[Photo of Algiers courtesy of Julia Weber] By Julia Weber, Features Editor This year’s South by Southwest ushered in an array of talented artists spanning across genres. Now that things have settled down in the wake of this year’s festival, here are a few artists you’ll want to keep an eye on. Read more: Q&A:…
Category: Features
Q&A: The Bobby Lees
[Photo courtesy of Speakeasy PR] By Julia Weber, Features Editor Macky Spider Bowman is the drummer for Lobsterfest headlining punk band THE BOBBY LEES. Ahead of Lobsterfest, I called him to talk about headlining the festival, what he’s been listening to lately, the importance of routine and, of course, the power of smell. [This interview…
Q&A: Greet Death
[Photo provided by Mark Connolly] By Julia Weber, Features Editor Greet Death are a Michigan-based rock band and one of the headlining acts for ACRN’s 2023 Lobsterfest. Before their Saturday night performance, I talked with Sam Boyhtari of Greet Death about everything ranging from new music and touring, Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, shameless adoration of…
Musician’s time
By Paul Nern, News Editor
[Photo courtesy of Julia Weber]
My dad wouldn’t call himself much of a musician. He is a 62 year old semi-retired English professor who has heavily dabbled in poetry. But he is a musician because he chiefed OU’s tenured professor program that allows you to take a sabbatical to study your field, or whatever. And what he did was write songs and record his music over the course of an academic semester.
Ticketmaster and its business model: a major obstacle for music lovers everywhere
[Image courtesy of MEL Magazine] By Grace Koennecke, Columns Editor As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, musicians are eager to tour again after two years of practically no live music. While the excitement of touring seems to be manageable now as mask mandates disappear and venues are packing in fans again, there’s been an extreme concern…
Hardcore Holidays 2022 Q&A: Girl Cologne
By Roman Salomone, Contributor
[Photo courtesy of Oliver Fleming]
On Nov. 10, 2022, ACRN hosted “Hardcore Holidays” at The Union in Athens. Alongside a DJ set, two fantastic bands took the stage, and one of them was Cleveland-based Girl Cologne. I had the opportunity to sit down with the band prior to their set to talk about how they got started, their 2021 album Phases, the local scene in Cleveland and some underrated Weezer songs.
Preview: Nelsonville Music Festival Arrives this Weekend, Here’s What to Know
By Grace Koennecke, Columns Editor
[Image courtesy of Nelsonville Music Festival]
This weekend, Nelsonville Music Festival (NMF) is back for its 16th year, presented by Stuart’s Opera House, a non-profit historic theater and performing arts center in Nelsonville, Ohio. In the past, Billboard has said the festival is “one of the best-kept secrets of the U.S. music festival circuit.”
Q&A: Matt Vinson
By Julia Weber, Features Editor [Photo courtesy of Sophia Matinazad] Matt Vinson is the bassist in the Ohio-based folk band Caamp. He also plays solo music as The Wonderfool, and is an Ohio University alum. I recently talked with Matt about the upcoming Ohio University Music Industry Summit, his time spent in Athens and Caamp’s…
Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees passes away
Mark Lanegan died last week, and that just sucks for music. This brings the world closer to finalizing the long list of iconic singers from the 90s Seattle scene that died early after dark, troubled, and drug-fueled lives. Lanegan follows the precedent set by Kurt Cobain, Layne Staley, and Chris Cornell who all fronted bands at the same time, same place, and died because of it. They used drugs, battled demons, and lived fast. And they are all dead.
Preview: ACRN Goth Prom with Short Fictions, Enlove, and Kaiba
By Paul Nern, News Editor
Can you feel it? There’s a foreboding sense of angst and aggression in the air, which can only mean that heavy music is about to grace the ears of all Rock Lobsters this Friday. Short Fictions, En Love, and Kaiba are about to bring the house down at the Union for ACRN’s 2022 Goth Prom. It is going to be intense. It is going to be hardcore. But most importantly, it is going to be fun. There is absolutely no excuse to miss what will surely be a rocking night of heavy music bliss on Union Street. Come hang with all of us!
ACRN’s Top Movies of 2021
Pig, [Neon; 2021] By Ben Lindner, Staff Writer Michael Sarnoski’s “Pig,” a meditative tale of learning to cope with loss, stands as one of the year’s best films. Nicholas Cage stars as Robin, a former chef who has transitioned out of city life and now lives with his truffle pig in the woods. When his…
ACRN’s Best Albums of 2021
20. Parannoul – To See the Next Part of the Dream, [Self Released; 2021] By Ethan Bloomfield, Staff Writer Korean mystery artist Parannoul released a hidden gem for 2021: To See the Next Part of the Dream, a shoegaze album that expresses a level of skill not heard in the genre in many years. As…