Indie

Article Contributed by Rebecca McDevitt & Ilana Bornstein Some bands come together through industry connections. Others start because a group of friends simply never stopped playing music together. For Chicago-based alternative pop band Flwers, it’s the second story. SoundCheck first discovered Flwers the same way a lot of fans did lately… scrolling through TikTok. Between honest lyrics, hook-heavy melodies, and videos that felt more like friends sharing music than a careful

It was a cold Monday night in Cleveland, but that didn’t stop fans from turning out for The Last Dinner Party. The Agora Theater was packed to the brim with people ready for a magical and joyful evening. The venue looked like a Renaissance fair filled with lace, long skirts, corsets, and flowing sleeves. The stage design matched the Renaissance aura with large arches, a bell tower, and flowing curtains. The mood was set, the crowd was excited, and it was time for the show to

In an era of genre blending and algorithm driven listening, a new artist is stepping confidently into the glow of Tumblr era pop and its cultural revival. Sdoku creates music for the whimsical moments in this chaotic life. Through shimmering synth lines, jangle guitars, and punchy drum machines, he builds soundscapes that reflect both the accessibility and emotional immediacy of music in the digital age.

There's a phrase Lily Forte stumbled across while researching lily flowers, a deep dive that started, she'll tell you, because she couldn't decide whether to self-title her debut album. Don't gild the lily. It means, roughly, that beauty isn't found in excess. That adding to something already whole only diminishes it. The moment she found it, the album had a name. And more than that, it had a through line.

Released today, High & Sad is the kind of song that doesn't announce itself; it just finds you. Franklin Jonas and The Byzantines have crafted something that exists in the in-between: not quite a ballad, not quite a confessional, but somewhere more honest than either.

Article Contributed By Monica Soriano Photos Provided by UMG / Nick Walker Recently, SoundCheck had the opportunity to attend Iris Copperman’s showcase in which sang a few of her songs live. We were pleasantly surprised by her ability to convey strong emotion while telling a story. With the release of “Struggle Bus” earlier this year and at just 14 years old, Iris became one of our artists to watch. Today, we are so happy to follow her as she embarks on this journey. We had t

The trio discuss friendship, folk influences, and the collaboration behind their new album. Article contributed by Vaneza Gutiérrez Wyckoff Photos contributed by UMG 1824 Nathan Evans and the Glasgow brother duo SAINT PHNX — Stevie and Alan Jukes — have joined forces for Angels’ Share, a collaborative album that blends Scottish folk tradition with modern, hook-driven energy. When we spoke with the trio, their chemistry was unmistakable — the kind that comes from deep friendsh

Article Contributed by Rebecca McDevitt Photo Provided by Spotify Die To Fall is The Maine’s first release off their upcoming record Joy Next Door, and it already feels like a song made to be shared. It has that indie alternative glow to it, but with a beat you can still move to. The kind of song that turns into a group scream at a summer show, arms thrown over each other’s shoulders, yelling “I feel alive” like you mean it. There’s something really freeing about it. It feels

The Wishbone Tour transformed Prudential Center into a haven for Sad Internet Teens and the stories that shaped them. Article & Photography Contributed by Miranda Wyman On February 27, Conan Gray brought the Wishbone Tour to the Prudential Center in Newark and from the moment the doors opened, it was clear this would not be just another pop concert. Before the show even started, the “Conehead” community inside the arena was impossible to ignore. Fans gathered in front of the

On the first warm night in months, Philadelphia showed up loud for a lineup that proved the local scene is thriving. Article Contributed by Rebecca McDevitt & Devin McDevitt Moonroof performing at Underground Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Photo by Rebecca McDevitt. IG: @ rebeccajeanlimitedphotography There is something about the first warm night in Philadelphia that feels like permission to breathe again. The snow was melting into the sidewalks. People lingered outside instead of

Photo by Sasha Camacho Article Contributed by Fernando Flores Lexa Gates’s “I Am” unfolds like a conversation you don’t rush through. It’s an album that takes its time not because it’s unsure of itself but because it understands that self-definition isn’t something you arrive at all at once. This project moves with patience and purpose; tracing the quiet evolution of someone learning how to live inside their own truth. It doesn’t posture or over-explain. It simply exists con

On asking the hard questions, embracing chaos, and writing in real time. Article Contributed by Vaneza Gutiérrez Wyckoff Asha Banks shot by Louise Browne For Asha Banks, reflection isn’t something that happens neatly after the fact — it’s an active, ongoing state. That instinct sits at the heart of How Real Was It?, her debut EP released last November via Island Records, shaping both the emotional arc of the project and the way she speaks about her creative life overall. Rath

Article Contributed by Rebecca McDevitt Fourteen years ago, Mike Schiavo was performing in a small pizza shop in New Jersey, the kind of venue where the stage feels temporary but the ambition does not. Backed by members of Aaron Carter’s former touring band, the show carried an odd duality: hyper-local grit paired with a glimpse of something bigger. Even then, Schiavo sang like someone already imagining Los Angeles. Mike Schiavo performing at Luna's pizza in 2012 with a local

Article & Photos by Rachel Catherine SZN4 performing at El Club in Detroit. Photos by Rachel Catherine (@ rachsgalleryy on IG) A Valentine’s Day Evening to Remember February 14th, I spent my Valentine’s Day evening on a Saturday night with SZN4 and it was quite the spirit lifter. On a “holiday” that’s particularly not my favorite, you could feel the love emulating off of the group from the love they have for each other as well as the people supporting them in the crowd. A Ho

Article & Photos by Madison Cozzens The Wombats have been around since the early 2000’s providing listeners with the quintessential feel-good indie rock. Spanning from 2007 to 2025 their discography transports you back to the feeling of the 2010’s, making you feel like the star of your own coming of age movie. The group packed The House of Blues on a Thursday night in Cleveland, OH as they take their “Oh the Ocean Tour” across North America. The Wombats performing at The Hous

The Riviera Theatre was electric long before the night’s headliners took the stage, it was the kind of restless buzz that signals a crowd ready to fully commit to the night. Photos and Article Contributed by Ernesto Raul Aguilar Fans waiting in anticipation for the Runarounds and The Back Alley at The Riviera Theatre in Chicago, IL. Photo by Ernesto Raul Aguilar ( @blacksheepimagery ) By the end of the evening, both The Back Alley and The Runarounds had justified that anticip

The 22-year-old internet sensation is making her debut as an artist with a pop-focused album. Releasing a first project can be nerve-wracking to some and a breeze for others. It is the beginning of establishing oneself within the music industry. Finding a sound, collaborating with people, and working out the details are all important steps. Jordi has amassed millions of followers across social media platforms, a huge accomplishment for someone who is only in her early 20’s.

Charlotte Sands expresses her personal feelings through her latest single, “one eye open.” The single “one eye open,” by Charlotte Sands, is a gloomy escape to freedom in which she paints a clear picture of her feelings through her lyricism. The song sounds almost dreamlike with somber undertones and a release of emotions through Charlotte's vocals. It is a direct focus on the anxiety experienced in an unhealthy relationship, being told directly from Charlotte’s perspectiv

Dakota Diehl’s “Falling Out of Love” feels like the exact moment when heartbreak stops knocking the wind out of you and starts lighting a fire instead. This song marches with its shoulders back, head up while saying enough. It adds strength to a woman scorned in the best way possible, not by making her cruel or careless, but by reminding her she survived, learned and came out sharper on the other side. 

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