The Friday Read: AC/DC in Cleveland & The Best Summer Workwear From Huckberry

AC/DC Cleveland 2025.

Well, my friends: It’s official. For the second time this month, I’ve managed to squeeze in a properly iconic, truly rocking show by Australian icons and personal heroes AC/DC. If you’ve been reading this Brooklyn style blog for years, you know I tend to dabble in music writing — among my many other freelance writing pursuits, of course — and that I’ve got a true love for guitar-driven rock music.

It all started with AC/DC years ago, as I wrote on this very blog when I saw AC/DC in Tampa Bay just a few weeks ago, and if you’ve kept up with me on Instagram, you’ll see I haven’t slowed down one bit (and neither has my first favorite band!).

This week saw a trek to Cleveland for a mix of business and pleasure: In the midst of writing about the best leather chukka boots for men, I made time to trek back to the Midwest once more in pursuit of the best craft beer, the best summer menswear from Huckberry and certainly, the pursuit of the all-encompassing power of genre-defining, game-changing rock music.

I’ve also covered a lot of ground when it comes to all things music on this very blog, including how to dress for a rock concert and how to dress in rock n’roll style: For me, that meant a combination of rugged Taylor Stitch denim and a classic T-shirt purchased earlier in the day at the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame — what a pairing, ehh?

For visiting the likes of Great Lakes Brewing, stopping by iconic Cleveland dive bar ABC The Tavern and then turning things up in high-voltage fashion for a blistering, hard-rocking show, they were the right pick indeed — you can (and should!) check out my other Taylor Stitch reviews for a road map to the best seasonal menswear, and for a look at how those denim jeans are working for me, please do see my Instagram below. Cheers!

I’ve stayed plenty busy even on the road, covering the likes of the Huckberry x Ford capsule collection at Maxim.com — rugged workwear aplenty is the name of the game — and carving out time to taste the best Cleveland craft beer. It goes without saying, but the fun continues back in Brooklyn this weekend with two summer style blog posts for your reading and shopping pleasure.

For now, I’m going to reflect fondly on my time in Cleveland, and my time seeing one of the greatest rock bands on the planet, over a cold beer or two. Join me, won’t you? Cheers to the weekend, cheers to summer style essentials and as always, long live rock n’roll!

The Friday Read: The AC/DC PWR UP Tour, the Best Spring Weekend Menswear & Tampa Bay Craft Beer

AC/DC PWR UP Tour.

It’s not every day that a blog post via my Brooklyn style blog leads off with a reference to AC/DC — nor an AC/DC show on the horizon, right?? The Aussie rockers were my first favorite band years ago growing up in Michigan — where I’ve spent much of the past week reconnecting with family and friends (and attending my high school class reunion!). Yes, if you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ll have seen all of that fun — and Michigan craft beer — and more.

I’ve come a long way since those days ridin’ down the highway back in Michigan jamming out to those legendary rockers, but my latest excursion south to Florida brings the promise of another show by an iconic band, this time in Tampa Bay.

If you’ve followed along with the blog over the years, especially as I’ve talked about live music adventures in Brooklyn and even how to dress for a rock concert, plus how to dress in rock n’roll style, my tastes have certainly changed, but the band still holds a very, very special place in my heart. In fact, this will remarkably be my fourth time (dating back to 2008!) seeing Acca Dacca. How about that!?

And that all means that, thanks to a timely Christmas gift from my mom… my dad and I get to see these giants of rock n’roll this very weekend in Tampa Bay! It’s a departure from the norm (although “If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)” still holds a prime placement on my Spotify!), but so great and a positively exciting return to my roots, in a way, all the same.

Again, long before I started this Brooklyn style blog and later had the chance to travel to the French Riviera, cover the finest spirits in the world and write all about my favorite menswear, well, there was AC/DC.

And as a wise author once wrote in Esquire years ago, a band like AC/DC will never die — the world will always need a band like AC/DC. Lofty praise considering most of my coverage skews towards the best new gear and watches, yes? But again, perspective is important, as is the chance to just plain old rock out.

If you happen to have any recommendations for Tampa — perhaps some of the best Tampa Bay craft beer via Cigar City? — then those selections truly are welcomed (and you can let me know via Instagram!).

As for my wardrobe in the Florida heat, I look forward to wearing a new duo of menswear from Taylor Stitch (canvas fatigue-inspired shorts and a simple black T-shirt from Taylor Stitch, namely). Just like the straightforward, high-voltage rock music of AC/DC, sometimes, keeping things simple is best — and pays the most dividends in terms of consistency over time, ehh?

For now, keep your eyes peeled here for a duo of weekend style blog posts as I boogie my way across Florida and make my way back home early next week to Brooklyn — there’s nothing like a return to form via an iconic rock band though, is there?

I look forward to getting down to some good old-fashioned rock n’roll this weekend, just like the old days — thanks for reading, thank you for following along, and remember: Rock n’roll ain’t noise pollution, folks. Cheers!

The Friday Read: The Best Winter Beers, Last-Minute Gifts from Huckberry & A Florida Holiday Getaway

I don’t know about you, but in my neck of the woods, it feels like a sprint to the finish as we roll through the holiday season and put a nice bow on the end of this year. I’ve certainly stayed busy covering all manner of freelance writing pursuits, as you well know if you read this blog — that includes everything from yesterday’s post on the best new sweatpants to my coverage at Maxim of holiday gifts galore.

Speaking of: If you still need to knock out a few more items on your holiday shopping list, I’ve got just the recommendation for you. In fact, if you read the blog regularly, you’ll be well aware of what I’m going to say when it comes to the best last-minute gifts for guys (and just about anyone else in your life).

Huckberry’s Holiday Gift Guide hits the mark in plenty of different ways, from gifts for the rugged outdoorsman to gifts for the guy who’s got everything (seriously). I’ve always found that the retailers comes through with some of the coolest gifts for guys (and gals, of course), and that’s about the best recommendation I can provide as we close out this week.

Some last-minute holiday touches will certainly be on my mind as I close up shop in Brooklyn and make my way down to Florida for a family Christmas in the sand and sun, accompanied by my lovely Mary.

Expect plenty of fun in the sun on my Instagram, and be sure to keep it locked here for additional posts this weekend (and next week!) for gear related to all the rest of your holiday shopping needs this season. But first, a few choice reading and shopping picks to make your Friday sail by, my friends.

  • Feeling thirsty on this pre-holiday weekend Friday? That makes two of us, and that’s why I wrote about a true passion of mine, the best winter craft beers, featuring the likes of Stone Brewing, Sierra Nevada and many more seasonal favorites. Head to Maxim.com to check out my full list delicious seasonal sippers.
  • Let’s keep it locked on another must-have for the holiday season: A stylish, investment-level watch. Again, I wear a lot of hats in this freelance life, and accordingly, I wrote for Maxim.com about the hottest Rolex watches of 2024. There are more than a few drool-worthy selections to add to your wish list — a guy can dream, right??
Best sweatpants for men.
  • I said it once before and I’ll say it again: The best sweatpants for men, especially with the cozy holiday season upon us, are a must-have, and that’s why I wrote about a classically cool new pair from Flint and Tinder and Huckberry. Head to yesterday’s post to read all about your new favorite sweatpants here on the blog, my friends.

That’s going to wrap up my trio of selections for the best holiday menswear to read about, shop and buy right now. There’s plenty more where that came from –in the form of two weekend posts, of course — so be sure to swing by your favorite Brooklyn style blog in the days ahead. Cheers to the season, and as always, thank you for reading and for supporting this blog!