Rich KassirerApr 2, 20132 minThat '70s soundNot long ago I wrote of my quest to find a new sound, to get outside the now-overcrowded genre of “Americana” – acoustic guitar, banjo, m...
Rich KassirerMar 23, 20135 minShock and Ugh: The rise and fall of Michelle ShockedMichelle Shocked changed my musical life forever – and for that I’ll be forever grateful. But I believe that the joy she gave me will als...
Rich KassirerJan 10, 20132 minOut with the old, in with the newAs many Modern Acoustic followers know, I took a break last year from the magazine and the blog. Life and family left little time to keep...
Rich KassirerJan 5, 20134 minThe long and winding road: Albums that changed my lifeThe road to where I am now musically is one that took many twists and turns. I can pinpoint 1976, the bicentennial year, and all I can re...
Rich KassirerApr 7, 20123 minTeleprompters for musicians: cheating or helping?A recent story in the Washington Post brought to light that Bruce Springsteen was using a teleprompter on stage during his recent tour as...
Rich KassirerDec 7, 20114 minFavorites of 2011FAVORITE ALBUMS / SURPRISE ALBUMS “The King Is Dead,” the Decemberists and “The Harrow & the Harvest,” Gillian Welch In a surprising retu...
Rich KassirerDec 7, 20113 minAn open letter to ‘fans’ who talk incessantly through concertsDear Biggest Fan Ever of the Band Onstage, SHUT UP! Why is it you who claims to be the biggest fan never stops talking while your band is...
Rich KassirerDec 6, 20112 minIssue 35: Breakouts of 2011It seems like ages ago, but it was actually only 11 or so months when the year began – with a bang. January and February exploded with co...
Rich KassirerOct 30, 20112 minConcert Review: Dawes at Royale 10/28/11Dawes seems to be doing everything the right way. They tour endlessly, they’ve played backup to the great Robbie Robertson, and they trea...
Rich KassirerOct 5, 20112 minMiles Davis and the Grateful Dead, April 1970I recently came across a new posting on Wolfgang’s Vault of an old recording of a Miles Davis concert from 1970 at Fillmore West in San F...
Rich KassirerSep 9, 20114 min'Brunch by the River': A Feast for the EarsDJ LISA GARVEY’S ‘BRUNCH BY THE RIVER’ SERVES UP A MIX OF HAND-PICKED JAZZ, BLUES, ROCK AND, YES, SOUL MUSIC LIKE NO OTHER COMMERCIAL RAD...
Rich KassirerSep 8, 20112 minIssue 34: Feeding the SoulIt’s easy to knock commercial radio stations. Most are owned by corporations out to keep profit margins high and risk-taking low. This tr...
Rich KassirerAug 26, 20112 minConcert Review: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals at Bank of America Pavilion, 8/20/11The door has swung wide open for Grace Potter, and she is sprinting through it. It seemed to jar open suddenly late last year with her in...
Rich KassirerAug 7, 20113 minConcert Review: Newport Folk Festival 7/31/11It’s clear that the musicians that play the Newport Folk Festival get it. Yes, it’s a beautiful scene, with its view from the stage looki...
Rich KassirerJul 2, 20115 minBest Seat in My House: Q&A with Concert Window co-founderCan’t make it to Bonnaroo or Coachella? Live streaming technology finally makes it worthwhile to bring the festivals – and even local sh...
Rich KassirerJul 2, 20114 minCD Reviews: Gillian Welch, ‘The Harrow & the Harvest’; Eilen Jewell, ‘Queen of the Minor Key’Gillian Welch, “The Harrow & the Harvest” (out now) As soon as the first few notes of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings’ guitars ring out ...
Rich KassirerJul 2, 20112 minIssue 33: Back in TimeIt’s been a crazy roller-coaster ride this year at the home offices of Modern Acoustic. The early months of the year were all about music...
Rich KassirerJun 9, 20114 minCD Reviews: Jeffrey Foucault, 'Horse Latitudes'; Amy Black, 'One Time'; Dawes, 'Nothing Is Wrong'Jeff Foucault, “Horse Latitudes” (out now) How can such contemporary tunes sound so timeless? At times, Jeffrey Foucault’s latest, “Horse...
Rich KassirerJun 9, 20112 minConcert Review: Thao & Mirah, T.T. the Bear’s 6/7/11Most times when you go to shows you pretty much know what to expect. Once in a while, though, you get surprised and wonder (in your best ...
Rich KassirerJun 1, 20113 minLyrically Speaking: Bob Marley's 'War'There was a time in the mid-’80s when I lived and breathed for Bob Marley tunes. I was in college when the reggae great died in 1981, and...