Black Keys – Spinning Platters

BottleRock 2013 Review: Napa’s Inaugural Music, Wine, and Food Festival

A brand new festival just outside my front door.

When rumors about the first ever BottleRock Napa festival began to circulate, they were impressive: early flyers listed Dave Matthews Band and Pearl Jam as headliners (neither was ever confirmed). Still, the festival had the attention of the Napa Valley and surrounding music lovers long ago.

Once the final lineup had been released and tickets purchased, however, it was time to finally see what all the hype had been about. Because my home is in such a central location within “Napa proper,” as we all call the city of Napa (so as not to confuse it with the rest of “the Valley”), I didn’t actually experience the crazy traffic so many locals worried about. And while I did hear on one of the first few days (Weds or Thurs, though I’m not 100% certain which) that it took someone approximately 90 minutes to reach the Napa Expo from Fairfield (normally a 25-30 minute drive), I know for sure that the traffic relaxed and was relatively comparable to any other holiday weekend. (Which is to say, not insane as predicted.) The parking situation was the same as it usually is, I know for sure. The first three days, I arrived well before noon. As such, I beat the crowds and was able to find nearby parking with such ease that I chalked that up to my knowledge of the neighborhood, vs. all those who were coming in from out of area who didn’t know where to look (and as a result, were paying $25-40 to park much farther away). Continue reading “BottleRock 2013 Review: Napa’s Inaugural Music, Wine, and Food Festival”

Show Review: The Black Keys with The Arctic Monkeys at Oracle Arena, 5/4/12

I’ve seen The Black Keys twice before going to this show. The first time was opening for Sleater Kinney at The Great American Music Hall in 2003. It was two guys that looked like they came in off the streets, playing super lo-fi blues. I honestly didn’t know what to think of them, and I forgot about them for a number of years. Then, in 2009, I saw them again in Austin, playing the back patio of a dive bar. It was appearantly a huge deal, and I managed to miss the fact that they were slowly becoming one of the biggest bands in rock. Fast forward a mere three years later, and they are playing arenas. I kept flashing back to that tiny (literally) little band I saw nearly a decade ago, and I couldn’t believe they were playing one of the biggest venues in Northern California. So, I decided it was time to give them another go!

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Spinning Platters Presents The Official List of the Top 10 Albums of 2011

brandt-brauer-frick-ensemble-mr.-machine-review-e1318885673689 — Finished 11th, but I really like it.

While other magazines, blogs and newspapers release their Best Albums of the Year super early, obviously before they’ve even heard some of the albums on their list, we wait until the last possible minute, sharing dozens of nominations with each other while participating in an overly complicated voting process that leads to a Top 10 that looks completely different from anyone else’s. It’s rewarding and fun, and we always find room for small albums that usually get ignored. One person’s favorite gets a real chance to get heard in our system as it becomes the favorite of many. So know, dear reader, that the albums you’re about to see listed have passed a multi-level test of quality. And now, I end my introduction by asking you to click the more tag and see our Official List of the Top 10 Albums of 2011.

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Spinning Platters Tackles Your Tough Outside Lands 2011 Decisions

map11 — We will make this a little easier for you to navigate.

For four years running now, the good people at Another Planet and Superfly have put together a massive outdoor music festival in the part of San Francisco so far west that most people don’t even know it exists. The weather is unpredictable, the terrain in this portion of Golden Gate Park is difficult, and with 5 stages, decisions are always tough to make. Well, all I can say about the first two is to bring layers and wear sturdy, comfortable shoes. As for who to see when? Well, I’ve studied the band schedule and the map, and based on my impeccable taste in music I am ready to present to you the most fulfilling plan for your Outside Lands experience.

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Caroline’s SXSW 2010 Photo Highlights

Rounding out the various articles on SXSW 2010, is me, the reluctant writer. While I should have been recording back at the hotel all the awesome (and not so awesome) things I had witnessed in Austin like Dakin, I was too busy picking out my outfits, and blowing my nose. But then why didn’t I write a post-SXSW article like Gordon, you may ask? Well, I went and partied in Las Vegas instead. Or, how come I didn’t use my day off (Viva Cesar Chavez!) and create a cute and interesting post like Marie? To that, all I have to say is, I’m just lazy. But 9 days after the commencement of the festivities, here are my thoughts and my fuzzy pictures to illustrate the grandeur that is SXSW 2010. Continue reading “Caroline’s SXSW 2010 Photo Highlights”

Dakin Hardwick’s SXSW Journal Day 4

photo(4) — Yes, the fine people of Quebec understand metal.

So, this was my 4th day of alcohol & barbecue sauce fueled and sleep deprived musical madness known as SXSW. After spending the early hours of Saturday morning chasing a secret 3 am Andrew WK show, I finally gave up and passed out around I have no idea o’clock only to wake up bright and early and hop around to the Saturday parties in 37 degree weather.

The most painful moment was freezing outside the Perez Hilton party waiting in the proper line, only to find that the only people that got in were folks that stormed the check in booth. It was chaos, but not fun chaos. Everything else was fun chaos. Here’s my highlights:

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Spinning Platters Podcast Episode 7 – It’s a Community

Episode 7 of the Spinning Platters podcast features a discussion of the Treasure Island Music Festival with our guest Sandy Burciaga of the LA-based arts, music and skateboarding site Grimy Goods. We also discuss the history of our websites, and take our usual trips into tangential territory. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Podcast Episode 7 — It’s a Community”