Loren

Remember Election Day 2024? Maybe you shouldn't. Maybe you've blocked it out. That's fair, but there was one pleasant surprise that day: a new EP from Wisconsin's Arms Aloft. It took a while to claw out of the darkness in November, then Year End 2024 coverage took over the Scene Point Blank editorial calendar but now we caught up with … Read more

There are a lot of misconceptions about the life of a musician. Most musicians have day jobs – and not just to pay the bills. Jobs provide new challenges, personal fulfillment and, yes, some rent or gas money. How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative process at night. In Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Scene … Read more

How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative process at night. In Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Scene Point Blank looks at how musicians split their time, and how their careers influence their music (or how their music provides escape). In this edition, we caught up with Chuck Ragan, known as the gruffest voice of Hot … Read more

How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative process at night. In Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Scene Point Blank looks at how musicians split their time, and how their careers influence their music (or how their music provides escape). In this edition, we chat with Kevin Purcell (guitar/vocals) of Retirement about running Portland bike shop … Read more

It's been a while since I put another playlist up. I actually had this 99% done a couple of months ago, but everything went haywire and the list went on hold. This edition of Search/Play/Repeat is a quick play, running about 30 minutes in total. Enjoy! Read more

Visual Learner, BlackDots, City Mouse, Couch Potato Massacre Cloudland Theater Minneapolis, MN May 7, 2025 I’m embarrassed that I haven’t covered any shows at Cloudland for SPB previously. It’s a relatively new addition to the Minneapolis scene and a welcome addition that feels as much like a community space as … Read more

Sometimes I get all introspective and ask myself why I do this. Not very often, but the answer is always because I like music. It's that simple. I like to discover new stuff and I like to share it. Every year, the staff at Scene Point Blank sink a ton … Read more

Vices, outlets, escapes... I'm not sure where things are at here in November of 2024. But as we battle our demons and look for meaning, or escape, music is a blessing. Here's a new playlist. Many of these artists have been covered at Scene Point Blank, mixed in with tracks … Read more

Russian trio i am waiting for you last summer is back with a new album out this fall, a collection of cinematic-inspired post-rock instrumentals called Without/Within. The band has ample experience setting moods, considering that Sasha Sokolov has worked on major soundtracks such as Jurassic World and Captain America: Winter … Read more

Roughly one decade after releasing a covers album together, Iron & Wine have once again teamed with Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses) for a follow-up covers collection, this time a new EP called Making Good Time, out Sept. 12. The first single is a new take on "Luther," originally by … Read more

It's time for a new Perturbator. The Paris-based composer will release Age of Aquarius on Oct. 10 on Nuclera Blast Records, leading with the new single, "The Swimming Pool." The Age of Aquarius is Preturbator's sixth album.  Read more

Preceding a run of European tour dates, High on Fire will headline in North America in continued support of Cometh The Storm. Dates kick off on Sept. 17 in Vancouver, listed below, with Acid Bath along for the entirety. Read more High on Fire tour dates w/ Acid Bath: August … Read more