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Those crazy cats over at Loco Club in Valencia are offering free admission to under 25 year olds for 12 incredible concerts! Loco Club is Valencia’s beating indie heart — a low-lit temple where sweat, distortion, and good taste collide. Part dive bar, part rock’n’roll church, it’s the kind of place where you can stumble into a blistering garage set on a Thursday, lose yourself to post-punk on a Friday, and catch a cult legend on a Sunday night hangover. With its raw energy, impeccable booking, and diehard crowd, Loco Club isn’t just a venue — it’s a rite of passage for anyone who truly lives music in Valencia. Whats the catch? There isn't one! Well, you may find you see more cool bands than you would usually! Want to know more and get your free tickets? Click the link below - oh to be young again..... Loco Tickets

Alex Giannascoli has outgrown club shows. On October 1 he played Stubb’s, the second of two sold-out nights in Austin, touring his tenth album Headlights. The contrast couldn’t have been clearer. He used to stand at Mohawk, fielding requests from fans desperate to hear “Serpent is Lord.” Now he tours with a lighting crew, haze machines, and a setlist that runs like a well-oiled machine. It’s tempting to say this is just what happens when a Bandcamp star signs to RCA, but that undersells what makes Alex singular. Headlights raised an obvious question: could the lo-fi icon keep his DIY ethos once a major label started paying for polish? Critics leaned on the Elliott Smith XO comparison, pointing to Smith’s leap to DreamWorks. But that take reduces Alex G to Smith’s successor. A sharper analogue is Conor Oberst, who’s made a career out of detonating expectations across punk, Americana, electronica, and protest music. The difference is Oberst always had collaborators to help steer the vision. Alex does it alone. Which is why when “Brick” tears out of the speakers at Stubb’s, it still feels like one of the most deranged choices any major-label artist could make in 2025. Nilüfer Yanya opened with a 40-minute set from My Method Actor, her 2024 record that topped critics’ lists for its taut precision. Live, she smoothed and slowed its edges, starting in deliberate restraint. “Like I Say” felt more like a meditation, and the younger crowd pressed against the barricade listened politely, almost reverently. But what began slow tightened as the set progressed, the band layering more urgency until the closing stretch carried real momentum. By the end, she had shifted the room’s energy on her own terms, even if it never tipped into frenzy. That release came the second Alex walked on. With longtime bandmates Sam Acchione, John Heywood, and Tom Kelly, he opened with six Headlights tracks, weaving them between mid-career staples. The sound was clean, the lights overwhelming, the haze swallowing the stage in a kind of stadium-sized intimacy. For thirty minutes, it felt like confirmation Alex had entered his post-Rocket phase for good. Then came “Bug.” Followed by “Kicker.” The crowd waited, cautiously optimistic this was the point he’d look back. He barely spoke, except for one moment of accidental comedy: “I love Austin. Daniel Johnston is from here. A Star Is Bornwas filmed here,” he said, grinning. For the record, it wasn’t, but the crowd laughed anyway. He stumbled into a cover of “Shallow” that twisted without warning into “Brick,” “Horse,” and “Blessing.” That three-song run was the set’s apex: unpredictable, messy, undeniably Alex G. Hearing that sequence blast through Stubb’s felt like a declaration. The polish, the shine, the high-def production — all of it is part of who he is now. But it’s on his terms. The spectacle doesn’t cancel out his lo-fi beginnings. It’s simply part of the package now. Words and fotos: Victor Gonzalez

Fly By Midnight lit up the historic Gramercy Theatre in New York City on September 26th for their Fastest Time of Our Lives  tour. The band was welcomed to New York with a successful sold-out show.  The LA based indie pop and visual collective is composed of the singer and multi-instrumentalist, Justin Bryte, and the producer and songwriter, Justin Slaven, more commonly referred to by their stage name “Slavo”. Formed in 2014, the band has created an expansive discography of four studio-albums and various EPs in the span of their decade-long plus career.  The New York stop of the artists’ tour was a full circle moment being a “hometown” show. While the origins of the band stem from Staten Island, the artists embraced the ever dynamic New York City as their own. The setlist of the night was a thoughtful blend of fan favorites and songs from their recently released album,  Fastest Time of Our Lives . The alternative and indie album is hook-heavy and well-paced taking listeners on an impactful ride from start to finish. Fly By Midnight kicked off the evening with “The Weather” getting the audience jumping in unison to the catchy beat. The pair were accompanied by their skilled tour drummer who kept the energy high and flowing. The band followed up with one of the most popular hits, “Different Lives” and fans couldn’t help but sing and dance along enthusiastically to the vibrant and nostalgic song. Later on in the set, Bryte and Slavo paused and addressed the crowd reflecting on their musical journey from beginning to the present and their close bond. Equally as emotional, they both took the time to thank their fans for their unwavering support. Bryte shared “There’s nothing more special than bringing our music all over the world. You all have given us that opportunity.” Slavo echoed the sentiment, stating “New York, we’ve probably said this a million times but we love you so much. Thank you for being here tonight and we’re going to keep on playing music”. It’s not only their talent that moves audiences, but their genuine dedication to both their craft and their fans. Following their electrifying performance of the dance-electronic track “Borrow Your Time,” the duo surprised fans with a short cover of Vanessa Carlton’s throwback classic “A Thousand Miles”’ The choice fit seamlessly with their racing-inspired concept, capturing the timeless theme of longing to be with a loved one no matter the distance or obstacles. Bryte and Slavo had incredible synergy on-stage, complementing each other in the best ways. When Bryte ended a verse Slavo picked right up and vice versa creating a balanced momentum that was riveting to watch. Their sharp vocals and impressive guitar and keyboard playing had the crowd hooked on every beat. As the set neared its close, the duo briefly exited the stage, leaving fans in suspense. White lights flickered in sync with the rev of a car engine, layered with the crackle of radio static cycling through Fly By Midnight songs as if on a car radio. Suddenly, the opening notes of “Heart Race” filled the venue, and the pair reappeared, jumping right into the lyrics. The track’s slow build, anchored by guitar and keyboard, pulled the audience in with anticipation. The second chorus included driving drums that intensified its emotional punch. Though signaling the final stretch of the concert, the performance left the crowd eager for one more lap with the band. Fly By Midnight closed with “No Choice,” bringing the audience back to signature themes of desire and devotion. Their consistency in storytelling echoes across albums, deeply resonating with fans and keeping them coming back for more. The night stood as a true testament to the passion and artistry of the talented duo. Even a decade into their career, they perform with the same lively energy as if every show were their first. Their set carried fans on a cinematic journey through a sonic landscape, racing toward the finish line while winning hearts along the way. With no signs of braking, Fly By Midnight speeds into their upcoming world tour eager to share their classic synth-pop sound with fans across the globe. Words and photos: Aubrey Miller

Phantogram | October 4, 2025 | Emo’s Before stepping onto the ACL stage that Sunday, Phantogram played a sold-out Saturday night show at Emo’s. Although I initially went in thinking this would be a warmup for ACL, it was clear from the first drop that this was the one that would stick with people. No sunshine, no jumbotrons, no curated brand moments. Just strobes, fog, even more fog, and a room that felt more like a warehouse party than a club show. Sarah Barthel closed the night by handing out setlists while dancing to J-Rock’s “Win,” a small gesture that underscored the feeling in the room: This was the real  show. Phantogram have always lived between worlds. Their early records caught a wave in the late bloghouse era and much like their contemporaries their music has always been danceable but moody, polished but murky. They were never fully part of that scene, but enough of their DNA overlaps with it that they’re getting lumped into what’s now being called an “indie sleaze” revival. And to be fair, there’s something to it. Between Passion Pit playing another ACL aftershow, The Rapture recently rolling through town, LCD Soundsystem’s three-night residency earlier this year, and The Faint hitting Emo’s in November, the bookings aren’t random. Emo’s is curating something here that feels surprisingly timely. Phantogram didn’t need to pivot to feel relevant again. Their setlist leaned into the stuff people came to hear—“Blackout Days,” “Cruel World,” “When I’m Small”—but nothing about the performance yelled “legacy act”.  It was loud, lean, and fully engaged. There were no “remember us?” moments. Just a band moving through a catalog that still hits because it never tried to chase a moment in the first place. There's been a lot of noise lately about the indie-dance crossover sound having a second life. The Dare is being called the poster child of the new wave, Charli XCX is dragging electroclash back into the mainstream, and even bloghouse is getting name-dropped unironically. But on Friday night, Phantogram didn’t feel like part of a trend or a TikTok reference. They just felt sharp. Still weird. Still cool. Still theirs. Words and photos: Victor Gonzalez

On the night of October 4th , people walking around Scotiabank Arena  couldn’t help but notice the huge lines forming outside. Curious faces kept asking, “Who’s playing tonight?”  as the crowd grew bigger and louder. But there was something special about the people waiting in those lines — it was a massive Latin community , dressed in black clothes, leather jackets, and, of course, the band’s shirts. The name on almost everyone’s chest was Maná , one of the biggest legends of Latin rock, who came all the way from Mexico as part of their Vivir Sin Aire  North American Tour. Before talking about how the concert went that night, it’s worth walking a bit down memory lane to understand who Maná is. The band was born in Guadalajara, Mexico , in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but at first, they had a different name: Sombrero Verde  — which means Green Hat . The group included Fher Olvera  (vocals), Gustavo Orozco , and the Calleros brothers  (Juan, Ulises, and Abraham). Their beginnings were humble — they mostly played English rock covers and released two albums, Sombrero Verde  (1981) and A Ritmo de Rock  (1983). At that time, they were struggling to break into the Mexican music scene. Some of the original members left the band, and this opened the door for new talent to join. That’s when a young drummer named Álex González  came into the picture, bringing a fresh rhythm and creative energy. Around 1986 , with this new lineup, they decided to completely reinvent themselves — changing their name to Maná , which comes from a Polynesian word meaning “positive energy.”  They began writing their own songs in Spanish, giving life to a new identity that connected more deeply with their audience. Soon after, they signed with Warner Music  and released their first album as Maná in 1987 , which helped them find their place in the growing Mexican rock scene. But their big international breakthrough came in 1992  with ¿Dónde Jugarán los Niños? , an album that changed everything. With songs like Rayando el Sol , Vivir Sin Aire , and Oye Mi Amor , it became the best-selling Spanish-language rock album of all time , and a symbol of an entire generation. At that moment, Latin America was going through a cultural wave known as Rock en tu idioma  — “Rock in your language.” This was a movement that encouraged artists to create rock in Spanish instead of copying English bands. Maná was part of that wave, along with others like Soda Stereo , Caifanes , and Enanitos Verdes , and they quickly became one of the most influential Latin rock bands in history. Through the years, they earned 4 Grammy Awards , 8 Latin Grammys , and became the first band of any genre to perform 16 sold-out shows  in a row at an arena in Los Angeles. They hold 33 entries on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart , and 7 of their 11 albums  reached number one on the Latin Billboard. Just this year, they were also nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame  — the first Spanish-language rock band ever to receive that honor. Now, in 2025 , Maná is back on tour with Vivir Sin Aire , playing at one of Toronto’s biggest venues — Scotiabank Arena , where other Latin superstars like Shakira, Bad Bunny, and Ricky Martin have performed. But that night, Maná made history again as the first Latin rock band  to play there. Around 9:00 p.m. , the crowd was ready. The stage was hidden by a huge curtain with the band’s name, shimmering with lights that looked like reflections of the ocean. Then the curtain dropped, and the Mexican rock stars appeared, opening the night with “Déjame Entrar.”  Fher Olvera jumped and moved with some dad dance moves (the cool kind), joined by guitarist Sergio Vallín  and bassist Juan Calleros . They continued with “Manda una Señal,”  where Sergio showed off his amazing guitar skills during a solo, and then moved into a reggae-rock mix with “De Pies a Cabeza.” After this energetic start, Fher greeted the audience, thanking Toronto for the warm welcome, and slowed things down with romantic favorites like “Eres Mi Religión.”  He brought out a harmonica for “Vivir Sin Aire,”  and followed with “Labios Compartidos,”  taking a tequila shot and making a toast to the fans before closing this part with “Mariposa Traicionera.”  What’s unique about Maná is this beautiful duality — they’re a full rock band, dressed and playing like real rock stars, yet they’re masters of romantic ballads. Somehow, they balance both worlds perfectly. Then the rhythm picked up again with “Corazón Espinado,”  that perfect blend of salsa and rock that captures what Latin rock is all about — mixing authentic Latin and Caribbean rhythms like salsa, reggae, and ska. They followed with a tribute to Juan Gabriel , performing “Se Me Olvidó Otra Vez,”  while Fher grabbed a spotlight and pointed it toward couples dancing in the crowd. As the energy stayed high, the band exploded into “Me Vale,”  led by drummer Álex González.  For anyone who grew up in Latin America, that song brings back memories of quinceañeras and crazy party hours. And if that wasn’t your experience, it surely became one that night. They followed with “Clavado en un Bar,”  mixing reggae and surf beats before transitioning into full rock. Then Álex González delivered a jaw-dropping 15-minute drum solo , standing, turning, and playing with his whole body — a true drum legend. Forget Miles Teller in Whiplash  — Álex was the real deal. After that intense moment, the band moved to a B-stage  in the middle of the arena, which turned into a small Mexican cantina under a glowing globe. There, they performed acoustic ranchera classics like “Ella”  by Pedro Infante and “El Rey”  by José Alfredo Jiménez. As they played, you could see Mexican flags waving proudly across the crowd. This section was tender and nostalgic — no electric guitars, no heavy drums, just soft acoustic melodies. They performed “El Desierto,”  dedicating it to the immigrants and children of immigrants in the audience, followed by “Te Lloré un Río,” “El Reloj Cucú,”  and “Bendita Tu Luz,”  where they invited a girl from the crowd to dedicate the song to her boyfriend. Then it was time to return to the main stage for the grand finale. A curtain of water fell from above, simulating rain, as the band performed “No Ha Parado de Llover.”  They continued with “El Muelle de San Blas”  and then reached one of their biggest songs, “Rayando el Sol.” In interviews, Fher has said he wrote Rayando el Sol  in a small apartment in Mexico City when the band was struggling financially. He felt lonely and heartbroken, and the phrase “rayando el sol”  came to him — meaning “reaching for the unreachable”  or “longing to the point of pain.”  That story gives the song an even deeper meaning, and hearing it live felt like being part of that history. After the song, the band said their goodbyes and left the stage, but of course, nobody was ready to leave. A minute later, the lights came back on, and the band returned for their encore — “Oye Mi Amor.”  The whole arena jumped, danced, and sang every word. It’s their most streamed song on Spotify, with over 650 million plays , and it closed the night with pure joy. Many English speakers might not fully understand how much influence Maná has in the world of Latin rock, but for millions across Latin America, they’re part of our history. Along with Caifanes , Enanitos Verdes , and Los Prisioneros , they continued what Soda Stereo  started — carrying Latin rock’s spirit from South America all the way to Mexico, and now, to North America. Their concert in Toronto wasn’t just a show — it was proof that music, even in another language, can unite people through rhythm, nostalgia, and emotion. Words and fotos: Laura Agudelo Montoya

While guitars roar by the sea at Marina Norte, the heart of Valencia’s rap scene will be pounding inside Sala Repvblicca — because Festardor Festival 2025 is splitting the chaos in two. Same night, same energy, double the madness. The Escenario Rap brings a stacked lineup that’ll make any hip-hop head lose their mind: Sho-Hai , the living legend of Spanish rap, returns with his razor-sharp rhymes and raw, unfiltered flow. Sharing the stage is Dollar Selmouni , blending street soul and poetic grit like few others can. Nadal 015 brings his Valencian fire and street-smart punchlines, while Luca Mad keeps the crowd lit with bars, beats, and pure attitude. This isn’t just another club night — it’s a full-throttle Festardor takeover , a night where underground meets mainstream, and every verse hits harder than the last. Expect packed rooms, sweat-drenched energy, and a vibe that bridges rap’s old guard with the new wave. So, whether you’re moshing at Marina Norte or vibing in Repvblicca, one thing’s clear - On November 1st, Valencia belongs to Festardor. For tickets and more information: Festardor

It’s been years since Roxette haunted stadiums with “It Must Have Been Love” echoing off concrete and sky. On November 15th, 2025, Valencia gets a shot at resurrection. The Roig Arena—Valencia’s brand-new, glistening concert giant—won’t know what hit it when Per Gessle, backed by a crack band and joined by Lena Philipsson, steps into the spotlight for Roxette’s return. Let’s set the stage: The Roig Arena, freshly opened in September 2025, is Valencia’s answer to the megavenues of Madrid and Barcelona. It’s built to swallow crowds—15,600 seated, up to ~20,000 for concerts in full-floor mode. Think cavernous ceilings, lights pointed like search beams, sound systems that will test your bones. This is Roxette’s baptism of fire in Valencia’s newest temple of spectacle. For the Roxette faithful (and the curious late-night playlist scrollers), this is a rare shot. Marie Fredriksson’s loss still lingers like a ghost note in their catalogue, but Per Gessle is refusing to let the flame dip. He’s stepping forward—not to replace, but to resurrect—with Lena PHILLIPSSON not as a substitute but as a co-conspirator. So what might the show feel like? Expect hits, yes—the big anthems, the staples, the ones you thought you only’d hear in stereo form with an iPod. “The Look”, “Joyride”, “Listen to Your Heart”—they’re all potential detonators in the setlist. But Roxette’s comeback isn’t just about nostalgia wine: with Gessle writing through decades, there’s room for darker textures, mid-set lullabies, and that bittersweet sting when quiet meets memory. The lighting rig will likely lean dramatic—silhouettes, high beams slicing through haze, the stage dissolving into beams and reflection. The crowd? A mix of decades. People who lived the ’80s first time out, those who found them in streaming algorithms, and everyone in between, all holding phones aloft like lighters in a cathedral. Risks? There are always risks. Will Gessle and Lena carry the emotional weight without Marie? Can the arena’s acoustics handle the whispered verses without drowning them in reverb? Will the crowd stay hooked through later songs when memory fades and stamina flags? But those risks are where magic lives. Valencia’s moment is coming. November 15th: lights drop, the roar swells, and Roxette takes the Roig Arena. For one night, the ghosts of pop get to walk again. for more information and tickets: Roxette

There are gigs where everything goes smooth, the lights are perfect, the sound is clean, the crowd polite. And then there are nights like this—Happy Mondays at Visorfest 2025, Valencia—where the whole thing feels like it might fall apart at any moment, but instead takes off like a flaming shopping trolley down a hill. From the moment Shaun Ryder cruised onto the stage—swaggering, swearing, grinning like the cat who stole the world’s last pint—you knew this wasn’t going to be nostalgia karaoke. This was Madchester chaos, reborn under the Valencian night sky. The air smelled of weed, beer, and the Mediterranean, a perfect habitat for a band that has always thrived on beautiful disorder. Bez, ageless and elastic, was a one-man riot, shaking his maracas like a preacher of groove, working the crowd into a state somewhere between rave ecstasy and pub brawl. He didn’t dance; he convulsed, pogoed, body-popped through the band’s back catalogue like an exorcism in real time. The Mondays ripped through “Step On” and “Kinky Afro” like they were still soundtracking warehouse raves in ’89. The beats were loose, the basslines swampy, Ryder half-talking, half-singing, always threatening to lose the thread but never letting go. Valencia’s Marina Norte lit up like it had been dropped into the middle of Factory Records’ most dangerous house party. The crowd—a sweaty cocktail of aging ravers, curious festival-goers, and wide-eyed twenty-somethings—lost its collective mind. By the time “24 Hour Party People” rolled in, the place was a carnival of flailing limbs, beer showers, and unhinged grins. The beauty of the Mondays has always been that they’re not tight, not polished, not professional. They’re a band that feels like life itself—messy, hilarious, broken in places, but somehow transcendent. At Visorfest, they were all of that turned up to 11. By the end, Ryder barked something half-intelligible into the mic, Bez did one last voodoo dance, and the band lurched off stage like a victorious gang of pirates. And the crowd? Spent. Euphoric. Baptized in sweat and basslines. The Mondays didn’t just play Visorfest 2025—they hijacked it, set it on fire, and left Valencia buzzing like it had just survived a Madchester acid storm.

If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to live inside a jukebox that’s been set on fire, head down to 16 Toneladas this October. The legendary rock’n’roll bunker on Calle Ricardo Micó is throwing down a month-long carnival of fuzz, funk, punk, ska, soul, and straight-up sonic chaos. Forget sleep—this is thirty-one days of pure volume. It all kicks off Oct 1 with Tim “Ripper” Owens + Exodia —metal carnivores ready to rip the paint off the walls before you’ve even found your spot at the bar. A night later, El Caribefunk sails in with tropical grooves to melt your brain into mojito syrup. By the 3rd, it’s Las Víctimas Civiles + O.J.O. + Virgen de la Periferia , dropping outsider anthems like molotovs in a cathedral. The weekends are where things get truly deranged: Rat-Zinger + Porco Bravo (Oct 4) will turn the club into a punk demolition derby, and Tommy Castro & The Painkillers (Oct 5, midday!) guarantees a blues brunch that’ll leave you praying for mercy—or another beer. Then, like some cosmic joke, Los Salvajes roll in that evening, reminding everyone that Spanish rock is a beast with nine lives. By mid-month, you’ll be begging for earplugs. Metal Bats Fright Night V (Oct 10) drags Evo, Bastardos, Bloodstorm, and Ciclón out of the crypt for a ritual that sounds like Black Sabbath being mugged in an alley. A day later, Humo Intl. serves up a cocktail of Sal del Coche, Fantastic Explosion, BD, and Elvira del Rocío —the musical equivalent of throwing gasoline on your hangover. And then, the crown jewel: The Fuzztones + The Smoggers (Oct 17). Garage psych gods who’ve been fuzzing out stages for 40 years, making the walls of Toneladas drip paisley sweat. If you survive that, the ska juggernaut Bad Manners (Oct 21) will stomp you into submission with a brass section louder than a jet engine. Elsewhere, there’s no let-up. The 5.6.7.8’s (Oct 23) will blast Tokyo garage rock directly into your bloodstream, while Atham + Sharet and a full-blown Nino Bravo tribute (Oct 25) guarantee Valencian tears and beers in equal measure. Efren López with Sylvain Barou & Ruven Ruppik (Oct 29) gets experimental, building a Mediterranean caravan of sound just before Rafa Parálisis y Los Adictos (Oct 30) drag it all back into sweaty punk grime. And then, Halloween? Forget trick-or-treat—the Monster Mash on Oct 31 will be a graveyard rave that’ll leave the neighbors calling an exorcist. Oh, and don’t sleep on the regulars: jam sessions with The New Classics (Mondays), surfadelic madness with La Luz + Los Mejillones Tigre (Oct 24), tributes to The Cure and Siouxsie (Oct 26), and local heroes like Los Radiadores dropping into Volumens Fest (Oct 18) to remind everyone Valencia has always known how to party until collapse. October at 16 Toneladas isn’t a festival—it’s a siege. A month-long test of stamina, hearing, and sanity. Buy your tickets, drink your weight in whiskey, and forget about tomorrow. Because this is the kind of calendar where tomorrow simply doesn’t exist. For tickets and more information: 16 Toneladas

Radio/East has been hosting shows for a little under a year old, but Saturday night it felt like the center of Austin. The Levitation night show with PUP, Jeff Rosenstock, and Ekko Astral wasn’t just another festival afterthought. It showed why punk is necessary and why community is necessary. Ekko Astral wasted no time. Mid-set, Jae told the crowd to split down the middle. When the song kicked in, both sides slammed into each other, sending a wall of dust into the air. Between songs, Jae urged the room to take care of each other, support trans rights, and demand better from Texas. It felt like an extension of Liberation Weekend , the event they organized back in D.C. for trans rights. Their music was furious, but the message was clear: this space belongs to everyone. Jeff Rosenstock turned the venue into a basement show. He opened with his now fairly well known rules: no creeps, respect each other, and keep it safe. Older Bomb the Music Industry! fans yelled every word, while teenagers with Xs on their hands threw themselves into the pit. That mix of generations defined the night, and Rosenstock held it together with the ease of someone who has lived in DIY for decades. PUP walked out to “Who Let the Dogs Out” before launching into “No Hope.” Their new album Who Will Look After the Dogs? , released in May on Little Dipper and Rise Records, has been described as less chaotic and more reflective . John Congleton’s production gave it sharp edges and control. On stage those edges frayed, and the songs took on a more familiar PUP edge albeit a bit more reserved. That was up until Rosenstock’s bassist John Dedomenici joined them for “Paranoid,” Stefan Babcock pushed the moment into pure confrontation, turning a polished track into a burst of raw noise. Midway through the set, Babcock paused and echoed a now familiar message. Protect women’s rights. Protect trans rights. Call what is happening in Palestine a genocide. Then he turned his fire on Greg Abbott as the crowd erupted. He smirked and said, “Anyway, this song is about my friends,” before the band tore into “If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You.” The shift from politics to absurdity didn’t kill the mood. It underlined what makes PUP work: sincerity without pretense. They closed with “Shut Up,” but the crowd wasn’t finished. PUP and Rosenstock’s band stormed back together for four songs with their combined “Double Band”. The temporary “supergroup” went into “Hey Allison!,” “Get Dumber,” “We Begged 2 Explode,” and “Reservoir.” It was reckless and chaotic but the crowd was enthralled. Then the crowd started chanting “Triple Band.” Ekko Astral rejoined and all three bands ripped into Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know.” Again, a bit chaotic and unhinged, but the chaos was cathartic.  The night was never about precision; It was about necessity. Punk is not a relic of a bygone era. It continues to be a space where politics sit at the center, where kids and veterans scream the same songs, and where community is the point. PUP, Rosenstock, and Ekko Astral continue pushing the next wave of loud and unapologetic DIY ethos.  At Radio/East, it all came together. Three bands. One bill. Dust in the air. Punk not as survival, but as necessity Words and photos: Victor Gonzalez

Ten years into his career, Leon Bridges is no stranger to big stages. He has already headlined Red Rocks , shared top billing at ACL Fest 2024 , and played a previous Moody Center stop in 2022. The contrast with his last Austin appearance is striking: just last fall he staged a cash-only, three-night run at The Continental Club , one of the city’s most storied dive bars. The Continental has been a landmark since 1957, hosting everyone from Stevie Ray Vaughan  to Robert Plant , and its 200-capacity room puts fans practically on top of the stage. Last night, Bridges stood on the opposite end of the spectrum at the Moody Center, Austin’s 15,000-seat arena built in 2022 with luxury suites and full-scale production. Seeing him shift between those two settings in less than a year shows how wide his reach has become. This tour, The Crooner & The Cowboy  with Charley Crockett, reinforced that point. Crockett opened with outlaw country swagger and a band that leaned into that Texas grit. By the time Bridges appeared, the energy felt split and it was difficult to tell which artist the crowd came to see. The arena was packed with cowboy hats and locals cosplaying Matthew McConaughey, giving the night a distinctly Texas character. Bridges has often been boxed in as a crooner, but that label undersells the range of what he delivers live. His set moved between vintage soul, R&B grooves, and psychedelic stretches, with the biggest eruptions coming during his Khruangbin collaborations (“Texas Sun,” “B-Side,” “Mariella”). The Moody Center’s sound, often criticized for being too polished, gave those tracks extra punch, while quieter moments like “River” carried surprisingly well across the large space. For fans who have not tuned in since Coming Home (2015), the growth is jarring. That debut framed Bridges as a retro-soul revivalist. A decade in, he is a versatile performer who can scale from the intimacy of The Continental Club to the scale of the Moody Center without losing himself in the process. The night ended with Bridges and Crockett together on a Sam Cooke cover, a high note that brought the crowd together and underlined the shared roots of two Texas artists working on very different but complementary stages of their careers. Find Leon Bridges at the following: Instagram , Facebook , and their own website  of course. Their latest album Forward is streaming everywhere you scroll for music. Words and photos: Victor Gonzalez

Valencia is about to crank the volume to eleven. On October 1st, the city’s iconic Marina Norte will transform into the beating heart of Spain’s live music scene with Festardor Festival 2025—a elebration where guitars, beats, and Mediterranean nights collide. Forget the sleepy autumn vibe—Festardor isn’t about winding down, it’s about blowing the roof off the marina. The lineup reads like a fever dream for fans of indie rock, electronica, and new-wave Iberian sounds, with heavyweight headliners, cult favorites, and fresh blood all sharing the same sun-soaked stage. Picture it: searing guitars echoing across the waterfront, basslines shaking the boardwalk, and the Mediterranean breeze carrying every note deep into the city. Valencia has long been a city with music stitched into its DNA, and Festador 2025 is aiming to put it firmly on the international festival map. Expect a mixed crowd: die-hard Valencian gig-goers, traveling festival pilgrims, and curious locals who just want to soak up the madness. This fall, Valencia’s cultural map gets redrawn. Festardor Festival 2025 is coming—and it’s not just one stage, one night, one crowd. It’s two epic venues, two distinct vibes, and one unforgettable festival. Marina Norte: Punk, ska & raw energy by the sea At the open-air Marina Norte, under the stretch of Valencian sky and with the Mediterranean as backdrop, Festardor brings you the grittier edges of the alternative scene: El Drogas – legendary voice of Zaragoza punk-rock, ready to deliver punchy defiance at sea level. Talco – Italian ska-punk maestros whose horns always usher in dance wars. Lendakaris Muertos – straight-faced sarcasm and fast riffs, a visceral Spanish punk institution. Dakidarria – anarcho-punk with a ferocious heart, ready to shake the waterfront. Me Frito and the Gimme Cheetos – quirky, bold, and energetic—this band brings the fun edge to close the night. Sala Repvblicca: Intimate space, underground power When night falls, Festardor slips into Sala Repvblicca, where the volume stays high—but the room’s tighter, the connection more immediate. Expect raw voices in close quarters: Show-hai – sharp hooks and lyrical force in a compact, electric set. Dollar Selmouni – art-rap, punchy verses, and bold styles. Nadal 015 – a rising voice in the Valencian underground scene, ready to stake claim. Luca Mad – moody, atmospheric, but with moments that crack the room in two. Valencia has always pulsed with music, but Festardor Festival 2025 is pushing it into overdrive—with Marina Norte ferrying in big-stage chaos and Sala Repvblicca offering the raw, intense flipside. This is your chance to ride every peak: massive anthems, sweaty rooms, sea air, and the soundtrack of a city alive. Tickets are live now at the official site: festivalfestardor.com