San Francisco – Page 31 – Spinning Platters

Show Review: Uh Huh Her at Great American Music Hall, 3/29/2011

Uh Huh Her playing at Toronto Pride in 2008. Photo by Jenny Rotten.

Uh Huh Her, a.k.a. Camila Grey (formerly of Mellowdrone) and immortal lesbian crush-girl Leisha Hailey (of The Murmurs and The L Word), are on a small club tour testing new material from their upcoming sophomore LP. Last night they introduced some new jams, as well as fan favorites from their 2008 debut album, Common Reaction, to a small but devoted crowd at Great American Music Hall. Did the audience respond favorably to the new tracks? Could anyone hear the new tracks over the incessant shrieks of Ms. Hailey’s name? Did she finally admit to killing Jenny? Look after the jump to find out.

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Show Review: Jay Nash with Joey Ryan & Kenneth Pattengale at Cafe du Nord, 3/27/2011

The last time I saw Jay Nash live was August of 2009. Truth be told, I was there to see Tony Lucca, and I’d never heard of Jay Nash (or Matt Duke) before! Fast forward to going on two years later, and I’m hooked on this guy’s voice. Since then, the trio has formed the occasional band TFDI, released an EP, and as yet evaded the Bay Area (as a band, anyway). So as you might imagine, I wasn’t going to let a little rain stop me from getting to the Cafe du Nord to see Jay on Sunday night, even if he was without his cohorts! Lucky for me, opening act Milk Carton Kids helped to fill any imaginary void. Continue reading “Show Review: Jay Nash with Joey Ryan & Kenneth Pattengale at Cafe du Nord, 3/27/2011”

Show Review: Revolver with Hey Rosetta! and 7 Orange ABC at Rickshaw Stop, 3/11/11

RevolverReviewHeader — Revolver giving us their sweet harmonies

Sometimes I like to know as little as possible when I go to shows, all I need is a recommendation from a friend of good taste and I’m off! Seeing a great show from a band you know is fun, but even better is seeing a band you know nothing about and being blown away. This show was one of those.

Show Review: Datarock with Dirty Ghosts and Baertur at Bottom Of The Hill, 3/10/2011

All the way from Norway - just to play for you

One constant source of confusion at concerts is what one should be doing as an idle member of the audience. For certain shows, there exists a code of conduct exclusively based on the genre of music, with little room for deviation: headbanging in heavy metal mosh pits, dancing at hip-hop concerts, and standing awkwardly with arms crossed and a faint look of aloof interest, if one is attending an indie-rock show. Dance-rock shows are, therefore, perplexing to the crowd that cannot decide whether it should be dancing, rocking out, or somehow doing both. At a Datarock show, this confusion is overturned in the form of one simple rule: follow the band onstage, listen to what they say, and remain airborne for the duration of the performance.

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Show Review: The Dillinger Escape Plan in Yerba Buena Gardens at GDC, 3/2/2011

Original Dillinger member Ben Weinman exhorts the crowd onward. Guitar above head in the middle of a song? Yes.

“Sometimes words just can’t express exactly how we feel. The deep complexity of our emotions is something I’ve always felt was better conveyed in song. Sometimes we are put into a situation that we don’t always know how to deal with quite right. Here’s my attempt at letting you know how I feel. All I can offer is my deepest thanks to everyone who sent a card, everyone who wrote about the situation in a zine, did a show, donated money at a show, or offered their sympathy to what amounts to be a stranger. You always put a smile on this cynical asshole’s face and helped me get through the hardest year of my life. I hope I’ll be seeing all of you soon.”

– From the liner notes of the Dillinger Escape Plan’s album Calculating Infinity by former bassist Adam Doll.

As Doll said, some emotions can’t be summed up neat and tidy through words. Sometimes what we feel can only be expressed through sound.

This is where the Dillinger Escape Plan excels. Continue reading “Show Review: The Dillinger Escape Plan in Yerba Buena Gardens at GDC, 3/2/2011”

Show Review: Morcheeba at The Warfield, 3/5/11

About thirteen years ago, while waiting first in line to get in to a Portishead show at the very same venue, a girl gave me a promo cassingle, yes, a cassingle, of “The Sea.” Some months later, I found myself at the The Fillmore, having one of the best times, seeing Morcheeba having one of the best times, performing that night. It was during the height of their most treasure release Big Calm, and the at the peak of their buzz. They shared a ridiculous amount of energy on stage, and that spark reflected mutually with the audience. I can’t remember one person who wasn’t dancing that night. Most often it’s very difficult for trip-hop bands to translate their sound in a full, warm, and lush manner, but somehow the simplicity of the music and the wizardry of the Godfrey brothers set them apart. Continue reading “Show Review: Morcheeba at The Warfield, 3/5/11”

Noise Pop Show Review: Ben Gibbard at Great American Music Hall, 2/27/11

Ben Gibbard is called out by Bob Mould at Noise Pop

Closing the Noise Pop festival with solo acoustic shows from Ben Gibbard and Zach Rogue was the right choice. People flew in from Europe, skipped the Oscars, even skipped church for an a relaxing evening at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall. The young crowd was a mix of experienced Noise Pop festival attendees and those that made last night’s show their select choice. Continue reading “Noise Pop Show Review: Ben Gibbard at Great American Music Hall, 2/27/11”

Noise Pop Show Review: No Age, Grass Widow, Rank/Xerox and Crazy Band at Rickshaw Stop, 2/26/11

I want it to be understood that I’m fucking sick of irony…and I’m not being ironic here either. Continue reading “Noise Pop Show Review: No Age, Grass Widow, Rank/Xerox and Crazy Band at Rickshaw Stop, 2/26/11”

Noise Pop Show Review: Peanut Butter Wolf, Dam Funk, Guillermo and Hakobo at Public Works, 2/26/11

Tables — The balconies at Public Works allow for this kind of educational view of the DJs at work

Do you remember when Hip-Hop was good and everything that came out was, well fresh? I’m talking about the days of Tribe Called Quest, Pharcyde, Freestyle Fellowship, Nas, DJ Shadow, The Roots, Paris, KRS- One, The Fugees, DJ Greyboy… I do, that’s when I fell in love with it. Before shorties having birthdays, and milkshakes in the yard. When grillz donned by Method Man were being sold on the back page of The Source and before the term ‘bling’ was added to the dictionary. I am ready for this goodness of Hip-Hop to return. Continue reading “Noise Pop Show Review: Peanut Butter Wolf, Dam Funk, Guillermo and Hakobo at Public Works, 2/26/11”

Noise Pop 2011 — My Notes and Ramblings

koala 11 — Kid Koala capped off my Friday evening, and I wasn't drunk. He really was wearing a koala suit. (Kid Koala action photos by David Price.)

What you might be thinking is, “why does he get to write all of his Noise Pop comments in one post when everyone else did full reviews of each night they went?” From an excuse standpoint, I’ll just say that I’ve been so busy editing posts, resizing & captioning photos, and redesigning the website, I decided to give myself a little slack. (Editor’s privilege?) But really, this all started because of Wednesday night.

Continue reading “Noise Pop 2011 — My Notes and Ramblings”