LouFest returns for its 4th annual Summer festival taking place in Central Fields of Forest Park in St. Louis, MO. This year they have pushed the date back a few weeks from late August to early September, meaning we may luck out with highs near 95 instead of 106. But it is St. Louis, so there is also a chance of snow and somehow even a hurricane. This year we can also welcome the idea of expanding the festival to take up ... Read More

What can I say, I could probably end my concert going career after seeing one of the greats Shirley Manson, she is the core of every girl fronted rock band that has came along today. For me she was one of the first female fronted bands that I started listening to years ago. Garbage was formed in Wisconsin in 1994, and honestly I can't remember what I was doing in 1994, but I do know when Shirley started singing "I'm only happy when ... Read More

Meat Puppets- 04/02/2013 John And Peters - New Hope, Pennsylvania Words/Photos/Videos - Jay Porks We're gonna put this in the first 25 words because it's that important: John and Peters in New Hope is the most amazing place in the world! This little place on a little street in a little town, the perfect way to dive into our 2nd night of seeing the Meat Puppets. It's this tiny bar with a sliding door leading 3 steps down to the basement in the back with ... Read More

Dessa, A. Wolf and Her Claws, Farout and Dj Mahf Words/Photo's by BeezNutzSTL Each year thousands of artist converge on Austin, Tx for the annual South By Southwest Music Festival. Many of them book shows throughout the midwest en route to the Music Fest each year. This year Dessa announced a show at The Firebird in St. Louis, and I made sure I had that night off. The day started off rainy, and very gloomy, a normal wet and cold St. Louis afternoon. My ... Read More

Road To Paid Dues, The Gramophone, 03/05/13 Photo's/Words : BeezNutzSTL Paid Dues is a independent hip hop festival held annually in Pomona, California. This week some of my favorite artist came out to rock The Gramophone in St. Louis on The Road To Paid Dues tour. Thanks to my good friends Kathy and Curtis, I have known about and been a fan of Prof for years now. My friends Kathy, Curtis and I all decided to meet up and ride downtown together. That way we ... Read More

It’s very rare these days that I get inspired to bust out a review of a concert, but after seeing Dope last night, I couldn’t wait to pump this review out. I’ve been a fan of Dope ever since their first album, “Felons and Revolutionaries” came out in 1999. I was first turned on to them because when that album came out, I was working at a music store. We got a promo copy of the album and every night after we ... Read More

Soundgarden - 01/23/2013 Hammerstein Ballroom - New York City Words/Photos/Video - Jay Porks Episode 82 If this was my start to 2013, then boy is it going to be tons of musical fun. What goes on people, welcome yourselves to yet another Jay Porks Experience. Tonight it's Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City to see Soundgarden, who are on the 2nd night of a back to back here at this dreadful venue located at 34th and 8th. It's 15 degrees outside and I don't have any ... Read More

WAKARUSA / May 30-June 2, 2013 / Ozark, AR For the 10th straight year the Wakarusa Festival will return bringing 4 days of music, camping, and all around shenanigans to Mulberry Mountain. Starting in Lawrence, Kansas way back in 2004 before relocating to the paradise that is Mulberry Mountain Resort in Ozark, Arkansas in 2009, Wakarusa has become one of the premiere festivals out there and they have certainly found their little slice of heaven in the Northwest corner of the state just ... Read More

It's nearing the end of the year, or if you're into it, the end of the world as we know it.  Since I've attended many shows this year(30+) and taken photographs, I thought I'd share with you a re-cap of my most favorite shows from 2012. I am going to list them in the order in which I saw them, because picking a favorite is not easy out of what I've chosen. Here we go!   1. 311 Day 03/10-03/11 MGM Grand Garden Arena, ... Read More

ZZ WARD VINTAGE VINYL 12/02/12 PHOTOS/VIDEOS/WORDS by BzNtz Before Vintage Vinyl posted a event called " ZZ Ward Instore Performance " on Facebook. I had never heard of this young rising star. I had the night off work because, I was going to see Coheed and Cambria later in the evening. So my girlfriend and I decided to hit the local record store for some free tunes first. So coming into this show, my knowledge of ZZ was extremely limited. I knew she had ... Read More

Blueprint, Mad Dukes, Mathias and The Pirates The Firebird 11/29/12 Words/Photos/Videos : BzNtz I must admit, I feel bad for sleeping on Blueprint for as long as I did. With some many choices in music these days, its easy for great artist be over looked. A few years back I saw a show he did with Atmosphere and he stole the show for me. He has so much depth, passion and great lyrics in his music. His beats are alive with his pulse, because he ... Read More

TWIZTID/HED PE/LIL WYTE/POTLUCK POP'S SAUGET, IL 11/29/12 WORDS/PHOTOS/VIDEO by BzNtz Strangely I had not heard much of this tour until a few days before the show. Fate had giving both my girl and I the night off so we set out to make the most of it. After talking to my friend Steve, he invited us out to show and talked both of us into going. In exchage we talked Steve into giving us a ride out to Pop's in Sauget, IL. Pop's is ... Read More

The Darkness (w/ The Dirty Pearls & Sweatheart) - 10/21/2012 Terminal 5 - New York City Words/Photos/Video - Jay Porks Well, today was another case of me being on my way to a bitchin' rock show while one of my professional sports teams loses in heartbreaking fashion. Thursday was the Yankees, and before tonight's show kicked off the Jets had lost in overtime. Speaking of the show- Hello everyone, and welcome to the 80th edition of the Jay Porks Never Ending Concert Series (I'm told ... Read More

Offspring w/ Neon Trees & Dead Sara - 09/09/2012 Stone Pony Summerstage - Asbury Park, NJ Words/Photos/Videos - Jay Porks Amazing how things work out sometimes, it's the whole “life evens out” thing. Great weeks you have end terribly and some of those terrible weeks end awesome. Tonight was fortunately one of the ladder as we embark on the 77th edition of the Jay Porks Never Ending Concert Series. Tonight it's the Stone Pony Summerstage in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Yea that's right, another trek ... Read More

LouFest 2012 Photo Gallery All Pictures and Video by Bradley Darby (DarbySTL on Facebook/Twitter) CLICK HERE TO SEE MY LOUFEST 2012 VIDEO PAGE ON YOUTUBE   I present you with my 2012 LouFest photo gallery. This was one of my favorite smaller festivals I have attended and I look forward to what the future LouFest's will bring now that they seem to be coming into their own in their third year. Enjoy the pictures in this gallery as much as I enjoyed shooting them and go ... Read More

Reverend Peyton, 08/09/12 Vintage Vinyl, St. Louis, MO Words/Photo's/Video by Beez Nutz I have said over and over how I LOVE Vintage Vinyl, they do everything right for a record store. They are a real independent store, which is more and more rare in todays world. I always buy my new cds from there, but what sweetens the deal is when the band shows up to throw a record store party, and what better band to do this than the Big Damn Band. ... Read More

Words/Pictures/Video by Bradley Darby   Wakarusa was back in full force for the 9th straight year bringing music and nature together in Northwest Arkansas. This was their 4th straight year at Mulberry Mountain and for the 4th straight year the crowd seemed to get even bigger... the camping has been expanded to include three different offsite auxiliary campgrounds due to demand. I made the trek down to the Wakarusa Festival for the 5th straight year and made it my mission to see some new ... Read More

Summerland (Everclear, Sugar Ray, Gin Blossoms, Lit, Marcy Playground) 07/21/12 PNC Bank Arts Center - Holmdel, NJ Words/Photos/Videos By Jay Porks Since late March the buzz has been huge for what people are dubbing the 90s throwback experience of a lifetime. It's Summerland! Everclear, Sugar Ray, Gin Blossoms, Lit and Marcy Playground. With the exception of Sugar Ray, I love all these bands and I was too young to see when they were popular, so for them to be getting together and bringing this carnival ... Read More

It should not come as a surprise to anyone that in the last two years I have become a tremendous fan of Ingrid Michaelson.  Not only does her particular brand of songwriting tend to hit all of the right notes for me (both when she is upbeat and cheerful as well as when she is channeling heartache and pain), but anyone who is familiar with my musical preferences is fully aware that I have a huge soft spot for the female singing-songwriting-piano-playing ... Read More

S.S. Coachella Sets Sail This December Good news for folks who want to appreciate the Coachella brand but hate going to the desert. You can now get seasick with Coachella instead. That's right, the S.S. Coachella will set sail twice this December. Assuming you can't read the above poster, the likes of Pulp, Warpaint, Girl Talk and Sleigh Bells will cruise from Miami to both the Bahamas and Jamaica. All the details including price is available from the official S.S. Coachella website which ... Read More

Treasure Island Music Festival Returns To San Francisco This October The Treasure Island Music Festival is set to return for a 6th year. Located on the island that connects the Bay Bridge between San Francisco and Oakland the festival will once again feature a first day of EDM jams (with a side serving of hip hop from the likes of Public Enemy and The Coup) and a second day filled with all of all your favorite indie rock darlings. Tickets are set to ... Read More

Orion Music + More Festival (Day  2) - 06/24/12 Bader Field - Atlantic City, NJ Words/Photos  by Jay Porks Orion Music + More Festival Day Two Recap 6/24/12 Orion Music + More Festival- Day Two: Running later than yesterday because the alarm didn't go off it was just a mere coincidence  to have drank enough fluids on Day One that a built in  intestinal alarm clock  was installed as a back up. That was a dodged bullet there wasn't it? That could have been so much worse. Maybe not wake ... Read More

Orion Music + More Festival (Day  1)- 06/23/12 Bader Field - Atlantic City, NJ Words/Photos  by Jay Porks Orion Music + More Festival Day One Recap 6/23/12  Editor's Note: Jay Porks is so bad ass, he wrote this review during the festival. We hope you enjoy.  Welcome to the Jay Porks Day One Re-Cap of Orion Music + More Festival here in Atlantic City, NJ. For those who weren't aware, this is the festival curated by Metallica, containing a bunch of acts you raise eyebrows to when ... Read More

  Girl Talk and STS9 have been confirmed (via Consequence of Sound) for the 2012 North Coast Music Festival. The North Coast Music Festival is August 30 - September 2, 2012 at Union Park in Chicago, Illinois. The event features the world's electronic, indie, hip hop, jam and rock and roll artists. Here is the complete lineup so far:   ALESSO ARTS OF LIFE BAND ATMOSPHERE AUTO BODY AXWELL BIG BOI BOOMBOX BUHAY CHUCKIE COM TRUISE DAN DEACON DIGITAL TAPE MACHINE DIGITALISM DJ SOLO EOTO EXCISION FAMILY GROOVE COMPANY FELIX DA HOUSECAT FUTURE ROCK GENTLEMEN HALL GIRL TALK [NEW!] JAMIE LONO KID COLOR KING KHAN AND THE SHRINES KNIFE ... Read More

Aaargh! I lost my first draft, and it now takes some serious talent to sneak this review in, while at work.  Anyways, it's been a few days since I have seen and heard "Scott Lucas and the Married Men" at the Metro Gallery inBaltimore.  My friend from work, Joyce, posted an invitation on her Facebook wall about them. Needless to say, my desire to not waste a good Saturday night kicked in. I am not aware of this band. Moreover, Joyce and I never really had a ... Read More

Bonnaroo 2012 Part I: Fellowship of the Ring  Prologue 'Twas mid-November 2011. I had finally come to terms with the morbid fact that I, Jakob Ross, would be forced to move to Grovetown, Georgia, which (unless you've not read my more recent articles) you probably know by now. Around this time I had made the decision to do the one thing that would make the move worth it. I'm not talking about humidity, rednecks, or seeing more back sweaters than real sweaters. I'm talking ... Read More