At a recent New York dinner party, two famous people crossed paths, and things could’ve gone quite badly. Chances are that you recognize Azealia Banks, the New York dance-rapper who’s probably more famous now for talking reckless shit online than for making music. (The last time she was on this website, it was for getting dropped from last year’s Milkshake Festival over various offensive things she’d said about the queer community.)
Distinguished guitarist Adrian Vandenberg is bringing a powerhouse night of classic hard rock to U.S. audiences this August with ‘My Whitesnake Years‘ tour. The tour features an all-star line-up including acclaimed guitarist Vinnie Moore and veteran bassist/vocalist Marco Mendoza, celebrating decades of iconic rock music spanning Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, UFO, Ted Nugent, and beyond. Tickets and […]
Joe Bonamassa has released two new live singles, “Bad Penny (Live)” and “Back On My Stompin’ Ground (Live),” from his upcoming live album and concert film The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork, which arrives June 19 via J&R Adventures.
The performances were recorded during Bonamassa’s sold-out tribute shows in Cork, Ireland, honoring late Irish blues guitarist Rory Gallagher. The project was recorded with the blessing of Gallagher’s family across a three-night run that expanded from an originally planned one-night event.
The setlist for The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork was inspired in part by Gallagher’s famed Irish Tour ’74 era and the live energy associated with that period of his career. While “Bad Penny” originated from Gallagher’s 1979 album Top Priority, “Back On My Stompin’ Ground” first appeared on 1973’s Blueprint.
“Bad Penny” became one of Gallagher’s signature live songs, known for its hard-driving blues rock groove and aggressive guitar work. Bonamassa’s live version stays close to the spirit of the original performance while capturing the atmosphere of the Cork crowd.
“Back On My Stompin’ Ground (Live)” highlights a different side of Gallagher’s catalog. The song blends blues, folk, and rock influences and became one of the more emotional moments during the Cork performances in Gallagher’s hometown.
Additional DVD and Blu-ray bonus features will include The Inspiration of Rory, featuring conversations with Brian May and Slash, along with behind-the-scenes footage and segments focused on Gallagher’s instruments and legacy.
The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork will be available digitally, on CD/DVD, CD/Blu-ray, and double 180-gram red marble vinyl.
CD Track Listing
“Cradle Rock (Live)”
“Walk On Hot Coals (Live)”
“Tattoo’d Lady (Live)”
“I Wonder Who (Live)”
“Calling Card (Live)”
“Who’s That Coming? (Live)”
“Messin’ With The Kid (Live)”
“Bullfrog Blues (Live)”
“Treat Her Right (Live)”
“Bad Penny (Live)”
“I Fall Apart (Live)”
“A Million Miles Away (Live)”
“As The Crow Flies (Live)”
“Back On My Stompin’ Ground (Live)”
DVD / Blu-ray
“The Spirit Of Rory (Opening Scene)”
“Cradle Rock”
“Walk On Hot Coals”
“Tattoo’d Lady”
“I Wonder Who”
“Calling Card”
“Who’s That Coming?”
“Messin’ With The Kid”
“Band Introductions”
“Bullfrog Blues”
“Treat Her Right”
“Bad Penny”
“I Fall Apart”
“A Million Miles Away”
“As The Crow Flies”
“Back On My Stompin’ Ground”
“Ballycotton (End Credits)”
DVD / Blu-ray Bonus Features: • “Ballycotton – A Million Miles Away” • “Rory’s Acoustic Guitar” • “The Inspiration of Rory (A Conversation with Brian May & Slash)”
Vinyl (180 Gram Red Marble Double LP)
Side A
“Cradle Rock (Live)”
“Walk On Hot Coals (Live)”
“Tattoo’d Lady (Live)”
“I Wonder Who (Live)”
Side B 5. “Calling Card (Live)” 6. “Who’s That Coming? (Live)” 7. “Messin’ With The Kid (Live)” 8. “Bullfrog Blues (Live)”
Side C 9. “Treat Her Right (Live)” 10. “Bad Penny (Live)” 11. “I Fall Apart (Live)”
Side D 12. “A Million Miles Away (Live)” 13. “As The Crow Flies (Live)” 14. “Back On My Stompin’ Ground (Live)”
U.S. Summer Tour 2026
June 26 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts w/ JJ Grey & Mofro & D.K. Harrell June 27 – Atlantic City, NJ – Ocean Casino Resort June 28 – Newark, NJ – New Jersey Performing Arts Center July 4 – Sioux City, IA – Saturday in the Park July 29 – Vienna, VA – Wolf Trap w/ Gov’t Mule July 31 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater w/ Gov’t Mule August 1 – Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion w/ Gov’t Mule August 3 – Hyannis, MA – Cape Cod Melody Tent August 5 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater w/ JJ Grey & Mofro August 7 – Selbyville, DE – Freeman Arts Pavilion August 8 – Baltimore, MD – Pier Six Pavilion w/ Gov’t Mule August 9 – Youngstown, OH – The Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre w/ Gov’t Mule August 11 – Huber Heights, OH – Rose Music Center at The Heights August 12 – Highland Park, IL – Ravinia Festival August 14 – Interlochen, MI – Kresge Auditorium w/ Gov’t Mule August 15 – Welch, MN – Treasure Island Resort & Casino w/ Gov’t Mule August 16 – Lincoln, NE – Pinewood Bowl Theater w/ Gov’t Mule August 19 – Cheyenne, WY – Cheyenne Civic Center August 20 – Salt Lake City, UT – Eccles Theater August 22 – Albuquerque, NM – Sandia Resort & Casino August 23 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre September 26 – Crossroads Guitar Festival @ Moody Center
EU Fall Tour 2026
October 21 – Helsinki, FI – Veikkaus Arena October 23 – Stockholm, SE – Stockholm Avicii Arena October 24 – Oslo, NO – Oslo Spektrum October 25 – Gothenburg, SE – Göteborg Partille Arena October 27 – Copenhagen, DK – K.B. Hallen København October 29 – Rostock, DE – Stadthalle Rostock October 30 – Berlin, DE – Uber Arena October 31 – Dortmund, DE – Westfalenhalle November 4 – Milan, IT – Unipol Forum November 6 – Toulouse, FR – Zenith Toulouse Metropole November 7 – Barcelona, ES – Barcelona Sant Jordi Club November 8 – Madrid, ES – Madrid Palacio Vistalegre November 11 – Wroclaw, PL – Ethno Festival
Over a decade removed from the djent boom of the early 2010s, stylistic flagbearers Periphery have settled into a comfortable routine, periodically regrouping from side projects and business ventures to release a new record every few years. Cracks in that formula began to show on 2023’s Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre, where the compositions started to feel both formulaic and scattershot. Their new release, A Pale White Dot, is their first non-numbered album since the two-part Juggernaut (2015). It seems intended as a departure from their established release pattern and a chance to reconnect with a more instinctive, creatively driven approach written from a “top-down” perspective shaped by themes of isolation and loneliness. Periphery remains one of my favorite bands (even if I find myself stuffed into the occasional AMG locker for this opinion), and I’m always excited by the prospect of their technically minded, melodic, and smartly written take on progressive metalcore. By centering this record around a more focused concept and shedding some of the expectations attached to their numbered releases, can this league of extraordinary “djentlemen” deliver another satisfying dose of syncopated brilliance?
As Juggernaut did for Periphery I and II, A Pale White Dot streamlines the maximalist hyper-technicality of Periphery III–V in service of its concept, even if that comes at the expense of what once made the band so compelling. Periphery helped define the 2010s metalcore formula of “djent riff + soaring clean chorus + breakdown,” a blueprint that would eventually shape modern heavyweights like Sleep Token and Spiritbox. Their music could pivot seamlessly between dizzying guitar acrobatics and polished melodic hooks without sacrificing momentum, turning even the most familiar structures into sprawling narrative journeys. A Pale White Dot is the first record where this strength fades into the background, with a diminished presence of the “pure-riffery” and progressive elements the band is known for. With a few exceptions (the psychotic opening riff of “Malevolent” or the bombastic bridge of “Everyone Dies Alone”), a set of shorter songs is largely held together by straightforward chugs and massive vocal-forward choruses. Periphery still sounds like themselves, but the overall shape of these songs is far closer to run-of-the-mill “Octanecore” than ever before. For the first time in their career, it feels like Periphery is merely iterating on popular sounds, rather than pushing them forward.
I’d describe the songcraft on A Pale White Dot as frustratingly competent. Periphery clearly knows what they’re doing every step of the way, and the band still finds ways to inject personality and variety into familiar formulas, even as their material sounds increasingly more generic. As always, the musicianship is absurdly sharp across the board, and once you acclimate to his squeaky pop cleans, vocalist Spencer Sotelo proves to be an essential ingredient in this polyrhythmic pie. His delivery feels more powerful than ever, shifting effortlessly between varied harsh vocals and emphatic arena-ready hooks. “Mr. God” and “Subhuman” land as earth-shaking djentcore bruisers, but beyond this, each track demonstrates a surprising diversity of moods. Subdued, vocal-driven tracks erupt into blackened tremolo passages (“Obsession”) or ludicrous mid-song breakdowns (“Carry On”), while songs like “Talk” and “Heaven on High” recapture the band’s classic sense of breakneck momentum, swerving between entertaining djent, crushing breakdowns, and massive refrains. Despite these turns, the whole package feels decidedly safe. The different song sections arrive with predictable timing, and certain chorus chord progressions/melodies begin to feel so familiar that some climactic moments lose their impact, especially when a weaker hook like “Unlocking” fails to justify the buildup.
Whereas my favorite moments on past Periphery records tend to come from huge, cathartic climaxes, some of the strongest passages on A Pale White Dot instead lean into understated nuance. “Blackwall” follows in the footsteps of “Silhouette” from Periphery V as a synth-pop-leaning earworm, but its most compelling moment is an expansive IDM-influenced middle section where synth washes and digital percussion fully take over. The titular closing track is another quiet highlight, built around a delicate acoustic guitar melody wrapped in subtle electronic atmosphere. There are other standout sections, like the wisteria-tinged progression of “Neon Valley’s” chorus or the emotional guitar solo of “Everyone Dies Alone.” These highs serve as memorable moments that anchor repeat listens, even if no single track quite reaches the heights of the band’s very best work.
A Pale White Dot is an album that’s easy to admire on a craftsmanship level, but hard for me to connect with. Periphery remain highly accomplished musicians and effective songwriters. As a fan of their style, there are still plenty of moments and tracks to enjoy throughout. At the same time, this record marks a noticeable streamlining of their sound, trading much of their trademark progressiveness and technical intricacy for more straightforward material that sits closer to contemporary metalcore than much of their earlier work. It’s far from bad, but I’d be hard-pressed to pick it over any other Periphery album.
As creativity doesn’t move within the confines of specific timelines, it didn’t take Richie Kotzen long to start working on new music. Fresh off a world tour, inspiration struck, and he immediately went into the studio, breathing new life into a track he had been sitting on, patiently waiting for just the right moment to complete.
Today, Richie Kotzen has surprised fans with the digital release of his newly recorded song, “Catch a Star.” Stream it below.
“After coming off the road with Smith/Kotzen, I fully intended to take a long break from live performance and recharge creatively,” says Richie Kotzen. “While going through old archives, I rediscovered “Catch A Star” in a semi-completed form, and for whatever reason, the direction suddenly became obvious to me in a way it hadn’t before. Once that happens as a writer,” Kotzen continues, “you must trust your instincts and follow the momentum. That’s exactly what happened with this song.”
Playing all the instruments on “Catch a Star,” Kotzen digs into his Philly musical roots with soaring verses, soulful melodies and choruses, and driving rhythms, as he pushes both his guitar and bass techniques and style in new and innovative directions.
“What I love about ‘Catch A Star’ is how direct it is,” says Kotzen. “The chorus arrives immediately, the arrangement stays intentionally simple, and the focus is really on the melody, lyric, and atmosphere. This is also one of those recordings where I handled every instrument and vocal myself, layering each part individually in the studio. In the past, I probably would have held onto a song like this until I had enough material to complete a full album, but these days I feel more inspired by releasing music in real time rather than waiting indefinitely for a larger project to materialize.”
While there are currently no immediate touring plans, Richie Kotzen continues to create and wanted to share “Catch A Star” with the people who have supported and accompanied him throughout his musical journey.
“If it eventually leads to a full-length album, great,” states Kotzen, “and if it doesn’t, for now, that’s fine too.”
Without “Exit Music (For A Film)” there would be no “Watermelon Sugar.” Think about that. Let that sink in. That’s what Harry Styles admitted when he honored Radiohead’s Thom Yorke last night at the Ivor Novello Songwriter Awards. Styles made a surprise appearance that was innocently spoiled by Elton John earlier in the evening, according to Variety. They also described the event as a “hot mess of a show.” Styles’ speech teetered between charm and chaos, reflecting on Yorke’s influence throughout his life, from hearing his sister play Radiohead while he was doing homework as a kid to losing his virginity to“Talk Show Host.” Yes, he admitted that as well.
We’ve Got A File On You features interviews in which artists share the stories behind the extracurricular activities that dot their careers: acting gigs, guest appearances, random internet ephemera, etc. Blue Morpho is the first album Ed O’Brien has released under his own name, but it isn’t his first solo album. When the Radiohead guitarist…
Stephen Colbert’s Late Show is over now. Last year, under deeply suspicious circumstances, CBS announced the show’s cancelation. Colbert got a few extra months to build up to a grand finale. Earlier this month, the show featured guests like Bruce Springsteen and David Byrne. The show’s final episode aired on Thursday night, and Colbert didn’t announce its final guest ahead of time. A bunch of celebrities showed up for cameos, but the real final guest was Paul McCartney, who first played the Ed Sullivan Theater with his old band the Beatles 62 years ago. McCartney got the honor of turning the lights out on the venue.
Over a decade removed from the djent boom of the early 2010s, stylistic flagbearers 