Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
Editor-in-chief, Dakin Hardwick here! Introducing you to the latest addition to the Spinning Platters team, Ammar Hasan! He’s a great photographer and writer, and he joined us in a pinch when our original photographer on Portola had an emergency and couldn’t make it. Without further ado, here’s his coverage of Portola Music Festival 2026: Continue reading “2026 Portola Festival Diary: Day 2”
I’m the kind of person who prefers a person with a microphone fronting a live band, so if you had told me I’d basically stop going to Outside Lands and become a regular at Portola, I wouldn’t have believed you. Yet here we are! Continue reading “2026 Portola Festival Diary: Two Days on a Pier With Beats, Not Boats”
Regular followers of Spinning Platters will notice that we largely ignore dance music. Why? Because I strongly dislike electronic dance music. Yet, somehow, I’ve gone to Portola twice and had a fantastic time both times I went. And this year looks exceptionally good. Why? Well, it might be due to the significant number of Swedish acts on the bill, the best pop music country in the world. I mean, ROBYN IS HEADLINING?!?!? She hasn’t played the Bay Area in seven years, and her comeback album, Sexistential, is amazing. Plus, we also have 2026 breakout star Zara Larsson, sleaze pop icon Tove Lo, and, of course, the biggest Swedish act since ABBA, Swedish House Mafia! Who else? The first SF Solo Appearance by Beastie Boys legend Mike D! Bay Area legend DJ Shadow playing his Entroducing… record from front to back. An actual Spice Girl, Melanie C. And my personal favorite find from 2026- Idaho’s brilliant Gelli Haha.
Tickets are still available, but are going fast. Those can be found here!
