Winona Fighter, courtesy Lindsey Byrnes. SACRAMENTO — Years of grinding on the road as a DIY punk band are finally paying dividends for punk band Winona Fighter. The band’s rise is a throwback to a bygone era of playing as many shows to as many people as possible. Winona…

Rise Against performs at The UC Theatre in Berkeley, Calif. on Nov. 19, 2024. Photos: Maylani Cornier. BERKELEY — Relentlessly touring quartet Rise Against has been doing something new on its current trek: playing intimate rooms. The UC Theatre in Berkeley, on Tuesday, was easily the coziest room in…

Michael Kiwanuka, “Small Changes.” His album may be called Small Changes, but it was actually some fairly significant ones that informed singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka’s fourth album. The Mercury-Prize-winning artist, whose song “Cold Little Heart” was made the opening theme for HBO’s “Big Little Liars,” became a parent of two and moved…

Elyanna performs at Fox Theatre in Oakland on Nov. 17, 2024. OAKLAND — Bay Area music fans may have first been introduced to Palestinian Chilean singer Elyanna just a few months back at Outside Lands, where she delivered one of the most compelling sets of there festival. The artist packed…

Tim Montana, courtesy. SACRAMENTO — There are overnight successes, and then there are musicians like Tim Montana. The Southern rock singer-songwriter had been working in the music business for more than two decades. Burned out on the Nashville scene, he returned home to Montana believing he’d carry on releasing…

Shawn Mendes, “Shawn.” Shawn Mendes opts for a moodier, more organic and acoustic sound on his fifth album, Shawn. It’s a quiet giant, entering with a soft-spoken murmur, but delivers a quiet confidence. These dozen tracks avoid expansive production and sleek pop arrangements and instead are often nothing more…

Gwen Stefani, “Bouquet.” Gwen Stefani turns over a new leaf, or petal, on her fifth solo album, Bouquet. Known for her work in ska-punk with No Doubt and later pop, she’s been a bonafide hitmaker for decades. But this album plays a very different tone. Bouquet Gwen Stefani Interscope, Nov…

Linkin Park, “From Zero.” Linkin Park created its eighth album, From Zero, with the pressure of carrying on the legacy of Chester Bennington and its own storied alt-rock catalog. But it was able to accomplish this in secret, without the bright lights and fanfare, over several years. With Dead…

Dayseeker performs at the Warfield in San Francisco, Calif. on Oct. 30, 2024. Chloe Catajan/STAFF. SAN FRANCISCO — Dayseeker brought its Dark Sun Protocol tour to the Warfield on Wednesday, along with a diverse cast of bands spanning melodic hard rock to metalcore, for its biggest Bay Area show…

Skillet, “Revolution.” Skillet took on a Revolution of its own while recording its 12th album. The hard rock band took out the middleman—a label—and went the independent route. The quartet then worked at its own pace, with guitarist Korey Cooper and longtime collaborators producing. The result brings a familiar…