Riff Boston presents
The Riff
Album reviews, venue guides and loud opinions from Greater Boston.
Dropkick Murphys: Thirty Years of Shipping Up From Quincy
How a basement band from a South Shore barbershop became Boston's loudest export, a Fenway anthem machine and the reason March smells like Guinness and sweat.
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones: Is the Skankin' About to Start Again?
Boston's plaid-suited ska-core pioneers broke up in 2022. Now Dicky Barrett says he's "actively trying" to put them back together — and the city is holding its breath.
Rage Against the Machine Still Sounds Like a Riot
Thirty-plus years on, the 1992 debut remains the loudest argument ever built from four instruments and zero shortcuts.
Excitable Boy: Warren Zevon's Gloriously Dark Pop Record
Werewolves, headless mercenaries and a desperate call for lawyers, guns and money — the most fun anyone's ever had with doom.
Full Moon Fever Is Tom Petty's Perfect Summer Drive
Petty's first solo album is pop-rock with every ounce of fat trimmed off — and the hits just keep coming.
Courtney Barnett Turns the Mundane Into Rock and Roll
On Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, house hunting and swimming laps become some of the most quotable songs of the decade.
Kurt Vile Blows the Perfect Smoke Ring
His 2011 breakthrough is a hazy, finger-picked daydream that turns restlessness into the warmest kind of comfort.
Ratboys Throw Open The Window
Chicago's best-kept secret delivers its biggest, warmest, most generous album yet — eight-minute guitar jam included.
The Rooms That Make Boston Rock
From sweaty 200-cap clubs to a century-old concert hall: the essential fan's guide to Greater Boston's live music venues.
Broke but Loud: How to See Great Boston Shows for Cheap
No-cover bars, conservatory recitals and a few ticket tricks that keep your wallet intact.
Your First Club Show: The No-Nonsense Survival Guide
ID, earplugs, bag rules and the last train home — everything you need before you hit a Boston club.
Worth the Drive: New England's Great Rooms Beyond Boston
Gas up. From Worcester's metal temple to Portland's buzzing clubs, these venues are worth every mile.