Author Archives: markweiss86

Unknown's avatar

About markweiss86

Mark Weiss, founder of Plastic Alto blog, is a concert promoter and artist manager in Palo Alto, as Earthwise Productions, with background as journalist, advertising copywriter, book store returns desk, college radio producer, city council and commissions candidate, high school basketball player, and blogger; he also sang in local choir, fronts an Allen Ginsberg tribute Beat Hotel Rm 32 Reads 'Howl' and owns a couple musical instruments he cannot play

Non-profit rock venue in Berkeley, more office space in Palo Alto

Posted on May 28, 2014 by markweiss86

Apropos of the news that former BGP partner David Mayeri is opening a non-profit music venue in Berkeley, re-purposing the former UC Theatre (flagship of Gary Meyer’s Landmark chain), I am re-posting this letter I wrote to City Council about … Continue reading →

Posted in filthy lucre, Plato's Republic | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Vienna Teng ‘Level Up’ and Dan Bern ‘Ballad of Jimmy Carter’

Posted on May 27, 2014 by markweiss86

  Two pretty random A&R notes, Vienna Teng new cd and single “Level Up” video and Dan Bern, from Jonathan Demme’s documentary about Jimmy Carter, “Ballad of Jimmy Carter”. I also spied something about Greil Marcus talking about “The Manchurian … Continue reading →

Posted in art, film | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

MMW v. voice of teacher, Palo Alto 7/29/96

Posted on May 27, 2014 by markweiss86

  Medeski Martin Wood 7-29-96 Cubberly Community Center (Max capacity 330, I’d say about 100 people that night*) Palo Alto, CA This is a great-sounding AUD recording of a very nice show. Source: (Mikey Perrott) Schoeps CMC6 + MK4 Genealogy: … Continue reading →

Posted in music | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Andrew Bernstein and the Homer Warehouse shows

Posted on May 22, 2014 by markweiss86

I snagged a copy of “California Slim: The Music, the Magic, and the Madness” a memoir by Andrew Bernstein, who knew Bill Kreutzman and Gregg Rolie growing up in Palo Alto, and also toured as part of Willie Nelson’s gang. … Continue reading →

Posted in Plato's Republic | Leave a comment

Alex De Grassi part of The Varsity Theatre guitar pantheon

Posted on May 22, 2014 by markweiss86

Eric Hanson, who appears most often in Plastic Alto as the baseball poet and Cleveland Indians fan, is now an agent with Baylin Artist Management in Philadelphia, an agency whose clients include Matt Haimovitz, Christopher Riley, Kaki King and Rani … Continue reading →

Posted in media, music, Plato's Republic | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Rock off with your balk-off (from Eric Hanson ‘Tribelines’ poetry archive)

Posted on May 22, 2014 by markweiss86

Game 47 – Indians 11, Tigers 10“A trickle of strangers were all that were left alivePanic in Detroit”– “Panic in Detroit” from David Bowie’s Aladdin Sane (1973)Some said this was year’s best gameShould be in some hall of fameNot because … Continue reading →

Posted in media, words | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Everybody trip: the third decade and Counting for A.D. and them

Posted on May 22, 2014 by markweiss86

It’s precisely because Adam Duritz and Counting Crows epitomize my scene, my generation, my hopes and aspirations for this world, and everything after, that I am gonna bust his chops a little here in Plastic Alto. And not that he … Continue reading →

Posted in ethniceities, media, music | 2 Comments

Mona Simpson at Kepler’s

Posted on May 20, 2014 by markweiss86

MK of The Times likes the new Mona Simpson book, “Casebook.” I found for $1 a fairly clean (or hardly soiled) first of her 2010 “My Hollywood” at Menlo Park library, around the corner. The clerk misunderstood me about Mona … Continue reading →

Posted in words | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Croix de Palo Alto

Posted on May 20, 2014 by markweiss86

Back in the day the San Francisco Giants had a promotion wherein if you stayed to the end of an extra innings game, at often breezy and brisk Candlestick Park, you would receive a little prize, a pin called Croix … Continue reading →

Posted in Plato's Republic | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Helen Sung anthem for a new day

Posted on May 20, 2014 by markweiss86

Or Introducing Thelonious Helen Yu-Nguyen Fajardo Helen Sung anthem for a new day, is a cd released in February on Concord, her major label debut, her sixth cd as a leader. She came thru the 650 in February, to Pete … Continue reading →

Posted in music | Tagged , | Leave a comment