1. Fri, March 13: Sage Francis, Ceschi (CD release), Metermaids, Storm Davis; 8pm doors / 9pm show; $13 advance / $15 day of; All ages; The Met, 1005 Main St, Pawtucket. The hardest working man in hip-hop returns to The Met. The last year has seen Sage relentlessly touring (over 100 shows last year alone) and the release of his […]
Lightning Bolt – Fantasy Empire (Thrill Jockey) The first time I experienced the rush of Lightning Bolt live was sometime in the late ’90s. I was talking to someone when Lightning Bolt, without any fanfare, launched a full-on assault. I could barely see through the crowd that was going apeshit huddled around the band playing […]
Okee dokee folks … When I was young, my first musical impressions came from what my parents played on the living room stereo. My father liked big band and 1950s music. I didn’t much like that stuff. My mother played the more popular and timely tunes. I specifically remember her playing the 45 “I’m Telling […]
If there’s one thing I learned from graduate school (and I mean curriculum-wise, not “finding myself”), it is the power of oral history as narrative. I was reminded of this genre as I interviewed Kevin Doyle, a lifelong Irish step dancer, a native Rhode Islander and the 2014 recipient of a National Heritage Fellowship — the highest […]
There is an act from up I-95 in North Attleboro, Mass., that has straight up astounded people in the Providence music scene for the last year and a half or so. The Sweet Release is a mix of hardcore punk, garage rock and a little bit of blues accented by a charisma and flair that […]
Rising from the basements of New Brunswick, NJ, to become one of the best punk rock acts in the independent music realm, Screaming Females have a knack for ripping it up with stunning guitar skills from frontwoman Marissa Paternoster, and captivating rhythms from bassist “King” Mike Abbate and drummer Jarrett Dougherty. Blowing away eardrums everywhere […]
February has left everybody in this area stir crazy. Storm after storm. Shoveling until your lower back is in constant pain and your shoulders are so sore you can barely raise your hand. Dreary gray skies and a bitter cold that instantly freezes your nostrils have kept most people inside. Even people with a full […]
On Wed, Feb 25, Providence marks an edition of the FirstWorks Artistic Icons Series taking place all over the city featuring world-renowned composer Philip Glass. FirstWorks has risen to be an important organization in the arts community of The Creative Capital, showcasing the beauty of Providence’s artistic innovation through events like this one. I had the […]
We caught up with violinist Timothy Fain and asked him a few questions about his upcoming Providence performance with Philip Glass for FirstWorks (at the Vets, Feb 25). What’s it like to work with Philip Glass? I’ve learned a lot from him, by doing what I love most – performing. We’re learning by doing and […]
Imagine a sound that combines the intensity and fury of Danzig-era Misfits with that classic cool of acts like Led Zeppelin and ’70s Aerosmith and you have an infectious band from Asbury Park, NJ, called The Battery Electric. Loud, energetic and always down to have a good time, this fearsome foursome have their third full length, The […]