Tori Amos @ The Louisville Palace - Louisville

July 12th 2023: Tori Amos and Tow’rs @ The Louisville Palace - Louisville, KY

Photos Courtesy of Emily May

Musical icon Tori Amos brought her Ocean to Ocean Tour to The Louisville Palace on Wednesday night to a nearly sold-out crowd of fans, many of whom it was clear had been following her music for decades. With many passionate and loyal fans, you could feel the excitement in the air! She walked upon the stage to a roar of applause and cheers, waving and bowing to her fans as she sat at her piano. Starting the set out with “God”, she then performed “Ocean to Ocean”, the title track from her most 2021 album, and the only song is sung from the album this evening. The song saw her play both her piano and keyboard, set up side by side, a hand on each set of keys. The stage was awash throughout her set in beautiful hues of multicolored light, and Amos spoke very little during her set, allowing her music to speak for her. With a different set list each night of the tour, her fans this evening were treated to a 14-song set and a 2-song encore. It is evident, however, that many in attendance would gladly listen to her play for hours and hours.

Performing tracks such as “Beauty Queen”, “Horses”, “Hey Jupiter”, “and Siren”, she performed much of her set with her band mates, bassist Jon Evans and drummer Ash Soan. She did, however, perform 2 solo tracks, “Twinkle” and “Toast”. Having mesmerized the crowd with her beautiful voice and piano playing thus far, she finished her pre-encore set with the crowd's favorite “Cornflake Girl”, with many fans cheering and rising from their seats. As the song concluded, Amos and her bandmates gave a bow and waved to the crowd before briefly exiting the stage. They soon came back out for an encore, performing “Big Wheel” and “The Waitress”. Upon the end of the set, the crowd gave Amos a well-deserved standing ovation. It was a beautiful evening, and with a career spanning over 3 decades, Amos gave both older and newer fans alike an evening to remember! Opening the set this evening was Arizona folk band Tow’rs, known for telling stories through their music. They performed a short but beautiful set of songs, with husband and wife Kyle and Gretta Miller creating beautiful harmonies.

Tow’rs

Postmodern Jukebox @ Mercury Ballroom - Louisville

July 3rd, 2023: Postmodern Jukebox @ Mercury Ballroom - Louisville, KY

Postmodern Jukebox | Photos Courtesy of Emily May

Postmodern Jukebox brought their ‘Life In The Past Lane’ Tour to Louisville on July 3rd for a rip roarin’ good time! A rotating musical collective founded by New York based pianist Scott Bradlee in 2011, the band has been delighting crowds with fun covers and arrangements of popular songs for over a decade, reworked into different vintage genres such as swing and jazz! This evening featured Tia Simone, Tatum Langley, and Eva Mikhailovna on vocals. Fans started filing into Mercury Ballroom as soon as doors opened, and many dressed up in retro clothing to reflect the mood of the evening! From start to finish, the band gave 110% and showed the crowd a high-energy and insanely enjoyable night. With the musicians, singers, and dancers having fun on stage with each other and engaging heavily with the crowd, the songs were arranged to put a unique and creative spin on songs/artists such as Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”, Green Day’s “Basket Case”, Taylor Swift’s “Love Story”, The White Stripe’s “Seven Nation Army”, Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun”, and "Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters”, to name a few.

Each song was different, with some featuring a single singer and others featuring all three singers, with tap dancer/performer Demi Remick tap dancing a few times throughout the set, as well, which was super fun! Towards the end of the set, founder Scott Bradlee came out and, upon getting some song requests from the crowd, dazzled the crowd with a medley of a few different song songs! He thanked everyone for coming out and gave a heartfelt thank you to the fans for their support in keeping the band going for over a decade. He played the piano for the duration of the set, with the ensemble “ending” the evening with U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”, before ultimately playing one more song, closing out the evening with Radiohead’s “Creep”. With everyone coming out to take a collective bow, the crowd cheered for all of the talented artists who gave us all a fun and enjoyable evening.

Fall Out Boy @ Wrigley Field - Chicago

June 21st 2023: Fall Out Boy, Alkaline Trio, The Academy Is.., Royal The Serpent @ Wrigley Field - Chicago, IL

Fall Out Boy - Photos Courtesy of Amanda Huerta

Fall Out Boy kicked off the first day of summer, and the first day of their So Much For (Tour) Dust tour in their hometown of Chicago at the legendary Wrigley Field. This show was special not only because it was a sold-out hometown opener, but also marked the first show back for guitarist Joe Trohman since his hiatus from the band. The sold-out show was filled with a good mix of fans old and new, which was evident by the 20 years' worth of Fall Out Boy shirts throughout the stadium. Opening the show was Royal & the Serpent, and Chicago bands The Academy Is.., and Alkaline Trio.

I’ve had the privilege of attending many Fall Out Boy shows but the atmosphere of this particular show was unmatched. Even before they took the stage, fans had huge smiles, kept up great energy for all the openers, and the whole stadium even sang along to all the songs that were played during the intermissions.

Before we get into the actual set, I must mention that the production of this show was truly amazing. There was fire coming up behind the band, behind the stage, and Pete Wentz also had a flamethrower attached to his bass that released flames to the beat of certain songs. The stage set also included what appeared to be handmade wooden structures, a giant “singing” Doberman inflatable, and a huge spooky tree. Patrick Stump had mentioned that Wentz designed most of the set for this tour himself. If you thought they were done, think again, they had fireworks throughout the set and a firework show that concluded the concert. Fall Out Boy had so many tricks up their sleeve to make this concert unforgettable for all fans. 

Fall Out Boy opened their set with their hit “Love From The Other Side” off of their newest album So Much (For) Stardust. Fans let loose immediately and gave it all they’ve got by singing and dancing along. The band performed a whopping 27-song-setlist that consisted of a balanced blend of songs across their albums. Amongst the setlist was the live debut of G.I.N.A.S.F.S. which was released back in 2007, this sent a shockwave throughout the crowd as soon as the first note was played. A few other hits included in the set were, “Sugar, we’re goin' down”, “This Ain't a Scene, It’s an Arms Race”, “My Songs Know..”,  and “Dance, Dance”. Fall Out Boy ended their set with long-time favorite “Saturday” where Pete Wentz jumped into the crowd and sang next to fans.

This tour is one you definitely don’t want to miss. Catch them on the rest of their summer dates here: 

July 5 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre

July 7 – Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre

July 9 – Englewood, CO @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre

July 11 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP

July 13 – Somerset, WI @ Somerset Amphitheater

July 15 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center

July 16 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center

July 18 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center

July 19 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live

July 21 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion

July 22 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater

July 24 – West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre

July 25 – Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre

July 26 – Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheater

July 29 – Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre

July 30 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage

August 1 – Forest Hills, NY @ Forest Hills Stadium

August 2 – Boston, MA Fenway Park

August 4 – Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Amphitheater

August 5 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center

August 6 – Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

The Academy Is…

Alkaline Trio, Royal The Serpent

Dermot Kennedy @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion - Philadelphia

June 20th 2023: Dermot Kennedy, Sasha Alex Sloan @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion - Philadelphia

Dermot Kennedy - Photos Courtesy of Carolyn Lederach

Dermot Kennedy closed out the US run of his worldwide tour on June 20th in Camden, NJ. This tour is in support of his latest album, Sonder, which was released late last year. It’s been exciting to see the expansion of Dermot’s career from playing small venues like Underground Arts a handful of years ago, to now playing venues like Madison Square Garden, doused with upscale production. Dermot also switched things up a bit on this tour stepping away from the guitar for the majority of songs, which you could tell was a bit of a struggle. The show was kicked off by the lovely Sasha Alex Sloan.

Sasha Alex Sloan

Shania Twain @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion - Philadelphia

June 9th 2023: Shania Twain, Breland @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion - Philadelphia

Shania Twain - Photos Courtesy of Carolyn Lederach

I’ve recently been following Shania Twain’s journey and I can’t help but really take it all in seeing her perform. If you want to get a take on what she’s been through, not just in the last few years, but her whole life, be sure to check out the recent Netflix documentary “Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl”. Shania has gone through monumental loss in her life and has come out striving, something truly inspiring. Especially as a female in music you also have to respect the genre-bending she’s done for Country music and women in music. Not to mention literally losing her voice, struggling with COVID, divorce, and coming back swinging with her latest album Queen of Me (which is full of fun new bops), proving she’s still got it and no one should underestimate her.

Setlist

Waking Up Dreaming

Up!

Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)

I'm Gonna Getcha Good!

Roll Me on the River

You're Still the One

Giddy Up!

Any Man of Mine

Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?

Honey, I'm Home

Inhale/Exhale Air (with BRELAND)

Rock This Country!

Nah! / She's Not Just a Pretty Face / Waiter! Bring Me Water! / When / Thank You Baby! (for Makin' Someday Come So Soon)

(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!

From This Moment On

Happy Birthday to You (Mildred J. Hill & Patty Hill cover) (Dedicated to Nicole, a fan who posted on instagram)

Number One

Party for Two

Forever and for Always

Queen of Me

Encore:

That Don't Impress Me Much

Man! I Feel Like a Woman!

Breland

Young the Giant / Milky Chance @ The Mann Center - Philadelphia

June 11th 2023: Young the Giant & Milky Chance, TALK @ The Mann Center - Philadelphia

Sameer of Young The Giant - Photos Courtesy of Carolyn Lederach

Last year Young the Giant released their 5th studio album, American Bollywood, an album showcasing the themes around Sameer Gadhia parent’s move from India to the United States and what they went through as American immigrants. The stage design immediately caught my attention, capturing themes of the album while also adding on fun themes like a disco ball. Another exciting element of the show was the break up of the setlist into four different Acts (much like the album), sprinkling three or four songs split up with a mildly Wes Anderson video breaking up the sets.

This tour was also special because we were treated to a co-headlining bill comprised of Germany’s Milky Chance. The band was also celebrating a recent album release with Living in a Haze. Featuring their signature sound of New Wave and blending elements of reggae and club beats, you can’t help but have a little dance and fun.

Milky Chance

TALK

Doyle @ Headliners Music Hall - Louisville

June 8th 2023: Doyle with Red Devil Vortex, Savage Master, and Nothing Wrong at Headliners Music Hall - Louisville, KY

Doyle | Photos Courtesy of: Emily May

Doyle (aka Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein) brought his USA Tour 2023 to Headliners Music Hall in Louisville recently to a modest but hyped crowd of fans! Well-known as the guitarist for the horror punk band The Misfits, he formed his solo band in 2012 and has released two albums. The band came out ready to give 110%, with singer Alex “Wolfman” Story jumping around the stage, climbing on top of the guitar/bass cabinets, and going out into the crowd! Doyle, with his shirtless muscular physique, his spooky, skeletal-looking white and black face makeup, his custom-made “Annihilator” guitar, and short black hair with a devil’s lock moved around the stage, pounding his guitar while intensely staring out at the crowd. Performing songs from 2013’s Abominator and 2017’s Doyle II: As We Die, Alex introduced every song as a love song, saying “You can dance to it if you want”. The band had an infectious energy on stage that couldn’t help but carry over to the crowd. It was a spooky good time! Opening the show this evening were local bands Nothing Wrong and Savage Master, as well as LA hard rock/alternative metal band Red Devil Vortex, who all played incredible sets that got the crowd ready for the evening ahead!

RED DEVIL VORTEX

SAVAGE MASTER

NOTHING WRONG

Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island - Chicago

June 1st 2023: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, SASAMI @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island - Chicago, IL

Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Photos Courtesy of Emily Nava

On Thursday, June 2023, Yeah Yeah Yeahs brought their tour to Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island in Chicago, Illinois. The NYC indie rock trio's last Chicago performance was at Riot Fest in 2022, and it was clear from the start that fans were very excited about their return that night. Starting off the night was the bold and intense SASAMI, who brought a rock and roll energy while expressing her excitement about opening the show. Yeah Yeah Yeahs took the stage and played songs from all of their previous releases, including songs from Cool It Down—their first new album in 9 years. Lead singer, Karen O, captivated the audience with her fierce energy and throughout the night, made references to the band's history and dedicated their song "Maps" to a number of people, with a special nod to the LGBTQIA+ community in honor of June 1st being the first day of Pride Month. Yeah Yeah Yeahs will continue their tour in the United States through mid-June before touring around the world in places such as Australia, Europe, and Asia for festival dates all summer long.

SASAMI