Live baby live: June/July reviews

14 shows that kicked off the summer

Big day for this newsletter! Thanks to all who have signed on to this adventure. An even bigger thank you to those whose support keeps it alive. To celebrate, let’s do this:

For paid subscribers this week, a look at what I witnessed on stages in the past two months. Resurrecting the Replacements for a wake, a 90-year-old’s birthday bash, hip-hop brass, dad rock par excellence, Afrofuturist dance party, GenX icons, Saharan blues, and AI-generated documentary filmmaking.

Reviews of the Hillside Festival ran here.

Starred reviews indicate a highlight of the year.