Brooklyn – In order to really appreciate tUnE-yArDs, you have to see them play live. Only after you witness with your own eyes the layered madness that leading lady Merrill Garbus sets into motion will you really value what her band does sonically. The clockwork of drumbeats and looping vocals is impressive when you listen
Nashville – There’s a high demand for good, live R&B in this music-rich city, but unfortunately, it’s met with limited supply. Enter Mocha: possibly the youngest, funkiest, and most energetic R&B group to hit the Music City scene in a long while. Led by enigmatic vocalist Sakari Greenwell, Mocha is an eight-member ensemble complete with
Seattle – Canada’s indie dream-pop outfit Alvvays graced Capitol Hill’s Barboza the other night, filling the basement with breezy melodies, fuzzy guitar, swirling keyboards, and cheeky lyrics. Having earned placement on many year-end lists with their debut eponymous album (on Polyvinyl Records)—Best New Bands called it “a contagious work of art”—Alvvays captures an impressive, balanced
Nashville – It’s been nearly a year since the last time I saw the Justin Kalk Orchestra live, but I remember the show vividly. A string section accompanied Kalk’s lead guitar and vocals, and the result was a positively stunning combination of classical notes and raw blues elements. Fast forward: this past Wednesday, Kalk performed
Los Angeles – The Troubadour got hot and heavy this week with scintillating sets by the indie-pop-based In The Valley Below (shown above) and neo-soul act Caught A Ghost. While the two Los Angeles-based bands have very little in common stylistically speaking, neither had any issues getting the large crowd whipped up into a dancing fervor.
Nashville – Stone Cold Fox found a place to shine in Nashville, debuting to local audiences at The Basement. The Brooklyn-based indie band wowed with their stunning (yet brief) set, bringing with them ethereal synth chords complimented by solid percussion. What resulted was a densely packed show that brimmed with youthful energy. Once Stone Cold
London – Announced as the last leg of a short UK tour and the final one of the year, it was not surprising that the return of Gabby Young & Other Animals to a London stage took on something of a homecoming party. The English songstress appeared radiant, looking every inch the fairy on the
Los Angeles – I had the emphatic delight of seeing the amazing talent of James Keogh, also known as Vance Joy, perform Friday night at the Henry Fonda Theatre. His ukulele-driven single, “Riptide,” has been a huge hit over the airwaves this past year. When his album, Dream Your Life Away, was released in September
London – An early Thanksgiving came to West London Wednesday night in the shape of Indiana-raised Lily & Madeleine, here as part of a 14-date European tour. The Jurkiewicz sisters were clearly impressed by the grandeur and, indeed, civility of Bush Hall; a live music venue that has witnessed a fair number of earlier incarnations
Los Angeles – With a powerful performance before a packed house in West Hollywood’s famed venue The Troubadour, this show felt a lot like a homecoming for Los Angeles-based Mr. Little Jeans. The synth-pop band effortlessly flowed through their headlining set, punctuated by a strong vocal performance from bandleader Monica Birkenes. The crowd quickly filled