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Album streams, our Set List "top five..." features, our year-end "best of" lists and other music-related miscellany.
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Music
Riot Fest 2019: our personal highlights
Posted Sept. 29, 2019, 2:34 p.m.We had such a blast at Riot Fest 2019 that we want to share our favorite moments and also give you recommendations for how you can recreate and/or relive those moments for yourself! Summer’s definitely over, but that doesn’t mean life has to be a total bummer. Check out our lists below and feel free to reach out with your own personal highlights from Riot Fest 2019 as well! Top 5 acts that surprised us at Riot Fest 2019 5 Slayer Just before Slayer was set to perform their last ever Chicago show, I overheard a photographer say “I love Slayer, but might not want to shoot them to avoid getting blood on my camera.” As if ...
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Music Bands to check out at Riot Fest 2019
Posted Sept. 11, 2019, 7:36 a.m.For 15 years now Chicago-based Riot Fest has been a multi-day music festival specializing in punk, rock, alternative, metal, and hip-hop. Although festivals are popping ...
Music Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2019)
Posted July 2, 2019, 3:55 p.m.Tension on the North Korean border. Conflicts with Iran. Brexit hovering like the sword of Damocles over Europe. Who knows if we'll even see ...
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One Question Interviews
Quite literally, a one question interview. Also known as 1QIs, we post these first to our social media on a near-daily basis, with the archival piece here. Check 'em out.
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Interviews
An in-depth discussion with a band or artist, generally in the form of a straight Q&A – no editorializing.
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Music
Album streams, our Set List "top five..." features, our year-end "best of" lists and other music-related miscellany.
» Browse 167 features
Regular Columns
Contributions on a range of topics from a range of industry figures: musicians, filmmakers, editors and more.
» Browse 62 features
Other Reviews
A melting pot of mixed content: movie, book and even video game reviews. Updated sporadically, but eclectically.
» Browse 12 features
Upcoming Talent
A semi-regular column exploring new and rising local bands and artists deserving of attention.
» Browse 9 features
From the archive...
Music
Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (August 2007)
Posted Oct. 16, 2010, 11:05 a.m.It's that special time again - SPB's legendary mid-year feature! If you're a newcomer to the site, this feature is essentially a review of the year so far, comprising various lists and articles, and of course, our staff's top 5 for 2007 thus far. Read on to learn reasons why Bear Grylls is the "baddest motherfucker alive", albums that disappointed us, reasons touring the South is scary and an argument explaining why the music industry isn't doomed. - the SPB team Top Five Reasons Why Bear Grylls Is The Baddest Motherfucker Alive Being a strict vegetarian and ...
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Music Dark Mofo Festival 2019
Posted July 2, 2019, 3:52 p.m.In its seventh year, it should by now be firmly established that the annual Dark Mofo Festival is hard to ...
Music Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2018)
Posted Jan. 2, 2019, 12:43 p.m.It's been a great year for music and we're here to tell you what you should have heard ...
Music 2018: A Year In Review
Posted Jan. 2, 2019, 12:41 p.m.As is traditional, we highlight some of the best non-album releases of 2018, plus a bunch more things. After you ...
Music Pass The Mic: Artists and labels on 2018
Posted Dec. 22, 2018, 1:54 p.m.It's the end of the year, but before we tell you what we think the best albums and musical ...
Music The Fest 17
Posted Nov. 12, 2018, 3:54 p.m.If you count last year’s Pre-Fest only trip, Fest 17 marks my tenth trip to Florida for the annual ...
Music Looking Forward to The Fest 17
Posted Oct. 21, 2018, 2:59 p.m.The Fest is a fascinating piece of DIY culture. Not only has it grown into a mega-event of 400+ bands ...
Regular series
We post a variety of features in recurring series – click below to browse them.
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The Set List
A collection of items grouped by topic, eg. "Top 5 Worst Beatles Songs" or "Top 10 best '77 punk releases". Browse 20 features
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What's That Noise?
One-question interviews with artists where we find out about the gear and equipment they use to achieve their sound. Browse 16 features
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Beyond Casual Observation
A wide-ranging guest column written by BJ from Ancient Shores, mainly covering film but extending into philosophy and aesthetics too. Check out BJ's work on the A389 podcast. Browse 14 features
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era vulgaris
Guest column by T of Vegas Browse 13 features
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Fest 11
A roundup of coverage of the annual punk rock festival held in Gainesville, Florida Browse 4 features
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Remember that one time...?
A life lived and lessons learned by Eddie Spaghetti of Supersuckers. Browse 4 features
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Fest 12
Our annual roundup from Gainesville, FL's famous Fest. Browse 4 features
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Year End 2013
It's the end of 2013, so here's our best-of roundup for the last twelve months. Browse 4 features
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Fest 13
SPB's coverage of the annual festival in Gainesville, Florida. Browse 4 features
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Year End 2014
Our annual round-up of the best music of the year 2014. Browse 4 features
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The Greatest Story Ever Told
A brief but englightening chat with an artist who reveals an interesting or unexpected story from their career Browse 4 features
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Year End 2015
Our annual round-up of the best music of the year 2015. Browse 4 features
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Year End 2016
Our annual round-up of the best music of the year 2016. Browse 4 features
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Year End 2018
Our summary of the best music (and more) of 2018. Browse 3 features
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Year End 2012
A collection of coverage rounding up the year 2012, covering our favorite albums, shows, bands, and more, as well as asking record labels and bands about their past twelve months in music Browse 3 features
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Only Death Is Real
There’s so much music released, whether physically or digitally, that keeping up with what’s going on becomes almost like a full time job. With Only Death Is Real, the aim is to bring you something new. Browse 3 features
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Feast with the Famine
A cookery column by Nick, vocalist with metal band The Famine. Veggie/vegan friendly! Browse 3 features
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Year End 2017
Our annual round-up of the best music of the year 2017. Browse 2 features
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Against Orthodoxy
A regular series by Robert F. Browse 2 features
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Scene Point Local
A semi-regular column where we choose a specific area and give a local scene report. Browse 1 features
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Fest 16
Our coverage of the annual Fest extravaganza. Browse 1 features
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- 2004: A Year In Review
- 2005: A Year In Review
- 2006: A Year In Review
- 2007: A Year In Review
- 2008: A Year In Review
- 2009: A Year In Review
- 2009: SPB's Top EPs
- 2010: A Year In Review
- 2011: A Year In Review
- 2012: A Year In Review
- 2013: A Year In Review
- 2014: A Year In Review
- 2015: A Year In Review
- 2016: A Year In Review
- 2018: A Year In Review
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- A389 Recordings VIII Anniverary Bash
- Album stream: Night Fever - New Blood
- Audio = ground zero
- Austin City Limits Music Festival 2015
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- EP Stream: Power - Death Haunts
- EP Stream: Raindance - Love Under The Sun
- Exclusive: Stream Honest Abe's debut EP
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- Fest 10th anniversary: Fests 1-3 remembered
- Fest 10th anniversary: Fests 4-6 remembered
- Fest 10th anniversary: Fests 7-9 remembered
- Fest 12
- Fest 13
- Fest 16
- Field Studies Album Stream
- Fun Fun Fun Fest 2015
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- Levitation 2015 / Austin Psych Fest
- Lollapalooza 2009: Photo Diary
- Looking Forward to The Fest 16
- Looking Forward to The Fest 17
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- MOFO 2016 Festival
- MONA FOMA Festival
- MONA FOMA Festival 2018
- More to a Picture Than Meets the Eye: Kurt Cobain in Film
- Music History: Beginner's Blues (I)
- Music History: I Was A Teenage Headbanger (II)
- Music History: Seminal Moments in History (III)
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- Pass The Mic: Artists and 2007
- Pass The Mic: Artists and labels on 2017
- Pass The Mic: Artists and labels on 2018
- Pass The Mic: Artists on 2013
- Pass The Mic: Artists on 2014
- Pass The Mic: Artists on 2015
- Pass The Mic: Artists on 2016
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels and 2006
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels and Artists on 2008
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels and Artists on 2009
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels and Artists on 2010
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels and Artists on 2011
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels and Artists on 2012
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels on 2013
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels on 2014
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels on 2015
- Pass The Mic: Record Labels on 2016
- Pitchfork Music Festival
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- Record Store Day 2015: our recommended local record stores
- Red Scare 10th Anniversary Show Review
- Refused (are fucking alive)
- Remembering Elliot Smith
- Remembering Erik Peterson
- Review: Iron & Wine (Sydney Opera House)
- Review: Riot Fest 2015
- Riot Fest 2019: our personal highlights
- Riot Fest Toronto 2014
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- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (August 2005)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (August 2006)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (August 2007)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (August 2009)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2004)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2008)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2011)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2012)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2013)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2014)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2015)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2016)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2017)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2018)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2019)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (June 2003)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2003)
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- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2004)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2005)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2006)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2007)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2008)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2009)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2010)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2011)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2012)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2013)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2014)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2015)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2016)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2017)
- Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2018)
- SPB at the DNC
- SPB Hits The Fest 8
- Swans: our favorite songs and records
- SXSW 2015 Wrap-Up
- SXSW 2016
- SXSW 2017
- SXSW 2018
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- The Fest Wrap-Up
- The Greatest Story Ever Told: Felix Hagan
- The Greatest Story Ever Told: Frank Turner
- The Horror
- Theologian Album Stream
- Top 10 Acts Worth Mentioning at Riot Fest 2017
- Top 10 Songs From the New David Bowie Boxed Set “A New Career in a New Town”
- Top 5 Album Closers
- Top 5 Bands That Never Topped Their Debuts
- Top 5 Covers That Are Better Than the Original
- Top 5 Elliott Smith Songs That'll Choke You Up
- Top 5 Most Iconic Post / Math Rock Album Covers
- Top 5 Most Unforgettable Video Game Themes
- Top 5 Progressive Album Covers
- Top 5 songs by Nick Lowe
- Top 5 Songs Under 30 Seconds
- Top 5 Songs Whose Meaning Eluded Us
- Top 5 TV Themes
- Top 5 whoa-oh songs
- Top 5 Worst Beatles Songs
- Top 5: Albums/Songs/Video Games/People/Events/Shows - The Year So Far (June 2003)
- Top Five Acts We're Excited About at Pitchfork 2017
- Top Ten Acts We're Excited About at Riot Fest 2017
- Two years without Hydrahead
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