To help shine a light on the lives of working musicians, I’ve been interviewing peers of mine about their experiences performing, how they balance their lives to make the music happen, and if they see a difference between playing for art’s sake or as a job. For this second article I talked to drummer […]
Okee dokee folks… ‘Tis the season when things start wrapping up indoors and begin to crawl out into the sun and squint their light-deprived eyes. Our next issue will be the Summer Guide, which is a big issue of “must do” activities for the hot and heavy months of June, July and August. If you […]
This month, we bring you Let’s Die, a new album from Providence outfit Snowplows. The band was formed in 2012 and is made up of former members of doom noise outfit Mast and mainstay indie rockers The Brother Kite. The often eclectic sound is born out of an arrangement in which there is no frontman, […]
Sick Pills — Nothing’s Funny Anymore (75orLess Records) — Take 2 Because They Are Good for You As a hockey junky it is really amazing that I get anything done this time of year. I’ve referenced the debut album of The Blood Moons as one of my favorite local albums many times. Before that, there […]
When you go to a restaurant and see musicians playing in the corner, you may think they’re only there to have fun. However, many of these musicians are getting paid to play there as part of a full-time career in music. To shine a light on the role working musicians play, I’ll be interviewing peers […]
On April 18, New York City-based Moon Hooch dropped by Fete’s Ballroom as part of their co-headlining tour with fellow NYC group Too Many Zooz. The band is a sax and drum trio made up of saxophonists Mike Wilbur and Wenzl McGowen, and drummer James Muschler, who all met and formed the group while studying […]
Get out your hemp pencils and mark your calendars — the Great American Hemp and Blues Festival is putting tickets on sale 4/20! On July 10, this music extravaganja will take over the Earth Ballroom at Mohegan Sun. Headlining the event is Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame 2019 inductee James Montgomery, who will […]
To lead off, I have to give my support to the workers of Stop & Shop who are forced to forgo their wages while the company tries to replace them with Johnny 5s from Short Circuit. Please do not cross their picket line. Moving on… The first time I wrote about one of Jay Berndt’s bands, […]
Okee dokee folks… For some reason, the saying “you’ve got to pay your dues” has been bouncing around in my head. The late Richard Walton of Stone Soup Coffeehouse used to utter that phrase often when he was introducing musicians who had signed up for the “hoot” at the coffeehouse. I remember the first time […]
Rock Breakthrough Act: Benji’s Our 2019 Breakthrough Act’s first EP came out four years ago, but the RI community is finally starting to take notice. Much like religious minorities seeking liberty, founders Maryssa Morse Philip Geronimo came to PVD in 2014 from LA. Their music reminds me of surfy Pixies mixed with early 2000s Franz Ferdinand. […]