Photos: Jay Demetillo BERKELEY — Decked out in black jackets with the words “The Lords of Portland” written on them, Portugal. The Man took the stage and enthralled a packed Greek Theatre Friday night during a co-headlining track with Local Natives. Although the band is better known for its earlier psychedelic rock, Portugal. The Man’s set showed…

Tinache, courtesy. Every week there’s a plethora of new music at our fingertips. Artists on platforms like Spotify and Bandcamp are plentiful, and the radio offers a steady deluge of new singles, but who has time to sort through all that? RIFF does! We’ve pooled our resources to find…

Some of MisterWives at Outside Lands 2015. I interviewed many talented musicians in 2015, so this list is not based on who gave me the best quotes or who is most-talented. This collection is based more on who I connected with the most and who I felt tried hardest…

The Black Keys perform at Outside Lands 2015 in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Photo: Paige K. Parsons. If you attended this year’s installment of the Outside Lands Music Festival, you likely have already a list of your top favorite moments. But if you’re still trying to make up…

Benjamin Booker, courtesy. Most musicians look forward to the time when they can share their hard work with the masses. The stage and the audience are often driving factors to flipping open the laptop or putting pen to paper. Punk-blues-soul guitar man Benjamin Booker began writing songs for audiences…

Benjamin Booker performs at the Greek Amphitheater in Berkeley on July 28, 2017. Jay Demetillo/STAFF. Blues-punk singer-guitarist Benjamin Booker, who’s playing at Outside Lands, is also a well-educated man. He attended an International Baccalaureate supplementation in high school in Florida, which means that he has not one but two high…