Rolling Stone Pages Through 50 Years
The 50th anniversary of Rolling Stone is being marked a number of ways, from a biography that publisher Jann Wenner has already disavowed (and is being well-reviewed) to this two…
Finding the Voice of John Coltrane
“Independent Lens” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings) kicks off its 16th season with what would be a perfect “American Masters.” The absorbing and uplifting biography of jazz giant John…
Lucinda Williams’ New ‘Sweet Old World’
The increasingly popular ploy of celebrating a classic album on its anniversary came a little differently to Lucinda Williams. Instead of performing the original work top to bottom in front…
Yep Roc 20’s Rockin’ Anniversary
Sometimes, a record label anniversary concert can be a pretty disparate affair, if only because of the breadth of the rosters. Motown 25 was probably a pinnacle of its type…
Secret Sisters Harmonize at The Hamilton
The Secret Sisters come off like a classic duo from the golden age of country music, or maybe before that: the string band era of the Depression days. Existing in…
A Stop on Daniel Johnston’s Final Tour
To the devoted fans of Daniel Johnston, the troubled outsider songwriter behind “Speeding Motorcycle” and other indie favorites, an introduction would certainly not be necessary. But what’s being billed at…
‘Take Me to the River,’ the Concert Version
Since Martin Shore released his 2014 documentary "Take Me to the River," telling the story of Memphis soul while trying to introduce a hip hop generation, a number of its…
Randy Newman at the Birchmere
At 73, Randy Newman is still writing sharp and funny political songs, elaborate and cynical set pieces about the state of the world and, in between, the kind of stark…
Screams at the Yoko Tribute Concert
Aside from her considerable career as a conceptual artist, Yoko Ono may also be the most polarizing figure in rock. She still carries a lot of unfair blame for being…
Arcade Fire Adapts Well to Arena
Playing in the round isn’t always the best way to take in an arena concert. By definition, a band’s presentation is fractured in different directions, lacking a central, unified focus.…