Chicago – The final day of Riot Fest was a beaut! The sun was shining, the mud was drying, the temps were rising, and the legendary Jimmy Cliff graced Douglas Park with his presence. (I know, right, Jimmy effin-cliff! His set was fantastic, by the way.) More importantly, Sunday proved to be one lucky band’s day, earning them my
Chicago – M.U.D. That’s what day two of Riot Fest was all about. Lots and lots and lots ‘o mud! Another morning of pouring rain left Douglas Park even squishier and dirtier than before. Everywhere you turned people could be seen slipping and sliding from stage to stage, to see and hear a myriad of
Chicago – As per tradition, it rained on the first day of Riot Fest. We’re talking pour down, smack you dead in the face, rain, which of course left Douglas Park nice and muddy – day two will be no exception. As I write this, cats and dogs are falling – but the mud just
Chicago – It’s a good thing The Grateful Dead retired because there’s a new supreme jam band in town. Impossible you say? Obviously you’ve not yet had the pleasure of seeing the tongue twisting Australian seven-piece King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard then. A concert buddy highly recommended these psychedelic rockers to me, so when I saw
New York – The London Souls are excited to announce extensive fall tour dates in support of their new album Here Come The Girls, out now on Feel Music Group/Round Hill Records. The New York City duo will spend the rest of the year on the road, playing headline gigs, appearing at music festivals including Austin
Chicago – Every festival brings a barrage of talented up and coming acts just waiting to be discovered by the masses, and of course music journalists, too. In preparation for Lollapalooza 2015, I did my homework, combing through the the line-up for the “best new bands,” reading bios and listening to YouTube and Soundcloud uploads.
Los Angeles – At the Teragram Ballroom, Mystic Braves’ headlining show felt like two completely different shows. While the headlining act are known for their psychedelic 60’s throwback sound and attracted a more mature audience, the night’s opening act spewed pure youthful energy as the main draw for a significant portion of the under-18 crowd
Chicago – After months of speculation of whether or not Riot Fest would bring music to the punk rock, emo loving, not your cookie-cutter masses, thanks to a move from Humboldt Park to Douglas Park on the city’s South Side and a last-minute lawsuit, it seems we finally have the last festival of the summer on our hands. Although, September
Los Angeles – Midway through August, about a month before their second album was released, Lawton Browning of The Woolen Men made a simple request of writers reviewing Temporary Monument: Speaking in no uncertain terms, he appealed for a write-up that skipped the PR-style RIYL-isms that are all too common in music journalism. In place
Seattle – The final day of Bumbershoot had a lot to live up to after the outstanding performances Best New Bands saw on Saturday and Sunday. But thanks to the appearances of talented local artists, up-and-coming national acts, and globally celebrated musicians, Monday closed out the renowned arts and music festival with a bang.