Latest posts by Zack Ruskin

When asked to describe the sound of his latest record, Noah Lennox doesn’t speak of genres or emotions. Instead, he rattles off a laundry list of hyper-specific influences. There’s the Sade song “By Your Side,” and “El Farante” by Puerto Rican reggaeton artist Ozuna, both of which were apparently in Lennox’s brain when he started […]

Anderson .Paak is a man of his word. When he hit the stage on Monday night at San Francisco’s Masonic, .Paak’s first priority was to remind the sold-out crowd that he always keeps his promises. “I told y’all I’d be back,” he said, “but I didn’t know I’d be back with a Grammy!” Indeed, the […]

The Canadian takeover of cannabis has officially arrived in San Francisco. On Tuesday, The Apothecarium — one of the Bay Area’s most venerable dispensaries — announced that Toronto biopharmaceutical and wellness company TerraAscend will buy it. In a statement, Apothecarium’s Chief Marketing Officer Eliot Dobris noted that $118 million deal will lay the groundwork for […]

If you’ve ever wondered what it would sound like to hear cherished Ned Flanders quotes screamed in a devilish growl over the sounds of frenzied guitars and pounding percussion, Okilly Dokilly is here to answer your prayers. Fans of The Simpsons and metal — sorry, nedal — will find no shortage of obscure show references […]

The story of Super Bowl LIII is one of failure. Football fans’ chief complaint was undoubtedly just how painfully boring to watch Sunday’s game was. The NFL’s marquee battle between the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams now has the dubious distinction of being the lowest-scoring game in Super Bowl history. If that […]

On the Lamb with Jennifer Coolidge The sheer quality of talent on the Castro stage to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the canine-centered masterpiece, Best in Show, was rivaled only by the number of performers assembled. In fact, it’s entirely possible the venue was forced to scrounge up every extra chair in the place to […]

Care for a tall glass of CBD? While the notion of drinking a cannabinoid may sound unconventional, companies like Coca-Cola are betting big that beverages infused with cannabidiol are the future. Last fall, Forbes linked Coca-Cola to Canada’s Aurora Cannabis. The soda giant refuted suggestions about a move into cannabis, but many people still suspect […]

Hopefully, a day will come when author Dave Cullen has no reason to write another book about gun violence. Unfortunately, that moment has yet to arrive. In 2009, Cullen published Columbine — a masterpiece of reporting and social commentary. Issued on the 10th anniversary of the tragic Colorado shooting, Cullen’s text skillfully probes for answers […]

On Jan. 16, the California Office of Administrative Law (OAL) released its final version of the state’s regulations governing the recreational cannabis market. However, when it comes to regulations, “final” may best be viewed as a somewhat arbitrary distinction. According to Cal NORML Deputy Director Ellen Komp, some people thought her work was done with […]

Not Your Mother’s Hot Pockets There was a time when a Comedy Central roast of a past-their-prime celebrity was marquee viewing. As the years have passed, the concept of roasts has fallen somewhat out of favor — a phenomenon no doubt partially tied to the fact that a bunch of (mostly) white men ribbing one […]