Upcoming Shows

Bob Mould Solo Electric: Here We Go Crazy, David Barbe

TodayOctober 7, 20258:00pm $40.00

MiniKISS, Billy Bon Scott NEW DATE

ThursdayOctober 9, 20258:00pm $30.00

The World Famous MINIKISS is a high-energy rock band that's taking the world by storm! This group of talented little people is known for their electrifying KISS-inspired performances that have rocked audiences at some of the biggest events and venues worldwide. MINIKISS has made a name for themselves with unforgettable....

Friday Late Laughs

FridayOctober 10, 202510:00pm $20 advance / $25 door

An awesome line up of some of the best comics around will take the stage as part of the Milwaukee Comedy Festival. It is the longest running annual comedy festival in the Midwest, and one of the longest running comedy festivals in the country, celebrating 20 years in 2025. More than 200 shows and special events have been....

Recently Added Shows

Punkie Johnson

FridayOctober 10, 20257:30pm $20 advance / $25 door

Punkie Johnson is a comedian and writer from New Orleans, Louisiana who joined the cast of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE in 2020. She also appeared on season 2 of HBO Max's critically acclaimed series, LOVE LIFE, where her performance was hailed by Time Magazine as a "particular stand out." Past credits include SPACE FORCE....

Left Lane Cruiser, Adam Faucett

MondayOctober 13, 20258:00pm $20.00

Pet Needs

MondayNovember 3, 20257:30pm $15 advance / $18 door

Founded by brothers Johnny and George Marriott, PET NEEDS' career has been sky-rocketing ever since the release of their acclaimed debut 'Fractured Party Music' back in 2021. From getting signed to Xtra Mile Recordings, to sold out shows, rave reviews to rabid fans, and embarking on extensive global tours; demand for these....

Southbound

FridayNovember 7, 20258:00pm $15 advance / $25 door

Please join Southbound for their annual Allman Brothers Band Tribute. This show will review the Allman's body of work from "Beginnings" to "Hittin' the Note", playing ABB classics with a couple surprises. Southbound is a Milwaukee-based band that specializes in Classic Rock & Blues with a Jam-based Groove. With a....

Messer Chups, The Swongos

TuesdayNovember 11, 20258:00pm $20 advance / $25 door

Messer Chups is a surf rock band from Saint Petersburg, Russia. The group was formed in 1998 by composer and guitarist Oleg Fomchenkov (also known as Oleg Gitarkin). Messer Chups combines surf rock and traditional Russian music, as well as using samples from historical recordings, lounge music, and vintage film....

Welshly Arms, Ben Mulwana & The Village

WednesdayNovember 12, 20258:00pm

The Ike Reilly Assassination

TuesdayNovember 25, 20258:00pm $20.00

Ike Reilly is a punk-poet-troubadour and the leader of the ferocious musical outfit The Ike Reilly Assassination. The former doorman and gravedigger hailing from the seemingly idyllic town of Libertyville, Illinois is the subject of the award-winning documentary Don't Turn Your Back On Friday Night. The film, from....

Gimme Skynyrd

WednesdayNovember 26, 20258:00pm $20.00

We are proud to present Southern Rock unedited and aimed to stir memories of a great music genre. The name, GIMME SKYNYRD says it all. Every Lynyrd Skynyrd song is delivered as Van Zant, Collins and Rossington wrote and recorded them. GIMME SKYNYRD is not just a tribute band. It is six musicians dedicated to putting on a....

Pat McCurdy

FridayDecember 12, 20258:00pm $10.00

Pat McCurdy is a singer/song writer from Wisconsin. He tours the mid-western part of the USA, his shows usually consisting of just him and his guitar. While the majority of his audience is made up of a college-age crowd, McCurdy manages to appeal to a large number of people of all ages with his interactive shows.....

Adam Doleac

ThursdayDecember 18, 20258:00pm $35.00

EMO VS ANIME Milwaukee

SaturdayJanuary 31, 20268:00pm $10.00

Emo VS Anime! Where misery invites company! Step into the world where emotions collide with anime, as we bring you an unforgettable night where Emo and Anime intertwine, creating a symphony of darkness and imagination. Our DJs will be playing emo / pop punk / metalcore / nu metal + more - mixed in with classic anime....

Stephen Kellogg and The Homecoming with special guest gutter sinatra

ThursdayFebruary 19, 20268:00pm $30.00

Screaming Orphans

MondayMarch 9, 20267:00pm $20 advance / $25 door

Screaming Orphans are a chart-topping all-sister folk and pop band from Ireland. They are known worldwide for their award-winning sound combining original pop songs with a unique take on traditional Irish music. The band has always defied being pigeonholed, having masterfully developed their own unique fusion of folk and....

Alternative Concert Group Presents

Violent Femmes SOLD OUT

SaturdayOctober 18, 20258:00pm

At the Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, WI.

Tickets on sale at here.

Violent Femmes

SundayOctober 19, 20258:00pm

At the Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, WI.

Tickets on sale at here.

Shaun Cassidy

ThursdayNovember 6, 20257:30pm

At the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, Brookfield, WI.

Tickets on sale at here.

Samantha Fish, Jon Spencer, Cedric Burnside

FridayDecember 5, 20258:00pm

At the Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI.

Tickets on sale at here.

Samantha Fish, Jon Spencer, Cedric Burnside

SaturdayDecember 6, 20258:00pm

At the Barrymore Theatre, Madison, WI.

Tickets on sale at barrymorelive.com or by phone at 608-241-8664 (Mon-Fri noon-5pm).

Ryanhood

FridayDecember 19, 20258:00pm

At Linneman's Riverwest Inn

An evening of songs and storytelling, heartstrings and laughter, A Winter's Evening with Ryanhood is a live holiday touring show based on the duo's record, On Christmas, that showcases the high-energy, big-harmony, dueling acoustic guitar approach that Ryanhood fans across the country have come to expect.

Featuring a blend of original holiday compositions, wintry covers, and reworked classics woven together with holiday stories and memories, Ryan David Green and Cameron Hood invite audiences to experience the joy, depth, intimacy, and excitement of the holiday season by sharing A Winter's Evening with Ryanhood.

Named 'Best Group/Duo' in the International Acoustic Music Awards, acoustic-duo Ryanhood got their first break more than a decade ago as street-performers at Boston's Quincy Market. It was there that they were spotted by a college booking agent and thrust into the college touring scene, where Campus Activities Magazine would name them "one of the most requested acts by college buyers all across the country." They've since gone on to perform more than a thousand shows in 46 U.S. states over the past decade, and have shared stages with Jason Mraz, Matt Nathanson, Train, and many more.

And, their star is still on the rise. Ryanhood was recently named the "Discovery of the Year" by John Platt at WFUV in New York City, and was a featured act at Australia's National Folk Festival in 2018.

Their latest album Under the Leaves, sees the pair's lead guitarist Ryan David Green stepping into the role of sole producer, weaving a tapestry of lush strings and rich harmonies. The album, like their shows, is driven by strong acoustic guitar performances and is at turns energetic, hopeful, and quietly moving--a musical invitation to breathe, and to soak in a river of melodies and harmonic hooks.

Cameron Hood, the band's primary lyricist, has waded into those musical rivers with dream-like verses about seeds and forests, breath and wind, and the cycles and seasons that frame our lives. Throughout the album's songs, a question is asked: How do we create meaningful and lasting change in a world filled with division and turmoil? The offer on Under the Leaves is to slow down and face the one thing we have the power to change -- ourselves -- as the duo sings on the album's second track, "the only revolution is the one within."

Green and Hood currently reside in their hometown of Tucson, Arizona, where they have won more than a dozen Tucson Music Awards including "Best Folk Band" and "Best Rock Band" (you can decide for yourself which is most accurate).

Pete Correale

FridayFebruary 6, 20268:00pm $45

At the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, Brookfield, WI.

Tickets on sale at here.

Shaun Cassidy

TuesdayFebruary 17, 20267:30pm

Meyer Theatre, Green Bay, WI

Get tickets

Shaun Cassidy

WednesdayFebruary 18, 20267:30pm

At the Barrymore Theatre, Madison, WI.

Tickets on sale at barrymorelive.com or by phone at 608-241-8664 (Mon-Fri noon-5pm).

Gregorian Pure Chants World Tour featuring songs of Enigma

WednesdayMarch 18, 20267:30pm

At South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center, Milwaukee, WI.

Tickets on sale online, at the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center box office or by phone at 414-766-5049.

Quick Calendar

When he calls, Bob Mould is finishing work on his 15 th solo album, Here We Go Crazy. A distillation of the unfailing melodic skill, the emotional lucidity and dynamic fluency he's developed over more than four decades, it's also a typically bold realignment of his sonic paradigm. Its turbulent vignettes are scored by Mould's familiar bruised tunefulness, but the sound is pared back to its fundaments, 11 songs blistering past in just over 30 minutes. "I've stripped things back to what excited me as a young guitarist," he explains. "The energy, the electricity."

Part of the inspiration for this more primal aesthetic is the heavy itinerary of touring he's lately undertaken, several years spent circling the globe, either in the company of bandmates Jon Wurster (drums) and Jason Narducy (bass) or just by himself. "I was really throwing myself in the songbook and feeling where the audience is at," he says. "And they were really responding to this very simple, just-me-and-a-guitar setup. And I thought, maybe I shouldn't be overcomplicating things, 'word'-ing or 'craft'-ing it up. Just grab for the simple bits of life we still have control over: our emotions, our relationships."

After shows, Mould would hang out signing merch and talking to fans. "Sometimes people bring a lot of their lifetime emotional content to me," he says, "like they've compressed all this coal into a tiny little diamond. Sometimes I'm surprised at the weight of it, the heaviness. I'm like, 'I'm here for you. I'm listening.' I'm shocked and grateful they share so readily with me. I don't know what I did to earn that trust."

Mould has earned that trust with every record he's made, channelling his own "lifetime emotional content" for songs of wisdom, honesty and volcanic intensity. His first band, Hüsker Dü, bared his angst over furious noise and turbulent melody, an indelible influence on generations that followed. But by the time Nirvana infiltrated the mainstream, Bob Mould had already moved on, having sequestered himself in a farmhouse to lick his wounds and learn new ways to sing his songs. His solo debut, 1989's folk-rock masterpiece Workbook, was a record of depth and sophistication. Then he pulled another sharp turn, his power-trio Sugar alloying his most melodic songs with his fiercest noise, yielding his most commercially successful work yet.

Over the solo career that followed Sugar's own mid-90s flameout, he's displayed a maturing gift for songwriting, transcending the 'alternative' tag and recognised alongside key influences like Pete Townshend and Pete Shelley. He's adrenalized classic forms, alchemised angst into something addictive and powerful. "I'm just trying to figure myself out," he says. "After 64 years of life -- 55 spent writing songs -- it's what I do." The concepts that shaped the songs of subsequent albums reflect those years. The ruminative Beauty & Ruin (2014) and Patch The Sky (2016) were written in the wake of losing his parents and other loved ones. 2019's Sunshine Rock was a homage to the early Capitol singles of the Beatles and the Beach Boys, constant companions through his turbulent childhood. The terse, political Blue Hearts (2020) was written and recorded amid the dying days of the first Trump administration.

Here We Go Crazy, meanwhile, arrives at another moment of uncertainty, a time of disruption and fear. Mould sees the songs unfolding like the three acts of a play, each act exploring distinct but related themes. The first handful of songs concern "control versus chaos", Mould explains. The opening title track contrasts images of nature -- deserts, mountains, fault-lines -- with the tumult of human life. Inspired by a riff that Mould says "sounded like a fistfight", 'Neanderthal' is "a snapshot from inside my head as a young kid: growing up in a violent household, everything being unsettled, feeling that fight-or-flight response at all times," while 'Breathing Room' is "about feeling isolated, cramped-up, and literally needing that breathing space".

The furious, dynamic 'Fur Mink Augurs' signals the second act, where the darkness descends. The song channels claustrophobia, and "the cold, crazy, late-winter feeling I grew up with in the Adirondacks and in Minnesota. When the cabin fever really sets in deep -- when the permafrost is set and it never gets warm -- you become frayed, and things can really unravel, quickly." 'Lost Or Stolen' chronicles lives undone by "people losing themselves in their phones," Mould explains. From this focus, he pulls back and digs into "ideas about depression, addiction, self-medication and collapse... The words just fell out of me." This anguished middle-passage of the album concludes with the cathartic 'Sharp Little Pieces', exploring "the end of innocence, the idea of a young child's trust being violated. For those of us who lost trust as children, it disappears in a flash, and we spend years struggling to regain that innocence. And maybe it never comes back."

The song ends bluntly (Mould says the album's "lack of sophisticated ornamentation is key -- I was trying to stay out of the way of the songs, to strip away all the things I used to think were important, all those extra colours and complexities. I didn't want to get deep into decorating the tree. I wanted to keep it simple, to use the simplest words"), raising the curtain on the closing act. The theme here is lifting oneself out of the darkness; 'You Need To Shine' is a song about "looking for the bright sides, the good parts of life, despite everything that's happened", Mould says, a sentiment borne out by the song's spirited holler that "all that madness doesn't matter anymore". 'Thread So Thin' is "about trying to protect the one you love, and trying to feel protected", Mould explains, while the closing 'Your Side' is a powerful love song from the edge of the darkness, Mould howling "If the world is going down in flames, I want to be by your side". "We're heading into a great unknown here," Mould says, of the wider geopolitical and climate anxieties that inspired these songs. The message here is, simply, focus on that which can save you and deliver you from this moment. "This album talks a lot about uncertainty, helplessness, being on edge," Mould adds. "How much can we control? How much chaos can we handle? In the end, the answer, the remedy, is placing your trust in unconditional love."

Mould knows Here We Go Crazy is an album freighted with darkness; "There's soothing melodies, and there's lyrical discomfort," he deadpans. "It's manic, frantic, complex." But no one ever came to Bob Mould for good news, for the easy answers. Pop music runs through his veins, as surely as the electricity that drives his chiming hooks into the realms of distortion, but he's here to give you the truth, his truth. To give you songs that ring true when howled against a tornado of guitar, that compress all that "lifetime emotional content" into some kind of sonic diamond. There's eleven of those precious gems here, sculpted to make the heaviness easier to bear, somehow. Treasure them.

David Barbe is an Athens musician sometimes referred to as having the widest involvement of any single figure in the Athens, GA music scene. David Barbe has appeared on over 400 albums as producer, engineer, or musician, frequently working at his Athens studio, Chase Park Transduction. At various times he has made music either live or in the studio with hundreds of artists including Sugar, Deerhunter, Drive-By Truckers, Kevn Kinney, The Glands, Son Volt, Cracker, Ill Ease, Bloodkin, Stef Chura, Bettye LaVette, Booker T. Jones, Lee Bains, Olivia Tremor Control, Mercyland, Bar-B-Q Killers, and Harvey Milk to name a few. Barbe's most recent release '10th of Seas' (Orange Twin) was released to high critical praise. He has most recently finished recording projects with Stef Chura, Shehehe, and Drive-By Truckers.

Specializing in a raw hillbilly punk-blues style that roars like a tweaking modal chain saw, Left Lane Cruiser is a band led by slide guitarist Freddie J. Evans IV. Their music has the swampy feel of North Mississippi hill country-blues à la Junior Kimbough and R.L. Burnside, with a good dose of snarling garage punk tossed into the mix. While the band would sometimes expand into a trio, they've recorded the bulk of their work as a two-piece, and the tough, funky roar of their music arrived fully formed on their 2006 debut Gettin' Down on It. Left Lane Cruiser stayed true to their sledgehammer take on garage-infused blues, even when they partnered with James Leg on 2012's Painkillers, added an electric skateboard on 2015's Dirty Spliff Blues, or brought in a keyboard player for 2017's Claw Machine Wizard. They returned to the basics of a two-man lineup for 2024's Bayport BBQ Blues.

Left Lane Cruiser came out of Fort Wayne, Indiana, formed in 2004 by Freddie J. Evans IV on guitar and Brenn Beck on drums. A self-released album, Gettin' Down on It, was released on the group's own Hillgrass Bluebilly Records in 2006, and the following year they signed to Alive Naturalsound Records. Bring Yo' Ass to the Table appeared from the imprint in 2008, followed by All You Can Eat in 2009 and Junkyard Speed Ball in 2011; when not in the studio, the band can usually be found on the road, touring constantly to spread the word. Teaming with James Leg (keyboardist with Black Diamond Heavies), the band released Painkillers in 2012, which also featured guest spots from bassist Jim Diamond and blues harpist Harmonica Shah. Rock Them Back to Hell! followed in 2013.

The release of 2015's Dirty Spliff Blues saw Left Lane Cruiser going through some lineup changes; Brenn Beck left the group and Pete Dio stepped in as their drummer, while the group also expanded into a trio with the addition of Joe Bent, who played bass and an electrified skateboard. In 2016, the band released the collection Beck in Black, which featured eight fan favorites along with six previously unreleased tracks from Brenn Beck's time with the group. Left Lane Cruiser were down to the duo of Evans and Dio when they released 2017's Claw Machine Wizard following the departure of Joe Bent, while guest keyboardist Jason Davis appeared on the album. Davis was back on board for 2019's Shake and Bake, a set full of stories of life on the road. The band was stripped down to the elemental duo of Freddie J. Evans IV and Brenn Beck, who had returned to the lineup, for their tenth studio album, 2024's Bayport BBQ Blues. The duo dedicated the album to Chris Johnson, founder of the annual Deep Blues Festival, who championed the band and had passed away in April 2023.

Adam Faucett began performing solo in 2006 when the demise of Russellville, Arkansas-based band, Taught the Rabbits, pushed him toward Chicago. He returned to Arkansas in 2007 to record his first solo album, The Great Basking Shark, and began touring nationally. 2008's Show Me Magic, Show Me Out followed, featuring Faucett's band, The Tall Grass, and a relentless tour schedule soon led to shows with Jason Isbell, Damien Jurado and Lucero.

2011 saw the release of More Like A Temple, which received praise from outlets including American Songwriter, Paste Magazine, No Depression and Uprooted Music Review. Temple also gained overseas support, landing at #14 on the EuroAmericana chart and received 5 stars from Altcountry.NL, bringing Adam to Europe for the first time.

2014's Blind Water Finds Blind Water--Faucett's first release with Last Chance Records--was named to American Songwriter's "Top 50 Albums of 2014," and found him back in Europe. In addition, he spent time as international and national tour support for Chuck Ragan, Abigail Austin, King Buzzo, The Bottle Rockets and Pallbearer.

It Took the Shape of a Bird (Last Chance Records) arrived in September 2018. Named to Pop Matters' "Top 20 Americana Albums of 2018," it was a collection of Faucett's most personal, unbodied, and darkly beautiful song's to date. In support, he once again hit the road and the skies with a full-band tour of the western U.S., followed shortly by a solo return to Europe.

The following spring Faucett returned to the western U.S. for six weeks of solo dates. With a pained throat from the onset, what he hoped was a cold proved to be much more, and it made for a painful and mentally-draining run. He finished the tour, however, and immediately sought medical attention. The diagnosis was a cyst on the vocal cords; so began the months-long search for the right surgeon.

Following a successful surgery and nearly a year of recovery, Faucett was back in action, only to be thwarted after just a few shows due to the Covid pandemic shutdowns, which forced a slew of cancellations, including two fully-booked tours. But emerging from the pandemic, Faucett found himself armed with new material and as direct support for sludge metal stalwarts, Weedeater--an unlikely pairing on paper, but it just works. After all, genre-defining has never been his M.O. As American Songwriter put it, ". . . a little too far out for the pop-folk, too rockin' for the traditionalists, too mercurial for the mainstream," citing his "often dark, gothic vibe." In keeping with that, his fourth run with Weedeater kicked off August 28, 2005.

Faucett's sixth solo album, New Variations of The Reaper (Last Chance Records), sees its official release on September 19, 2025. A touch too beautiful to call plaintive, Variations winds the listener through surreal dreamscapes and reminds them that "Nobody Wanna See This Alone." And like his previous releases, it has a strong sense of place--Arkansas.

Minneapolis songwriter Mason Jennings shares his new video for the single, "Only Lovers Welcome" from his brand new album, Underneath The Roses out now via Loosegroove Records. Underneath The Roses is available on limited-edition colored vinyl and is available here. Watch and share the video for "Only Lovers Welcome" here.

Jennings writes that the songs from Underneath The Roses were, "Written in an unprecedented burst," following the birth of his son, Western, in March 2022. Jennings explains, "I hadn't written any songs in about a year. I had been dealing with the psychological after effects of the pandemic as well as the loss of my dad. So, when Western was born I didn't expect to be writing much. But immediately he was responding to music in a very intense way. For this album, between May and November 2022, I wrote 48 songs! They certainly uplifted me and connected me with the creative spirit, and spirit in general, again. They cover all kinds of ground but, when I listen back, I think the central theme is overcoming fear with love."

Jennings also released a video for, "No Ordinary Friend," which he explains, "Depicts two of the most important decisions a person can make. One, whether or not they believe in a loving higher power and two, who they decide to choose as a life long romantic partner. This song is referring to both of those and the choices I've made."

"Stone Gossard and Regan Hagar from Loosegroove Records helped me edit the 48 down to 11. I then enlisted the help of my Painted Shield bandmates to record the songs."

Jennings and Gossard are ongoing collaborators in the band Painted Shield, who released their 2021 debut album on Loosegroove, the influential indie label that Gossard founded back in 1994 issued records from acts such as Critters Buggin, Malfunkshun, Weapon of Choice and Devilhead, and was the launching point for Queens of the Stone Age's debut album in 1998.

Jenning's previous album 'Real Heart' came out in January 2022 and received Triple/Non-comm radio across KCMP Minneapolis, WFPK Louisville, WPYA Birmingham, KRCL Salt Lake City, WMMM Madison, WQKL Ann Arbor, KCSN LA, KRVB Boise, WCLZ Portland, WDSE Duluth, WRLT Nashville, WXPN Philly, WXRV Boston, & WZEW Mobile.

Press highlights include: American Songwriter, Relix, No Depression, Grateful Web, Take Effect 9/10 review, & Jam Bands

Jennings adds "I called it Underneath The Roses because I feel like these songs are musical roses and when I look below them there are many thorns and so much dirt and soil. All of it was needed for them to come into existence and bloom. It's been a long hard road of self-discovery and discernment for me the last few years and the roses wouldn't be here without what lies underneath. Hope you enjoy the music!"

Mike Silverman (a.k.a. That 1 Guy) is a classically trained bassist. From the age of 15, this gifted musician seemed destined for a musical career his parents could be proud of: playing bass in promising ensembles, winning a Dave Brubeck Jazz Scholarship competition, studying classical upright at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and jazz bass at Los Medanos College. But at some point on the path to respectable mainstream success, something went fantastically wrong.

In 2003, Silverman wrote, recorded, produced and mastered the debut album from his demented alter ego That 1 Guy -- a magnificently insane one-man show that has been making waves across America since the late '90s. He made the record with an unwieldy homemade instrument called The Magic Pipe, wrote songs called "It's Raining Meat" and "Weasel Potpie," and titled the disc�Songs In The Key Of Beotch. Whatever drove the mild-mannered Silverman to do this is debatable, but one thing is for sure: fans of the musically bizarre will be forever grateful.

That 1 Guy began quickly and unexpectedly, after Silverman finished a gig with his beloved Bay Area group The Fabulous Hedgehogs. After the club owner paid the 5-piece band a meager $50, Silverman joked that the next time around he'd play the show alone. The owner took him up on the offer, and right then and there, That 1 Guy was born. In a fit of experimentation, Silverman removed all his bass strings except for one and picked up a drum machine as accompaniment. That 1 Guy's first show, at Dr. Bombay's in San Francisco's Mission District, was a learning experience. The club had no stage, so Silverman performed standing on the bar, his head touching the ceiling, his microphone plugged into the jukebox. "It was the worst gig ever, yet somehow my greatest musical accomplishment up to that point," Silverman reminisces.

Since that fateful night, Silverman has worked hard on perfecting his one-man show and building the beautiful monstrosity that is The Magic Pipe. Seven feet of galvanized steel and hardware store trinkets, the metallic, one-stringed instrument is brought to life by an array of electronic gadgets. Silverman claims the pipe, "not only has a limitless harmonic and sonic range, but limitless rhythmic possibilities as well."

When That 1 Guy performs live, his imagination is what truly seems limitless. On top of his infectious, innovative style, the artist throws more avant-garde treats into the mix, like impassioned Whodini covers and electrified cowboy boots. His indisputably original show has attracted the attention of a wide range of artists, and as a result, Silverman has shared the stage with the likes of Ani DiFranco, Soul Coughing, Saul Williams, Bob Weir and Ratdog, Yo La Tengo, Fabolous, Drums & Tuba, Naughty By Nature and countless others.

❖ He takes a month out of each year to visit the living rooms of his fans around the country...
❖ His band and nonprofit organization RallySound host a free festival every summer that raised $151,000 for homeless veterans in 2024...
❖ He live-streamed for 500 nights in a row during the pandemic...
❖ They co-produced an album with 163 fans...

If you haven't connected with Adam Ezra Group yet, these are just a few examples to help you understand how this underground, Americana songwriter and his bandmates seem to have popped out of nowhere, establishing a connection with their fans unlike any other, and are suddenly selling out theaters throughout the Northeast.

Adam Ezra will joke with you that while the "nowhere" part might be accurate, nothing has ever just "popped" for this folk musician, activist. Without resources, connections, or any kind of clue how the music world works, Ezra began playing shows over 20 years ago. When music venues wouldn't hire him, he played bars, bookstores, fields, and parking lots, often raising money for causes he cared about; a practice that grew into his nonprofit organization RallySound.

"We'd play 5 hours a night," Adam reminisces, "more often than not, in danger of outnumbering the audiences we were playing for..."

So how did this band operating so far outside the traditional music world come to win New England Music Award's "Americana Act of the Year" in 2023? What could have happened to inspire John Oates to call Adam and invite him to begin a songwriting friendship that would lead to John producing their latest release and co-write, "Hold Each Other Now"? What happened to catch the attention of The Wallflowers, who recently invited AEG to join them on their spring tour, or SPIN Magazine who recently proclaimed, "This Independent Underground Folk Band Is Blowing Up Without Selling Out"?

If you ask Adam, he'll tell you:

"One person at a time, over many years and thousands of shows, decided to turn their heads to listen. One person at a time decided to share our music with folks they care about. That's always been our story. It's no fairytale, but it sure makes me proud and humbled when I look out from the stage to watch theaters full of people singing along to our music."

These days you'll find Adam and his bandmates, Corinna Smith (Fiddle), Poche Ponce (Bass), and Alex Martin (Percussion), constantly out on the road. If you look at their tour schedule now, you can buy tickets to see them at festivals, rock venues, and theaters around the country, but you will also see their tour continuously peppered with activism and grassroots events; a testament to an artist who will never forget where he came from, and whose mission is about much more than music.

After dropping their anthemic single "Legendary" in 2017, the indie rock world was quickly introduced to Welshly Arms' penchant for unleashing larger-than-life alt-rock bangers and spine tingling live performances. Their 2018 album no place is home has garnered over 350m total streams and provides a sensational musical journey that hits all the swaggery notes. Put simply, the band injects a powerful dose of emotion that continues to leave the Welshly Arms' faithful enamored.

The group's latest release Wasted Words & Bad Decisions was recorded in an old farm house in the outskirts of Cleveland, Ohio as the world endured lockdown. The tranquil and comfortable setting provided the platinum-selling five-piece band a welcome respite from the grueling demands of touring stateside and overseas.

"With a long pause in touring and live performances due to the pandemic, we took time to reflect and refocus on our music," says Sam Getz [lead, singer, guitar]. "These songs speak to who we all are in this exact moment of our lives. Musically, we wanted this record to bring us back to the raw rock-n-roll that we had built the band on when we were jamming in the basement together. But, of course, we've also matured and gelled as musicians after touring the world together, and I think that intersection is what made Wasted Words & Bad Decisions so fun and rewarding to create."

After dropping their anthemic single "Legendary" (now a certified platinum single in several European countries that has been streamed over 250 million times) in 2017, the Midwesterners were catapulted from playing local music clubs in Cleveland onto the world's largest rock festival stages including Lollapalooza, The Reading & Leeds Festival, Bottlerock, Rock Am Ring, Hangout Music Fest, Shaky Knees, and more in less than a year's time.

The quick rise for Getz, Jimmy Weaver [bass, vocals], Bri Bryant [vocals], and Jon Bryant [vocals] saw the band play for massive sold-out festival crowds instantly hooked by "Legendary" and other Welshly Arms' hits such as "Indestructible", "Learn To Let Go", and "Sanctuary" (the latter two were both top ten songs in Germany) in mere months, Welshly Arms became indie-rock darlings cherished from Los Angeles to Warsaw.

While being on the road in Europe and North America for seemingly two straight years, Welshly Arms' tunes appeared in popular media including Quentin Tarentino's award-winning film "The Hateful Eight" (trailer), Underground 6 (Netflix), Empire (Fox), FIFA (EA Sports), and were used by major brands such as Miller Lite, Jeep, ESPN, MLB, NFL, and NASCAR, among many others.

Heavily influenced by the classic Cleveland sound, the eclectic group harkened back to their diverse musical roots for their latest release; from jazz to soul, gospel to blues, rock to alternative, and everything in between. Wasted Words... is an impressive sonic evolution for a band that's known for smooth melodies, momentous choruses, bold guitar instrumentation, and slick production techniques. Hardcore fans will instantly recognize recently released singles such as "Are You Lonely," "Save Me From The Monster In My Head," and "Stand", while fresh stand-outs like "Dangerous," "One More Hallelujah," "Burn Me Alive," and "Proud" wield a more daring and aggressive spin on Welshly Arms' strikingly powerful style of soul-lifting rock-and-roll.

The fan-favorite duo of Bri and Jon Bryant breathe spiritual life into every cut through their uplifting choral vocal moments. while Getz' soaring lead vocals and lyrics implore listeners to persevere through life's obstacles in between awe-inducing guitar solos. Weaver, a production mastermind and gifted studio rat, sprinkles contemporary flavors through groovy basslines, synth chords, and tasteful electronic effects.

Recharged and replenished, the four members of Welshly Arms look to continue to bring their successful hits and latest full-length album to the masses with their signature fiery passion that continues to inspire music fans all around the world.

The R&B Cadets played their first gig shortly after New Year's in 1980 and their last in the summer of 1986. In that time they got a lot of folks out on the dance floor, playing a distinctive mix of of deep soul cuts from Paul Cebar's massive record collection and some sparkling originals, written by John Sieger, often in tandem with Michael Feldman, a friend and now longtime host of Public Radio's Whad'ya Know?

Splitting lead duties with Sieger and Cebar was the lovely chanteuse, Robin Pluer. Owner of one the lovelier voice heard in the midwest, Ms. Pluer was a dollop of sweetness at the top of the band's deep range. Rounding out the lineup was Mike Sieger, John's brother and vocal doppelganger, who played bass. Original drummer Cy Costabile, was later replaced by Bobby Schneider and the saxophonist Juli Wood was replaced by keyboard/sax man Bob Jennings.

In it's prime, the band had a large following in Milwaukee, where they were pretty much the house band at the late, lamented Century Hall. They travelled well too, with fans in the Twin Cities, Chicago, Madison and even New York where they played legendary clubs like CBGB's, The Knitting Factory and The Lone Star. Their only record, Top Happy, came out in 198-. It featured a song produced by Nick Lowe, a fan who had stumbled across them after playing a show in Milwaukee. The record got great reviews and could have been the start of even bigger things, but like many bands, people were pulling, and being pulled, in different directions.

The positive result of their breakup was two, then three very vital and entertaining acts. There was Semi-Twang, which concentrated on John's songs and did a record, Salty Tears for Warner Brothers that gathered more love than sales. John later moved to nashville and had many of his songs recorded by artist like Dwight Yoakam, Flaco Jimenez and The Bodeans.

Paul and Robin continued with the beefed up and ever-popular Milwaukeeans, releasing a record in the 1990s on Shenachie that got radio play around the country. That lineup stayed around until Robin bid adieu. Tired of touring and now married, she headed to New York for a while, before returning. She has carved out a special niche between soul, swing, standards and the French chanson that she loves, and is still performing today.

In 2009 Semi-Twang reunited and have released two CDs, both of which garnered raves. Paul has continued non-stop, his latest was out last year with his most recent moniker, Tomorrow Sound. The three headed beast has been in rehearsal, tightening up songs old and new. The crowd at their first reunion gig in many years was up and dancing at the first down beat, you probably will be too.

"Davina Sowers creates her own Americana mishmash -- a little Amy Winehouse-worthy neo-soul here, a little Great American Songbook-influenced songcraft there." Rolling Stone Magazine

"Davina and the Vagabonds combat heartache with sugar and sass." DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE

Davina Sowers and the Vagabonds have created a stir on the national music scene with their high-energy live shows, level A musicianship, sharp-dressed professionalism, and Sowers' commanding stage presence. With influences ranging from Fats Domino and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Aretha Franklin and Tom Waits, the band is converting audiences one show at a time, from Vancouver to Miami and across Europe.

Much like the music, the story spurns era, expectation, and classification. The often unbelievable, sometimes harrowing, and wholly inspiring journey of Davina Sowers gave birth to her eponymous band Davina and The Vagabonds in 2004. As the tale goes, she grew up in the economically depressed Allegheny town of Altoona, PA, which she now describes as "awesome in the industrial era, but horrible for high school." She was adopted by her much older stepfather when he was in his 80s; he passed away when she was just 13. Through him and his Edison phonograph, she first heard The Ink Spots, Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong and Louis Prima, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and many others. "Great man. He was my angel and still is," she says.

On her own, she vividly recalls hours in front of the record player where she religiously spun Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Simon and Garfunkel records belonging to her folk singer mom.

To this day, Davina still refers to music as "my first and eternal love." Despite early dalliances with classical piano and guitar, she developed a heavy drug habit in high school, which morphed into heroin dependency, left her homeless, sent her in and out of jail, and brought on all manner of trouble. Kicking dope on the streets, she "got clean, started the band, and worked [her] ass off every day since."

Davina and the Vagabonds shine every time they play. To date, they've performed in forty-five states, twelve European countries, and two Canadian provinces. Not to mention, they've earned feverish acclaim from the Chicago Tribune, NPR, and more in addition to performing on BBC's international favorite late-night program Later... With Jools Holland and appearing on PBS's Bluegrass Underground.

With a guitar slung over his shoulder and the amps turned up full tilt, Anthony Gomes electrifies blues and rock at a 21st century crossroads of his own. The Canadian vocalist, guitarist, songwriter and producer wails with all the force of a hurricane in the Mississippi Delta and enough fret-burning fireworks to leave his strings in flames. Over the years, he's toppled the Billboard Blues Chart at #1, earned the endorsement of legends such as B.B. King, tallied tens of millions of streams, and packed shows on multiple continents. In April 2025, Anthony Gomes is back with his much- anticipated 14th studio album, Praise the Loud, set for release on Rat Pak Records.

"I've learned how to embrace my voice as a guitarist and as a singer," he states. "I understand who I am, and I use my strengths to my advantage. I have a blues soul and a rock 'n' roll heart. I love to jump back and forth between both with a modern day approach. When I play rock, it's got a little more dust on it."

Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, he fell in love with music as a kid, listening to everyone from Muddy Waters and Jimi Hendrix to Jeff Beck and Eddie Van Halen. At 14 years old, Anthony gravitated to the guitar and his relationship with the instrument was born. After grinding it out, his chops caught the attention of B.B. King's bus driver at a jam night. Blown away, the driver introduced him to B.B. who invited him to open up a string of tour dates in 2005. Gaining invaluable knowledge from "The King," he went on to share the stage with the likes of Buddy Guy, Robert Plant, Joe Bonamassa, Heart, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and more. Along the way, his concert attendees have included Academy® Award winner Morgan Freeman, John Goodman, and Vince Vaughn as well as Eric Clapton, to name a few.

2022's High Voltage Blues vaulted to #1 on the iTunes Top Blues Albums Chart, #1 on Amazon Music's New Release Blues Chart and debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues chart. It remained on the Billboard Blues chart for 58 consecutive weeks, landing on 'Billboard's Top 15 Blues Albums of the Year' for both 2023 and 2024.

Meanwhile, Total Guitar listed Gomes as 'One of the 100 Greatest Blues Guitarists of All Time' in 2024. Guitar World readers voted him one of "The 30 Best Blues Guitarists in the World Today" in 2019, and the publication noted, "Gomes is another power player who is at his best when his gear is in the scorched earth between blues and rock."

Anthony's latest release, 2025's Praise the Loud, delivers 12 fresh studio tracks that showcase Anthony's musical evolution while staying true to the no-holds-barred sound that has earned him a global fanbase.

Reflecting on the new album, Anthony shares, "On Praise the Loud, we pushed our musical boundaries in every direction. We wanted it to rock harder than anything we've done before, but at the same time, we wanted it to have a deeper, more soulful blues feel. When people ask me what I sound like, I say, 'If B.B. King was in AC/DC, that's what it would be'. That's Praise The Loud in a nutshell."

Gomes cites the track 'Rock & Roll Bluesman' as the thesis of the album. "My favorite line on the album comes from the song 'Rock & Roll Bluesman': 'I don't care if they love or hate us, gonna turn it up so they won't forget us.' That lyric captures the spirit of the album-- declaring that we're playing blues rock on our own terms, no matter what."

From the powerful rhythms of the album opener "Praise the Loud" to the ZZ Top-inspired groove of "Netflix & Chill," Anthony tackles a range of emotions and topics with his signature blend of layered harmonies, infectious rhythms, and blues-infused grooves. Tracks like "Meet My Maker," "Black Diamond Heavy," and "Electric Blues Crusade" highlight his ability to stretch his creative boundaries and expand his lyrical scope, while songs like "Love Song Gone Wrong" and "In the Name of the Blues" showcase his unmistakable blues guitar mastery. Produced by Peter Carson/Anthony Gomes and mixed by Chris Collier, Praise the Loud packs the punch and energy fans have come to expect from this world- class blues artist.

In the end, Anthony Gomes is just the kind of guitar hero we need for today.

"I still believe in a world of guitar heroes," he smiles. "I strive for a world where you don't have to be 19 years old to sell a lot of records and tickets and to make a statement. I'm one of those people who doesn't think rock, or the blues is dead. I'm looking for fresh ways to bring them together. I'm at the table rolling the dice all in the name of blues and rock 'n' roll. I know there's never been a more exciting time for music, and I'm here for the journey."

Critically acclaimed singer songwriter and rising Country music star, Adam Doleac, is taking the Nashville scene by storm, blending traditional Country elements with modern production and heartfelt songwriting to deliver a unique signature sound.

Born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Doleac's journey into the music industry is a story that is still being written. As a talented athlete, Doleac earned a baseball scholarship to the University of Southern Mississippi to chase his big-league dreams. Playing in the College World Series in front of 30,000 fans as a sophomore, Adam became accustomed to the pressure of performing under the big lights but soon realized his true calling was creating music. Self-taught on multiple instruments, Doleac became proficient in guitar, drums and piano while crafting songs with fellow teammates and challenging himself to play shows at local venues. His strong work ethic and dream-chasing determination instilled by his parents fueled his passion for the industry and he decided to leave the sports world behind to pursue a career in music.

After a self-written song posted on YouTube propelled him to viral success and helped him secure a publishing deal, Doleac took a leap of faith and made the move to Nashville to begin his journey. Before stepping into the spotlight as a solo artist, he spent several years sharpening his craft and penning lyrics for some of today's most notable names in Country music including Kane Brown, Lainey Wilson, Dan + Shay, Nate Smith, Gabby Barrett, Darius Rucker, Hootie & the Blowfish, and more.

Half a decade after relocating to Music City, Doleac released his self-titled debut EP in 2017 and began building a grassroots fanbase while touring the country in his pickup truck, while also scoring a rare GOLD-certified song with the independently released "Famous."

In 2022, Doleac released his debut album, Barstool Whiskey Wonderland, an 18-track record that captured something beyond Country's ordinary thematic cycle. Using his heartbeat as a pulse, emotional lyrics, and instant-classic hooks with his soulful sounding voice, he delivered a new take on modern country. Following the release, Doleac embarked on his first-ever sold-out headlining tour, bringing his charismatic stage presence to audiences across the U.S., and joined Old Dominion, Zac Brown Band, and Carly Pearce as a special guest on their respective tours.

Doleac's most recent album, about: TIME, was released in 2024. The 8-track project takes the listener through some of his milestone moments in life with the universal message that time is love, and how we spend it is a reflection of who (or what) means the most to us.

Now in 2025, Doleac has hit the ground running with new singles "Bye Heart," "Dream House," and now "Bar Named Jesus" featuring global Country superstar Thomas Rhett. Written by Doleac along with Josh Jenkins and Chris LaCorte, the powerful track explores themes of redemption, forgiveness, and finding solace in faith while discovering a sense of belonging in a place of spiritual refuge -- represented as "a bar named Jesus."

With north of half a billion on-demand audio and video streams to date, Doleac's soulful voice and heartfelt lyrics have won over a legion of fans and audiences across the globe. With the release of "Bar Named Jesus," the critically acclaimed Country troubadour is poised to continue the momentum toward an undoubtedly monumental 2025. Doleac is currently gearing up to release more new music, and fans can expect to catch Doleac on the road as he continues to solidify his place as a leading voice in Country music.

Teenage Bottlerocket was formed in Laramie, Wyoming in 2000 by twin brothers Ray and Brandon Carlisle, following the dissolution of their previous band, Homeless Wonders. The band's music is heavily influenced by guitarist and co-vocalist Kody Templeman's other band, The Lillingtons, and punk rock acts such as Ramones, Screeching Weasel, Green Day, The Bouncing Souls, and Misfits; Their music has been referred to as "Ramones-core", "Weasel-core" and "leather jacket punk".

Boris The Sprinkler were formed the night of the 1992 ShopKo fireworks in Green Bay. Veterans of numerous local bands (including minor Beer City sensations Suburban Mutilation), they opted to forgo most then-popular musical routes -- long-stale hardcore, vaguely melodic emo-esque muttering, dull strummy plugged-in acoustic guitar crap -- for the then highly-unpopular music they grew up playing: The punk rock of the late 70's and early 80's.

With vocalist and Maximum RockNRoll columnist Rev. Nørb (once memorably described by Ben Weasel as "a grown man who resembles a gigantic grasshopper") flailing around the stage in a variety of increasingly ridiculous costumes and mighty guitar titan Paul #1 acting as a sonic anchor amidst the high-energy lunacy, punk rock inexplicably got big again -- that wasn't exactly Boris's doing, but it floated their boat accordingly.

When label-shopping the band's first album -- 8-Testicled Pogo Machine -- proved to be too slow and annoying a process for the band's liking, Nørb launched Bulge Records, thereby releasing Boris product himself and bypassing the whole record label bit entirely.

Now augmented by the madcap drum antics of Paul #2 -- a man occasionally led to the stage in chains while clad in nothing but a wrestling mask, trunks, and boots -- the band released their second album, Saucer To Saturn, and exported their thoroughly Midwestern hijinx to a nationwide audience on a summer tour with the Riverdales and the Mr. T Experience.

With charming science-nerd bass whiz Ric Six entering the picture for the band's third album, Mega Anal, the classic Boris lineup was complete, and the Earth wobbled on its axis to the group's cheese-punk clamor.

Figuring (somewhat correctly) that punk rock wasn't a particularly stable gravy train for thirty-somethings to permanently hitch their wagons to, the band never quit their day jobs. This neverending cycle of forty hour workweeks and weekend road gigs led to a high turnover rate among band members; amidst overly-frequent lineup changes and flagging enthusiasm, the band sputtered to a halt in 2003, leaving a legacy of five albums, nearly twenty 7-inches, a double live record, and Ramones and Circle Jerks tribute albums.

In 2009, the classic lineup of the band was cajoled out of retirement for an appearance at Insubordination Fest in Baltimore; in 2017, they started playing more-or-less annual shows. In 2019, they found themselves (under mysterious circumstances) in a recording studio together, with Vespa To Venus being the result. The band enjoys socks, soup, and most polkas.

On their Don Giovanni debut, Home Movies, Rodeo Boys are upping the ante. Their music owes as much to the twang of country as it does to the fuzz of grunge, and it's a winning combination.

Lead single "Sugar" sits somewhere between Bully and SPICE, a gritty slice of feedback-drenched rock 'n' roll that immediately makes it clear where Rodeo Boys' passions lie--in loud, crunchy, catchy alt rock. "Dog Leg" plays out like a supersized take on classic rock, all roaring solos and guttural hooks, and epic closer "Tomboy Radio" is a proggy masterclass in dynamics.

Home Movies hardly lets up all through its 40 minutes, the space folk of "Hail Mary" allowing a couple minutes to breathe, but it all seems to zip by. Vocalist Tiff Hannay says Rodeo Boys' goal as a queer blue-collar band is "to give a voice to young queer people in small towns," and what a powerful voice it is.

If you need a night out and a full heart, here's your chance to see Stephen Kellogg and his band. For more than two decades, this wordsmith, TEDx speaker, stand-up comic, and author has delighted audiences around the world. This time he's joined by a full band as they count down to Stephen's 3,000th performance. Backed by a powerhouse ensemble featuring members of his long-time touring operation The Sixers, he will serve up a musical retrospective that spans 14 albums and 25 years. Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz says of Kellogg, "There are few people in rock n' roll who are just so great." His latest release "To you, old friend." features Lori McKenna, Javier Colon, Chad Stokes of Dispatch, Danny Black of Good Old War and Duritz himself. Don't miss this tour. There won't be another one like it.

gutter sinatra is the music you'd expect to start blaring out of an abandoned 1982 Ford Bronco. A bit dusty, nostalgic and melancholy. Like Jackson Browne meeting up with Beck for coffee.

COVID put us all on our heels. After a minute, Don Miggs started writing songs again. No agenda, no artists coming in, no labels with demands.Just the constant sounds of "yacht rock radio" that his wife was playing all day long swirling around his brain. Get an idea, walk out to the studio, play some drums, drop in a bassline and see what tomorrow brings. Suddenly there were 3 or 4 ideas taking shape but they were songs for no one. Just something to do.

On a whim Miggs asked his friend, legendary Bob Clearmountain, if he was available to mix a few things. Turns out Bob had a ten day window coming up fast. Ten days, ten songs. A song a day. Easy. All that waiting around and now he's in a hurry. Of course. But a burst of inspiration later and the record was completed.

The world opened back up. Miggs sought out famed photographer Randall Slavin to take publicity shots, did a video for the track "I Kind Of Want To Call You" and then his other project, Whole Damn Mess started charting and he put gutter sinatra away. For 5 years.

He explains, "After a while it all just felt too personal. Like something Bob did just for me when we didn't know if anyone would ever make records again. Maybe it was best to keep it for myself. I got busy making other people's records and time just passed. Then the fires in LA took Bob's house and studio and I realized that every day is precious and we won't be here forever. We did this thing and I want to share it. My mantra is 'conceive, create, commit, continue' so I had to take my own advice and let this record go."

Miggs goes on to say, "These songs were going to sit in the trash before Bob. Him saying yes gave me the courage to push through. "Now I'm ready to tour and see how they hold up live. It's exciting and scary and I can't wait!

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