Cali Roots 2020 takes shape

Following a landmark year is hard to do, plain and simple. Among festivals celebrating a decade in the biz last May was Monterey’s reggae rock meets hip hop conglomeration, California Roots Music & Arts Festival. Starting from a low-key hangout for reggae lovers has now morphed into a movement beyond measure. Celeb sightings abound as […]

Bastille & Joywave at The Greek

Bastille continues their North American tour this fall, spending the night of Saturday, October 12th October at the beautiful Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. This tour was in support of their new album Doom Days, which was just released this past June. They brought their American fans an outstanding set of 20 songs, along with […]

Dry Diggings 2019: Day Two

Dry Diggings Music and Art Festival 2019 was like an afterparty for the summer, a place connecting people through reggae more every day. Every few steps, you ran into some person you haven’t seen in a couple months. The whole weekend had an amazing lineup and Friday had already got the ball rolling. Dry Diggings […]

Lana Del Rey brings joy to San Diego

What to say about Lana Del Rey… The renowned ‘Xanax rock’ queen has had anthems in big budget Hollywood films, been recognized several times by the GRAMMY Academy and has garnered countless hours of radio play over six studio albums — on top of being drop-dead gorgeous. But, one thing I didn’t understand until the […]

Van Morrison serenades San Diego

It was a marvelous night for a moondance when Van Morrison fans lined the seating of the North Island Credit Union Amphitheater in Chula Vista, CA on October 8th. Motown queen Mavis Staples opened the night, with her soulful voice blending well with her jiving backing band. Everyone was clapping along as they were finding […]

How Lana Del Rey dazzled Sacramento

It was a beautiful night in Sacramento on October 8th… 73 degrees and the sky was dimly lit, yet full of stars. There were two large lines of excited fans circling around the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium. As the crowds entered the venue, many were walking as fast as they could to the pit and seats. […]

Greta Van Fleet at the Hollywood Palladium

Young rising hard rock stars Greta Van Fleet continue their March of the Peaceful Army sold-out world tour, supporting their first full-length studio album Anthem of the Peaceful Army. In October, GVF had two shows in Los Angeles on the 5th and 6th at The Hollywood Palladium. The first of two shows, the 5th fell […]

Reggae on the Mountain 2019: Day Two

Reggae lovers headed back to the stages set up at the gorgeous and expansive King Gillette Ranch for Day Two of the 10th Annual Reggae on the Mountain. Starting the day off on the right foot, Gondwana took the stage to happy attendees. Many attendees brought blankets, lawn chairs and tents, making the choice to sit […]

Angels & Airwaves at House of Blues San Diego

It was a night of SoCal musical celebration as Angels & Airwaves brought a two-night epic tour to the House of Blues Saturday, October 5th and Sunday, October 6th in San Diego. Opening the night was Los Angeles-based alternative band Charming Liars, whose stage presence and chemistry grabbed the crowd’s attention from the start of […]

KAABOO Del Mar 2019: Day One

A rush of anticipation hit Del Mar, California at the crack of noon on Day One of the 5th Annual KAABOO Del Mar Festival. The best weekend of the year was upon SoCal residents and everyone came prepared. The first of three days of A-list entertainment kicked off with turn-of-Millennium alt rock band Plain White […]

Ingrid Michaelson at San Diego’s Observatory North Park

Ingrid Michaelson kicked off The Dramatic Tour this Thursday, October 3rd at San Diego’s Observatory North Park. Starting off the show was talented singer-songwriter/musician Maddie Poppe, known for winning Season 16 of Fox’s American Idol. Coming a long way from a small town in Iowa, Poppe was invited to tour with Ingrid one year following […]

Millencolin at San Diego’s Belly Up Tavern

Millencolin’s SOS World Tour graced San Diego with an unforgettable night, packed with early 2000s punk nostalgia. Old punk heads, like myself, moshed, crowd surfed and raged all night to howling guitars and snapping drum snares. The moment the pit started to swirl, it was like stepping out of a time machine and into the […]

The enigmatic Same Same But Different 2019 experience

Same Same But Different Festival, familiarly ‘SSBD’, kicked off their second year in flying forum on September 20th, 2019! Even before entering the gates, crowds were pulling up to the site and the energy that transcended down from the Lake Perris campgrounds was already unmatched. All of the parking attendants were jamming on ukuleles, drinking […]

Dry Diggings 2019: Day One

Dry Diggings Festival marks the end of summer in true reggae fashion! Brought to be by the curators of California Roots Fest, Dry Diggings 2019 began on August 30th (officially kicking off Labor Day Weekend). With music by CRSB, Kash’d Out, Fia and Ballyhoo!, Dry Diggings was off to a great start by midday. Dry […]

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, […]