In the first single off of their brand new album, Villians, “The Way You Used to Do,” Queens of the Stone Age implores “Just come and love me how // Like the way you used to do.” From the near sellout crowd on a wet, chilly Tuesday night outdoors at Express Live, it was clear that Columbus loves Queens of the Stone Age just as much as they ever have. Fans lined up well before doors opened, standing in the pouring rain to ensure their prime viewing position in the pit, and man

J. Roddy Walston and the Business were the perfect band to headline the second edition of the CD102.5 and PromoWest “Trust Us” Series. If you’ve never seen J. Roddy live, his shows are just insanely fun, as he and the band put everything they’ve got into their shows, and it’s frankly a mystery how J. Roddy’s piano survives the pounding it takes each night. So, for a mystery headliner, where not everyone in the crowd may have been familiar with J. Roddy’s music, the atmosphere

Sunday night started with torrential rain, lightning, and thunder, but the weather could not dampen the enthusiasm of Columbus for the dose of '90s rock they were about to receive. To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of So Much for the Afterglow, Everclear took the stage and kicked off their set by playing the first six songs from album, from the opening title track down to “One Hit Wonder.” Everclear frontman, Art Alexakis dedicated “One Hit Wonder” to all of those people who

It was a chilly Sunday night in Columbus, but the Pixies provided all of the heat necessary at Express LIVE! to warm up the crowd. Coming out to a dimly lit stage, the band started the show with David Lovering providing a steady beat on the drums and Paz Lenchantin playing a driving bass line, before Joey Santiago began adding in faint strains of melody on guitar, and then with Black Francis bringing the slow buildup to a close by launching into “Gouge Away,” from 1989’s Doo

An outdoor concert in Ohio is always a bit of a risky proposition, even during the summer months, and Friday night at Express LIVE!, the xx brought some of the finest English weather with them to Columbus, but the gamble was still worth it. The temperature was a balmy 40 degrees and the ever-present light mist throughout the evening served as a reminder that things could always get worse. At least is wasn’t freezing, right? Despite the miserable conditions, the xx gave those

Outdoor concert season in Columbus kicked off in style last night at Express LIVE! with headliners Two Door Cinema Club. Coming off of a performance at Coachella last weekend, the indie-pop rockers from Northern Ireland came out amid an impressive light display, and launched immediately into “Cigarettes in the Theatre,” the opening track from their debut album Tourist History. The band moved on to three more songs upbeat songs from Tourist History, “Undercover Martyn,” “Do Yo

Another Saturday, and another epic CD102.5 Day show at EXPRESS LIVE!. Like Side A last weekend, Side B also featured five bands, with Local Natives (pictured above) headlining this week, along with Run River North, Deap Vally, The Regrettes, and Zoo Trippin’. Columbus band, Zoo Trippin’ (pictured left), kicked off the night with an inspired performance of their blues/funk style rock. Singer Tony Casa jumped and danced all over the stage, even jumping down into the pit, and wa

Columbus’ locally owned and operated alternative rock station, CD102.5, know’s how to throw a party its listeners will love. Every CD102.5 Day, Holiday Show, Summerfest, and Fallfest are filled with alt-rock mainstays and great up and coming acts. This Saturday’s CD102.5 Day Side A at EXPRESS LIVE!, was no exception, with headliners Cold War Kids (pictured above), along with The Shelters, Mondo Cozmo, Hembree, and local band, Personal Public. Each of these bands are have been

Wow, 2016 was a great year for concerts! I set a personal record this year as I went to 43 separate shows, including seven CD102.5 Big Room performances, seeing a total of 88 different bands along the way (some of them multiple times). Below, I’ve listed my favorite headliners, and, because I’m someone who always gets to shows earlier to see the opener, I’ve also listed a few of those that really impressed me. My favorite headlining shows were: 1. Green Day (September 26, New