Heart of a lion: an interview with Arise Roots

There are times when you are introduced to music that makes you feel as though you are floating while you listen. It’s just pure goodness to your soul…and makes you feel so damn good! Since 2010, Arise Roots from Los Angeles, California has brought true reggae into a genre (and a country) that is constantly […]

Get to know rising alt band Karalyn and the Dawn Patrol

Today I got to have a sit down with Karalyn Woulas, lead singer of the Cocoa Beach band Karalyn and The Dawn Patrol. This four-piece band has sounds inspired by rock, punk and alternative melodies and consist of surfers, Space Force and Space Alliance engineers, a Cocoa Beach city commissioner, a Berkeley graduate and one […]

Shooting the sh*t with Sublime tribute band Badfish

I was fully stoked to have a sit-down with Joel Hanks of Badfish — a bassist extraordinaire who shares his story of his band and his brothers. And, when I say ‘brothers’, I mean Scott Begin on drums, Pat Downs on lead vocals and guitar, and Danny on horns.  This is their journey to (40 […]

JELEEL!, the black Jeff Hardy

At the start of a great weekend at Made in America Festival, the third performance of the day on the Freedom Stage was the back-flipping, real raw energy of JELEEL! YEAH! JELEEL! Reining from Rhode Island, JELEEL! moved to Maryland before Los Angeles to chase his rap dreams. He formed his musical style around drill, […]

A talk with Jeremy Anderson of TreeHouse!

I had a great feeling this band was all about the great vibes… I got to talk with TreeHouse!, a reggae rock band that puts you in such a great space in your mind and soul when listening to their music. When their music comes on, all of a sudden, you feel light… you feel […]

An interview with Jared Watson of Dirty Heads

I had a quick phone call with Jared Watson of Dirty Heads (and his cooing infant son strapped to his chest!) during a home break on the tail-end of their now-finished Let’s Get It Kraken Tour, featuring SOJA, Tribal Seeds, Artikal Sound System and The Elovaters. What to talk about with Jared Watson…? Where do […]

Tropidelic comments on ‘All The Colors’ album, Everwild & more

Punchy, funky reggae rock-hip hop group Tropidelic hosted their self-created and produced festival, Everwild, this past weekend on August 12th and 13th in Legend Valley outside of Cleveland, Ohio. On the heels of Tropidelic’s seventh studio album, All The Colors, released via Ineffable Records on August 5th, the camping festival lineup included headliner Dirty Heads, […]

The Elovaters talks with Top Shelf at Cali Roots 2022

Top Shelf Music journalist Allie Adams interviews The Elovaters at California Roots Music and Arts Festival 2022. The Elovaters formed in 2014 and have released two full-length albums and an award-winning EP. Defy Gravity was the group’s first big record in 2018 after signing to not-for-profit record label Rootfire Cooperative. Debuting at #1 on the […]

A chat with Cydeways at California Roots 2022

Top Shelf Music journalist Allie Adams interviews Cydeways at California Roots Music and Arts Festival 2022. The band talks about upcoming projects, tour and are even surprised by Atmosphere‘s own “Slug”! You never know who’s gonna walk into the Cali Roots media room! From the band’s website: “Cydeways [is] an alternative band out of Santa […]

A chat with international reggae sensation, Dub Inc.

French reggae band Dub Inc. stole the show in Solana Beach Sunday night at the Belly Up Tavern, opening for Mike Love and his backing band, The Full Circle. This was the last night in California for the seven-piece, after a full tour of California beginning in Monterey at Cali Roots on Memorial Day Weekend. […]

An interview with Amy Sheehan of California Roots

Join us as Top Shelf Music journalist Allie Adams interviews Amy Sheehan, Operations Manager for California Roots Music and Arts Festival 2022. Amy has been a pivotal part of the festival’s growth towards becoming the FIRST green-certified festival in California. In this interview, Allie focuses on the festival’s green initiatives and why that is so […]

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 […]

How The Resinators bring Muffin But Good Vibes

If you’re a San Diego resident and a reggae lover, chances are you’ve been exposed to the growing presence of a reggae-infused bakery rising to the top known as Muffin But Good Vibes. If you’re unaware of MBGV and wondering ‘how the hell does a bakery infuse reggae??’, simply taking a look at their website […]

My Forte Artist Spotlight: Bourgeois Mystics

What do you get if you combine OutKast’s The Love Below, some “Blitzkrieg Bop”, a sprinkle of funk and groove, a smattering of Bollywood and some 80s classic rock? A recipe for success? According to Austin’s Bourgeois Mystics, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’.  I first discovered the band’s outrageous excellence early in my Austin years… it was probably 2015 […]

A look into new ‘Trip Around Saturn’ LP with Little Stranger

Alternative rock/hip hop duo Little Stranger is a name that’s growing more and more familiar within several music circles. Hitting the road hard again since April of 2021, they have been winning over audiences at notable events, such as Summer Camp Music Festival, Dirty Heads Orlando Vacation and Holidaze. To top off a successful year […]