Show Review: Reel Big Fish with Streetlight Manifesto, The Maxies and Rodeo Ruby Love at the Regency Ballroom, 7/15/2011

Aaron Barrett of Reel Big Fish
Aaron Barrett of Reel Big Fish

There’s a commonly-held mindset that says you cannot take ska music seriously. From a simple outside perspective, this makes sense; it’s generally very bouncy, positive-sounding music, and the horns just accentuate the level of joy, or perhaps the level of unseriousness. For what is entailed in a ska song, however, it’s remarkably rude to call it simple or childish; with 3 or 4 additional players that accompany a full band, one that’s usually churning out rapid-fire punk riffs, and with all of the members running around onstage, it’s definitely not a simple feat. The energy of the music, for those who do listen and follow it, is infectious and riotous in its intensity, and whether the lyrics are heartfelt and yearning, or slovenly and self-deprecating, wildly energetic audiences will still fill large auditoriums to see the spectacle, and chant and stamp to every word. Such was the case on Friday night, when the Regency Ballroom of San Francisco played host to two titans of the genre: the New Jersey septet Streetlight Manifesto, and the Huntington Beach veterans known as Reel Big Fish.

Continue reading “Show Review: Reel Big Fish with Streetlight Manifesto, The Maxies and Rodeo Ruby Love at the Regency Ballroom, 7/15/2011”

Show Review: The Wombats with The Tender Box and Wild Party at The Rickshaw, 6/3/11

The Wombats bring the energy

The Wombats’ new album This Modern Glitchhas quickly become my favorite of the year, overtaking all the others on my iPod until it spent two weeks as the only thing I listen to.  So on a Friday night after a long week I had high hopes that this would be the perfect night.  Continue reading “Show Review: The Wombats with The Tender Box and Wild Party at The Rickshaw, 6/3/11”

Show Review: IAMDONALD tour with Donald Glover/Childish Gambino at The Fillmore, 4/28/11

If you read Spinning Platters with any regularity, you know I love Donald Glover, so let’s just get the personal stuff out of the way now.  I spent all day with an increasing sense of agitation waiting to see if I was going to get a pass for the IAMDONALD show at the Fillmore tonight.  I got stuck in some angry self-righteous critic reel where I actually thought I deserved a ticket.  Well, I did write this review of the preview show.  Then I campaigned hard for Donald Glover/Childish Gambino’s album Culdesac to win album of the year in 2010.  Then I gave his fans a SXSW award (and missed The Dead Milkmen to see him!).  Is it possible this makes me his biggest fan?  And is it possible for a show to live up to expectations after all that? Continue reading “Show Review: IAMDONALD tour with Donald Glover/Childish Gambino at The Fillmore, 4/28/11”

Show Review: Datarock with Dirty Ghosts and Baertur at Bottom Of The Hill, 3/10/2011

All the way from Norway - just to play for you
All the way from Norway - just to play for you

One constant source of confusion at concerts is what one should be doing as an idle member of the audience. For certain shows, there exists a code of conduct exclusively based on the genre of music, with little room for deviation: headbanging in heavy metal mosh  pits, dancing at hip-hop concerts, and standing awkwardly with arms crossed and a faint look of aloof interest, if one is attending an indie-rock show. Dance-rock shows are, therefore, perplexing to the crowd that cannot decide whether it should be dancing, rocking out, or somehow doing both. At a Datarock show, this confusion is overturned in the form of one simple rule: follow the band onstage, listen to what they say, and remain airborne for the duration of the performance.

Continue reading “Show Review: Datarock with Dirty Ghosts and Baertur at Bottom Of The Hill, 3/10/2011”

Show Review: Morcheeba at The Warfield, 3/5/11

Thanks to flickr user avantard for use of the picture

About thirteen years ago, while waiting first in line to get in to a Portishead show at the very same venue, a girl gave me a promo cassingle, yes, a cassingle, of “The Sea.”  Some months later, I found myself at the The Fillmore, having one of the best times, seeing Morcheeba having one of the best times, performing that night.  It was during the height of their most treasure release Big Calm, and the at the peak of their buzz.  They shared a ridiculous amount of energy on stage, and that spark reflected mutually with the audience.  I can’t remember one person who wasn’t dancing that night.   Most often it’s very difficult for trip-hop bands to translate their sound in a full, warm, and lush manner, but somehow the simplicity of the music and the wizardry of the Godfrey brothers set them apart. Continue reading “Show Review: Morcheeba at The Warfield, 3/5/11”

Noise Pop Show Review: No Age, Grass Widow, Rank/Xerox and Crazy Band at Rickshaw Stop, 2/26/11

I want it to be understood that I’m fucking sick of irony…and I’m not being ironic here either. Continue reading “Noise Pop Show Review: No Age, Grass Widow, Rank/Xerox and Crazy Band at Rickshaw Stop, 2/26/11”

Noise Pop Show Review: Yo La Tengo with The Urinals at The Fox Oakland, 2/22/2011

Spin the Yo La Tengo Freewheel and decide the first set!
Spin the Yo La Tengo Freewheel and decide the first set!

Nearly a year ago to the day, the Fox Theater played host to the first big act of the 2010 Noise Pop Festival, which arrived in the form of Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono Band. The group’s first arrival to the Bay Area was met with wild enthusiasm, and the set itself was a scene of sonic mass hysteria, with the warbles and shrieks of Yoko accompanying the wild swing and over-the-top rock of her backing band. It seems only fitting, therefore, that the following year needed to be kicked off in a similar manner — a night of balls-out rock, groovy jams, and snarling static chaos — which is probably the main reason why the New Jersey indie rock trio Yo La Tengo was invited to the Fox Theater for the first night of the 2011 Noise Pop Festival.

Continue reading “Noise Pop Show Review: Yo La Tengo with The Urinals at The Fox Oakland, 2/22/2011”

Show Review: The I Am Donald tour with Donald Glover and Childish Gambino at Slim’s 12/11/10

Donald Glover and band (my apologies for the iPhone photo)

Home from the first ever I Am Donald Tour I find myself, though my ears are ringing and my feet are aching, sitting here smiling as I write this.  Although the evening was based around one person it was one of the most entertaining and well rounded performances I’ve ever seen.  Maybe it is because Mr Donald Glover is such and entertaining and well rounded guy.  He wrote for 30 Rock before he was 25 (as attested to in “Let Me Dope You”), does stand up, stars on NBC’s Community and raps under the name Childish Gambino.  The most impressive part being that he does all these things well and with all his heart.  There was never really a chance that this wouldn’t be an amazing show. Continue reading “Show Review: The I Am Donald tour with Donald Glover and Childish Gambino at Slim’s 12/11/10”

Show Review: Turkey Trot 2010 with The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit, Misisipi Rider, Hang Jones and Walking in Sunlight at Cafe Du Nord 11/26/10

Walking in Sunlight

This show was a big step away from the ordinary and comfortable for me.  I do not generally listen to country music unless Jenny Lewis and She and Him’s first album count, and I’m pretty sure they don’t.  So really I had no idea what to expect.  What I got was a fun evening full of talented musicians and smiles.  Continue reading “Show Review: Turkey Trot 2010 with The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit, Misisipi Rider, Hang Jones and Walking in Sunlight at Cafe Du Nord 11/26/10”

Show Review: Free Energy with Foxy Shazam and Hollerado at Slim’s, 10/29/10

Foxy Shazam shows everyone how it's done

Spinning Platters has seen all of these bands before, more than once in fact, yet about half of the staff was at this show.  Why?  It is impossible to resist the chance to see three such high energy fun acts all in one night, and it was Managing Editor Dakin Hardwick’s birthday party!  For both these reasons it was a very fun night full of joy and dancing.  Continue reading “Show Review: Free Energy with Foxy Shazam and Hollerado at Slim’s, 10/29/10”