Blog: Spinning Platters

Remember the year 2007?  It was the year that gave us Lily Allen, a bratty pop singer that was going to change the world. From the same city we also got to meet Kate Nash, a timid 20 year old singer / songwriter that played piano and wrote catchy songs primed for radio and play [...] The post Show Review: Kate Nash with Peach Kelli Pop at The Chapel, 5/11/13 appeared first on Spinning Platters .

Simon Pegg and John Cho, who reprise their roles of Montgomery “Scotty” Scott and Hikaru Sulu respectively in the newest chapter of the Star Trek film franchise, Star Trek Into Darkness, sat down with a few members of online press outlets to answer a few questions.  Dressed in casual clothing and beaming with smiles, the two [...] The post Round-Table Interview: Simon Pegg and John Cho of "Star Trek Into Darkness" appeared first on Spinning Platters .

It's been a rough three years for Paramore. In that time, they've gone through almost as many drummers as Spinal Tap, and had to deal with one of the most public and bitter band break ups in recent memory. However, they have returned with a self titled album that is a collection of tracks that [...] The post Show Review: Paramore with Kitten at The Warfield, 5/4/13 appeared first on Spinning Platters .

In 2009, J.J. Abrams jumpstarted a dulling Star Trek franchise by instilling youthful energy and adrenaline into a familiar cast of characters.  The universe was the “same” but the feel was different.  It was shinier and faster paced, and took advantage of modern computer technology to produce visual effects in a way that the original [...] The post Film Review: Star Trek Into Darkness appeared first on Spinning Platters .

Sometimes I get exhausted just putting this list together, let alone trying to figure out how I can be in 20 places at once... Thursday, May 16th Janelle Monae with San Francisco Symphony at Davies Symphony Hall Janelle Monae is the single most exciting thing happening in R&B right now. Actually, she could be the [...] The post Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 5/16/13-5/22/13 appeared first on Spinning Platters .

It's been two and a half years since Sara Bareilles released her last fantastic record, Kaleidoscope Heart. Now she's got a great new single, "Brave," and is challenging herself to be just that by touring solo. The "Brave Enough Tour" challenges Sara to play not only alone on stage, but without the support of an [...] The post Show Review: Sara Bareilles at Slim's, 05/13/2013 appeared first on Spinning Platters .

When rumors about the first ever BottleRock Napa festival began to circulate, they were impressive: early flyers listed Dave Matthews Band and Pearl Jam as headliners (neither was ever confirmed). Still, the festival had the attention of the Napa Valley and surrounding music lovers long ago. Once the final lineup had been released and tickets [...] The post BottleRock 2013 Review: Napa's Inaugural Music, Wine, and Food Festival appeared first on Spinning Platters .

Lazy Sunday haze seeped through circumvallate pane. Showtime seemed everything but. Javelin and Jamaican Queens were scheduled to perform at eight. New Parish's hallowed walls ached, hollered for bodies to enter its hollow hall. As the magic hour eclipsed, the static domain was a far cry from the neighboring Fox Theater, teeming with tacky teens. [...] The post Show Review: Javelin and Jamaican Queens at The New Parish, 5/5/2013 appeared first on Spinning Platters .

Usually when festivals come around, the most exciting thing about them is the pick up gigs bands make around them. With Bottle Rock's inaugural outing this year, we were lucky enough to score a solid double bill Steve Earle's song Justin Townes Earle and North Carolina songwriter Tift Merritt. To make the show even more [...] The post Show Review: Justin Townes Earl with Tift Merritt at The Chapel, 5/10/13 appeared first on Spinning Platters .

The next installment of SF MusicTech Summit is two weeks out from today. If you tend to follow the biggest music + tech-related events in the Bay Area, you might be asking yourself something along the lines of "wait, didn't they just throw one of these events a few months ago?" Yes, it's not your [...] The post Save Big on SF MusicTech Summit #13 appeared first on Spinning Platters .

The next installment of SF MusicTech Summit is two weeks out from today. If you tend to follow the biggest music + tech-related events in the Bay Area, you might be asking yourself something along the lines of "wait, didn't they just throw one of these events a few months ago?" Yes, it's not your [...] The post Save Big SF MusicTech Summit #13 appeared first on Spinning Platters .

Baz Luhrmann’s new adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel The Great Gatsby has been generating buzz for months. Critics, Hollywood insiders, bloggers, and anyone with a pulse have all been asking: Can an Australian director, filming in Australia, with many British and Australian actors, pull off a film of a classic American novel? [...] The post Film Review: The Great Gatsby appeared first on Spinning Platters .

It’s nine o’clock at night and inside the velvet-lined nightclub Rouge, amidst the smells of savory tacos and steamy quesadillas (compliments of Nick’s Crispy Tacos), the tireless SFIFF staff welcomes in the crowd of filmmakers, critics, and film enthusiasts.  They all exchange smiles and pleasantries, speak of their favorite festival films and entreat each other [...] The post SFIFF Final Spotlight: Golden Gate Awards appeared first on Spinning Platters .

While the majority of the bands playing in the Bay Area this week are up at Bottle Rock in Napa, which, yes, in an amazing looking festival, it isn't quite the Bay Area. The following shows (with one exception) are all easily accessible via BART. So enjoy your rock n roll, and remember not to [...] The post Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 5/9/13-5/15/13 appeared first on Spinning Platters .

My final two spotlights from the 56th San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF), which ends today. Information and tickets for the day’s final films at: http://festival.sffs.org/ Crystal Fairy (Chile 2012, 100 min; English and Spanish with English subtitles) Michael Cera is comically brilliant as Jamie, a know-it-all American seeking a mescaline high in Chile. Chilean [...] The post SFIFF Spotlights #5: Crystal Fairy / Cutie and the Boxer appeared first on Spinning Platters .

Unlike other movies that have entered the canon of "cult films,' Streets of Fire is actually considered a good movie by some people who judge that sort of thing. But it's over-the-top nature of the characters, the terrific music, and the combination of Michael Pare and Diane Lane that make this movie absolutely worth seeing. [...] The post Midnight Music Movies at The New Parkway: Streets of Fire appeared first on Spinning Platters .

On a special Friday Popscene that went far into the night, all the way into the headliner's birthday, the crowd was treated to synth pop in different forms - the dark tinged variety, the choreographed kind, and finally the made-for-the-charts sugary pop of Victoria Hesketh, aka Little Boots. It was a fun night, although not [...] The post Show Review: Little Boots with Avan Lava and Feathers at Rickshaw Stop, 5/3/2013 appeared first on Spinning Platters .

On a special Friday Popscene that went far into the night, all the way into the headliner's birthday, the crowd was treated to synth pop in different forms - the dark tinged variety, the choreographed kind, and finally the made-for-the-charts sugary pop of Victoria Hesketh, aka Little Boots. It was a fun night, although not [...] The post Show Review: Little Boots with AVAN LAVA and Feathers at Rickshaw Stop, 5/3/2013 appeared first on Spinning Platters .

More spotlights from the 56th San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF), which ends this Thursday, May 9th. Tickets for screenings still available at: http://festival.sffs.org/ Fill the Void (Israel 212, 90 min; Hebrew with English subtitles) In this Israeli Film Academy Best Picture winner, director Rama Burshstein takes us inside the Tel Aviv Hassidic community. Shira [...] The post SFIFF Spotlights #4: Fill the Void / Prince Avalanche / The Way, Way Back appeared first on Spinning Platters .

Bleached blew the doors off at the Blank Club, and luckily they weren't DeLorean doors, because then people would have gotten decked for real, rather than that fake decking Floyd Mayweather gave Robert Guerrero earlier that evening. There's more sports highlights herein. Buckle up. (It's times like this I'm glad Spinning Platters has an editor. [...] The post Show Review: Bleached, Ex Cops, Dirty Pillows and Spirit on the Water at the Blank Club, 5/4/2013 appeared first on Spinning Platters .