Three pins, and nearly every signal in this business passes through them.

The magazine is named after the cable: the microphone in the booth, the line to the desk, the DMX run that fires the lights. Studio, stage and rig share the same cable. Most magazines pick one of the three. This one covers all of it, because the people we read do too — the engineer mixing a record on Tuesday is on front of house by Saturday.

Around a hundred and sixty sources, in English, Japanese, Spanish, German, French, Chinese and Italian: makers and their release notes, reviewers who put a hand on the thing, studios and touring crews, the producers and collectives surfacing this month and the scenes they came out of. Synths and modular, plugins and DAWs, guitars and drums, microphones, monitors, PA and lighting. What the trade is talking about is counted and plotted. The editor's letter has just started; it will find its rhythm.

For each story: a headline, a short excerpt, one picture and the link out. We never reprint the article, and the picture belongs to the maker or the photographer. A German review appears in German and a Japanese one in Japanese, as the writer published it; the link goes to the original.

Nothing is sold on this site. When a link leads to a shop, it is the maker's shop, not ours.

← XLR MAG Archive

Rolling Stone MusicScenes

Brittany Howard Protests ICE at Ohana Festival, Urges Americans to Protect Each Other

September 27

Alabama Shakes bandleader wore an "ICE OUT" pin during the group's set at the Orange County fest and delivered a message of unity

Read at Rolling Stone Music ↗

One letter a week, in your inbox.

Latest

Brittany Howard Protests ICE at Ohana Festival, Urges Americans to Protect Each Other

More from Rolling Stone Music on XLR MAG

Scenes‘Superman’ Director James Gunn Wants You to Know Singer/Songwriter Nouela Rolling Stone Music

ScenesFlorence Road Land Top Slot at Ohana After Gear Stolen: ‘It Means a Lot for a Little Irish Band’ Rolling Stone Music

Scenes‘SNL’: Watch Katseye Perform ‘Animal,’ ‘Hootie Frutti’ Rolling Stone Music

ScenesNene Royal, a Metal-Loving Teen from Thailand, Won ‘America’s Got Talent.’ A Rock Album Is Next Rolling Stone Music

ScenesChuck Varga, GWAR Founding Member and ‘Sexecutioner,’ Dead at 68 Rolling Stone Music

ScenesOlivia Rodrigo Heals Wounds and Draws Blood in Triumphant Unraveled Tour Opener Rolling Stone Music