Category: Show Reviews
Review: Jazz Ensembles Performance in Ramsey Concert Hall
Jazz music not only has the ability to transport us back in time through various musical eras but also to old memories in our lives. On Wednesday, April 3, I traveled to the streets of Paris, France, and also to past loves in my own life because of music performed by the Jazz Ensembles in Ramsey Concert Hall.
There were two ensembles: Jazz Ensemble I and Jazz Ensemble II. According to the Hugh Hodgson School of Music website, Jazz Ensemble I consists of more advanced students and comprises saxophones, trombones, trumpets, drums, piano, guitar, and bass. Jazz Ensemble II, however, is an introductory ensemble that allows students to refine their improvisation skills.
Jazz Ensemble II performed first. Immediately, I could pick up on the group’s cool and collected vibe. The director and Assistant Professor of Jazz Piano and African-American Studies at Hugh Hodgson, James Weidman, thanked audience members for being there on the “lovely spring day” and said the ensemble was having a good semester exploring all kinds of sounds.
They opened with a fun piece “Day by Day,” followed by a smoother, slower, relaxing piece called “I can’t get started,” which is by Vernon Duke but was arranged by a friend of Weidman’s.
However, my favorite piece they performed was their third, “Parisian Thoroughfare,” arranged by Mark Taylor. It starts with exciting rhythmic clacking and buzzing runs to signify the bustling, crowded, and chaotic feel of these Parisian streets. As I looked around, many people were tapping their legs to the beat.
At first, the noises startled me, though. I quickly adjusted and really enjoyed the excitement of this performance. I imagined myself riding on a bike through these narrow roads, barely dodging the various shops and people nearby. There was a guitar solo that felt a bit out of place initially, but then I began to follow the progression of notes.
Ensemble II closed out their program with a funky piece by Gerry Mulligan and a smooth one with nice progressions called “Blue Skies” by Irving Berlin.
Not only was Ensemble I physically larger, but they also played a couple more songs. The band was directed by David D’Angelo, a Senior Lecturer of Jazz at HHSOM. They opened with “The Blues Machine” by Sammy Nestico and continued with “Jitterbug Waltz,” arranged by Eric Richards.
I noticed several small interactions between the band members in this ensemble, which made me smile in the audience. I could tell they were all close with one another and valued the others’ artistic craft. Many would cheer each other on during soloist moments.
Similar to Ensemble II, the third piece performed by Ensemble I, called “When I Fall in Love” by Victor Young, was one that lodged me back in time. It was a beautiful ballad that left me deep in thought and reflection, which I always value when music moves me like that.
I especially loved the descension of chords at the end because it felt like stages of falling in love. It didn’t resolve right away and teased a more minor sound, which made me think of conflict and left me wondering if maybe this romance wouldn’t work out. But then, it settled into a nice chord that had a bit of dissonance — leaving a little room open for the future.
They also closed with a love song, Alan Baylock’s arrangement of “What Is This Thing Called Love?” It featured a drum solo that I really enjoyed following. Ensemble I also played “Moten Swing,” a crunchy and anticipatory piece called “Evidence” by Thelonious Monk and arranged by John Clayton, and Callum Au’s arrangement of “Let Battle Clements.”
However, my favorite performance by Ensemble I was “Sister Sadie.” The main melody was catchy and memorable. It reminded me of a sweet but sassy southern woman that everyone in town swooned over.
The soloist who performed this melody on alto saxophone did an amazing job—they really got into the music, sliding into certain notes and then whispering the theme before belting it more loudly like a back-and-forth interaction. In the end, the saxophonist and trombonist actually did go back and forth in their improvisations, and I enjoyed watching this enthusiastic and emotional performance.
This was my first time attending a Hugh Hodgson Jazz Ensembles concert—but it certainly won’t be my last. I’ve watched the school of music put on a jazz concert before, but I really enjoyed both ensemble’s ability to lodge me in place or memory on Wednesday night.
Several others seemed to agree because this was one of the most packed nights in Ramsey Concert Hall that I’ve experienced. I look forward to Jazz Ensemble’s future shows and what new feelings may arise then.
Concert Diaries: Em Beihold Shines on Stage
Em Beihold’s rising star took her by surprise and later tonight, she’ll tell us the story. Despite her shock, she has gone on to tour with an impressive array of artists like Lewis Capaldi, King Princess, and the Jonas Brothers. A lifelong musician, Beihold didn’t believe she could make a career out of music, but now, almost through with her first headlining tour, Beihold is steadily building up her budding fandom. In Atlanta, on a chilly Monday Night, she visits Terminal West, a humble venue with a capacity of 625.
The night’s opener, Will Linley, a boyish pop artist hailing from Cape Town, South Africa is a natural charmer and a flirt with the romantic and sensitive songs to back it up. Before “Gracie”, a song in which he ruminates over the identity of his future wife, Linley called out a fan in the front row—”the girl in the green shirt”—and asked for her name, Mary. Then, he slipped her name in towards the end of the song, singing “Mary / I know that you’d be the one to save me”.
For someone on his first-ever U.S. tour, he showed off a surprisingly convincing southern accent. Before heading off the stage, he plugged his upcoming single “Blame” with a live debut before it officially releases on April 5th. Then he headed off, leaving us waiting for the main act.
As the lights lowered, an extended introduction to “Roller Coasters Make Me Sad” played over the speakers. Beihold’s guitarist and drummer took their places and then, Beihold pranced in, heading straight into the first verse with an infectious energy.
Bantering back and forth with the audience, she joked that the next song, “12345”, was for the “anxiety girlies.” Mental health is a common theme in the 24-year-old’s music. She openly shares her struggles surrounding it through her songs, which her listeners tend to connect most immediately to. As a part of her advocacy efforts, she noted that each ticket sale from the tour contributes $1 to Active Minds, a non-profit leading efforts to take mental health seriously, especially for students.
Beihold’s relatability stems from her earnestness. In each song, she offers a fresh perspective on the realistic struggles of being a young adult in the modern age. She builds on this with each track on the setlist. In “Too Precious” she embraces her introverted tendencies, poking fun at the expectation of what it means to be “cool” at her age.
Before playing “Groundhog Day”, an undeniably relatable track, she tells the audience that this is the track that launched her career. She says she’d resigned herself to working as a production assistant for the Voice—”that’s like music-adjacent right?”—after being rejected by reality TV talent shows and her college’s a cappella group. And when “Groundhog Day” was embraced by audiences, it landed her a record deal from Republic Records. On the stage, she opted to play her keyboard as she sang it.
Then, she graced audiences with a live performance of an unreleased track, “Extraordinary”. Driving home her relatable persona, the song explores the constant pressure to be and do great things in your life, the thoughts that lead to those late nights when you realize you’ll never be the president or that 12-year-old competing in the Olympics. She contemplated with the audience “I don’t know why I’m so consumed by how history sees me.” She muses in the chorus “Optimism / tricked me / and it made me believe / that the only way to be / is extraordinary”.
After the Los Angeles native sang “City of Angels” about all the fakers in L.A., she invited her friend/merch coordinator, Leah, to the stage to back her up as she sang “Until I Found You”, a nostalgic song in which she joined crooner Stephen Sanchez, launching the song into the viral stratosphere, gaining 1 billion streams on TikTok and just short a billion on Spotify.
She played yet another unreleased track, “Shiny New Things”, focusing on the rush to embrace new trends as quickly as possible in the current digital landscape. The next three songs—”Goo”, “Pedestal”, and “Spiderman”—all focused on romantic escapades gone wrong, with the middle one being the mandatory ukulele moment.
“Lottery”, which Beihold named as her favorite, was a highlight of the show, exemplary of her down-to-earth nature, and the third unreleased track of the night. In “Lottery” she is grateful that she hasn’t been endowed with egregious amounts of money and the ails that accompany it.
As we headed to the end of the set, Beihold embraced the most energetic songs of her discography. Yet, the subject matter isn’t necessarily happy. “Egg in the Backseat” stemming from a childhood nickname, is a bouncy, upbeat track that gets the crowd jumping as she says of her crush, “I think you’re a bad Idea / you’re a bad idea”.
Second to last she plays “Maybe Life is Good”. Of the song, she noted: it was written at a time in which everything was bleak and miserable and she used this song as a tool to get better. She says “I named the tour after this song because I wanted this to be a safe space.”
Then finally, the night wrapped up with “Numb Little Bug”, one of her best-known tracks, which takes a humorous yet candid take on anhedonic depression and taking medications to get better. It’s another early single that gained her the following she has. The top comment on its music video reads “It’s fascinating how one song can really make you say ‘thank God it’s not only me.’”
Her malleability as an artist is evident. As the audience files out, I noted many parents here with younger daughters in tow, wearing pink tour merch. Even still, there is no shortage of teens and younger adults in the mix. Empathetic as she is talented, Beihold was a vibrant artist on the stage.
The Asymptomatics Celebrate New Single ‘Two Possibilities’ With A Live Performance at Flicker Theatre and Bar
Athens has been home to critically acclaimed bands throughout the decades, marking the Classic City as not only home to the University of Georgia and its students but also a booming hub for artists and musicians alike. One such band is the funky, weird but strangely groovy The Asymptomatics.
The Asymptomatics, or “the Asymps” as they are often called, is a band of nine members who have made “chaotic” the name of the game. Since its formation in 2019, the band has garnered a name for itself within the music community of Athens. After the release of three singles, they have now added one more to their list of original music. To celebrate the release of their brand new single, “Two Possibilities”, the Asymptomatics recruited a list of prominent local Athens bands to play at Flicker Theatre and Bar for a night of unforgiving energy and sound.
Walking into Flicker is always a surreal experience, particularly on the evening of a gig. From the outside, bypassers can hear the beat of the featured band while they smoke a cigarette and drink a beer. Walking through the red curtains that lead to the venue portion of the establishment, stationed in the room next to the bar, I could see a sea of people bobbing their heads to the band, Neat Freak, which was followed by Late Notice and finally, Bog Bod. The celebrated feature of the night, The Asymps, performed last. Between bands, members handed out flyers with the single’s cover art designed by Hollis Midriff and they discussed their excitement to play their cleanest-sounding single live for the first time.
The band’s set began as most of its sets do, with the lead singer Max Mahieu relentlessly jumping around the stage with the band, maintaining an aura of chaos that has defined the group’s career, particularly in the past year.
The single itself possesses an eccentric guitar-solo build-up in the outro. Though their MO is full-fledged passion, this song was a pleasant departure as it boasted a more meaningful and slower vibe. “Two Possibilities” explores that little gray area in life by rejecting the idea of black-and-white decisions and outcomes. A simple song to describe how intensely unsimple this life can be, especially when young, as the band members are.
“A lot of times it seems like there’s two possibilities but, you know, in reality, things are a lot deeper than that,” says Mahieu. “It’s not just decisions you make, it’s the decisions of the people around you and the ones you love that affect your life and affect their life.” Mahieu’s family is the inspiration behind the song, which was written by Mahieu and his mom, who is a musician herself.
It’s both happy and sad which is reflected by the musicians as they played with electricity and passion, making the audience feel the underlying irony of “Two Possibilities”. Mastered by Jason NeSmith at Chase Park Transduction, “Two Possibilities” incorporates a classic guitar solo from the lead guitar that amplifies the emotional aspect of the song.
“We wanted to have this big rock section at the end that instrumentally captures the emotion and the vibes of the song that the lyrics start at the beginning,” said Mahieu.
From there, the band immediately transitioned to play their classic, most-noteworthy hit “GTFO! (Gerald the Friendly Orangutan)” which was a lighthearted and silly conclusion to a great show.
Though the chaotic transformation of the Asymptomatics onstage is something that some would deem messy and unorganized, those with an ear for passion would comprehend that this gives the band its personality, hence its rising claim to fame within Athens. A funk outfit of shameless chaos and a force to behold.
“Two Possibilities” is out now on all platforms, with the Asymptomatic’s first full album slated for spring.
Show Review: All Time Low’s Atlanta Concert Brings Us Back to the 2000s for a Night
My favorite ritual before going to a concert is listening to the artist on the way to the venue. It’s like pregaming for a night of music, with a dose of that same music. So, I drive toward Atlanta’s Coca-Cola Roxy, singing along to All Time Low for the first time in a really long time. I didn’t know I was going to the show until 24 hours ago, but obviously, I could never turn down an invite to see a band that was a staple of my teenage playlists. What better place to be when you’re 23 with absolutely no clue of what to do next with your life? When you’re grieving the end of youthful aloofness that 23 doesn’t allow for? Pop punk is the natural answer, in all its angsty glory against the ails of suburban life and the isolation of late-stage capitalist U.S.A., now fused with the nostalgia of teenhood.
At the Roxy, members of the crowd are shrouded in flannel jackets, most of them donning facial piercings and colorfully dyed hair, a typical crowd for the genre. Later on, during the show, when Alex Gaskarth asks “Who’s been to an All Time Low show before?”, over half of the crowd will roar in affirmation. The remainder will be chastised by Gaskarth—”we’ve been a band for twenty fucking years.”
Gym Class Heroes, the final of the three opening acts, creates a unique buzz leading up to All Time Low’s set. I hear people behind me commenting that they haven’t heard a mention of GCH in 10 years. Even still, with just one full-length album that was released in 2011, GCH has enough hits to further fuel my nostalgia. They take us through a whirlwind consisting of “Stereo Hearts”, “Billionaire”, and “Ass Back Home”. The crowd sings along gleefully, for all intents and purposes, confirming my suspicions that for most of us, this show is a callback to our younger years.
When All Time Low band members finally trickle in, they wordlessly launch into their early hits, beginning with “Lost In Stereo” and “Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don’t)” from 2009’s Nothing Personal, followed by “Six Feet Under The Stars” and “Poppin’ Champagne” from 2007’s So Wrong, It’s Right.
When they turn to some of their newer songs off their latest album, Tell Me I’m Alive, they kick it off with “Modern Love”, followed by the title track. All Time Low formed when its members met in high school in 2003. Now, 35 years old, the band acts as a time capsule for the era they emerged out of, with the same cheeky song lyrics (“I’m messy, I’m reckless / I fuck shit up for breakfast”), a healthy dose of disillusionment (”you’re obsessed with drugs and dating / modern love is too complicated”), and a lot of guitar.
Gaskarth in particular looks remarkably youthful, with a head of bleach blonde locks peaking out of a baseball cap, dressed in a white shirt that reads “SWANKIE SAYS CALM DOWN” from their own merch line. In between songs, mimicking their song “Stella”, he says “Will you take me home, Atlanta? Will you tuck me into bed and kiss my cheeks, Atlanta?”.
At the Sound of Letting Go Tour, pop-punk remains on the safe side of disobedience and defiance, the same way I felt listening to All Time Low as a teenager. The crowd is tame. After “Fake As Hell”, All Time Low’s latest single alongside Avril Lavigne, Gaskarth prods the audience to mosh after noticing what he called a “negotiation to mosh or not” happening in the midst of the crowd. During the next song “PMA”, which stands for ‘post-modern anxiety’, a mosh pit emerges in the center of the floor, but it doesn’t last more than a few minutes. All Time Low isn’t necessarily a show people go to and expect a mosh pit.
After three more songs, Gaskarth’s bandmates exit as he sits behind a piano for an intimate intro to “The Way You Miss Me”, which smoothly turns into a full band ensemble by the second verse. Disappearing and then returning to the stage with an acoustic guitar, Gaskarth plays the beginning notes to “Missing You”, a highlight from 2015’s Future Hearts album. It’s an easily relatable track that both promises hope and delivers a reality check with a scream-along bridge that goes “Grit your teeth, pull your hair / Paint the walls black and scream / ‘Fuck the world cause it’s my life / I’m gonna take it back’”.
Edging closer to the end of their two-hour set, Gaskarth says that we’re at the point in the show where he starts to feel “delirious” and “unhinged”, thanking the audience for “cheering on [his] unraveling”. After bantering back and forth with bandmate Jack Barakat and promising a swift return for another show in Atlanta, Gaskarth explains the meaning behind the name of their tour, which comes from the hope that fans can take whatever bullshit they’ve been hanging onto and let the fuck go. The audience claps and, like churchgoers responding with a chorus of amens, repeat to themselves “wooo yeah, let it go”. Naturally, they play “The Sound of Letting Go” next.
During another strategically placed piano intro, this time for “Calm Down”, a bashful Gaskarth gives a sheepish smile on the very zoomed-in camera pointing at his face. It’s a new track from their last album and (yet another) doomsday anthem that dwells on the infuriating feeling of losing your mind over worldly matters that others find immaterial; the refrain goes “Don’t tell me to calm down, tell me to calm down / It’s freaking me out that you’re not freaking out”. At this point, another mosh pit momentarily emerges and then fades back out.
Next, it’s time for the fan-voted song of the evening, wherein the band asks fans to vote for one of four songs via QR code before the show. With a cutesy egg-race video game animation up on the stage screen, the band discovers the song of the evening along with the fans. Tonight, it’s “Last Young Renegade”. Gaskarth jokingly says that this one’s been a fan-favorite so far on tour, which felt ironic to him considering the album had a mixed reception or in his words “everyone was like ‘what the fuck is this’.
Nearing the end of the main setlist, All Time Low digs deep into their discography with “Weightless”, a song I haven’t listened to in years, but still know exactly where every syllable falls when I hear it. Written by Gaskarth when he was 21, alongside songwriter Matt Squire, the song has grown in significance to me since I first heard it at (most probably) twelve years old. I could feel the words “I’m stuck in this fucking rut” and “I’m over getting older” leading into the hopeful exuberance of “Maybe it’s not my weekend / but it’s gonna be my year” with clarity and determination I haven’t felt in a long time.
With one last song (”Monsters”), All Time Low gives their fake goodbyes until it is time for the encore, which begins shortly after with “Sleepwalking”. Afterward, they bring forward a stool with a big red button in the center, prompting someone to come from backstage and press it, which will then activate the slot machine being projected onto the screen behind them. There are three song options and after a couple of spins, it lands on “Vegas” for the night, but the audience is far from fooled. A few stray voices shout “Dear Maria”, before the band dutifully launches into their most iconic track “Dear Maria, Count Me In”. Anyone attempting to leave at this point is getting dirty looks from the people they kindly ask to move aside. Most fans stay for the euphoric endnote of this delightfully 2000s nostalgia-fueled evening.
Atlanta Setlist:
“Lost In Stereo”
“Damned If I Do Ya(Damned If I Don’t)”
“Six Feet Under The Stars”
“Poppin’ Champagne”
“Modern Love” (with “Stella” snippet)
“Tell Me I’m Alive”
“Sleeping In”
“Heroes”
“Fake As Hell”
“PMA”
“New Religion”
“Favorite Place”
“Dark Side of Your Room”
“The Way You Miss Me”
“Missing You”
“The Sound of Letting Go”
“Calm Down”
“Last Young Renegade” (fan-voted song)
“Weightless”
“Monsters”
Encore:
“Sleepwalking”
“Dear Maria, Count Me In”
Artist to Watch: Quadeca
Rapper, producer, singer-songwriter, and YouTuber Benjamin Lasky, professionally known as Quadeca, has quickly become one of my favorite artists due to his unique come-up story. Quadeca—or as fans call him, Quad—has crafted an enticing album that places you right in between life and death. His third studio album, I Didn’t Mean to Haunt You, changed the way I think about a concept album. It’s written from the perspective of a ghost in the afterlife, viewing his family living without him; the record is a truly emotional experience. I’d dare to say that I have moshed with Quad in between heaven and hell, as I saw him perform on his Quadeca | Quickly, Quickly tour in Purgatory at the Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia.
"I never thought I would mosh with one of my favorite artists to a Death Grips-like track from an album about being a ghost in the afterlife."
Quad opened up the night with “knots”, accompanied by a full band. When Quad split the crowd in half preparing for the first mosh of the night, everyone chanting “I’m an open book in a closed casket” and “I don’t fade to black I cut to static”. These lines allude to the final minutes of the album being static, representing the fade into the afterlife.
Taking the show from a near-metal experimental hip-hop track into the entrancing “tell me a joke” is far from an easy feat as the track begins with soft ambient sounds. Yet, the booming moments hit just as hard as they did in “knots”. The live drums on this track were especially astonishing. During his set, Quad reminded us that these songs would never sound like this again, with the accompaniment of his live band and our voices meshing together.
Quad teased unreleased tracks with acoustic sets throughout the show. After performing what he said may be his hardest work yet, “born yesterday”, Quad took us back to his first studio album, Voice Memos. With the introspective “Man on My Left Shoulder” and the soul-sampled “These Days”, day-one fans got what they were hoping for.
Naturally, Quadeca performed his critically acclaimed “Sisyphus” off of his second studio album From Me To You. Quadeca’s high-pitched vocals at the beginning of the track pulled at our heartstrings before he started snappily rapping about the tough, never-ending climb of life.
Quadeca encored with his banger single “BEAMIN”. He fell into the crowd and moshed with his die-hard fans—I helped the man himself up off the ground as the night ended. I can easily say this was my favorite show I have attended to date. I never thought I would mosh with one of my favorite artists to a Death Grips-like track from an album about being a ghost in the afterlife.
When we thought Quadeca couldn’t get any more mysterious, he took to Twitter (now X) to tease his fans again. Changing his profile picture and banner to a wrinkled piece of blank white paper, Quadeca tweeted: “new era approaching”. Will the paper gradually get filled with sketches of his new concept album ideas? Or is this all to throw us off? Only time will tell.
Show Review: MisterWives & Bishop Briggs at the Tabernacle
Last Saturday, MisterWives and Bishop Briggs brought their co-headlining Don’t Look Down Tour to Atlanta’s historic Tabernacle. The Tabernacle, originally founded as a church and later converted to a concert hall, was an appropriate choice for a show that felt like a musical baptism, cleansing us, the audience, of all our worldly problems and pledging ourselves to the religion of live music. Plus, they even brought their own Bishop! (Apologies for the corniness, but it was right there and I had to take it.)
The show started squarely at 7:30 with opener Raffaella, who praised both of the headlining women’s energetic stage presence, commenting on how they make it look easy, but she begs to differ. She was not overstating it.
After Raffaella’s peppy opening performance, MisterWives performed first. On a high-rise platform, about 4ft off the ground, in the middle of the stage, lead vocalist Mandy Lee began the performance with incredible gusto, rocking out to “Out Of Your Mind”. The platform was surrounded by screens that played visuals related to each song, adding an impressive technical touch.
After and energetic run through “Dagger”, and “Where Do We Go From Here?” which seamlessly transitioned into “Rock Bottom”, Lee takes a moment to speak and pledge that MisterWives is going to give their all to this performance, followed with “all that we ask in return is for you to feel whatever it is you need to feel”, promising that we’ll dance, cry, sing and laugh it out until we “leave here better than when [we] got here”.
In the floor section, it felt clear that audience members took her plea to heart and mirrored her energy. Lee recognized this and in a moment of vulnerability, paused to reflect before their next song, confessing that she’s been “battling a[n] anxiety attack” since the show began. At that moment, she looked truly overwhelmed by the audience’s response.
A little over halfway through the set, MisterWives performed “Ultraviolet”, a stripped and emotional confessional about insecurities. In an ode to the song’s music video and the album cover, Lee climbed back on top of the middle platform and sat on the edge with three arrows sticking out of her back. The delicate nature of the song and Lee’s existing anxiety surrounding the show pushed her slightly over the edge and she began to cry towards the end of the performance, which felt like real testament to her earlier statement about needing to feel whatever it is you need to feel.
Leading in to “SUPERBLOOM”, a triumphant, upbeat piece which repeats the refrain “I deserve congratulations ‘Cause I came out the other side” again and again, felt like emotional whiplash. After “Ultraviolet”, this one felt like a cathartic release, which (embarrassingly) left me tearful despite the joyous declaration. Perhaps because sometimes, the hardest part of believing something is to admit it to yourself.
Evidently, Briggs had her work cut out for her, following a performance like that. Mirroring MisterWives, Briggs began her performance atop the middle platform with her single “Art of Survival”, dedicated to her late sister, who passed away in 2021 from ovarian cancer. The screens below her featured the song’s music video.
Briggs came down from the platform, breathless and brimming with enthusiasm, repeatedly stating “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh”. One couldn’t deny her enthusiasm for being on stage and finally kicking off the tour. She segued into “High Horses”, where her electropop sound was in sharp contrast to the full-band pop-rock of MisterWives.
During “Baby”, Briggs led the chorus among an eager audience screaming and dancing to their heart’s content. During “Jekyll & Hyde”, a clever play on a classic literature trope, the screens projected various monsters, which for some reason briefly included Jack Skellington. This also heavily channeled the song’s accompanying music video.
Briggs is still a young artist with a handful of EPs and just two full-length albums. As a developing artist, she doesn’t have a cohesive image that I find myself being able to cling to. She’s raw, honest, and vulnerable, which are traits her fans admire the most, but her visuals feel scattered and disconnected.
Despite my skepticism, the fans absolutely adore her. The power she projects on stage holds a lifeline to audience members, who respect and identify with Briggs’ pains and joys. In the back of the room, I can see a group of friends in a circle, jumping up and down, singing every word.
During an acoustic performance of “Dream”, Briggs strips it back for a concert staple: the phone-light sway-along moment. After a few songs, she throws in a cover of “Take Me To Church”, admitting she’s a big fan of Hozier. It’s a crowdpleaser, the audience sings along loudly.
A few songs later, Briggs wraps up her set with her most successful single, “River”, which naturally, makes the audience ecstatic, putting a neat period at the end of an impressive night of music.
Show Review: Re:SET Concert Series in Atlanta (Friday Show)
Re:SET is taking the festival experience city to city, with their star-studded, traveling lineup. The concert series was headlined by Steve Lacy, LCD Soundsystem and Boygenius, each supported by equally talented artists. I had never seen any sort of concert like this and think it’s really cool that an expansive concert experience is offered to a larger audience. The overall setting was enjoyable as well, as attendees were able to enjoy festival vibes. Overall, Re:SET is a great, accessible event that I would recommend to any music enjoyer.
I attended the first day of Re:SET’s Atlanta shows, where Steve Lacy, James Blake, Toro y Moi, and Fousheé performed. It was a perfectly crafted lineup, as each artist complimented the next one well, leading to a smooth, cohesive show. Lacy and Fousheé often work together, so their chemistry was apparent, seen similarly with Blake’s and Toro y Moi’s electronic influences. It took place in Atlanta’s Central Park with just one main stage but offered food, drinks, and a local pop-up vintage shop. I had previously been there for Shaky Knees and it’s my favorite outdoor venue in Atlanta, so good choice Re:SET!
Fousheé
Fousheé kicked the day off with energy, despite coming onto the stage solo. She had such a presence, partly because they used mirrors to create a whole group of Fousheés on stage. The versatile artist started with her new punk-centered sound, introduced in her most recent album softCORE. “Simmer Down”, the empowering opening track, was a highlight, as her vocal ability was perfectly paired with its rough sound. Before her performance, I had never heard a Mariah Carey-esque high note with such aggression.
She then pivoted, announcing that she fell in love and is entering her softerCORE era. The following songs saw a complete vibe switch, with a slower, acoustic feel, coupled with hopeful, caring lyrics. Her upcoming music will be something any romantic should look out for.
Then, she went right back to her previous energy with an exciting performance of “stupid bitch,” where we got the pleasure of watching her build the melody with a synth board. She sadly had a shorter set, ending it strong with “spend the money”. Although usually joined by Lil Uzi Vert, Fousheé killed it solo and the song served as a fantastic finale to a great set.
Toro y Moi
Joined by his band of keys, DJ and bass, Chaz Bear took to the stage as Toro y Moi. He started as lead singer, with my favorite, “9 – 19 – 17_B_Blackhole_Hihi_V3” (which I would imagine is referenced as just ‘Blackhole’) featuring his classic chill-wave sound.
The set only got better as Bear took to the guitar to lay down some groovy melodies. “Ordinary Pleasure” was such a jam that it got everyone dancing!
A highlight was “The Difference”, a collab with fellow artist Flume. I’m not normally the biggest fan of house music, but this song took it to a very enjoyable next level. Toro y Moi was a pleasure to watch and listen to.
James Blake
I was excited about Blake’s performance as early as the stage set-up when a stagehand wheeled out an old synthesizer and more pianos than one can imagine. He didn’t let me down either, opening with the hypnotic “Life Round Here”, which he vamped up with a cinematic live outro.
A favorite moment from the set was when drummer, Ben Assiter, looped the samples for “CMYK” live on his drum pad, which made the song even more impressive. Another was when he treated us with a beautiful performance of “Hope She’ll Be Happier” by Bill Withers.
He then reminded us of his achievement within the industry, performing “Mile High” featuring Travis Scott, “Hummingbird” with Metro Boomin, and “Coming Back” featuring SZA, all before finishing with a gorgeous cover of Frank Ocean’s “Godspeed.”
His set was wrapped with a twenty-minute live EDM set, getting the whole crowd loose and ready for Steve Lacy.
Steve Lacy
Lacy gave us the show of a lifetime, playing all his best music, new and old. The stage was transformed for his set, with giant, moving block projectors to add to the visuals. He was accompanied by a full band and a trio of backup singers, matching him in all black.
The set started strong with a dramatized version of “Helmet”, preparing the audience for an exciting night ahead. His stage presence shined, as his casual attitude made the show environment comfortable and even more enjoyable.
Throwbacks like “N Side”, “Backseat” and “When I” hooked any long-term fan, before all attention was turned to Odd Future alumni Tyler the Creator, dancing just in front of the VIP section. It was crazy seeing the crowd compress just to get a look at him!
Two of my favorites, “Playground” and “Infrunami” got sing-a-longs, with the latter getting the whole accapella treatment. They were followed by a beautiful vocal performance of “Some” and a punky take of “4real”, seeing Lacy truly deliver as the night’s headliner.
He paid his respects to The Internet, playing “C u girl”, his first solo song they encouraged him to make, and “Curse”, a fan-favorite of theirs. More worlds collide as Lacy brought Fousheé back out to perform “Sunshine”, a hit off of Lacy’s recent Gemini Rights. Their chemistry shined as they harmonized the final melody of the song.
He closed the set off with “Static”, getting the whole involved as they chanted ‘dump that fucker!’ The whole show came to its climax as Lacy took to mid-stage and performed the final verse just him and his guitar. He wished us a good night and wrapped up a fantastic night.
Re:SET put together a really enjoyable festival experience, highlighted by talented artists, music enjoyers, and good vibes all around. It was my favorite I have attended, short and sweet, with nothing but good music. Keep your ears out; you do not want to miss anything from them in the future.
boygenius Headlines Re:SET Concert Series in Atlanta Despite Delays
Last Sunday was the final leg of the Re:SET concert series in Atlanta, featuring headliner boygenius preceded by Bartees Strange, Dijon and Clairo. Given how summers in the south are prone to sporadic bouts of rain and thunder, the concert series has had to improvise against a string of weather-related events the entire weekend. On Saturday, Re:SET cancelled Bartees Strange’s and Dijon’s sets in New Orleans due to delays brought on by severe weather. On Sunday, Re:SET cancelled LCD Soundsystem’s and Jamie XX’s sets in Dallas, once again, due to inclement weather. Atlanta, fortunately, avoided cancellations during Sunday’s storm, despite setbacks early on.
Re:SET’s Sunday in Atlanta began with a shaky start. Two hours before doors opened, Re:SET announced on its social media that, in order to accommodate expected storms, the times of every act was being pushed up. The doors opened at 2:30 PM instead of 3 PM and Bartees’ performance was moved from 4:15 PM to 2:50 PM.
Attendees who were fortunate enough to be made aware of the change were left scrambling to make it to the show in time (or perhaps unable to do anything due to already having a lengthy commute). Or if, like me, you were unaware of the time change until you had arrived, you likely missed all of Bartees’ set and half of Dijon’s, both of which were cut by 10 minutes anyway. This was a real pity as I was looking forward to seeing the full lineup, like a lot of other “late” attendees.
Unfortunately, this left a bad aftertaste for some attendees, who expected more timely and direct communication. In defense of the show’s organizer’s, last minute changes are unavoidable due to the unpredictable nature of weather. They handled this no worse (and no better) than most other festivals, except for one important distinction: Re:SET needed to do more than a social media announcement. Most attendees received an email after the first set had already began. No one received text messages, which should really be a standard practice.
Despite these last-minute changes, Dijon gave a hearty performance and the audience gave him a lot of love. His set-up was minimalist and relaxed, with band members and Dijon frequently sitting down with their instruments, which didn’t hinder his performance in the slightest. Dijon’s ability to manipulate his voice and make the audience feel the lyrics made the performance a great addition to an impressive Re:SET lineup.
During Dijon’s set, Julien Baker (of boygenius) momentarily appeared in the VIP section of the park. Maybe she wanted to catch the performance as well? Her presence caused a minuscule commotion where a small number of fans noticed her and she quickly disappeared behind the tall black-clothed fences she’d come from.
At the end of his set, Dijon’s artistry really shined through during “Rodeo Clown”. In a moment that stole the gaze of everyone in Central Park, he scream-sang the words “I’d die for you”. (I didn’t capture the moment on film but here’s his performance of “Rodeo Clown” in San Francisco.) In a sudden manner, he threw down the mic and left the stage without the typical formalities.
Right around this time, I noticed that Atlanta’s homegrown indie-darling Faye Webster was also in attendance amidst the corded-off guest list area with some friends.
Next, it was time for bedroom-pop pioneer Clairo, who was born right around the corner in Dunwoody, which she pointed out during her set. Clairo came with a full-band, which included a saxophone-player that I absolutely loved hearing. Clairo herself rotated between playing the piano and a variety of guitars. Her demeanor was ultra-relaxed. She looked comfortable and at ease, happy to be on stage. Other than the few danceable songs she sang, the audience enjoyed her mellow artistry by swaying along to her sweet voice and gorgeous band.
Post-Clairo, everyone was hesitant to leave their spot in the crowd in preparation for the day’s headliner. The energy and anticipation in the audience rose as Clairo’s equipment was removed and replaced with those of boygenius. Everything was set.
Then, confused rumbles began amidst the crowd as crew members placed bags over every equipment and taped it down. The banners on either side of the stage were rolled up. The rescheduled time for boygenius, 6:10 PM, came and went. The audience began to grumble about the current sunny disposition, complaining, rather incorrectly, that if boygenius began at 6:10 PM, as intended, they’d be done before a storm rushed in.
Eventually, all confusion was quelled and replaced by upset at the message now projected on stage in bold red letters: “Severe weather alert. Please evacuate immediately”, followed by the poor man in charge of dispersing the stubborn crowds by repeating the same message over a microphone. The show was postponed until further notice. The crowd, clumsily, chanted “rain or shine, rain or shine”, referring to Re:SET’s stated website policy. But alas, the hourly wage workers of Re:SET are at the mercy of the law which forbids any outdoor event from taking place when lightening is present.
Like a somber funeral march, the audience slowly (and not-quite-surely) left central park. Everyone headed to the nearest dining or shopping establishment that could provide shelter, which was I’m sure, a rather ridiculous scene to the workers of various establishments in the center of Atlanta. A very specific brand of young adults crowding in.
Fortunately, the delay lasted only slightly over an hour. At 8:00 PM, Re:SET announced that the doors were back open and boygenius would play at 9:00 PM. For those unfamiliar with such festival procedures, who made the untimely decision to go home early, believing the early evacuation to be a complete cancellation, some were unable to come back. But those who stuck it out were rewarded with a dazzling boygenius performance, who miraculously squeezed in their entire concert setlist, albeit aided by the fact they began their set earlier than announced….
For the lucky returners, boygenius gave a performance filled with their usual shenanigans, like Phoebe and Lucy wrestling each other on stage and a lot of cozy snuggling. Their setlist contained the entirety of boygenius’ discography (one full-length album and an early ep). In an on-brand maneuver, boygenius paused the show to speak out against “Cop City” and have the audience yell “fuck cops” at full volume. Given that each artist is known for their solo pursuits as well, the show was rounded out well with an acoustic performance of an emotional song from artist as the encore.
Overall, Re:SET gave a glimpse of a different kind of music event. This was their inaugural year and I am excited and hopeful to see Re:SET return in the following years to come.
What is the Re:SET concert series?
What Re:SET is trying to do is a novel idea in the music industry so let’s dive further into it here:
The Re:SET Concert Series is meant to take place across three cities with shows happening simultaneously in each city on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with a rotating array of artists. For example, boygenius headlined with Re:SET in Dallas on Friday, New Orleans on Saturday, and Atlanta on Sunday; Steve Lacy performed in Atlanta first, then in Dallas, and finally in New Orleans.
Much like a festival, the concerts are performed outdoors with a variety of local vendors, too-expensive water bottles and (of course) porta potties. The event lasts for most of the day, under the brutal summer sun. One may buy tickets to one day of the event, or the whole weekend at a discounted price.
Unlike a festival, there is only one concert place taking place at any given time and the acts travel in their pre-determined groups to three different cities each weekend. I do wonder if the format will stick.
Show Review: Valley
On May 5th, the Toronto-based band, Valley, came to the Buckhead Theater as part of their “Lost In Translation” tour. Preceded by the young, promising artist Aiden Bisset, it was a special night of mesmerizing music.
Bisset was the perfect opener. He engaged well with his audience, likely winning the hearts of most of the girls in the crowd. He had a very diverse sound, playing your typical indie rock with genre-bending twists. A favorite of mine was “I Can’t Be Your Friend,” which featured a loud, psychedelic-style outro. I love seeing younger artists push the boundaries of their music and Bissett did that perfectly. This was even more prominent in his newer songs, offering classic rock-style riffs and messing with vocal effects. It’s easy to see Bissett’s influences, especially in the song “Out Of My League,” which felt like if Nirvana had a ‘High School Musical’ moment. It was as if Bissett was giving his best Troy Bolton impression on top of Cobain-inspired grunge sounds, but, done tastefully.
Meanwhile, Valley wasn’t messing around on their “Lost in Translation Tour,” as I constantly found myself lost in their performance. Music aside, they were a cool group, sporting flashy visuals on vintage televisions. They also utilized a dual piano set-up, and an old corded phone, each perfectly complimenting their sound.
After an attention-grabbing intro, they introduced their new music with Lost in Translation’s cinematic title track. They have a very diverse sound, which includes electronic loops and near-constant instrument switching. Despite this, they were cohesive, both in their sound and as a group. The energy there was infectious and you could tell everyone in the building loved the music, artists and audience included. There is nothing like hearing every voice singing together, as done for fan-favorite “Oh shit… are we in love?”.
A favorite of mine was “Last Birthday”, an acoustic serenade about unconditional love. It sounded to me like a slightly less depressing Clairo song and I was jamming the whole time. Lead singer Rob Laska let his vocal ability shine here. The pace picked up as they utilized an electronic drumkit, introducing a more upbeat 80s-inspired sound. Songs like “Natural” and “Break For You” stole the show, as everyone began to jump and dance. This seems to be the general sound of their upcoming album, and I am excited to hear what they came up with.
Before closing with the popular “Like 1999,” there was a particularly funny moment, as Valley quickly transitioned to “All Star” by Smash Mouth as a song outro. This sums the show up well because it felt as if they were a smaller band just playing for their friends. Every moment was authentic and real, with jokes and emotions riddled throughout, ultimately giving the show a personal feel. I highly recommend seeing Valley’s invigorating live show if the opportunity ever arises and be sure to check Lost In Translation, coming out June 23rd.
Show Review: Earthday Everyday 2023
On April 22, Afterglo held its second annual Earthday Everyday music festival at Live Wire Athens. It was a busy day in Athens, coinciding with Normaltown Music Festival, Highlight Athens, and Athens Twilight Criterium. Starting at 2 p.m., a multi-genre lineup of artists took to the outside stages, with attention turning to the inside stage at 9 p.m., as the party turned into a late-night rave with the Nightshade Family. We’ve decided to highlight some of our favorite acts from this wonderful day.
We arrived just in time to hear Rhymes with Japan and Selah Samarah. The two very different styles of these acts set the tone for the rest of the festival. Rhymes with Japan was a DJ, drummer, and rapper trio that put together a fun and lively performance, even taking some time to dance with members of the crowd. On the other hand, artist Selah Samarah, sang several original folk songs, backed by guitar, mandolin, endingidi, and cajón,
Punk band Commune took to the stage after several openers and brought the energy. The moment they began playing I felt the audience inch forward and from that point forward the moshing didn’t stop. They were really engaging with the crowd too, cracking jokes and offering context for some of their songs. One of my favorite moments was when they played their song about property, shouting in unison “Property isn’t real!” (which is pretty punk in my opinion). They also played a new song, “Fallin Down,” which rocked, and announced it would be releasing soon with a new music video. We definitely recommend checking them out and be sure to keep an eye out for their upcoming content!
5:00 p.m. was a hot time-slot because the upper stage saw the talented rapper Cardynal perform. They were a fan favorite, drawing the biggest crowd at that stage. Early in their set, the mood was set, as Cardynal paused their set to jump into the crowd and dance. A favorite song was “Mango,” where their lyricism and personality shined. They weren’t afraid to stray from rap, performing some R&B jams and showing off their vocal ability. The local rap scene is full of talent, and Cardynal is the perfect example. They had a great set!
Convince the Kid, a self-described “four-piece synth-rock band out of Athens” took the 9dk stage at 7:00 p.m. Ranging from spacey synths that make you feel like the world is ending to bass-heavy tracks that carried a lot more weight, the band held the audience attention well. A highlight for me was when frontman Trevor Thrift made use of a smaller drum kit and drum pads as drummer Vic Fisher banged away. Overall, the band had a lot of energy and a good understanding of song structure and tension, often having several members drop out to highlight a single instrument before reintroducing everyone with a bang.
Trvy & The Enemy were next up on the 9dk stage and had by far the most crowd participation of the entire festival. Rock instrumentation with rapping is usually best when performed live, and this was confirmation of that. Rapper Trvy, the recent Vic Chesnutt Songwriter of the Year Award winner, combined infectious energy with technical expertise to captivate the crowd. The performance ebbed and flowed from smooth and introspective to loud and heavy to jazzy and uptempo. “Gotta die a legend” and “Mama couldn’t you tell me where to go / I’m so sick and tired of being alone” were the lyrics that stuck most with us, out of both repetition and poignancy at that moment. Without a doubt, you should check out Trvy’s solo work and his work with The Enemy.
The outside stages wrapped up with Cassie Chantel, who we were impressed by. Before she even began, I was a fan, as she got the crowd hyped with needle drops ranging from Hiatus Kaiyote to Ice Spice. Her energy was infectious and she was a great performer. A favorite moment was when she played her song “Tennis,” causing the crowd to quickly realize why there had been so many rackets on the ground. It was pretty cool seeing everyone waving them in the air with the song’s chorus. She ended her set with a merch giveaway, earning her even more fans, if everyone wasn’t already.
As it turned to night, the crowd turned inside for a rave by Athens’ own Nightshade Family. They had a raised stage with stunning visuals, bringing life to the talented DJ’s music. From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Izzy, Karezza, Mystic Grizzly, Chief Kaya, and King Shotta took over, each with their own individual styles and feeling. From flips of popular songs to complicated, electronic buildups, not a single moment failed to impress us.
In the spirit of Earthday, local University of Georgia student Christian Aldama instructed festivalgoers on how to garden, going as far as to distribute ready-to-be-planted seeds to anyone who wanted them. The also event made sure to highlight and venerate Tortuguita, an environmental activist who was killed by police in protest of Cop City, a proposed Atlanta Police Department base that would see serious destruction done to the Weelaunee Forest.
The 2023 Earthday Everyday festival encapsulated some of the many things that make Athens special. Students, locals, and families alike all came out to enjoy music together. Vendors sold handmade rings, confectioneries, CBD- and THC-based products, and more. It was truly a wonderful day of music, cool outifts, and even better people. Thanks again to Afterglo for putting on such a fun festival, and please take the time and check out some great artists!