Durand Jones – Spinning Platters

Bumbershoot 2023- The 50th Anniversary In Pictures

Bumbershoot is one of the oldest and longest-running music festivals in America. Sure, it took a bit of a hiatus after the 2019 edition to regroup (and that pesky pandemic had a bit of a part in it, too), it returned in 2023 with a heavy focus on the talent of the Pacific Northwest, including sets from such luminaires as Sleater-Kinney (who played 1/2 of Dig Me Out as well as a cover of Sinead O’Connor’s “Emporer’s New Clothes,”) Sunny Day Real Estate, and The Dandy Warhols. We got to take our camera around and enjoy the sights and sounds of this event, and we even got to take a turn behind the mic for queer/bar staple Burleskaraoke (but, sadly, only the folks at the event got to experience that magic). It was a delightful weekend of both sunshine and rain, and it was such a joy to see Seattle having fun.

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Spinning Platters Interview: Jim Welte, Executive Director of the Mill Valley Music Festival

Executive Director of Mill Valley Music Festival, seen here with his trusty bodyguard.

Here at Spinning Platters, we are REALLY excited about the second year of the Mill Valley Music Festival. We are getting the return of Northern California legends Cake, alongside SP favorites Tank & The Bangas, Adrian Belew & Jerry Harrison doing a Talking Heads set, Durand Jones, Valerie June, Black Joe Lewis, and many more. The party is NEXT WEEKEND- May 13th and 14th. Tickets and more info here. We had a chance to chat with their Executive Director, Jim Welte about this year’s event, and here’s a bit of our conversation:

I’ve just got a couple of questions to ask you about this insane endeavor you’re pulling off in one of the hardest cities in the Bay Area to get to, which prompts my first question, what made you pick Mill Valley? Continue reading “Spinning Platters Interview: Jim Welte, Executive Director of the Mill Valley Music Festival”

2023 Mill Valley Music Festival Single Day Lineups Are Here!

There’s nothing we love more than a new music festival except for an independent music festival, and there’s nothing more we love more than an independent music festival than an expanding music festival. That makes Mill Valley at least three things that we love! Because for its second year, the Mill Valley Music Festival has doubled in size. At this rate, it will be over a month-long in just five years! Let’s do it!

This year’s lineup is a near-perfect two days of music outdoors in the beautiful Bay Area. After our first real winter in several years, we’re all going to need the bright sunshine of a Michael Franti & Spearhead set on a Saturday night under the stars. And then on Sunday night, the 14th, we finish with dessert as Cake play their first announced Bay Area show since 2019!

Add to that the New Orleans rock/funk/rap/spoken word genius mashup of Tank and the Bangas, the horn-driven pop-soul of The Dip, the buttery smooth Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, the ecstatically joyous Remain in Light project from Adrian Belew and Jerry Harrison paying tribute to the classic Talking Heads album of the same name, the southern soul solo debut of Durand Jones, and much much more, and I don’t know even know how you could skip it.

The second day of this is Mother’s Day. Your mother will love this. Bring your mother.

The day-by-day lineups: Continue reading “2023 Mill Valley Music Festival Single Day Lineups Are Here!”