Oakland – Page 5 – Spinning Platters

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 1/23/14-1/29/14

Wake up and go to shows this week! So many shows... — Wake up and go to shows this week! So many shows…

The thirteenth annual SF Sketchfest is upon us, littering San Francisco with night after night of too many good things at once.

To help with these sorts of problems, please consult “A Nerd’s Guide To Sketchfest 2014.” Yes, Dakin’s full-on once-over of this year’s fest is just the right guide to help you make those wrenching nerd decisions about which one-of-a-kind Sketchfest show to choose from on each jam-packed night. Too much good stuff is a good/ANNOYING problem to have. You are fortunate. We are fortunate.

This week! We have Canadiens! Sleepwalkers! Metal! Tim! Punk rock benefit shows! And science! O you lucky person, you — to have all of these awesome things to choose from.

Here’s what’s coming up this week.

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 1/23/14-1/29/14”

Spinning Platters Interview: OJ Patterson on OJ Patterson

SF Sketchfest will soon breach our atmosphere: bending sky, burning oxygen and causing birds to scramble for safety. In one week it will land in the San Francisco Bay. A torrential wave will surge through the Financial District, down Mission St, and swallow Twin Peaks in salt water. At least, that’s how it’s going to feel when the biggest celebration of comedy’s many forms comes to town.

There’s always commensal collateral to the lights and glitz, big crowds and big parties. The air feels different, the gravity heavier, especially for a few locals rocking the coveted “Artist” lanyard. Some are turning their hard work, talent, or streetwise into a high profile credit. Some are the new flavor, showcased as the emergent outliers. Some are “over it”, half distracted by growth, having fun before moving on. Some are returning with the Bay in their heart and another city on their mailing address. Some are debuting, honored and humbled, finally on the inside looking… around. Like me. After years of reporting, volunteering, (pining), I’m performing for my first SF Sketchfest @ Lost Weekend Video on 1/31. Spinning Platters’ top brass (a/k/a Dakin) requested an interview… from me, about me. Double the work, way less validation but I shall oblige on weirdness alone. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Interview: OJ Patterson on OJ Patterson”

Show Review: Howie Day with Tyler Hilton and Anna Rose at Yoshi’s Oakland, 12/10/2013

Howie Day is nothing if not entertaining.

Tyler Hilton rarely gets himself to Northern California. I know, because every time he does, I’m there with bells on. I first met Tyler nearly a decade ago, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, of all places. Some friends and I had driven (!!) from LA to see a band we love play their hometown for back-to-back nights, and the night before the first show, Hilton (and touring buddy Curtis Peoples) was playing the little coffee shop venue next door. The poster showed a handsome guy who resembled Elvis, but sneaking in to check him out would mean losing our spot in line. Instead, we chatted the boys up when they arrived for soundcheck, and after their set, they came out with their guitars to play us a song or two. Nine years later, Curt and I are still friends, and I still have a crush on Tyler Hilton, owing in equal parts to his wonderful, raspy voice, and yes, his good looks. He never remembers me, but that’s okay: as long as I can hear him sing once in a while, I don’t need much more than that. So add him to a bill with singer/songwriter Howie Day (whose huge 2004 hit “Collide” has been an earworm for just about everyone on the planet at one time or another) and NYC’s Anna Rose,and I wouldn’t miss it. Early this week (Tuesday at Yoshi’s in Oakland), that’s exactly what I schlepped out to the East Bay to see. Continue reading “Show Review: Howie Day with Tyler Hilton and Anna Rose at Yoshi’s Oakland, 12/10/2013”

Show Review: Macy Gray at Yoshi’s Oakland, 10/25/2013

If you ask me, Macy Gray’s career was ahead of its time. Fourteen years ago, On How Life Is came out, and all I’ve known about it in the time since is 1) that while I was beyond tired of hearing radio-saturated “I Try,” it was a great song, 2) Macy has an amazing, interesting, soulful voice, and 3) that the critics loved her. When I saw that she had a show scheduled in the Bay Area, at a favorite tiny venue (Yoshi’s Oakland, last Friday night), I decided it was high time I gave her my full attention. Continue reading “Show Review: Macy Gray at Yoshi’s Oakland, 10/25/2013”

Show Review: Color Me Badd at Yoshi’s Oakland, 9/20/2013

Color Me Badd "2.0" - Corey Cross, Kevin Thornton & Mark Calderon — Color Me Badd “2.0” (L to R: Corey Cross, Kevin Thornton & Mark Calderon)

Remember Color Me Badd? They were on an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 (helping the cast teach viewers Stalker 101, as I recall), and had a handful of hits like “I Adore Mi Amor,” “All 4 Love,” and the delicious earworm that was “I Wanna Sex You Up.” Who could resist a chance to see them back together again, right here in our glorious Bay Area? Not me! I’m not usually one to pass up such opportunities for fun nights out. (Truth: I’ve never gotten over my jealousy of editor Gordon’s experience at Bel Biv Devoe several years ago. I knew this might be my turn for such a show.) So when Friday rolled around, I roped in a girlfriend & made plans to head to Yoshi’s Oakland for a night of good times with tunes I haven’t heard in ages, but couldn’t wait to hear live!

Before I could leave the house, however, a strange turn of events quickly dashed my high hopes for the evening… Continue reading “Show Review: Color Me Badd at Yoshi’s Oakland, 9/20/2013”

Local Spin: Interview with Eli Conley

Eli Conley suggests I order the breakfast burrito. With a wide grin, he tells me that it’s a great vegan dish. The Virginia native, now an East Bay resident, has a lot to smile about. He’s finished his first full-length album, At the Seams, to be released on September 28th. He’s setting west coast tour dates for the fall and lovin’ life at the moment. At our small table at Herbivore, I could easily tell that Eli, the queer folk singer-songwriter with a powerful passion for music and an equally powerful voice, was anxious to unleash his music unto the world…

Your album, At the Seams, is done and about to be released. How do you feel?

I’m super excited. I actually got the physical CDs two months ago. I know many musicians who had to rush at the end, not having time to master it or not having them in time for a CD release show. So I’m like, ok, I’m recording in April and I should have them in hand by June so I have time to send them out to press. Then I was thinking when to release it in September, and just figured ‘why not just do it on my birthday!?’

Continue reading “Local Spin: Interview with Eli Conley”

Show Review: Javelin and Jamaican Queens at The New Parish, 5/5/2013

Lazy Sunday haze seeped through circumvallate pane. Showtime seemed everything but. Javelin and Jamaican Queens were scheduled to perform at eight. New Parish’s hallowed walls ached, hollered for bodies to enter its hollow hall. As the magic hour eclipsed, the static domain was a far cry from the neighboring Fox Theater, teeming with tacky teens. By 8:26, the promise of a show remained questionable as sparkling funsters trickled into the openness.

Nine — in a resounding, defiant, Deutschy “no” — finally bore revelry en masse.
Continue reading “Show Review: Javelin and Jamaican Queens at The New Parish, 5/5/2013”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 4/11/13-4/17/13

FEAR THE BEARD — Where have you gone, (baseball’s) Brian Wilson? You weren’t there for the San Francisco Giants’ 2012 ring ceremony.

Concerts! Shows! Performances! And this week in the Bay Area, they’re extra-beardy!

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 4/11/13-4/17/13”

Midnight Music Movies at The New Parkway: Hedwig and the Angry Inch

hedwig-and-the-angry-inch

For our second month of Spinning Platters’ Midnight Music Movies we are presenting the fabulous Hedwig and the Angry Inch at The New Parkway in Oakland. When compiling our list of music movies Hedwig flew to the top of my list. Not only is it full of amazing music but the humor, camp and punk-ness was just made to play at midnight. Hopefully you already want to buy your tickets, but if you aren’t sure give me five minutes to convince you. Continue reading “Midnight Music Movies at The New Parkway: Hedwig and the Angry Inch”

Album Review: The Hot Toddies – Bottoms Up EP

Bottoms Up

In a previous life I was a KSCU DJ, and we’d received an advance of this EP, which had three of the five tracks. So the good news is I really know some of these songs. The bad news is that it still isn’t a full-length.

For those of you just joining us, the Hot Toddies are an Oakland band that continues the Bay Area’s history of girl group garage indie rock. I’ve been fortunate to see bands such as the Kirby Grips, Minipop, Brilliant Colors, She Mob, Run for Cover Lovers, the Reaction, Apogee Sound Club, Persephone’s Bees, … I’m just showing off now. That’s what people in their 30s do when speaking to people in their 20s. If I’m going to be older than you, I might as well be pretentious about it. Continue reading “Album Review: The Hot Toddies — Bottoms Up EP”