I was so excited for this day to come. The lineup was stacked — State Champs, Our Last Night, The Dangerous Summer, and Grayscale. It was like a Warped Tour dream.

My friend Taylor and I had balcony seats at the House of Blues in Chicago, and I didn’t mind at all. The view was pretty nice, as we weren’t straining our necks to see them. The only drawback was that there wasn’t room really to mosh or jump, but nonetheless it was a great time.

The first band to come on stage was Grayscale, a pop punk band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They’ve been around since 2011, and got signed to Fearless Records in 2017. I’ve seen them a couple times before at Warped Tour, and their latest record Adornment is one of my favorites. Their setlist included six songs: “Atlantic,” “Beautiful Things,” “Slipping Away,” “Mum,” “Palette,” and “Fever Dream.” I only wish their set was longer. Their sound reminds me of a younger Mayday Parade, but with their own twist on it. If you haven’t seen this band live yet, you need to.

(Side note: Grayscale has awesome merch that you probably don’t need but you need.)

Up next was The Dangerous Summer. I’ve heard of this band before, but never really dabbled into their music before. To be quite frank, Taylor and I spent our time chatting and checking out the merch tables during this time. They sounded really good and the audience seemed really engaged, so I think it’d be worth it to check this band out.

Taylor and I were super excited for Our Last Night to come out. They’re a post-hardcore band that’s been around since 2004. We first saw them in 2014, and that was when we fell in love with their music. It’s the perfect blend of post-hardcore and alternative metal. Brothers Trevor and Matt Wentworth co-lead vocals together, switching back and forth with Trevor being the main screaming vocals.

I think this show was my fourth time seeing OLN live, and each time I do, they just keep getting better. They always have fun light shows and smoke effects. It’s impossible to stand still during an OLN set. For this show, they played all three of their new singles — “Bury The Hatchet,” “Demons,” and “The Leap.” These will all appear on their new album, Let Light Overcome, which is set to come out on March 8th, smack dab in the middle of this tour. Seeing these new songs live was so much fun. Their sound keeps evolving, incorporating somewhat EDM sounding music with their classic screaming and heavy guitars. And because it’s OLN, they of course had to play one of their covers, this show being “HUMBLE.” by Kendrick Lamar. If you haven’t heard their cover yet, you should definitely check it out.

And finally, my boys from State Champs took the stage. I think this is either the seventh or eighth time I’ve seen them — I’ve lost count. This tour, the Living Proof Tour, is named after their most recent album that came out in June 2018. They played the entirety of Warped Tour 2018, and then toured throughout the winter months before finally embarking on this tour. You wouldn’t guess that they hardly take breaks because they put so much energy into each and every one of their shows. 9 out of their 22 song setlist came from Living Proof, including my favorite off of that album, “Criminal.” Lead singer Derek Discanio has a perfectly blended voice, one that is sing-song-y and raspy all at the same time.

The boys kept the energy up the entire night, bouncing around the stage and high-fiving crowd surfers. Their light show was really bright, as it was pretty much pointed directly at the audience. While I wish I was down in the pit jamming out, it was probably for the best that I wasn’t — their shows are so high energy that I can’t really keep up anymore. However, if I could’ve snuck down to the first floor to crowd surf, I definitely would have.

All in all, the concert was one of the best I’ve been to in a while. If you can catch this tour, definitely go.

The post Concert Review: State Champs @ House of Blues Chicago 3/1/19 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Over the years, P!ATD has had many lineup changes. However, lead singer Brendon Urie remains the only original and official member, and tours with the band. Not only has their lineup changed, but their music has changed as well. P!ATD used to be categorized as “emo,” “pop-rock,” “synth-pop,” and more. It’s kind of hard to categorize them, as each album accompanies a different sound.

One might think that a man without his band wouldn’t excel as much without them, but Urie defies the odds with one big advantage – his voice. His vocal range consists of four octaves and seven notes, D2 to C7. Now I haven’t studied music in a long time, but I think anyone could infer how impressive that is. According to YouTube channel TheVinarnia, he has one of the most amazing registers for a tenor singer of all time.

When we got to the stadium, it was packed with fans old and new, the sold out show attracting fans from all around the area. We stood in the merch line for about 45 minutes before taking our seats in the nosebleeds. I didn’t mind, as arena tours are too expensive for me to justify buying floor seats. The screen on stage had a clock counting down, 5 minutes, 4 minutes, 3 minutes. “Africa” by Toto was blasting through the speakers, and the crowd chanted along with it, waiting for the clock to hit zero.

And just as it did, the lights went down and the band came out from under the stage. The live band complemented the show perfectly. It included a 3-piece horn section, a string quartet, and two drum sets, one of which Urie would be playing later during a drum solo.

Urie arose shortly after, immediately diving in to “(F*ck A) Silver Lining,” a song from his latest album Pray For The Wicked. Urie danced around the triangular stage, bopping his head and smiling the whole time. He was dressed head to toe in black with a glittery gold blazer and held a gold-bedazzled microphone. Throughout the whole show, Urie constantly showed off his vocal range, trying to go higher and higher each time. He was truly born to perform.

I was surprised at how fast the show seemed to be going. Urie powered through the first six songs, not really stopping to talk to the crowd too much.

Crowd favorites included “Hey Look Ma, I Made It,” “Death of a Bachelor,” and “High Hopes.” During “Death of a Bachelor,” Urie was guided down a walkway through the crowd, high fiving and interacting with fans as he went. When he got to the other end of the arena, the song was over and he was sitting at a white piano, ready to play a cover of “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt.

One of the more special moments came shortly after when he started playing “Girls/Girls/Boys,” a pro-LGTBQ+ anthem highlighting that love isn’t a choice. In every cupholder throughout the stadium, there was a piece of paper cut out in a heart, asking them to be held up to your flashlight during the song. The section we sat in had red hearts, but looking around the stadium there were other colors – orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple – to make a rainbow. Fans threw rainbow flags on the stage which Urie proudly wore around his neck. Behind me, I could hear girls sobbing. It truly was a touching moment.

One of my favorite moments of the show was seeing his cover of “Bohemian Rhapsody”. An iconic song covered by one of my favorite singers? Yes, please! The crowd went crazy.

Shortly after came the encore. The stage was dark, and fans roared throughout the stadium, begging Urie to return to the stage. After about five minutes, Urie was back, shirtless, and dove right into “Say Amen (Saturday Night).”

What the crowd really went crazy for was the next song, the one everyone was waiting to hear – “I Write Sins Not Tragedies.” It’s the song that started it all for P!ATD, thrusting them into the spotlight back in 2005. My emo heart was so happy to finally see this song live.

The night ended with “Victorious,” an area-made song. Confetti scattered the floor, falling upon smiling faces.

Overall, I would rate this concert a 4/5. Maybe I just have high standards, but the light show and performance seemed a little bit lackluster compared to what I’ve seen before. Urie makes up for it with his amazing voice and him showcasing his talents by playing the piano, the guitar, and the drums. It was a great show and definitely worth seeing live.  

The post Concert Review: Panic! At The Disco @ Omaha, NE 2/1/19 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Unless you’ve been under a rock for the last couple of months, then you know that the United States’ midterm elections will be held on Tuesday, November 6th, 2018. Midterms are held during the middle of the presidents current term of service — hence, “miderms” — and they are elections for the House and Senate, as well as governors.

So while we may not be voting for a new president just yet, the representatives that we put into office will really affect how “easy” the last two years of President Trump’s current term is.

So, yeah, you could say that midterms are pretty important.

To get in the spirit, I have created a top ten list of politically-motivated songs that I love and inspire me to get out and vote.

“Happy Judgement Day” by Neck Deep

“Happy Judgement Day” comes off of Neck Deep’s third studio album The Peace and The Panic. Hailing from Wales, UK, the pop punk band took their political stance on the political climate of the world shortly after the election of U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May.

There’s a strong, sarcastic tone throughout this song, seen in lyrics like “Oh, what a time to be alive! / Wake up and smell the dynamite.”

Themes that are touched upon include reliance on our phone screens, Brexit, the infamous Wall, and worshiping celebrities. There’s a lot touched on, but considering the enormity of what Judgement Day is supposed to be, it’s fitting to touch on that many themes.

The songs overarching opinion is that ultimately, we are f**ked, and we did this to ourselves.

“Building walls / dropping bombs / stop the world, I’m getting off / oh we almost had it / then we pissed it all away.” 

“Everyone Lies To Me” by Knuckle Puck

This track comes off of their latest release Shapeshifter. While the album in its entirety isn’t a political album, this track is one that comments on the nature of our current government.

The lyrics comment on how our current generation is undoubtedly listening to what the government is telling us, and how they make up our minds for us. There are lyrics in here that can’t be taken as anything but political — for example, “They’ll cut tax for crooked and corporate” and “Cause education only taught you what they want you to know.”

It’s on the angstier side of pop-punk, something that I’ve always really enjoyed about Knuckle Puck.

“Hands Held High” by Linkin Park

This song came off of their 2007 album Minutes to Midnight, and this track has always hit me right in the gut. The song criticizes rich men and politicians who use their power to further themselves in life.

There’s much speculation that this song directly comments on the Bush Patriot Act, by saying that Bush was taking away freedoms entitled to us as Americans.

Other parts of the song comment directly on the War on Terror, and certain scenarios that were happening in Iraq and Afghanistan.

What I like most about this song is not only the lyricism, but the simple snare drum beat that follows it. It reminds me of something that a marching band would play — and I’m sure it’s meant to sound like something a soldier would march to.

“Hero of War” by Rise Against

This acoustic track is always heartbreaking to listen to. The song follows a Iraq veteran looking back on the hardships that he endured during war.

The lyrics allude to a couple different situations, one of them being the human rights violations committed by American troops against detainees in Iraq.

“We took him away / A bag over his face / From his family and his friends / They took off his clothes / They pissed in his hands / I told them to stop / But then I joined in / We beat him with guns / And batons not just once / But again and again”

Another situation that arises is a woman or child that walks out during a firefight and how the narrator has to shoot them down, as they don’t know if they are an innocent bystander or a suicide bomber.

The song is meant to showcase the heartbreaking situations that our soldiers go through overseas, and to hopefully persuade people to not support the War on Terror.

“Dear Mr. President” by P!nk

P!nk is one of my favorite vocalists, and songs like this play a huge reason as to why that is. This song is so underrated.

This song acts as P!nk’s open letter to the president, who, at the time, was George W. Bush. The lyrics comment on the War on Terror, No Child Left Behind Act, the disapproval of homosexuality, lack of empathy for the poor, and Bush’s strong religious beliefs.

The lyrics are posed as questions, such as “How do you sleep while the rest of us cry? / How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?”

It’s a really moving song that stands the test of time; many comments on the YouTube video of this song suggest that President Trump have a listen.

“Still Waiting” by Sum 41

This song has a sick guitar riff that takes off in the beginning, which really drives this powerful anthem.

The song opens up with “So am I / still waiting / for this world to stop hating?”

Vocalist Deryck Whibley said in an interview with MTV back in 2002 that this song isn’t just about the war on terrorism, but “. . .the war on everything. It’s about the world as we know it.” He also said that the song was heavily inspired by the events of 9/11.

“American Idiot” by Green Day

Who would I be if I didn’t include “American Idiot?” This entire album of the same name was a concept album during the time of George W. Bush’s reelection in 2004. The song was heavily inspired by his politics, 9/11, and the War on Terror.

This song also comments on the affects that the media has on consumers, especially in the post 9/11 period where Americans were on edge.

This song is an absolute banger, in case you haven’t heard.

“A World Divided” by Our Last Night

This song doesn’t comment on politics the same way that the others on this list have, but it still shows a strong point of view: we are divided amongst ourselves by the color of our skin and our beliefs.

“Divided by the colors / Split by our beliefs / Forced against each other / nothing’s as it seems / But between white walls, we could forget it all / The fear would fade, we could start to change / A world divided and afraid”

I think it takes a good approach and is a little bit more timeless than the rest of the picks on this list. Segregation has always been an issue in our society and the way that we see each other.

“20 Dollar Nose Bleed” by Fall Out Boy

One of my favorite things about Fall Out Boy is that their lyrics are very much left up to interpretation — this song is no exception.

The song mostly refers to a drug called Benzedrine, an amphetamine that is known for causing nosebleeds. But there’s also some political references in the second verse:

“It feels like fourteen carats but no clarity / When I look at the man who would be king / The man who would be king / Goes to the desert, the same war his dad rehearsed / Came back with flags on coffins and said / “‘We won, oh we won!’”

It’s been speculated that this verse is about George W. Bush in his president-elect state (looking like fourteen carats but no clarity) and going to the same war that his dad had (George H. W. Bush also went to war in the middle east during his presidency).

“Imagine” by John Lennon

To close out this list, I figured I would bring back this gem. This has got to be one of the most political songs of all time, perhaps. This song came out by former Beatles member John Lennon in 1971. It was very anti-war, this war being the one in Vietnam at the time.

The lyrics are asking the listener to just imagine what life would be like with no religion, no countries, no possessions. It’s a really interesting thought. The simple piano that flows throughout the piece carries the lyrics from one verse to the next.

It’s a sugar-coated, optimistic, hopeful song. That’s something that we might need more of sometimes.

I hope you enjoyed my picks! Let me know what yours are!

The post Jen’s Top Ten’s: Favorite Political Songs appeared first on KRUI Radio.

If there’s one thing that I love about Witching Hour, it’s the comedians who perform. Tonights performers were Caribbean-born comedian Janelle James and Chicago-bred Liza Treyger.

The night started right off the bat with Janelle James opening statement being “Ima talk about my titties and shit,” which received numerous laughs from the audience.

James was an amazing performer, speaking as if she were talking to close friends, anything and everything rolling off her tongue. Those are my favorite kinds of performers — ones that don’t sound too scripted and are able to create a feeling of closeness with the audience.

James had the audience rolling with the themes she was talking about, one notable one being the topic of catcalling. She recalled a time that a man in NYC told her “You look like you got a juicy pussy!” and other horrendous tales of men in New York.

She briefly touched on more political issues, like the Me Too movement and Louis CK, but for the most part strayed away from political humor. She went on to talk more about her family life and relationships.

If you thought that Janelle James had a vulgar set, then you were in for a treat when Liza Treyger came on stage.

Liza Treyger came out on the stage, guns blazin, show ready to start. Her comedy routine started out talking about her time at Iowa State University getting arrested for drunk driving (longer bit below).

She has a particular style of comedy that is kind of self-demeaning but very self-aware. Personally, I have a terrible sense of humor where nothing is off limits, so I find this type of comedy funny. Not to mention, it seems all-too-relatable right now, as that self-deprecating type of humor is sort of “in” right now.

Treyger continues on talking about a getting out of a previous relationship and described her depression as “Grandpa Joe in Willy Wonka but instead of other people in bed with me, there were food and dildos.” I honestly don’t think I have laughed that hard in quite some time.

Treyger also talked extensively about porn — the kind she likes to watch, some porn subscriptions she has, and the difference between when men finish versus when women do. If you’re not the kind of person that likes to talk about or hear about porn, then Liza Treyger is probably not the comedian for you. She’s very open about her sexuality and porn preferences, like ai deepfake generators and the like, which made it fun to laugh along with her about these things.

One of her best acts was getting some audience interaction and asking different questions for the men and for the women. For context, she created a situation where you hook up with someone and then are telling your friends about it later.

For the men, she said “Clap if your buddy asks you if you came,” followed by silence. When she asked the women, nearly every woman in the room clapped. It was totally a “You had to be there” kind of moment, but I think she really put her sociology degree to work there.

If I were you, I would definitely check out some of their comedy on YouTube and Netflix because there was not a moment where I wasn’t bubbling up with laughter.

The post Witching Hour: Janelle James and Liza Treyger @ The Englert 10/13/18 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

“Welcome to the Neighbourhood” is Boston Manor’s follow up album to their pop-punk debut “Be Nothing.” I vibed with “Be Nothing.”, but I find myself coming back to “Welcome to the Neighbourhood”more and more. The only way I can really describe this album is that it is dark. 

Actually, this Twitter user described it perfectly:

New @BSTNMNR album is as if Stephen King wrote music. Pure dark genius. I’m obsessed.

— Madison Goddangloff (@MadisonGangloff) September 7, 2018

The band from Blackpool, UK deliver to us an album that is dark, heavy and melodramatic. It’s a little bit more of a progressive pop-punk, leading into a more grungy, alt-rock sound. It’s hard to describe, but sonically, this album sounds very eerie and haunting throughout. The guitars are grittier, and vocalist Henry Cox toned down the yelling without taking away from the angry tone of the album.

This album, inspired by the downfall of Blackpool, touches on many themes. The neighborhood of Blackpool went from being a booming town in Northwest England to a “place where you can go to forget all your problems,” as Cox says. As most of the people search for how to get rid off alcohol addiction with the help of NJ outpatient rehab. Their first single “Halo” touches on drug addiction, more specifically addiction to heroine The lyrics allude to many things that come from heroine addiction, such as “cold sweats in the morning” and “a thick brown belt on my arm again.”

This album is very experimental for Boston Manor as they dip their toes into different techniques, such as using synths and different guitar and bass tones. On nearly every track, the instrumentation explodes into each of the choruses in their respective ways. Every instrument sounds like it fits in perfectly, and nothing feels out of place.

For the fans of Boston Manor’s more pop punk sound, not to worry: tracks like “Tunnel Vision” and “If I Can’t Have It No One Can” are driven by pop punk influences that make you want to bang your head.

The lull of this album comes in an odd place: the very last track. I like the closer, “The Day That I Ruined Your Life,” but it seems kind of odd to place as the last track of the album. However, I’m not really sure where else this song fits in. This sound would have definitely slowed down the momentum that was built up throughout the rest of the album. The entire song isn’t slow, as it brings in layering of other guitars and synths to continue the ominous sound of the album. We leave the album on kind of a solemn note.

Overall, I’d give this album a 8/10. While I was anticipating a good album from Boston Manor this year, they really exceeded my expectations and really set the bar high for their next record.

The post Album Review: “Welcome to the Neighbourhood” by Boston Manor appeared first on KRUI Radio.

1.) Piece Of Your Heart

“Piece Of Your Heart” is the first single that MP dropped in anticipation for this album, and I gotta say that I love it. As I mentioned before, I wasn’t the hugest fan of their last two albums, but this song actually has me looking forward to their new album. It feels reminiscent of early Mayday, which as you’ll be able to tell soon, is my favorite era of MP (thus far). The lyricism is similar to their “A Lesson in Romantics” days, something I didn’t know I wanted to hear again. The instrumentation has been cleaned up since their last album (which IMO was a failed attempt at trying to “get back to the roots” of pop punk) and from what I’ve heard of the new album, it sounds like it will flow smoothly.

2.) I Swear This Time I Mean It

If there’s one thing that MP is really good at, it’s sappy ballads. This song, from their sophomore album “Anywhere But Here,” features an acoustic guitar paired with soft vocals from lead singer Derek Sanders. The tempo is pretty slow, almost as if Sanders is singing a lullaby. The song slowly builds, the music crescendoing from the slow tempo to fit smoothly with his gentle voice. Tbh, I could totally listen to this on repeat until I fall asleep. His voice is so soothing.

3.) Kids In Love

“Kids In Love” is another track from their sophomore album, and it’s also the first song I ever heard by the band; I was in 7th grade and thought that I was so in love with the guy I dated that year *cringe*. For as cringey as that is, it felt so applicable at the time – “We were just kids in love / the summer was full of mistakes we wouldn’t learn from.” Despite the memories of my first puppy love, this song feels timeless to me. The instrumentation stays interesting during the entirety of the song, and the lyricism doesn’t feel like it was directed at 13 year olds.

4.) When I Get Home You’re So Dead

This song hails off of their first and most celebrated album, “A Lesson In Romantics.” At the time, Derek Sanders was a co-vocalist with Jason Lancaster, who ended up leaving the band and joining Go Radio (before they broke up and he went solo). This break up song is so 2007 – not sappy and sad, but savage AF. The lyrics basically allude to the fact that the girl is a cheating whore and she won’t ever change. One thing I love about the lyrics is that it doesn’t sound cheesy AF, like some songs I’ve heard calling out ex-girlfriends for being whores. Instrumentally, the guitars sound angry, which helps the direction of this song channel the angsty side of pop punk.

5.) Three Cheers for Five Years

Eeeeeek, this song is so sad. This song was written by drummer Jake Bundrick, who found out that his girlfriend of five years cheated on him (and she told him on their anniversary, nonetheless). This piano ballad features a back-and-forth vocal trade off between Sanders and Lancaster, with vocals sometimes overlapping each other, but in my opinion showcasing the conflicting thoughts of a break up and how to deal with the news of your S/O cheating on you. I love that MP are able to tell stories of break ups in completely polar-opposite ways (see choice 4). The twinkling piano, the switching vocals, the overlapping of thoughts – they all culminate into a song that brings out emotion I didn’t even know I had.

6.) Still Breathing

“Still Breathing” starts off with a somber-sounding guitar, the chord blending seamlessly with Sanders’ vocals. Drums subtly come in throughout the verse and eventually build up into the chorus, which isn’t anything mind-blowing, but isn’t overly simple and boring either. I don’t really know what draws me to this song, but I enjoy it nonetheless.

7.) Just Say You’re Not Into It

Let me tell ya, this EP was *~amazing~*. This song follows the hearts of a conflicted relationship, where the two are fighting, however they want to forget about it for the night and “bring their hearts back home.” I love the way the song starts off, with the lyrics “In a show of hands / who has ever said these words before? / And in a show of hearts on the floor / who has ever meant them more?” I thought that line was just cleverly crafted and didn’t even need to be explained for it to be understood. That right there my friends, is good lyricism.

8.) I’d Hate To Be You When People Find Out What This Song Is About

Long live the days of long song titles – can we bring that back please? I heard some rumors that “Sunnyland” will have more long titles – yay! Anyway, back to this song. The main reason I love this song so much is because you can hear so much emotion in both of the vocalists voices, but especially Lancaster’s when he jumps into the chorus. I honestly don’t really know what this song is about, who it’s about, what’s going on, but it makes me feel. It’s the weirdest thing – but hey, that’s what music does to ya. Also, with the guitar solos and the way that the song builds, the song flows together so smoothly and makes me want to throw down.

9.) Terrible Things

Okay sorry, we’re going to get sad again. But this song is just. so. beautiful. The narrator, a father, is telling the story of the father and mother – when they first met, when he proposed, and when she told him she’s sick. I mean, shit. Paired with the somber piano, this song is so sad and evokes so many emotions. The father is telling the son “So don’t fall in love / there’s just too much to lose.” and “Now son / I’m only telling you this / because life can do terrible things.” This song is basically a Nicholas Sparks book summed up in four minutes.

10.) One Of Them Will Destroy The Other

This song is one of the songs I actually like from their 2015 album, “Black Lines.” I love how raw this song sounds, in terms of instrumentals and in vocals. Sanders experiments with some more screaming, a change that really shook up their discography since Lancaster left the band. Some fans were disappointed, citing that MP is a band they go to for more sappy, heartfelt songs, not heavier music. However, I thought this was one track that actually did a good job of capturing that raw, stripped down sound that they were looking to do for the album. I don’t think it completely worked out for them – I saw them live shortly after this album was released and they played 3 songs out of a 20 song show from this album. That being said, the songs they did play were the good ones, so I wasn’t too disappointed.

So there you have it! I’m really excited to hear what their album will sound like, and of course, I will see them live at Warped this summer.

Check out my blog where I write more music related content, and follow my music Twitter to hear constant updates on everything music related!

The post Jen’s Top Ten’s: My Favorite Mayday Parade Songs appeared first on KRUI Radio.

I showed up about an hour before her set and watched one of her openers — Squirrel Flower. I’m not here to review Squirrel Flower, but damn, they blew me away. The lead singer has a voice similar to Julien Baker’s, which made them the perfect opening act.

Finally, the lights dimmed, and Julien Baker casually walked on stage in her all-black outfit. She’s a tiny woman, but she is full of passion, which was apparent from the very first song.

Soft white lights beamed down on her as dark blue lights set the perfect backdrop for her slow, mellow songs. Her music is so mellow and quiet that you could hear pretty much everything that was going on in the audience — knuckles cracking, people flipping through programs, the clicks of a camera every time a picture was taken.

It was relaxing, though, to see a set like this. Honestly, Baker could put me to sleep — and that’s saying a lot, and I mean that in the best way possible. Her voice is so soothing, her guitar and piano work so smooth, and the softness in her music just makes me want to curl up and drift away. It’s very atmospheric, which I love so much.

At one point, she had a violinist join her for a couple songs, and w.o.w. it was amazing. The violin added so much dimension to her songs, so much that it almost made me regret taking up the clarinet and not the violin in middle school.

Baker switched between her electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and piano. Honestly, she’s so talented — normally I don’t see many artists switch it up that many times in a show.

One of the things I loved most were the mistakes she made — for example, she hit the mic stand with her guitar, took a step back, and bowed. It was so refreshing to see that she’s just a normal person like you and me. Which tbh, she kinda is — she’s only like a year older than me. Her sense of humor during that was one of the highlights of the night.

After singing a slow and mellow song, she would softly say “Thank you,” into the microphone.

Sprained Ankle by Julien Baker.

Baker is a singer/songwriter from Tennessee, and she released her debut album in 2015 called “Sprained Ankle” on Bandcamp. Her most recent LP, “Turn Out The Lights,” just came out in 2017. Her music is the perfect music to chill to, vibe to, cry to, study to, etc.

The night soon wrapped up, and Baker walked off the stage just as casually as she came on. I’ve been to a lot of Mission Creek shows, so believe me when I say that this was one of the best.

The post Mission Creek Festival: Julien Baker @ The Englert Theatre 4/7/18 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

It’s no surprise that when the Mission Creek Festival rolls around, some great artists come through as well. Tonight I got to see the all-girl band Younger at Gabe’s, and it was a hell of a time.

The Iowa City-based trio opened up with their new single, “Trash,” which is forthcoming on their sophomore album set to release soon.

According to their Facebook page, their set tonight included all of the songs on their new album. I really enjoyed the instrumentals to their songs, which I really found myself vibing out to.

Also, it’s nice to see some more girl bands on the scene, since it feels like we seriously lack them in the mainstream.

I asked my friend Melinda what she thought of them, and her response was spot on: “Imagine Barbie meeting 90’s grunge and hanging out with Kurt Cobain.”

Tbh, I can see it. They weren’t super grungy, but like, still kinda grungy. Ya know?

Their set was definitely a lot more lowkey, which is something I like after a day of dealing with classes and homework.

While I liked the performance, I usually enjoy performances with a little bit more stage presence from the band — they really vibed out and just kind of swayed around, which after a while gets old (if you’re not in the right mood). Nonetheless, you could tell there was a lot of heart and soul poured into their music.

I think this was a perfect set to be played at Gabe’s — as I’ve said before, and will a million times more, I love the vibe that Gabe’s gives. With the twinkly lights, dark setting, and good drinks, it’s hard to be unhappy there.

What I also enjoyed about this show was that it wasn’t overly packed — I’ve been to some bigger pop punk concerts at Gabe’s where my knees were smashed against the wall up at the front of the stage from people crowding themselves around you.

At this show, I was able to peacefully sip on my Angry Orchard without fearing that some hipster 16 year old would bump into me and cause me to spill all over myself.

The rest of the crowd seemed to be enjoying themselves too, with a select few at the front absolutely jamming out without a care in the world. I would say that they drew in a decent sized crowd, as it wasn’t too packed but not too empty either.

Not convinced yet that you need to see them? Check out some of their promo pictures for some previous shows they’ve done. I mean, c’mon. You had me at hot Cheetos.

While I can’t find a for sure date on the release of this new album of theirs, I did find a video of fans talking about what the group sounds like and I think it’s pretty spectacular. Check it out here!

The post Mission Creek Festival: Younger @ Gabe’s 4/4/2018 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Fans have been speculating for months about who was going to play the last tour, with guesses ranging from plausible to never-gonna-happen (*cough cough* a My Chemical Romance reunion). Alas, the lineup has been revealed and the consensus is split: some are very ecstatic about the lineup, and some are incredibly disappointed. As for me? I’m definitely excited, but I can see where people were disappointed.

Before I jump into my top ten picks, I want to address the certain marketing tactic that they used to announce the bands. As always, they post a photo with all the bands written on it in alphabetical order, with asterisks by the bands that weren’t playing the whole tour. This year, instead of asterisks, they put those bands in a purple font as opposed to the black font. At first glance, you don’t realize that they aren’t playing the full tour until you see the fine print at the bottom.

A lot of fans were upset about this, mostly because some really big bands are playing, with a lot of them only playing select dates. This sucked, because there are a lot of big names, Warped-esque bands, such as All Time Low, Asking Alexandria, Bowling For Soup, Sum 41, and Taking Back Sunday, that are only playing one or two dates. While they do clarify that they aren’t playing the full tour, one can’t really tell at first glance, which makes the lineup a little bit more disappointing.

But enough of that. I’m still pretty pumped about the bands that are playing the full tour, which all ten of these are.

1.) Movements

I CAN’T CONTAIN MY EXCITEMENT TO SEE THIS BAND LIVE AGAIN. I saw them at last years Warped Tour, when they were on a small stage with a small crowd, and this year they have been upgraded to the MAIN STAGE! These guys released a killer album last October, titled “Feel Something,” which skyrocketed their career (hence the spot on the main stage). If you’re into post-hardcore emo, then you definitely need to check out this band.

Favorite song: Vacant Home

2.) The Maine

The Maine also released an amazing album last year, “Lovely Little Lonely.” I’ve only seen them once before, but that was before LLL came out and before I was really that big of a fan. The Maine are a rock band from Arizona, and they’ve played Warped shows in the past. Now that I’m into their music some more, I’m really excited to see them this summer.

Favorite song: How Do You Feel?

3.) State Champs

Tbh, I’ve seen State Champs like 5 or 6 times already. What can I say? They’re one of my all-time favorite bands that also happens to be one of the biggest in the pop-punk scene today. When I first saw them at Warped Tour back in 2014, they were still relatively small. I’m excited to see them again this year, back on the main stage, performing my favorite songs. Talk about coming full circle, huh?

Favorite song: All or Nothing

4.) Knuckle Puck

Knuckle Puck are a band that I’ve fallen deeply in love with over the last few years. They just released their sophomore album, “Shapeshifter,” this past October. It took a little while to grow on me, but I absolutely love it now, so I’m definitely excited to see them play some of their new material live.

Favorite song: Want Me Around

5.) Real Friends

Whenever I think about Real Friends, I think about the first time I saw them at Warped Tour 2014. If you couldn’t tell already, that years Warped Tour was an amazing year that got me into a lot of my current favorite bands. Real Friends are a pop punk band from Chicago, and they always give fun performances no matter where they play, but there’s something a little bit more special about their Warped shows.

Favorite song: Summer

6.) Grayscale

At this time last year, I had no idea who Grayscale was. And now, I. love. them. I discovered them shortly after the release of their 2017 pop-punk album “Adornment,” and now I can’t get enough of them. They’re still relatively small(ish), and I think those are some of the most fun sets to see live at Warped. I haven’t had the chance to see them live yet, and I hear that they’re awesome, so I’m excited.

Favorite song: Beautiful Things

7.) Broadside

Broadside are a pop punk band that I tried to see at Warped 2016, but just barely missed. They also released an album last year, “Paradise.” I haven’t listened to it too much, but from what I’ve heard of it, it’s pretty good. I loved their album “Old Bones,” and their sound overall, so I hope that I get to see them this year.

Favorite Song: Coffee Talk

8.) Simple Plan

You might be thinking, “Simple Plan are still around?” and the answer is yes, yes they are. I actually got to see them live here in Iowa City a couple years ago for the University of Iowa Homecoming (review of that here). While that was a fun, outdoor night show, I want to see them during the Warped atmosphere. They’re definitely one of the more popular Warped Tour veterans, having played the festival 1999-2005, 2011, 2013, and 2015. I’m excited to hear their most popular tunes.

Favorite song: I’m Just A Kid

9.) With Confidence

After some drama went down with the band over the past year, they’ve been kind of silent. But now, they’re ready to play Warped this year, and I’m pretty excited. I saw them as an opening band once, but what I’m really looking forward to is seeing them at Warped.

Favorite song: Voldemort

10.) Mayday Parade

And last but not least, Mayday Parade. I’ve already seen them live a handful of times, two of those being at past Warped Tours, but nonetheless, I’m still excited to see them. Mayday Parade always puts on a great show with their outstanding stage presence. They’re always so excited to be playing live, making the Warped experience that much better.

Favorite song: Just Say You’re Not Into It

So there you have it! Make sure to stay tuned for my review of the festival this summer. In the meantime, check out my review of Warped Tour 2016 here, Warped Tour 2017 here, and also my thoughts on the end of Warped Tour here.

The post Jen’s Top Ten’s: Bands I want to see at Warped Tour 2018 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

It includes music, literature, performances, and many more. Honestly, I’m pretty stoked for it this year for many reasons, but today I’m gonna focus on one artist that I’m truly hyped to see: Julien Baker.

Julien Baker is a singer/songwriter from Tennessee, pulling listeners in with her smooth slowcore, indie rock/folk style of music.

There isn’t much production to her music — it’s just her stunning voice and her guitar.

If you’re looking for some chill music to listen to, you should definitely check out Julien Baker.

Now if you regularly read any of my articles, then you will know that I loooovveeee pop punk music and punk shows.

But I also love chill, vibey acoustic music, so I think this will be a show that you won’t want to miss.

You can catch her at Gabe’s on Saturday, April 7th at 10:30 p.m. Don’t forget to check out Squirrel Flowers at 9 p.m. as well.

Back to Baker — can I just say how much I admire her? She’s only a year older than I am and I feel like she has accomplished so much.

During her freshman year of college, she self-released her first album on Bandcamp in winter of 2014, which then became her first studio album “Sprained Ankle” in October 2015.

She followed up with her LP “Turn Out The Lights” in 2017, with help from Sorority Noise’s lead singer Cameron Boucher (!!!). What I love about it is that it feels so raw, and it tells a story of vulnerability and resilience.

TBH, it’s the perfect music to chill to, study to, vibe to, cry, etc. I honestly can’t wait to see her live because I want to see that raw emotion in person.

I mean, just watch this episode of NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert and try not to cry. Lmk how that goes.

Make sure to check out Julien Baker at Gabe’s on April 7th, and while you’re at it, head on over to missioncreekfestival.com to check out some other cool artists who will be making an apperance!

The post Mission Creek Festival Promo: Julien Baker appeared first on KRUI Radio.