Cigarettes After Sex’s X’s World Tour made a stop in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday, September 17th, casting a spell on the crowd with their signature blend of ambient, soft, and melancholic melodies.
The set list featured fan-favorite hits such as “X’s,” “Apocalypse,” and “K,” with each track deepening the connection between the band and their audience. As the night unfolded, Greg Gonzalez’s delicate vocals wove themes of love and desire that resonated deeply on a personal level, creating an almost dreamlike atmosphere. The audience was visibly moved, singing along to the music and responding with loud cheers.
The intimate soundscapes, paired with the minimalistic instrumentals, filled the entire arena with emotion. It was an amazing night for fans, new and old, present at the show.
Check out our photos of the Cigarettes After Sex X’s World Tour below.
Cage the Elephant’s The Neon Pill Tour featuring Young the Giant came through Blossom Music Center in Cleveland on Monday September 9th alongside openers Willow Avalon and Bakar. This incredible lineup had the massive crowd dancing on the lawn throughout the night.
Young the Giant’s set included a wide range of their music including massive hits such as “Cough Syrup,” “Mind Over Matter,” and closing out with “My Body.” Lead vocalist Sameer Gadhia delivered a breathtaking and deeply moving performance. Following Young the Giant, Cage the Elephant came in hot (literally) with an intense pyrotechnic display during their first song “Broken Boy.” Although lead vocalist Matt Shultz is currently bound to a scooter due to a recently broken foot, he found unique ways to use his knee scooter throughout the show and delivered an incredible high-energy performance. Cage the Elephant had the crowd singing along throughout the set, closing out with “Cigarette Daydreams” and “Come a Little Closer.”
If you have a chance to catch the Neon Pill Tour featuring Young the Giant and Cage the Elephant- run (or scoot) to get your ticket! Check out photos below.
New Found Glory celebrated 20 years of their 2004 album Catalyst on Thursday in Cleveland, Ohio. In addition to the full album, the band had the crowd singing along to several Disney covers including “Part of Your World” from the Little Mermaid and “Let It Go” from Frozen. Their high energy performance was topped off with their hit “My Friends Over You,” complete with a shower of confetti. Check out photos from the outstanding performance below.
To quote Isabel ‘Belly’ Conklin from the Amazon TV show The Summer I Turned Pretty, “Last summer felt like a dream.” Or in this case, “August 13, 2024 felt like a dream.”
Not just for me, but for the fans who were anxiously and excitedly waiting to see Joshua Bassett at The Fillmore in Charlotte, North Carolina. It’s not Joshua’s first time in the city as he performed at The Underground last year on his Complicated tour. As per usual, Joshua never disappoints when it comes to his performances. He returned to the city where it was not only a night about fun and excitement on his tour The Golden Years but also about peace and forgiveness. Though Bassett returned to Charlotte with a different theme and mood of his performance, he still brought joy, happiness, and passion to his music.
Opening for Bassett was the energetic Thomas Day, who was also a contestant on Season 15 of America’s Got Talent. Appearing on stage before us like lightning, Day performed his heart out. After seeing how incredibly talented he was, I can honestly wholeheartedly say, Thomas Day will definitely be an artist that I will be adding to my playlists on Spotify!
About a few minutes later, Bassett appeared beaming with so much energy as he sweetly greeted fans throughout his entire performance. With his songs like “The Golden Years,” “Secret,” “Biting My Tongue,” “Life Line,” “She Said He Said She Said,” and more, every fan was either dancing or singing his lyrics back to him. Throughout his set, he even made a few small trips around the venue, greeting and meeting his fans. Another highlight of the night included Basset even bringing back Thomas Day to the stage to sing a cover of a Beatles song, “Yesterday.“
Bassett and his fans took turns in teaching each other something new. Though he gave us insight into his life, struggles, and life advice, at one instance and in return, his fans gave him dance lessons. While performing “Circles,” two fans taught him line dancing, which he happily partook in.
Bassett was even transparent with his fans of his struggles. A common theme I have noticed in his performances and in his music is reflection, typically healing, being grateful for certain lifelines in our lives, and surrounding yourself with amazing people. Though these are certainly great lessons for us to learn, he even threw in another one: forgiveness, and how it is always important to learn from our past mistakes and perhaps our golden years, and continue to move forward.
Overall, it was a night that I nor the fans will never forget. I especially enjoy how open and honest Bassett always is about his struggles as a means to reassure his fans that they are not alone. His songs and performances always seem to give them comfort and a safe place, myself included. I hope to look forward to more animated performances by Bassett the next time he comes back to the Queen City!
The Golden Years Album Review:
Since it has his album release, even on the car rides home, I continuously listened to The Golden Years. The album was released on July 26, a few days before Bassett kicked off his headlining tour with the same name. At first I somewhat struggled to find the words to describe this album, but now I definitely found them: Emotionally mature, honest, relief, and reflection.
Since its release I could not help but wonder: where was this album when I needed it most?
Bassett reflects on the past few years of his life, the good, the bad, the happy, the sad. In the album, he not only reflects on the golden years of his life but also on certain heartbreak, with some regret, which is something that I know most of us do. He even channels the roller coaster being fine one minute, but not fine the next. Through song, he exemplifies what healing is like realistically.
In the past, Bassett has been open and honest with his fans with his struggles, and always finding the good in every situation. Though he channels his feelings and honesty into song, notably past songs like “different” and “would you love me now,” the songs on The Golden Years now constructs those feelings and creates such a heartfelt and honest album. It is an album that I believe most people can either relate to or even find solace in.
Overall, The Golden Years not only reflects on the highs and lows of the past few years of Bassett’s life but also his achievements and his personal growth as an artist and as a person.
The album presents itself with such emotional maturity, a deep sigh of relief, letting go, and looking forward to what’s to come.
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!
As summer is starting to come to a close, the love that I personally have for music and concerts are definitely not. Especially for music that is all of the following: for dancing, beyond relatable, upbeat, and some that incorporates a ukulele. Luckily for me, mxmtoon’s show at the Underground in Charlotte, North Carolina had all three.
Before mxmtoon took the stage on July 29, singer Emma Harner opened for her show, where she not only dazzled us with her talent but also continuously made several references to the animated TV show, Voltron. Harner’s music and presence on stage was both charming and hilarious as she cracked jokes with the audience in between the songs that she was performing.
Harner was not the only one that has captured my attention. As mxmtoon began her set, she was beyond ready to perform and share her music and art with the audience. The audience, in turn, was ready to celebrate her music through either singing to her lyrics, wearing cowboy hats, or both. Throughout her performance, dances were danced and stories were exchanged — tales of crushes, break-ups that make you want to move out of the state that you are living in, and the trauma and love of proudly coming out.
If anything, mxmtoon’s Summer Show at The Underground was a chaotic yet laid back night that I was overall happy to attend. With the performances by both Harner and mxmtoon, the venue that night became a place that was both fun yet comforting.
The start of summer solstice brought indie rock veterans Vampire Weekend to Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle — delivering a captivating performance that spanned their genre-bending discography. Kicking off the night with original members Ezra Koenig, Chris Baio, and Chris Tomson performing “Hold You Now” from 2019’s Father of the Bride,the trio filled the arena with excitement as they jammed beneath the glimmer of their spotlights, and a black curtain emblazoned with “Vampire Weekend” served as their backdrop.
Together, the three performed “Cousins” and “Holiday” from 2010’s Contra before transitioning to newer release “Ice Cream Piano” from the tour’s namesake album Only God Was Above Us.Reaching mid-song triggered the release of their curtain to reveal a gray and sepia-toned backdrop of a large futuristic cavern, matching the band’s monochromatic outfits. Joining them were additional touring members on keys, guitar, saxophone, strings and percussion, as well as an interpretive dancer to complement the ensemble.
Playing fan-favorites like “Step,” “M79,” “Campus,” “Oxford Comma,” “Diane Young,” “A-Punk,” and concluding with “Hope,” the band returned to the stage for an encore and took audience requests for any non-Vampire Weekend songs to attempt. In what was warned as either “the best or worst part of the show” by Koenig, the results were chaotic and hilarious partial covers of Radiohead’s “Creep,” The Cure’s “Just like Heaven,” The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside,” and a rendition of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” — cut short by Koenig, who didn’t want to butcher the beloved song in front of the latter band’s hometown. Vampire Weekend’s energy was infectious and effervescent, with Koenig’s witty banter and charming stage presence winning over the entire crowd.
As the show came to a close, the arena was drenched with hues of blue and gold as the band ended the night with a grand finale of “Walcott,” culminating a night filled with beautiful soundscapes, and a spectacular welcome to the summer season.
Fans across North America can catch Vampire Weekend’s Only God Was Above Us tour as it continues through October. More information on tickets and the rest of tour dates can be found on the band’s website.
Kentucky-based rock band Cage The Elephant brought their energetic performance to RV Style Resorts Inn Amphitheater in Ridgefield, WA on June 23. The night started off with a stellar supporting lineup consisting of Willow Avalon, Bakar and Young the Giant.
Kickstarting the night with a lively performance of “Broken Boy,” the energy was vibrant from the get-go as soon as the headliner took the stage. Known for their raw energy and blues-infused sound, Cage The Elephant treated the Portland-area crowd to a soulful and compelling show filled with production that featured stunning pyrotechnics, lasers, visuals and a set list that spanned their entire discography. They performed a blend of new and old songs from their latest album Neon Pill including the track “Rainbow” as well as fan favorites “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked,” “Trouble,” and “Cigarette Daydreams.” The crowd illuminated the amphitheater with lights during the encore, and Cage The Elephant ended the night with their classic hit “Come a Little Closer.”
The band’s energy was electric, and frontman Matt Shultz’s magnetic stage presence wasn’t complete without several of his signature stage jumps — captivating the crowd deeper with each engaging song.
Fans across North America can catch the Neon Pill tour as it continues through the fall. More information on tickets and the rest of tour can be found on their website.
On Saturday June 29th, The Used performed at TempleLive in Cleveland Ohio. The Used is an emo/screamo band active since 2000 that significantly shaped emo music in the early 2000s with their self-titled album (2002) and wildly successful album In Love and Death (2004). Their set consisted of many deeply loved songs spanning their extensive career with fans screaming along to major hits such as “The Taste of Ink.” The Used’s newest album MEDZ was recently released. Check out photos from their set below.
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.
crowdsurfermag.com 