Posts by Neil Ferguson

The world needs more thinking-man’s rock and roll. Luckily for us, Chicago’s Young Man In A Hurry have injected a strong dose of intellectual fervor into their cinematic indie rock on their debut album Jarvis. Born out of a friendship between songwriter and frontman Matt Baron and drummer Meyer Horn, the band champions a kind […]

In Suds & Sounds we turn the spotlight on breweries, focusing on the role of music in that brewery’s history, packaging, tastes, and in its city or town as a whole. The idea is to get beer and music lovers to connect with a side of the brewery that may often go overlooked, but one that we think […]

With the declaration of the fast-spreading coronavirus COVID-19 as a pandemic, the music industry has swiftly entered into crisis mode. Starting with the cancellation of South By Southwest (for the first time in its 34 year history) and snowballing into the postponement of Coachella and other festivals, arena tours and now a wave of smaller […]

Amidst the backdrop and burgeoning panic of a worldwide pandemic, Tool defiantly pushed on their world tour with a sold out show at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon on Wednesday, March 11th. This tour finds the heavy rockers supporting Fear Inoculum, their first new album since 2008, which Glide hailed as a “masterpiece”. Opening with the […]

Chris Masterson and Eleanor Whitmore know a thing or two about writing love songs. In between playing as key members in Steve Earle’s band The Dukes, the duo has spent the last decade refining their craft. Under the name of The Mastersons, they have struck a balance between Chris’s guitar chops and Whitmore’s prowess on […]

Buffalo, New York jam stalwarts moe. have been proudly moving along at a steady clip for thirty years. In that time, the band has had some brushes with mainstream success, garnering some radio play or perhaps a song featured in a commercial here or there. But mostly, they have maintained a devoted following of fans […]

For just over two decades, Brooklyn-based musical collective Antibalas have been proudly waving the Afrobeat flag. What makes them such a unique act is that, instead of copying pioneers of the genre like Fela Kuti and simply taking a revivalist approach, they have expanded on it and forged a sound that is simultaneously faithful yet […]

Acclaimed Grammy-winning bassist, composer and bandleader Ben Williams is perhaps best known for his work in the jazz world, specifically as the longtime bassist of guitarist Pat Metheny’s Unity Band. Williams has racked up a long list of accomplishments within this world, winning awards and performing with the likes of Wynton Marsalis, George Benson, Maxwell, […]

Every year around the time of Mardi Gras, Louisiana musicians tend to hit the road. Besides bringing the festivities to their fans, it serves as an opportune time to remind people what makes Louisiana’s musical culture so special. It was certainly a factor in the co-headlining tour of Marcia Ball and Sonny Landreth, who passed […]

It’s sad to say that in the realm of power pop, the word underrated comes to mind with far too many acts. It’s hard to pinpoint the reason, but the genre has always seemed to fall below the radar of the mainstream. Of course, there are exceptions like Cheap Trick, Elvis Costello, XTC, and R.E.M., […]

Being in a casino for a concert is a surreal reminder that, at its core, music is entertainment. Country star and actor Dwight Yoakam is a tried and true entertainer, so it makes sense that these days he spends much of his time playing the casino circuit. This is also often a sign that one […]

For more than thirty years and through various lineup changes, the Reverend Horton Heat has been awakening the masses to the power of rockabilly. Helmed by the one and only Jim Heath on guitar and vocals, the band has endured while other musical trends have come and gone. On Saturday, February 1st, the Reverend Horton […]

Missing from nearly every 2019 best-of-the-year list was the debut album from Portland, Oregon band TK & the Holy Know-Nothings. This is something of a travesty because anyone who had the pleasure to listen to Arguably OK was bowled over with the sharpness of Taylor Kingsman’s songwriting backed by a gritty, West Coast alt-country soundtrack. […]

As the holidays rapidly approach, many bands are squeezing in last minute tours to give their fans one last taste of the good stuff before the new year. On Tuesday, December 17th, venerable instrumental guitar outfit Los Straitjackets did just that with a stop at Portland, Oregon’s Polaris Hall. This year, Los Straitjackets celebrated the […]

Any independent record label that has managed to survive the digitization and disruption of the music industry is worth our admiration. Founded in 1994 back when buying physical music was a regular part of our routine, Chicago label Bloodshot Records has managed to swim against the tide for twenty-five years by carving out its own […]

Every year around this time we’re suddenly bombarded with the same old Christmas music everywhere we go. It almost seems like artists are scared to step out and try to make something entirely new, something that deviates from the same tired standards. Sure, nostalgia has its place (especially at Christmas), but why not give the […]

On a blustery Portland, Oregon night with with the gorging of Thanksgiving creeping its head around the door, it felt like an appropriate time to savor a performance from one of heavy metal’s most legendary acts. King Diamond’s current tour is based around his upcoming album The Institute, which is expected to be out in […]

The Black Keys hold a unique position in the modern music scene as a band that has managed to gain acceptance in both the mainstream and from rock and roll purists. While the duo of guitarist and singer Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney have worked to appease the mainstream, most notably on their aptly […]

Considering that Del McCoury has had a career spanning well over fifty years and has played a pivotal role in the growth of bluegrass music, he could easily rest on his laurels and enjoy time for reflection as one of the most influential figures in the genre. Instead, Del keeps on touring and making music […]

Rock and roll is an increasingly rare commodity these days. One of the few bands taking a tried and true approach to guitar rock and actually drawing crowds is Twin Peaks. In September, the Chicago band released their fourth studio album Lookout Low, and on Friday, November 8th they hit Portland, Oregon’s Wonder Ballroom in […]