In Flames swept through Rock Am Ring like a fiery whirlwind. Under the June evening sky in Nürburg, Germany, the Swedish pioneers of melodic death metal set the 2015 crowd ablaze with untamed energy. Led by vocalist Anders Fridén, the group wove an atmosphere where fury and melancholy intertwined, their melodic guitar lines, thunderous drums, and the contrast between Fridén’s screams and clean vocals ringing out like a saga of battle and redemption. They showcased material from their latest album, and Fridén’s ferocious charisma turned the crowd into a seething mosh pit. At one point the audience’s voices soared loud enough to drown out the music, the ritual’s clear peak. As Europe’s largest rock festival, Rock Am Ring gave the show the ultimate arena and underscored the group’s status as genre icons.
Video: In Flames Set Rock Am Ring Ablaze In This 2015 Show
Trick Pony Co-Founder Keith Burns Toasts 25 Years Of “Pour Me” With A New Recording
Keith Burns is raising a glass to a quarter-century of honky-tonk history. The founding member of ACM Award-winning, Grammy-nominated group Trick Pony just announced a reimagined recording of the trio’s breakout anthem “Pour Me,” due Friday, July 31, 2026. Originally released in 2001 on Warner Bros. Nashville, the song spent 28 weeks on the charts and established the female-led Trick Pony as fiery trendsetters known for their rebellious edge and gritty harmonies. The new version is a spirited celebration of a song that still hits the dance floor running.
Recorded at the famed Curb Studios, Burns’ 2026 rendition was produced by Ray Termini in partnership with industry veteran James Stroud, founder of White Mustang Records, who previously produced Trick Pony’s ‘Pony Up’ EP in 2016. The track leans into classic country production, with fast-paced fiddle, layered rockabilly guitar solos, and wailing keys and organ, prizing simplicity over polish. It’s a faithful, high-energy tribute to the original’s soul.
Burns spoke about honoring the song’s roots. “This version of ‘Pour Me’ respects instrumental tradition of legendary country music and the soul and energy of the original recording,” he said. “Ray and I worked to stay true to the sound that brought us to the dance. I think both loyal listeners and a new generation of honky-tonkers will dig it. We, as a group, broke the mold and this is a celebration of a really good run amongst a group of talented young hopefuls.” He also unpacked the song’s clever core. “‘Pour Me’ is a play on words, referring to both pouring a shot and seeking comfort in the bottom of a glass, and the emotional outpour of broken-hearted feelings. We hope y’all will put this one on repeat for another pour.”
The recording brings together an elite roster of Nashville’s most decorated session players, including bassist Mike Brignardello (Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton), acoustic guitarist B. James Lowry (Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire), guitarist Brent Mason (George Strait, Alan Jackson), keyboardist Gordon Mote (Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen), drummer Lonnie Wilson (Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood), fiddler Aubrey Haynie, and background vocalist Shelly Fairchild. The new “Pour Me” follows Burns’ recent original single “They Don’t Live Here Anymore,” out in March 2026 and at radio now via White Mustang Records.
Burns brings a formidable resume to the project. With Trick Pony he scored three consecutive Top 10 singles, two of them (“Pour Me” and “Just What I Do”) co-written by Burns. He performed alongside Joe Diffie for six years and penned the Diffie hit “Whole Lotta Gone.” After Trick Pony, he formed the duo Burns & Poe with Michelle Poe, charting four Top 20 hits and earning MusicRow’s Independent Artist of the Year in 2010. Across a 30-year career, he’s notched three UK No. 1 solo singles, produced projects for other artists, and was recently nominated for Outlaw Gospel Artist of the Year by the ICMA. The presale and pre-save event begins July 17, with distribution by ONErpm.
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Bloomington Quietly Becomes A Midwest Music Destination With Granfalloon, Lotus, And More
Bloomington, Indiana has quietly built one of the Midwest’s most interesting music ecosystems. The college town punches well above its weight, home to Indiana University’s prestigious Jacobs School of Music, indie label powerhouse Secretly Group (celebrating 30 years), and nationally recognized festivals including the expanding Granfalloon and the internationally known Lotus World Music & Arts Festival. This summer’s lineup alone includes Waxahatchee, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, and Durand Jones & The Indications. It’s a genuinely thrilling scene for a city this walkable.
Granfalloon is one of the season’s biggest stories. The Indiana University festival, inspired by Hoosier author Kurt Vonnegut and built on the idea that music, art, and ideas create community, is making a major leap. Its main concerts move from downtown Kirkwood Avenue to the larger Switchyard Park, turning Granfalloon into a full-scale outdoor summer concert series that’s drawn national headlines. Visit Bloomington is even running a Granfalloon road trip contest for three lucky winners.
The 2026 Granfalloon lineup is strong. Indie-folk breakout Waxahatchee plays with acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards on June 20. Grammy-winning folk duo Gillian Welch and David Rawlings take the stage July 18. Soul revivalists Durand Jones & The Indications bring rising singer-songwriter Jensen McRae on Aug. 29, as part of Secretly Group’s 30th anniversary celebration. It’s a lineup that would headline festivals far larger.
The calendar runs deep beyond Granfalloon. The Bloomington Early Music Festival honors music from the medieval period through the early 19th century, running now through May 30. The Bloomington Bluegrass Fest at Upland Brewing on June 13 taps southern Indiana’s deep bluegrass roots and the legacy of nearby Bean Blossom, sacred ground in bluegrass history. Upland’s series continues with Bloomington Summer Soul Fest (Aug 8), Hippies & Cowboys Fest (Sept 19), and Bloomington Roots, Boots, & Blues Fest (Oct 3). The annual Lotus World Music & Arts Festival, now in its 33rd year, transforms downtown into a multi-day celebration of global music, arts, food, and culture from Oct 1-4.
For travelers, Bloomington offers a full music weekend, with a walkable downtown, more than 350 restaurants, award-winning wineries and breweries, nearby hiking and lake recreation, and iconic spots like the Eskenazi Museum of Art and the Lilly Library. Visitors can catch nationally known artists, dig through independent record stores, and soak up the creative energy, all in one compact city.
Snail Mail And Soccer Mommy Join Forces For Co-Headlining “The S&M Tour”
Two of indie rock’s brightest are hitting the road together. Snail Mail and Soccer Mommy just announced “The S&M Tour,” a co-headlining run through U.S. theaters this fall. The 19-show trek marks the first touring collaboration between the longtime friends, whose careers have grown in parallel. It opens September 30 at The Fillmore in Charlotte and winds through Nashville, Orlando, New Orleans, and more before wrapping October 24 at Greenfield Lake Amp in Wilmington, North Carolina. It’s a genuinely exciting pairing for fans of both.
Both have serious momentum behind them. Snail Mail has a European run of festival and headline dates in June, following a strong stateside spring that included a performance at Kilby Block Party, where she drew solid numbers including a sold showing at Seattle’s Moore Theatre. Soccer Mommy’s 2025 U.S. tour ran hot too, selling out the 9:30 Club and a Thalia Hall double. The two coming together onstage is a natural fit. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. local time June 5.
Snail Mail and Soccer Mommy “The S&M Tour” Dates:
9/30 – The Fillmore – Charlotte, NC
10/1 – The Fillmore – Silver Spring, MD
10/2 – Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ
10/3 – College Street Music Hall – New Haven, CT
10/5 – The Strand – Providence, RI
10/6 – The Egg – Albany, NY
10/7 – Roxian Theatre – Pittsburgh, PA
10/9 – The Sylvee – Madison, WI
10/10 – Palace Theatre – St. Paul, MN
10/11 – Egyptian Theatre – DeKalb, IL
10/13 – The Momentary – Bentonville, AR
10/14 – Brooklyn Bowl – Nashville, TN
10/16 – Beacham Theater – Orlando, FL
10/18 – The Orpheum – Tampa, FL
10/20 – Joy Theater – New Orleans, LA
10/21 – Iron City – Birmingham, AL
10/22 – The Senate – Columbia, SC
10/23 – The National – Richmond, VA
10/24 – Greenfield Lake Amp – Wilmington, NC
Roots-Rock Singer-Songwriter Sheva Elliot Chases Desire On New Single “Birds of a Feather”
Sheva Elliot has a swaggering new single ready to roll. The acclaimed singer, songwriter, and producer just shared “Birds of a Feather,” an irresistible, twangy roots-rock track that captures the tension between doing what’s considered right and doing what’s right for you. At its core, the song is about surrendering to desire and refusing to let fear or judgment make the choice. It’s a bold, mischievous turn that shows another side of her artistry.
Elliot puts the sentiment plainly. “Ultimately, this song is about saying ‘to hell with it,’ going for the person who makes your heart flutter, and not worrying about the consequences,” she says. That emotional directness has become central to her writing, which she describes as centering on the truth of the human experience. The track trades approval for instinct and image for honesty.
The single previews Elliot’s forthcoming full-length, a roots-driven record that traces the arc of her becoming, charting growth, self-discovery, and the many selves we move through on the way to ourselves. Across the album, Americana twang, gospel warmth, and rock and roll muscle come together in a sound that feels both classic and distinctly her own. Influenced by Aretha Franklin, Chris Stapleton, Grace Potter, Lainey Wilson, and The Red Clay Strays, she’s carving a lane built on grit, soul, and emotional intelligence.
Los Angeles-born and singing since age four, Elliot makes music where roots rock, soul, Americana, gospel, and classic rock collide. Her previous single “Ruler of My Heart” marked a creative breakthrough, a cinematic, soul-infused release that showcased her vocal power and established her as an artist to watch. “Birds of a Feather” pushes further, bolder and freer. It’s a thrilling, play-it-loud kind of song.
Elliot is a hands-on architect of her sound, serving as main writer, composer, and producer while co-producing alongside Silas Nello. The record was engineered and mixed by Claire Morison and mastered by Howie Weinberg, with performances from Taylor Kropp, Eric England, Max Bauhof, Silas Nello, Thomas Johansen, and Matt Pynn.
Video: Morcheeba Cast A Spell At This Intimate 2018 Berlin Show
Morcheeba turned a Berlin club into something hypnotic. Filmed in 2018 at the renowned SchwuZ for the ARTE Concert series ‘Berlin Live,’ the show catches the trip-hop pioneers at their mesmerizing best. Skye Edwards’ velvety vocals glide over the group’s signature blend of laid-back grooves, soulful melodies, and psychedelic textures, a sound that’s defined them for decades. The setlist winds through celebrated favorites like the hypnotic “The Sea” and the universally adored “Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day,” alongside newer material from ‘Blaze Away’ that proves their creative vitality. Inspired covers punctuate the night too, including a soulful take on George Gershwin’s “Summertime” and a groovy spin on David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.” It’s a warm, immersive evening with one of music’s most distinctive groups.
Southern Rockers Six Gun Sally Crank Up The Heat On New Single “Sittin’ Pretty”
Six Gun Sally are gearing up for a blazing summer. The Pittsburgh-based Southern rock group will release their new single “Sittin’ Pretty” on Friday, July 17, 2026, and it doubles as their definitive theme song. The track marks a bold evolution for the female-fronted powerhouse and sets the pace for a packed touring season. It opens with explosive guitar work nodding to Deep Purple’s “Highway Star,” fueled by a wall of heavy, distorted riffs. It’s a high-octane homage to ’70s rock with a fierce contemporary edge.
The song carries real personal weight beneath the swagger. Written by Jeff “Ford” Thurston, Matt Muckle, lead singer Aimee Jane Williams, and band leader and drummer Dave Barbe, “Sittin’ Pretty” plays as a semi-autobiographical anthem, tracing a female rocker’s journey from small-town roots to big-city stages and bright lights. It delivers a confident feminine twist on a historically male-dominated genre, standing as a Six Gun Sally manifesto. Williams’ commanding belt drives it home, countered by background callbacks that frame her dominant performance.
The group bridges nostalgic ’70s rock and modern intensity with serious musicianship. Williams’ powerhouse vocals lead the way, backed by Allen Granus on lead guitar, Jeff Yeckel on lead and rhythm guitar, Dan Rach on keys, Stan Brusoski on bass, Billy G on percussion and drums, and Barbe on percussion and drums. In the vintage vocal lineage of Janis Joplin and Merry Clayton, the track serves fresh fire for anyone with a taste for classic rock ‘n’ roll. It’s a thrilling, full-throttle showcase.
The single arrives right on schedule with the group’s summer plans. “Sittin’ Pretty” is positioned to ignite their shows as support on the double-billed “Double Trouble Double Vision Tour,” headlined by Lynyrd Skynyrd and Foreigner. The 22-date run begins July 17 in West Palm Beach, Florida and wraps August 29 in Rogers, Arkansas.
Six Gun Sally have built a hard-touring reputation, playing nearly 65 dates a year for audiences of all ages with a love for Southern and classic rock in the vein of Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers, and Janis Joplin. The seven-piece released a self-titled debut in 2021 and followed it with March 2025’s ‘Stand Up’, which has amassed over 750K cumulative Spotify streams.
Jazz-Rock Singer-Songwriter Carlotta Schmidt Turns Inward On Sophomore Album ‘Overthinker’
Carlotta Schmidt has made their most personal record yet. The New Jersey-based singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer just released their sophomore album ‘Overthinker’, a self-written and self-produced 10-track set that maps a life in transition. It’s an intimate, ambitious leap that puts Schmidt’s full creative vision on display. The album blends jazz-inspired acoustic rock with emotionally charged storytelling, and it lands as a striking step forward.
The title says plenty about where it came from. “This is an album about thinking. Lots of thinking. Perhaps over-thinking,” Schmidt explains. “My life changed so much between my first and second albums. I came out, I experienced devastating loss, I worked with heroes… everything that was happening was constantly swirling around my head.” The songs move through love, grief, anxiety, longing, identity, and transformation.
Schmidt wrote the whole thing alone over roughly four months, composing on a 1979 Guild D55 acoustic guitar, often in quiet solitude on their bedroom floor. They produced it too, holding tight to a clear vision. “I had a very clear vision in my head for every aspect of the album. I spent hours reworking mixes, arrangements, and every small detail,” they said. “I loved the independence of being my own producer. I found it to be a very empowering and rewarding experience.”
The record draws serious firepower around that vision. Schmidt’s band The Bold features guitarist Mike Flynn, bassist Paul Avrutin, and drummer Lee Finkelstein of the original Blues Brothers Band, joined by guest cellist Dave Eggar (Coldplay, Lady Gaga, Norah Jones) and violinist Lyris Hung (Beyoncé, Quincy Jones, Indigo Girls). Hung’s involvement meant a lot to Schmidt, a longtime admirer of her Indigo Girls work. “I didn’t think she would say yes,” Schmidt shares. “But she did. And working with her was unforgettable.” It’s a richly layered set that rewards close listening.
Several tracks anchor the album’s emotional core. “Let Me Be Me” is an anthem of identity and self-acceptance, its video featuring 67 participants from around the world holding lyric cards in a message of unity and queer visibility. “I Just Want To Talk To You” pays tribute to Schmidt’s late mentor of ten years, the only track to gather the full ensemble of The Bold, Eggar, and Hung. “Oyster and Pearl” pairs lap steel and violin, while “Woman Crush Wednesday” turns up the energy and “Rosalie” marks Schmidt’s first collaboration with Hung.
Schmidt has built real momentum along the way. They’ve played The Bitter End in New York and New Jersey landmarks like The Stone Pony and The Wonder Bar, and shared stages with 11-time Grammy winner Brandi Carlile and jazz trumpeter Jon Faddis. In 2024 they created the Lilith Fair-inspired Fourth Wave Fest, raising thousands for a nonprofit supporting domestic violence survivors, and they’ve since earned an Emerging Artist Grant from the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation and a 2026 Asbury Park Music Awards nomination.
‘Overthinker’ Track Listing:
Since You Never Asked
Woman Crush Wednesday
I Just Want To Talk To You
Let Me Be Me
Oyster and Pearl
Brother
Dream of You
Rosalie
Now I Don’t Miss You Anymore
Two Steps Forward, Twenty Back
Dorothy’s New “Punk Solar System” Print Maps The Ramones And Punk’s Sprawling Universe
Dorothy has charted the entire punk galaxy in a single print. The art studio’s new “Punk Solar System” places punk pioneers the Ramones at its blazing center, their explosive influence radiating out to CBGB contemporaries like Television, Patti Smith, The Heartbreakers, Blondie, and Suicide. From there the map reaches across the world, gathering the British scene (Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Damned, The Slits, Siouxsie and the Banshees), the Manchester and Liverpool clusters sparked by the Pistols’ Lesser Free Trade Hall gig and Eric’s club, Ohio’s proto-punk Rocket from the Tombs and Pere Ubu, Australia’s Saints and Radio Birdman, and a hardcore outer rim of Black Flag, Minor Threat, and Bad Brains. It’s a gorgeous, genre-spanning tribute, printed as a 5-colour litho on 120gsm uncoated art paper at H40 x W50cm.
Video: Korn Hit Their Chaotic Peak At This 2002 New York City Show
Korn brought total madness to midtown Manhattan. In October 2002, the nu-metal legends took over the 3,600-capacity Hammerstein Ballroom in New York with their full classic lineup, Jonathan Davis joined by James “Munky” Shaffer, Brian “Head” Welch, Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu, and David Silveria. The show landed during their Untouchables tour, catching the group at their most aggressive and chaotic peak. Captured professionally and later remastered in 4K HDR10 60fps, the performance is all heavy 7-string riffs, thumping bass, and Silveria’s drum barrage behind Davis’ screaming, emotional outbursts. The crowd went wild through classics and new tracks, the room drenched in early 2000s nu-metal energy, masks, jumps, sweat, and pure adrenaline.