For his latest single, Jon Spencer teams with Kendall Wind and Spider Bowman of The Bobby Lees and roots music legend Deke Dickerson for "Come On!" The song is described as a "Super-groovy garage-soul-punk protest song," although it's pretty sad that asking people to live their lives without hate is considered political in 2025. This song is pure vintage Spencer, and it's being attacked with an energy and vitality that we haven't seen from the former Blues Explosion frontman in years. This is the kind of protest song that dominated the 60's, but through a garage-soul-punk filter. "Come On!" is a great song that name checks legends such as Mavis Staples, Chuck D, Wayne Kramer, Kathleen Hanna, and more.
You can watch the video for "Come On!" below. The single is out now via Shove Records. For more on Jon Spencer, check out the artist on Instagram and Facebook. Upcoming tour dates are below the video and include a July 14 date at The Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA.
May 21 - Cleveland OH - Beachland Tavern
May 22 - Kalamazoo MI - Bell's Eccentric Café -
May 23 - Chicago IL - Fitzgerald’s
May 24 - Ferndale MI - The Magic Bag
May 25 - Rochester NY - Skylark Lounge
May 31 - Bourges (FR) - Cosmic Trip Festival
June 1 - Reims (FR)- Cartonnerie Club
June 2 - Lille (FR) - L’Aeronef
June 3 - Liege (FR) - Reflektor
June 4 - Paris (FR) - La Maroquinerie
June 5 - Annecy (FR) - Le Brise Glace
June 6 - Lourmarin (FR) - Yeah! Festival
June 7 - Savona (IT) - Rain Dogs
June 8 - Reggio Emilia (IT) - Handmade Festival
June 10 - Schorndorf (DE) - Manufaktar
June 11 - Mainz (DE) – Schon Schon (Auch 13)
June 12 – Koln (DE) - Koln - Bumann & Sohn
June 13 - Munster (DE) - Gleis 22
June 14 - Dresden (DE) - Beatpol
June 15 - Berlin (DE) - Lido
June 17 - Copenhagen (DK) - Hotel Cecil
June 18 - Hamburg (DE) - Molotow
June 19 - Hanover (DE) - Café Glocksee
June 20 - Antwerp (BE) - Djingel Djangel
June 21 - Nijmegen (NL) - Kids N Billies
July 11 - Lancaster, PA - Tellus 360
July 12 - Staten Island, NY - Maker Park Festival
July 13 - New Haven, CT - Cafe Nine
July 14 - Northampton, MA - Iron Horse Music Hall
July 15 - Portland, ME - Oxbow Blending & Bottling
Photo by Rachel Cassels The Cairo Gang is mostly Emmett Kelly, who recorded most of their upcoming album, Goes Missing, on his own while travelling. "Be What You Are" is pure pop gold, reminiscent of British invasion bands like The Kinks and The Zombies. It features jangly guitars and some of the most infectious layered vocals you've heard in years. Luckily the beauty of this style of music is that it never quite sounds dated. It might sound like it's from a certain era that happened 50 years ago, but everything you've ever listened to since then borrows so heavily from it that it always sounds current. It's the kind of music you wish you hadn't missed, only now you haven't. Goes Missing is due out June 23rd on God? Records. You can pre-order the album now, and be sure to check out The Cairo Gang's Facebook . Listen to "Be What You Are" below, and below that are tour dates, many opening for Mikal Cronin. Sat. Sept. 5 - Portlan...
Somehow Peter Prescott of Mission of Burma and Volcano Suns has another band that I never knew about. Minibeast already released an album that I completely missed back in 2012, and they are currently at work on the follow up, Free Will. Based on a track from the upcoming album, "High Sea," Minibeast shares some common sonic ground with Mission of Burma, but with an added emphasis on the groovy side of things. It's basically the noise and dissonance of Burma but heard through a 60s surf groove, as if Frankie and Annette were punks. You can listen to "High Sea" below. Minibeast currently have a Kickstarter to help fund the final production of Free Will. You can get more information on that here . It should be out sometime in June.
With this weekend's upcoming Newport Folk Festival, we thought we'd highlight some of this year's can't miss acts. We're focusing on the bands playing smaller stages and earlier in the day. I mean, you're obviously going to see Ryan Adams and Jack White. Instead, these are the acts worth getting there early for, and seeking out the smaller stages. Phox Friday, 1:50, Quad Stage Phox hails from Baraboo, WI, the winter home of the Ringling Brothers' Circus. I'm not sure if that is connected to their music or not, but Phox has an otherworldly charm and a magical feel. They come across as a more grounded St. Vincent or a less intense version of early Tori Amos. Their music is simply beautiful and uplifting. Reignwolf Friday, 2:55, Quad Stage Truly pushing the boundaries of what can be considered "folk" are Reignwolf. Reignwolf is Jordan Cook, who sounds like a mixture of The Black Keys and Queens of the Stone Age, mixed with just a lit...
