Thomas Abban is in full make-up when he arrives for our interview. It’s 9:30 in the morning at an Uptown coffee shop, and none of the other customers look ready to step on a stage — but there he is, wearing black and white, thin lines and question marks painted on his hands. Under his…

For today's 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs do you want to hear that have the same title?

The Cedar Cultural Center was disappointed to announce last week the cancellation of a month-long musical residency, due to visa delays. The showcase, arranged through their Midnimo program, was slated to feature London-based Somali musician Aar Maanta and his band, the Urban Nomads. Despite being hosted by the Cedar twice in the past, Maanta, the…

This past Saturday, Oct. 7, at Cal Jam 17 in San Bernardino, Calif., Bob Mould opened his set by paying tribute to Grant Hart. Mould performed Hüsker Dü’s “Never Talking to You Again.” The song, written by Hart, comes from the 1984 album Zen Arcade. Prior to starting the song, according to attendee John Loughney,…

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its nominees for the class of 2018. Upvote your favorites for today's 9:30 Coffee Break!

Lizzo, “Truth Hurts” Lizzo doesn’t have a new album officially announced, but she seems to be ramping up to something with “Truth Hurts” and “Water Me,” the two singles she’s released on Atlantic in the last couple of months. Maybe we’ll know what it is by the time she plays the Myth on New Year’s Eve.…

Update: “Almost Like Praying” is out, and it features all 22 of its vocalists reciting the names of all 78 towns in Puerto Rico, from Adjuntas to Yauco. Lin-Manuel Miranda begins the song by quoting West Side Story: “Say it loud and there’s music playing/ Say it soft and it’s almost like praying.” Without coincidence, the lyrics…

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced its nominees for the class of 2018, presenting one of its more sonically diverse group of first-time nominees.

Today in 2012, Adele posted her new theme to "Skyfall", the 23rd film in the James Bond series. So for today's 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs do you want to hear that were used as movie or TV theme songs?

Picking a favorite Tom Petty song is like sitting in front of a table laden with the most delicious foods and having to only choose one, so when it came to picking just a handful of songs to share on Wednesday night’s tribute to Tom Petty at the Turf Club, even narrowing them down led…