Reviews

Alice Cooper, the Detroit rock inspired reigning godfather of Shock Rock, brought his impish antics to a full house Thursday night at the Chumash Casino Resort, Santa Ynez. The iconic singer, who, always tours with top rock musicians in his band, has assembled one of his best groups since the original line up disbanded back […]

The small theater’s main floor filled up rather quickly in the minutes preceding the impending performance by Rock Island, Illinois’ Lissie. Right at 8 PM, the stage lights cut out and Elisabeth Maurus’ nickname LISSIE popped up, in white capital letters on an enormous LED screen. The young crowd of fans cheered, whistled and clapped […]

Aims takes an introvert and thrusts her into extroverted waters. In a live setting, a few of the songs from the new record lacked the epic trappings they wore in the studio. Still, this tour shows Teng at her most musically adventurous.

[rating=8.00] When the original guitarist for the Rough Seven Michael Aaron passed away recently the band looked internally for solace. Aaron had not been in the band for some time but was vital in its construction and was still tight with the present day group. In tribute the band went back to an early session […]

If there is one thing that musicians love to do, it’s get together with other musicians, pull out the guitars and jam for fun. When you’re able to do this to help an organization or a friend in need, it makes it all the more sweet. So when former Guns N Roses drummer Matt Sorum […]

Da da da dum, da da da dum, it’s the Royal Potato Family!  Just after Halloween, the leaders of the Royal Potato Family music label, the Marco Benevento trio, presented themselves as the eccentric band you’d like to live next to.  They are a modern day Addams Family with Marco (keys) as the charismatic and […]

Near the beginning of the documentary film Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me rock critic Lester Bangs equates Memphis rock band Big Star with The Beatles. At the time of his comment, a 1970s interview, few people had heard of Big Star. Turns out Bangs was on to something. Big Star’s three albums, released between […]

From the opening notes of “Heartland” from Coyote Kolb’s, 2010 debut, “Massachusett” lead singer Chadley Kolb’s Gretsch Duo Jet made it clear that CK’s Y chromosome is in the blues.  Not twelve bar blues or British invasion blues but slow stewed, Robert Johnson, Mississippi Delta blues.   Harmonica player, Sonny Jim’s riffs over the time changes […]

The venue filled up early for the sold-out Phantogram show on Wednesday night for what would be their second appearance in Phoenix, and their first at the Crescent Ballroom.  The band, consisting of Sarah Barthel, Josh Carter and supporting members, took the stage around 9:45 with Barthel donning a leather jacket with fringes on the […]

In the late 70’s, a curious paperback book was published, filled with wackily twisted facts about famous people and unusual historical sidebars of eyebrow raising information. It caught people off-guard but the lure to peep into it’s catacombs of information was strangely alluring. It was titillating and a bit scandalous for the times, and led […]

[rating=7.00] There’s a lot going on throughout the 38-minutes that comprise Corsicana Lemonade, White Denim’s sixth LP, and third since expanding to a quartet with the addition of guitarist Austin Jenkins. The Austin, Texas-based band has long specialized in chaotic and harried jams that burst forth with snippets of kinetic energy. Where one song stops and […]

[rating=6.00] The Melismatics have put together a spunky collection of tunes that run the gamut of upbeat disco flavored bubble gum rock. The four piece from Minneapolis has been honing their sound for most of the millenium and Rising Tide shows the band is still experimenting while bouncing along. The dueling male and female vocals […]

David Bowling’s Eric Clapton FAQ is written like a trip through that part of the authors music collection devoted to the archetypal guitar hero. As such it is comprehensive to a point, covering in no small detail Slowhand’s earliest work, including his stints in The Yardbirds and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, then through his solo career […]

[rating=7.00] Having released an engaging solo record with 2012’s Between The Time And The Tides, Lee Ranaldo and company toured heavily, gelled, record a new disk, and added a moniker. The now titled Lee Ranaldo and The Dust four piece (Steve Shelley, Alan Licht, Tim Luntzel) have stretched out with songs routinely running seven plus […]

Georgia-formed jam rockers Widespread Panic brought their brand of bluesy, interpretive Southern rock to the North Carolina mountains of Asheville last weekend. The band treated fans to special guests, choice covers, and tight lengthy jams because that’s just what they do. Here’s a recap of Saturday night’s show at the U.S. Cellular Center (formerly known […]

Since 1959, the annual Newport Folk Festival has been a showcase and a springboard for many of the biggest names in folk and folk-influenced music, and on October 5th and 6th, the world-renowned Santa Monica Pier hosted the iconic event’s west coast expansion, Way Over Yonder. Lingering summer weather blessed the occasion and twenty acts […]

[rating=7.00] If you follow any of the social media channels from Anacortes, WA based four-piece, The Lonely Forest, you’ll know that they’re mighty proud of where they come from. It’s understandable – the place is beautifully situated on a jut of land surrounded by water, with a view towards far off islands as the Pacific […]

[rating=8.00] Setlists may not tell the whole story of a performance (by a long shot), especially when it comes to an improvisational band like the Grateful Dead. Yet the absolutely galvanizing performance contained on the two cd’s of Dick’s Picks #22 reaffirm impression given by the song titles listed. This release, part of the Real […]

After an electrified Pearl Jam performance ended the activities of Day 1 at the Voodoo Music Experience, it was easily wondered if Day 2 could even come close. But there was a noticeable excitement blowing in the air as you walked onto the grounds Saturday morning, with people talking about the anticipated return of Nine […]

A lot of planning goes into a big festival: vendors, talent, permits, security and setup just to name some obvious things. If any of these are done poorly the whole festival can suffer. The Voodoo Experience has been known to attract younger more mainstream talent to New Orleans City Park for 15 years now in […]