David Bowie’s cultural significance extends well beyond his music in a way that few artists’ significance does — not because the music is insufficient, which it demonstrably is not, but because what he communicated through the music and through his public persona spoke to something in the people who heard it that was not primarily … Read more
The recording of Hotel California in 1976 and 1977 has been described in the official accounts of the Eagles’ history with the standard narrative of creative triumph — the band at their peak, the material coming together, the production achieving the specific sound that the recording has become iconic for. The unofficial account, assembled from … Read more
In the summer of 1969, the two greatest live acts in British rock were Led Zeppelin and The Who — and the specific quality of their greatness was different enough that the comparison between them functioned not as a ranking but as an argument about what live performance was fundamentally for. The Who represented the … Read more
There are performances that exist in two dimensions simultaneously — the one the audience experiences in the moment, which is a concert, and the one that becomes visible only afterward, which is something else entirely. The audience at the Stanley Theatre in Pittsburgh on September 23, 1980 attended a Bob Marley and the Wailers concert. … Read more
Rush’s much-anticipated return to the road has hit an unexpected snag. The legendary Canadian prog-rock trio announced they are “deeply sorry” to postpone additional shows on their Fifty Something Tour, after frontman and bassist Geddy Lee fell ill. No further details about his condition have been shared publicly, but the band has promised to keep … Read more
After more than five decades of unforgettable performances, Sir Elton John is preparing to bring his legendary live career to a close with a final run of farewell shows in 2026. The iconic singer-songwriter, who wrapped up his record-breaking Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in 2023, has confirmed that these upcoming performances will truly be … Read more
When Paul McCartney took the stage at Madison Square Garden during the wedding reception of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, guests were treated to a moment few could have expected. The music legend reached deep into The Beatles catalog to perform the band’s classic hit I Want to Hold Your Hand — a song he … Read more
Although Ringo Starr was unable to travel to his hometown of Liverpool to receive his honorary degree, the University of Liverpool made sure the celebration came to him instead. Ahead of his 86th birthday celebrations, the university sent a delegation to Beverly Hills Park in Los Angeles to officially present Starr with an Honorary Doctorate … Read more
When Bruce Springsteen shouted, “Liverpool, make some noise!” during his June 7 concert at Anfield, the response from the crowd felt powerful enough to shake the stadium foundations. Then came the surprise nobody in attendance was expecting. The Boss paused for a moment, smiled at the crowd, and announced, “Let’s bring out Sir Paul McCartney.” … Read more
The grease under Herbert “Road Dog” Johnson’s fingernails was a permanent ledger of his sixty-eight years. It was a mixture of standard 10W-40, road grit from forty states, and the stubborn soot of a life lived in the open air. For thirty years, he had run Johnson’s Custom Cycles, a cavernous workshop on the city’s … Read more