Dreamcatcher @ Kings Theater - NYC
November 2nd, 2024: Dreamcatcher @ Kings Theater - New York City, NY
Dreamcatcher | Photos Courtesy of: Em Yu
On Nov 2nd, kpop rock girl group Dreamcatcher graced the historic Kings Theater with their fiery and energetic presence. The renowned K-pop girl group has garnered a dedicated following thanks to their unique blend of rock, metal, and hauntingly beautiful vocals, and their Brooklyn show was no exception.
From the moment the lights dimmed and the first notes of “OOTD” reverberated through the venue, it was clear that Dreamcatcher’s approach to live performance is nothing short of spectacular. The crowd was immediately electric, chanting along in unison as the group launched into their dynamic setlist that contained both classic favorites like "Silent Night" to all the songs from the newest mini album "Virtuous."
The juxtaposition of Dreamcatcher's futuristic, dark fantasy-inspired aesthetic with the classic architecture created an enchanting atmosphere that drew fans deeper into the world they’ve so carefully crafted with each release. One of the most impressive aspects of Dreamcatcher’s show was the seamless blend of genres. Their music, which often melds metal and hard rock with the more traditional K-pop pop structure, offered something for everyone.
The group's lineup—comprised of members JiU, SuA, Siyeon, Yoohyeon, Dami, Handong, and Gahyeon—demonstrated flawless synchronization both vocally and physically. Their performances were full of intensity and precision, and each member showcased their talents with solo performances that left the audience in awe. Veterans of touring, Dreamcatcher has continued to come back to the US for their fans time and time again with a new experience each time.
Glass Animals @ The Brooklyn Mirage - Brooklyn, NY
September 8th 2022: Glass Animals @ The Brooklyn Mirage: Brooklyn, NY
Glass Animals - Photo and Show Coverage courtesy of Em Grey
Last month, English experimental indie pop group Glass Animals brought their Dreamland set to Brooklyn’s Mirage. Spanning quite a few different spaces, Glass Animals took advantage of it, providing gorgeous neon art installations in several areas of the venue for all the fans to take photos with. A dreamlike fog was pumped throughout the venue, and the whole experience was an all-encompassing artistic concept. They took full advantage of the giant LED screen the Mirage had to offer, while also incorporating a lot of their own large set pieces, which included a TV, a diving board, and the illusion of a pool. The setlist included all their greatest hits from Dreamland and How to Be a Human Being, and even included some throwbacks to the Zaba era.
This was the second night of two nights in Brooklyn, the last of the shows in the US for quite a bit according to frontman Dave Bayley, emphasizing how important the night was to him. The crowd included fans who traveled across the globe to be at this show, and it was easy to tell how important the night was to them as well. The energy of the crowd in the large venue never wavered, and even as the show ended, fans pouring out of the venue were still buzzing about the technicolor dream they had just been a part of.
Mitski @ Radio City Music Hall - NYC
July 23rd 2022: Mitski @ Radio City Music Hall: New York City, NY
Mitski - Photos Courtesy of Em Grey
Last Friday - singer-songwriter Mitski played her largest show in NYC's iconic Radio City Music Hall, dazzling thousands of fans with her boisterous indie rock along with her emotional crooning vocals. Arriving at the venue on time, I witnessed the longest merch line I had ever seen at a Mitski show in my career; I have been lucky enough to see this very well-deserved artist garner a massive fanbase, going from DIY venues to touring with Lorde and headlining (and selling out) two nights at Radio City herself. Knowing Mitski, this is a perfect venue for her, as her shows err on the side of theatrical and emotional compared to her genremates.
Canadian folk band The Weather Station opened the night up, citing "this is the largest venue we have ever played." They delivered a beautifully composed set, with frontman Tamara Hope donning a mirrored blazer halfway through the set, providing gorgeous reflections and visuals throughout the entire hall. The crowd bobbed along excitedly, with anticipation bubbling in the crowd.
Mitski arrived on stage at 9:10, in front of a single set piece of a door in front of the stage drapes.
Opening the night with "Love Me More", the set included a wonderful blend of previous releases aside from the focus on her newest album release "Laurel Hell." The set saw many songs from "Puberty 2", "Be the Cowboy", and even "Bury Me at Makeout Creek." Her self-released albums from 2012-2013 did not make it to the setlist, though. Seeing Mitski is and always has been a magical treat; she's truly an artist I've seen in almost every format and venue size and each time felt similarly emotionally impacted. This show was packed full of female fans passionately mouthing lyrics at each other along with her, clearly having the absolute time of their lives.
Deftones @ Pier 17 - New York City
May 5th 2022: Deftones with Gojira, and VOWWS @ Pier 17 - New York City
Deftones - Photos Courtesy of Edwina Hay
My first concert ever was in 1998 when I attended the Vans Warped Tour at Randall’s Island about two weeks before I turned 18 years old. It was a few weeks before I began college and I made the trek out to Randall’s Island from Brooklyn via public transportation in order to see punk and ska acts like The Aquabats, Bad Religion, CIV, and many others but a huge reason for my attendance was the Deftones, of Sacramento, CA. During their set at Warped ‘98, a mosh pit formed in front of me and I had to take a bus and two trains home covered in the dirt that circled around in the air and landed on our bodies.
After I got home from that Warped show, my parents made no comment nor asked questions about my filthy appearance as I immediately headed to the bathroom upstairs to take a shower. Then over the next few years, I attended their performances whenever I could including Ozzfest the following year, culminating until when I last saw the band in Sayreville, NJ in 2004 at Starland Ballroom. A friend drove us from NYC to The Garden State where I didn’t realize at the time that my next Deftones concert would take place nearly two decades later at Pier 17 at South Street Seaport in downtown Manhattan. The band was originally scheduled to tour in 2020 in support of their ninth studio album, Ohms, but a worldwide pandemic would cause them to postpone their tour not once, but twice, finally hitting the road for that record in April & May 2022.
On this tour, they are joined by VOWWS, a duo from Australia that resides in Los Angeles, that replaced the 2020 tour opener, Poppy. VOWWS took the stage at 6 PM on the outdoor stage with both of their members, dressed all in black, performing the songs they describe as Death-Pop. Their 30-minute set seemed to be in contrast with the sunny, slightly breezy weather we experienced on a Sunday evening.
The French heavy metal band, Gojira, were next and before they played their first song, a 170 second countdown started and a mosh pit immediately broke out to my left as singer/guitarist Joe Duplantier began to sing. Since their tour with Deftones was delayed by two years, it felt like my neighbors had been waiting a long time for Gojira’s set and I was witnessing their catharsis. Someone raged so hard that they lost their phone and others in the pit immediately tried to return the device to its rightful owner once it was found. Duplantier dedicated their 2001 song, “Love,” to their friends in Deftones and the final one of their set was dedicated to indigenous people all over the world.
Kicking off their headlining performance at 8:20 PM, Deftones began with “Genesis,” the opening track off their newest album, Ohms, to numerous screams from the sold-out crowd. The large screens on opposite sides of the stage began to project different visuals for each song of their setlist. People were ecstatic for “Be Quiet And Drive (Far Away),” their hit single from their 1997 record, Around the Fur. I found that I could barely hear Chino Moreno’s vocals where I was standing since everyone near me was singing along so loudly. The same thing occurred for “My Own Summer (Shove It)” from the same release that happened to be the next song on their setlist.
Chino played guitar for the ninth song of their set, “Digital Bath,” which was followed by “Knife Party,” both songs from their 22-year-old landmark album, “White Pony.” The band concluded their set with another Around the Fur track, “Lotion,” which was followed by “Engine No. 9” from their debut album, Adrenaline, with lyrics from Cypress Hill’s “How I Could Just Kill A Man” peppered in, finishing the night before the 10 PM curfew.
VOWWS
Gojira
Bitch @ Rockwood Music Hall - New York City
April 13th 2022: Bitch @ Rockwood Music Hall - New York City
Bitch in NYC - Photos Courtesy of Joseph O'Malley (they/she)
Bitch’s live show at Rockwood Music Hall could have easily come as a surprise to any fans that discovered her solely through playlists and music streaming. The night ran more like a theatrical one-woman-show than a concert, complete with props, monologues, and comedic audience participation. Thankfully, it fit right in with the downtown Manhattan crowd, many of whom were friends, and all of which felt like a warm community.
Fans laughed and sang along as Bitch told a series of autobiographical stories and played through the majority of their most recent release, Bitchcraft. They also were met with cheers for some older tracks like “Pussy Manifesto,” which reaches back to her time producing material with writing partner Animal. The synth-laden pop of Bitchcraft does stand up on its own - some highlights from the record include “You’re the Man” and “Easy Target” - but it’s clear that Bitch’s fans are in it for the long haul, and that her live persona and comedic social commentary are what keep them coming back in the long years between her music releases.
Syd, Kari Faux, and DJ Kitty Cash @ Irving Plaza in New York, 10/09/2017
Kicking off her first tour as a solo artist, Syd (THE INTERNET, Odd Future) performed a sold out show at Irving Plaza in New York, NY. The concert began with a DJ set by Kitty Cash followed by a performance by Little Rock, AK rapper Kari Faux, and Syd taking the stage at 9:30PM.
Photographer: Edwina Hay
PJ Harvey // New York, NY
PJ Harvey -- Rumsey Playfield - Central Park | New York, NY | 19 July 2017
Photos Courtesy of: Edwina Hay
The concert took place at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. It was a benefit to help SummerStage bring free events to public parks in all five boroughs. PJ Harvey brought out a choir (Anacostia's Union Temple Baptist Church of Washington, DC) two help sing on two songs from her latest release, The Hope Six Demolition Project.
