Email Author Dan Strachota

2002 Stories by Dan Strachota

• Oh, Inverted World

  published December 24, 2002

  As 2002 comes to a close, the tortoises cross the finish line A few years ago during a best-man speech at a wedding, I made the suggestion... More >>

• Shop Till You Drop

  published December 18, 2002

  Dear Diary: Today I bought a shotgun The holidays are upon us with a vengeance, like an off-duty S.F. cop after your doggie bag. Many... More >>

• Table for Whom?

  published December 18, 2002

  Laurel Heights isn't exactly known for its fine dining; as a matter of fact, the neighborhood bordering the Richmond isn't known for much. When I... More >>

• The New Payola

  published December 11, 2002

  For the right price, you can have your own fart noises reviewed In the past, music magazines have made a concerted attempt to keep... More >>

• Punch-Drunk Love

  published December 4, 2002

  Love stinks. We know it does, because the J. Geils Band says so. If other song titles are any judge, love also hurts, sucks, and bites. Somehow,... More >>

• Ice, Ice, Baby:

  published November 27, 2002

  Keith's not always so cool Jane's Addiction once titled an album Nothing's Shocking, and while that sentiment sometimes seems too... More >>

• Black Is the New Black:

  published November 20, 2002

  Some enchanted eveningOn several occasions last week, I tried to convince friends to go see a local band called Evening. "What does it... More >>

• MC Paul Barman

  published November 13, 2002

  Probably the best description for MC Paul Barman is "savant-tard," a term he flashes during his debut long-player, Paullelujah! The New... More >>

• Nuggets from the Golden State

  published November 13, 2002

  On a recent Friday afternoon at City Hall, the band Devo gave a free live performance (sponsored, naturally, by a car company). The musicians... More >>

• Zappa and Spooky and Grainger -- oh my!

  published November 6, 2002

  Open your mind and your art will follow During the 1986 BBC documentary West Coast Story: Frontiers of New Music, when a journalist... More >>

• Back from -- and with -- the dead

  published October 30, 2002

  A resurrection, just in time for Halloween One thing isn't being mentioned in the recent hysteria over the "closing" of Kimo's: The club's... More >>

• Who's That Girl?

  published October 23, 2002

  A Pixies song plays on the stereo at the Lone Palm bar, followed by tunes from the Smiths and the White Stripes. Madeline Minx doesn't seem to... More >>

• Make Sure There Aren't Any Squares at My Funeral

  published October 23, 2002

  Life is cheap, but living is expensive Wakes tend to be somber affairs, in which people in suits suck down weak drinks and gnaw on snacks... More >>

• Candy Says

  published October 16, 2002

  Maybe hedonism does keep you fit Before this summer, Candida Martinez led a very healthy life. The 24-year-old... More >>

• Revenge of the Nerds, Parts One and Two

  published October 9, 2002

  Beware the trouser mafia The members of the trouser mafia don't use guns; their weapons are sneers and sneakers, hair gel and v-necks,... More >>

• When Times Are Tight

  published October 2, 2002

  This rock fits a budget of any size Like many people, Chris Owen was drawn to San Francisco by music. Unfortunately, he soon discovered... More >>

• Sophisticated Boom Boom

  published September 25, 2002

  Burlesque is back in a big way -- and we're not just talking bra size. The bawdy theatrical form, which disappeared after the advent of topless... More >>

• The Monster Mash-up

  published September 25, 2002

  These boots are made for playin' Songs called "mash-ups" (or "boots") are all the rage these days, with people taking the a cappella... More >>

• The Sounds of Silence

  published September 18, 2002

  What happened to you, San Francisco? You used to be the epicenter of musical culture, the pulsating beacon of righteous noise, the kind bud in the... More >>

• Women who Love Women; A Guy Who Hates Noise

  published September 18, 2002

  Wait, does this mean Dinah Shore was gay? You win some, you lose some. It's an age-old saying -- overheard as far back as the Crucifixion... More >>

• What's the Frequency, Kenneth?

  published August 28, 2002

  There is a light that never goes out When I first moved to the Bay Area in 1990, I worked as a temp in the reservation department of a... More >>

• Immigrant Songs

  published August 21, 2002

  There aren't many rockin' role models for Filipino-American musicians. Among the few are guitarist Kirk Hammett from Metallica (he's one-quarter... More >>

• Bring the piNoise

  published August 21, 2002

  PiNoisepop 7 takes place Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 22-24, at Bindlestiff Studio. Here are a few of the most intriguing local... More >>

• Mac Attack

  published August 21, 2002

  Can the Dead Milkmen's version of Running on Empty be far behind? Loads of bands record covers, but few groups are... More >>

• 24 Hour Party Poopers; A Good Haul

  published August 14, 2002

  Sucking in the Skye Ruby Skye sucks. You probably already know this bit of information. You probably feel the tony nightclub sucks and... More >>