Concert Reviews
The Agony and Ecstasy of Morrissey at Riot Fest 2021: Concert Review
“Should he say the things he truly feels,” Morrissey sang to open his 2021 Riot Fest headlining performance, “And not the words of one who kneels?” With this snippet of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” you could sense something bubbling just below the surface. The man who called the pandemic a “Con-vid,” and supported the far right, anti-Islam political party For Britain was a last-minute replacement for Nine Inch Nails, and from the very beginning he seemed to bristle with purpose. But the former frontman of The Smiths wouldn’t let it overtake the concert. And so he charged into one of the most bizarre shows in recent memory. A parade of subtle political imagery flashed across a projector screen while Morrissey threw himself into the unrelated performance below. Except for a few brief,...
My Morning Jacket Return Rock to Forest Hills Stadium: Concert Review
In August of 2019, My Morning Jacket performed at Queen’s Forest Hills Stadium, part of a special four-show stretch after a nearly two-year hiatus. The gigs were also billed as their last for a potentially longer period (and that was even without the unexpected virus that shelved all live music for over a year). Thankfully, the threat of another break — or full-on retirement — was staved off by the shows themselves, inspiring the band to get back in the studio and continue on. Two years and one month later, MMJ returned to Forest Hills on Friday, September 10th for the first concert of a two-night stint. A new self-titled record — their first freshly recorded material in six years — is on the horizon; pandemic lockdowns are in the rearview (for now); and the Jacket’s brand of jammy, psyche...
In Lieu of ‘Roo: A Recap of Phoebe Bridgers, Brittany Howard, and Sylvan Esso in Nashville
Following the cancellation of Bonnaroo 2021, in which Hurricane Ida rendered the campgrounds and festival site unusable just days before kickoff, artists are seeking ways to still connect with fans. Among the acts already in middle Tennessee announcing last-minute shows are Leon Bridges, The Band Camino, and Zach Bryan. Saturday, September 4th featured one of the more stacked impromptu lineups of the weekend when Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville welcomed Sylvan Esso, Brittany Howard, and Phoebe Bridgers (with a negative COVID test or proof of vaccination required for entry). Stretching over four hours, the show allowed ample time onstage for all the artists. As Phoebe Bridgers put it, glancing at the nearly 7,000 people gathered in downtown Nashville, “Bonnaroo would’ve been tight…but this...
NYC Homecoming Concert Recap: Thunderstorms Cut the Event Short, But Santana, Jennifer Hudson and More Still Dazzled
The We Love NYC: The Homecoming Concert, an evening meant to symbolize celebration and hope, ended on a bummer of a note at Central Park on Saturday night (August 21st). Hurricane Henrí’s encroachment proved to be too much for the event, and soon after the concert’s halfway point, the show was cancelled due to hazardous weather conditions. New York City mayor Bill de Blasio had hyped it as “one of the greatest Central Park concerts in history,” which might have been true, had it actually finished. As the night wore on, more and more grey clouds loomed, adding to the anxiety of the evening. For many, it was hard not to think about the grave reality we still face with the surge of the Delta variant of COVID-19. Despite the entire crowd being fully vaccinated, the underlying implications of p...
Anthrax Celebrate 40 Years of Thrash with Career-Spanning Livestream Concert: Review
Setting the Stage: It’s hard to believe, but this year marks the 40th anniversary of the formation of thrash metal pioneers Anthrax. Considered to be one of the “Big 4” of thrash (along with Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth), the band — which since 2013 has featured a lineup comprised of singer Joey Belladonna, guitarists Scott Ian and Jon Donais, bassist Frank Bello, and drummer Charlie Benante — undoubtedly would have preferred to celebrate this impressive career accomplishment with a thorough world tour, but instead offered up a virtual worldwide concert event. Anthrax officially formed on July 18th, 1981, and the metal legends started the 40th anniversary celebration a couple months back with a video series documenting their illustrious career through testimonials from the band members ...
At Miley Cyrus’ Intimate Pride Concert in Nashville, Love and Rainbows Were in the Air
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-06-09T14:30:47+00:00“>June 9, 2021 | 10:30am ET On Tuesday night (June 8th), the church pews of the famed Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee were rumbling with all the energy of a revival: service was in session, hosted by one of the city’s most famous exports, Miley Cyrus. A true homecoming, Cyrus spent the evening taping a Pride-themed special both grandiose and intimate in scale thanks to the venue’s capacity, which was just shy of 2,500 guests. The no-phone/camera show was ticketed via lottery exclusively to vaccinated residents of Music City — and Nashville came ready to dance. Cyrus’ connection to the LGBTQ+ community is longstanding and well-documented. Her Happy Hippie...
Concert Review: Korn Deliver “Monumental” Livestream Performance
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-04-26T16:38:47+00:00“>April 26, 2021 | 12:38pm ET Setting the Stage: Like most artists who released new albums in late 2019, Korn did not get the opportunity to mount a widespread tour in support of The Nothing – as the COVID-19 pandemic took care of that (particularly a summer 2020 outing that would have seen them co-headlining with Faith No More). So, why not a global streaming event? Titled “Korn: Monumental”, the performance was broadcast Saturday (April 24th) from the set of the interactive Stranger Things: The Drive-Into Experience in Los Angeles, and produced by Danny Wimmer Presents (known for rock festivals like Sonic Temple, Aftershock, Louder Than Life, and more). Taking ...
Concert Review: Philip Anselmo Celebrates Pantera Classics and Deep Cuts with Livestream Show
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-04-10T16:53:18+00:00“>April 10, 2021 | 12:53pm ET Setting the Stage: Before worldwide touring was shut down due to the pandemic, Philip H. Anselmo and the Illegals provided hard-hitting support on Slayer’s farewell tour in late 2019 by offering up a set full of Pantera classics. But for obvious reasons, the band was unable to build upon the buzz in 2020. So, how about a streamed concert performance dubbed “A Vulgar Display of Pantera Live”? Sadly, the idea of a Pantera reunion is no longer feasible following the tragic deaths of legendary brothers Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul. The band’s iconic singer, Philip Anselmo, has opted to keep the band’s spirit and music alive with these...
Julien Baker Brings Us Close to Little Oblivions at Nashville’s Analog: Review
Got Enough Gas: There’s music that makes you think and music that makes you want to move, and there’s Julien Baker. The songwriter has an uncanny talent for considering the underlying motivations for her own feelings and actions, and the result is often visceral music that hypnotizes the attention of the listener and prompts self-reflection, sometimes feeling deeply difficult and deeply healing at once — which is maybe part of the point. Baker released Little Oblivions last month and received instant praise for its bold and self-conscious digs into complex questions of addiction, survival, mental illness, and second chances. The album marked an evolution for Baker’s music into a fuller band sound, after she probed the depths of acoustic alt-folk in her first two albums and united her talen...
Redman, Method Man, and H.E.R. Join D’Angelo’s Verzuz in a Celebration of Live Music: Review
For music lovers, the COVID-19 pandemic effectively put an end to live performances for the foreseeable future. Many venues across the country have temporally (or permanently) closed or now operate with capacity restrictions. Never again will we take for granted the sweet simplicity of being able to catch our favorite artist/band in concert. But one of the few positive things to happen for live music during all the insanity that has taken place over the last year and counting is the emergence of the Verzuz series. Curated by super producers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, who dueled in the first battle last March, Verzuz gave fans a lifeline as we sat at home watching our favorite producers and singers reminisce about the creation of their classic songs, many of which have defined hip-hop and R...
BTS Bring the Fire and Set the Night Alight on MTV Unplugged: Review
Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generation: Recently, there’s been a growing divide between millennials and gen-z: side parts and skinny jeans are out. Different emojis are in. End up on the wrong end of the divide, and you’re in a tough spot. MTV Unplugged feels much more associated with the millennials, first airing in 1989 and rising to prominence in the ‘90s, ushering in many performances that have since become the stuff of legend. In 1992, Eric Clapton’s Unplugged album became the best-selling live album of all time. Mariah Carey’s episode marked a shift in her public reception and launched her cover of “I’ll Be There” to No. 1. MTV as a whole now often feels associated with a nostalgic time of TRL, flannels, and Blockbuster, but rest assured, millennials — if BTS is doing it, it’s still cool. The m...
BLACKPINK Light up the Sky Again with THE SHOW: Review
To paraphrase Wendy Williams: BLACKPINK? They’ve got a point: they are legends, and they are the moment. The pop quartet — made up of Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa — made a joyful return to the stage Saturday with their livestream concert, “THE SHOW”. It was just October of 2020 that the group released their debut full-length album (aptly titled THE ALBUM) following years of chart-smashing singles and EPs. Having already conquered international markets and ascended to unparalleled heights for a South Korean girl group, it’s easy to forget that, in terms of releases, BLACKPINK have only started to scratch the surface. Streamed through YouTube by the band’s label, YG Entertainment, “THE SHOW” was a spectacle indeed, involving a live band, a legion of backup dancers, and performance premieres...
