Bikini Kill @ Brooklyn Paramount - Brooklyn
September 7th, 2024: Bikini Kill, Birthday Girl @ Brooklyn Paramount - Brooklyn, NY
Bikini Kill | Photos Courtesy of: Edwina Hay
On Saturday, September 7th, Bikini Kill began their two-night stand at Brooklyn Paramount in Brooklyn, NY. The influential punk band are wrapping up their summer tour and scheduled two nights in New York City at Brooklyn Paramount.
Brooklyn Paramount opened earlier this year, hosting live music in the space for the first time in nearly 50 years. The site is a former movie palace and was a sports venue up until the multi-million dollar renovation by Live Nation.
Starting the evening promptly at 8 PM was Brooklyn band Birthday Girl. The sextet warmed up the all-ages crowd, who mostly filled the main room despite numerous people standing in line to buy merchandise or still arriving at the show. Singer/songwriter Eva Smittle cited the headlining act as an influence and expressed appreciation to the band for adding them to this exciting bill.
Bikini Kill then appeared on stage shortly after 9 PM with Kathleen Hanna starting their set with the powerful lyric, “We’re Bikini Kill, and we want revolution girl style now!” and beginning “Double Dare Ya.” The quartet, also comprised of Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox, and Sara Landeau opened with BK’s earliest material (“Carnival,” “New Radio,” and “Don’t Need You”) before visiting songs from their full-length records, Pussy Whipped and Reject All American. With no new material to promote, the band played everything old to the delight of everyone in attendance. The audience sang along and danced throughout the whole show with members rotating roles on songs. Tobi left the drum kit to sing “Distinct Complicity,” “Hamster Baby,” and “Tell Me So” with Kathi or Sara taking over drum duties and Kathleen moving over to play bass. Their set concluded with ”Suck My Left One,” “Jigsaw Youth” and a one-song encore of “Rebel Girl” which is now a timeless anthem.
Bikini Kill disbanded in 1997 and was a band that I never imagined witnessing live one day, especially as someone who discovered them towards the end of their life. Before beginning, “I Like Fucking,” Kathleen shared that she never wanted to play that song before their breakup but now she finds joy in it. Being in a room where mostly everyone is singing along and enjoying music made by four badass women truly is a joyful experience and I’m extremely grateful for Bikini Kill and that gift.
Birthday Girl
Polaris @ Emo's - Austin
September 3rd, 2024: Polaris, BlessTheFall @ Emo's- Austin, TX
Polaris | Photos Courtesy of: Bernadette Castillo
I was so excited to be able to photograph this tour stop at Emo’s here in Austin, TX; I’ve heard of both BlessTheFall and Polaris as metalcore mainstays, but hadn’t seen either of them live, and knew it was going to be an incredible show!
I don’t remember the last time I saw a frontman as charismatic and engaged with the crowd as BlessTheFall’s Beau Bokan. You could tell that the crowd was ecstatic to see the band and it was a really beautiful thing to witness just how into their show the crowd was.
Admittedly, I am more familiar with Polaris’ music, and what a treat it was to get to see them play live! The lead vocalist, Jamie Hails, displays such range with his screams - the lows and highs were so powerful to see in person. The musicianship of the band was impeccable, these guys are truly masters at what they do. (I’d also be remiss to mention that last June, their guitarist, Ryan Siew, passed - and while I wish I would have been able to see him play live; it’s clear he’s dearly missed).
My absolute favorite shows to see and photograph is metal and metalcore; I feel like there is often this preconceived notion about how ‘aggressive’ it is, and while sure, there’s bound to be moshpits - all the metal shows I’ve been to, and especially this one; there’s such a positive energy, with the band and crowd looking out for each other and taking care of one another.
BlessTheFall
Incubus @ Moody Center - Austin
September 7th, 2024: Incubus, Coheed and Cambria - Morning View Tour @ Moody Center - Austin, TX
Incubus | Photos Courtesy of: Bernadette Castillo
Incubus has been one of my favorite bands since I first heard Morning View as a teen; that album got me through my adolescence, and to this day is one of my favorite albums of all time, so the chance to cover this show here in Austin was so very special. This band, and this album in particular, is important to me.
There was a lot of anticipation for this tour, particularly with this tour lineup alongside Coheed and Cambria - and the Moody Center had a packed house from the start! I’ve never seen Coheed live before, and they were mesmerizing to watch getting to hear the intricacies of their music in their songs live was awesome.
Ahead of this tour, Incubus released a re-recording of Morning View, originally released in 2001. Upon listening to Morning View XXIII, I thought that it sounded close to their live sound (I’ve been lucky enough to see them live a few times), but after last night, I think that statement doesn’t do this band justice. The guys have been in a band together for over 30 years. They are incredible musicians individually in their own right - and the addition of Nicole Row as bassist, including her backing vocals, brings an extra layer to their live sound. Brandon Boyd’s vocals are strong, and it’s impressive that he is still hitting a lot of the same notes as he could 20+ years ago.
This was such a special show, and getting to hear the crowd sing along to every word is one of my favorite things about concerts, especially when they’re lyrics to an album I’ve grown up listening to.
Coheed and Cambria
Omar Apollo @ The Mann Center - Philadelphia
August 25th 2024: Omar Apollo, Malcolm Todd @ The Mann Center - Philadelphia, PA
Omar Apollo | Photos Courtesy of Carolyn Lederach
Omar Apollo made his God Said No Tour stop in Philadelphia on a perfect Sunday evening, August 25th. It was one of those rare Summer shows where the weather perfectly matched the feeling of the music. There was a small chill in the air, accompanied by the ominous fog filling the stage. This was a long time in a while since I felt that an artist put careful thought into every produced moment on stage. From the subtle backing dancers incorporated, but not overdone. The white backdrop of the stage embraced the outfit changes. The moody lighting and stage props are also delicately incorporated throughout the set. Omar’s performance was also perfect, with a carefully planned setlist that flowed flawlessly throughout the night and spanned a lot of his vast catalogue. This was my first time getting to see Omar, and there was zero disappointment with this show. I was excited to also experience the “Pedro” track live, while Omar was fitting in a wardrobe change his dancers took a few moments to show off their moves, while we also took in the perfect words from Pedro Pascal.
Malcom Todd
The Marias @ The Salt Shed - Chicago
August 13th, 2024: The Marias, Automatic @ The Salt Shed - Chicago, IL
The Marias | Photos Courtesy of: Emily Nava
On Tuesday, August 13th 2024, The Marías brought their Submarine Tour to a sold-out Salt Shed Chicago with the opening act Automatic. This tour follows the recent release of The Marías' second full-length album Submarine. The Marías is a project led by María Zardoya (vocals) with members Josh Conway (drums), Jesse Perlman (guitar) and Edward James (keys).
Los Angeles-based rock trio Automatic opened the show. Their music was a rock/synth pop mixture, which paired well with The Marías.
At approximately 8 pm, The Marías took the stage, with María appearing as a silhouette behind the band, then emerging forward while singing "Hamptons". At first listen, one may think that The Marías' airy, dreamy sound is more soft and the show may have a more mellow vibe. Still, with screams, jumping, and singing along to every song, the crowd appeared completely engaged, entranced, and energized with The Marías' performance. The band performed almost the entirety of Submarine, as well as songs from their previous releases CINEMA and Superclean Vol. I and II. Throughout the night, María expressed gratitude for fans and even mentioned how their song "Heavy" now lived permanently on the setlist due to popular demand, noting that a fan made a change.org petition for them to play it. The connection between The Marías and their fanbase was also demonstrated by how wild the crowd went when María stepped down and performed along the barricade during the band's collaboration song with Bad Bunny "Otro Atardecer".
The production of this tour overall was incredible to witness. The way silhouettes came into play throughout the show complemented the story and feel of Submarine so well. For the encore song, "If Only", María appeared on stage in a full bathtub, which was one of the most unique encores I have ever seen. I'm sure I'm not alone in this when I say, The Marías know how to put on a great and unforgettable performance. Do not miss the Submarine Tour!
Automatic
Still Woozy @ The Mann Center - Philadelphia
August 11th 2024: Still Woozy, MICHELLE @ The Mann Center - Philadelphia, PA
Still Woozy - Photos Courtesy of Carolyn Lederach
Sven (aka Still Woozy) burst out on stage to a packed crowd on Sunday night in Philadelphia. After an unbearable heatwave most of this Summer, we couldn’t have asked for a better night to embrace the vibes of Still Woozy under the trees and stars without miserably sweating. Still Woozy did not disappoint, with a setlist that covered a wide range of his catalogue, including a lot of tracking from his latest album, Loveseat. You couldn’t help but get swept up in Sven’s performance, embracing each song with excitement as if it was his first time performing it. The crowd soaked it in, singing back every word. It was also exciting to see the little fuzzy guy from the album cover show up mid-set on stage.
The adorable 4-piece, MICHELLE, opened the set. I’ve been following these gals for a bit, so I was super excited to catch their live set and it was nothing short of unique. Not only did they have coordinated colours for their outfits, but the entire set had planned out choreography. I'm excited to hear more from them on their upcoming album later this year.
Setlist
Again
Window
Get By
All Your Life
Shit Don't Change
Baby
Rocky
Lemon
Lucy
Forwards
That's Life
Little Things
Kenny
Cooks
Drake
Run It Back
Lava
Frida Kahlo
Shotput
Habit
WTF
Encore:
Rid Of Me
Goodie Bag
MICHELLE
A Day To Remember @ Huntington Bank Pavilion - Chicago
July 25th, 2024: A Day to Remember, Four Year Strong, The Story So Far @ Huntington Bank Pavilion - Chicago, IL
Photos Courtesy of: Amanda Huerta
There were tons of people who could NOT wait for A Day to Remembers’ The Least Anticipated Album Tour show to happen in Chicago, and upon arriving at the venue there were thousands already inside, and loads of people still waiting to make their way in for an insane night. Aside from their acoustic tour at the Chicago Theater in 2022, A Day to Remember hasn’t played a show in Chicago Since 2021, which is quite a while, so this show was a huge deal to us Chicagoans. The rest of the lineup for the night consisted of Scowl, Four Year Strong, and The Story So Far.
Four Year Strong has always been one of the hardest pop punk bands setting themselves apart in the music scene. The energy during their live performances never disappoints, it truly feels like a jolt of electricity flows through any crowd they play. With the release of a few new songs like “Daddy of Mine” and “Uncooked” their hardcore rhythms are even more apparent than ever before. Dan O’Connor and Alan Day say they showed up to day one of recording their newest album without a single finished song which feels so unbelievable because all 5 new songs they’ve released so far sound so polished, even amazing live too, and honestly some of my favorite work that Four Year Strong has created to date. Their sixth studio album Analysis Paralysis releases on August 9th, 2024, be sure to listen to it as soon as it comes out!
The Story So Far played a great mix of old and new during their set. Longtime fans were excited to hear favorites like “Roam” and “Bad Luck” which brought high intensity in the crowd. On June 21st, 2024 The Story So Far released their fifth album I Want To Disappear. If you were a fan of their album Proper Dose, you would love their latest album, despite this, a ton of progression is still very apparent in The Story So Far’s style as a band. Fans got a small taste of a few new songs added to the setlist like “All This Time” and “Letterman,” hopefully they do a full album run soon, I know I’ll be there.
The venue erupted into chaos as A Day To Remember finally burst onto the stage, beginning their show with the heavy classic “Sticks and Bricks” and continuing with “All I Want” and “2nd sucks.” Some of these are my all-time personal favorite songs that the band has released, and even I could not contain myself in the photo pit as they were played. To say that things were starting right was a severe understatement, the amount of hits that A Day To Remember has is excessive in the best way possible. The rest of the setlist included a mixture of songs from Homesick, For Those Who Have Heart, What Separates Me From You, Common Courtesy, and so on, with a few singles thrown in as well.
I have never been to an A Day To Remember show that didn’t leave an impression on me forever. In March 2011, they came to Chicago with their Game Changers tour which is quite literally my favorite show I’ve been to in my life. Fast forward to 2014, A Day To Remember announced (the morning of) that they were playing a surprise set at Warped Tour in Chicago and everyone lost their minds hearing the news, and again, they played yet another unforgettable show. These guys know what it takes to make sure everybody has the time of their lives.
Their entire set was a whole hour and 45 minutes long, for as long as this set was, I know they still had even more hits that they could have played which just goes to show truly how impressive their entire discography is. Of course, playing every single song in one night is impossible, but they did an amazing job at crafting this tour's setlist.
The Least Anticipated Album Tour is now over, but you can catch them at Rocklahoma Fest on August 31st in Pryor, Oklahoma and at When We Were Young Fest on October 19-20th in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Four Years Strong
The Story So Far
The Japanese House @ Franklin Music Hall - Philadelphia
July 26th 2024: The Japanese House, Julia Pratt @ Franklin Music Hall - Philadelphia, PA
Amber Bain of The Japanese House - Photos Courtesy of Carolyn Lederach
We were treated to another amazing Japanese House show in Philly on Friday, July 26th. Playing a slightly larger venue just a few blocks away from the last venue we caught her at, Amber Bain (aka The Japanese House) played to a packed house at Franklin Music Hall. The setlist included a large span of the Japanese House catalogue, including the bops and the sad songs we love to embrace with open arms. There’s always something about Amber’s stage presence that makes you feel like you’re just a friend hanging out watching her play, everything presents so comforting and warm. The effects aren’t overdone and the lighting is moody (almost too moody when two songs in Bain asked for the lights to be turned up so she didn’t feel like she was playing in a dark room). With new music already out since In The End It Always Does release, hopefully, we’ll hear more from The Japanese House soon.
Setlist
Touching Yourself
Sad to Breathe
Something Has to Change
Morning Pages
Follow My Girl
Boyhood
Baby goes again
You Seemed So Happy
Over There
Friends
f a r a w a y
Worms
Chewing Cotton Wool
Dionne
Encore:
Still
Boyhood (acoustic)
:)
Sunshine Baby
Julia Pratt
