A Letter from the Editor to Best Coast and their Fans

We at the Foghorn would like to speak to those who took offense to the Best Coast concert review recently published in print and on our website. Best Coast and their many fans are entitled to their reactions. We are glad to see that they read the piece, and that they felt comfortable sharing their opinions about it. Journalism is not a one-way street, and the Foghorn appreciates hearing any feedback or difference of opinion that any of our readers may have.

That said, we are not sorry for publishing it. The review was simply a representation of what our critic felt was important to the audience that attended the show. It is unfortunate that it was misunderstood as an act of sexism.

As Mr. Garcia said in his review, music should never be a fashion show. He certainly did not attend the concert looking for one. He went hoping to hear good music, and as he clearly stated in the article, that is what he heard.

What he did not like was the idea that a popular band — a band that can pull crowds to a historic San Francisco venue like The Fillmore on a Wednesday night — did not seem to be able to form a connection between themselves and the crowd. After seeing Cosentino’s immaculate outfit and hearing her wonderful music, it seemed a shame that the band was unable to give their fans what they deserved: some interest and personal investment in a show they had all paid to see.

Several readers have criticized Mr. Garcia’s comment about how Cosentino did not smile throughout the show. This was compared to asking a woman on the street to smile, something that, we agree, is horribly sexist. It is important to keep in mind that Bethany Cosentino, at least while on stage, is not a woman on the street. She is a rock star, one with fans who buy her albums and journalists who will be critiquing her performances, of which appearance and presentation are always a factor.

After further review, we realized that smiling is simply not apart of a typical performance put on by the band, thus the absence of a smile should have no affect on the quality of the band’s perceived performance. However, it should be expected that a paying audience member can anticipate some form of connection from the artists–which Best Coast did not provide at that particular show.

David L. Garcia has written for the Foghorn and other Bay Area publications (SF Weekly) for nearly three years and has consistently shown himself to be an excellent writer and reporter. We at the Foghorn value his opinion, and we stand by his right to express it in this paper. It was somewhat unprofessional of Best Coast to question his right to a journalism degree.

A majority of the Foghorn editors, including the Scene editor, are women who had read the piece thoroughly and had no qualms with its content. Many of us are, and will continue to be, fans of Best Coast and their music, and we wish them only the best. We would appreciate it if Best Coast and their fans not allow their personal connections or opinions to color their reactions to a negative review.

Thanks for Reading,

Nichole Rosanova

Scene Editor

Nureen Khadr

Editor in Chief

David L. Garcia

Copy Editor/Staff Writer