The Cure frontman Robert Smith’s uncanny way of putting words to music, making the sum of the two something more than its parts, remains unparalleled.

If American Football takes another long hiatus, Mike Kinsella is prepared. “I’m going to keep these jeans,” he mused, “and wear them again!”

Sixto Rodriguez’s music does not tell us to move on, to leave the past behind. It tells us that there is no choice.

If this gig at London’s Cafe Oto is anything to go by, we should be hearing the People Band for a long time to come.

A spectacular live reinterpretation of ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ found composer Danny Elfman staging a partial on-stage Oingo Boingo reunion, as well.

This was an excellent night for rock ‘n roll, which saw Ann Wilson in near-perfect voice, so key to Heart hitting its stride in concert.

How things have changed since my last Kitty La Roar gig. Paired now with Nick Shankland and Benet McLean, she has an even greater depth.

Billy Sherwood had huge shoes to fill as he replaced the late bassist Chris Squire for Yes’ Aug. 12, 2015 stop at Pier 6 in Baltimore.

It had been 35 years since I’d seen the quintessential prog-rockers Yes, led by the recently departed Chris Squire. They didn’t disappoint.

His shows with Graham Nash and Stephen Stills are where the money is. But David Crosby, alone and acoustic, now that was something special.