Archive: 2015

In 2008, a trio out of Wales released their first record, an EP titled A Balloon Called Moaning. Several of those tracks they still include in their live set, songs such as “Whirring” and “Cradle.” For their 2011 debut full-length, The Big Roar, they rerecorded those tracks, plus two others off the EP, and the […]

All photos by Merrick Ales unless otherwise noted. Saturday of Fun Fun Fun Fest saw a crowd nearly double the size of Friday’s trampling across damp grass from the previous night’s rain. There was a palpable sense of eagerness in the air as fans of all ages sought to check off bucket list acts and conjure a […]

The Austin Film Festival, which dedicates its focus on the role of the screenwriter in the motion picture process, drew to a close at the end of the week, wrapping up its 22nd year. “This is the best festival we’ve ever had… that started with a tornado” joked one of the MCs while introducing the […]

[rating=7.00] “Bait” There felt like there was a something missing from this week’s Ash vs. Evil Dead, and I’m pretty sure that was Sam Raimi. Whereas last week’s pilot reveled in the madcap insanity of Raimi’s original vision, “Bait” felt a bit stunted. It wasn’t bad by any means, but this week’s director, Michael J. […]

Oklahoma’s Turnpike Troubadours followed up their 2014 raucous Boston performance with much more of a slow burn when they hit the Wilbur Theater this time around. But once the fuse was lit, the Wrangler jean, big belt buckled, trucker hat-clad band knew how to stoke the fire until it burned the house down. Pharmacist by […]

All photos by Merrick Ales unless otherwise noted. Under overcast skies the tenth anniversary of Fun Fun Fun Fest kicked off at Auditorium Shores in Austin on Friday. Luckily, the looming rain held off save for a bit of drizzle. Perhaps it was a blessing from the rock gods, as the first day of FFF […]

What happens when you combine luchadores, theatrics, and Maynard James Keenan’s brand of electro-rock? You get a Puscifer show, the longtime side project that Maynard describes as his “creative subconscious”. Currently touring on their recently released LP Money Shot, Austin’s Bass Concert Hall was the second stop on the tour. Though both of Keenan’s other […]

Keller Williams is the definition of multi-instrumentalist if there ever was one. Guitar, bass, keys, and a few other gadgets, Mr. Williams has long been recognized in the jam band world as the “one man band”. On Friday evening Williams made a stop in Bethlehem, PA at Musikfest Cafe located in the historic Bethlehem SteelStacks. […]

A veritable army of veteran rockers showed up to jam at El Rey Theater in Los Angeles on November 3rd. The event, which may have been one of the best rock shows of the year, in Southern California, featured the Hellcat Saints. The band was the idea of former Velvet Revolver guitarist Dave Kushner and […]

[rating=5.00] It’s easy to forget, in our modern world, the painstaking fight for universal suffrage that beset not only our country, but countries around the world. History tends to gloss over the realities of the struggle, writing so that the world simply woke up one day, realized we were wrong, and made the appropriate changes. […]