Music

The first time I ever read the words “Brendan O’Hare” was on August 7, 2012. I know this because the first time I ever read the words “Brendan O’Hare” was on Twitter when a friend retweeted something the young and hilarious human being with that name typed into his computer at 8:58pm on that date….

Times like these, you need a funny person who understands politics. W. Kamau Bell has honed his witty, managed outrage at the world around him into a consistently hilarious brand. Like any comedian who focuses on cultural material, in his early years he battled to find the right mix of commentary and humor, but things…

The first time I ever read the words “Brendan O’Hare” was on August 7, 2012. I know this because the first time I ever read the words “Brendan O’Hare” was on Twitter when a friend retweeted something the young and hilarious human being with that name typed into his computer at 8:58pm on that date….

Austin L. Ray Brendan O’Brien is a record producer. He’s actually kind of a big deal, as far as record producers go. If you’ve listened to alternative rock in the last 20 years, chances are you’ve heard his work. His credits including a veritable laundry list of monster acts, from Stone Temple Pilots to Bruce…

Long before he owned and operated Randy’s—the Toledo, Ohio alternative culture pioneer legendary for the wired rolling paper, Black Label liquid cleaner, and other smoking accessories—Brian Nupp was knee-deep in the music world. At 16 years old, he started playing bass in his brother’s band, Peat Moss (they still get together every year to write…

Although it might sound like half-hearted praise, Andy Hendrickson‘s best quality is his smooth, never-rattled professionalism. His jokes are solid, but his delivery takes them over the top. Seemingly chalked up to good writing, all of the bits on this, his third album, unfold effortlessly. While some performers seem uncertain or stumble through their words…

Austin L. Ray Billy Wayne Davis is being promoted as a “thinking-man’s hillbilly,” and if that sounds like an oxymoron, you may want to first give his debut album a listen. Everything from his name to the album’s cover practically screams “Blue Collar Comedy Tour,” but he would puzzle the halfwits who attend such shows….

  Terrapin brewmaster and co-founder Brian “Spike” Buckowski graduated from college with a corporate video communications degree, but something didn’t feel right. He wasn’t pursuing his passion, so he picked up a hobby: homebrewing. After a few years working at it, post-graduate life started to make more sense. “I went to brewing school in Woodland,…

Perhaps Live at Madison Square Garden‘s opening serves as a warning. The viewer is transported via helicopter ride all over various parts of New York City and surrounding environs. There are glimpses of Eddie Izzard acting like a spy or perhaps a superhero, dashing about, only giving us a brief glimpse at a time. It…