concerthopperblog

[concerthopperblog]

Review: Liz Longley- 'New Life'

It's been over a decade since Liz Longley, barely two years transplanted to her new home in Nashville, released her acclaimed self-titled debut album. In the years since, Longley has made a career out of sad songs, songs of lost loves, missed opportunities, and broken hearts. So now Longley, married with a new child, faces the toughest challenge of her songwriting career; writing about being happy. On her new album New Life, Longley finds inspiration in the big and the small, the things every mother worries about, and the things only a songwriter with Longley's talented songwriter's eye could put into words.

The album's best song is the playful “In a Mood.” Coming in at a compact 2:45, Longley muses on the rare moments new parents get to be romantic. In the song, she confronts a lover absorbed in a baseball game and missing some increasingly non-verbal cues. “It's a slow sport and I'm trying / but I'm bored as hell,” she laments before dumping the subtlety and saying “How about a home run / maybe two?” It's a song that couldn't have been written in a less secure relationship; the kind of gentle ribbing that comes from the comfortableness of a strong marriage.

“Different Lover” is another look at the change in romantic priorities that come with parenthood. Longley reflects on the advice, scoffed at during its delivery, that relationships change with parenthood. “Everyone said how hard it'd be / We were young and dumb and so naive / Ain't it sweet we believed / We were different, lover.”

“The Last One” reflects on how parenting changes friendships, and mourns friendships lapsed. “I'm the last one to know how you're doing these days / The last one to know your phone number changed / The last one you call when times are tough.”

But it's her muses on parenthood that hit hardest across the entire album, both good and bad. The title track is devastating in its delivery that “I brought new life / to a dying planet.” But there is a thread of hope even here as she sings “Maybe you're the clarity in all of this static.”

Another standout track is album closer “Can't Get Enough.” It's a mother's recitation of the small things in life that she can't wait to see her daughter experience for the first time. Here, it's the little things; a faithful dog, rain on a window, “mama's pancakes” and “a back scratch in just the right spot.”

Alongside Grammy-nominated producer Paul Moak (Marc Broussard, Matt Kearney, Carolina Story), Longley crafts an album that is completely different than anything she's done before, while never losing that familiar mix of Americana, soul, indie rock, and pop that has made Longley successful throughout her career.

[concerthopperblog]

Dropkick Murphy’s St. Patrick’s Day Tour

With a packed venue, the Dropkick Murphys rolled up for their St Patrick’s Day Tour 2025 at The Baycare Sound in Clearwater, Fl. with special guests, Teenage Bottlerocket and The Menzingers. It was my first show at the Baycare Sound, and the venue was beautiful down by the water in Clearwater. There was more green in the crowd than at a St. Patrick’s Day pub crawl, and the merch line was longer than a bathroom line during one as well! Hundreds of Murphy fans gather to see a show that has now become a viral sensation from frontman Ken Casey’s bet with MAGA supporters in the crowd. We will touch on that later, but first, let’s light up the sky with fireworks.

The Teenage Bottlerocket (TBR) is a skate punk style band out of Laramie, Wyoming. If anyone was around for the era of skate punk in the 90s, you’d know how great of a scene it was and how gnarly the music was. While some say TBR has a Ramones-style vibe, I get more Guttermouth without their controversial lyrics. TBR came out swinging and hit hard, despite frontman and cofounder Ray Carlisle stating later in the show that they’re in their 40s and getting too old for shows. Ray mentioned that when they watch shows at the smaller and popular local venues amongst punk and metal bands, The Brass Mug, they just stand in the back and watch the show, and I can’t tell you how real that is. As a millennial, I’ve spent my fair share of years in the pit, fighting for my square foot of viewing ground too many times now, and I’ll take a seat at a show over that. Despite that,t though, TBR still brought the energy. Ray regularly jumped, doing mid-air kicks like he was playing a Quidditch version of soccer. With short and fast-paced songs that last less than 3 minutes, you get the old school punk vibes of the 90s.

Next up on the block was The Menzingers (TM). Despite vocalist Tom May looking like he’s fresh from teaching a college class, he kept the vibes up, and TM played a phenomenal set. I’ve never been a big TM fan, and it’s not because of their lack of talent or vocals. I’ve always felt that their vocals were too good for the punk scene. Super clean and crisp sounding vocals with amazing range and harmony is how they sound. While I’ll admit I wasn’t a huge fan of their music, they put on a great show. Ken went on to say later that it was their first tour ever with TM and what a talent and great group they were, and I couldn’t agree more.

With mic in hand, Ken Casey of the Dropkick Murphys (DKM) came blasting out of the darkness. Even with Al Barr, the other vocalist in DKM, still on hiatus from the band for personal reasons, DKM sounded amazing and performed beautifully. The night had a few memorable moments outside the regular seeing DKM perform moments.

Amongst the crowd, a family of a huge fan of DKM had requested a special song for their family member who had just passed away. While the song “The Fields of Athenry” is one of my top 5 all-time favorite songs by DKM, it wasn’t the way I had hoped to hear the song live. I will say, though, that it felt incredibly moving, and the love was in the air, and while I can’t speak for the family, I will say we all sent off a fallen fan together. It really felt special, especially when DKM dedicated the next song, Forever, to those whom they love and miss. Forever has always been my favorite song by DKM (we even played it at my wife and I’s wedding), and hearing it live was an emotional moment. I was mid, photographing from the pit, and just stopped to listen and sing along. As I walked through the crowd, lighters and lights filled the air, along with other concertgoers singing along.

Fast forward from high emotions to the now infamous MAGA moment. I’ve never been one for politics, both sides do things make your head shake, but even if that scale is tilted, I think both sides forget the big picture, we’re all in this country together and we all belong and deserve to live your life the way you want to do so, as long as it’s legal. Being a former military soldier who fought in a war, I think people also forget that we fought for freedom. We didn’t fight for left vs right but fought for everyone, and DKM stands for that as well. They’re for Americans. They’re for the working class and unions, and DKM reminded just that to the MAGA supporters.

My favorite thing was one little thing Ken said: he mentioned that America is a free country and it’s their right to wear those shirts and hats, and despite DKM being anti-Trump, they can still wear that to their shows and no one should mess with them about it. It’s their right. The two concertgoers were great sports about the friendly wafer to see if the shirt and hat were made in America and if they were, DKM would give them $100 and a DKM shirt that’s proudly made in America and if not they had to surrender the shirt and put on something American made. Lo and behold, the shirt was made in Nicaragua, and the owner took off the shirt and threw it on stage. The hat had no tag, Ken said so by default it wasn’t made in the US, but made it a draw and threw the shirt for the fan. I think it’s important to remember that whether you're Democratic or Republican or anything in between, we’re all humans, and love is stronger than hate any day, but back the show we go!

DKM continued to blast through their set of amazing songs like The State of Massachusetts and closing out with the Worker’s Song. I was left with a nostalgic feeling and just absolutely happy to be a fan of punk music and Irish folk music again. It was an amazing show, which makes me wonder this: if DKM in Florida had nearly 90% of the crowd wearing green, how epic would a show in Boston be during St. Patrick’s Day? I can only imagine.

There are still a few stops left on their tour, not to mention the co-headlining tour with Bad Religion later in the summer!

[concerthopperblog]

Review: Mike Farris- 'The Sound of Muscle Shoals'

Muscle Shoals. For such a small town in Alabama, it's had an outsized influence on American music. Throughout its history, artists like Wilson Pickett, Candi Staton, Aretha Franklin, and Duane Allman have recorded at the city's historic Fame Studios and helped invent a mix of blues, soul, gospel, and Southern rock that is just known as “The Muscle Shoals Sound.” For his new album, The Sound of Muscle Shoals, Mike Farris made a pilgrimage to Fame Studios to put his own mark on that sound.

Few artists are more fit for the task of recreating the Muscle Shoals Sound than Mike Farris. The former Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies frontman has made a solo career on the kind of soulful and bluesy gospel music that slots perfectly into that niche. To help, Farris tapped the current day edition of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and some other stalwarts of the Shoals sessions scene. He also worked with producer Rodney Hall, son of Fame Studios founder and “Father of Muscle Shoals” Rick Hall.

The album kicks off with “Ease On,” a song about Farris' own upbringing in small Franklin County, Tennessee. It's a straightforward blues rocker with a familiar hardscrabble lyrical bent. “It's the times we remember,” Farris shouts, “that keep us on the ground.” It's a great choice to open the album as it's one of The Sound of Muscle Shoals' best rockers and sets the stage for what's to come.

“Bright Lights” is, in some ways, a bookend to “Ease On.” Instead of a rocker about Farris' childhood, it's a reflection on his career with the “Bright lights and big city dreams” that's an easy countrified amble heavy on the steel guitar. The country music produced by Muscle Shoals is often overshadowed by the rock and soul that permeated the city in the '60s. But Fame also coaxed hit albums from country artists like Bobbie Gentry, Mac Davis, and T.G. Sheppard. “Bright Lights” is a little bit of a reflection on that aspect of Muscle Shoals' legacy.

The album's best pure blues song is also one if its highlights, “Heavy on the Humble.” With an acoustic guitar strum kicking off the track and lulling, the electric guitars and heavy percussion come crashing in on the chorus and just build throughout the remainder of the song. This is the place where Farris is at his best, belting out bluesy lines like “picks me up every time I stumble/lays me down when I get too high” over a soaring electric guitar riff.

“Slow Train” shows off Farris' gospel influences, beginning with a choir and transitioning into Farris' best blue-eyed soul. “Everybody gets a ticket,” Farris croons. “It's up to you to catch a ride / that's how it's got to be.” The album's closer, “Sunset Road”, is a song about the futility of worry that carries its own gospel instrumental tinges. “Bird in the Rain” is an organ-drenched song filled with great blues licks and lines like “how can you love me girl / when you don't even know my name.”

Whether you're a fan of Mike Farris, a fan of the classic Muscle Shoals sound, or just someone on the lookout for a new album that will scratch your blues and soul itch, The Sound of Muscle Shoals will get you what you need. This is the music Mike Farris was born to make, and it shows throughout.

[concerthopperblog]

Two Nights with The String Cheese Incident: Live at the Tabernacle

The String Cheese Incident (SCI) is a jam/progressive bluegrass/neo-psychedelia band from Crested Butte, Colorado that has been helping folks dance their cares away since 1993-2007, 2009-present. SCI consists of Michael Kang (acoustic/electric mandolin/electric guitar/violin), Michael Travis (drums/percussion), Kyle Hollingsworth (piano/organ/Rhodes/accordion), Bill Nershi (acoustic guitar/lap steel guitar/electric slide guitar), Keith Moseley (bass), and Jason Hahn (auxiliary percussion). The String Cheese Incident has released eleven (11) LPs, three (3) live series, eight (8) videos, and contributed to one (1) compilation. The String Cheese Incident is well-known on the festival circuit, and hosts not one but two festivals annually: Hulaween (Live Oak, Florida) and Electric Forest (Rothbury, Michigan). I have had the pleasure of seeing The String Cheese Incident tear it down at both festivals: Electric Forest (June 22-25, 2017) and Hulaween (2016-2023). Most recently, The String Cheese Incident has also headlined a fun little festival called CaveJam (The Caverns- Pelham, Tennessee) the last two years, which also includes a special end-of-the-festival jam below in The Caverns which incidentally was amazing to attend at last year’s CaveJam. Tickets for CaveJam 2025 can be purchased through Tixr.com.

On November 15, 2024, The String Cheese Incident announced on their social media channels some new 2025 tour dates in Chicago, Atlanta, Aspen, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Phoenix. For the scheduled Atlanta dates, The String Cheese Incident would play at a venue I know very well in downtown Atlanta. The Tabernacle has hosted so many legendary artists/bands over the years, that I knew Atlanta would bring their best cheesy vibes for all three nights of their February run. Knowing that I would not attend CaveJam or Hulaween in 2025, I knew this would be the best chance to get cheesy with other fans and hear Cheese do their thing on stage. Truth be told, most of the times that I have seen The String Cheese Incident perform live have been logged in at various music festivals. So, it is not often that I can catch The String Cheese Incident on an actual tour. Luckily, I can document not one but two nights on this tour: Friday, February 7th & Saturday, February 8th. Many thanks to The String Cheese Incident team for allowing me to photograph the last two nights of this unforgettable three-night stand at the historic Tabernacle in downtown Atlanta, GA.

The String Cheese Incident took the stage around 7:30 pm to a sold-out crowd for their Friday night performance after a deep-cut performance for the fans the night before. But no one was prepared for what The String Cheese Incident was about to do by starting Set 1 with an inspiring performance of “Can’t Wait Another Day” > “Little Hands”. Followed by one of my favorite songs by The String Cheese Incident, “One Step Closer” from the album of the same name, One Step Closer. Fans were packed tight on the floor of the Tabernacle, but you could not tell from the smiles on everyone as they danced to the rest of Set 1 from The String Cheese Incident.

As a treat for all the Hulaween fans in the audience, The String Cheese Incident invited an Atlanta native and longtime guest vocalist Rhonda Thomas to come out and perform a few songs with the band to begin Set 2. If you are a die-hard Hulaween fan, you may recognize Rhonda from multiple guest appearances on stage with The String Cheese Incident at Hulaween over the last decade. For this occasion, we were treated to two songs that showcased Rhonda’s stellar vocal range as they nailed each song flawlessly. Starting with the song “Sweet Spot” from the album Believe and then into a marvelous cover of The Zutons’ classic hit, “Valerie”. IYKYK.

There was a beautiful moment during a cover of Bob Marley and the Wailers “Stir It Up” nestled between “I Know You Rider” that got the sold-out fans at the Tabernacle singing in unison. What I found very interesting was The String Cheese Incident’s choice for the Encore: “Jellyfish” from their 1997 debut album, Born on the Wrong Planet. It has been a few years (Hulaween 2018) since I have seen The String Cheese Incident perform this seminal classic, so I was thrilled to hear it as the final send-off for this evening’s festivities.

Here is The String Cheese Incident’s career-spanning setlist from their Friday, February 7th performance at the Tabernacle:

Set 1

·         “Can’t Wait Another Day”

·          “Little Hands”

·         “One Step Closer”

·          “Cottonmouth”

·         “Talkin’ About Tonight”

·          “Dirk”

·         “Texas”

Set 2

·         “Sweet Spot” *

·         “Valerie” **

·         “All We Got”

·         “I Know You Rider”

·         “Stir It Up” +

·         “I Know You Rider”

·         “Way That It Goes”

·         “Vertigo”

·         “It Is What It Is”

·         “Hi Ho No Show”

Encore

·         “Jellyfish”

*Featuring Rhonda Thomas on vocals.

**The Zutons cover featuring Rhonda Thomas on lead vocals.

+Bob Marley and the Wailers cover.

The time had finally come for The String Cheese Incident to take the stage to the delight of all the cheese heads in attendance for the final night of this recent three-night stand. Many cheese heads had attended all three nights and were super excited to see what The String Cheese Incident had in store for their sendoff from Atlanta. Saturday began with a fan favorite “Just One Story” which was a perfect segue to a stirring cover of Vassar Clements’ “Lonesome Fiddle Blues” which is recorded on their live album A String Cheese Incident. The String Cheese Incident even indulged fans with an exhilarating performance of Led Zepplin’s classic “Ramble On”. Everyone that night in the Tabernacle knew the assignment while dancing and singing along to their impeccable rendition of a rock’n’roll masterpiece. As a bonus, The String Cheese Incident invited special guest bassist/producer from Cameroon Andre Manga on their song “Manga” and later in the evening for a special encore cover of Paul Simon’s timeless hit “Under African Skies”.

You can check out The String Cheese Incident’s mind-blowing setlist from their Saturday, February 8th show at the Tabernacle below:

Set 1

·         “Just One Story”

·         “Lonesome Fiddle Blues”

·         “Song in My Head”

·         “Manga” +

·         “Sweet Melinda”

·         “Way Back Home”

·         “Just One Story”

Set 2

·         “Group Hoot”

·         “Born on the Wrong Planet”

·         “Trip the Light Fantastic”

·         “Lend Me A Hand”

·         “Restless Wind”

·         “Ramble On” *

·         “River Trance”

·         “Howard”

Encore

·         “Under African Skies” **

·         “Colliding”

+ Featuring Andre Manga on bass.

*Led Zepplin cover

** Paul Simon cover featuring Andre Manga on bass.

You can still have a chance to see The String Cheese Incident perform this year on the following dates (additional dates to be announced, i.e. Hulaween):

MAR 06, 2025

Aspen, CO

Belly Up

Tickets

 MAR 07, 2025

Aspen, CO

Belly Up

Tickets

 MAR 08, 2025

Aspen, CO

Belly Up

Tickets

 MAR 13, 2025 with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong

Los Angeles, CA

The Wiltern

Tickets

 MAR 14, 2025 with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong

Del Mar, CA

The Sound

Tickets

MAR 15, 2025 with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong

Del Mar, CA

The Sound

Tickets

 MAR 16, 2025

Mesa, AZ

Mesa Amphitheatre

Tickets

 MAY 24 – 25, 2025

Pelham, TN

CaveJam

Tickets

 JUN 13 – 15, 2025

Swanzey, NH

Northlands

Tickets

 JUN 14 – 15, 2025

Columbia, MD

All Good Now

Tickets

 JUN 19 – 22, 2025

Rothbury, MI

Electric Forest

Tickets

 JUL 11, 2025

New Braunfels, TX

Whitewater Amphitheater

Tickets

 JUL 12, 2025

New Braunfels, TX

Whitewater Amphitheater

Tickets

 JUL 18, 2025 with The Wood Brothers

Morrison, CO

Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Tickets

VIP PACKAGE

 JUL 19, 2025 with Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country

Morrison, CO

Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Tickets

VIP PACKAGES

 AUG 15, 2025 with The Del McCoury Band

Eau Claire, WI

The Pines Music Park

Tickets

 AUG 16, 2025 with STS9

Eau Claire, WI

The Pines Music Park

Tickets

 SEP 10 – 13, 2025

Las Vegas, NV

Bender Jamboree

Tickets

Curious about Concerthopper? You can find more music-related articles, interviews, various photo galleries, indie music reviews, our ‘Bars & Bites’ section, our exclusive “She Said, She Said” column, or become a Concerthopper at www.concerthopper.com. Sign up for our monthly newsletter by following this link: The Setlist! Please ‘Like’ our page on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date in 2023, on all music-related events/festivals such as 25 Years of Noise: Silverstein Live at Buffalo Riverworks, The Big Show Tour: They Might Be Giants Live at The Eastern, Lore 10th Anniversary 2025: Elder Live at The Earl, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead: Live at The Eastern (Night 2), String Cheese Incident: Live at Tabernacle (Night 3), Killswitch Engage Live at Buffalo Riverworks, Savage Imperial Death March Part II: Napalm Death & Melvins – Live @ The Masquerade (Atlanta), Soul Coughing Play the Songs of Soul Coughing Again Tour – Live @ The Eastern (Atlanta), Meshuggah w/ Cannibal Corpse & Carcass – Live at Coca-Cola Roxy (Atlanta), The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour: Disturbed Live at KeyBank Center (Buffalo), KROCK Presents: Papa Roach & Rise Against: Rise of the Roach Tour – Live @ Empower Stadium (Syracuse), Papadosio Live @ Variety Playhouse (Atlanta), St. Patrick’s Day 2025 Tour: Dropkick Murphys Live @ The BayCare Sound (Clearwater, FL.), The Poisoned Ascendancy Tour 2025: Trivium & Bullet for My Valentine Live @ Coca-Cola Roxy (Atlanta), and The Cursed Tour: Paleface Swiss Live at Empire Live (Albany) by following us on all social media formats: Concerthopper on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  You can also follow my concert hopping on Facebook and Instagram.

[concerthopperblog]

Review: Scorpion Child – I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me

Austin, Texas is well known for its vibrant and eclectic music scene with groundbreaking artists like …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, Butthole Surfers, The Jesus Lizard, The Sword, The Well, Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol, and Scorpion Child. Scorpion Child (blues rock/hard rock/psychedelic rock/heavy metal) is coming back stronger than ever with the release of their third (3) studio album entitled I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me (released on February 14, 2025, via Noize in the Attic Records/Cargo Records). Scorpion Child consists of Aryn Jonathan Black (vocals), Asa Savage (rhythm guitar), Garth D. Condit (bass), Ryan Henderson (drums), and Adrian Arostone (lead guitar). Produced by Kevin Butler at Test Tube Recording Studio in Austin, I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me comes in with eight (8) new tracks with a playtime recorded at 37 minutes and 15 seconds. So far, Scorpion Child has released two (2) singles from I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me: “Be the Snake” and “Outliers”.

In a recent interview with Metal Injection, Black stated the new record “…is a quite intense and rather moody record.” Black fully explains that these new songs were written: “… from the pits of a deep depression after going through a really rough patch in life where my mental health was very poor… because in our sadness there are always euphoric times of extreme happiness and nirvana.” For lovers of that 1970s-1980s hard rock/heavy metal with some haunting gothic blues thrown in for good measure, Scorpion Child has released some fantastic studio albums: Scorpion Child (2013) and Acid Roulette (2016) before I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me. I randomly found Scorpion Child because of a recommendation on Bandcamp right after the release of their self-titled album in 2013.

From start to finish, Scorpion Child’s debut album had me hooked, now fast forward 12 years later and their third (3rd) album has the same captivating vibe. After a successful ‘Europe Tour Autumn 2024’, Scorpion Child proceeded to work diligently to add the finishing touches to their new album. When the big news dropped on November 18, 2024, that Scorpion Child would release their third (3) studio album, fans worldwide posted their excitement about this news and flooded their Instagram post with comments.

I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me (Noize in the Attic Records/Cargo Records) track listing:

·         “Be the Snake”

·         “Actress” 

·         “Outliers”

·         “See the Shine” 

·         “The Starker”

·         “Wired Corpse”

·         “Godskin”

·         “Hanging Sun”

“Be the Snake” is the perfect blistering start to I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me with a track full of crunchy riffs and thundering drumbeats. Check out the official music video and hear for yourself! From the start of the third track, “Outliers”, Scorpion Child takes the listener on an unparalleled journey through a soon-to-be rock ‘n’ roll classic in their discography. Just know it’s a long way. “Outliers” perfectly embodies Scorpion Child’s unique dark and brooding hard rock sound accentuated by Black’s dynamic vocal range and unforgettable harmonies that will get the listener singing along in no time. Both Savage and Arostone skillfully shred their guitars through this 5:16 onslaught that showcases Scorpion Child’s ability to construct some enchanting hard rock anthems.

“The Starker” commences with a dark and ominous feel that gives off some real Iron Maiden vibes. I knew from the first minute, this would be one of my favorite tracks on the album. That dark and ominous build-up brilliantly leads to Black’s memorable vocals, adding some mystery to this psychedelic, hard rock anthem from Scorpion Child. “Another fucking one.”  This track will resonate with the listener more and more with every spin.

“Hanging Sun” is the last track, and unequivocally my favorite track, on I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me. “Sorry, I’ve been aching for too long/My sullen face looking up/Yet I tell our story, tell it night and day.” Once again Black’s exceptional vocal range comes in perfectly with the acoustic direction of “Hanging Sun”. Black wants to remind us that “anger always subsides/don’t forget to enjoy the ride” through these “sad times”. Going back to the roots of the early days of Scorpion Child when it was an acoustic duo, Black and Savage created a dark, acoustic masterpiece with the final track “Hanging Sun”. Black reminds us that it is vital to find and hold onto those moments of happiness during those unforgettable “sad times”.

Scorpion Child hits this “intense” and “moody” third album out of the ballpark with eight (8) new outstanding tracks that give the listener some insight into the emotions of Aryn Jonathan Black and the Scorpion Child crew. Scorpion Child delivers their highly anticipated release to their fans as an anthem for mental health awareness and self-care. Regardless of the pain, finding the “Hanging Sun” in the clouds of darkness will always bring much-needed relief in those “sad times”.  

Follow Scorpion Child on all social media formats or grab some merch by following this link. You can also pre-order Scorpion Child’s new album I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me and stream the new track “Outliers” at their official Bandcamp page today! Also, you can go to your local record store on February 14th, 2025, and grab a copy to add to your collection.  

Curious about Concerthopper? You can find more music-related articles, interviews, various photo galleries, indie music reviews, our ‘Bars & Bites’ section, our exclusive “She Said, She Said” column, or become a Concerthopper at www.concerthopper.com. Sign up for our monthly newsletter by following this link: The Setlist! Please ‘Like’ our page on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date in 2023, on all music-related events/festivals such as 25 Years of Noise: Silverstein Live at Buffalo Riverworks, The Big Show Tour: They Might Be Giants Live at The Eastern, Lore 10th Anniversary 2025: Elder Live at The Earl, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead: Live at The Eastern (Night 2), String Cheese Incident: Live at Tabernacle (Night 3), Killswitch Engage Live at Buffalo Riverworks, Savage Imperial Death March Part II: Napalm Death & Melvins – Live @ The Masquerade (Atlanta), Soul Coughing Play the Songs of Soul Coughing Again Tour – Live @ The Eastern (Atlanta), Meshuggah w/ Cannibal Corpse & Carcass – Live at Coca-Cola Roxy (Atlanta), The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour: Disturbed Live at KeyBank Center (Buffalo), KROCK Presents: Papa Roach & Rise Against: Rise of the Roach Tour – Live @ Empower Stadium (Syracuse), Papadosio Live @ Variety Playhouse (Atlanta), St. Patrick’s Day 2025 Tour: Dropkick Murphys Live @ The BayCare Sound (Clearwater, FL.), The Poisoned Ascendancy Tour 2025: Trivium & Bullet for My Valentine Live @ Coca-Cola Roxy (Atlanta), and The Cursed Tour: Paleface Swiss Live at Empire Live (Albany) by following us on all social media formats: Concerthopper on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  You can also follow my concert hopping on Facebook and Instagram.

[concerthopperblog]

Review : An Easy Death - "Better A Hard Life"

An Easy Death is a five-piece band from Rochester, NY. The band consists of Nik Falls (lead screamer), Cory Brugger (bass and clean vocals), Tim Brugger (guitar), Ben Tavares (lead guitar), and last but certainly not least, Mike Parker (drums). These five members describe themselves as “Post Punk-Core.” Each member has a different musical background and influences from bands like A Day to Remember, Blink-182, Slipknot, August Burns Red, and Sevendust, creating the perfect blend that defines An Easy Death. The band's heavy breakdowns and a mix of unclean and clean vocals resonate with many fans, drawing them in for more.

Alright, let’s get to the album review. I listened to Better A Hard Life multiple times. There are a total of 8 songs on this EP, and so far, my personal favorite is “Barnstorm,” with its catchy hook in the chorus, “I never thought I’d get the chance to say goodbye,” followed by those deep, heavy screams. The highlight of the album is one of their new songs called “988,” which addresses hard topics like suicide, domestic violence, imposter syndrome, and more. Check out their Facebook page for the accompanying photo series. I appreciated the personal touch of the voice recording in the middle of the song. Another song that made me enjoy listening to this EP is called “The Debt All Men Pay.” compared to other songs on this EP, it is way heavier with the breakdowns & there are no clean vocals in the song. Around 1:15 of the song, the guitar riffs bring creativity to the song that you don’t hear very often in metalcore songs. I can’t wait to see how An Easy Death evolves in the future after listening to Better A Hard Life. For it being their first official EP, they are going to go far in the music industry, and I am going to add them to my “Bops” playlist with all my other favorite artists.

An Easy Death will be hitting Bug Jar this weekend on February 8th. This will be their album release show for Better A Hard Life. They will be sharing the stage with Alterist and Sedai. Click the photo below to go directly to the website to buy tickets! This is a show that you won’t want to miss!

[concerthopperblog]

Review: Nefesh Mountain- 'Beacons'

After three years and multiple tour stops from their 2021 album Songs for the Sparrows, Nefesh Mountain is back with their biggest album ever. This time, it's not one disc but two, with each showcasing a different aspect of the band's repertoire.

Nefesh Mountain's co-founders and core members, Doni Zasloff and Eric Lindberg, have built a following in the bluegrass and string band community, so the first disc in this double album, simply titled 'Americana', is a tonal stretch that, for the most part, lands. Nefesh Mountain takes great advantage of Americana's notoriously big tent of musical influences, pulling from country, Southern rock, blues, and gospel music.

'Americana' primarily features Nefesh Mountain's core touring band, with a little help on pedal steel from Grammy Award-winning instrumentalist Greg Leisz (Ray LaMontagne, Joni Mitchell, Willie Nelson). It shows that the band is tight throughout the disc.

The album's highlight track is “Heaven is Here.” With a Dickey Betts-esque guitar riff to anchor, it's a song about finding one's glory and happiness in the here and now rather than waiting for a divine intervention. “Are we betting on a promise”, Lindberg sings, “Until the hour is upon us?” Later he advises “If it's out there by the moon / then let's be dancing in it's glow.”

Another strong track on Americana is the traditional blues gospel song “Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning.” First recorded by Blind Willie Johnson in 1928 and re-recorded by scores of gospel and blues artists since, Nefesh Mountain finds a way to make it fresh, keeping the blues guitar core of the original song intact while amping up the electricity with some soaring solos.

The second disc, entitled 'Bluegrass', finds Nefesh Mountain backed by as strong an all-star band of Nashville greats as you can find in the bluegrass world. Playing on 'Bluegrass' are mandolinist Sam Bush, fiddler Stuart Duncan (Goat Rodeo Sessions), Dobroist Jerry Douglas, banjo player Rob McCoury (Travelin' McCourys), guitarist Cody Kilby (Ricky Skaggs), and bassist Mark Schatz (Nickel Creek).

Unsurprisingly considering that lineup backing the not inconsiderable talents of Zasloff and Lindberg, it's the two instrumental tracks that shine here. “The Overgrown Reel” is a traditional bluegrass reel heavily featuring McCoury's banjo work. “No Farm, No Howl” is the more intriguing of the two, a slice of newgrass with a hint of jam in it that leans heavily into the mandolin of Sam Bush, the godfather of newgrass.

Other highlight tracks on 'Bluegrass' include “Man of Manzanilla,” an ode to the late bluegrass guitarist Tony Rice, the hard-driving celebration of self “This is Me,” the percussive “Regrets in the Rearview,” and the traditional bluegrass stylings of “Wild River.” There are also a couple of successful covers of 'Bluegrass'. The first is a surprising grassy retooling of Eric Clapton's “Keep on Growing.” The second is the guitar ballad “Song for the Life,” originally recorded by Rodney Crowell.

It was a smart idea to separate this album into two distinctive discs. Even if they'd just taken the best of each album to make one LP, the differences between the styles would be jarring. As is, Nefesh Mountain crafts an album with two distinctive discs to fit any mood.

[concerthopperblog]

Review: Yola- My Way

Yola's motto, emblazoned on t-shirts and coozies at the merch stand of her concerts, is “Genre Fluid.” Over the course of her previous two albums, she's shown that to be true, blending country, soul, and Americana into a unique brand. But on her new EP My Way, Yola takes “genre-fluid” to the next level, pushing beyond even the borders of the notoriously big tent of Americana and into progressive R&B, electronica, pop, and broken beat just to name a few.

You know this isn't the old Yola from the outset of My Way, with the album's opening cut “Future Enemies.” Driving electronic beats kick off the song and back Yola's soulful voice before the full band crashes down on the chorus and the giant Yola voice fans have come to know and love reminds us that this may be an evolution for the artist, but some things never change.

Thematically, “Future Enemies” is an interesting “anti-love song.” It's the tale of a woman backing out of a potential relationship that she realizes from the outset is wrong. “It's a stone-cold bitch / this temptation,” Yola sings before coming to her senses with “I knew you wouldn't like me / if you knew me as I was.” She brushes him off with “You don't know me/you just think you want this / future enemy.”

There's a much more favorable view of a relationship on the standout track “Symphony.” The drum-heavy song is full of staccato vocals and funky rhythms influenced by bands like Earth, Wind, and Fire, and Parliament/Funkadelic. It's not a subtle come-on but an empowered go at what she wants. “I'll put you on / To this body of mine,” she belts before commanding her lover to “play my heartstrings / with both of your hands / and I'll sing like a symphony.”

The album's title track is a lyrical declaration of independence that matches the musical one represented by the album as a whole. It's the most rock-oriented song of the lot. “Temporary” is a shimmering slab of disco-glam that's loads of fun. “Ready” is the album's most ambitious track, with its blending of broken beat and '80s-inspired dance-pop.

While it may confuse some of her more Americana-leaning fans, My Way is a delight for those who have followed Yola's trajectory across three albums and celebrate an artist dedicated to fierce independence and chasing her muse wherever it takes her. And then there's that voice. Whatever genre Yola decides to tackle, the one thing that never changes is that generational vocal talent. If I have any complaint at all about My Way, it's that it's only an EP. 18 minutes of Yola just isn't enough and here's hoping she follows it up with a full-length release sooner than later.

[concerthopperblog]

‘24 - ‘25 U.S. Tour: the Jesus Lizard Live at Variety Playhouse!

(Stylized as) the Jesus Lizard is a legendary, four-piece noise rock/post-hardcore/alternative rock band from Austin, Texas that has been active during 1987-1999, 2006-2010, and 2017-present day. The band consists of three founding members David Yow (vocals– 1987-1999, 2006-2010, & 2017-present), Duane Denison (guitar– 1987-1999, 2006-2010, & 2017-present), and David William Sims (bass – 1987-1999, 2006-2010, & 2017-present) plus longtime member Mac McNeilly (drums– 1989-1996, 2006-2010, & 2017-present). Since 1989, the Jesus Lizard has released seven (7) LPs, three (3) EPs, two (2) live albums, two (2) compilations, ten (10) singles, two (2) DVDs, and four (4) official videos in their historic career. Their latest studio release, Rack, was released September 13, 2024, on Mike Patton and Greg Wreckman’s label, Ipecac Recordings. Fun fact: David Yow is also an accomplished actor, director, composer, and producer according to his IMDb page.

On October 9th, the Jesus Lizard posted to their Instagram plans for a ’24-’25 US Tour and the opening support bands for each date of this tour. The tour started at Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas, Texas with Mean Motor Scooter on October 31st, 2024, however, it will end at the Neptune Theatre with Anthers in Seattle, Washington on May 11, 2025. The ’24-’25 US Tour has a break between December 19th and May 2nd, 2025, this allows the Jesus Lizard to travel the UK for several dates during January 2025 (see below). Lucky for me, the last date of 2024 would be at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, Georgia, I thought ending my 2024 with this show would be fitting. Opening for the Jesus Lizard would be Atlanta’s very own The Compartmentalizationalists. I must admit that this was my first time getting the Jesus Lizard to perform. Still, I have had the pleasure of seeing Duane Denison riff it up a few times with the band Tomahawk (another Ipecac Recordings artist featuring label co-founder Mike Patton) after the release of their self-titled album (2001). I recommend checking out the band Tomahawk if you are a fan of alternative metal bands stacked with talent. But I digress, when I saw this tour announcement via the band’s socials, I knew the Jesus Lizard would be the perfect end to a busy and productive 2024.

The Compartmentalizationalists is an indie/surf rock/instrumental/classical/experimental jazz/soundtrack group that has been active since 2010 and as mentioned previously, the band hails from Atlanta. The Compartmentalizationalists consist of Nico Giarrano (drums), Claire Lodge (guitar), Jeffrey Butzer (guitar), and William J. Brisby (bass). According to Discogs.com, The Compartmentalizationalists released one (1) LP, Sutures, on Ant Baby Records in 2015. Take a listen to Sutures via Jeffrey’s Bandcamp page today. Kicking off the night, The Compartmentalizationalists took the stage with a jazzy surf rock vibe that kept weaving in and out throughout a remarkable and eclectic opening set that warmed up the crowd on a cold December night in Atlanta. This would also be my first time seeing The Compartmentalizationalists perform live, and they did not disappoint. I hope to see The Compartmentalizationalists perform again soon.

You can view The Compartmentalizationalists’ genre-bending setlist from the evening below:

·         “Blurry Eyes”

·         “Fiesta Bianca”

·         “Having an Average Weekend”

·         “Trespanning”

·         “Katherine”

·         “Golden Youth”

·         “Hang a Lantern”

·         “Dead Man”

·         “Old Testament Astronaut”

·         “Born Without a Neck”

 You can stream Jeffrey Butzer, Claire Lodge, and The Compartmentalizationalists’ discography on their Bandcamp page today.

Since this would be my first time getting to see the Jesus Lizard perform live, I was building up excitement leading up to this evening reading all of the songs that were making the ’24 – ’25 US Tour’s setlist like “Gladiator”, “Nub”, “Seasick”, “Mouth Breather”, “Monkey Trick”, “Fly on the Wall”, “Thumper”, and “Bloody Mary”. Plus, it was wonderful also knowing that some of the new tracks from their latest release, Rack, making the cut as well like “Hide & Seek”, “Alexis Feels Sick”, “What If?”, and “Armistice Day”. When the Jesus Lizard took the stage, the sold-out crowd of faithful fans let out a loud cheer letting the band know it was time to rock! Knowing that everyone in this sold-out venue was just as excited as I was, you could feel the anticipation as the band set up for their performance.

Kicking off the evening with “Boilermaker” from their third album produced by the late and great Steve Albini, Liar, was a real treat for me since this is my favorite album from the Jesus Lizard. David Yow and company seamlessly performed songs from their back catalog, and quite a few new songs from their latest release, Rack, making their debut in Atlanta as a special treat for the sold-out crowd.

Check out this career-spanning setlist from the Jesus Lizard from this performance at Variety Playhouse (12/18/2024) in Atlanta, GA:

·         “Boilermaker”

·         “Glamorous”

·         “Puss”

·         “Seasick”

·         “Mouth Breather”

·         “Thumbscrews”

·         “My Own Urine”

·         “Grind”

·         “Nub”

·         “Hide & Seek”

·         “What If?”

·         “Chrome” (Chrome cover)

·         “Alexis Feels Sick”

·         “Gladiator”

·         “Then Comes Dudley”

Encore:

·         “Lord Godiva”

·         “Thumper”

·         “Fly on the Wall”

·         “Moto(R)”

·         “Monkey Trick”

Encore 2:

·         “Dunning Kruger”

·         “Armistice Day”

·         “Falling Down”

Show the Jesus Lizard some support and follow them on Bandcamp today! You can also support the Jesus Lizard by heading to their official Linktree to listen to the new album, Rack, buy some merch, or check out their other social media platforms.

You can check out the upcoming European dates and the remainder of the ’24-’25 US Tour dates already announced by the Jesus Lizard below:

Jan. 7, 2025

Glasgow, UK

QMU

 Jan. 8, 2025

Manchester, UK

Academy 2

 Jan. 9, 2025

Leeds, UK

Brudenell Social Club

 Jan. 10, 2025

Bristol, UK

The Fleece

 Jan. 11, 2025

London, UK

Electric Ballroom

 Jan. 12, 2025

Brighton, UK

Concorde 2

 Jan. 14, 2025

Belfast, UK

The Limelight

 Jan. 15, 2025

Dublin, IE

Button Factory

 Jan. 16, 2025

Dublin, IE

Button Factory

 May. 2, 2025

Solana Beach, CA

Belly Up

 May. 3, 2025

Los Angeles, CA

Fonda Theatre

 May. 5, 2025

San Francisco, CA

The Fillmore

 May. 8, 2025

Portland, OR

Revolution Hall

 May. 9, 2025

Portland, OR

Revolution Hall

 May. 10, 2025

Seattle, WA

Neptune Theatre

 May. 11, 2025

Seattle, WA

Neptune Theatre

 May. 17, 2025

Paris, FR

Elysée Montmartre

 May. 18, 2025

Brussels, BE

Les Nuits Botaniques

 May. 20, 2025

Amsterdam, NL

Melkweg

 May. 22, 2025

Copenhagen, DK

Den Graa Hal

 May. 23, 2025

Oslo, NO

John Dee

 May. 24, 2025

Stockholm, SE

Debaser

 May. 27, 2025

Berlin, DE

SO36

 May. 28, 2025

Köln, DE

Gebäude 9

 May. 30, 2025

Lausanne, CH

Les Docks

 May. 31, 2025

Bologna, IT

Link

 Jun. 1, 2025

Rome, IT

Monk

 Jun. 2, 2025

Milan, IT

Magnolia

 Jun. 4, 2025

Lyon, FR

L'Épicerie Moderne

 Jun. 6, 2025

Barcelona, ES

Primavera Festival

 Jun. 12, 2025

Porto, PT

Primavera Festival Porto

 Curious about Concerthopper? You can find more music-related articles, interviews, various photo galleries, indie music reviews, our ‘Bars & Bites’ section, our exclusive “She Said, She Said” column, or become a Concerthopper at www.concerthopper.com. Sign up for our monthly newsletter by following this link: The Setlist! Please ‘Like’ our page on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date in 2023, on all music-related events/festivals such as Underoath “They’re Only Chasing Safety” 20th Anniversary Tour: Live at Buffalo Riverworks, Real Friends Live at Town Ballroom, 25 Years of Noise: Silverstein Live at Buffalo Riverworks, The Plot in You: Live at Buffalo Riverworks, Heaven Let Them Die Tour: Counterparts Live at Town Ballroom, the Jesus Lizard Live at Variety Playhouse (Atlanta), The Big Show Tour: They Might Be Giants Live at The Eastern, Lore 10th Anniversary 2025: Elder Live at The Earl, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead: Live at The Eastern (Night 2), String Cheese Incident: Live at Tabernacle (Night 3), Killswitch Engage Live at Buffalo Riverworks, The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour: Disturbed Live at KeyBank Center (Buffalo), and The Cursed Tour: Paleface Swiss Live at Empire Live (Albany) by following us on all social media formats: Concerthopper on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  You can also follow my concert hopping on Facebook and Instagram.

[concerthopperblog]

Favorite Americana and Roots Albums of 2024

Another year has passed, and it's been another great one for roots music. From releases by perennial favorites like Sarah Jarosz to rising stars like Sierra Ferrell to a surprise release from John Moreland, there was much to talk about and listen to in 2024. Here are the 15 albums that stood out most to us this year. Where we reviewed the album, we have linked it to the longer review. Where we didn't, we have included a YouTube link to a song.

15. John Moreland- Visitor After some time away from touring and the spotlight in general, the always-surprising John Moreland surprised us again in April with the sudden release of Visitor, his sixth album. Everything you could want in a Moreland album is here. A lyricist's lyricist, Moreland goes from introspective to political and back and we're here for all of it. 14. Will Kimbrough- For the Life of Me One of the godfathers of Nashville's rock and Americana scenes, Will Kimbrough can always be counted on to bring the goods. On For the Life of Me, he turns his eye to a divided world and casts a plea for civility while examining both the uncivil (a Deadhead turned Jan. 6 Seditionist on “I Don't Want to Start a War”) and the balancing light (the John Lewis ode “Rivers of Roses.”) 13. ISMAY- Desert Pavement The best compliment I can pay to Desert Pavement is that it's interesting. Albums are often well-written or well-sung. Some are even excellent or, less often, transcendent. But it isn't often that the superlative I land on first when describing an album is “interesting.” Nevertheless, that's the best way to describe Desert Pavement. And that's what makes it a strong recommendation for me. Good albums come along fairly often. Interesting albums? That's less common. 12. Kitchen Dwellers- Seven Devils Bluegrass has a lot of common themes. Liquor, poverty, infidelity manual labor, and the devil are just a few. Dante Alighieri's epic poem “The Divine Comedy” isn't one of those common themes. But perhaps it should be. Many of those common bluegrass themes can be found in the Seven Deadly Sins, a large part of Aligheri's work. On their new concept album Seven Devils, Kitchen Dwellers explores the seven deadly sins, and some others, with gusto. It's a gutsy undertaking, concept albums in the roots music world being hit or miss. Seven Devils is most definitely a hit. 11. Strung Like a Horse- Dirt Strung Like a Horse calls the music they make “Hillbilly Stompgrass” and that's as good a name for it as any. While Strung Like a Horse changes up their sound a bit from their previous releases, the core of their music remains true, and it's a fun, well-played, and jammy album, just what the band's fans are looking for. 10. Sierra Ferrell- Trail of Flowers Ferrell is Americana's “it girl” of the last couple of years, racking up numerous accolades as well as AMA trophies. All of the accolades are well-deserved. Ferrell combines the traditional with a splash of the modern, giving her a Loretta Lynn meets Kacey Musgraves vibe. 9. Tami Neilson- Neilson Sings Nelson A New Zealander by way of Canada Tami Neilson scored a major coup when she got Willie Nelson to duet with her on “Beyond the Stars” from her 2022 dynamite album Kingmaker. In 2024, Neilson returned the favor by recording an album of covers by Outlaw country’s original outlaw. The mix is key here, putting old favorites alongside deeper cuts. Throughout, Neilson's huge voice shows why she's the best vocalist in roots music today. 8. Amelia White- Love I Swore A friend and fellow journalist once called Amelia White “The Queen of the East Nashville Underground”, a moniker that White has adopted happily. It fits. The intentionally oddball cousin of Nashville's musical establishment, East Nashville has had its share of standard bearers over the years. On Love I Swore, Amelia White makes her case to carry that flag forward into the future of the East Nashville musical scene. 7. Grayson Capps- Heartbreak, Misery, & Death Some artists seem to pull the names of their albums out of a hat, the titles seemingly having no relation to the songs contained within. Not so with Grayson Capps. On Heartbreak, Misery, and Death you get just that, covers of some of the saddest songs ever recorded by the likes of Leonard Cohen, Doc Watson, and even some old standards like “Barbara Allen.” They're all delivered in Capps' signature drawl and you can feel the love in every cover of songs he used to sing with his family. 6. Karen Jonas- The Rise and Fall of American Kitsch There's a duality in Karen Jonas' The Rise and Fall of American Kitsch that keeps things interesting throughout. On the surface, much of the album is an upbeat celebration of America's obsession with kitsch, a Norman Rockwell portrait of a '50s household. But beneath that is a commentary on the same consumerism bred in that era and the late-stage Capitalism that it fostered in today's society. The album covers a lot of ground, dark and light, without ever losing its sense of humor. 5. Gillian Welch and David Rawlings- Woodland Damn, is it nice to hear Gillian Welch and David Rawlings make new music again? For the first time in over a decade, the pair has released an album of original songs and it was worth the wait. If you're a fan of roots music, you know what you're getting with Welch & Rawlings and this is more of the same. Why shouldn't it be? When something is this level of not broken, why would you ever fix it? 4. Amigo the Devil- Yours Until the War is Over If you take a look at the tour dates for Amigo the Devil, you’ll find a lot more shows at rock festivals or supporting rockers than roots-related performances. It might seem a strange fit for a guy whose primary weapons are banjo and acoustic guitar to rub elbows with Pantera or Flogging Molly. But listening to Yours Until the War Is Over, his new album, reveals an almost fatalist outlook that fits well with those acts. Combine that with a penchant for obscure literary references and you’ve got an album that is more Tom Waits than John Prine. 3. Aaron Lee Tasjan- Stellar Evolution Sometimes an eclectic album will be called “genre-defying.” Stellar Evolution, the new album from Aaron Lee Tasjan, isn't genre-defying. That implies an acknowledgment that genres exist, something Tasjan refuses to do throughout this record. Stellar Evolution pinballs from synthwave to power pop, classic rock, glam to Americana, and elsewhere, sometimes within the same song. It's a glorious pansexual feast of an album and it's the year's bravest. 2. Sarah Jarosz- Polaroid Lovers Sarah Jarosz released her first album in 2009 and, in the decade and a half since that time she has become the most consistently excellent artist in the world of roots music. Polaroid Lovers features co-writes with Nashville songwriting heavy hitters like Ruston Kelly and Natalie Hemby but it's Jarosz's generational talent that made this album spend most of the year as my favorite Americana album of 2024. It got nosed out of the #1 spot by a hair, but it's an angel's hair. 1. Amythyst Kiah- Still + Bright A major step forward for Kiah, Still + Bright is the year's most surprising album, taking influences from as far-ranging genres as grunge and symphonic metal, while always retaining the roots music grounding of Kiah's Appalachian upbringing. It's a socially charged album with some pointed shots across the bow of religious intolerance and self-righteousness. Collaborations with S.G. Goodman and Billy Strings only serve to push this album from its already great heights to the best album of 2024.

[concerthopperblog]

Real Friends Forever and Ever and Ever and Ever Tour 11.26.2024

I've been listening to Real Friends since I was 15 years old. They have gone on multiple tours since then, but I've only seen them perform live once. In August, they announced they would go on a fall tour with Can't Swim, Carly Cosgrove, and Slow Joy. I've been eager to add these bands to my list of those I’ve photographed. Even though it was a Tuesday night, I hope everyone had the chance to see them perform at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo. As I stepped into the venue, I noticed that the show had a slow start, creating a peaceful atmosphere that hung in the air. The excitement in the room slowly built up over the night as more fans gradually poured into the once-quiet venue. 

Slow Joy is the solo project of Esteban Flores from Dallas, TX. He combines grunge, emo, and shoegaze elements to create music characterized by deeply personal and melancholic lyrics, all supported by gritty, powerful guitar sounds. Slow Joy gained popularity on TikTok in 2022 with his debut releases, Crawling and Soft Slam. I enjoyed the vibes that Slow Joy had to offer. To start the show they had a lot of energy to give. Esteban Flores, you could feel and see the passion on his face as he was jumping around the stage singing his heart out. Throughout their opening set, they played six songs that included “Pressure” and “Pulling Teeth.” As the guys were cleaning up the stage I saw Esteban walking into the crowd and I noticed fans stopping him and giving him props for his performance. 

Carly Cosgrove is an indie-rock trio from Philadelphia, PA, consisting of members Lucas Naylor, Helen Barsz, and Tyler Kramer. Their music blends cool indie-rock elements with authentic emo influences, exploring themes of personal growth through anxiety, depression, and self-actualization. The trio has released two albums: See You in Chemistry and The Cleanest of Houses Are Empty. When I saw Carly Cosgrove walk onto the stage, I was personally excited. The last time I saw the band perform was back in 2022 at the iMatter Festival reboot. When these guys came onto the stage I was ready to listen to the new music they had dropped since the last time I had watched them perform. They played 8 songs throughout the night, I couldn’t stop watching the drummer, and the energy he had while he performed, with the rest of the trio. I loved the names of their songs too. They are different than what you normally would see, such as “Really Big Shrimp” & “What Are You, A Cop?”. They closed the night out by playing “Not My Job.” I would love to see Carly Cosgrove perform again in the future. 

Can't Swim is an American rock band based in Keansburg, New Jersey. Since their debut in 2017, the band has released four studio albums and four EPs. The current lineup consists of Chris LoPorto (lead vocals), Greg McDevitt (bass), Danny Rico (guitar), and Blake Gamel (drums). Can't Swim is also featured on the song "Toneblerone" by Jetski, which has received over 100,000 plays. I enjoyed Can’t Swim’s set, during the ending of their set they separated the room down the middle & had fans do the 2 steps in the middle of the room altogether. Greg McDevitt had so much energy while performing, he was jumping around screaming his heart out as he backed up screaming with Chris LoPorto. As I was leaving the venue for the night, I stopped by the Real Friends merch table. I saw the band hanging out and having a good time talking to some fans as they came up to buy some merch as well. 

Real Friends is an American rock band from Tinley Park, Illinois. To date, they have released seven EPs and four studio albums. The band was previously signed to Fearless Records and Pure Noise Records but independently released their most recent full-length album, Blue Hour, on October 11, 2024. Since the band's formation, there have been only two lineup changes. The current members are Kyle Fasel, Dave Knox, Eric Haines, Brian Blake, and Cody Muraro. Their lyrics tackle significant topics such as mental health, physical health, loneliness, and nostalgia. On my way to the venue, I listened to their music during the drive, after having a few of their older songs stuck in my head, including "Anchor Down" and "Late Nights In My Car." I loved seeing Real Friends again, This time the room was electric, a different type of show from seeing them previously.  During the third song, “Late Nights in My Car,” singer Cody Muraro engages with the fans by singing from the barricade. He then jumps into the crowd and starts crowd-surfing while still performing. This act was impressive, as it allowed him to connect more intimately with the fans, being right in front of them and on top of them. They performed a total of 16 songs during their set, including new tracks “Waiting Room” and “Cold Blooded.” Additionally, they played some older favorites like “Sixteen” and “I’ve Given Up On You.” Although Dan Lambton is no longer the lead singer of the band, it was great to see Cody Muraro step in as the new lead singer in 2020, when Dan parted ways with the group. Cody's vocals provide a refreshing change for the band as they move forward. Real Friends is a band I will see again the next time they come into town. 

As we near the conclusion of 2024, we are thrilled to share some exciting news about the captivating shows we’ll be featuring in the upcoming month. With just a month remaining in this remarkable year, we invite you to engage with us on our social media platforms. By clicking the "Like" and "Follow" buttons, you will unlock a treasure trove of exclusive updates and behind-the-scenes content. Join us as we make the final stretch of the year unforgettable, packed with thrilling developments and surprises designed to elevate your experience!

[concerthopperblog]

The Plot In You USA Tour Part One 11.24.2024

In August, The Plot In You announced their upcoming USA Tour featuring Currents, Zero 9:36, and Wind Walkers. The first leg of the tour includes 13 dates, kicking off on November 8th. They indicated that these performances would be the last of their 2024 touring season. Recently, they announced that in 2025, they would return for the second leg of the tour, which will include Holding Absence, Boundaries, and Acres. If you weren’t in Buffalo for this show on Saturday night, you missed out. As I made my way to the venue, I noticed fans streaming in excitedly. While I was getting my equipment ready, I could see them gathering around the barricade, eagerly waiting for what the night would bring. If you missed the first leg, be sure to grab your tickets now for the second leg in a city near you! I was fortunate enough to attend the sold-out show in Buffalo at Buffalo RiverWorks.

Hailing from central Massachusetts, Wind Walkers aims to reshape the world of post-hardcore and alternative metal music. The band comprises Timothy Comeau and Neil Comeau on guitar, Craig Martin on the bass, and Ethan Cheesman on drums. A turning point in their journey was marked by the arrival of vocalist Trevor Borg, who brought a new dynamic to their sound. I couldn’t find much on the band, but I was surprised that they are less than 300,000 followers away from having a million followers on Spotify. Since Wind Walkers debut in 2015, they have 2 EPs & 2 studio albums. More recently they have released 2 new singles called “Hangfire” & “Bodybag.” They were also featured on the album Genesis by Fairlane alongside other artists such as Silverstein & Point North. Wind Walkers were the first band of the night, setting the tone for the remainder of the show as they took the stage. The fans were ready to rock out, and I was among them, excited by the energy this group brought to their performance. During the 2nd song, “Dead Talk” they had one of their friends come out onto the stage and scream the song with the band, It was awesome seeing a female screamer in a male-dominated field. Wind Walkers played six songs: “The Overlook”, “Dead Talk”, “Feeding The Gods”, “Drowning Hymns”, “Bodybag”, and “Hangfire”. My favorite songs from their set were “Bodybag” and “Hangfire”.

Matthew Cullen goes by the stage name Zero 9:36, he is an American rapper and rock musician from Langhorne, Pennsylvania. Zero 9:36 has released 3 studio albums, the latest being None Of Us Are Getting Out released in 2024 & one EP released in 2019 called You Will Not Be Saved. He has had incredible accolades such as having Ice Nine Kills feature on his original song “Adrenaline.” has been featured on “Strangers” by Theory Of A Deadman & most recently featured on “Save Me” by Ekoh. While looking into Zero 9:36, I felt a surge of excitement about what he would bring to this show. There aren’t many artists who blend rock and rap, but I've enjoyed listening to a few others in this space, particularly Ekoh and Phix. I was surprised by Zero’s performance, it kind of gave me Linkin Park vibes but new age & different. He was accompanied by a drummer & a guitarist to bring the show to life. A bunch of fans at the barricade were thrilled to see him perform live, this was when the wave of crowd surfers started to begin. Even though Zero 9:36 was sick, he stated that he still wanted to give his all for one of the last days of this tour, I commend him for pushing through even though he stated “If I sound like shit, no I didn’t.” He played a bunch of songs that I enjoyed especially since this was an artist I had never listened to before the show. My favorite song from the set was “Kill Me” & of course, the crowd went wild when they played “Adrenaline.”

Currents is a metalcore band hailing from Newtown, Connecticut, established in 2011 by ex-drummer Jeff Brown. The band has undergone several changes in its lineup over the years and currently features vocalist Brian Wille, guitarists Ryan Castaldi and Chris Wiseman (who is also the founding guitarist of Shadow of Intent), bassist and backing vocalist Christian Pulgarin, and drummer Matt Young. Despite the absence of any original members in the group, the band has continued to find success. They have released three albums and three EPs, along with a wide range of singles such as "The Death We Seek," "Sleep Paralysis," "Poverty of Self," and "So Alone." Currents was the third band to hit the stage, I hadn't seen them perform since they went on tour with We Came As Romans, & The Plot In You back in 2018, I was excited to see how the band had evolved since then, After the first three songs played and the photographers were out of the pit, the number of crowd surfers that came through was insane, I kept seeing this one particular fan coming back over the barricade, representing a local promoter called Frostbelt Entertainment, wearing a blue jumpsuit, he looked like he was having the time of his life coming across the sea of fans. Throughout their setlist they played 11 songs in total, spanning across multiple albums going back to the album they released in 2018 called I Let The Devil In. Of course, playing new music such as “Living In Tradgedy”, “Monsters” & “Kill The Ache”. These guys know how to entertain a crowd, the bassist Christian Pulgarin was jumping around, kicking his legs out like he was also in the pit, all while he was playing his bass. Currents is a band I will have to catch again in the future. 

The last time I had the opportunity to cover The Plot In You was in 2018 when they were on the Cold Like War tour with We Came As Romans, Currents, Tempting Fate & Oceans Ate Alaska. The Plot In You is an American rock band formed in Hancock County, Ohio in 2010. The group is comprised of Landon Tewers, guitarist Josh Childress, bassist Ethan Yoder, and drummer Michael Cooper. Since the start of their career, the band has released 4 EP’s & 5 studio albums. One of my favorite albums is Happiness In Self Destruction, released in 2015. More recently the band has released a few singles such as “Been Here Before”, “Left Behind” & “Don’t Look Away”  in conjunction with their latest EPs VOL 1, 2 & 3. As the night slowly comes to an end, it is time for The Plot In You to hit the stage, I was filled with excitement, you could feel the energy in the room surge before they came onto the stage and played “Take Me Home, Country Roads”. The whole venue started singing along with the song. Then the boys in The Plot In You finally waltzed onto the stage. I enjoyed their lighting setup, behind the drummer, they had red swirls throughout the set. Based on the music the lighting perfectly went with the music they performed. They played 16 songs throughout the night which included a bunch from their new albums Vol 1, 2 & 3, such as “Left Behind”, “Closure” and “Pretend.” They ended with 2 encore songs at the end of the night, “Disposable Fix” and “Feel Nothing”.  

As always, we encourage you to explore ConcertHopper and dive into our incredible content, Don’t forget to follow us on social media—check us out on Facebook and Instagram! We hope to connect with you again soon, and if you’re thinking about catching a show, don’t hesitate—just grab that ticket and go for it!

[concerthopperblog]

USA/CANADA 2024: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Live at Fox Theatre

One of the most talked about indie bands since their unforgettable debut in 2010, Australia’s King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (KGLW) has solidified themselves in the indie rock world with many genre-bending albums over their remarkable albeit brief career. KGLW is a band most notable for their ambitious marathon shows while touring, the plethora of official live KGLW bootleg albums released, and their uncanny ability to release multiple albums within the same year. In 2023, KGLW released eleven (11) various albums to their eagerly, awaiting fans across the globe. When the band released their most ambitious album, The Silver Cord, fans were intrigued, and some were even opinionated with the electropop influence of this particular release. This is exactly why I love KGLW. To say that KGLW makes some innovative music is an understatement. KGLW brilliantly creates and shares with their fans some ground-breaking, music without any thought or care about what genre it may be categorized after release. KGLW is simply six good friends who have an amazing time making music together, and it just so happens that quite a few other people around the world also seem to enjoy listening to their music.

On November 7, 2023, KGLW made a huge touring announcement for 2024 with 58 new shows across Argentina, Chile, USA, Italy, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, Austria, Netherlands, France, and the Czech Republic. The North American portion of tour dates, or the USA/Canada 2024 Tour, had a November 19th date where KGLW would make a tour stop at the historic  Fox Theatre in downtown Atlanta. Like many Gizz fans, I purchased tickets ahead of time because I was not missing this opportunity to see KGLW play live again stateside. This evening would be my third time (Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival - 2022 & The Caverns @ Pelham, TN. – Amphitheater/Night three - 2023) watching KGLW perform and I knew that the aesthetics of the Fox Theatre would add to their already dynamic, live and rowdy performance. Opening for KGLW for this date in Atlanta is fellow Aussie indie rockers King Stingray hailing from Northeast Amhem Land.

KGLW is a psychedelic rock/garage rock/psychedelic rock/progressive rock/heavy metal/electro-pop/neo-psychedelia band based out of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. KGLW consists of Joey Walker (guitars/vocals/bass/keyboards/piano/setar/percussion), Stu Mackenzie (vocals/guitars/keyboards/flute/bass/percussion/sitar/piano/organ/violin/clarinet/saxophone/zum/drums), Ambrose Kenny-Smith (vocals/harmonicas/keyboards/percussion/piano/saxophone/guitar/organ), Lucas Harwood (bass/guitar/piano/keyboards/percussion/vocals), Michael “Cavs” Cavanagh (drums, percussion/vocals), and Cook Craig (guitar/bass/piano/keyboards/percussion/vocals). At the time of publication, KGLW has released a staggering twenty-six (26) LPs, three (3) EPs, thirty-nine (39) live albums, four (4) compilation albums, sixty-five (65) singles, sixty (60) videos, and one (1) remix album. This is quite an impressive feat for a band that released their first album, 12 Bar Bruise, on Flightless Records in 2012.

Their latest album, Flight b741, is the first album released on their new label p(doom) Records. KGLW announced on October 29th, 2024 that they would be releasing a new album (shocking I know) very soon. The album would have ten (10) songs that were leftovers from Flight b741 and would feature a full orchestra. Yes, you read correctly, with an orchestra. The new album (and new single) is titled Phantom Island, so Gizz heads all over the globe are enthusiastically waiting for a release date for this new album in 2025. In the meantime, KGLW has announced a USA tour featuring an orchestra to promote this new album. KGLW also hinted some rock shows will be added in the coming months to the Phantom Island 2025 Tour:

Australia’s own King Stingray is an indie/pop/surf rock band that has been active since 2020. King Stingray consists of Yirrna Yunupinu (vocals/clapsticks), Roy Kellaway (guitar/backing vocals), Dimathaya Burarrwanga (guitar/backing vocals/didgeridoo), Lewis Stiles (drums/backing vocals), Campbell Messer (bass/banjo/backing vocals), and Yimila Gurruwiwi (didgeridoo/backing vocals). King Stingray has released two (2) LPs, their latest release For the Dreams (11/8/2024) has garnered some rave reviews since its initial release.

Starting right on time at 8 pm, King Stingray took the stage, and the sold-out crowd was pumped screaming at the top of their lungs as the band got set up with their array of instruments. I am not going to lie, hearing the didgeridoo beautifully incorporated into an already chill vibe was a perfect accompaniment to start the evening. I was happy to hear “Through the Trees” and “Milkumana” performed live but closing out their set with “Malk Mirri Wayin” was icing on the cake. Those songs are some of my favorite tracks from King Stingray as I prepared for this evening to arrive. I hope King Stingray can come back stateside and tour soon because they are unquestionably a band I would enjoy seeing perform live again.

You can see King Stingray’s opening setlist from their Fox Theatre performance below:

·         (Unknown)

(“Lorrpu” on the setlist)

·         “Hey Wanhaka”

·         “Light Up”

·         “Through the Trees”

·         “Milkumana”

·         “Best Bits”

·         “Malk Mirri Wayin”

Head over to Bandcamp and support King Stingray today!

The time had come for KGLW to take the stage at the Fox Theatre in front of an all-ages, sold-out crowd of Gizz fans ready to have their faces melted. While Stu and Joey spoke introductions to the crowd in attendance, I wondered who else in the Fox Theatre was pondering, ‘What song are they opening with tonight?’ The age-old question I will tell you. Well, KGLW kicked off their Fox Theatre debut with one of my favorite songs off their 2019 release Infest the Rats’ Nest, “Superbug”. KGLW followed up with another favorite song of mine, “Converge”, off their more recent 2023 release PetroDragonic Apocalypse. Seeing this sold-out crowd excitedly jumping up and down or dancing to the music was quite a refreshing sight to behold. So many happy and smiling faces were enjoying the fact that they were witnessing one of their favorite bands performing some of their favorite songs flawlessly.

Check out this wicked setlist from KGLW’s performance at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA:

·         “Superbug”

·         “Converge”

(>)

·         “Witchcraft”

·         “Planet B”

·         “Hot Wax”

·         “Her and I (Slow Jam 2)”

(with “Iron Lung” teases and quotes and “Crumbling Castle”, “Magma”, “Slow Jam 1”, and “Ice V” teases.)

·         “Crumbling Castle”

(>)

·         “The Fourth Color”

·         “Flight b741”

·         “Iron Lung” (Lava-style intro)

·         “Sad Pilot”

(>)

·         “Rats in the Sky”

·         “Work This Time” (w/ guitar solo)

·         “The Garden Goblin”

·         “Intrasport”

(>)

·         “Gilgamesh”

After this tour stop at the Fox Theatre, KGLW had two dates left on their USA/Canada 2024 Tour in St. Augustine, FL. (11/20) & Miami, FL. (11/21). No worries if you missed KGLW on the USA/Canada 2024 Tour. Check out the EURO/USA tour dates already announced for 2025 (including the highly anticipated full orchestra set shows) below:

Europe Residency Tour 2025 dates:

5/18-5/20 Lisbon, Portugal Coliseu Dos Records

5/23-5/24 Barcelona, Spain Poble Espanyol

5/29-31 Vilnius, Lithuania Lukiskes Prison 2.0

6/4-6/6 Athens, Greece Lycabettus Theatre

6/8-6/10 Plovdiv, Bulgaria Ancient Theatre

Phantom Island Tour 2025 Orchestral shows:

7/28 Philadelphia, PA TD Pavilion at the Mann (+ The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia) 7/30 New Haven, CT Westville Music Bowl (+ Orchestra of St. Luke's) 8/1 Forest Hills, NY Forest Hills Stadium (+ Orchestra of St. Luke’') 8/4 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion (+ National Symphony Orchestra) 8/6 Highland Park, IL Ravinia Festival (+ Chicago Philharmonic) 8/8 Colorado Springs, CO Ford Amphitheater (+ Colorado Symphony) 8/11 San Diego, CA The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park (+ San Diego Symphony Orchestra)

Phantom Island Tour 2025 Rock shows:

8/2 Forest Hills, NY Forest Hills Stadium 8/15-8/17 Buena Vista, CO Field Of Vision

For newcomers to KGLW, it may seem daunting trying to figure out what album to start with. Don’t fret. There is a handy website geared at helping to introduce new fans of KGLW named Gizzverse Guide. It helps direct the first-time listener who might feel overwhelmed with the amount of material KGLW has in their massive discography. Check it out today!

Curious about Concerthopper? You can find more music-related articles, interviews, various photo galleries, indie music reviews, our ‘Bars & Bites’ section, our exclusive “She Said, She Said” column, or become a Concerthopper at www.concerthopper.com. Sign up for our monthly newsletter by following this link: The Setlist! Please ‘Like’ our page on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date in 2023, on all music-related events/festivals such as Underoath “They’re Only Chasing Safety” 20th Anniversary Tour: Live at Buffalo Riverworks, Daughtry Live at del Lago Resort (Waterloo), Real Friends Live at Town Ballroom, 25 Years of Noise: Silverstein Live at Buffalo Riverworks, The Plot in You: Live at Buffalo Riverworks, Heaven Let Them Die Tour: Counterparts Live at Town Ballroom, Pierce The Veil Live at The Oncenter, The Jesus Lizard Live at Variety Playhouse (Atlanta), The Big Show Tour: They Might Be Giants Live at The Eastern, Lore 10th Anniversary 2025: Elder Live at The Earl, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead: Live at The Eastern (Night 2), String Cheese Incident: Live at Tabernacle (Night 3), Killswitch Engage Live at Buffalo Riverworks, The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour: Disturbed Live at KeyBank Center (Buffalo), and The Cursed Tour: Paleface Swiss Live at Empire Live (Albany) by following us on all social media formats: Concerthopper on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  You can also follow my concert hopping on Facebook and Instagram.

[concerthopperblog]

Infinite Health Tour: Tycho Live at The Eastern

Grammy-nominated, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, and composer Tycho announced their first headlining tour since 2020 on June 20, on their social media accounts to the delight of their devoted fanbase. Fresh off the release of their new album, Infinite Health, Tycho announced the Infinite Health Tour would cross over to Canada as well. I was excited to see the Infinite Health Tour have a tour stop at one of my favorite music venues in Atlanta, The Eastern. For this leg of the Infinite Health Tour, the electro-pop duo Brijean would be holding down the duties as opening support. I remember first seeing Tycho perform live at the 2015 installment of the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. Then a few years later in 2017, I watched him perform while I was doing photography at the now-defunct Sloss Music & Arts Festival in Birmingham, Alabama. Growing up with electronic artists like Massive Attack, Morcheeba, Portishead, and Zero 7, it is nice to find artists still carrying that proverbial house/trip-hop/ambient music torch.

Brijean is a disco/house/electro-pop duo from Los Angeles, CA. Brijean consists of songwriter and percussionist Brijean Murphy (of Toro Y Moi and Poolside) and Doug Stuart (producer/multi-instrumentalist) and has been making people dance since 2018. Brijean has released four (4) LPs and nine (9) singles/remixes, their latest release, Macro, was released July 12, 2024, off Ghostly International. This would be my first time catching Brijean live, and I was excited to see what they were all about. I thoroughly enjoyed some songs off their latest album, Macro, so I hoped to hear either “Euphoric Avenue” or “Breathe”. Brijean kicked off the evening right with their smooth, electro-pop sounds and held the crowd’s captivation for the duration of their set. And I was thrilled to see the large crowd that had come early to catch Brijean open this evening. Brijean did not disappoint with their perfect opening set, and one could see smiles on everyone as you walked through The Eastern during their performance.

You can follow Brijean on Bandcamp, where you can buy some of their merchandise, and stream some incredible music. You can also watch a full performance on YouTube from their Live on KEXP from August 7, 2024.

Tycho, whose real name is Scott Hansen, is a musician/record producer/composer/songwriter based in San Franciso, CA. Tycho has been active since 2022 and has released seven (7) LPs, two (2) EPs, thirteen (13) singles, and one (1) remix album. I highly recommend listening to Dive, Awake, Epoch, and Infinite Health if you are just starting to listen to Tycho’s remarkable catalog. Hansen also dabbles in photographic and design work and is known as ISO50. Hansen is a perfect example of a renaissance man as one looks over all their accomplishments in the music and art industry. While on the Infinite Health Tour, Tycho consists of Hansen (synthesizers/guitar/bass/visuals/programming), Zac Brown (bass/guitar), Billy Kim (bass/keyboards/synthesizers/visuals), and Rory O’Connor (drums/percussion).

Tycho started their set with a track off their latest album, “Phantom”, and followed it up with two of my favorite songs from his discography: “Spectre” off Awake and “Hours” off Dive. It has been a few years since I saw Tycho last, and I can tell you they have not missed a step with their live performances. Their setlist spanned across six of his seven studio albums, so there was a little something for everyone in attendance. Getting to hear “Time to Run” was one of the highlights for me this evening, and I could see so many people dancing and enjoying their evening as well. It was good to see people leave their troubles and worries at the entrance and just have some fun for at least a few hours that evening.

You can see Tycho’s setlist from their performance at The Eastern below:

·         “Phantom”

·         “Spectre/Hours”

·         “Weather (Vamp)”

·         “Consciousness Felt”

·         “A Walk”

·         “Green”

·         “PBS”

·         “L”

·         “Horizon”

·         “Devices”

·         “Time to Run”

·         “Totem”

Encore:

·         “Awake”

·         “Division”

 As stated previously, Infinite Health is the latest album released on August 30, 2024, off Ninja Tune Records. Hansen stated in a press release that the new record is “about hope for the future and a requiem for the past. I kept thinking back to the high-water mark scene in Fear and Loathing, the author sitting at a typewriter looking out a window onto his past, trying to find meaning in the chaos.” You can follow this link to Tycho’s merchandise store and grab your copy (LP – Opaque White variant vinyl, black vinyl, CD, and cassette) today. Show Tycho some support and follow this link to their Bandcamp page today.

You still have time to see Tycho perform on the Infinite Health Tour on the following dates:

NOV 14

HISTORY

Toronto, Canada

Tickets

NOV 15

The Salt Shed

Chicago, IL

Tickets

NOV 16

First Avenue

Minneapolis, MN

Tickets

Curious about Concerthopper? You can find more music-related articles, interviews, various photo galleries, indie music reviews, our ‘Bars & Bites’ section, our exclusive “She Said, She Said” column, or become a Concerthopper at www.concerthopper.com. Sign up for our monthly newsletter by following this link: The Setlist! Please ‘Like’ our page on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date in 2023, on all music-related events/festivals such as Underoath “They’re Only Chasing Safety” 20th Anniversary Tour: Live at Buffalo Riverworks, The Deathless Tour Part 2: Set It Off Live at Sharkey’s Event Center (Liverpool), The Popular MonsTour II: World Domination – Falling In Reverse Live at Darien Lake Amphitheater (Darien Center), The Plot in You: Live at Buffalo Riverworks, Pierce The Veil Live at The Oncenter, The Jesus Lizard Live at Variety Playhouse (Atlanta), and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: Live at The Fox Theatre (Atlanta) by following us on all social media formats: Concerthopper on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  You can also follow my concert hopping on Facebook and Instagram.

[concerthopperblog]

Fall 2024 North America Tour: SLIFT Live at Terminal West

Fellow concert hoppers, let me tell you about a French rock band named SLIFT. SLIFT is the best band you have probably never heard of until now. If you are a fan of pure, gritty psychedelic rock ‘n’ roll that is not watered down with radio-friendly hooks then look no further because SLIFT is the band for you. SLIFT announced via their social media channels on April 5th that they would come back to tour the States and visit Canada for the first time. I was beyond excited to see that the October 27th date would be their tour stop at Terminal West in Atlanta, GA. SLIFT’s first United States tour was in 2022, and sadly I could not attend their October 22nd stop at The Earl in Little 5 Points in Atlanta, GA. Joining SLIFT on their Fall 2024 North America Tour as opening support is the band California band Meatbodies.  

SLIFT is an acid rock/space rock/psychedelic rock/stoner rock band from Toulouse, France that has been active since 2016. SLIFT consists of brothers Jean Fossat (guitar/vocals/synthesizers), Remi Fossat (bass), and Canek Flores (drums). SLIFT has released three (3) LPs, one (1) EP, one (1) live album, seven (7) music videos, and eight (8) singles. Their latest release is entitled Ilion (January 19, 2024) from Sub Pop Records, and it stands as one of their most ambitious projects to date. I randomly found SLIFT’s live album Levitation Sessions on Amazon Music and I was completely blown away by the first song on that record, Ummon. I dove deep into SLIFT’s discography after listening to this remarkable live album. I had to know their entire story. Another stellar live performance I highly recommend to help introduce you to their music is SLIFT’s 2019 Live on KEXP performance recorded live at the La Chapelle by le Studio in Rennes, France.

Meatbodies is a garage rock/garage punk/lo-fi/psychedelic rock/noise rock band from Los Angeles, CA. that has been active since 2011. Meatbodies consists of Chad Ubovich (guitar), Dylan Fujioka (drums), Noah Guevara (bass), and Casey Hanson (guitar/vocals). Meatbodies has released four (4) LPs and five (5) singles, and their latest release entitled Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom (March 8, 2024) is off In The Red Records. This would be my first time seeing Meatbodies perform live, and I was excited to see them in such a small, intimate venue. Imagine if King Buffalo and Ty Segall conceived a fuzz rock baby, then you would have the awesomeness that is Meatbodies.

Starting the evening, the Meatbodies cranked out “Reach for the Sun” to begin their energetic and fuzzy set playing “Reach for the Sunn” off their EP entitled 333 (released in 2021). Meatbodies followed up with a deep cut of their 2014 self-titled album Meatbodies. This would be my first time seeing Meatbodies perform live, and I hope they can swing back through Atlanta sooner rather than later. I dug their vibe and enjoyed watching Ubovich ripping and shredding throughout their set. And you could tell the crowd was feeling it too with so many people in the crowd shouting and applauding between each riffed-filled song.

Check out the setlist from this evening’s set from the Meatbodies:

·         “Reach For the Sun”

·         “They Came Down”

·         “Tremmors”

·         “Void”

·         “Cancer”

·         “Move”

·         “Fools Fold Their Hands (Grievous Evils Under the Sun)”

·         “Hole”

·         “Silly Cybin”

·         “Mountain”

 Show Meatbodies some love and follow them on Bandcamp today.

The time had come for the mighty trio SLIFT to take the stage to an exuberant crowd gathered on a cool Sunday evening at Terminal West in Atlanta. Sometimes I pinch myself because of how good the feeling is when you finally see a band you respect and admire for their inimitable creativity and their impact on the rock ‘n’ roll genre with their art. During both sets of the evening, the projector set up in the back of Terminal West played a never-ending loop of trippy, psychedelic designs, favoring a Rorschach test, that saturated the stage and all the performers all evening. SLIFT started their set with the first two songs from their latest release, Ilion, the self-titled track “Ilion” and the preceding track “Nimh” which both run over 20 minutes. This sonic introduction illustrated the mastery of each member of SLIFT as they took each audience member on a journey through their innovative and beautiful minds. This was a wild ride from start to finish as SLIFT melted minds with some of my favorite songs like “Ummon”, “Altitude Lake”, “Lions, Tigers, and Bears”, and “The Story That Has Never Been Told”. It is not often that SLIFT comes to the U.S., so the next time they tour the States do yourself a favor and catch them live.

Here is SLIFT’s setlist from their epic performance at Terminal West in Atlanta:

·         “Ilion”

·         “Nimh”

·         “Ummon”

·         “Altitude Lake”

·         “The Words That Have Never Been Heard”

·         “Secret Mirror”

·         “Weavers’ Weft”

·         “Lions, Tigers, and Bears”

·         “The Story That Has Never Been Told”

Check out SLIFT’s online merchandise store and follow them on Bandcamp. Even though their latest record Ilion (Loser edition – red with black smoke limited edition vinyl) is sold out on their website, surprisingly, copies are still available via their Bandcamp page.

You can also hit that subscribe button on SLIFT’s YouTube channel. Unfortunately, after the Atlanta date, SLIFT played one last show on this North American tour at White Oak Music Hall in Houston, TX on 10/29 before flying back home to France. SLIFT has announced four (4) selected European dates in 2024 and already ten (10) European dates in 2025:

Here is SLIFT’s setlist from their epic performance at Terminal West in Atlanta:

·         “Ilion”

·         “Nimh”

·         “Ummon”

·         “Altitude Lake”

·         “The Words That Have Never Been Heard”

·         “Secret Mirror”

·         “Weavers’ Weft”

·         “Lions, Tigers, and Bears”

·         “The Story That Has Never Been Told”

 Check out SLIFT’s online merchandise store and follow them on Bandcamp. Even though their latest record Ilion (Loser edition – red with black smoke limited edition vinyl) is sold out on their website, surprisingly copies are still available via their Bandcamp page.

You can also hit that subscribe button on SLIFT’s YouTube channel. Unfortunately, after the Atlanta date, SLIFT played one last show on this North American tour at White Oak Music Hall in Houston, TX on 10/29 before flying back home to France. SLIFT has announced four (4) selected European dates in 2024 and already ten (10) European dates in 2025:

TUESDAY 17 DECEMBER 8:30 PM

Aix-en-Provence, France

6MIC 

Tickets

THURSDAY 19 DECEMBER 9:00 PM

Rome, Italy

Monk

Tickets

FRIDAY 20 DECEMBER 9:00 PM

Bologna, Italy

Locomotiv Club

 Tickets

SATURDAY 21 DECEMBER 9:00 PM

Milan, Italy

Circolo Magnolia 

Tickets

TUESDAY 14 JANUARY 2025 8:00 PM

Biarritz, France

Atabal Biarritz 

Tickets

WEDNESDAY 15 JANUARY 2025 8:30 PM

Bordeaux, France

Rock School Barbey 

Tickets

THURSDAY 16 JANUARY 2025 7:00 PM

Angers, France

Chabada 

Tickets

FRIDAY 17 JANUARY 2025 8:00 PM

Rennes, France

Antipode 

Tickets

SATURDAY 18 JANUARY 2025 9:00 PM

Brest, France

La Carène 

Tickets

TUESDAY 21 JANUARY 2025 7:00 PM

Antwerp, Belgium

TRIX 

Tickets

WEDNESDAY 22 JANUARY 2025 7:00 PM

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Melkweg 

Tickets

THURSDAY 23 JANUARY 2025 7:00 PM

Liège, Belgium

Reflektor 

Tickets

FRIDAY 24 JANUARY 2025 7:00 PM

Dijon, France

LA VAPEUR 

Tickets

SATURDAY 25 JANUARY 2025 8:30 PM

Orléans, France

L'Astrolabe 

Tickets

 Curious about Concerthopper? You can find more music-related articles, interviews, various photo galleries, indie music reviews, our ‘Bars & Bites’ section, our exclusive “She Said, She Said” column, or become a Concerthopper at www.concerthopper.com. Sign up for our monthly newsletter by following this link: The Setlist! Please ‘Like’ our page on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date in 2023, on all music-related events/festivals such as Underoath “They’re Only Chasing Safety” 20th Anniversary Tour: Live at Buffalo Riverworks, The Deathless Tour Part 2: Set It Off Live at Sharkey’s Event Center (Liverpool), The Popular MonsTour II: World Domination – Falling In Reverse Live at Darien Lake Amphitheater (Darien Center), The Plot in You: Live at Buffalo Riverworks, Pierce The Veil Live at The Oncenter, North American Tour 2024: Opeth Live at Tabernacle (Atlanta), Klash of the Titans Tour: Testament and Kreator Live at Tabernacle (Atlanta), The Jesus Lizard Live at Variety Playhouse (Atlanta), and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: Live at The Fox Theatre (Atlanta) by following us on all social media formats: Concerthopper on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  You can also follow my concert hopping on Facebook and Instagram.

[concerthopperblog]

North American Tour 2024: Opeth w/ Tribulation Live at Tabernacle (Atlanta)

Swedish metal titans Opeth hinted to their fans about a North American Tour 2024 via their social media channels on April 23rd, then on June 7th the anticipation was over when the dates were finally announced to the eager fans in North America. In addition, fellow Swedish metal gods Tribulation was added as a special guest on Opeth’s North American Tour 2024 on August 28th. Opeth last toured the United States and Canada in May 2022, so they were long overdue for a tour stateside, and their fans were hungry for more. I saw a date for October 22nd at the Tabernacle in Atlanta, GA. so I knew I had to save that date. Truthfully, this would be my first time seeing Opeth perform live, and I was ready to get my first show under my belt. I have also never seen Tribulation live before, so this was a pleasant surprise to get two legendary bands off my bucket list in one eventful night.

Opeth is a progressive rock/progressive metal/death metal band from Stockholm, Sweden that has been together since 1990. Opeth consists of Mikael Akerfeldt (guitars/lead vocals), Martin Mendez (bass), Fredrik Akesson (guitars/backing vocals), Joakim Svalberg (keyboards/backing vocals), and Waltteri Vayrynen (drums). Opeth has released thirteen (13) LPs, four (4) live albums, thirty (30) singles and EPs, six (6) music videos, and six (6) compilations. It is worth noting that Opeth’s latest release, The Last Will and Testament (November 22nd,2024) is available for pre-order through the band’s website. Plus, you can pre-order a special reissue of their fourth album, Still Life, celebrating the 25th anniversary of its release.

Although Opeth has been active for 34 years, I first heard their music after the release of their third album My Arms, Your Hearse (1998). Frankly, I was speechless upon first listening to that album with its rich layers and complex riffs which added to their already very distinctive sound. Opeth would go on to release many incredible albums which are perfect from start to finish. I recommend diving into Orchid, Still Life, Blackwater Park, Ghost Reveries, Pale Communion, and Sorceress. I would be remiss if I did not tell you to check one of my favorite live records of all time, Gardens of the Titans: Live at Red Rocks Amphitheater released on Nuclear Blast Records (November 2, 2018). Since purchasing this record off their web store, it is in my constant rotation of records to spin.

Tribulation is a death/gothic metal band from Stockholm, Sweden that has been active since 2004. During 2001-2004 they were previously known as Hazard. Tribulation is Joseph Tholl (guitars), Johannes Andersson (bass/vocals), Oscar Leander (drums), and Adam Zaars (guitars). Tribulation has released six (6) LPs, six (6) EPs, two (2) splits, eight (8) singles, and one (1) live album, their latest release entitled Sub Rosa In Aeternum (2024). I was also late to the party listening to Tribulation, it was not until the release of their third album The Children of the Night (April 20, 2015) off Century Media Records before I heard this band. I remember the cover of the CD catching my eye in a friend’s collection and my curiosity was quickly satisfied after listening to just a few songs.

Something to note about this performance, besides being a sold-out show, the floor for the Tabernacle was seated for this event. I have seen this happen once before for the Jim James (lead singer of My Morning Jacket) solo tour in 2018. But never for a metal tour, so I knew that tonight would be an enchanting and very memorable evening with these two metal legends. Tribulation kicked off the evening with a crushing introduction to their set with their song “Tainted Skies” followed by one of my favorite tracks “Nightbound” from their fourth album Down Below (2018). Halfway through the set, Andersson announced the premiere of a new song, “Hungry Waters”, to the delight of the fans in attendance. This set was everything I hoped for my first time seeing Tribulation perform live. I hear the influence of their music in so many bands, such as Unto Others and the Atlanta-based Cloak.

Check out Tribulation’s setlist from their opening support at the Tabernacle:

·         “Tainted Skies”

·         “Nightbound”

·         “Suspiria de profundis”

·         “Hungry Waters”

·         “Saturn Coming Down”

·         “Strange Gateways Beckon”

·         “Melancholia”

 You can head over to Tribulation’s website and watch some videos that they have available for viewing.

Opeth took the stage at the historic Tabernacle to the excitement of a sold-out crowd gathered on a Tuesday evening in downtown Atlanta. Starting the set, Opeth debuted the new single, “§1”, from their upcoming release The Last Will and Testament. It was epic to see Opeth perform this song live for the first time in Atlanta. One of the many highlights of the evening was when Akerfeldt requested the audience to sing the refrain for “In My Time of Need” and let me tell you everyone in attendance was ready for the assignment. Later in the set, Opeth debuted another single from their new album, “§3”, and we all knew how lucky we were to watch history in the making. Akerfeldt was adamant that Atlanta was the most enthusiastic and excited crowd so far on the tour. This endearing sentiment by Akerfeldt was happily backed up by Vayrynen sitting behind the drum kit.

While walking around the venue, I noticed Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher (from the band Mastodon) enjoying some free time watching their buds perform in their hometown. I love seeing homies support the homies! During one of my favorite tracks, “Ghost of Perdition”, I had goosebumps when the audience joined in and sang along with Akerfeldt with the refrain and beautiful harmonies throughout the song. After “Ghost of Perdition”, Opeth waved goodbye and left the stage, but the crowd made sure they came back onstage for an encore. And oh my what an encore did they have in store for us this evening. Opeth came out to perform two more songs, “Sorceress” and “Deliverance”, which Akerfeldt admitted that the band considers “Deliverance” to be the band’s quintessential song, and during their performance, you could tell the band enjoyed jamming out to this song.

You can check out Opeth’s setlist from their 10/22/2024 show at the Tabernacle:

·         “§1”

·         “The Leper Affinity”

·         “The Grand Conjuration”

·         “Demon of the Fall”

·         “Eternal Rains Will Come”

·         “In My Time of Need”

·         “Face of Melinda”

·         “Heir Apparent”

·         “§3”

·         “Ghost of Perdition”

Encore:

·         “Sorceress”

·         “Deliverance”

 Subscribe to Opeth’s YouTube Channel and stay current on all things related to Opeth. You still have a chance to check out Opeth on their North American Tour 2024 with Tribulation on the following dates:

October 27 Denver, Mission Ballroom

October 29 Phoenix, The Van Buren

October 30 Los Angeles, YouTube Theater LOW TICKETS

October 31 San Francisco, The Warfield LOW TICKETS

Get your tickets here: https://www.opeth.com/tour-dates

 Curious about Concerthopper? You can find more music-related articles, interviews, various photo galleries, indie music reviews, our ‘Bars & Bites’ section, our exclusive “She Said, She Said” column, or become a Concerthopper at www.concerthopper.com. Sign up for our monthly newsletter by following this link: The Setlist! Please ‘Like’ our page on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date in 2023, on all music-related events/festivals such as Underoath “They’re Only Chasing Safety” 20th Anniversary Tour: Live at Buffalo Riverworks, The Deathless Tour Part 2: Set It Off Live at Sharkey’s Event Center (Liverpool), The Popular MonsTour II: World Domination – Falling In Reverse Live at Darien Lake Amphitheater (Darien Center), The Plot in You: Live at Buffalo Riverworks, Pierce The Veil Live at The Oncenter, North American Tour 2024: Opeth Live at Tabernacle (Atlanta), Klash of the Titans Tour: Testament and Kreator Live at Tabernacle (Atlanta), The Jesus Lizard Live at Variety Playhouse (Atlanta), and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: Live at The Fox Theatre (Atlanta) by following us on all social media formats: Concerthopper on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  You can also follow my concert hopping on Facebook and Instagram.

[concerthopperblog]

Review: Grayson Capps- 'Heartbreak, Misery, & Death'

Sometimes you can look at the title of an album and know just what you're getting. Heartbreak, Misery, & Death, the seventh release from Alabama troubadour Grayson Capps is one of those albums. While Capps is no stranger to any of those three subjects in his original music, for this album he pulled sixteen favorite covers, from traditional to more contemporary songs, running the gamut from Doc Watson and Roy Acuff to Leonard Cohen and Jerry Jeff Walker.

The highlight of the album is also its oldest song. “Barbara Allen” is a ballad that dates back to the 17th Century and briefly saw a renewed popularity during the folk revival of the '60s when artists like Pete Seeger recorded covers. Capps' version of the song strips much of the flair from even those folksy renditions. The entire album features only Capps and his longtime collaborator Corky Hughes and it's on these ancient songs that the format works best. Capps' gruff and bluesy vocals sell the tale of a dying man whose love is spurned by “hard-hearted Barbara Allen”, and I've seen it sold.

Another song that is enhanced by the stripped down format is another traditional that dates to the 17th Century, “Old Maid's Lament.” Over Hughes' ambling strum, Capps gives an almost cheery take on the heartbreak of a young lady who can't seem to find a husband despite standards that are increasingly lowered as the song goes on.

But you can't get much more stripped down than the album's opener, Doc Watson's lament “Wake Up Little Maggie.” Here Capps takes a cue from the original and goes a cappela. There just isn't any better way to convey the mournful tone of the song's narrator. Instruments get in the way.

For the “death” part of the album, Capps highlights a pair of early-to-mid 20th-century compositions. One is “Wreck on the Highway”, made famous by bluegrass icons like Roy Acuff and The Louvin Brothers. Here is where Hughes' input is most valuable to the album. “Wreck on the Highway,” with its religious overtones, only truly works as a bluegrass tune and, while Capps doesn't have the range to do the “high and lonesome” vocals, Hughes can and his harmonies help immensely. Another death song is “Moody River,” first made famous by Pat Boone in 1961. Telling the story of a woman who cheats on her lover and kills herself in a fit of regret by drowning herself in a river, it's a song that fits Capps' more timeworn vocals than it ever did Pat Boone's dulcet tones.

But it isn't all old songs that find a place in Heartbreak, Misery, & Death. Capps also finds inspiration from more modern songs. “Stoney” is a song by Jerry Jeff Walker that dates back to 1970. Walker's witty lyrics and delivery are a pretty good comp for Capps' career output so it's no surprise to find he's a fan, nor that “Stoney” feels the most like a Grayson Capps original. Elsewhere he takes on Randy Newman's “Guilty,” “Early Morning Rain” by Gordon Lightfoot, and what feels like the world's most covered song, Leonard Cohen's “Hallelujah.”

Just to make sure it isn't all “Heartbreak, Misery, & Death,” Capps ends the album with what he calls “the greatest campfire song of all time,” “Copper Kettle.” Another early 20th Century folkie best known for a cover by Joan Baez, it's the tale of a moonshiner family who takes up the business because “never shall you toil.” With its refrain of “Watch that whiskey flowing in the pale moonlight,” it's easy to see why it would be a great song for a campfire guitar pull and that's exactly what it sounds like here.

Capps doesn't reinvent the wheel here. There are no radical reinterpretations of any of the covers represented here. That isn't what Heartbreak, Misery, and Death is about. Instead, it's a celebration of some of Capps' favorite traditionial, meant to be enjoyed just as they are. In that respect, the album works. It's as fun as an album full of songs about dying can be.