Music can often conjure emotions from the depths of the soul. It can make one feel powerful or it can strip a being to the core. It feels like the summer days on backcountry roads that I remember from my youth. It’s the familiar smell of mom’s cooking. It’s the warmth of a sunrise or...Continue Reading

On a warm Saturday night during Pride weekend, the Great American Music Hall bustled with excitement. Not only were three amazing Bay Area bands about to share one of the most beautiful stages in San Francisco, but the Supreme Court had declared same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states just in time for LGBT Pride...Continue Reading

Diamond Heights released their debut EP City Charms early this month to a sold-out crowd in the downstairs bar at Neck Of The Woods. The band emitted a powerful modern twist on CBGBs era Pretenders/Blondie. Get to know them with this behind the scenes video I shot at Hyde Street Studios with Ted Maider of “Evergreen”. Follow it up by listening to the...Continue Reading

I caught this photo of Travis Hayes minutes before he hit the stage at Bottom Of The Hill to play his album release show for his new self-released full length, Young Daze. He was in good spirits. It was a Supermoon. The place was packed. Trebuchet and Christian Lee Hutson were putting on good sets....Continue Reading

As a youth, Duncan ‘DonCat’ Nielsen’s grandma gave him an odd pile of European released Beach Boys tapes, which lead him to the record store searching for other oddities. Coming from a family of music enthusiasts, including a dad with a penchant for Cream and the blue shades of Jimi Hendrix, a brother with drum...Continue Reading

Helpful self-promotion tips for songwriters included naming your influences in the subject line of cold emails to potential blogs. But getting an intro from someone you share in common is always best. Incremental growth is your friend. Set reasonable goals and use all the analytic data you can to track your progress. If you have a...Continue Reading