Before Friday night’s show at Los Angeles’ Bootleg Bar, I had never heard of Ha Ha Tonka. I had never heard the name. I had never heard the music. Hell, I didn’t even know the namesake was a state park in southern Missouri. The Springfield, Missouri-based quartet headlined the show, and to be quite honest,
Tennis sold out The Satellite in Los Angeles on Wednesday. I’ve been to the mid-sized venue plenty of times—and I’ve seen them crowded plenty of times—but never completely sold out. As soon as the trio began to play, it was clear to me why the audience was packed together like sardines. Led by spouses Patrick
Alabama Shakes are named quite literally. They are from Alabama, and when they play, there is no way to stay still. Even slower numbers like “Hold On” warrant hands in the air, “Can I get a witness”-style. Their sold out show at Brooklyn Bowl was packed with witnesses, all there to absorb the blues, soul,
Last Friday night, Los Angeles’ Silverlake venue, The Satellite, hosted a night of atmospheric dream pop, headlined by singer/songwriter/producer Jason Rober Quever’s ambitious, evocative project, Papercuts. As soon as the San Francisco-based quartet set foot on stage, the crowd rose to its feet and doubled in size, eager to witness the tight, meticulous live performance
Sam Herring, the frontman of Future Islands, is a madman in the best way. Future Islands played to a packed house at Bowery Ballroom, creating an energy level that kept building and building to intense proportions. Herring started off with bounds of energy immediately, striking like a snake at the crowd and bobbing and weaving
I was fortunate enough to catch The Postelles open for
When you’re a band from the U.K. trying to achieve the same type of stardom in the U.S. that’s been in your control in your home country, it’s almost like you are hitting the reset button on your career and starting anew. Fortunately for England’s The Hours, they already have the songs, moxie and charisma
Ryan and Nick of Mister Heavenly Sunday night at Mercury Lounge was a line-up of misters, plus a Fort Lean. Mister Heavenly was of course the main draw, with the combined powers of Ryan Kattner (Honus Honus) of Man Man, Nick Thorburn of Islands and The Unicorns, and Joe Plummer from Modest Mouse. The supergroup
I am a true believer that music can change your mood for the better, and that’s exactly what happened this past Tuesday when I saw The Lumineers at Villan’s in Chicago. I was having “one of those days” when I received an email that said The Lumineers, were in Chicago for one night only. Having
Trekking to Reggie’s, which is located on the far end of Chicago’s South Loop, is usually a task I only do for those can’t miss shows, Guards and Deer Tick was just that. Reggie’s has the appeal of a warehouse that someones’ mom came in and spruced up a bit. Exposed brick walls and cage