Tag: Grunge

When I was little, around four or five, I was convinced that if you made direct, sustained eye contact with a snake it had the ability to hypnotize you. Your body and soul would bend into a trance-like state. Your prefrontal cortex would be at the mercy of the serpent before you and there was no fighting it. Being a ‘90s kid raised on worn-out VHS tapes, this was the direct influence of repeatedly being glued to a tired copy of “The Jungle Book”. Of course, that belief faded away as I got older. Snakes simply don’t possess that kind of power. But on May 1, 2026, Texas-bred alt-rock legends Toadies proved that while snakes don’t, amphibians certainly DO when they released their newest album, The Charmer; my brain hasn’t fully recovered since the LP engineered by the late Steve Albini bellied its way in. On Saturday, June 13th 2026, I shuffled into the Belasco Theater located in Downtown Los Angeles, just as the historic building is celebrating a monumental 100 years. I adore The Belasco with its intricately designed Churrigueresque revival interior. The expressive, elaborate detailing hand-crafted into the centenarian’s walls. The ceiling that feels like it’s lived a