James Dean Bradfield, the iron-lunged lead singer (and pretty damn handy guitarist) of the Manics opened the night by reflecting on the fact that this was the first time the band had been back in the USA for ten years. “Ten years! Why did we wait so long?” was his rallying call. And the crowd [...]

From what I had read and researched about this band before hitting Bowery Ballroom on Monday night (09.14.2009), I was prepared for unexpected pleasures. The official website for the band ran the motto “Sleepy Sun cannot be pre-defined or bracketed” and I for one was willing to believe this. From the surreal and vaguely self-contradictory [...]

In today’s world of bubble gum chart pop and identikit Indie bands, it was with some excitement that I snapped up the opportunity to go see some actual metal and hard rock at Crash Mansion, a bar and live music venue in New York’s Lower East Side. Admittedly, given that the last live act I [...]