Blues Rock Review is exclusively premiering Katie Knipp’s live performance of Bruce Springsteen’s “State Trooper,” the latest preview from her upcoming double live album, Live at Theater 5150, due out September 18.
Recorded before a live audience at Theater 5150, Knipp’s version of the stark Springsteen classic transforms the song into a driving blues-rock performance. Backed by her longtime band, Knipp delivers a passionate performance that highlights the chemistry and spontaneity that define her live shows.
The performance features Katie Knipp on vocals, piano, guitar, and harmonica alongside Pancho Tomaselli on bass, Steve Utstein on Hammond B3 and Wurlitzer, Neil Campisano on drums, and Quinn Hedges on lead guitar.
“One of my favorite albums of all time is the Nebraska album by Bruce Springsteen. A perfect moment for me is sitting in the backyard at dusk with a good cocktail in hand and listening to this record. It belongs at sunset for me. I love paying tribute to him and I love playing the rock and roll version we came up with live.”
Live at Theater 5150 captures the energy, spontaneity, and emotional connection that have defined Knipp’s 25-year career as a performing artist. Recorded entirely in front of a live audience, the album features 13 original songs along with Knipp’s interpretations of Bruce Springsteen’s “State Trooper,” Justin Townes Earle’s “If I Was the Devil” and the traditional blues classic “John the Revelator.”
The upcoming release marks Knipp’s 10th commercial album and serves as both a celebration of live performance and a snapshot of her acclaimed stage show. Reflecting on the project, Knipp emphasized the importance of authentic live music in an increasingly technology-driven world.
“This album is my love letter to live music,” says Knipp. “In a world increasingly driven by AI, this record is a reminder that nothing can replace the experience of human beings gathering together in a room and creating something real. Every note, every cheer, every imperfection, every moment of connection is part of the story.”
Knipp and her band will celebrate the release of Live at Theater 5150 with an album release show at The Torch Club in Sacramento on October 3 at 9 p.m.
Live at Theater 5150 will be released on September 18 through Katie Knipp Productions on vinyl, CD and digital formats.
Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann has announced Live In Kraków, a full concert film and live album capturing his December 1, 2025 solo performance at the TAURON Arena in Kraków, Poland. The release arrives September 25 through Out Of Line Music and spans six different formats — box set, vinyl, Blu-ray, DVD, CD, and cassette — with the track listing changing depending on which one you pick up. And then there’s the box set option that presents the vinyl pressed and stacked to resemble a layer cake, which is either the most ridiculous or the most brilliant piece of physical media packaging of the year. Pre-orders are open now.
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A concert film, a live album, six formats, and vinyl you could serve at a birthday party — Scott Penfold digs into Till Lindemann’s Live In Kraków announcement on today’s Metal Breakdown Daily and explains why the physical media arms race is getting genuinely strange. Download the free Loaded Radio App on Apple iOS and Google Play and stream the broadcast now.
What Live In Kraków Actually Is
The night in question was December 1, 2025, at the TAURON Arena — one of Poland’s largest indoor venues — on the European leg of Lindemann’s solo run. The show was filmed and recorded in full, and the result becomes both a concert film and a live album under the Live In Kraków title.
The performance ran close to twenty songs across the main set and a five-song encore, drawing from Lindemann’s solo catalog under his own name alongside material from Lindemann, the project he built with Swedish multi-instrumentalist Peter Tägtgren. Longtime followers will spot familiar staples in there — Sport Frei, Skills In Pills, Fish On, Knebel and Home Sweet Home among them — which makes this the most complete document yet of what Lindemann’s solo show has become since he first took it beyond Europe.
Here’s where it gets fun. Live In Kraków will be available as a box set, on vinyl, Blu-ray, DVD, CD, and cassette, with the track listing varying from format to format — so completists are going to be doing some homework before they order.
And one particular box set option features the various vinyl pressed in the form of a layer cake. Not packaged in a cake-shaped box. The records themselves, stacked and presented as a cake.
Look, this is the guy whose stage show has involved a flamethrower, a cauldron, and a giant phallic cannon. A vinyl layer cake is arguably one of the more restrained ideas he’s had. But in an era when every artist is chasing collector-edition dollars with the same alternate-color-vinyl playbook, credit where it’s due — nobody else is doing this.
Where This Fits In The Lindemann Timeline
Lindemann has been steadily building a solo identity separate from his day job for over a decade, first through the Lindemann duo with Tägtgren from 2014, then under his own name. The past couple of years have kept that momentum going with a steady release of singles and elaborate videos, including the striking Meine Welt clip in 2025, which fueled speculation about a larger solo body of work taking shape.
A live album and concert film isn’t a new studio record — but it’s the kind of release an artist puts out when the live show has become the point, and when there’s a catalog deep enough to justify a two-hour document of it. For a solo project that started as a side experiment for one of metal’s most recognizable frontmen, that’s a real marker.
Till Lindemann has announced Live In Kraków, a concert film and live album out September 25 via Out Of Line Music
It captures his December 1, 2025 performance at the TAURON Arena in Kraków, Poland
The set ran close to twenty songs including a five-song encore, drawing on both his solo material and his Lindemann project catalog
Available as a box set, vinyl, Blu-ray, DVD, CD, and cassette, with the track listing varying by format
One box set option presents the vinyl pressed and stacked in the form of a layer cake
Pre-orders are open now
FAQ
When does Till Lindemann’s Live In Kraków come out?
Live In Kraków is scheduled for release on September 25, 2026 through Out Of Line Music. Pre-orders are currently open.
Where was Live In Kraków recorded?
It was filmed and recorded at Till Lindemann’s December 1, 2025 solo concert at the TAURON Arena in Kraków, Poland.
What formats is Live In Kraków available in?
Live In Kraków will be released as a box set, vinyl, Blu-ray, DVD, CD, and cassette. The track listing varies depending on the format, and one box set option features the vinyl pressed in the form of a layer cake.
Is Live In Kraków a Rammstein album?
No. It is a solo release from Rammstein vocalist Till Lindemann, capturing a performance from his solo tour rather than a Rammstein show.
Only Till Lindemann could turn a live album into a dessert and somehow make it work — this is exactly the kind of swing that keeps physical media interesting. Are you grabbing the cake box set or keeping it simple? Let us know in the comments, and follow Loaded Radio for daily rock and metal news.
In wake of their forthcoming Internal Inferno album release, due on September 25th, black metal purveyors Nail By Nail now stream the first single “Above The Black Tower”. Read more…
A musician’s public image develops through appearance, confidence, stage presence, personality, branding, and talent.
Physical traits can affect first impressions, especially when an artist performs in front of large crowds or appears in photos, interviews, and music videos.
Height may influence those early reactions because taller people are often viewed as more dominant, confident, capable, and successful. Such assumptions can shape how audiences interpret an artist before hearing much of their work.
Still, height does not determine musical success. Talent, creativity, confidence, personality, work ethic, and branding have a much greater effect on how an artist is perceived over time.
Musicians who differ greatly from those averages may attract extra attention because their physical appearance is more noticeable in photos, videos, and live performances.
Research into height and career outcomes has often found a connection between greater height and higher earnings.
One reported estimate linked each additional inch of height with about $1,000 more in annual income. Such findings suggest that taller people may benefit from assumptions related to leadership, authority, competence, and professional potential.
Closer analysis, however, indicates that adult height alone may not explain higher wages.
Height during adolescence appears more important because taller teenagers may receive more social opportunities, gain confidence earlier, and develop stronger communication skills.
Several experiences during adolescence could help explain that connection:
Greater access to leadership or team roles
More encouragement to speak or perform publicly
Earlier development of social confidence
More frequent treatment as mature or capable
Similar effects may appear in music. An artist who becomes confident during adolescence may feel more comfortable performing, speaking with fans, handling interviews, and taking creative risks.
Height may contribute indirectly, but social development and self-belief are likely more important than physical measurements.
Height and Stage Presence
Sabrina Carpenter is great example with height of 4’11
Post Malone is reported to be approximately 6 feet 2 inches tall. His height places him above several other major artists:
Justin Bieber is about 5 feet 9 inches
Kanye West is approximately 5 feet 8 inches
Travis Scott is around 5 feet 10 inches
A scaled side-by-side chart can make differences such as 5 feet 8 inches versus 6 feet 2 inches easier to recognize when comparing musicians visually at https://easyheightcomparison.com.
A taller frame can create a commanding visual presence, particularly on large stages. Audiences may notice an artist more quickly, and certain clothing styles may appear more dramatic on a taller performer.
Physical height, however, is only one part of stage presence. Several controllable features can make a performer appear more powerful:
Upright posture and confident movement
Clothing selected to strengthen proportions
Effective lighting and stage positioning
Strong facial expressions and vocal delivery
Direct audience interaction
Shorter artists can also dominate a stage through energetic movement, strong crowd engagement, and deliberate visual styling.
Post Malone’s popularity is tied mainly to his creativity, hard work, confidence, recognizable sound, and distinctive personality. Height may support his visual presence, but it does not explain his commercial success or audience loyalty.
Height and Musical Performance
Prince was only 5’2″ inches tall, or around 157 cm, but that didn’t change his public image
Height can have practical effects on musicians who play physical instruments.
Professional violinists average around 5 feet 7 inches, yet successful players exist across a broad range of heights.
Anne-Sophie Mutter has also been described as over 6 feet
Shorter violinists may benefit from easier arm movement and greater finger mobility. Compact proportions can make some movements feel more natural, particularly during fast or technically demanding passages.
Taller players may have a longer reach, which can help with certain bowing movements and hand positions.
Larger body proportions may also contribute to a fuller or more resonant sound in some cases, although sound quality depends heavily on technique, instrument quality, bow control, and interpretation.
Extra height can create physical challenges as well. Taller violinists may need to pay closer attention to several areas during practice:
Shoulder position
Neck alignment
Instrument angle
Arm tension
Overall posture
Poor positioning can increase discomfort during long practice sessions or performances.
Body size may influence technique, but it does not set a musician’s artistic limits. Training, coordination, musicality, practice habits, and proper posture carry far more weight.
Height and Career Success
Height may affect career success indirectly through confidence developed during adolescence.
Research on wages found that controlling for teenage height largely removed the apparent relationship between adult height and income.
Such findings suggest that social experiences linked to height may matter more than height itself. Taller teenagers may be treated as older, more capable, or more authoritative.
Those reactions can encourage participation in leadership roles, sports, public speaking, and other confidence-building activities.
Confidence gained during those years can later support several parts of a music career:
Performing in front of large audiences
Communicating clearly during interviews
Promoting songs and personal projects
Building relationships with industry professionals
Recovering after criticism or poor performances
Physical stature can influence first impressions, but those impressions change quickly once an artist begins performing. Prince is perhaps the best example. Vocal ability, songwriting, instrumental skill, originality, consistency, and personal style become much more important.
Many successful shorter entertainers show that popularity and income are not controlled by height. Strong branding, memorable performances, and audience connection can outweigh any physical advantage associated with being taller.
Summary
Height can affect first impressions, visual presence, confidence, and certain physical aspects of instrumental performance.
Taller musicians may initially appear more commanding, while shorter players may have advantages in mobility or comfort with certain techniques.
Still, height is only one small part of a musician’s public image. Talent, creativity, training, confidence, hard work, personality, branding, and audience connection have a greater influence on long-term success.
Audiences may notice height first, but music, character, and performance quality shape what they remember.
US death metal ensemble 200 Stab Wounds will embark on tour over the eastern part of United States this September with support coming from Tribal Gaze and Darth Maul. Read more…
Argentinian thrashers Malón confirmed that their former drummer Claudio Strunz has passed away. He was involved in many Argentinian thrash metal bands including Hermética. Read more…
Every week there is a tidal wave of new music released unto the world. Each Friday we’ll round up some of the best new music available, some we’ve reviewed, some we haven’t, but all worth checking out!
Theres a lot of new heavy music hitting the airwaves this week, everything from black metal, death metal, gothic metal, Stoner rock, doom, thrash metal and even some of your traditional heavy metal!
Here’s what we think you should check out today!
ALBUM OF THE WEEK
NYHC Legends Madball release ‘Not Your Kingdom’ via Nuclear Blast Records. “bristles with rage and ire, without letting it consume everything around it.“ Read our full review here.
On its 20th anniversary, Meshuggah reissue ‘Catch Thirtythree’ via Reigning Phoenix Music. “designed for those craving unparalleled heaviness and will satiate lovers of punishingly crushing grooves.” Read our full review here.
On its 30th anniversary, Meshuggah reissue ‘Destroy Erase Improve’ via Reigning Phoenix Music. “The seeds were sown here for Meshuggah’s brutal percussion and staccato riffs which went on to define the entire genre” Read our full review here.
Caelestia deliver a masterclass in modern extreme metal with ‘Revelations In Black’ released via Eclipse Records. “They offer something fresh and unique to the extreme metal world “ Read our full review here.
Italian post-metal visionaries Viscera release new album ‘4. Assets For Psychedelic Warfare’ via Time To Kill Records. “groove-laden walls of distorted sound!” Read our full review here.
Progressive Death Metal duo, Sallow Moth, release ‘Hydrophilous Brood’ via Willowtip Records. “a mid-year highlight in a genre flooding 2026 with excellence” Read our full review here.
Chilean death metallers Ripper unleash ‘Towards Rebirth’ via Dark Descent Records. “jumping with the frantic dreams of an MDMA-fuelled gymnast” Read our full review here.
Bristolian extreme metal pioneers Embodiment release latest EP ‘Cryptomorph’. “four tracks of dynamic and driving melodic death metal, coloured with a modern aesthetic” Read our full review here.
Forty years on from the original motion picture soundtrack, Reigning Phoenix Music get a whole host of artists together for ‘Transformers: The Movie Soundtrack: The Reformatted Edition’ “a completely unessential but hugely fun reimagining of a cult soundtrack” Read our full review here.
Rock
Hawkwind – Sonic Assassins (Cherry Red Records) Josh da Costa – New Wave Graveyard (Stones Throw) Rising Alma – Your Own Story (Independent) The Hu – Hun (Better Noise Music) V.B.O. – Vice Business Only (Reigning Phoenix Music) Zan/Cody – Beautiful ‘N Damned (Frontiers Music SRL)
Heavy Metal
Coven Japan – Promised Land (No Remorse Records) Mimi Barks – Dreamstate of Fear (Independent) The Larches – Nihilistic Majesties (Independent) Tyraels Ascension – Grave Seeker (Rottweiler Records)
Black Metal
Arckanum – Motestandarin [EP] (Darkness Shall Rise) Faustian – Parable Of The Sewer (Apocalyptic Witchcraft) Profane Burial – Desolate Echoes of Turmoil (These Hands Melt) Saturnian Current – Illuminatio Doctrinae Mysterii (Sinistari Records) Various Artists – A Tribute To Darkthrone (Antichrist Magazine)
Death Metal / Death-Doom / Grindcore
Aydra – Icons of Sin (Awakening Records) Divulsive – Spawned In Viscera (Comatose Music) EternalMourn – Winds of Sorrow [EP] (Terror From Hell Records) Horns of Abomination – Horns of Abomination (Sentient Ruin) IATT – Etheric Realms of the Night (Black Lion Records) Litosth – Dreaming (Personal Records) Lock-Up – Necropolis [Transparent Red Vinyl Edition] (Cherry Red Records) Reekmind – Glints From The Crematorium [EP] (Night Terror Records)
Doom / Stoner Rock / Sludge / Psych
Solothurn – High Priestess [EP] (Independent) Stay Dead! – Beneath The Weight of Worlds (Ripple Music) Svindel – Drömfeber (Ripple Music) Svjetlost – The Forever Silent (Shadow of Sorrow Records) Yeti on Horseback – Traditional Addictions [EP] (Independent)
Post-Metal
Ddent – Feeding The Void’s Luster (Chien Noir) Mountainscape – Traversing Realms (Road to Masochist) Sunswarm – Those Who Do Not Build Must Burn (Independent)
Post-Rock
Changing Places in the Fire – Changing Places in the Fire (Wild Thing Records) Gudewife – Atoms, Don’t Die (Ripcord Records)
Progressive Rock / Metal
North Sea Echoes – How to Cast a Shadow (Metal Blade Records) The Vicious Head Society – Call of the Void (Crime Records)
… and the rest!
Castiel – All returns to Hollow and Silence [EP] (Seek and Strike) [Deathcore] Hopsydian – A Graceful Sin [EP] (Arising Empire) [Metalcore] Mayday Parade – Sugar (MHE) [Pop-Punk/Alt-Rock] Minipony – Detach (Subsound Records) [Djent] The Scepter – Shadows In The Tower (No Remorse Records) [Power Metal]
As Bloodstock gets closer, we delve deep into the line up to find out more about some of the bands playing the New Blood and EMP stages at this years event.
Today we chat with Shadow Company
Please introduce yourselves.
Hi We’re Shadow Company, we have Marty on vocals, Seamus on guitar, Zak on bass and Daisy on drums.
How would you describe your sound?
We’re a bit of a mixed bag to be honest. Our core sound is rooted in groove metal, but we also bring elements of thrash, doom and even power metal in places. We all have very different musical backgrounds and it means we all bring something different to our musical soup.
How did you land your spot on the Bloodstock bill?
We fought our way through a really tough M2TM run at Sanctuary Burnley.
How tough was the competition this year?
The competition this year has been cranked up to 11, we got to the finals last year tool, but the level of polish and talent compared to last year has been insane. With all the good bands on show we were really shocked that we actually won. A couple of standout bands for us this year were Nerve Agents, Azimuth Rising and Pre-empted.
What does playing at Bloodstock mean to you?
It’s hard to really put into words how much this means to us. It still feels a bit surreal that we are about to grace the New Blood Stage on such an important year for the festival. Seeing our name on the same poster as Judas Priest has to be the coolest thing ever.
For people who’ve never seen you live, what can they expect at Bloodstock?
We’ve been putting together our set over the last few days and you can expect heavy, fast paced riffs, brutal vocals and big doom metal breakdowns. Throughout M2TM we’ve been working on a couple of new songs so we’ll be busting them out for Bloodstock aswell.
What day are you performing?
We will be performing on Saturday but we’ll be down all weekend catching bands and hanging out.
What other bands are you looking forward to watching at Bloodstock this year?
There’s a bunch of great underground bands we’re looking forward to catching this year. We’re good friends with the gang in Wailing Banshees and catching them is always a pleasure. We also got to play with the guys in Thrash-Mob earlier in the year and those guys are insanely talented. Manchester winners Technologist are crazy good so we’re going to try to see them. As far as bigger bands go the lineup this year is amazing but to cherry pick a handful the bands we’re most looking forward to are Lamb of God, Castle Rat and obviously Judas Priest.
Playing the New Blood Stage is just the first steppingstone in a bands journey. What’s next in your plans for world domination?
We have been working on a bunch of new material so the first port of call is probably the studio to start getting those released, we also have a bunch of gigs throughout the rest of the year so keep your eyes peeled for announcements on those.
Are you camping with the fans? Which campsite are you heading for?
Touch wood there will be space for us to camp with the fans, we’ve not quite decided which camp we’re aiming for but when we’ve decided we’ll let people know then they can come camp and hang with us if they want. If anyone see’s us come say hi we’ll have a bunch of freebies we’re gonna give out while we’re there.
You’ve gotta keep hydrated at Bloodstock, what is your drink of choice for the weekend?
We’re not a fussy bunch as long as it’s cold and tastes good we’ll drink it!!
In the ninth instalment of the series, Louder Than War contributor Martin Gray takes a look back at one of the strangest and most downright deranged albums ever released, 20 Golden Showers by Bubonique, and shares the open secret of its co-conspirators in crime. Read on to discover their identity. Part One: Background: before the […]
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