This is a special episode because it is a dual-show episode! This episode is being shared to both the SoCal Live Music Review and JohnnyBoy Studios listeners to highlight this journey I started on way back in 2018. I am taking a moment to celebrate and reflect on the fact I have gotten behind the microphone for 6 years to share my passions, my inte…

The SuperBowl 58 halftime show ft Usher took place and this was one for the books! Tune in as I review the performance, the game, the commercials, the expeirence of watching the latest SuperBowl halftime show performance by Usher.By Johnny SoCal

As 2023 comes to a close I want to take a walk back down memory lane and explore all of the wondrous experiences from this year! The theme for me was definitely quality over quantity and I dove deep into that concept. Between Meet and Greets, swag bags, and excellent viewing opportunities 2023 brought so many core memories I will cherish for many y…

This may be my final concert of the year, but if that is so this is one hell of an experience to go out on. Andy Grammer is on my Must-See list for whenever he comes to town and being able to have a VIP, Meet N Greet, Pre-Show Show Experience was exactly what I needed at this point in time. In episode 23 I talked about my love for Andy Grammer, his…

Within a 3 day period I attened 2 shows; Pink at the SoFi Stadium, and then Joshua Radin at The Troubadour. Each was a great show in it's own right and completely different from the other. I have put off recording this episode for some time because I had other creative focus, but I still want to share with you these amazing experiences I was able t…

3 episodes in a row talking Ed Sheeran!? Yes! Because this year Ed has been putting out so much great content and sharing his gifts with us I had to cover it. From documentaries to live shows to new albums Ed keeps dropping new content that keeps motivating and encouraing me so I want to talk about it. This episode is no exception. His new album Au…

7 albums, 2 ½ hours, a circular stage that rotates, 81,000 of my closest friends, and 1 epic performance from the front row. Ed Sheeran's Mathematics Tour came to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood CA so I had to attend. This was a ticket I purchased almost a year ago to be sure I didn't miss it and I am so glad I did. After watching the documentary The Sum…

I watched the documentary The Sum of It All recently and want to dive all into it. Ed Sheeran is one of my favorite artists and I am going to see him in a few months so this documentary dropped at the perfect time. Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All is a 4-part docuseries released on May 3, 2023 on Disney+, a few days before Subtract. Like his previous …

It's 75 Hard Week in JohnnyBoy Studios! Since starting the 75 Hard challenge, and likewise the 75 Hard Daily podcast, I have been rediscovering music I have not listened to for some time.Walking down the musical memory lane has been incredibly rewarding and has helped me to continue on this journey. In this episode I want to share some of those son…

Janet Jackson (Miss Jackson if you nasty) brought her Together Again tour to FivePoints Amphetheater in Irvine, California and it was everything I expected it to be. For only having 4 background dancers, a live band, not touring in 3+ years, and being almost 60 years old this was an amazing show. Opened for by Ludacris who took us back to our high …

The only live show I saw in person in 2020 was Dermot Kennedy, and he was the first virtual concert I purchased durring the pandemic. When the Sondor Tour was announced I knew I wanted to be there and this was worth the price of admission. With a VIP Meet N Greet ticket, an excitement that couldn't be contained, and the Sondor album on repeat we he…

Ok this episode is a little overdue but I still wanted to talk about Stagecoach 2023. The festival took place a little over a month ago from the time of this episode in Indio, California just after the Coachella festival in the same location. This year's headliners were Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, and Chris Stapleton but there was so many other great a…

News broke last week of Tina Turner passing away at 83 years old in her home in Switzerland and the entire world took a moment to have out heart break together. She has collaborated with some of the greatest acts we know and recognize today, inspired so many who are in the limelight right now, and was recognized world wide as the Queen of Rock N Ro…

Caochella 2023 was....interesting to say the least. Full disclosure, I did not attend the festival in person this year, but I did watch the live streams all 3 nights both weekends, and I am in 3 very active groups around the festival. This episode was originally going to be a review of weekend 1, but as I was recording it so many things kept develo…

I took a trip down to sunny San Diego, CA in order to attend Boots In The Park at Waterfront Park! I saw some great acts, heard some great music, and paid over $20 for a beer, but it was all worth it.... Tune in to hear my review of Boots In The Park where I saw Gavin DeGraw, Jimmie Allen, Walker Hayes, and of course Carrie Underwood. Also check ou…

This week we lost musical legend Bobby Caldwell. What You Won't Do For Love is only a small drop of his contribution to the musical industry as a whole, but it is part of defining an entire era of music. Mr. Caldwell's music, artistry, and soul will not soon be forgotten. Rest easy Bobby Caldwell. In this episode I also introduce 2 new segments to …

Today I want to dive into 2 tours and 2 albums. First the 15th anniversary of Jon McLaughlin's Indiana album, and the tour which brought him to Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles. Second Ed Sheeran's Mathematics tour, which will include the upcoming album Subtract. My first Must-See artist to the one I was a little skeptical about but then enjoyed and have …

Superbowl LVII was Feb 12, 2023 between the Philedalphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs in Glendale Arizona. At halftime the score was 21-14 Eagles, and Rihanna took to the stage to perform a medley of hits. In this episode I want to share my reactions to the game itself, to Rihanna's setlist. While there were no guests apparences Rihanna did no…

Superbowl LVII is going down Feb 12, 2023 with the Philedalphia Eagles going up against tht Kansas City Chiefs in Scotsdale Arizona, and halfway through the game Rihanna will take to the biggest stage in the world. In this episode I want to share my predictions for the game itself, for Rihanna's setlist, and for potential guest apparences. Superbow…

Today we are looking at the Coachella 2023 lineup! Bad Bunny, Black Pink, and Frank Ocean (assuming he shows) are headlining this year, and the rest of the artists performing are pretty steller as well. Check out the lineup if you plan to attend the festival this year, be sure to grab your festival packing list by going to MyFestivalChecklist.com, …

In this episode we are talking; Getting back into more music after mostly podcast since 2020, the posibility of the Coachella Lineup dropping in the next few weeks and how to prepare for it,and my Spotify Wrapped playlist! All this and more to kick off a new year both in music and on the podcast! Join me as we set the tone for the coming year. You …

2022 has come to a close and it has been a wild ride! As I like to do every year let's take the last episode of the year and dive into the previous 12 months. So much has happened that I want to share with you. This episode is jam packed full of exciting development as well as a special announcement at the end you don't want to miss.... Tune in to …

Stagecoach 2023 tickets went on sale to the public, and the artist lineup has been announced! Officially! In this episode I want to walk through the line up, share how I have handled tickets and lodging in the past, and give what I believe is the best method for both moving forward. Now is the time to begin getting ready so tune in for this first e…

I went to my first real metal show to see the band Avatar perform, and I had a blast! The musical abilities of the band, the lead singers vocal performance, the theatrics, the crowds, and the whole vibe were on another level. In this episode I want to give you a walkthrough of my experience going to the show and some key take-aways I have from atte…

Dylan Scott is one of the most slept on artists in country music today. I had the pleasure of seeing him back in 2017 at the Troubadour, but I've missed his shows numerous times right here in my backyard of southern California. When he annouced his own tour "Livin My Best Life" and I saw it would be at the Anaheim House of Blues I knew I had to be …

I took a trip over to the Anaheim House of Blues to see Andy Grammer on his The Art Of Joy tour and I am so glad I did. A few days later I took my dog Karma for a walk and decided to record this episode of the podcast. One of my first live shows since the return of live music in mass, join me as we talk about the highs and lows of the return to liv…

This past Sunday we watched the Rams win over the Bengals in Superbowl LVI, but we also watched what could arguably be one of the best halftime shows in modern Superbowl history. Seeing Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar take the stage made me want to publish this podcast episode and take a look back at some of the most …

It seems there has been a fresh surge of emails from venues, targeted Facebook ads, and Instagram posts from various artist all announcing upcoming shows for the end of 2021 and the first quarter of 2022. With that I began to wonder if live music really has returned? If so, then it is quite possibly time to revive the SoCal Live Music Review podcas…

So now that that's over, let's talk about some of the highs (yes there were a couple) and lows of this crazy year 2020. Walk with me back down the dumpster fire of the past 10 - 12 months and what I am looking forward to in the next year. It's time for a year in review....By Johnny SoCal

If you are still looking to get a gift for that live-music lover on your list, and struggling due to the fact there are no concerts happening right now or for months, tune in! I have options for you that you can purchase and ship from home all without breaking your bank. This year has been tough on us all so check out a few options to bring a ray o…

From the early years of childhood and finding music, to becoming Elton John and the crazy drug, sex, and rock n roll filled adventure that followed Rocketman is a journey worth the 2hr watch time. Taron Egerton's portrail of Sir Elton John in the biopic exciting and I break it down in this episode.By Johnny SoCal

Most times winning the lotto goes something like this; Win Lotto Pop Bottles Post on Social My list is somewhat more practical and a bit more fun, and the big idea I have would bring happiness to not just me but a few close friends as well. In this episode I dive into the actual steps I would take if I walked away with millions of millions of milli…

If you have a Disney+ subscription and have not yet seen Hamilton; An American Musical run! don't walk to your TV right now. This is a visually stunning performance by the entire cast and crew, and the vocals were incredible. I dive into what I loved seeing Hamilton and why I will be watching it again and again. If I ever have the chance to see thi…

To help remember better times when we could all come together and enjoy live music I asked a few of my friends to recall their favorite concert experience. Simple right? Well not for most. Having attended multiple concerts or live events in their lifetimes gives many people a large library of shows to choose from. Each show stands out in it’s own w…

Recently I had the privilege of being a guest on Steven's podcast; More Movies Please! where we discussed the film Inside Man. It was a blast and there guys were nice enough to share the audio with me so I could give it to you! Links to all of their content and socials are on the show notes page still please be sure to give them a follow, and a lik…

At home because the whole world is taking a time out, but there is still plenty going on. I have made it a part of my day to stay busy and connected with friends and family and I am plugging in to many of the artist I follow and love. Check the show notes page for links to the ones going live so you can get you music fix all from the comfort of you…

This episode is a check in from episode 14; 10 Things you can do to elevate your music experiences. I go down the list and let you know what I have been up to over the last year including while the brand was on hiatus!By Johnny SoCal

I have 3 artist I must see whenever they come to town. Andy Grammer is one of those 3. Tune into this episode to find out why.By Johnny SoCal

BeyHive don't come for me. Listen to the episode and decide for yourself if I am truly a Beyoncé hater or if I make valid points as to why she is not my favorite artist of all time. I like many of her songs and her acting, I've seen her live and would see her again once she decides to play a show in SoCal....but many members of the BeyHive would pu…

2019 is more than 1/2 over and I have been to far fewer concerts this year than I have in previous years, and definitely since starting the SoCal Live Music Review. This episode is a look into what has been occupying my time and why I have not attended as many shows as I have in the past. Take a listen and leave a review!…

Dive into the man behind the mic! A look at the history and life-long love and appreciation of music, join me for this stroll down memory lane about the passion that has followed me for my entire life. From playing drums as an early child to studying music production in college, and what would become the beginnings of the SoCal Live Music Review...…

They are here! Tune in to a convo with the Aussie Brothers Ben and Anthony as we talk about their journey to Stagecoach. After that I talk with my good friend Ashley about all of the planning that went into making this epic weekend happen as we drive back home. Everything leading up to the weekend, the weekend itself, and what we might do different…

Stagecoach 2019 was a weekend to remember, one that will go down in history as one of my favorite festival experiences to date. We rented a house and then filled it with amazing people for the weekend. We all came together in love and music for a few days to enjoy Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt, Jason Aldean and so many more country artist over three days. W…

RE-RELEASED, This time WITH audio working! If you have been listening for a while you may remember Episode 6 (Going To A Show In A Group)where I brought on my concert buddy Steven of Reyes Of Sounds to talk some of the pros and cons of going to a show with a group. Today he is joining me again to talk about what it was like for him seeing Pink live…

The NAMM show (or the National Association Of Music Merchants) is one of my favorite times of year hands down. I love going every year to see all the booths, hear the music, eat from the food trunks and just be completely surrounded by music and the music industry. I always feel like a kid in a candy store soaking in the sounds of the instruments, …

It was all over the news because this was the biggest upset in modern music history and ponze schemes. I think this will go in as our generations version of Enron. With both Netflix and Hulu each producing documentaries on the festival tracking the disaster that happened/didn’t happen. I watched them both and gained a ton of insight social media an…

As we go through our music experiences every year it is easy to default to the things, artists, and places we know without ever having new experiences or creating new memories along the way. I have put together a list of 10 Ways You Can Elevate Your Music Experiences in the coming 10 to 12 months. Over the next hour I will break it down for you in …

2018 has been an amazing year for me and for many close friends of mine. This has been a year of many “first” that have taken mew to a completely new level of music appreciation. I have been blessed to experience so much this year and I want to take some time to recap the past twelve months, both the good and the bad along the way, and share some o…

We have our favorite artist, our go-to playlist when we want to listen to music. We often visit the same venues and rock the same stations whether in our cars or on Pandora. We listen to the same music over and over. While this isn't a bad thing, it limits the amount of music we listen to. To remedy this I offer a few places or ways you can discove…

Christmas is back and with it a ton of holiday music! Instead of searching through countless albums and playlist trying to find the perfect mix of music to throw on your speakers while finishing last minute shopping I have done the work for you. A solid mix of old music and new, classic songs and originals, artist you know from growing up and other…