set list – Page 8 – Spinning Platters

Show Review: Jane’s Addiction with thenewno2 at The Warfield, 10/18/2012

It’s extremely unusual, in the modern live music scene, to see long-time-famous rock acts who are NOT following the popular gimmick of playing one of their classic albums from start to finish. It’s a strange phenomenon to think about, because for many of these bands, such a concept would have seemed bizarre back in their original heyday; part of the intrigue of a live show comes from wondering whether the band onstage will play your favorite song, resurrect an unusual B-side from another time, follow the rhythm of playing popular pieces only, or even take requests from the audience. The unpredictability of the set adds excitement, especially when the show itself is also highly theatrical in nature, with custom-made stages and an ensemble of backing performers who dance, leap, and move in an acrobatic fashion, rather than simply add sonic accompaniment to the musicians before them. The Los Angeles alternative rock masters known as Jane’s Addiction carry these factors into their concerts in spades, bringing a brightly-lit and ever-shifting spectacle to their performance, and with a set that spans all 25 years of the band’s work.

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Show Review: David Byrne & St. Vincent at the Orpheum Theatre, 10/15/2012

David Byrne, St. Vincent, and accompaniment

The term “supergroup” is often used to refer to a set of musicians who are best known in association with their respective bands — musicians who haven’t necessarily operated as solitary acts in their own right, and are culled together to see what their individual untapped energies will create when synthesized. By contrast, when speaking of a pair of artists that write and perform together, each possessing their own prolific solo careers, the relationship is usually defined — accurately, but less overtly bombastically — as a “collaboration” between them. It should be preemptively stated, therefore, that the “collaboration” between David Byrne, former founder and frontman of world-famous new-wave-art-rockers Talking Heads, and Annie Clark, better known as the gorgeously cacophonous St. Vincent, possesses all of the grandeur and might that the term “supergroup” conjures the image of. Backed by a seven-piece horn section, sampling engineer, and percussionist, Byrne and Clark have birthed one of the most unusual but compelling albums of 2012, a 45-minute opus titled Love This Giant, and the Orpheum Theatre, best known as a host of many musicals and plays from all eras and countries, offered its stage to the pair for the San Francisco stop on their tour.

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Show Review: Deftones with Scars On Broadway at The Warfield, 10/10/2012

The late 90s and early 2000s were an interesting time for popular metal music, when an often-bemoaned genre known as “nü-metal” clawed its way into existence, its rap-infused tendrils hot on the heels of bands like Rage Against The Machine and Faith No More, with its core still deeply rooted in groove-filled pop sensibilities that made it edgily acceptable to throw onto the radio. As the scene began dying out with the advent of metalcore and the New Wave of American Heavy Metal, groups that were still passionate about performing fought desperately to stay relevant, deigning their sound by bringing new elements into it that clashed with the original tunes that made them famous. It can be argued forever, of course, which bands did this as an attempt at creativity, and which bands did it as an attempt to appeal to more fans and listeners. The Sacramento quintet known as Deftones, however, have stood the test of time through this transition, and despite the definite traces of nü-metal within their sound, their desire to experiment and push boundaries has always remained constant.

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Show Review: Nightwish with Kamelot at The Warfield, 10/3/2012

One of the most difficult challenges that can face a band is the task of replacing their lead singer, since they are often one of the most important elements of the band’s sound, as well as one of the most recognizable faces in the group. When said band performs a genre of music as complex as symphonic heavy metal, that task becomes even more Herculean, especially when said vocalist possesses an incredible range, classical training, and a truly operatic quality to their voice — and such was the case in 2005, when Finnish band Nightwish were searching for someone to fill the shoes of signature siren Tarja Turunen. Two years later, soubrette soprano Anette Olzon took up the reigns, and remained with the quartet for half a decade. Halfway through their fall 2012 tour, however, a sudden hospitalization was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back for Olzon’s position with Nightwish, and former After Forever vocalist Floor Jansen was summoned with barely a moment’s notice to spare. What the band may have planned after their Imaginaerum tour is still unknown, but Jansen has risen magnificently to the challenge before her, and if the band’s performance at the Warfield was any indication, she may remain with the group for a long time yet.

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Show Review: Blood Red Shoes with STARSKATE and Happy Fangs at Rickshaw Stop, 10/1/2012

Perhaps due to the myriad of musical selections these days, there’s chance you haven’t heard of them, but young English rock duo, Blood Red Shoes, are on a mission to change that. Leaving their familiar Europe, they arrive almost two years to the day they first played the States, bringing their simplistic but powerful set to entice those who don’t know and incite those that do. In an area chock full of both local and visiting fresh talent, how would these Brighton, UK natives fare?

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Show Review: Stevie Jackson, The Softies, Kim Baxter, Allen Clapp and Kurt Heasley at Rickshaw Stop, 9/22/2012

Chickfactor turned 20 this year, and several shows in California and London have been set up to commemorate 10 years each as a printed magazine and a webzine. This is the Chickfactor that Belle and Sebastian wrote the song about, so it is only fair that member Stevie Jackson headlined a show at the Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco. Continue reading “Show Review: Stevie Jackson, The Softies, Kim Baxter, Allen Clapp and Kurt Heasley at Rickshaw Stop, 9/22/2012”

Show Review: Desaparecidos with The Velvet Teen at Bottom of the Hill, 8/28/12

Waiting in line for the doors to open at Bottom of the Hill last night I knew it would be a nostalgic evening. Ten years ago I came to the same place, early and excited, to find a printed paper sign saying that Desaparacidos would not be performing, that instead Conor Oberst would be performing a solo acoustic show. That show was great, though it was hindered by the fact that Conor Oberst had played the same show as Bright Eyes earlier that year at Great American Music Hall and that anyone going to see Desaparecidos at Bottom of the Hill should have been expecting a night of feverish music and aggression not intense sadness and introspection. As I walked inside I just hoped my dreams of ten years ago would not be destroyed. Continue reading “Show Review: Desaparecidos with The Velvet Teen at Bottom of the Hill, 8/28/12”

Show Review: Jay Brannan at Great American Music Hall 8/4/12

JB1 — Jay Brannan’s stories are so good, he even makes himself laugh

Leaving the Great American Music Hall Saturday night, sure we talked about the great show and how opener Chris Pureka was a perfect fit, but mostly we talked about how Jay Brannan should be a superstar. His personality beams charm at you from the stage and his voice is clear tenor perfection that emotes every single word, so much so that it can almost break your heart. So why isn’t he super famous? Continue reading “Show Review: Jay Brannan at Great American Music Hall 8/4/12”

Show Review: Howard Jones at The Mezzanine, 7/12/2012

Nostalgia about the ’80s is a weird thing. For some reason, the “kids” of today will talk endlessly about going to see Modern English at Cafe Du Nord, hoping they’ll play both “I Melt With You” and “I Melt With You ’88.” They’ll go see endless cover bands of their new wave heroes. But the modern story of this decade always seems to forget one of the singular songwriting talents, someone with several hits up his sleeves, someone whose “one person and a synthesizer” sound was once revolutionary and is now common. That someone is Howard Jones.
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Show Review: Marina & The Diamonds with MS MR at The Fillmore, 7/11/12

Marina-Diamonds-pkp- — All photos by the legendary Paige Parsons

Marina & The Diamonds were supposed to play The Fillmore a year and a half ago. She canceled the show in order to record her new record. I had purchased tickets, and I will admit to being a little bummed about this at the time. But, alas, I let it go. The wait seemed to be a good thing for her, because when she finally rebooked, the show sold out rather quickly. I guess it’s the whole story of “If you love something, set it free, and if it comes back, it’s yours forever.” Because this crowd defintely seemed more in love with Marina than they would have a year and a half ago.

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