Cage the Elephant @ The Anthem - Washington DC
October 26th 2025: Cage the Elephant @ The Anthem - Washington DC
Cage the Elephant | Photos Courtesy of: Nicole Cummings
Cage the Elephant knows how to bring the hype. From the stage pyro, to Lead Singer Matt Shultz's high jumps using the mic stand, the energy was high for all 6,000 patrons at the sold-out Washington DC show.
Grizzly Bear @ Brooklyn Steel - Brooklyn
October 16th 2025: Grizzly Bear @ Brooklyn Steel - Brooklyn, NY
Grizzly Bear | Photos Courtesy of: Erika Reinsel
The indie world buzzed with quiet excitement at the news that Grizzly Bear was emerging from their hiatus for a brief run of shows – marking their first live performances in over six years. With the first two shows in Brooklyn already behind them, I joined a sold-out crowd at Brooklyn Steel for the third night of Grizzly Bear’s long-awaited return. As the crowd waited for the band to take the stage, you could hear conversations of wishlists of deep cuts and rarities they wanted to hear, with an eagerness to see if any of their long-held hopes would make the setlist.
Grizzly Bear finally took the stage, opening with ‘Southern Point’ from their 2009 album Veckatimest. Also from the 2009 album, fans were thrilled as the familiar drums of ‘Cheerleader’ kicked in, a clear sign that some long-held wishlists were coming true. Despite a few minor sound issues throughout the evening, every song remained captivating. Fans were once again treated to the flawless harmonies of Ed Droste and Daniel Rossen, Chris Taylor’s rich backing vocals, and the mesmerizing drumming of Chris Bear. Most of the evening's setlist drew from Veckatimest and 2012’s Shields. ‘Lullabye’ – off of 2006’s Yellow House, was a standout and can only be described as euphoric.
Thursday’s crowd was also the first of the run to experience Beach House’s Victoria Legrand performing with the band. As she stepped on stage to warm applause, the band launched into ‘Slow Life’ and ‘Will Calls,’ followed by what Ed Droste introduced as “the song that started it all” – ‘Two Weeks.’ Legrand’s haunting, melodic vocals added new depth to the live arrangements, elevating the familiar tracks into something more transcendent. She remained on stage for ‘Three Rings’ before the band closed the set with a soaring performance of 'Sun In Your Eyes.'
As the final notes faded, the crowd erupted – emotional, electrified, and not quite ready for the night to end.
Much to everyone’s delight, Grizzly Bear took the stage once again and the night closed with a stripped-down, acoustic rendition of 'All We Ask' for a quiet, beautiful moment that lingered. It’s safe to say fans will be hoping this return won’t be their last.
Setlist:
- Southern Point
- Alligator
- Sleeping Ute
- Cheerleader
- Yet Again
- Fine for Now
- Ready, Able
- Gun-Shy
- Half Gate
- Lullabye
- While You Wait for the Others
- Slow Life
- Will Calls
- Two Weeks
- Three Rings
- Sun in Your Eyes
Encore:
- All We Ask
(On a Neck, On a Spit was included in the set list as the encore opener, but was not played)
Aminé @ Echostage - Washington DC
October 7th 2025: Aminé @ Echostage - Washington DC
Aminé | Photos Courtesy of: Krystina Brown
Aminé brought 13 Months of Sunshine to DC last night in support of his latest album. The show opened with Lido putting on a DJ set full of throwbacks and even some go-go for DC to get the crowd right. Aminé shortly hit the stage after kicking off the night with a vibrant LED-screened stage displaying cartoon visuals from his album. Aminé ran through the fan favorites of all his albums, keeping the energy high throughout the set. The running theme of the show was he would say "DC, you're beautiful", to which he asked the crowd to respond with, "I KNOW". Aminé's appreciation of the fans was special to see, down to him asking if he was pronouncing fan names correctly when he would engage with them. He also brought out his famous "tour pants", which are a pair of jeans he brings on every tour, and each tour stop gets its own pin that is sewn on the jeans, and he picks a fan to come on stage and sign the pin. It's a special tradition he does on every tour and shows his love of touring and fan memories. The energy of the show was light and fun, something we all needed here in DC. Aminé's Tour De Dance continues in the States before heading overseas in November.
Jesse McCartney @ The Louisville Palace - Louisville
October 10th 2025: Jesse McCartney, Ana Sky @ The Louisville Palace - Louisville, KY
Jesse McCartney | Photos Courtesy of: Asia Austin
On Friday, October 10, 2025, pop icon Jesse McCartney took the stage by storm at the Louisville Palace. It’s not every day that an artist from the early 2000s walks on stage and immediately reminds a crowd exactly why they fell in love with him in the first place. But Jesse McCartney’s ‘Weightless Tour’ does just that, leaving everyone with lots of nostalgic memories. The night was a seamless blend of both old hits, including crowd favorites such as “Beautiful Soul”, “How Do You Sleep”, and “Leavin”, as well as newer songs from his Weightless EP.
McCartney, now a seasoned performer, brought warmth, lots of charisma, and vocal precision to every single song while managing to balance his boy-band-era charm with a more reflective stage presence. With a diverse crowd of longtime fans and younger, newer listeners, it was no secret that Jesse’s legacy has only gotten better with age. In between songs, Jesse spoke candidly about fatherhood, change, and letting go—offering some heartfelt context to the thematic arc. He also took the time to bring a lucky fan on stage to serenade during “Party For Two”.
This show proved to be a joyful walk down memory lane, leaving fans happy and lighthearted, but also a reminder that Jesse McCartney is here to stay for the long run.
Ana Sky
Franz Ferdinand @ Mercury Ballroom - Louisville
October 11th, 2025: Franz Ferdinand, Master Peace @ Mercury Ballroom - Louisville, KY
Photos Courtesy of: Emily May
On October 11th, Scottish rock band Franz Ferdinand brought round 2 of their Fall 2025 tour to Mercury Ballroom to a nearly sold out crowd of fans, with this being the last stop of the tour! The crowd was buzzing with energy and ready for a fun night ahead! In January of this year, the band released their sixth studio album, The Human Fear, from which they performed several tracks that included “Black Eyelashes”, “Audacious”, “The Doctor”, and “Build It Up”, as well as many older tracks. There were songs for older and newer fans alike that had the crowd screaming their hearts out along with the band. Franz Ferdinand is a dynamic live band that gives 100% to their fans. Singer/guitarist Alex Kapranos was at ease on stage, chatting with the crowd and moving all around the stage in a whirl of energy, jumps, and high kicks, often in sync with his band mates. The energy on stage, as well as in the crowd, was euphoric, with fun being had by the crowd and the band alike. Performing a 20-song set list, the last 4 of which were the encore, they kept the crowd dancing all night! Opening the show this evening was British alternative/rock/pop artist Master Peace (Peace Okezie), who got the crowd nice and warmed up for the night ahead! He even came back out on stage towards the end of Franz Ferdinand’s set to sing “Hooked” with the band! It was a great night all around!
Master Peace
Felly @ Headliners Music Hall - Louisville
September 23rd, 2025: Felly, John-Robert, and Mills @ Headliners Music Hall - Louisville, KY
Photos Courtesy of: Emily May
Connecticut-born and LA-based singer/songwriter/record producer Felly (Christian Robert Felner) brought his For The Crows Fall Tour 2025 to Headliners Music Hall on September 23rd to a modest but passionate crowd of fans! Having just released his latest album, Ambroxyde, he and his band performed several new songs from the album, including “Ambroxyde” and “Song For The Crows”, and played some older hits, as well. Whether it was newer songs with a more indie rock sound or older rap/hip hop hits, he and his band had the crowd singing, dancing (I saw one girl twerking!), and having a great time. It was a party on stage, with the band in high spirits, as well as in the crowd! Felly chatted quite a bit with the crowd, telling them early on, “This is the first stop of the tour! I’ve never played KY before! I was told I have no fans in KY, but here you are!”. He talked about how, after making music for 10 years, it was hard to make a set list for the tour. Everyone seemed happy with the song selections, though! The band played a 25-song set list that kept the fans buzzing with energy all night! Opening the show this evening was KY singer-songwriter Mills (Mills Turner) and VA indie-folk singer-songwriter John-Robert. It was a really fun evening of great music and good vibes!
John-Robert
Mills
Lucy Dacus @ The Louisville Palace - Louisville
September 17th, 2025: Lucy Dacus with Slow Pulp @ The Louisville Palace - Louisville, KY
Lucy Dacus | Photos Courtesy of: Emily May
Indie rock singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus brought her Forever Is A Feeling North America Tour to The Louisville Palace on September 17th to a packed venue of fans! Having released her latest album, Forever Is A Feeling, in March of this year, Dacus performed several songs this evening from the new album, including “Ankles”, “Modigliani”, and “Talk”, as well as older tracks, delighting both older and newer fans alike. The stage production and set-up were really nice, with soft lighting and screens at the back of the stage that projected scenes of nature and other soothing scenes, leading to a cosy and intimate experience. Dacus spent time all around the stage, whether interacting with her band, sitting on the platform near the keyboard, or walking along the front of the stage to engage with her fans. She talked early in the set about how much she loved The Louisville Palace Theater and how it reminded her of a theatre she loved in Richmond, VA where she grew up.
One of the funnest parts of the evening came ahead of her performance of “Best Guess”, as she welcomed a couple out on the stage to get married. Dacus, who is ordained to perform weddings, has been marrying couples onstage at each tour stop after inquiring, ahead of the tour, about whether or not people facing barriers to marriage would like to get married on the tour. She called Chloe and Sydney (I hope I got the names right!) to the stage, who had travelled all the way from Colorado Springs, asking them if they had anything they wanted to say about their love for each other and why they wanted to get married, before performing the short ceremony. The couple then danced together as Dacus performed the song, and she then sent them off stage with a red rose, a hug, and well wishes, saying, “May your love last forever!”. It was a beautiful and heartfelt moment!
She later invited her bandmate Dominic Angelella to the couch near the front of the stage to perform “Bullseye" with her, in a very intimate and acoustic performance. She then performed a few more songs, announcing that we were approaching the part of the evening where the show was almost over. Smiling through the echo of boos from the crowd, she said that this is the only time it is ok to get boos from the crowd! She ended her pre-encore set with the title track from the new album. She and her band then performed a 2-song encore, starting out with “True Blue”, a song by Boygenius, the trio she is in with Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers. She ended the evening with “Night Shift” from her 2018 album Historian. Lucy Dacus is an incredible performer with a deep and loyal fan base with whom she shares a deep connection. It was an evening full of fun, intimate moments of love, and great music! Chicago-based indie rock band Slow Pulp opened the show and got the crowd warmed up with their dreamy and raw rock sounds. It was a great night all around!
SLOW PULP
The Hives @ House of Blues - Houston
September 9th 2025: The Hives @ House of Blues Houston - Houston, TX
The Hives | Photos Courtesy of: Violeta Alvarez
The Hives returned to Houston for the first time since 2021, this time with Snooper opening. I only caught the end of Snooper’s set, but their high-octane punk energy set the stage perfectly for the night.
From the first note, The Hives proved why they’re one of the most electrifying live acts around. I photographed the first three songs from the pit, and in that short time, the band’s charisma was undeniable. Frontman Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist was everywhere at once, working the stage, locking eyes with the crowd, and even stepping down into the audience straight from the photo pit to sing shoulder to shoulder with fans. Guitarist Nicholaus Arson matched him in intensity, slashing out riffs while leaning into the crowd, feeding off their energy. The connection between band and audience was raw and immediate.
Unfortunately, after the third song, I was trying to head upstairs to get overhead images, but I ended up stuck in the venue’s elevator for over an hour and twenty minutes. By the time the Houston Fire Department got me out of the elevator, the show had ended, and fans were leaving the venue.
Even with this mishap, the brief time I spent in the pit was enough to remind me: The Hives don’t just play shows, they create an experience that’s larger than life. The Hives don’t just perform, they ignite the room.
