When Heavy Metal hit theaters in 1981, it wasn’t just a movie, it was a stoner fever dream splashed across the big screen. Born from the cult magazine of the same name, this animated anthology stitched together sci-fi, fantasy, comedy, and psychedelia into one long strange trip. It was the kind of thing that didn’t need to make perfect sense — it just had to feel like a late-night cosmic ride soundtracked by the loudest stereo in town.

Ferrell’s story is as fascinating as her music. A West Virginia native who once hopped trains and busked in Seattle, New Orleans, and Asheville, she now commands some of the biggest stages in Americana. Her sound is a wild cocktail—old-time country, gypsy jazz, ragtime, folk, bluegrass—all filtered through a voice that feels like it belongs to another century yet speaks directly to today.

Neil Young. Legend. Icon. Still crushing it in his eightieth year on planet Earth. The dude just keeps going and going and going. (See “Bunny, Energizer.”)

Mr. Young brought his band The Chrome Hearts to the Bay Area’s Shoreline Amphitheatre on Friday night for two hours of solid, butt-kickin’ American rock and roll. He may be an “Old Man,” but take a look at his life – he’s 79, and he’s doing just fine.

Umphrey’s McGee opened their three-night run at the majestic Mishawaka Amphitheatre last night with pure rock ’n’ roll swagger and style. What a wonderful evening in the canyon, and holy cow, Colorado, way to show up and support the gurus of groove. The crowd was fully invested before a single note was played; the energy spinning through the audience before the show started was electric, highly enthusiastic, and welcoming.

Sierra Hull and her band stopped by The Independent in San Francisco on Wednesday night. The Tennessee native gave the NorCal crowd a master class in bluegrass, newgrass, jamgrass, and jazzgrass, including several tunes from her 2025 release A Tip Toe High Wire.

Far Trio it’s not a band to rush into a moment. Over the past decade, the Buffalo base trio has built their reputation on live shows that balance raw energy with soulful restraint, inviting the audience to slow down and sink into the groove. The new single, “Here and Now” releasing September 10th, captures the same spirit in recorded form. It’s a track that feels both intimate and expansive.

By late summer in Los Angeles, the Forum has seen it all: Lakers championships, pop spectacles, hip-hop blowouts, and even spiritual revivals. On August 30th, it became home to two of America's strangest showmen — “Weird Al” Yankovic and Puddles Pity Party. Together, they turned the arena into a surrealist funhouse of parody, melancholy, and unexpected musical brilliance.

The Flaming Lips and Modest Mouse came to Berkeley Sunday night near the tail end of their summertime co-headlining "Good Times Are Killing Me Tour.” A groovy gathering of punk rockers, hippies, and freaks of all colors and ages assembled for the festivities in the venerable Greek Theatre.

Samantha Fish and her band rolled into the Aggie Theatre last night to present the 2025 Paper Doll Tour. Fish’s newest album release of the same name was a hot topic among fans with the anticipation of hearing the new material in a live concert setting. When Fish appeared on stage, the temperature in the room quickly pegged into the red. Dressed in all black with silver accents, she looked like a rock goddess on a mission to slay the audience into rock n’ roll submission.

John Butler released his 10th full-length studio LP on September 5th, 2025, marking his third in just two years. Prism is a return to John’s solo roots, though not to the style that defined his early solo work.