It’s hard to explain if you weren’t there. I was there, though. It was one of the few times that I was there for one of those things you had to be there for. It was 2010-ish, in the steaming-hot basement of the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, a landmark venue for the city’s music […]
** Rancid, Pennywise, Lagwagon, GBH, the Bronx and FEAR are among the acolytes contributing covers to the album Killed by Deaf – A Punk Tribute to Motörhead, which will be released Oct. 31 through BMG Recordings. The first single is a previously unreleased 2002 collaboration between Motörhead and the Damned on the latter’s “Neat Neat […]
Westerns feel good, feel right, in volatile, contested times. But not just any Westerns — not kitsch dross like Joel Souza’s Rust, which even a real-life blood curse can’t make matter. No: we’re talking feral sagas of de-civilization which burn like a dirty-ass Book of Job, scorched to the bone with Job’s question, “Why did […]
In a private show at the El Rey Theatre in Hollywood Friday night, Cage the Elephant treated fans to an epic warm-up performance in advance of their Rose Bowl show supporting Oasis the following day. The lion’s share of the El Rey tickets went to winners of a special KROQ contest. Cage’s set opened with […]
Elements Music & Arts Festival recently celebrated its 8th edition in Long Pond, Pennsylvania to a sold-out crowd of happy campers, featuring more than 100 artists and four stages. Elements’ wide array of programming featured interactive Vibe Villages, art installs, parades, health & wellness programs, fresh experiential zones and community-centric experiences created by the attendees. […]
“I’ve always felt ageless,” Debbie Gibson tells me, two days after her 55th birthday, adding that she’s “embracing” her age and loves seeing other “seasoned” women in her industry finally get their due. In a plain white tank, she’s the definition of natural beauty, owning midlife as we all hope to, with confidence, warmth, and […]
Lady Gaga has extended her MAYHEM Ball tour into next year with 21 new North American arena shows. Coming in support of her latest Interscope album, MAYHEM, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and has spawned several hit singles, the fresh leg starts Feb. 14-15 in Glendale, Az., and runs through April 9-10 in Saint Paul, Mn. […]
No one’s having more fun at the Aces’ Gold Star Baby record release party than the band themselves. On the Saturday Night Fever-style light block dancefloor at Los Angeles’ Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, vocalist Cristal Ramirez, her sister and drummer Alisa Ramirez, guitarist Katie Henderson, and bassist McKenna Petty throw shapes while singing along to […]
Jazz trumpeter and composer Ambrose Akinmusire has a recurring theme in his music: owls. In December 2023, he released the Grammy Award-nominated Owl Song, and his latest, just released and extraordinary record, honey from a winter stone, includes a track called “Owled.” His compositions are rich and complex, but the owl thing begs further inquiry… […]
Chicago’s Union Park paid an epic tribute to house music this Labor Day Weekend with its eclectic ARC Music Festival, now in its fifth year. Originating from Chicago’s boiler rooms over 40 years ago, ARC’s lineup featured an incredible range of dance music artists, including Derrick Carter, Cajmere/Green Velvet, DJ Heather, DJ Lady D, Mike […]