Top 25 live shows of 2024: #’s 15 – 11

The top 15 live shows I saw in 2024 range from doom metal to post-punk. Read on!

#15: The Well – Stubb’s BBQ – Levitation Austin, November 03, 2024

The Well never disappoint. They opened this night of metal at Levitation Austin’s main stage and set a high bar right away. The mix of older material with upcoming stuff from (hopefully) a new record landing this year was top notch.

#14: The The – Salt Shed, Chicago, IL, October 25, 2024

Here’s a band I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to see live. Matt Johnson returned with a new The The album and then a world tour. It was his first time in the U.S. in over two decades. They played two sets: The first being The The’s new album, Ensoulment, in its entirety and the second being a “time traveler’s set” of classic material. Johnson still sounds great.

#13: A Place to Bury Strangers – Stubb’s BBQ – Levitation Austin, October 31, 2024

Here’s another band who never disappoint. It was my girlfriend, Holly’s, first time seeing APTBS. I told frontman Oliver Ackermann (dressed, like his bandmates, as a vampire for Halloween) before the show that I envied her innocence. Her review? “I need a neck adjustment after that.” I don’t think I can sum it up better.

#12: Jon Spencer – Stockroom East, South Bend, IN, July 11, 2024

Holy $#!+. Jon Spencer and the rhythm section of The Bobby Lees played a forty-minute drive from my house. This small venue almost couldn’t handle their energy. The small crowd at this show got a great gift from them.

#11: Gang of Four – Far Out Lounge – Levitation Austin, November 01, 2024

Here’s another band I wasn’t sure I’d get to see live. This great set by Gang of Four was one of the top highlights of 2024’s Levitation Austin Music Festival for me. Everyone in this crowd was hyped to see them, and Jon King smashing a microwave with an aluminum ball bat was gold.

My top ten shows of 2024 include some old favorites and one final (?) tour. Come back tomorrow for more!

Keep your mind open.

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Top 25 albums of 2024: #’s 15 – 11

Who’s in my top 15 albums of 2024? A lot of groovy people. Read on!

#15: Tangled Horns – Lighter

This post-punk rager came out of nowhere for me. I hadn’t heard them before a press release about them drifted my way, and I was sold upon hearing Lighter for the first time.

#14: Brijean – Macro

It’s another delightful album from them. The whole thing is full of beach-ready synths, club tracks, Italo Disco flavor, and lovely vocals.

#13: Tombstones in Their Eyes – Asylum Harbour

This is a sweet psychedelic record that incorporates a bit of shoegaze here and there and was another great discovery for me in 2024.

#12: Karkara – All Is Dust

You can call these Toulouse psych-rockers the French version of King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard. They probably won’t mind. Their musicianship is damn impressive and their riffs can be as heavy as any doom band you like.

#11: Radondo – Deluge EP

Synthwave plus creepy imagery? Sounds good to me. This EP blends darker synths with some dancefloor beats and makes a great late night jam ready for everything from an afterparty to trying to sneak an alien being to the beach so he can board his underwater ship.

We’re almost to the top ten! Come back tomorrow for more!

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Rewind Review: Lightnin’ Hopkins – Lightnin’ in New York (2022 reissue)

It’s no secret that Lightnin’ Hopkins is my favorite bluesman of all time. He’s the only one I have emblazoned on a T-shirt I bought in Nashville years ago. So, I practically jumped at the Chicago wrecka stow rack when I saw this 2022 issue of his 1960 album, Lightnin’ in New York, for sale at a stunningly cheap price.

Hopkins was slowly getting into the concert scene around this time, mostly playing in house parties and honkytonks back in the Houston area. He had trouble connecting with young, white audiences at first, figuring (correctly so) that they hadn’t seen or experienced the things he and his friends and family had. How would and how could white people relate to the blues?

He landed in New York City in late 1960 and, after being shuffled around to some low-rent apartments, learned that there were indeed some white people in the Big Apple who could relate to the blues. Downtrodden and heartbroken people can be found everywhere.

Recorded on November 15th of that year, Hopkins sat in the studio with his trusty guitar and a piano, often switching back and forth on the same song. “Take It Easy,” the opener, is a great showcase of this talent. “Mighty Crazy” is a witty, fun track that skewers oppressive social and sexual attitudes (“Ain’t it crazy to keep on rubbing at that same old thing?”).

Hopkins is relaxed and enjoying himself on “Your Own Fault, to Treat Me the Way You Do.” His playful piano work is like a strutting cat on it. “I’ve Had My Fun If I Don’t Get Well No More” is a song about approaching death, but looking back and appreciating the ride. Hopkins wants his mother to know what’s happening (“Let her know the shape I’m in. Just tell her to pray for me, momma, forgive me for all my sins.”).

“The Trouble Blues” is a powerful song with Hopkins’ vocals aching with sad memories of his girl leaving him (“I’m leavin’ in the morning. Lightnin’, your crying won’t make me stay.”) and fatigue from rough mileage brought on by the world in general. “Lightnin’s Piano Boogie” is a fun instrumental showcase of his playing.

“Wonder Why” is another heartfelt performance of Hopkins losing love yet again. He can’t figure out why his girl is leaving him, and she’s not giving him any hints. The album closes with one of his classic storytelling songs, “Mister Charlie,” about a stuttering boy who has to tell a kind mill owner that his mill is on fire. The boy is losing his home, and the owner is losing his business, but the owner lets him know things will be fine despite the tragedy.

This is a great recording of a blues legend relaxed and playing what he wants. It’s a prime addition to anyone’s blues or Hopkins collection.

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Top 25 live shows of 2024: #’s 20 – 16

The concerts keep getting wilder as the lists continue. Here’s the start of the top 20 live shows I saw in 2024.

#20: Iguana Death Cult – Thalia Hall, Chicago, IL, October 19, 2024

I’d never heard or seen these guys until they opened for Osees one night. That’s not an easy task for anyone, and they crushed it with their wild style of garage punk and trombone madness.

#19: The Sword – Stubb’s BBQ, Levitation Austin, November 03, 2024

The Austin hometown heroes returned for a rare reunion show to close out the Levitation Music Festival main stage, and the crowd went wild for them, often chanting songs with them like a medieval army off to knock down a fortified keep.

#18: Slift – Far Out Lounge, Levitation Austin, November, 01, 2024

This was my second time seeing Slift this year, and the crowd at this outdoor venue was jam packed into a small area that still had room for a crazy mosh pit. As usual, they blew everyone’s minds with their cosmic rock.

#17: Meatbodies – Reggie’s Music Joint, Chicago, IL, October 18, 2024

Damn, these guys are good. They played powerful psych rock that comes at you from all directions. Seeing them in a small venue like this was icing on the cake.

#16: Wine Lips – Parish, Levitation Austin, November 02, 2024

This was a bonkers way to end the third night of the Levitation Music Festival. Wine Lips put on a crazy show in a packed, humid venue that barely left room for walking, let alone moshing or crowd-surfing. They had many new fans after this, me included.

Who made it into the top 15? There’s one band I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to see live. Come back tomorrow to learn more!

Keep your mind open.

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Top 25 albums of 2024: #s 20 – 16

Here we are at my top 20 albums of 2024. That was fast! Let’s get to it!

#20: Curses – Next Wave Acid Punx Deux – Secret Cuts

This collection by Curses is a great one of rare goth, darkwave, and synthwave cuts that makes you wonder where these bands have been all your life.

#19: Punchlove – Channels

The wall of sound on this shoegaze record from Punchlove is at times deafening and other times soothing. They’re one of my top picks to be one of the Next Big Things.

#18: Paperkraft – Not C but K

Here’s some groovy house music for you from Japan. This EP was a great debut.

#17: Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol – Big Dumb Riffs

“What if we made an album that was all big, dumb riffs?” Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol asked. Well, they did it, and it’s a lot of big, dumb, riffing fun.

#16: Dion Lunadon – Memory Burn

It’s another scorcher from Dion Lunadon as he packs more energy into this EP than many double albums you’ve heard.

Who’s in the top 15? Come back tomorrow to learn!

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WSND set list: Throwback Thursday January 02, 2024

Thanks to all who tuned in for my first of three radio shows at WSND for the 2024-2025 Christmas break. It was the return of Throwback Thursday. Here’s the set list for you.

  1. Toto – Hold the Line (1978)
  2. Johnny Cash – Oney (1973)
  3. Robin Trower – Daydream (live) (1974) (requested)
  4. The Who – Substitute (live) (1970)
  5. 1970s radio ad for TV Guide
  6. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Run through the Jungle (1970)
  7. Radio spot of Year of the Cannibals (1970)
  8. Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here (1975)
  9. Blue Oyster Cult – (Don’t Fear) The Reaper (1976)
  10. Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath (1970)
  11. The Clash – Janine Jones (demo version) (1977)
  12. 1970s radio ad for 7-Up
  13. Elton John – Rocket Man (1972)
  14. The B-52s – Planet Claire (1978)
  15. Earth, Wind & Fire – Shining Star (1975) (requested)
  16. Betty Davis – Come Take Me (1973)
  17. Queen – Another One Bites the Dust (1980) (requested)
  18. Five Letters – Tha Kee Tha Tha (1980)
  19. Laura Branigan – Self Control (1984)
  20. The Psychedelic Furs – Imitation of Christ (1980)
  21. Motley Crue – Shout at the Devil (1983)
  22. Robin Trower – Back It Up (1983) (requested)
  23. 1980s radio ad for Bubblicious Paradise Punch Gum
  24. Agent Orange – A Cry for Help in a World Gone Mad (1981)
  25. Alice Cooper – He’s Back (The Man Behind the Mask) (1986) (requested)
  26. 1980s radio ad for Campbell’s Chunky Chili Beef Soup
  27. Alison Krauss – Too Late to Cry (1987)
  28. Dolly Patron – 9 to 5 (1980)
  29. The Human League – Don’t You Want Me (1981)
  30. 1980s radio ad for New Coke
  31. David Bowie – Let’s Dance (1983)
  32. The Smithereens – Tracey’s World (1983)
  33. Nu Shooz – I Can’t Wait (1985)
  34. Salt ‘n’ Pepa – Whatta Man (1993)
  35. The Rolling Stones – You Got Me Rocking (live) (1999) (requested)
  36. 1990s radio ad for Dodge Ram quad-cab truck
  37. Gas Hufer – Rotten Egg (1998)
  38. Buzzcocks – Fast Cars (live) (1995)
  39. Ween – The Mollusk (1997) (requested)
  40. Morphine – Cure for Pain (1993)
  41. Us3 – Cantaloop (1993) (requested)
  42. Cassius – Interlude (1999)
  43. Fluke – Electric Guitar (1993)
  44. Blur – Girls and Boys (1994)
  45. 1990s radio ad for Acuvue contact lenses
  46. Nine Inch Nails – Even Deeper (1999)
  47. Love & Rockets – Trip & Glide (1995)
  48. Primus – Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweakers (1991) (requested)
  49. DJ Random – Stimulation (2002)
  50. D:Fuse – Plasma (2002)
  51. Madvillain – The Illest Villains (2004)
  52. The Fabulous Thunderbirds – The Things I Used to Do (live) (2001) (requested)
  53. 2000s radio jingles for various insurance companies
  54. The Allman Brothers Band – Don’t Want You No More (live) (2000)
  55. Beck – We Dance Alone (2006)
  56. A Place to Bury Strangers – Keep Slipping Away (2009)
  57. 2000s TV ad for Mighty Putty
  58. Radiohead – Nude (2007)
  59. The Raveonettes – Dead Sound (2008)
  60. The Flaming Lips – The Impulse (2009)
  61. Bad Religion – The New America (2000)
  62. Bad Religion – Atheist Peace (2004)
  63. Sabaton – Primo Victoria (2005) (requested)
  64. Imarhan – Alwa (2018)
  65. Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings – People Don’t Get What They Deserve (2014) (requested)
  66. Bloc Party – Day Four (2012)
  67. M.I.A. – The Message (2010)
  68. Crystales – Agrias (2018)
  69. Tamaryn – No Exits (2012)
  70. SsingSsing – Noraegarak (2017) (requested)
  71. Chromatics – Love Theme from Closer to Grey (2019)
  72. The Hu – Wolf Totem (2018) (requested)
  73. The Duke Spirit – In Breath (2017)
  74. Dead When I Found Her – Curtains (2010)
  75. EMA – Milkman (2012)
  76. Holy Serpent – Lord Deceptor (2019)
  77. Chelsea Wolfe – Iron Moon (2015)
  78. Oh Sees – Toe Cutter – Thumb Buster (2013)

I’m back on air January 05th at 7pm for another Deep Dive / Nocturne show. The Nocturne show (10pm to midnight) will be a Best of 2024 set.

Keep your mind open.

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Top 25 live shows of 2024: #’s 25 – 21

As always, it was a fun year for live music and there were plenty of great shows that I was lucky enough to catch in 2024. Who made the top 25? Let’s get started.

#25: Dry Cleaning – Far Out Lounge, Levitation Austin, November 01, 2024

It was a nice warm night in Austin, just a day after Halloween, when Dry Cleaning played a wild, fascinating set at Levitation Austin. They’re always intriguing, and they rock harder than most people realize.

#24: Mac Sabbath – Bell’s Eccentric Café, Kalamazoo, MI, August 27, 2024

This was part of Mac Sabbath‘s tenth anniversary tour, and the crowd was really into it. A lot of people at this gig hadn’t seen them before, and most of them were laughing the entire time.

#23: Death Valley Girls – Parish, Levitation Austin, November 02, 2024

This was my first time seeing Death Valley Girls‘ new guitar-less lineup, and the uplifting spooky music they now create is stellar. They were one of the most talked-about bands at the 2024 Levitation Music Festival.

#22: Grocery Bag – Hotel Vegas, Levitation Austin, November 02, 2024

These Austinites were a pleasant discover this year. They threw down a strong set, changing instruments multiple times, and fired up everyone at Hotel Vegas…and they did all of this opening for Osees no less. I hope they get out of Austin for a tour soon.

#21: Meatbodies – Far Out Lounge, Levitation Austin, November 01, 2024

This was the second time I saw Meatbodies in 2024, and this fun, loud set at Levitation was a blast and even had added bonus tracks I hadn’t heard in their first set.

Who’s in the top 20? Come back tomorrow to see!

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Top 25 albums of 2024: #’s 25 – 21

It’s a new year, so that means it’s time to look back at my top picks of 2024. Let’s get started.

#25: Tropical Sludge – Astral Mind

This album by Rick Burke, the guitarist of Comacozer, is a psychedelic trip loaded with cool riffs and meditative synths that will take you out of the moment and drop you into some kind of spiritual temple that has Orange amps in it.

#24: Temporal Waves (self-titled)

Wait…You’re mixing stunning tabla work with synthwave music? I’m there. I’m there all day long.

#23: Blake Fleming – The Beat Fantastic

This is another wild percussion-driven record that adds synths for psychedelic effect and has so many amazing beats that it’s almost overwhelming.

#22: Goodbye Meteor – We Could Have Been Radiant

This album of French post-rock and psych is a stunning record that came to me almost out of nowhere and immediately caught my attention. The waves of it are both powerful and subtle.

#21: Doug Richards – Project 85 EP

This was a great return for a rave DJ from the 1990s who became a lawyer and then decided to get back into music after the COVID-19 pandemic and ended up dropping a stunning techno EP as a result.

Who makes the top twenty? Come back tomorrow to find out!

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Roi Turbo blow up the dance floor with “Bazooka.”

Photo Courtesy of Roi Turbo

Roi Turbo is the new project of South African-born, London-based electronic duo of brothers Benjamin & Conor McCarthy. Today, they release a new single, “Bazooka,” via Maison Records. Born out of their shared love for dance music from around the world, the brothers infuse a hybrid of African and Western influences from the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s. Today’s new single, “Bazooka,” packs an explosive punch with its catchy synth and guitar leads. Inspired by ‘80s South African Bubblegum disco, its cheeky bass line and bouncy piano are sure to shake up the dance floor. “Bazooka” follows the previously released single “Dystopia.”


Listen to “Bazooka”
 

Roi Turbo was formed in their home city of Cape Town in 2020. Ben came from an electronic background as a producer and DJ, and became a mainstay in the club circuit in and around their hometown. Conor, meanwhile, came from a band background, playing in alt-rock and alt-pop outfits. The two had always wanted to start a dance project together, dating back to when they were in high school. During COVID lockdown, the chance presented itself. The brothers moved back in together and wrote music with no real agenda, just the two of them with time on their hands, having fun writing music that felt the most natural to them. “We were listening to ‘70s and ‘80s African disco and funk records at the time, and the contrast between the synths and raw live elements of these records really inspired us,” say Ben & Conor, who are also quick to note the likes of Larry Levan, William Onyeabor,  Air and Pino D’Angiò as musical inspiration. “Over the years we bought as many synths, drums, guitars and microphones as we could get our hands on and would experiment for weeks on end until we got the sound we were going for. This combination of analog gear has now become a staple in the Roi Turbo sound.”

They continue: “We wanted to create a project that encompassed all our niche tastes in music, fashion, automobiles and design, free of any pretentiousness, just quality music that gets you moving!”

Roi Turbo will perform at Electric Forest in Rothbury, Michigan next June, with more live dates to come.
 

Listen to “Dystopia”

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Aesthetic Perfection release live version of “S E X” from 2023 Wembley Arena concert.

Daniel Graves, the Austrian-American industrial pop trailblazer, returned with his most ambitious project yet: the Bad Vibes EP (released October 11, 2024) This 3-song sensory assault delivers a disorienting punch of 90s nostalgia, where dial-up modems hum alongside samples of televangelists and infomercial hosts, all set against a backdrop of blistering guitars, guttural screams, and relentless mechanical rhythms. Anchored by Graves’ signature melodies and sharp pop sensibilities, the Bad Vibes EP is both a reflection on American culture during the Satanic Panic and a commentary on our present moment.

Wearing its influences proudly, the Bad Vibes EP evokes the raw energy of The Downward Spiral-era Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson’s Portrait of an American Family while remaining undeniably Aesthetic Perfection. Mixed by the legendary Sean Beavan (Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Guns N’ Roses) and featuring the searing guitars of Sebastian Svalland (PAIN, Lindemann, Letters from the Colony) with live drums by Mike Schopf (Cil City), this EP bridges the gap between past and future with unparalleled intensity.

Aesthetic Perfection recently wrapped up their Fall Goth Tour 2024 which had them headlining many special shows plus major arena performances supporting Rammstein’s Till Lindemann with special guests Twin Temple.

Aesthetic Perfection celebrated the kick off of the Fall Goth Tour by dropping “Into The Void“, the first single from the Bad Vibes EP which premiered at Revolver on September 13th.

Revolver writes “Sonically, it leans into a Nineties-era, retro-futuristic slam of crunch-dustrial guitar chordage, mechanically-manned marching rhythms, and mega-screams from bandleader Daniel Graves. Visually, the accompanying music video presents the creepiest aerobics routine imaginable. A flashy sweatsuit-sporting Graves saunters into the scene with a beer in hand, but he puts the bottle down to work those carbs off via a limbs-pumping, grin-widening exercise routine. As this goes on, we hear a bunch of found-footage samples about demonic possession.”

On October 4, 2024, Aesthetic Perfection premiered the industrial pop single “Self Inflicted” at Outburn. Daniel Graves says “Over the course of my life, I’ve come to realize that my own greatest enemy is… well… me. ‘Self Inflicted’ explores all the unhealthy coping mechanisms we develop to navigate life’s challenges. While we can’t control what happens to us, we can choose how we respond.”

The third single and title track “Bad Vibes” was released on October 11, along with the full EP, and the video, chock full of live and backstage footage from the Fall 2024 tour with Till Lindemann and Twin Temple, premiered at Metal Injection, who writes “If you’re looking for a solid, electronic-heavy banger with a retro-styled music video, you’re gonna love this.”

Aesthetic Perfection – S E X (Live at Wembley 2023)

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