Show Reviews

Kimock’s appearance at Higher Ground on June 11th, the final date of the quartet’s early summer tour, unfolded slowly and surely, much like the bandleader/guitarist’s solos. Upon  the doors opening, unobtrusive but nonetheless evocative instrumental music a la Miles Davis’ In A Silent Way floated from the venue’s PA over rows of chairs set up […]

There are many places in New York City to kick off your summer but McCarren Park or the rooftop of Our Wicked Lady during the Northside Festival are definitely two great choices. In its ninth year, Northside is Williamsburg’s (Brooklyn) answer to SxSW, a 5-day-long celebration allowing industry folk and fans to discover visual content, […]

On Thursday, June 8th Portland’s Mississippi Studios played host to a local-centric bill from some of this city’s finest acts. The occasion for such a gathering was the release of a new album, Blurred Harmony, from The Parson Redheads. Joining the venerable folk rockers were The Reverberations and The Minus 5. Following an impressive opening […]

Excluding perhaps Bjork, there is no better Icelandic music export to the world than the post-rock trio of Sigur Ros. Unique ethereal soundscapes pour over a variety of slow-building emotions that are voiced by singer, Jonsi Birgisson. Birgisson uses ‘Hopelandic’ – a gibberish form of the Icelandic language – to paint the song’s mood. While […]

There are shows, that when you see them, inspire you to go home and dust off that ill-used instrument you have lying around the house and start playing it again. Maybe it’s because the band makes it seem like it’s an attainable dream to be a rock star. Or perhaps it just looked like so […]

On June 5th a full house packed into the back of the Rough Trade Record Shop in Brooklyn, New York to see Benjamin Booker and friends celebrate the release of his second album Witness. Opening the show was High Water the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Will Epstein. The four-piece worked their way through experimental numbers that […]

Fans of genuine country music found reason to celebrate in Lincoln, Nebraska Wednesday, June 7th when a caravan of country stalwarts came to deliver its goods at the Pinewood Bowl Theater. Robert Earl Keen, Dwight Yoakam, and Willie Nelson were on the bill on a beautiful night at the 5,500-capacity venue. Keen and his band […]

Five years and some months ago, At the Drive-In reignited their career at Red 7, a beloved Austin venue which sadly no longer exists. The secret show, their first in eleven years, was announced literally the moment tickets went on sale, sold out within moments, and became a local legend for those who attended. Every […]

In support of their upcoming new album, How Did We Get So Dark, UK’s Royal Blood brought one of the more simple stage set-ups and band make-ups of today to the sold out Paradise Rock Club in Boston. The thirteen song set included material from their eponymous first album and five new songs from their […]

Let’s get this straight – Governors Ball is a young person’s festival. A three-day bracelet is the status symbol to have for high schoolers across NYC.  The biggest lines were for the cookie dough vendors, the mozzarella sticks and the mochi ice cream. There was a bigger line at the candy bar than at any […]

When a singer-songwriter by the name of Valerie June first garnered attention with the 2010 release of an EP called Valerie June and The Tennessee Express, those lucky enough to hear it were blown away by this completely unique talent. Her captivating vocals and rootsy blend of folk, blues, country and soul truly shined when […]

Thank goodness they’re back. Midnight Oil is a band that many have never heard of… until you sing, “How can we dance, When our earth is turning; How do we sleep, While our beds are burning?” And then everyone knows them. The funny thing is, despite forming in the 1970s, they are as relevant – […]

Jean-Michel Jarre, a French pioneer in electronic music and a true living legend in the world of pop music, gave his first live performance in Los Angeles as part of his first tour of the United States at the Microsoft Theater on Saturday, May 27. Jarre is famous worldwide for his live performances, as they […]

On a rainy Boston night fans of Old Crow Medicine Show and of course Bob Dylan, shuffled into the Orpheum Theater  May 25th on a cold, wet, but soon to be electric night. And as one walks down the alley at 1 Hamilton Place, it may be surprising that one of Boston’s oldest historical and most […]

On May 24th at Bowery Ballroom in New York City, Kevin Morby was finally coming home. His sold out show at this venue was something he’d only ever dreamed of, and with the upcoming release of his stellar new record City Music, a love letter to cities like New York, it was the perfect culmination. […]

Last Saturday night at the Mohawk in Austin, the Dillinger Escape Plan appeared to close out their career the way it began: on the floor, surrounded by a horde of screaming maniacs grabbing at clothes, skin, guitars, and microphones. The raucous math rockers announced this run of shows would be their last around the time […]

Prolific multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Ty Segall brought a career-spanning set list to Stubb’s in Austin on Saturday night. Currently touring on his second self-titled album, Ty Segall and The Freedom Band managed to fill up the iconic Austin venue quite nicely. As an added bonus Segall invited some of his friends to open up the […]

The Williamsburg section of Brooklyn was bustling on a picture perfect spring Saturday night this past May 20th as a New York City guitar legend was back in town with his new band playing theThe Music Hall of Williamsburg. Thurston Moore returned to New York City with his Thurston Moore Group only a few blocks […]

The third and final day of Boston Calling featured an eclectic onslaught of modern music that reinforced the events ability to stay true to its identity while successfully changing locations and doubling in size. Best of Day Three: Run The Jewels RTJ slays their crowd like a dragon night after night and the larger the […]

There aren’t many left of them thats for sure. That being artists like Brian Wilson; those who have suffered numerous close calls but still manage to persevere. With the recent passing of Gregg Allman it leaves a few remaining original rock icons including the last living Beach Boys member whose last name is Wilson. When […]