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

Pussy Riot – The Black Cat – Washington, DC – May 23, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 Pussy Riot & Dorian Electra – The Black Cat – Washington, DC – May 23, 2018 One of the key moments of contemporary artistic disruption that is widely known about occurred in February 2012 when Pussy Riot staged a guerilla performance in a Moscow church. The startling moment led to various band members disappearing, jail time and other controversies. To get a chance to see the band, at le

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

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’

Pussy Riot Look out big government, Pussy Riot is coming to town. The famous Russian punk rock collective Pussy Riot will be playing the...

Lydia Lunch – Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia, PA – May 7, 2018 – Photo by Chris Sikich © 2018 Lydia Lunch – Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia, PA – May 7, 2018 Lydia Lunch is one of our great iconoclasts, an artist destroying and recreating expectations with each syllable and movement. On Monday she brought her brand of no wave music to Kung Fu Necktie and obliterated the crowd. With her solid band Retrovirus featuring guitarist and frequent jumper Walter Weasel, drummer Bob Ber

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

The Beguiled THE BEGUILED (2017) Starring Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, Oona Laurence, Angourie Rice,...

Richard Barone, Steve Addabbo & Eric Bazilian – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – June 17, 2017 – photo by Chris Sikich © 2017 Richard Barone, Steve Addabbo & Eric Bazilian – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – June 17, 2017 World Café Live was transformed into a 1960’s era venue last Saturday, as Richard Barone brought his covers album Sorrows & Promises: Greenwich Village in the 1960’s to life. With help from the expert musicians Steve Addabbo and Eric Bazilian, the sh

Wonder Woman WONDER WOMAN (2017) Starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Said...

Bell Biv DeVoe – Mann Center for the Performing Arts – Philadelphia, PA – June 1, 2017 – photo by Chris Sikich © 2017 Bell Biv Devoe, En Vogue & SWV – Mann Center for the Performing Arts – Philadelphia, PA – June 1, 2017 Poisonous beats infected The Mann last week as Bell Biv DeVoe brought their classic 1990’s hip-hop out as headliners on a stacked three band bill with En Vogue and SWV. Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe still have the slick voices and harmonies to w

Heather Nova and Mishka – Ardmore Music Hall – Ardmore, PA – May 21, 2017 – photo by Chris Sikich © 2017 Heather Nova with Mishka & Kate Grom – Ardmore Music Hall – Ardmore, PA – May 21, 2017 What an odd night it was on Sunday, May 21 with a rare show by both Heather Nova and her brother Mishka at the wonderful Ardmore Music Hall. With the high red curtains as a backdrop, a connection to Twin Peak’s famous red décor on that night of the return premier made it a surreal moment

The Dream Syndicate – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – May 20, 2017 – photo by Chris Sikich © 2017 The Dream Syndicate & Chris Forsyth and the Solar Motel Band – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – May 20, 2017 There is a parallel universe where The Dream Syndicate are one of the most well-known rock bands around. Blazing guitars and introspective lyrics are at the forefront of this four-piece. Steve Wynn leads the rock parade that disbanded in 1989 and reformed in 2012

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

The Jesus and Mary Chain – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – May 15, 2017 – photo by Chris Sikich © 2017 The Jesus and Mary Chain & The Cobbs – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – May 15, 2017 The Jesus and Mary Chain put on an alternative rock clinic last week at Union Transfer. With beams of light separating their visages from light and the pitch black, their work of the past and (finally) present meshed together to satisfy the adoring Philadelphia fans. With their first