Live Music Reviews and Photographs / NYC, Buffalo, Toronto, Pittsburgh
I was just eighteen when “Human’s Lib” was released. With new wave music in full swing at the clubs and “What is Love?” being pondered by young men and women everywhere, Howard Jones and his music became an integral part of my college experience. I had his debut album, “Dream Into Action”, and “One to …
Continue reading "The Howard Jones Acoustic Trio re-ignites at the Hangar Theater – Feb 11, 2022"
Canadian indie-band Tokyo Police Club was originally going to celebrate the ten year anniversary of their Juno nominated second full length album "Champ" in 2020. Unfortunately, the pandemic shut things down but when live music started to come back, the band immediately put together a "replacement" tour and a re-issue of that great record. The …
Continue reading "Tokyo Police Club celebrates “Champ” at Bowery Ballroom – Nov 19, 2021"
For two consecutive nights in November, young fans of FINNEAS (AKA Finneas O'Connell, AKA Billie Eilish's older brother and collaborator) could be found lined up for blocks around Irving Plaza. And why not? His debut studio album "Optimist" (released Oct 15, 2021) is stupendous. His charming good looks (kinda reminds me of a young Darryl …
Continue reading "Finneas brings the house down at Irving Plaza – Nov 17, 2021"
When talented Norwegian singer/songwriter/activist/fairy Aurora announced just two shows in the United States for 2021, I knew I had to be at Terminal 5 on November 14th. Having attended every one of her NYC shows since 2017, I've had the pleasure of watching her grow and evolve as an artist. Besides having a beautiful voice …
Continue reading "Aurora makes Terminal 5 the happiest place on Earth – Nov 14, 2021"
UK rock band Wolf Alice stopped by the Bowery Ballroom in NYC (Nov 12/13) as they wind down their first tour in three years. Their critically acclaimed third album "Blue Weekend", released last June, has the been the source of much press coverage and garnered them a nomination for the 2021 Mercury Prize. After attending …
Continue reading "Wolf Alice crushes two nights at Bowery Ballroom – Nov 13, 2021"
What a night of constant searing guitar solos and good old rock and roll!! Are we talking about Eric Clapton? Led Zeppelin? Lynyrd Skynyrd? Nope! It was Larkin Poe who played an electric show at Asbury Hall/Babeville in Buffalo last night and wowed my socks off! The Nashville-based sister duo (Rebecca Lovell on lead vocals …
Continue reading "Larkin Poe rocks the house at Asbury Hall – Oct 12, 2021"
This past weekend, I photographed my first festival. Pretty unbelievable, isn't it? Even fellow photographers I saw at the Sea Hear Now festival could have sworn they've talked to me at other festivals. As a last minute fill-in, I received my credentials through QRO Magazine. Not knowing quite what to expect, I took the long …
Continue reading "Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins anchor Sea Hear Now Festival – Sept 18-19, 2021"
Unless you are an indie rock fan, Phoebe Bridgers was a relative unknown (even though she had four Grammy nominations) until she played Saturday Night Live and smashed (up for debate) her guitar. All of a sudden, everyone knew who she was! Those of you already in the know had heard and loved her debut …
Continue reading "A Dreamy Night with Phoebe Bridgers at ArtPark – Sept 15, 2021"
When I shot my last show at NYC’s Mercury Lounge in March 2020, little did I know that it would be 18 months and a move up to the Buffalo area before my next concert. When Nashville-based Halestorm announced a nearby stop at the OUTDOOR amphitheater at ArtPark in Lewiston, I knew I had to …
Continue reading "Beautiful evening for Halestorm at ArtPark – Sept 1, 2021"
Ok so maybe it won't be the last concert ever but, with the COVID-19 pandemic, voluntary social distancing, and many tours/venues cancelled in the near future, Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum's show at Mercury Lounge sure felt like it was going to be the last concert ever. Princess (I'll abbreviate from now on), with …
Continue reading "Princess slays Mercury Lounge for last concert ever – Mar 12, 2020"
NOTE: All photos are copyright of Howard Shiau Photography except for setlist photo thanks to Gabrielle Pires I have to admit that for much of the late 1990s / early 2000s, I was working so much that I didn't pay too much attention to music that was coming out during that time. It wasn't until …
Continue reading "Spending the day with Silversun Pickups – Mar 6, 2020"
Today may be International Women's Day but a few days ago on Wednesday, March 4th, female artists helped Mercury Lounge celebrate early. Two Rochester based bands with female leads, Roses & Revolutions with singer/keyboardist Alyssa Coco and KOPPS with singer Patricia Patrón, were the co-headliners but, like me, many were here for opener Caroline Vreeland. …
Continue reading "Caroline Vreeland gets the party started at Mercury Lounge – Mar. 4, 2020"
Friday night was a good night for me to catch up with a couple of local bands that I've been following for awhile: Purr and Wilsen. Also turns out they both had record releases that day. Purr did a signing for their debut record "Like New". Oddly enough, even though I've been seeing them at …
Swedish pop star Tove Lo (aka Ebba Tove Elsa Nilsson), known not just for her danceable tunes and high energy live shows but also for her sexually direct lyrics and for flashing the crowd, hit NYC for two shows as part of her Sunshine Kitty Tour. Having celebrated her record release back in September at …
Continue reading "Tove Lo throws party at Brooklyn Steel – Feb 12, 2020"
I always believed punk bands lose their anger as they get older, become more successful, etc. Sir Bob Geldof, Boomtown Rats frontman and the driver behind Band Aid, throws all of that out the window. He is still angry, whether it's about disco and "shit rock", as he calls it, or the political situation in …
Continue reading "Legendary musician and activist Bob Geldof talks to Paste Studio – Feb 11, 2020"
It's been a few years since Grace Potter hit the stage in New York. After a hiatus where she wasn't sure she would return to music, she took inspiration from the birth of her son, Sagan, and started working on a new record. "Daylight" was the result and she hit the Beacon Theatre on Feb …
Continue reading "Grace Potter returns to NYC with new record “Daylight” – Feb 1, 2020"
Having only recently discovered Your Smith, I was not ready for the amazing evening that awaited me at Rough Trade in Brooklyn on a cold Wednesday night. Caroline Smith had been playing music since she was a teenager in her native Minnesota and after performing under her name for years, she moved to LA in …
Continue reading "Your Smith rules Rough Trade – Jan 29, 2020"
You know you're doing something right when your debut LP is nominated for a GRAMMY award for Best Americana Album. At just 22 years old, Madison Cunningham has done just that with her record "Who Are You Now". While she did not win the award, it shows how mature and respected her music is within …
Continue reading "Madison Cunningham provides her fans a double dose in NYC – Jan 28, 2020"
Songland contestant Sam De Rosa, a native New Yorker who now lives in LA, was visiting family for the holidays but took the time out to come over to Paste Studio to play a set. Recently signed to Monument Records, she played three songs including her first official single "Pill for This", which she wrote …
Continue reading "Sam De Rosa kicks off the new year at Paste Studio – Jan 6, 2019"
Starting off part two of my top shows of 2019 with three shows at Madison Square Garden. As I noted in my previous post, it's been an epic year. The Who at Madison Square Garden - September 1, 2019 The Who (Madison Square Garden) - 1 September 2019 When a legendary band from your childhood …
This year was pretty epic for me as a music photojournalist. In addition to this blog, I also shot for Pancakes & Whiskey and QRO Magazine. I attended 83 shows in total although it seemed like so many more. The shows are in date order since it would be impossible for me to rank them …
Singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, poet, activist, dad...however many words we use to describe Kat Cunning (aka Katrina Cunningham), she will, no doubt, blow away those boundaries and create new ones. On a cold and wet night in December, she provided all the heat we needed at Bowery Ballroom. The first opener for Cunning was local …
Continue reading "Kat Cunning wows Bowery Ballroom – Dec 11, 2019"
The annual Pandora holiday show is one of the most anticipated of the season. Previous performers of this huge free event have included Panic! at the Disco, Fall Out Boy, the 1975, Bastille, Post Malone and SZA. This year, the show moved from its previous location at Pier 36 to Avant Gardner in Brooklyn and …
Continue reading "Pandora presents Halsey at Avant Gardner – Dec 10, 2019"
As the holiday season approached, there were quite a number of Christmas themed shows in and around the city. One of the more anticipated was by the duo She & Him, comprised of actor/singer Zooey Deschanel and guitarist M. Ward (Matthew Stephen Ward). A holiday shows seems apropos since 40% of their total records sales …
Continue reading "She & Him bring the joy of Christmas to Kings Theatre – Dec 6, 2019"
Young artists showcased by MTV Push tend to be the next big thing. Just take a look a couple of 2019's class: Lizzo, Billie Eilish, and H.E.R. If that's any indication, Lolo Zouaï (aka Laureen Rebeha Zouaï) and Isaac Dunbar are in good company and you can expect their careers to skyrocket and hit our …
Continue reading "MTV Push showcases Lolo Zouaï and Isaac Dunbar in Chelsea – Nov 25, 2019"