Oakland – Page 2 – Spinning Platters

Show Review: Dermot Kennedy with Luca Fogale at Fox Theatre Oakland, 4/10/19

You know how sometimes all it takes is the first listen to a great new song by an artist you’ve never heard before, and you’re in? That’s how it was for me the first time I heard Dermot Kennedy’s “Power Over Me.” Not long ago, I was in my kitchen cooking dinner, with a music station playing on my TV. Before the lyrics of the song could even register in my brain, Kennedy’s haunting voice had drawn me in. I remember literally stopping what I was doing and turning around to gape at the screen so I could make a note of the artist. And then the lyrics hit me: “you’ve got that power over me… my, my… everything I hold dear resides in those eyes… you’ve got that power over me…” I’ve been obsessed with the song ever since. As soon as I could, I took a deep dive through Kennedy’s music, and accordingly made a note to catch him live as soon as possible. Last night, my chance came as Kennedy graced the stage at Fox Theatre in Oakland for the very first time. To say it was mildly earth-shattering is: an oxymoron, a little hyperbole, and also still somehow true.

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Theater Review: An Ode to Love and the Human Condition: A.C.T. Presents Edward Albee’s Seascape

Charlie (James Carpenter) and Nancy (Ellen McLaughlin) face the unknown in Edward Albee’s Pulitzer Prize (1975) winning play. Photo courtesy of Kevin Berne, 2019.

In Call of the Wild by Jack London, there’s a line that repeats several times, said to be a universal law, the law of life, that is, “Eat or Be Eaten.” In the subsequent passages, London sets up a horrific narrative that is often true: what separates “man” from other species that are deemed eatable, and, of these species, many will eat man; then is man truly of any value? Because of this need for survival, there’s so much fear that permeates our condition. What’s actually real, and what isn’t? In Edward Albee’s Seascape, two couples face these demons head on. One is of the human form and the other alien, but ultimately, we wonder, whose world is it? Continue reading “Theater Review: An Ode to Love and the Human Condition: A.C.T. Presents Edward Albee’s Seascape“

Theater Review: Ubuntu Theater Presents Michael Moran’s Passion Project: Hamlet

R. to L. : Hamlet (Michael Moran), Horatio (Ogie Zulueta), and Claudius (Rolf Saxon) duke it out. Photo courtesy of Simone Finney, 2018.

At the Flight Deck in Oakland, on a raised plank in the middle of an oblong stage, sits Michael Moran’s Hamlet. Eerie vocalizations surround him as provided by a cast of thirty actors. The entire action takes place in this space in a modern retelling of William Shakespeare’s popular tragedy about Denmark’s grieving prince. Continue reading “Theater Review: Ubuntu Theater Presents Michael Moran’s Passion Project: Hamlet“

Show Review: The Final U.S. Slayer Show! (of this Leg of the Tour)

Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ConcertGoingPro

January 22, 2018. Slayer announced their “farewell” tour. After over 35 years of yelling “Die By the Sword”, singer and bass player Tom Araya wants to scream no more. As much as the fans would want Slayer to keep performing forever, Tom and the only other original member, guitar player Kerry King, deserve to go out on top and begin collecting their 401k. Gary Holt, the 2nd guitar player, will always have his primary band Exodus, and certainly bands will be lining up for drummer Paul Bostaph’s services once he becomes available again. In the meanwhile, though, according to a press release issued the morning after The. Final. U.S. Slayer. Show., this “farewell” tour still has another year to go!

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Film Review: Blindspotting

Local boys make good in masterful look at their changing city

Longtime Oakland friends Collin (Daveed Diggs, l.) and Miles (Rafael Casal) assess their changing city.

Berkeley High grads and old friends Daveed Diggs (of Broadway’s Hamilton fame) and local slam poet and artist Rafael Casal join Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station; Black Panther) and Boots Riley (Sorry to Bother You) in bringing Oakland to the big screen, in a timely and powerful picture that should be required viewing not only for all Bay Area residents, but also for those who want to understand the ever shifting cultural and economic landscape of a Bay Area in flux. Diggs and Casal both wrote and star in Blindspotting, under the direction of their TV and short film director friend Carlos López Estrada, who makes his extraordinary feature film debut here, and was rewarded with a Sundance Grand Jury Prize nomination for his efforts.

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Theater Review: Ubuntu Theater Project’s American Jornalero

Ubuntu Theater Project explores a fresh take on the American Dream in the West Coast premiere of Ed Cardona Jr.’s American Jornalero

Edited by Jessica Vaden

From L. to R.: Jose Rodriguez (Luis), Benoît Monin (Montezuma), Cristhian Ayvar (Marcelo), Juan J. Berumen (Michigan), and the phone that won’t stop ringing. Photos courtesy of Simone Finney, 2018.

On the corner of Hope and Haven stand six men, waiting. Four of them are jornaleros, day laborers, waiting for the work that may not come. Two are law-abiding, border protecting Minutemen, waiting to indict them with the charge of wanting a better life.

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Theater Review: Aphra Behn’s The Rover at Danville Village Theatre

**Not much has changed since 1677 — Role Players Ensemble brings Aphra Behn’s The Rover to the Danville Village Theatre**

Edited by Jessica Vaden

David J. Bohnet plays Don Pedro, Florinda’s overbearing brother. Nicolette Ellis is Florinda and Terrance Smith as Belville. Photos by Marian Bliss, 2018, courtesy of RPE.

Perhaps now more than ever we are questioning the social constructs that have been put into place for us, especially for those of us on the margins, or in places where our identities intersect. In an attempt at dismantling oppression, we look at its history… starting from gender bending to gender breaking, and finally, to what we assume will become the complete elimination of gender roles. Continue reading “Theater Review: Aphra Behn’s The Rover at Danville Village Theatre”

Show Review: Chicano Batman, Khruangbin, The Shacks at The Fox Theater – Oakland, 11/10/17

I have been watching Chicano Batman over the past five years, and I have got to say that I am really impressed on how much they’ve grown. Each time they come back to The Bay, they end up playing bigger and bigger venues. It puts a tear in my eye and makes me feel part of their growth. Not only do they deserve it, the world straight-up needs to hear their soulful, passionate grooves filled with positive messages of love and hope. You felt the love in that crowd starting with the first band in the lineup, The Shacks. Continue reading “Show Review: Chicano Batman, Khruangbin, The Shacks at The Fox Theater — Oakland, 11/10/17”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts: 2017-07-05 – 2017-07-09

Do you know what today is? You do. It’s July 5. That means that here in the Bay Area, it’s Huey Lewis’s birthday.

Speaking of the heart of rock and roll, let’s talk about this week’s concerts. Here’s what we’ve got coming up this week in the Bay Area: symphonies, troopers, and remembrances.

So, we’ll preview this now. Previewing now. Let’s preview and go ahead and preview. Preview go!

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Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts: 2017-06-28 – 2017-07-02

It’s the week between Pride Weekend and the Fourth of July Weekend. A chance to catch your breath.

Speaking of catching things, let’s talk about what you can catch in this week’s shows. What we’ve got coming up this week in the Bay Area includes: ogres, lifers, (sc)avengers, The Dude and The Iguana.

So, we’re going to do the preview now. Doing the preview now. Preview is go and now we go do the preview now. Previewwww.

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