Frank Turner // Los Angeles, CA
Frank Turner -- The Wiltern | Los Angeles, CA | 28 January 2017
Photos Courtesy of: Kathy Flynn
Three years ago someone gave me a ticket to see Frank Turner at the Fonda Theater in L.A, and my life was forever changed. I watched from the balcony as Frank poured his heart into the audience, and they poured it all back, singing along as one to each and every song. I wondered how I had missed him until then, and vowed to never watch Frank from the balcony again.
Since then I have seen 13 shows, including three I travelled out of state for. When you travel out of state, you sometimes think you are a big deal, “Oh, I travelled a long way for this.” With Frank Turner, you realize most of the crowd has travelled a long way for it. Travelling from show to show is a thing Frank Turner fans do. His audience is fervidly devoted, and after your first show, you understand why. No one, except possibly Springsteen in his prime, puts on a show like Frank Turner.
At the WIltern, Frank Turner took the stage alone with his guitar for his newest song, “Sand in the Gears.” It’s a powerful protest song, turning despair and escapism into action, and, even though the song is brand new, and only played live on this current tour, most of the audience already knew the words, and sang along.
After the simple opening, the Sleeping Souls, Frank’s longtime backing band, bounced on stage, bring the energy up to 11 as they ripped into “The Next Storm,” off of Frank’s most recent album, Positive Songs for Negative People, followed by “I Still Believe” which featured opening act and all around ace songwriter Will Varley joining Frank on stage for a harmonica solo. Frank then proceeded to power through high energy renditions of all his best known songs for the next 90 minutes, while the crowd danced and sang along to everything. The set varies somewhat every night, and the Los Angeles crowd was treated to a brand new rendition of “A Silent Key,” Frank’s ode to Christa McAuliffe, the teacher who died in the Challenger space shuttle explosion 31 years ago to the day.
Opening acts were John K. Samson from the Canadian band The Weakerthans, the Arkells, and Will Varley. All were absolutely wonderful and worth showing up early for.
Run the Jewels // Cleveland, OH
Run the Jewels -- House of Blues Cleveland | Cleveland, OH | 14 January 2017
Photos Courtesy of: Judie Vegh
Run the Jewels brought down the sold out Cleveland House of Blues on January 14th. From the moment Killer Mike and El-P stepped out into the lights amidst the thick marijuana haze, the crowd went wild, throwing up the iconic RTJ "fist and gun" hand gesture. The duo, with support from DJ Trackstar, launched their 17-song setlist with "Talk to Me" off of the newest album, RTJ3, released this past Christmas.
Throughout the show, Killer Mike and El-P never let up on their energy, sticking close to the edge of the stage, leaning over into the unrelenting fans who danced and bounced through each floor-quaking beat.
Despite the fun, RTJ came with a message for politically tumultuous times in the encore with "Kill Your Masters". As Killer Mike rapped, "Hell coming and we got about a mile / Until it's over I remain hostile," the crowd pushed closer to the stage, taking in the energy and receiving the message loud and clear.
Bobby Long // NYC
Bobby Long -- Mercury Lounge | NYC | 14 January 2017
Photos Courtesy of: Stefanie Dabs
July Talk // Victoria, B.C. Canada
July Talk, Mona, and Adam Baldwin -- Sugar Nightclub | Victoria, B.C. Canada | 26 November 2016 | Presented by Atomique Productions & The Zone 91.3
Photos Courtesy of: Leanne Green
Jim James // Louisville, KY
Jim James and Twin Limb -- The Louisville Palace | Louisville, KY | 25 November 2016
Photos Courtesy of: Emily May
Nick Carter // Victoria, B.C. Canada
Nick Carter with The New Electric and Dan Talevski -- Sugar Nightclub | Victoria, B.C. Canada | 22 November 2016 | Presented by Atomique Productions & Degree One
Photos Courtesy of: Leanne Green
Immediately after walking into the venue I was struck by the absence of any men in the audience, save for a few less-than-thrilled looking boyfriends who’d been dragged along. Various groups of women, ranging from those in mini dresses and sky-high heels, to those in Backstreet Boys t-shirts proudly holding signs or posters, stood around in anticipation.
My friend, and fellow photographer, Kirsten and I fell somewhere in the middle, dressed as we would for any old Tuesday night. Our anticipation was mounting too though, realizing we were about to see a real-live Backstreet Boy in the flesh. As the first opening band, The New Electric (hailing from Calgary, Alberta) took the stage, the energy started ramping up. By the time former YouTube star Dan Talevski took the stage with his boy-band-esque dance moves, the crowd was already in high-pitched screaming mode.
As I made my way into the photo pit before Nick’s set, the excitement in the air was palpable. Everyone in the front row was excitedly chatting and taking selfies, pressed against the barricade. As the lights went down, chanting erupted from somewhere near the back of the venue; “Nick! Nick! Nick!”. As he made his way onto the stage, the venue erupted in guttural screams, the likes of which I hadn’t heard in years. All of a sudden we were all thirteen again, squealing, screaming and singing along (myself included).
I laughed at one point, noticing that the majority of the hands in the crowd that were reaching towards the stage screaming, sported either a wedding band or engagement ring. These were likely the same women who as teenagers, had posters of Nick in their rooms, hoping that they’d marry him someday.
While the set started off with his solo work (Blow Your Mind, I’m Taking Off), the third song launched us into Backstreet Boys territory with the 2005 ballad Incomplete. After a mix of his solo work peppered with BSB classics, we were treated to a handful of unplugged songs, including a Wonderwall cover. The second half of Nick’s set was chock-full of classics like Larger Than Life and The Call, complete with the signature dance moves we all know and love. At one point, after pouring a water bottle all over himself and gyrating around the stage, evoking ear-piercing screams from the crowd, Nick stopped to laugh; presumably partly at himself, and partly the crowd’s reaction. After a few more songs off his new album All American, he finished off the night with Everybody, the crowds singing nearly drowning out Nick’s.
As the show ended, the excited chatter continued, women crowding around each other’s cell phones to look at pictures and exclaim how close they’d been to him while others scrambled to the merch booth. As I headed home, I spotted the Backstreet Boys t-shirt clad women with the signs crowding around the tour bus.
LANY // San Francisco, CA
LANY -- The Regency Ballroom | San Francisco, CA | 17 November 2016
Photos Courtesy of: Kelly Young
Kaleo // Austin, TX
Kaleo + Bishop Briggs -- Emos | Austin, TX | 11 November 2016
Photos Courtesy of: Bailey Flores
KALEO:
BISHOP BRIGGS:
