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The Psychedelic Furs at Roig Arena – Valencia, 22 November Four decades on and still dripping with velvet cool, the Psychedelic Furs are proof that post-punk never lost its bite. Richard Butler’s sandpaper croon—equal parts Bowie sneer and midnight confession—remains one of rock’s most magnetic instruments, and it’s about to echo through Valencia’s Roig Arena like a black-lipstick love letter to the night. The London originals who gave us “Love My Way,” “Pretty in Pink,” and a catalogue of noir-pop anthems are in the thick of a creative renaissance. Their 2020 comeback album Made of Rain wasn’t a nostalgia trip—it was a thunderclap, dense with sax squalls and cinematic guitars that remind you these guys helped invent the sound so many are still chasing. Expect a set that slides from brooding art-rock to glittering hooks in a heartbeat, with Butler prowling the stage like the last romantic outlaw. Valencia’s crisp November air is about to get thick with reverb and romance. If you crave the kind of night where every chorus feels like a shot of neon through the veins, Roig Arena on the 22nd is non-negotiable. Get there early. Dress dark. And be ready to fall back in love with the sound of elegant chaos. For tickts and more information: Houston Party Music

Valencia’s indie faithful are about to get a shot of Athens, Georgia magic. On Friday, October 25, Sala Moon hosts R.E.M. by Planet 8 , a tribute that doesn’t just play the hits—they channel the restless, jangly soul of one of alt-rock’s most quietly revolutionary bands. Planet 8 aren’t weekend warriors in college-rock cosplay. They’ve carved a name across Spain for the way they inhabit both the early IRS-era clatter and the stadium-sized glow of the Warner years. Expect the chiming guitars of Murmur , the shadowy drama of Automatic for the People , and enough Monster crunch to rattle the room’s vintage mirrors. Valencia’s Moon is the perfect crucible: a low-ceilinged sweatbox where “Radio Free Europe” can still sound like a manifesto and “Losing My Religion” hits like a hymn for the disenchanted. If you ever wondered what it felt like to be there when R.E.M. rewired rock from the inside out, this is the closest you’ll get without a time machine. PLANET EIGHT is a trio formed by Òscar Briz (vocals, guitar), Sílvia Martí (drums, vocals) and Xavier Alaman (electric bass) who interprets a repertoire of Anglo-Saxon pop and alternative rock from the 1980s. For lovers of the genre, an unbeatable repertoire for the breadth and depth of it, interpreted with total professional solvency by a trio praised for the sonic wall they are able to produce and the fidelity to the original sound of the time in their versions. Òscar Briz is a song author with an extensive diskography behind him and numerous prestigious awards, as well as a music lover and great connoisseur of large plots of pop and historical rock. Xavier Alaman and Silvia Martí have been part of his live band, for almost two decades the first and a little less the second. The two have worked for other soloists and musicians (Ximo Tébar, Alberto Tarín, OnaNua, Mo Antón, Pau Viguer, etc.) both in album recordings and live. Don’t sleep —tickets are already buzzing through the local scene. Grab one, lean into the feedback, and let Planet 8 remind you why Stipe & co. made the underground feel infinite. Tickets available from: Moving Tickets

If Keith Richards is the immortal pirate of rock 'n' roll, then Bez is its inter-dimensional maraca-wielding shaman — half dancer, half chaos goblin, and entirely impossible to explain to anyone under 30. Best known for flailing across the stage with no known rhythm but every known vibe, the Happy Mondays’ most iconic non-musician is a walking acid flashback in bucket hat form. He doesn’t sing, he doesn’t play an instrument, he just commands the stage with his maracas — but when Bez is in the building, you bloody know it! We caught up with the man himself before the Happy Mondays performance at Visorfest in Valencia.     Hi Bez, how’s its going? Yeah Rhyan all Good.   Visorfest is coming up and Valencia is buzzing about the Happy Mondays Playing here. When was the last time you were in Valencia? I really like Valencia, I like the vibe and I like the city. Some people say it might be even cooler than Ibiza. Oooh, I’m not quite sure! I remember we played there with the LA´s a long time ago and I was there DJing in one of the clubs there a couple of year ago.  But I remember when we played with the La’s there, I think we went on about 7am and we were not at our best! I loved that festival, it was mental - you just didn’t know when you were going to go on stage and no one did! I thought, that’s proper Spanish that!   You are known as the man with the maracas from the Happy Mondays, but there is a lot more to Bez than that – Political activist, smallholder, TV star, winner of Big Brother, national treasure (along with Shaun!)  - which would you like to be remembered for and which offends you the most! I don’t know, it doesn’t really matter to me. I am a Happy Monday, that’s me and if it wasn’t for the Happy Monday’s I honestly don’t know what I would have become.  I see some of the people I’ve grown up with – every morning when I wake up and open the curtains I always say to my Missus “Who is luckier than us?” and that’s because I am a Happy Monday! If maracas were banned by the government, what would be your instrument of rebellion? I would have to shake my fucking watermelons!!!  When you look at the current music scene, do you see any echoes of the spirit that drove the Happy Mondays? Or is that era impossible to recreate? I don’t know, you go your own way and youth culture will never fade because it’s always there, but it doesn’t get the exposure like the old days when we had the record industry.  But I think there will be a massive underground explosion all over again and it will spread like it always does.   If you could go back to one gig from your career and relive it, which one would it be—and why? There have been so many! I would like to go back to some of the gigs that I maybe wasn’t sure what I was doing and redo them again, so I knew what I was doing! You’ve lived a very public life — but what does peace look like to you now? Sat in my yard, growing things, seeing no one unless I want to. Where I live is right in the middle of nowhere, I get the best of both worlds. I do my own thing.  Right now I’m sat at my camp fire, near my shed where I have my parties – enjoying the silence, watching the swallows flying around. Looking back to the 80s and 90s  - how would you describe the music and party scene to the kids of today. Kids of today are different to what we were back then. For instance, I walked in on my younger son the other day and he sat there with his headphones on chatting to his mates, who are somewhere else!  For me that’s not being with me my mates, but times have changed. So in that sense, you cannot really describe it. I am like the last of the analogue kids – I got this mobile phone – but I have nothing on it. I don’t do social media, I don’t have the news on it, nothing.  It only its good for is Google maps and answering calls!   You’ve gone from hedonism to health — from raves to allotments. What was the turning point where you started thinking more about wellness and sustainability? It was by chance really. I was forced to fight the revolution after I got locked up and that was the turning point for me. I was standing there telling everyone to “fuck off” and you cant really tell everyone to do that.  There are all these different communities and problems, so I decided to set up a political party, first of all we used fracking as a way in. But everywhere politically nobody understood me, because I was giving the Right Wing, I was giving it the Left Wing – so I was disappointing everyone! The commies all hated me because I was laughing at them all! So I decided the fight was everywhere. I had a mate with cancer, people getting poisoned with food and I realised the fight is on every fucking corner. From the food you eat, everything you do – from that moment on I completely changed my life.  Giving up sugar, starting juicing my own fruit,  really thinking about what food I put in my body and taking care of my water supply.  Basically I have a foot in both camps – one of pure hedonism, which I still still love, will never give up and that’s a poison I choose to do and no one can tell me otherwise. The other is my life now. But nowadays, I don’t fight the issues anymore. I just get on quietly with my own reality,  because I realised is that most people don’t actually give fuck. I proved it and what I realised is there are only a few people who get it and it’s like banging your head against a wall.   Is there something you believe now that you would have laughed at 30 years ago? Living like I do! But at the same time I am a proper petrol head as well, so Im not a hippy permaculturalist because I stand for freedom. When you stand for freedom you can use any tool available to you, so I excuse my way out of my petrol consumption!   Let’s talk bees and honey and your mild honey addiction. Ha! Yeah, I do eat a lot of honey! I keep my own bees and I have a beekeeping partner as well who I am always apologising to, because she does most of the work. If it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t have any honey because she does an amazing job for us both.  Everywhere I go I buy honey to compare it to mine, mine is the best!   “If you had to sum up the Happy Mondays’ entire career in one smell — what smell would it be?” The smell of sweaty trainers!   If you could change place with Shaun for a week, whats the first thing you would do? Try and get him on the longevity plan that I am on. But I would go right back to when he needed to do it! Change his diet fort a week!   Shaun in 3 words A funny cunt!   Worst hangover ever Well actually Im really good at getting rid of them now, but I do seem to have them weekly – which is unfortunate!  But I drink lots of water and especially Double Helix water which smashes any hangover to bits!   First record you bought I do and it’s really embarrassing which is a shame!  My first actually record collection was cool as fuck because I inherited all these records off my uncle. But the first record I bought was the Bay City Rollers!   Oasis or Blur I love both but I have to say Oasis just because of the cultural phenomenon behind them at the moment, it’s just incredible and Ive never seen anything like it before. I was sat outside Heaton Park waiting to get my ticket for the gig and just watching this thing unfold in-front of me. It was unbelievable , it took my breath away. I didn’t realise just how fucking massive they are!   Best insult you have ever been called I’ve been called all sorts! I’ve had people want to cut me up, shoot me up, blow me up! But I’m still happy to be here!   Final thought – quick message for the Visorfest fans. Can’t wait to get to Valencia and party at Visorfest. I love Valencia, I love partying there and that what we love to do! And I will bring you some of my honey! Thanks Bez  - can’t wait to see you here in Valencia! Words: Rhyan Paul Photo: Paul Husband

You could almost smell the paint drying in Valencia’s Roig Arena — the city’s sleek new performance space — but that didn’t stop The Cat Empire from tearing the roof off on their own terms. In a world of algorithm-approved sameness, the Melbourne genre-blenders showed up with horns blazing, rhythms colliding, and a live show that reminded the crowd what real musicianship looks like. From the moment the band hit the stage, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a polite run-through of old hits. They came out swinging with “Oscar Wilde,” bathed in a wash of blue light and syncopated brass. Within minutes, Roig Arena — still ironing out its edges — felt like it had been around for decades. It’s hard to imagine a better christening than a Cat Empire set in full swing. Let’s be honest: The Cat Empire are a live band first, a recording act second. And they know it. Songs aren’t so much performed as detonated. “Brighter Than Gold” exploded mid-set like a confetti bomb — wild, joyful, and impossibly tight. Even newer cuts from Bird in Paradise punched through the air with purpose. “Thunder Rattle” channeled Afrobeat with a salsa twist, while “Gold is Gone” slid into a half-time groove that felt like it could’ve come off a Fela Kuti B-side. You don’t come to a Cat Empire show for subtlety — but damn if they don’t make chaos look precise. The band has morphed a lot over the years, shedding original members and shifting lineups, but on this stage, the evolution made sense. The chemistry is different now: slicker, jazzier, but no less incendiary. Roig Arena’s smaller Auditorio space may be Valencia’s newest music temple, but it didn’t stay pristine for long. The 2,000-capacity crowd moved like they were in a Havana block party. Credit to the venue’s sound design: every bongo hit, trumpet blast, and shouted lyric cut clean through the mix without losing that sweaty live feel. The lighting team earned their pay too — no lazy strobe abuse here. Each track had a visual identity, adding layers to the already genre-melting set. Valencia turned out. And they didn’t just show up — they threw down . This wasn’t a crowd watching a show, it was a mass of bodies inside it. When frontman Felix Riebl dropped into a bilingual riff about “global rhythms and local souls,” it didn’t feel like banter — it felt like thesis. By the time “The Chariot” turned the arena into a bouncing sea of limbs, there wasn’t a dry shirt in the house. Not every experiment landed — a reggae-tinged take on “Fishies” wobbled slightly — but the band recovered fast, snapping into a Latin-jazz stomp that reminded everyone why they’ve stuck around for two decades. They’re not here to be hip. They’re here to play . In an industry full of auto-tuned playlists and rented vibes, The Cat Empire are still one of the last bands brave enough to put it all on the line live . Last night, they baptized Valencia’s newest venue with sweat, brass, and joy. And if this show is any indication, the Roig Arena won’t stay a secret for long. Words and photos: Rhyan Paul

Tavernes de la Valldigna has officially put itself on the festival map. In its first edition , Del Poble Fest managed to transcend expectations: 17,500 people over two nights, blistering live shows, and moments that’ll echo in Valencian music circles for a long time. Tavernes de la Valldigna isn’t supposed to sound like this. By day it’s all citrus scent and sleepy Mediterranean breeze. But for two nights this September, the quiet town roared like a Marshall stack turned to eleven. Del Poble Fest isn’t trying to be just another big name on the summer circuit. It feels rooted — in Tavernes, in community, in local flavour. It brought together nostalgia acts and modern hits, food that speaks of place, and the sense that this was something built by people who care about where they’re from. The cultural calendar needed this kind of energy. Here’s how every performer left their mark. Melendi The Spanish hit-maker opened Friday like a prizefighter, mixing gravelly flamenco-rock vocals with arena-sized hooks. Sing-alongs on Caminando por la vida felt like a communal rite. Pure headliner muscle. Los Secretos Four decades in and still heartbreak merchants. Their shimmering guitars and bittersweet harmonies gave the festival its most tender sing-along, a sunset soundtrack of elegant nostalgia. Maldita Nerea The Murcia crew came in smiling and left the crowd euphoric. Their pop-rock positivity was a sugar rush, with “El secreto de las tortugas” turning the crowd into a 17,000-voice choir. Alex Ubago The acoustic-pop romantic played it straight and soulful. His ballads, warm and unhurried, were the festival’s slow-dance moment—a needed exhale before the next adrenaline spike. Cafe Quijano Swing, bolero, and slick Latin grooves. Their smoky harmonies turned the main stage into a late-night Havana club. Impossible not to sway. Rulo y la Contrabanda A grittier, Springsteen-tinged set—rootsy guitars and road-worn charisma. They brought the rock quotient up a notch and reminded everyone Spain still breeds blue-collar anthems. Buhos Catalan party punks with brass in the mix. High-octane and unapologetically fun, they had the entire field pogoing before the first chorus hit. Pignoise Pop-punk veterans who still play like they’ve got something to prove. Tight riffs, shout-along choruses, and the kind of energy that sends beer cups flying. Isabel Aaiun A soulful newcomer with a smoky, R&B-infused voice. Her late-afternoon set was intimate and arresting—a promising contrast to the festival’s louder moments. Tacho The Valencian singer-songwriter delivered folk-pop sincerity and earned hushed attention. Think warm campfire vibes before the night roared back. Seven Crashers The festival’s left-field wildcard: an orchestral pop-rock collective mixing symphonic flourishes with arena dramatics. A cinematic, big-screen moment under the stars. Jajajers Comedy-driven spectacle meets music mash-ups. They broke the fourth wall, blending sharp humor with unexpected covers—a chaotic, hilarious palate cleanser. Fercho Energy The Saturday closer kept the party going past curfew with an EDM-heavy, bass-shaking set that turned the site into an open-air club. Pure 3 a.m. adrenaline. Borja Navarro The glue between sets, dropping sleek house and indie remixes to keep the energy simmering while stages turned over. Sandra Valero Valencian pop sparkle with a Eurovision-ready polish. Her short set in the Gastro League zone showed why local radio keeps her on repeat. Paula Caveira Alt-pop newcomer with haunting vocals and minimalist beats—small-stage intimacy that hinted at bigger things ahead. Lemot Indie-rock duo with arena instincts. Their melodic choruses filled the food-court stage like a headliner’s encore. If this festival is the first draft, it’s already damn impressive. Del Poble Fest 2025 wasn’t perfect — but it had more heart, more moments of collective joy, and more “I’ll tell you about this someday” energy than many more established fests. It doesn’t just deserve to survive; it deserves to thrive. Words and photos: Rhyan Paul

The Fuzztones The Fuzztones - Lysergic Emanationa Tour Slide your skull into the fuzz cyclone—The Fuzztones are roaring into Valencia like a caravan of zombie bikers, 40 years deep into a career built on bad acid, Farfisa organ growls, and the eternal reverb of the garage underground. This isn’t some nostalgia act polishing its own tombstone. This is a live-wire séance for the freakbeat faithful, a swampy invocation of every dive bar, lava lamp, and smoke-choked basement the band has ever haunted. Front-ghoul Rudi Protrudi still stalks the stage with that lupine grin, a shaman of fuzz-drenched chaos. The guitars snarl like rabid alley cats, the organ hums like a dying UFO, and every riff drips with that sleazy midnight energy that made them legends of the paisley underworld. Expect sweat, distortion, and the kind of primal howl that makes polite society clutch its pearls and bolt for the exits. On October 17, 16 Toneladas becomes a sonic swamp—where the faithful, the curious, and the chemically enhanced will dance shoulder-to-shoulder as The Fuzztones celebrate four decades of lysergic emanations. Bring earplugs if you must, but better to bring an open vein for the fuzz. This is not a concert. This is a pagan fuzz ritual, and the only way out is through the noise. For more information and tickets: 16 Toneladas THE FUZZTONES In 1985 The Fuzztones released "Lysergic Emanations", not only their best known album but one of the albums that topped the revival of the garage sound of the mid-80s and why not say, one of the best garage punk albums, garage rock and roll, garage fuzz or whatever you want to call it, ever published. Just forty years have passed since that and what better way to celebrate it than going out to celebrate it on the road, where the band has lived since its formation in New York in 1980. Yes, another round date that also deserves to be celebrated, forty-five years have passed since Rudi Protrudi shaped them. "Lysergic Emanations - 40 Year Anniversary Tour" will be a celebration of that album, so the band has prepared a special set list in which they will review all the songs of the album along with others that appeared in singles, maxis, compilations and other artefacts from that primitive era. The Smoggers And to complete an unforgettable night we have added The Smoggers to the party, without a doubt one of the bands that have best known how to assimilate the sound and legacy of the Fuzztones and one of the leading bands of the current European garage.

On September 13, the legendary L’ Olympia  in Paris came alive, ready to welcome a night of music. The most emblematic room soon filled with people from all horizons and ages, all gathered for the same reason: to discover Lord Huron ’s world live. At 9 p.m., as the intro of “ Who Laughs Last ” resonated through the space, the lights began to buzz and the band entered the stage. The crowd screamed and clapped in unison. What makes L’Olympia so unique and mystic is its floor: under the pit, countless springs hold it in place. When you’re standing, you feel every vibration, and if people are jumping beside you, you will jump too. On stage, a carefully curated set design gave space for each member. There were two levels: an upper one for Mark Barry (percussion, vocals), supporting musicians and vocalists Misty Boyce and Brandon Walters, and a vintage jukebox engraved with “Cosmic Selector - The Best in Music.” The lower, main floor was reserved for Ben Schneider (lead vocals, guitar), Miguel Briseño (bass, keyboard, theremin, percussion), and Tom Renaud (guitar, vocals). At the center stood an old phone booth, lit in white. Golden fringe curtains decorated the background and sides of the stage, catching the light beautifully throughout the show. Ben Schneider entered, singing while interacting with the phone booth. It felt theatrical, adding a unique layer to the performance. The phone became an essential part of the show, appearing in multiple interactions. One of the most striking moments came when the phone rang mid-show. Ben hesitated before answering, but it picked up on its own. “Hello? Hello?” he asked. A mysterious voice responded: “There are rules, and there is a price to breaking them. Nothing escapes the balance design. No one runs free from fate without paying back their cosmic debt. Nothing escapes the ba(....)” before abruptly hanging up. A strange, eerie vibe filled the room, right before the intro of “ Secret of Life ” began. These theatrical pauses added to the special atmosphere of the night. The lights were another highlight, perfectly matched to each song. From warm to cold, green to pink, every shade was chosen with care. Fast flashing blue and orange lights electrified “ Ancient Names (Part I) ” while subtle secondary lights pulsed in sync with the piano notes during “ Long Lost ”. The entire concert was a spectacle for the eyes as much as the ears. Ben explained from the start he wouldn’t be speaking much, though midway through the set,  he did take a moment to talk about their new album The Cosmic Selector Vol. 1 , released a few months ago. He asked if anyone had listened yet, visibly surprised at how many people raised their hands. He laughed, joking, “So much better than the last show.” With warmth and humor, he acknowledged that not everyone has time, saying “life is hard and a lot of shit happens.” But he asked the audience to listen when they could—front to back, the old-fashioned way. “It was crafted to be heard as a whole,” he said, “and new meanings reveal themselves that way.” He then teased, “Whatever you do, don’t listen to it backwards,” earning laughs from the crowd. The setlist drew from across their discography, balancing older favorites and new gems. Each member switched seamlessly between instruments—guitars, bass, keys, harmonica, cello—showcasing their undeniable talent. The most emotional moment arrived, as expected, with “ The Night We Met ”. Their most-streamed track to date, with more than three billion listens on Spotify alone, the song was first discovered widely through the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. When the opening notes played, the entire room lit up with phone flashes. I saw couples hugging and dancing, some people cried and most importantly everyone sang. It was a beautiful moment of connection—one that perfectly captured the magic of the night. As the final notes faded and the golden curtains shimmered one last time, the audience left L’Olympia with magic in the eyes. Lord Huron’s show was everything we could hope for and way more than just a music performance.  Follow Lord Huron : Instagram ｜  Spotify ｜  Apple Music ｜  Youtube ｜  Website Words and photos: Ash Psaltopoulos

On the night of September 12th at Phoenix Concert Theatre, a mixed crowd of different generations gathered to welcome back The Darkness on the North American leg of their Dreams on Toast Tour 2025. The band hadn’t been in Toronto since 2022, so the atmosphere felt a little like a long-distance relationship finally reunited.  At exactly 9 p.m., the stage lights turned red, and the retro rock stars appeared, welcomed by the roar of fans pressed against the barricade. They opened with Rock and Roll Party Cowboy from their latest album, Dreams on Toast. Vocalist and guitarist Justin Hawkins strutted out in his usual flamboyant style, while bassist Frankie Pullanin looked like he had walked straight out of a classic rock magazine photo shoot.  By the time they reached  Growing on Me , the band’s trademark energy was full on display - no need for rehearsed choreography, just chaotic rock-and-roll swagger. During Get Your Hands Off My Woman , Hawkins decided shirts were optional and went for a round of crowd surfing, landing safely in the arms of Toronto fans who looked very ready for the task.  For readers not familiar with The Darkness, here is a quick rock history lesson: The band was born in the early 2000s in Lowestoft, England. Their debut album Permission to Land (2003) hit #1 in the UK, powered by falsetto vocals, monster riffs, and glam rock excess - something like Queen meets AC/DC, with a little tongue-in-cheek humour.  They stumbled in 2006 and went their separate ways, but like all good rock legends, they reunited in 2011 with Hot Cakes(2012). Since then, albums like Last of Our Kind (2015)  and Pinewood Smile (2017) have kept them on the road, delighting fans who still crave flashy guitar solos and spandex.  The last Toronto stop was in 2022 on the Motorheart Tour. This time, they returned with their 8th studio album, Dreams on Toast (2025), produced by guitarist Dan Hawkins. The album sticks to their glam/hard rock roots but brings lyrics about time, aging, and poking fun at rock clichés. The album debuted at #2 on the UK Albums Chart, but as always, Toronto fans saved their loudest cheers for the old classics - Growing on Me, Love Is Only a Feeling, Friday Night, and of course,  I Believe in a Thing Called Love.   One of the highlights came when drummer Rufus Taylor abandoned the kit, grabbed the mic in a black and orange koi-fish shirt and Adidas shorts, and sang My Only like a true rock ballad hero, while the rest of the band backed him up.  Then Justin tested the audience’s Canadian music knowledge. Together they covered Secret Heart (Ron Sexsmith), Summer of ’69 (Bryan Adams), and The Power of Love, which Hawkins cheekily introduced as “the best Canadian song ever”, tipping his hat to Céline Dion. To keep things unpredictable, they even took an audience request, playing Choke on it (first time since 2020!) and, why not, the traditional English folk tune Greensleeves. Of course, no Darkness show is complete without I Believe in a Thing Called Love. If you’ve ever played Guitar Hero or seen Colin Firth and Hugh Grant brawling in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, you’d recognize it instantly. The whole crowd sang every word like it was 2003 all over again.  By 11 p.m., fans spilled out onto Toronto streets - some in retro shirts, some still humming falsetto choruses. If you bumped into them, you’d know: they just spent the night inside a glitter-covered time machine called The Darkness.  Words and Photos: Laura Agudelo Montoya

The Swell Season | September 13, 2025 | ACL Live Theater Glen Hansard is no stranger to Austin. In the last few years he's played Stubb's and the Paramount and charmed audiences in the process. When The Swell Season first reunited in March 2022 for a limited run of shows, followed by a more extensive US tour in August 2023, Austin wasn't on the tour, leaving locals to wonder if they'd missed their chance to see the Once duo together again. On September 13th, Hansard returned to ACL Live at the Moody Theater with Markéta Irglová, bringing The Swell Season to Austin for the first time in over a decade. Hansard set the tone early with humor. He recalled the last time he was in the building, hammered at a Springsteen show, and admitted he didn't even recognize Marcus Mumford that night. The crowd laughed, the ice broke, and the room felt smaller than its 2,750 seats. The first few songs carried a quiet weight, drawing the audience in but leaving the room subdued. That changed when they launched into "When Your Mind's Made Up." Glen, who had been mostly restrained and measured up to this point, erupted in his signature growl. That performance alone was reason enough to pay the price of admission. Throughout the night, Hansard switched between part troubadour, part stand-up comic. He riffed on song titles ("Back Broke" becoming "Brokeback"), slipped in pointed political jabs that drew loud cheers, and never stopped bantering with the crowd. But for all the laughs, the night also carried weight. The Swell Season's new songs from Forward sat comfortably alongside the older material. The final stretch was pure intimacy. After finishing with "Gold," the band bowed, seemingly ready to close out the evening. But as Hansard mentioned, "It was one of those nights," and they quickly decided to play two more songs. The Van Morrison cover, always a crowd pleaser, was a nod to the Irish troubadour legacy that came before him. In that same vein, they ended the night with an all-acoustic cover of Pete Seeger's "Passing Through”. No mic, no amplification, just his voice carrying to the back rows. The crowd went still. In that moment, Moody Theater felt less like a concert hall and more like a gathering of friends leaning in together. Sixteen years after their breakout, The Swell Season still thrives at creating simple songs that make big rooms feel intimate.   Find The Swell Season 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

Last night’s performance by Natalia Jiménez  at The Aztec Theater in San Antonio, TX—part of her La Jiménez USA Tour 2025 —was nothing short of electrifying. In front of an almost sold-out audience, she delivered a show that balanced heart, power, and artistry, proving once again why she is one of the most compelling voices in Latin music today. From the moment the lights dimmed and Natalia strode on stage, the energy was undeniable. She opened with “El Triste,”  the timeless classic by José José, and instantly the theater filled with emotion. Her rendition honored the original’s legacy while infusing it with her own powerhouse vocals, giving the song a renewed intensity. The crowd was captivated—singing along, swaying, and absorbing every note. Starting with such a beloved song was a bold choice, but it set the perfect tone: this was not just a concert, it was a shared celebration of music and memory. Natalia kept the momentum flowing as she transitioned into “Si No Te Hubieras Ido,”  the iconic ballad from Marco Antonio Solís. The audience erupted in recognition, and soon the entire theater was singing word for word alongside her. The emotional resonance of the song filled the room, and Natalia’s voice carried every ounce of longing and beauty the lyrics demand. It was one of the night’s standout moments, a perfect marriage of artist and audience in full harmony. The set continued with a thoughtful balance of ballads and uptempo hits. Every song felt like a conversation between Natalia and her fans. She sprinkled personal stories and expressions of gratitude throughout the night, thanking San Antonio for its warm welcome and recognizing the city’s deep cultural connection to her music. Fans held up signs, shouted out declarations of love, and clapped along to every beat, creating an atmosphere that felt more like family than formality. Production-wise, the evening was seamless. The sound was crystal clear, highlighting the depth of her voice without overpowering the instruments. Lighting was elegant yet dynamic, enhancing the mood of each number—from soft washes of color during emotional ballads to bright, celebratory bursts during her upbeat performances. The musicians behind her played with precision and heart, lifting each arrangement while giving Natalia the space to shine. Highlights were abundant. Her performance of “Si No Te Hubieras Ido”  stood out as a heartfelt centerpiece of the night, while other moments showed her playful side, engaging with fans, laughing between songs, and showcasing the versatility that has defined her career. By the time she returned for an encore, the audience was on their feet, singing at the top of their lungs, unwilling to let the night end. In the end, The Aztec Theater may only seat a few thousand, but last night it felt infinite. Natalia Jiménez turned an almost sold-out show into something even greater: an unforgettable experience where every voice in the room joined hers. If San Antonio is any indication, La Jiménez USA Tour 2025  is destined to be one of her most celebrated tours yet.

I thought I had missed my chance to see the Fred and Adam lineup. Then, on September 9th, Fred Mascherino walked back on stage, and suddenly the version of Taking Back Sunday I thought I’d never see was right in front of me.  Louder Now  was such an integral part of my high school experience. That CD was one that I frequently pulled from my car visor CD holder (remember those?) to blast after school. I even downloaded “MakeDamnSure” as my first ringtone on my black Nokia, hearing it echo through soccer locker rooms (back when it was cool  to have your phone go off in public). Fred’s return, encouraged by John Nolan , gave fans like me the chance to finally see a version of the band that had only lived in memory.  The wait was worth it. Taking Back Sunday has never been about polish, and I wouldn’t want them to be. At Moody Amphitheater, Adam Lazzara reminded everyone why he’s still one of the most captivating frontmen of his era, swinging his mic with reckless confidence and nearly clipping a guitar tech in the process. But that’s part of the theatrics and it’s a big reason why TBS still draws out a crowd.  Fred’s presence reshaped the sound immediately, his harmonies and guitar lines locking the songs into place. Shaun Cooper held down the rhythm, grounding a lineup that has shifted so often. The set leaned hard on that era: six songs from Louder Now  and three from Where You Want to Be . Fred slipped back into the groove as if no time had passed, and the crowd shouted “Welcome back, Fred” between songs. What struck me was Adam’s demeanor. Twenty-six years in, he carried himself with gratitude that felt unforced, noting how rare it is to still be doing this with conviction. The crowd, largely peers who discovered this music in the same years I did, met him with the same energy. It was evident that the fans were feeling just as lucky as I was to see this version of TBS.  Coheed and Cambria If Taking Back Sunday’s set was about release, Coheed and Cambria’s was about precision. This was my first time seeing them, and the devotion in the crowd was as striking as the band itself. Fans around me matched Claudio Sanchez line for line, locked into every lyric. Part of Coheed’s pull is the larger world Claudio has built with The Amory Wars . It is more than music for their fans, and that depth showed. The set moved between sprawling prog passages and direct anthems without letting the energy dip. The biggest surprise was a cover of The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside.” Instead of feeling out of place, it pulled the entire amphitheater into one voice. They also leaned into their newer material from Vaxis – Act III: The Father Of Make Believe . Tracks like Goodbye, Sunshine  and Searching for Tomorrow  didn’t feel like placeholders but as central to the story as the classics. When older staples like A Favor House Atlantic  and Welcome Home  arrived, they hit even harder in that context. Two decades after first hearing both bands, the songs still land with force. The night was not about revisiting the past. It was proof these performances still matter now. Words and photos: Victor Gonzalez

On Saturday 13th September, Zulú Klub in Aldaia hosted the second edition of Valencia Core Fest bringing together six bands from Valencia, Madrid, Barcelona and Castellón. The event resonated with the diversity and intensity of modern metal making them the true stars of the night.   The night began with Valencia's Climbing Humans who stormed the stage with heavy riffs and crushing breakdowns. An electrifying start that set the tone for the evening from the very first moment.   Next up were fellow Valencians Vira who kept the energy flowing with their alternative metal sound. Their performance combined tight musicianship with raw strength on stage forging a strong connection with the audience.   From Madrid came Threats, winners of the festival's Band Contest who delivered sheer energy and attitude. The live premiere of their new single sent the crowd into a frenzy.   Fourth in the lineup were Six Burning Knives from Castellón. With a crushing sound and an intense stage presence their set was one of the tightest of the night reaffirming their status as one of the most consistent bands on the national circuit.   Things reached their peak with Barcelona's Mankind Grief who turned the pit into a battleground. Their brutal deathcore fueled nonstop moshpits making their set one of the most aggressive and memorable of the festival.   Closing the night were Madrid's Fallen at Dawn ,a rising band already gaining attention at major festivals like Resurrection Fest and Hellfest. Their heavy yet refined metalcore sound paired with a polished live show delivered a fitting finale worthy of the festival.   Overall, the second edition of Valencia Core Fest confirmed its place as a key event in Spain’s modern metal scene. With unforgettable performances and relentless energy, the festival left a lasting impression on everyone in attendance and we can only hope to enjoy many more editions in the years to come.   Follow the bands: Climbing Humans: Facebook // Instagram // Youtube // Spotify Vira: Web // Facebook // Instagram // Youtube / TikTok // Spotify Threats: Facebook // Instagram // Youtube // Spotify // Bandcamp Six Burning Knives: Facebook // Instagram // Youtube // Spotify // Bandcamp Mankind Grief: Facebook // Instagram // Youtube // Spotify // Bandcamp Fallen At Dawn: Web // Facebook // Instagram // Youtube // Spotify Words and photos: Rakel Milla Martin