Recent years have shown a steady increase in punk rock’s leading men slinging an acoustic guitar around their shoulder and making the exodus (if only temporary) into a fledgling solo folk career. This trend has seen an incredible display of songwriting muscle from Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music), Tim Barry (Avail), and Frank Turner (Million Dead), as well as projects like Drag the River, a band which has boasted talent from the likes of ALL, the Nobodys, Armchair Martian, and many other Colorado bands. With the already long,...

The world’s biggest D.I.Y.  Punk band, NOFX, is still at it, releasing The Longest EP on August 17th – what could unofficially be considered the follow-up to the recent greatest hits-type release from 2004, The Greatest Songs Ever Written (By Us!). The album consists of an epic compilation of tracks selected from their numerous EPs and B-Sides, rather than from full-length studio releases.  For NOFX fans, most, if not all, of the songs are familiar, but there is definitely enough meat on this bone to give it a try and if...

Why do most people have such discontent with music like Dave Matthews or Jack Johnson that never stray from a basic formula of love, having a peaceful good time, togetherness, flip-flops, pineapples, doing good things in this world, and just sitting in a circle of friends on the beach playing guitar and sipping on rum? What is to not like about it? Do positive vibes scratch at these people’s very core? What is it about this music that when these people hear it they say something like, “This music is for liberal fags!...

I hope people weren’t expecting relief from the heat at Tuesday’s Primus show, because it was just as hot in the Uptown Theatre last night as it was outside, all day.  In fact, had they not opened up air-conditioned resting areas, they would probably have just been rescuing people from total heat exhaustion all night, and at a completely sold-out show like this one, I’m sure it would have been a big issue.  I’ve been to some hot concerts before, but at this one, I think the Uptown could have made a run for the record...

Alright let’s do the damn thing! The Vans Warped Tour was one hell of a hot day- some eight-odd hours of music and sun. It would be the day of the greatest test of my novice journalism skills. All I knew was that I was interviewing and reviewing some giant roster of bands. Instead of preparing lots of questions from hours of research and having a whole-balanced breakfast before the show, I simply just stayed up all night, didn’t write a single question, and had some lettuce and coffee for breakfast. I felt this would make...

The men want to be her, the women want to be with her. Tonight the Sprint Center packed to capacity to see an electrifying night with Lady Gaga. But first, the openers, Semi Precious Weapons. The four piece band originates from New York, same as Gaga. While just seeing guitarist Stevy Pyne, bassist Cole Whittle and drummer Dan Crean one would think this is just another dirty grunge rock band that lucked out of playing the dingy dive bars from whence they came. That is, until you set eyes on Justin Tranter the lead singer of SPW....

Liars are one of those bands that I think most have heard before, but never seen live and probably don’t know much about. It was the same for me even after seeing them for the third time, this time at The Bottleneck in Lawrence, KS; they still maintained that air of mystery. Even going so far as to have the drummer, Julian Gross, sit down next to me to watch the opening act, John Wiese, and deny he was part of the band and then proceeded to ask me for two hair bands for his hair, which he later put into braids. The set...

It wasn’t hell, though I can’t imagine it being much worse. So was the case at The Granada for the Minus the Bear show Tuesday July 13 in Lawrence. Arriving shortly before the opener LA based trio Mini Mansions brought their stripped down setup to the stage. The Granada was like a moist oven. It felt as if it was easily ninety five degrees or so in the room. All I could think about before the music began was that I made a very bad choice wearing jeans and how ridiculous it was for the venue to charge two dollars for water...

Before today I was an outsider, not in on the secret that is Sundowner. Before today, I had no clue that Chris McCaughan was pouring his heart out on vinyl; I had no clue that Chicago had such a gem hidden in their windy city. It’s not that I don’t try and seek out these hidden gems, it’s just hard not to get lost in the constant bombardment that is music now a days. Well, that being said I’m not the whisper kind of guy. I like to scream from rooftops and make sure everyone loves what I love. When I become...

The plan was simple. Wake up by 4p.m. and avoid the clash of ideas with the priest upstairs, pick up my girlfriend from her workplace, and then drive to Grinders to do the job. Watch the Modest Mouse show and have a fast and fun time, but the day was destined for ugly failure. I woke up at 6p.m. in the basement of what could be considered a cowardly man’s church. I quickly looked for my keys and wallet, then went upstairs to find the priest just sitting there waiting to spew regurgitated knowledge of what he thought was...

The 2010 Unity Tour (a.k.a. The Red, White and Blow it Out Your Ass Concert, if you listen to 96.5 The Buzz) did a pretty good job of bringing together different kinds of people, as its name implies.  Despite a slightly less-than-expected crowd, Pepper, The Offspring, and 311 delivered a show full of fan favorites for the die-hards that didn’t listen to the predictions of rain and severe weather.  In fact, the night was cool, there was a slight breeze for all the sweet smells associated with a 311 show to waft on, and it...

The memory I have of my first exposure to Santa Cruz melodic hardcore stalwarts Good Riddance places me as a fresh-faced 14 year old, barely into my freshman year of high school, and not long after discovering the joys of the punk rock compilation. See, I was the kid who would sit near the back of the class, pretending to pay attention but sneaking earphones in and listening to whatever Punk-O-Rama or Fat Music compilation had been released that year. I find it fitting, then, that the first GR song I remember hearing, “Stand,”...

Think for yourself, question authority… so the show began at the sold out packed to the rafters Sprint Center on Friday night in Kansas City. The energy level went through the roof as the Los Angeles-based progressive metal band opened with a small video segment of that phrase being repeated as the band came to the stage. They ripped into the thirteen minute “Third Eye” from their 1996 release Ænima. On an evening when the setlist would feature tracks primarily from that era forward. Case in point “Third...

John and Josh had the chance to see AutoVaughn and Cage the Elephant in Kansas City on Thursday night check out their review below. Josh also had a chance to catch up with AutoVaughn before the show you can see his interview here. by Josh Davis and John Coovert

Alright, alright, alright. We have a sound of perfection on our hands this week and you just don’t hear that kind of sound enough now-a-days. We have a sound that involves powerful statements about getting rotten queens off the money and on the chopping block, and who can’t agree with that?  We have a song about Scotland and a song about riding motorcycles and a few songs about drinking, partying, and whiskey heaven…. That’s right. Like I said, we have pure perfection on our hands, especially for someone like me who...