New York – The other night was not only the last day of a lengthy tour for New York’s Augustines (formerly We Are Augustines), but it was also a hometown show. The Brooklyn natives returned to the city that heavily inspired their debut Rise Ye Sunken Ships to play a riotous set at Rough Trade
San Francisco – Singer-songwriter Nika Roza Danilova—aka Zola Jesus—kicked off her 2014 tour at this city’s delightfully kitschy supper club/music venue Bimbo’s 365 the other night, supporting her brand new (and fifth) studio album, Taiga. Bimbo’s is somewhat of a unique venue, boasting candlelit tables pasted amongst platforms rising up from the dance floor. Taiga
New York – After a bout of laryngitis, a cancelled show in Pawtucket and several days of vocal rest, vocalist/guitarist Mikel Jollett was given a clean bill of health and just in time for The Airborne Toxic Event’s show at Terminal 5. The indie rock band made sure their return to the stage was a
Nashville – Before Alanna Royale was ever seen at her record release show on October 4 at Exit/In, she was heard. In traditional soul/funk style, the bearded crew that backs the Nashville songstress came out and laid down a tight vamp as the crowd awaited the showstopper’s arrival. But, before ever setting foot on stage, Alanna sent
Seattle – Tractor Tavern recently opened its arms to indie rockers Kopecky Family Band. The Nashville six-piece filled the venue with warmth, clever interplay, and captivating musical talent in an evening that absolutely delighted the crowd. Kelsey Kopecky (vocals, keys, bass), Gabe Simon (vocals, guitar, horns), Steven Holmes (guitar), David Krohn (drums), Markus Midkiff (cello,
Sacramento – The last day at TBD Fest drew a larger crowd than I had seen all weekend, especially during the evening sets. (Ed., Best New Bands’ Day One coverage is HERE; Day Two is HERE.) The festival was clearly coming to a close, and while I was exhausted, my lungs were full of dust,
Austin – One of the biggest names in music festivals is getting bigger this year, growing to a second weekend to accommodate a larger lineup, and, maybe more importantly, a larger crowd. Austin City Limits presents a mix of pop music’s biggest new names and some welcome reunions (Outkast and The Replacements? My mind has
New York – Friday night’s Shakey Graves performance in Manhattan was wonderful and wild, and welcomed the weekend with a bang. The indie musician played in support of the mega-beloved blues-rock outfit Tedeschi Trucks Band, and the turnout was awash in blues fans of all generations. On stage, Alejandro Rose-Garcia is a lit stick of
Austin – “Are you going to ACL this year?” Since 2009, my answer was always “No.” I could never remember which day I’m supposed to spend refreshing the page for ticket sales, and I could never remember to save the money for scalped/second-hand tickets. For the scatterbrained and the sweat-averse, the ACL Late Night circuit
Sacramento – The heat came back with a vengeance on the second day of TBD Fest, yet the excitement and the energy of the festival made it totally bearable. The second day had a little more variety in terms of the artists performing and tons of great new bands to check out. Drowners First up