What To Listen To: Their new album, Bones, front to back.
A few years back, one of my best friends sent me the video below and told me that he thinks that I would like this band named Rainbow Kitten Surprise. And man, was he right.
I didn’t listen to them much for the next few years, and then I recently got into them after the release of their most recent album, Bones.
They have become my current favorite band and I can’t stop listening to them.
Review: I was so excited when I saw this show first announced. I have been a fan of Reggie Watts for a few decades now, but have never had the chance to see him live. And the cherries on top: The show was 30 minutes from where I grew up and a hometown rapper I like was opening the show.
The Colonial Theater was has been around for a century and just had a major upgrade. The venue reminded me of some of the venues in Boston like Bosch in Boston. It’s a beautiful older venue covered in gold, long bannisters, and a good view no matter where you are seated.
Adam and the Flood, formerly known as Adeem/Glue, is the newest project by Adam. He is a Keene native who now resides in my hometown. I saw him perform twice years back and he put on such a good, live show. His music is always filled with powerful samples, strong beats, and lyrics that mean something. This new project is fronted by a full band and Adam brought his bassist out for his show at the Colonial. They pushed through ten songs, while Adam talked a little inbetween each about the meaning behind them, the rappers who inspired him, his native roots, being a father. If you get a chance to see them, make it happen!
Setlist for Adam and the Flood:
Time Don’t Last
Bang
Ten Lives
You Don’t know
Hubris
Prey
I Learned Everything from Vonnegut
Trippin Over Nothin
Peace It Together
50 Miles from Home
I have been a fan of Reggie Watts for as long as I can remember. From his Conan appearances, his band leading duty on Comedy Bang Bang, the man has had a long and successful career in music comedy. I did stand up for a decade and occasionally played the piano or guitar and did one-liners and songs. Though I could never do what Reggie did, I remember researching his equipment, his setup, everything. I was so impressed by him.
The German-born, Minnesotan demonstrates his vocals on stage from bass to tenor, that man can hit all notes. Which is no surprise, as he formerly lead bands including the soul/funk Maktub.
On stage, Watts beatboxes, sings, raps, and loops sounds together to create hilariously skilled songs. And the coolest part: No two sets are alike. As in, everything is improvised. You could follow him for a whole tour and every night would be new. Don’t expect to see him and hear a favorite from one of his live recordings or late night appearances. Instead, expect to hear songs about the city he is performing in, songs about the crowd, songs about topical events.
A few years ago, I went to a concert at the Palladium in Massachusetts. It was the Ocean Avenue 20th Anniversary Tour with Yellowcard, Mayday Parade, and Story of the Year. I hadn’t kept up with Story of the Year, but I was excited to hear the songs from their first album. They were much heavier than I remembered, but that’s not a bad thing.
I got tickets for the Scream Team Tour as soon as they were announced because I’ve never really missed seeing Senses Fail. I’ve seen them more than any other band live—probably around 10 or 11 times. Which doesn’t seem like much, especially for a person who is always going to concerts. I’m not like one of those people who has seen Phish 800 times.
Anyway, I got tickets for the show with two friends I grew up with. I go to a lot of these emo shows by myself, which is perfect for the setting, but I was looking forward to going to one with some old friends. That really helps the nostalgia hit even harder during the show.
My friends don’t go to a lot of concerts, and they were really interested in being there for most of the show. They wanted to get the full experience. Normally, between social media stories and Setlist.fm, I can always tell when my band is going on. I usually get there a minute before the first chord is strummed.
I’m glad my friends wanted to go earlier for this one. We got there for the end of Armor for Sleep, and we were able to hear their big song, “Car Underwater.” Story of the Year came out and put on a phenomenal show—a four-piece band full of energy, humor, and musical talent that makes them sound just like listening on streaming. The singer seems like an awesome dude. He engaged a lot with the audience, including a conversation with an 11-year-old in the front whose first concert it was.
Senses Fail also put on a high-energy show. Buddy was fun, personable, and running all over the stage throughout the set. His screaming sounded really great. At one point, he pulled a White Claw out of a drum. That’s not something you see every day!
The cool thing about this tour is that Senses Fail is never playing the same set twice. Whatever they played last night, don’t expect it the night you see them. They play a lot of the same songs in different orders and throw in some rarities.
I got to hear two of my absolute favorites: “You’re Cute When You Scream” and “187.” They aren’t playing the latter every night, so I was very excited that we got to hear that one.
Review: For some reason, I didn’t get into Hot Mulligan until this last year. I had seen the name a bunch, but never got around to listening to them. Man, have I been missing out. This band is fun, funny, and insanely talented. They make some great Midwest emo music.
As soon as I saw them announce their US tour, I bought a ticket. I actually almost went to Mexico City back at the start of the year just to see them!
I love so much about this band. The name of their songs is hilarious. Some titles include, “Featuring Mark Hoppus,” “Shhh! Golf is On,” and “I Fell in Love With Princess Peach.” And their latest album, “The Sound a Body Makes While Still,” has a track called “Monica Lewinskibidi.” Which happens to be one of my favorites off of the album. The ending chorus is beautiful,
“It’s 5 AM in Tokyo, and half a world away.
I’m sitting in a parking lot, you’re laying in your grave.
And now I am afraid of you, to know that it’s all done.
I didn’t try hard enough to be a proper son.
Please wake up. Please wake up.”
I almost feel like they should name their songs more seriously because they are so talented, but it clearly shows who they are. Talented musicians with heavy lyrics who know how to still have a good time.
The show was nostalgic from when you first walk in. I haven’t been listening to them since I was younger, b the genre – I sure have been. I made my way to merch first and saw and purchased a tech deck that Hot Mulligan had for sale. They also have a shirt that is a play off of AOL messenger. And Arm’s Length, another band that played that night, had a Tomogotchi.
The visuals behind Hot Mulligan were super cool. They remind me very much of the animations from back in the days of AOL. Which I’m sure is exactly what they were going for. The visuals lined up to each song. One had an armadillo, another had a golf ball, another had to do with travel.
The singer is very fun and funny. Occasionally, making observations about the crowd, the visuals behind him, people crowd, surfing, even after a song has ended.
I have zero complaints about the night, except for one major complaint: They didn’t play “End Eric Sparrow and the Life of Him.”
Review: I’ve been a big fan of Doechii ever since I saw her perform on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. She performed two songs with backup dancers, and the entire choreography and production were fantastic. It truly felt like a new artist was emerging—one unlike anyone we’d seen before. Fast-forward to her Grammy performance, and I knew she was someone I needed to see live.
If you’re a Verizon member, you might already know about their perks program. Last year, I actually won a $200 Ticketmaster gift card through it. They also offer smaller rewards, like $15 Fandango gift cards for seeing movies in theaters or at home, and occasionally, free tickets to concerts and sporting events. I’ve never been fast enough to claim one of those before—but when I saw Doechii tickets, I didn’t hesitate.
Her current Live From the Swamp Tour is hitting venues with capacities between 3,000 and 10,000, making for the perfect semi-intimate setting for an artist who belongs on massive stages. And honestly, after seeing her live, I’m convinced that the next time she tours, she’ll be selling out arenas.
The Venue & Opener
I caught her show at MGM Music Hall at Fenway in Boston—a fairly new venue and one of my favorites. I’ve been to plenty of shows there, usually on the GA floor. It’s easy to move around, there’s a huge horseshoe-shaped bar, and the downstairs bathrooms are a well-kept secret (until now).
When I arrived, Kal Banx was opening. Later in the night, during Doechii’s set, she brought out a birthday cake for him, had the crowd sing, and thanked him for his production work on her music. That moment stood out—it showed how humble and genuine she is, despite her rising success.
The Performance
Doechii didn’t speak much during her set, but when she did, she explained why—she had to get through nearly 30 songs. Still, the few times she paused, she made sure to thank the crowd and express how grateful she was for her fans and the energy in the room.
Her DJ, Miss Milan, brought nonstop energy, alternating between spinning tracks from the back and joining Doechii front-and-center. Adding to the magic, Doechii’s twin sisters served as her backup dancers, turning the show into a full-on family affair. Their parents must be incredibly proud.
The Stage & Setlist
The stage setup was one of the most creative I’ve seen: two massive speakers framing a pair of doors that opened and closed to introduce new songs. Above was a platform for choreography, and to top it off, there were two slides down the sides of the stage. Doechii actually got stuck on one of them mid-set—but she laughed it off and kept performing, showing that she’s down-to-earth and just there to have fun.
The setlist included favorites like “Nissan Altima,” “Denial Is a River,” and “Anxiety,” which absolutely blew me away live. The song’s familiar Gotye sample hit even harder with the addition of heavy rock guitars—and honestly, the entire show felt like a rock concert: loud, bold, and completely in your face.
While Doechii’s previous tour had a swamp theme, this one is built around a school concept, complete with choreographed moving school desks. It was a creative and unexpected twist that perfectly matched her brand of controlled chaos.
Final Thoughts
Make it a mission to see Doechii on this tour. The whole show was incredible—entertaining, original, energetic, and overflowing with talent. She’s a true performer, and watching her live feels like witnessing the future of pop, rap, and R&B all rolled into one.
October 14, 2025 – Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
October 17, 2025 – Toronto, ON – Coca-Cola Coliseum
October 19, 2025 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
October 20, 2025 – New York, NY – The Theater at Madison Square Garden
October 21, 2025 – Washington, DC – The Anthem
October 23, 2025 – Charlotte, NC – Bojangles Coliseum
October 25, 2025 – Tampa, FL – Yuengling Center October 27, 2025 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy October 29, 2025 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
October 31, 2025 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall November 3, 2025 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
November 5, 2025 – San Diego, CA – Gallagher Square (Petco Park area)
November 7, 2025 – San Francisco, CA – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
Review: Last year, I saw The Wailers play at a driving range in New Hampshire and this year I got to see Ziggy Marley. That’s pretty cool.
I won these tickets through Audacy and was excited to take my dad, who saw Bob Marley back in the day and is a big fan of reggae.
Leader Bank is a great outdoor venue. They have plenty of food and drink options. Merch lines are always quick and efficient. The bathrooms are nice and clean and you don’t usually have to wait long. And you are as on the water in Boston as you can possibly get.
Burning Spear, a legend in the reggae scene, opened the show. For a man in his 80s, he still has got it.
Ziggy played a plentiful set of both Bob Marley covers and his own originals. The crowd was dancing and singing a long the whole night.
Images: The venue doesn’t allow any pictures or videos, which is pretty awesome. It makes for a much more intimate show. See if you can find some on any of the accounts below.
Follow TCAN for images from the show and upcoming shows
I got my girlfriend and I tickets to see Ben Rector for our anniversary. We are both a big fan and he makes sappy love songs.
Ben Rector put on a phenomenal show. Playing everything you would want him to. Some songs from the new album and all of the hits from the previous ones. He played my favorite song, “Old Friends” second.
Every song felt like an encore. It wasn’t a showy type of concert. No screen with videos were needed. The five piece band played so well together and Ben didn’t something that I really appreciated. He introduced his band before a new song started. He said his band was much funnier and talented than him and introducing them during a song wasn’t enough.
Ben Rector was very modest and very fun. He talked with the audience about his days in Boston and shared his golf scores with the crowd. He played some songs with just one other band member as they were very intimate.
Review: I got into BilMuri within the past year. I had heard the name in the scene, but just never heard him. Once I did, there was no going back.
I love innovative music. I love genre bending music. And he is those things. Emo, country, hardcore, it’s all of those and more.
American Motor Sports has got to be one of my favorite albums. It’s one of those albums where you can’t skip one track.
Bilmuri, well Johnny Franck and his band are absolute powerhouses. At another concert recently, I was talking about how much I love a band that has one guitarist, one bass, one drummer, a singer. Maybe the singer does a little guitar. Look at Blink-182, Alkaline Trio – they are just a band of three with no bells and whistles because they don’t need them. They even tour just the three of them.
Well, BilMuri live impressed the hell out of me. Johnny on vocals and occasional guitar, Gabi on saxophone, flute and background vocals, Reese Maslen on guitar and screaming vocals, and Xavier Ware rocking the hell out of the drums.
There are a few songs that really showcase the talent of each member of the band where they get a chance to shine.
