Pasadena Daydream 2019 official Top Shelf after movie

Top Shelf Music journalists Kristy Rose and Jenni Lynne take on the first ever Pasadena Daydream Festival at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, presented by The Cure and Goldenvoice. Despite the extreme heat of Labor Day Weekend, New Wave and punk rockers flocked by the hundreds… Despite the extreme heat of Labor Day Weekend, […]

The 5th Annual KAABOO Del Mar MIX-perience

There is always a rush of nervous energy lining the gates of KAABOO Del Mar, waiting to get in Day One alongside other early birds at the festival entrance. The fest superseding all other mainstream California festivals might span three days, but there is simply no time to waste. Every moment is spent with intention. […]

Breaking Benjamin & Three Days Grace in Irvine, CA

American hard rock giants Breaking Benjamin brought an outstanding lineup onstage for their 2019 North American summer tour in support of their latest album Ember. And, at the tail end of the tour, the bands stopped in Irvine, California at the FivePoint Amphitheatre on September 16th. Diamante and Dorothy were first to open the show. Those […]

K. Flay at San Diego’s Observatory North Park

K. Flay’s Solutions Tour hit San Diego at The Observatory North Park on Thursday, September 5th, 2019. Starting the night off right was “not MY Smith, but Your Smith”, dancing her way in to get the crowd hyped with powerful vocals backed by soothing beats and catchy tunes. Formally known as ‘Caroline Smith’, Your Smith […]

Grand Point North set for Year Nine in Burlington, VT

The alternative-meets-folk festival on the forefront of everyone’s minds is back in Burlington, Vermont for Year Nine! Brought to the public by Higher Ground and GRAMMY-nominee Grace Potter, Grand Point North hits the coastal setting of Waterfront Park this September 14th and 15th — and it’s not too late to get your passes! Just shy […]

Resonance returns to Pennsylvania for its 6th year

Bringing folk and jam band and funk and EDM to the forefront, Pennsylvania’s favorite festival is back in its sixth year at Slippery Rock. That’s right, in a few short days, Resonance Fest is upon us! Changing its locale to the serene station at Coopers Lake (a 500-acre reserve with lakes and hills and even […]

311 & Dirty Heads hit Sacramento

Papa Murphy’s Park was packed to the brim the night of August 16th in Sacramento, California. Why, you ask? For a fantastic night with alt legends 311 and Dirty Heads, of course! Entering the venue that evening, fans sitting on lawn blankets waited patiently for the double-header to start, consuming concert concessions to pass the […]

The Fixx at San Diego’s Music Box

Generation X packed The Music Box for an evening of flashback memories the night of August 18th, 2019. Steve West from San Diego alt radio station 94.9 was up onstage spinning 80s faves; not the usual ones we hear on the radio, but the awesome ones that only 80s kids remember. Reminisce the 80s: the […]

Billy Bio at Brick By Brick San Diego

Billy Graziadei, founder of Biohazard and Powerflo, set out on his own in 2018 as Billy Bio. Billy came out the night of August 2nd at San Diego’s Brick By Brick venue with a headset mic. Wait, what? A little Bierber-ish for punk rock? Nah, It’s brilliant! Billy Bio was free to move about the venue […]

Emery & Hawthorne Heights at The Roxy LA

Emo kids of the early 2000s rejoiced on Friday, August 16th as Hawthorne Heights and Emery sold out The Roxy in Los Angeles to celebrate their career defining albums. Oh, Sleeper opened the show with new songs fresh from their latest album Bloodied / Unbowed, as well as old favorites from their discography spanning over […]

Blink-182 & Lil Wayne in San Diego

Blink-182, Lil Wayne and Neck Deep hit San Diego’s North Island Credit Union Amphitheater on August 7th, 2019. Neck Deep, a Welsh punk rock band, kicked off the night with “Motion Sickness”, “She’s A God” and ended with “Where Do We Go When We Go”, warming up the crowd for Lil Wayne. DJ T. Lewis […]

KROQ presents two weekends of Hermosa Beach Summer Series

There’s not a lot that beats free summer fun. The season is entertaining enough, let alone when your local community comes together in a block party, combining music with comedy with film with art with exercise. How could all of this fit into one weekend you ask? And, free of charge? Turn’s out, Los Angeles […]

Desert Daze dazzles with 2019 final artist transmission

Few festivals encompass it all and even less do so with authenticity. Sure, we can gallop off on a weekend excursion to Coachella for hundreds of dollars, witnessing mainstream alt bands from afar, all sweaty and dirty alongside strung out strangers. Let the self-indulgence and vanity consume you, hopefully heading home STD-free (#fakenews???). Big name […]

Boca 45 shares his greatest hits playlist

What to say about the established Bristolian deejay Boca 45? After escalating to a world-renowned name for his unbeatable dance soundtracks, featuring everything from hip hop to grunge rock to trippy psychedelia, Boca 45 (née, Scott Hendy) is celebrating his 45th year with the launch of a life-encompassing album, fittingly entitled Forty Five, on his […]