Show Reviews

There’s nothing that can quite compare to the perfect storm when everything lines up to create the most monumental of experiences. It’s rare for a music fan to have all their needs met. Sometimes, walking out of the show and onto the street, there’s that feeling of complete satisfaction.  This past Thursday, May 30th, was […]

Del McCoury is a national treasure.  Since joining forces with Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys over sixty years ago, the affable guitarist and vocalist has left an indelible mark on the bluegrass world as we know it. Thanks to his seemingly ageless vocal abilities, uncanny songwriting, and infectious stage presence, McCoury’s influence has spread […]

BottleRock Napa Valley, the popular music festival in the most famous American wine region, hit on all cylinders with big-name stars, young upcoming talent, and the usual array of extravagance. The three-day event, in its 11th year, ran from Friday, May 24 to Sunday, the 26th, over Memorial Day weekend and drew a sold-out crowd […]

The last day of the Boston Calling Music Festival was widely agreed upon to have had the best lineup. The Killers and Hozier both returned as festival veterans. Megan Thee Stallion made her first visit, and all three music giants made quite the impression – as expected. The weather was perfect throughout the day, as […]

Day two of Boston Calling is in the books, and it did not disappoint as it seems as though each dayand its lineup gets better and better. Mother Nature also took pity on the festival asSaturday’s weather briefly offered up a hot morning without a cloud in the sky, which quicklyturned into an afternoon with […]

The Boston Calling Music Festival kicked off Memorial Day weekend on Friday with a bang. Headliner Ed Sheeran delivered a crowd-pleasing set filled with his signature pop anthems that included “The A Team,” “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You,” and “Thinking Out Loud.” Sheeran, who stepped out to his mark in one of his signature […]

While the economics of touring with a 12-person band plus the crew that comes with that is baffling in today’s age, we should all be grateful that the Tedeschi Trucks Band (TTB) has seemingly found a way to make it work. Considering that their last studio release – 2022’s I Am The Moon – was […]

For the first time in about five years, classic rock stalwarts Heart made their long-anticipated return to the Metro Detroit area. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers brought along Cheap Trick for the opening slot at the Little Caesars Arena stop of their Royal Flush Tour 2024. Here are five moments that stood out […]

The buzz truly started a few years back, but North Carolina’s Wednesday have made a rapid ascent over the last year with the release of their acclaimed album Rat Saw God. Led by Karly Hartzman, who does most of the singing, the group’s fresh approach to Southern rock – marrying elements of alt-country, grunge, and […]

The pristine City Winery in Manhattan hosted the Louisiana Calling tour, featuring Sonny Landreth and The Iguanas, on Sunday night, May 19th. The artists have been traveling up the East Coast together, presenting their swampy, roots-rock, and blues to excited fans.  Opening the night with an hour-long set, The Iguanas, Rod Hodges (guitar/accordion), Joe Cabral […]

On a rainy, overcast Saturday (May 18th), the New Orleans-based funk outfit Dumpstaphunk pulled into Williamsburg and set up shop at Brooklyn Bowl to lay down a night of grooving goodness.   Opening the show was guitarist/frontman Marcus Rezak with his backing jam band. The bass/drum/sax lineup was augmented by a backup singer as the tunes […]

In support of the band’s new album, ‘FU##IN’ UP’, which features performances of songs from the 1990 album Ragged Glory and live recordings from Toronto’s Rivoli, seemingly during an alleged secret show last November – Neil Young & Crazy Horse, brought their signature brand of raw, primal energy to the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts on May 17th. The crowd, a […]

For the better part of two decades, Eric D. Johnson has maintained a steady, borderline-prolific output under his Fruit Bats moniker. His consistent yet ever-evolving approach to folk-rock has earned Fruit Bats a cult following of loyal fans alongside those who discover the band by accident and eagerly jump on board. Johnson splits his time […]

It’s hard to find two figures more evocative of the early aughts indie rock spirit than Jenny Lewis and Ben Gibbard. With Lewis’ Rilo Kiley and Gibbard’s Death Cab For Cutie, each artist and their respective bands captured different ends of the spectrum in sounds that would define the era. With Rilo Kiley’s steering towards […]

Many people regard particularly compelling live shows as not merely great performances but great “experiences.” If you happened to witness Swans’ performance at The Metro in Chicago on May 11th, chances are you can now relate to that sentiment wholeheartedly.  Granted, Michael Gira and company have been decimating audiences in one form or fashion for […]

“I have my own life, and I am stronger than you know.”  Those are lyrics from “Leather and Lace,” a song from Stevie Nicks’ solo debut in 1981, which she performed near the end of her show at Enterprise Center in St. Louis on May 7th. There was no Don Henley to sing with Nicks, but […]

What happens when a bunch of bluegrass-playing friends in successful bands decide to pick up electric guitars and live out their rock and roll influences? The answer is the High Hawks, which features an all-star cast of musicians from Leftover Salmon, Railroad Earth, Hard Working Americans, and Horseshoes & Hand Grenades. Originally formed during the pandemic as […]

On Monday, May 6, blues icon and living legend Buddy Guy continued to defy Father Time, delivering a scorching performance at Boston’s Wilbur Theatre. As a spry 87-year-old, Guy’s fingers still danced across the fretboard with the agility of a man decades younger. The energy in the sold-out venue was palpable from the moment the […]

The last time this writer had the pleasure of seeing Ty Segall at Thalia Hall, he started his performance by crawling up to the microphone, sporting his trademark Sloppo baby mask. He proceeded to rip through a delightfully demented set chock-full of tunes from his brilliant Emotional Mugger album, which had just come out at […]

If you haven’t heard of Teezo Touchdown, you must be taking a break from social media. The Texas-bred genre blender has graced the cover of Rolling Stone, worked and toured with Travis Scott and Tyler, The Creator, and created viral hits like “Sweet.” At this point in his career, Touchdown is on a clear trajectory […]