Tagged: showreview

For some of us, catching Youth Lagoon on this tour would be the first time we caught the group with a full line-up, as the last time I caught Trevor Powers he was working the stage on his own.  Such a change was likely to mix the sound up.  We arrived early to catch the recent signing to Matador Records , Magical Cloudz . Read on for my thoughts and photos from the excellent Brian Gray. [...]

Photos by Katie Kopacz I had been in The Independent for about 7 minutes on Tuesday night, when an eager British guy came up to me and told me to come with him. Perhaps I'm too trusting of strangers, but I followed him anyway. He led me to the merch table and tried to sell me a t-shirt with flattery. He introduced himself as Harry Violent, the unofficial roadie/hypeman of Palma Violets . He told me to get ready for a good time, that the boys of Palma Violets, fresh from two [...]

If you're in the mood for some serious '90s nostalgia, no time machine necessary. Brooklyn's Beach Fossils at Slim's on Tuesday night certainly fulfilled such a craving, and the audience was totally into it. It's been a while since I've seen a crowd go so absolutely ballistic. From my position at the edge of a lively flail-pit, I was one with the sweaty mob of enthused Beach Fossils fans dancing up a storm. It was a little unexpected, honestly - sunny dream pop doesn't exactly equate to a dance-mosh frenzy, but everyone (myself included) certainly welcomed Beach Fossils' [...]

If you're in the mood for some serious '90s nostalgia, no time machine necessary. Brooklyn's Beach Fossils at Slim's on Tuesday night certainly fulfilled such a craving, and the audience was totally into it. It's been a while since I've seen a crowd go so absolutely ballistic. From my position at the edge of a lively flail-pit, I was one with the sweaty mob of enthused Beach Fossils fans dancing up a storm. It was a little unexpected, honestly - sunny dream pop doesn't exactly equate to a dance-mosh frenzy, but everyone (myself included) certainly welcomed Beach Fossils' [...]

Looking for a better time than a bath tub full of rubber duckies? Look no further! Thursday, April 25th A Tribute To Steve Brodsky at The Lodge at The Regency Ballroom Steve Brodsky was a very dear friend of the bay area music scene who recently lost his battle with leukemia. He managed many, many [...] The post Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 4/25/13-5/1/13 appeared first on Spinning Platters .

So I guess it's weird to everyone else that I like The Men . Sometimes I'm even surprised I like The Men. People never fail to voice their surprise when I tell them I've been loving the stuff they've been putting out for the last year and a half or so. I guess I get why – they're probably thinking of The Men of records past; the barreling hardcore brewed on the Brooklyn noise scene. If that's all you know of them, I guess that would be pretty weird to hear coming from me. I'm not exactly [...]

Fauxchella is a brutal time for music fans. The night Metric played at The Fox, we also had to contend with like minded bands How To Destroy Angels and Savages playing across the bridge. It was a tough night of you enjoy powerful women fronting danceable rock bands. And, as much as I truly love [...] The post Fauxchella Review: Metric with Mona at The Fox Theater - Oakland, 4/18/13 appeared first on Spinning Platters .

When you possess the musical longevity of a band such as Sparks, the quirky, tongue-in-cheek, orchestral-p op-electronic-smorgasboard sensation that spawned forth from the creative minds of brothers Ron and Russell Mael, it's best if the question of what to do after 40 years of work is "what next?", as opposed to "is this over with yet?" The [...] The post Show Review: Sparks: "Two Hands, One Mouth" at The Chapel, 4/9/2013 appeared first on Spinning Platters .

When you possess the musical longevity of a band such as Sparks, the quirky, tongue-in-cheek, orchestral-p op-electronic-smorgasboard sensation that spawned forth from the creative minds of brothers Ron and Russell Mael, it's best if the question of what to do after 40 years of work is "what next?", as opposed to "is this over with yet?" The [...] The post Fauxchella Review: Sparks: "Two Hands, One Mouth" at The Chapel, 4/9/2013 appeared first on Spinning Platters .

Considering they have a name like Purity Ring , lo-fi electronic R&B partners Megan James and and Corin Roddick of Edmonton put on quite the sensual show Thursday at the El Rey Theatre. Although the Canadian duo made the Coachella bill this year, people still flocked to the L.A. venue fopr a provocative experience in support of the duo's highly regarded debut "Shrines." Like the record, the band's visual setup presented a shrouded eeriness. Between the echoes and the artistically clever set-up of luminous cocoons, Roddick's "tree lantern" and James' mounted kick drum — that both lit up dramatically when [...]

Let's just call Sunday what it was: a horrific sea of phones.  It's clear to me now that Crystal Castles have blossomed into a deserving huge act, which unfortunately brings with it its own set of problems. We showed up early to catch Canadians Doldrums do their thing. You can read on for my thoughts, and pics of Doldrums from our boy Brian Gray. The last time that I caught Doldrums [...]

Cold War Kids returned to Nashville on Tuesday night where they once again graced the Cannery Ballroom stage in support of their excellent new album, [...]

It’s a throbbing and thirsty Thursday in Berlin as free show lovers everywhere get in a long but fast-moving line at Bii Nuu for the Introducing in April: Øya Special.  No one cares because the sun has finally come out and you can be outside at night in a little sweater and short shorts and The post Introducing Øya Special – Bii Nuu, Berlin – April 18 appeared first on Nothing But Hope And Passion - NBHAP - Music Magazine & more .

Oakland is a blessed city for music. We have some of the best venues and best crowds on Earth. For far too long we were treated as the ugly stepsister to San Francisco. However, San Francisco seems to do a great job of attracting the type of concert goer that attends because they feel [...] The post Fauxchella Review: Cloud Nothings, Japandroids at The New Parish, 4/17/2013 appeared first on Spinning Platters .

Action Bronson's afternoon set at Coachella on Saturday was much more about the party than the performance — and like any good dude hosting a bash on April 20, the Queens rapper brought an abundance of weed to the Outdoor Theatre. A few songs into his set, the man born Arian Asllani brought onstage a trash bag full of green medicine bottles and started hurling them, one by one, into the overheated crowd. (The two bottles nearby lads caught were a variation called "Thunder Kitty.") The rapper's generosity created quite a scrum, exacerbated later when [...]

Cloud Cult is one of those bands that has been on my radar for ages and, for whatever reason, I just hadn't gotten around to seeing them live until last Friday. In true "if I knew then what I know now" fashion, I can't believe I waited so long to check them out. It's pretty telling that Cloud Cult sold out the show, and Lincoln Hall was packed to the rafters. When I say “packed to the rafters,” you should probably bear in mind that Lincoln Hall has a second story balcony. Still, seeing the [...]

The serious collided with the ridiculous on Saturday at Coachella , a day festival-goers got constant reminders of the week's real-world events while losing their inhibitions to otherworldly temptations. Throughout the Empire Polo Field, many attendees wore Boston gear in a show of solidarity with the city victimized by last week's terror attack. Celtic punkers the Dropkick Murphys launched their set with "For Boston," playing to fans largely bedecked in green, but all was not so reverential. It was, after all, 4/20, and that spirit was in the air too, especially at rapper Action Bronson's afternoon set, during which [...]

Went to a early show at Raw Sugar Cafe on April 20th. Playing at the show: • Gabriel Minnikin • J.M. Farr It was a pretty attentive, intimate and lovely acoustic show. J.M. Farr was first to play. For those not aware, he also plays in Honeyman & The Brothers Farr . He mostly played music of his own. Very intimate and [...]

Last Friday, the NOTHING BUT HOPE AND PASSION staff donned ceremonial robes and arrived in time for worship at the high temple of Berlin nightlife to pay our respects to Glasgow electro pop darlings CHVRCHES. This band is garnering plenty of attention, especially after coming in fifth place in BBC’s Sound of 2013 list. The The post CHVRCHES w/ Arthur Beatrice - Berghain, Berlin - April 19 appeared first on Nothing But Hope And Passion - NBHAP - Music Magazine & more .

What would it be like to see a band that truly defines a particular genre? Imagine the possibilities: dodging spitballs and projectile beer at some bowling alley in Memphis during the Pistols’ North American tour; sweating it out in a Queensbridge park watching Marley Marl work the turntables while insulting BDP’s Bronx lineage at every opportunity; maybe being fortunate enough to have caught Dylan go shockingly electric at the Newport folk festival back in 1965. Heady stuff, no? Having the privilege to stand among the adoring faithful when The Specials reunion tour rolled through Pomona late last [...]