DJ Ayokay – The Foundry – Philadelphia, PA – November 4, 2019 – Photo by Kayla Marra © 2019 DJ Ayokay & Wingtip – The Foundry – Philadelphia, PA – November 4, 2019 Monday night, DJ Ayokay brought his We Come Alive Fall 2019 Tour to The Foundry in Philadelphia. The Michigan-born producer, also known as Alex O’Neill, hit the road in October for a month-long tour alongside alternative/electronic artist Wingtip. Fans queued up long before the doors were to open, anticipating a fu

Post Malone – Firefly Music Festival – Dover International Speedway – Dover, DE – June 23, 2019 – Photo by Isa Barnett © 2019 Firefly Music Festival – The Woodlands – Dover, DE – June 21 to 23, 2019 Although this was the first year the Firefly Music Festival was under the new ownership of AEG Presents (who also runs Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival), it was not a disappointment. The festival, which is based out of the Woodlands of Dover, Delaware, was shortened to thr

Cody Ko and Noel Miller – Franklin Music Hall – Philadelphia, PA – February 6, 2019 – Photo by Maria Gilles © 2019 Cody Ko and Noel Miller – Franklin Music Hall – Philadelphia, PA – February 6, 2019 From their “That’s Cringe” series, and “Love Island” game series, to touring the country, YouTubers Cody Ko and Noel Miller have a unique sense of humor that appeals to many people in the online community. The pair not only has many videos together on both of their YouTube channel

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

Hayley Kiyoko – TLA – Philadelphia, PA – June 14, 2018 – Photo by Tyler Michael DiValerio © 2018 Hayley Kiyoko – TLA – Philadelphia, PA – June 14, 2018 After an hour of anxiously awaiting her arrival, Hayley Kiyoko didn’t disappoint when she walked on stage, rocking her black polo crop top, blue velvet jumpsuit, and yellow Nike air sneakers. She immediately set the tone by running on stage, screaming and welcoming her fans, which she tended to do a lot throughout the concert.

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

Sixteen Jackies, The Long Hots, Isles Isles & Madalean Gauze – PhilaMOCA – Philadelphia, PA – May 18, 2018 Sixteen Jackies – PhilaMOCA – Philadelphia, PA – May 18, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 Philadelphia-based indie rockers Sixteen Jackies celebrated their double EP release on May 18 at PhilaMOCA with a fabulous show. Packed with fans singing along to work from the “Movie Was Bad / Mascula” release, lead singer Jody DeMarco, covered in fake blood and decked out in a

Juice – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – May 3, 2018 – Photo by Isa Barnett © 2018 Juice – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – May 3, 2018 On May 3rd, 2018, Juice, an up-and-coming band from Boston College took the World Café Live by storm! They are a seven-piece band that even incorporates an electric violin, adding individuality to their performance and songs. Juice performs music from a series of genres, ranging from covers to original songs. At the show, they played

Billie Eilish – Coda – Philadelphia, PA – March 25, 2018 – Photo by Maria Gilles © 2018 Billie Eilish – Coda – Philadelphia, PA – March 25, 2018 Indie pop artist Billie Eilish is best known for her debut single “Ocean Eyes.” On March 25th, Eilish brought her sold out Where’s My Mind Tour to the Coda nightclub in Philadelphia, PA. The anticipation for the show was huge after the original date had to be rescheduled due to a recent nor’easter. Eilish put on a fantastic show alon

Jacob Banks – The Foundry – Philadelphia, PA – December 1, 2017 – Photo by Ruth Bekele © 2017 Jacob Banks – The Foundry – Philadelphia, PA – December 1, 2017 Jacob Banks, a British-Nigerian singer and songwriter from Birmingham, England made a stop at the Foundry in Philadelphia PA on a Friday evening in December. Banks released his debut EP “The Monologue” in 2013 and has since released two additional EP’s, “The Paradox” (which came out in 2015) and his most recent EP “The B

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

Boston Calling Music Festival – Harvard University Athletic Complex – Boston, MA – May 26-28, 2017 On May 26-28, the Boston Calling Music Festival took up residence in its new home, the Harvard University Athletic complex. The larger venue allows for approximately 40,000 attendees – double the capacity of the former City Hall Plaza location – and an expansive lineup of nearly 50 bands and solo artists. As a member of the media for Boston Cannons lacrosse games at Harvard Stad

Bush Tetras – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA – May 20, 2017 – photo by Chris Sikich © 2017 Bush Tetras – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA – May 20, 2017 On May 20, the New York punk rockers Bush Tetras made a super-rare appearance in Philly at Johnny Brenda’s. Originally formed in 1979, the group, as led by Cynthia Sley, still sound like nothing else. They obliterated a welcoming Philadelphia crowd, leaving the ears and bodies of all desiring more inscrutable beats. Sle

Rhiannon Giddens – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – May 14, 2017 – photo by Chris Sikich © 2017 Rhiannon Giddens – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – May 14, 2017 Rhiannon Giddens is one of our finest musical talents and not to be missed. Her recent trek to World Café Live in support of her new record Freedom Highway was a glorious night of music to invigorate the soul and electrify the ears. Giddens has a rich vocal range that perfectly matches whatever music genre, wh

KT Tunstall – World Cafe Live at The Queen – Wilmington, DE – February 22, 2017 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2017 KT Tunstall & Kelvin Jones – World Cafe Live at The Queen – Wilmington, DE – February 22, 2017 Last Wednesday the indie-rock extraordinaire KT Tunstall wowed World Café Live at The Queen in Wilmington. With a dramatic lit-up sign displaying her K and T and her charm and wit on display in between each song, she was exhilarating. Playing behind her 2016 LP KIN she unsp

Angelica Garcia – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – December 8, 2016 – Photo by Nick Bergmann © 2016 Angelica Garcia – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – December 8, 2016 Angelica Garcia and her band rocked the stage at the World Cafe Live in Philly. Including Corey Axt on keys and guitar and Andrew Sisk on the drums, they were to prime the crowd for Goodnight Texas and the headlining Bombadil. The setting before the concert would have made you think you arrived at the w

Drive-By Truckers perform at Union Transfer on Nov. 9. Drive-By Truckers & Kyle Craft – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – November 9, 2016 Two days after the 2004 reelection of George W Bush a friend and I trekked to New York to hear what R.E.M. had to say about the devastating win. Opening with “It’s the End of World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine),” they were a perfect tonic for the hopelessness. With even greater urgency and necessity, Drive-By Truckers played Union Tran

The Griswolds – The Fonda Theater – Los Angeles, CA – May 10, 2016 – Photo by Camille Jessie © 2016 The Griswolds, Magic Man & Panama Wedding – The Fonda Theater – Los Angeles, CA – May 10, 2016 It was that time of the year again: The Griswolds were back on tour. Specifically in LA for the night, and so was I. However, this wasn’t just a normal tour with an opening act. The Aussies are co-headlining the “Hotline Spring” tour with Magic Man, an electronic indie band from Bosto

Hinds – U Street Music Hall – Washington, DC – March 10, 2016 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2016 Hinds & Goodbye Honolulu – U Street Music Hall – Washington, DC – March 10, 2016 With a catchy debut LP in Leave Me Alone and an infectious garage rock sound that is as fun and poppy as anything in ages, the Spanish quartet Hinds blew away a sold out Washington, D.C., crowd last Thursday. The four women of the Madrid-based outfit give the songs a vast depth of sound and vision. Carlot

Bryan Adams – February 15th, 2016 – The Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA – photo copyright 2016 Deborah Wagner. Bryan Adams – February 15th, 2016 – The Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA Even Mother Nature couldn’t keep classic rock out of Philadelphia last night.  So as excited fans trudged through snow and sleet to get to Philly’s newest concert venue, the Fillmore, no one seemed to mind the weather conditions because they knew when they arrived, it was going to be hot.  Just after 8 o