Blog

YUNGBLUD – Arizona Financial Theatre – May 25, 2026

After seeing YUNGBLUD live in Las Vegas last week, celebrated rock and metal radio/podcast/television host Eddie Trunk proclaimed on Facebook ““This could be the guy that brings rock back to where we want it to be. Best hope for that I’ve seen in a long time. Amazing what’s going on here. This is great for rock and its future.”

YUNGBLUD

 

YUNGBLUD (Dominic/Dom Harrison) played the completely sold-out Arizona Financial Theatre on Monday night as part of his Idols – The World Tour, and it was a show unlike any I’ve seen before.  I knew from seeing his performance at Ozzy Osborne’s final show at Back to the Beginning, where he had 45,000 people chanting along to his rendition of Black Sabbath’s “Changes”, that he was a force to be reckoned with, and I needed to do whatever I could to photograph his show. 

Other photographers and media outlets apparently felt the same way.  I’m based in Los Angeles, and shows in LA, San Diego, and Las Vegas had maxed out on media early, so in a last-ditch effort, I applied to shoot the YUNGBLUD show in Phoenix.  Upon hearing that I’d been approved, the wife and I loaded up the car with photo gear and headed out for an 800-mile round trip with a quick 24-hour turnaround – it would be well worth the effort.

The first thing I noticed when standing in the photo pit with the other photographers, security, and the YUNGBLUD video team, was the demographic of the audience.  Most rock shows I’ve been to lean heavily towards men, but this was quite the opposite.  Looking out into the vastness of the venue and the 6000 people in attendance, there were a few men sprinkled into the audience, but by and large it was mostly women.  In circling back to Eddie Trunk’s comment, this show felt like a shift – in recent years, guitar driven rock music has not been in the forefront of popularity.  If you attend a festival like Aftershock or Louder Than Life and see 40,000 people per day going crazy, it’s obvious that rock is still popular and growing – but if you go to a high school party, or a college dorm and sample the music coming from within, by and large it’s music made on computers, with few, if any live instruments.  YUNGBLUD may have cracked the code and seems to be single-handedly bringing back interest in guitar-driven rock in a demographic largely apathetic towards it.  Proof of his increased popularity can be easily tracked – YUNGBLUD was playing 1000-2000 capacity venues in 2025, and less than a year later, his shows play in venues that house 5000-10,000. 

The other thing of note about the audience was they weren’t casual fans.  People weren’t there because it was Memorial Day, and there was nothing else to do in Phoenix – they were there because they had to be.  The crowd knew all the words to all the songs, and weren’t shy about singing along at full volume – they were hands-down the most enthusiastic audience I’ve ever seen.  I’m not suggesting that YUNGBLUD is the next coming of the Beatles, and the teenage madness that swept across America in the mid-60’s with the onslaught of the British invasion, but young and old were unified in celebrating him and needing to be in the room with him. 

It’s over simplifying things to say that people's attraction to him and his music is due to his sex-symbol status – yes, he’s attractive, and yes, he’s wearing leather pants and shaking his ass, but there’s substance behind his looks, a message he shares with fans through his lyrics, and a bond he’s built with his growing number of followers. In an interview with Junkee Magazine last year, he said, ““I fucking hate the pedestal. Fuck fandom, let's be mates. That's what Yungblud is about. Friendship. Fuck, I don't call 'em my fans, I call 'em my family because I'm like, we came together under the banner of a mutual idea — that means we're friends. That means we're family..” 

On to the show.  Photographers initially had to stand to the side of the pit because the show started with confetti canons going off.  As confetti rained down on the screaming audience, YUNGBLUD made his appearance by jumping high in the air off the drum riser and heading straight to the lip of the stage.  He wasn’t there for long – for the entire duration of the show, he was in constant motion – jumping in the air, throwing mic stands, strutting from side to side, striking poses, making eye contact with individual fans, and singing his ass off. 

This show had a little bit of everything – pyro, video screens with feeds from six or seven cameras, violins, and most importantly, the charismatic rock star himself.  YUNGBLUD wears his influences on his sleeve – at times he struts like Mick Jagger, he’ll twirl the microphone on its cable through the air reminiscent of Roger Daltrey, and he displays the confident swagger of Freddy Mercury – knowing that he owns the room and that all eyes without fail are on him.  His face was expressive and emoting, and he was playful and engaging with the audience. 

Two standout moments sum up what the show was really about – the first was during the song “Fleabag”.  YUNGBLUD pulled a kid up from the audience to play guitar.  As the song kicked in, YUNGBLUD jumped into the crowd with his microphone and made a B-line to the soundboard at the back of the venue, cutting through the middle of the standing room only GA pit.  Fans scrambled to get closer, to touch or high-five him, to be in his orbit.  He jumped on top of the wall separating the soundboard from the crowd and walked precariously along it until he stopped to sing the rest of the song from high atop a road case for the gear.  Fans in the back of the room were suddenly front row, and the place went wild.  As the song wound down, he made his way back to the stage – not hurriedly, but taking his time and allowing fans to circle around him, while he shouted out the kid who was wearing his guitar, “Make some fucking noise for Ezra!”. 

The second highlight for me was during his cover of Black Sabbath’s “Changes”.  He dedicated the song to Ozzy, and encouraged fans to “Sing loud enough so he can hear you up there.”, which the audience enthusiastically did.  As at the Back to the Beginning show last year, note for note, word for word, the crowd roared back Ozzy’s lyrics at the top of their lungs, and it was incredible to behold kids in the audience singing lyrics that are almost 55 years old.  At the merch booth, little pieces of purple paper were given away with wording that encouraged you to hold the paper in front of your cellphone flashlight and create a purple glow during “Changes”.  Looking out at the crowd during that emotional song to witness a sea of purple light as thousands of voices carried the enduring words of Ozzy Osborne into the rafters left a lasting impression.

The exhilarating night ended with the song “Zombie”.  As I exited the venue and walked to the parking garage across the street, groups of happy and excited fans sang the chorus to “Zombie”, apparently not quite ready to be done with the night and their YUNGBLUD experience. 

YUNGBLUD’s touring band is:

• YUNGBLUD – Vocals
• Adam Warrington – Guitar
• Silke Blansjaar – Bass/Guitar
• Ben Sharp – Drums  
• Sam Simmonds – Guitar
• Katie Dove-Dixon – Keyboards
• Helena Logah – Violin
• Nicole Alexandra – Violin

 Setlist:

1) Hello Heaven, Hello

2) The Funeral

3) Idols Pt. I

4) Lovesick Lullaby

5) My Only Angel

6) Fleabag

7) Lowlife

8) Changes

9) I Need You (To Make the World Seem Fine)

10) Fire

11) Loner

 Encore

12) Ghosts

13) Zombie

 The Warning

 

I’d seen this kick-ass hard rock trio from Monterrey, Mexico two years ago at a music festival, and knew they not only brought great songs, but also an incredible energy and stage presence.  The Warning is comprised of three sisters – Daniela on guitar, Paulina on drums, and Alejandra on bass, and they are a force of nature.  The band formed in 2013 when they were only kids, and were discovered when their cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” caught the attention of Kirk Hammett, and went viral on YouTube – Alejandra, the youngest sister, was only 9 years old at the time. 

Their tight, eight song set was explosive, and they slipped in a new unreleased song “Ritual”, which will be included on their fifth record due out later this year  Before playing their last song, Daniela said “We’re grateful to be here on a night that celebrates rock & roll.” – rock & roll was definitely the throughline theme of the night, and The Warning made a huge and lasting impression on the Phoenix audience with their personalized brand of it.

The Warning is:

• Daniela Villarreal Vélez – Guitar
• Paulina Villarreal Vélez- Drums
• Alejandra Villarreal Vélez – Bass

Emily Wolfe

 

Austin-based singer/songwriter/guitarist Emily Wolfe was celebrating her 7^th wedding anniversary on Monday, and used the occasion to perform an incendiary set, kicking off an amazing night of music.  Bringing her own unique and timeless approach to rock music, Emily’s guitar-driven set featured powerful vocals and a simple back-to-basics approach as a performer and musician, coupled with an in-your-face delivery.  Despite only being a three-piece, the sound coming from the stage was huge and full, and filled the large theater with ease – Emily is a formidable musician, and those skills were masterfully showcased for the Phoenix crowd. 

Emily Wolfe's touring band is:

• Emily Wolfe – Vocals/Guitar
• Adam Jessamine – Bass
• Jon Brick – Drums

Thanks for reading!

• Read more of the latest rock/metal news here
• Subscribe to our Metal News Email list for weekly updates!
• Support The Metalverse and go ad-free.
• Follow us on Social Media | Instagram | Facebook
• Listen to our metal Spotify Playlists!
• Join our free 5-day music marketing email course!

Southern California rockers Robert Jon & The Wreck have released Wreckage, Vol. 3, a new collection of standalone singles recorded and released throughout the past year. The release arrives alongside the focus track “Arroyo,” a new Southern rock-inspired jam recorded at the legendary Sunset Sound in Los Angeles.

“Arroyo” originated from a free-form rehearsal jam that evolved into one of the centerpiece tracks on the release. According to guitarist Henry James, the song was inspired by “an image in Robert’s head of a lone traveler, out on a dry creek bed in which everyone and everything was out to get him.”

Drawing influence from Spaghetti Western films and classic Clint Eastwood movies, the track follows “a brief moment full of darkness, danger and deception on a dry creek bed in the old Wild West.”

The song was recorded in Studio 2 at Sunset Sound, commonly known as “the Van Halen room.” The track was self-produced by the band and engineered and mixed by Chad Gordon.

“We let it be what it is,” James explains. “A semi-improvised ’70s southern rock jam.”

Much of the song came together during the first or second take, including improvised solos from keyboardist Jake Abernathie on Hammond B3 and James on Epiphone Firebird guitar.

Wreckage, Vol. 3 follows recent singles including “Run Back To Me” and “Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.” The collection arrives during a busy stretch for the band, following the release of their Dave Cobb-produced studio album Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes via Joe Bonamassa’s Journeyman Records.

Since forming in 2011, Robert Jon & The Wreck — Robert Jon Burrison (vocals, guitar), Henry James (lead guitar, vocals), Andrew Espantman (drums, vocals), Warren Murrel (bass), and Jake Abernathie (keys) — have built an international following through extensive touring across the U.S. and Europe. The band has shared stages with Samantha Fish, Blackberry Smoke, Joe Bonamassa, and Rival Sons.

Robert Jon & The Wreck’s upcoming tour schedule includes dates across the U.K., Europe, and the United States.

TOUR DATES

US FALL (Recently Added)

November 9 – Salt Lake City, UT – The State Room*
November 10 – Boise, ID – The Egyptian Theatre*
November 12 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory**
November 13 – Tacoma, WA – Rialto Theater*
November 15 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater*
November 17 – Grass Valley, CA – The Center for the Arts*
November 19 – Napa, CA – Uptown Theatre Napa*
November 21 – Monterey, CA – Golden State Theatre*

• Supporting Joanne Shaw Taylor
  ** Fan Presale – May 28th / Public On Sale – May 29th

US SUMMER

May 28 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up
May 30 – Bakersfield, CA – World Records
June 5 – Montrose, CO – Montrose Rotary Amphitheater
June 18 – Holmfirth, UK – Picturedrome
June 19 – Bournemouth, UK – Love Rocks Festival
June 20 – Grolloo, NL – Holland International Blues Festival
June 28 – Augusta, NJ – Rock, Ribs & Ridges
July 9 – Portland, ME – Aura
July 10 – Salisbury, MA – Blue Ocean Music Hall
July 12 – Sherman, NY – Pine Junction
July 13 – Warrendale, PA – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille
July 14 – Hagerstown, MD – Live at Hub City Vinyl
July 15 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall
July 16 – Washington, D.C. – The Hamilton Live
July 17 – Richmond, VA – The Tin Pan
July 18 – Thurmond, NC – The Stage @ Jones von Drehle
July 24 – Crystal Bay, NV – Crystal Bay Casino
Aug. 29 – Sept. 1 – Long Beach, CA – Cali-County Cruise 2026

The post Robert Jon and the Wreck unveil “Arroyo” video appeared first on Blues Rock Review.

The seventh album from enigmatic Nashville rockers All Them Witches comes after a period of upheaval and regrouping

In a world of constant illusion

Society is wired in

A hive mind controls what we want

Losing ourselves from within 

On Ghosts, Sheffield’s IAMIMPERFECT write as though the mid-2020s have become a pressure system inside the skull: everything hums, everything tightens, and every private injury has somehow learned to speak in public. The title is apt, though these apparitions belong less to candlelit folklore than to modern fatigue. They haunt us with the need to pass among one’s peers, the ache of comparison, the competitor always gaining ground, the plain cruelty of seeing everyone else appear to cope while your own life keeps tilting off its axis.

The band’s music sits at the junction of darkwave, synth-pop, industrial, and goth, with electronic drums snapping under intricate synth arrangements, distorted guitar adding a metallic ache, and vocal hooks that rise with a theatrical insistence. The reference points are clear enough: Solar Fake, The Birthday Massacre, Faderhead, Depeche Mode, with a stray Iron Maiden flourish cutting through the machinery – but IAMIMPERFECT are most persuasive when those ingredients serve emotional consequence rather than genre inventory.

Surviving Is Not Living sets the album’s moral temperature, with its cinematic synth sighs. Its vocals lay bare the central wound of imbalance: one person takes, the other keeps giving; one person seems required, the other feels merely tolerated. The anger is sharpened by exhaustion, but the track’s real force comes from its refusal to accept humiliation as fate.

With its driving melody, The Fallen widens the frame from private injury to civic collapse, picturing society as a wired collective where freedom and control blur until people become strangers to themselves. It is one of the record’s stronger pieces, bleak without becoming vague.

Conversion Therapy, with its mechanized beat, is the most explicit and severe track here, treating abuse disguised as salvation with appropriate disgust. The language of poison, brainwashing, exploitation, and PTSD is direct because the subject allows no polite softening.

In the dirgeful, rhythmic lament Solitary Shell, shame and religious judgment curdle into isolation, but the song keeps searching for will, drive, and some stubborn remnant of connection.

The final track, Ghosts Of The Past, with its bright, wistful synth melody, somber vocal, and zig-zag guitar riff, closes the circle with abandonment and the cruel arithmetic of unanswered messages.

Ghosts is available on all major digital platforms worldwide. Listen to Ghosts below and order the EP here.

Formed in Sheffield in late 2023, the project moved quickly through UK gigs, festival appearances, the 2024 Reincarnate EP, and a 2025 stretch that included a southern England tour. That pace gives Ghosts a charged, breathless quality, as though the songs were written in the narrow gap between damage and decision.

The EP’s artwork deepens the album’s emotional architecture. Working with Sheffield artists Stephen Carley and Scott D’arcy, IAMIMPERFECT turned double-exposed film photographs into visual companions for each track, giving the record a carefully distressed frame. Ghosts is about trying to live while the world claws at your attention, pulls you toward conformity, and drags you back toward despair. More crucially, it is about continuing anyway.

Follow IAMIMPERFECT:

• Spotify
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Bandcamp

The post “In a World of Constant Illusion” — Sheffield Dark Synth Duo IAMIMPERFECT Share Haunting “Ghosts” EP appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Seattle, Washington punks Picket Line are back with their hard hitting new LP, Dead to Me. Twelve songs in under thirty minutes that compiles the songs from their earlier demos and LPs. If you’re looking for a new punk band that is a mix of Hardcore and Oi!, look no further than Picket Line.

If physical media is more your thing, you can pick up the record here

Vocalist Alexandra Căpitănescu has released her new single, “HEAT.” The track features a heavy, emotional sound that puts her strong vocal range front and center.

Căpitănescu, who previously gained recognition as the winner of The Voice Romania in 2023, recently competed in the Eurovision Song Contest. She secured a third-place finish in the international competition performing her song “Choke Me,” introducing her voice to a massive global audience.

The new single and its accompanying music video are now available to stream across all major digital platforms.

The post Alexandra Căpitănescu Releases New Single “HEAT” first appeared on FemMetal – Goddesses of Metal.

With 8 bonus tracks.

The post Head Automatica’s “Decadence” Set For Newly Remastered Deluxe Edition appeared first on Theprp.com.

The Kansas City Chiefs are getting linked to a Travis Kelce successor in a $50 million trade pitch.

The post Chiefs Linked to Travis Kelce Successor in $50 Million Trade Pitch appeared first on Audio Ink Radio.

With a bonus cover.

The post Death Angel’s “The Evil Divide” To Receive 10th Anniversary Vinyl Release In July appeared first on Theprp.com.

Sydney-based dark rock and metal band Wicked Envy has released a new single titled “False Face.” The track tackles themes of political corruption and human rights abuses, delivering its message through aggressive vocals, heavy drum patterns, and thrash metal elements that combine an old-school heavy metal sound with modern production.

The Australian group blends theatrical dark rock with heavy metal instrumentation. Wicked Envy has steadily built their presence following the release of their debut EP, What The Hell Am I Doing, alongside recent singles like “Hyde” and “Final Descent.” They have also established a live resume by sharing stages with regional acts such as Future Static, The Last Martyr, and Sienna Skies.

“False Face” is currently available to stream and download across all major digital platforms. The new track serves as the latest addition to the band’s growing catalog as they continue to expand their reach within the heavy music scene.

The post Wicked Envy Releases New Single “False Face” first appeared on FemMetal – Goddesses of Metal.