Singer/songwriter Lacey Sturm, most well-known as the vocalist for Flyleaf, is touring this summer in support of her second solo record, Kenotic Metanoia. With support from Islander and Amethyst Michelle, this 15-date run kicks off June 28th in Frenchtown, New Jersey, and wraps July 18th in Birmingham, Alabama. Tickets and VIP are available at laceysturm.com!
Alt-rock veterans Stone Temple Pilots and Live will be sharing the stage this summer for a co-headlining tour! STP is celebrating 30 years of their sophomore album, Purple, and Live is celebrating the same anniversary of their third record, Throwing Copper. With special guests Soul Asylum or Our Lady Peace, The Jubilee Tour starts August 16th in Concord, California. You can get tickets at stonetemplepilots.com or livetheband.com! (Live is also offering VIP packages.)
8/16 – Concord, CA – Toyota Pavilion at Concord*
8/18 – Los Angeles, CA – YouTube Theater*
8/19 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre^
8/22 – The Woodlands, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion^
8/23 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion^
8/24 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP^
8/27 – Pelham, AL – Oak Mountain Amphitheatre^
8/28 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre^
8/30 – Jacksonville, FL – Daily’s Place^
8/31 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre^
9/1 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater^
9/4 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live^
9/5 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center^
9/6 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center^
9/8 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage^
9/10 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center^
9/11 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island^
9/13 – Battle Creek, MI – FIREKEEPERS CASINO^ (New date!)
9/14 – Milwaukee, WI – American Family Insurance Amphitheater^
Electronic/nu metal outfit Powerman 5000 hits the road this summer with support from Sponge, Tantric, and Clozure. The tour kicks off July 2nd in Tempe, Arizona, and winds its way through cities such as Houston, Flint, and Manchester before concluding on July 29th in Parker, Colorado. Tickets are available at powerman5000.com!
7/2 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre
7/3 – Roswell, NM – The Liberty
7/5 – Lubbock, TX – Jake’s Backroom
7/6 – Fort Worth, TX – The Rail Club
7/7 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live Midtown
7/8 – Austin, TX – Come and Take It Live
7/9 – The Colony, TX – Lava Cantina, The Colony
7/11 – McHenry, IL – The Vixen
7/12 – Flint, MI – The Machine Shop
7/13 – Harrison, OH – The Blue Note
7/14 – Lansing, MI – Grewal Hall at 224
7/16 – Liverpool, NY – Sharkey’s Banquets & Events
7/17 – Plattsburgh, NY – Strand Center for the Arts
7/18 – Sanford, ME – Pilots Cove Cafe
7/19 – Hermon, ME – Morgan Hill Event Center
7/20 – Worcester, MA – Palladium
7/21 – Clifton, NJ – Dingbatz
7/23 – Ashland, KY – The Paramount
7/24 – New Berlin, IL – Danenberger Family Vineyards
Switchfoot, Blue October, and Matt Nathanson have announced a co-headlining tour. Each night, the lineup order will change. The “Help From My Friends Summer Tour” kicks off July 24th in Charlotte, North Carolina. You can get tickets at switchfoot.com, blueoctober.com, and mattnathanson.com! Switchfoot and Blue October are also offering VIP meet-and-greets.
7/24 – Charlotte, NC – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
7/25 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater
7/26 – Salem, VA – Salem Civic Center
7/27 – Bethlehem, PA – The Wind Creek Event Center
Til Fauna, an ambient/progressive metal band from Birmingham, Alabama, just dropped their latest single, “Whisper,” on May 31st. The track offers insight into the lore surrounding Til Fauna and the antlered being, Whisper, that is a recurring theme in their imagery.
The three musicians – Vesper (guitar/vocals), Blight (bass/harsh vocals), and Phasmid (drums) – have a connection to the land around them. “Whisper” draws upon the many tales and superstitions linked to the Forests of Appalachia. It is said that you may hear the woods whispering your name, and you are strongly warned against answering.
Til Fauna has a slightly different viewpoint on this. “I wanna know what do they see…” What if the whispers are simply you calling yourself back home to the woods? Rather than being frightened, the band begs the question “Why do you scream my name?/Do I answer?”
Til Fauna utilizes the softer side of themselves to set the atmosphere. Soothing intonations and a melodic rhythm paint the image of a nighttime walk into the forest, though there is a certain eerie edge, the primal sensation of not being alone. “Their eyes watching me closely.” And at the chorus, the track erupts. Our narrator has heard the tantalizing voice. “I hear a whisper!/Louder, why do you scream my name?”
As the song descends back into the calm, there is no sense of fear, only the approach of acceptance. It is clear that there is no reason to heed the warnings, to turn back. The traveler is becoming further ensconced in the forest and with the spirits, but it is welcome. “The silence is gripping me/The forest is slowly digging deep.” With the hit of the second chorus, the band has given us the back-and-forth that echoes the narrator’s struggle: on the verge of seeking the source of those whispers, though still wondering “Do I answer?”
Then, the build of anticipation, the balance on the very edge, before the truth is revealed. “I am the whisper!” Nature plays tricks on us, but those who can truly see are led to something like self-discovery. The blistering breakdown culminates in the total surrender to who our journeyer is. “As I walk, as I fear, I become/I am the whisper.”
“Whisper” is a standout track, showcasing Til Fauna’s ability to be melodic and almost ethereal, as well as hard-hitting and heavy. The song is an adventure to the ears and the mind, a case of lyrics and music woven into a story that climbs to and explodes with its catharsis. I have listened to it several dozen times since its release, and I find something new to focus on with each play-through. Check it out below, or look it up on your favorite streaming service. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Follow Til Fauna on their socials and your chosen streaming platform!
