Show Review Archives - Page 6 of 16

I slipped “68 Guns” onto the turntable, and my musical life changed forever. The song is filled with slick guitars and powerful rhythms, but the key was this long-haired Welshman belting out the killer vocals. Mike Peters was it! Raw, passionate vocals that made the listener take notice, and the lyrics were great. I remember that moment in the dingy WUVT studio, and the power of that music as if it happened yesterday. Mike Peters and The Alarm helped me slip into this new Modern Rock / New Wave world where I soon dug into their peers: REM, The Cure, Pretenders, etc… I stuck with the DJ gig, and it made me a bunch of money, and directly led to me meeting my wife.

FEATURED MUSIC NEWS

May 4, 2025 Jason Shrum

Free Gaga! Yes Please

Lady Gaga isn’t going anywhere and nor should she. In fact, she may be doing her best work most recently. I have seen Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta AKA Lady Gaga in concert twice and she is nothing short of stunning. It wasn’t until I first saw her in Orlando, Florida years ago that I realized what an amazing singer and talented musician she was. I knew she was an artist. I knew she was a performer. I knew she had an act. However she has all the depth to back than up and she is showing that side more and more. Her new album, Mayhem, is a prime example of that. If you haven’t heard it yet, you are doing yourself a major disservice. Another toss-away descriptor, but I am lacking otherwise- it is brilliant. Her seventh studio album is what the kids would consider to be a banger. It is a maximum effort of all things Gaga, if that is at all possible. To date, however, I feel, its is her best work. You can hear all the knowledge that she has absorbed over the years poured into this record.

FEATURED LIVE REVIEWS

April 28, 2025 Jason Shrum

Gentry Blue Immerses Audiences in Sound

I find myself in East Nashville once again amongst a row of “Dive Bars” and independently operated live music venues. I find the area to be a great section of the city where you can find hard working bands grinding out passionate sets on any given day of the week. Downtown on Broadway you can certainly find an amplitude of fine musicians doing the same thing and the music is fantastic, but sometimes the tourists can be too much. You won’t find a gaggle of bachelorettes in sparkled hats and boots sipping blue drinks from penis straws. East Nashville is a little rawer and more local driven. The strip includes famously great joints like The Underdog, The Cobra, The Basement East, The 5 Spot and so many more. Tonight, I was patronizing The Cobra that not only offers cheap drinks but three different areas for music to happen. There’s a spot near the main bar, an outside space and “The Venue” which is just off to the right when you enter streetside.

FEATURED INTERVIEWS

April 23, 2025 Jason Shrum

Getting to Know Echo Pilot

We all met at varying times. Echo Pilot is the brainchild of Ryan Van Abeele (singer/rhythm guitarist) and was started in 2018. Andrew Stuart Howsmon (bass/backing vocals) auditioned and was brought on in 2022. Dan Russell (drums) was recommended by a friend and fan of the band and auditioned and was brought on in October 2023. Aaron Smith (lead guitarist) auditioned around that time as well and was officially brought on in January 2024. The name Echo Pilot was literally just thrown together by Ryan who thought the two words together sounded cool. There’s no awesome name origin story (laughter ensues).

FEATURED LIVE REVIEWS

April 21, 2025 Jason Shrum

Two Helpings of CAKE

The show included all the hits and fan favorite songs, as well as a few covers and a new piece from their upcoming 2025 album (no release date as of yet). That was certainly my big take as they approached the start to a new tune called ‘Billionaire in Space’ and announce the upcoming drop. CAKE hasn’t had a studio album release since 2011 with Showroom of Compassion – so to hear of a brand-new record coming out I was beyond excited. This unknown titled piece will be their 7th studio album release.

FEATURED LIVE REVIEWS MUSIC NEWS

April 15, 2025 Larry Fulford

Michael Shannon, Jason Narducy & Friends Channel R.E.M. (and Literal R.E.M.) in Athens, Georgia

I fell in love with Athens during my first visit in 1999 or so. Sure, it was initially fueled by the fact that I’m a huge R.E.M. fan and, as such, Athens is basically Mecca, but it quickly became more than that. Athens is an anomaly in the south: a quaint, college town with a rich history of art and music, surrounded by sprawling farmland, isolating it from neighboring Atlanta, making it a funny little island, where, for decades now, weirdos get to be weirdos, experimenting with sounds, words and visuals, free of judgement and expectations. Leaving Athens always stings a little, in that I find myself wishing I could spend more time there, or had lived there in my 20s.

FEATURED LIVE REVIEWS

April 10, 2025 Jason Shrum

Parker Barrow Doesn’t Rob Their Audience

Parker Barrow. Parker Barrow. Parker Barrow! I want to say it as many times as I can so that you will remember the name of this band. After seeing them perform live at 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville, I will never forget. I have to say thank you to Gregg Bell, Parker Barrow’s manager, for reaching out to me and inviting me to the show. I have been getting a lot of submissions through Rock Oracle to go out and see bands or listen to a new single and most the time I listen or find them online and I pass for one reason or another. When I looked up this bluesy-southern rock band I found myself going down the rabbit hole to watch and listen to as much as I could – and then I saw them live – and I am a fan for life!