The Upful Life

Introducing Atom Cat: New Orleans’ Psychedelic Garage-Rock In Neon Hues [B.Getz on L4LM]]

April 22, 2026 B.Getz atom cat, atom cat nola, blue carl, blue carl bassist, downman sounds, garage rock, Jazz Fest, Maple Leaf Bar, New Orleans, new orleans jazz fest, NOLA, NOLA Jazz Fest, psychedelic rock, saturn bar

In the vibrant, horn-heavy heart of New Orleans, an enigmatic new squad is bubbling up from the underground club scene. Introducing ATOM CAT.

The Upful LIFE Podcast 097: JOHN SPEICE [drums – Brownout, Grupo Fantasma, Money Chicha, Hairy Apes BMX, Caramelo Haze] + JOHNNY WOODSTOCK [KNON, WWOZ, Blue Nile NOLA]

April 7, 2026April 7, 2026 B.Getz austin, brownout, chicha, cumbia, drummer, drums, Fat Beats NYC, funk, funk drummer, grupo fantasma, hairy apes BMX, john speice, Johnny Woodstock, KNON, MaryElla Woodstock, mike dillon, Money Chicha, texas, WWOZ

Veteran drummer and percussionist JOHN SPEICE, prominently based in the Austin scene. Best known for work with Grammy-winning Latin ensemble Grupo Fantasma and its psychedelic-funk offshoot Brownout, more recently Money Chicha. Episode also features JOHNNY WOODSTOCK.

A NIGHT LIKE FOREVER: Grahame Lesh & Friends Wrap ‘Unbroken Chain’ At Fillmore San Francisco [B.Getz on L4LM]

March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 B.Getz eric krasno, Fillmore SF, grahame lesh, Grateful dead, Karl Denson, Oteil Burbridge, Phil lesh, san francisco, Unbroken Chain

This sacred songbook and chosen family is a living, breathing, ever-evolving organism. The hallowed room was a swirling kaleidoscopic maze of hallway spinners, tie-dyed OGs wiggling slack-jawed, and a younger generation frozen in total awe.

Features Promotional

The Upful LIFE Podcast – 096: lespecial – A Year In The Life ft. RORY DOLAN, LUKE BEMAND, JONNY G, w/ YHETI [LIMINOID], + BRET PERETZ [P4 TM]

February 24, 2026February 24, 2026 B.Getz bret peretz, electronic music, heavy metal, jamband, jonny g, lespecial, lespecial cali tour, lespecial live, lespecial west coast tour, LIMINOID, liminoid live, luke bemand, metal, organic electronic, pigeons playing ping pong, psychedelic bass, rory dolan, space bass, yheti

Episode 096 welcomes three-headed prog-tronic hydra lespecial, plus enigmatic bass-wizard Yheti, for an expansive deep dive into their mind-bending collaborative portal – LIMINOID. Framed through the lens of “A Year in the Life of lespecial”.

NOLA Legend CYRIL NEVILLE Brings the ‘SOUL JUNCTION’ Tour To The East Bay On Fat Tuesday

February 22, 2026February 26, 2026 B.Getz Cyril Neville, King Youngblood, mardi gras, New Orleans, NOLA, nola funk, Omari Neville and the Fuel, The Meters, the neville brothers

Cyril Neville’s “Soul Junction Tour” brought a potent blend of New Orleans traditions, soul, funk and rock to Berkeley’s Freight & Salvage on February 17, 2026.

Howling Wolves & A Holy Instant: Saying Sayanora To Bobby Weir [B.Getz on L4LM]

January 27, 2026January 27, 2026 B.Getz bill graham civic auditorium, bob weir, Bob Weir memorial, Bobby Weir, Bobby Weir tribute, Chloe Weir, dead and company, Deadheads, grahame lesh, Grateful dead, Haight Ashbury, Howling Wolves: A Tribute to Bob Weir, john mayer, mickey hart, Monet Weir, san francisco

On a day many of us thought might never come, a city gathered one final time to say sayonara to a favorite son.

Features Promotional

The Upful LIFE Podcast 095 : OTIS McDONALD, DERRICK ‘Smoker’ FREEMAN [SOUL Brass Band, Shadow People Pod], PIET DALMOLEN

January 19, 2026January 19, 2026 B.Getz aloe blacc, atta kid, bassist, Bay Area, bob weir, derrick freeman, derrick smoker, drummer, eric krasno, eric krasno always, eric krasno and the assembly, eric krasno otis mcdonald, Hyde Street Studio, jazz mafia, joe cohen, king canyon, mickey hart band, music podcast, musician interview, New Orleans, nicholas payton, otis mcdonald, Piet Dalmolen, producer, san francisco, soul brass band, wil blades

Prolific San Francisco composer, producer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist OTIS McDONALD is finally here. BG also checks back in with Derrick ‘Smoker’ Freeman [SOUL Brass Band, Shadow People Podcast]; and introduces rising NorCal guitarist/solo artist Piet Dalmolen.

Features Reviews

Upful LIFE 2025: Favorite Records + Much More!

December 23, 2025January 1, 2026 B.Getz 44th Move, adam deitch, Best Albums 2025, Best Songs 2025, blanc du blanc, butcher brown, butcher brown letters from the atlantic, Cochemea, cochemea ancient futuros iii, cochemea gastellum, Cualli, CUALLI Tea, de la soul, De La Soul Cabin in the Sky, Deitch Teitel Fribush, DTF Another Side of the Sound, dub, ECHT!, ECHT! Boilerism, El michels affair, Favorite Albums 2025, Favorite Records 2025, Favorite Songs 2025, FloFilz, goopsteppa, Joe Armon-Jones, lady wray, lady wray cover girl, lespecial, lettuce, lettuce cook, LIMINOID, melas leukos, Money Chicha, morillo, morillo the dub cartographer, Moses Yoofee Trio, Nicholas Payton TRIUNE, pachyman, Parkbreezy, Parkbreezy Better Days, Piet Dalmolen, polyrhythmics, polyrhythmics life from below, say she she, Say She She Cut & Rewind, scientist, surprise chef, Surprise Chef Superb, The Circling Sun, TRIUNE, yheti, yoofee

9th annual year-end favorite records extravaganza! 25 album reviews, plus dozens more inspired, eccentric, essential recommendations, DJ mixes, playlists & beyond. ~ Curated by B.Getz ~

ORGONE Throws Down December Funk At The Independent In SF

December 20, 2025January 27, 2026 B.Getz ORGONE, san francisco, Smoked Out Soul

Orgōne returned to SF to remind us why they remain heavyweight champions of West Coast funk.

Sacred-Bass Pioneer TEMPLE STEP PROJECT Blesses The U.S. 2024-2025 [Feature/Interview]

December 11, 2025April 21, 2026 B.Getz Australia, bass music, Ben Temple Step, boulder, colorado, deep house, Ecstatic Dance, global bass, High Vibe Fest, house, Melbourne, nevada city, psychedelic bass, Sacred Bass, Temple Step, Temple Step Project, Temple Step US Tour, Texas Eclipse Festival, Unison Festival

Checking in with Melbourne, AUS subatomic sorcerer whose sterling reputation precedes him on the other side of the globe. [Feature/Interview]

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Upful Life is with Larry Berman in Louisiana.

9 hours ago

"In the vibrant, horn-heavy heart of New Orleans, an enigmatic new squad is bubbling up from the underground club scene. A self-described psychedelic-rock outfit, Atom Cat is carving out a space in the Crescent City’s crowded ecosystem with a sound built on stylistic commingling, ambitious adventures in loud rock n’ roll, and an unflappable faith in the concept of “Cat Music.”“This band was ready to be born,” says bassist Blue Carl, his voice carrying the humble reverence of someone who knows he’s merely holding the leash of a very large, very loud animal. “It would have happened with or without us. I’m just grateful to have been scooped up and along for the ride".”A window into one of the most exciting young bands on the NOLA underground, just as the masses of music maniacs descend on the Crescent City for our annual Jazz Fest bacchanalia. ~ my latest via @liveforlivemusic ~***LlNQ lN Bl0***#nola #psychedelicrock #neworleans #atomcat ... See MoreSee Less

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