CULTS @ PARADISE 1.21.12

The rush of a sold out show for such a new band might have been the reason for the massive line of early shivering fans outside the venue. Giddy excitement was written all over many faces, but these Cults fans were in for two unexpected openers to say the least. Dirty Fences walked on with the tasseled leather jackets of a bike gang and a 80s punk sound. Pumping fists… continue reading

Coachella Line-Up 2012

This year’s Coachella line-up has a palette for everyone’s tastes. Artists range from Swedish DJ and master of house music, Avicii, to the melodious, indie-folk band, Bon Iver. Genres at the newly crowned two-weekend festival include techno, hip-hop, indie rock, folk, blues, garage rock, psychedelia and electronic. The sold-out festival has been catering to a mighty desert folk for thirteen years and this year’s line up recruited some of the… continue reading

The Weeknd – Echoes of Silence

Moldy | Stale | Edible | Fresh | Tasty!

“And it hurts to accept what I am, and how I live and what I do. But I’ve been good since Thursday,” The Weeknd croons on “The Fall,” hinting that he has settled into his fame. The mysterious R&B singer ended 2011 with, Echoes of Silence, his third mixtape of the year. Released on December 21 immediately after Drake dropped his video for “The Motto” at midnight, it seemed like the OVOXO team had… continue reading

Skrillex – Bangarang

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Sonny Moore has his place in the world; this much cannot be denied. The renegade post-hardcore vocalist has besieged mainstream dance culture since becoming Skrillex four years ago. The past two years yielded four colossally successful extended plays, of which Bangarang is the most recent and the final installment before Skrillex’s first studio album, Voltage, expected later this year. So, it’s like I said: Skrillex has found an incredibly fruitful… continue reading

Avicii @ Pier 94 12.31.11

Heaven has been depicted as a place of perfection, a world of utmost bliss where problems cease to exist and all of the world’s greatest questions are answered.  It may not be kosher to make the comparison but I’m having a hard time illustrating Avicii on New Years Eve any other way. The Swedish sensation, Tim Bergling, has been at the forefront of the most recent movement of electronic/house music. … continue reading

A Q&A with Joe Nice

  On paper, Joe Nice and dubstep are a bit of an odd couple.  While dubstep has found success in understatement – bare percussion, minimalist sub-bass, and a squinty, red-eyed gaze – Joe Nice thrives on a bold personality, off-beat catchphrases, and a contagious enthusiasm for music.  Sporting an easy demeanor, a bald head glistening with sweat, and a steady stream of conversation, he helps fill in the blanks left… continue reading

Gotye – Making Mirrors

Moldy | Stale | Edible | Fresh | Tasty!

Rock and pop flourish on Gotye’s highly anticipated American release of Making Mirrors. Multi-instrumentalist Wally De Backer is the genius behind Gotye, creating a sound much larger than himself. Five years since his previous release “Like Drawing Blood,” it becomes clear why De Backer waited so long. “Making Mirrors” and “Easy Way Out” are short and sweet numbers to start off the album. The first is a shoe-gaze track that… continue reading

A Q&A with Brian Fallon (The Gaslight Anthem/ The Horrible Crowes)

As the bearer of good news, Brian Fallon shared the night with some fans in AfterHours for a solo acoustic performance. If this year’s release of his project, The Horrible Crowes’ album Elsie was not enough to keep fans satisfied, he announced that night that The Gaslight Anthem’s new album will be released sometime this summer (2012). As such a busy writing year for Fallon, he only showed the upmost… continue reading

The Bouncing Souls @ The Stone Pony 12.27.11

Although it was The Bouncing Souls’ Fifth Annual Home for the Holidays Event in Asbury Park, NJ, this concert was my first time experiencing the band live. And, as it turns out, I shouldn’t have waited five years. There is something very satisfying about seeing a band in concert and finding that they sound just as good live as on their albums, if not better. Three opening acts supported the headliner: Title… continue reading