Ed Sheeran performs during BottleRock Napa Valley at the Napa Valley Expo on May 26, 2024. Photos: Steve Carlson/STAFF and Matt Pang/STAFF. NAPA — It was just a couple of songs into Ed Sheeran’s headlining BottleRock set when he told a story of his first hit, “The A Team,”…

Logic, “Vinyl Days.” Retirement didn’t last long for rapper Logic. Following his “retirement album” in 2020,  he quickly returned in 2021 with the Bobby Tarantino III mixtape last year, and is following that up with his seventh studio album release, Vinyl Days. Vinyl Days Logic Def Jam, June 17 6/10 Crafted over…

Benny the Butcher has delivered hard-hitting and detailed songs covering his involvement in drug dealing and life on the streets. Last year’s exceptional examination of such matters defined Burden of Proof as a modern classic, exploring themes of survivor’s guilt and the cost of participation. The followup to the 2019…

New York has generated a wide array of distinctive voices in hip-hop; it’s the hometown of the genre, after all. Many of the artists within the scene often take on each other’s elements, which has given the region its own distinctive sound. Action Bronson is seemingly best known for his…

Cage the Elephant performs at Golden Gate Park at Outside Lands on Aug. 12, 2017. Photos: Alessio Neri It was not until I showed up at Golden Gate Park on Aug. 11 at 10 a.m. and walked the length of the Outside Lands Music Festival grounds that I fully grasped…

Mon Laferte performs at Golden Gate Park at Outside Lands on Aug, 13, 2017. Photos: Alessio Neri. The third and final day of Outside Lands is in the books which means it’s time for my third and final “Best and Worst” roundup. Unless I keep this up indefinitely. Best:…

The Who performs at Golden Gate Park at Outside Lands on Aug, 13, 2017. Photos: Alessio Neri SAN FRANCISCO —The weather forecast was calling for Sunday to be the one sunny day at Outside Lands in Golden Gate Park. But by the time headliners The Who took the stage,…