The Chapel – Page 2 – Spinning Platters

Spinning Platters Interview: Charlotte Cooper of The Subways

“I think people still are crazy. I think definitely older. I’d say we’ve kept fans from the first record and they’ve grown up with us.”

Over a decade ago, British garage-rockers The Subways burst onto the US music scene with their 2005 hit “Rock & Roll Queen”, and followed it with a set of tours across the States, along with television appearances and an appearance at Lollapalooza. Despite the continued force with which the band kept moving in the years that followed, it took another 10 years before The Subways would come to the US again for another tour, hot on the heels of their self-titled fourth record that was released in 2015. We caught up with singer/bassist Charlotte Cooper to see what’s been happening with the band in the long time that they’ve spent away from this continent.

(Also: don’t miss The Subways’ upcoming show at The Chapel in SF on April 30th!)

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Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts: 10/9/15-10/14/15

While Leif and his posse may not have actually worn 'em, they are fun to wear. — While Leif and his posse may not have actually worn ’em, they are fun to wear.

Do you know what today is? It is Leif Erickson Day here in the USA. Let us celebrate explorers as well as arbitrarily-horned helmets.

Also, the Litquake festival begins in San Francisco! A solid day for a book about explorers.

After that’s done with, let’s look at the concerts coming up this week in the Bay Area. Skol, let’s preview! Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts: 10/9/15-10/14/15”

Interview with the Handsome Family’s Rennie Sparks

Husband-and-wife duo, Brett and Rennie Sparks, the core of goth Americana outfit the Handsome Family, have been releasing albums for the past twenty years. Their unique, eccentric tales of ghosts and folklore deftly weave through dark, highly unpredictable ballads. This fierce dedication to constantly challenging the listener has earned them a slow-and-steady cult following. However, they didn’t receive mainstream recognition until the track “Far From Any Road,” from their 2003 release Singing Bones, was commissioned as the main theme song for HBO’s hit crime drama, True Detective.

The Handsome Family has been touring extensively in support of their latest release, Wilderness, these past few months, and while I missed the opportunity to meet them in person, at San Francisco’s The Chapel, Rennie was nice enough to answer a few of my questions virtually.

Here are her thoughts on modern music distribution, why crowdfunding is wrong, and where she and her husband want to settle next.

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10 Quick Questions with Polaris

Polaris was a fake band that comprised of real musicians in the 90’s kids show, The Adventures Of Pete & Pete. Now, 19 years after the show’s cancellation, we have the first vinyl pressing of the shows’ soundtrack, and they are also doing their first full scale US tour! They will be coming to The Chapel on April 24th. Tickets are available here!

We had a chance to ask 10 questions to Muggy Polaris (Mark Mulcahy), Harris Polaris (Scott Boutier), and Jersey Polaris (Dave McCaffrey). Here’s what these guys had to say!

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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.

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Win Tickets To See Michael Ian Black at The Chapel on Sunday, June 8th

Groundbreaking comedian Michael Ian Black is coming to The Chapel on Sunday, June 8th for a wonderful evening of slightly surreal stand up. Wonder why this face looks so familiar? Well, he started out as a member of MTV’s The State, one of the greatest shows in television history. (Don’t agree with me? It’s ok to be wrong.) In the 20 years since this program blew our minds, Black has been on a series of programs including Stella, Viva Variety, Ed, VH1’s Best Week Ever, and most recently, Trust Me, I’m A Game Show Host. He also has a fabulous podcast called Topics that I highly recommend you start downloading.

We have a pair of tickets to give away to his gig at The Chapel to one lucky Spinning Platters reader. You’ve got to be over 18 to enter, and all entries must be received by Friday, June 6th at noon. We will be informing the winner via email. Simply use this form to enter! And if you don’t believe in chance, you can buy tickets here!

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 8/15/13-8/21/13

JUST THINKING OF JOHN, JACKIE. JUST THINKIN' OF JOHN. — The power of Jackie will present itself at full power this Saturday at the Hemlock Tavern.

Recovering from Outside Lands has been, well, tough this year. However, much like a hangover, you really just need a little more music the next morning to feel normal again.

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