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Alternative


Young Culture Turned Ukie Club Into a Full-Blown Fever Dream on Their Farewell Tour
There’s a different kind of energy when a band is playing their last run of shows. It’s louder. Softer. Heavier. Lighter. Everything all at once. And Young Culture’s stop in Philly carried that exact emotional whiplash in the most beautiful way. Young Culture performing at Ukie Club in Philadelphia, PA on their farewell tour. Photo by Kayleena Ayusa (IG: @ayusa_media ) Ukie Club was already hyped before the first note of the first band. The openers Bike Routes & Wakelee had t

SoundCheck Team
1 day ago


LILA HOLLER: UNDERGROUND RADAR
Lila Holler writes like she’s slowly unfastening something fragile inside herself. Her sound shifts between indie pop glow and alt-folk vulnerability, shaped by a life spanning coasts, climates, and now continents. That constant motion shows up in her music as shifting light and quiet self-redefinition, the kind that comes from picking yourself up and starting again in new places until you learn what feels like home.

LJ Portnoy
3 days ago


ALBUM REVIEW: Set It Off - Set it Off
Article Contributed by Konstantina Buhalis Set It Off has been a major player in the rock and alternative scene since 2008, when they gained notoriety through their YouTube channel, eventually signing to Equal Vision Records and then Fearless Records. In the last year, Set It Off went independent and released their latest self-titled album on November 7, featuring Rock and Nu-Metal influences. Dopamine Era In 2023, Set It Off left Fearless Records and began what they called t
Konstantina Buhalis
6 days ago


EP REVIEW: Blissed Out - Broadside
Broadside has been teasing us with pieces of Blissed Out for months and now that the full EP is here, it feels like the complete picture finally arrived. It is emotional. It is catchy. It is honest in that way Broadside fans love. They kicked things off back in April with “I Think They Know,” a song that puts every overthinker right in their feelings.

Rebecca McDevitt
Nov 22


First Listen: Leyla Ebrahimi Expands the Edges of Indie Alt-Pop with “i don’t like being left behind”
“i don’t like being left behind” opens in swirls and spirals, an ambient wash of synths that feel almost video game–esque. It is dreamy and atmospheric, yet it carries a pulse that instantly catches your attention. Leyla Ebrahimi’s voice enters with a softness that glows against the production. Even in these early moments, the track makes its intentions clear. This is indie alternative at its core, but it welcomes pop influences with open arms.

LJ Portnoy
Nov 20


First Listen: “Die on This Hill” Marks Sienna Spiro’s Breakthrough Moment
Sienna Spiro’s “Die on This Hill” begins with a quiet magnetism that feels instantly inviting. A single piano line opens the door and her voice steps in with striking richness. It is warm, resonant, and full of a clarity that draws you in immediately.

LJ Portnoy
Nov 17


ALBUM REVIEW: girlfriends – THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Article Contributed by Rebecca McDevitt Pop punk is alive, loud, and definitely moving back into the neighborhood. girlfriends’ new album THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD is the perfect mix of early 2000s nostalgia and modern-day edge. Think Yellowcard and Blink-182 colliding with MGK’s pop-punk revival. It’s fun, chaotic, and full of emotion in all the right ways. The record kicks off with pure energy. The singles “Landslide,” “Garbage,” and “West Coast” already hinted at what wa

Rebecca McDevitt
Nov 13


Plain White T’s vs. We The Kings: The Battle of Delilah and Juliet
Photo by Rebecca McDevitt (IG: @rebeccajeanlimitedphotography ) Article & Photos Contributed by Rebecca McDevitt If you grew up blasting pop punk on your iPod Nano, this tour was basically therapy. The Delilah vs. Juliet Tour brought two fan-favorite names, Plain White T’s and We The Kings, together for a night that felt like Warped Tour 2010 all over again. And with Emo Nite setting the tone, the nostalgia levels were off the charts. We The Kings hit the stage first and hone

Rebecca McDevitt
Nov 6


Twenty Years Later and Still Here: Mayday Parade & All Time Low Live in Detroit
Some bands have been here for most of your life. Others have been here longer than you have even been alive. Mayday Parade has been a band for twenty years. All Time Low has been a band for twenty two. The crowd reflected that timeline in full. Some people first heard these songs on burned CDs and shared iPods. Others found them on streaming years later. Different ages, different entry points, but everyone already knew the words.
This wasn’t nostalgia. This was continuity.

LJ Portnoy
Nov 5


Hot Take: Stan Culture Is Both the Lifeline and the Poison of Modern Music
Paul Bergen / Redferns / Getty The same fans who stream songs into existence can also tear an artist down in 280 characters. Stan culture is the reason many artists still have careers in 2025, but it’s also why some can’t sleep at night. Passion is powerful, and online communities have turned that passion into entire ecosystems. But when love turns into possession, the same force that fuels a career can start to quietly destroy it. No label marketing plan can compete with an

Rebecca McDevitt
Nov 5


ALBUM REVIEW: Taylor Acorn - Poster Child
Contributed by Rebecca McDevitt Taylor Acorn isn’t new to the scene, but she’s definitely started redefining it. With her latest album Poster Child, she surpasses the expectations she’s built. The record feels like flipping through pages of her diary, every lyric blurring the line between strength and softness, heartbreak and healing. “Poster Child” delivers everything you’d expect from Taylor — upbeat, infectious melodies — but it’s the vulnerability underneath that hits har

Rebecca McDevitt
Nov 4


Arcy Drive Brings ‘Attic Rock’ to the Main Stage
On October 28th, anyone driving through the Waterloo Arts District of Cleveland would see a line of people waiting to get into the Beachland Ballroom. The crowd was there for the self-proclaimed “attic rock” band, Arcy Drive. The venue was covered in stickers and flyers, with graffiti all over the bathroom and neon signs at the bar – It was the perfect setting to rock the night away.
Madison Cozzens
Nov 3


Calliope Wren: The Craft is in the Muse
Photo by Fernando Flores (IG: @fernandofloresphotography ) Article & Photos Contributed by Fernando Flores When Calliope Wren walks on stage, the atmosphere changes. There’s an energy that's magnetic, untamed, and beautifully deliberate. Her performances aren’t just performances, they have an otherworldly pull that takes you into orbit. Long Island-based singer Calliope Wren has set herself up to carve out her own lane in a music world that often tries to define women before

Fernando Flores
Oct 28


Alex Ray Gets Real on Messy
Alex Ray’s Messy is a short, sharp burst of pop-alt emotion, five songs, twelve minutes, and zero filler. It’s a snapshot of chaos polished just enough to shine, but not so much that it loses its edge. Every track feels like an intentional contradiction: raw yet refined, vulnerable yet self-possessed.

LJ Portnoy
Oct 18


Twenty One Pilots: The Legends That Live On
Photo by Fernando Flores (IG: @fernandofloresphotography ) Review & Photos Contributed by Fernando Flores October 4, 2025 Wantagh, NY The Global Reach Twenty One Pilots has thrived on blending narrative, symbolism, and emotional transparency. Through their music, they’ve built a cinematic world that has opened the eyes of fans all around the globe. Fans that still hold their early cult classics close to heart such as one of my close favorites, “Jumpsuit” which was part of the

Fernando Flores
Oct 16


Marianas Trench at the Wellmont Theater: A Theatrical Storm of Sound and Emotion
Photo by Rebecca McDevitt (IG: @rebeccajeanlimitedphotography ) Montclair, NJ — October 5, 2025 Photos and Show Review by Rebecca...

Rebecca McDevitt
Oct 7


Calliope Wren Channels Goddess Energy on Debut EP Fade and Wither
The Long Island alt-rock siren celebrates with a ritual-themed release show at Amityville Music Hall. Press materials courtesy of Jocelyn...

Rebecca McDevitt
Oct 6


Madison Cunningham’s Ace: A New Chapter in Songwriting
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Madison Cunningham is bound to have an impactful album release. She’s poised to captivate audiences once again with her new album “Ace,” that’s coming in October 10, 2025. Bound to tug on many listeners' heartstrings.

Fernando Flores
Oct 2


MARINA, The Queen has Returned!
Four years after releasing her fifth album, “Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land” MARINA creates a strong comeback with the release of “Princess of Power.” After the announcement of the U.S. tour, longtime fans swell with excitement, eager to welcome MARINA back to the stage after years of not touring.

Fernando Flores
Sep 30


Cartel’s Chroma Turns 20: Detroit Sings Every Word
Marking the 20th anniversary of their seminal debut Chroma, Cartel took Detroit back to 2005 with a front-to-back play through that had fans hanging on every note.

LJ Portnoy
Sep 25
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