Fifty years ago, a long-haired 19-year-old concert junkie was a student at the University of Hawaii’s Manoa campus in Honolulu. A devoted hard rock fan, he counted recent concerts by Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath among his favorites. Acoustic music wasn’t on his radar until he attended a show by Hawaiian slack guitar masters Cecilio and Kapono at the Waikiki Shell. Intrigued by their unique harmonies and guitar work, he decided to see another acoustic performance — this time by 12-string master Leo Kottke.

Trusetto’s Somewhere Twice arrives as a deeply textured and emotionally resonant collection that feels simultaneously familiar and new, drawing listeners into a sonic landscape that is at once intimate and expansive. Recorded at CO Sounds Studios with the guidance of Grammy-winning producer Kevin Clock, this album showcases the band’s multifaceted approach to music, where influences collide and coexist in thrilling harmony.

In a world teetering on the edge of collapse, where a civilization lost in its own missteps crumbles under the weight of its excesses, the Earth's elites—the architects of its downfall—abandon the planet, their eyes turned toward the stars in a desperate bid to secure their power. Amid the chaos and devastation of this apocalyptic future, however, a faint glimmer of hope emerges. With the worst of humanity gone, those who remain are finally free to rebuild, unshackled from the corruption and greed that once held them captive. It’s a rare opportunity to begin again!

MJ Lenderman’s Manning Fireworks was a standout album in 2024, a masterpiece of indie lo-fi songcraft. Just two years earlier, Boat Songs had likewise wowed critics and attracted fans who appreciated the Asheville, NC, native’s talky singing style and curiously stylistic lyrics. Who knew the guy could jam too?!

Fans were treated to a notable musical combination on Friday, February 7, 2025, between the genre-blurring funk band from Boston, Mass., Lettuce, and rapper GZA (aka The Genius), who is a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan. This all took place at Brooklyn Steel, located in Brooklyn, NY.

Galactic returned to the jam-friendly Brooklyn Bowl on January 31, 2025, for round three of their four-night stand at the Brooklyn, NY, venue. The band was in the middle of a Northeast run that included dates in Philadelphia and Washington D.C. They were certainly in the groove this night and brought a high-energy set of funk-jazz originals and covers.

The personality and talent that is William Apostol, also known as the illustrious Billy Strings, is nothing short of striking, surprising, and one hell of a good time.

Chesterton, Indiana, sits at the southern end of Lake Michigan and has produced several notable athletes—as well as comedian Jim Gaffigan. Lately, a number of up-and-coming bands have emerged from this small town, and tonight, I’m lucky enough to see one of them: the Watershed Ramblers, Chesterton’s own bluegrass band.

Chicago in February isn’t exactly known for its tropical vibes, but when The String Cheese Incident rolls into town, they bring enough jam-soaked heat to melt the lakefront ice. On a frigid Saturday, fans flocked to The Salt Shed—Chicago’s newly minted temple of sound perched on the bones of a former salt factory—and transformed the night into a kaleidoscopic carnival of music, lights, and borderline delirious happiness.

If ya mix some of Owlsey’s acid with a lil DNA from Jerry’s middle finger, you get Bertha. Or so Greeley Duvall described for us to open the evening of Bertha: Grateful Drag at Chicago's Thalia Hall on Saturday, February 1, 2025.