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Wallace Baine on September 4, 2019
Nobody alive in the 1980s with the scantest interest in music could escape the force of Duran Duran. The slick synth-heavy proto-boy-band from the UK became an MTV sensation, thanks in large part to pouty sex-symbol lead singer, Simon LeBon. Sure, it’ll never be 1983 again, but DD has proved to be…
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Matei Predescu on September 4, 2019
New Zealand roots reggae icons Katchafire started 20 years ago as a Bob Marley tribute band—taking their name from The Wailers’ debut record, Catch a Fire. After the 2018 release of their fifth album, Legacy, which topped international charts, the group has solidified its presence on the forefront of the contemporary reggae…
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Nick Veronin on September 4, 2019
We all know Dierks Bentley as a singer, songwriter and country music veteran…but it turns out he might also be a Burner. He’s currently on the road, pushing his 2018 LP, The Mountain, whose lead single, “Burning Man,” seems to pay homage to the weeklong party in Nevada’s Black Rock desert. The…
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Matei Predescu on September 4, 2019
Music promotion organization Heavy San Jose is putting together bowling, brews and heavy metal in a weekend showcase of over 20 rock bands from across the West Coast. San Jose classics like Infinite Sleep and Dolores will be appearing alongside stoner metal shredders Hippie Death Cult and Holy Grove, both natives of…
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Erika Rasmussen on September 4, 2019
Born in Georgia to a Mexican family, J. Raul Garcia—better known by his stage name, WHATUPRG—wears his Christian faith on his sleeve. His two EPs, Pleasant Hill and RAUL, are brimming with allusions to his faith and his family heritage. Garcia’s music tells a story, one characterized by both the trauma of…
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Matei Predescu on September 4, 2019
These two alternative indie artists paint trippy dreamscapes with their hypnotizing post punk and psych rock sounds. Casual Crypt is the alter-ego of synth wizard James Vernon, whose upcoming debut album frames bedroom pop and indie rock around a spooky backdrop of whispering vocals and electronic echoes. Vernon’s album is set to…
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The last place I thought I’d ever witness such aggression was at the chip aisle—but there you were, verbal guns blazing. Admittedly, I don’t know what set you off to begin with, but when I politely offered to listen to your explanation, you refused to say and accused me of being a…
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Matei Predescu on August 28, 2019
For Kendall Sallay and Dirk Milotz, the two core members of Portland-based experimental dream-pop group Starover Blue, home will always be San Jose.
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Wallace Baine on August 28, 2019
For the fourth straight year, Sonido Clash goes deep into the emerging sounds of alternative Latinx music with about two dozen acts from across the diaspora on four stages, as well as live poetry, a panel discussion, a car show, a dance workshop and tons more. Headlining this year is the Puerto…
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Conor Agnew on August 28, 2019
San Jose producer Ryan Galvan’s new instrumental record, Superior Sauce, features ingredients carefully chosen from decades of funk, soul, R&B, hip-hop, jazz and electronic music. The resulting flavor is groovy as hell and deliciously chill. Across the album’s eight tracks the local multi-instrumentalist recalls the likes of J Dilla, Isaac Hayes, João…
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