Top 10 from the Bottom Half of the Outside Lands 2026 Poster

I love music festivals. They are like a tasting menu for music, and probably my favorite way to discover new acts. Past Outside Lands have made me fall for The Marias (playing early in the day on the smallest stage), Ashe, underscores, Odie Leigh, CMAT, Samia, and even a little artist named Sabrina Carpenter. (Seriously, I had no idea what to expect from her, but was pretty much amazed from beginning to end). I’ve spent the last few weeks listening to acts on the lower half of the original poster, and I’m here to help you navigate the best and brightest of the undercard for Outside Lands this year. The full lineup is here, and tickets are sold out, but you can join the waitlist here. 

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Single of the Week: “After All” by Carly Rae Jepsen

Carly Rae Jepsen is having a bit of a career high right now. After celebrating 10 years of her magnum opus, EMOTION, as well as bringing her first child into the world, she managed to find time to create a double album where she reinvents herself once again. “After All” is a sexy, disco soul jam that’s just plain GREAT. It’s the second single off her upcoming Day & Night, which comes out September 18th. Expect it to be all over the best of 2026 lists. 

Show Review: Corrosion of Conformity melt faces at GAMH!

Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ConcertGoingPro

Corrosion of Conformity, Whores., and Crobot hit Great American Music Hall halfway through their current (mostly) west coast tour, and all three bands were firing on all cylinders and melting faces along the way! 

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Help L7’s Jennifer Finch Fight Brain Cancer!

We all knew that legendary bassist Jennifer Finch was sitting out the L7’s “The Last Hurrah Tour.” We learned today the reason why… She’s battling an extremely aggressive form of brain cancer. Being a legend and coming from one of the most important bands of all time doesn’t necessarily mean access to resources, and she’s asking for help to pay for absurdly expensive medical care. (Jesus, America!) Here’s a link to her GoFundMe! 

Film Review: “Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass”

Screwball comedy delivers exuberant laughs 

 Gail (Zoey Deutch), John Slattery (l.), Caleb (Ben Wang), Otto (Miles Gutierrez-Riley), and Vincent (Ken Marino) undertake a unique mission.

Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is a tough movie to review because all its best bits–the wackiest, most laugh-out-loud, incredulous moments that I’d love to discuss–are best kept under wraps so viewers can revel in the surprises. So here’s a two second review: this film is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before, in all the best ways. If you want a goofy, absurdist good time at the movies, go see this film. Continue reading “Film Review: “Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass””

Film Review: “The Invite”

Smart, funny SF-set dramedy skewers long-term relationships

Joe (Seth Rogen, l.) and his wife Angela (Olivia Wilde, l.) invite their neighbors Piña (Penélope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton) over for dinner.

That actress/director Olivia Wilde’s new film The Invite feels like a stage play is not a coincidence. With the help of comedy screenwriters Will McCormack and Rashida Jones (2012’s Celeste and Jesse Forever), Wilde has remade a 2020 Spanish film called The People Upstairs, which itself is based on a play of the same name. Even if you don’t know that source material, Wilde’s picture might remind you of a more classic American play: Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Equally as uncomfortable, but infinitely more funny, The Invite is a terrific showcase for its four leads. Continue reading “Film Review: “The Invite””

SIngle of the Week: “Closer” by The Linda Lindas featuring Hayley Williams

The Linda Lindas keep getting better. “Closer” pushes their usual punky sound to pure, 00’s, rip your heart out and hand it to anyone willing to hold it emo. Lucia de la Garza’s delicate voice blends so nicely with guest singer Hayley Williams’ soulful croon that I’m getting goosebumps listening to this song. Another work of genius from the teenage rock saviors. 

“Closer” is the second single off The Linda Lindas upcoming major label debut, GOTTA GET OUT, in stores and online August 28th! 

Show Review: Killswitch Engage and Machine Head wrap it up at The Warfield!

Photos and review by: Alan Ralph @ConcertGoingPro

The Warfield hosted the final show of Leg #1 of the Killswitch Engage and Machine Head North American summer tour. This could not have been more perfect for Machine Head, who reside here in Oakland, to end a tour in front of an almost sold-out crowd of their friends and family (Killswitch Engage, on the other hand, will have had a long way to go to get their band, crew and equipment back home to Massachusetts!). 

These two titans of metal will see each other two more times this summer and early fall. Leg #2 crisscrosses Canada in August and Leg #3 hits America one more time for a couple weeks in September.   

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Single of the Week: “Watermelon Manicure” by Sad13

I love a short song. The shorter and more chaotic, the better. So, when Sadie Dupuis (of Speedy Ortiz) decided to release a full album of 1 minutish songs, I was more than excited. The first single off that release is an uncomfortable, noisy affair called “Watermelon Manicure.” It’s amazing, and I’ve listened to it almost 15 times now, and I’ve found more layers to this than your average 15-minute prog opus. 

1331 is out July 10th! Preorder here! And our New England friends get the first chance to hear this brilliant record live: 

7/9 – Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool w/ New Idea Society, Russian Baths

7/10 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s w/ Hurry, Dina Hashem

7/11 – Malden, MA @ FACES w/ New Idea Society, Real Beaut

7/17 – virtual @ Blue Stoop – Verse Chorus Voice, a lyrics & songwriting masterclass

7/24 – Somerville, MA @ NICE, a fest w/ Krill, Downtown Boys, Dari Bay, Mal Devisa

Show Review: Metric, Broken Social Scene, and Stars at The Greek Theatre (Los Angeles) 06-16-2026

All The Feelings

Something that may not be entirely apparent, especially given the majority of shows I’ve covered, is that I like more than just metal music. Shocking, I’m sure, but true nonetheless, and as a kid who grew up through the 90s and very early 00s, the wave of Indie rock and indie pop was unavoidable. One thing I did have, however, was a bit of a discerning palate, but when a friend turned me on to Stars and then another to Metric in 2004, it was inevitable that I would go on a deep dive into a then-mostly unexplored genre for me, ultimately leading to a plethora of bands, but specifically to Broken Social Scene. So anyway, when I saw that not both Metric and Broken Social Scene not only had new albums coming out, but were to embark on a tour together, supported by Stars, well, I jumped at the opportunity.

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