Concert Reviews
Sparks Kick Off North American Tour at Walt Disney Concert Hall: Recap + Photos
As Edgar Wright’s exhilarating documentary The Sparks Brothers illustrated so well, Ron and Russell Mael, aka Sparks, are “your favorite band’s favorite band” for good reason. The duo have been making delightfully dramatic, experimental yet accessible art rock for over 50 years. Whether they were prancing on Top of The Pops in the ‘70s or blasting from transistor radios on KROQ 106.7 FM in the ‘80s, they never really “fit in” with what was popular at the time. But last night (February 7th) at Los Angeles’s Walt Disney Concert Hall, illuminated by an array of multi-hued stage lights and backed by a solid five-piece band, they were a splendid fit. The Hall is home to the LA Philharmonic, and its grand aesthetic and layout (inside and out), not to mention its unmatched acoustics, make seeing ...
Thom Yorke & Jonny Greenwood Take The Smile for a Round in 24-Hour, Three-Show Concert Series: Recap
The Smile, the English trio formed by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood and Sons of Kemet’s Tom Skinner, officially became audience-tested as they completed their first run of in-person performances over the weekend (January 29th-30th) with three shows in just over 12 hours. The trio convened at the Greenwich venue Magazine London for three consecutive concerts at 8:00 p.m., 1:00 a.m., and 11:00 a.m. GMT, which were simultaneously broadcast with time zone considerations for virtual audiences watching in Europe and Africa, the Americas, and Asia and Australia, respectively. The venue’s rounded central stage was packed to the edges with an array of gear and sound equipment that promised a more elaborate set than the relatively spare setup for their surprise debut at the Glastonbury Fes...
Metallica Dig Out More Deep Cuts for Second and Final 40th Anniversary Show: Review
Setting the Stage: The first night of Metallica’s two 40th anniversary shows at in San Francisco’s Chase Center delivered a strong career-spanning set, so expectations ran high for Night 2 a couple of evenings later (Sunday, December 19th). Once more, no special guests were present for this final performance (unlike their 30th anniversary concerts), but quite a few setlist surprises occurred. Similar to the first night, the setlist was constructed in a manner that featured a tune or two from each album chronologically. But, this night, instead of starting from 1983’s Kill ‘Em All and running through 2016’s Hardwired… To Self-Destruct, it was set up in reverse order, starting with the band’s last album and finishing up with selections from their debut. Taking the Stage: As with the fi...
Metallica Rep Every Album At First of Two 40th Anniversary Shows: Concert Review + Photos
Setting the Stage: It’s hard to believe, but it has been 40 years since thrash legends Metallica first formed. And to celebrate this impressive career accomplishment, the band — frontman James Hetfield, guitarist Kirk Hammett, bassist Robert Trujillo, and drummer Lars Ulrich — booked two arena shows (December 17th and 19th) at San Francisco’s Chase Center. When those concerts quickly sold out, the metal titans announced they were making the shows available to stream for free via Prime Video and Amazon Music. Unlike their livestreams from last year, including the charity show Helping Hands Concert & Auction, Live & Acoustic from HQ, each night of the “40th Anniversary Live” performances is taking place in front of a sold-out arena, with tickets initially being made available exclusi...
In Photos: Reunited Lunachicks Play Triumphant New York City Show with Toilet Boys
Thanksgiving Day weekend in New York City means the joyful return of Santa Claus to officially kick off the holiday season. However, this year Santa may have been upstaged — at least for those who prefer to be on the naughty list. Lunachicks, NYC’s loudest native daughters triumphantly returned after a 17-year hiatus, to the delight of a pair of jam-packed crowds during a two-night stand at Webster Hall. Originally planned for April 2020, things got in the way of that. As Lunachicks’ guitarist Gina Volpe joked, “Leave it to us to plan a reunion right before a pandemic.” Rescheduled due to COVID, the band thanked the sold-out crowd for being patient — and their patience paid off. The NYC shows marked the band’s first headlining gigs since 2004, and followed a pair of performances at the Pun...
In Photos: Testament, Exodus and Death Angel Play Only “Bay Strikes Back” Show of 2021
Although the official “Bay Strikes Back Tour” has been postponed until 2022, Testament, Exodus, and Death Angel brought the joint bill to the Fox Theater in Oakland on Saturday (November 27th) for a sold-out one-night gig this past weekend — giving their hometown fans a chance to celebrate the legacy of not only the music, but also the rich history of all three bands. Together, the three legendary acts combined to write yet another chapter in the ongoing story of Bay Area thrash metal. Hitting the stage with the intro to “The Ultra-Violence,” Death Angel were in top form from the word “go,” and kicked off the evening with a blistering eight song set, wasting no time pumping up the already voracious crowd. Vocalist Mark Osegueda had every person in the already packed venue in the palm of hi...
Courtney Barnett Kicks Off Her North American Tour in the Desert: Photos and Recap
Joshua Tree got a real treat this past Saturday evening (November 27th), as Courtney Barnett kicked off her North American tour at the renowned Pappy and Harriet’s. Consequence was on site to catch all of the action; check out our full gallery of photos below. The Pioneertown, California restaurant and venue was fitting for the energy Barnett brings to her live shows. The show was also outdoors, so the only light shining down on attendees was that of gleaming stars. First, opener Azniv Korkejian — better known by her stage name Bedouine — produced a sound that combined ‘60s folk and ‘70s country, accompanied by her absolutely mesmerizing voice. They gave you the feeling like you were right at home with a hot cup of tea, by the fire, wrapped in a blanket. Advertisement Related Video Then it...
In Photos: Mastodon, Opeth, and Zeal & Ardor Bring the Metal Thunder to New York City
Atlanta metal giants Mastodon and Swedish progressive metal favorites Opeth are in the midst of their co-headlining US tour, which features support from avant-metal act Zeal & Ardor. The 15-date run kicked off in Asheville, North Carolina, at the ExploreAsheville.com Arena on November 16th and is set to conclude in Denver, Colorado, at the Mission Ballroom on December 5th, with tickets available here. The trek made its way to New York City at the legendary Hammerstein Ballroom this past Saturday (November 20th) for a gigantic showing. Supporting their brand new album Hushed and Grim, Mastodon played a slew of new songs in NYC: “Pain With an Anchor,” “The Crux,” “Teardrinker,” “Skeleton of Splendor,” “Pushing the Tides,” “More than I Could Chew,” and “Gobblers of Dregs” (marking the tra...
Adele’s One Night Only Concert Indicates a Great Heartbreak Album Is on the Horizon: Recap
Oh, Adele, how we’ve missed you. On Sunday, November 14th, the record-breaking singer-songwriter made a return to live performance with Adele: One Night Only on CBS, which featured some of the artist’s greatest hits, a vulnerable interview with Oprah, and a peek at that highly-anticipated new music head of this Friday (November 19th), when 30 will arrive in full. The event was gorgeously staged and shot at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. Adele gifted the (extremely star-studded) audience with her signature vocals, strong as ever, against a surreal sunset in the Hollywood Hills. Advertisement From the first notes of “Hello,” it became very clear: Adele is not here to play. This album, which we’ve waited six or so years for, is going to be a doozy. Adele is so effortlessly charming,...
Day N Vegas 2021 Saturday Gallery: Lil Baby, Doja Cat, Baby Keem & Tinashe
Las Vegas’ Day N Vegas 2021 continued on Saturday with performances from Lil Baby, Doja Cat, Baby Keem, Tinashe, Saba, Cordae, Freddie Gibbs, Mereba, Victoria Money, Yves Tumor, and more. Check out photographer Travis Ball’s gallery from day two of Day N Vegas below, and stay tuned for more coverage of the festival throughout the weekend. You can also revisit our gallery from day one here. Advertisement Related Video Share this: You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money in the process. Earn rewards by chatting, sharing photos, blogging and help give users back their fair share of Internet revenue.
Björk Returns to the Stage For Orchestral Global Live Stream: Recap
Before we get to listen to that living room club album, Björk is making a few “stops” on a virtual tour with an orchestral global live stream concert series. The four-show series kicked off in Iceland from the Harpa Reykjavík Concert Hall on October 11th. After having to reschedule the series due to COVID-19 regulations in Iceland, Björk has noted that the series is a celebration of “healthily exiting quarantine together.” During the Sunday, October 24th concert, Björk, joined by the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, performed a baker’s dozen of songs from her albums Medulla, Biophilia, and Utopia. Adorned in a regal blue Balenciaga dress and a gold headpiece, Björk stood out amongst the dark stage, and gave the type of self-assured performance that we’ve certainly missed from the artist ...
The Rolling Stones Paid Tribute to Charlie Watts and Dusted Off an Old Favorite in Los Angeles: Review
“This is our 49th show in Los Angeles,” Mick Jagger was shouting. In a flash, the 70,000-capacity SoFi stadium quickly responded with a harmonious yell, building a call and response that even after 60 years, The Rolling Stones have stayed as the undeniable spearheads of rock ‘n’ roll — even if just for the night. Straight from the American leg of their rescheduled “No Filter Tour,” Sunday (October 17th) marked night two of the sold-out ring of Southern California shows, and it was anything but filtered. For roughly 120 minutes, the Stones secured their crowns as the “kings of rock.” Guitarists Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood plumped the evening with hard-hitting riffs, typical Jagger catwalks, and soul-infused backup vocals bringing a tight punch to classics like “Gimme Shelter” and “You Ca...
