monophonics -A Legend is Present”

Film Review: “Mack & Rita”

Keaton rises above sophomoric material in body-swap comedy

Never a good idea: Mack (Elizabeth Lail) tries out a regression pod in Palm Springs.

You have to hand it to Diane Keaton. At 76, she’s not afraid to embrace screwball comedy, pratfalls and all. What’s a shame, though, is that she doesn’t have a better vehicle for her comedic talents than the embarrassingly bad new picture Mack & Rita.

Continue reading “Film Review: “Mack & Rita””

Outside Lands 2022: 20 Instant Gig Reviews

My last Outside Lands was in 2019. I’ve gone nearly every year up until that point, only missing the third year. I had tickets for 2021. Lizzo, The Strokes, and Hinds are all on my “never miss” list, but by October, Delta was rearing its ugly head, and I just couldn’t do it. This year, I was still on the fence until the week beforehand. With BA.5, the virus has become more contagious, and outdoor transmission is more prevalent. However, with wastewater tracking showing a downward trend, toddler vaccines FINALLY seeing the light of day, and studies seem to indicate that N95s and a good breeze are still very effective at thwarting the virus, I decided to give it a go. I packed like ten masks, two packs of antibacterial wipes (which made me the most popular guy at the festival at times. One woman actually proposed marriage when I gave her the end of one of my packs!), an empty water bottle, and several layers of clothing, and decided to make a solid go of it.  Continue reading “Outside Lands 2022: 20 Instant Gig Reviews”

Film Review: “Thirteen Lives”

Howard successfully dramatizes extraordinary rescue story 

Diver Rick Stanton (Viggo Mortensen) is skeptical that the underwater cave rescue will succeed.

Last year, for the first time ever, I selected a documentary as my number one film of the year. That doc, The Rescue, plays out like a thrilling Hollywood screenplay as it recounts the inspiring true tale of the rescue of 12 members of a boys’ soccer team and their coach after 18 days trapped in a flooded cave in Thailand. Now art imitates life as that story that so captivated the world back in 2018 gets the high-powered Hollywood treatment. Directed by Oscar winner Ron Howard, Thirteen Lives proves itself an equally thrilling and moving dramatization. 

Continue reading “Film Review: “Thirteen Lives””