Kiel Hauck is an avid music lover, sports fan, and writer. He received his bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from Northwestern Oklahoma State University and has spent seven years as a disk jockey. Over the past decade, he has been a contributor for Sphere of Hip Hop, Feed Magazine, and Christ and Pop Culture. Kiel currently resides in Indianapolis, IN with his imaginary pet, Hand Dog. You can follow him on Twitter.
Features
Thursday, December 6 2012
The Best Pop-Punk of 2012
If last year was a reminder that “pop-punk’s not dead”, then 2012 was a celebration of the vitality and diversity of the genre.
Tuesday, October 23 2012
Here They Are Alive: An Interview with Yellowcard
After a hiatus, Yellowcard frontman Ryan Key opens up to PopMatters about returning to the studio and the road -- and the challenges within.
Monday, July 9 2012
Smarter Than You Think: An Interview with Eisley
Free from their major label chains and having just released a new, daring EP (along with each band member having their own musical side project), Eisley have never felt so alive. The whole band sits down with PopMatters to talk all about it ...
Monday, July 2 2012
Time Moves Like This: An Interview with Motion City Soundtrack
After achieving a newfound level of success with 2010's My Dinosaur Life, Motion City Soundtrack have now turned inwards, and frontman Justin Pierre talks about the difficulties and foibles his band has gone through with each album, culminating in their just-released new disc, Go ...
Monday, May 21 2012
Carry On: An Interview with fun.
They have the biggest song of the year thus far, were in a Super Bowl commercial, and were even covered by Glee. Yet what you don't know about fun. is that what'll surprise you the most, as this is not the first rodeo these guys have been on ...
Reviews
Tuesday, January 29 2013
Underoath: 20 January 2013 - Chicago
When your favorite band goes on their farewell tour, you go. It doesn’t matter how far you have to drive; you just go. The real question lies in where you should set your expectations.
Thursday, December 20 2012
ISO Yuletide Celebration: 15 December 2012 - Indianapolis, IN
When it comes to our intake of Christmas media, we seem to put aside our normal artistic filters, both in terms of content and in terms of presentation, and simply partake in enjoyment. And that’s absolutely okay.
Tuesday, September 25 2012
Chiodos + The Word Alive + I Am King: 15 September 2012 - Indianapolis
It’s hard to swallow for some that a band could simply miss the mere presence of a member as much as Chiodos missed Craig Owens, but the fact remains that it never for one moment felt the same while he was absent
Monday, September 10 2012
The Honda Civic Tour: 25 August 2012 - Indianapolis, IN
What happens when one indie music writer ends up smack dab in the middle of a wild crowd during Linkin Park's set at this year's Honda Civic Tour? He actually end up having a pretty good time.
Tuesday, August 21 2012
Yellowcard: Southern Air
Yellowcard hasn’t just staked their claim in their return to the scene, they’ve burnt it to the ground and constructed a monument of an album that will serve as the new benchmark for the pop-punk genre.
Blogs
Thursday, November 1 2012
The Early November: 16 October 2012 - Indianapolis, IN
The Early November and Cartel provide the perfect setting for a cool, autumn night.
Tuesday, August 28 2012
Tangled in the Great Escape: An Interview with Pierce the Veil
Experimental post-hardcore act Pierce the Veil has gone from a band on the verge to main stage scene-kings on the Vans Warped Tour. The band sits down with PopMatters to make sense of the wild ride.
Thursday, July 26 2012
Eisley: 11 July 2012 - Indianapolis, IN
It’s hard not to smile when you see Eisley. The band is clearly happy and satisfied with where they are and has a clear understanding of what they’re about.
Thursday, September 15 2011
I'm Here to Take the Sky: An Interview with D.R.U.G.S.
An alt-metal supergroup with multimedia dominance has been rocking the Warped Tour all summer, and in sitting down with PopMatters, they get the record straight, try to take ego out of the occasion, and reveal the one band who they bow down to during Warped . . .
Tuesday, August 30 2011
Local Man Ruins Everything: An Interview with the Wonder Years
Following the release of one of the most acclaimed alt-punk albums this year, the Wonder Years are enjoying the rest of the Warped Tour doing what any hard-working rock band should do: start up the BBQ ...
