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.

The post Interview: Andrew McMahon appeared first on KRUI Radio.

However, that is exactly the case, for The Replacements’ 1989 album Don’t Tell A Soul in the form of box set reissue entitled Dead Man’s Pop. Don’t let the title change fool you—it’s the same songs originally released on Don’t Tell a Soul. But the alternate title signals what the album has in store for its listener: an alternate universe. An alternate universe, specifically, where the Replacements stayed true to their roots and weren’t pressured to adhere to a commercial, radio sound. 

The Replacements led the burgeoning Minneapolis punk rock scene alongside bands like Hüsker Dü and Soul Asylum in the early 80s, allowing grungy and raw vocals to hit the airwaves. The band was able to grow a loyal fan base up until their sixth album release, Don’t Tell a Soul. The album passed through the hands of two producers before its eventual form, a radio-friendly version of the rough and rowdy group—the eventual kiss of death for the band. Naturally, this change in image and sound was due to label pressure and, to some extent, was a successful strategy (“I’ll Be You” peaked at #51, the band’s only appearance on Billboard Hot 100). As critics praised the album, the Replacements severed themselves from their existing fan base and the band itself began to crumble. 

Dead Man’s Pop ignores this version of history entirely, going as far as excluding the radio-friendly versions of the songs. At the heart of the reissue are the Matt Wallace-produced versions, recently discovered in Replacements guitarist Slim Dunlap’s basement. These versions represent what could’ve been, with a clearer, uncut sound that honors the integrity of the instrumentation. Although these are the same songs, same lyrics, and general arrangements, the songs feel fresh, intimate, and honest as the vocals are isolated and specific instruments are unearthed beneath previously heavy glamour pop-synth.

If anything, Dead Man’s Pop is a testament to the importance and influence of a music producer who complements their subject rather than reinventing them. “Talent Show” features crisp tambourine beats and rousing backup vocals that were previously weighed down by reverb and an overproduced sound. The sparse arrangements allow The Replacement’s underground punk roots to flicker and burn while still honoring the sensitivity of Paul Westerberg’s dive into poetic lyricism. This is on display during “Achin’ to Be,” as the stripped-down version invites the listener to focus on masterful lyrics: 

“Well, I saw one of your pictures
There was nothin’ that I could see
If no one’s on your canvas  
Well, I’m achin’ to be”

“Achin’ to Be”- The Replacements

Matt Wallace’s interpretation allows Westerberg’s vocals to brim with desperation as the listener begins to understand his yearning love, rather than a peppy product of 80s love songs.

Truly proving the polished production was unsuitable for what the Replacements represented during their career peak, the album includes an additional interpretation of the original album from producer Tony Berg, informally recorded in Bearsville, New York (hence, each track is labeled as the “Bearsville version”). This set provides an even rawer take of the album, sounding closer to a demo than a finished album. Standouts from this side of the release is a mellow version of “I’ll Be You,” a country-influenced reimagining of “Portland,” and an eerie previously unreleased track entitled “Dance On My Planet.” Its last side attaches an entire 1989 concert at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with many of the same tracks; the recordings are unfiltered and provide evidence as to how the tracks were intended to be played—untethered from the standard, polished 80s band that filled large stadiums. 

Staying true to its rebranding, the reissue introduces an alternate track order. In a time where value comes from artist singles that climb up the charts, encouraged by the advent of  music streaming— plucking songs to snuggle up against other displaced songs under the label of a playlist—Dead Man’s Pop reinforces the power of considering an album as a whole.

The album’s new lineup still opens on “Talent Show,” portraying the making of a band, inexperienced and descending into the dangers of the rock scene, ending on lyrics fit for a continued lyrical saga: “It’s too late to turn back, here we go…” And with that, the new order allows the tracks to fly through headphones in a cohesive manner—much too late to turn back once the beginning melodies start to play. This time around, the album ends on “Rock ‘N’ Roll Ghost,” a fitting and chilling close to a look at the evils of the world, yearning love, and the bleak fate of the musician: 

“But I was much too young
And much too cool for words
Look at me now”

“Rock ‘N’ Roll Ghost”- The Replacements

The synth remains in this song, now layered with light guitar strumming—a clashing of worlds as Westerberg offers sorrowful, echoing vocals that feel like a true goodbye. This is a goodbye to the innocent nondescript band of “Talent Show” as well as a goodbye to a band whose rebellious image received the pop star treatment. Normally, a reissue wouldn’t be much to obsess over or a timeless entry in an artist’s repertoire. Dead Man’s Pop, however, invites the audience to listen in on an ultimate “what-if,” creating a profound case study of artistic integrity and an overarching desire for the past. For The Replacements,  it’s not a repackaged album with an extra coat of paint, it’s a second chance. 

The post Album Review: “Old Man’s Pop” by The Replacements appeared first on KRUI Radio.

It was announced this past week that Warped Tour will be making its last cross-country tour next summer. In 2019, there will be some sort of 25th anniversary thing, and after that, Warped Tour will be dead.

Vans Warped Tour is a summer-long festival that kicks off every year in June and runs through August. Warped Tour focuses on the rock scene and has been touring around the United States every year since 1995. Over one hundred bands hop on the tour each summer, varying from up and coming bands to the leaders of the punk rock scene. The most popular genres played at Warped are pop punk and metalcore, although there are many hardcore, street punk, and even hip hop acts that are thrown in.

Warped Tour was always so special to me because it was a festival like no other — Warped travels across the country, setting everything up and tearing it down every day in a new city. Every day is different: bands play at different times, some bands hop on the tour for a couple dates, etc. And not to mention, it was a rock/punk-rock/pop/metalcore/electronic/hip hop tour. The lineup was always diverse, the general admission tickets were no more than $60, and there was pretty much a guarantee that the tour would travel somewhere near you.

I started going to Warped Tour in 2014, but I remember begging to go since 2012. I was a junior in high school, and my friend and I were finally old enough to go (according to our parents; Warped is an all ages event). I was super excited to see some of my favorite bands, like Mayday Parade, Echosmith, and We The Kings. That day I discovered so many of my favorite bands: State Champs, Real Friends, Neck Deep, The Story So Far, Beartooth.

I knew from that first time at Warped that I had to go back the next year.

My best friend, Ily, and I snagged our tickets early on for the Denver date again. We got to see a handful of great bands again, like Neck Deep, Our Last Night, PVRIS, Beartooth, and Man Overboard. We met one of our favorite band photographers, Adam Elmakias. It was a fun year, despite not knowing as many bands as I did the year before. I discovered so many new bands.

Ily and I went again in 2016, and I think that was probably one of the best days of my life — no joke. You can read my festival review of that here, but long story short I got to see literally all of my favorite bands and meet them as well. Pictured below is me with one of the bands, Real Friends. It was so fun to be able to see so many of my favorites in one day — something that would be impossible had it not been at Warped Tour.

And then of course, 2017. This year, I decided to go twice — once in Denver with Ily, and again in Minnesota with my friend Taylor. I thought for sure that since 2016 was so good that 2017 had a lot to live up to. You can read my entire festival review of 2017 here. Honestly, it didn’t even matter to me that there weren’t as many bands that I knew — I still had a fun time discovering new bands and jamming out to old ones.

I’m pretty bummed about Warped ending, to say the least. But I’m grateful that for the past 4 years, I’ve made some of the best memories of my life. I’ve discovered so many bands, been introduced to the alternative scene, met some of my favorite bands, and seen countless performances.

You can expect to find me at the last Vans Warped Tour next summer, and also expect some Top Ten’s lists about the final Warped.

RIP Warped Tour.

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The quartet revived modern protest music with a combination of, “speedy grooves, sing-along tunes and deadpan lyrics that achieved a kind of boneheaded genius,” said Rolling Stone.

The Ramones had a relentless passion for live performance. This landed them a contract to perform at famous New York City Music Club CBCB. The Ramones would perform there over seventy-four times in 1974. Their sets lasted an average of twenty minutes.

“They started playing different songs, and it was just this wall of noise,” said founder of Punk Magazine Legs McNeil. “They looked so striking. These guys were not hippies. This was something completely new.”

The Ramones had a definitive style of blue jeans, black leather jackets, and long hair with bangs cut just above the eye. This anti-glamour persona was a tribute to the greaser era that died a decade earlier.

Over the span of eighteen months, The Ramones released three albums with Sire Studios. Their debut self-titled album opened with smash hit “Blitzkrieg Bop,” which was named after the German World War Two bombing tactic. The song took a stand against Nazism.

Front man Joey Ramone wrote the second track called “Beat on the Brat.” It was inspired by his experiences growing up in the lower class suburb of Birchwood Towers. “Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue” also dealt with the concept of adolescent trauma through the usage of minimalistic lyrics and simple chord progressions.

Their next two albums Leave Home and Rocket to Russia were released the following year. Leave Home featured more sophisticated songs than their debut. The Ramones successfully found a balance between traditional rock and innovative pop.

Leave Home featured a cover of Henry Glover and Morris Levy’s classic “California Sun” as well as their trademark track “Pinhead.” The album also included “Carbona Not Glue”, which was a follow-up track to their controversial “Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue.” The track was later removed from the album to avoid a potential lawsuit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyEEdcow2vE

Rocket To Russia continued to show their promise. The album would later become their most financially successful album to date. Surf Rock and Bubblegum Pop influenced their single “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker” which was about, “a teenage girl [who] eschews surfing and her friends’ dance parties to head to New York City and be a punk.” Joey Ramone affirmed that it was the first teenage rebellion song ever made.

Their lighthearted lyrics were often considered to be parodies with a twist. The Ramones continued their Surf Rock influence with the track “Rockaway Beach” which became their highest charting Billboard single in their career.

The album also protested more serious issues such as lobotomies and drug abuse in “Teenage Lobotomy” and homosexuality and infant disease in “We’re A Happy Family.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQlM59sDJVo

The Ramones perfected a sound that was, “Short and simple, frantic and full of hooks,” said PBS. “Their hectic pace was as evident in their music as in their work schedule. Relentlessness and mayhem became synonymous with The Ramones and with punk itself.”

After the release of their fourth studio album Road To Ruin, producer Phil Spector offered the Ramones an opportunity to costar in a musical about rock rebellion. Rock & Roll High School marked a vital shift in the direction of the Ramones. Phil Spector insisted that the band shifted to pop music. Their highly anticipated and expensively produced album End of the Century ruined their momentum punk rock aesthetic.

Their stripped-down sound influenced a long line of punk predecessors such as Patti Smith, The Talking Heads, The Clash, Nirvana, Metallica, and Green Day. However, the industry mocked them, the media rejected them, and radio stations refused to air their music. This in turn heightened the tension between the band mates.

“The Ramones toured steadily – playing something like 150 shows some years, spending hours and days going from city to city in a van, often finding fault with one another and erupting into fights,” said Rolling Stone. “They would climb into their van and ride to a hotel or their next show in silence. Two of the members, Johnny and Joey, did not speak to each other for most of the band’s 22-year history.”

The love affair between Linda Danielle and Johnny Ramone ruined the band’s relationship with Joey Ramone. When him and Danielle married, he became cynical and isolated, yet refused to leave the band.

Sire Records hired five different producers to work on their next six studio albums: Pleasant Dreams (1981), Subterranean Jungle (1983), Animal Boy (1986), Halfway to Sanity (1987) and Brain Drain (1989). It was an era of constant bickering, substance abuse, numerous lineup changes, and mental instability. The band was seen to have a curse.

“It sounded as if the Ramones were competing with their own shadows; they played faster, harder, as if trying to catch up with many of the hardcore bands that were running with their original template of short songs and high-speed beats,” said Rolling Stone.

The 1985 release of “Bonzo Goes To Bitburg” was seen as the light amidst the darkness for the Ramones. Featured as a single on Animal Boy as “My Brin is Hanging Upside Down” the single was an emotionally charged commentary on the Reagan Administration and their involvement in Bitburg Germany. President Reagan set down wreaths beside 44 Nazi SS graves. The term “Bonzo goes to Bitburg” was coined by protesters after the incident. The track became a massive success on college campuses and catalyzed protests among concerned Americans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su0Hvt6hTmA

The punk rock band from Forest Hills Queens proved that music was the proper response to the arc of history. Their curse was a reminder that protest, though well-intentioned, came with opposition. The Ramones will be remembered for their steadfast effort to promote equality through their definitive style, simple hooks and politically charged lyrics.

The post Ode To Protest Music: The Ramones appeared first on KRUI Radio.

My alarm woke me at 7 am on Sunday, June 25th, 2017. Honestly, I probably didn’t need it — you know that feeling you get on Christmas Eve when you can’t fall asleep because you’re too excited for the day to come? Well, that’s the feeling I get every year before the Vans Warped Tour. Let’s be real, I’m more excited for Warped than I am for Christmas (which is when you know that Warped is legit).

If you don’t know how the Vans Warped Tour works, check out my last Warped Tour review, where I pretty much explain all that you need to know.

We arrived to the venue early again, and got in the Express Entry line. As soon as we got in, we bought the schedule and planned out our day. Honestly, there weren’t that many bands that I was dying to see this year (unlike last year), so everything pretty much worked out in our favor. We took a lap around the venue, figuring out where all the stages and stuff were, before we arrived at our first stop for the day: I Prevail.

I Prevail is an American metalcore band from Michigan that formed in 2014. It’s pretty impressive that after only being around for about three years, they’re already playing one of the main stages at Warped Tour. They kicked the day off at 11:50 am, and I can guarantee that there wasn’t a still person in the crowd. While I’m not super familiar with their music, it was easy to jam out with them. Their type of metalcore sometimes leans on the lighter side, which attracts fans more on the rock/punk side of the spectrum. They played most of their popular songs, such as “Stuck In Your Head” and “Scars“.

As soon as I Prevail wrapped up, we headed to the Full Sail stage to see Trophy Eyes, a punk rock band from Newcastle, Australia. While I wasn’t suuuper into them before today, they definitely put on a show that convinced me to check out the rest of their discography. They opened with one of their most popular songs, “Nose Bleed“. If you haven’t already, I would definitely check out their most recent release, “Chemical Miracle” which came out in 2016.

Up next was a band that I was really looking forward to seeing: Our Last Night. The last time that I saw them was at Warped Tour in 2015, and I was stoked to see them live again. OLN released a 7 song Ep titled “Selective Hearing” on June 9th, 2017. They opened with a new kick ass song, “Broken Lives“.

One of the things I like most about OLN is that their music is a hard rock/alternative with some thematic/borderline electro elements to it. Their last studio album, “Younger Dreams“, is definitely the most thematic of what they have released, but “Broken Lives” definitely sounds familiar to their music on “Younger Dreams.” Their stage presence was also very thematic — lead vocalist Trevor Wentworth danced all around the stage as water cannons sprayed the crowd. They finished their set off with their popular tune “Sunrise“, as Trevor and guitarist Woody jumped out into the audience.

Right after OLN’s set, they held a signing at their tent. We briefly got to meet the guys, who were humble as hell. I would definitely recommend checking them out.

At 2:45, we headed back to the Full Sail stage to check out one of my new favorite bands, Microwave. Microwave is a rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. They played fan favorites, such as “Lighterless“, “Stovall“, and “Vomit“. Microwave offers a refreshing sound that still has the angsty and disenchanting lyrics that we all love. Microwave is SUPER underrated, so if you check out anyone that I’m talking about in this article, make sure it’s Microwave.

After sitting down to eat and regain some energy, we headed over to the Journey’s Right Foot stage to see one of my favorite pop punk bands, Neck Deep. Before Neck Deep stepped up to the stage, a speaker from the nonprofit organization Hope For The Day came out to speak about suicide awareness. Every year, they hop on the tour and talk about the importance of speaking up and seeking help (for more information, check out their website here). The crowd takes on a somber tone, until the speaker prompts the audience to chant for Neck Deep.

The crowd chanted “Neck Deep” and then erupted into applause as the guys jumped on stage. One of the things I love most about seeing Neck Deep live (which I have now seen them live 4 times) is that they have so. much. energy. Lead singer Ben Barlow always seems super happy to be performing, as seen in his goofy facial expressions. Their setlist contained mostly songs from their most recent record, “Life’s Not Out To Get You“, with the addition of their two newest songs, “Happy Judgement Day” and “Where Do We Go When We Go“. This was definitely one of the best sets of the day, considering the enthusiasm and adrenaline coursing through everyone.

I was glad that after Neck Deep we had a couple hours to spare, because they definitely wore us out. We sat at the Full Sail stage, waiting for the next band, Movements. Movements is a post-hardcore/emo band from SoCal. And boy, did this set make me emo as hell.

“If you guys don’t already know, we don’t really make happy songs,” lead singer Patrick Miranda said as they jumped into a new song about Alzheimer’s disease. What makes them stand out to me is their mix of singing and spoken-word vocals. You can really feel the angst, hurt, and desperation in Patrick’s voice when he performs the spoken-word portion of their songs. I recommend checking out “Vacant Home“.

We finished the day off with Counterparts, a melodic hardcore band from Canada. I’m not too familiar with their music, however I enjoyed myself during their angsty, head-banging music. Their set made me forget about my aching feet, the dried up sweat, and the fact that the day was wrapping up. I’ll definitely be listening to more of their stuff, especially with their new album coming out in September.

The best part of the day was definitely this punk rock lady who had to be somewhere in her 60’s. She’s my idol, my inspiration. This is gonna be me at Warped when I’m 60.

Feel free to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr where I upload concert pictures and you can be up-to-date on where I’ll be next.

The post Festival Review: Vans Warped Tour 2017 @ Denver 6/25/17 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

First on stage was the eclectic group, Greg Wheeler & The Polygamist Mall Cops. Self identified as “manic garage punk slime”, this band lived up to the impression of their name: strange and incomprehensible. From the first glance, I knew this would be a unique performance. The guitarist sported an oversized Milwaukee Bucks jersey while the drummer wore a traditional mall cop uniform, complete with badge, and finally, the bassist and only female in the group danced around in a sexier version of a cop uniform. It was perplexing but not particularly fascinating. Instead, it created a sense of confusion and ultimately, annoyance at whether or not they truly had a method to their madness. They began songs with the cliche “1, 2, 3, 4!”, making them sound even more like an angsty group of teenagers in a garage. Despite their shortcomings, I’ve gotta give it up to them for their originality, even though I still don’t quite understand the meaning behind their name, Greg Wheeler & The Polygamist Mall Cops.

Next onstage was Chicago-based trio, Gosh!. This intriguing band plays minimalistic psychedelic dream pop, gracing the stage with an eerie sound. With matching curly locks down to their shoulders, the two men and one woman were in cohesion with each other throughout the entire performance, creating a vibe that was easy to get on board with. Their vocals were in sync, floating together with “ooo”s that transported the audience into a dreamlike state, holding true to their title. They stuck to their minimalist roots, their whispering voices crooning above a stripped down guitar. As their set went on, the music became more complicated, subtle songs growing into a fast-paced scream of instruments that lifted the audience off of the ground and sent vibrations into each chest.
Gosh! finished their set with my favorite song of the night: “Not That I’d Care” from their album Cities of the Plain. This track had a more carefree vibe than their other songs, making me feel as if I were prancing along a colorful brick street in the whimsical world of a Wes Andersen film. Gosh! has a distinct style that I was pleasantly surprised by, stealing the show.

Finally, the headliner of the night was punk rock band, Lifestyles. The three-person band took the stage nonchalantly, the male drummer wearing a Metallica t-shirt with the sleeves cut off, male bassist dressed in a plain white t-shirt and leather jacket, and the female lead singer and guitarist sporting knee-high leather lace-up boots, tattooed arms exposed through her ripped grey t-shirt. They all looked badass and ready to put on a show. The lead singer gave a smile to the crowd just before beginning to play, and this was the last glimpse of any joy we caught for the rest of the night.

From the moment they began playing, the room was filled with brutally rough, loud and angry music. The band members are definitely talented instrumentalists, their fingers moving rapidly over the strings of the guitar and the drummer’s sticks never ceasing from moving, but their music itself was extremely unpolished. The lead singer’s voice was scarily screechy, incomprehensible and just plain unpleasant to listen to. Her screams were so sporadic that it made me wonder if she was even singing a song or simply making up everything as she went. The bassist’s voice was a bit more appealing, bringing some levelheadedness to her chaos through his background vocals. There were several instrumental breaks that were interesting and enjoyable, but would always be interrupted too soon by the lead singer’s harsh voice, jolting me back into discomfort.

It was difficult to distinguish one song from another, because all included the same aspects: grating instrumentals, screaming vocals and lots of anger. Anger is an immensely interesting emotion and music involving anger can be powerful. However, there is no way for the audience to connect with angry music if they have no idea what the musicians are angry about. I could not understand the meaning behind any song that Lifestyles performed, so I had nothing to grab onto emotionally – all I heard was noise. Maybe this is the purpose of Lifestyles’ music – to be noise. If they simply want to create a specific sound, not audible words or stories, then they accomplished their goal. If they want to entertain, then they have not achieved their goal.

Lifestyles’ performance was full of energy, with each band member visibly giving it their all. The bassist eventually ripped off his jacket, white t-shirt underneath soaked against his skin, throwing his head back and screaming the lyrics with his eyes closed, mouth wide open, teeth exposed. The drummer shook his head spastically, eyes wide and intense like a maniac. The lead singer had a constant dangerous look in her eye, just visible through the strawberry blonde hair that she let fall over her face. She was clearly in her own world for the entirety of the performance. I cannot say that Lifestyles did not have a purpose with their performance, because they are clearly performers. But what I can say is that I haven’t the slightest clue what that purpose was.

The post Mission Creek: Lifestyles @ Iowa City Yacht Club 4/5/2017 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Shows at the Mill are much different than shows at any other venue in Iowa City, and even the singer/songwriter of the Titus Andronicus knew it, making sure everyone knew that we were rocking out in a “fancy restaurant,” and to be careful with our moshing and dancing. Seeing bands like these at a venue like this really lets you appreciate everything that happens on stage; everyone is so close to the band and the band can interact and react in a way that they couldn’t at other venues.

Before the music began, the first thing to take the stage was a large, inflatable dragon, which stared at the few people standing around with bright red eyes; an ample omen for the absolute power we were about to experience at our local pizza place.

A Giant Dog is a rock band from Austin, Texas. Their sound was reminiscent of Titus’, if that sound had traveled south for the winter and decided to stay. The crowd was not yet in its final form when the band began, but they brought so much energy and power to the stage that everyone was into it from the very start. You could tell this band was an explosion; the feelings came in bursts, with songs starting quickly and ending abruptly, each one disclosing more rawness than the last, each one bringing out more dancing from both the band and the crowd.

Their music was like a party and punch in the face at the same time. They even sang a song about the gun laws in their home state, which allow open carry. Whether or not the subject and content of the song was serious, this band was having a good time on stage. Check out one of their music videos below!

Next up was the headliner, Titus Andronicus. By this time, the crowd was filling out. A bartender said that there were over 100 pre-sale tickets, with another 100 expected. It seemed a large number, and probably not all that true, but the numbers didn’t matter once the band took the stage.

Titus Andonicus in endless; their music sounds like punk ethics injected into the infinite ether of human emotion. Listening to them on record doesn’t do them justice: this group in meant to be experienced live.

Once it all kicked in, the crowd was jumping and singing along to some of their more popular lyrics, and even had the band stepping away from the microphone a few times to allow the crowd their due part in the experience of a rock show.

Most of the songs ran directly into the next one, a lot like their albums, which feature long pieces that tie in to the next one to create a wholesome impression in the listener. The sea of dimly lit heads bobbed and bounced to each one, the perfect reaction to the relentless onslaught of sound.

Patrick, the lead singer, lead the band through every song with his voice, which had the effect of a searing electric guitar or an extra snare drum, blending in perfectly with the high-gain instruments that backed him up.

In one of the rare moments between songs, Patrick took the time to talk about how much he liked Iowa, and the fact that the band had been here a few times before, playing at both the Mill and Gabe’s. While on the subject of Iowa, Patrick even mentioned our important role in the electoral college, and encouraged us all to go out and exercise our right to vote this November.

Near the end, they announced that there are only a few songs left, as the show was all ages and had to end by 10. While it sounded like a bummer, it was cool that teenagers could come to the show and hang out like everyone else. The band thanked the Mill for being inclusive and respectful to everyone.

Titus Andronicus ended with their song “A More Perfect Union”, the opener off of their album The Monitor. The crowd was singing along so loudly that there were moments it was louder than the band.

After the show, I asked Patrick what felt better or more natural to the group: being on stage or being in the studio.

“You go to the studio so that you can get on the stage, you know what I mean? People often think that the show is to promote the record but really, that’s backwards. The record is to promote the show,” he says. “But at the same time, the show is not exactly a creative exercise, you know?”

He concluded by saying that the concert was much more important than the record, even though they both have their important places within Titus Andronicus.

You can find their website here, which has news, tour dates, videos and more. Their music is also available on Spotify. A Giant Dog can be found here.

The post Concert Review: Titus Andronicus @ The Mill 9/25/2016 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

“Memory” has a melody with a light tripping rhythm. “I don’t remember the sound of your voice… Wish I could remember something you said.” This felt like Gano complained about his long-gone memory that he had with the girl he used to love. Instead of asking the girl to come back, he joked about how his growth with age affected everything. The rhythm is addictive and repetitive. This opening song leads to the overall theme and style of their album, to show the middle age annoyance through the catchy rock, lyric-oriented style.

“I Could Be Anything” is like a fairy tale that they dream. The lyrics are about a brave man who killed the dragon and celebrated its death with pride. It is a country feeling song, and the percussion sound stands out. It is also interesting that Gano starts the song with his high-pitched sound to the slight low pitch chorus with the other band members.

“Issues” starts with a few light and compelling pitches. It sounds like he is questioning the girl: “why do you talk about your issues all the time?” The lyrics are sometimes rhyming: “issue” and “tissue”. Gano still brings out his twitchy singing style through this song. It reminds me of the Mika’s voice who uses lots of turns. “Ghost” starts with some weird preaching. The lyrics show that the behavior and things happened are a mysterious like a holy ghost. The verses are fast-paced, and it gradually slows down in verse two. In this song, the bass and drums sound stands out.

“What You Really Means” is the song written by Gano’s half-sister Cynthia Gayneau. It adds a different flavor to the album that is romantic and sweet. They add a few measures of piano and saxophone in it that made a nice transition to the ending of the song.

“Foothills” is another witty song that has the same tone as “Memory.” It is telling that the person has no choice to fall in love in this age. He sings, “I can’t tell you why I am in love” when he is continuing with his normal life.

“Traveling Solves Everything” also has a similar pattern, as “I Could Be Anything.” It repeats the verse “If you have a problem, your life unravels.” It is about traveling and escaping from the problems of life. It keeps speeding up till the end of the song.

“Big Car” is a fun song describes a guy who takes a girl out driving  on a rugged road which makes the girl uncomfortable. Before they get to the next town, he will bury the girl in the desert.

“Untrue Love” is a distorted love song: “my untrue love is true.” The lyrics are twisted since the guy hates to admit he loves the girl, and he struggles. Gano’s leisure sound following with the accompaniment of the other band members that feel the helplessness of these men.

“I Am Not Done” is the last song in this album. This a good corresponding title to the album title “We Can Do Anything.” The lyrics are about their attitudes toward the ups and downs of life and the broken-up relationship, etc. The rhythm is lively and fun. 

Overall, it is classic alternative rock that I am not used to listening to, but it refreshes your mind if you always listen to mainstream music like pop or R&B. I like the wordplay that Gano uses. It has the sense of self-mocking while being witty and funny. Also, you can tell they sing about their relationship with Christianity, although it isn’t obvious but there’s a huge influence from it. “Memory,” and “Traveling Solves Anything” do a good job with lyric-writing. “Memory” is by far my favorite song on this album. It has a good transition from the main verse and the second verse, and the chorus is amazing in the end.

Listen to the full album below:

The post Album Review: “We Can Do Anything” by Violent Femmes appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The Frights, a surf punk band originating from San Diego, California, released their second studio album, “You Are Going to Hate This” in February of 2016. The trio began playing in a garage in 2012 before they all separated for college, then regrouped later on to create a new sound, which they coined “dirty doo-wop.” The dirty doo-wop sound is especially prominent in their first studio album, and is still relatively recognizable in their second. “You Are Going to Hate This” is somehow similar to Mac Demarco, The Strokes, and Boston all at once, and each song is variant, with its own individual sound.

The opening song, “All I Need” gives a good feel for what the rest of the album will be like. The vocal, guitar, bass, and drums are used in a multitude in ways throughout the song that will all be used later in the album. It also introduces the angst-y lyrics The Frights wrote for the album.

“Kids” feels like the definitive teen angst anthem of the album with lyrics such as “I hate my mom and dad,” and the scream of “oh my god whatever,” in the middle of the song. The studio recording of this song gives off an outdoor concert vibe, especially in the way that the voice sounds. If you’re a musician or an artist, you should definitely try recording at this awesome recording studio in Calgary.

The next song, “Afraid of the Dark,” provides a calmer break in the album, and brings the listener back to the chorus of the first track. The song is soft, but features heavier vocals, a steady drum beat, and a quick and simple guitar riff.

“Puppy Knuckles” brings a petty middle school romance into a grungy rock song. The lyrics put it simply enough, but the music itself sounds so cool that I don’t feel like I’m reading a letter passed between two twelve-year-olds during math class. I especially like the music box sounds between the chorus and the second verse, which I think ties back to the immaturity of the story taking place.

The fifth song, “Tungs,” explains the band’s surf-rock sound from the very first second. The song is a lot less gritty than the previous songs have been, but still fills the rock standard that the album holds. I like that somehow we can tell how much the singer cares about the love interest with the lyrics “Have you seen my shoes? Cause they’ve been ripped to shit from walking the world for you.” The transition between this song and the next, “Haunted,” is executed very well.

“Haunted” is a distant, spacier, more robotic song, and is my personal favorite on the album. The strong electric guitar and drums suddenly disappear for the beginning of the song. Eventually, a cello urges a string orchestra into the picture, which is a no-fail way to make me fall in love with a song. I could see this song being played in some kind of underground hangout in a big city.

And then “You or Me” appears, and you are immediately woken up from your stupor. Everything that we got at the begging half of the album is back again and packed into a single song. At this point in the album, I think this sound is used enough already. I liked the different direction that the last two songs, “Puppy Knuckles” and “Tungs” were going and wanted to hear more of it. That being said, the song still fits in.

“Growing Up” made me think differently about how the musicians were using different sounds as symbols. The song is clearly about an on-again-off-again relationship (which is easy to interpret via the lyrics). I think that this song is particularly interesting because during the verses of the songs, the singer and the instruments are acting as they normally do.

Suddenly, when the chorus begins, it sounds like the voice transforms into a machine breaking down. The song itself creates a “machine” or relationship that goes between working as usual, and breaking down, like the relationship being described in the lyrics. Eventually, however, the alternation between the two gets boring and the song seems to be dragged out for too long.

Again, the transition between “Growing Up” and the next song, “You Are Going to Hate This,” is interesting, featuring a man’s voice and a neat riff. “You Are Going to Hate This” is a song that I could hear being at a beach or at a party somewhere that isn’t as fake-warm as it is here right now. (I’m not bitter).

This song ended up making me wonder if the entire album was a concept album, since the singer is telling (I’m assuming) the same girl the hard truth about how he doesn’t like her, and how he knows that she will hate what he has to say, circling back to the title of the song and album. I think that it could be a concept album, but it’s a very far stretch.

“Of Age,” the final song from the album, is a simple, cute outro featuring a ukulele and some light xylophone in the beginning, but transforming into a slightly rougher song near the middle. After analyzing the lyrics, I quickly realized that this song is a “screw you, but I’m still going to miss you” song so the singer can tell the girl that he really doesn’t actually want to be with her and never will be again. The song reminded me of the song “Postcards from Italy” by Beirut, despite the two bands being on opposite ends of my music taste.

I think that “You Are Going to Hate This” was overall a good listening experience, but only if I don’t feel like listening to anything with any real substance to it. The lyricism could have been much better and the album feels like it could have been cut in half and still hold the same amount of entertainment. I could play this in the background while I am doing homework or reading or walking to class, but not if I want to sit down and listen to something.

Listen to “You Are Going To Hate This” below.

The post Album Review: “You Are Going to Hate This” by The Frights appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Have you recently had the urge to dance basement with your friends and forget your problems? He you suddenly had a desire to reflect upon societal flaws, and think on a deeper level? If you answered yes to either of these questions, The Thermals seventh studio album We Disappear will be what you’ve been searching for.

On We Disappear, founding members Kathy Foster and Hutch Harris (formerly Hutch & Kathy pre-2002) have written lyrics far less politically charged than some albums of the past, like their infamous responses to the Bush Administration in, Fuckin’ A in 2004, and The Body, the Blood, the Machine, in 2006.

Foster and Harris, have been making music together for nearly two decades now, having toured and created music together prior to The Thermals creation in 2002, as Hutch & Kathy. (They’ve recently announced a new tour reviving Hutch & Kathy for the first time in 13 years). Through the years Foster and Harris have stuck to themes in their music, and We Disappear is no different. They grapple with death, the world’s obsession with immortality, and the desire to document and preserve their lives through technology, so that they will live on after death.

On the band’s site, Hutch Harris explains that The Thermals were concerned with technology, love, and death when writing the latest album. Harris also discusses in more detail the newest theme in their music, technology and the inevitability of death, and mankind’s resistance of it. “We’re trying to preserve our life digitally so when we’re gone people won’t forget us. We’re using technology to become immortal. You can even set up Facebook and Twitter accounts to continue updating after you die! We Disappear is about how humans fight the inevitable,” He writes.

This message of over preservation is less than hidden with album’s’ opening track, “Into to the Code”. With verse lyrics like “If we go we’ll not be missed, in the code we will always exist” there’s no question about The Thermals intentions with this new album.

The Thermals and their music has always explored themes of love and the heartbreak that can result from it. “My Heart Went Cold” is one of those regretful love songs that fans have grown to love over the years. It’s a solid punk rock track, with the simple repeating lyrics, “My heart went cold, this I know”. Not only this song, but much of this album, feels as though it should’ve have been released in the 90s pop punk scene. This is nothing but a stellar compliment to The Thermals and their sound, which actually began when Hutch and Kathy started playing in basements after they moved to Seattle in 1998.

The third track on the album was the first single off the LP, and rightfully so. “Hey You,” is definitely a sing-a-long anthem that will get even the most uptight listeners at least tapping their foot, if not allowing for full-on head nodding to the beat. With solid guitar riffs throughout, and its punk simplicity, lyrically (there’s only 133 words, including repeated ones), The Thermals are getting back to their Portland roots with this light-hearted, punky track.

“The Walls” comes midway, and is another track that clocks out at just over 2 minutes. Though brief, it makes an impact, “The walls I build for you, are the walls we will share. They will tear, they will tear us in two.” Though choppy, the guitar riff also propels the energy of the song.

“Thinking of You” is quick-paced 2 minute pop-punk track that has familiar sound, whether you’ve listened to The Thermals back catalog before or not. It’s familiar in a good way, with the catchy “woah-oh” repeated refrain reminding you of a song you’ve randomly heard before driving in your car on a summer afternoon with the windows down.

The LP contains 10 new tracks, which all have Hutch Harris’ unique as ever vocals with all of their nasally charm. Of course that’s not the only thing that’s remained the same with Hutch. The front man’s vocals are still accompanied with his catchy lead guitar riffs.

Drummer Westin Glass’s precise and energetic percussion also plays a major role in the indie punk rock tracks that make up We Disappear. But what really anchors these stellar tunes are Kathy’s solid basslines that are so seamless that they perfectly merge with Hutch’s guitar.

The final track of the LP, “Years in a Day,” is a slow, melancholy ballad which is almost 5 minutes long, about emotional and mental exhaustion. It’s possibly the result of Harris reflecting on his own mindset following thinking about the heavy themes he’s dealing with in We Disappear, “I was awake for only the darkest days, barely alive with the angriest eyes. . . . No words left to say, years in a day.” The track is a different, yet soothing end to a strong and varied body of work from The Thermals.

It’s clear that Foster and Harris, alongside drummer Westin Glass who joined the group back in 2008, have really hit their musical prime.

The Thermals have created a harmonious and solid set of songs that are consistently well-written both on a fundamental level, as well as a lyrical level. The stellar production from Chris Walla, formerly of Death Cab for Cutie, is also worth mentioning.

The album is something meant to be consumed as an entire whole. Unlike most mainstream music of today where the single reigns supreme, the Thermals have opted to slowdown, and return to an era of music when albums were serial experiences with well thought out cadences. The themes of the album are intertwined throughout the album, and never fall flat, allowing The Thermals to create a musical commentary on the state of society today.

While some may say the lyrics in We Disappear are not complex, they are more importantly relatable and truthful. Complexity does not equate to quality or skill of artists. In addition, every album does not need to be a massive commentary on the political state of the world. The Thermals didn’t delve in the political world in this album like they have in the past, and that’s ok.

The themes of death, and mankind’s more recent desire for immortality through technology, are ones of great importance and ring true within society today, and hold within them their own complexity and originality.

With We Disappear, The Thermals want to remind you that death is inevitable, and no amount of submersion into technology will change that.

After listening to We Disappear, you’ll be grateful that while we all will without a doubt disappear one day, this album will live on.

To stream the full album, click here.

The post Album Review: “We Disappear” by The Thermals appeared first on KRUI Radio.