Recently, I got to talk with Jason Hammel from Mates of State, while they were in the studio in Bridgeport, CT, working on new stuff and recording their very first song since Mountaintops. I first heard about these guys circa 2003, when “Proofs” became my jam. Years later, they’re still going strong, improving, and expanding.
JEFF the Brotherhood packed the sweaty punkers into Death by Audio to full capacity last night, where hell broke loose in the most reverb- and beer-soaked way. Right when the band played the first note, there was a clear and crisp pop of a beer can being opened in the crowd, and the tone was
Is it just me, or does there seem to suddenly be a surge of classic epic rock song revivalists emerging? Not necessarily new bands, but bands that are just now starting to get wider recognition and appreciation; and sure, brand new bands too. Falling more into the former category is Howlin’ Rain, a San Francisco-based
Monday was the final show of Liam Finn’s Murmuration residency at The Rock Shop. It definitely felt like he had made The Rock Shop his home, full of friends, inside jokes, and freedom to jam and riff and try out some new music. Liam was immediately affable, addressing the packed room as if we were
As the name suggests, Snowball Festival is another festival that combines music and mountain sports in the cool elevations of the Rockies. This is only the second year the fest is running, yet it’s already established as packing a killer lineup in a winter wonderland. This all ages event is taking place in Vail Valley,
When Caveman headlines (and sells out) Bowery Ballroom, the stage becomes a cave. Before playing a single note they set the mood with a fog machine, spooky lighting, and a projection screen with the band’s name in Misfits typeface against a skull. It was a bit Halloween-esque, but when they began their set with “Easy
Amoral is a metal band from Helsinki, Finland, who classify their sound as being “Classic Rock For The 21st Century.” Since the band’s beginning in the late ’90s, their sound has evolved from death metal to more power rock by adding Finnish Idol winner Ari Koivunen on vocals, as well as the evolution of founding
Saturday night’s show at Knitting Factory with The Stepkids, Cuckoo Chaos, and Lushlife was officially the first show of the year to properly blow my mind. I needed something fresh to kickstart me back into music mode, and this was the one. In fact, The Stepkids blew their own album out of the water. Simply
Well, this show is already sold out, but can that really come as a surprise? The lineup is impeccably tiered: the much-acclaimed headliner Girls, who are still rather hot off their release second full length which ended up on many best of 2011 lists, preceded by quickly rising Real Estate, who are hard to google
This week we’re giving Australia and it’s abundance of summer (yes, it’s summer down there right now) festivals a rest, and highlighting a San Francisco one we’re excited about: Noise Pop. Running from February 21 – 26, Noise Pop combines indie music, local arts, an interactive workshop exploring DIY culture, gallery shows, and happy hours.