Gear Reviews
REVIEW: Graph Tech Ratio Tuners
Locking tuners seem like a no brainer when it comes to any guitar with a tremolo; ease of re-stringing and positive hold on strings prevents any slippage that results in being out of tune. Graph Tech took the concept of locking tuners to the next level, with their new...
DrumCore 4 Ultra Review
Performer reviews DrumCore 4 Ultra from Sonoma Wire Works. Is this the killer app for songwriters? Find out below. For an artist who wants a good drum sound but doesn’t have all of the acoustic drum resources, the choices used to be very limited. Sonoma Wire Works...
Feedbands: Where Cryptocurrency and Vinyl Collide
Music paired with streaming and crypto (crypto-currencies like Bitcoin, Ether etc.) are about to explode. We know of at least two “crypto streamers” that just launched last month, and we’ve highlighted a few more coming soon. Streaming is a messy horse race between...
How To
Louisville’s Forecastle Festival gets bigger, weirder, happier and hippier.
Forecastle Festival did it again. It grew in both size and clout. Swelling from 30,000+ in 2012, to nearly doubling that figure this year, with just over 60,000 who flocked to the banks of the Ohio River in Louisville, Kentucky. Unified by music, art and activism...
PHOTO GALLERY: SomeKindaWonderful Live in Boston
SomeKindaWonderful are a grooving up-and-coming soul/R&B/rock band from Cleveland, OH via Los Angeles. They recently released their debut, self-titled album and we caught up with them live at Brighton Music Hall in Boston last week. Check out the photos below!
The Importance of Being Nice on Tour
[Editor's note: the following article was guest-written by the band Our Friend & The Spiders; check 'em out in the video below] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P-PDBvahG0 Touring is only easy for a selected few. For most bands, touring is synonymous with packing,...
Buying Guide
How to Mix Live Vocals: Pro Tips
Welcome to the fourth and final part of a series that will provide real-world advice about portable PA systems, co-presented by Yamaha and Performer Magazine. We’ve already addressed choosing the right portable PA system for your needs, setting up a portable PA system...
KORG TM-60 Review
Read our expert review of the Korg TM-60 Tuner/Metronome Two items any player should have on-hand at all times are a tuner and a metronome. Yes, there are apps that can fill these spots, but having a physical device ensures you’re practicing, and not getting...
Mackie Thump15BST Review
The newly redesigned Thump Series from Mackie is an excellent solution to just about any band or DJ’s PA needs. We got our hands on a pair of the Thump15BST speakers, which were pretty impressive – both in terms of clean volume and features. Let’s get sound quality...
Industry News
MEET YOUR MAKER: U-Turn Audio (Turntables Made in the USA)
Performer Magazine goes behind-the-scenes with Ben Carter of Boston-based U-Turn Audio to discover how they make affordable turntables right here in the USA. Background on U-Turn Audio We started developing turntables in 2011, but didn’t begin shipping to customers...
5 Ways to Mitigate Risk & Avoid Insurance Claims on the Road
Here are 5 Easy Ways for Your Band to Mitigate Risk & Avoid Insurance Claims During the Summer Touring and Festival Season. THE TOUR VAN CHECKLIST You’ve got the tour van all loaded up for that string of club dates, or perhaps that awesome summer festival gig your...
HARMAN Professional Solutions Announces JBL Professional Best American Band Contest
HARMAN Professional Solutions today announced the JBL Professional Best American Band Contest, giving musical groups from across the United States the chance to have their music heard by industry leaders and win an array of prizes, including a performance slot at this...