“This Is Spin̈al Tap,” courtesy. Director Rob Reiner has confirmed he’s making a sequel to classic parody film “This Is Spin̈al Tap.” Lots of people are apprehensive, but I think this is great, and not just because I’m close personal friends with bassist Derek Smalls and can confirm he…

Insert Foot Vs. National Siblings Day. Saturday was Siblings Day, which we celebrate by posting photos on social media of siblings harmoniously pretending to get along, not trading blows and not throwing a deceased parent’s false teeth at each other at a funeral home. Don’t ask. I didn’t meet…

Ann Wilson of Heart, Courtesy: Criss Cain. Ann Wilson of Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Heart is still a West Coast woman at heart, but she’s lived with her husband in northern, rural Florida for four years. On her street, almost every house has a Trump sign. If…

Brandi Carlile performs at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley on Sept. 21, 2019. Photos: Michael Smyth. BERKELEY — Sometimes everything just lines up. Something happens between an artist and the audience, and between the audience and the artist; something about the venue is just right; something in the artist’s…

Nancy Wilson (left) and Ann Wilson of Heart perform at a previous stop on the “Love Alive” tour. Courtesy: Kimberly Adamis/Heart. CONCORD, CALIF. — At various points during their 90 minutes or so onstage Friday night at the Concord Pavilion, the Wilson sisters of Heart referred to how long…

1977 was a good year. Star Wars came out, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours came out, Voyager 1 and 2 launched, Harvey Milk was elected. I mean, yeah, disco still existed and there was that whole Son of Sam (serial killer) thing I guess—but, Star Wars! It was a pretty good year…

Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown. COURTESY. Before he was 22, guitar prodigy Tyler Bryant shared the stage with Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton. But it was a 63-year-old bluesman from Honey Grove, Texas, who inspired the musician when he was just a boy. Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown 9…