Tyler Vesely | Feburary 12, 2015

Before the end of the year, I was asked to compile a list of my ten favorite vocalists of 2014. These ten were chosen based on two criteria: which vocalist displayed their talent best on music they released this year, and which vocalist composed the best lyrics. So, in no particular order and without further ado:

Dillon Keene | December 20, 2014

“This is fucking family. This is community. Be proud of what you've done in the past year for North Carolina!” Shane Harris (Down In It, New Ethics Booking) proclaimed those words about the North Carolina hardcore scene while on stage and they couldn't have been any more true. Working with Ian Geiger (Society Sucker) and Mitchell Warneke (Progressive Music Group), they made the second annual Southern Ties Fest bigger and better than the year before.

Dan Trinkler | December 16, 2014

This Gainesville metalcore/post-hardcore band burst onto the scene less than a year and a half ago, but you’d never guess that by their mature, clean sound.  With a scream range comparable to The Number Twelve Looks Like You and melodies similar to what Brandon Saller brings to Atreyu, there’s something in A Common Collapse for everyone to love.   

Larry Rogers | September 26, 2014

Surrounded on two walls with the digital distractions of sports, and a back wall of an open casino floor housing hundreds of flashing, blinking, twirling and swirling slot machines, Warehouse prepared to put on a show featuring a strong line-up of cover tunes featuring classic rock of the most epic form. They followed Moechester, a reggae-influenced rock and roll band featuring a bevy of original tunes.

Iyanna Handy | August 31, 2014

After hearing their split EP with Ovlov, I definitely developed an interest in Little Big League. I looked up their album These Are Good People and liked it just as much as (maybe even more than) their songs on that release. Once I saw that they were playing in a nearby town, it was on!. I was anxious...

Brooke Thomas | July 29, 2014

Songwriter Orenda Fink, from Birmingham, AL, was first in a duo with Azure Ray from 2001 to 2004, then moved on to the band Now It’s Overhead. She released her first solo album in 2005 called Invisible Ones. Orenda did a few other projects before releasing her second solo album Ask the Night in 2009. She went into the studio to record Blue Dream in December 2013, which will be out in just a few weeks.

Olivia Leslie | July 29, 2014

Louisville based band The Foxery has created a song that will make you want to ponder the great questions of life, and rock the fuck out at the same time. This multi-purpose song is “Broken Vessels,” the first single off of The Foxery’s upcoming debut album, Unless.

Lexi Mayhew | Jul. 7, 2014

After coming off of a pretty short-lived hiatus, Tigers Jaw is spending their summer touring after dropping their newest album, Charmer. In the meantime, I’m spending mine soaking in every single chord. While I would have fan-girled over speaking to them at their show with Dads and Touché Amore in Sacramento, I’ll settle for doing a show/album review... For now.

Brooke Thomas | July 2, 2014

After getting inside the amphitheater and finding our seats, I noticed the crowd was not quite as big as I expected with who was performing. Starting 15 minutes early and coming out on stage with enthusiasm, the Plain White T’sstarted off the concert at The Amphitheater at the Wharf in Orange Beach, AL. We were 11 rows away from the stage so we had a great view of everything. They kicked off their set with a newly released single called “American Nights,” which is the title track to their new album that will be released later this year. This was when my best friend who went with me mentioned how much she loved their hats and how hatastic they were.

Larry Rogers| May 5, 2014

Had it not lasted over two decades, one might be tempted to believe the Bug Jar exists as some hipster CBGB wannabe bar.  The durability of the venue is proof enough, as if it were needed, that the funky vibe and grungy alternative feel is legit.

Under the years of grime and grunge, the original psychedelic decor still shows through.  Many years' accretions of alternative, punk and metal band stickers on various surfaces throughout the joint lend a genuinely punk feel to an already alternative venue.

Jessie Frary, Editor | April 15, 2014

It's been over a month since Parahoy set sail to the Bahamas. And can I just say that "livin' in the real world" is not fun, and I won't be one of you, I just wanna be back on the paradise that was the Parahoy cruise. Between the...

Melanie Wilcox | April 3, 2014

After a hiatus from attending the live music scene, my long-awaited return came this past weekend when I got to check out Athens and Savannah locals Lullwater perform live at The Jinx. I'm a persistently loyal fan of the grunge scene, and Lullwater's modern blend of southern rock and classic grunge made them a favorite of mine since reviewing their self-titled album back in November. And after missing their show last December, I jumped at the opportunity to not only hear them live, but also do a pre-showinterview.

Iulia Filip | March 25, 2014

Some bands lose their edge as they mature, and their live-performance enthusiasm becomes a distant memory to fans who were on board since the early days. HIM has definitely escaped that curse.

Iyanna Handy | March 24, 2014

Psychedelic music is… an experience. It’s more than just the sound, it’s the feel. It was made to enhance or simulate the effects or feelings produced by psychedelic drugs. If you’re not as experimental with such substances, a good psychedelic song will take you on a sober trip.

Heather Ronan | Feburary 17, 2014

As any band will tell you, finding the right record label is key. Yes, you obviously need a label that can sell albums and promote you out the ass, but more importantly you need a label that wants to do those things...

Jessie Frary, Editor | February 12, 2014

I wanna start this off saying that if you aren’t a Distillers/Brody Dalle fan, we cannot be friends. She was the reason my first band even happened, since we covered “City of Angels” in a very Distillers-esque manner... while I simultaneously destroyed my vocal chords for a couple days after our performance because I was just an 18-year-old kid not knowing what the fuck I was actually doing...

Collin Smith | January 27, 2014

2013 was a great year for music... that is if you exclude the plethora of terribly trendy garbage that has always plague the MTV airwaves.  I'm sure that we all can agree that the world could do with a little less [or without] Drake, Miley, or Bieber.  But despite the overbearing pressure to become more hip, the realm of rock-n-roll stood firm and refused to bow to social convention.  And as always, metal and hardcore placed themselves on the front-line as acting champions...

Collin Smith | December 4, 2013

For concertgoers, it is rare that you happen upon a show that has more than one or two bands that you really want to see. The rest of the line-up is usually filled with bands that either don't fit your preference or haven't yet appeared on your radar. With the exception of big shows like Warped Tour or other music festivals that always seem to be geographically inconvenient, the chances of you seeing all of your favorites in one place are small...