Show Review: A Perfect Circle performing Thirteenth Step at The Fillmore, 11/17/2010

Thirteenth Step
Thirteenth Step

The average passerby outside The Fillmore this evening might have been puzzled at the sight that met their eyes. Several hundred people — maybe around a thousand at the most — all lined up next to the post office? There’s no big tour bus, no semi full of stage gear, parked out in front of the famous club. The more keen-eyed observers — specifically, those who might have happened by this location yesterday — might also have spotted a great deal of people from the night before this one. What would possibly draw so many people back again? It’s still two hours before the doors open, but the devoted fans of A Perfect Circle don’t mind the wait; tonight marks the second of the band’s 3-night album-performance residency at the Fillmore, with their sophomore effort Thirteenth Step taking center stage for the evening that was to follow.

As singer Maynard James Keenan would say later on that night, the message of excitement that ran through the crowd was a simple one: “Welcome to Night Two.”

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Show Review: A Perfect Circle performing Mer de Noms at The Fillmore, 11/16/2010

Mer de Noms
Mer de Noms

In live music, one of the most intriguing types of performances to see is a full-album show. It is gratifying for the fans who want to hear that ONE obscure song that their favorite band NEVER plays live, and it is a challenge for the band who may not be used to playing said compositions — in a long time, or possibly at all. To take this concept and span it out into multiple nights, in multiple cities, for multiple albums, is an even bigger feat. Leave it, of course, to the men in A Perfect Circle to step up to this challenge — for they have arrived in San Francisco, and are taking over the Fillmore Auditorium for the next three nights, for this very purpose.

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Show Review: Delorean, Lemonade at Great American Music Hall, 11/10/10

Photo by Jimmy Kim

“You need to be dancing harder.”

I stared into the face of the woman who’d just punched me in the arm to get my attention and tell me this. She continued, “You need to be dancing more, like this, up and down, having fun.” I ignored a passing instinct to punch her in the face, and smiled instead. “Ay-ay-ay-ay-ay!” she shrieked in closing.

A moment later, she punched me again. “Are you from Barcelona?” she inquired.

“No. I’m from Pittsburgh.” She stopped talking to me after that.

Continue reading “Show Review: Delorean, Lemonade at Great American Music Hall, 11/10/10”

Show Review: Bloody Beetroots with Pance Party at Mezzanine, 11/2/2010

On Monday night, the city celebrated (and rioted a bit). And on Tuesday night, some of those people celebrated (and rioted a bit) at The Mezzanine for another energetic show by The Bloody Beetroots Death Crew 77, the in-your-face live version of the noted Italian DJs. And while the audience was pumped and ready for the show, the venue itself had no idea what they were in for. And it showed. For a mosh pit was about to happen at The Mezzanine, and not a soul seemed to be prepared. Continue reading “Show Review: Bloody Beetroots with Pance Party at Mezzanine, 11/2/2010”

Show Review: UNKLE with Sleepy Sun at The Regency Ballroom, 10/28/10

cmj_unkle_5_adp

Fresh off the release of their newest album, Where Did The Night Fall, trip rock pioneers UNKLE return to San Francisco almost three years to the date of their last SF performance.  Competing with Game 2 of the World Series, James Lavelle’s live band would have to pitch a strong game in order to please the divided, yet loyal audience.  Would they deliver?

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Show Review: LIGHTS at Slim’s, 10/25/2010


LIGHTS is definitely not hard on the eyes! Think Alexandra Lawn from Ra Ra Riot but edgier. She’s not exactly hard on the ears either. Synth heavy female vocals, lightly backed by a drummer, and when I say lightly I mean he could play with one arm half the time.  She breaks from her elrctro-pop way mid-way through her set to play a solo acoustic song off her purely acoustic EP, and to do what I guess would be a “cover” of the YouTube video “hide your kids hide your wife,” And then she finishes out the remainder of the set like the beginning. Continue reading “Show Review: LIGHTS at Slim’s, 10/25/2010”

Staff Picks from Treasure Island Music Festival – Sunday 10/17/2010

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Monotonix did not get the memo on the San Francisco weather

I sent out an email to everyone from Spinning Platters that went to the Treasure Island Music Festival on Sunday. I asked them to send me back something about their favorite act from the day. From some people, I got nothing, but from nearly everyone who responded, I got the same news. Belle & Sebastian was their favorite act.  So you’re about to read mainly a Belle & Sebastian love-fest, and look at a whole lot of pictures of Monotonix. And other than the rainy, windy, cold conditions and some energetic sets from Surfer Blood, Superchunk and Rogue Wave, that’s my biggest takeaway, too. Continue reading “Staff Picks from Treasure Island Music Festival — Sunday 10/17/2010”

Show Review: Tom Tom Club at Great American Music Hall, 10/8/2010

Available for weddings and bar mitzvahs?

How much would you pay to hear one song? What if that song was going to be played by the most accomplished one-hit wonder in the history of music? When that song is “Genius of Love,” and that band is the Tom Tom Club, the long lasting musical project of Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz of Talking Heads, then apparently that price is $26. This was, however, a 13-song set. So what about the other 12 songs? Were they worth the price of admission?

The short answer?  Continue reading “Show Review: Tom Tom Club at Great American Music Hall, 10/8/2010”

Show Review: Biffy Clyro with Picture Atlantic and New Diplomat at Rickshaw Stop, 9/28/2010

Shirtless Muppets? Scotish rock band? You make the call!

Put a giant band in a small club in a faraway land, and you never know what you’re going to get, or who’s going to show up. I was surprised when I walked into the Rickshaw Stop to see the sort of people I wouldn’t expect at a hard rock show. In SF parlance, we call them “Marina types,” where I had thought the place to be filled with anglophiles and socially awkward rocker types. By the end of the night, all would become clear. There aren’t a lot of Biffy Clyro fans in San Francisco, and this show won’t go too far for upping that count. Continue reading “Show Review: Biffy Clyro with Picture Atlantic and New Diplomat at Rickshaw Stop, 9/28/2010”

Show Review: Rusko at The Mezzanine, 9/28/2010


If you’re not into electronic music, then Rusko might be hard for you to swallow. However, if you are, it might be exactly that new pill you’ve been asking about that no one seems to have. Rusko is undisputedly one of the premier dupstep producers and DJs in the world, and also one of the busiest. By the end of 2010 he will have attacked San Francisco four times! Cramming all those gigs in might seem tiresome, that is until you see Rusko. With more power and energy than that drumming pink bunny, Rusko takes hype and turns the heat up. In fact. the heat was quite literally turned up Last night at the Mezzanine mostly due to the 80 degree weather outside at 10pm, but also due to a room full of half-naked 20-somethings most likely juiced on more then just a tall boy of Pabst. Continue reading “Show Review: Rusko at The Mezzanine, 9/28/2010”