Film Feature: Best of the 2021 Sundance Film Festival

True story: my friend met her husband on a Sundance shuttle bus. They struck up a conversation, kept in touch after the Festival ended, and, 15 years and three kids later, the rest is history. Maybe lightning struck again for some lucky couple this year, but I’m guessing probably not. As much as Sundance staff strived to make the 2021 virtual Fest feel like those of past years, Zoom “waiting rooms” and video Q and A’s just couldn’t replicate the feeling of being bundled up at 7:30am in a waitlist line, passing the time and distracting yourself from the cold by idly asking your neighbor, “What have you seen so far that you’ve liked?” The cheery, disembodied “Hi from Boston!” chats that flashed on screen in this year’s pre-screening digital lobbies just couldn’t offer the same sort of in-person connection that can only be found by bonding over waitlist numbers 99 and 100 and mushy theater concession tuna wraps. That said, however, the quality of the films shown at this year’s Festival, which concluded last week, still measured up to Sundance’s best. Below we take a look at four documentaries and four features that are worth seeing.

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Single Of The Week: “Helado” by Rudy de Anda

There were a lot of records in 2020 that got lost in the shuffle, mostly due to the fact that there weren’t any shows. And, without the ability to play shows, it’s hard to get people’s attention. Tender Epoch by Rudy de Anda was one of those. It’s a perfect party album, and the perfect live show record. But, in a year where partying just isn’t in the cards, it’s just a bummer for these. “Helado” is the latest single from Tender Epoch, and it’s perfect for dancing around your apartment. Since that’s all we can do these days, you might as well do it with abandon! 

Tender Epoch is out NOW on Goldmine Records. You can stream it in all the usual places, but you probably want to purchase it in Topo Chico Bottle colored vinyl, which you can do here for $20. 

 

SF Sketchfest Review: Festpocalypse at Everywhere On Earth, 1/30/21

I didn’t even mention this clip in my review. You’ll have to support SF Sketchfest and rent the thing to find out what’s going on with Kumail Nanjiani’s hair

If this were a typical 2020, by now, you would have read my 10,000-word “Nerd’s Guide to the 20th SF Sketchfest,” half a dozen interviews of performers, and a few dozen reviews of shows. I would also be exhausted laughing and taking in 2-3 shows a night for three weeks. Instead, I’m exhausted because my days are spent chasing a child that’s nearly two around the apartment, as well as being emotionally spent from the pressures of life during a pandemic. I also got to enjoy SF Sketchfest on my couch and took in as many performers as they usually book over three weeks in a single 3 ½ hour block.  Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: Festpocalypse at Everywhere On Earth, 1/30/21”

Podcast Review: City in Exile

Podcast fiends, here’s your new addiction.

Brendan O’Loughlin recently launched the inaugural episode of his podcast titled, City in Exile. It’s a document of the ever-evolving cultural capital of California, San Francisco, and more specifically, it’s  O’Loughlin’s love letter to the city he grew up with. San Francisco is also my favorite city in the country and watching it evolve, and seemingly devolve, from the place I used to escape to in my youth has been both mystifying and depressing, but those of us who pay close attention recognize that all things change and we find ways to recapture those ephemeral bits that made us fall in love with the city as it continues to change.

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Single Of The Week: “Resistance” by Yo Kinky

I get a lot of press releases. I’ll admit, most of the time I just read the subject and archive it if nothing jumps out at me. I wish I had time to listen to everything that was sent to me, but I just plain don’t. This particular one almost didn’t make the jump! But some mystical force made me listen to this track. I had a queue of about 20 other songs that could have been this week’s single, but this one was just magic. “Resistance” is dreamy, shoegazey goodness, with just a hint of country. Singer Laura Wight comes from the Neko Case / Bethany Constentino mold of full, confident emoting with just a hint of twang, and it balances nicely over the wall of sound layers this group produces. If you were a fan of 90’s alt-rock legends Belly, this is a band for you. 

“Resistance” is available now in all of the usual spots. I’m excited to hear more from these folks in the coming months and beyond!

Single of the Week: “Orange Klan” by Kuwaisiana

Doesn’t it feel good to have such an immense weight off of the world’s shoulders? I know Trump leaving the White House doesn’t fix EVERYTHING. (And, goddammit there’s plenty to fix) But we successfully thwarted an actual coup attempt! And that asshole is probably not going to be able to run for any office again, and hopefully, social media will keep him muted. To celebrate, here’s a lovely ska song from a band the country formally known as a “shithole” but now just Kuwait, by way of New Orleans, Kuwaisiana. It’s called “Orange Klan” and you are more than welcome to blast it at your Trump flag waving neighbors. 

“Orange Klan” is from Kuwaisiana’s latest EP, Chapter 2, which you can buy RIGHT NOW on Bandcamp! 

Single Of The Week: “Run on the Water” by Kinneret

I’m not going to lie, I’m suddenly obsessed with the music of Kinneret.

Imagine if you will a world where Peaches and Del the Funky Homosapien raised a child together that became about the absolute synthesis of the artistry of those two legends. And that singer/songwriter/producer is Los Angeles’ Kinneret. I stumbled across her entirely on accident, and this song is glitchy, lo-fi bliss with surreal lyrics.

“Run On The Water” can be found in all of the usual places. In fact, you should fall down a Kinneret wormhole like I have and just spend the rest of the day digging into her catalog. In fact, if you need to zone out and concentrate on something, someone made an hour-long loop of her first sing, “No Wind Resistance” and it’s great for getting things done.  I can’t wait to see what comes from her this year, and once live shows are a thing again, I can’t wait for her to come up to the Bay Area. 

Single Of The Week: “Suspended” by The Muckers

It’s been a shitty, scary week here in the US. Armed militia took over the Capitol in order to prevent the certification of a free and fair election. It didn’t work, but five people died and I’ve been in such a dark news-refresh cycle that I almost didn’t get you a single of the week. Then I clicked on the video to “Suspended” by NYC’s The Muckers. It was the fun, Big Star / Cheap Trick 70’s-inspired power pop that I needed to break the cycle of anxiety. It doesn’t hurt that Congress has ensured that Trump won’t be able to use the military to make his coup happen, and we’ve got less than two weeks left of this godforsaken administration. 

“Suspended” is from The Muckers’ upcoming full-length Endeavor, out February 26th! You can do all the usual preorder/presaving in all the usual places!

Spinning Platters’ Top 20 Albums of 2020

By The Spinning Platters Editorial Staff

What a shit year, am I right? I guess that’s the consensus all around. It was also a weird year for music… The first half of the year had a bunch of great records that were released with touring in mind, full of epic live songs that are meant to be heard in a crowd and that simply didn’t happen. The second half was full of intense projects made while in seclusion. Projects where the recording is really the only means of connecting. This was a great year for the art of the album, despite it being a terrible year for musicians to make a living. Which is why we are giving you a top 20 this year! A lot of independent artists mixed in with the big ones, so please buy a record or two, or some merch to help keep them alive and able to hit the road when it’s safe. 

A quick note: We begin this process in October, so our years is 11/1-11/1. So, yes, you will see at least one late 2019 album on this list. Continue reading “Spinning Platters’ Top 20 Albums of 2020”

Single of the Week: “Auld Anxi” by Metric

I’ve had one frightening thought that has repeated in my head throughout most of the last four years, but has been amplified greatly over the course of the last 8 months: “Many Americans are so against the notion of caring about each other that when faced with the prospect of doing ANYTHING that will help improve the lives of one another, the request itself won’t just be shrugged off, but will be treated with such utter scepticism that the request itself would be viewed as purely evil and certainly will destroy our way of life.” The reality of life isn’t quite as dire as that, but the anxiety lives on. Emily Haines has always had a great gift for writing about anxiety in a clear, empathic manner. “Auld Anxi” is a rewrite of the classic “Auld Lang Syne” that might be one of the more optimistic songs ever written about anxiety. It’s like getting the warm hug from a dear friend that understands you and listens without judgement that we so badly need right now, but aren’t likely to get for another several months.  

Today is the first day of 2021. This means we made it through that hellscape of 2020. I hate how few of us made it through, and it sucks that things are going to keep getting worse for a bit. BUT- the light is at the end of the tunnel. We have less than three weeks of the Trump administration left. The first two vaccines have been approved in the US, and there’s likely to be one more in the next week or two. For now, stay safe- mask up if you MUST leave your home, if you still are working, give money to causes that will help people stay home that otherwise are forced to put themselves in dangerous situations for survival. I love you, dear reader, and I want you to be there when we can finally get back to shows next year.