2011 is a year in which I’ve seen bands such as Volbeat, Alter Bridge, Puddle of Mudd and Clutch, but last Thursday’s “Evening with Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman” could easily be considered the heaviest of the bunch. Not in the traditional sense, mind you, but in a more heavenly sense that allows for the … Continue reading Anderson and Wakeman at Kleinhans Music Hall (2011)
When Creed called it quits in 2004, the public’s reaction was anything but typical. Rather than millions of fans crying foul and expressing their undying affection for all things Scott Stapp, we heard nothing but jubilation from pundits who had reached wit’s end regarding the band’s bloated brand of theological post-grunge. Despite being one of … Continue reading Alter Bridge tears up Town Ballroom (2011)
As a music journalist, I’m often confronted with the contention that quality music just isn’t being written or performed anymore, that any composition worth its salt has already been chewed up and spit back out into the public sphere by a corporately controlled organism that feeds off hype and pusillanimity. MTV is anathema to music … Continue reading Allen Toussaint brings the Bayou to The Bear’s Den
If someone asked what you look for in a guitarist, what would you say? Would you emphasize the ability to tackle every style regardless of difficulty? Would you harp on the possession a universal tone capable of removing all doubt as to who’s responsible for the sounds coming out of your speakers? Or, would you … Continue reading Adrian Belew is always moving forward (2014)
Adelita’s Way sounds exactly the way you would expect a band from Las Vegas to sound. They have an unrefined aggression to their songwriting that radiates with the type of indignation and salacity one would associate with Sin City. Just listen to various tracks from 2011’s “Home School Valedictorian,” and you’ll hear a band trying … Continue reading An Interview with Adelita’s Way vocalist Rick DeJesus (2012)
From the days of Leif Garrett singing “Da Doo Ron Ron” to Tiffany serenading malls throughout the world during the 1980s, the business of being a teen idol has been a cautionary one. On the one hand, the industry tries to pigeonhole you into playing the same bright-eyed youngster that made you famous, while, on … Continue reading Aaron Carter hopes that his party isn’t over yet (2013)
Wednesday night marked the third time in four years that Five Finger Death Punch (5FDP) injected its über-masculine strain of groove metal straight into the veins of The Rapids Theatre. If you take into account shows at both Town Ballroom and Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Western New York has been certifiably rife with knuckleheads … Continue reading Five Finger Death Punch at the Rapids Theatre (2013)
3 Doors Down catered to a sold-out Seneca Niagara Events Center last night, but I’d be willing to wager a small fortune that they could have just as easily wandered into any establishment on Third Street and assimilated without the faintest whiff of fanfare. Despite selling more than 20 million albums since 2000, the quintet … Continue reading 3 Doors Down Kick Out the Twang at Seneca Niagara (2014)
.38 Special’s singer/guitarist Don Barnes might be the unsung hero of 2013’s summer concert season. Performing without founding member Donnie Van Zant, Barnes led the band onto the Artpark stage equipped to handle any musical challenge standing in its way. It was in his eyes all night, a sense of resolve regarding his ability to … Continue reading .38 Special and Blue Oyster Cult at Artpark (2013)
Music N' Other Drugs 