Levitate Festival unleashes 2020 lineup

Aw…summertime at Cape Cod. What a serene experience, surrounded by bogs and marshland in every direction. The Northeast is a beautiful place, especially when the sun shines. Coupling with the warm weather are several outdoor music fests (naturally). It’s about time Massachusetts locals got to party outside. Every year, west coast residents get major FOMO […]

The Green brings the aloha to San Luis Obispo

What a great way to kick off The Green’s 10 Year Anniversary tour! The Green has been together since 2009, coming all the way from O’ahu, Hawaii to make their first celebratory stop here in my hometown at the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo — which is like my home away from home — […]

Christos DC ‘Self Evident’ album review

Rhythmic components and an intense, soulful sound emanate from the newly released 10-track album from American musician and producer Christos DC. Titled Self Evident, this album uses unparalleled beats and riffs throughout it to keep the listener engaged and attentive. This is the fifth studio release from this artist — two years in the making. […]

Julian Marley interviews days ahead of 62nd GRAMMYs

GRAMMY-nominated reggae legend Julian Marley sits down with Top Shelf Music journalist Kristy Rose, days ahead of the 62nd GRAMMY Awards in Los Angeles. Up for ‘Best Reggae Album’ for his fourth full-length album As I Am, Julian Marley shares his feelings on his first nomination from the Academy, what’s to come for 2020, how […]

Iya Terra’s Nick Sefakis debuts ‘Foundation’ solo album

Excellent news from Nick Sefakis, roots-reggae musician of the sizzling band, Iya Terra. Known for his superb guitar skills and fabulous vocals, Sefakis is excited to announce the release of his very own, self-produced full-length album he’s been working on for the last two years! At first listen, Sefakis’ musical talent shines through on Foundation, […]

Sublime With Rome hits TopGolf Las Vegas

Fans of all generations gathered together in fellowship to celebrate and venerate the music of Sublime, carried out by Sublime With Rome on January 8th at TopGolf in Las Vegas. Some wore tie-dye and flowers in their hair, many opted for a 90s grunge style, while others donned the iconic ‘Sublime sun’ on their apparel […]

BeachLife returns to Redondo May 2020

Year Two of festivals usually capitalize on where the inaugural year went right and work out the few kinks Year One went disastrously wrong. It’s a learning curve that could make or break a fest, considering music festivals are a dime a dozen these days. Some festivals, however, know how to do it right from […]

TSM #HotList: January 15th, 2020

Host Alexia Johnson is back to share the artists you should know! This week, our Top Shelf Music Artist #HotList highlights Tent City Christ, The Dirtnaps, Mo Moshiri and The Resinators — all with a diverse sound, ranging from reggae to hip hop. Make sure to follow us on Instagram @topshelfmusicmag to be the first […]

Cali Roots 2020 completes lineup with final artist announcement

California Roots Music & Arts Festival continues to impress fans with each additional lineup drop. Through the years, Cali Roots has played it safe, with artists they knew would sell to the fans who have been dedicated supporters from the beginning. It would seem that the festival decided to take a new approach to the […]

New Year’s Eve with The Hip Abduction

Everyone packed in and crowded the streets (and surrounding local bars) in downtown St. Petersburg, prepared to rock out all night long as the New Year’s Eve party began. At the center of it all, Jannus Live welcomed The Hip Abduction and Artikal Sound System, who threw a raging party with their amazing energy and […]

Stick Figure sells out San Diego’s Belly Up Tavern, twice

The week between Christmas and New Year’s is always a time warp, filled with general hibernation from the holidays all-around. Yet, despite the odds of staying in, one reggae-rock-alt band managed to sell out a San Diego venue, not once, but TWICE. That’s right, Stick Figure — a band on top of the music scene […]

Top Shelf Music News: Episode 1

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Top Shelf Music News, with your host Matt Cook & Kristy Rose guiding you on this daring quest. It being right after the holidays, a lot is going on in the music industry, from festival announcements to new music to hot gossip of the bands you love. This episode […]

Sublime With Rome at House of Blues Anaheim

On December 27th, Sublime With Rome headlined a sold out show at the House of Blues Anaheim, directly supported by Tyrone’s Jacket. Walking around the packed House of Blues Anaheim before the show, you could feel the anticipation in the air. Everyone was excited to party hard at the pre-New Year’s show. Sublime came out […]

Coachella 2020 is here!

The moment all mainstream music lovers have all been waiting for is here — Coachella 2020 has been revealed! That magical unveiling always warrants your money well-spent if you secured your passes from festival’s pre-sale, prompting others who haven’t splurged for a ticket yet into a panic for when whatever’s leftover goes public. You never […]

WORLD VIDEO PREMIERE: Jonny Wayne “Western Man”

Jonny Wayne, known well under his former moniker Jon Wayne & the Pain, has struck out solo of late, bringing forth a whole new look with familiar vibes. The look is mainly the hair, noticeable in this world video premiere for Wayne’s brand new track, “Western Man”. Riding the lush inlands of a tropical paradise […]