This past weekend at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Oteil Burbridge showcased a special instrument—a meticulously crafted replica of Phil Lesh’s iconic Mission Control #2 Bass. Built by luthier Leo Elliott of Scarlet Fire Guitars, this remarkable bass guitar was commissioned by the Grateful Guitars Foundation and instantly became the centerpiece of attention during select songs.

Reggae gets a fresh spark with “Hot Box,” the latest single from genre-blending band Mr. Mota, officially released on April 18. Released by InnerCat Music Group, the track dropped alongside a nostalgic music video inspired by That ’70s Show, and it’s already made waves with over 600,000 views on YouTube. As part of the launch, the band announced a special partnership with iconic lifestyle brand Dime Bags, bringing fans a unique fusion of sound, culture, and community.

American music icon John Fogerty had a big weekend. On Saturday, April 26, the Grammy winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee was celebrated at the American Music Honors, presented by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music at Monmouth University in NJ.

Americana Podcast: The 51st State is back for a new season with host and Americana Pioneer, Robert Earl Keen, digging into fellow musicians’ points of view, histories, creative processes, successes, failures, and everything in between. Only this season, the format of Americana Podcast has evolved to include a video component and some bonus performance footage, to boot—not to mention a venture outside of purely musician-based interviews.

Ohana Festival, the premier California beachside music event founded by Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, returns to Doheny State Beach September 26–28, 2025, with an extraordinary three-day lineup spanning rock, folk, blues, and beyond. Presented in partnership with California State Parks and Kona Big Wave, this year’s festival offers fans an unparalleled seaside concert experience against the backdrop of Dana Point’s legendary surf breaks.

Celebrated for balancing their sun-soaked reinventions of Grateful Dead classics with a punk rock ethos, Grateful Shred flips the Grateful Dead’s unfinished studio business into a tight and personal indie manifesto on their first-ever studio album, Might As Well.  Set for release June 6 via their own independent imprint Liberty Hair Farm Records, Might As Well will be available via vinyl and digital formats, with pre-orders live now.

Borderland Music Festival announces the 2025 Daily Lineup and Single-Day General Admission Festival Passes. Heading into its seventh year, returning and new attendees can plan their September 12–14 weekend and see which days their favorite bands will be playing.

For those unable to attend the festival all weekend long, Single-Day General Admission tickets will be available for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in addition to Weekend GA, VIP, and the flexible Single-Day “Anyday” GA passes.

The best was saved for last in terms of Eggy’s Here and How 2025 Spring Tour. Their final non-festival date at Manhattan’s Webster Hall on April 26, 2025, was a barn burner, much to the delight of the packed crowd. Their performance included a number of new and repeat covers, as well as a guest appearance by Hamilton Leithauser from the American indie-rock band The Walkmen.

The High Sierra Music Festival returns to the Plumas County Fairgrounds in Quincy, CA, on July 3-6, 2025. Tickets are available now via the festival website.

The Bob Dylan Center will present “Going Electric: Bob Dylan ’65,” a groundbreaking exhibition opening July 24, 2025, and closing in the spring of 2026.

Presented by Bob Dylan Center founding members Bob and Debbie Russell, the exhibit offers an immersive, multimedia exploration of one of the most transformative years in Dylan’s career and the cultural upheaval that followed.