Everyone's a Critic
Steve Martin says Hollywood will never buy the truth — that he happened upon a performance by bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers during a vacation to their hometown of Asheville, North Carolina — so he's …
Who's gonna chuck one of rock's MVPs (Faces, Stones, Jeff Beck Group) outta bed for eating crackers? Music bearing Wood's brand has been a window into all-nighters with the major talents he calls friends. Shining …
The sign at the bar read, "No drinks served after show begins," which started promptly at 8 p.m., leaving me two people back from a cold one. I don't know if Morrison’s reputation for total …
The title of Neil Young's new solo album, Le Noise, is a play on words from his collaboration with Grammy-winning producer Daniel Lanois. If you erase “Le,” you have a definitive review of the album. …
It was raining outside and dripping sweat inside, as Liz Phair blasted into "6'1"" from Exile in Guyville, then the poignant "Divorce Song." Phair has come a long way since her early years of stage …
Wielding acoustic guitars, Local Natives treated O.B.'s dog beach visitors to an impromptu jam session. Those fortunate enough to catch the intimate set found themselves in exclusive company, as finding tickets for the Natives' sold-out …
The Manic Street Preachers previous album had new music set to old words written by their missing and presumed-dead guitarist Richey Edwards. It seemed like a swansong, an apt epitaph to their body of work. …
TV Buddha's have been dealing with evenings like the one in New Orleans — when both audience and promoter no-showed — by posting tongue-in-cheek vlogs documenting an often dismal American debut. While the Israeli trio's …
Perhaps reluctant to reveal their advanced age and weight, indie-rock icons the Pixies took to a darkened Rimac stage and opened with the obscure "Dance the Manta Ray." Like an insecure lover, the group kept …
Vince Clarke, modern-day Bach? For those of you not tuned when Yaz (Yazoo in the U.K.) did this the first time around, I figured I'd get your attention. Realistically, Vince Clarke (the half that doesn't …
That karma business gets some serious testimony via Paul Collins. Unfortunately, it doesn't work for the Baja Bugs: despite a more-than-competent, high-spirited tour of Beatles arcana, few onlookers deign to tap a foot for "a …
Songstress of sulk Sia Furler gained prominence via Six Feet Under's use of her sublime "Breathe Me." Remember? "Help, I have done it again/I have been here many times before/Hurt myself again today/And the worst …
The Tommy Castro Band closed out the Scripps Birch Aquarium's Green Flash summer concert series with a scorching set. In the beautiful seaside setting, the six-piece outfit served up tunes such as the gritty "Gotta …
Help me, Rhonda, help, help me, Rhonda, get this CD...out of my head. Brian Wilson takes one of the greatest love songs ever written and turns it into the Beach Boys singing “Little Saint Nick.” …
The Cult kicked off their American tour in San Diego to a packed house at 4th&B. Touring in support of their most recent release, Capsule One, 2010 finds the band sounding fresh. Even 25-year-old hits …
I didn't know anything about the Jonas Brothers, other than they're a Disney product, and young girls are in love with them. We dad's were outnumbered 50 to 1. The stars from the made-for-TV Disney …