Australian rock band Jet performed at the House of Blues in Cleveland Ohio on Friday the 13th alongside Band of Skulls. Jet delivered an outstanding high-energy performance, playing crowd favorites such as “Are You Gonna Be My Girl?” and “Cold Hard Bitch.” This performance was one of the last in North America on this run. Check out photos from the show below.
The month of May was a month to remember for many Charlotte bands, but for Camisole, it was especially memorable. Kicking off the month, the band performed at Charlotte’s second annual Lovin Life Music Festival, and ended May on a high note by performing at Snug Harbor for the first show of their tour.
Joining Camisole on Snug Harbor’s stage were two talented musicians, Lady Die and Madisinn. To start off the night, Madisinn delivered what was perhaps one of the most dreamy and mythical performances I’ve seen. For Madisinn’s first time in Charlotte, she had left a lasting and angelic impression on both the venue and the city.
Throughout Camisole’s set, I expected the unexpected. One eccentric set, an unreleased song, and a cover of a Gwen Stefani’s song later, I was completely blown away by the liveliness of the band’s energy. During their set, frontwoman Briella Violet’s heart of gold had shown when she sweetly surprised drummer Logan Hawke and her roommate and best friend with a cake. It was sadly a bittersweet celebration as it was both Violet’s roommate’s birthday as well as Hawke’s last night of being a part of the band.
Lady Die’s set was the cherry on top for the night. For the band’s first night in Charlotte, I was completely blown away. “It’s also our first show in a couple of months, so we’re a bit rusty,” said lead singer Julia Rothenberger. After attending their show, I can say that I will definitely be listening to their new EP June when it comes out this month.
At the Fillmore in Charlotte on April 27, Japanese Breakfast and Ginger Root’s concert was filled with nostalgia and energy.
As Ginger Root took the stage, Cameron Lew, the leader of the music project, had incredible songs to play. For his entire set, nostalgia filled room as the onstage cameraman broadcasted the majority of his performance for the audience to see. Watching Lew’s performance on the screen almost felt like I had been transported to a time when MTV still aired music videos on its channel. Aside from playing various instruments and singing into a red telephone, he further entertained the audience by cracking a few jokes.
“I heard y’all got talking spiders. Charlotte’s Web,” Lew joked.
I highly appreciated the small Beatles joke Lew incorporated within his set as he introduced himself and the beginnings of his career.
“It all started with four guys from Liverpool.” The audience and I chuckled.
He ended his set on a positive note with his song “Show 10,” encouraging the audience to dance as he reminded us to continue to put ourselves out there and to not be afraid of failure.
At the opening of Japanese Breakfast’s set, it’s safe to say frontwoman Michelle Zauner, emerged from her shell. Quite literally, as she performed sitting on the edge of a giant clam shell. As she began playing, the music progressed from whimsy to loud and fierce. Most notable was when Japanese Breakfast played “Honey Water,” and Zauner displayed her amazing talent on the electric guitar.
Her positive energy on stage proved to be infectious with songs such as “Side Tackle” that made me want to dance on stage with her as well as roll down the windows on a drive listening to this specific song.
Throughout the night, it was clear that for Japanese Breakfast’s Melancholy tour was not so melancholy. In fact, it was the exact opposite – upbeat, eccentric, and the most vibrant performance I have ever seen.
Virginia-based folk band Palmyra stopped back in to Petra’s Bar in Charlotte on their Restless tour along with opener Joseph Terrell on April 25.
As the show started, Mānoa Bell exclaimed, “It feels good to be back.”
I agreed.
A sense of calm filled the bar as Palmyra started to play. The night was not only filled with new friends and groovy tunes, but also eccentricity and emotion through their songs. Each lived experience that was played and sang radiated throughout Petra’s. With this, it created a magical safe space for every person in the bar, myself included.
One song that particularly took me by surprise was “Shape I’m In.” Sasha Landon’s lyrics pulled at my heartstrings, to the point where I could not contain my emotions.
Throughout the night, I was most impressed by the band’s beautiful lyrics and how they implemented the first microphone they had used when starting out as a band. The members played around that singular microphone with Manoa on both bass and cello, Sasha on acoustic and electric guitar, and Teddy Chipouras guitar and banjo.
“We were trying to be folkier, from playing songs on the one microphone,” they joked, with the audience erupting into laughter.
The show ended with their song “Stones Throw,” a song about marching on despite the setbacks experienced in life, giving a strong conclusion to a wonderful night.
Prior to coming to the concert, I had been struggling to find my voice through art or anything that brought me joy. But meeting Palmyra and listening to their music helped me find my voice again. My experience at Petra’s Bar with Palmyra taking the stage was a reminder to myself and others to keep going. And because of them, I will.
Neon Trees played at The House of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio, on 4/29 alongside openers The Tisburys. This show was one of the last on the Sink Your Teeth Tour which promotes the most recent Neon Trees album of the same name. Check out photos from the outstanding show below!
OK GO stopped by the Agora in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sunday 4/29 as part of the first leg of their Adjacent Possible Tour. Lead singer Damian Kulash fielded questions from the audience throughout their set and even invited a fan onstage to showcase their whistling skills. Confetti rained down on the crowd during several songs.
One highlight of the show was when the band joined together for an a capella version of “Shooting the Moon” while playing the handbells- yes, the handbells. OK GO’s positive and fun stage presence completely aligns with their impressive and creative music video performances. I highly recommend this concert experience for anyone and everyone. Check out photos from the show below.
Sammy Rae & The Friends performed in Cleveland Ohio this past Sunday night on their Something For Everybody tour alongside opener Zinadelphia. Sammy Rae & The Friends is composed of seven incredibly talented musicians who seamlessly jump between a wide range of instruments. Their performance was an excellent blend of positive, heartfelt, high-energy fun. Check out photos from the set below.
The annual Sips and Sounds Fest started on the first day of SXSW this year in Austin with some impressive artists, including night one headliner Halsey, who played rock inspired versions of her hits. Fans had lots of activations to enjoy, including a Silent Disco and Coca Cola Fan Zone, where they could relax and grab a drink.
There were many fun musical highlights from day one. Ashe arrived in a sparkly pink dress and twirled the stage as she sang her hits, along with a cover of “Unwritten” by Natashia Beddingfield and “Love Story” by Taylor Swift.
Disko Cowboy DJ’d a hype set of country hits mixed with EDM beats, and the crowd was loving it. He was accompanied by two dancers donned in sparkly cowboy hats.
Suki Waterhouse brought out Ashe as a surprise guest to sing their collab song, “Pushing Daisies.” Australian trio Blusher had choreographed moves to go with their upbeat pop-inspired songs.
The two-day fest was sponsored by Coca Cola, with an option to recycle bottles and cans to redeem festival swag. To make recycling easy and accessible, “Recycle & Refresh” stations were set up throughout the festival grounds, supported by volunteers from Keep Austin Beautiful. With Austin food favorites like Amy’s Ice Cream and Southside Flying Pizza, there were plenty of tasty options for festival goers.
The Cinemark activation provided a bit of shade in the hot Texas heat, with a cool building you could enter to watch movie trailers and get free popcorn.
The Austin skyline sparkled prominently in the background as the sun set over the city, and Khalid serenaded the crowd with hit after hit, including fan favorites “On The Way,” and “Location.”
Halsey pranced around in black cowboy boots and a white dress, singing her songs to the large crowd in downtown Austin, including her new single, “Safeword.” She closed the Friday fest with her popular song “Without Me.”
Day two was a bit cooler in temperature but with just as much excitement. Paul Russell kicked off the day with his TikTok hit “Boo Thing.” Nessa Barrett brought the brooding vibes and strummed guitar to her set.
Musicians Chelsea Cutler and Jeremy Zucker performed emotional songs from their collaboration project “Brent.” Singer songwriter Claire Rosinkranz told the crowd that she would be performing mostly new material to get a feel from the crowd if they like them or not (they liked them!).
AJR was a wild set of chaos, dancing, and hats. Brothers Adam, Jack and Ryan (hence the name) performed their hit songs, building up the songs and creating fun moments for the crowd. They ended with their song “Weak.”
Benson Boone closed out the weekend with a performance full of backflips, fireworks and glitter. He kept the crowd entertained and singing along despite the chilly weather.
This iteration of Sips and Sounds Fest was the best yet. Fans loved the downtown location, impressive lineup, and great weather. We can’t wait to see what’s in store next year.
The month of February has been, in my opinion, an interesting month for the city of Charlotte. However, it got even more interesting when Wallows came to the city for two exciting sold-out nights at The Fillmore, along with opener, Deb Never. Despite the snow that lasted for two days, both performers brought energy and excitement to the city.
The energy was immediately set in stone as Deb Never began to perform. Throughout her set, I was completely mesmerized by her performance. I’ve never heard anything like her before, and if there was one word that I can describe Deb Never’s music it would be “captivating.” From start to finish, she definitely went and captured my attention with her lyrics and talent.
As for Wallows, I have no words except: Oh my gosh! The energy from both the crowd and the band was addicting. All eyes and attention were on them, especially when Dylan Minnette came down from the stage to the barricade where fans excitedly sang their hearts out. Throughout the show, I couldn’t help but dance not just with the friends I’ve made during this concert, but with the band’s psychedelic and catchy lyrics.
With the snow, two sold out shows, and two talented acts such as Wallows and Deb Never, my expectations of the night were exceeded, and I giddily approached the merch table to purchase Wallows’ newest album, Model, on vinyl. Be sure to see them as they continue their Model & More Tour in May!
Foster The People kicked off their Paradise State of Mind tour at The Paramount Theatre in Seattle, delivering a show that fused new tracks off their fourth studio album with nostalgic favorites they’ve been known for over the past decade. The evening started with British duo Good Neighbours, who are currently supporting the North American leg. Highlights from the set included their latest single “Ripple,” which marked its first live debut, and their viral song “Home,” effectively setting the tone for the night with their energetic stage presence and catchy live instrumentals.
Opening with title track Paradise State of Mind, Foster The People kicked things off strong with their lively energy amidst a vibrant neon set design. Performing classic hits like “Helena Beat, “Sit Next to Me” and “Pumped Up Kicks,” the band performed their familiar indie pop, electronic and psychedelic rock genres while embracing the new record’s mix of disco, funk, gospel and jazz influences — beautifully underscoring the band’s evolving sound.
Frontman Mark Foster exuded a focused yet playful stage presence, constantly interacting with the crowd and dancing with a huge grin throughout the set. The band’s visuals and lighting design added an extra layer of depth to the performance, creating an immersive experience that left a lasting impression for both new fans and for those revisiting the soundtrack of their teenage years.
The performance reaffirmed the band’s ability to push boundaries musically and creatively while staying true to the music that made them an indie household name. You can catch the rest of Foster The People’s Paradise State of Mind tour, as it continues across North America until early spring. More information can be found at fosterthepeople.com.
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