Live Music Reviews and Photographs / NYC, Buffalo, Toronto, Pittsburgh
As an Asian American, it has always been hard to find musicians that "look like me", let along be successful in the music industry outside of the classical genre, especially before the 21st century. There were always exceptions such as James Iha of the Smashing Pumpkins,etc. Since 2000, something shifted and artists like Karen O …
Continue reading "Toronto hosts Emei’s Night at the Opera but with no opera – Oct 13, 2026"
The last time I covered the Pretty Reckless was at Stage AE in Pittsburgh back in July 2022. At the time, I was amazed that it was their first headlining show since 2017 but, lo and behold, here we are in 2026 and it's their first headlining tour since 2022!! That doesn't mean they haven't …
Continue reading "The Pretty Reckless blow the roof off House of Blues Cleveland – Sept 15, 2026"
Famous Beastie Boy Michael Diamond (aka rapper Mike D) brought his solo tour back to his NYC hometown for a show at the Knockdown Center, a 1903 glass factory turned art and performance space in the industrial outskirts of Queens. He is playing with his new band called the Mike D 5D, which also features …
Continue reading "Mike D had a NYC homecoming at the Knockdown Center – Sept 9, 2026"
90’s hard shoegazing greats Swervedriver came through the NYC area for a couple of shows for their Thirty Five Years of Raise Tour where they are playing their 1991 debut album Raise as well as sporting a brand-new single. It was almost 12 years ago when this band last swept through with a big reunion …
Continue reading "Swervedriver rocked out 35 years of “Raise” at White Eagle Hall – Aug 28, 2026"
The last time we saw Faouzia in Toronto, she had just kicked off her Citizens Tour in North American, playing to a sold out Opera House. Four years later, quite a lot has happened to the Moroccan-born singer/songwriter with one of the most impressive vocal ranges I've ever heard. After releasing six more singles in …
Continue reading "Faouzia returns to Toronto, independent and re-invigorated – Aug 19, 2026"
Given the number of eighties bands touring right now, I'd swear we were in 1985! Synth-pop icon Howard Jones has been on tour across North America with fellow New Wave band Wang Chung, ska stalwarts The English Beat, and the ever popular Modern English. The only worrying part was the on and off rain. In …
Continue reading "The rain holds off just enough to let ArtPark throw an 80s party – Aug 12, 2026"
It's hard to believe that Australian rocker Courtney Barnett blew onto the scene just thirteen years ago with "Avant Gardner". It feels like I've enjoyed her incredibly inexpressive but hilarious vocals for much longer than that. The subject matter may not always be funny but the phrasing and delivery are everything! Barnett released her fourth …
Oh no! Another Stranger Things actor leveraging their fame to become a musician! To be fair, Joe Keery (aka Djo) was a musician, as a bassist and backing vocalist for Post Animal, before he got famous. Did fame boost his fanbase and impact his success as a solo artist? That probably can't be denied but, …
Continue reading "Buffalo goes wild for Djo at ArtPark – July 23, 2026"
As I was driving through the heavy rain towards Canandaigua, NY to see Death Cab for Cutie, a tornado alert sounds loudly on my cell phone. A minute later, another tornado alert came through and soon after, a flash flood warning, leaving me wondering if the show was going to be cancelled this night. The …
On the heels of the release of his third solo studio album How Did I Get Here? (which debuted at number one on the UK album charts), former One Direction member Louis Tomlinson (aka Louis Troy Austin) has embarked on a huge tour across the Europe, North American, and Australia. On July 10th, his tour …
Vial released their sophomore studio album Hellhound back on March 20th. I know you're thinking that can't be right since they've been prolific in releasing new music the last few years. After their well-received debut full length LP Loudmouth, they've released an EP burnout as well as a re-recording of their debut EP Grow Up, …
Continue reading "Vial stops in Toronto in midst of Hellhound tour – May 10, 2026"
Minnesota born but London based indie pop singer/songwriter Ber (aka Berit Dybing) has never been shy about laying out her personal life in her music. Songs like "Bad for Me", "Better Man", and "You're Internet Sucks" put her dating life right there for everyone to see. Perhaps it's that personal connection that endears herself to …
Continue reading "Ber plays intimate show at the Drake Underground – Apr 23, 2026"
I've been a huge fan of the Cannons' smooth dance music since 2022 when Fever Dream, their third studio album, was about to be released. There never seems to be a bad time to listen to their grooves unless you just want to go to sleep. Then again, the dreamy vocals might make you think …
Continue reading "Pittsburgh parties with Cannons and Bob Moses at Stage AE – Apr 11, 2026"
Another year, another chance to see Berlin-based South African indie folk pop artist Alice Phoebe Lou (aka Alice Matthew) as she tours North America. Last year, she toured as part of strongboi (her side project with her keyboardist Ziv Yamin), opening for Men I Trust, and 2024 saw her touring without her band, showing us …
There are many pros and cons to living in western New York. It's beautiful and affordable but it's also cold and wintry nine months of the year. But one not so obvious benefit, given our proximity to Ontario, is being able to see Canadian electro-pop artist Lights (aka Valerie Anne Poxleitner-Bokan) at least once a …
Continue reading "Lights closes out US leg of tour with a killer show in Buffalo – Mar 14, 2026"
Up and coming pop star Benee (aka Stella Rose Bennett), like many young artists nowadays, started by uploading her music online when she was just in high school. Her offbeat funky style gives me early Lily Allen vibes, very apropos since she ended up supporting Lily Allen on her New Zealand tour stop in 2019! …
Continue reading "Benee brings a taste of New Zealand to Electric City – Mar 13, 2026"
When indie pop artist dodie (aka Dorothy Miranda Clark) announced her "Not For Lack of Trying Tour", I was excited since it's been over six years since she last performed in Toronto. I had first heard her music in the interim but her 2022 show in Toronto was cancelled so I've had to wait patiently …
Continue reading "Joy and devotion accompany dodie to Toronto – Mar 3, 2026"
During The Beths show at Brooklyn Paramount, someone in the crowd screamed out “We love you!” prompting lead vocalist Elizabeth Stokes to answer coyly, “We’ve only played four songs. That was easy!”. New Zealand’s premiere alternative band swung through NYC on their latest tour in support of their fourth album Straight Line Was A Lie …
Continue reading "The Beths rocked the sold-out crowd at Brooklyn Paramount – Dec 5, 2025"
It's been less than a month since we covered synth-pop legend Andy Bell, singer for 80s hitmaker Erasure, and we're back with another synth-pop act, this time Australian band Cut Copy. Formed by lead vocalist and keyboardist Dan Whitford in 2001, they had a number of hits during that decade, primarily "Hearts on Fire" and …
Continue reading "Buffalo goes dancing with Cut Copy on Thursday night – Nov 20, 2025"
The revival punk project called The Saints '73-'78 swung through NYC and played the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday with a host of prominent guest stars like Mudhoney’s frontman Mark Arm who provided the vocals. The Saints are a sadly far too overlooked band in punk rock history books but are definitely a band …
Back in the late 80s through the 90s, Andy Bell and Erasure were a permanent fixture on the charts, providing GenX with non-stop catchy synth-pop tunes. Erasure had been formed after Vince Clarke had left Depeche Mode, then Yazoo (Yaz in the US), and was looking for a lead singer for a new project. The …
90’s alt rock masters Modest Mouse played the historic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY as the last stop on their national tour, bringing along the complimenting legendary indie rockers Built To Spill as their opening act. Located about an hour North of NYC, the Capitol Theatre is a gorgeously regal movie palace built back …
Continue reading "Modest Mouse and Built To Spill conquered The Capitol Theater – Oct 22, 2025"
“I came from New York and, even though I now live in LA, this will forever be very special to me and Baby’s All Right is the very first venue I ever played,” said Ella Jane at her one-off appearance in her old stomping grounds of Brooklyn. This intimate setting was a change of pace …
Continue reading "Ella Jane’s homecoming at Baby’s All Right – Oct 21, 2025"
The archetypal progressive rock band Yes swung through Huntington, Long Island to play their seminal 1971 album Fragile in its entirety (along with many other classics) at the Paramount, a former vaudeville theater that opened in 1926, rich with history of its own. To many of their serious fans, Yes is not just a progressive …
The all-female punk pop trio Shonen Knife from Osaka, Japan, who had gained a ferocious following in the mid 90’s with their brand of bodacious bubblegum indie rock, played two sold out nights at the intimate venue called Littlefield in the lowlands Gowanus area of Brooklyn. I was lucky enough to catch the second night’s show which …
Continue reading "Shonen Knife blew the roof off Littlefield – Sept 25, 2025"
90’s alternative rockers Garbage played a sold out show at Brooklyn Paramount on Saturday during which singer Shirley Manson recounted “A long, long time ago we were told we are not a Brooklyn band, and we’re not gonna put you on in Brooklyn, and I don’t wanna toot our own horn, but we sold out …
Continue reading "Garbage rocked sold out Brooklyn Paramount – Sept 20, 2025"
The sister duo Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn, also known as Softcult, brought their grunge/shoegaze styled riot grrrl show back to Buffalo on Friday night, September 19th, at Buffalo Iron Works. Handling everything from songwriting to production to video direction to artwork, the talented duo has really been all about the messaging. Their direct lyrics targeting …
Continue reading "Softcult returns to Buffalo to kick off their tour – Sept 19, 2025"
Singer Sophia Regina Allison came out during the set by her band Soccer Mommy and asked “Aren’t these free shows great? I wish I could do them all the time, but I have two cats to feed.” Nashville native Soccer Mommy played the last free show of the Central Park Summerstage lineup of concerts as …
Pulp, 1990’s Britpop forefathers, played the historic Forest Hills Stadium in support of More, their first album of new material since 2001, and they came ready to rock the packed crowd to its core. Frontman Jarvis Cocker was in prime shape as he wooed the audience with his captivating weirdness and wildly insane dance moves, …
Continue reading "Pulp played a perfect game at Forest Hills Stadium – Sept 11, 2025"
I'm not sure if I should have been surprised when Fitz & the Tantrums released their sixth studio album Man on the Moon last month. While they haven't experienced the success of their first three albums, they have been pretty consistent in putting out new music and touring. I first caught them in 2013 whilst …
Continue reading "Fitz & the Tantrums bring their funky grooves to ArtPark – Aug 12, 2025"
If you were an 80s pop fan in Europe, Asia, South America, etc (basically any non-primarily English speaking country, you knew Modern Talking, with Thomas Anders on vocals and Dieter Bohlen writing, singing background, and playing guitar, as one of the biggest pop acts to come out of Germany. Whether you called it New Wave, …
Continue reading "Thomas Anders brings Modern Talking magic back to Toronto – Aug 8, 2025"
It seems we're seeing more multi-talented Gen Z artists nowadays; young men and women who make music, act, model, paint, etc. One such talent Charlotte Lawrence is currently on tour to support her debut studio album Somewhere, released on June 27th of this year. Coming from an artistic family (mom Christa Miller is an actress …
Continue reading "Charlotte Lawrence pours her heart out at the Drake Underground – Aug 4, 2025"
The Aussie absurdist surrealist rock outfit known as King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard staged a two night stand at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, NY with radically different setups for each night. I was in attendance for the first night, which was classically inspired, backed by the Orchestra of St. Luke's conducted by Sarah …
It's been ten years since British rock band The Struts released their debut studio album Everybody Wants on July 28, 2015. Since then, the band has collected a dedicated following across the globe with their 70s glam style rock and energetic, almost theatrical, live shows. In April, they announced that they would be embarking on …
It's hard to believe that Grace Potter has been releasing music for over twenty years! She's an artist that never seems to age and her musicianship, personality, and onstage presence makes you understand why there are Potter groupies. You can't help but fall in love with her. This year, she released Medicine, an album that …
Continue reading "Grace Potter wows ArtPark on a beautiful night in Buffalo – July 19, 2025"
It's pretty hard to believe but the last time we saw Betty Who (aka Jessica Anne Newham) was when she played a private show at a furniture store (CB2) in New York City back in 2018. This doesn't mean she hasn't been touring regularly; quite the opposite actually but somehow we've managed to keep missing …
Continue reading "Betty Who turns Spirit Hall into a club – June 25, 2025"
Alt-pop priestess BANKS cast a spell over the Brooklyn Paramount on Friday night as she swept through town supporting her newest album Off With Her Head. Jillian Rose Banks has been bewitching audiences since 2013 with her genre-bending blends of enchanting sounds that always seem to flirt with the darker arts of goth and industrial …
Continue reading "BANKS cast a spell over the Brooklyn Paramount – June 20, 2025"
The Philly punk band Mannequin Pussy played an intimate late night show at a sold out Warsaw in Greenpoint, Brooklyn for an event called Gov Ball After Dark, an after-hours shindig that took place the day after they performed on the big stage at the Governor’s Ball Festival in Flushing Meadows, Queens. This band has …
Continue reading "Mannequin Pussy threw a late night party at Warsaw – June 7, 2025"
The Doobie Brothers threw a delightfully enchanting reunion show and release party for their new album Walk This Road in the intimately cozy venue Irving Plaza, and they left a lucky bunch of their diehard fans floating on air. This is the first album to feature the “classic lineup” in its entirety performing together in …
Continue reading "The Doobie Brothers reunited with an intimate show at Irving Plaza – June 6, 2025"
The multi-talented Bibi (aka Kim Hyeong-seo) is a singer, a songwriter, an actress, a philanthropist, and, now, a touring musician! After taking second place in The Fan, she released her first single "Binu" in 2019 and has explored making pop, R&B, and hip hop music as her popularity grew. Here latest studio album Eve:Romance is …
Continue reading "Bibi hits Toronto with First World Tour [EVE] – June 5, 2025"
Can you believe the members of the Wallows are turning thirty(!!!) next year? Yeah, neither can I. It seems like they were just a bunch of kids, including that high school kid actor, when they released “Pleaser” but I suppose that’s already eight years ago so…. The band turned out not to be a flash-in-the-pan, …
It's been interesting to watch Samia (aka Samia Najimy Finnerty) evolve as a performer, a singer, and a songwriter. The first time we saw her was when she opened for Sunflower Bean at Warsaw in Brooklyn on December 7, 2018 and she left an impression: young and talented but a bit raw but perhaps still …
Continue reading "Samia brings “Bloodless” to Toronto – May 24, 2025"
The classic indie pop band The Wedding Present played The Music Hall of Williamsburg in celebration of the 35th anniversary of their second album Bizarro from 1989 (which they played in its entirety). I was lucky enough to catch them the last time they came through town in 2017 and played the Bell House, promoting …
Continue reading "The Wedding Present went Bizarro at Music Hall of Williamsburg – May 23, 2025"
You’ve probably never heard of them and, yes, their name is a bit of a tongue-twister but Australian rock band Teen Jesus and the Jean Twisters (I’ll refer them as Teen Jesus from here on) are starting to make waves abroad. Formed in 2015 when the original members met in high school, after releasing a …
NYC alt-rockers Sunflower Bean returned to their Brooklyn home ground for a big headlining show at Warsaw in Greenpoint, Brooklyn to celebrate their new album Mortal Primetime which they self-produced featuring mixing by Caesar Edmunds of The Killers & Wet Leg fame. The trio has been a staple of the Big Apple DIY scene for …
Continue reading "Sunflower Bean had an epic homecoming at Warsaw – May 22, 2025"
In listening and watching LA-based R&B/rap artist Audrey Nuna's (aka Audrey Chu) music & video, it feels like she's ready to explode all over the music industry. She somehow appeals to R&B and pop fans alike and, with an EP and two studio albums under her belt, she is still young and evolving as an …
Continue reading "Phenom Audrey Nuna packs Music Hall of Williamsburg – May 13, 2025"
Have your heard of the UK punk band Lambrini Girls? If not, it won’t be for much longer. They’ve already started to become well known not only for their kick ass performances but also for their extremely vocal stance on many of today’s political and social issues. With their one EP You’re Welcome, released in …
There was a time when Upstairs at Eric's stayed at repeat in my household. Ah, those high school days when New Wave was dominant and electronic bands like Yaz (Yazoo for those not in North America) permeated the airwaves. Fast forward to 2025 and vocalist Alison Moyet (aka Geneviève Alison Jane Ballard aka Alf) is …
Continue reading "80s star Alison Moyet sounds as good as ever – May 5, 2025"
If dream pop is your jam, here's your next favorite band: Sunday (1994). Yes, there are a bunch of movies such as Sunday (1997) and Sunday (2002) but no actual movie called "Sunday" came out in 1994 so they're safe. Our main protagonists, Paige Turner and Lee Newell, did meet on a Sunday in 2020 …
Continue reading "Even on a Saturday, Sunday (1994) wows Toronto – May 3, 2025"
I can’t believe it’s been twenty five years since the Neon Trees’ debut album Habits was released and thrust the Utah indie-pop band into the spotlight. With the album and singles “Animal” and “1983” making waves on the Billboard charts, it seemed like you heard and saw (lead singer Tyler Glenn and his signature mohawk) …
Continue reading "Neon Trees sink their teeth into Buffalo – Apr 27, 2025"
We last caught the Linda Lindas when they made a surprise stop in Buffalo to do a solo show in the midst of touring with Green Day. It has been wonderful watching these young performers grow up (so to speak) as the oldest, guitarist/vocalist Bela Salazar, is only twenty and the youngest, drummer Mila de …
Continue reading "Amazing to watch the Linda Lindas grow up in front of our eyes – Apr 26, 2025"
Whether it's writing and performing her critically acclaimed music, stretching the boundaries of fashion which often maintaining a very classic look, breaking stereotypes by becoming one of the most accomplished guitarist of any generation, or collaborating with Spotify on an escape room event for fans to promote her sixth studio album Masseduction, St. Vincent has …
Continue reading "St Vincent takes over Stage AE for All Born Screaming tour – Apr 13, 2025"
The Scottish post-punk icons Mogwai brought their latest tour to Brooklyn Steel for a massive show, and they also brought along some very surprising guests as openers. The band have been going since 1995 and they never really stopped moving forward since their inception. Late last year, these art rock punks released their eleventh studio …
Continue reading "Mogwai shred their way to the heavens at Brooklyn Steel – Apr 10, 2025"
It's hard to believe it's already been twenty five years since nu-metal band Disturbed released their debut classic album "The Sickness", propelling themselves into immediate stardom! Their hit single from the album "Down With the Sickness" with its inimitable "ooh-wah-ah-ah-ah" from lead vocalist David Draiman seems to still be everywhere from movies to television to …
As they embraced their growing legions of rabid fans and their increasing level of fame amassed over the last decade, rocking people’s worlds, the local rising star indie rock band called Pom Pom Squad returned home to play the finale of their Mirror Ball Tour at The Music Hall of Williamsburg. Lead singer Mia Berrin …
We've been following mxmtoon (aka Maia) since we photographed her at the Paste Studio in 2019, after the release of her debut studio album "The Masquerade". We then caught her at the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto in 2022 after she released her second album. Now that she has released her third studio album "Liminal …
Continue reading "mxmtoon stops in Toronto on Liminal Space Tour – Mar 31, 2025"
In the mid-90s, Tsunami were indie rock darlings and Ida were slow core sweethearts. The bands crossed paths on the scene, sharing bills, side projects, and even members many times in the past. Both bands have also been largely inactive for the last decade or two, with most fans feeling like they may never re-emerge, …
Continue reading "Tsunami and Ida teamed up for the perfect storm at Bowery Ballroom – Mar 29, 2025"
I don't think you can possibly over-emphasize Mary J Blige's accolades and impact to hip hop and R&B. We won't list all her accomplishments and even her latest, induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, was a long time coming. On the heels of the release of her fifteenth studio album “Gratitude” in …
Continue reading "Buffalo welcomes Queen of hip hop Mary J Blige to KeyBank Center – Mar 22, 2025"
As R&B singer/songwriter JoJo (aka Joanna Noëlle Levesque) embarked on her "Too Much to Say" Tour in 2025, it seemed like she has been around forever and maybe that's because she was only thirteen when her 2004 debut single "Leave (Get Out)" hit number one on Billboard's US pop chart. While her first three studio …
Continue reading "JoJo captivates Toronto at the Danforth Music Hall – Mar 19, 2025"
After releasing three EP's over the past eight years, Long Island based pop singer/songwriter Morgan Saint (aka Morgan Gildersleeve) finally released her debut album "Out of the Blue" last month. Having moved back to her hometown in Mattituck, New York after getting her degree at the Parsons School of Design, she lives with her wife, …
When Finnish symphonic metal band Apocalyptica released "Plays Metallica by Four Cellos" twenty eight years ago, they were a revelation and, even though orchestral arrangements has historically been a part of metal, there were questions about whether this band would be a flash in the pan and quickly forgotten. Fast forward to last year's "Plays …
Continue reading "Apocalyptica sets Toronto on fire at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre – Feb 13, 2024"
After previewing a lot of new music during Lauren Mayberry’s first solo tour in 2024, we were finally able to listen to her full studio album “Vicious Creature” when it was released in November. The songs on the album can’t really be locked down into a single genre, poppy but not, dance but not, punk …
Continue reading "Lauren Mayberry plays Electric City supporting first solo album – Feb 8, 2025"
The electronica duo Phantogram brought their Running Through Colors tour back to their old stomping ground of Brooklyn with an epic performance at the newly renovated Brooklyn Paramount. This stunning venue that’s history takes you way back to the Roaring 20’s and played such a major role in the Jazz and R&B scenes all the …
Continue reading "Phantogram enchanted their hometown fans at Brooklyn Paramount – Feb 6, 2025"
NOTE: All photos are copyright of Dean Keim 2025 The groundbreaking dreampop gurus and shoegaze spellcasters Slowdive are back on the road again after spending the last couple years crossing the globe in a triumphant revival after 2023’s divine Everything Is Alive album was so warmly received. They even attracted a surprising amount of young …
Continue reading "Slowdive casted a spell over Starland Ballroom – Feb 5, 2025"
We got a preview of Soccer Mommy’s (aka Sophia Regina Allison) fourth studio album “Evergreen” during her “Lost Shows” mini-tour last May. The album, released in October, once again solidifies her as one of the best young songwriters. The lyrics on this record feel even more melancholy, if possible, than ever and while “Color Theory” …
Continue reading "Soccer Mommy fills the Concert Hall in Toronto – Feb 4, 2025"
It’s been a busy year for French disco band L’Impératrice. They released their third studio album “Pulsar” last June, toured all over North America and Europe, lost their long time lead vocalist Flore Benguigui, and signed a new vocalist Maud "Louve" Ferron. The band had to postpone a number of their 2024 shows due to …
Continue reading "It was disco night at Rebel with L’Impératrice – Jan 23, 2025"
Remember that time at band camp when a bunch of campers started jamming and turned a quiet evening into a dance party? Yeah, neither do I but that's what watching indie rock band Rubblebucket reminds me of. Every show is so much fun, where you don't know what to expect, whether it be outrageous costumes, …
Continue reading "Buffalo danced to Rubblebucket to stay warm – Jan 18, 2025"
NOTE: All photographs are copyright of Dean Keim 2025 90’s alt rock band Dramarama played an intimate show at their old stomping ground of Wonderbar in Asbury Park on a chilly January night as part of The Light of Day Festival that raises money and awareness for ending Parkinson's disease, fighting the good fight since 1998. "Light of Day" …
Continue reading "Dramarama rocked out for a good cause at Wonderbar – Jan 17, 2025"
The last time we saw Katie Gavin, she was blowing the roof off at History with her band MUNA. That persona was a bundle of non-stop energy bounding around the stage. On her first solo album “What a Relief”, released on October 25th, Gavin goes full singer/songwriter, putting out an album of mostly folk songs …
Continue reading "Katie Gavin gets close and personal at Opera House – Dec 16, 2024"
Having covered Aurora (aka Aurora Aksnes) since she was 18, the prolific singer/songwriter/activist from Norway continues to amaze us as she evolves and transforms with every record. Her latest studio album, "What Happened to the Heart?" is no different, asking the world why caring and empathy have become anathema to so many and selfishness and …
Continue reading "Toronto gets emotional with Aurora at History – Dec 2, 2024"
Five years ago, if you had said that a Mongolian throat singing band would be a huge up and coming metal band, no one would have believed you. It was just not on anyone’s bingo card! Since they opened for Halestorm in 2019 at ArtPark, they showed up on every metalhead’s radar big time! They’ve …
Continue reading "The Hu play to a costumed crowd at Electric City – Oct 31, 2024"
It’s been a magical run for the Warning since the world re-opened after the pandemic. Since they first gained a measure of fame when their cover to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” went viral when sisters Daniel, Paulina, and Alejandra Villarreal were just 14, 11, and 9 respectively. They had released their second album and were gaining …
Continue reading "The Warning put on an epic show in Toronto to close out tour – Oct 30, 2024"
Palestinian/Chilean pop star Elyanna (aka Elian Marjieh) is starting to take the world by storm. At just 22 yrs of age, she has released two EPs, released her debut album "WOLEDTO" this April, and has been dubbed by some as the Beyonce of the Arab world!! Her blend of dance, pop, and Arabic music have …
Continue reading "Elyanna dazzles at Rebel in Toronto – Oct 28, 2024"
Hinds, the indie band from Madrid, has gone through a lot of change over the last few years. It's not surprising since their third studio album "The Prettiest Curse" was due to be released in April 2020, followed by an extensive tour. The record release was delayed until the summer and even thought they toured …
Indie rock band Joywave, from Rochester, NY, has been making music for a dozen years now, generating new fans with every release, ever since "Dangerous" (Big Data featuring Daniel Armbruster) hit the clubs and had everyone dancing! Five studio albums later, this funky band announced a North American tour to support their latest "Permanent Pleasure", …
The last several years have seen the rise of female Asian American artists (perhaps not in mainstream pop music except for Olivia Rodrigo) in the indie pop and rock scene. This often overlooked demographic has found its voice, previously with the likes of Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's and Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead, …
Continue reading "Indie pop sensation Sarah Kinsley thrills Toronto – Oct 9, 2024"
The Tokyo Police Club are breaking up. Yes, it's true. After twenty years as one of the bands you immediately think of when you say "indie rock" and not having released new music since 2018, they have decided to call it quits. Living in NYC during the aughts, it felt like you couldn't go for …
Continue reading "Tokyo Police Club’s “Final Tour” hits Buffalo – Oct 8, 2024"
Nilüfer Yanya, the Turkish/Irish singer/songwriter from London, is not to be pigeonholed into a specific musical genre. She can be anywhere from indie rock to jazz to bossanova to soul. Whatever you want to call it, it's music that I could listen to anytime and anywhere, something that I can't say about most artists. For …
Continue reading "Nilüfer Yanya brings chill vibes to Phoenix Concert Theatre – Oct 5, 2024"
Arizona pop singer/songwriter UPSAHL (AKA Taylor Cameron Upsahl) has evolved quickly over the ten years of her young career. It's odd to say young career and ten years in the same breath but that's because she released her first EP (as Taylor Upsahl) at the tender age of fourteen!! Fast forward to 2024 and while …
Continue reading "UPSAHL melts down Buffalo – Sept 28, 2024"
Just five short years ago, Hotel Fiction was just a figment of someone's imagination. Jade Long and Jess Thompson, both coming from a family of musicians, met through friends when they were students at University of Georgia and decided to form a band. After releasing their debut album "Soft Focus" in 2021, releasing their first …
Continue reading "Hotel Fiction brought their Staring at the Sun tour to Toronto – Sept 25, 2024"
In 2017, Ukrainian metalcore band Jinjer was just another act trying to make it after complete lineup changes and had just released their second studio album “King of Everything” in 2016, a make it or break it moment for the band. Then they uploaded a “live” performance of “Pisces” that went viral and everything changed. …
Continue reading "Jinjer headlines a great night of metalcore in Toronto – Sept 23, 2024"
It's been over eleven years since Aussie alt-rockers Atlas Genius released their debut studio album "When It Was Now" and their first single "Trojans" invaded our collective consciousness. That record ended up on my top ten albums of the decade with its enticing melodies, toe-tapping beats, and well thought out lyrics. We managed to catch …
Continue reading "Atlas Genius stop by Rec Room for one-off solo show – Sept 20, 2024"
When Cage the Elephant announced a new studio album "Neon Pill" and an accompanying tour with support from Young the Giant, it brought together two extremely popular alt-rock bands that both came up around fifteen years ago. After the release of the previous album "Social Cues" in April 2019, Cage the Elephant did tour in …
In the current day when Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is ruling the world, there exists a huge appetite for acts that dominated the charts when Gen X was growing up. “Nostalgia” tours have typically been dominated by 80s bands but the 90s are now raising their hands and saying “hold up!”. The I Love the …
Continue reading "The Erie County Fair loves the 90s – Aug 10, 2024"
The Linda Linda's exploded onto the scene in 2021 when their song "Racist Sexist Boy", written about a...well, you know...who said something to drummer Mila de la Garza (who was 10 at the time), went viral. Formed in 2018 in LA, this band of teenagers include guitarist Bela Salazar (19), bassist Eloise Wong (16), guitarist …
Continue reading "The Linda Linda’s are setting an example for young punks – July 31, 2024"
If you were paying any attention in the 2010's, chances are you were going to hear one of Two Door Cinema Club's songs at clubs, on TV, or in commercials and video games. The indie rock band from Bangor, Ireland was a staple during that decade and their 2010 debut studio album "Tourist History" was …
Continue reading "Buffalo shows up to dance with Two Door Cinema Club – July 29, 2024"
Over the last ten years, we’ve seen a resurgence of New Wave/synthpop bands from the 80s coming out of retirement to tour, discovering that their fans from forty years ago were nostalgic for the music of their youth and now had disposable income!! Besides bands like Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, and the Cure who never …
Many words can be used to describe the Flaming Lips: Eclectic? Brilliant? Or maybe just weird?? If you search for a band formed maybe ten years earlier than the Flaming Lips, you might be referring to the Talking Heads! But what’s one body part amongst friends? This year brought the second leg of the band’s …
Continue reading "The Flaming Lips battle the pink robots at ArtPark – July 22, 2024"
Train, those hit-makers from the aughts, are on tour! If you haven’t been paying attention, the popular rock band from San Francisco, led by vocalist Pat Monahan have never gone away. Granted there is more time between studio albums (numbering eleven now) and their singles don’t make the impact on the charts like “Drops of …
I must admit I get very excited every time a young band emerges from high school and their parents' garages to come out rocking their guitars and drums. With technology allowing more and more new artists to make music on just their computers, it's refreshing to see young people pick up and get excited about …
Continue reading "Horsegirl hits Rec Room in Buffalo – June 22, 2024"
What can I say about Nation of Language that I haven't already said when we covered their shows in Toronto in 2022 at Lee's Palace and last December at the Phoenix Concert Theatre? On the heels of their third Studio album "Strange Disciple" being named Best Record of 2023 by Rough Trade and UK/EU and …
Continue reading "Buffalo partied with Nation of Language at Electric City – Jun 19, 2024"
The last time we caught Sarah McLachlan, she performed with the New York Pops at Forest Hills Stadium in NYC. Fast forward through the pandemic and it's now been thirty years since her breakthrough album "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" was released! That record was also my introduction to this amazing artist and it remains one of …
Many Americans are not yet familiar with Claire Pommet (aka Pomme), a French folk singer/songwriter/actress who has already released four studio albums and won the award for 2021's Female Artist of the Year at the Victoires de la Musique (French Grammy Awards). Her 2022 duet with Aurora, "Everything Matters", brought her a new army of …
Continue reading "Pomme brings all “Saisons” to Toronto – June 10, 2024"
Soccer Mommy fans were excited when Sophie Allison announced a small number of intimate events that she called The Lost Shows. She said that she would be playing some hits, some rarities, as well as new songs that portended a new Soccer Mommy studio album! These shows would be scaled down: just a guitar and …
Continue reading "Soccer Mommy opens The Lost Shows mini-tour in New York – May 31, 2024"
In the midst of his Hyperwave Tour, Austin-based blues guitarist Gary Clark Jr made a stop at ArtPark in Lewiston, NY near Niagara Falls. In support of his latest studio album “JPEG Raw”, Clark is a throwback to old rock and blues days of yore, playing his screaming guitar accompanied by his smooth vocals including …
Continue reading "Gary Clark Jr fires up ArtPark with his searing guitars – May 25, 2024"
NOTE: All photographs are copyright Howard Shiau Photography 2024. Apologies to drummers Colanthony Humphrey and Jon Kereliuk who I somehow missed College students meet and decide to form a band, start playing some gigs, and through hard work and gigging non-stop, they make a name for themselves and get popular. In this day and age, …
Continue reading "Geeks of Toronto unite! Good Kid is in town – May 10, 2024"
The Driver Era has been around for around six years but the brother duo of Rocky and Ross Lynch have been making music together since 2010, back when their band R5 included Riker and Rydel Lynch. They haven't released a record since 2022's "Summer Mixtape" but that's not a reason not to tour, which they've …
Continue reading "The Driver Era closes out tour with a party in Toronto – May 8, 2024"
Icelandic phenom Laufey (aka Laufey Lín Bing Jónsdóttir) played the first of two nights in Toronto as part of her completely sold out North American tour. If anyone had jazz singer releasing her first EP in 2021, a debut LP in 2022, a Grammy winning sophomore album in 2023 and going from playing the NYC’s …
Continue reading "Laufey plays first of two sold out shows at Massey Hall – Apr 30, 2024"
The indie punk band Vial has been around for around five years. However, with Covid hitting right in the middle, I feel like they've really only been a band for three years. Not that they didn't make full use of that lockdown time, making music and establishing their social media presence with TikTok videos that …
Continue reading "A manic frenzy accompanied Minneapolis punks Vial at Mohawk Place – Apr 25, 2024"