IDLES played the PNE Forum two nights in a row, closing out their Vancouver stay to a sold out room. Joe Talbot’s sincerity rang loudly throughout the set, melting into the audience where you could see hugs being shared, helping hands lifting people back on their feet from moshing and dancing, and unity during shouts of “Free Palestine”. IDLES is a shining example of pushing a revolution via the stage and the power of solidarity through music.

In 2010 the 4 piece alternative indie pop rock band “Chastity Belt” was formed in Walla Walla, Washington consisting of Julia Shapiro, Lydia Lund, Annie Truscott, and Gretchen Grimm. The band’s witty, thought provoking, feminist approach to music confronts and challenges feminine stereotypes and patriarchal tradition in a semi-satirical manner that exposes and points out the idiocy/stupidity of society's rigid, out-dated gender roles, standards and expectations. Over a decade deep into the band’s existence it has become apparent that they have found a way to successfully maneuver and operate in the modern music industry doing it their own way without having to compromise their artistic vision or take themselves too seriously. Chastity Belt’s new album “Live, Laugh, Love” is a testament to the idea that music can be fun and enjoyable while still exhibiting intelligent self-awareness as well as the ability to honestly express ideas and emotions that resonate and move the listener making them both think and feel. 

As we inch closer to the conclusion of this year’s SXSW, the start of the weekend was busier than ever with a range of ripping showcases. With most of the unofficial showcases having stacked bills due to numerous bands dropping out of the official lineup, we were bound to hear music that was sweet for our ears no matter where we ventured. Here are a few of the best things we saw on Friday at SXSW.

Easing into day three, we went from rock show to dance party back to experimental/industrial hip hop. The multidisciplinary nature of SXSW keeps things interesting and it’s been exciting to hear a vast array of acts who are all uniquely changing the genre boundaries. Whether it’s larger-than-life saxophone group O. or new up-and-coming acts like FCUKERS, we are excited to put a few on your radar. Read on to hear a few of REVERIE’s favourites.

Today was a longer stretch for REVERIE from panels to unofficial showcases to a late night stint at the Elysium for the Italians Do It Better showcase. Don’t worry, we made sure to grab a few bites and stay hydrated in between, but the schedules were picking up speed and we tried our best to stay on top of the action.

During the week of SXSW there are ample of unofficial parties taking place across town and leading the charge for 3 days of showcasing was Springbreak Boogie at Hotel Vegas. With bands spread across two stages - one outside and another smaller club-sized stage indoors - it was a day for the punks to get out their rebel yell.

REVERIE has finally landed in Austin and after 16+ hours of flight delays, that wasn’t going to stop us from hitting the ground running at SXSW. Despite the amount of bands dropping out of the official lineup in protest, there’s still music to be heard, on-stage activism to support, and unofficial showcases that continue to blow our minds. While the energy is undoubtedly off with the news the the US Military is a head partner of SXSW, it has ignited powerful conversations on and off the stage - adding to the bustling vibrancy from the bands, artists, and listener’s who occupy the space. What’s sure to be an interesting week, we started off with a face-melting Mothland x M for Montreal showcase and ended the night at Mohawk Outdoor with Peppermint Patti, Bootsy Collins, and the ruler himself Slick Rick. Read on to hear more.

Mary Timony is a lifer. Since 1990, Timony has fronted multiple bands, starting with Autoclave, a foundational band in the Riot grrrl scene, moving onto to Helium (an influential band in their own right), the 2010s supergroup Wild Flag (whose self-titled album is one of the most perfect albums of the 2010s, a one-and-done-drop-the-mic masterpiece), and currently the great band Ex Hex.

In a short period of time, Timony lost her mom and dad, and oh yeah, also suffered the end of a long-time relationship. The issues of the music business sure seem secondary in the midst of losing the most important people in your life, and that’s what her latest album, Untame the Tiger, is all about.

Calgary Folk Festival brought their 2024 instalment of Block Heater back to the city, welcoming an otherworldly lineup of acts from Nico Paulo to Cat Clyde over the course of three days. The Palace Theatre showcase kicked off the weekend on Friday with prairie rockers Kue Varo and the Only Hopes, Daneil Romano’s Outfit, and The Devil Makes Three.

Obroa-Skai are a screamo, noise band from Edmonton, Alberta, where they celebrated the release of their newest album, Science Progresses One Funeral At A Time, before hitting the road to Calgary to bring their sonic revolution to Modern Love.

Chelsea Wolfe’s anticipated 2024 release and seventh studio album, She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She, out Friday February 9th is full of the gothic power ballads of your dreams (or nightmares?... Depends how you look at it).

LA-based Ty Segall, who with his fifteenth solo album Three Bells (not counting countless side projects for bands like Fuzz and The CIA and collaboration albums with artists like White Fence and Mikal Cronin, as otherwise we’d probably be closer to his thirtieth album) has made a genuine classic, 64 minute, ‘70s inspired concept album, with hi-fi production. The DIY punk/garage king, who burst onto the scene as part of San Francisco's scene of the late ‘00s/early ‘10s (with Osees leader John Dwyer serving as his mentor) , who made some of the most lo-fi, abrasive and noisy music around, someone who released so much music that it was seen as a slow year if Ty had only put out one album as opposed to three, has officially grown up.

CDMX and Hermosillo, Mexico-based experimental trio Meth Math released their newest album Chupetones on February 2 via Real Life. Given the moniker Meth Math, one might anticipate a GG Allin-inspired ensemble, rather than an eclectic trio hailing from Mexico who excel at crafting unconventional reggaeton beats. Co-produced and mixed by Miami’s Nick León who has worked with the likes of Rosalia, Denzel Curry, and Canadian-Columbian gem, Isabella Lovestory, the budding producer adds a hypnotic flair that still maintains Meth Math’s DIY ethos.

After a 19-year hiatus, Sleater-Kinney just dropped their long-awaited new album “Little Rope”. Overall this album is a dance. Sleater-Kinney pivots left, right and center through the emotions of loss, pain and healing. Little Rope encourages the listener to feel the full spectrum of emotions that come with navigating through the dense fog of grief; and to be open to the wondrous possibility that there is a clearer road ahead. 

Following the release of their 2021 album “RIDE”, Toronto band Hot Garbage is back with their newest release “Precious Dream”, where they take their fuzzy cross between shoegaze and garage rock into new territories by exploring new sounds while keeping an urban, brutalist style throughout.

Released exactly on New Year’s Day, Bicycle is a sequel of sorts to Patricia Taxxon’s incredibly ambitious work last year, known as the TECHDOG series, which examined her growth and self-discovery into the person she is now, and the arduous journey of trying to survive standing out in a world bent on conformity.

Check out Part.1 of Reverie’s favourite albums of 2023! Featuring yeule, Kue Varo and the Only Hopes, Sufjan Stevens, Afternoon Bike Ride, Water From Your Eyes, 100 Gecs, JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown, Boygenius, Wednesday, & more.

Toronto-based band, PUP, have built themselves a solid reputation of being a frenzied live act - one where the stamina is reciprocated between the band and audience at all times. I’ve seen it take place a few times at small venues throughout the city such as the small, but mighty, Commonwealth Bar and Stage, but taking on a theatre sized venue is a whole other ballgame. However, the band sold out the room in a short amount of time and proved that their fanbase is stronger than ever.