Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Social Distortion @ Élysée-Montmartre, Paris - June 29th, 2022


Social Distortion last played Paris seven years ago in support of the 25th anniversary of their self-titled record. Tonight they return to the French capital with no new album to promote, and essentially delivering a Greatest Hits set for the pleasure of the small but fervent crowd gathered at the Élysée-Montmartre.

Monday, June 27, 2022

Brown Sugar No More


The Rolling Stones returned to live work last year in a post-pandemic world. They first toured America in 2021 and are now celebrating 60 years by embarking on a European trek which has already rolled through Spain, Germany, England, Italy and is scheduled to hit France in a few weeks.

Sunday, June 26, 2022

Iron Maiden @ Paris La Défense Arena, Nanterre - June 26th, 2022


Iron Maiden was last in town four years ago and this is the continuation of that same Legacy of the Beast tour which, like many things, was put on hold by the COVID-19 pandemic. But since they've released Senjutsu last year, they've added a few songs from that album on this leg of the tour, and the change is both a good and a bad thing.

Friday, June 24, 2022

Friday's Playlist: Americana


As the title indicates, this Friday's playlist focuses on Americana, Country and Folk artists. This is in no way an anthology (that would take several days) but a rather concise selection of some of our favorite somewhat recent Americana recordings. We've emphasized some younger artists, but there are some older legends in here too. Save this playlist in your favorites for your upcoming summer road trip: it is best enjoyed while watching a highway scroll by. It's even better if you have no idea where you're going.

Enjoy, comment and share.

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets @ le Grand Rex, Paris - June 22nd, 2022




Nick Mason has assembled a top band to play the early Pink Floyd repertoire, going all the way back to the Syd Barrett era. Needless to say, the setlist is a fan's dream.

Saturday, June 18, 2022

The Sheepdogs @ la Maroquinerie, Paris - June 18th, 2022

As a potentially deadly heatwave descends upon the country, one could think of a better idea than to join several hundred dancing, sweaty people in a sweltering underground club. But see, the Sheepdogs are back in town. Three years almost to the day after their last Paris gig, and hot off of the release of their excellent new record Outta Sight, the Canadians played a typically exciting set that transported the attendees back to a time most of them are too young to have known.

Rosalie Cunningham @ la Maroquinerie, Paris - June 18th 2022


Opening for the Sheepdogs on this unbearably hot night was Rosalie Cunningham and her band. Like the headliner, her music is a throwback to the sixties and seventies but where the Sheepdogs harken back to an American sound, Rosalie Cunningham is more indebted to British psychedelia.

Friday, June 17, 2022

Friday's Playlist: Stuff

This Friday's Playlist has no theme, no common denominator, no unifying thread. It also contains very little music that can be considered "rock". Just a bunch of good tunes that didn't really fit in any of our other playlists and that we felt like featuring. So grab a cocktail, put on your headphones and meet us on the other side.

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Drive-By Truckers @ la Maroquinerie, Paris - June 15th, 2022


At long fucking last. Over twenty-five years into their career and twelve years after having been forced to cancel their date in Toulouse, the Drive-By Truckers quintet finally made their French debut at la Maroquinerie. Better late than never. And to say that the quintet didn't disappoint would be an understatement. In fact, they were absolutely brilliant. Their blend of Southern Rock, Soul, Alt-Country and Replacements-style Punk Rock turned the Paris venue into a fiery furnace within thirty seconds of the opening chords.

Jerry Joseph @ la Maroquinerie, Paris - June 15th, 2022

Jerry Joseph is a veteran singer/songwriter who has been in several bands before launching a solo career. His latest album was produced by Drive-by Truckers' Patterson Hood who invited him to open for their current tour.

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Israel Nash @ la Maroquinerie, Paris - June 14th, 2022

Not only was Israel Nash's Paris date one of this year's best best concerts, it was also one of the best we've attended, ever. And we've been to quite a few... 

Dylan LeBlanc @ la Maroquinerie, Paris - June 14th, 2022

Louisiana singer/songwriter played a beautiful, emotional set at la Maroquinerie opening for Israel Nash. He won the audience over with his impassioned, distinctive vocals, his exquisite fingerpicking technique and most of all his delightful songs in the vein of Neil Young , Tom Petty and John Prine.

Monday, June 13, 2022

Steve Vai @ Trianon, Paris - June 13th, 2022

Because of his image of a guitar shredder, and his stints as a sideman for party boys David Lee Roth and David Coverdale in Whitesnake, it's easy to overlook the sheer musicality of Steve Vai's output. Yes, he plays crazy-fast runs, impossibly convoluted licks and dangerously acrobatic solos, but it's a means to an end and never the end itself. You don't have to be a muso to dig his work, although it helps: Vai might be the ultimate guitarist. He has Al DiMeola's dexterity, Rory Gallagher's sense of melody, David Gilmour's nuances, Jeff Beck's absolute control of the instrument, Jimi Hendrix' penchant for exploration and Frank Zappa's zaniness.


Friday, June 10, 2022

Friday's Playlist - Elliot Easton: Sessions & Contributions

This playlist focuses on the genius of guitarist Elliot Easton. While he is more famous for his fantastically quirky solos in the pop context of the Cars (and they are obviously represented here), he has shown his talents in other contexts, not least of which is his remarkable solo album Change No Change.

Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Mastodon @ Salle Pleyel, Paris - June 7th, 2022




A tough decision faced every Parisian headbanger tonight: KISS or Mastodon? With all due respect to the elder statesmen of Hard Rock/Glam Rock, the spectacle of septuagenarians stuffed in faux-leather lip-syncing their way through their venerable catalogue is just not as appealing as it once was. This is, in fact, KISS' second farewell tour so, if fancy strikes, one can always catch them on their third or fourth one.

I always tend to think of Mastodon as a young band but they have now been active for over twenty years (with an unchanged line-up, no less!). For perspective, if they were Aerosmith, they'd be releasing Get A Grip. The Southerners are now bona-fide veterans of Heavy Metal and they have the repertoire to prove it: albums like The Hunter or Leviathan are now rightly considered classics of the genre. Yet, somehow, and despite having been a fan for a while now, I had never seen them live before.

Saturday, June 4, 2022

Neal Morse Band @ Trianon, Paris - June 4th, 2022

It's hard to believe it's been twenty years since Neal Morse found Jesus and quit Neo-Prog heroes Spock's Beard. Fans of the Nashville-based musician might have been apprehensive at first, but it's worked out quite well for everyone since he has been incredibly prolific with his many projects like Prog supergroup Transatlantic, Flying Colors, his solo career and the Neal Morse Band, which is touring the world in support of their brilliant new concept album Innocence and Danger, a large portion of which was performed at the venerable Trianon theater last night.

Friday, June 3, 2022

Friday's Playlist: Happy Pride Month

It's Pride Month in the U.S. so we slapped together this quick playlist with gay anthems, songs about self-acceptance and other similarly-themed tracks. We're venturing a bit outside of our usual rock/blues/metal/soul realm here with a bunch of disco tracks, but there is also some punk rock and some folk. Hopefully this flows nicely despite the disparity in genres.