Show Reviews

Since their early garage rock days in Austin, Texas, White Denim’s live show has been something to behold. White Denim songs take on a new life when played live, much in the spirit of a jamband. But, in reality, they aren’t jamming. No, these guys compose new sections within old songs and string together jaw-dropping […]

Moontower Comedy Fest’s 2016 opening night was a glorious reminder of what this festival has to offer.

There are two things that are especially difficult for any festival to accomplish. The first is to stay afloat for many years and the second is to hold on to the core values that make the festival so special throughout those years. Old Settler’s Music Festival has managed accomplish both of those things. Whereas many […]

Tickets to the moe. show at Portland, Oregon’s Wonder Ballroom sold out well in advance of their April 15 date. Fans of the band (moe.rons, as they are affectionately known) hadn’t witnessed a full-on Portland throwdown since 2013, and the excitement and enthusiasm was apparent in the line outside the venue before the doors opened. […]

On a brisk spring night in New York City, turn of the century indie darlings The Dandy Warhols played their second sold out show at the Bowery Ballroom to a room of delighted fans. The older leaning crowd were treated to a career spanning set that touched on all of the group’s highpoints as the […]

“We haven’t been to Austin in almost four years,” Alex Scally reminisced to the sold-out crowd at ACL Live on Monday night. The dark dream-pop duo from Baltimore had, in fact, played an installation show the night before at Brazos Hall, for only a select few. Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally may need multiple shows […]

M83 returned to Austin on Sunday night, touring in support of their latest album, Junk. Even with a five-year break between album releases, a fervent enthusiasm from Austinites awaited the French-electro outfit in the form of a very sold out show at Stubb’s. To say M83’s Hurry Up We’re Dreaming made an impact on the […]

In 2014, Dr. Dog bassist/co-lead singer, Toby Leaman told the sold out audience at Stubb’s in Austin, “It’s always been a dream of ours to sell out Stubb’s.” In what has become an annual tradition since then, Dr. Dog played two sold out performances on Friday and Saturday night and this time shared the spotlight […]

This past March, at the annual South by Southwest music and film conference, Philly band Low Cut Connie hauled their equipment, including a piano named “Shondra”, to approximately ten separate gigs throughout Austin, Texas in less than six days. A daunting task and logistical nightmare that would make most any band shutter, yet the boys […]

Widespread Panic has turned their annual Austin stop at ACL Live into something of a tradition, managing to make a stop on an almost yearly basis for the last handful of years. This time around they chose to kick off their spring tour with a three-night run in the heart of downtown Austin. Panic fans […]

Since their first performances at small clubs in Buffalo, New York in the early 90’s, jam band sensations moe. have continued to push boundaries, from playing small intimate venues, to hosting their own festivals, moe.Down, Snow.Down, and more recently moe.’s Tropical Throe.down on the beautiful sands of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. This past Thursday night […]

The saying goes practice what you preach and that is exactly what Savages did below St. Andrews Tuesday night. In the crowded and dense basement haven of the Shelter, the group while sporting their appropriate all black attire, decidedly segued their own spoken-word poetry thematic in their past and present material in rapid succession. Garnering […]

“Look at you, I love you!” Ryan Montbleau shouted affectionately to the audience as he took the stage on Wednesday night. The feeling was clearly mutual as Ryan and his nine-piece band returned home for a two-night stint at The Sinclair in Cambridge, MA. Montbleau and friends treated the crowd to a 20 song set and […]

The term ‘guitar hero’ doesn’t usually conjure up an image of professorial dignity the likes of which Jorma Kaukonen radiated as he took the stage at Higher Ground April 2nd, But if this burly gray-haired musician proved anything to the rowdy but reverent standing room only audience, it’s that he’s redefining the concept: his was […]

Calling all guitar geeks! Your attendance at Uli Jon Roth’s Ultimate Guitar Experience is highly encouraged, so pick out favorite black concert t-shirt and prepare to be wowed. The 2016 North American Tour kicked off on February 26th and has been gigging its way across the country with dates scheduled in 18 states and parts […]

As soon as the Felice Brothers straggled on to the stage and took up their instruments in the Showcase Lounge of Higher Ground, James Felice set the tone for the evening by offering a jolly holiday wish and expression of thanks to the comparatively small but adoring crowd. Seconds later this motley group of upstate […]

The end of the winter doldrums is often a reason for celebration and four great bands joined together for a tour to provide an outlet for music fans to commemorate the coming of spring. The Spring Fling Rock AF 2016 tour made a stop at the 111 year old Main Street Armory in Rochester, NY. Music […]

On March 26th, behind the not so big city bright lights of the Jay Peak Hotel, Jay Farrar and his accompanists, plus a small but devoted audience, conjured up in a cozy living room atmosphere in what  otherwise might’ve been the sterile likes of the Foeger Ballroom. The former leader of Uncle Tupelo and frontman […]

“We didn’t make it out of the Midwest by being a ballad band,” REO Speedwagon bass player Bruce Hall told Glide during a 2013 interview. “We rock, we rock hard.” With a set-list full of hits from their near-50 year career, the band from Illinois proved their claim to fame is not all super-ballad based. […]

Wicked Cool Productions and Shannon Splaquet started the festival season in exemplary fashion with Rock and Roll Resort v 6 “Low Key.” Over the weekend (March 25th-27th), zealous music lovers joined together to share musical adventures, all under one comfortable roof, at the Hudson Valley Resort and Spa in Kerhonkson, New York.  With a plethora […]