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Two Door Cinema Club

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ACL Fest Late Night: Two Door Cinema Club

Concert Reviews, Festivals, Indie Artists, Photos, Rock Artists, Uncategorized

October 14, 2016

Photos and words by Jenna Million.

Ahead of their ACL weekend two performance, Two Door Cinema Club played a late night show at Stubb’s on October 7 with support from Jack Garratt. See all photos from the show here.

Two Door Cinema Club

It’s been a long time coming for Two Door, and a long time for many fans. In 2014, the band was set to headline a UK festival but was forced to stop due to physical and mental health issues, as the band told DIY Mag. Now back on the scene with a few tours and festivals completed, Two Door Cinema Club are releasing Gameshow on October 14, their first album since Beacon in 2012.

A Friday night gig on the weekend of ACL is the place to be – even members of Catfish and the Bottlemen and Cage the Elephant, fellow festival artists, were in attendance. Two Door teased the crowd, playing “Sandstorm” and testing strobes before taking the stage. Alex Trimble, Sam Halliday and Kevin Baird, accompanied by two more live members, sound as if they haven’t spent a day off of tour. Racing guitar melodies and syncopated synth and percussion are so precise, it’s captivating how effortless it sounds and looks.

Having seen this band on four occasions in previous years, I felt that all of the talent was there but a spark was missing. The crowd was undoubtedly elated to have them back, but there was a lack in sincerity from the band wanting to be back. Even the new material felt tired. Playing new and unreleased music is hard for a band of any size, but the audience wasn’t connected. New singles from the album were greeted with less enthusiasm than any song from Tourist History or Beacon. The dissonance between the band and fans is only a side effect of time spent away, and the release of the album will resolve it.

Gameshow is representative of the new era for the band. They will continue to build where they left off, hopefully with a fresh breath of air, to earn their well-deserved spot in the history of indie rock. Die-hard fans will ultimately follow Two Door anywhere.

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Jack Garratt

The solo artist is quickly turning heads after the release of his debut album early this year. Many of Garratt’s songs build on gentle vocals and simplistic piano or electronic melodies, adding guitar and percussion, to create power soul-pop. | Listen | Follow |

Jack Garratt Jack Garratt Jack Garratt

 

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Saint Motel

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ACL Fest Late Night: Saint Motel

Festivals, Indie Artists, Photos, Uncategorized

October 13, 2016

Saint Motel performed at Emo’s on October 6 with JR JR and Weathers as part of Austin City Limits Festival’s Late Night series. See all photos from the show here.

Weathers

Alt-rock quartet from Los Angeles, Calif., on the rise. | Listen | Follow |

Weathers Weathers Weathers Weathers

JR JR

Happy-go-lucky electronic pop duo dressed as The Golden Girls. | Listen | Follow |

JR JR JR JR JR JR

Saint Motel

Alternative rock with a funk flare. | Listen | Follow |

Saint Motel Saint Motel Saint Motel Saint Motel

 

 

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Tourist

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ACL Fest Late Night: Tourist

Electronic Artists, Festivals, Photos

October 1, 2016

Photos and words by Jenna Million.

Tourist performed at The Parish on Sept. 30 as part of the Austin City Limits Official Late Night Shows with support from local instrumental duo Chippr Jones. This was Tourist’s first headlining show in Austin, Texas. While the show wasn’t sold out, many ACL festival attendees found their way to the venue to dance till 1 a.m.

The vibrant, ambient electronic music is the product of London-based artist William Phillips. After a series of EPs, remixes, and even winning a Grammy for co-writing Sam Smiths’ “Stay With Me,” Tourist released his debut LP, entitled U, in May.

See all photos from the show here, and listen to music from Tourist and Chippr Jones below.

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Cage the Elephant

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Edgefest 26 brings alternative rock to Texas

Concert Reviews, Festivals, Indie Artists, Photos, Rock Artists, Uncategorized

May 8, 2016

Cage the Elephant performing at Edgefest. Photos by Jenna Million.

Each spring Dallas radio KDGE 102.1 brings the best in alternative rock to Edgefest. The single-day festival in Frisco, Texas, always promises an eye-catching lineup. Last year was stacked with Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, The Kooks, Banks, Hozier, Death Cab for Cutie – need I go on? This year the festival blew it out of the water with Foals, Chvrches, Silversun Pickups, Bastille, The 1975, Cage the Elephant and many others. The irresistible lineup landed me at the festival for a second year. Here are my highlights.

All photos from the Edgefest can be viewed here.

Bastille

Following time off from touring to record their second studio album, Bastille made a triumphant return to a cheering crowd. Starting with “Flaws,” frontman Dan Smith immediately looked for the quickest way off stage and made his way into the crowd, visiting the front, left, middle and right before returning to the stage just before the end of the song. It is obvious the band has missed playing shows as much as the fans have.

The 1975

The front row was lined with teen girls anxiously awaiting The 1975’s first appearance in Texas since November 2014. The band is touring the U.S. in support of their second studio album “I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it,” released in October 2015. Accompanying the new and old songs was a vibrant, mesmerizing light setup that created an entirely new way of experiencing their music. I will let the photos speak for themselves.

Cage the Elephant

Immediately following The 1975 with a quick change over, Cage the Elephant closed the night with a rocking blow. Singer Matt Shultz transforms on stage – the music visually courses through him as he runs, jumps, dances across the stage. The rest of the band executes heavy rhythms, speedy percussion, and tight riffs with precision and ease that comes with years of musicianship and work. It culminates into a performance that is unparalleled by any rock band today.

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sxswmusicguide2

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Tunes for Ears: SXSW 2016 Edition

Festivals, New Music, Uncategorized

February 20, 2016

South By Southwest marks a long-awaited and infamous time of year for Austin, Texas. The week-long conference runs March 11-20 and begins with film and interactive on March 11, followed by music on March 15. For music lovers, industry professionals and musicians, it’s a chaotic wonderland of all-you-can-listen showcases that transforms downtown Austin into the Live Music Capital.

I’ve put together a playlist to highlight some of the new and talented must-see artists! I will updated it as I find those good tunes. Happy listening!

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sensesfail-13

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Warped Tour 2015 Photo Round Up

Festivals, Indie Artists, Photos, Pop Artists, Pop Punk Artists, Rock Artists

July 7, 2015

Here are my favorite photos of bands I caught at Warped Tour in Dallas, TX on June 27. Click on the photo to see more of each band. See all photos on flickr.

Senses Fail

Senses FailMod Sun

Mod Sun

Night Riots

Night Riots

Knuckle Puck

Knuckle Puck

Candy Hearts

Candy Hearts

Born Cages

Born Cages

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The Summer Set

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Warped Tour in Review: Best of the Bands

Concert Reviews, Festivals, Indie Artists, Photos, Pop Punk Artists, Uncategorized

June 19, 2014

When I think of Warped Tour, I first think of hot, sweaty, long days in the Texas sun. But it’s worth it because the day is spent with five or six favorite bands, and all the fans who love them just as much as you.

I headed out to San Antonio for the second date of Warped Tour to catch all your and my favorite bands. Read about my experience below with some of the best bands on tour. You can also read my survival guide if your date is coming up. All photos from Warped Tour can be seen on my Flickr page.

Yellowcard

My favorite band of the day was Yellowcard, hands down. They rocked out like no other band out there. Ryan Key, vocalist, immediately jumped off the stage and hopped up onto the barrier to get the crowd going, waving his arms in the air and making faces. Yellowcard gave it their 100% and delivered a solid, high-energy set from the first note to the last. Sean Mackin, violinist, might have been even more pumped than Key, screaming and running and jumping around stage, not stoping to pause even for a minute. And the crowd savored every second of it, singing their faces off to the tunes they so closely worship.

 

Yellow Card

Less Than Jake

I was not familiar with much of Less Than Jakes’ music, but, boy, were they fun. Even if you don’t know them, go and see them if you have the time. Their performance skills combined with genuine fun and artistic energy is larger than almost any other artist there.  And who doesn’t love a little brass?

 

Less Than Jake

We Are The In Crowd

We Are The In CrowdWATIC has grown a lot in the last few years. They’ve gone from following in the footsteps of The Summer Set and All Time Low, to holding their own on a big stage. Much of their music has that pop-punk-anthem feeling, and you know it when the crowd sings with all their hearts. WATIC was another one of my favorite performances because they spend the whole time running around the stage, giving every part of the crowd some love. Not to mention, vocalist Tay Jardine’s hair flips are something you don’t want to miss.

Echosmith

Echosmith is an up-and-coming indie-rock band from California. The four siblings show their light-hearted and fun-spirited personalities on stage through their music. This was my second time seeing them after SXSW in March, and they’ve only improved as performers. Only 16, Sydney Sierota, vocalist, commands the stage with an elegance beyond her years. On their last song, they released confetti filled balloons, a great show of their character as a band. . These kids are going places.

Echosmith

 

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It’s Warped Tour Time

Festivals, Tours, Uncategorized

June 4, 2014

warped14Vans Warped Tour kicks off a week from now in Houston, TX as part of the summer-long, nation-wide tour.

It’s shaping up to be a great one with music acts in every form from indie to hardcore to hip-hop.

Special acts include Of Mice and Men, The Maine, Breathe Carolina, 3oh!3, Mayday Parade and so many more. See the full lineup here.

A list of bands and stage lineups along with dates can be found here.

The most important part is how you’re going to spend your day. To keep you organized, I’ve made a Vans Warped Tour Survival Guide for all your need-to-know info and tips.

See the full list of dates below and buy tickets here.

June 13 – Houston, TX – Reliant Center Parking Lot
June 14 – San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center
June 15 – Dallas, TX – Gexa Energy Pavilion
June 17 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
June 18 – Mesa, AZ – Quail Run Park
June 19 – Las Vegas, NV – Luxor Lot
June 20 – Pomona, CA – Pomona Fairplex
June 21 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
June 22 – Ventura, CA – Seaside Park
June 25 – Chula Vista, CA – Sleep Train Amphitheatre
June 26 – Wheatland, CA – Sleep Train Amphitheatre
June 28 – Southeast Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheater
June 29 – Portland, OR – Portland Expo Center Parking Lot
July 02 – Maryland Heights, MO – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
July 03 – Noblesville, IN – Klipsch Music Center
July 04 – Toronto, ON – Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
July 05 – Montreal, QC – Parc Jean Drapeau
July 06 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Concert Center
July 08 – Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
July 09 – Scranton, PA – Toyota Pavilion
July 10 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center (formerly Comcast Center)
July 11 – Camden, NJ – Susquehanna Bank Center
July 12 – Wantagh, NY – Nikon at Jones Beach Amphitheater
July 13 – Hartford, CT – Xfinity Theatre (Formerly Comcast Theatre)
July 15 – Burgettstown, PA – First Niagara Pavilion
July 16 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
July 17 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
July 18 – Auburn Hills, MI – The Palace of Auburn Hills
July 19 – Tinley Park, IL – First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
July 20 – Shakopee, MN – Canterbury Park
July 22 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion
July 23 – Virginia Beach, VA – Farm Bureau Live At Virginia Beach
July 24 – Atlanta, GA – Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood
July 25 – St. Petersburg, FL – Vinoy Park
July 26 – West Palm Beach, FL – Cruzan Amphitheatre
July 27 – Orlando, FL – Central Florida Fairgrounds
July 28 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion Charlotte
July 29 – Nashville, TN – Tennessee State Fairgrounds
July 30 – Milwaukee, WI – Marcus Amphitheatre
July 31 – Bonner Springs, KS – Cricket Wireless Amphitheater
August 02 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah State Fairpark
August 03 – Denver, CO – Sports Authority Field at Mile High

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SXSW in Review

Festivals, Indie Artists, Photos, Pop Artists, Uncategorized

April 16, 2014

This year for SXSW I headed out to the mtvU Woodie Awards and Festival. It was one of the highlights of my week. MTV brought together some of the newest and hottest artists for an all day festival and awards show, filmed to be aired later on the channel. Read about some of the performances below and look at even more photos here.

Childish Gambino

The all day anticipation was matched by the mastermind himself when Childish Gambino made his way from back stage, through the venue, all the way into the crowd and onto the stage, all the while rapping with marching band posse dressed in lights. Donald Glover delivered a satisfying set, throwing down on every song as the fans went wild, singing every word back to him, no matter how fast the rapping was.

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Iggy Azalea

Iggy Azalea owned the stage with style, sass and vocals, not to mention the dance moves. The crowd was so insane that I though the barrier might break because security actually had to hold it back at times. The hype was only validated when Charli XCX joined Iggy to perform their new single “Fancy,” which was accompanied by blow-up balls and confetti for a climactic energy high.

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The 1975

The 1975 made a debut performance in America last year at SXSW. Since then they have exploded into the limelight of the music scene, so it only makes sense they would return to SX for the second time around. After sound checking, they were waiting on stage for their turn to perform, Matty even taking a break to smoke a cigarette. Much to their surprise and excitement, as well as the crowd’s, Lil Wayne made an appearance on the main stage to commence the show as well as introduce the band. As the first performance of the awards portion of the event, they rocked the stage out right, playing a sweet five song set.

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SXSW To-Dos and Must-See Bands

Festivals, Uncategorized

March 4, 2014

This year I’ll be attending Austin’s very own South By South West music conference from March 11-16.

Some of the bands attending include: Phantogram, The 1975, Bad Suns, Kurt Vile, Jake Bugg, Foster the People, Childish Gambino, Bleachers, Bad Things, American Authors, The Kooks, Wild Cub, London Gram AND SO MANY MORE.

Showcases, parities, official, unofficial, free- it’s going to be insanity, but I am going to bring you coverage of photos, reviews and videos.

If you’re a newcomer or just looking for something to do in town during the chaos, but don’t know where to start, I suggest checking out Waterloo Records’ free day shows. In the past, they’ve hosted names like FUN., Tegan and Sara, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and Twenty One Pilots.

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Another one to check out is the House of Vans hosted at Mohawk.  They’re partnering with other companies to bring you a wide variety of showcases and bands from punk to hip-hop.

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Foster the People and Childish Gambino, among others, are also playing FREE shows at Butler Park. Information can be found here.

FTP Press Photo Hi Re-0s-bigtop

Happy SXing!

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