All photos by Jason Gonulsen When it happened, or, rather, when it started to happen, I was stunned. Neil Young walked out in the darkness, stage right, sat down at his upright piano, and began playing “After the Gold Rush.” A few days before the tour opener in Milwaukee, a plan was conceived. Via Rolling … Read more
Photo by Jason Gonulsen Forecastle Festival, one of our favorite festivals on the planet, is back in 2016 with a spectacular and deep lineup featuring The Avett Brothers, Alabama Shakes, Ryan Adams, and Death Cab For Cutie. The festival will be held in Louisville at Waterfront Park on July 17 through July 19. Level 1 … Read more
Photo by Jason Gonulsen I’ll follow you down ’til the sound of my voice will haunt you This Fleetwood Mac tour was different as it included Christine McVie, which meant they played more of her songs, which meant a better Fleetwood Mac show. She and Stevie and Lindsey traded moments from the opening “The Chain” … Read more
Here we are again. Another year is in the books, and we’ve settled on our 60 Best Songs of 2015. We thank you, once again, for following along throughout the year. As always, you can subscribe to the SPOTIFY PLAYLIST. Or, you can countdown with us below… Love, Speakers in Code 60. “Welcome Home” – … Read more
Earlier this week, we posted our 60 Best Songs of 2015. You can find that here. Picking albums are trickier, though, because, frankly, it’s hard to keep our attention for 10 or so songs. But these are the ones that did it so well. So much, that we couldn’t get enough. Here are the 20 … Read more
The Felice Brothers have released a benefit EP titled Felice Navidad, which is obviously a wonderful name for an album. What’s even better is the music, which includes “Country Ham,” a favorite of ours. You can watch the video short below! Digital downloads of the album are only $5, and can be purchased here. All … Read more
Paul McCartney at Lollapalooza | Photo by Jason Gonulsen When I was a kid, I loved Michael Jackson, even though”Thriller” terrified me, as did the album cover for Bad. And even though my mom is the biggest Beatles fan that I know — she saw them live, twice (!) — for some reason, when I … Read more
All photos by Tim Bottchen I wish you were here I wish you could see this First off: “The Queen of My Arms.” Matthew Ryan didn’t include this on Boxers, the superb album he released in 2014. But he played it in my living room, and you can now buy it and listen to it, which … Read more
ALL PHOTOS BY LOUIS KWOK X Ambassadors and Saint Motel performed at The Pageant in St. Louis this past week. Please enjoy these by Louis Kwok, and be sure to visit his site. SAINT MOTEL
SENSES FAIL ALL PHOTOS BY BRIDGETTE AIKENS Senses Fail + Silverstein + Hundredth performed last week at Amos Southend in Charlotte. Please enjoy these photos by Bridgette Aikens. SILVERSTEIN HUNDREDTH
Welcome to our favorite Speakers in Code list of the year. The 10 Best Sad Bastard Songs of 2015. It’s our highest honor. In years past (2012, 2013, 2014), we’ve chosen 20 songs, but this year we’re trimming the sad. And this year, I wrote about every song. You can listen to each individually below, … Read more
ALL PHOTOS BY JASON GONULSEN Wayne Coyne and the Flaming Lips brought their magical mushroom mystery tour back to The Pageant in St. Louis last night. Coyne called The Pageant “the best club in the world.” It’s evolution, baby. All photos by Jason Gonulsen.
ALL PHOTOS BY LOUIS KWOK Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness + Atlas Genius + Night Riots recently performed to a packed Delmar Hall in St. Louis. Please enjoy these photos by Louis Kwok. ATLAS GENIUS NIGHT RIOTS
ALL PHOTOS BY AMANDA KOELLNER Chicago’s Whitney played Thalia Hall in December, and Speakers in Code photographer Amanda Koellner was on hand to capture the action. Whitney will be playing Delmar Hall in St. Louis on May 9th, and tickets are available now.
PHOTO BY NOAH ABRAMS Can you stand and face your fears, my love? I will for you Ryan Adams’ new album, Prisoner, is due February 17 via Pax-Am/Blue Note, and today we’ve been given another taste. This one’s titled “Doomsday,” complete with yearning harmonica reminiscent of songs like “Firecracker” and “Desire.” Classic RA, if you … Read more
PHOTO BY JASON GONULSEN Music is the healing force. That’s our mantra. I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has supported Speakers in Code the last 7 years. I appreciate you and the conversation you bring to my life. It’s also fair to say that I probably wouldn’t have met a lot of … Read more
ALL PHOTOS BY AMANDA KOELLNER Future Islands + Digable Planets + Noname helped open the doors at House of Vans Chicago last week. Please enjoy these photos by Amanda Koellner. NONAME DIGABLE PLANETS
Broken mirror and my hand starts to bleed Wish I could explain but it hurts to breathe Didn’t fit in my chest so I wore it on my sleeve We disappear, we fade away I’m divorced. And while I haven’t given up on love, I’ve taken a break, if that’s at all possible. At least … Read more
ALL PHOTOS BY AMANDA KOELLNER Run the Jewels are back, this time with Run the Jewels 3 and a tour that we can assume will put them at the heart of every music festival for the next couple years. And that’s not so bad. Please enjoy these photos by Amanda Koellner.
Boston’s Air Traffic Controller released Black Box in 2016, winning four Independent Music Awards. The band consists of Dave Munro + Casey Sullivan, and they’re our first artists to contribute to our “10 Songs, 10 Stories” series in 2017. Munro and Sullivan wrote a little about each song on Black Box below, but before you get to … Read more
Maggie Rogers’ debut EP won’t be for everyone, but you’ll be glad you found it if it hits you in the right place. And that place is somewhere in the middle of beats and a gifted voice. Sunnier than Banks and Sharon Van Etten, darker than Maren Morris, Rogers is only 22, and her song … Read more
ALL PHOTOS BY BRIDGETTE AIKENS Day One photos of the 5th annual Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. All photos by Bridgette Aikens. CAGE THE ELEPHANT TWIN PEAKS FIDLAR ZIPPER CLUB THE LONDON SOULS CAR SEAT HEADREST THE GROWLERS WOLF PARADE LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
PHOTO BY JASON GONULSEN Written by Jason Gonulsen. “Where do you go when you’re lonely?” Ryan Adams sang. “Where do you go when you’re blue?” Adams’ spectacular, and also hilarious, sunset set carried the last day of the 5th annual Shaky Knees Music Festival in Atlanta, Georgia, along with Paris, France’s Phoenix, who closed out … Read more
I love a song That doesn’t care what you want “Hustle up starlings,” Matthew Ryan sings on the title track of his latest release. “The bats are coming.” Death is nothing new; we expire, we disappear. Life is today. It’s also tomorrow, and the day before yesterday, and it’s sometimes taxing, brutal periods of time … Read more
PHOTO BY JASON GONULSEN Shaky Knees Music Festival just wrapped up in Atlanta, Georgia. Stay tuned for our full review. For now, please enjoy these photos by Jason Gonulsen and Bridgette Aikens. THE XX SHOVELS AND ROPE FAMILY AND FRIENDS DR DOG X AMBASSADORS PHOTOS BELOW BY BRIDGETTE AIKENS SYLVAN ESSO FOREIGN AIR CATFISH & … Read more
ALL PHOTOS BY BRYAN SUTTER The Black Lips played Blueberry Hill’s Duck Room this past Monday. Please enjoy these photos by Bryan Sutter.
ALL PHOTOS BY AMANDA KOELLNER Real Estate played the Vic Theatre in Chicago last week. Please enjoy these photos by Amanda Koellner.
I grew up in a car. Well, that’s not entirely correct, but stay with me here. A vast majority of my weekends growing up were spent traveling the Midwest with my father, Yavuz, as we listened to Pink Floyd, Neil Young, Pearl Jam, and Bob Dylan. Our two favorite songs? Young’s “Heart of Gold” and … Read more
PHOTO BY BRIDGETTE AIKENS Shaky Knees Day Three Photos by Bridgette Aikens and Jason Gonulsen. PHOENIX J RODDY WALSTON AND THE BUSINESS THE SHINS POND WARPAINT PHOTOS BELOW BY JASON GONULSEN THE ARKELLS BLEACHERS RYAN ADAMS
ALL PHOTOS BY AMANDA KOELLNER The Shins took their current tour to The Pageant this past Friday. Tennis opened the show. Please enjoy these photos by Amanda Koellner. TENNIS