Show Reviews

2025 is the year of Turnstile. With the release of their fourth full-length studio album Never Enough in June and the deluge of press and praise that came with it, the Baltimore hardcore outfit successfully managed to cross into the mainstream after several years on the cusp. Give or take a few grizzled and grumbling […]

While other stops on her current tour are billed as a “Don’t Tell Anybody the Secrets Show” featuring stories, songs, and visuals, Lucinda Williams’ stop at the Roseland Theater in Portland, Oregon, on Tuesday, October 7th, was more or less a straight-up Lucinda Williams show. There weren’t any visuals, and even the storytelling was minimal, […]

Zigzagging through the pedestrian traffic populating the much-maligned street construction of downtown Burlington, Vermont, there was a palpably convivial air under the near full moon on October 4th. And that sense of lighthearted liberation crystallized under the bright marquee of the Flynn Center, then permeated the venerable theater once Brad Mehldau and Christian McBride began […]

It took Marc Broussard three tries to bring his tour to Florida. The January shows were canceled due to the historic snowstorm in Louisiana, which made travel impossible. The shows were canceled again in May. But in October, Broussard finally hit the Sunshine State for three shows, culminating with a set before a sell-out crowd […]

In June 2024, Goose performed what was, at the time, their biggest headlining show to date in front of approximately 14,000 attendees at the Mann Center in Philadelphia. However, considering the group’s (continuing) skyrocketing popularity, it’s no surprise that the band’s tour itinerary now features regular stops at equally massive, if not bigger, sheds throughout the country.  […]

The curtain rises not on a stage, but on an empty slate—a bare, gently curved floor backed by a massive, seemingly uninterrupted video screen, giving the immediate impression that David Byrne’s Who Is The Sky? Tour is less a rock concert and more a carefully orchestrated piece of immersive theatre. Having established a new standard for touring […]

Planting by the Signs is the third album from Kentucky artist S.G. Goodman and her first since 2022’s masterful Southern rock noir collection Teeth Marks. Goodman is damn proud of the songs on Planting by the Signs and for good reason, as it finds her continuing to evolve her sound as she mines the depths of Southern […]

For over four decades, experimental noise-rock titans Swans have been crafting their distinctively uncompromising and mind-melting brand of all-consuming sonic cacophony, consistently delivering compelling results. And as impressive as the band’s highly expansive and varied discography (which currently stands at 17 studio albums and counting) has been over the years, witnessing the remarkable intensity of […]

Eddie Vedder, the lead singer of Pearl Jam, is the heart and soul of the Ohana Festival. The 2025 edition wrapped up a glorious three days of live music in Dana Point, CA on September 26th-28th. Vedder played with his side project, The Earthlings, introduced several of the artists over the weekend, and sat in […]

On Wednesday night, Scottish indie rockers Franz Ferdinand played in Orlando, Florida, for the first time in 21 years. The Human Fear Tour stopped at a packed House of Blues for a night of hyper party rock.  Newcomer Master Peace started the night with a short set of energetic indie pop. Backed by a guitarist […]

As a band that emerged from the vibrant psychedelia of the ’90s Britpop scene, Kula Shaker’s unique blend of classic rock, Eastern mysticism, and pop sensibilities has created a dedicated and loyal following. On a recent stop in Boston at the iconic Brighton Music Hall on September 21st, the air was thick with the excitement […]

The best moments hide, then erupt at Farm Aid. They do in nature, too. But these moments need time and love in order to grow. And like everything else, they need money, too. “We need money,” Neil Young said at the morning press conference on September 20, 2025, at Minneapolis’ Huntington Bank Stadium with Farm […]

On Sunday night, Sam Fender brought the closing night of his People Watching tour to The Filmore in Philadelphia, as an ode to American rock and mainstream British Rock. The opening act of Young Jesus first took the stage with an hour-long set of Midwest emo and post-rock sound. John Rossiter, lead singer and guitarist, […]

After an action-packed Saturday that featured occasional light rain showers, moderately muggy and warm conditions greeted the masses returning to Douglas Park for the final day of Riot Fest. With a few classic East Bay punk bands scheduled to take the stage, Sunday felt like a mini-Gilman Street reunion for many, promising to make the […]

Riot Fest – Day 2 After a markedly warm day 1 of Riot Fest that featured a heavy dose of oddball bands and general weirdness, day 2 proved to be the perfect antidote. Not only was the weather slightly cooler (though still quite balmy), with occasional rain showers (that felt more refreshing than pesky most […]

Walking into the Hampton Coliseum is akin to entering a Time Machine. The dated infrastructure and omnipresent smell of stale popcorn that permeates the air harkens back to the days of family outings to see Disney On Ice or Monster Jam.  Despite the outmoded environs, or perhaps owing to them, the Hampton Coliseum, affectionately known […]

Molly Tuttle’s “The Highway Knows Tour” has been more than just a series of performances; it is a profound testament to her evolution as an artist, celebrating her latest release, So Long Little Miss Sunshine. At Boston’s Royale Night Club, she and her band hit the stage and exploded with the vibrant energy of her new […]

It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since Riot Fest founders Mike Petryshyn and Sean McKeough (R.I.P.) first organized a group of their favorite punk bands to play at the famed Congress Theater in Chicago way back in 2005. They may have only had modest ambitions at the time, but little did they know […]

It was an amazing night for classic rock lovers at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. The beautiful, historic venue hosted two bands on September 17th, 2025, that expertly delivered hardcore rock & roll. Joe Perry Project opened the show with surprise guests Slash and Steven Tyler. The Who headlined and put on a career-spanning, […]

Are The Hives the greatest living rock band? That question might seem cliché, but I can assure you that the answer is at least somewhat close to a resounding yes. Even the band seems confident of their royal status, posing as kings on the cover of their humbly titled new album The Hives Forever Forever […]