Do you know what today is? It’s been a long time, and I’ll tell you why: it’s August 11.
The Mesoamerican Long Count calendar began on August 11 in 3114 BC. Been a long time. And it feels like it’s been that long that we’ve been waiting for the Bay Area’s own Jawbreaker to get back together.
Jawbreaker made achingly smart punch-yourself-in-the-face and brush-your-teeth-until-your-gums-bleed rock music in the 1990s. Their music and words and actions touched a lot of people who have enough inside them to feel things, and then, after one major-label release, the band burned out like a candle.
And now they’re back. By my count it’s been a long time, and we are lucky enough to be alive to see it happening.
Speaking of waiting for things, let’s talk about this week’s concerts. Here’s what we’ve got coming up this week in the Bay Area: genius-level skills, classically-styled skills, and sports skills.
So now, yes, let’s preview this week’s concerts now. Start the preview and the preview is starting. Let’s start this preview now and here we go. Preview time goooo.
• Friday, August 11, 2017
GZA, Sims at Slim’s, San Francisco
The Genius – straight out of the slums of Shaolin (Staten Island) – will showcase his formidable liquid sword technique at Slim’s.
Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys, The Up And Down, The Bitter Diamonds at Thee Parkside, San Francisco
Big Sandy has been kind enough to have been plying the USA with classic western swing and country boogie for over 25 years.
• Saturday, August 12, 2017
Jawbreaker, Nuisance, Monsula at the Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco
This is not a drill. This is the big one. You’ll be lucky if you’re at ground zero: Jawbreaker have reformed and are playing concerts. The show at the Rickshaw Stop is utterly sold out, as is ironic and as is right.
Huey Lewis And The News at Mountain Winery, Saratoga
Sports!
• Sunday, August 13, 2017
War, Malo at Stern Grove, San Francisco
The only pro-War rally opportunity that I know of in San Francisco.
Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts is published weekly, usually. Send tips to christopher@spinningplatters.com. All hail Steve Koepke’s The List.
