RIFF Magazine

In 2016, Roman Gokhman and Nick DeCicco launched RIFF, bringing together their extensive experience as journalists. Their friendship dates back to 2004 when they both worked at a daily newspaper in California's Gold Country. Gokhman was known for chasing stories, while DeCicco started as a copy editor and later became a writer. Their shared passion for music led them to cover it more extensively after relocating to the Bay Area. Roman contributed to several publications, including The Bay Area News Group, which encompasses the Oakland Tribune, San Jose Mercury News, and Contra Costa Times, over a five-year span, before exploring various Bay Area music blogs and national outlets. Meanwhile, Nick worked at the Daily Republic in Fairfield, California. Recognizing a gap left by struggling newspapers, they brainstormed for a couple of years before establishing RIFF. Our editorial team consists entirely of journalists, many of whom are familiar names from newspapers, television, and radio. Our contributors include musicians and seasoned professionals from the music industry, ensuring expert insights. Additionally, our operations team hails from the tech sector, focused on engaging audiences in fresh and creative ways.

Local, Consumer

English

Online/Digital

Outlet metrics

Domain Authority

Ranking

Global

#1159571

United States

#461799

Arts and Entertainment/Music

#6900

Traffic sources

Monthly visitors

Articles

ALBUM REVIEW: Julien Baker and Torres send a prayer to others like them

1 week ago | riffmagazine.com | Roman Gokhman

Neither Julien Baker nor Torres (Mackenzie Scott) came up as country musicians. Baker played in Memphis punk bands before making a name for herself as an open-hearted singer-songwriter and then one-third of supergroup boygenius. Georgia native Torres is garage rock artist. Yet a chance encounter led to the two playing a country song at a show and making promises to record an album.
Tuesday Tracks: Dustin Douglas & the Electric Gentlemen, Spacey Jane, Dropsonic

1 week ago | riffmagazine.com | Daniel Willis

This week, Spacey Jane welcomes us to summer; Dustin Douglas & the Electric Gentlemen, Dropsonic and Gasoline Lollipops bring the rock, Mobley gives us some throwback soul and Activity shows us the art of a really good bass line. Spacey Jane, “Through My Teeth” — A couple of us thought we’d featured Spacey Jane in Tuesday Tracks a lot more recently than we did, but the band’s last appearance was way back in 2021.
ALBUM REVIEW: OK Go sees the glass half full on ‘And the Adjacent Possible'

1 week ago | riffmagazine.com | Mike DeWald

OK Go has built its reputation on creativity through visual mediums like unique videos and unexpected collaborations (The Muppets!). But all of those creative outlets are fed by the band’s music, and on its fifth album, And the Adjacent Possible, OK Go further tests the unorthodox. The 12-song album maintains a core of hooky bops that’ve fueled the group’s success while executing new and unusual guitar tones and feedback squelches.
BottleRock Napa Valley announces stage times for 2025 festival

2 weeks ago | riffmagazine.com | Mike DeWald

The producers of BottleRock Napa Valley have released the set times for the 2025 edition of the festival. Green Day and Sublime will bring an alt flavor to the JaM Cellars main stage Friday night, while Kaskade and Sofi Tukker will get the nod opposite them on the secondary Verizon Stage. Saturday night pits vocalists Justin Timberlake and Benson Boone against rapper Ice Cube and Rebellion.
INTERVIEW: Irish Angeleno artist Levi Evans explores vulnerability, looks for his voice

2 weeks ago | riffmagazine.com | Roman Gokhman

As a member of eclectic, freewheeling, 10-member L.A. collective NOFUN!, Levi Evans is all about fun and bravado. The group, which includes members from the Bay Area, Chicago, the East Coast, France—and in the case of Evans himself, Ireland—came together to play parties and show off the members’ individual talents, from pop to hip-hop. Evans, 25, has been performing and making music since high school in L.A., when he got his start in a similarly juvenile (his words) music group with friends.
ALBUM REVIEW: Elton John, Brandi Carlile believe in angels on collab LP

3 weeks ago | riffmagazine.com | Mike DeWald

Elton John may be done touring, but the 78-year-old remains both prolific and tuned in with contemporary sounds. Much as with his musical relationship with pop diva Dua Lipa, his elder statesman path has crossed with that of singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile. Who Believes in Angels? was first proposed by super-producer Andrew Watt. With songwriting contributions by Watt and John’s longtime-collaborator Bernie Taupin, the record shows a strong musical connection. Who Believes in Angels?
INTERVIEW: Black Map charts a new course with ‘Hex'

3 weeks ago | riffmagazine.com | Mike DeWald

Hex marks the spot for Bay Area rock trio Black Map as the band returns with its fourth album. The title track, “Hex (Come Get It),” mixes a melodic post-grunge with alt-rock; it’s a riff-laden anthem with a shout-along chorus. It followed the first taste with hard-driving single “Disintegrate.” The nine-song collection was made with Saosin guitarist Beau Burchell as producer. Black Map album release matineeRotterdam, State Lin Empire3 p.m., Sunday, May 4Bottom of the HillTickets: $15 – $20 (21+).
REVIEW: Franz Ferdinand fearlessly takes over the Warfield

3 weeks ago | riffmagazine.com | Roman Gokhman

SAN FRANCISCO — Playing its first Bay Area concert in three years, Scottish rock band Franz Ferdinand blasted through a 20-song set at the Warfield on Friday. The quintet, which is touring a fantastic new album, shuffled fan favorites and new tunes in equal measure.
REVIEW: Will Smith faces elephants in the room with ‘Based on a True Story'

3 weeks ago | riffmagazine.com | Mike DeWald

It doesn’t take so much as one bar to get a sense of direction for Will Smith’s return to music with Based on a True Story, the rapper’s first release in more than two decades. The opening track reunites Smith with DJ Jazzy Jeff on “Int. Barbershop-Day,” which recreates a barbershop conversation about Smith’s career trajectory. Is he canceled? Is he even cool anymore? What’s the last big movie he did? Oh, and what about that slap? If nothing else, the 56-year-old star is self-aware.
Tyler, the Creator, Hozier, Doja Cat top 2025 Outside Lands bill

1 month ago | riffmagazine.com | Mike DeWald

Rapper Tyler, the Creator, crooner-guitarist Hozier and R&B superstar Doja Cat will lead the 2025 edition of Outside Lands in San Francisco. Three-day tickets will go on sale on Wednesday, March 26 at 10 a.m. via the Outside Lands website. The event, now the largest independently run festival in the United States, returns to Golden Gate Park August 8, 9 and 10. Tyler, the Creator was originally scheduled to headline last year’s event before canceling.