independent thoughts on indie rock, alternative, and indie pop music
Dancefestopia 2026 returns to Kansas City with a Phase 1 lineup led by GRiZ, Excision, Zeds Dead, and Crankdat. Our preview breaks down the lineup, camping info, tickets, and what to know before planning the trip.
JEANIE brings her dark, hard-hitting bass to The Trimble on March 21, joined by PONI for a late-night Nashville stop.
Chicago’s Brigitte Calls Me Baby sharpen their focus on “Slumber Party,” a tightly paced single shaped by life on the road. Anchored by steady percussion, urgent guitar lines, and Wes Leavins’ controlled vocal delivery, the track dwells on isolation and rumination, carrying echoes of The Smiths’ emotional weight and the sharp immediacy of The Strokes, while reflecting the band’s instinct-first approach to writing ahead of their sophomore album, "Irreversible."
Space Prom returns to Nashville with an expanded two-night run at Basement East, delivering costumed chaos, rotating guest performers, and an anything-can-happen cover-night party hosted by Nordista Freeze.
Our spotlight on Nashville indie rock band shan the band and their new single “Used,” a slow-building track shaped by simmering vocals and effects-driven harmonica.
Sylvia Rose Novak’s “Want To Play” pairs distinctive vocals with a familiar mid-90s alternative rock undercurrent, giving the song a sense of recognition without leaning on nostalgia.
Claire Guerreso’s new single “I Won’t Give Up” is a vocal-forward track built on clarity, restraint, and a cinematic emotional build.
The Campfire Stage highlights a different side of Hinterland Music Festival, pairing late-night sets from indie, punk and punk-adjacent rock, and electronic artists with the communal atmosphere of the campgrounds, a key reason why camping is part of the complete Hinterland experience.
Charlie Abbott’s “See U Again” taps into straight-up rock urgency, pairing a furious opening riff with a loose, first-take recording approach that brings East of 8th’s playlist back to its local rock roots.
After seeing more than 600 live sets and shows in 2025, these are the performances that stayed with us. Spanning rock, Americana, electronic, hip-hop, pop, country, and everything in between. From small rooms to festival fields, these are the shows where everything aligned.
