Song of the Day – Breathing Theory: “Replicas”
Godsmack: Vibez Tour 2024
Hard rockers Godsmack have announced the Vibez Tour, an intimate evening filled with stories and a mix of acoustic and electric performances of the band’s vast catalog. With support from Bastian da Cruz, the tour kicks off February 15th in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and wraps May 5th in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Tickets and VIP are now available at godsmack.com!
- 2/15 – Tulsa, OK – Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa
- 2/17 – Shawnee, OK – Grand Casino Hotel & Resort
- 2/18 – Thackerville, OK – Lucas Oil Live at Winstar World Casino and Resort
- 2/20 – Lubbock, TX – The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences
- 2/22 – Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater
- 2/23 – San Antonio, TX – Majestic Theatre
- 2/24 – Lake Charles, LA – L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles
- 2/27 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
- 2/29 – Huntsville, AL – Mark C. Smith Concert Hall (Von Braun Civic Center)
- 3/1 – Knoxville, TN – Tennessee Theatre
- 3/2 – Louisville, KY – The Louisville Palace
- 3/5 – Charleston, WV – Municipal Auditorium
- 3/6 – Richmond, VA – Altria Theater
- 3/8 – Durham, NC – Durham Performing Arts Center
- 3/9 – Greenville, SC – Peace Concert Hall: Peace Center
- 3/10 – Columbia, SC – Township Auditorium
- 3/13 – Orlando, FL – Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
- 3/15 – Saint Petersburg, FL – Mahaffey Theater
- 3/16 – Miami Beach, FL – The Fillmore Miami Beach
- 4/6 – Scottsdale, AZ – AZ Bike Week*
- 4/9 – Valley Center, CA – Harrah’s Resort Southern California
- 4/10 – Los Angeles, CA – YouTube Theater
- 4/12 – Indio, CA – Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
- 4/13 – Las Vegas, NV – The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
- 4/15 – Denver, CO – Paramount Theatre
- 4/17 – Kansas City, MO – Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland
- 4/19 – Prior Lake, MN – Mystic Lake Casino Hotel
- 4/20 – Gary, IN – Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana
- 4/22 – Madison, WI – Orpheum Theater
- 4/23 – Cincinnati, OH – The Andrew J. Brady Music Center
- 4/25 – Niagara Falls, ON – Fallsview Casino Resort
- 4/26 – Windsor, ON – The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor
- 4/27 – Mount Pleasant, MI – Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort
- 4/30 – Erie, PA – Warner Theatre
- 5/1 – Hershey, PA – Hershey Theatre
- 5/3 – Atlantic City, NJ – Ovation Hall
- 5/4 – Newark, NJ – New Jersey Performing Arts Center
- 5/5 – Oxon Hill, MD – The Theater at MGM National Harbor
* Godsmack only. Full electric show.

Skies of Terra Explore the Intricacies of Despair and Hope in New Single “Trinity”
Skies of Terra is a post-hardcore/prog rock band hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Thus far, they have released a full-length album entitled Lunar and two EPs: The Party is Over and its successor of remixes called The Party Isn’t Over. The band is gearing up to drop its second full-length record later this year, and the first single, “Trinity,” will be available to stream on January 11th.
“Trinity” is an emotional journey from the depths of despair to the hope of finding someone, or something, to lift you out of that black hole. “Watching the sun as it shines/It burns this hole in my eyes,” sings vocalist/instrumentalist Euclides Polanco. “Meteors crashing/Becoming one with the end of the times.” Lyrics that seem to be acceptance of overwhelming darkness quickly switch to a heartfelt desire for the help to rise above it.
“Will you be the one whose hands intertwine with mine?/Whose heart feels the same type of fire as mine?” Polanco questions, a lost soul seeking that which will guide him from his misery. “…I’m looking for the one to catch me as I’m falling away/Catch me now before I break…”
With the play of Polanco’s raging growls and melodic singing, interspersed with vocalist Justin Townsend’s raw screams, Skies of Terra carries the listener from an opening of bleakness and defeat, through cries for help and the longing to meet someone who can save you, or even just battle the demons by your side. The climax comes towards the end of the second verse, when the recurring theme of being thrown a lifeline reaches its most desperate moment. “Save me from myself, I’m falling!” roars Justin, the vulnerable words tinged with frustration and a heart-wrenching need for connection.
The track ends with a final query – “Will you be the one?” – leaving the listener with the aching hope that deliverance will be given, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
If “Trinity” is a sign of things to come, then y’all better hold on tight because 2024 with Skies of Terra is going to be a wild ride! Be sure to presave the song and follow Skies of Terra on their various socials so you never miss an update!
My Top 50 Songs of 2023
I tried to trim my list down to 30, the way I did last year, but it was impossible. For one thing, I started compiling singles for 2023 in January – last year, I got a late start. And for another thing, there have been way too many good songs released over the past twelve months!
So here are my top 50 songs of 2023 (in no particular order). And here is a link to the full playlist!
- Alive in Stone: “Fatboy”
- Katatonia: “Birds”
- Riverside: “Friend or Foe?”
- Animals as Leaders: “Red Miso”
- The Banishment: “Got What You Wanted”
- Lions at the Gate: “The Ledge”
- Fire Follows: “Say Words”
- Deadly Vices: “Notice Me”
- Kissing Candice: “Inveterate”
- Citizen Soldier + Royal Bliss: “Through Hell”
- Black Water Rising: “Hail Mary”
- Welcome Eternity: “Slave to the Crown”
- Moonfall: “Eyelids Closing Shut” (ft. Crystal Joilena)
- DK-Zero: “Nightmare”
- ANOXIA: “Earthbound” (ft. Corey James of Carbonstone)
- Saint Tragedy: “Limbo”
- City and Colour: “F**ked It Up”
- Kamelot: “Eventide”
- Band of Wolves: “On the Wagon”
- Carbonstone: “Damaged Like You”
- Linx: “Crystal Jellyfish”
- Breathing Theory: “The Cure”
- New Medicine: “Past the Past”
- Is MAN KIND: “25 to Life”
- Dark Remedy: “Haunted”
- Seven Year Witch: “Mark Cuban”
- Matt James: “Wait It Out”
- Bent Self: “Sunshine”
- Death Valley Dreams: “Ships in the Night”
- 3 Pill Morning: “Ethereal”
- Of Limbo: “California Demon”
- Stain the Canvas: “friXion”
- Patient Sixty-Seven, VRSTY: “Bad Habit”
- Rose Devika: “slow burn”
- Heartsick, Sapphire Noel: “Sadness”
- Amerakin Overdose: “Disconnect”
- Any Given Sin: “Cold Bones”
- Storm Kingdom: “Empires”
- The Props: “Target Practice”
- The BRKN: “FANGS”
- The Funeral Portrait: “Dark Thoughts”
- Lethal Injektion, Waylon Reavis: “Never Free”
- Divine Shade, Steve Fox-Harris: “Oublier”
- Rikets: “Infected and Controlled”
- Doom Groove Orchestra: “Why”
- Anaria: “Freakshow”
- The Thing With Feathers: “Ready to Burn”
- Silver Bullet Smile: “Man in the Moon”
- 2 Shadows: “Fading From Misery”
- Gears: “My Curse (Mi Maldición)”
Blackberry Smoke: Be Right Here Tour 2024
Blackberry Smoke will be on the road promoting their album, Be Right Here, for much of 2024. The record drops February 16th. The country rockers will be spending time supporting Cody Jinks or Whiskey Myers, but they will also have some headlining dates overseas with special guest The Steel Woods! Tickets (and VIP for some shows) are available at blackberrysmoke.com.
- February 4th through the 10th, Blackberry Smoke will be on the Outlaw Country Cruise, which sets sail from Miami, FL.
- 2/15 – Durham, NC – Durham Performing Arts Center
- 2/16 – Cherokee, NC – Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort
- 2/17 – North Myrtle Beach, SC – House of Blues Myrtle Beach
- 2/18 – Charlotte, NC – Ovens Auditorium
- 2/20 – Charlottesville, VA – The Jefferson Theater
- 2/22 – Indianapolis, IN – Murat Theatre at Old National Centre
- 2/23 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
- 2/24 – Louisville, KY – Louisville Palace Theatre
- 2/29 – Little Rock, AR – The Hall
- 3/1 – Fort Smith, AR – TempleLive
- 3/2 – Springfield, MO – Gillioz Theatre
- 3/7 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
- 3/8 – Beaver Creek, CO – Vilar Performing Arts Center
- 3/9 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater
- 3/14 – West Des Moines, IA – Val Air Ballroom
- 3/15 – Medina, MN – Medina Entertainment Center
- 3/16 – Bowler, WI – North Star Mohican Casino Resort
- 3/19 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre
- 3/21 – Boston, MA – House of Blues Boston
- 3/22 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre
- 3/23 – New Brunswick, NJ – State Theatre New Jersey
- 3/24 – Patchogue, NY – Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts
- 3/27 – Washington, DC – Warner Theatre
- 3/28 – Lancaster, PA – American Music Theatre
- 3/29 – Cleveland, OH – TempleLive at Cleveland Masonic
- 3/30 – Glenside, PA – Keswick Theatre
- 4/5 – Douglas, GA – The Martin Centre
- 4/6 – Douglas, GA – The Martin Centre
- 4/11 – Cedar Rapids, IA – Alliant Energy Powerhouse^
- 4/12 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
- 4/13 – Kalamazoo, MI – Wings Event Center^
- 4/26 – Helotes, TX – Floore’s Country Store
- 4/27 – Baton Rouge, LA – Event Center at L’Auberge Casino & Hotel
- 5/4 – Miramar Beach, FL – Sun, Sand, and Soul Beach Weekend
- 5/9 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall
- 5/10 – Newkirk, OK – First Council Casino
- 5/11 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion^
- 5/16 – Maryville, TN – The Shed
- 5/17 – Maryville, TN – The Shed
- 5/18 – Maryville, TN – The Shed
- 5/24 – Camdenton, MO – Ozarks Amphitheater+
- 5/25 – Beaver Dam, KY – Beaver Dam Amphitheater
- 6/1 – San Diego, CA – The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park^
- 6/2 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre^
- 6/21 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
- 6/22 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
- 6/29 – Augusta, NJ – Rock, Ribs, & Ridges Festival
- 7/18 – Canandaigua, NY – CMAC^
- 9/9 – Glasgow, UK – O2 Academy Glasgow*
- 9/10 – Edinburgh, SCT – O2 Academy Edinburgh*
- 9/12 – Manchester, UK – O2 Apollo Manchester*
- 9/13 – Birmingham, UK – O2 Academy Birmingham*
- 9/14 – London, UK – Eventim Apollo*
- 9/16 – Brussels, BE – Ancienne Belgique*
- 9/17 – Tilburg, NL – 013 Poppodium*
- 9/18 – Hanover, DE – Capitol Hannover*
- 9/20 – Copenhagen, DK – Vega*
- 9/21 – Oslo, NO – Sentrum Scene*
- 9/22 – Stockholm, SE – Annexet*
- 9/24 – Berlin, DE – Columbiahalle*
- 9/25 – Vienna, AT – Gasometer*
- 9/26 – Munich, DE – TonHalle München*
- 9/28 – Paris, FR – L’Olympia*
- 9/29 – Cologne, DE – E-Werk*
- 9/30 – Zürich, CH – Kaufleuten*
- 10/2 – Milan, IT – Alcatraz*
^ Supporting Cody Jinks
+ Supporting Whiskey Myers
* European headlining show with The Steel Woods

Song of the Day – EverFelt: “Reach”
Song of the Day – The Midsummers: “Paper Boy”
Song of the Day – JamSteak: “Humans Are Canceled”
The Mostly Music 2023 Playlist, Pt. 3 (Updated 12/31/23)
And so we’ve come to the end of 2023 and the final update to my playlist. Don’t forget: my top tracks of the year will be posted soon!
You can visit all three parts of The Mostly Music 2023 Playlist – one. two. three.
Below are the songs I’ve added since 12/17. There haven’t been many, but I still wanted to bring them to your attention!