Mike DeWald

6 days ago | riffmagazine.com | Mike DeWald

PALO ALTO, Calif. —It was at times unorthodox, but the opening night of the North American leg of Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour was a joyous triumph. The first of two sold-out nights at Stanford Stadium, the show also marked the first standalone concert at the stadium that has also hosted the Olympics, World Cup and the Super Bowl. The U.K. band’s performance was a visual spectacle and a finely tuned artistic mastery on a grand scale.

1 week ago | riffmagazine.com | Mike DeWald

SAN FRANCISCO —  The victory lap for Kendrick Lamar seems to keep going and going. From a definitive victory in a rap beef against Drake to the Super Bowl halftime show, Lamar’s Grand National stadium tour feels like icing on a cake. His show at Oracle Park with SZA on Thursday wove the music of both together as the two bounced back and forth and sometimes came together over the course of two and a half hours.

1 week ago | riffmagazine.com | Mike DeWald

NAPA — The crowds at the Napa Valley Expo felt bigger and a little younger on Saturday, and there was an excitement in the air for one of the most prominent performers ever to take the BottleRock stage. There was little question as to who the biggest draw was on Saturday, and maybe the biggest of the weekend, based on the masses gathered in front of the main stage to catch the arrival of Justin Timberlake. The BottleRock appearance was Timberlake’s last in America as part of an extended tour.

2 weeks ago | riffmagazine.com | Mike DeWald

NAPA —Whether it was the good weather or the lineup, it felt a little busier than usual at BottleRock Napa Valley as the three-day festival opened its gates on Friday. With many artists in the worlds of alt-rock, pop-punk and electronica, the crowd also felt a little younger. Attendees were treated to many familiar attractions, as well as a few new ones, including a full-on roller rink.

2 weeks ago | riffmagazine.com | Mike DeWald

Joe Jonas’ second solo album, Music For People Who Believe in Love, finds the 35-year-old at an emotional crossroads. He’s coming off a separation from actress Sophie Turner, experiencing the self-reflection of starting over. It’s fitting that the record is coming solely from his own voice, rather than the Jonas Brothers or DNCE. Still, the band of brothers is a fitting musical point of reference here, especially with Jonas’ retro-meets-modern sound.