Email Author Tamara Palmer

2006 Stories by Tamara Palmer

• Mixtape Shmixtape

  published July 5, 2006

  Despite the "for promotional use only" stickers marking their packaging, there's a whole cottage industry of Web sites, retail outlets, and... More >>

• Tasty Picnic Libations

  published June 28, 2006

  Summer, and the sippin' is easy. Once you've packed your picnic, it's time to think of what to drink. Here are some suggestions to match your mood... More >>

• Slap that ass at Donkey Punch

  published June 28, 2006

  Thanks to a much-needed revamping and re-branding of its space, the slightly loungy Shine (formerly the Red Eye Lounge) now plays host to some of... More >>

• Bubble, Toil, and Trouble

  published June 28, 2006

  On June 14 Jay-Z told the Associated Press that he was boycotting Cristal, the fine French champagne that was once a name-checked favorite of the... More >>

• The Quiet Storm

  published June 28, 2006

  It's been a little while, but Sly is back in business on the radio. Not Sly Stone, who was a DJ for the Bay Area station KSOL in the '60s, but... More >>

• Misc. Reviews

  published June 21, 2006

  Search for "fucked up Norwegians" on www.youtube.com, and the name Hurra Torpedo tops the ranks. Eleven... More >>

• The Honeymooners

  published June 21, 2006

  People usually celebrate it with paper, yet days before Karen Cusolito and Dan Das Mann rang in their first wedding anniversary, they were busy... More >>

• Drum 'n' bass 'n' benefits 'n' stuff

  published June 14, 2006

  "With a rebel yell/She cried more, more, more. Owww. In the midnight hour, babe/More, more, more." OK, so unless you wear leg warmers as a fashion... More >>

• UK hip hop passes the mic

  published June 7, 2006

  The War of 1812 obviously settled nothing, judging by the intrusion of the Brits upon America's hallowed grounds of hip hop. The thing is,... More >>

• Sun Ra

  published June 7, 2006

  There have been many writings and recordings concerning jazz innovator Sun Ra. But even the most respected scholars on the topic can't really hold... More >>

• Bay Area hip hop stands proud with San Quinn

  published May 31, 2006

  Those seeking to sum up the curious sonics elicited by German Jan Jelinek need only look to the title of his breakthrough album, 2001's... More >>

• Thug life with Mobb Deep

  published May 24, 2006

  Two of Southern California's most talented hip-hop groups (Jurassic 5 and Dilated Peoples), its top DJ crew (Beat... More >>

• Unquiet Riot

  published May 24, 2006

  Youngblood Brass Band rocks without guitars, backspins without turntables, and features a world-wise palette of adventurous rhythms (from Cajun... More >>

• Chuck and the Chocolate Factory

  published May 24, 2006

  Last year was a dark one for chocolate lovers. In July 2005 the Hershey Co. acquired Berkeley's Scharffen Berger; in August, it gobbled up San... More >>

• XLR8R magazine celebrates its lucky 13

  published May 17, 2006

  One of the biggest surprises at this year's Noise Pop Festival was the performance of local supergroup Honeycut. Featuring vocalist Bart... More >>

• Hip hop heroes school the new kids

  published May 10, 2006

  It's been a strange musical journey for Dutch-born/American-transplant producer Junkie XL (aka Tom Holkenborg). In a decade he has gone... More >>

• R. Kelly and the Fall of the rock empire

  published May 10, 2006

  Long before David Byrne and Paul Simon got Saturday Night Live spots for their cross-cultural ambassadorship, there was (as usual) someone... More >>

• Mr. Anonymous

  published May 10, 2006

  Jeep MacNichol got his start in the late '80s as the drummer for the Samples, a group that came out a little too early to truly capitalize on the... More >>

• Mixtape Shmixtape

  published May 10, 2006

  It's been an active year in the Bay Area for mixtapes, those fantastic promotional CDs presented by hip-hop DJs, artists, and labels as... More >>

• Say ciao to a new Sunday-night weekly

  published May 3, 2006

  After spending well over a decade spinning records throughout the world and representing top European super-clubs like Renaissance and Cream,... More >>

• Juveniles, Drive-Bys, and Melting U.F.O.s

  published May 3, 2006

  With indie-bred insecurities declawing most guitar-based bands these days, there are so few "Damn!" moments left anymore. The Duke Spirit... More >>

• House Work

  published May 3, 2006

  Eleven out of 10 disco dollies agree: The dusty, insular San Francisco house music scene needs foundational upkeep, some substantive spackle with... More >>

• Dhamaal celebrates lucky number seven

  published April 26, 2006

  Since moving to San Francisco in 2002, one-man-band the Genie (AKA Luis Monterrosa) has collaborated with like-minded,... More >>

• All hail the King and the Asian brigade

  published April 19, 2006

  When he was a kid, King Britt’s mother would bring him to Sun Ra’s house in their Philadelphia hometown to hang out and experience the musi... More >>

• Diamonds in the rock; Ice Cube reigns supreme

  published April 19, 2006

  Flash pots? Diamond Nights don't need no stinkin' flash pots. Why waste time on cheap pyrotechnics when your band can dazzle with the... More >>