Portland – It isn’t hard to see why The Bots are already critically acclaimed after seeing one of their shows; just be prepared to be a fan from then on. The LA-based band is made up of brothers Mikaiah Lei and Anaiah Lei, who recorded their first album when they were 15 and 12. They
Portland – For the first time, Swear and Shake brought their self-proclaimed “Big Hook Americana” sound here. The band were playing as a trio at Doug Fir on Saturday, since drummer Ben Goldstein is not accompanying them on their current tour with Bronze Radio Return. The band was then comprised of original members Kari Spieler
Chicago – It may have been a Wednesday night, but Chicagoans were ready to get down and party with electronic outfit Clean Bandit like it was a Saturday. Although, there was a slight snag in the plan; the U.K. foursome was down a man, with violinist and pianist Neil Amin-Smith having hurt his wrist. (Best
Los Angeles – On Wednesday night, Toronto-based power pop band Ménage wrapped up a handful of dates in Los Angeles, adapting their sound to the quiet ambiance of Hollywood’s famed The Hotel Café. While the band is more known for its guitar distortion and a well-contained aggression, their performance was more subdued and featured an
Brooklyn – Jack Ladder & the Dreamlanders have an unwieldy, confusing name and are an “uncool” band. They may dress ridiculously and even make “unfashionable” music. But being dorky doesn’t disqualify them from being worth your time. Lyrics-driven music is almost always uncool; look at Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker. Jarvis was a skinny nerd who didn’t
Nashville – In anticipation of their latest release, Albany, NY natives Northern Faces have embarked on their first ever U.S. tour and stopped here along the way this past Friday night at the High Watt. Though the tour is set to conclude in less than a month, the band’s debut full-length album will drop shortly
Chicago – I’ve been sitting in Starbucks, staring at my MacBook, for about an hour, trying to figure out how to best describe what it’s like to witness Diarrhea Planet wreak havoc. There’s a whole lot of stage diving, crowdsurfing, moshing, thrashing, hair flying, hair pulling, beer tossing, sweat dripping, shouting and screaming, stage climbing, and of
Los Angeles – Magic Man positively presented the “magic” to the El Rey Theater on Wednesday night to a boisterous crowd. While the group had opened for other acts such as Walk The Moon and Smallpools not too long ago, this marks the first headlining tour for the Boston synth-pop buffs. Magic Man, formed by
Nashville – With more than just a spring in their step, the upbeat indie-pop MisterWives played a sold-out set at the High Watt as a part of their 2015 spring tour. Their tour dates follow swiftly behind the release of their debut LP, Our Own House (via Photo Finish Records), which dropped a little more
Los Angeles – One thing is for sure – London’s Palma Violets have the swagger and stage theatrics that is the inevitable byproduct of being critically lauded from the moment their first song was released. The infamously trigger-happy British music magazine NME cast Palma Violets into the pantheon of “next big things” in 2012 when