Stealing Oceans welcomes summer with “Golden Nights” single

Up-and-coming rapper Brian Thompson (aka, Stealing Oceans) releases new pop/psychedelic single “Golden Nights”: an uplifting hip hop track produced by Schmarx, with vocal production by Schmarx and Savvy and co-written by all three of the above. The Nashville native sings about the ‘golden nights’ he’s had in his life — the feeling that will never […]

Cali Roots 2019: Day Two

Back for more, California Roots 2019 attendees filed once again into the Monterey Fairgrounds early Saturday morning for yoga, coffee and, naturally, the rocking reggae sounds of Roots of a Rebellion kicking off the Cali Roots Stage on Day Two. Jo Mersa Marley followed shortly after on the Bowl, while Casey Sullivan (of Burritos the […]

Project 432 ‘Passenger’ album review

Denver-based band Project 432 is a unique one, to say the least. After bursting onto the recording scene in 2017 with their debut album The Science of Numbers, the band quickly gained recognition for their approach as much as their music. The inaugural album — combining reggae with dub with hip hop all wrapped into […]

LA Pride 2019

The weekend of June 7th-9th in Los Angeles was marked with an important event, the LA Pride Parade. The main celebration took part in West Hollywood as usual and in its park, a huge music festival was held. It was sold out for the first time. Colorful glittering crowd, rainbow colors everywhere, confetti and an […]

Cali Roots 2019: Day One

It’s always a cathartic experience, gracing the Monterey Fairgrounds gates for yet another Memorial Day Weekend at California Roots Music & Arts Festival. Unlike any other year, expectations were peaking for the 10th Annual to get underway (the milestone dubbed ‘Cali Roots X’ for good measure). Also unlike any other is the feeling of togetherness, not […]

A chat with The Late Ones at California Roots 2019

Top Shelf Music journalist Kristy Rose sits down with The Late Ones, a hip hop meets island reggae trio out of Hawaii, at California Roots 10 ahead of their late night afterparty performance in Monterey, California. With a new single available as of that day, The Late Ones were excited to share music, upcoming summer plans […]

The Cali Roots X-perience

In 2014, I attended the 5th Annual California Roots Festival for the first time when I was still in high school. The only person I knew there was my best friend who I went with and my mom who drove us. After three days at the festival, we left with a ton of new friends […]

Reggae Rise Up Florida 2019: Day Three

Around Day Three Around Day Three Around Day Three Bumpin Uglies Bumpin Uglies Bumpin Uglies Bumpin Uglies Around Day Three Around Day Three Fortunate Youth Fortunate Youth Fortunate Youth Around Day Three Around Day Three Around Day Three Tribal Seeds Tribal Seeds The last and final installment of Reggae Rise Up Florida 2019 suitably landed […]

Austin City Limits 2019 announced

Now that Coachella weekends one and two have passed, it’s time to fast forward to fall — fall in Texas, specifically. There are some bucketlist fests on everyone’s radar and Austin City Limits (ACL) continues to reign supreme (next to Bonneroo and Lolla, of course). ACL might not be as old as its aforementioned predecessors, […]

Reggae Rise Up Florida 2019: Day Two

Around Day Two Summer Survivors Summer Survivors Summer Survivors Around Day Two Arise Roots Around Day Two Around Day Two The Movement The Movement The Movement The Movement The Movement Around Day Two Around Day Two Around Day Two HIRIE HIRIE HIRIE HIRIE HIRIE HIRIE HIRIE Around Day Two Around Day Two Method Man & […]

Life is Beautiful reveals jaw-dropping 2019 lineup

Few festivals continue to best themselves year over year. Longtime fests such as Coachella and Bonnaroo make it seem easy, as the uptick of underground alternative artists to choose from climbs ever-higher. What can we say? Alt is in. One festival risen in the ranks to rival those longstanding legends is downtown Las Vegas' Life […]

Reggae Rise Up Florida 2019: Day One

Around Day One Around Day One Around Day One Around Day One Around Day One Around Day One Around Day One Around Day One Bret Bollinger Around Day One Around Day One Around Day One Around Day One Around Day One Around Day One Around Day One Around Day One Sticky Fingers Sticky Fingers Sticky […]

Outside Lands returns to San Francisco summer 2019

Everyone's favorite festival by the bay is back for 2019, complete with headliner Paul Simon coming out of musical sabbatical to celebrate! That's right, Outside Lands 2019 is upon us, prompting music, art and cuisine lovers near and far to return to San Francisco's Golden Gate Park August 9th through 11th. With almost too many […]

KAABOO Cayman 2019: Day Two

Around Day Two Around Day Two Around Day Two Around Day Two Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Stealing Oceans Around Day Two Around Day […]