Show Review: An Evening with Steven Wilson at The Warfield, 6/14/2015

Steven Wilson
Steven Wilson

There’s never been any debate over the fact that English new-prog, Pink-Floyd-meets-metal band Porcupine Tree is Steven Wilson, in both part and in whole. While comprised of a core set of musicians that have contributed to the writing, recording, and touring of the many records forged over its career, Porcupine Tree started as a project for Wilson alone to craft music; in fact, at its very beginning, it was a made-up legendary rock band with its own fake history and discography that Wilson had penned with a colleague back in the late 1980s. Twenty years later, Wilson has put his primary project on a shelf (Porcupine Tree has been on hiatus since 2010) and shifted the attention to his own “solo work”. Lest the reader shy away from the often-wary prospect of a frontman deciding to carve out his own path, Wilson’s output has been nothing short of spectacular, now spanning the length of four albums which demonstrate a remarkable leap in creativity, songwriting, and production with each successive release. Hot off the heels of his recently-released Hand. Cannot. Erase., Wilson returned to the Bay Area on Sunday night for a live performance with his new touring band, and the result was a gorgeous, stunning display of musicianship and sonic texture that shook the walls of the Warfield for over two hours.

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Show Review: Two Nights with Faith No More at The Warfield, 4/19/15-4/20/15

Mike Patton of Faith No More
Mike Patton of Faith No More

In 2010, Faith No More returned to their hometown of San Francisco to play three ferocious, wildly-anticipated concerts that marked their first appearance in the Bay Area since their disbandment in the late 90s. The general reaction, from the most hardcore fans to the relatively casual listeners, was extremely positive, albeit with the lingering curiosity of “…but what’s next?” After a handful of tours, a smattering of festival appearances, and two years of almost total silence — during which the prolific band members worked on some of their other projects, as well — something more official surfaced in the latter half of 2014, in the form of two new songs: the slow-stalking “Motherfucker” and the chugging, anthemic “Superhero”, both of which showed up in their live sets that year. Now, with their seventh album Sol Invictus soon to arrive in record stores, and a mountain of tour dates taking up their schedule this year (paired with everyone from ANTEMASQUE to Refused), it seemed like the perfect time for Faith No More to return to the Warfield — this time with two shows, instead of three — and their transformation in the last five years is not only palpable, but an utter delight to witness.

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Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts: 4/10/15-4/15/15

The ruins of San Francisco's City Hall after the 1906 earthquake.
Tonight in Oakland, the earth will shake, the sky will burn, and San Francisco will be brought to the ground.

Here’s what’s coming up this week: monsters, bears, and Bruce Hornsby. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts: 4/10/15-4/15/15”

Photo Set: Jacco Gardner and Ultimate Painting at The Chapel

“If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.” The song that helped launch the infamous Monterey International Pop Music Festival in the ’60s could easily be applied to the crowded show room floor at the Chapel. San Franciscans tend to bemoan bygone eras without realizing that certain acts and underground movements resurrect nostalgia and put their own unique, contemporary twist on it all the time. You just have to know where to find it.

Men with long hair and longer beards accompanied women donning floral wreaths in their tousled hair as they swayed to the psychedelic rock brought by Ultimate Painting and finally, Dutchman Jacco Gardner. The latter, a multi-instrumentalist came on with his backing band at quarter after 11:00 pm and performed most of the hits from his 2013 full-length Cabinet of Curiosities. A soundtrack fit for a Wes Anderson film (meant as the highest compliment), it captivated the audience. “This is the fourth time we’ve been to the Chapel,” Gardner lamented. Certainly, he knows where his fans are located.

Here are some photos of the performance. Enjoy and check out Ultimate Painting and Jacco Gardner if you haven’t yet. Chances are, they’ll be back soon enough.

A multi-instrumentalist, Jacco Gardner was constantly rotating between guitar, keyboards, and even tambourines between songs.
A multi-instrumentalist, Jacco Gardner was constantly rotating between guitar, keyboards, and even tambourines between songs.

Continue reading “Photo Set: Jacco Gardner and Ultimate Painting at The Chapel”

Sketchfest Review: Benson Movie Interruption: Twilight – Breaking Dawn Pt. 1, 2/8/15

I'm gonna miss these.  Fifty Shades next, mayhaps?
I’m gonna miss these. Fifty Shades next, mayhaps?

Would you judge me if I admit that I look forward to The Doug Benson Movie Interruption every year, because the only thing better than trash-talking your way through terrible movies is hearing some fantastically funny comedians do it for you? I admit, I always want a microphone, and maybe someday they’ll give me one, but until then, I amuse myself by typing the occasional wit into my notes so I can feel as if I’m participating silently. This was the case last Saturday afternoon as I witnessed what turned out to (accidentally) be the last of my coverage of Doug Benson‘s Sketchfest coverage of the terrifically terrible Twilight Saga at the Castro Theatre. Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: Benson Movie Interruption: Twilight — Breaking Dawn Pt. 1, 2/8/15”

Sketchfest Review: The Thrilling Adventure Hour, 2/8/15

Thrilling Adventure Hour lives up to its name, yet again.
Thrilling Adventure Hour lives up to its name, yet again.

One of the best things about SF Sketchfest every year is getting to watch all the fantastic talent of The Thrilling Adventure Hour. For any unfamiliar with this show, it’s a live, staged version of an old time radio show, and it’s never failed to entertain me for all the years I’ve been there to witness it. Thankfully, this year proved to be far less hectic than last year’s performance, for me at least. Last weekend (Saturday, to be exact), thanks to an earlier show, I was already in the city and had no trouble getting to Brava Theater Center with plenty of time before the lights dimmed. Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: The Thrilling Adventure Hour, 2/8/15”

Sketchfest Review: Iron Comic with Nato Green and Moshe Kasher at Cobb’s Comedy Club, 2/8/15

Iron_Comic_289x300

The last night of SF Sketchfest is so bittersweet. This year I attended 9 shows in three weeks and they were all great, but a girl with a day job can get quite tired. But I powered through, hurrying from one event to another to end my Sketchfest experience with an excellent stand up show thanks to Iron Comic. This is my third time watching this show, and this year was the most enticing with some of my favorite comedians competing:  Eddie Pepitone, Todd Barry, Emily Heller, Rory Scovel and Chris Garcia. It was going to be quite a competition. Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: Iron Comic with Nato Green and Moshe Kasher at Cobb’s Comedy Club, 2/8/15”

Show Review: Knife Party at Mezzanine, 01/28/2015

KnifeParty_RukesPhoto2014

I’m going to be completely honest. I was worried that the crowd at this Knife Party show would kill my opinion of the show itself. I was worried that I would run into a Coachella-Lite type of experience, and I’d be dealing with neon day-glo tank top wearing bros who only came to rage out. I have never been so happy to have my expectations proven wrong. Continue reading “Show Review: Knife Party at Mezzanine, 01/28/2015”

Sketchfest Review: An Afternoon with Animaniacs at Marines Memorial Theater, 1/25/15

The Animaniacs, Yakko, Wakko and Dot
The Animaniacs, Yakko, Wakko and Dot

Sometimes these reviews just flow out of my fingers like some kind of magic, and sometimes writing them is like pulling teeth, a sentence here, a sentence there, delete, delete, delete, and try again. For some reason, the most painful ones to write are almost always the best shows to watch. That couldn’t be more true than for this one. An Afternoon with Animaniacs was so good I have been staring at sentences I hate for days, unable to move forward. How do you put an experience like this in words? How do you explain the transcendent feeling I felt watching these amazing performers not only show off their talent, but to doing it with such joy? I’ve never seen anything like it. Voice actors really are a special breed, something much purer and glowing than the comedian or actor I normally watch at Sketchfest. Maybe what I really want to say is sorry if you weren’t at Marines Memorial Theater Sunday afternoon. Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: An Afternoon with Animaniacs at Marines Memorial Theater, 1/25/15”

Sketchfest Review: StarTalk Live with Bill Nye the Science Guy, Dr. Yvonne Pendleton, Scott Hubbard, Eugene Mirman, and H. Jon Benjamin

StarTalk Live: Eugene Mirman, H. Jon Benjamin, Bill Nye, Dr. Yvonne Pendleton, and Prof. Scott Hubbard (Photo by Jakub Mosur)
StarTalk Live: Eugene Mirman, H. Jon Benjamin, Bill Nye, Dr. Yvonne Pendleton, and Prof. Scott Hubbard (Photo by Jakub Mosur)

Bill Nye, still affectionately titled “The Science Guy” as per his original sketch comedy persona, is one of the most striking examples of a forward-thinking force in modern media. Through a combination of his legacy television influence, his continuing meld of icebreaking comedy and scientific education, and a remarkably popular social media presence, he continues to make knowledge and the desire to learn a positive, enjoyable, and overall uplifting experience. As a piece of glue that can hold the worlds of science and humor together, he’s perfected his craft, and it’s a true treat to watch him work, as well as to pose inquiries to him that get his mind in gear and firing back with equally insightful and thought-provoking questions as a response. Taking a leaf out of the book of colleague scientist Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Bill has returned to Sketchfest for the second year with a live ensemble for StarTalk Radio — along with StarTalk cohost Eugene Mirman — and, to balance out the vast knowledge base of aeronautics/astronautics professor Scott Hubbard and renowned NASA Ames astrophysicist Dr. Yvonne Pendleton, the pair enlisted H. Jon Benjamin for a side-splitting fusillade of comedic jabs and snarky remarks. The full ensemble made for a delightfully entertaining night at the Nourse Theater, and left the crowd sore from laughing and glowing with renewed faith in the world of science.

Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: StarTalk Live with Bill Nye the Science Guy, Dr. Yvonne Pendleton, Scott Hubbard, Eugene Mirman, and H. Jon Benjamin”