By Maddy Yen

After looking at the discography of music from my 2023 Spotify Wrapped — I began to see a pattern. A lot of the artists happened to be Irish. From solo artists to bands, there is a draw that Irish musicians have, many with their unique sound of Celtic Rock. This genre began in the 1970s, blending traditional Irish music and hard rock. According to Irish Rockers, Irish music emerged with Showbands, performers who played American and British hits at dance halls and clubs. Van Morrison got his start in a Showband in the ‘60s, reaching international success with the group “Them.” Subsequently, Morrison embarked on his solo career in New York with “Brown Eyed Girl” reaching the 10th spot on the charts for 16 weeks, still being his most well-known song. His ‘Celtic Soul’ songs were something…

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By Samantha Lozano

Lester Bangs, William Miller, and Penny Lane are names that resonate deeply with those immersed in the world of rock and roll. An ode to director Cameron Crowe's personal journey, “Almost Famous” pays homage to his time as a 16-year-old writing for Rolling Stone and following Led Zeppelin on tour. This cinematic masterpiece unfolds the story of William Miller, a determined journalist whose love for music and writing leads him to sidestep the conventional teenage path, opting instead to tour with the rock band Stillwater after a backstage encounter. 

“Rockstars have kidnapped my son!” Miller's mother exclaims to her class, encapsulating the film's essence. “Almost Famous” seamlessly merges the realms of music lovers and musicians, capturing an era where interacting with artists was arguably more accessible than ever before. In a memorable scene, the lead singer goes to a local house party in one of the tour cities — prompting the audience to…

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By Maddy Yen

This Indie surf rock playlist combines all my favorite things: surf rock, indie rock, and garage rock. What could be better? My best friend and I bond over anything indie surf-related, and it inspired me to make the ultimate playlist. It includes the classic artists who paved the way, The Beach Boys, The Strokes, and The Chantays, mixed with the new wave (pun intended) of my favorite bands like The Happy Return, Sun Room, and Skegss. 

“Wipe Out” - The Surfaris

Starting with a song that started the craze, released in 1963, “Wipe Out” became a surf rock anthem — covered by many other artists. This instrumental surf tune is one of my favorites, encapsulating the frenzy of surfing in Southern California. 

“Blue” - The Happy Return

Speaking of Southern California, one of my favorite bands, “The Happy Return,” is an Indie Alternative Rock 4-piece with a beachy…

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By Savannah Brown

If I had even less of a life than I do now, I would sit down and write a comprehensive history of Fleetwood Mac, complete with hundreds of essays featuring my own takes, ponderances, and obsessions over this 70s Leviathan. I would spend years writing about how a band with three lead singers was able to conquer the charts, with some of the most beautiful music, influential band members, and craziest stories the industry had ever seen. Fleetwood Mac is not only one of my favorite bands musically, but one of the bands that I find to be the most fascinating in every way, and I mean this beyond just the messy, dramatic, cocaine-fueled fighting that they’re so infamous for.  

Even still, that’s what I’m focusing on right now because I’ll be darned if this low-hanging fruit isn’t the juiciest.  

“Silver Springs” was released as a B-Side to the “Rumours” album single “Go Your Own Way” in 1977. In…

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By Jack Skidmore

Deliberate deviation from your comfort zone is key to an enriching musical experience — some of my favorite memories of music result from following this type of ideology. After attending my first rave over New Year's, I have grown an appreciation for an entirely new genre and community. The two-day Decadence EDM festival in Phoenix, Arizona, was part of my close friend Braeson Worcester’s birthday celebration. In the spirit of this occasion, Kim and Andy Worcester, Braeson’s parents, were eager to tag along with us at the festival. While everyone’s experience was subjective, it was exciting to witness collectively positive experiences from the festival from a variety of age groups. 

Although this was my first time experiencing electronic music on a massive scale, the genre itself is something I have been surrounded by in college. It is a defining sound of much of our generation’s social scene, and for many, a…

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By Paige Rodriguez

Trigger Warning: This story discusses sexual assault. 

Anger is not at the top of the list when people think of the word femininity. Its expressive quality is usually linked to men and the ‘violent nature’ of masculinity. The stereotype of masculine and feminine traits is problematic all on its own, and it is just as troublesome when we find it in music. Anger is an emotion felt by everyone, regardless of their gender. However, for women, demonstrating it in their music has become a tool for free expression. 

In a patriarchy, women are taught to take up as little space as possible, which includes how they display emotion. In the journal article “Women’s Anger and Feminist Therapy” by Karen Mueller and Margie Whittaker Leidig, they pinpoint why women are hesitant to display anger. According to Mueller and Leidig, “…

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By Jack Skidmore

Oregon-based musician Henry Ivie-Gardner crafted his style from the sounds that surrounded him. This led him to develop a creative direction focused on jazz performances and production. Recently, Ivie-Gardner has grown his skill to deliver awe-inspiring shows equipped with a multitude of improvisations. 

Reflecting on his musical background, Ivie-Gardner said, “I started playing music when I was really young. I was about four or five when I started playing the guitar because of my dad.” Even after playing brass instruments in high school, Ivie-Gardner has consistently gravitated towards guitar. Practicing this instrument and the influences within his high school band provided a trajectory for Ivie-Gardner. He is now enrolled in the University of Oregon’s jazz music program. “Friends that I had in high school were interested in jazz and they showed me a lot of music that I wouldn't have been exposed to and got super into it,” said Ivie-Gardner.…

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By: Sadie Tresnit

When did you last experience the joy of something homemade? For me, that moment was weeks ago with the release of “vera” on Bandcamp. This first album by my favorite boxer, an alias of my friend Sam Smith, draws inspiration from some of my favorite bands. Impressively, it was recorded and released wholly independently. Holding the limited-edition cassette (one of twenty-six!) in my hand is a nice reminder that truly indie music still exists. Since I first opened the package, the album has been on repeat in my room. Naturally, I sat down with the genius behind the music to ask a few questions about its background, inspirations, and production.

The eight-track album, released on September 24, is comprised of charmingly lo-fi pop music perfect for a rainy day. Bands like Of Montreal, Neutral Milk Hotel, and the Olivia Tremor Control, all of whom started out…

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By Maddy Yen

I followed my favorite band, Sun Room, down the West Coast, seeing them three times on their headline tour. A surf and garage rock band out of San Diego, Sun Room is now a three-piece ensemble with Luke Asgian (singer and rhythm guitar), Max Pinamonti (bass), and Ashton Minnich (guitar) — with Thomas Rhodes playing drums on this tour. Last year they played 115 shows in 24 countries having opened for Louis Tomlinson and Inhaler. After discovering them in early 2022, I have followed their journey since — seeing them all along the West Coast. Sun Room is wrapping up their final headline tour of the year where I saw them in Portland, Oregon, then San Francisco and Santa Cruz, California. During my 3 nights watching Sun Room, the atmosphere, crowd, and venues differed, so here is how every night went.

Portland,…

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By Sadie Tresnit

All around me, people jumped up and down without stopping. A sea of Doc Martens surrounded me on all fronts. The bass thundered up through my feet, rattling my spine. Through it all, I was having the best time of my life. On Wednesday the 8th, Built to Spill played at WOW Hall and rocked my world.

I saw Built to Spill at the same venue last November — back when I didn’t know anything about them. The concert came up in one of my many music conversations with my dad and he convinced me that I should go. I walked in with no expectations and came away with my mind blown. Somehow, I made my way up to the second row where I could see everything the band was doing up close and I walked away obsessed with their bass player, Melanie Radford. I was new to playing bass at the time and she was a major inspiration for me.

Naturally, I was beyond excited to get there this year. Like I do for any major life event, I got there way too early. The doors opened at 7…

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