Oakland Arena – Spinning Platters

Ever since the first time I heard Måneskin’s “I Wanna Be Your Slave” (and their excellent cover of The Four Seasons’ “Beggin’”), I was hooked. There’s something about the sounds of Damiano David’s voice that just captivates me, and the entire band just has a tight, catchy, fantastic sound that I can’t seem to get enough of. I didn’t get to catch them when they played the Masonic last November, so believe me when I say that I was not going to miss the Italian band’s first US arena tour. The Rush! World Tour came to Oakland Arena this past weekend (on Friday the 13th, no less), and I couldn’t have been more excited to hear them live. Continue reading “Show Review: Maneskin at Oakland Arena, 10/13/2023”

There has been a recent trend of fantastic bands, both old and new, being prevented from making their way to this side of the Atlantic due to all manner of circumstances. Most often, it’s an inability to acquire visas by an international deadline, but in the case of more controversial and explosive acts, their arrival has often been deterred by high tensions overseas — acts of terrorism and war, both abroad and at home — which put a damper on the transport of any act, musical or otherwise, that is loud, aggressive, and armed to the teeth with fire, smoke and dynamite. Last night, the biggest name on this list — the German industrial metal collective known as Rammstein — finally made their way back to the Bay Area for their first show in 10 years, and brought their full cataclysmic performance with them, offering one of the biggest, loudest, and hottest shows ever seen within the walls of the Oracle Arena.

Continue reading “Show Review: Rammstein with Combichrist at the Oracle Arena, 5/18/2011”