The Chronicles of Michael Christopher
Music • Culture • Film • Travel • Photography • Vinyl
Music festivals have become the epitome of the clichés “dime a dozen” and “here today, gone tomorrow.” That appeared to be the case with In Between Days, which debuted last summer in Quincy, Mass., less than 10 miles south of Boston. Despite a single day, semi-solid indie bill, headed up by Manchester Orchestra and seven... Continue Reading →
Australian indie outfit Middle Kids have been a group I first dialed into back in 2016 when I was eyeing up bands to catch at that year's Iceland Airwaves music festival. Their song "Edge of Town" grabbed me instantly, and I couldn't wait to see and interview them in the 101. Unfortunately, life had a... Continue Reading →
There was always something deeper going on under the surface with Sinéad O’Connor. From the moment she burst into the mainstream with the worldwide smash single “Nothing Compares 2 U,” the Irish singer-songwriter was both a curiosity and lightning rod for controversy. When news spread of O’Connor’s death at the age of just 56 years... Continue Reading →
I'd been warned that Andy Summers doesn't suffer fools during interviews. And at 80 years of age - along with having to deal with Sting all those years - it's not exactly unexpected that he'd be a crotchety old man these days. Thankfully, the ex-Police guitarist and I got along like bank robbers when I... Continue Reading →
There’s a bit of a misconception when one hears the words “jazz” and “festival” placed next to one another. It conjures up images for some of smoky nightclubs and endless improvisation by highly trained musicians. Kicking off this Thursday (June 29), just north of the Canadian border in the most populated city in the province... Continue Reading →
I've been trying to nail down Glen Phillips for a Vanyaland 617 Q&A for a bit now. Whether it was on one of his solo runs or with his primary outfit, Toad the Wet Sprocket, there was some things I wanted to ask him about. During our chat ahead of the Toad show in Boston... Continue Reading →
Rarely is it an easy road treading the same ground as a parent in music, but perhaps never more so when your father was the frontman for a legendary band that also experienced more than its fair share of drama. Still, Andrew Hagar is intent on pursuing the dream as a singer and musician, following in the... Continue Reading →
It’s hard to believe Boston Calling celebrated its 10th anniversary this past weekend, and that’s more a comment of how long it’s lasted than how quickly time flies. But the three-day music festival, which got it’s start as a two-day event in the heart of downtown at City Hall Plaza, has made all the right... Continue Reading →
Many years ago, while in the Finnish gothic rock band HIM, Ville Valo coined the term "love metal" to describe the type of music he made. And while that band may have said goodbye in 2017, Valo is still waving the genre's flag on his first solo full-length, Neon Noir. Recently he and I sat... Continue Reading →
Foo Fighters returned to the big stage last night with a headlining slot at Boston Calling, a gig three years in the making. Delayed twice; first by the pandemic and then the tragic passing of drummer Taylor Hawkins, the loss of the latter hung in the air all night long, with frontman Dave Grohl doing... Continue Reading →
The Chronicles of Michael Christopher 