Concerts

There’s a particular kind of electricity that only a Gov Ball moment can generate. Today, January 5, 2026, that anticipation found its release as Governors Ball unveiled its lineup, and with it, the atmosphere of festival season officially shifted. This wasn’t just a list of names appearing on a screen; it was a collective intake of breath, a reminder of how live music continues to bring people together.

Live music has never been cheap. But it has also never felt this inaccessible. Ticket prices are climbing. Dynamic pricing is quietly inflating face value. Resellers scoop up inventory in seconds. And fans are left refreshing screens, watching tickets triple before checkout, even loads. The frustration is loud. The response from the industry is not.

There’s a moment that happens in almost every photo pit. The lights drop, the crowd surges forward, cameras rise in unison, and for a brief stretch of time, a handful of strangers are asked to share the same few feet of space while capturing something fleeting. You learn very quickly that talent alone won’t carry you here. Awareness will. Most of the time, that window is small. Three songs, fifteen minutes, sometimes even less.

It started with a whisper. A tiny idea. A quiet moment where we decided to try something ourselves, this time with our full chests. We didn’t know where it would go. We just knew we wanted to build something with intention. SoundCheck began small and digital. Our first interview lived in a Word document. Our first artist was someone we already knew and believed in.

There was a time when genres held real power. They were the industry’s filing system, the listener’s compass, the cultural shorthand for who you were and what you stood for. If you said you were into rock, people made assumptions about your personality. If you said you loved pop, people assumed something entirely different. Genres carried weight, identity, and meaning.

Article & Photos by Madison Cozzens Highly Suspect’s debut album, Mister Asylum, charted Number 7 on the Top Rock Albums when it came out in 2015. The album is a favorite among fans, and brought something new to the table when it broke onto the scene. With their very first release to the public, Highly Suspect got nominated for Best Rock Album and Best Rock Song at the Grammy’s that year. It’s no wonder the group wanted to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the album with a to

Article By Ernesto Raul Aguilar Q101 kicked off its week-long Twisted Xmas 2025 series at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom with a high-voltage opening night that blended indie cool, alt-rock energy, and full-on pop spectacle. Three bands, each with a distinct voice and presence, took the stage and delivered a night that felt as festive as it was electric, setting the tone for the rest of the holiday concerts ahead. The evening opened with Los Angeles band Out in Front, who wasted no

Detroit did not blink at the weather. Even with a snowstorm delaying flights and pushing doors nearly two hours past schedule, the crowd kept arriving. People bundled against wind and ice still chose to stand shoulder-to-shoulder inside The El Club, a small venue with the energy of something much larger. It was our first time shooting here, and stepping into a space without a barricade meant we became part of the audience instead of perched in front of it.

Cassadee Pope’s acoustic set at The Loft at City Winery in Philadelphia proved that a stripped-down show can sometimes hit the hardest. With just her guitar, her voice, and a room full of fans, she created a night that felt intimate, warm, and disarmingly honest. Cassadee Pope performing at City Winery in Philadelphia, PA - Photo by Rebecca McDevitt (IG: @rebeccajeanlimitedphotography ) She wasted no time diving into nostalgia, pulling out Hey Monday classics like “Homecoming

The music industry is constantly adapting to technological changes. Social media has become the biggest marketing tool for artists. Cellphones are being held up to record every second of a performance. With the rise of viral sensations becoming stars, not all artists can decide whether they can start in small venues or go straight into being an opening act for the biggest superstar in the world. 

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

There was a time when encores felt like actual miracles. The lights went down, the crowd begged for just one more song, and the air buzzed with the kind of hope usually reserved for lottery tickets and marriage proposals. For a few glorious minutes, we had no idea if the band would return. It was a negotiation between us and them. A shared secret. A spark of live music magic.

Article Contributed by Rebecca McDevitt Franklin Jonas is currently touring with his brothers, playing massive rooms night after night. But before the doors even open, he’s outside the venue with his band hosting intimate pop-up sets that feel like community gatherings. These aren’t secret, random moments either. He posts on Instagram ahead of time so fans know exactly where to find him. It’s intentional. It’s thoughtful. And it’s rare. Franklin Jonas performing outside of Pr

Article and Photography Contributed by Fernando Flores Grant Knoche performing at the Meadows in Brooklyn, NY - Photography by Fernando Flores (IG: @fernandofloresphotography ) So good it's on AUTOPILOT Grant Knoche’s rise from kid-friendly pop prodigy to a fully realized alt-pop force has been nothing short of electric. His latest tour stop in Brooklyn proved exactly why audiences are so drawn to his world, kicking the night off with a burst of warmth and charisma from Taylo

November 14th was a jam-packed day at The House of Blues in Cleveland, OH. The Academy Is… was playing in the main room, and Mac Saturn packed the smaller Cambridge Room at the venue. The house was buzzing with fans excited to see their show of choice that evening. The intimate Cambridge Room was filled with people of all ages, ready to have a 70s rock-inspired evening. 

The Nashville indie-folk singer-songwriter delivers a moving, sold-out debut in New York City — blending raw emotion, crowd connection, and musical grace in his first U.S. headlining tour. Article & Photos Contributed by Miranda Wyman Indie-folk singer, songwriter, and producer Hunter Metts delivered an unforgettable performance at New York City’s Mercury Lounge on Friday, November 7, as part of his first U.S. headlining tour. Playing to a sold-out crowd of 250, Metts transfo

Photo by Ernesto Raul Aguilar (IG: @blacksheepimagery ) Article & Photos Contributed by Ernesto Raul Aguilar Few artists blur the lines between virtuosity and eccentricity like Thundercat. On November 7th, 2025, the Los Angeles bassist, singer, and producer brought his signature blend of jazz, funk, and soul to Chicago’s historic Aragon Ballroom, delivering a performance that was both musically dazzling and emotionally charged. Touring in support of his catalog that’s redefin

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

Article Contributed by Fernando Flores Keeping it Short n’ Spooky A few months ago, SoundCheck Mag had a special interview with Amber Mark, highlighting the release of her new album, Pretty Idea, which dropped on October 10, 2025. Today, we have the privilege to deep dive into her set while touring alongside Sabrina Carpenter, making the Short n’ Sweet Tour just a little bit sweeter. Amber kicks off the performance coming out in a stunning Black Cat-inspired bunny outfit whic

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.