Show Review: Antemasque and Les Butcherettes at Great American Music Hall, 8/12/14

_MG_4287
All photos by Jonathan Pirro

There was a point in my life where The Mars Volta were, in my opinion, the most interesting thing in rock. Those first three full length records, De-Loused In The Comatorium, Frances The Mute, and Amputechture were all in heavy rotation while I moved from my early to mid 20’s. These records were the perfect balance of heavy and creative. Insane records filled with intensity that drew from influences as wide ranging as Fania All Stars, Pink Floyd, Fugazi, and Stockhausen. Delicious albums that I listened to almost daily. Before long, however, it felt like the band kept losing the plot. The records seemed stale, and the live shows also seemed to like some of the “Oomph!” of their earlier sets. When they decided to close up that chapter, it made sense to me. Both Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala found themselves exploring music apart from each other, and made for some awfully compelling records.

The year that they parted ways was 2012. Now, a mere two years later, Cedric & Omar quietly started putting out new material on the web. Under the name “Antemasque.” These were some great, concise tracks. So, the moment they announced a tour, I decided it was worth my while to see if they’ve really re-inspired themselves.

Continue reading “Show Review: Antemasque and Les Butcherettes at Great American Music Hall, 8/12/14”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 7/21/11-7/27/11

Appearing at The Regency Ballroom

There’s a whole lotta indoor gigs for you this week… Perfect for getting out of the brisk cold July air. Now, got get your groove on!

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 7/21/11-7/27/11”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 6/23/11-6/29/11

Seriously folks…. What’s with all of these unGoogleable band names? Do you really think that’s a good idea? Some really great bands like BOBBY, Parachute, and Comma are all playing this week… And, I’m sorry, but you really need to sell yourselves hard at these shows so people remember you, and don’t end up finding Brady Bunch clips, airplane safety gear, or a book on grammar.

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 6/23/11-6/29/11”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 6/9/11-6/15/11

kind of playing at Bimbo's...

This week, you are treated to two youtube clips that I make brief appearances in… I think the loyal reader will be happy about that. Are you? Anyways, it’s a pretty good week for shows. Read on:

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 6/9/11-6/15/11”