Show Review: Dance Gavin Dance @ Empire 4.26.15
–Written by Michael Hogan
Before I get started, this is a rather bittersweet review, because Empire, the Springfield, Virginia venue formerly known as Jaxx, is shutting down as of May 5th. To get things out of the way, that is a real shame, and the venue will be sorely missed. I have personally been going to shows at the venue for at least a decade now; back when it used to be Jaxx, I saw a few great metals bands like Shadows Fall and the like. It has since been remodeled into Empire and while it has remained the home of the majority of the good metal and post hardcore shows coming through the area, it has recently been putting on a handful of really good EDM shows as well, one of which I was fortunate enough to play back in February. I have a lot of history at Empire/Jaxx, and I know it will be missed by me, and many others that have called this venue home for years.
Read More
In Case You Missed It: The Boundless Soundscapes Of Unlimited Gravity’s “Event Horizon”
–Written by Kevin Madert
Colorado product Unlimited Gravity – real name Ronnie Weberg – has never seemed content remaining in one place musically. Beginning with his earliest self-released material (still available on his Bandcamp), the producer/DJ has displayed a keen ear for unique sounds and fresh styles. It’s led to a string of LPs with little sonic overlap and high replay value for Weberg; with his latest, Event Horizon, it’s clear that streak has been extended.
Read More
AltFreq Weekend Planner (4/30/15-5/2/15)
–Written by Kevin Madert
It’s nearly impossible to keep track of all the events going on in the area, so we’re here to let you know what’s happening in live music over the next few days. Watch out on Sundays for our “Weekly Planner,” where we’ll cover the remaining four days of the week.
Read More
News: Lineup Revealed For Camp Bisco 13
–Written by Kevin Madert
Camp Bisco continues to fire on all cylinders; after announcing their return a few days ago, then their new home at Scranton, PA’s Montage Mountain, the long-running festival has just released the lineup for the 2015 festival, slated for July 16-18. The bill – topped by The Disco Biscuits, Bassnectar, Pretty Lights, STS9, Atmosphere, and Tipper – is varied enough to appeal to a wide audience and strong enough to make us entirely okay with last year’s hiatus.
Read More
Review: Dayseeker – Origin
–Written by Michael Hogan
First off, I’d like to apologize, at this point I really must be sounding like a broken record. Blah, blah, blah, another good post-hardcore album, but I swear it’s been a remarkable year for the genre. And this is honestly a release that I didn’t see coming. Dayseeker is one of those bands that I have heard about time and time again, but I never took the time to listen to. I was sure they were going to be good, but of course, I was full of excuses; I was too busy, there were too many other things I wanted to listen to, and so on. Everyone I spoke to was excited about this album, and yet I never bothered to look up their previous work to figure out what I was in for. I’m almost glad I didn’t though, it gave me a clean slate with a remarkable album and an even more remarkable band. Earlier this month, when I had to review Dance Gavin Dance’s Instant Gratification, I knew I was holding it against Acceptance Speech, and I would be lying if I didn’t say that it introduced a not insignificant amount of subconscious bias into my perception of the album. I didn’t have that here, I listened to Origin in the freshest way possible. I had no preconceived notions of what to expect, I didn’t even have any idea what the band sounded like, and I feel like that helped make the experience all that more organic and honest.
Read More