Hum

There was no space left in the crowd. Every person had their faces pressed forward anticipating the return of Hum. As guitar techs made their way on stage and drum heads were hit for mic tests, there was a palpable energy in the air. In tees and jeans, the band made an unassuming entrance from stage right behind the projector screen. Hum was never a gaudy or loudly dressed band, they let the guitars do the speaking. Even hailing back to their performance on Conan in 1995, it was glasses and shorts for the band. Friday night began with “Little Dipper” as the audience began rocking like a boat miles out in the ocean. The visible waves of people shifting back and forth with the music was like watching a modern art piece become one with the wind. It was clear from the first chord that the crowd had been waiting a long time to see this band.

There was lots to get through with Hum, they had to balance the hits and the ‘new’ album with their 12-13 song setlist. Both nights included one song from their 1993 record Electra 2000. This 12 Inch Records album was on a tight 1000 cassette pressing on its initial release. Hum was partnered with 12 Inch Records for their first two records, Electra and their rather unknown debut Fillet Show. The ladder can’t be found on streaming and is lost media to many fans who had cleaned out their old cassette and cd collection. “Iron Clad Lou” from Electra made an appearance both nights as the earliest representation from the band with You’d Prefer an Astronaut coming up next in 1995. There were four representatives on Friday and five on Saturday from this record that reached #1 on Billboards US Heat chart after its release. Their biggest hit, “Stars“, was a consistent both nights along with I’d hate It Too.

Inlet had five songs each night as well, giving this 2020 release the fresh air it deserves. This was the last release with long time drummer Bryan St. Pere before his death in 2021. Jason Gerker would be taking over the drum throne for the band in St. Pere’s place for the second time as Gerker joined Hum on the road in 2015. This record was released after over two decades of playing the old tunes, so the heavy presence of their new tunes were more than welcomed. “Folding“, “Step Into You“, and “Waves” were all pulling double duty while “Desert Rambler” and “Shapeshifter” were present on Friday only and In the Den and The Summoning being Saturday exclusives. These setlists, while seemingly short, gave a full 90 minutes both nights of what the people wanted to hear. With these final Slide Away dates coming up in Los Angeles, it is a must see until Hum returns to shadows for the foreseeable future.

Speaking to a fan after the gig in as the sweat visibly dripped down his face, he recounted the first time he saw Hum. Jason from Edgewater was a younger man at his first viewing, and didn’t mind standing for a long period of time back then. It was Riot Fest 2015 on the closing Sunday. Exhaustion was hitting heavy as he’d been there on Friday and Saturday to see Alkaline Trio, Rancid, and the many other bands there. But Jason made a point to get there early on Sunday, as Hum was taking on the main stage from 2:15-3:00. In those all too brief 45 minutes, Hum put on a monumental set that would have to tide the crowd over for the next 11 years. Jason paid around $180 for all three days of that fest, and said “thats about how much I spend on drinks for a single day at a festival now”. When asked what it meant to see Hum again, a smile grew wide across his face. This show was a marker in and of itself, that time really did keep moving forward. He was hopeful in the following years of his first Hum gig that he’d see them again, claiming they would be a “priority ticket” for their next tour. In the time between the show and their next tour, Jason would graduate college, move out of Chicago to the west, move back home, get married, bought a condo, started playing pickleball, and picked up reading again. And once all of these milestones and accomplishments were checked off, only then would Hum announce their 6 date run of shows at Slide Away.

Nothing

Hailing from Philadelphia, Nothing are a deep sound that resonates in your body each chord strike. Playing their record Tired of Tomorrow in full for the first time since its release in 2016, it is a victory lap for a decade of an unshaken and sustained album in the world of shoegaze. Starting out with a single spotlight over a piano and the rest of the band in a blue shadow, the titled track was played. Once the ballad wrapped, Daniel Johnston’s “Devil Town” was played over the PA which added to the eerie atmosphere Nothing was creating for their set. The record was then hit fast and with intention. “Fever Queen“, “The Dead Are Dumb“, “Vertigo Flowers” and “A.C.D.” all back to back was such an obvious reminder of why people love this band. Electric and real, each strike of the guitar had a purpose. I blinked and the set was over as Nothing didn’t waste a second of their time on stage.

Nothing will across the world in Europe and Australia the rest of the year including a set at England’s Outbreak Festival. You can find updates for Nothing here.

Chapterhouse

For the first time in 16 years, Reading rockers Chapterhouse make their return to the stage. It has been a lot of silence of the past decade and a half but there were rumbling in 2023 as a handful of demos were released as a collection from recording sessions in 1994 and 1995 at the end of their initial run as a band. Their all to brief reunion in 2010 was just a tease as their 2026 reunion will lead them across 3 continents and 28 gigs. There was a heavy presence of their standout record Whirlpool which is celebrating its 35th birthday this year. This etherial sound was ricocheting through the Aragon and shrouding each audience member in its cloak of synths and array of guitar pedals.

Chapterhouse’s sets were identical both nights, hitting eight tracks off Whirpool each night. Celebrating its 35th birthday, it was an exciting and well deserved victory lap in front of one of the largest American crowds they have played to. 4,500+ people got to feel the magic of songs like “Pearl” and “Breather” live which is a privilege for us folks here in The States. Whripool is an absolute treat of album that you can tell bled into artists like The Postal Service and MGMT decades later. Their influence is heavy and for good reason, they are an incredible band.

During Nothing’s set, I made my way out of the photo pit to get some shots from the back of the venue when I saw a familiar face. Ashley Bates, drummer of Chapterhouse, was at the bar grabbing a drink. I took the moment to chat with the rocker, wearing the same shirt he wore on stage, about the magic of their return. Bates “couldn’t be happier that people, young and old, are enjoying our music live”.The age range was wide, as young shoegaze fans who’ve heard Deftones frontman Chino Moreno say “it’s where Deftones get a big part of our influence from, tone-wise” to The Quietus in 2023, came through the door with their parents who saw Chapterhouse at The Vic in 1994. This truly felt like a celebration uniting a whole array of fans under one roof.

Chapterhouse will continue the Whirpool 35 tour out west in May, in South America this fall and wrapping up with a few U.K. dates. The cherry on top of this birthday cake will be on November 21st in Dublin. You can find more information and tickets here.

FRIDAY

CRATE

Coming from New York, New York, is Crate who announced their first album the same day as their Slide Away dates. With “Julia“ and “Necklace” already making waves, i am excited to see where these rockers go. You can follow their Instagram for updates.

TOTAL WIFE

Total Wife has had a busy stretch releasing come back down last fall and just wrapping up a tour with. Starling. The time off won’t last long as they will support LSD & The Search For this July across the midwest. You can follow their Instagram for updates.

SHE’S GREEN

The Minnesota alternative rockers she’s green had the crowd in their hand as they ripped through their set. Longtime favorite songs like “mandy” and “smile again” were leveled with songs from their first full length LP swallowtail coming out July 10th. They will be touring the new record across the U.S. and Europe later this year. You can find tour dates and more information here.

SATURDAY

DIM

This dark and almost industrial sound people heard walking into the venue was Dim. From Chicago, there are very few things that sound like Dim does. Hearing influence from all the bands playing this weekend in one of the openers was such an inspiring thing for the future of the genre and the adjacent ones. You can follow Dim’s Instagram for updates as they prepare for a show at Thalia Hall in the fall.

SUNSHY

Chicago natives Sunshy were a personal favorite from over the weekend. Some great alternative rock from the young set of artists who took the opportunity of playing such a historic local venue and ran with it. The band has another Chicago show in September at Subterranean. You can find tickets here and keep your eye on their Instagram for popup shows like May 25th at Lowdown (AAP).

LOVESLIESCRUSHING

Described as ambient, post-rock, shoegaze, lovesliescrushing is a vibe I don’t think I have ever seen or felt before. From Michigan, Scott Cortez and Melissa Arpin-Duimstra played their individual sound with the help of Ruby Duimstra, Melissa’s daughter, sharing some vocalization duties. You can follow their Instagram for updates.

An incredible weekend of music as the titans of the genre welcome in a new generation of artists. Slide Away is such a special festival that I hope only continues to grow in the years to come. You can follow Slide Away on Instagram and stay tuned to their website for future updates.

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My day at Stop/Time actually started with a completely separate event. Waking up and knowing I had a few hours to kill before my sets started, I decided to check out Public Space One’s Ice Cream Zine Fair. Even as someone who rarely engages with art in this medium and actively avoids anything resembling a crafts show or farmers market, I thoroughly enjoyed sifting through the various tents and seeing so many different unique and talented artists captivating work. From diy magazines, to more traditional printed art, to experimental short film video compilations, this was living proof of the depth of quality and variety living within Iowa City’s vibrant arts community. And I’m more than happy that I got to experience this the same day as another fantastic arts festival. 

Unfortunately during the zine fair, I misplaced my Stop/Time badge which led into a minor panic. Frantically searching my whole dorm and car with 30 minutes left on the clock before Evicshen began, I ended up biting the bullet and returning to the festival’s headquarters at The Graduate hotel and begged them for another one. Thankfully they abided and graciously gave me another one before I could miss more than I already did.

Evicshen

Walking in a few minutes late I immediately took in the piercing buzz saw like noise and pulsating energy even from outside Gabes’ building. This enticing feeling carried on as I walked upstairs to the dark flickering lights shining on a crowd of people completely entranced by something completely alien in sound and performance.

As mentioned in my preview, Evicshen can be better described as a performance artist instead of the more conventional musician. She focused more on creating these extremely enthralling atmospheres using various sound distortion techniques and visual experiments. These techniques included bending records, scratching them with blades, and outright spinning them building into the occasional moments of harmony and rhythm. She created such an unpredictable environment, anytime I thought I had her next move pinpointed, I was sidestepped. 

After a shockingly beautiful moment of horn playing during her set, we returned back to the full-effect harsh noise as her body became wrapped in a tangled mess of cords, torn up records, and recording equipment scattered across the dance floor. Finally, the set ended with possibly her most shocking act: a large strong twirling of a real whip in the middle of the audience floor. It twirled only inches away from the closest audience members (myself included) as the distortion blared at its highest. With one final splitting crack of her whip, the distortion stopped and the lights turned on, capping off an incredible performance.

Sharp Pins

Coming into the next set I was already extremely excited, I’ve been a regular listener of Sharp Pins and the Kai Slater canon ever since discovering a Lifeguard track on our lovely KRUI music staff new-adds back in September. It’s very easy to get drawn into his catchy songwriting and quirky 60s aesthetic (both musically and visually), but the band keeps you staying with consistently great music. I had high hopes for their performance and was more than pleased for those to be completely fulfilled.

The three piece started their performance with Every Time I Hear, one of their most popular songs off of my personal favorite album of theirs, Radio DDR. The song perfectly kicked off the set with this gorgeous twangling guitar riff and simple but effective drum pattern, coming at a modest volume, but not enough to completely drown out the band’s beautiful three part harmonies. Almost instantly after the song ended, the band transitioned into You Turned off the Light, another catchy lo-fi pop rock banger off of their debut Turtle Rock record. The repeating bar chords and “girl, oh girl,” during the chorus continued to raise the light, abrasive energy of the concert into new heights while Kai Slater does his classic little rock kicks and jumps. 

As Sharp Pins seamlessly shifted from song after song of warm, lush musicals textures and lovable songwriting I realized I was losing myself in the performance, not wanting it to end. Unfortunately, as all good things do, it had to. They ended the setlist with I Can’t Stop, undoubtedly one of their best works. Their usual soft yet gorgeous sonic palette is no different on this track with the repeated lines “when I think of you don’t forget it,” tickling my eardrums in the best possible way. The song finishes with little instrumentation and the layered chanted chorus graciously fading into the background, ending a phenomenal concert experience.

From the loud and visceral Evicshen to the warm and soft Sharp Pins to even the Zine Fair, it was truly incredible getting to see such a unique and strong array of artistry across Iowa City that day. A true testament to this city’s talent and commitment to all forms of art. Thank you Hancher for bringing all these talented artists to Iowa, and thank you Stop/Time for a great first year.

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In Tempe, I met up with the guys Eve 6 as the came out of hibernation for Innings Festival, 2026. This one gig stood alone in a blank calendar from October to April, and although rehearsal time came at a premium, the band sounded as good as ever. Entering year 31 of the bands storied careers, Eve 6 continue to impress anyone with ears. Max Collins (bass), Jon Siebels (guitar), and Ben Hilzinger (drums) took some time after their slot to discuss their early days playing gigs at small cafes all the way to a racetrack.

Logan Melia: This is my first time seeing you guys it was an absolute blast you’ve been on my list for a while This set, this environment, a little baseball combination, is this a unique environment? Have you played anything similar to like this guy before? 

Max Collins: I’m trying to think if we’ve ever played anything baseball. 

Jon Siebels: I don’t know. We did something. We did some NASCAR thing years ago. 

Max: We played in Rochester in that baseball field. 

Jon: Oh, yeah. But I think that was just in the field though. I don’t know if that was like a theme. 

Ben Hilzinger: That’s true. Oh, so this is a theme? 

Max: Yeah, this is a theme. This is the kickoff of spring training. 

Logan: Well, for Friday, Sox Cubs. Sox be from like 11 to 1, I think. So we’re off to a good start here. Did some research, on you guys and you played some really cool gigs way back in the day. Cobalt Cafe and Coo’s Cafe. Does that sound familiar? Back in LA, do you remember anything from those days? 

Jon: I remember Coo’s Cafe. 

Max: Yeah, I remember when that Jason guy pepper sprayed our friends. 

Logan: What happened there? 

Max: We were like in high school and people started moshing and he got like afraid, I think. 

Jon: For us, like for the band?

Max: I don’t know. And yeah, he pepper sprayed. 

Logan: Do you have any venues that you’ve loved playing since any any standouts in your mind?

Ben: I actually like the Middle East, the downstairs. It’s the downstairs, the bigger club of two venues in Boston. And it’s almost like there’s a ramp next to the stage and some people are kind of… It smells like poo. Yeah, it smells very bad. They have good, what is it? 

Jon: Indian food. 

Max: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Really good food. But it smells like this, but it’s always like a very punk venue. It’s cool. 

Logan: Nice. Are you guys big foodies on tour? Are you checking out local spots in the city as you go? 

Jon: It sort of depends I guess uh we don’t do a lot of like long tours now we’re doing really like stuff like like this like one-off stuff yeah so we just stay by the hotel yeah you know and just eat like the airport yeah. 

Logan: That’s what life’s all about right there is eating junk food and sitting in a hotel. When you’re sitting in a hotel what’s on the TV are we are we talking Pawn Stars, Cash Cab, Family Guy? 

Ben: No TV ever in a hotel yeah I never really watch TV in a hotel TV always is turned off 

Jon: Yeah if anything I’ll watch it like a show on on my iPad or something. yeah I never actually turn on a hotel room TV really well

Ben: I definitely doom scroll and focus on my phone I love the Forensic Files is is definitely on HLN Network absolutely it’s just like an old school like half an hour who done it stuff. 

Logan: If you’re in and out, you get the answer within a half hour, which I don’t like those long docuseries that are four two hour things. I want to know who did it now. When you guys are on the road, are you writing at all or are you just like there to do the show? Or does inspiration strike? 

Max: I mean, the way that we do things now, when we’re doing shows, we’re there to do the show and writing is a different thing that we do when we’re back in our respective homes. ‘Sweet Pea’ starts with… Jon, ‘Sweet Pea’, makes like tracks and beginnings of songs, basically, and then we get together and lyrics and stuff, and then plays all of them. But yeah, so that’s all happening when we’re not traveling. 

Ben: I guess we’ve always sort of been that way. 

Logan: Really? It’s two very separate things. 

Jon: Sometimes like if you have like a new song or whatever, like sometimes we’ll play something at soundcheck or whatever, but we’re not really working on it. 

Logan: What is the first thing you guys play when you pick up your instruments? Either alone, as a group, what’s the first thing? 

Max: I mean, for me, if I’m picking up a guitar before a show, I’m playing, what’s it called? 

Jon: Little Red Light. 

Max: Little Red Light by Fountains of Wayne. That’s been my warmup song for probably, I don’t even know how many years now. 

Logan: Really? What about some good warmup for you? Is it just getting the wheels turned? 

Max: It’s a really nice place. It’s in E. It’s, yeah, it’s just, it’s a great song. I don’t know, it gets my, it moves, and it moves my voice from kind of a low range to kind of a higher range. It’s a good warm-ups. 

Jon: Oh yeah, what about the rest of you guys? I think Tom Petty riffs just always naturally come out when I pick up a guitar. 

Ben: Yeah, I guess for me it depends on if I’m doing a… show like this, I’m just trying to figure out that kit because usually we fly with no kit, so I have to learn the kit. So I’m doing just like six stroke rolls to kind of see where I’m at with everything. But if it’s like an actual, like my kit, probably Fool in the Rain by Led Zeppelin, that kind of shuffle. Because you can dictate, I know where I’m at. If my shuffle feels good, then it’s going to be a good day.

Logan: What do you do if it’s a bad day? What do you feel off and you got to show that night? Do you do anything to correct yourself? 

Max: Red Bull. Two to three Red Bulls. And large ones, not like the baby ones. 

Logan: Tallboy Red Bulls. 

Max: Well, I want to keep it a buck here. If it’s a large Red Bull, I’m going to do, if it’s like the really big one, I’m going to do like maybe one and a half. But if it’s a small Red Bull, I’m doing three. But today I only did one Red Bull before the show. 

Jon: Because the freeze dried espresso. 

Max: But we also had freeze dried espresso right before that. So I was going to say, I had a good show on one Red Bull, and so maybe I don’t need three anymore, but I didn’t weigh. You don’t freeze dried. I didn’t weigh the conclusions. 

Jon: Let’s not be rash. Yeah, it could be a one off. 

Ben: This is actually like some baseball player stuff. Like, yeah, like if they like, you know, pitcher like wins a game, he won’t like change his hat or like won’t shave or whatever. 

Jon: “He thinks flies are lucky”

Logan: We’re talking numbers real here, real quick here. I saw in an old interview, you said, ‘we were too young to be calculated’, in referring to your very early years. Do you guys feel as though you have a calculation for these shows now, or do you still fly by the seat of your pants a little bit? Do you think there’s a bit of an equation now?

Max: No, I think when we’re like making music, together, it’s just very much about that moment, moving ourselves in that moment and not, I don’t know, I guess when I think of the word calculated as it relates to like making music, I think of, oh, we want to try to make this to have this outcome or something like that. Like we know what the outcome is going to be. 

Jon: And I think for shows, it’s like we’ve been playing some of these songs for so long that there’s just little things that naturally evolve, but we don’t ever sit down and be like ‘hey, you should say this at the point of the set, or anything like that’. It’s just sort of evolved over the years. 

Logan: How does the rehearsal process look like going up for one-off here?

Max: A what?

Logan: A rehearsal process? You got me, you got me. Do you guys get together beforehand, or do you guys just say, Hey, we’ve been playing these songs for a good long time? 

Jon: No, not much. 

Max: We don’t rehearse. We don’t need to rehearse. I mean, there’s on occasion, Ben is a working drummer, he plays with other artists sometimes, so if we need to bring in, if he’s on a tour, we need to bring in someone we’ll do a rehearsal but I mean we’ve all been playing these songs for a long time now they’re it’s just

Jon: Yeah we did yeah we did like a anniversary tour uh in 2018 so like we were playing the full record so a lot of songs that we’ve like basically never played yeah so we rehearsed like for two days for that. 

Logan: Two long days.

Jon: A skinny 2 days. Yeah, it was forty-eight whole hours. 

Max: Yeah, that’s the thing. I’m using the word conspiracy incorrectly. But it’s um okay I don’t think I don’t think bands need to rehearse really I mean especially if you have a soundcheck yeah you want to run a new song or something like that run it a soundcheck why would you need to go and the thing is too is if you show up knowing your own personal material it just takes one little run through and we’re like cool a lot of people show up and just assuming rehearsals just like where you learn the song yeah and then it’s apparently that’s the British way you heard that no I forget who was telling me that like yeah that in in the UK when you go in no one’s expecting you to have learned the songs you like learn all the shit in rehearsal. 

Ben: Interesting I mean I do like that way better because right now in America I have there’s so many days of learning songs that are not paid for yeah sometimes people tell you like a like a few days worth of day that’s a good point that’s probably why yeah yeah it’s like I’m not on the clock learning these songs but now I do it just because it’s so a good gig so scarce so I’ll say yes to whatever you all yeah I’ll work for a week for free just learning songs yeah absolutely yeah it’s the industry 

Eve 6 were alive at Innings Festival, hitting five tracks from their self titled record. The crowd was loving this 3-piece outfit as they threw everything they had at the wall for this one-off gig. The California rockers will be hitting the south with Fastball this April for a handful of gigs, you can find tickets here. Their latest record “Dream Fist” is out now and you can follow Eve 6 for future updates.

The post Interview: Eve 6 at Innings Festival appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Out of everyone on the talented KRUI Online Content team, I am probably the last person who should be reviewing experimental jazz. I’m the stand-up comedy reviewer—it’s what I know best—and in terms of how it works as art, stand-up is probably the opposite of jazz. Stand-up routines are meant to be done in pretty much the same way every time, tweaked and tightened in small ways until the set runs like a freshly-oiled machine. It’s also an art form meant for the largest possible audience, as comics will often take the same set to different cities, states, even countries.

After listening to a lot of jazz over the past week, culminating in an amazing performance by renowned trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and the PUBLIQuartet last Friday at the Stop/Time Festival presented by Hancher Auditorium, I’ve come to the conclusion that most jazz isn’t meant for an audience at all. Instead, it serves as a forum for the performers to express themselves abstractly, turning pain and love into a confused, revelatory experience for audience members to hear, but never really understand. 

For Akinmusire’s performance, we sat on the Hancher stage in a small row of bleachers; I was less than five feet away from the nearest performer. The stage was bathed in a display of shifting, zebra-patterned lighting, which changed to a singular spotlight as poet and UI English professor Donika Kelly opened to the floor for a reading of her poems.

Kelly’s poetry was excellent, as expected, but what really struck me about this opening performance was the rhythmic, almost percussive quality of her delivery. Her first poem, “Its gone be what it is,” hops back and forth through familiar phrases like a record skipping. Kelly even incorporated snapping into her performance to punctuate certain moments—which, I later discovered, is written into the text. The poems were a beautiful way to ease into the performance that followed. Poems have more structure than jazz, but they still encapsulate that same spirit: art as a playground for the artist, rather than a product for the audience. 

After Kelly had walked off, Akinmusire and the PUBLIQuartet joined us on stage, along with several accompanying artists. Akinmusire and his band seemed totally in sync as soon as they entered, and would often laugh with each other in quiet, stolen moments during the show. It felt a bit like I was intruding on a secret conversation they were having through their instruments.

A highlight: drummer Elijah Revell, the heart of the performance, giving it rhythm with a steady beat and creative embellishments. Roughly halfway through, just as the concert was beginning to drag, Revell snapped the audience back to attention with a drum solo I can only describe as “sick.” When he stopped, Akinmusire could tell we liked it so much that he nudged him to keep going.

In fact, Akinmusire seemed to be radiating with pride the whole night. He smiled, laughed, and stared deeply at his fellow performers like he was coming to life. As pianist Sam Harris poured himself out onto the keys, Akinmusire would peer at him through the gap in the piano lid and nod to the rhythm, as if acting as an extension of the audience. When improvisational vocalist KOKAYI stepped to the mic to deliver fast and powerful rhymes, Akinmusire reacted to each new bar with a gentle contentment, full confidence in KOKAYI’s masterful wordplay and control of the beat. Players would often look to him as a guide to the song, making him the quiet leader of the show, but never in a way that overpowered or overshadowed anyone else. Even though he got top billing that night, I never got the impression that he thought of himself as the lead performer. He was just a fragment of the greater story.

The PUBLIQuartet gave the performance a raw, unfiltered feel. They did things to their instruments I had no idea strings could do until that day: sharp plucking, creaking, shrieking, and groaning. Usually cellos, violins, and violas automatically make a piece feel more classical to me; in this show, they actually made the music feel less refined, unrestrained in a way that complemented the rest of the music. In contrast, artist chiquitamagic lent the night a slightly psychedelic quality with their synthesizer and haunting backing vocals. The two styles may have clashed at times, but overall, the layering felt intentional, and added a new dimension to the sound.

But I know that I can only guess at what the meaning of the music actually was. KOKAYI’s vocals touched on anxiety and betrayal, and Akinmusire said before the final song that this performance felt like reaching the other side of impending doom. But watching these artists perform felt almost joyous, slightly muted, like watching a house party from outside the house. Akinmusire’s trumpet playing never formed a cohesive song; rather, he gave us short bursts of emotion that we could not decipher. Only he and the other performers know what he meant by his instrument’s passionate wails and moans. It was an experience only understandable by its creators.

The concert was not for me, but for them.

The post A Conversation Between Artists: Ambrose Akinmusire and PUBLIQuartet, Friday of Stop/Time Festival appeared first on KRUI Radio.

We all regret things, even some things we didn’t do ourselves. I spoke with Canadian indie-rockers Peach Pit ahead of their set at Innings Festival on February 20th as they shared stories of favorite gigs they’ve seen, video games they’ve been enjoying, and card games that have gone wrong.

Logan Melia: Okay, rock and roll. So guys, how are we doing? I mean, first gig in a little bit, right? 

Neil Smith: Yeah, we were just talking about that today. It’s our first one in a couple months, so we’re a little nervous. 

Peter Wilton: Bit rusty 

Logan: Really, bit rusty?

Neil: Well, we rehearsed, but yeah. 

Logan: What does the rehearsal process look like? Are you guys just getting together once, multiple points? 

Neil: Oh, dude, we only can do it once. Honestly, we like playing our songs in our rehearsal room by ourselves is like torture. Yeah, I hate it so much. It gives me like the feeling of like when you’re in high school and you have to do like a project or like or homework and you don’t want to do it. 

MIkey Pascuzzi: When you do it the night before it’s due. 

Neil: Yeah, yeah, exactly. So we run the set. We run the set. 

Chris Vanderkooy: Yeah, we’ll argue for the first half about what the set should be. Yeah, then go for lunch and then run the set twice. 

Peter: But yeah, any part of those, the set always ends up being pretty similar. 

Neil: Yeah, yeah. Some songs like have to kind of be later in the set. You can’t like blow your load super early with popular ones right away. 

Logan: What’s the setlist looking like? Are we doing a lot of stuff off Magpie? 

Neil: No, we’re doing two songs off Magpie. 

Chris: Two songs off from two to three. 

Neil: Yeah, we mostly have to always do most songs off of Being So Normal, our first one, just because it’s the most popular one. 

Chris: That’s what we tell ourselves. 

Neil: No, it is true, though. 

Chris: But those songs also have the most energy, I think. A lot of the time, compared to the new ones, we love those recordings on the new albums. Yeah, the old stuff, it just goes over well live to people who have never heard of these before, too. So if we’re trying to draw new people in, that’s the good stuff to do. 

Logan: I saw you guys in May of last year in Chicago.

Neil: That was so fun. It’s a cool spot.

Logan: It’s such a beautiful venue right on the lake right there. You guys open with that little combo with Warpigs there. How’d that come to be? Because when I think about you guys, with all do respect, I don’t think about Black Sabbath. 

Neil: I think it was yours or Dougle’s or yeah, we basically for the past, for the past like 7 years, we’ve been opening our show with a bit of a cover. So we’ve done, we did a Led Zeppelin song. We did Slayer. Slayer. 

Chris: Yeah, and the Slayer was really fun because we had just kind of put out our most folky album and people were coming out to the shows and it was just like post-pandemic. And then we would just drop into Slayer and we could see the visible confusion on the crowd’s faces. And so ever since then, we were like, this is so much fun to come out like this and do something a little unexpected. So yeah, it’s something we’re kind of always striving to do and look for another cover. 

Logan: Is there anything unexpected coming today that I should prepare myself for? 

Neil: Uhhh… no.

Chris: No, we wrote a little instrumental to start off our first. 

Neil: Oh, that’s true, yeah, for sure. We’re going to open with the Arc Raiders theme song. 

Logan: That’s really sick. 

Neil: Yeah, we just walk out to it.

Logan: Are you guys Indiana Jones fans?

Peter: Oh, no. Oh, OK. Sorry. It’s confusing. There’s a new video game out, kind of like Fortnite kind of style vibe. It’s called Arc Raiders, which sounds like Raiders of the Lost Ark. 

Logan: That’s where my mind is. 

Peter: But I actually have a huge hit. 

Mikey: Yeah, I love it. 

Peter: That was my favorite movies as a kid ever. 

Chris: Actually, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. 

Peter: Oh, yeah. We should open with John Williams. 

Logan: Fortnite… You guys play any video games recently? You guys hopping on anything? 

Neil: I guess Fortnite a little bit. 

Chris: We were in Fortnite for a while. 

Neil: Mikey’s been playing, what have you been playing?

Mikey: Ghost of Tsushima and Ghost of Yotei. It’s like the samurai game. 

Neil: They’re a big God of War guys. 

Mikey: Oh yeah, the God of War. I played that a couple years ago. 

Neil: I flew down here with my PlayStation actually. Yeah, I put it in my carry-on bags. More than half of your bag. Yeah, half of it is closed and the other half of the suitcase is my PlayStation. So I can play Arc Raiders. 

Logan: Did you guys see the Simpsons season of Fortnite? 

Neil: Actually, I did. That was pretty awesome. 

Peter: We hoped on together. 

Neil: Did you guys get the Homer? 

Peter: Yeah, you kind of had to, right? 

Chris: No, I never figured out how to do the scans. 

Neil: You just put your credit card in and then you get it. 

Chris: One time when we were really into Fortnite, Neil like bought me a skin on Fortnite for my birthday, but I just logged on. I didn’t realize someone had sent me anything. I was just like, ‘they just gave me a free skin I’m the Mandalorian now’ And I like texted him being excited and he was like, that was neat. 

Logan: But you know, it’s a little gestures like that. 

Chris: Oh yeah, totally. 

Neil: It’s a great gift actually, a skin. 

Chris: A Fortnite skin? 

Neil: You wouldn’t buy it for yourself. 

Chris: No, yeah, exactly. 

Logan: Neil, I saw in an interview, you said that you are kind of a jokester guy at all. You write the quote I had written down, “I come up with the jokes for the show”. 

Neil: Oh, yeah, for that onstage show. Offstage show tho…

Chris: Mikey comes up with them. 

Logan: Now, I know you guys are Canadian. Norm Macdonald. Do you have any favorite Norm moments, any jokes? 

Chris: We can’t say them on air. 

Neil: Norm is like, he’s just like my favorite person maybe ever. Like I’ve seen, there’s like no Norm MacDonald clip on the internet that I haven’t seen. I mean, just like, I don’t know. Everything is good. Like his interview shows are good. His jokes are amazing. I love the, I want to quote, I’m trying to think. 

Mikey: The Larry King bit where he’s like ‘I’m a deeply closet homosexual’. 

Neil: So what you’re saying is your gay? 

Chris: Do you know what a deeply closeted man is? A man who won’t admit he is gay. Yeah, I’m deeply closeted. 

Neil: I mean, he’s just, I mean, Norm, dude. I wish I could have seen him live. He’s the best. He’s the best of all time, for sure. 

Logan: Are there any acts either comedic or bands that you are lucky you saw live? Like, did you see like Tom Petty a year before he passed? 

Chris: Yeah, I was at Red Rocks visiting my uncle and I went and checked out the venue and I was like, oh, this is beautiful. Well, I wonder if anyone’s playing tonight. Tom Petty was playing with the Heartbreakers and it’s like, oh, sweet. Oh, there’s still tickets left. Uh, 80 bucks. I’ll see him another time. He died like six months later. 

Neil: This was also for context, you were like 20. Yeah. And so 80 bucks was like, I can’t afford that. 

Logan: I’m 20 right now. 

Neil: I don’t have a job. Yeah.

Chris: There was 80 bucks in 2014. 

Logan: Canadian or USD? 

Neil: USD so even worse.

Chris: Yeah, it was rough. But yeah, I mean, Neil got to see Paul McCartney in November. Oh, yeah, it was a bucket list one. 

Logan: I was like, yeah, I should have said hi. 

Neil: Were you there? Yeah. Oh, really? Yeah. Last day of the tour. 

Logan: No, it was the day before. 

Neil: I mean, whatever. Yeah, we flew in with our wives and went and saw him. We’ve been like, yeah, we were like, we have to see him? 

Chris: Yeah, he was great. 

Neil: Yeah. He was so good, right? 

Logan: Oh, my God. He’s how is he not good? He’s so old. And for him to, like, dance a little bit. 

Chris: Every time he walked up to the piano, I was like, he’s going to slip and fall. 

Neil: He’s didn’t take a sip of water. He didn’t take a drink. He played for three hours. 

Logan: It’s like no shade to Bob Dylan. Great artists, but I’m not sure if you guys have seen those live videos. He just kind of sits there behind a piano.

Neil: Yeah, those guys are weird because I don’t get it because they’re so loaded, they don’t have to do it with the money, but they still go on tour. And to be honest, if we have enough money to not go on tour, we’re 80, I’m not going to be going on tour with you guys. 

Chris: You’re going to miss us more than you think. 

Neil: No. 

Logan: Just with United Center, Springsteen just announcing new tour. Are you guys Springsteen fans at all? 

Neil: Yeah, sort of. I saw him a couple years ago. 

Chris: I love his album Nebraska more than anything else. 

Neil: I went and saw him. You’re a big fan. Yeah. Okay. I don’t want to shit on Springsteen though. I got free tickets to go see Springsteen and it was pretty good. It was like 3 hours long. He plays everything. But it’s just like the Springsteen arc of the show is like… They go to 11 and then they just like stay at 11 the whole entire time. Like every song is 1, 2, 3, 4, and then you’re like, oh my god. I’m not a huge Springsteen fan. It was, it was cool. I did learn some deep cuts that I listen to now. 

Logan: Hell yeah. What is on the playlist these days for you guys? Anything fun? Anything unexpected? 

Neil: Geese, dude. Nobody listens to that, man. Actually though, there’s like two Geese songs. They’re like my favorite song ever right now. 

Chris: Yeah, Jessica Pratt. I’ve been listening to a lot of her. She’s great, she kind of sounds like she should be playing for a great haul in Beowulf times. You know what I mean? She just sounds like an ancient singer-songwriter. 

Neil: What are you guys listening to? I haven’t been listening to that much music, to be honest. 

Mikey: I just throw on playlists and whatever’s on there. 

Neil: I guess I got some records recently. What did I buy? I bought so many albums at Toomes Records Store. Pat Kelly. He’s a reggae singer from Jamaica. That’s it. 

Chris: It was cool. There’s this band, The Districts, that we really love. 

Logan: Philadelphia, right? 

Chris: Philadelphia. So their lead singer started his own solo project called Super Infinity. And he kind of just dumped. A ton of songs out without making a big deal out of the release, and I think for that reason, I didn’t hear about it for a while, but now I’ve gone back and listened to this record it’s like 20 songs, some of my favorite songwriting ever, their production is amazing, his voice is incredible, so really good, really recommend, especially if you like The Districts. 

Logan: Yeah, it’s more research. Your album, I think it was From Two to Three, was originally named Fuckboy Blues. Can I get a confirm or deny on this?

Peter: That was You and Your Friend. You and Your Friend, which we wanted to call the album Fuckboy Blues. 

Neil: And then we have a song called Feeling Low in brackets, Fuckboy Blues. Okay, so basically what happened was it was our first album after being so normal. We wrote a song called Fuckboy Blues. We got on Columbia. And they basically just recommended that we don’t have a song with the word “fuck” in it because they wanted it to be the first single. They were like, yeah, this is going to be on the radio. And then it just, I don’t know. The song didn’t really go anywhere.

Chris: Yeah, it could have been huge. 

Chris: But yeah, yeah, we were going to call it “Fuckboy Blues” because Neil has “fuckboy” tattooed on his ass. 

Neil: Not by choice. Yeah, it’s true. I went to Asia, this was back when I was like 20, I went backpacking in Southeast Asia. Me and my friend were playing this card game called cribbage the whole time that we were away. And in crib, if you lose really bad by a certain amount of points, you get skunked. So we were playing like a game of skate with crib, where like every time you got skunked, you’d like write a letter. Anyway, long story short, I lost the bet. And the bet was that you had to get a tattoo on your ass that said skunk, which is kind of stupid, but whatever, we were young. And I came home and we were at band practice, and this was way back in the day. This is even before Mikey was in our band, we had a different guy named Tom. The guys were like, you’re getting your fucking tattoo tonight. Peter, he was doing a little stick and pokes at the time, he’s like, ‘we’re going to do the tattoo tonight. We’ll go to that party. You’re going to do it tonight’. And I was like, oh, shit okay, whatever. So then we go to the party and like, I lay down on the floor I yanked out my pants Peter gets all the needle ready and we have a bunch of friends there my sisters there and he’s like okay Neil like whatever you do like just like don’t, I don’t want you to look at it until it’s done and I didn’t I swear to God I didn’t even bat an eyelash at that because Peter’s like a really really you know Peter he’s a really really nice guy he’s not like a piece of shit.

Logan: Do you agree?

Neil: I would say you’re not a piece of shit.

Peter: I don’t think so.

Neil: So he’s doing the tattoo. I’m like, taking a little while or whatever, and at one point I was even like, damn this is taking a while. And then right, he’s like, I’m just about done. And right when he finished, everybody in the room burst out laughing. And I was like, ‘NOOOO’. And I ran into the bathroom and they, yeah, he touched me. 

Chris: He was, Neil was like livid. 

Neil: I was so angry. 

Chis: It was not good actually. 

Peter: No one ever like, here’s the thing. I wasn’t initially like, this isn’t a great idea. Everyone else was like, it’ll be funny. I think it was my idea. His sister was like, he’ll think it’s funny. And I was like, I didn’t know him that well at the time. So he did it and then Neil was so mad and I started crying.

Chris: And I, in the moment was like, you know what, we shouldn’t have done this, it was very fucked up but this will be funny later. 

Neil: Yeah, it aged well

Logan: How many years ago was this?

Neil: 11 years ago. A long time ago

Chris: Yeah, we were very young ago. 

Neil: So anyway, I’m going to cover it up eventually. I still have ‘fuckboy’. I go to the local community center to go use the sauna a lot. And whenever I’m getting changed, I’m facing the lockers of people. They don’t see your junk, and I can just see someone looking at my ass. 

Chris: Yeah, totally. That was a really evil thing to do, but I think made us stronger. 

The greatest joy in life is learning isn’t it? We are all students of life. I think I learned a lot during these 13 minutes. For example, we learned that Neil Smith, lead singer of 2021 JUNO nominee for Breakthrough Group of the Year Peach Pit, has ‘fuckboy’ tattooed on his butt. Learning!

The Canadian quartet continues to be a constant in my ears with their latest release “Magpie: Expanded Edition“, and the rest of their charming discography. Their set at Innings Festival featured a dozen tracks spanning their decade making music and opened with that beautiful instrumental jam as promised. Peach Pit has only a select handful of festival dates on the calendar, including the recent announcement of Shaky Knees. If you can, catch this band. Their live shows are filled with ear worms and high energy. If you walk in not knowing any songs, you’ll walk out wanting to know. For future updates, can follow Peach Pit here.

The post Interview: Peach Pit on Tattoos, The Simpsons in Fortnite, and Norm MacDonald appeared first on KRUI Radio.

FRIDAY 

I caught Fat, Evil Children as the foremost band of this festival, playing the Right Field Stage at 12:15. I had done some research beforehand and really enjoyed their sound so this was a must see. Coming out of the LA, they have begun branching out of state with their latest release “Can’t Stop” on November 28^th, 2025. This six song EP holds a favorite of mine, “The Weight” which was released as a single a few weeks before the EP. Following up on the Right Field stage was Congress, The Band. Out of South Carolina, this was the farthest out west the 5 piece indie rock group had been. Named after Congress St in Charleston, and not the house of government, they will be hitting the road this March with fellow Innings Festival band Common People. You can find tickets here. 

While exploring the festival grounds I heard an all too familiar sound. Like a siren calling me to the sea, I heard the second track to Bruce Springsteen’s third album “Born to Run”. Springsteen is a magnet of sorts for me, and with nothing to break the attraction, I ended up at The Left Field Stage watching Jake Peavy jam out with his band to “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out”. Peavy was playing for my Chicago White Sox during a very formative time in my life. Watching the All-Star game in 2012, I never imagined I would hear him play “Franklin’s Tower” or The Boss. This is part of what makes Innings Festival so special, this was the only place you could find a childhood hero rocking out.  

Staying at Right Field for the time being, Peach Pit was up next. I had the opportunity to talk with the band before their set and discuss all things from The Simpsons in Fortnite to Norm MacDonald. That interview will be up soon on 89.7 KRUI. After a great interview, they came on stage with an instrumental jam into their self-titled song. Released in 2018 on the Sweet FA EP, “Peach Pit” is a tune that has been a staple in my playlists for years. It is Peach Pit at their best, with sincere lyrics that don’t beat you over the head with their feelings but decide to open the door and let you in if you choose. A dozen songs later, Peach Pit closed with fan favorite “Tommy’s Party”, painting the picture of a friendship that’s lost its flame in light of time and others taking priority. A mourning of something lost disguised as a slow jam where guitarist Chris Vanderkooy skates across the G Major Scale. A sound ending to one of my favorite sets of the weekend. Afterwards lead singer Neil Smith joined the crowd for pictures and high fives. Peach Pit has a handful of festival slots coming up this year. 

A album release party to remember, Mumford and Sons took the stage at 9:00pm on the night of their sixth studio album drop “Prizefighter”. Playing five tracks off the record, Marcus Mumford sprinted through seventeen songs spanning the band’s illustrious career. With his army of musicians behind him, the emphasis on the new record was warmly welcomed as this blues and rock inspired LP was made to be played for these huge crowds like this. Their 2025 record “RUSHMERE” wasn’t forgotten either as the two tracks were heard amongst the shuffle of their set. Marcus paid a compliment to the previous band on The Home Plate Stage, The Goo Goo Dolls, preaching “You get The Goo Goo Dolls night one and you’re fucked the rest of the weekend”. I concur Marcus, it’s difficult to follow up “Iris”. Mumford and Sons have just announced their “Prizefighter World Tour” including a stop at Hinterland in Iowa on August 1^st.  

SATURDAY 

I was elated to have finally caught The Backfires. The combination of New York indie and Britpop is featured heavy in this groups work, including 2022’s single “Blindsided”. The Backfires were quick to make fans as the dancing began almost immediately as they stepped on stage. They only have one more gig on the books so far in New York as they record a new album. You can follow their process on their Instagram.  

Right Field continued to be a place I found myself as Deer Tick was setting up. Something familiar hit my ears as the guys began playing “Bad to the Bone” as their soundcheck. I asked Deer Tick about their long and storied history with covers, including a handful of songs by mutual favorites The Pogues. You can hear all about it in my interview with Deer Tick that will be on 89.7 KRUI soon. Their set included a new song, “Mary Singletary”, from their upcoming record that will be released in June. During their set I had a thought, maybe it was that baseball was already involved, but their songs hold a very classic summer sound that feels reminiscent of CCR, The Eagles, and Dylan. Deer Tick have a handful of gigs in March around their home in the Northeast and just announced they will be playing returning to the midwest to play Summerfest in Milwaukee on Friday, June 19^th. 

At the left field stage, former pitcher and current entertainer, Ryan Dempster, continued his wonderful “Off The Mound” talk show. With a live band and a great selection of guests, Dempster is a natural at playing host to current and former baseball personalities. He entered the stage and did a quick monologue, joking how the Dodgers were so injury prone last year, one of their pitchers had to hit. I caught a lot of strays as a White Sox fan while at The Left Field Stage, on stage and off. Dempster, a long-time north sider, did not shy away from his bias to Wrigley. An olive branch was extended as one of his guests played for both sides of town. Jeff Samardzija spent six and a half season with the Cubs, and just a lonely singular year with the White Sox, was eager to talk both sports and music. Growing up a Sox fan, it was a dream to dawn the black and white pinstripes in 2015 even though baseball was not his original path. Samardzija was a two time All-American tight end and caught over 2,500 yards in three seasons for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Sharing stories of being a two-sport athlete and how youth sports have changed was interesting coming from a former professional athlete and current parents. He then spoke about meeting his wife at a Pink Floyd concert, as she was an employee to Roger Waters. After some light stalking and a few emails, Samardzija secured a date and the rest is history. It felt like watching a conversation with two old friends as Dempster created a relaxed environment and Samardzija putting his feet up. This was all wrapped together with a bow on top as the house band sounded spectacular as well.

I often hear from my seniors that there are no rock stars anymore. The spark has left the industry, guitar music is dead, and everything is made with computers now. Although computers may be scary to some, the rest could not be farther from the truth. Whenever you are in doubt, go see Cage the Elephant play a gig. Frontman Matt Schultz is a larger-than-life performer, flipping the lid off any containment he might have had. Alongside his brother Brad Schultz, drummer Jarod Champion, bassist Daniel Tichenor, and a batch of the strongest live musicians out there, Cage the Elephant was emphatic in their 19 song set. Matt Schultz mentioned that he may forget a few of the words during their performance, as they are in the process of making a new record. Their latest venture came in the form of 2024’s Neon Pill which they have toured extensively. With a new record on the way, there is a scarcity of gigs lined up for the Bowling Green natives. You can find any updates from the band here. 

Los Angeles local Lord Huron played a dreamy set as the blue lighting put him in this twilight-Esque setting, delivering a story time that a listener dreams of. Under the stars of the West, Ben Schneider put out a mix of new and old, with three songs off 2025’s “The Cosmic Selector: Vol 1” and four songs from a decades prior album “Strange Trails”. Lord Huron will embark on a lengthy tour this summer, including a stop in Waukee on July 19th. 

Twenty-One Pilots delivered a set full of new surprises at Innings Festival. Three live debuts and two covers is what Tempe was treated too, a shocker to any long time Twenty-One Pilot’s fans. Covers have eluded many fans for years, so hearing Milky Chance’s hit “Stolen Dance” intwined with the live debut of “One Way” was a shock to many. Near the end of the set, the stage went black and a static appeared on screen. Through the tech mist, rock and roll hero Jack White appeared on screen, adorned in red, black and white, to say “I’m Jack White and I give Tyler and Josh permission to do this song”. The static dissipated, and the stage became cloaked in red as the iconic “Seven Nation Army” riff began. This arrangement of The White Stripes classic was first introduced in Cleveland at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. The third live appearance of this song was well worth the wait. This was a landmark set for the band, introducing “Center Mass” and “Drag Path” to a live audience, and preparing for a busy summer in Europe.  

SUNDAY 

Bowling For Soup took main stage on the final day of Innings Festival at 2:30. People were tired and the sun was beating down on the weekend snow birds, but the Texas natives brought the energy with their collection of hits and theme songs. This set included a cover of Stacy’s Mom by Fountain’s of Wayne, often mistaken as a Bowling For Soup song, this was originally by the New York rockers. Jaret Reddick and company played everything I wanted to hear as they begin another busy year in Australia, UK, and supporting Simple Plan once again this summer. I spoke with Reddick about their tour and future of the band, which you can find here. 

Right after Bowling For Soup, another trio was on fire, this time at the Right Field Stage. With an hour to play with, Eve 6 jumped throughout their famed discography. Rising to prominence in 1998 with their self-titled debut record, there was heavy representation from that outing with five songs played including “Inside Out”. Time traveling 26 years later, Eve 6 also played the song “Dream Fist” which shares the same name as the record it is on. Throughout the lively story of their career, they have continued to hold their own and produce catchy tunes. Eve 6 has three dates on the books so far for 2026, you can find tickets here. 

An unknown walking into this weekend was Switchfoot. These surfer dudes won me over with their swoopy hair and sprightly tunes. This is what festivals are all about, finding a new band and becoming a fan. The song that hooked me “Dark Horses“, and that was partially due to a touch of Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” being tossed in. The San Diego natives didn’t shy away from a cover as the very next tune was The Beastie Boys “Sabatoge” blaring from bassist Tim Foreman, brother of frontman Jon Foreman. Switchfoot will hit the road this summer, with Fuel and Lit joining for select dates.

The Right Field Stage was closing out with a bang. The combination of Big Boi and Public Enemy was tantalizing to the point of believing either could have been the headliner for that day. Big Boi, who is one half of Outkast, did not shy away from his past with 10 of his 17 songs being callbacks to his days with André 3000. Although omitting their biggest hit, “Hey Ya!”, the classics like “B.O.B.” and “Ms. Jackson” got the crowd moving. Big Boi will be supporting Kid Cudi this summer on his “Rebel Rangers Tour“.

One of the most iconic rap duos of all time, Chuck D. and Flavor Flav did not fail as my anticipation for this performance was far from small. I had missed Public Enemy in 2024 at Riot Fest, and it began to haunt me as in my Music and Social Change class, we watched a documentary starring Chuck D. Not only was the salt already in the wound as “Copyright Criminals” was assigned viewing, but to hear that the professor assigning it was the executive producer hurt even more. My professor, Kembrew McLeod, helped make this documentary out of nothing, embarking on a journey highlighting the often unfair world of sampling in hip-hop. Chuck D was prominent and even played a slot on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in celebration of the documentary. All of this to say, Public Enemy’s bar was raised very high. The lights grew dim and then exploded as two men in matching tracksuits walked out, one with a boombox in hand. Not far behind them were tow para-military dressed men, dawned in a yellow and gray camo. The venerable Flavor Flav then appeared in a sparkly white tracksuit before introducing the crowd to “my partner in crime, my partner in rhyme, my partner in time, Chuck D”. This set did not stop, unless Public Enemy wanted to make their political standings clear, which they were not shy about. Chuck D attempted to play it a little more subtle with his distaste for the current administration while his other half spoke with more blunt remarks. The duo was not timorous or apprehensive, continuing to take shots at the Presidents involvement in the Epstein Files or his decision to remove a bust of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. out of the Oval Office. This was “a major disrespect” said Flavor Flav to the Arizona audience as he reminded them that The Grand Canyon State was the first to recognize Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday as a federal holiday. These statements did not come as a surprise to someone who has listened to Public Enemy’s songs, read any interviews and lyrics, or read the name of their group. Overall, an absolutely electric performance from the hip-hop veterans as I look forward to seeing them again sooner rather than later. The duo will be opening up for Guns N’ Roses for select dates on their North American Tour this summer.

To end the festival at Home Plate was Sublime and blink-182. February 22nd is a special day for Sublime, as it is Bradley Nowell’s birthday. The founding member of Sublime, and father to current singer Jakob, was just 28 at the time of his passing, with Jakob only 11 months old. As time continued to move, Jakob joined Sublime in 2023 to take over where his father left off. At Innings Festival, surrounded by two humungous inflatable “Lou Dog’s”, Jakob made sure his fathers legacy was not forgotten. A bombastic set celebrating the all too brief discography of the Long Beach band was a joy to hear in the warmth of the southwest. The set included a cover of “Scarlet Begonais” by The Grateful Dead, a cover that was originated by Bradley back in 1992. Sublime’s set felt like a celebration, and I was happy to be there for it. Sublime will be touring across Australia, Europe, and North America this year continuing the party. You can find tickets here.

This Must Be The Place was at Innings Festival, handing out free doses of Naloxone at their stand and around the festival. An incredibly important collaboration to supply people with the tools to avoid overdoses. They have given away hundreds of thousands of doses throughout their time at festivals, and it was really cool to see Innings Festival embrace and uplift this organization.

blink-182 closed down the festival with their self proclaimed “only gig of the year” for which they “only practiced twice for”. The ladder comment was amended to “one and a half times because Tom (DeLonge) wanted to beat traffic” said bassist Mark Hoppus. The San Diego pop punk pillars breezed through their 19 song set that included two plays of Travis Barker’s only lead vocal appearance “FUCK FACE”. An abrasive name, yes. An abrasive song, also yes. Quick and to the point, like much of blink-182’s discography. This set was a greatest hits collection that featured four tunes a piece from “Enema of the State”, “Untitled”, “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket”, and their most recent outing “ONE MORE TIME”. The rest of the set was made of a scattering of tracks from other records like “California’s” “Bored to Death” and blink’s first hit “Damnit”. A personal highlight of a blink show is hearing what Mark will sing during the bridge of the “Dude Ranch” single, and we got a new one with “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” sung. I have heard “No Scrubs” by TLC, “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan and a variety of others but this bridge was on theme. blink will go into hibernation for the time being as we await what is next for The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show.

Bands don’t shy away from the baseball theming, really embracing the uniqueness of this festival. Congress, The Band sporting matching customized baseball jerseys, and even last year The Killers opened their headlining set with “Centerfield” by John Fogerty. The wide selection of artists, and the distinctive feeling the wraps around Tempe Beach Park make it a yearly pilgrimage for many. Innings Festival is not only a kick off to Spring Training, but festival season, as the gears begin to spin for 2026. I for one, am very excited for whats to come. Extra Innings Festival will be held in the same location this coming weekend as it focuses on country music. This is just the beginning. Stay tuned to KRUI for my interviews with Peach Pit, Deer Tick, and Eve 6 and tune into Downey’s Hour Monday Nights 9:00-11:00PM for your latest festival news!

All photos courtesy of Innings Festival.

The post Innings Festival Recap appeared first on KRUI Radio.

FRIDAY 

HOME PLATE 

Tyler Ballgame 12:50-1:35

Newcomer Tyler Ballgame is right at home at Innings Festival, marking the start of a very busy spring ahead. Opening for St. Paul and the Broken Bones, The Head and the Heart, and a run of headlining gigs in Europe, there is no slowing down after the release of his debut record “For the First Time, Again”. He recently performed the title track live on CBS News Live Sessions. His influences are worn on his sleeve, hearing drops of Elvis and John Lennon throughout the record. 

Marcy Playground 2:30-3:15

In 1994, the figurehead for the grunge movement died and alt radio doesn’t skip a bit diving into the Green Day and The Offspring infused punk scene. But in the few days where people didn’t know what to play, Marcy Playground developed an infusion of post-grunge, and a touch of psychedelic at times that became a staple in the rotating cd readers as people drove.  

Goo Goo Dolls 6:35-7:50

Everyone loves “Iris”. Who doesn’t? But there is so much more to not only the record “Dizzy Up The Girl”, but the rest of the bands discography. Prioritizing analog recording styles and what began their careers, the band released “Chaos In Bloom” in 2023 and the EP “Summer Anthem” in 2025. Continuing their partnership with last summers touring buddies, Dashboard Confessionals, they will both hit this festival. The Goo Goo Dolls will tour Canada briefly in March. 

Mumford and Sons 9:00-10:30

Marcus Mumford, Ted Dwayne, and Ben Lovett have been a powerhouse the past year. In 2025, the trio that is known as Mumford and Sons has released their first record since 2018, “RUSHMERE” on March 28th, played 102 shows across the world, and recorded a new album “Prizefighter”, to release on the night they headline Innings Festival, February 20^th. The return of their classic vibrant folk rock on “RUSHMERE” has led way to a more grounded and calm track listing on the first three of “Prizefighter”. This new record has attracted the likes of Hozier, Chris Stapleton, Gracie Abrams, and more. Mumford and Sons will continue their domination in 2026, including a return to Iowa at Hinterland. With a mixture of never before heard songs and the hits that led them into stardom, it is a can’t miss set. 

RIGHT FIELD 

Congress The Band 1:40-2:25

Hailing from Charleston, South Carolina, this group of five is the youngest band at Innings Fest. A jumble of fun, the indie rock belted by lead singer William Bennet is a joy to hear. While not many songs are available to listen right now, their brief collection holds hooks that latch on, including a great cover of Amy Whinehouse’s “Valerie“. Congress The Band is an exciting group that will be a great start to the festival.

Peach Pit 5:30-6:30

As good as it gets, Peach Pit is going to be a highlight of the weekend. Flying south to the warmer weather, this group of Canadian indie-rockers have been a staple in my ear for a while now. They’re four for four on records after 2024’s “Magpie” continued their hot streak. With melodic riffs today that becomes tomorrows hums at work, Peach Pit is a can’t miss. 

SATURDAY 

HOME PLATE 

Catie Turner 12:30-1:35

First rising to prominence in 2018 during season sixteen of American Idol, the Pennsylvania born singer has had the knack for performance her whole life. Making it to the top 7 that year, it was just the beginning as Catie Turner has gone on to release a barrage of tracks throughout the years since. Heading this together was the split EP, “Comedy and Tragedy” in 2023 reflecting on the passing of her father. These emotionally charged tracks are heartfelt and confident in what they are saying about loss and love. Turner released “Hurt You Now”, a three song selection, this past week.

Cage the Elephant 6:35-7:50

You are in for an unbeatable live show when Cage the Elephant takes the stage. Hailing from the home of bluegrass, these fine Kentucky gentlemen emphasize the “blues” aspect in their slick riffs and beautiful guitar tone. Lead singer Matt Schultz has grown into one of the greatest frontmen alive by turning the stage into a playground, swinging around with no regard to the woodchips in his shoes and scraps on his knees. A must see in every sense of the word.

Twenty-One Pilots 9:00-10:30

Nearing the end of extensively touring their 2024 record “Clancy” “”, Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun put out “Breach” just sixteen months later as they prepare to step away from their hectic schedule. Before they play their singular North American show on Saturday night, the duo are set to release a new single “Drag Path” on February 17th. Twenty-One Pilots will hit the road in Europe to tour “Clancy” this summer playing a variety of festivals across the continent.

RIGHT FIELD 

The Backfires 12:10-12:45

New York indie rockers The Backfires have been on my list for quite a while. Energetic and lively, I was first introduced to them in 2022 from their single “Blindsided”. Word spread to me about their great live shows and the anticipation has only grown. Releasing their first record “This Is Not An Exit” in January 2025, The Backfires have been a force touring this record including a headlining gig at The Bowery Ballroom and opening up for The Happy Fits.  

Deer Tick 1:40-2:25

The Rhode Island native John McCauley created a very unique sound in 2004. Since then, he has been joined by Christopher Dale Ryan, Dennis Michael Ryan, and Ian Patrick O’Neil to create what is known as Deer Tick. Dancing the fine line of folk, blues, rock, country, Americana, and any other genre you enjoy listening to, this versatile quartet has embarked on a journey that has given them an impressive resume. Their most recent venture, the 2024 EP “Contractual Obligations” leans into a rocking maturity that is a must listen.

Silversun Pickups 3:20-4:20

Entering year 26 of their careers, Silversun Pickups are still putting out phenomenal tracks. This can be most recently seen in their 2026 record “Tentahooks“. Lead single, “The Wreckage” creates an atmosphere reminiscent of their hits that gave the bug to all of their fans years ago. The 10 track record is their first in four years. Based out of LA, this band begins a busy year touring this brand new record.

SUNDAY

HOME PLATE 

Common People 12:50-1:35

From all over the country, these gentleman gathered to make music. Some from the west, east, and everywhere in the middle, Common People is a band of destiny. Starting out as all good bands do, just jamming with some friends. Nicky Winegardner, Cormac Cadden, Knorad Ulich, Asher Thompson, and Sam Belzer hit the record button one day, and the rest is history (with most still unwritten). Supporting fellow Innings Fest players on their upcoming tour, Congress The Band, Common People will hit the stage with their latest single “Rain” and a collection of their back catalogue.

Bowling For Soup 2:30-3:15

“If you went to a Bowling for Soup show and the PA caught on fire and all of the microphones failed and somebody stole all the guitars, Jared Reddick could stand there without a microphone and entertain 2,000 people by himself for three hours. He could do it”. This is a quote from Brendan Brown of Wheatus about Bowling for Soup frontman Jaret Reddick. This is spot on too might I add,. A lively and happy show is a staple product of Bowling For Soup, leaving you with a smile on your face after some great pop punk tunes.  

blink-182 9:00-10:30

Innings Festival is lucky, they will play host to the singular show on the books for blink-182 as of now. The California pop punk trio has been out on the road quite a bit since reuniting in 2022, but look to be taking a step back this coming year. An opportunity to see this band and its original members is one that is too good to pass up. This retreat is in hopes of new music, as their 2023 record “One More Time…“, and its deluxe edition have entered the ancient age of three years old now. Hoping for a continuation of their “Missionary Impossible Tour” setlist, this is a great way to send the fest home.

RIGHT FIELD 

Artikal Sound System 1:40-2:25

A reggae vibe at the park is an ideal way to start the day as Artikal Sound System brings their southern Florida charm to Right Field. Entering year 14 of making music, Chris Montague and Fabian Acuña have dazzled across the country. This sound will be a nice compliment to Sublime playing later in the day, both sharing that reggae heart. A.S.S. most recent LP was 2025’s “Are You Smiling” in January quickly followed by their single “Orange Crush” in May. 

Big Boi 5:30-6:30

Sunday holds the hip hop artists as Big Boi will take the stage for the first time in what will be a busy 2026. One half to Outkast, Big Boi has been a staple in the world of rap, anchoring down as an influence to many of todays contemporaries. His music always seems to find a way to young peoples ears, including opening for Kid Cudi on his Rebel Rangers Tour this summer.  

Public Enemy 7:55-8:55

Chuck D and Flavor Flav’s hip hop duo burst onto the scene in 1985, blossoming out of New York with their strong political themes. Public Enemy is a force to be reckoned with.They rose to prominence in the 90’s, receiving four consecutive Bes Rap Performance by a Duo or Group from 90-93 for “Fight The Power” and records like “Fear of a Black Planet”. The pair have continued to make music throughout their 41 years, including 2025’s release “Black Sky Over The Projects: Apartment 2025”.  

LEFT FIELD STAGE

On top of the incredible musicians playing this festival, there is a baseball side to it. Leading the charge is former pitcher Ryan Dempster, who brings his “Off the Mound” talk show to the Left Field Stage each day of the festival. Pairing that with Jake Peavy’s All Star Jam on Friday, this is an absolute joy to have and something you can only find at Innings Festival. Celebrating the start of Spring Training is a glorious thing, and theres no better way to do it than listening to baseball players jam. There will also be meet and greet opportunities at Speed Pitch and Batting Cage with the likes of Brandon Crawford, Mark Grace, and more!

This combination of baseball and music is a match made in heaven. Enjoying the Arizona sun during the coldest months of the year, surrounded by the worlds finest bands and gold glove winners is a singular experience. Tickets for Innings Festival are almost all gone, with limited Friday and Sunday passes left that you can find here. Stay tuned for interviews and a recap and listen to Downey’s Hour Monday nights 9:00-11:00 PM!

The post Innings Festival Preview appeared first on KRUI Radio.

FRIDAY DEC 26 

The week starts out with a bang as 6 of the 7 venues will be full. Radius, which is busy the whole week, brings a trio of Chris Lorenzo, Omnom, and Melé. Lorenzo just performed in Shanghai to a massive audience, continuing his global conquest. At Cermak Hall, Azzecca will be spinning with Eli Escobar and Chicago’s own Ariel Zetina. The Smartbar on Clark is where Zetina spends her time creating a loyal following in this town, a proper support to back-to-back-to-back Coachella staple Azzecca.  

Black Light Smoke and his impressive collection of synths will be making waves at Smoke and Mirrors. A cornerstone of the Logan Square scene, it continues to be a must visit on the first two days of Transitions. Incorrect Music owner Anthony Attalla will be bringing his wide collection to Serum on Friday evening. The Chicago based dj will be supported by his fellow labelmates Carlo Lio and DJ F*ck Chuck. 

SATURDAY DEC 27 

Ayybo will be calling Cermak Hall home on Saturday as he continues his climb. He just announced his biggest headlining show to date at the Knockdown Center in Queens for this March. Odymel also has had a big year with his Boiler Room set dropping just last month. He will be performing at Smoke and Mirrors on Saturday Night. 

Matroda will play his second to last set of his busy year at Concord Music Hall. He sold out three nights in Los Angeles at Gloria Molina Grand Park in the heart of downtown. An expansive sound that erupts live. Havana’s favorite duo Pauza will take on Spybar with their crystallizing sound heavily intertwined with their Caribbean heritage. 

SUNDAY DEC 28 

Cloonee has had a bucket list year, playing Lollapalooza, EDC, and many more iconic festivals but none more iconic than his latest announcement of Red Rocks this May. A feat reserved for the best artists of our time, Cloonee has earned his spot as one of the most electric shows out there. He will be playing Radius with Andruss and Iglesias. Hailing from across the pond in Dundee, Scotland, Hannah Laing has had a monumental run in the past 10 years. Becoming one of the first female residents at Hï Ibiza, there is no denying her star power as she will perform at Serum. 

MONDAY DEC 29 

Radius will be the home to an incredible combo of Four Tet, Dylan Brady, and INVT. A massive amount of talent for one room on one night, there is a sweeping variety on 640 W Cermak Street. Four Tet is an internationally renowned DJ, wrapping up a run in South Africa earlier this December. Dylan Brady of 100 Gecs will also be playing, continuing a busy year that includes a collaboration with Skrillex. Chloe Caillet, who just played her first all nighter, will be at Cermak Hall with Floorplan, Paurro, and Chicago’s own HOTPRETTY.  

TUESDAY DEC 30 

Cermak Hall continues to host stellar days as Kobosil will take the helm with the help of Cera Khin B2B Zorza. Kobosil, a Berlin born techno artist, has had a storied career starting to spin records at 17 years old, amassing a craterous inventory of songs that continue to draw people in.  

Purple Disco Machine brings his bright and energetic show to Radius on Tuesday Night. The realms of music Tio Piontek dives into makes an atmosphere unlike any other. With support from Claude Vonstroke and Never Dull, there is no lack of new sounds between the trio.  

WEDNESDAY DEC 31 

The busiest and final day of the week culminates with a massive 21 hour set at Outset. From 7am to 4am, Adam Beyer, Derrick Carter, Noizu and many more will be performing well into the new year. All other venues will be full too, as Cermak Hall houses Kasablanca and HNTR, Perc and Selective Response take on Smoke and Mirrors, and many more world class artists continue their runs in Chicago.  

Throughout the 7 days, there is no shortage of incredible artistry on display. DJ’s from all over the world are bringing their unique sound to one city, and Transitions is home to it all. The wide variety in genres and stylings are mesmerizing as it sprawls across Chicago for 7 days. You can check out the full lineup below, and find tickets here.  

The post Festival Preview: Chicago’s New Year Transitions, Dec. 26–Jan. 1st appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Tom Higgenson: I don’t think they’re like considered to be emo in the same scene. 

DeMar Hamilton: But they could be on the festival and it would be, it’d be awesome.  

Logan Melia: They were. First year, Avril Lavigne played weekend one, got sick, weekend two, they came in.

Tim Lopez: No shit? 

Logan: Yeah, so they like weren’t ‘on’ on the lineup but you know. They’re one of my all-time favorites.

DeMar: I love them, yeah they’re awesome.

Logan: All right, Plain White T’s, how are we feeling guys? 

Tim: Feeling good how are you? 

Mike Retondo: Feeling great man.

Logan: When We Were Young and we had a big show yesterday with Hawthorne Heights.

Tim: Oh yeah. 

Logan: How was that?

Tim: That was amazing. It was a pool party. 

Logan: You guys jumped in at all? 

Tim: None of us jumped in the pool. I didn’t bring trunks to be honest.

DeMar: We did that emo’s not dead cruise so it was like oh this is the cruise but in Vegas at our hotel.

Tim: Thats exactly what it was.

Logan: How do you like the Vegas Vibe so far?

Tim: I mean, I like it. I like Vegas in short spurts.  

Logan: Weekends.  

Tim: Yep, exactly. 

Mike: It’s nice this year. We did it two years ago, this fest, and it’s a lot cooler now than it was two years ago.  

Tim: Like temperature wise. 

Mike: Vegas breeze rolling through. 

Tim: I feel like Vegas is getting like a little grittier. 

Mike: Grittier? 

Tim: Yeah. 

DeMar: Going back to its roots. 

Tim: Yeah, I think so. As I was driving in, I was like, yeah, this is where like all the bodies are buried.  

De’Mar: Yeah, it is kind of sketchy. 

Logan: On the Uber over here, there was a place with a bunch of tanks and ammunition.  

DeMar: Yeah, right across right here.

Logan: Yeah, that’s my first time here. I woke up, you know, kind of got in the car and that was one of the first things I saw.  

Tim: Yeah, greeted with that. Welcome.  

Logan: Yeah. You guys are on the road quick with the Delilah v. Juliette Tour. So you keep going, are you guys excited for that?  

Tom: Oh, yeah, yeah. Cannot wait and Emo Nite is opening by like spinning a bunch and DJing emo bangers to get the crowd going so it’s going to be a super fun tour. 

Logan: Do you guys have any favorites that you go sneak on to that pre-show playlist?

Tom: Yes.

Tim: Ooh probably but I don’t know if we’re controlling that thing, I don’t know.

DeMar: I’m sure they’re gonna play some some Panic!, some Fall Out Boy you know Taking Back Sunday, Ocean Avenue.

Tom: Yeah the hits.

Logan: Now you’re from the Chicago suburbs, I’m from Westmont, Illinois.

Tom: Oh no shit?

Logan: Yeah right next to Lombard and I’m not sure I’m familiar with the current scene, but they got a cool couple of DIY venues. There’s one called Basement of the Coven in the bottom of a salon that you got like a ladder down or whatever, and your guys’ name is on the wall.

DeMar: No way!

Logan: I’m being completely serious right now. 

Tim: Like a sticker or we have been there? 

Logan: I don’t think you guys have been there. 

Tim: You gotta climb down a ladder to get into the place? 

Mike: That sounds awesome!

Tom: We should go play it!

Logan: Yeah, it’s awesome. Basement of the Coven. It’s right in downtown Lombard and right next to the train station in this little outlet. 

Tim: Dude we should go play it.

Logan: If you guys really want we can set it up.

Tim: Send the info.

Mike: Next to the train stop video building.

Logan: How was the scene when you guys were growing up there in Lombard, what was it like?  

Tom: It was so awesome.  

Mike: Great library. Lilacia Park is beautiful.  

DeMar: I love it.

Tom: I literally just, on the way here today in the car, listened to our friends Lucky Boys Confusion. I don’t know if you know them from back in the day, but they just released one of their independent albums digitally on Spotify. And so rocking that on the way here and thinking back to all those old suburban scene shows. We played with them all the time, Show Off all the time, DeMar’s band, Knockout, Mike’s old man, Tone Deaf George. It was a vibrant scene.  Everybody, all the bands just kind of helping each other out and just trying to build this thing that eventually we moved it into the city and you know we’re selling out The Metro and the freaking Fireside Bowl and places like that. So yeah it was really the scene was important to us back in the day.  

Logan: I did some research. 17 shows was my count for how many times you guys played The Metro.

Tim: Woah!

Logan: Do you remember the very first one?  

Tom: I do. These guys weren’t even in the band. When we started, one of our original goals was to play The Metro. That was like my favorite venue going to shows in the city and within about a year or so we got our first gig there so it was cool. Yeah, actually they let us into The Metro before the Fireside and before any of those other cool venues.

Mike: Who was there? 

Tom: It was with Woolworthy, who I believe is still maybe a band. 

Mike: I was at that show and I have the ticket stub. 

Tom: No shit? Yeah crazy.  

Mike: Didn’t play but it was a fan. I love Woolworthy.  

Logan: Well, I want to thank you guys so much for sitting down and taking time with me. I’m looking forward to your set later today. 

Tom: See you in Lombard, man.  

Logan: I’ll be there. 

The Plain White T’s showed once again what makes them the connective tissue for so many music fans, even beyond the scene. Hitting tracks off of 5 separate albums, and even throwing in a cover by Chicago suburb brethren Fall Out Boy with their song “Dance, Dance”, the Lombard locals flaunted their expansive and entrapping discography. They will wrap up the year opening for Waterparks in December and playing the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival in Chicago. You can find tour dates here as we await what is next for the quintet.

The post Interview: KRUI With The Plain White T’s appeared first on KRUI Radio.

I had the chance to sit down with Andrew McMahon while at When We Were Young Festival in Las Vegas. Known best for his illustrious collection of projects Jack’s Mannequin, Something Corporate, and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, McMahon’s catalogue reaches depths very few do. We spoke about his historic gig at Red Rocks this summer, playing at Notre Dame Stadium, and how incredible of a movie “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” is.

Logan Melia: How you doing, Andrew?  

Andrew McMahon: I’m doing good. How are you?  

Logan: I’m doing really well. Bottom of my heart, thank you so much. I’m a huge fan. This is so cool for me.  

Andrew: Absolutely. My pleasure. Thanks for having me.  

Logan: So, my first introduction to you was Something Corporate in 2024, last year at Riot Fest. 

Andrew: No shit. Okay, amazing. 

Logan: Yeah, so I’m new on the street. 

Andrew: You’re new in here. I love it.  

Logan: And I heard “If U C Jordan” and I went, what’s going on at that stage? And I booked it over there. 

Andrew: That’s amazing. 

Logan:I just, I fell in love with you guys and all your work.  

Andrew: Thank you.  

Logan: This return, between Jack’s Mannequin and Something Corporate, how’s it been for you so far? 

Andrew: It’s been good. You know, like, I’ve been on this sort of mission to revisit these projects that were sort of foundational to my becoming the artist that I am and the writer that I am. And it felt like there was, like, some unfinished business there, you know? I’m 43 as of this year, but I was kind of leading in my 40th birthday I was like, I want to, you know, now I feel like I have enough hindsight and my feet on the ground. Let’s reframe this music in a different time, you know. So it’s been a crazy two years. It’s like I’m getting to relive the memories that, that sort of led to the writing of these songs. But getting to do it, I think, in a way that’s a little more holistic and a little more engaged and aware and seeing people still love these songs. It’s like, it’s pretty powerful.  

Logan: You played quite the gig at Red Rocks this summer. With all your bands. I wasn’t there, but it looked absolutely incredible. Did you just decide one day, you know what, I want to be on stage the whole night? How did that come to be?  

Andrew: Honestly, my, so my managers are based in Denver. And so Red Rocks is like, aside from being one of the most revered venues in the world, it’s in their backyard. And, they came to me one day and they were like, look, Red Rocks is willing to make an offer if you’ll do a show with two of your three bands. If you get two of the three, we’ll do it. And I thought about it and I was like, that’s too many people, I can’t sell that many tickets. I gave them all the reasons. And I finally landed on like, well, if we’re going to do this, we should just do it with everybody.  

Logan: Do it all out. 

Andrew: This feels important enough. Let’s not limit what can be played. Let’s just get all of these, let’s give it. Let’s get a stage for all of the songs from all of the years with everybody. And I was terrified and I worked, we worked tirelessly for a year to put the show together. I’s probably one of my proudest moments making music. And to get to share it with all of these characters and amazing musicians that helped bring all the songs to life originally. It was special in a way that it’s hard to describe. 

Logan: It was all three of it. Did you start rehearsing with one band specifically? Or did you just, what was the process? 

Andrew: Well, so luckily Something Corporate had been on the road for a good chunk of that year. So we sort of already had our feedback. The Jack’s Mannequin and Wilderness bands are virtually the same, give or take a guy or two. So it was really a matter of like getting that stuff back up and running and learning those songs. And then we just kind of put everybody in a room for five days up in Denver with the production build. Learned what it was going to look like, how it was going to feel. Because usually you do these production rehearsals and you get like a test run in a smaller venue. We didn’t have that. It was like, we were booting up the most ambitious show we’ve ever performed for the first time at Red Rocks, you know? So it was all of us kind of like living together for a week and, and running through sets and through sections of the show and going okay, this works. This doesn’t work. And editing in real time, it was pretty intense.  

Logan: You also played a pretty cool gig opening up for Billy Joel for the first gig at Notre Dame Stadium ever, I believe. 

Andrew: I mean, that I don’t know, but I know I did play, I know I played Notre Dame with Billy Joel. So that’s an interesting thought that it was their first gig ever there. That would be wild. 

Logan: I believe it was.  

Andrew: Yeah. I got to do maybe six or seven shows with him over the course of a few years and he was my idol. That was, for me, when I started playing piano and singing, it was all about Billy Joel. It was the first concert I ever attended. He was the music I was learning on a piano. He was the artist I was emulating when I was writing my songs, 9, 10, 11, 12 years old. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I was going to share a stage with him. And he was so kind and invited me back so many times. I was raised in an Irish Catholic family.  

Logan: Me as well.  

Andrew: My whole family flew out so that they could be there and see a show at Notre Dame. Because my brothers, their father, my two brothers and sister, their father went to Notre Dame. So we were like, it was a Notre Dame household and still is to this day.  

Logan: Playing USC right now. 

Andrew: I am getting the updates constantly on my phone. But it was a big night for my family to not only see me play with Billy, who was a family hero, but to do it at Notre Dame, which was their team.  

Logan: That’s holy ground in more ways than one right there. You have a TV show that you are working on.  

Andrew: I’m working on a TV show!  

Logan: I just did some research for this. I was like, okay, play some really cool gigs and all that stuff. We have a TV show in the mix. So what’s going on there? 

Andrew: I met this really great producer guy named Adam Londy a few years ago. He was trying to option the rights for my book that I put out, the memoir that I put out. They weren’t available at the time. He came back to me a few months later. He was like, look, I just want to do a show with you. Here’s my idea. What if the jumping off point is Orange County, where you grew up. And it’s loosely based on one of your old songs, a song called “Konstantine”. Just kind of like a rom-com, but it’s about a couple that should maybe never get together. I was like, sounds cool. Weirdly, I’ve been along for the ride. We have the amazing Pat Cunnane who is a really in-demand screenwriter right now. And then Paris Hilton jumped on board to get in the mix and produce and possibly narrate. I’ve worked in TV on and off for years. I’ve scored stuff for television. I’ve written for film. But it’s the first time I’m there from the jump and get to be a part of the creative team. It’s super exciting. For all the nostalgia going around right now, this show is going to be based in the early aughts. And we’re really going to be reflecting the culture of that time back. It’s also why Paris was such a great fit for it. But it’s in its infancy. We still have to write the pilot, get greenlit, cast, and do the whole thing. But it will be how I spend probably a chunk of next year. 

Logan: That’s exciting.  

Andrew: I’m super excited. I’m a TV junkie so this is allowing me to stretch out and diversify into a world where I actually spend a lot offtime.  

Logan: What are you watching right now?  

Andrew: I’m just in the middle of the first season, “The Fucking End of the World”. I don’t know if you’ve seen that.  

Logan: I have not, no.  

Andrew: It’s “The End of the Fucking World”, I think it’s called, it’s amazing. “House of Guinness” was a big one that I’ve been into. Task is the other one that is a newer show that I’ve been watching. I just revisited a bunch of old “Serpent”, serial killer kind of shit. But the go-to’s are “The Office”, “Parks and Rec”, “30 Rock”. Those are my comforts. We’re watching “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” with my daughter right now.  

Logan: Andy Samberg, he’s great. 

Andrew: Andy Samberg is my fucking hero. I can’t wait until my daughter is old enough so I can show her “Popstar”, which is one of my favorites. 

Logan: “Never Stop, Never Stopping”. 

Andrew: “Never Stop, Never Stopping”. We can go into all the songs. But yes, it’s great. I’m trying to think what else has been top of mind at the moment. Those are the big ones that I’m into right now. I just saw “Game of Thrones” for the first time this year. 

Logan: How was that? I never watched it.  

Andrew: I was traveling a ton. I watched every season, every episode in like two months.  

Logan: Oh wow.  

Andrew: I spent way too much time watching Game of Thrones. It was great though. 

Logan: Won’t keep you too much longer. Do you remember the first song? Maybe not for Something Corporate or anything like that. But the first time you put together a song and you went, I got a verse, a chorus, another verse. Do you remember that song and what it was?  

Andrew: Yeah, it was called “Believe”. I was nine, it was the first song I ever wrote. It was for my uncle who had recently passed away. It’s what drove me to play the piano. I always had a piano in my house. We went through this family tragedy. Truthfully, my uncle was just so important to all of us. He was really kind of like a de facto patriarch in the family, just like this guy who meant so much to everybody. I found myself sitting down at the piano for really the first time and writing a song to process that grief. That was it for me. I was like, oh shit, this is what I do now. I never looked back. 

Logan: You made a hell of a career out of it.  

Andrew: Thank you. I appreciate it.  

Logan: What up-and-coming artists do you have your eye on? Do you have your eye on anyone?  

Andrew: I guess he’s probably a little further along than up-and-coming, but Medium Build has been, for me, huge. I love what he’s saying. I think he’s a true poet and has his eye on the prize in a way that I really appreciate. There’s an artist named Annika Bennett. Again, she’s been around for a little while, but I think she’s going to continue to do big things. She’s amazing. Those are my two favorites that I’m watching closely and that I’m always hoping are going to just keep getting bigger and bigger because they deserve it.  

Logan: Absolutely. Well, thank you so much for taking the time to sit down with me. I really, really appreciate it.  

Andrew: Thank you.  

The sun had fully set over Las Vegas as Andrew McMahon led Jack’s Mannequin through a stellar set at the Allianz Stage. McMahon played seven tracks, including “Restless Dream”, which he preceded by forewarning “This is probably ill advised; which is we are going to play a really, really quiet song. Certainly on the metal stage it’s probably even less advised, but you all look beautiful and I’m gonna come down and sing and dance with you guys”. Hopping down into the crowd for the tune off of their 2011 record “People and Things”, it was one of my favorite moments of the festival. That performance of “Restless Dream” encapsulated the warmth of this show, just pure magic. It felt as if the barricades were non-existent and the stage was built into the whole crowd as the chorus of voices sang along. You can catch Jack’s Mannequin on tour this fall across North America. Stay tuned for more coverage from When We Were Young Festival and listen to Downey’s Hour on Monday nights 9-11pm for your latest festival news!

Cover Photo by Sean Jorg. Courtesy of When We Were Young Festival.

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