Teddy Swims' music feels like a collage of popular styles—soul, pop, R&B, rock—stitched together without a clear, guiding vision. Having risen to fame on YouTube, Swims' brand of soul seems custom-built for the TikTok generation, serving as a bridge to an era when AI might deliver our pop stars. The concert itself feels more like an extended Instagram reel than a cohesive musical experience, crafted to capture clicks and likes.
This is the Cure's first album since "4:13 Dream" which came out on October 27th, 2024. 16 years is a long, long time. Like, Chinese Democracy-long. The album was announced five years ago, and the band has already been playing several tracks in concert. So why the long wait?
Sepultura pulled all the stops on this first date of their final European tour, and delivered an epic show which drew from every era of the band and showcased the power and creativity of this unique band.
Jinjer had been on a steady rise in the metal world when, nearly three years ago, their ascent was abruptly threatened by Russia's invasion of their homeland. But for Jinjer, music is more than a career—it’s a mission. Given special permission to leave Ukraine as cultural ambassadors, the band has toured the world, fusing their artistry with a message of resilience. In times like these, it's worth remembering that concerts are more than entertainment. As the tragic events at the Bataclan showed nearly a decade ago, they are sanctuaries of freedom, vulnerable yet vital, in a world where such freedoms are not guaranteed.
Obituary, always the reliable killing machine, delivered a crushing set opening for Sepultura in Paris, proving once again why they’re legends in the Death Metal scene. It was thrilling to see the band command such a massive stage with their distinctive, groove-heavy approach to the genre. Unlike some of their Floridian peers, Obituary’s sound leans slightly slower and groovier, yet remains relentlessly sick and aggressive.
At 83 years old, Bob Dylan remains a singular figure in the landscape of modern music, effortlessly bridging generations, genres, and sensibilities. His second of two nights at La Seine Musicale, a venue he inaugurated seven years prior, unfolded like an ongoing conversation with the entire tradition of American music. The setlist was rooted in his latest offering, Rough and Rowdy Ways, with nine out of 17 songs drawing from that album—a bold statement from an artist never content to coast on past glories.
Dhani Harrison’s headlining set at La Maroquinerie last night was a sonic deep dive into shadowy, cinematic terrain. Over the course of his two solo albums, IN///PARALLEL and Innerstandings, Harrison constructed an atmospheric, brooding wall of sound, performing both records in full like a man on a mission to make you forget daylight exists.
Last night at La Maroquinerie in Paris, a young singer named Mereki opened for Dhani Harrison, and her set was an excellent discovery. With a captivating stage presence, she performed songs primarily from her upcoming record, and while the material was new to most of the crowd, it instantly resonated.
Death Metal has become so popular that the flag bearers of the Melodic branch of the genre are now playing small arenas all over Europe. Headlining a mind blowing bill over Soilwork and In Flames, Arch Enemy delivered a punishing performance path the Zénith in Paris, showcasing frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz' mesmerizing charisma and Metal legend Michael Ammott' guitar wizardry.
As the first of three bands on an absolutely crushing metal marquee, Soilwork opened the evening's hostilities in Paris with a short but intense set. Despite their early time slot, the Swedish melodic death metal sextet showed no signs of holding back, delivering a relentless performance that pulled from their entire 30-year career.
Dog Eat Dog is touring in support of their latest album "Free Radicals" as well as celebrating 30 years of "All Boro Kings", but surely that can't be right... If that were true, that would put us in our late forties, and we'd be sporting gray hair and a beer gut. Oh, wait...
