Live Review: Liz Cooper @ Black Cat — 10/4/21

Posted on 10/12/2021 by Casey Vock in Live Review and tagged Black Cat, Brooklyn, folk, New York City.

Liz Cooper leads her band during a performance at Black Cat in Washington DC on Oct. 4, 2021. (Photo by Casey Vock)

Who’s the most badass person in music these days? It’s certainly hard to gauge, but a recent show at the Black Cat in DC might have strengthened the case that there’s no one sassier than Liz Cooper, a recording/touring artist who in just a few years’ time earned a great deal of respect in both rock and folk circles.

Live Review: The Lone Bellow @ Rams Head On Stage — 10/3/21

Posted on 10/08/2021 by Casey Vock in Live Review and tagged Brooklyn, folk, New York City, Rams Head On Stage, The Lone Bellow.

The Lone Bellow performs a matinee show at Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis on Oct. 3, 2021. (Photo by Casey Vock)

When a group of musicians bond to write and share songs born out of struggle and the battle to overcome those challenges, the result can clearly be a special one.

Remarkably demonstrating this exact kind of provenance with a recent matinee show at Rams Head On Stage, The Lone Bellow out of Brooklyn is now in its 10th year after forming in 2011 during the wake of what was essentially a tragedy impacting its founding member.

Live Review: Lake Street Dive w/ Valerie June @ Wolf Trap — 9/9/21

Posted on 09/13/2021 by Mark Engleson in Live Review and tagged Ari Strauss, Brooklyn, Lake Street Dive, New York City, soul, Valerie June, Wolf Trap.

Lake Street Dive perform at Wolf Trap on Sept. 9, 2021. (Photos by Ari Strauss)

There was a lot of soul in the air when Lake Street Dive and Valerie June took the stage at Wolf Trap last week.

Live Review: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead @ MECU Pavilion — 8/21/21

Posted on 08/30/2021 by Casey Vock in Live Review and tagged Brooklyn, jam band, Joe Russo's Almost Dead, MECU Pavilion, New York City, psychedelic.

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead performs at MECU Pavilion in Baltimore on Saturday Aug. 21, 2021. (Photo by Casey Vock.)

The Grateful Dead certainly aren’t done yet, as a recent stop at Jiffy Lube Live by Dead & Company showed us last week. But even if they were, there are so many musicians dedicated to carrying their torch that fans of the San Francisco-based band can rest assured they’ll be able to enjoy the catalogue of music in some live form for years to come.

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, a highly talented five-piece outfit obviously led by respected veteran drummer Joe Russo, who himself is not yet close to passing away, made a timely stop in the Charm City this past weekend to drop two world-class sets of music paying tribute to the Grateful Dead.

Live Review: Chris Thile @ Wolf Trap — 7/24/21

Posted on 07/28/2021 by Mark Engleson in Live Review and tagged bluegrass, Brooklyn, Casey Vock, Chris Thile, Mandolin, Wolf Trap.

Chris Thile performs at Wolf Trap on July 24, 2021. (Photo by Casey Vock)

Chris Thile loves playing at Wolf Trap. On Saturday evening, he called it “the best outdoor ampitheater in the world.” Over the years, Chris has played Wolf Trap with his main band, the Punch Brothers, and as the host of the (tragically) canceled NPR variety show Live From Here.

A mandolin virtuoso, Thile first emerged on the the music scene as a member of the bluegrass trio Nickel Creek with siblings Sean and Sara Watkins, who won a Grammy for their 2002 album, This Side. During Saturday’s show, Chris performed “Rest of My Life,” from Nickel Creek’s 2014 reunion album, A Dotted Line.

Preview: Chris Thile @ Wolf Trap, 7/24/21

Posted on 07/21/2021 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged bluegrass, Brooklyn, Mandolin, Wolf Trap.

Chris Thile (Photo by Nate Ryan)

In June, mandolinist Chris Thile released, Laysongs, his eighth solo studio album, via Nonesuch Records. Chris performs the new songs and favorites at Wolf Trap on Saturday, July 24.

Song of the Day: “Shoulders” by Big Thief

Posted on 05/12/2021 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged Big Thief, Brooklyn, folk, New York, Song of the Day.

Big Thief (Photo by Robbie Jeffers)

Big Thief have announced a North American Tour and also recently released a live album, Big Thief – Live at The Bunker Studio, including video footage of all the songs.

The bulk of these recordings are culled from 2019’s widely praised Two Hands and UFOF.

Song of the Day: “September Song, pt. ii” by Lightning Bug

Posted on 05/04/2021 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged Brooklyn, dreampop, Lightning Bug, New York City, Song of the Day.

Lightning Bug (Photo by Ingmar Chen)

Lightning Bug’s upcoming album A Color of the Sky is an album of many firsts: the band’s first album with their new label home, Fat Possum, the band’s first time recording together as a live band.

Recently, Lightning Bug released “September Song, pt. ii,” the second single from the album.

Song of the Day: “Nobody’s Stopping You Now” by Lake Street Dive

Posted on 01/13/2021 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged Brooklyn, folk, Lake Street Dive, New York, Song of the Day, soul.

Lake Street Dive (Photo by Shervin Lainez)

Obviously, the new album from beloved band Lake Street Dive, is set for release on March 12 via Nonesuch Records. In celebration of the forthcoming record, the group premieres its new single “Nobody’s Stopping You Now,” a letter of encouragement from lead vocalist Rachael Price to her teenaged self, co-written with bassist Bridget Kearney.

Song of the Day: “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Black Marble

Posted on 12/22/2020 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged Black Marble, Brooklyn, Christmas, cold wave, New York City, post-punk, Song of the Day, synthpop.

A still from the video for Black Marble’s cover of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (Photo courtesy Motormouth)

Today Black Marble aka Chris Stewart announces the release of a very affectionate cover of Mariah Carey’s beloved 1994 classic, “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” Putting his signature on the track, the Black Marble version is synth-based and perfect for these winter months.