Author: kennyjuke

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Concert Photography

Two Door Cinema Club delight SoCal at YouTube Theater

Indie icons Two Door Cinema Club traveled from across the pond to deliver an amazing show at Inglewood’s YouTube Theater last Wednesday, September 18th. The band, hailing from Northern Ireland, has been present in the indie rock scene since their smash debut album Tourist History in 2010, although initially formed in 2007.

The band’s 2024 tour features several names to accompany them, including NYC group Quarters of Change and Florida indie rock band Flipturn, as well as Petey, an indie/emo artist from Midwestern America. Petey, currently based in California, opened the night at YouTube Theater, with his unique blend of indie/garage rock and vocal elements of emo rock. Petey also brought a touch of his comedic side in between songs during his set, relating back to his popular social media persona of the same name. His setlist included his popular tracks “We Go On Walks” and the aptly-named “California”, before ending the night on a solid note with the complex track “DON’T TELL THE BOYS”.

Two Door Cinema Club then commanded the stage with high-energy hits “This Is The Life” and “I Can Talk” from their debut album, followed by “Sleep Alone” from their 2012 sophomore album Beacon. The band’s sound, led by Alex Trimble (lead vocals, guitar) is irresistible to not dance to, completed by chirpy quick riffs by Sam Halliday (lead guitar) and catchy basslines (Kevin Baird, bass/synth) to keep it all together. Oddly enough, the band’s set did not feature their newest 2024 single “Happy Customers”— but with plenty of songs to choose from, Two Door Cinema Club closed out their set with beloved jams such as “Changing Of The Seasons”, “Something Good Can Work,” “Undercover Martyn,” and their ultimate closing “What You Know” which has been featured many times in pop culture over the past decade and a half.

For now, the band looks to finish their US tour on October 3rd in Nashville before heading overseas again for a co-headlining tour with Declan McKenna in November and December featuring several show dates in Australia, Singapore, and Indonesia.

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Concert Photography

Hippo Campus debut ‘Flood’ at legendary Troubadour

Although their debut studio album Landmark released in 2017, Minnesota indie rock band Hippo Campus has been on the scene for almost a decade, performing under several different pseudonyms and versions. Coinciding with that bands’ 2024 album release Flood, Hippo Campus brought their energy to the iconic Troubadour in West Hollywood, playing the unreleased album in its entirety days before its official release— as well as several other songs from their albums, performing over 2 hours of music.

Flood proved to be an solid step in the right direction for the band, and translated well to the stage. Expansive and earnest, the album is full of solid indie hooks that are most present on songs like “Paranoid” and “Forget It” while leaving space for more mellow tunes like “Corduroy”. A solid progression for the band, Flood‘s debut live performance did not disappoint for the first-time listeners in the audience (or the second-time listeners… a copy of the album had been leaked several days before the released, which the band joked about onstage).

Co-Frontmen Jake Luppen (lead vocals, guitar) and Nathan Stocker (lead guitar, vocals) had a lot to say about the crowd’s nonstop energy, sharing their preference for these smaller/more intimate shows. Many times throughout their set, the crowd’s applause would swell for minutes on end, as the band could do nothing but stand back for a beat and smile in appreciation.

After they blazed through Flood, the band decided to bring back fans to their Landmark and Bambi days for the band’s encore, performing songs like “Bang Bang,” “Bubbles,” and “Violet”. In an unexpected second encore, the band allowed the crowd to vote for their final send-off, capping the night with a ultra-high energy version of “Buttercup.

The Troubadour might just have a little bit of magic inside those doors. Along with the legendary acts that began there and would go on to become phenoms and icons in the music world, the unique pit + wraparound terrace makes for a one-of-a-kind experience, coupled with its vintage and aged charm. Hippo Campus was able to tap into whatever magic the Troubadour contains to deliver an amazing show for their sold-out crowd.

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Concert Photography

Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors

The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles was filled with the warm comfort of a campfire under the stars this May when Nashville group Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors performed to a welcoming LA crowd. 

While onstage, Drew Holcomb shared his admiration of the City of Los Angeles for all that it is, good and gritty. Audience members were treated to an impromptu untitled song which Drew wrote just before taking the stage, speaking about a girl from LA who had a certain magic to her but longed for change in her life. Drew constantly addressed and connected with the crowd, sharing personal stories and overall making himself feel like a friend to all. The band performed songs from their recent release Strangers No More, which they performed the night prior on Jimmy Kimmel Live as a part of their tour. The band’s Americana sound shines brightest on “Find Your People,” and as the name suggests, the crowd was filled with friendly folks that all came together to sing along and jam on that Saturday night.

Find the full photo gallery here: 

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Interviews

Interview with Atlas Genius’s Keith Jeffery

Atlas Genius is an indie/alternative band hailing from Down Under in Adelaide, South Australia. They formed in 2009 when brothers Keith (vocals/guitar), Steven (synths/keys), and Michael (drums) Jeffery decided to form a band after being influenced by bands such as The Beatles, Death Cab for Cutie, Beck, The Police, and Phoenix. Known for infectious hooks that swept the music blog space in the early 2010s, Atlas Genius is ready to release its 3rd studio album End Of The Tunnel on August 23rd. 

I got a chance to sit down with Keith Jeffery after their performance at BeachLife Festival 2024 to ask him about the new album, Atlas Genius’ past songs, and the influences that have led the band to where they are now:

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In your set earlier today, you mentioned that you have not been back to the US in about 5 years. When prepping for this interview, I saw that Atlas Genius was on the lineup for BeachLife 2022, so what happened?

Well we were booked to play it, but through the “magic” of COVID, we ended up having to postpone it, making this our first BeachLife festival.

That makes sense, well we’re happy you made it to this one. In comparing Australian culture and lifestyle to the California lifestyle, what’s similar and what’s different?

I grew up near the beach, so where I’m from [Adelaide] and here have a lot in common. But general culture…. I’d say that Americans are about +20 dB louder on average. It’s not bad, it’s just the difference. Also, I feel that the U.S. has had an extra 100 years or so of being this melting pot of so many different things, whereas it’s happening now for us [in Australia]. For a long time we were just this baby country and we’re pretty sparse—we’re only about 26 million people. Coming here was intimidating!

It’s funny that you mention the “time to mature” for American culture because I feel like whenever I’ve talked with artists from Europe, it’s the opposite. We’re the baby country to them. On the topic of Aussie culture, I’m personally really keen on artists on this ‘new wave’ of rock/alt coming out of Australia, like Royel Otis, Spacey Jane, Skegss, Lime Cordiale—who actually brought out Colin Hay when I saw them in LA…

Well, I think [Colin Hay] was actually born in Scotland, but we claim him!

Oh woah, I did not know what. But, it’s Colin Hay!

It’s like AC/DC, they were born in Scotland too, but we also claim them. And The Bee Gees were from England, I believe. We’re just stealing everybody!

You are blowing my mind right now. Aside from all of the so-called “thievery,” how would you describe coming up as an artist in the Aussie music scene to an American audience?

The music I loved growing up always came from abroad, usually either New York, LA, or London. There are obviously a lot of talented bands and artists from our own country, but my influences often came from elsewhere. I have friends here who grew up in New York or LA, their favorite bands are from New York or LA. My favorite bands aren’t from Adelaide. We just haven’t had those bands from here that just changed the scene yet, at least from my city. Like when The Strokes came up, or when Nirvana came up, everything just shifted. There’s Kevin Parker [of Tame Impala] from Perth, but that hasn’t happened where I’m from. We’re kind of underdogs, so it makes you want to try hard, and I guess my whole life was just trying to get out.

Has that fueled your creativity for the band?

Yeah, I was always really unhappy living in a small town and just wanted to get out. When you’re young it feels like “Is this it? Am I trapped here? America looks pretty great.” I go back now and I love it, but it’s because I know that I can leave. I grew up wanting to be Kurt Cobain, even though I didn’t sound anything like Kurt Cobain, but it made me play music for years–I just wrote a bunch of songs, didn’t really go anywhere, quit, went and studied architecture, and that’s when “Trojans” happened. 

Really? That’s a cool roundabout way to get there. 

Yeah, at that moment I was living more like Morgan Freeman in Shawshank Redemption. After 20 years, he finally doesn’t give a fuck whether they release him or not, and that’s when they release him. That’s what happened. 

The tides just decided to shift your way. 

***

In 2013, Atlas Genius’s debut album When It Was Now peaked at No. 34 on the U.S. Billboard 200. The whirlwind of media coverage from sources like MTV, Billboard’s Heatseekers, Triple J, and Neon Gold propelled them to several U.S. tour dates and various music festival appearances such as SXSW, Sasquatch!. Firefly, Summerfest, Lollapalooza, Bluesfest, and several others. They followed this success with their second studio album Inanimate Objects in 2015. Currently, their top track “Trojans” has amassed 116 million streams on Spotify. 

***

Atlas Genius has not only one but TWO songs on the legendary FIFA soundtrack. What does that feel like?

It’s been really cool. Our bass player, for example, is a bit younger. His friends know us from FIFA. Their most well-known songs are “Stockholm” and “If So,” which are the two songs from the game. It’s a great honor to be on them, I figure it’s like what being on the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater soundtrack was like when I was a kid. All of my favorite bands were from those games, like the reason I know Primus and Mõtorhead are because of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater.

That’s a great comparison. Nowadays, I feel like it’s FIFA, the Skate 3 series, and Grand Theft Auto that fill that role. On the topic of your past music, your first album was released in 2013, and your second full album followed in 2015. I feel like social media at that time was so different from the machine it has become– TikTok wasn’t even a thing yet. What was it like rising at the time when social media was a fraction of what it is now?

Oh yeah, I mean Instagram was sort of in its infancy. I remember going to the original Instagram office and meeting Kevin Systrom in 2012. It was still this new thing and it was cool, but back then it was a lot of blogs which were crucial for bands like us without a label. Blogs were our form of virality and really helped “Trojans” spread, which we’re super thankful for. I think the difference now is that all of those blogs were a passive thing for us, where we didn’t go searching for those sources, they found the song and did the work for us. Now, the energy that you have to put into maintaining a TikTok and Instagram account means less energy that you could be putting into recording or playing shows, and that’s potentially a problem. It’s fuckin’ difficult.

It must be draining to pour yourself into your music, and then feel like you’re “selling” your music right after. 

Yeah, I think certain types of music work well for this social media framing, but if you’ve got like a 7-minute jazz odyssey… it could be incredible, but hard to get out there. I think we need to find a way in this new world of music for artists and fans to connect when they don’t have a song that’s going to be Top 10 Viral Hits. 

Maybe we need to go back to more of those blogs and tastemakers. I do feel like some of those still live on social, but when there’s this constant push for virality, it changes up what artists are making. 

Right, it still has to feel fresh. I remember when I was 14 or 15 and first heard Nirvana and went “what the fuck is this?”, and it was my mate who gave me his CD which he got from his CD Of The Month Club–he got Metallica’s ‘Black’ and Nirvana ‘Nevermind’– but I heard those songs in a very organic way. Maybe we can head back in that direction, I don’t know. 

With your new album coming out, I really like your new sound. What is the band excited about with this release?

This record was made leading up to the pandemic, so we haven’t released it until now, 4 years later. We recorded a bunch of songs and cherry-picked the songs we really love and work together, so it’s sort of a “best-of” from the last 6 years. The songs that mean the most to me are “Don’t Let Love Be A Stranger” and “Nobody Loves Like You.” It’s a strong record because we had the time to do what we wanted to, but it’s taken way too long to come out. It’s a huge relief to have it coming out. 

Right, you added “Don’t Let Love Be A Stranger” to the setlist, so BeachLife fans were treated to that. Getting a little more granular into the recording, what were some new things that you tried on this record– recording strategies, new tones, new inspirations… what felt new?

When you ask that question, what springs to mind is the approach we had on the first two records. We went in, and we didn’t have songs written and created the songs as we were recording. For this album, we did it the other way where we wrote songs, and then went in to record them. It’s so much easier and more enjoyable, I don’t know why we haven’t done it like this before.

What feels easier about it?

It’s like building a house, but you don’t know what the top floor will look like, and then once you’re at the top floor, maybe you want to change the basement, and sometimes it collapses. You can come up with unusual songs that way, “Trojans” was written that way. 

Since we’re at a music festival; if you could build a dream lineup for you + any three artists, what are you building?

You know, I think I would just build a 90s lineup. Nirvana is one of my all-time favorite bands. I never get tired of them, I can always put on Nevermind or In Utero, or even Bleach. Smashing Pumpkins, I’d put in early 90s Red Hot Chili Peppers. And Soundgarden. And Rage Against The Machine I’d have to put. I saw them when they reformed back in 2000 and it was mind-blowing. So there you go, I gave you 5 bands. We would just open for all of them. 

Great picks. How would you feel opening for all of those groups?

I’d have to open because you couldn’t follow any of those acts up! You just shouldn’t. 

First concert, best concert?

First concert was Don McLean in Tasmania, we were on a family holiday, I would have been like 4 or 5. Best concert was Paul McCartney in ‘93 in Adelaide. 

That’s massive. Did he do Beatles and Wings? 

Yeah, and he had this new solo record out at the time called Off The Ground, and I loved it as a kid. 

I’ll have to give it a listen. I know Sir Paul has given us a few recent releases.

I’m not sure, I haven’t kept up recently. I did meet him once, which was mind-blowing.

Woah! Where was it? 

In front of the Beverly Hills Hotel. I was doing press and had a guitar in my hand, and he came up behind me and said “Go on, play us a song then!” and I turned around and it’s fuckin’ Paul McCartney! We chatted for a couple of minutes.

That’s incredible! Did you play him something?

No! Everyone asks that, and I really should have, like “Actually, here’s my new song!”. I asked him for a photo and he explained that he doesn’t do photos because he doesn’t want to feel like a trained monkey. He was so great, just a magnet of energy and such a sweetheart, going around spreading joy. 

Ending on a high note talking about Paul McCartney! Anything you want to leave readers with? 

We got new songs, people! Hopefully we’ll be on the road this year, and we just really appreciate doing all of this. When something gets taken away, you appreciate it all a lot more. 

***

End of the Tunnel is set to release on August 23rd, 2024. Atlas Genius excels in crafting captivating melodies to go along with their overall intimate lyrics. They are a band that creates a world within their songs that people can feel and live in, acting as a cinematic soundtrack to your life. They have recently released “On A Wave” and “Don’t Let Love Be A Stranger,” two upcoming tracks from their album. The soaring chorus for “On A Wave” feels like Atlas Genius at their biggest yet, emphatically making a point that they have returned to the music scene. For those souls that flow through the trials and tribulations of love and life, let Atlas Genius be your soundtrack. 

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Concert Photography music festival

BeachLife Festival 2024

The first weekend of May in Redondo Beach was full of sunshine, good music, and just a bit of wind for good measure. This year’s BeachLife Festival was the 6th iteration, boasting a 3-day lineup blending reggae, rock, latin, alternative, soul, and folk together across 4 stages. Luckily this year, I was able to catch all of the action and attend BeachLife Festival 2024!

Many brand names were on display at interactive booths, such as The Los Angeles Kings, Jack Daniel’s, Kona Big Wave, Gray Whale Gin, BodyGlove Apparel, Grillo’s Pickles, IKON Pass, Cutwater, LaMarca Prosecco, Gelato Pure Water, Golden Road Brewing Co., and Sketchers VIP Booth, with several other food and beverage brands offered throughout the festival grounds, including free merch!

I was very excited to see what BeachLife was all about. Below is a rundown of all of the performances I saw over that weekend:

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FRIDAY, MAY 3rd

Seal

One of the ultimate stage personas in music, Seal took the HighTide (main) stage for an iconic sunset performance. Coming out to a cover of T. Rex’s hard-rocking “20th Century Boy,” Seal commanded the stage with his strong performance and blazing all-white outfit. His cadence towards the BeachLife audience was compassionate and human, choosing to perform several songs from within the crowd, and speaking about how important connection and love is to “the human experience,” making direct eye contact with members of the crowd. Once the crowd had enough time to digest his evocative monologue, Seal gave his performance of the world-famous “Kiss From A Rose” as the California sun shimmered through the palm trees and cascaded down into night time. 

Dirty Heads

Few bands embody the California spirit like Dirty Heads. Blending elements of rock, reggae, and hip-hop, the SoCal-native group displayed quite the ensemble onstage at LowTide (second stage), with electric/acoustic guitars, drums, synthesizers, trumpets, and trombones all coming together for their set. Vocalists Jared “Dirty J” Watson and Dustin “Duddy B” Bushnell traded off verses and choruses for most of the set, combining each individual’s unique sound. They began their set with “Heavy Water” and transitioned into the bass-heavy banger “Medusa” to get the crowd bouncing. Their setlist also included fan-favorites “Oxygen,” “Vacation,” and “Lay Me Down,” but did not include my personal favorite “Stand Tall.” 

Surfer Blood

Overlapping with Dirty Heads, I was able to catch the last half of Surfer Blood’s set over at Riptide (Tito’s) stage. Surfer Blood is a surf-rock group from West Palm Beach, Florida, and claim that they are “the cleanest and nicest band in existence” according to their website–and honestly after watching their set, I believe it. The intimate stage layout allowed lead vocalist/guitarst John Paul Pitts to interact with the crowd in a casual way, giving their whole show a local garage show-feel. My standout song was their closer “Swim” which feels like the soundtrack to your favorite summer memory at the beach.

SATURDAY, MAY 4th

Steel Pulse

For true reggae fans, this set was the perfect way to start Day 2. Steel Pulse is a roots reggae band hailing from across the pond in England, due to members Basil Gabbidon’s (guitarist/vocalist) and David Hinds’s (lead vocals/guitar) heavy influence from Bob Marley & The Wailers. Steel Pulse is a group rooted in music history, initially forming in 1975 during the UK’s growing punk rock scene, finding a common ground in their shared views on racial injustice, human freedom, and unification for all. Steel Pulse shared several songs from their 2019 release Mass Manipulation, such as “Rize” and spoke directly to the crowd in hopes to spread the band’s message of “bettering mankind through music” and “halting the disarray of humanity by rejecting false ideals and breaking down the walls of systemic greed.” Their soulful grooves, poignant political lyricism, and unforgettable stage outfits made them a “can’t miss” show for Saturday’s slate. 

Pepper

Fan-favorite Hawaiian reggae band Pepper has been rocking in the music scene since 1996. Bringing all of that good energy from Hawaii to San Diego where the band is currently located, the three-piece group features lead singer/guitarist Kaleo Wassman, bassist Bret Bollinger, and drummer Yesod Williams. The band opened with rock/reggae blend “Back Home” which got the crowd on the feet from the beginning. The rest of their set was full of surprises, including their hits “B.O.O.T.,” “Stone Love,” and “Ashes,” new songs such as “Tides” from their 2024 album Makai, and even closing their set with a cover of the 80s ballad “Careless Whisper” by George Michael– Pepper style. The band also made a nod to the date of their show landing on May The 4th [the colloquial Star Wars holiday] and led into their song “Stormtrooper.” 

Santigold

The multi-genre Santigold has found her way in a variety of lineups, finding a home with almost any crowd due to her hypnotic melodies and one-of-a-kind stage presence. While Saturday’s weather began cloudy and overcast, even the sunshine couldn’t resist catching Santigold’s performance, and decided to shine through during her set. Santi White, known by her artist name, mentioned that she had been battling a bad cold during the show, but knew that the show must go on as she delivered a high-energy performance, with the help of her backing band and performance dancers that got the crowd involved– literally. There was never a down-time for Santigold’s set as she began with “L.E.S. Artistes” and and effortlessly transitioned to  her many hits like “GO!,” “Run the Road,” “Lights Out,” and “Chasing Shadows.” She then brought out many fans from the crowd to dance along to “Creator,” even bringing her children out on stage to participate in the jamboree. Lastly, she electrified the crowd by closing with her well-known indie anthem “Disparate Youth.”

Local Natives

Hailing from next door over in Orange County, CA, Local Natives embraced the SoCal crowd with their wonderful harmonies and striking guitar tones. Indie fans joined in and sang along to songs as the band began with “I Saw You Close Your Eyes” and “Megaton Mile.” Lead vocalist/guitarist Taylor Rice kept the vibe going with a variety of songs from their albums over the years, including “Coins,” “NYE” and “Wide Eyes” before reintroducing BeachLife Festival-featured artist Jordana back to the stage for the smooth “Dark Days.” Local Natives’s set was the perfect mix of great melodies and mellow mood that allowed people in the crowd to dance and sing, and others to chill out and lay on the grass to enjoy some rest. The band finished with their anthem “When Am I Gonna Lose You.” 

Incubus

While walking around the BeachLife grounds, I spotted countless Incubus merch items, whether they were purchased at the fest or were from fans’ personal closets (I was guilty of purchasing a hoodie myself.) The buzz ahead of their set was palpable; as the sun set for Day 2, the anticipation for their set to begin gravitated everyone towards HighTide stage as a large crowd loomed 30 minutes before the band took the stage. Finally, Incubus took the stage to “Quicksand,” a deeper cut that hypnotized the crowd leading into their next song “Nice To Know You” which felt like a seismic shift in tone that emulated the rocking waves of the ocean on a stormy night.

Throughout the set, Incubus oscillated back-and-forth in tone, casting a whirlwind of rock energy over the audience for some of their hits like “Pardon Me,” “Anna Molly,” “Vitamin,” “Circles,” and “Stellar,” and then slowing it down to a swaying melody with songs like “I Miss You,” and their iconic hit “Drive.” The band also left room for several interesting covers, including the Beatles’s “Come Together,” Portishead’s “Glory Box,” David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance,” and “Riders On The Storm” by The Doors which transitioned Incubus’s own into “Are You In?” perfectly. Lead singer Brandon Boyd shared his love for growing up in Southern California and how much it has meant for him and the band to still be playing shows like this now. The band recently revisited one of their most iconic albums and rerecorded it, producing Morning View XXIII with fresh ears and a more matured perspective. After a monumental show, the band contrasted their closing songs, with heavy hitter “Wish You Were Here” leading into “Aqueous Transmission” to close the night and “zen out” the crowd before sending them home for Day 3.

SUNDAY, MAY 5th

Atlas Genius

Australia’s own Atlas Genius began Day 3 for a noon show on the HighTide stage, waking the crowd up with infectious indie rock hooks. Vocalist/guitarist Keith Jeffrey from Adelaide, Australia pulled from a variety of upbeat songs such as “If So” and “Molecules” before giving the audience a taste of his new upcoming record by playing a track titled “63 Days.” In line with the unspoken common theme of BeachLife Festival, Atlas Genius also featured a few 80s covers like “Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League and “You Spin Me Round” by Dead or Alive. Lastly, he ended with his hit “Trojans.” After his set, I was able to sit down with Keith and discuss the new album, playing in the United States, changes in music culture, and what it’s like to have TWO songs featured in the illustrious FIFA video game soundtrack, so more on that is soon to come!

Update May 18, 2024: You can read the interview with Atlas Genius’s Keith Jeffery here!

Sugar Ray

BeachLife Festival veterans Sugar Ray have played every single lineup since the festival’s debut in 2019, and the group still can’t seem to get enough! Lead singer Mark McGrath dished out jokes as easily as their beach party hits, wasting no opportunities to crack a joke and connect with the crowd in between songs. Fans came to expect their hits like “Someday,” “Into Yesterday,” “Fly” and “Every Morning,” but I did not expect Mark’s genuine remarks of gratitude to the crowd, thanking his fans for sticking with him through the 90s mirage of frosted tips and radio hits alike. The Newport Beach native also payed homage to true Ska roots, performing a cover of “What’s Gone Wrong” by local legends The Untouchables. 

St. Paul & The Broken Bones

Perhaps one of the top vocal performance I’ve seen in person, vocalist Paul Janeway of St. Paul & The Broken Bones absolutely blew me away. Bringing the soul of Birmingham, Alabama to Southern California, the crowd at BeachLife Festival couldn’t help but stare in awe of Janeway’s incredible range, along with the band’s full harmonious and multi-instrumental sound. Songs like “Call Me” and “Apollo” displayed their full blend of funk, soul, and blues. Many fans left their set as new fans of St. Paul & The Broken Bones.

Tito Puente Jr. 

From Puerto Rico to Redondo Beach, Tito Puente Jr. honored the legacy of his late father by making the crowd sing and dance to his Caribbean grooves. Fittingly on the Tito’s stage, lead percussionist Tito Puente Jr. spread joy with songs like “Salsa Na’Ma”, as well as borrowing from his father’s hits with “Oye Como Va.” With Tito’s music playing and a drink in hand, you might as well be dancing in the streets of old San Juan.

Courtney Barnett

New age rock icon Courtney Barnett brought folk and blues to the HighTide stage among engaged fans. A product of Melbourne, Australia, Barnett has been featured in some of the biggest music festival lineups across the globe over the past decade. Her enthralling mix of easy going folk rock and punchy garage rock always keeps fans on their toes. Her true stardom shone through on songs like “Avant Gardener,” “History Eraser,” “Nameless, Faceless,” and her closing track “Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go To The Party.” Her head-banging guitar breaks told the crowd that she feels at home onstage. 

ZZ Top

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, rock legends ZZ Top need no sort of introduction. Their rock/blues tone is absolutely irreplaceable, and with people filling up the entire LowTide stage, the crowd was ready to rock. The onstage band consisted of drummer Frank Beard and lead singer/guitarist Billy Gibbons since 1969, adding bassist Elwood Francis to fill in for member Dusty Hill, who passed away in 2021.Their setlist contained many monumental hits, including ‘Gimme All Your Lovin’, ‘Just Got Paid’, ‘Jesus Just Left Chicago’, ‘Legs’, and ‘Sharp Dressed Man’, and opting to tease the crowd by only playing the first few notes of ‘La Grange’ before the BeachLife Festival team made a shocking announcement. 

Unfortunately, this is where BeachLife Festival 2024 ended. Due to high winds monitored by the event team, an announcement was made for festival-goers to exit the grounds for everyone’s safety immediately. They declared the festival would wait one hour to reassess conditions with hopes that the wind would die down, but later stated that the conditions were still unsafe to continue and officially closed the festival, missing out on remaining acts such as Fleet Foxes, Trey Anastasio, Classic Tab, and My Morning Jacket. The BeachLife Festival team apologized for the inconvenience, and assured that this was in the best interest and safety of everybody attending. 

While this marked a bummer for the end of the individual day, this mishap did not cast a shadow over my experience that weekend. I learned that BeachLife Festival is a very homegrown experience and celebrates the South Bay communities of Redondo, Manhattan, and Hermosa Beach by coming together to celebrate together for a weekend. That grassroots effect is felt throughout the festival, from the vendors to the attendees to the artists. I got the chance to meet several friendly strangers, hear some awesome music, and enjoy the many accommodations that BeachLife Festival promised and delivered on. Being a first-time BeachLifer, I can guarantee I’ll have my eyes on next year’s lineup announcement. 

Categories
Concert Photography Interviews

Meet The Band – Hardcastle

Band portrait of Hardcastle taken with flash against a light brick wall.

Fans of the pop rock space may know the name Hardcastle from a few of their well-known hits. In 2019, the Nashville-based band was gaining heavy traction, joining The Band Camino on a sold-out national tour. Unfortunately, COVID impacted the world shortly after the tour concluded, and subsequently, the band. With the group going their separate ways, singer and guitarist Graham Laderman decided to realign with his artistic vision and set his sights on beginning anew in Los Angeles. 

Since then, Graham has assembled a surrounding team, including managers, producers, and new bandmates, to venture into new musical territory. With a few upcoming shows and new music locked and loaded, Hardcastle is gearing up for a righteous return to the stage (and headphones). I got a chance to interview Graham at his recent Los Angeles show at Paramount LA and asked him a few questions about his musical journey. 

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So before we get into it, you have to tell me what happened with your hand here.

Without going into too much detail, a car hit another car at an intersection, and I was sort of caught in the mess. I looked up, and there was just a car flying at me, and then everything went black. I didn’t lose consciousness, but I closed my eyes and sort of tensed up–when I opened my eyes the world slowly came back into focus and there was a ringing in my ear. I started checking my head after and was just thinking “Oh my god, I’m alive,” and I looked down at my hand and just saw a lot of blood. I had to get 11 stitches in my thumb and it kind of looks like Frankenstein. It’s very visceral when I talk about it, to be honest. 

Wow, that’s insane. I’m happy that you’re okay cause that sounds like it could have been a lot worse for you. Obviously, you were dealing with a lot of shock, and then went to the hospital I assume, but how long after the initial hit did you think “Oh shit, I have shows coming up?”

Immediately. It was the next thing I thought about after realizing I was alive and that my head wasn’t bleeding. Still, despite the stitches and the arm brace, I’m just happy to be here.

How is it affecting the string of shows you have coming up?

Well, I definitely can’t play guitar, which is going to feel so different. I’ve played since middle school and I’ve always been so connected to it ever since I started. I’ve been building out my pedal board and started getting into a lot of capabilities for live shows, and it was feeling like a big culmination of a lot of years, especially now working with a five-piece band and really getting close to how things sound on the record. Now, it’s opened my perception to “Who am I without a guitar?” I have to really tap into a new area as a singer. A week ago I was thinking that I’d never put my guitar down, but I’m excited to get in touch with my power as a frontman and see where it goes. It’s a growing experience, for sure.

Right, I like your optimism there. Let’s hope that your next artistic change doesn’t come at the hands of an accident like this again though, yeah?

Haha, definitely. I like to think of it this way– you have this energy, and you can spend it in a lot of different ways. I’ve just been trying to spend that energy looking into what the opportunity is here.

I want to hear about being raised up in the Nashville music scene from a stylistic influence perspective, how does that experience carry on with you still?

So I moved to Nashville from Atlanta in 2016. In high school [in Atlanta] I was kind of playing this ‘Foo Fighters meets southern rock’, and I was just having fun and didn’t know anything about anything. I’d write half a song, and book shows and just make up the rest onstage, because I just wanted to play so badly. 

When I made it to Nashville, I got into the songwriting program at Belmont for a year and a half before I dropped out, but I realized that writing lyrics was amazing, and that songwriting could be the center of gravity for the things that I wanted to do. I just started collaborating with a lot of people and co-writing with my bandmates at the time [Val Hoyt, Noah Christian, and Miles Laderman, Graham’s brother], and some early stuff with Old Sea Brigade [Ben Cramer]. I was such a hardcore The 1975 fan and got exposed to more pop music, whereas back in Atlanta I was kind of more anti-pop in a way haha. It just really helped to expand my sound and led to songs like “Back To You” and “Mundane.” We started to work with The Band Camino on those tours and show trades, and they’ve always been great at making those anthemic pop-rock songs, so getting to tour with them was a big influence. Somewhere in there though, I started to lose myself a bit, because I was trying to be so many things. 

Yeah, being in a big music market like Nashville, there are so many different avenues a person can go. With Nashville especially, it goes a lot further than just country music, which is where people often stop at. I liked your term of anthemic pop rock to describe it, but there’s a lot going on over there. On to your LA move, how do you carry that experience over here? 

The first thing that comes to mind is the power and process of collaboration and co-writing. When it came to writing the songs on the new record, I had some great help in my corner and narrowed the album down from a ton of songs. I also was just able to find myself again, which has been great. I was always the kid daydreaming in class about being out here in LA. 

Is it what you thought it would be?

So far, it feels like I’m living that dream I’d think about when I should have been paying attention in class. A few months ago, I was in the studio recording a song that’s on the new record called “Down,” and I got to work with Rob Cavallo who’s produced for some of my favorite albums of all time, and I’m holding his guitar–if you listen to “Iris” or “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” it’s THAT guitar. We mic’d the guitar and muted the placeholder electric we had on the track, and I was literally living what I would be daydreaming about. I’m getting chills talking about it right now! It’s just all unreal. 

Bring me up to speed with yourself, and with Hardcastle now– what are you excited about, and what has changed/felt new?

Over a year ago, I connected with Rob and Lisa Cavallo with Done Deal Management. Lisa has just been truly a life-changing mentor, and from the first moment I sat across from her at the table, I felt seen and encouraged to be myself wherever that takes me. I would start having A&R meetings with Rob which was crazy, and HE encouraged me to be myself too, even if it’s left of center. I was also in a place where I was ready and open to receive that kind of advice. Then I got back into the songwriting part and reconnected with the stuff that first turned me on to music, like back when I was a kid in the back of my dad’s car. I guess for a while, I had lost the connection to that ‘spark’–but fast forward to now after being in the studio, I have this record that’s everything I’ve ever wanted and that represents me and all of the people I’ve worked with for Hardcastle, whatever that entity is. I feel completely represented. 

What would you like to tell Hardcastle fans about this new phase?

Overall I think it will be different, but it’s a return to center for me. You’ll hear it when you hear it!

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Through this band transition, Graham has kept busy under the Hardcastle moniker. He released the track ‘Malibu’ in 2023. Before that, Hardcastle collaborated with LA-based singer/songwriter Lorelei Marcell on a single called “Flashbacks,” releasing both a studio-recorded version, as well as a stripped-down acoustic version. 2022 brought fans 2 EPs– Hundred Million Seconds released in October, as well as One More in June. In between the EP releases, September 2022 brought listeners two additional singles “Holding on to You” and “Murphy’s Law”. While Graham’s strong songwriting and instrumental arrangement is present in all of his work, he leans heavier into the bedroom pop/pop rock genres. 

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Currently, ‘Mundane’ and ‘Back To You’ are both around 5M plays on Spotify. Did either of those songs feel different during creation, and what are your thoughts on them now being a few years out?

When I wrote those songs, they both came as ideas while I was writing in my room on this $50 piano that I was borrowing from Val. Mikey Reaves, Val Hoyt, and Ben Cramer were collaborators that helped me fully realize ‘Mundane’. Owen Lewis, too, was a big part of the production. And then Madelyne Morris was my co-writer on ‘Back To You’. Although, it initially felt like those melodies just started coming out of me, kind of spiritually.

So you felt it right off the bat that they were special?

Yeah, and when all of those were popping off, it was everything. I just kept thinking about how lucky I was. After a while during that ‘lost’ period for me, the meaning and impact of those songs were sort of lost on me, too, but now that I got this going I look back on those songs with the same fondness and admiration. 

I mean, that’s how I’m here right now! I remember I was put onto “Mundane” around 2020, and then have been sort of following you guys from then on. When I saw the show billing for Hardcastle @ Paramount LA I knew I could have an opportunity to do this chat here. It’s cool that those songs are part of the reason we’re talking now.

Exactly! That’s why those songs are amazing. I’m glad that they had an impact on people.

If you could tell past Graham anything, what would it be? 

It’s clichè for a reason, but just keep going. Open your mind to new possibilities and give yourself some grace, and that’s really it. It’s a long journey, and you really don’t know how it’s all going to go. Earlier on, I thought I knew how it would all go, and that kind of poisoned the well a bit for me. 

What about future Graham? What would you say to him?

Probably just to stay connected to joy. Trust that that’s a worthy investment, even if it’s something you can’t quantify or qualify. 

Just to wrap it up here, and kind of a fun one to end on–who was your first concert, and best concert?

Oh, man! My first concert was Wilco with my family in Atlanta. I was raised on that band, and we saw them a couple of times in Atlanta. Every second of every day was Wilco, haha.

The one that jumped out at me when you said “best concert”–I remember Val and I camped out early in the morning to see Foo Fighters at Centennial Olympic Park. I remember the doors opened and we sprinted up to the barricade and got way up close. Actually, we tried to throw our demo CD at [Dave Grohl.] 

That’s hilarious! How old were you?

I think I was a sophomore in high school. I remember thinking this could be our moment, like “Put us on stage right now!” 

Amazing. Any other thoughts you had before we call it a wrap?

If anyone wants to bring us on tour, we’re looking to do that! 

You heard it here first, everyone! Hardcastle is ready! Thank you for your time, Graham.

This was so fun, thank you!

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Hardcastle gave fans incredible onstage energy, thanks to Noah Christian (bass), Raul “Perro” Murillo (guitar), Aram Behshid (drums), Zeph Park (keys, guitar), and frontman/singer and interview guest Graham Laderman. Hardcastle has always had their roots in rock, but opts for an edgier sound that feels like it fits in your favorite 2000s alternative rock playlist on your iPod. The band performed fan-favorite “Mundane,” but left the rest of the setlist for their new and unreleased tracks, in addition to Perro surprising fans with a cover of the popular Spanish pop rock song “Lamento Boliviano.” Fans can expect Hardcastle’s new sound slated for release in May of this year, with the full record expected in early Fall 2024. 

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Concert Photography

Ty Segall Rocks Wiltern in LA

Multi-Instrumentalist rock powerhouse Ty Segall made a stop in Los Angeles at The Wiltern this past Saturday, 2/23 as a part of his 2024 US tour, Ty, along with his backing group The Freedom Band, electrified the crowd with their improvisational orchestration and winding extended versions of their songs.

The majority of the tracks played came from Segall’s most recent album Three Bells, released in January 2024, starting off the setlist with complex tracks like “The Bell,” “Void,” and “I Hear.” Ty’s unique utilization of guitar tones and textures create auditory mazes to stun and amaze listeners, taking inspiration from several decades of rock, such as the fuzzy rock riffs of the ’70s and occasional harsh grunge akin to ’90s acts. Segall, an Orange County native, found an opportunity to flex his versatility on the SoCal stage by crushing riffs on songs like “Watcher,” then quickly switching to more melodic tracks like “To You.” He completed the electrifying set with “Love Fuzz” as the encore track, much to the ovation from the head-banging audience.

Ty Segall and The Freedom Band march on through the rest of their tour, ending the US leg on 5/11 in Sacramento. The tour continues on to Europe, playing 14 shows from June to September. For fans of a killer rock show, there’s plenty of opportunities to catch Ty coming to a city near you! Readers can check out his new album Three Bells on Spotify, Apple Music, and other music services.

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Concert Photography

Dillon Francis @ Shrine LA

EDM staple Dillon Francis went on an electrifying run of LA shows from The Roxy to The Mayan Theatre before capping it off at Shrine LA to a packed house of electronic music lovers. Drawing inspiration from the infamous Nicole Kidman AMC commercial, Dillon Francis continued his comedy-infused electronic music brand by coming up with his own version to open the set, much to the delight of his audience (and really hitting home for those who really got the joke).

With a stacked roster of DJs playing from 8pm until the venue closed, the energy was building. The last headlining DJ of the night, Nitti (Formerly ‘Nitti Gritti’) built the crowd for Dillon Francis’ set, with intermittent moments of gratitude towards the audience and the city of LA. Many of his most known hits were in full effect, such as “Your Body” and “What You Got” sending shockwaves into the bouncing crowd.

Dillon’s closing set could only be described as a nonstop dance party filled with lots of lasers and EDM bangers. He dove into some of his classics like “Get Low” and “Move It”, while also treating the crowd to his newer tracks “LA On Acid”, “Can’t Stop Me Now”, and many other mixes from his 2023 release This Mixtape is Fire TOO. Fans also heard a few songs from anti everything, another album  released this year in collaboration with DJ Hanzel, who was also featured as an opener for the night.

There was no shortage of good vibes at Shrine LA, and fans went home happy after dancing and vibing all night to Dillon Francis’ head pounding mixes. Check out the images below, taken by Kenny Jusino.

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Concert Photography

Madeon at The Shrine LA

There are two types of lives you can live–the life you live before you have seen Madeon live, and the one you live after. Less of a concert and more of a spiritual encounter, Madeon rocked The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Friday November 18th for the last of his Good Faith Forever era, the culmination of 5 years of his work and vision.

Hugo Pierre Leclercq, better known by his artist name Madeon, has been in the spotlight for over a decade, emerging as a new artist after releasing his popular “Pop Culture” mashup on YouTube in 2011 when he was only 17 years old, earning six million views in just a few days. In this viral phenomenon, several of his musical influences were mixed together in a way that was never quite seen before, but quickly drew comparisons to the likes of Daft Punk, Justice, and other French House icons. Madeon capitalized off of this fame and released his first EP The City in 2012, followed by his debut album Adventure in 2015, leading us to his most recent album Good Faith in 2018.

With this, Madeon created a unique live experience for his fans, coined as The Good Faith Forever tour. Combining emphatic live music with striking visuals and vibrant colors projected onto a full-size LED screen, the experience is unlike any other. The halls of the Shrine Auditorium buzzed with excitement as loyal fans awaited the legendary French Electropop artist.

Leading the night was BAYNK (full name Jock Nowell-Usticke), a New Zealand-born electronic artist. His atmospheric blend of tropical house and future bass tracks allowed for his airy vocals to delight the crowd, rising up on popular tracks “Water” and “go with u.”

Madeon commanded the stage immediately with “All My Friends”, with the infectious bass line and crunchy synth leads, there was not a single attendee sitting down by the first song. With a setlist that many have come to know over the past couple of years, a few surprises were thrown in the mix alongside the expected heavy hitters such as “No Fear No More,” “Icarus,” “You’re On,” and “Be Fine.” Certain songs were electrified with bonus mixes and overtures featured in “The Prince/Hyper Prince” and “Technicolor/Innocence,” adding more juice to an already high-octane display. Fans were even treated to “Shelter,” a popular song in collaboration with fellow DJ Porter Robinson, who unfortunately did not grace the stage for a guest appearance for the song (although it would have been awesome.)

I was reminded just how special a Madeon show is after experiencing this final Good Faith Forever show. I’ve been following his work for over a decade now, and I am insanely proud of his progression as an artist and cannot wait to see what’s in store for the new phase of Madeon. If after reading this you’re curious about checking out a Madeon show, you may have to wait a bit to see him on stage again, but I can promise you it will be well worth the wait.

See the gallery below for photos of both Baynk and Madeon.