All photos by Agatha Donkar 2014 is the year, dear Speakers In Code readers, that I am going to bring you more punk. More mosh pits, more crowd surfers, and more chances for photographers to accidentally get kicked in the head. We started with last week’s Against Me! show, and we continue with last Sunday’s … Read more
All photos by Agatha Donkar I should go to more shows where there’s a risk of photographers getting clobbered in the head by crowd surfers, because even if my back hurts like you wouldn’t believe today, last night’s Against Me! show, played to a mostly full Cradle on a damp and cold night, was absolutely … Read more
All photos by Jason Gonulsen Day One of the 2nd weekend of the Austin City Limits Festival opened with bang, highlighted by Childish Gambino, St. Vincent, Belle and Sebastian, Sam Smith, Jimmy Cliff, Lake Street Dive, The Preatures, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Temples, CHVRCHES, and OutKast, Please enjoy these photos by Jason Gonulsen. CHILDISH GAMBINO … Read more
All photos by Joe O’Toole The Gaslight Anthem played the Marquee Theatre in Phoenix last week, promoting their latest wonderful album, Get Hurt. Against Me! opened the show. Please enjoy these photos from Joe O’Toole. AGAINST ME!
Rhett Miller | All photos by Agatha Donkar On paper, Marfa, TX, is an unlikely place for a fantastic music festival, because Marfa, TX, is a town of 2100 residents in West Texas, four hours from the closest major airport in El Paso, as well as seven from Austin in the middle of the state. … Read more
The Julie Ruin | All photos by Agatha Donkar Girls Rock NC celebrated its tenth anniversary over the weekend, with a fabulous benefit concert on Saturday night, headlined by Kathleen Hanna’s The Julie Ruin and Mary Timony’s Ex Hex (Rips is out now on Merge Records, and it’s good, y’all) and supported by a slew of … Read more
All photos by Jason Gonulsen We are here and then we go My shadow left me long ago Pearl Jam’s latest album, Lightning Bolt, is about breaking free. But it isn’t about completely letting go. Listen to “Sirens,” “Getaway,” “Lightning Bolt” — there is a message there: drop negative energy, but keep remnants of a charge … Read more
All photos by Agatha Donkar The music that She Keeps Bees, Brooklyn’s Jessica Larrabee and Andy LaPlant (touring with another guitarist to make them a trio), makes is music that takes up a lot of space. It’s not that it’s loud, though they had volume at the Local 506 on Monday night, and it’s not … Read more
All photos by Jason Gonulsen Ryan Adams and his band, The Shining, performed at the Peabody Opera House in St. Louis on Sunday in support of Adams’ latest self-titled album. Adams, in rare comedic form, played a hilarious improv tune about popcorn, which featured an “abrupt ending to the song.” He also told a story … Read more
All photos by Agatha Donkar It had been a while since I’d seen the Rock Show (last fall at Haw River Ballroom) and it had been a fair bit longer since I’d been really engaged by the Rock Show, to be perfectly honest — I didn’t really care for 2011’s Go-Go Boots, and the Truckers’ … Read more
Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys | All photos by Jason Gonulsen English rock band Arctic Monkeys thrilled a sold-out audience at The Pageant last night. They wasted no time, opening with “Do I Wanna Know?” from 2013’s AM, which had many women (and probably men, too) in the audience shrieking with pleasure. Frontman Alex Turner … Read more
All photos by Nate Burrell That wasn’t me requesting “Lay Low,” although I’m usually the one to get all excited for the saddest song in the catalog. To be honest, I didn’t even know that was a favorite among Shovels & Rope fans — I thought it was just me. It wasn’t just me. This … Read more
Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires | All photos by Nate Burrell Written by Jason Gonulsen Back in the early 90’s, when my dad, brother, and I followed Sangamon State University soccer, we would take road trips down south to experience the NAIA National Tournament. This was a huge deal for us, as it basically represented … Read more
White Denim made a stop in Phoenix this past Monday, and Speakers in Code photographer Joe O’Toole was on hand to capture the rock band from Austin, Texas. They’ll be in St. Louis at The Firebird on March 7th at The Firebird. Please enjoy the photos, and be sure to visit Joe’s site here.Â
All photos by Tim Bottchen Fitz and the Tantrums made its first stop in St. Louis since LouFest of last year, and Tim Bottchen was on hand to catch the action at The Pageant. And as the above photo suggests, singer Noelle Scaggs gave the fans what they wanted. Enjoy the full set below, and … Read more
All photos by Jason Gonulsen And she only looks like you In a certain kind of light When she holds her head just right I remember the late summer/early fall nights the most. The way they made me feel, the way the thick heat slowed everything around me — like an immediate fog had warped … Read more
All photos by Jason Gonulsen They say everything can be replacedYet every distance is not nearSo I remember every faceOf every man who put me here Wow, what a great night. Comic/poet/entertainer Howell Dawdy led things off with “Fire Extinguisher,” and Houndmouth closed it all down with a terrific cover of Bob Dylan’s “I Shall … Read more
The Airborne Toxic Event are an explosive live act, especially during “Numb,” “Wishing Well,” and “Sometime Around Midnight,” three songs that caught fire during their show at The Pageant on Wednesday evening. Lead singer Mikel Jollett and violinist Anna Bulbrook led the way throughout the 100-minute performance, which closed with a three-song encore. All photos … Read more
We may have missed them in St. Louis, but Speakers in Code photographer Joe O’Toole caught Pixies in Phoenix this past Monday and brought back some great shots of the show. Please enjoy the full set below, and be sure to visit Joe’s site here.
All photos by Agatha Donkar Panic! at the Disco broke a 100 year old venue in Atlanta on Saturday. Their clever and catchy 2013 release Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die! has done exceptionally well — and it should, because it’s an exceptional dance pop record — and Saturday’s set was one of … Read more
All photos by Nate Burrell Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings wrapped up their “Spring Fever Tour” last night at the Tivoli Theatre in Chattanooga. Welch and Rawlings will be hitting the road again soon, playing some shows as part of “Dave Rawlings Machine,” including a 6/25 stop at The Sheldon in St. Louis, and others … Read more
All photos by Agatha Donkar The Gaslight Anthem just finished up recording their upcoming fifth full-length LP, and last Thursday in Carrboro, played … a set that didn’t include any of the new tunes. And that’s actually one of my favorite things about Gaslight, really — they’ve never been a band that puts new songs … Read more
All photos by Agatha Donkar There’s nothing more fun than shooting a great band with a charismatic lead singer and a hell of a light show and a great repertoire of songs. That was The 1975 at Cat’s Cradle last week.
Crosses at Pointfest | All photos by Louis Kwok 105.7 Pointfest took place at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater this past Saturday, and Louis Kwok caught the moments that continue to define the one-day festival. Our favorite set was delivered by Josh Homme and Queens of the Stone Age, who opened with “You Think I Ain’t Worth … Read more
C.J. Hardee, Jordan Hardee, Ashlee Hardee Brown, and Jimmy Brown of Matrimony pose for a shot before their show at Off Broadway | All Photos by Jason Gonulsen Matrimony played its first headlining show in St. Louis this past Tuesday, and with it came stunning versions of “Giant,” “Sorrow,” and “See The Light.” You can … Read more
All photos by Jason Gonulsen Birdy recently made a stop at Plush in St. Louis, and she backed up the hype currently surrounding her every move in the UK (if you didn’t know, she has over 2 million followers on Facebook). She is superbly talented, and able to perform on keys and guitar with confidence … Read more
All photos by Jason Gonulsen Lyle Lovett & His Acoustic Group performed at The Pageant this past Friday evening. Please enjoy these photos by Jason Gonulsen.
The Bad Plus recently played at Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, which included a performance of Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring” with an original film playing behind the band. Rad, right? Please enjoy Joe O’Toole’s photos of the show, and be sure to visit his site here.
All photos by Jason Gonulsen Fresh off an appearance at Bonnaroo, Broken Bells thrilled a bright eyed and smiling audience at The Pageant last night, opening with “Perfect World” from their latest release, After The Disco. All photos by Jason Gonulsen.
All photos by Tim Bottchen Ray Lamontagne performed songs from his 2014 release, Supernova, on Wednesday night at The Fox Theatre. Please enjoy Tim Bottchen’s shots of the show, and be sure to visit his site here.