The National – The Mann Center for the Performing Arts – Philadelphia, PA – September 27, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 The National, Cat Power & Phoebe Bridgers – The Mann Center for the Performing Arts – Philadelphia, PA – September 27, 2018 The National brought their “Sleep Well Beast” tour back to Philadelphia for the third time on September 27 at The Mann. Fall could be felt in the cool night air as the art rockers brought their dazzling lights and mazes of emotion

Arthur Buck – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – September 18, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 Arthur Buck – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – September 18, 2018 The recent Arthur Buck show at World Café Live was exciting on many levels. The Philadelphia live premiere of REM veteran Peter Buck’s newest band, with the wonderful artistry of Joseph Arthur. Buck’s Minus 5 co-hort Scott McCaughey back on the road after a stroke sidelined him last year. And the small stage

Smokey Robinson – Mann Center for the Performing Arts – Philadelphia, PA – August 25, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 Smokey Robinson – Mann Center for the Performing Arts – Philadelphia, PA – August 25, 2018 Smokey Robinson brought the comfort of Motown classics to The Mann in late August. With a smooth voice and a charismatic demeanor to excite a crowd young and old, it was quite a spectacle to witness. Immortal works like “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” and “My Girl”

On Thursday, the axe wizardry of Dick Dale – the King of Surf Guitar – will grace the stage of Ardmore Music Hall. The inventor of surf music and creator of such classics as “Miserlou,” Dale will certainly put on an unforgettable show. Philly-based modern guitar guru Chris Forsyth will open with The Solar Motel Band in tow. Thursday night will be rocking on the Main Line. Do not miss it! Tickets are available here for a night full of Surfin’ and Swingin’: https://www.ardmorem

Speedy Ortiz – PhilaMOCA – Philadelphia, PA – July 18, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 Speedy Ortiz, Two Inch Astronaut & Old Maybe – PhilaMOCA – Philadelphia, PA – July 18, 2018 Speedy Ortiz are masters at turning out earworm rhythms etched out by crunchy guitars. Last Wednesday the Sadie Dupuis-led quartet set PhilaMOCA on fire. They blasted out works from their 2018 LP Twerp Verse as well as fan-selected cuts from the past. Opening with the first three tracks from Twer

Imagine Dragons – 104.5 Birthday Celebration (Day 2) – BB&T Pavilion – Camden, NJ – June 30, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 104.5 Birthday Celebration (Day 2) – BB&T Pavilion – Camden, NJ – June 30, 2018 This past Saturday was the second of two Radio 104.5 11th Birthday Celebration concerts at BB&T Pavilion. Featuring 11 artists, the rock and roll of the day overcame the scorching temperatures. The following are my favorite moments of the day. *Imagine Dragons blasted th

Matthew Sweet – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – June 21, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 Matthew Sweet & The Parsnip Revolt – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – June 21, 2018 Seminal indie rocker Matthew Sweet put on a solid show at World Café Live on June 21. Playing behind his 2018 release Tomorrow’s Daughter, he brought out the hits and new works. Classic works like “Girlfriend” and “Sick of Myself” played well next to new material like “I Belong to You.” His si

30 Seconds to Mars – 104.5 Birthday Celebration (Day 1) – BB&T Pavilion – Camden, NJ – June 17, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 104.5 Birthday Celebration (Day 1) – BB&T Pavilion – Camden, NJ – June 17, 2018 This past Sunday was the first of two Radio 104.5 11th Birthday Celebration concerts at BB&T Pavilion. Featuring 11 artists, it was a wide-ranging look at indie rock circa 2018. The following are my favorite moments of the day. *Headliner Thirty Seconds to Mars brough

U2 – Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA – June 13, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 U2 – Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA – June 13, 2018 Being one of the biggest music acts around, it is tough for U2 to make an arena show intimate. During their first of two nights at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday, Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. wanted to strip away the grandiose to reveal inner truths about their art, themselves and the world around them. It w

Skating Polly – Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia, PA – June 9, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 Skating Polly, Potty Mouth & Control Top – Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia, PA – June 9, 2018 A super triple bill took Kung Fu Necktie by storm on Saturday. Led by the youthful rock energies of Skating Polly with a raucous Potty Mouth and Philly’s own punkers Control Top, it was a beautiful June night of rip-roaring sounds. With their newest album The Make It All Show out on wax, S

The Decemberists – Mann Center for the Performing Arts – Philadelphia, PA – June 6, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 The Decemberists & M. Ward – Mann Center for the Performing Arts – Philadelphia, PA – June 6, 2018 For the 14th time live, my craving for indie rock steeped in rich language, watery peril and whale props was sated when The Decemberists played The Mann Center last Thursday. As part of the Your Girl/Your Ghost tour in support of their eighth LP, the underrated

Depeche Mode – Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA – June 3, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 Depeche Mode & EMA – Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA – June 3, 2018 It took 17 years for Depeche Mode to return to Philly. They made their Sunday show – as part of the Global Spirit Tour at Wells Fargo Center, their first in the city since 2001 – a worthy visit with a brilliant display of old hits and new works. Led by original members Dave Gahan, Martin Gore and Andy Flet

Red Aunts – Boot & Saddle – Philadelphia, PA – June 1, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 Red Aunts, RunHideFight & Control Top – Boot & Saddle – Philadelphia, PA – June 1, 2018 Punk rock was alive and well during last Friday’s Red Aunts show at Boot & Saddle. Playing a rare East Coast show, the quartet of Terri Wahl, Kerry Davis, Debi Martini and Lesley Ishino put on an explosive show. Joking with each other and ready to move into the crowd or rock with each other, they led

Questlove – Roots Picnic – Festival Pier – Philadelphia, PA – June 2, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 This past Saturday the 11th annual Roots Picnic occurred at Festival Pier. The humid warmth of pre-summer yielded to a severe storm that ended The Roots’ headline set after only two songs. Before that abrupt conclusion the day was full of awesome moments. The top highlights were: *Philadelphia’s own Lil Uzi Vert, playing the second top-billed spot, dazzled with an energet

Wye Oak – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – May 14, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 Wye Oak & Palm – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – May 14, 2018 Last Monday, Baltimore-based Wye Oak delivered a stunning set of indie rock at Union Transfer. The duo of Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack unleashed tracks from their latest record, the sublime The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs as well as some older tracks. Opening with a track from the new record, “The Instrument,” Wasner’s

Forth Wanderers – First Unitarian Church – Philadelphia, PA – May 4, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 Forth Wanderers, Ó & The Obsessives – First Unitarian Church – Philadelphia, PA – May 4, 2018 Last Friday, the First Unitarian Church saw a youthful triple threat play through the unseasonable heat. Headlined by the superb Sub Pop-minted New Jersey band Forth Wanderers with the wonders of Ó and the rocking The Obsessives opening, it was an awesome affair. Playing behind th

Patti Smith – Central Park SummerStage – New York, NY – September 14, 2017 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2017 Patti Smith – Central Park SummerStage – New York, NY – September 14, 2017 Thursday, Patti Smith celebrated what would have been the 69th birthday of her late husband (Fred “Sonic” Smith) in Central Park. One of our finest poets of rock, Smith is a mystic of verse and voice. This night was as special as any of her concerts, drawing on her whole catalog and punctuated by h

Boss Hog – The Wonder Bar – Asbury Park, NJ – September 9, 2017 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2017 Boss Hog – Wonder Bar – Asbury Park, NJ – September 9, 2017 On a brisk Saturday night in September, the punk-blues hybrid Boss Hog held court in Asbury Park at Wonder Bar. A small crowd were put under the spell of lead singer Cristina Martinez and lead guitarist Jon Spencer for a set of genre-bending tunes. In the shadows of the blues and purples of that lit the stage, Martinez twis

Sting – Borgata Casino Event Center – Atlantic City, NJ – September 3, 2017 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2017 Sting – Borgata Casino Event Center – Atlantic City, NJ – September 3, 2017 On Sunday, Sting’s rock wizardry captivated a sold-out crowd at the Borgata in Atlantic City. Playing nearly every song from his solo career and the Police that one would want to hear, he put on quite a show. With a voice that can still hit the challenging notes of such classics as “Roxanne,” “Ev

Conor Oberst – XPoNential Music Festival – BB&T Pavilion – Camden, NJ – July 28, 2017 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2017 XPoNential Music Festival – BB&T Pavilion & Wiggins Waterfront Park & Marina – Camden, NJ – July 28-30, 2017 Mother nature kept threatening to spoil the party – there were flash flood warnings both Friday night and Saturday – but even mother nature could not stand to stop the music. There were a few drizzles periodically on those days, but the deluges promised