JP Saxe @ Brooklyn Bowl - Philadelphia
March 2nd 2024: JP Saxe @ Brooklyn Bowl - Philadelphia, PA
JP Saxe - Photos Courtesy of Carolyn Lederach
Justin Nozuka
Mitski @ Kings Theatre - Brooklyn
February 27th, 2024: Mitski @ Kings Theatre - Brooklyn, NY
Mitski - Photos Courtesy of: Chinaza Ajuonuma
Mitski's performance at Kings Theatre on February 27th was a mesmerizing journey through her emotive catalog, leaving the audience spellbound with her raw talent and captivating stage presence. As she took the stage, Mitski delved deep into her music, delivering each song with a powerful intensity that held the crowd in rapt attention from start to finish. Her interpretive dancing added an extra layer of emotion, allowing her to convey the depth of her lyrics viscerally and poignantly.
From the haunting melodies of "Buffalo Replaced" to the pulsating energy of "Geyser," Mitski showcased the breadth of her musical prowess, effortlessly transitioning between moments of vulnerability and strength. The setlist was a carefully curated journey through her discography, with highlights including the achingly beautiful "First Love/Late Spring" and the anthemic "I Will Always Love You After You."
As the evening unfolded, Mitski's connection with the audience became palpable, with each song drawing the crowd deeper into her world. The encore, preceded by a three-minute ovation, was a fitting conclusion to the night, featuring soul-stirring renditions of "Nobody" and "Washing Machine Heart" that left the audience longing for more.
Overall, Mitski's performance at Kings Theatre was nothing short of extraordinary, showcasing her immense talent as both a musician and a performer. With her emotive vocals, evocative lyrics, and captivating stage presence, Mitski left an indelible impression on all who were fortunate enough to witness her live.
Ryan Beatty @ Theater of Living Arts - Philadelphia
February 22nd 2024: Ryan Beatty @ Theater of Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA
Ryan Beatty - Photos Courtesy of Carolyn Lederach
Ryan Beatty finally graced us with his calico tour this month. After nearly a year since the release of his third album (and I would venture to say Beatty’s best album), Calico, we caught him in on his Philadelphia stop on February 22nd at The Theater of Living Arts. Calico was very personal to me, and one of my favorite albums of 2023, so needless to say I was very excited to experience all the songs live and the show did not disappoint. If I could live in a show for the rest of my life, I think it would be this one. The crowd was extremely respectful and quiet as Ryan took the stage, and didn’t light up until the first few notes of “White Teeth” hit.
The setlist was a heavenly mix across all three of Beatty’s releases, with the majority of the focus on songs from Calico. The stage was set up with an intimate circle of the band surrounding Ryan, who stayed seated and eyes closed the entire performance. Older Beatty singles such as “Powerslide” even had a more intimate stripped-back version, bringing new light to the oldest songs.
If you had any hesitation at all in catching Beatty on this tour, just buy the ticket now and do not miss this tour!
Setlist
Ribbons
Bruises Off the Peach
Cinnamon Bread
Andromeda
Bright Red
Haircut
Powerslide
Backseat
Casino
Hunter
Multiple Endings
White Teeth
Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?
Little Faith
Dirty Honey @ Mercury Ballroom - Louisville
December 16th, 2023: Dirty Honey, Austin Meade @ Mercury Ballroom - Louisville, KY
Dirty Honey - Photos courtesy of: Emily May
Los Angeles rock band Dirty Honey brought their Can’t Find The Brakes Tour to Mercury Ballroom on December 16th, fresh off the heels of performing some support dates on the recent Guns n’ Roses tour! I remember seeing these guys perform in 2019, early in their career, opening for Red Sun Rising and being impressed with their fun energy and stage presence, convinced these guys would go on to be huge. If this evening’s crowd and enthusiasm was any indication, I’d say Dirty Honey is well on their way! Opening this evening was Texas rock musician Austin Meade, who told the crowd “Our last time here was for Louder Than Life Festival! It’s good to be back!”. He and his band proceeded to get the crowd dancing and singing in no time, ensuring everyone was having a good time. “This is our first time at Mercury Ballroom. Thanks to the staff and venue and to all of you who are going to get drunk with us in about 30 minutes when we finish playing (said with a laugh)! It’s time to get sexy. This song is called “Quicksand”. He later told the crowd how this was the second to last night of the tour and how they had been on the road with Dirty Honey for the past couple of months on a beautiful trip across the country. They then performed a track from their last album called “Take A Trip”. Ending the set with their latest single “BLACKOUT”, Austin Meade and his band thoroughly rocked the crowd and had everyone ready to keep the energy and momentum going!
As Dirty Honey walked out on stage this evening, the sounds of deafening cheers and applause filled the venue. Singer Marc LaBelle is a dynamic front man, with his long blonde hair, large brimmed hat, Rayban-esque sunglasses, and long flowy scarves, and was all smiles as the band started their set. The band just released their latest album Can’t Find The Brakes on November 3rd and started things off with the title track! It was clear from the start that the band loved their fans as much as their fans loved them, with LaBelle engaging with them throughout the set. Whether it was twirling his mic stand around and holding the mic out to the crowd to sing along or talking with them between songs, the crowd was having a great time and singing along to each song.
A few songs into the set, LaBelle said to the crowd “I’m not sure how everyone knows about us. Maybe from Louder Than Life Festival, or maybe from the Guns n’ Roses Tour, or maybe you just have good taste (said with a smile), but we are glad you are here!”. He also gave a shout-out to those in the crowd who were holding up the new album they had purchased this evening! The band performed plenty of songs from the new album, such as “Don’t Put Out The Fire”, “Dirty Mind”, and “Coming Home”, along with some older tracks such as “Scars”, “California Dreamin’”, and “Heartbreaker”. Towards the end of the set, the band performed “Another Last Time” from their 2021 self-titled album, with LaBelle jumping off the stage to stand at the barricade, singing amongst the fans, giving them fist-bumps, and taking cell phones to record him singing a bit and taking selfies with fans, all of whom looked ecstatic to be part of such a moment.
After singing the “last song”, “When I’m Gone”, the band left the stage and came back out for an encore! “Wanna hear more or are you ready to go home? What do ya’ll wanna hear? You guys like ballads, huh? We haven’t played this one in a while.” The band then performed “You Make It Alright”, after which LaBelle mentioned that they may need to add that one to the set from now on. “Ya’ll wanna hear more? Our lighting guy and TM are looking at me like “Let’s get outta here” but we’ll keep playing a bit longer. This one is called “Satisfied”. He then told a story about how when Dirty Honey opened recently for Guns n’ Roses, he was asking Axl one day about why they played such long sets. Axl told him that when he was younger he saved money to see his favorite band perform and they only played an hour set he was pissed and said that if his band ever became famous, he would play long sets and give fans their money’s worth. The band ended the evening with “Rolling 7s”, asking the crowd “Are ya’ll ready to sing nice and loud for us?”. The crowd obliged, ending what was an incredibly fun evening! I’m sure everyone can’t wait for Dirty Honey to come back soon to perform for us again!
Austin Meade
Gus Dapperton @ Union Transfer - Philadelphia
December 7th 2023: Gus Dapperton, Junior Varsity @ Union Transfer - Philadelphia, PA
Gus Dapperton - Photos Courtesy of Carolyn Lederach
Gus Dapperton closed out the Henge Tour in Philadelphia on December 7th at Union Transfer. It’s always special having Gus back in Philly, after attending Drexel University, he is always able to throw in some fun facts about the songs such as, where the songs on the setlist were written on campus.
Henge is Dapperton’s third studio album, and his music continues to get better as time goes on. If I had to give one negative mark for the show, it would be that there weren’t enough tracks off Henge, but despite that, the setlist consisted of a wide range of songs from across Gus’ musical catalog. Including a fun mystery song chosen by a fan during a random drawing on stage.
Gus’ live shows never disappoint and are a guaranteed fun time. Even with a knee injury, Gus was able to have a little dance on stage to some songs. Excited to catch this flawless band live again!
Setlist
Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words) (Kaye Ballard cover)
Sunset
Palms
Give It To Me Straight
Ditch
Prune, You Talk Funny
My Favorite Fish (With Drake “In My Feelings” Intro)
Medicine
Play Video
Gum, Toe, and Sole
I'm Just Snacking
I'm on Fire (Bruce Springsteen cover)
~Mystery Song~
First Aid
Midnight Train
Don't Trust Me (3OH!3 cover) (Sung By Ruby)
Fill Me Up Anthem
Wet Cement
Don't Let Me Down
Post Humorous
Encore:
Horizons
Twist and Shout (The Top Notes cover)
Junior Varsity
Daisy Grenade @ Irving Plaza - NYC
December 6th, 2023: Daisy Grenade @ Irving Plaza, New York, NY
Daisy Grenade - Photos Courtesy of: Chinaza Ajuonuma
Daisy Grenade, a dynamic bubblegrunge force hailing from the vibrant music scene of Brooklyn NY, brings a fresh and explosive energy to the stage. With the captivating vocals of Keaton Whittaker and Dani Nigro, the band marries raw emotion with catchy melodies, creating a sound that leaves a lasting impression. Daisy Grenade's performances are marked by infectious enthusiasm and a seamless blend of harmonies, showcasing their versatility in covers and unreleased gems. With a jumping, electric energy that electrifies audiences, Daisy Grenade is carving its path in the world of pop-punk.
Daisy Grenade brought an explosive burst of energy to Irving Plaza for the second night, delivering a performance that resonated with the crowd. The celebration kicked off with a special touch as the band, led by the dynamic duo of Dani Nigro and Keaton Whittaker, celebrated guitarist Erez Levin's birthday. The venue echoed with harmonies from both the band and the audience during the heartfelt rendition of the birthday song. The setlist featured a diverse range of hits, including a powerful cover of "King for a Day" by Pierce The Veil, during which Keaton Whittaker and the band sat on the edge of the stage, connecting intimately with the audience. Daisy Grenade also unveiled a new, unreleased gem titled "Skin," a testament to their evolving sound. Closing with the infectious anthem "Spring in the City," the band left the stage with the audience still buzzing from the jumping, electric energy that characterized their performance. Despite omitting "Got it Bad" from the setlist, Daisy Grenade's Night 2 showcased their ability to captivate and warm up the crowd, setting the stage for a memorable night with The Maine.
Yam Haus @ Madison Live! - Covington
December 9th, 2023: Yam Haus, Phillip-Michael Scale, Green Light Morning, Welshly Arms @ Madison! Live - Covington, KY
Yam Haus - Photos Courtesy of: Laura Cameron / Million Many Miles
Headed out to Madison Live! On Saturday (December 12th 2023) for 4 excellent bands. Everyone was thrilled to be opening for Welshly Arms on this short Winter Tour before the holidays. They wrapped up their tour on December 10th in St. Louis, Missouri.
First, was Phillip-Michael Scale, a singer-songwriter who recently moved to Nashville. Just him and his guitar, full of soulful music with the song Find A Way a highlight of his set.
Next, Was Green Light Morning, from Cincinnati, Ohio. Great energy and mentioned they will be opening for Andy Grammer Next Year – Highlight – Let’s Get Happy.
Then, was Yam Haus from Minneapolis, Minnesota. I’d actually saw them on the American Song Contest on TV last year. They just released an EP this year (Stupid and Famous.) Highlight - Shakin' Yer Hips
Finally, was Welshly Arms from Cleveland, Ohio. They released a record this year – Wasted Words & Bad Decisions and a great rapport with the crowd, on a busy Saturday night. Really enjoy the song ‘Sanctuary’
A fantastic night and hope everyone has a great holiday!
Welshly Arms
Phillip-Michael Scale, Green Light Morning
Pierce The Veil @ Aragon Ballroom - Chicago
December 1st, 2023: Pierce the Veil, Dayseeker & L.S. Dunes @ Aragon Ballroom - Chicago, IL
Pierce the Veil - Photos Courtesy of: Amanda Huerta
Pierce the Veil delivered an unforgettable performance on December 1st in Chicago, marking the second sold-out night of their Jaws of Life tour. You could feel the anticipation from fans throughout the night, and it was evident that this show would be a standout memory for many. The crowd was filled with die-hard fans proudly sporting band merchandise spanning the band’s 16+ year presence, face paint, and even tattoos dedicated to PTV. Opening the show was Destroy Boys, Dayseeker, and L.S. Dunes.
Pierce the Veil finally took the stage amidst a sea of adoring fans holding signs professing their love, and the entire venue immediately erupted. They kicked off the show with "Death of an Executioner" from their latest album, Jaws of Life, seamlessly transitioning into the beloved classic, "Caraphernelia." The setlist showcased their versatility and growth as a band, playing songs from their extensive discography like "Circles," "Pass the Nirvana," "Hold On Till May," "Resilience," and "Hell Above," among others. They ended their show with an encore of “Besitos,” a song that they haven’t included in their setlist for almost 10 years which was a huge treat, and finally their biggest hit “King For a Day”. The chemistry between Vic Fuentes, Tony Perry, Jaime Preciado, and Loniel Robinson was clear, showcasing years of musical fellowship.
As a devoted fan for over 15 years, I have witnessed Pierce the Veil's dedication to making each performance more amazing than the last. They genuinely care about their fans' experience and consistently find ways to make their shows extraordinary. While their American tour concludes on December 8th in their hometown of San Diego, California, fans can look forward to catching them on their European leg of the Jaws of Life Tour in 2024. Make sure not to miss out on this incredible experience!
L.S. Dunes
Dayseeker
