Mexican rock band The Warning played in Chicago on July 22 with openers Speed of Light. Fun fact, both bands are comprised of siblings! The Warning’s sister trio wrapped up their Keep Me Fed world tour the following night in Minneapolis, so if you missed them on this tour, you’ll have to catch them at the next!
Photos by Jerry McGrath.
It was a heat index of 104 degrees on Wednesday night when doors opened at Hollywood Casino Amphitheater, but that didn’t stop fans from coming early to grab a spot on the lawn to watch The Lumineers.
Hippo Campus warmed up an already sweating crowd and didn’t seem to mind the temperature themselves as they performed a 45 minute set with a great mix of songs across their discography.
Thankfully, as the sun went down and a breeze moved in, the night became more comfortable and the crowd was ready to get on their feet as The Lumineers took the stage. They opened with the lead track off of Automatic, “Same Old Song,” to the cheers of nearly twenty thousand voices – the biggest show they’ve played so far in St. Louis.
After playing “Ho Hey,” the song that brought them to fame, Wesley Schultz told the audience about how they’ve had a lot of couples tell them that this song was their first dance song at their wedding. Schultz informed us that “Ho Hey” is a breakup song, which made the crowd laugh, before The Lumineers continued into a song Schultz said is a better song for a first dance: “Dead Sea.”
The Lumineers played several songs off of their latest album, Automatic, and filled in the rest of their time with an assortment of songs from their previous albums, ensuring that everyone heard one of their favorites. You can still catch them on one of their tour dates throughout the US and Toronto until mid-October!
Green Day brought their Saviors Tour to a sold out crowd in St. Louis, MO on August 15th, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Dookie and the 20th anniversary of American Idiot. It was a hot, sweaty, muggy night, but that was much preferred to any delays or cancellations as severe storms had been expected all day. But the storms politely stayed away so we could all rock out to the entirety of both of those albums!
But before Green Day took the stage, the up-and-coming band The Linda Lindas started off the evening. The young band has been taking the world by storm in the past year, and this night was no different as people could be heard talking about how excited they were to see The Linda Lindas. As the band came out, they immediately announced that it was their drummer (and youngest member) Mila de la Garza’s 14th birthday!
Rancid was up next, and they had people on their feet and rocking out as the sun set. They played several old favorites from their breakthrough album And Out Come the Wolves amongst others from their extensive discography.
And then: Green Day. The crowd erupted in cheers as the headliners took the stage against a background of brightly flashing lights, playing “The American Dream is Killing Me” off of their latest album Saviors. Everyone was in for a pyro-filled night as flames shot out of the back wall at intervals throughout the entire concert and fireworks shot off with a BANG!
Of course, in celebration of the anniversaries of the release of Dookie and American Idiot, we were primarily treated to getting to listen to both albums played straight through, along with a handful of other songs. Green Day went straight into Dookie after the opening song, and the album is of course filled with hit after hit. During “Know Your Enemy,” lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong searched the crowd for a fan to bring up on stage to sing with him. He extended a hand to help a young girl up to the mic, and after she sang a few lines to wild applause from the crowd, Armstrong told her, “You gotta do a stage dive!” The girl looked nervous and refused, but jumped and sang some more as fireworks went off behind her. Later, Armstrong addressed how she had said no to stage-diving. He said, “I fuckin’ respect you for that,” and reminded us all that we can and should say no to things we don’t want to do.
We proceeded into the American Idiot portion of the evening as lightning flashed in the skies behind the stage while a giant inflatable hand holding a heart grenade rose from the middle of the stage.
Armstrong did a fantastic job of making St. Louis feel special with lyric changes like “St. Louis to the Middle East” in “Jesus of Suburbia,” as well as “The representative from St. Louis has the floor,” during “Holiday.” He also asked if there were any Cardinals fans in the house (there were, of course) and then bitterly informed us that that he’s “not bitter” that he doesn’t have a baseball team anymore – referring to the upcoming relocation of the Oakland A’s.
And we were all reminded that punk rock has always been and still is political – with calls from Armstrong to get out and vote this year, along with another lyric change to “I’m not part of the MAGA agenda” during “American Idiot.”
It was a nonstop, high-energy night full of incredible songs and even more incredible performances, and it was fun to see all ages at the show – parents and longtime fans brought their kids who were decked out in Greed Day merch, showing all of us that the love for punk rock and Green Day will continue on.
And when I got to my car to leave as the first raindrops of the approaching storm fell from the sky, what was playing on the local alt rock station but Green Day.
Pink kicked off the North American leg of her Summer Carnival tour on August 10th to upwards of 50,000 fans at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis. She had initially announced her Summer Carnival tour in 2022, and to the ecstatic delight of all St. Louisans, she extended her tour into 2024 and included Missouri on the list.
Ask anybody who has been to one of Pink’s concerts and you’ll know that her shows are always worth seeing. The energy, the songs you know and love, the incredible acrobatics, the pyrotechnics, and the dancers all add up to an unforgettable performance that you’ll be unable to look away from. But it’s not entirely a showy circus – Pink finds the perfect balance of awe-inspiring feats and personal connection during more toned-down songs, leaving you with no doubts about her prowess as a vocalist, athlete, and performer while being a genuinely uplifting human.
Pink opened her show with aerial acrobatic stunts while singing “Get the Party Started,” which, of course, did get the two hour long party going with lots of excitement and dancing. Every song that followed was one that everybody knew the words to, and even if you didn’t listen to much of Pink’s extensive discography prior to the show, you were still guaranteed a great time as she played hit after hit after hit.
One of the sweetest aspects of the show was seeing how much of a family everybody involved with the tour is. Pink would joke with and tease the musicians and crew, and the lighthearted banter added to the overall positivity and warmth that emanated from the stage and filled the arena. Other touching moments included when Pink covered Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” and couples kissed to cheers when they saw themselves on the stage screens, as well as when Pink told us she had her niece and nephew in the crowd before she sang the emotional song “When I Get There” honoring her late father.
At the end of the night, Pink made her way around the dome via the flying contraption that launched her around the massive space, allowing fans up in the upper terraces to see her up close as she sang and waved and flipped before returning smoothly to the ground and waving goodbye.
Pink will continue her tour through the next few months with a variety of acts, including Sheryl Crow and The Script who both played in St. Louis ahead of Pink (coverage still to come.) Take a look through more photos of the night and relive the excitement!
We should first note that Ultra came to Taiwan not once but twice this year, so Taipei was in for a treat as everyone danced the weekend away at the last festival of the year! Even the weather cooperated – strangely warm weather for December was perfect for relaxing on the grass during the day and then raving at night.
The festival kicked off on Friday afternoon with artists like Anfisa Letyago playing on the Resistance stage and KSHMR on the Main Stage where fans got to hear music he had never played anywhere else in the world yet.
David Guetta ended Day One of Ultra Taiwan, letting us know that it was his first show since he was in Ibiza over the summer. He played fan-favorites, both new and old, like “I’m Good (Blue)” and “Titanium,” which kept everyone on their feet dancing and singing until the firework and flame-filled finale.
On Saturday, Senna started us off on the Main Stage while fans wandered into the grounds and explored activities on the grounds like getting their hair done, taking photos with the Ultra Taiwan sign, and showing off their countries’ flags. We loved seeing all of the different flags from various continents around the world, which is always a reminder of how music brings us together.
Joleen and Taiwan’s own Dalis jammed at the Ultra Park Stage, welcoming in festival-goers as they entered through the gates, and Massano welcomed both the dancers and those who wanted to sit and listen at Resistance’s amphitheater stage as the sun set.
And the Main Stage floor was kept packed with DJs like Mykris and W&W, who played just before the high-energy Timmy Trumpet, whose trumpet playing and antics (which included drinking vodka from the bottle while running across his console) would cause the crowds to cheer wildly in delight.
Alesso closed out the festival with a pyro and light show-filled set and played songs that had everyone jumping and screaming out the words. From “If I Lose Myself” to “Heroes,” new cheers would erupt every time he transitioned into a new song. Before ending with another stunning firework show, Alesso said that he came and played here in Taiwan three years ago while the world was locked down, and he will cherish forever that moment because it was safe here in Taiwan to have shows. He thanked everyone from the bottom of his heart, and we know all of the people in the crowd were grateful, too.
Ultra, we’ll see you next year!
Ultra Taiwan is coming this weekend! From December 8-9 you could be raving to your favorites at Dajia Riverside Park. Check out the lineup, and then buy your tickets here if you haven’t already gotten them.
Old Dominion took their No Bad Vibes Tour to Los Angeles on October 27th along with Kylie Morgan and Chase Rice. Take a look through the gallery below for photos from the show!
Photographed by Ryan Young.
Suki Waterhouse, with her talented openers, Danielle Durack and Carol Ades, performed at The Amp Ballantyne in Charlotte, North Carolina on October 6th. All three of the singers put on an unforgettable set showcasing their individual talent.
First Danielle Durack took the stage with her acoustic guitar. With her beautiful voice she connected with the audience winning the hearts of the crowd. Next, it was Carol Ades, who with her playful energy and emotional music, made for a fun and yet heartfelt set.
Then it was time for Suki Waterhouse to grace the crowd with her presence as she headlined the show. She came out in a sparkly jumpsuit and it felt as if she was glistening among the stars in the sky that night. Her performance was full of passion as she danced around on stage, flipping her hair, singing, putting on a fantastic show. It was a magical night full of empowering female artists. It was evident that all three of the performers really love what they do and enjoy perfecting their craft. The audience left the show on a high after attending a concert that was worthy of being remembered.
Photos and article by Sarah Sturgis.
You may not know it, but Lauv has a strong fan base in Taipei, which can clearly be seen by his sold-out show at Nangang Exhibition Center on August 31. Thousands of fans showed up with their light-up Lauv signs to sing and dance the night away, unconcerned that they would have to go back to work and school the next morning.
Lauv opened the show with his latest single “Love U Like That,” and then moved right into “Paris in the Rain.” During this song, he changed the lyrics to “Taipei in the rain,” and the fans screamed their appreciation inside the arena while rain appropriately poured down outside.
The show consisted of favorites like “fuck, i’m lonely,” dance breaks with “Molly In Mexico,” and Lauv even asked the audience for their opinion on the song they’d like to hear next. Between “Mean It” and “Lonely Eyes,” “Mean It” edged out a win, but only barely, as the audience cheered loudly for both.
The night was filled with good vibes and dancing to sad songs, and we hope that Lauv makes another stop in Taipei again next time!
Quinn XCII’s The People’s Tour came to St. Louis on June 13, 2023, and regardless of it being a late weeknight show, fans turned out to fill St. Louis Music Park.
Julia Wolf kicked off the show with her chill-yet-dance vibes, and if you don’t know her already, we’re sure you will soon. We saw at least one person in the crowd pulling up Julia Wolf’s Spotify page during her set. Before moving into her single “Get Off My,” she told a story about how she was brought into music because of a teacher, but a dean at a college told her that she’d never find success in the industry. She is, of course, glad that she didn’t listen to him, or else she wouldn’t be singing with us all today. She encouraged us all to not give up on our dreams, and then provided us with a song we can sing when people try to get in the way of that.
Arizona was up next, and they told us that they were having a blast finally being back on the road on tour after four long years. They played songs off of their latest self-titled album, as well original favorites like “Oceans Away.” At one point, lead singer Zachary Charles paused to ask someone in the crowd about the sign they were carrying. That person told Zachary that listening to Arizona’s music quite literally saved her life and helped her through a really tough time in her life. It was an emotional and touching moment, and we were all reminded of the power of music.
Before Quinn XCII took the stage, a video played over the monitors that announced he had recovered from his scooter accident that left him with a head injury and then made fun of how people still mispronounce his name. When Quinn XCII came out, it was to the sounds of an electrified audience, and he promised to play a lot of new songs as well as a lot of old favorites. He said that between Covid and other delays, he would never take for granted any of his shows. Between the energy and joy both on stage and around the amphitheater, we can say that statement held up.
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