The return of Rogue Valley Chorale to live performances is perhaps the most encouraging and stirring indicator that we are finally and fully (?) rebounding from our COVID hibernation and isolation. Sure, a solo singer-songwriter performing in a venue will be and is a welcome return to normal, but consider

Local musician and activist Alice DiMicele has been an established singer and guitarist in the Rogue Valley for more than thirty years. But last year, she had to change her approach, and learn technology to keep performing for her fans. DiMicele shares about her changes over the past year, and

Jeff Kloetzel has been in music for a long time, which is apparent by his polished, sublime performances. Being a self-taught guitar player from a musical family, he has graced thousands of stages, opening for musicians such as Jack Johnson, Natalie Merchant, and Jackson Browne. Locally, Kloetzel plays in wineries,

“Doesn’t it feel good to be back?!,” frontman Jay Rapp bellowed to the crowd as they forged through their hour-plus long set at Grape Street Bar on Friday, March 12. After the socially distanced crowd’s enthusiastic response to Rapp’s question, the night carried on with the band plowing through their

Voted “Bestie” band in the Messenger’s last survey of our readers favorites—the very last print issue we were able to produce in March 2020 before shutting down presses for a year—The Brothers Reed are an active and beloved group of, yes, family members.  Half of the duo, Aaron Reed talked

Jen Ambrose has been a part of the Southern Oregon music scene for at least 20 years now. She studied flute, oboe, and piano in her early years. Then, she picked up the guitar and is now known for six and twelve string stylings ranging from intricate picking to fast

Slow Corpse got its start in Ashland and they have been actively involved in the Rogue Valley music community for six years. They signed with indie label Tender Loving Empire in 2017 and released their first studio album Fables the following year. Composed of lead vocalist Mitchell Winters and Brenton

When I first heard about the Brothers Reed, I remember seeing them everywhere. They booked gigs at every winery, bar, and club, seeming to be tireless. Their website (thebrothersreed.com) tells people that they do almost 300 shows per year, which is more than impressive. That hustle has made quite a

The Rogue Suspects truly are local celebrities for this region; they’ve been going strong for more than two decades, and they’re not bashful when it comes to listing their many credits and accolades. They’ve won several awards for their talents, opened for big names in the business such as James

I once knew some teenagers that admired my appreciation for hard rock or metal at loud volume levels despite my middle aged status. When one of my snarky colleagues at the time caught wind of this admiration, he told the teenagers, “That’s only because Alan is getting so old he’s