April 2008
Brother Ali
Chris Catania is utterly floored by Brother Ali's recent Chicago performance. Is the future of indie rap an albino Muslim who comes off equal parts Muhammed Ali, KRS-One and southern preacher? Maybe you should find out for yourself...
Carbon/Silicon
Carbon/Silicon is the new project from punk rock legends Mick Jones (The Clash, Big Audio Dynamite) and Tony James (Generation X). Not even a wicked case of the flu could keep Jen Cray from catching their intimate Orlando show.
Ani DiFranco
After being sidelined with tendinitis and the birth of her first child, Ani DiFranco has returned to the road, making her way to Florida for the first time in four years. Jen Cray clocks this show at the Tampa Theatre as her eighteenth time seeing the little folksinger.
Iron Maiden
On their Somewhere Back in Time Tour Iron Maiden resurrects songs from the greatest era of their long career: the 1980s. Jen Cray flew from Florida to New Jersey to catch one of the tour's limited U.S. dates.
Justice
Chris Catania recently got his dance on with Justice in Chicago. Sometimes -- sometimes -- the Grammys get it right.
Riverboat Gamblers
Riverboat Gamblers are, according to Jen Cray, the best punk rock band to come along in the last decade. When she heard they were in Orlando with Strike Anywhere, she skipped out on the last day of the Langerado Festival to catch their set.
Silverstein
Screamo rockers Silverstein sold out the Trocadero once again, much to the delight of their multitudinous Philadelphia fans. Brittany Sturges squeezed in to report.
Taste of Chaos
The fourth annual Taste of Chaos Tour brought its mini metalcore festival indoors for the Orlando stop, where Jen Cray caught up with it.
Teenage Bottlerocket
Teenage Bottlerocket may just be one more example of the great influence that The Ramones have had on music, but Jen Cray didn't come to judge.
The AP Tour
Alternative Press Magazine's third annual tour sold out its Orlando date as All Time Low, The Rocket Summer, and a trio of other Teen Beat worthy bands made the girls and boys in the audience swoon. Jen Cray stood back and watched it all unfold.
The Mars Volta
Those unconvinced by the musical genius that is The Mars Volta need only experience a fraction of what Jen Cray experienced at their recent sold out Orlando show.
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants proves itself a gigantic nuclear furnace inside the belly of Orlando's House of Blues. Rosalie Petralia basks in the glow.
Time Again
After a sorely disappointing trek to the world of Taste of Chaos, Jen Cray reveled in the musky sweat of a much more personable Time Again gig at The Social.
Tokyo Police Club
In the time it takes you to read this review, Tokyo Police Club can play an entire set of high-energy indie rock. S D Green tries to keep up with all the brevity.
Ultra Music Festival
Ultra Music Festival celebrates a decade as dance music's spiritual soul. S D Green makes the pilgrimage to Miami, is lost, and then found.
Yellowcard
Philadelphia fans set their green beers aside to celebrate Yellowcard's return to the area. Brittany Sturges was surprised that the pop-punkers could bring so much energy to an acoustic performance.
Interviews
Needfire
Kyrby Raine shares a wee teeny chat with Needfire's main man, John Cleghorn, about the Texas-based band's blending of Celtic rock with the jukebox hooks of the British Invasion.
The Ventures' Leon Taylor
Driving guitars need a driving beat, and for almost 50 years, two Taylors have pounded the skins for the world's greatest instrumental band, The Ventures. Steve Stav talks to Leon Taylor about the band's Hall of Fame induction, touring in Japan, their upcoming 50th anniversary, and his father's musical legacy.
Music Reviews
Dead Meadow
Old Growth (Matador). Review by Michael Crown.
James McMurtry
Just Us Kids (Lightning Rod). Review by Sean Slone.
Little Beirut
High Dive (In Music We Trust). Review by Tim Wardyn.
Murder Mystery
Are You Ready for the Heartache Cause Here It Comes (Murder Mystery). Review by Carl F Gauze.
Porcupine Tree
Nil Recurring (Peaceville). Review by Jen Cray.
Rachel Taylor Brown
Half Hours with the Lower Creatures (In Music We Trust). Review by Tim Wardyn.
The Raconteurs
Consolers of the Lonely (Third Man/ Warner Brothers). Review by Jen Cray.
VNV Nation
Judgement (Metropolis Records). Review by Crystal Lee.
Music B
Biirdie
Catherine Avenue (Love Minus Zero Recordings). Review by Matthew Moyer.
Blues Anatomy with Jef Lee Johnson
Rediscovering Lonnie Johnson (Range). Review by Jen Cray.
Byla + Jarboe
Viscera (Translation Loss). Review by Matthew Moyer.
Music C
Cloama and Blutleuchte
From Wasteland Mausoleums (New Old Sentinel). Review by Matthew Moyer.
Coliseum
No Salvation (Relapse). Review by Jen Cray.
Music E
Fred Eaglesmith
Tinderbox (A Major Label). Review by David Whited.
Music G
Ghostland Observatory
Robotique Majestique (Trashy Moped). Review by Jen Cray.
Music K
Koenjihyakkei
Hundred Sights of Koenji (Skin Graft). Review by Aaron Shaul.
Music L
Lycia
Cold (Silber Records). Review by Matthew Moyer.
Music P
P.O.D.
When Angels & Serpents Dance (Ino/Columbia). Review by Jen Cray.
Music R
Matthew Ryan
Matthew Ryan Vs. The Silver State (00:02:59). Review by Andrew Ellis.
Music T
Throw Me the Statue
Moonbeams (Secretly Canadian). Review by S D Green.
Music U
Ulaan Khol
I (Soft Abuse). Review by Aaron Shaul.
Music W
Warmth
Leave Your Wet Brain in the Hot Sun (Digitalis). Review by Matthew Moyer.
Print Reviews
Indie Girl
Arne Johnson and Karen Macklin lure young women away from the sofa and to the drawing board. Andrew Coulon thinks the time is ripe.
Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling
Wanna know what "The Dungeon" is? Here's a hint: Some professional wrestlers left it bawling like babies. Lifelong wrestling fan and pop culture reporter Heath McCoy tells us all about Stu Hart's legacy in Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling. Tim Wardyn is still in pain.
Paradoxia: A Predator's Diary
Multimedia provocateur and no-wave icon Lydia Lunch's tell-all will jar even the jaded. Tom "Tearaway" Schulte already feels dirty.
Modern Masters Volume 15: Mark Schultz
Mark Schultz's trademark barbarians, dinosaurs, and hotrods get the Modern Masters treatment. Consider Andrew Coulon conquered.
Screen Reviews
Eric Clapton Live at Montreux 1986
Eric Clapton plays his hits at the 1986 Montreux Jazz Festival, and the glare of perfection is too much for Carl F Gauze's eyes.
The Amicus Collection
Dark Sky Films has repackaged and reissued a DVD box set of three classic horror films from British horror factory Amicus. Phil Bailey settles in for a long evening of Lovecraft adaptations, tastefully ripped nightgowns, and Peter Cushing!
