Posts by Shane Handler

In a musical landscape where many bands tend to blend together, it’s refreshing to hear a vocalist whose voice instantly defines their band. That’s the case with Geese, whose frontman, Cameron Winter, sounds unmistakably like himself. Winter evokes an early echo of Patti Smith — lanky, sardonic, poetically dark, and effortlessly bridging punk energy with […]

When Howe Gelb, M. Ward, and McKowski were in the same place at the same time at a wedding in Tucson, Arizona, none of them imagined that a spur-of-the-moment collaboration would blossom into something else: Geckøs. Each had long histories of collaboration—Gelb best known as the restless spirit behind Giant Sand, Ward for his work […]

The idea of “putting yourself out there” has become a casual suggestion for people to throw around, although when broken down, it is a bold and terrifying move for some. It is easier said than done to lay yourself bare and vulnerable, allowing others to judge with nothing to shield yourself with other than your […]

Talking about a festival’s weather is about as cliché as it gets—something we’ve read a thousand times and probably could do without. But when a city goes nine months without significant rain, and then a storm rolls in during a festival weekend, maybe that’s worth mentioning. Such was the case at the M3F Festival in […]

The life of a touring musician can be tumultuous and troubling. Being on the road for long stretches of time tests a band’s genuine relationship, and some just aren’t cut out for it. On the other hand, some thrive and cherish being slammed into a van and popping up at venues, saving every ounce of […]

It’s a continually on-again message that certain records need repeated listens to earn the full reward of an artist’s creative intentions. There is so much it’s not even worth mentioning, but we already just did, so here goes another one… On Mariam The Believer’s new album, Breathing Techniques, which was released October 4th, a spacious […]

There is an expression “if you know, you know.” In the case of Phoenix’s The Dirty Drummer, for those who know, this venue has quickly become one of the most respected venues in America and one of the most genuine Phoenix bars/eating places: both past and present. Resting ordinarily in a stucco plaza near a […]

While just the words “steel pan ensemble” might conjure a “hard pass” from most wisecrackers, perhaps a few things to consider about Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band: They do a mean cover of “Nuthin But A G Thang,”  and they are from Germany, where there are no sunny escapist tropicales that might influence a Caribbean […]

In a long list of probable bands, there is probably no safer choice than Wilco to open a new concert venue. They don’t attract a wild drinking fanbase, their lyrics are relatively curse-free and the Chicago band can knock over the casual listener with catchy melodies. So what if they are “dad rock”? They have […]

It’s hard to believe that it was only a few months ago that Les Imprimés introduced himself to the world. After signing with the illustrious Big Crown Records, the multi-hyphenate, Norwegian-bred artist immediately began winning over our hearts.  His debut single for the label, “I’ll Never Leave”, introduced us to the cosmic soul of Morten […]

For a true music geek, few feelings pale compared to digging up a diamond at your local record shop. The tradition of buying an unknown album strictly off of its cover art or band name has yielded some terrific lost releases gaining a new set of legs, such is the case for Johnny’s Uncalled Four. […]

It’s hard to believe Leftover Salmon has been going at it longer than arena stalwarts Pearl Jam and Dave Matthews Band. Yet, while Leftover Salmon won’t be headlining the Hollywood Bowl anytime soon, they probably don’t give a shit. This Drew Emmitt and Vince Herman were shouting “festival” a decade before Bonnaroo and really are […]

Jerry Cantrell has been touring continually for the past couple of years in support of Brighten, his first solo album since Degradation Trip in 2002.

It’s rare an artist in his mid 50’s becomes more artistically relevant amongst multi-generations than Damon Albarn. At this point, it’s almost guaranteed if you had to ask anyone under 30 what their favorite Blur album is, few will even be able to conjure up a Parklife, Leisure, or Great Escape. Instead today Albarn’s most […]

Vermont singer-songwriter Marcie Hernandez surrounds herself with music even when she’s not writing or performing. She is a certified music therapist, as well as a passionate songwriter who alternates her lyrical flourishes between Spanish and English, with many nods to her Puerto Rican heritage. In late 2020, during the height of the COVID lockdowns she released her brilliant debut album Amanecer, and halfway through […]

Imagine you play a vital role in the most prolific band on earth that has just announced its third, fourth, and fifth albums of 2022, yet you have another band that has been doing it almost as long. Take Ambrose Kenny-Smith of The Murlocs who fits this welcomingly vital musical role. Yes, that “Amby” the […]

From the intricate instrumental opening notes of “Someone’ Else’s Cafe,” Dawes appear to have left off where most fans hoped they would leave off from 2015’s All Your Favorite Bands complete effort. After spending the past months jamming with Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh in his expansive improvisational outings billed as Phil & Friends, Dawes appear […]

There are a few things you can be sure of at a King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard show: long merch lines, no cover songs, and absolutely no repeat songs from the night before. Like a few other bands that roast on spontaneity and show uniqueness and the feeding off a crowd’s energy, one can […]

Even before its rebranding to M3F, the festival formerly known as McDowell Mountain Music Festival was never a full-on rock fest. It was the state of Arizona’s sole jam and blues festival, a place where the likes of Bob Weir, John Butler Band, or Umphrey’s McGee can swarm up some vibes in the Grand Canyon […]

Mixing sports and music is typically something our country most often witnesses with the hip hop and pop sect- check NBA All-Star Weekend or Super Bowl week. But having a Major League Baseball Spring Training themed music festival with the likes of St. Vincent, War on Drugs, and Tame Impala; one would not immediately conjoin […]