Worcester, MA, psych-rock act The Prefab Messiahs were a bit ahead of their time when they started out during the early ‘80s. They were doing a weird take on hypnotic ‘60s pop and raw garage rock during a time where somber post-punk and electro-fueled new wave were dominating the music spectrum. After a couple of […]
Nobody’s Boyscout is a true case of musical serendipity. They are proof-positive that the incestuous Providence music scene provides consistent opportunities for musicians to experiment and collaborate with like-minded (as well as not-so-like-minded) artists. Singer/guitarist Sean Murphy raucously screamed the origins of the band at me; “I play in another band called No Plateau. Matt […]
Some of the best music comes from ideas that are inventive. These ideas push boundaries and inspire new sounds that spark creativity. These days, who knows this better than drummer Brendan Canty and bassist Joe Lally. As the rhythm section for punk legends Fugazi, they were the anchor behind a band that turned an entire […]
In an age where the mass populace is questioning rock ‘n’ roll’s legitimacy due to the mass proliferation of pop and due to hip-hop’s rise in record sales, bands like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are still sticking around. The group from Los Angeles have always set themselves apart from their contemporaries with a leather-clad sound […]
Providence’s music scene in 2017 went through some changes. Longtime venue Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel underwent under a renovation and became The Strand Ballroom and Theatre. Aurora and Firehouse 13 both closed up shop, the latter an incubator during the late 2000s for a lot of bands currently affiliated with the city’s music scene. Despite a […]
This isn’t a particularly uplifting time; the recent deep freeze has turned these parts into a dreary hellscape for what seems like a decade, and at this point in the year some people won’t even get a day off till Memorial Day. Fortunately, the musical community doesn’t slow down very much, so there are more than […]
Okee dokee folks… Last week I had the pleasure of being included in the sold-out Tom Petty tribute show at the Columbus Theatre. Initially I wasn’t part of the line-up, but someone canceled about a week before the show and I was able to fill in. Most of the Petty songs that I knew were chosen […]
1. Friday, January 19: Michael Ian Black; 7pm doors / 8pm show; $35 / $39; All ages; Greenwich Odeum, 59 Main St, East Greenwich. I don’t think there has ever been a show that felt more like it was made specifically for me than “The State” did when I was a teenager. “The State” was a skit show that aired for […]
Portsmouth’s David Zinno is one of New England’s premier jazz string bassist. He studied at the University of Rhode Island and Berklee College, then began his long professional career in 1980. Dave moved to Seattle, Washington, for a year where he accompanied Grammy Award winning vocalist and pianist Dianne Schuur and many other West Coast […]
The jam band scene in New England is a very talented one. Numerous acts incorporate styles of funk, reggae, folk and progressive rock to capture a feeling that’s contagious. The Boston-born act Dopapod, currently based in Brooklyn, has a vintage style of prog rock that’s uniquely wonderful. They’ll be coming to Providence to get weird […]