Life

BY ADRIAN SILVAS Schools Out and Alice Cooper is hitting the road again. With a career spanning over five decades and tour stops all over the world, one would think Cooper is tired of life on the streets, like many artists who seem to wear out with the miles. The …

BY ADRIAN SILVAS Founding member Kevin Russell started Shinyribs as a side gig in 2010 while performing with Austin-based country band The Gourds. On Transit Damage, their ninth studio album, the project displays the madness of humanity featuring a combination of blues and rock, with elements of gospel and zydeco …

BY ADRIAN SILVAS Vintage Trouble has returned to take us to church with their third studio album Heavy Hymnal. The Troublemakers, a nickname bestowed on them affectionately by their fans, hail from Hollywood, CA. and have toured extensively around the globe, opening for acts such as The Rolling Stones, Lenny …

BY DANIEL GLUSKOTER Legendary rock band Jethro Tull has announced “The Seven Decades” tour. Led by Ian Anderson, the concert will feature a rich collection of the best-known Tull repertoire from 1968 to date. Fans will recognize the key songs from the band’s rich heritage. These are songs which put …

BY DANIEL GLUSKOTER Back in the Bay Area for the first time in four years, John Mellencamp delivered a career spanning retrospective of his greatest hits at the Golden Gate Theater in San Francisco Friday night. Nearly five decades after his debut, the artist initially branded as John Cougar against his will …

BY HELEN LAME’ BottleRock Napa Valley has announced their 2023 festival lineup featuring over 75 musical acts including headline artists Red Hot Chili Peppers, Post Malone, Lizzo, Duran Duran, Lil Nas X, and The Smashing Pumpkins. The three-day music, wine, craft brew and culinary festival will take place in the …

BY XAVIER JOHNSON Reggae excels in the margins. On the surface, many tracks can sound the same with very similar rhythms and timbres. To even a moderately trained ear suddenly the genre opens up to its true nature, a beautiful and diverse style that’s filled with life and meaning and …

BY XAVIER JOHNSON Maintaining inspiration and performing chops later in life is one thing that separates great musicians from certified legends. In rock music, there’s no shortage of older musicians still releasing records and touring, but it doesn’t always work. It’s hard to maintain a consistent output when an artist …

BY XAVIER JOHNSON Covers are an essential part of musical history. Different genres have distinct cultures that influence how a cover track manifests. Blues and country music have standards. Hip-hop has sampling. Rock music typically looks to transform the works it draws upon, offering a new perspective on a classic …

BY XAVIER JOHNSON Synth-pop, and by extension new wave, peaked in the 80’s with groups like Depeche Mode and Pet Shop Boys pushing the limits of electronic music and providing the soundtrack for all types of venues; from London dance joints to alleyway goth clubs. One of the pioneering artists …