Reviews

As The Rolling Stones evolved from blues purists and made a concerted attempt to commercialize themselves for the pop market, their manager Andrew Loog Oldham posited them as bad boy alternatives to the cuddly mop-tops that were The Beatles. It only makes sense then, that instead of the semi-fictionalized presentation of the latter with their […]

Vans Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman has pulled another rabbit out of his hat and kept Vans Warped Tour alive for its 19th year. The festival faced an uphill battle this year, with less well known big ticket bands on the roster. Attendance is down too, about 8% overall on average from last year. But […]

[rating=7] Hockey first made their mark in the alternative rock world in 2009 with the infectious, upbeat singles “Too Fake” and “Song Away.” Following the success of their debut album, the band traded their cozy hometown of Portland, Oregon for the rural forests of upstate New York, where they spent months writing and revising over […]

With Black Horses, Adam Franklin & Bolts of Melody succeed at creating an album of depth that can be enjoyed repeatedly from start to finish. The evolution of this seasoned musician and his supporting group will undoubtedly continue to intrigue as they bring Black Horses on the road in the near future.

Despite two evacuations (one which included a couple of drops of rain, the other of which included a ton of rain), soaring temperatures and an Animal Collective cancellation, 2013 still proved to be Forecastle’s most impressive year.

On Saturday night, Sanders Bohlke closed out his tour as special guest on Rachael Yamagata’s “Dealbreaker Heart Tour” with a bang, stepping onto the stage at the Bowery Ballroom, capturing the undivided attention of several hundred strangers, and lulling them into a state of wonder and amazement with his music. This was undoubtedly a common […]

[rating=8.0] Born Sinner may be the strongest album of the summer, despite it still being the start of the season. J Cole simply mesmerized the rap nation with this piece of work, which is only his second album under Roc Nation.  A natural storyteller, Cole captured the entire spectrum emotion from partying to mourning to […]

One of the most prestigious double bills of the concert season appeared at the Santa Barbara Bowl, Friday June 28th, featuring two blues master vocalists, representing multiple generations. Opener Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, played a hastened forty minute set to a half full bowl. In the eight years since their debut album Nothing But […]

The Saratoga Performing Arts Center has long been a favorite venue for Phish to play and never more so than in recent years where the quartet have offered some absolutely scintillating performances. The first two nights of three this year vividly illustrated again how the quartet functions, the group essentially starting up and revving its […]

You know a concert is going to be good when the music coming from the sound-check has fans huddling with their ears pressed against the glass, soaking up every note as if their rock & roll life depended on it, then walking away with a look of pure astonishment. Several went back over to friends, […]