ToddStar - that's me... just a rocking accountant who had dreams of being a rock star. I get to do the next best thing to rocking the globe - I get to take pictures of the lucky ones that do. I love to shoot all genres of music and different types of performers. If it is related to music, I love to photograph it. I get to shoot and hang with not only some of my friends and idols, but some of the coolest people around today.
According to a recent press release: “Eclipse Records is thrilled to announce the signing of an exclusive worldwide deal with NOVA RIOT from Durant, Oklahoma (USA) that is redefining the boundaries of heavy music with their signature “bubblegum alternative metal” sound. Their music acts as a form of modern alchemy, transforming themes of mental health […]
According to a recent press release: “Cellofame Records and Austin punk legends The Applicators have officially launched pre-orders for the 20th anniversary edition of My Weapon — the band’s landmark 2006 album finally making its long-awaited vinyl debut on June 15, 2026. Originally released on CD during the band’s relentless international touring years, My Weapon captured The Applicators at their creative peak — blending […]
Venue: Brooklyn Bowl City: Nashville, TN Date: May 15, 2026 Review and Photographs by: Jacob Smith (https://www.jhs-photo.com) The house was beyond packed on Friday night for this show. Everyone came out ready for some heavy riffs and mosh pits. Behemoth has been a powerhouse on the metal scene for decades, and this was the first time […]
According to a recent press release: “Today, New York City-based indie rock / pop musician and actor Rivkah Reyes shares confessional, bubble-grunge tune “Miss Congeniality” out now with a matching music video set in a queer and trans Bushwick boxing gym. Unafraid to divulge her fears and expose her own patterns, Reyes documents her real, lived experiences through revealing, punchy lyricism on […]
According to a recent press release: “The SoapGirls are not just a band — they are a movement. Formed by sisters Noemie and Camille Debray, this genre-defying alternative rock duo has been inseparable both personally and creatively since early childhood. Their story is one of raw talent, relentless perseverance, and an unshakable sisterhood that has […]
Venue: Eastside Bowl City: Nashville, TN Date: May 8, 2026 Review and Photographs by: Jacob Smith (https://www.jhs-photo.com) Getting onto stage to a max capacity sold-out crowd, the Toadies put forth one of the best live performances I have ever seen. Being a fan of theirs since the early 90’s, I had never been fortunate to […]
According to a recent press release: “After more than three decades orbiting just outside the mainstream, Love Jones return with The Greatest Show On Earth — their first new album in years and a reminder that not all reinventions need to be loud to be meaningful. For a band that once moved effortlessly between Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Entertainment Tonight, […]
According to a recent press release: “No Clean Singing is currently streaming Enter The Woodland Realm, the latest full-length from transcontinental black metal outfit EVEALE. The premiere comes on the eve of the record’s official release on Friday, May 1st via a joint collaboration between Toronto’s Hypaethral Records and New York’s Fiadh Productions. EVEALE emerged in early 2025 as […]
According to a recent press release: ““Unrelenting Storms” is the new single from Arizona death metal outfit WYRMHAVEN. Now playing at Decibel Magazine, the track comes off the band’s forthcoming full-length debut, Seasons Of Gloom, set for release on May 29th. With the release of Seasons Of Gloom, WYRMHAVEN is poised to expand their domain in the metal world, preparing […]
According to a recent press release: “Calgary’s Howells haven’t just released a new EP—they’ve built a fully realized visual and sonic world. Out now, Fade Into Being (Part 1) marks the first half of an ambitious two-part release that blends heavy alternative music with a cohesive visual narrative rooted in transformation, decay, and rebirth. Anchored by a stark recurring […]
According to a recent press release: “Red-hot dance cuts, ice-cold noir songs, rabid rock, passionate soul…the Claudettes reach a whole new level of sound and style with their seventh album, GARAGE GLAMOUR. The album’s title points to the signature blend of glitz and grit that the Claudettes bring to the stage and studio. And the […]
Venue: The East Room City: Nashville, TN Date: May 6, 2026 Review and Photographs by: Jacob Smith (https://www.jhs-photo.com) On an evening with so many events happening at the same time, from Bruno Mars to Sepultura, the serious post-psychedelic fans showed up for New Candys at the East Room in full force. They were seriously in […]
Venue: The Park Theatre City: Winnipeg, MB, Canada Date: May 3, 2026 Review and Photographs by: Alejandro Penner (https://www.alejandropenner.ca/) Fit For A King just kicked off their North American Lonely God Tour, and we were lucky enough to catch the second date right here at the Park Theatre in Winnipeg. And yeah… they didn’t just show up, […]
According to a recent press release: “Hypnolovewheel’s Parallel Universe is a career-spanning overview of the band’s beloved and idiosyncratic blend of garage rock, post-punk, power pop, and psychedelia. Kicking off a reissue program of the group’s complete catalog, Parallel Universe features 15 of Hypnolovewheel’s most memorable moments, as selected by Yo La Tengo’s James McNew, […]
Venue: Cain Center for the Arts City: Cornelius, NC Dates: April 24, 2026 Review and Photographs by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur (www.toddstarphotography.com) The local PAC always hosts a wide palate of artists through the course of the year, but I was excited to see an artist I was lucky enough to photograph years ago was performing […]
Venue: The BayCare Sound City: Clearwater, FL Date: April 24, 2026 Review and Photographs by: James Zambon (https://jameszambon.com) The Surfing With The Hydra Tour rolled into Clearwater’s BayCare Sound at Coachman Park on Friday, April 24, 2026, dropping two of rock guitar’s most influential minds (Joe Satriani and Steve Vai) onto the same stage with progressive metal […]
Venue: Burton Cummings Theatre City: Winnipeg, MB, Canada Date: April 27, 2026 Review and Photographs by: Alejandro Penner (https://www.alejandropenner.ca/) Where do I even start. On this night, I finally got to cross one of the bucket list—seeing Lorna Shore live. I haven’t been a fan for that long, and honestly, I’ll admit it: I got pulled in […]
According to a recent press release: “Since her guitar-strumming grandfather suggested that she start taking fiddle lessons, Emerald Butler has been fiddling on the tops of bars, tables, and stages, engaging audiences with lively and passionate performances. Cultivated by the Chattanooga mountain music scene, Emerald began fiddling with local bands and pickers at the age […]
According to a recent press release: “West Los Angeles punk outfit Victory Kid have released their new single “You’re Alright,” out now via SBÄM Records. Inspired by the hook-heavy energy of early 2000s pop punk, “You’re Alright” pairs bright, driving guitars with some of the band’s most vulnerable subject matter to date. Written from the perspective of someone intimately familiar […]
According to a recent press release: “Cento Threeo is an instrumental trio performing original compositions that live somewhere between straight-ahead jazz, a midwestern sunset after a thunderstorm, and Ernie Kovacs’ dressing room. Conversational musical improvisation that ebbs and flows and gives and takes.” We get guitarist Don Cento to discuss new music, influences, and more… 1. Tell us […]
