Show Review: Emo to Dance Rock – Cold War Kids and Geographer Wake Up the Sleepy West Side of San Francisco at Stern Grove Music Festival

Every show at the Stern Grove vibes differently…   Thus, I was unsure if there would be much of a crowd when my entry was quick, simple, and easy.  I was wrong.   The entire venue was fully populated with smiling faces and loaded party blankets from stage to hilltop.   The crowd had a harmonious, happy vibe completely prepped for an afternoon of indie ROCK.   Honoring the local musicians, Geographer and Cold War Kids returned to their San Francisco origin.   DJ Hgmny set the tone with chill moody blues as people settled in. Continue reading “Show Review: Emo to Dance Rock — Cold War Kids and Geographer Wake Up the Sleepy West Side of San Francisco at Stern Grove Music Festival”

Spinning Platters presents “How Did I Get Here?” Season 2, Episode 7 with Julie Schuchard

Spinning Platters presents “How Did I Get Here?” is available almost everywhere you enjoy podcasts. You can find us and subscribe here!
 
Julie Schuchard is the co-founder of Tricycle Records, (Download their latest free compilation here!) who has given us records by local acts such as The Hot Toddies, Everyone is Dirty, Andrew St James, Rich Girls, Geographer, and more. She also has done marketing for SF Sketchfest, Mezzanine, and about a dozen other local venues, has served on the board for the SF chapter of the Recording Academy, and can often be found around town DJing from her impressive vinyl catalog. We got to talk about her history with music, the struggles of running a label, and also her move from focusing on music and to the world of graphic design. 
 

She also has a Nasty Woman tattoo on her wrist as a reminder that being a woman in this industry (and in this world in general) takes an extra level of nasty. Enjoy her Nasty Woman playlist below:
 

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 1/30/14-2/5/14

Opening for The Hood Internet
Opening for The Hood Internet

I know we are all very busy with Sketchfest. However, check out these amazing music events, too!

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 1/30/14-2/5/14”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 7/11/13-7/17/13

Wednesday Night at The Fillmore
Wednesday Night at The Fillmore

The week is going to be a glorious week of rock n roll madness.

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 7/11/13-7/17/13”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 1/31/13-2/6/13

 

Playing at The Fillmore this Saturday, and in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Playing at The Fillmore this Saturday, and in the Super Bowl on Sunday.

We’re smack dab in the middle of SF Sketchfest, which we’re happy to call the Greatest Comedy Festival in America, and Dakin’s running around laughing himself silly, so I’m taking over the task of recommending shows for those of you who love music but hate laughing. That can only mean one thing, though … more sports references! Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 1/31/13-2/6/13”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 8/16/12 – 8/22/12

Bay Area Legend Jello is playing Oakland Metro Operahouse

I am amazed by the amount of the amount of dust that I’m still finding in places after Outside Lands this year… Yes, it was good fun, but it’s time to enjoy some music indoors, over concrete. And, well, we’ve got a wonderful week of excellent music on our docket.

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 8/16/12 – 8/22/12”

Show Review: San Francisco’s 2012 Outside Lands Festival, Day 2

One of many hoisted high within the crowds
One of many hoisted high within the crowds

Additional contributions to this article by Dakin Hardwick. All photos by Jonathan Pirro except where noted.

Saturday dawns with nary a clue that the fog and mist are clearing, and the massive greenery of Golden Gate Park continues to beckon to those who would walk onto its already-heavily-trodden surface, tickets in hand and heads held high. The second day of the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival is upon us, and like many of the other Saturdays of the annual San Francisco festival, it’s filled with some of the biggest, wildest acts, especially those that came to close the night. While the first signs of exhaustion are beginning to set in, those alert enough to pry themselves from slumber and scurry into the park at the hour of 11:00am were greeted by yet more feverishly addictive bursts of musical creativity. After the desiderata of strong coffee and a host of breakfast options that lay lazily along the fields, the several-thousand-strong mass began its trek from side to side, taking in another chapter of the chilly yet invigorating musical thunderstorm within.

Continue reading “Show Review: San Francisco’s 2012 Outside Lands Festival, Day 2”

Festival Diary: The 2011 Treasure Island Music Festival, Day 1

The glamtastic Saturday headliners

The details of the Treasure Island Music Festival are well known to Bay Area music regulars. I’ll go over them briefly.

The setting is beautiful, on an island in the middle of San Francisco Bay. There are only two stages that alternate acts, so there’s never any clashes. There are two days: Saturday leans toward dance music, and Sunday is for indie rock. It’s small so you can easily get close to the stage whenever you want, without having to park yourself in the front row all day long. Those are the basics — everything else changes year to year. In fact, the organizers — Noise Pop and Another Planet — intend to never repeat a band. So here’s a quick look at this year’s collection of talent.

Continue reading “Festival Diary: The 2011 Treasure Island Music Festival, Day 1”

Show Review: Club BFD with Surfer Blood, Innerpartysystem, The Vaccines and Geographer at Mezzanine, 6/4/2011

Surfer Blood are head and shoulders above the competition

This is the first time I can remember Club BFD being better than original BFD. First off, there’s the lineup which has more melody in four bands than there’d be in 11 hours on Sunday. Then there’s the Mezzanine, which welcomes its visitors with a high-res screen featuring sharp animations about tonight’s show and future events. At “real BFD,” there’s a static monitor. And in a club that holds somewhere in the 1000-person range, there’s a multi-camera shoot being projected on walls throughout the venue; at big BFD, there were no screens inside the amphitheater at all. I’m not even going to discuss the drink price competition. So the Mezzanine is all class, we know that. But how were the bands? Continue reading “Show Review: Club BFD with Surfer Blood, Innerpartysystem, The Vaccines and Geographer at Mezzanine, 6/4/2011”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 6/2/11-6/8/11

A single Cracker is playing at Cafe du Nord on Monday

Big shows, little shows, in between shows, there’s a little bit of everything for everyone this week. It’s a great week to go to shows in the bay!

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 6/2/11-6/8/11”