As much as I’ve LOVED Hinds since they were called Deers, I feel like I’ve lost track of them. I missed their 2020 release, The Prettiest Curse, and haven’t seen them live since their 2016 appearance at the penultimate Treasure Island Music Festival. I kinda forgot about them, but their infectious single, “Boom Boom Back,” came up as a suggestion by the algorithm, and it hooked me in. Viva Hinds, their 4th full-length album (and first as a duo), is their most accessible record, and it’s fantastic. I made sure to clear my schedule to see them make their triumphant return to the USA. Continue reading “Show Review: Hinds, The Happy Return at The Chapel, 10/15/24”
Tag: The Chapel
Show Review: Wand at The Chapel, 9/14/24: A Vertigo-Induced Spell
As someone who prides themselves on devouring the fringes of music—everything from experimental jazz to art-house drone— Wand’s performance at The Chapel on Sept. 14, 2024, felt like falling into a chasm of sound I didn’t know I needed. Wand, a band that had always flown under my radar, shattered my expectations in a way that only those once-in-a-lifetime musical experiences can. My gateway into their world was Vertigo, their stunning 2024 album. I dove deep into that record, immersing myself in it for weeks before the show. Given the intensity and cohesion of Vertigo, I was excited to hear the band tour the album in its entirety, expecting the live performance to reflect the hypnotic, seamless flow of the record.
Continue reading “Show Review: Wand at The Chapel, 9/14/24: A Vertigo-Induced Spell”
SF Sketchfest Interview: Marc Capelle of Red Room Orchestra
Red Room Orchestra has become a bit of an SF Sketchfest staple. They first graced our presence with a tribute to the music from Twin Peaks, and have, in the years since, brought to life the songs and scores from Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Big Lebowski, and Boogie Nights. This year they are returning with Twin Peaks in homage to its late composer Angelo Badalamenti and late vocalist Julee Cruise, playing Great American Music Hall on Thursday, February 2nd. The next night they are doing the music from Repo Man, and those tickets can be purchased here.
We had the opportunity to talk to Red Room Orchestra’s founder and band leader Marc Capelle about his career, the inception of Red Room Orchestra, and a lot about how they function.
Spinning Platters: What was the musical experience that made you decide that this was your career? Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Interview: Marc Capelle of Red Room Orchestra”
Show Review: Bleached with Thank You Come Again and DJ Omar at The Chapel, 11/15/22
I love seeing a band “off cycle” or when they don’t have anything specific to promote. They are loose. They don’t have to focus on promoting anything. It’s when a band gets to simply be themselves on stage. I’ve probably seen Bleached more than almost any other band at this point (not to dismiss their recent Single Of The Week, of course), but this may be the first time I’ve seen them like this. Continue reading “Show Review: Bleached with Thank You Come Again and DJ Omar at The Chapel, 11/15/22”
Single Of The Week: “Flip It” by Bleached
I am ALWAYS ready for a new Bleached track. This one is a big, classic power-pop number. Heavy in the riffage, and colors of Bangles-esque minor key harmonies… A catchy, optimistic number from a band from Jennifer Clavin, a songwriter that, somehow, always knows exactly what I need right when I need it.
You can buy/stream “Flip It” in all the usual places. Bleached are also playing a handful of dates this November, including a 5th Anniversary show for the Lodge Room in LA on November 9th and a 10th Anniversary show for The Chapel on November 15th. They put on a fantastic show. So get your Omicron booster and party with us!
Show Review: 50 Years of The Residents, Castro Theatre, 09/17/2021
Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ARPhotoSF
In mid-July, legendary art-rockers The Residents announced the “Dog Stab!” tour, a 22-date run around the US to commemorate the 50th anniversary of their first live performance (in 1971!). A month later, they cancelled all except for three California shows in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Santa Cruz “due to continued concerns about the spread of Covid-19 cases from the Delta variant”. The show in San Francisco also served as the reopening of the historic Castro Theatre, which has been closed since March 2020, and Spinning Platters was invited to attend!
Show Review: Thao Nguyen at The Chapel, 06/24/21
I’ve seen Thao perform in a lot of non-traditional spaces and situations. I’ve probably seen her perform more non-traditional sets than traditional sets at this point… I’ve seen her do a high concept stand-up and music variety show, I’ve seen her as the special guest of a fake talk show where Moby taught her how to play “Purple Rain,” I’ve seen her absolutely kill “Push It” by Salt-n-Pepa while being backed by Fred Armisen & Carrie Brownstein, and I’ve even seen her create a live score to a series of classic film shorts! And that’s just what I’ve written about… So it seems appropriate that Thao is my first “COVID-Safe” show.
Continue reading “Show Review: Thao Nguyen at The Chapel, 06/24/21”
Show Review: Fast Times: Holy Spirit, Sandy’s, French Cassettes at The Chapel, 9/14/19
Maybe I don’t get out enough. When I think multiple local bands on a single bill, I think of Noise Pop Fest, or maybe Phono Del Sol. Certainly something of a local festival flavor, or maybe a tiny bar. That’s why I was excited to hear about Andrew St James pulling together some friends and fellow local musicians at The Chapel for an event billed as FAST TIMES. Continue reading “Show Review: Fast Times: Holy Spirit, Sandy’s, French Cassettes at The Chapel, 9/14/19”
Show Review: OCS aka Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Shannon Lay at The Chapel, 12/18/17
John Dwyer & Ty Segall have been doing their holiday benefit for the SF Coalition on Homelessness for quite a few years now. They have been doing it for so many years that it’s become an established Bay Area Holiday Tradition. However, Thee Oh Sees and Ty both have played the Bay Area twice already this year, which, at first, made me question whether or not this was going to happen this year. Happily, the gigs still happened. And, instead of playing it straight, we got two very, very surprising sets by two of the most prolific acts in modern music. Continue reading “Show Review: OCS aka Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Shannon Lay at The Chapel, 12/18/17”
Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts: 2017-06-13 – 2017-06-18
Do you know what today is? It’s June 13, yes – and that means today is the anniversary of the day that Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition caught sight of the Great Falls of the Missouri River for the first time. Bet that made for a pretty good day.
Speaking of finding things, let’s talk about this week’s concerts. Here’s what we’ve got coming up this week in the Bay Area: low people, electric people, minimal people, and a trivia night hosted by the people in Spinning Platters. It’s looking pretty good out there!
So, let’s preview. Preview time. Preview time is go. Previews are starting now and we are going to start the previews now. Previews go!
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts: 2017-06-13 — 2017-06-18”