Posts by Bryan Rodgers

When the 2019 Hopscotch Music Festival lineup was announced, a few laughs were had at the name of one Australian band on the bill: Tropical Fuck Storm. Little did anyone know that the moniker would turn out to be a timely description of the festival’s first day. As Hurricane Dorian brought a full Thursday of […]

Sunday at Bonnaroo is always a day of exodus, but fewer people took the opportunity to leave early this year. With two of the festival’s main draws stacked together on Sunday night, it was a busier than usual day at the farm. It was an eventful one, too, as country music royalty graced the stage […]

With Odesza and Post Malone holding court at Bonnaroo’s main stage all night, Saturday at Bonnaroo 2019 was all about looking for gems off the beaten path – that is, if EDM and Post’s brand of hip-hop aren’t your thing. That Tent was the place to be, with Unknown Mortal Orchestra offering their addictive, funky, […]

After a chaotic opening Thursday that tested the patience of attendees and staff alike, Bonnaroo 2019 found it’s footing on Friday. Massive headlining sets and rampant diversity defined the day, which unfolded under mild temperatures and clear skies. The stylistic ping pong match intensified in the afternoon, and those willing to quickly traverse the grounds […]

[rating=8.00] Umphrey’s McGee stays true to form on it’s not us, in that there is no form. Any Umphrey’s album or show is a stylistic journey, but this album shifts gears more than any they’ve released so far. Recorded over one week in late 2016, It’s Not Us is the band’s latest attempt to capture […]

With an unexpectedly strong winter storm covering much of western NC, fans and artists alike had an eventful time making their way to Asheville for the 29th iteration of Warren Haynes’ Christmas Jam. Friday was tough all around;  the now-traditional Pre-Jam event was canceled due to the weather, many flights into Asheville and Charlotte were […]

  Much like last year’s iteration, the 2017 edition of Raleigh’s Hopscotch Music Festival saw the event take an even tighter grip on the city’s downtown area. Social media overflowed with businesses offering Hopscotch specials or freebies, daytime block parties were more prevalent than ever, and there was even an official ice cream competition (S’mores […]

“Who would have thought that, 20 years after our first album, we’d be sold out in Raleigh?” Third Eye Blind singer Stephan Jenkins posed this question to the variously-aged throng at Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater, and any of the 6,000 in attendance, given the chance, would have most likely replied “Not me, Stephan.” The 22-year-olds […]

Dweezil Zappa returned to Raleigh with a subtle lyric change to his dad’s tune “Fembot In A Wet T-Shirt”. Referencing his brother, Dweezil said “Ahmet is waiting for you behind the toolshed.” The Zappa family vitriol hasn’t waned. They’re still battling about ridiculous things. The Cease and Desist shirts are still displayed at Dweezil’s merch […]

There was tangible excitement around the 28th iteration of the Christmas Jam that hadn’t been felt since the astounding 25th anniversary blowout in 2013. The chilly weather in Asheville, NC signaled the true start of winter in the region, but even without that motivation, people seemed more anxious than ever to get inside the US […]

The Hopscotch Music Festival, now seven years old, has had its share of growing – and not growing – pains through the years. By many accounts, the festival, its fans, and the city of Raleigh have fallen in and out of love with each other a few times already. Thankfully, this year’s event seemed to […]

Umphrey’s McGee roared into Charlotte on a roll, having just completed a watershed July 4th weekend at Red Rocks. The band seemed to be driven by the momentum of those spectacular shows, and they rode that energy into a short southern run through Alabama and South Carolina before winding up in Charlotte on a steamy […]

With any Sunday at Bonnaroo comes the realization that the thing is almost over. Monday and the real world loom over the farm like a thunderhead as attendees scramble to get their last Amish doughnut or to catch that last great set that will send them happily onto the highway. As always on Sunday, the […]

Saturday at Bonnaroo 2016 wound up being a solid day despite the presence of two of the most vapid artists of the decade. At this point, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis seem like one of the longest-running jokes in music. Their oddly-placed set on the main stage – between Band of Horses and Pearl Jam – […]

On a day that was only mildly hot by past Bonnaroo standards, the festival once again proved that it’s full of surprises. Early in the day, soul singer Andra Day rounded out her set by inviting saxophone giant Kamasi Washington to blow on her own showstopper “City Burns”. A few hours later, and just a […]

When the 15th Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival lineup was released in January, opinions were as mixed as they’ve ever been.  The festival’s devotees have been magnificently spoiled over the years, but there was validity to their complaints. The schedule was released a few weeks ago, it became clear that no more acts were going […]

No matter your stance on North Carolina’s infamous House Bill 2, there’s no denying that the troublesome legislation has drastically affected the state’s entertainment industry. Millions of municipal dollars have been lost as a collective result of cancellations by Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr, Cirque du Soleil, Boston, and Bryan Adams, while other artists […]

[rating=7.00] Sunderland, England’s Field Music have been nominated for a Mercury Prize (for their 2012 release Plumb) and satisfied music aficionados with four albums from 2005 – 2012, each more impressive than the previous. Yet, you’d be lucky to find an American with which to share stories about this considerable catalog. As their tour dates […]

[rating=7.00] A Benji Hughes album is like a seed in transit. If it winds up in the right environment, it will eventually bloom. But it could just as easily land on concrete. In the case of Songs in the Key of Animals, the success of the album depends largely on whose ears in which it […]

The 27th Warren Haynes Christmas Jam December 12, 2015 Asheville, NC – US Cellular Center Feat: Warren Haynes, Jeff Sipe, The Doobie Brothers, Blackberry Smoke, Dawes, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Bruce Hornsby, Hot Tuna, Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady, Love Canon, Mike Barnes If New Year’s Eve concerts are the metaphorical cherry on top of a music […]