Everyone's a Critic
The enticing vibes of good live music lured me to Disneyland's Tomorrowland Terrace. There I saw Instant Replay rocking out to the ’70s and ’80s with nods to other eras and genres. My first impression …
Spoon started losing that choppy, melodic, bluesy swagger on their last album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. The band lost that beat that dominated previous albums like Kill The Moonlight. The beat that made me …
San Diego Opera's 2010 season opened on many high notes with a good performance of Puccini's La Bohème on Saturday. The tuneful show featured Polish tenor Piotr Beczala as Rodolfo. After taking a little while …
Arrived downtown in a light drizzle. Homeless huddled in doorways to keep dry. After hiding my camera in my underwear, I made my way down the stairs at House of Blues and found a pile …
With his goatee and hat, smoking a cig for all his photos, the intently hip Kottarashky, aka Nikola Gruev, is a Bulgarian architect by day. On this debut, he's mixed a compelling collage of his …
Some noise, yes, very nice. And that was my only thought on this white-vinyl Sub Pop thingy my brother dragged home. I wish I could tell you I was hip to the game from the …
Before taking the stage, Trophy Wife treated their fans to the music video premiere of “Move to the Desert” at Bar Pink. Attendees included the video's director, comic book artist Jeremy Cox. A highlight of …
Two Sunsets brings together lo-fi kingpins the Pastels and Japanese ambient-folk duo the Tenniscoats in a mostly winning collaboration. Part of album's charm comes from its nonchalance, as if the melodies occurred to the musicians …
On their 18th release, Canadian metal veterans Anvil live up to their name. Title track “This Is Thirteen” is a chunky, iron block on which to lay your head for a steady, heavy-handed pummeling. The …
Pechanga Casino's concert theater isn't exactly where you'd expect rock-music veterans like Aaron Lewis to entertain beer-swigging fans. Its plush carpeting, luxurious seats, and blazer-clad ushers make it better suited for something more cultured, say …
Vampire Weekend’s sophomore record is a short, sweet grower. Admittedly, I didn’t care for it after the first listen. The abstract, African-influenced sounds threw me off of what I expected from an American indie band. …
Delphic is an electronic dance band from Manchester that is currently gleaning overblown praise from the always-congenial BBC. Much like dance-pop contemporaries Passion Pit and Junior Boys, Delphic’s sonics are defined by a sanguine, heart-aching …
Frank Fairfield wants nobody to know much about Frank Fairfield, which is his right, up to a point. His debut contains no bio, no liner notes, and damn few credits. From an online article I've …
Ah, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, how you bring a smile to my face and a movement to my hips. It’s hard to engage an audience for 45 minutes when you do not have drums, bass, or …
Whether it's defining their musical genre or deciding what to name themselves, Black Moth Super Rainbow is a band that is hard to pin down. The mysterious group from Western Pennsylvania is best known for …
Covering dance, club, R&B, and hip-hop favorites from the past three decades, Rising Star wowed a diverse crowd at Viejas Casino's Dreamcatcher Lounge. The vocalists of this San Diego-based octet opened the show dressed as …