Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ConcertGoingPro
Spinning Platters has had the pleasure of seeing Mac Sabbath seven times since 2016 yet it’s hard to believe that there’s only one other written review here on the inventors and self-appointed kings of Drive Thru Metal! This latest appearance at Great American Music Hall was part of a short West Coast tour called ‘This One Goes To 11‘.
Continue reading “Show Review: Mac Sabbath prevails in a post-Ozzy world”
Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ConcertGoingPro
In October 2022, the singer of The Sword announced the band was splitting up after 19 years. 21 months later… they’re back! It’s hard to say whether announcements like this helps or hurts a band, but the Great American Music Hall was sold out for weeks after the tickets went on sale for the 15th anniversary tour for their concept album Warp Riders. Spinning Platter’s enjoyed a pre-show meal at the legendary Tommy’s Joynt with guitarist Kyle Shutt and a few from the other bands and crew and was informed that a great many other shows on this tour have also been sold out well in advance. The moral of the story perhaps is to break up and get back together… it may help ticket sales!
Continue reading “Show Review: 15 years of The Sword’s Warp Riders at GAMH”
Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ConcertGoingPro
WHAT!? There’s no way that legendary O.G. Original Gangster rapper Ice-T (and heavy metal singer… and movie star…. and longtime Law and Order: SVU television actor) would be performing at the 470-capacity Great American Music Hall?! Is this for real? Ticket purchased immediately! Yes indeed, on Friday June 27, the I the C the E the T himself rolled into “Frisco” (his words) with his O.G. DJ Evil E and performed a ninety-minute set including shout-outs, NSFW jokes, and he even showed off a few of his special Bay Area friends.
Continue reading “Show Review: the MFkn’ O.G. Original Gangsta ICE-T at GAMH!”
Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ConcertGoingPro
Max Cavalera tours a lot. Max and his brother Igor G. are best known for starting the band Sepultura in the early 1980’s, and since leaving that behind nearly 30 years ago, he has Soulfly, Nailbomb, Go Ahead and Die, and Cavalera Conspiracy keeping him and the Cavalera family very busy. They have plenty of good reasons to perform for their fans as much as they do, and that is because there is so much music to play! In fact, alongside Max on this particular excursion, both in the band and crew, is drummer/brother Igor G., guitar/son Igor A., manager/wife Gloria, and merchandise/son Richie.
Continue reading “Show Review: Max Cavalera’s Schizophrenia”
Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ConcertGoingPro
“More Than Meats the Eye” is what happens when McDonald’s worst nightmare Mac Sabbath books a tour with a bunch of Transformers and they all Drive Thru the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco on a warm Thursday evening.
Continue reading “Show Review: Mac Sabbath drives thru the Great American Music Hall!”
Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ConcertGoingPro
It seems like every band these days is doing anniversary and album anniversary tours. Maybe the band has been around 10, 25, 50 years? Maybe their most popular album has been around long enough for their fans (or the music press in general) to consider it a classic record? Most generally wait for a milestone year, 10 at least, before doing it, and it always seems to be on the 5- or 10- year increment.
Max and Iggor Cavalera founded Sepultura in 1984. The 40th anniversary of that band is coming up in 2024, although both have not been in it since 1996 and 2006, respectively (only the bass player is a near-original member). The Cavalera’s may not be able to tour using the name Sepultura, but they can still celebrate the early albums that they took part in writing and recording. Despite the odd number of years since they were released (33 and 31 years), Cavalera Conspiracy decided to go against the grain and tour exclusively on these two albums!
Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ConcertGoingPro
The floor and stage of Great American Music Hall is not really large enough to turn into a wrestling ring and arena, so lucky for those in attendance this Mother’s Day, former WWF and current AEW professional wrestler Chris Jericho was fronting his metal band Fozzy here tonight and not jumping off the top rope!
