Archive: 2018

On La Via Negativa,Seattle songwriter Joel Bell gingerly wraps incisive, fearlessly honest observations in buoyant rolling melody. While the songs on La Via Negativa are immediately engaging (as any tightly built tune should be), spend some time with this poetic and painterly record and you’ll discover concentric rings of meaning packed into deceptively forthright lyrics. The […]

A spiritual transformation takes place when one walks through downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Rain or shine, Nashville earns its nickname “Music City” for one good reason. There is music everywhere. From the honky-tonks on Broadway to the underground, hip clubs both east and west of Music Row, it never ends. At the heart of the city, […]

Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters brought their tour in support of their new LP Carry Fire to Minneapolis’ Orpheum Theatre on February 22nd. Photos by Billy Briggs.

One of America’s most enduring rock groups, Chicago, has begun a brand new tour in 2018, with a new line up and a new set-list concentrating on the band’s classic tunes from their first two albums. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers took a break from their current month-long residency at the Venetian hotel […]

Hercule Poirot is well deserving of space in your home movie library.

Phish is following the recent announcement of their upcoming summer tour by unveiling plans to stage their 11th festival, Curveball. Slated for August 17-19 at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, NY, Curveball will see Phish offering a series of unique live performances, alongside an array of activities, attractions and art installations. Located amidst the […]

Acclaimed artist and activist Joan Baez will begin a run of North American dates beginning on September 11 in Ithaca, NY. The extensive run of shows, following 50 UK and European dates, marks Baez’s last year of formal touring and includes stops at the historic Beacon Theatre in New York City and Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. See below for complete […]

The Walking Dead continues to ramble on towards nowhere.

They dropped a few hints this past weekend and now it is official… Metallica’s WorldWired Tour returns to North America this Fall! Following last summer’s 25 date sold-out stadium run, this year Metallica is bringing the in-the-round production currently being seen in European arenas to the U.S. and Canada kicking off on September 2, 2018, […]

Leslie Tom’s Ain’t It Something, Hank Williams is not your typical tribute record. It’s a 10-track reflection of Leslie’s own journey in life, thoughtfully—and often playfully—intertwined with Hank Williams-inspired tales of addiction, love, heartache and loss. “A part of all of us died, too, the day he passed away,” she croons on “Mr. Williams,” spotlighting […]

Ty Tabor wasn’t planning to do a double album; he actually just wanted to gather up some of his online-only songs and put them together onto a CD for the fans. But the creativity started cooking and before he knew it, new songs were coming to him. So the Best Of changed over to a […]

For the past decade, John Calvin Abney has made a name for himself as a solo artist and sought-after sideman. He’s toured as lead guitarist for fellow Oklahoman John Moreland, recording with him on his last two acclaimed albums, and in between, the prolific Abney found time to add another impressive record to his own […]

[rating=7.00] Seth Walker’s music, a fusion of style at the flash-point of blues and country, is that very distinctive sort difficult, if not impossible to categorize, much less pigeonhole with ease. As a result, this songwriter, musician and bandleader must rely on the inexorable process he’s followed for many years now, recording and touring to […]

FORM Arcosanti, the annual 3-day creative retreat & festival curated by Hundred Waters, has announced the initial music lineup, cultural programming partners, and social impact partner for its 2018 edition, which will take place the weekend of May 11-13, 2018 in the desert eco-city of Arcosanti, AZ. Surrounded by iconic architecture and landscapes, an intimate […]

Justin Townes Earle has announced an extensive North American tour that will begin May 6, 2018 in British Columbia and continue throughout the entire contiguous United States, with a stop in Toronto, ON as well. The 34-show run will present the celebrated singer-songwriter in intimate settings with solo acoustic performances. His acclaimed New West Records […]

[rating=7.00] Some records are so strikingly beautiful, they burrow into your consciousness from the first listen on. And when looking for obvious examples, one need only look to the band Darlingside, whose celestial, neo-pop sound is not only harrowing and haunting but also compelling in its own lush and tender way. Extralife, the follow up […]

[rating=8.00] When Levon Helm passed, his fervent wish, as expressed to his close friends like Jim Weider and Jimmy Vivino, was to “keep it going.”  In that spirit, Levon’s famed barn, home of the Midnight Rambles, still hosts gigs. His daughter, Amy, is forging her own successful career. The Midnight Ramble Band continues as the […]