Fresh off the release of their newest record, Joy Next Door, one of our absolute favorite bands of all time The Maine is back and better than ever. With a tour planned and on the way (tickets here!), we got the unique opportunity for a lengthy Q&A with the band’s own Garrett Nickelsen. Make sure to check out the record and head to a date, but also to learn a little more about the album and the band’s storied history below.

After nearly two decades away from the album format that first defined them, The Format have reemerged not as a nostalgia act, but as a fully revitalized creative force. With the release of Boycott Heaven on January 23, 2026 via The Vanity Label, the duo of Nate Ruess and Sam Means have delivered a record that feels both rooted in their past and sharply attuned to the present. We can sincerely say it’s our album of the year and nothing else that gets shared this year will even come close.

Whitney have always had a gift for turning the everyday into something luminous, but Small Talk feels like the album where they’ve distilled everything they’ve been chasing since their debut into one cohesive statement. Set for release November 7th on AWAL, the Chicago band’s fourth record is not just their most affecting to date, it’s arguably their best, full stop. If their past albums flirted with brilliance, this one weds it, an effortless blend of their signature soft-focus soul, shimmering folk-rock warmth, and tenderly crafted pop that glows from the first note to the last.

Gogol Bordello has never been a band content with just raising the roof—they raise the entire damn village. This summer, frontman Eugene Hütz is leading the gypsy-punk collective into a blazing season of chaos, community, and continuity. Touring with a crew of handpicked artists from his label Casa Gogol Records, Hütz is not only reasserting the band’s legacy as live legends, but also highlighting the next wave of genre-busting artists redefining what New York sounds like in 2025.

Some bands are built for festivals. Others seem to transcend them. Cage the Elephant's performance at Outside Days Music Festival in Denver felt like the perfect combination of both, a high-voltage, emotionally charged spectacle that showcased everything that has made the band one of rock's most beloved live acts for nearly two decades.

There are great festival performances, and then there are the ones that leave an entire crowd standing in awe of what they just witnessed. Tash Sultana's appearance at Outside Days Music Festival in Denver was firmly in the latter category, a breathtaking display of musicianship, energy, and artistry that served as one of the defining moments of the weekend.

From the second the band stepped onto the stage, the atmosphere shifted. The crowd was already substantial before the first note rang out, but as the set unfolded, the energy became almost tangible. Fans packed the festival grounds, singing, dancing, and embracing every moment with the kind of enthusiasm that only a band like Grouplove can inspire. It was one of those rare festival sets where artist and audience seem completely locked into the same wavelength.

Denver's Outside Days Music Festival delivered no shortage of memorable performances, but few sets captured the festival's spirit quite like Japanese Breakfast. Led by the ever-charismatic Michelle Zauner, the band's performance was a masterclass in musicianship, emotion, and festival-sized joy, creating one of the weekend's most unforgettable moments.