Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 5/12/11 – 5/18/11

Reading my Weekly Guide to Bay Area contest can be very beneficial… You always know what great shows are coming to town, and every great once in a while, we get you into one of those shows. This week, we will get one loyal reader into see Montreal-born DJ & producer A-Trak playing with one of the finest MC’s to come out of Chicago, Kid Sister rocking the Mezzanine stage this Monday Night, May 16th! All you need to do is email us at promo@spinningplatters.com before Monday, May 16th at noon! Just leave your full name and phone number so we can let you know you won, and remember that this show is 21+, so we can’t get you in if you are under age. And if you don’t like taking risks, you can always buy tickets here.

Thursday, May 12th

Cassian, Aaron Axelson, Miles The DJ at Rickshaw Stop

Australia’s premier funkmeister is playing a very rare show in America, and he’s being supported by two of the Bay Area’s biggest music nerds. Come out to Popscene tonight for a killer party. Just be sure to stay hydrated!

httpv://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cassiane&aq=0&oq=cassian

Joan Of Arc, Air Waves, Alright at Cafe du Nord

Friday, May 13th

Judgment Day, Religious Girls, Weston Elementary at Uptown Nightclub

I can’t begin to tell you how badly you need to see Judgment Day. Seriously, these guys blow my mind! They play the most brutal heavy metal on Earth made by nothing but cello, viola, and drums. No vocals, no guitar, all metal.

Of Montreal, Hunx & His Punx, Painted Palms at The Fillmore

Saturday, May 14th

Man Man, Shilpa Ray & The Happy Hookers at Bimbo’s 365 Club

It’s been far too long since quirky avantgardists Man Man have played the Bay Area. It’s also been far too long since there’s been an amazing show at the historic Bimbo’s 365 Club, one of the finest clubs in the Bay Area.

Stripmall Architecture, Tremor Low, Excuses For Skipping at Cafe du Nord

Bay Area dream pop legends Stripmall Architecture are digging up their classic years, when Rebecca & Ryan Coseboom played in another dream pop band named Halou. They will be doing their classic record Wiser in it’s entirety!

Sunday, May 15th

System Of A Down, Gogol Bordello at Shoreline Amphitheater

Remember these guys? The band that you always ignored because you assumed that there were another awful nu-metal band that did really dumb songs that would make your ears bleed? Well you were wrong about these guys. Dead wrong. You wanna know who System Of A Down really are? A complex political rock band that fuses together elements of cabaret, metal, punk, and awesome weirdness. These guys have key & time signature changes up the whazoo, and put on one amazing show.

Oh yeah, these guys are opening, too. What an insane bill!

Monday, May 16th

A-Trak, Kid Sisters, Gaslamp Killer, Jeffrey Paradise at Mezzanine

Only an idiot would skip this show… And remember, we are giving away a pair of tickets. Only a serious idiot would skip doing that… Beside, Monday Nights are pretty boring. Email your full name to promo@spinningplatters.com by noon on the 16th for your chance to enter!

The Death Set, Win Win, The Frail at Rickshaw Stop

Tuesday, May 17th

An Evening With The Melvins at Great American Music Hall

The legends of sludge are playing two entire records in their entirety at Great American Music Hall: Stoner Witch & Bullhead. (The night before they are doing three! Houdini, Eggnog, and Lysol) That move takes serious guts… I hope you like your Melvins, but this is going to be a whole lot of gooey noise!

Herb Alpert & Lani Hall at Palace Of Fine Arts

Wednesday, May 18th

Ms Lauryn Hill doing Bob Marley, as well as her own greatest hits at Mezzanine

So what if she was just in town last week… When will you get to see one of the most important performers of our generation play such a small venue! This was a surprise show that was just snuck on sale a few days ago, and it’s going to be AWESOME!