UK alt-folkies STORNOWAY brought a coded setlist, a saw, face-paint, a bunch of multi-instrumentalists, the ability to quieten a post-hockey crowd and some SERIOUS pretty to Vancouver’s Media Club on June 1. Here’s the gallery, a video of their new track “Bigger Picture”, plus some words. PHEWF.

Ask (on Twitter), and ask again, and ask again, and YE SHALL RECEIVE. Neil Gaiman, man of letters, hero to geeks everywhere, and my personal favourite wordsmith, came through in, EPIC ROCKHANDERY. He sent me this. Featuring Gaiman, Amanda Palmer, OKGo and Ben Folds, this is truly the Monster of all Rock(hands).

What happens when the BackstageRider and a giant eyeball goes to see concept artrocker legends The Residents in Vancouver at the Rickshaw Theatre? Well, you’re just going to have to click through to the enormo PHOTO ESSAY, aren’t you?

The devil’s horns are the international symbol of rocktacularness. Which is why it is BackstageRider’s greatest goal to create the world’s largest gallery of awesome folks doing the rock hands. YOU. WANT. TO. BE. HERE.

What do you get when a former highschool bandmate of J. Mascis and Lou Barlow gets in touch and has a concept for some original rockhand artwork? Well, yer gonna have to click to find out.

Check out the most amazing rockhand, Maloik, by artist Mark Atomos Pilon. Inspired by and drawn for the BackstageRider’s very own Devil’s Horn Corner: the Rockhands Gallery, this is some seriously sexy piece of art. And if you fancy it, you can also read about my fascination with funky and rocktacular artists.

Yeah, so Pavement, reunited, were in town. So what’s the BackstageRider gonna do? Hang out with Bob Nastanovich, get goofy, rock out, go on the tour bus, talk hockey and crap with Malkmus, OF COURSE. Here’s the proof in photos, video, aftershow passes and Sausage Kitchen business cards.

July’s Rock Hands of the Month is awarded to the San Diego’s finest and cleanest, Republic of Letters. Bask in this San Diego pop-band’s double devil horn action.

Seven hours with with the King of Lo-Fi. What to do? Start with soundcheck, detour to a homemade dinner and the kindness of strangers, end up backstage with a scaredy cat poster, drink beer, rock out, then laugh a lot. Here’s a photo gallery of the first day of summer, BackstageRider-style. There’s even rockhands.