This past fall, a friend of mine texted me excitedly from the barrier of a gig in London. Upon further prodding I did in fact know the band, a local legend turned myth. Bay Faction, one of the 2010s’ best kept indie secrets, had returned. Known for their self-titled debut in 2015, the group made the rounds of Boston house shows and tastemaker internet threads alike. Their 2020 hiatus spanned nearly five years (and spurred this r/emo thread), along with the gutting of their d

NICE, a fest is back for its fifth annual summit of all things Boston DIY in Somerville’s Davis Square. From July 24th-26th, over 85 artists from across New England will come together to perform, collaborate, and create community at Crystal Ballroom, The Rockwell, and Dragon’s Lair. Credit: Cam Cavagnaro (NICE, 2023) Founded in 2021 by Alex Pickert, the festival has expanded to include two well-curated vendor markets and NICE @nite DJ sets to keep the party going. A pre-show

Palefire is at a turning point. When I sit down with twenty-two year old Jacqui Torres in her Denton, TX apartment, she is just about to head off on tour. Her debut LP full heart, big empty eyes is set for release on streaming (July 16th) after a whirlwind run exclusively on Bandcamp. Self-written, recorded, and produced, the confessional indie project has given her a name locally and transformed her career - one she is ready to take full control of. Yellow Light Mag: Tell me

Nora Meier is back with her long-awaited single, “Bird in the Hand.” Released last month, the light-hearted track explores a burgeoning new love and all of its excitement on a warm night. “You make a bad joke funny,” she muses, painting a scene of optimistic hesitancy and a gentle coax to let oneself feel goodness again. With a “The Whole of the Moon” reference and her classic acoustic campfire feel, Meier further cements her rightful spot in the Boston folk scene. When she s

I didn’t know it yet, but when Molly and I lamented our adolescence on her parents’ living room carpet in 2022 we were actually at our inaugural Moveable Feast. I had run away to the Washington mountains again as I was wont to do when things went bad. College was in the rearview mirror and had taken with it the first man I’d ever loved. As soon as my cap hit the air he was aboard a plane across the Atlantic, never to return. I was floundering, putting on weight with condensa

It is a sunny, still-cold March day when I sit down with Cole Triedman in the middle of Central Square. The train was late so I almost am, too. We both seem to make it just in time. Cole, the man behind Mozz, gets his own pot of tea. He’s on the precipice of releasing his solo EP, Breadt , and about to turn twenty-seven. This will all happen within the same week. The five-song collection has blown me away. I’ve listened in the car, in my room prepping for the chat, and on t

Sweet Petunia gifts a breath of fresh air to alt-folk with their highly-anticipated debut LP Foggy Mountain Mental Breakdown.

As the ice melts around Boston, local group Spirit Ghost prepares to launch into their own dizzying psych rock rebirth with the release of Ordinary People on March 27th. The project, their third full-length offering, is an amalgamation of past work with a sharper edge.

Nestled in the heart of Harvard Square between fast casual food joints and overpriced college merch, Mayfly Bus serves as a beacon of brilliant sustainability. The official storefront in the Garage had its grand opening this past fall, a dream realized for founder Alex DiMauro. What began as a pop-up marketplace to redesign and repurpose used clothing has turned into a space for curation that is equal parts whimsical and purposeful. We sat down with Alex to chat about her ar

At the end of August, sandwiched between a chain link fence and the back of a flat bed truck-turned-stage, I met with three of Boston’s most beloved DIY bands at the second annual Ratchella . Somerville’s own multimedia fest received a cease and desist from a certain similarly named event just days before. Organizers crossed out signage with tongue-in-cheek REDACTED overlays. Ratchella was two days of sweaty, ecstatic communal fun, masterminded by Yardwork Productions . Befo

Founded on the principles of solidarity, collaborative organization, and really good tunes, Yardwork Productions gears up for their...

With the poise of all the great confessionalists before her, and the talent to share her truth melodically, Nora Meier tackles her own...