Cruel World 2022

Oh, what a wonderful Cruel World it was! Presented by Goldenvoice, this nostalgic New Wave fest graced Pasadena’s Rose Bowl on Saturday, May 14th (with the same lineup repeating the next day). Arriving midday, Christian Death was already rocking the side stage, while Sextile was crushing the main Outsiders Stage. Despite the heat, people were […]

Eclectic Soundtrax Podcast, Ep. 71: Static Limit

On this episode of Eclectic Soundtrax, hosts Victor Ramos and Skunk Manhattan chat with Rom and Diana of the instrumental progressive metal band, Static Limit. The south Texas-based group was formed in 2003 by Rom Garza (guitars/synth), along with Jay Juarez (bass) and Mario Rivera (drums). After cutting their teeth playing regional shows around “The […]

Girl Named Tom lights up Los Angeles, with Claire Wright

With a perfect four-chair turn in their audition, in front of millions of people all over the world and winning NBC’s The Voice — Season 21, Girl Named Tom stole the hearts of America with their harmonious harmonies and put on a show-stopping performance at the world famous Troubadour in West Hollywood, CA.  Opening the […]

Sigur Rós brings meditative music to a serene night in Seattle

Wow, what an eventful night it was in beautiful Seattle! Sigur Rós played an extraordinary show, but first, let’s talk about the vibe at Paramount Theatre. Fans were in line and excited to see the Icelandic rock band. All different ages, the fans were smiling as they walked into the theater. There was plenty of […]

A phenomenal night with Phoebe Bridgers at Red Rocks

Morrison, Colorado — home of the bucket-list inducing venue, Red Rocks, just outside Denver. This natural amphitheater set the stage for Phoebe Bridgers on a gloomy Tuesday night. I was lucky enough to get to the venue super early, around 4pm, so I could try to scope out the heralded Red Rocks layout. To my […]

The stress-free, fun-filled weekend at BeachLife 2022

This year’s BeachLife Festival perfectly reflected the famous picturesque lifestyle of southern California. Spanning the weekend of May 13th through the 15th in Redondo Beach, festival-goers experienced the warmth of the California sun, the cool breeze of the Pacific Ocean and the swaying shade of palm trees, all while listening to a variety of 50 […]

How it felt to finally witness Gang of Youths in San Francisco

On Monday May 16th, San Francisco’s Fillmore welcomed Australian rock band Gang of Youths for their Angel In Real Time Tour, featuring tour support from Quinn Christopherson. Originally formed in Sydney by frontman Dave Le’aupepe in 2011, Gang of Youths relocated to London in 2017. They just  recently released their fourth studio album, angel in […]

Pearl Jam plays Oakland Arena: Night One

Thursday May 12th was night one of two at Oakland Arena for Pearl Jam’s Gigaton Tour, featuring support from Pluralone. Dressed in my best flannel, I made my way to the NBA Warriors’ old home at the Oakland Arena for a night of nostalgic 90s grunge. This was my first official arena show that I’ve had […]

Royal Blood rocks San Diego’s Observatory North Park

Royal Blood sold out San Diego’s Observatory North Park on their North America Tour, with support from Cleopatrick on May 8th. Sometimes less is better and that was definitely the vibe of the night, for both bands were made up of two man bands. The night kicked off with Cleopatrick, made up of childhood friends […]

Boston Manor at The Bottleneck in Lawrence, Kansas

Boston Manor brought their headlining tour to the historic rock-and-roll venue The Bottleneck in Lawrence, Kansas on May 4th, with support from Trash Boat, Higher Power and Anxious. Three of the four bands on the bill were formed in England. A long way from home, the bands were eager to put on an entertaining show. […]

Pearl Jam brings new & old hits to San Diego

Pearl Jam returned to San Diego on Tuesday, May 3rd, 2022 at Viejas Arena since rescheduling their Gigaton Tour due to COVID-19 back in 2020. The sold-out show was filled with past and present fans who came together to celebrate one of their favorite bands. Pearl Jam gave fans an incredible nearly three-hour show, with a […]

Austin City Limits lineup announced for Fall 2022

Yeehaw, it’s OFFICIAL! The 2022 Austin City Limits Festival (ACL) lineup is here and it’s impressive. Like past years, the headliners are an eclectic mix and wide-ranging, from new-to-the scene artists to billboard chart-toppers to veteran bands that have been rocking festival circuits for years. Given the prowess and clout of ACL and its history, […]

Meet New Wave experimental band Minimal Schlager

During my time at the SXSW music festival, I had the opportunity to interact with some of the coolest musicians from all across the globe. One of the most interesting bands came in the form of a New Wave electronic dance group called Minimal Schlager. Brother and sister Francisco and Alicia have been making music […]