Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
Star Wars! Star Wars! Star Wars! Star Wars! Can you believe it? It’s difficult to believe! But it’s here! This week! B… [cough]… it’s… it’s been… a long time since it was possible to look forward to a Star Wars anything. It’s here! Extraordinary feelings.
Now, let’s talk about what’s coming up this week. Let’s preview. Hyperdrive go! Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts: 12/18/15-12/24/15”
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”
Yes. You read that right. At approximately 4:30 PM on the 11th of November, Garth Brooks tweets this: “SURPRISE! Meet me @IndySF at 5:30 pm for a free #ManAgainstMachine listening party (Yes, really!) -love, g”. It’s one of his very first tweets. I also had no idea what this really means. I mean, he’s one of the biggest stars in the history of popular music. When he tours, he does residencies at arenas. Even if it’s really just him sitting on a stool playing a CD of new songs, this is huge.
So I abruptly left work.
Continue reading “Show Review: Garth Brooks at The Independent, 11/11/14”
It was a dark and stormy night. At a Bay Area venue, thousands of brightly colored hair adults descended in the night lighting the way with their dollar store glow sticks. This was not that place. Outside The Independent, rain did nothing to make the mood soggy. Instead, people were willfully lining up along Divisadero Street eagerly waiting to enter the sold out show.
Continue reading “Show Review: Lucius at The Independent, February 7, 2014”
The thirteenth annual SF Sketchfest is upon us, littering San Francisco with night after night of too many good things at once.
To help with these sorts of problems, please consult “A Nerd’s Guide To Sketchfest 2014.” Yes, Dakin’s full-on once-over of this year’s fest is just the right guide to help you make those wrenching nerd decisions about which one-of-a-kind Sketchfest show to choose from on each jam-packed night. Too much good stuff is a good/ANNOYING problem to have. You are fortunate. We are fortunate.
This week! We have Canadiens! Sleepwalkers! Metal! Tim! Punk rock benefit shows! And science! O you lucky person, you — to have all of these awesome things to choose from.
Here’s what’s coming up this week.
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 1/23/14-1/29/14”
“KMFDM SUCKS!”
How could it have begun any other way?
Continue reading “Show Review: KMFDM, Chant at The Independent, 11/14/13”
This Saturday night, a ridiculously fun show is coming to The Independent in San Francisco. Marky Ramone, former drummer of New York punk legends The Ramones, has tapped Andrew W.K., professional partier, to sing Ramones classics with his band. Because this might be the most incredible concept in the history of fun, we decided we needed to talk to Andrew W.K. about it. Our conversation touches on the brilliance of simplicity, and I also ask him for some marriage advice.
Gordon: Are you just preparing for the tour right now? Are you in rehearsals?
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Interview: Andrew W.K. on Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg”
Cody ChesnuTT is a mysterious figure. In 2002, he put out a record called The Headphone Masterpiece, which caught the attention of The Roots, prompting them to re-record the song “The Seed” as “The Seed 2.0,” creating The Roots first hit single on the rock charts. Then he disappeared for a decade, only to return last year with a whole new record of modern day soul music called Landing On A Hundred. He will be performing at The Independent on Saturday, September 7th. Tickets available here.
Concerts! Shows! Performances! And this week in the Bay Area, they’re extra-beardy!
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 4/11/13-4/17/13”
The announcement sent panic waves throughout the indie rockers of San Francisco: Phoenix at The Independent on April Fool’s Day. And this was not a hoax. What it was, though, was an impossible ticket. A representative of The Independent was quoted in the paper as saying the show sold out “immediately.” It sent everyone I know scrambling for tickets, wanting to be at what was officially the welcome back party for Steve Masters of Live 105, and would also serve as the unofficial kickoff to Fauxchella. Continue reading “Show Review: Phoenix with Mac DeMarco at The Independent, 4/1/2013”