music news Archives | MendoWerks

26Jan

By SimonNo Comments

Features, Music

MendoWerks Goes Live on WKZE 98.1 for Bob Weir Tribute Broadcast

The MendoWerks team joined WKZE 98.1 for a live on-air tribute honoring the life and musical legacy of Bob Weir, airing over multiple segments as part of the station’s memorial programming. The broadcast featured John Barry and Andrew Eisner of MendoWerks, hosted by WKZE co-owner Andy Gladding. Together, the group explored Weir’s influence on American music, live performance culture, and generations of listeners, blending conversation with curated selections spanning the Grateful Dead catalog and related artists. Exploring Bob Weir’s Influence During the broadcast, Barry discussed MendoWerks’ recent deep dive into cover songs, specifically reinterpretations that radically depart from their originals, highlighting how the Grateful Dead’s open-ended approach to music continues to in...

20 Years Later: Matchbook Romance Release “Something Worse Than the Night”

16Jan

By mendowerksNo Comments

Music

20 Years Later: Matchbook Romance Release “Something Worse Than the Night”

More than 20 years after helping define an era of emotional, melody-driven post-hardcore, Matchbook Romance are opening the vault (and the next chapter) with the release of a powerful new song, Something Worse Than the Night. The story behind the track stretches back to the fall of 2005, when the band packed up and headed to Long View Farm Studios in rural Massachusetts to begin work on their second full-length album, Voices. With producer John Goodmanson guiding the sessions, Matchbook Romance spent a month living and recording together in an old barn surrounded by woods, isolation, and inspiration. Songs emerged organically, born from soundchecks, long drives, and cramped practice spaces on both coasts, slowly transforming from scattered ideas into something cohesive and deeply person...

Phish: Page McConnell Offers Revealing Insight on New Album, in GQ Article

5Oct

By John BarryNo Comments

Features, Interviews, Reviews

Phish: Page McConnell Offers Revealing Insight on New Album, in GQ Article

The Something Will Land album cover/Image courtesy of Big Hassle An anchor of the Vermont jamband Phish, but at times more a member of the four-piece school than a breaching dolphin, keyboard player Page McConnell is playing a new tune at the moment and has got plenty to say. McConnell has released his latest album, Something Will Land, and is the focus of a GQ article by Grayson Haver Currin. The album, according to a press release, is “An exquisite space of ambient afterglow…Something Will Land feels as if Page McConnell simply slipped behind his instruments and waited to get lost, arriving at a place for settling in amid all the world’s ever-increasing entropy.” McConnell launched into work on Something Will Land in the wake of his last album, Maybe We’re The Visitors. He ...

Lawrence Fall Tour Details—Revisit Their MendoWerks Interview

4Oct

By SimonNo Comments

Features, Interviews

Lawrence Fall Tour Details—Revisit Their MendoWerks Interview

After wrapping a string of high-energy shows supporting Lake Street Dive, Lawrence is ready to reclaim center stage. The soulful sibling-led collective is hitting the road this fall for a full headlining run in support of their breakout album Family Business, released last summer on Jon Bellion’s Beautiful Minds label. Beautiful Mind Records Known for their explosive live performances and tight eight-piece band, Lawrence has built a reputation for turning every show into a communal celebration. With Family Business—an album full of infectious hooks, emotional harmonies, and horn-driven grooves—the group continues to prove why they’re one of the most exciting live acts in modern pop-soul. Fall Tour The upcoming Family Business Tour kicks off on October 8 in Providence, RI, and w...

Will Bonnaroo Return To Its Former Glory In 2026?

26Sep

By SimonNo Comments

Events, Features

Will Bonnaroo Return To Its Former Glory In 2026?

The iconic Bonnaroo has had its share of challenges in recent years. The question is, after a weather-related cancellation this year, will the modifications they put in place be enough to turn the ship around? We'll cover some of the changes and why we're optimistic about the future of the festival. Bonnaroo 2024 - Credit Taylor Regulski Bonnaroo has always been more than just a music festival—it’s a rite of passage. Since its launch in 2002, when a sprawling Tennessee farm became a temporary utopia of jam bands, late-night grooves, and camping camaraderie, “the Roo” has carved out its own identity in the crowded American festival landscape. Where other events feel like a weekend getaway, Bonnaroo feels like a world you live in, with 24/7 stages, comedy clubs, cinema tents, and stra...

Progressive Rock Veterans ‘3’ Return for Special Hometown Performance

19Aug

By SimonNo Comments

Features, Music

Progressive Rock Veterans ‘3’ Return for Special Hometown Performance

Joey Eppard of '3' - Photo credit: Neil Segal Kingston’s own progressive rock band '3' will reunite for a special hometown performance at Keegan Ales on Saturday, August 23rd at 7 p.m. Formed in the early 1990s, the band quickly rose from local stages to international recognition, earning a spot on the main stage at Woodstock ’94 before signing record deals with Universal, Planet Noise, and Metal Blade Records. Over the years, 'the band '3' built a reputation as a must-see live act, touring across the U.S., Europe, Australia, and Japan while sharing stages with acts as varied as Dream Theater, Opeth, Coheed and Cambria, Porcupine Tree, Heart, and Scorpions. A New Beginning... Known for their uncompromising musicianship and fiercely loyal fanbase, the talented outfit last toured...

Of Monsters and Men Return with ‘Ordinary People’ After Years of Silence

7Aug

By SimonNo Comments

Features, Music

Of Monsters and Men Return with ‘Ordinary People’ After Years of Silence

Of Monsters and Men have officially returned, breaking a years-long silence with the release of their new single, “Ordinary Creature.” It’s a gentle, introspective track shaped by late-night studio sessions in Iceland, where the band recorded and produced it themselves. The result is a dreamy meditation on healing, presence, and rediscovery—delivering the kind of emotional nuance fans have come to expect from the Icelandic indie-folk mainstays. “Ordinary Creature is about the feeling of yearning for that someone that brings you comfort,” the band shared. “It’s about when you start feeling better after a period of not feeling so great—that moment when you start coming back to yourself again.” Music Video The song arrives with a cinematic music video directed by Erlendur Sveinsson. ...

Lost MGMT Performance from 2003 Resurfaces on YouTube

14Dec

By SimonNo Comments

Music

Lost MGMT Performance from 2003 Resurfaces on YouTube

If you’ve ever wondered what MGMT sounded like before they blew up with 'Kids', here’s your chance to time travel. A five-part video series has been uploaded to YouTube by user Rad Scientist, and it’s pure indie gold. This footage takes us all the way back to 2003 (or maybe 2004, the uploader’s not 100% sure), capturing the band in their raw, pre-global fame glory. According to Rad Scientist, “Recently found some footage on an old drive I thought was gone forever. This was from either 2003 or 2004. Jamming on the balcony of the Wesleyan Wesco dorms up one. Part of a concert series on 4/20 called Zonker Harris Day.” Yup, Zonker Harris Day. The dorm concerts, the 4/20 vibes, and that unmistakable “just figuring things out” energy are all here. It’s like peeking into a college scrapboo...

John Conlin Drops Heart-Wrenching Dance-Pop Anthem “Kissing Other Girls”

13Sep

By SimonNo Comments

Features, Music

John Conlin Drops Heart-Wrenching Dance-Pop Anthem “Kissing Other Girls”

In the ever-evolving landscape of dance-pop, John Conlin stands out as an artist whose honesty and emotional depth infuse every beat with meaning. Hailing from Toronto, Canada, and now based in Los Angeles, Conlin has a unique ability to pair infectious melodies with raw, introspective lyrics. He’s the kind of artist who can make you dance and cry at the same time—and that’s precisely what he’s achieved with his latest single, “Kissing Other Girls,” set to drop on September 13, 2024. Conlin’s musical journey began early. At just four years old, he was already experimenting with the piano, and it didn’t take long before he started to compose his own music. Teaching himself production on a laptop, he quickly developed an ear for crafting the kind of hooks that stick with you long after th...

The Animal Instinct Tour: Pop Evil & Bad Wolves

1Sep

By CJNo Comments

Events, Features

The Animal Instinct Tour: Pop Evil & Bad Wolves

Coming soon, to a venue near you: Pop Evil and Bad Wolves are hitting the road together later this Fall for a co-headline tour. With two great supporting acts, Sierra Pilot and Oni, this is promising to be a tour to remember for modern rock fans. Pop Evil & Bad Wolves: Fall 2024 Tour Dates The tour kicks off on October 30th in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and wraps up a month later in Lexington, Kentucky. Speaking on the tour, Pop Evil singer Leigh Kakaty shared, "We are stoked to announce 'The Animal Instinct Tour' with our friends in Bad Wolves. This tour will be full of high energy and radio hits from start to finish. We can't wait to see you all out there!" "It's difficult to express how excited I am to get back on the road again with the boys," shares Bad Wolves gui...