The Front Bottoms surprise promoters and fans alike with their meteoric rise. Jen Cray jumps in on the action to catch them before they rise too high.

Bob Pomeroy beats the Black Friday craziness with an inspired homecoming from the Powell brothers and Nu Sangha in St Petersburg!

Nobunny brings the freak show back to Orlando, but doesn’t break any nudity laws, much to Jen Cray’s relief.

Deafheaven bring together death metal and shoegaze and people lose their minds over it. Jen Cray had to see for herself.

Mac DeMarco and his crew of misfits brought good tunes and a good time to Portland, Oregon. Alexa Harris was all smiles.

You may not expect it from a 3 day punk rock festival over Halloween weekend, but THE FEST – as Jen Cray found out – feels like a gigantic hug!

Gang of Four comes through Orlando, sort of, and Jen Cray is underwhelmed.

It was a night of metal and moshing in the sold-out House of Blues, with Motörhead and Anthrax in town. Carl F Gauze elbowed his way through the madness.

Janet Jackson is pop music royalty and proved it in Orlando. Jen Cray can’t believe she witnessed it!

Jessica Lee Wilkes beat the mid-week odds and pulled off a performance that showcased her rockabilly soul and sweetness for Jen Cray and other Orlando fans.

Veruca Salt resoundingly showed they’re no passing ghost note by moving on from a turbulent past with an emphatically great performance at Webster Hall that wowed May Terry.

Face to Face performs Big Choice live at The Social. You know Jen Cray was there!

Courtney Barnett might think she’s pedestrian at best, but her popularity racing ahead on overdrive with no signs of slowing down. May Terry was left to sit and think after the CB3’s musical pit-stop at Terminal 5.

Shonen Knife’s performance at NYC’s Le Poisson Rouge is a Pop-Rocks fizz of Jap-punk distortions and colorful kitsch. May Terry indulged in the Shonen Knife experience with sushi, Pocky, and some great wok-and-roll music.

Ms. Etheridge is all-out solo in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania. May Terry forgoes the Mount Airy Casino slots and blackjack tables to rock out at the great summerstage performance.

Margaret Cho

Jenny Lewis never fails to make Orlando, and Jen Cray, feel like giddy little school kids… especially when she brings Speedy Ortiz along for the ride.

FIDLAR and Metz make their Orlando debuts and inspire the crowd to break all the rules. Jen Cray is in the middle of the beautiful madness.

Tampa’s Big Guava Festival puts itself on the sun & sounds map, and wins the heart of Jen Cray.

After a stubborn illness sidelined the band just as they were about to explode, Screaming Females are back with a killer album and looooong world wide tour. Jen Cray caught their Orlando date.