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From Sunday 30 October 2016

This Is My Fest 3 – Sunday night at the Night Light, Oakland, California

The final night of This Is My Fest saw a return to the first night’s venue except this time there were bands in both the upstairs and downstairs bars. Heartless Folk were on hand to play music that’s too hardcore for the pop punk crowd, too poppy for the

Saturday 29 October 2016

This Is My Fest 3 – Saturday at The Annex & Oakland Metro, Oakland, California

Saturday late afternoon of This Is My Fest saw a few bands play sets at The Annex, a burgers and beer place across the street from Oakland Metro, a cavernous space with two stages. The afternoon sets featured perennial favorites Bastards of Young and Fools Rush, and the night-time

Friday 28 October 2016

This Is My Fest 3 – Friday Night at the Uptown, Oakland, California

Friday night of This Is My Fest 3 proved that opening bands aren’t necessarily weaker bands. United Defiance slew with a blend of old school hardcore and modern pop punk. Friday night also began the practice of moving back and forth between spaces to maximize the number of bands.

Thursday 27 October 2016

This Is My Fest 3 – Thursday Night at the Night Light, Oakland, California

How many times have you gone to a music festival, only to enjoy just a handful of bands while suffering through others? Not so with This Is My Fest’s third installment. Over four nights in Oakland, California, dozens of bands killed it with incredible sets. The opening night started

Friday 21 October 2016

Dead To Me – ‘I Wanna Die In Los Angeles’

Who isn’t a sucker for great, bouncy, melodic music that has an edge? And even more so when the lyrics to those happy sounding songs hide darkness and pain? That’s the magic of Dead To Me and it’s on display in this, the band’s first new release in five

Wednesday 12 October 2016

Big Bad Buffalo & The Bassics @ Lestat’s, San Diego

Young indie-rockers Big Bad Buffalo may be just out of high school, but they’re more mature, musically, than many older bands. The occasion of this show was their record release show for their second full-length LP. Opening the night were another young up and coming San Diego band, The Bassics.

Sunday 09 October 2016

Awesomefest 10 Sunday Night @ Soda Bar & The Hideout, San Diego

Sunday night is always bittersweet at Awesomefest. Sweet, because there are more good bands to see, but bitter because it means the fest is almost over. This year was particularly bittersweet, with the announcement just before the weekend began that Southern California’s Dudes Night was calling it quits. The

Awesomefest 10 Sunday Afternoon, U-31 & The Office, San Diego

Sunday afternoon at Awesomefest 10 saw a first and a last. It marked the first appearance of Seattle’s Four Lights, a new power pop punk band that, I predict, is going to take the music scene by storm. And it marked what is likely the final appearance of Sacramento’s

Saturday 08 October 2016

Awesomefest 10 Saturday Night @ Soda Bar & The Hideout, San Diego

Saturday night, smack dab in the middle of this thing, was what most people were waiting for. The headliner of the night, closing out The Hideout, was The Arrivals. I knew most everyone else was anxiously awaiting their set, too, but I expected that many in the crowd would

Awesomefest 10 Saturday Afternoon @ U31 & The Office, San Diego

Awesomefest afternoon shows often come with hangovers from the night before. It’s not unusual to see bleary eyed punk wander in halfway through the afternoon shows, still half asleep. But on Saturday morning, word got out that Shellshag had to drop at the last minute, and a jaw-dropping replacement