“It’s been quite a while since we’ve played here…” Lauren Mayberry of CHVRCHES at the first of two back-to-back sold out shows at the Fox Theater in Oakland on Monday night. With the incredible Wolf Alice supporting, it was a stellar evening of music from two bands in the midst of a huge upswing in both talent and popularity. Late last year, both bands put out new albums, CHVRCHES with their Every Open Eye (their second) and Wolf Alice bowed their debut LP, My Love Is Cool. I had opportunity to see Wolf Alice at all three of their Bay Area shows last year and CHVRCHES with their “Not So Silent Night” appearance in December, so it has been fascinating to see them evolve and grow with both their studio recordings and their live shows. All in all, an evening that offered a look at the future of music… Wolf Alice with their alternative rock and roll and CHVRCHES with their synth pop. [Read more…]
Chvrches Next U.S. Leg of 2016 Tour Starts in California in April
Scottish electronic band Chvrches (CHVRCHΞS) will be returning to the United States for a second leg of their current tour, starting in San Diego on April 13th. With a mix of headlining shows, festival appearances, and touring with Death Cab For Cutie, as well as some shows with one of my own favorite newer bands, Wolf Alice, supporting. Their second album, Every Open Eye, has further propelled their worldwide popularity. [Read more…]
The Rock Subculture Journal 2015 Year In Review (Top 10 Live Music Concerts, Top 10 Albums, Top 100 Songs, and more…)
As with my 2012, 2013, and 2014 Year in Review features, this feature looks back on a year of music with a summary of the highlights. This year, I attended about 50 shows, with hundreds of different sets of incredible talent and music to make sense of, not to mention trying to keep up with all of the studio releases from artists, new and old. This is my attempt to (subjectively) share my favorites of the year, from live shows to new songs and albums. You can also check out my Top 100 Concert Photos of 2015 in that separate article.
“Not So Silent Night 2015” by Live 105 (#LIVE105NSSN) at Oracle Arena | Oakland, California | 12/11/2015 (Concert Review + Photos)
Not So Silent Night (NSSN) is Live 105’s “Annual Holiday Rock Show”, with 2015 bringing it back from a two-night event to a one night show. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I tend to avoid the massive outdoor Summer-style festivals (too hot, dirty, sweaty and crowded, though I did cover Live 105’s BFD this year – see Part 1 & Part 2), so I really enjoy these indoor ones that happen in the colder weather. With this one being an annual event, they are extremely well organized and somehow improve upon their formula year after year. The night kicked off early at about 5:30 and ran up towards midnight, so it was a very long evening of excellent artists doing their thing (with scant 5-minute breaks in-between as the did quick stage rotations). It was also an interesting mix of artists, with newer bands as well as some that have put in a lot more years, with Weezer topping the billing. All in all, it was a great line-up that flowed well and all performers seemed to step up and deliver to their own fans as well as making some new ones.
LIVE 105’s Not So Silent Night 2015 (#LIVE105NSSN) To Feature Weezer, Death Cab For Cutie, Bastille, Halsey, Silversun Pickups, Chvrches, Foals, and X Ambassadors
The line-up and date for LIVE 105’s annual Not So Silent Night concert event has been announced, with a one-night show at Oracle Arena this year on Friday, December 11th. 2015 will feature Weezer, Death Cab For Cutie, Bastille, Halsey, Silversun Pickups, Chvrches, Foals, and X-Ambassadors. [Read more…]
Chvrches World Tour Returns to America in September, Supporting “The Bones of What You Believe” & “Recover EP”
The Scottish synthpop group Chvrches is bringing their world tour to the United States in September, playing dates throughout into October. Their debut studio album, The Bones of What You Believe, came out late last year and their newest work, Recover EP, in 2014. [Read more…]
Chvrches Embark on Massive World Tour Beginning in November, Supporting “The Bones of What You Believe”
The Scottish synthpop group Chvrches is kicking off a massive world tour this month, beginning with a dozen dates in the United States before hitting the UK, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and Europe. Their debut studio album, The Bones of What You Believe, debuted in September. [Read more…]