Show Reviews

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 […]

When her second full-length album Crushing came out earlier this year, we watched Julia Jacklin continue to evolve as an artist from 2016’s Don’t Let the Kids Win. Her voice as a songwriter, and confidence as a performer seemed to grow stronger; her perspective more self-assured. Even as the songs on Crushing find her still […]

There’s something a little weird about a co-headlining show. No matter what the acts are, whichever plays first just doesn’t attract the same crowd. One act has to function as an opener, regardless of following or fanbase. The strangeness of this took shape on November 7th at the Bowery Ballroom, where Dylan LeBlanc played an hour-long set […]

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 […]

Saturday evening’s LEVITATION lineup was the centerpiece of the festival. The Black Angels performed with their idol, John Cale. A founding member of The Velvet Underground, Cale’s song, “The Black Angel’s Death Song” is the inspiration for the local neo-psych rock heroes’ moniker. The band was perhaps more excited about finally booking Cale for the […]

As Austin psych rock festival LEVITATION rolled into day two of the venue-based event, more fans, bigger acts and more cold weather contributed to an impressive array of performances on Friday, November 8th. The Flaming Lips were one of those marquee artists who appeared on the Stubb’s BBQ stage following sets by Mercury Rev and […]

The 11th edition of LEVITATION, the psych rock music festival launched by The Black Angels and The Reverberation Appreciation Society from Austin, Texas in 2008, kicked off a full weekend of shows on Thursday, November 7th. Sold-out sets by Power Trip, Japan’s Kikagaku Moyo and Minami Deutsch plus an eye-opening slot by Jonathan Bree made […]

Fresh off the release of their new album, You Deserve Love, White Reaper packed in a sold-out Bowery Ballroom. The Louisville rockers staked their claim to being “The World’s Best American Band” with an onslaught of good old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll. Here are five things that stood out from the set: The Nude Party Starts […]

The crowd cheered as J.S. Ondara peeked his head out the stage door, trotted down the steps, and took center stage. But as he launched into an acapella version of “Turkish Bandana”, the crowd stilled, all eyes on the pink-suited, ruffle-shirted young man in the fedora crooning in front of five microphones. For the next […]

Dead and Company kicked off their 2019 “Fall Fun Run” which a pair of shows at the “World’s Most Famous Arena.” Even as bad as the Knicks are, it’s still the Garden. Night one, Halloween, also served as a tribute to the late lyricist Robert Hunter. The setlist was filled completely with songs he wrote […]

Three consecutive days of gloomy rain gave way to a dark and stormy Halloween night, when Sleater-Kinney conjured their latest acclaimed album The Center Won’t Hold and throwback tracks alike. Here are five things that stood out from the spooky set for a bewitched NYC crowd at Hammerstein Ballroom: Opener Joseph Keckler Casts a Spell […]

A couple of years back, somebody shot Tyler Childers out of a country music authenticity cannon, and he’s still on an upward trajectory. Now, with a fresh album that reached number one on the country charts when it was released, it’s unlikely he’ll be coming down any time soon. Country Squire was released in August […]

The rain threatened to derail this year’s Voodoo Music + Arts Festival but stellar performances, smaller crowds, and a commitment to costuming helped to make this year’s Voodoo an overall fun weekend.  Friday’s steady precipitation required only a poncho, proper footwear and a good attitude to prevail (although a few stages were shut down briefly […]

The Who’s legacy includes historic appearances at Woodstock and Monterey Pop, selling over 100 million records, originating the “rock opera” concept album and their 1990 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After five decades of recording and touring, a band known as one of the greatest live rock acts has a lot […]

A lot has changed in Grace Potter’s life in the four years since her last album, Midnight, including divorcing drummer Matt Burr, marrying producer Eric Valentine, and giving birth to her first child. Not surprisingly, Potter’s music has also changed, venturing even farther away from her 13-year career with the Nocturnals. Her first album since […]

Jenny Lewis brought her acclaimed latest record, On the Line, to a sold-out gig at Brooklyn’s historic Kings Theatre on October 24th. Here are five things that stood out from the set: Setting the Stage Kings Theatre dates back to the late 1920s, and the venue was a perfect match for Lewis’ sense of old […]

A web of metal magic kept 20,000 fans rapt for over two hours during an epic, career spanning set in San Antonio.

Just one week out from Halloween, there was already a sense of ghoulish energy brewing at Somerville’s ONCE Ballroom on October 24th. Starcrawler, Los Angeles’ latest rock and roll sensation, literally hit the stage from all four sides and proceeded to mesmerize the audience with a feverish and enchanting set that included work from their […]

Opening for Little Feat at Burlington’s venerable Flynn Center on October 20th, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams almost, but not quite, stole the show from the headliners. Their choice of material might well have been enough, ranging from the Louvin Brothers to Rev. Gary Davis to originals like “Surrender to Love.” But in also being […]

On Monday night (10/21), the Melvins and Redd Kross brought the eclectic Escape From L.A. Tour to the Social in Orlando, Florida. With strikingly different but complementary acts, the bands brought the kaleidoscope of musical influences to a near-capacity crowd, with a bit of something for everyone. Opening the night was solo artist Toshi Kasai, […]