Occasionally I get an email from a friend about to embark on a music festival weekend, seeking advice on what bands to check out.  I’m always flattered and usually eager (to the point that my boss should be concerned) to dive head first into the lineup and/or schedule to start curating my fantasy music experience.

Seeing as how these events are always chock-o-block with seasoned artists as well as top rookie prospects, it never hurts to have a second opinion on what acts will maximize the dollars spent on the astronomical ticket prices. Continue Reading

“Thursday is the new Friday.”  Stretch it out and you might get “Thursday is the new Saturday.”  But I’ll be damned if it ever comes to the point that “Tuesday is the new Saturday.”  However, just the other night at the Casbah it certainly felt as though that was the case as J Roddy Walston and the Business played to a crowd that rocked as if the Business would soon be closing its doors. Continue Reading

Photos | Mike Swor

NASCAR fans are keenly aware that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is currently slumping harder than the Chicago Cubs.  And despite their intimate knowledge of this racing demigod, it is unlikely that any of the southern-fried circuit students knows that he is a father.  Shock ‘n Awe. Continue Reading

Like a blackjacker with a good hand, Coachella has decided to double-down in 2012.  And as much as that sounds like a sexual innuendo, I assure you the festival website’s explanation is less ambiguous and completely asexual (as in, lacking sexual metaphors or suggestion…right?). Continue Reading

The first installment of this post addressed the dangers involved with the sun, beer vs. water, the traffic and the crowd.  While these prove a worthy set of adversaries, this is not all you have to deal with while parading through the desert in hopes of soaking up the musical menagerie.  It is best you be prepared to address these additional matters in order to minimize frustration, bankruptcy and death. Continue Reading

For as great as festivals can be, they often harbor side effects that if ignored can tarnish the memories of once-excited concertgoers.  As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Coachella is not immune to these pitfalls and with the giant music + art extravaganza kicking off midday today, I urge its attendants to beware the following: Continue Reading

I may not be the biggest Dresden Dolls fan ever, but I am a big fan of the guy who snapped these pictures at their recent show in San Diego (December 30^th | House of Blues).  I have seen them live though, and they put on a hell of a show.  Their cabaret-on-meth sideshow is worthy of the cult following that manifests at their performances and equally enthusiastic audience participation is practically mandatory. Continue Reading