3 New Bands We Loved at Vans Warped Tour

Warped Tour by Sarah Hess for BEST NEW BANDS

Chicago – While most of the U.S. has been experiencing a heat wave and seeking shelter in air-conditioning, emo kids and modern punks have been having the best summer of their lives, with Warped Tour being in full-effect, despite the gnarly temperatures. On a Saturday afternoon, hoards of teenagers and twenty-somethings piled into the Hollywood

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10 New Bands to See at Outside Lands 2016

Ooutside Lands by Andrew Jorgensen - BEST NEW BANDS

San Francisco – This weekend marks the ninth Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, held annually in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. The first edition was held back in 2008, boasting acts like Radiohead, Beck, Tom Petty, and Jack Johnson. This year marks the triumphant return of Radiohead to OSL—as well as headlining sets from LCD Soundsystem, Lionel Richie,

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The Julie Ruin: Message in the Medium

The Julie Ruin by Shervin Lainez - BEST NEW BANDS

London – Hit Reset is the follow up to The Julie Ruin‘s 2013 debut Run Fast and the documentary The Punk Singer, detailing frontwoman Kathleen Hanna’s career from the days of Bikini Kill through to Le Tigre and now The Julie Ruin. The original Riot Grrrl, former stripper, and would-be sexual-abuse-counsellor is back again with a band lineup that includes

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15 New Bands to See at Lollapalooza 2016

Lollapalooza by Shea Flynn - BEST NEW BANDS

Chicago – It’s late July, you’re standing in the middle of an open field in downtown Chicago, and there are multiple bass tones and distant drumbeats battling for your attention. Chances are you’re at Lollapalooza, and festival season is in full swing. The festival – one of the famed “Big 4” (the other three being Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Austin

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Michael Kiwanuka Announces North American Tour

Michael Kiwanuka - Best New Bands

Los Angeles – Michael Kiwanuka is excited to announce that he’ll be touring North America this fall in support of his sophomore album Love & Hate (out now via Interscope Records.) The album itself has already accrued critical acclaim, with Associated Press stating, “Most of the album’s 10 songs are rooted in Kiwanuka’s acoustic guitar

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A Chat with Parks of All Them Witches

All Them Witches by Robby Staebler - BEST NEW BANDS

Chicago - The men of All Them Witches – Charles Michael Parks, Jr. (vocals, bass), Ben McLeod (guitar), Allan Van Cleave (keys), and Robby Staebler (drums) – moved to Nashville for the purpose of making music with people who loved music as much as them. The guys were raised throughout the South and Midwest (Charles Michael

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5 More Bands We Loved at Pitchfork

Pitchfork day 3 by Sarah Hess for BEST NEW BANDS

Chicago – Oh, Sunday! The last day of any festival can seem like the worst. Everyone’s tired. Sunburns and hangovers are a plenty. Your feet may not want to comply, making for a lazy afternoon spread out on the lawn. While this was the case at times on the final day of Pitchfork Music Festival

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4 New Bands We Loved at Pitchfork Day 2

Pitchfork 2016 - Sarah Hess - BEST NEW BANDS

Chicago – The second day of Pitchfork Music Festival kicked off with plenty of sun and sweat, with the humidity causing temps to rise and deodorant to fail. Though, given that Pitchfork weekend tends to bring with it a heatwave, having temps linger in the 70s and 80s was an absolute delight! The crowds didn’t

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