Discover a new side of the songs of Bob Dylan by exploring the virtues of rough sounds, peculiar intonation, and a raspy voice.
Folk troubadour, rock star, country crooner—for a musician who adopted so many personas, Bob Dylan always sounds like himself. While he’s written many of the most iconic and impactful lyrics of the past sixty years, Dylan’s music has also reshaped our sonic imagination with his ragged voice, wailing harmonica, and rough-hewn guitar.
Music theorist Steven Rings argues that such sonic imperfections are central to understanding Dylan’s songs and their appeal. These blemishes can invoke authenticity or persona, signal his social commitments, and betray his political shortcomings. Rings begins—where else?—with Dylan’s voice, exploring its changeability, its unmistakable features, and its ability to inhabit characters, including the female narrator of “House of the Rising Sun.” Rings then turns to Dylan as an instrumentalist, examining his infamous adoption of the electric guitar in 1965, as well as his stylistically varied acoustic playing, which borrows sounds and techniques from Black blues musicians, among other influences. Rings charts the histories audible in Dylan’s harmonica as well as piano, which has been central to his music making since his earliest days of imitating Little Richard in his hometown of Hibbing, Minnesota. Finally, Rings guides readers through one of Dylan’s most famous songs, “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall,” analyzing its musical sources as well as variations in live performances. A companion website of audio and video examples helps readers notice the nuances and idiosyncrasies inherent in Dylan’s work and, even more importantly, their effects.
A close look at an underdiscussed but essential aspect of Dylan’s oeuvre, What Did You Hear? offers a fresh understanding of a singular performer, his musical choices, and the meanings that we can hear in his imperfect sounds.
Steven Rings Explores the Sonic World of Bob Dylan in Forthcoming Book ‘What Did You Hear?’
BettySoo Returns With New Single ‘What Do You Want From Me Now?’ and Fall Tour
“There was no big epiphany, and honestly, the recording just flowed easily from years of playing it live,” explains beloved Austin-based singer/songwriter BettySoo about her new single “WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME NOW?,” a gorgeous anthem that carries a bounty of angst and an even larger haul of melody, bringing a lush groove, layered harmonies, and the unmistakable warmth of her band’s chemistry. Originally written by acclaimed songwriter Ralston Bowles, it is a crowd favorite that she has played live for years and is out now from her album, If You Never Go Away.
“‘What Do You Want From Me Now?’ kicks off with a swagger, but underneath that rhythm is someone asking, ‘Will you accept me for who I am?’ That tension— of confidence and insecurity— felt like the right way in,” she says, adding that she got a thumbs up from Bowles himself. “I just loved it and thought it would be fun to play at shows with my band. Part of my joy in playing covers is spreading word about music written by people I like, especially if the writers don’t tour much. And part of it is just playing a song that feels good.”
Marking a much-anticipated return to the studio, “What Do You Want From Me Now?” is a taster for more music to come from the revered artist (her last studio offering, When We’re Gone was released in 2014). A buzzworthy standout in the Americana and Folk worlds (MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow is among her many fans), BettySoo has garnered fawning praise from the likes of Austin Chronicle, Austin American Statesman, Cowboys & Indians, and No Depression. Affectionately coined as “The Queen of the Bummer Jams,” her ability to marry melancholia with hyper-immediate melodies is a well-documented gift. Austin’s KUTX calls her music, “beautiful, heart-wrenching songwriting that is also edgy and unwavering,” while Acoustic Guitar praises, “BettySoo may well have the most gorgeous voice in Texas …if not in all contemporary folk – its purity and strength can be downright devastating.”
Occupying the space in between studio albums with live shows (she is a frequent touring companion for icons James McMurtry and Chris Smither), BettySoo’s in-between-song screeds are stuff of legend. Balancing her “bummer jams” with hilarious and often self-deprecating humor, her live performances and songs often trace the arc from love to heartbreak — yet she remains one of the most magnetic and entertaining performers onstage. “I’ve always been drawn to broken and sad things because they make me feel less alone in my own brokenness,” she laughs, “But I’m not intentionally balancing sadness with humor — it’s just part of being human.”
With more music to come this Summer, BettySoo is ready to step back into the spotlight, but with no expectations. “A lot of people told me that the danger of releasing an album after a long gap is that no one remembers who you are,” she admits. Her upbringing found her living in a traditional Asian-American multigenerational home (“We often had as many as twelve people living under one roof at a time!”), so attention-grabbing wasn’t an inborn trait. “As the third of four daughters – the lesser of the middle children, I didn’t grow up expecting anyone to remember who I was or even to take notice of me. I was neither born nor raised with a rockstar mindset,” she says, self-effacingly. With all the powerful moments encoded in her upcoming album If You Never Go Away, BettySoo is in for a rude awakening.
TOUR DATES:
Sep 11 Knoxville, TN Bijou Theatre
Sep 12 Cincinnati, OH Woodward Theater
Sep 13 Columbus, OH The Athenaeum Theatre
Sep 14 Ferndale, MI Magic Bag
Sep 16 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
Sep 18 Alexandria, VA Birchmere
Sep 19 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live
Sep 20 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge
Sep 23 Charleston Heights, SC Charleston Pour House
Sep 24 Macon, GA Capitol Theatre
Sep 27 New Orleans, LA Chickie Wah Wah
Oct 2 Austin, TX 04 Center
Photo Gallery: Alabama Shakes and Bahamas at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage on September 6, 2025
All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her through Instagram or X.
AFI Share ‘Holy Visions’ From Upcoming Album ‘Silver Bleeds the Black Sun…’ With New Video
Following the announcement of their forthcoming album Silver Bleeds the Black Sun… due October 3rd via Run For Cover Records, AFI share the new offering “Holy Visions,” which arrives with a performance video directed by Gilbert Trejo portraying the band bathed in pink and blue light.
Silver Bleeds the Black Sun… marks the twelfth album from AFI and will include the previously shared single “Behind the Clock,” which also arrived with a music video directed by Trejo. Last month, AFI graced the cover of Alternative Press where vocalist Davey Havok sat with Editor-In-Chief Anna Zanes to discuss the band’s tenure, the sonic shift of Silver Bleeds the Black Sun… and who he has been listening to.
Speaking about the new video, Havok shares, “Getting to work with Gilbert on two videos was a joy. ‘Holy Visions’ is the perfect visual sublimation of the song.”
For more than three decades, AFI has been in a nearly constant state of reinvention. The band have made it a point to evolve with every album – sometimes dramatically so – never allowing themselves to become too comfortable in one genre or rest on any of their impressive career laurels. It’s an approach that has grown their audience but also challenged it with a sonic identity that can shift in wild, unexpected directions. Now with Silver Bleeds the Black Sun…, AFI are once again at the start of an exciting new chapter, only this time they’ve even managed to surprise themselves.
The goal of Silver Bleeds the Black Sun… was to make an album with a singular mood, something dreamy and ethereal, and the band members found themselves diving headfirst into influences that had always been deeply embedded in AFI’s musical core, but now were being brought to the forefront. The result is an album that feels out of time, at once familiar and fresh, drawing on classic sounds and reinterpreting them through a modern lens. Silver Bleeds the Black Sun… is dark and otherworldly, but also grandiose and stately, biting and beautiful in equal measure-in other words, it’s very AFI, yet not quite like any version of the band you’ve ever heard before.
It’s this combination of endless creative daring, deftly wielded influences, and above all else, an unshakeable sense of self that’s allowed AFI to stay relevant for more than 30 years, often leading the way through emerging musical moments. From their scrappy roots as a high school hardcore band in the early ’90s (Answer That and Stay Fashionable, Very Proud of Ya and Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes), to their dark melodic punk reinvention at the turn of the century (Black Sails in the Sunset and The Art of Drowning), to their crossover into mainstream stardom in the early 2000s (Sing the Sorrow and Decemberunderground) and their years as shapeshifting alternative rock journeymen (Crash Love, Burials, The Blood Album, and Bodies), the band has survived and thrived by staunchly being themselves-no matter what that is.
This fall, AFI will embark on their headline North American tour with special guests TR/ST to celebrate the release of Silver Bleeds The Black Sun… The 24-date run will begin on September 30th in Madison, WI with stops in Chicago, Brooklyn, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, and Denver, before wrapping November 5th in San Diego, CA. The tour marks AFI’s first full-scale outing since their celebrated 2021 release Bodies, and will offer fans the chance to experience songs from across their extensive catalog, delivered with the band’s signature electrifying performance.
Chiodos Announce Second Leg of ‘All’s Well That Ends Well’ 20th Anniversary Tour
Chiodos are keeping the celebration going. Following the nearly sold-out success of the first leg of their All’s Well That Ends Well 20th anniversary tour in April, the band has announced the second leg of dates, kicking off November 6 in Grand Rapids, MI and wrapping December 20 in Riverside, CA.
Released on July 26, 2005, All’s Well That Ends Well became a defining record for the mid-2000s emo/post-hardcore scene, launching Chiodos into the spotlight with its dynamic blend of soaring melodies, aggressive instrumentation, and poetic storytelling.
The debut charted on the Billboard Top 200 (#164), landed at #11 on the Independent Albums chart, and climbed to #3 on Heatseekers – cementing its place as a genre classic that still resonates nearly two decades later.
To mark the milestone, the band re-recorded and reissued the album, out now via Sumerian Records, giving longtime fans and new listeners a fresh way to experience the songs. The first leg of the anniversary tour in April brought packed rooms and high-energy singalongs from coast to coast, reminding everyone why Chiodos has remained such an influential force.
The upcoming second leg will feature full-album performances of All’s Well That Ends Well alongside fan favorites from across the band’s discography. More than a trip down memory lane, these shows offer a glimpse into Chiodos’ next chapter, with hints at new music on the horizon.
Tickets will be available starting with an artist presale beginning Tuesday, September 9 at 12pm ET, with additional presales running throughout the week ahead of the general on sale beginning Friday, September 12 at 10am local time.
CHIODOS TOUR DATES:
Nov 6 – GLC Live at 20 Monroe – Grand Rapids, MI
Nov 7 – Mercury Ballroom – Louisville, KY
Nov 8 – The Signal – Chattanooga, TN
Nov 10 – Ozark Music Hall – Fayetteville, AR*
Nov 11 – Minglewood Hall – Memphis, TN*
Nov 12 – VBC Mars Music Hall – Huntsville, AL
Nov 13 – The Ritz Ybor – Tampa, FL
Nov 15 – Five – Jacksonville, FL*
Nov 16 – Warped Tour – Orlando, FL*
Nov 17 – Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
Nov 18 – House of Blues – Myrtle Beach, SC
Nov 19 – The Dome – Virginia Beach, VA
Nov 21 – Nevermore Hall – Baltimore, MD
Nov 22 – The Wind Creek Event Center – Bethlehem, PA
Nov 23 – The Wellmont Theater – Montclair, NJ
Nov 24 – The Paramount – Huntington, NY*
Nov 25 – Citizens House of Blues – Boston, MA
Nov 26 – The Dome at Toyota Oakdale Theatre – Wallingford, CT
Nov 29 – Empire Live – Albany, NY*
Nov 30 – Electric City – Buffalo, NY*
Dec 1 – House of Blues – Cleveland, OH
Dec 2 – KEMBA! Live – Columbus, OH*
Dec 3 – Bogart’s – Cincinnati, OH
Dec 6 – The Rave – Milwaukee, WI*
Dec 7 – Val Air Ballroom – Des Moines, IA*
Dec 10 – The Criterion – Oklahoma City, OK
Dec 11 – Concrete Pavilion – Corpus Christi, TX*
Dec 12 – Emo’s – Austin, TX
Dec 14 – Revel Entertainment Center – Albuquerque, NM
Dec 16 – Rialto Theatre – Tucson, AZ
Dec 18 – Brooklyn Bowl – Las Vegas, NV
Dec 19 – Fremont Theater – San Luis Obispo, CA*
Dec 20 – Riverside Municipal Auditorium – Riverside, CA
*Non-LN date
Poppy Hits the Road With ‘They’re All Around Us Tour’ Plus Festival and Special Guest Dates
Poppy fans around the world are invited to join the awe-commanding They’re All Around Us tour with a special livestream from House of Blues Anaheim on September 27, airing exclusively on Veeps.
The stream coincides with the fall leg of the tour, which is in support of Poppy’s sixth studio album, Negative Spaces (released November 15, 2024). Livestream tickets are $16.99 and include a 7-day rewatch window. Veeps All Access members can access the stream as part of their subscription.
Reviewers have consistently lauded Poppy’s live shows as a masterclass in controlled chaos, transitioning from ethereal serenity to banshee-like ferocity in the blink of an eye. At her sold-out House of Blues Chicago stop earlier in the year, audience reactions ranged from hushed awe to full-throttle mosh pits and those tuning in to the Anaheim show can expect to see no less.
From industrial-pop to arena-ready metalcore, Negative Spaces showcases Poppy’s multidimensional artistry and bold sonic evolution. Recent singles include the fierce “they’re all around us” and “new way out,” along with the anthems “the cost of giving up” and “crystallized.”
Tickets for the They’re All Around Us – Live From Anaheim livestream are $16.99, available now at poppy.veeps.com. Full upcoming They’re All Around Us tour routing can be found below.
Upcoming Poppy Tour Dates:
Sep. 5, 2025 Richmond, VA – They’re All Around Us Tour
Sep. 6, 2025 Baltimore, MD – They’re All Around Us Tour
Sep. 8, 2025 North Myrtle Beach, SC – They’re All Around Us Tour
Sep. 9, 2025 Raleigh, NC – They’re All Around Us Tour
Sep. 11, 2025 Tuscaloosa, AL – Evanescence
Sep. 12, 2025 Cincinnati, OH – They’re All Around Us Tour
Sep. 14, 2025 Grand Rapids, MI – They’re All Around Us Tour
Sep. 15, 2025 Indianapolis, IN – They’re All Around Us Tour
Sep. 18, 2025 Milwaukee, WI – Hog Havoc
Sep. 19, 2025 Saint Paul, MN – 93X Family Reunion
Sep. 21, 2025 West Des Moines, IA – They’re All Around Us Tour
Sep. 22, 2025 Tulsa, OK – They’re All Around Us Tour
Sep. 23, 2025 Kansas City, MO -They’re All Around Us Tour
Sep. 25, 2025 Albuquerque, NM – They’re All Around Us Tour
Sep. 27, 2025 Anaheim, CA – They’re All Around Us Tour
Sep. 28, 2025 Ventura, CA – They’re All Around Us Tour
Sep. 30, 2025 San Diego, CA – They’re All Around Us Tour
Oct. 2, 2025 Las Vegas, NV – They’re All Around Us Tour
Oct. 4, 2025 El Paso, TX – KLAQ Rocks The Park
Oct. 6, 2025 Dallas, TX – They’re All Around Us Tour
Oct. 11, 2025 – Ciudad De Mexico, MexicoLife Is But A Dream LATIN America Tour 2025
Oct. 12, 2025 – Mexico City, Mexico They’re All Around Us Tour
Don Was and The Pan-Detroit Ensemble Announce Debut Album ‘Groove in the Face of Adversity’ and Fall Tour
Six-time Grammy winner, acclaimed producer, and Blue Note Records President Don Was is set for the release of his debut album with The Pan-Detroit Ensemble, a “nine-piece soul jazz group from Detroit,” as he describes it. Groove in the Face of Adversity is due October 10 via Mack Avenue Records. Pre-save/pre-order the album HERE.
In anticipation of the release, the band is sharing the track “Midnight Marauders;” listen/share HERE.
Born and raised in Detroit, Was returns to his roots with The Pan-Detroit Ensemble. Drawing on the wide-ranging musical contributions of his storied career, the record brings listeners back to where it all began: the Motor City. “We’re the Pan-Detroit Ensemble and we are on a mission to promulgate the music of our hometown,” says Was.
Groove in the Face of Adversity blends steamy jazz, juke joint blues, and loose-limbed funk in a thoughtful sonic cross-pollination that reflects both Was’ deep roots and sensibilities. The album’s title draws from a formative moment in his youth: stuck in the car and in a sour mood while his mother ran errands, he turned on the radio and stumbled upon Joe Henderson’s “Mode for Joe.” The music changed everything.
“There was a nonverbal message that came through the music,” Was recalls. “‘Don, you got to groove in the face of adversity,’ meaning just relax and chill and just go with the flow with your mom.” It’s a musical philosophy Was has employed ever since.
In support of the album, Was and The Pan-Detroit Ensemble will embark on a fall tour, kicking off October 8 in Traverse City, MI. The run includes stops in Louisville, Lansing, and more, with a special Detroit performance on October 11 serving as the official album release show. The band will also appear at the immersive Golden Road Festival in Buford, GA. Select dates, including Traverse City and Evanston, will include two performances at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tickets are on sale now HERE. Extensive touring will follow in early 2026, with additional dates to be announced soon.
The tour will feature songs from the band’s forthcoming album alongside a full performance of The Grateful Dead’s Blues For Allah in celebration of that album’s 50th anniversary.
Was has spent five decades as a producer, bassist, composer, and the longtime head of Blue Note Records. He has produced landmark albums for The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, John Mayer, Willie Nelson, and more, with combined sales approaching 100 million records. His accolades include a BAFTA Award for Best Original Score (Backbeat), an Emmy for Music Direction (The Beatles: The Night That Changed America), and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association.
Was has led the Don Was Detroit All-Star Revue for more than 15 years, co-hosts The Don Was Motor City Playlist on Detroit NPR station WDET, and hosts Dinner with Don Was on SiriusXM. Since 2018, he has toured extensively with Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros, a group he co-founded with Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir.
About The Pan-Detroit Ensemble
Formed by Don Was, The Pan-Detroit Ensemble unites some of Detroit’s most accomplished jazz players, including Jeff Canaday (drums), Vincent Chandler (trombone), Steffanie Christi’an (vocals), John Douglas (trumpet), Wayne Gerard (guitar), Mahindi Masai (percussion), Dave McMurray (saxophone), and Luis Resto (keyboards).
Tour Dates
October 8 — Traverse City, MI — The Alluvion — 7 p.m.
October 8 — Traverse City, MI — The Alluvion — 9 p.m.
October 9 — Lansing, MI — Grewal Hall at 224
October 10 — Evanston, IL — Space — 7 p.m.
October 10 — Evanston, IL — Space — 9 p.m.
October 11 — Detroit, MI — The Majestic Theatre
October 15 — Louisville, KY — Headliners Music Hall
October 16 — Charlottesville, VA — Jefferson Theater
October 17 — Saxapahaw, NC — Haw River Ballroom
October 18 — Buford, GA — Lanier Islands
Claudia Valentina Reinvents a Pop Classic With Fearless New Single ‘Candy’
Claudia Valentina returns with a fearless new single, “Candy,” released today via Electric Feel. The track reinvents the unforgettable hook from Kelis’ “Milkshake”, channeling it into a slow-burning, self-assured anthem that blends dark-pop production with raw, unfiltered attitude.
The rising singer-songwriter shares, “I like to release music the same way I make it, what I feel like at the time ‘cause a bad bitch can be many things in one day and ‘Candy’ is like a taste of that other side. Ear candy moments, ‘cause boring pop gives me the ick.” With its magnetic vocals and hypnotic beat, “Candy” is both an homage and a reinvention, asserting Claudia’s place in the new guard of pop innovators.
The accompanying visual takes Claudia out of the studio and into the wild—literally. Set in a sprawling field and along dusty backroads, the music video features Claudia and an all-female crew racing in vintage cars and on ATVs. Equal parts cinematic and rebellious, it’s a powerful visual complement to the track’s provocative message. “The video for ‘Candy’ I’ve had on my mood board for around 6 years, and for it to finally come to life feels super exciting,” Claudia reveals.
“Candy” follows her recent singles “Cry Them Dry,” “When I’m High,” and “Diamonds On My Teeth,” all set to appear on her upcoming EP. With this latest release, Claudia cements her reputation for unpredictable, uncompromising pop.
Pottermore and Audible Reveal Star-Studded Cast for ‘Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions’
Pottermore Publishing, the global digital Harry Potter publisher, and Audible, Inc., a leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, today announced additional casting in the powerhouse ensemble of more than 200 actors in Harry Potter: The Full Cast Audio Editions.
The newly announced casting of iconic roles includes Kit Harington as Professor Lockhart; Keira Knightley as Professor Umbridge; Iwan Rheon as Professor Lupin; Ruth Wilson as Bellatrix Lestrange; Ambika Mod as Nymphadora Tonks; Leo Woodall as Bill Weasley; Simon Pegg as Arthur Weasley; James McAvoy as Mad-Eye Moody; Gemma Whelan as Professor Sprout; and Matt Berry as Sir Cadogan.
Leo Woodall said, “In creating Bill Weasley’s adventures through voice, it is genuinely special to be part of bringing this world to life in a new way for listeners. From the stellar cast to the immersive sound world that Pottermore and Audible have put together, listeners everywhere will be given a new way to be transported directly into these celebrated stories.”
This news builds upon previous casting announcements for Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions, which included Cush Jumbo OBE as the narrator, Hugh Laurie as Albus Dumbledore, Matthew Macfadyen as Lord Voldemort, Riz Ahmed as Professor Snape, Michelle Gomez as Professor McGonagall, Mark Addy as Hagrid, Alex Hassell as Lucius Malfoy, Daniel Mays as Dobby, and Sara and Avni Deshmukh as The Patil Twins. Rising stars Frankie Treadaway, Max Lester, and Arabella Stanton will portray Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger respectively in audiobooks one, two and three. Jaxon Knopf, Rhys Mulligan, and Nina Barker-Francis will assume the roles of the beloved trio (Harry, Ron, and Hermione respectively) beginning in audiobook four and carrying through to the epic conclusion.
Additional cast members will be announced this fall. These brand-new productions of the original seven stories by J.K. Rowling will showcase the listening experiences as never heard before—offering immersive audio entertainment through high-quality sound design in Dolby Atmos, stunning scoring, captivating performances from A-list actors, original music, and real-world sound capture.
Following Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone releasing on November 4, 2025; Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets releases December 16, 2025; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban releases January 13, 2026; Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire releases February 10, 2026; Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix releases March 10, 2026; Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince releases April 14, 2026; culminating with the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on May 12, 2026.
Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions are available to pre-order now on Audible here.
Ndlovu Youth Choir Reimagine Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ in isiZulu
What happens when one of the world’s most iconic songs meets the soul of South Africa? The Ndlovu Youth Choir transform ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ into a soaring isiZulu masterpiece, filled with rhythm, passion, and pure joy.