The Sisters of Mercy & Blaqk Audio bring darkwave to San Diego

Self-proclaimed ‘intellectual love gods’ The Sisters of Mercy brought their headlining North American tour to San Diego’s Cal Coast Credit Open Air Theater on October 5th, 2024. Alongside them were dark electro-pop Blaqk Audio — the side project of AFI’s Davey Havoc and Jade Puget. Frontman Havok commanded the stage with energy, twisting and twirling […]

How dark & dreary! Cruel World returns to Pasadena May of 2025

Goldenvoice is going gothic yet again, with another installment announced for what has come to be the annual mecca of the morose and misunderstood — Cruel World Festival. Now in its fourth year, Cruel World in Pasadena, California has welcomed post-punk and New Wave legends to the stage such as Iggy Pop, Siouxsie Sioux, Morrissey, […]

Desert Daze unveils astounding Artist Transmission for 2024

Calling all evolved Earthlings! It’s almost time to meet in the Valley of the Unbroken Horizon (aka, Moreno Beach in Perris, California) for yet another transcendent experience at Desert Daze — one of the last true music festivals left on this planet. Originating over a decade ago, Desert Daze is an annual get-together of like-minded […]

No Values Festival 2024

No Values Festival on June 8th, 2024 was a celebration of punk rock, capturing the raw energy and rebellious spirit that has defined the genre for decades. With four stages and a lineup featuring both legendary acts and emerging talents, the festival presented by Goldenvoice took place at the Fairplex in Pomona, California; it was […]

Echo & The Bunnymen at San Diego’s Observatory Theater

It was a chillier evening than you’d expect for June 10th in San Diego, as I stood shivering outside the Observatory Theater in North Park. Some would object to the chill, but I thought it only fitting for the ever-enticing Echo & The Bunnymen. You see, in my experience, Echo has always been mysterious. And […]

The Slashes says goodbye to close a friend in “Limo Tint”

The genre of darkwave capitalizes on feelings of emptiness, apathy, and futility to sell records… but that only scratches the surface. Sure, the guitar most often pierces a post punk song layered with a hefty amount of reverb, guiding the listener through somber sounds and monotone vocals until the very end. But there are also […]

Princess Goes gets spacy synthy at San Diego’s Music Box

It’s Friday night at the Music Box in downtown San Diego… the Friday following New Year’s Eve (a mere five days prior), meaning most inhabitants of this coastal town are in hibernation mode until further notice. But not the synth-loving, darkwave fans of Princess Goes — a sonically progressive band led by renowned actor Michael […]

Urban Heat shares origins & 2024 outlook at Darker Waves Fest

In November 2023, the inaugural Darker Waves Festival wowed New Wave fans with its impressively iconic 80s and darkwave headliners, such as New Order, Tears for Fears, She Wants Revenge, and Echo and the Bunnymen. This festival also featured a slew of great performances beyond the headliners, with many festival-goers finding new bands to love […]

A Danny Elfman experience leaves San Diego stunned

There are few who deny that what Danny Elfman does, he is the best. A singer-songwriter, a film composer, a keyboardist, percussionist, an 80s icon… by 2023, what hasn’t Danny Elfman tried his hand at? Turns out, he’s not finished. What started as a pre-pandemic inkling has turned into the most eye-capturing, enveloping experience the […]

Darker Waves are washing over Huntington Beach this fall

Dive into the depths of the darkwave music scene of the 80s, 90s, and beyond as Darker Waves Music Festival washes over Huntington Beach, California this fall. The inaugural festival promises an electrifying lineup, with headliners exciting for any music enthusiast like New Order, Tears for Fears, Echo & The Bunnymen, and The B-52’s. With […]