Young Jesus’ new album Welcome to Conceptual Beach is an ambitious and artful indie rock album that leaves behind much of the Midwest-emo sound of 2018’s Everything is Just There. It instead it favors more of a more progressive style of rock while pulling from a vast pool of influences. The album’s opener “Faith” combines jazzy rhythms and post-rock instrumentals with digital vocal effects, sounding something like a mix of Talk Talk and Bon Iver’s 22, a Million. Later in the track, vocalist John Rossiter uses a more soulful singing style similar to that of Jeff Buckley’s, one he sticks with for a good part of the album to great effect. “(Un)knowing” employs reverb-soaked glide guitar and ethereal female backing vocals that could have come directly off of My Bloody Valentine’s shoegaze masterpiece Loveless. My personal favorite track, “Meditations”, features improvised sections that balance a mellow sound with a free-flowing quality that gives the song plenty of life. The song’s progression brings to mind prog classics like Yes and King Crimson, complete with spacey synthesizers and fast, precise, complex drumming. Essentially every track on Welcome to Conceptual Beach takes a different approach to rock. While this may be a barrier-to-entry for some, much of the band’s ambition pays off, making for one of the more interesting indie/alternative rock releases this year. 

-Jake Bisson

Microphones – Microphones in 2020

Phil Elverum has been an indie staple since he began his career in the mid-90s, producing mixtapes that would later fall under the now infamous Microphones name. When he released The Glow pt. 2 in 2001, he forever cemented his blend of mellow indie palettes and droning, distorted rock as required listening for any alternative-loving music fan. Promptly after the 2003 follow-up to The Glow pt. 2, Elverum departed from the Microphones name to continue his musical career as Mount Eerie, only sporadically playing under the former, eponymous title. After nearly 19 years, Microphones in 2020 was released not so much as a return to the project, but as an open conversation about it and its creator’s winding past. The album is in actuality a 44-minute song, flowing through a number of stylistic switch-ups that encapsulate the varying degrees of the project’s musical influences. The continuous building and receding of the instrumentation lulls the audience into a sense of peace that is both disconcerting and comforting. Elverum softly ambles his way through the narrative of his life and career, sometimes unsure of his footing, sometimes blissfully confident. Lyrically, he incorporates themes from previous albums, hints at specific lines, and offers deeper insight into their personal origins. Even if the specificity of some details may go over listeners’ heads, the tide-like, droning instrumentation paired with Phil’s unrefined vocal delivery and lyrical honesty will still draw out an unabashed desire for inner peace and to know, as he sings, “the true state of all things…”. 

-Sydney Sjobakken

Tkay Maidza – Last Year Was Weird Vol 2 EP

On her new EP, Australian rapper Tkay Maidza pulls from a wide variety of styles and genres, and performs fantastically in each. Aside from her pen game and singing ability, what Last Year Was Weird Vol. 2 makes most clear to the listener is Maidza’s versatility. The opener, “My Flowers” begins with laid back guitar chords and a simple vocal line before giving way to drums, bass, and futuristic synths. Maidza lays out a chill flow as she considers her own worth, both personally and in the music industry. “24k” is a grooving hip house song with propulsive kicks. Above this dance beat, Maidza’s flows are effortless and cool. The chorus shows off the lighter side of her vocal register with airy inflections. Then of course, there are the bangers. “Shook” brings heavy bass throughout, with flashy synths on the chorus, plus energizing use of drum and vocal samples. Most memorable about the track is the last hook, where Maidza playfully works in a new melody for her rapped vocals to respond to. The off-kilter synth lines on “Awake” and “Grasshopper” are reminiscent of Tyler, the Creator’s production, and bring a darker tone to what is mostly an optimistic EP. With each song feeling so unique in the track list, there’s much more to prattle on about, like the cathartic silliness of “You Sad” or the chorus on the pop RnB tune “PB Jam” which may have the best melody on the project. Features from JPEGMAFIA and Kari Faux are also well executed. Last Year Was Weird Vol. 2 is an EP that knows the importance of having compelling songwriting at the center of each track. 

-Jaden Amjadi

Crisis Sigil- small towns. 

Crisis Sigil’s new album small towns. is a weird, wonderful take on grindcore from Ada Rook (of Black Dresses). Crisis Sigil’s music is stylistically far-removed from the pop-oriented sounds of Black Dresses, but Ada’s production abilities still shine through to create a unique and personal style of digitized grind that could not have come from any other artist. Though packed with the same chaotic energy of long-running grind acts like Napalm Death and Pig Destroyer, small towns. is by no means strictly a grindcore album. Rook works in plenty of other styles like digital hardcore, metalcore, and industrial metal, providing the album with moments of mid-tempo riffing and melodic sections that break from the more pummeling conventions of grindcore. The closer “away.” shows off her genre-bending talents with harsh vocals, distorted guitar riffs and drum machines brilliantly produced into an extreme techno-cybergrind hybrid, like a dance track pulled from your worst (or best?) nightmare. The title track delivers incredibly heavy grind that unexpectedly shifts into electronic synth sections and even some spoken word poetry. Listening to the album several times over I couldn’t get enough of the chaotic shifts between all-out aggression and emotional tenderness. At just eight tracks running one-to-two minutes each, Ada Rook manages to keep the short-and-not-so-sweet energy of grindcore while still finding plenty of room to work in her own unique sound. 

-Jake Bisson

PVRIS – Use Me 

Once again, PVRIS’s new album, Use Me, succeeds in demonstrating their ability to go out of their comfort zone. After switching labels and hiring JT Daly to produce, the band stated these changes signified a new era of music that was clearly present on the album. Tracks like “Old Wounds” and “Death of Me” stay within PVRIS’s alternative genre but hint at a new, poppier sound. These tracks feature a dark mix of guitars, drums, synth, and vocals that increase intensity as the song builds. PVRIS’s new laidback pop sound shines in “Loveless” and “January Rain.” The stripped instrumentals give room to highlight Lynn Gunn’s raw lyrics. Gunn is the creative mind of the band, and this third album allows her to fully step into the spotlight. Lyrically, Use Me takes a more personal tone portraying Gunn’s struggle with depression, damaged vocal cords, and a breakup. Despite some simple instrumental lines, the honest lyrics make the album stand out and resonate with listeners. The darker sound of the band is still present but now coexists with a new brightness emphasizing PVRIS’s evolution. 

-Daniela Rybarczyk

Backxwash – STIGMATA EP 

Arriving hot on the heels of her breakout album God Has Nothing to Do with This Leave Him Out of It, rap firebrand Backxwash’s STIGMATA EP is a solid expansion, carrying forward the bleak, anguished lyricism and use of Christian themes as its predecessor. More than just cut content from the previous entry, however, STIGMATA kindles its energy by piling on layers of distortion and string shreds to deliver a hard-hitting, vengeful sound. The titular opening track immediately distinguishes itself with the addition of some sizzling metal samples that mirror a darker progression into the artist’s own psyche–as if the inner rage that fueled God Has... belied only a greater and hotter rage. Biting, punchy vocals throughout and a catchy hook easily make this a highlight that’s hard not to keep on repeat. “Demons” makes use of slower riffs and noise to transition into a more unsettling tone, highlighting the hauntingly distorted guest vocals from Devi McCallion. The EP kicks into a more traditional beat with “PSALMS 23.” The sonic space here allows Backxwash to lay it all out on the table with some utterly scathing lyrics, culminating in her brilliantly harrowing signoff with a claustrophobic burst of noise reminiscent of the exact sort of mental break alluded to throughout the project. Eerie samples and a rolling buzz in the instrumental closing track carry a subdued yet intimidating ambiance that seems to threaten, rather than hint, at more to come. 

-Sam White

Bright Eyes – Down in the Weeds Where the World Once Was 

It seems as if indie rockers Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis, and Nate Walcott of Bright Eyes knew when their fans needed them the most. After a nine-year hiatus, Bright Eyes released their ninth album, Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was. As a band that never fully stuck to one genre or sound between releases, fans were unsure of what to expect with this long awaited—some may even say overdue—release. On early listens, the singles (Persona Non Grata, Forced Convalescence, Mariana Trench) sound like songs that had already existed in the Bright Eyes catalogue—not intrusive, but not necessarily staking their claim either. However, the full release pulls these tear-stained pieces together and wraps them nicely into a cohesive, enjoyable album. Lead singer Oberst is back in full force with the ceaseless, quivering, and honest voice he has become known for. The instrumental and melodic palette isn’t far from a typical Bright Eyes album, though with consistently cleaner production. The lyrics are raw, though soft imagery floats through the album, with occasional flickers of twisted optimism that cut through the somberness. In the song “Dance and Sing”, Oberst sings ”all I can do is just dance on through, and sing”, which right now, hits a bit close to home. 

-Emma Graening

Merzbow – EXD

EXD archives recordings from 1997-1998 by the legendary Japanese noise artist Masami Akita a.k.a. Merzbow. The album, released on Lawrence English’s label Room40 is comprised of drum machine creations far more rhythm-based than most of Merzbow’s more brutalizing “wall of noise” releases from this era, like the infamous Pulse Demon. On EXD, white noise and distortion overwhelm repeated drum patterns to create oddly hypnotic and intense static-soaked beats. Each beat is heavily mutilated and twisted into a sonic endurance test that pushes raw texture through feedback, often drowning out drum loops into little more than safety handles for the listener to grasp in the back of their mind. The title track even incorporates a mix of dance and hip-hop oriented beats which are met with waves of feedback, like some monster of DJ Shadow, clipping., and Throbbing Gristle patched together with tangles of exposed wire. Merzbow’s relentless treatment of the drum machine manages to create a sound that could send the average metalhead clamping their ears. As unapproachable as this may sound, this album (and countless noise records like it) sends a powerful artistic statement: that any sound is fair game in the world of art, and the palette for “musical sounds” extends endlessly beyond those of conventional instruments. Even those least forgiving on the ears can be used in incredibly dynamic ways as tools of musical expression – Merzbow’s music takes this to the extreme, and EXD is certainly no exception. 

-Jake Bisson

The post The Best Releases of August: Music Staff Picks 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.

The post RIP Warped Tour: The End of an Era appeared first on KRUI Radio.

1.) Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy

If you keep up with my articles, then you know that Fall Out Boy are one of my favorite bands. One of their greatest strengths is lead singer Patrick Stump’s voice. Patrick has a wide vocal range, with some songs (such as “Headfirst Slide”) he features the lower side of his voice. Fall Out Boy’s two latest releases, Save Rock And Roll and American Beauty / American Psycho feature more of his higher vocal range (especially songs like “My Songs”).

You can definitely see the maturity in Patrick’s voice as you listen over each discography, with their earlier sound being more aggressive and Patrick’s words blending together. Not to mention, Patrick sounds phenomenal live.

Songs I recommend: Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On A Bad Bet and My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark

2.) Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco

Brendon Urie, the last original member of Panic! At The Disco, is undeniably talented. His voice is very clean cut, which has been reflected throughout all of Panic!’s discography. Like Patrick Stump, Brendon has a wide vocal range. However, I would venture to say that his is even wider. I mean, just check out their cover of “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen.

Since Brendon pretty much had free reign over the last record since he was the sole member, his work really shines through and I think that Death Of A Bachelor is one of his best records vocally.

Songs I recommend: Death of a Bachelor and This Is Gospel

3.) Trevor and Matt Wentworth of Our Last Night

Since they’re brothers and in the same band, I’m going to count them as one. In fact, I think that because they are brothers and have similar voices, they really complement each other in their work. Matt sings all of the clean vocals, while Trevor switches between clean and screaming. This works really well with their heavy post-hardcore sound. Trevor’s vocal range leans on the lower side while Matt’s is on the higher side, which really balances this band out to make for a pleasant listen.

Songs I recommend: Sunrise and White Tiger

4.) Parker Cannon of The Story So Far

Parker Cannon’s voice is the cherry on top of this band. Their aggressive sound features heavy guitar, banging drums, and none other than Parker’s yelling vocals. I would say that Parker’s voice sets them apart in the pop-punk scene since they lie more on the aggressive side of the pop-punk spectrum. Parker’s voice has the ability to make you feel angry and pumped up, even if you don’t directly relate to the lyrics.

His softer voice is showcased through songs on their short EP “Songs Of”, where there isn’t any yelling vocals present. It’s almost as if the soft Parker is a hidden gem in the world of pop-punk.

Songs I recommend: All Wrong and Clairvoyant

5.) Derek Discanio of State Champs

State Champs are arguably one of the best bands in the pop-punk scene today. What I love most about Discanio’s voice is that it’s soft enough, but it also has an edge to it. It’s clean cut with some raspy yelling thrown in there to give it some edge.

Songs I recommend: Secrets and Elevated

6.) Tyler Joseph of Twenty One Pilots

Twenty One Pilots are a band that have blown up in the past couple of years, and rightfully so. Tyler shows off his talent by singing in many different genres, such as rap, hip-hop, indie pop, and rock while most musicians stay in their preferred lane. His voice is whiney, but not in a cringe-y way.

Songs I recommend: House of Gold and Doubt

7.) Lynn Gunn of PVRIS

Lynn Gunn (short for Lynndsay Gunnulfsen) is hands-down my favorite female vocalist that’s out there today. She’s able to hit some deep, forceful tones as well as keeping things soft and simple. I think she has a really powerful voice that is euphoric just to listen to, especially the “stripped” versions of their songs that feature just Lynn’s vocals.

Songs I recommend: You and I and Smoke

8.) Eddy Brewerton of Moose Blood

Eddy Brewerton’s voice is hard to describe, so I will try my best. It’s very unique, to say the least. There’s definitely a roughness to it that’s more present on their album I’ll Keep You In Mind, From Time To Time. Another thing I enjoy about Eddy’s voice is how uplifting it sounds. Maybe that’s just because it’s paired with the upbeat music, but when you really listen to the lyrics you can actually feel your heart being ripped out. This would definitely not be the case if there was a lead vocalist other than Eddy.

Songs I recommend: Pastel and Gum 

9.) Joe Taylor of Knuckle Puck

When talking about modern pop-punk bands, a lot of people talk about Knuckle Puck. What makes KP so great? Vocalist Joe Taylor is one of the many reasons. In their early stuff, his voice can be comparable to Parker Cannon-like yelling, with cleaner vocals coming on their first full length Copacetic.

Songs I recommend: No Good and Untitled

10.) Derek Sanders of Mayday Parade

First off, can I just say that Derek Sanders is one of the nicest guys ever? I had the pleasure of meeting him in 2014 and he was the sweetest. Likewise, his voice sounds sweet to the ears. It hovers on the lower end of his vocal range, which sounds good paired with their pop-punk style and also their slower songs. If you really want to dive deep into the feels, check out “Terrible Things”.

Songs I recommend: Kids In Love and You’re Dead Wrong

Check out my playlist featuring these vocalists below!

The post Jen’s Top Ten’s: My Favorite Vocalists of All Time appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Growing up, I’ve always heard the phrase (and I’m sure you have too), “Don’t judge a book based on its cover!”. Let’s be honest… I definitely do that. Not only with books, but also with music. So in this article, I’m gonna be talking about some of my favorite album artwork, and of course I’ll say a few things about the album as well.

1.) Believers Never Die by Fall Out Boy

This greatest hits album from FOB is one of my favorite album covers. As you can see, it features two skeletons that appear to be hugging each other. There’s various things around the room, including musical instruments, clothing, and books. Paired with the title, “Believer’s Never Die”, this album offers a solemn vibe. The concept of this art is really cool, because clearly the skeletons represent the absence of life, and the title leads us to believe that the music follows us beyond just living. (Kind of a big concept to wrap your head around, I know. Just my interpretation!)

Favorite track: “I’m Like A Lawyer With The Way I’m Always Trying To Get You Off (Me and You)”

2.) Put Yourself Back Together by Real Friends

Real Friends is a Chicago-based pop punk band that has really been growing in the past couple of years. This EP, released in 2013, is kind of a concept album, in a way. Almost every song on this record mentions being broken, specifically broken hearted. This album art really backs up this album concept brilliantly. As you can see, there’s nothing in order in the picture. The phone is destroyed, the shoes look worn out, a glass lamp appears to be shattered. This album really deals with feeling lonely, broken, abandoned, which is perfectly illustrated by the album art.

Favorite track: “I’ve Given Up On You”

3.) Youth by Citizen

This indie-rock/emo album features a heavy and sometimes overwhelmingly somber tone, the lyrics dealing with isolation, angst, and self-doubt. A lot of people in their adolescence deal with emotions similar to this, which is why I think this album is titled “Youth”. The roses, which provide a small range of pinks and reds with the occasional yellow, might possibly represent the entire concept of youth. When roses, die, they shrivel up. In the same token, this could apply to adolescents. They’re budding roses, but paired with the deep concepts of this album, they can quickly shrivel up when exposed to these real life emotions. I think it’s a beautifully simple album cover.

Favorite track: “The Summer”

4.) White Noise by Pvris

A repeated theme throughout this album is a love-hate relationship, as well as supernatural spirits.

This album cover is a little bit more difficult to interpret. The black background could represent darkness. White noise is defined as “noise containing many frequencies with equal intensities”, so I think that the concept of looking in this mirror shows that there is many different “frequencies” and intensities within yourself, within a relationship, within spirits, or whatever else you interpret it to be.

Favorite track: “Smoke”

5.) Stories For Monday by The Summer Set

“Stories For Monday” is a collection of songs that are just that: post-party anthems that you can’t wait to tell your friends about when you get back to school or work on Monday.

The artwork features a single photo of a party, with the only people looking at the camera being the band members. The photo displays everything about your typical party — drinking, people mingling, a crowded room, and that one guy who’s always wearing something USA themed. A lot of the themes in this album deal with living in the now and not giving up. Typically, people at parties tend to let loose and live in the moment. The album and the artwork go together perfectly.

Favorite track: “All Downhill From Here”

6.) The Finer Things by State Champs

State Champs is a five man band that’s made their way up to the top of the pop punk scene. With two EP’s under their belt, they produced this kick-ass record driven by guitars and lead singer Derek Discanio’s incredible voice. This album demands to be played during the summer with all of the windows rolled down. The cover of this album reflects it: the warm color scheme, the person skateboarding down the road, the brightness of the photo. It’s a warm and welcoming cover that previews an amazing pop punk album.

Favorite track: “Nothing’s Wrong”

7.) The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me by Brand New

This album art never fails to give me the chills for obvious reasons. The music on this record itself is chilling, with death and illness being the main themes. What intrigues me the most is that there can be many different interpretations of this photograph. The chips in the house’s paint could take on a homey-vibe, or a feeling of abandonment. The berries could be food or poison. The masks are scary, but one of them is also wearing slippers. Overall, it’s an amazing album with intriguing artwork that opens the mind for exploration.

Favorite track: “Jesus Christ”

8.) Younger Dreams by Our Last Night

“Take me back to younger dreams / when times were easier and we believed” are the lyrics belted back on the title track of this album.

As seen in the picture, a young boy is holding a toy plane and is wearing a mask over his head. A theme in this album reminisces about the dreams and aspirations they had when they were younger. This photo is simple yet powerful paired with the music.

Favorite track: “White Tiger”

9.) You’re Gonna Miss It All by Modern Baseball

What captures me most about this is how simple this cover is. The white space around surrounding the photo leads our eye to the center of attention: the grayed out photo of a little girl walking away from a boy. The title of the album acts as a caption, and the music tells the story.

Favorite track: “Your Graduation”

10.) I’ll Keep You In Mind, From Time To Time by Moose Blood

Best for last! This is probably my favorite album cover of all time. I’ll be honest, the band’s name “Moose Blood” didn’t really appeal to me all that well. But when I saw this album artwork, I knew that I had to give it a listen.

What I love most about it is how candid it is. It’s a real photo of a woman sitting by a campfire poking at the fire. The dark colors mixed with the bright fire are very aesthetically pleasing. Of course, it’s a great listen, but I think my favorite part about it is the album cover.

Favorite track: “Cherry”

The post Jen’s Top Ten’s: Favorite Album Artwork appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Iowa City’s very own Starry Nights came on stage, a pop punk “witchy” “queercore” band (as described by their Facebook page.) Lead singer Kate Kane leaned in the microphone and let out a whiny “Hiiiii,” before jumping right into their first song. Their fast riffs and powerful drums were held up by Kate’s strong and wailing voice. They powered through their short setlist, stopping only to take sips of water and a mumbled “Thankssssss, you guyssssss.” They were clad in dark t-shirts and tattoos. (As you would expect from any pop punk band). They drew in a smaller crowd, but nonetheless they got the crowd prepped for the next acts.

Up next was a pop punk band from Cedar Rapids, Iowa (shout out to my hometown) called Know The Ropes. Aside from some relatively familiar faces on stage, lead singer Ryan Ask kind of reminded me of Parker Cannon, lead singer of largely-known pop punk band The Story So Far, not only in his husky scream-filled voice but also in his stage presence (besides the whole Parker drop kicking fans off stage part). Ryan would start the song with his back shyly facing the audience and his head hung, before the music engulfed him and they all head-banged and danced around the stage. It was really fun to watch them live, even not having known any of their songs before.

From Des Moines, Iowa, the next band up was Words Like Daggers. Their alternative sound brought a different vibe to the venue, the crowd enjoying the change in pace. The lead singers unique and silvery voice was backed by fast paced guitars and vigorous drumming, pumping the larger crowd up. They played a lot of songs off of their latest release, Perfect Weather. While I do enjoy alternative music, I found myself eager for Words Like Daggers to finish up and for State Champs to take the stage.

The wait for State Champs wasn’t painful, but actually memorable. Gabe’s, like most venues, plays songs between acts. However, this night the music was especially great. They played the latest Pierce The Veil track, a popular tune from Neck Deep‘s latest album, a PVRIS song, and most memorably, Sum 41‘s infamous “In Too Deep” from 2001.

The crowd jammed out to the nostalgic song as crew members set up the stage. It was a nice moment during the show that brought on a sense of unity throughout the crowd, and reminded me of why I fell in love with pop punk in the first place.

Finally, the moment we were all waiting for. State Champs, a pop punk band from Albany, New York, took the stage and opened with “Secrets” off of their latest album Around The World And Back. Girly screams shook the room and the tiny space between you and the person in front of you was suddenly closed as fans pushed their way to get closer to the band.

“We didn’t want to miss Iowa City!” said frontman Derek Discanio. State Champs took an off-day from their tour with A Day To Remember to perform at Gabe’s in Iowa City, a city they haven’t been in since October 2014 (click here for some footage of that concert).

Derek’s vocal chords range from low and throaty to high and ringing, making their pop punk sound a unique one in the scene. The crowd was definitely not still, with a mosh pit in the middle of the venue that was encouraged by the band members themselves. While my friend and I mainly stayed to the right and jumped up and down with the crowd, punk kids let themselves go in the mosh pit and ran rampant.

A lot of people also opted for crowd surfing, even though most of the people towards the front were us girls with chicken arms and wobbly legs. Nonetheless, it’s fun to watch people hold up the sweaty bodies of kids who just want to get close to the stage.

The songs they played came equally between their two most recent records, some songs being:

“Breaking Ground,” “Remedy,” “Secrets,” “Simple Existence,” “All You Are Is History,” “Easy Enough,” “Hard To Please,” “Losing Myself,” “Elevated,” “Critical,” “Perfect Score,” and “All or Nothing.”

Check out State Champ’s latest record Around The World And Back below!

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 Concert Review: State Champs appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The year is 2007. I’m sitting in the back of my dad’s truck gluing on fake nails that were painted black with silver skulls on them, making my sister put my hair up in a pony tail for me. This was also the time when I learned gel nails last how long. We arrived at the arena in Denver, Colorado, where we were seeing Fall Out Boy, a band I have heard on the radio a couple of times. This was my first concert ever, and I had no idea what to expect.

The year is now 2016. Fall Out Boy have reigned my number one favorite band for 9 years now, and this is the fourth time that I’m seeing them live. My sister, Amanda, and I arrived at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, and this time I knew all too well what to expect.

Thousands of people gathered to welcome Fall Out Boy to our beautiful state, their first time being here since 2007. All sorts of people were here: parents who brought their children to see their favorite band, punk angsty teens with half shaved heads and pink hair, girls dressed up in sundresses, and hardcore fans decked out head to toe in Fall Out Boy gear. Fall Out Boy used to have a certain niche, but now that their music is getting more radio play, more and more diversity is added in to the FOB family.

Amanda and I found our seats high up in the nosebleeds of the arena. I wasn’t particularly thrilled about being so far away from the stage, considering I’m the type of fan that loves to crowd surf, mosh, and stand in with the crowd. These nosebleeds consisted of the people who weren’t really big fans of any of the bands, but were just there because it was either something to do, they were with someone who wanted to go, or they are a broke college kid (aka me). We settled in our seats after buying some merch and a slice of pizza. The stage wasn’t too far, and we could hear the bands just fine.

The first band to come out is a band named PVRIS (pronounced “Paris”), an up and coming electro-pop/post-hardcore band from Massachusetts. I’ve seen PVRIS before when they opened for Mayday Parade in 2014 and again at Warped Tour in 2015.

Every time I’ve seen PVRIS live (and this time was no exception) their vibe has been so exuberant. Their frontwoman Lynn Gunn is known for her remarkable vocal chords that can hit some deep, forceful tones as well as a softer side. All band members stand out, but Lynn Gunn keeps the crowds energy up by talking between songs and getting the crowd to interact with them. PVRIS fuels the crowd with adrenaline, keeping them pumped up for the bands to come. Their all too short 6 song setlist consisted of their biggest hits off their album White Noise: White Noise, St. Patrick, Smoke, Fire, You and I, and My House.

Up next was Awolnation. Now, to be completely honest, I’m not really a fan of Awolnation, an alternative dance/indie rock band. I found a set list of this concert beforehand and listened to the stuff I knew they were gonna play, and I was not looking forward to it. When the lights dimmed and fans started screaming, I sighed and sat back in my seat, planning on just waiting it out.

I wasn’t blown away by their performance. But, I’m a sucker for live music. While I probably won’t listen to their music on my own time, I was enjoying myself. The lead singer, Aaron Bruno, sent a lively energy through the arena that echoed throughout. He appeared to be barefoot (I could be wrong considering how far up we sat) and danced all around the stage. He danced like no one was watching, and sang his soul out. Their entire set had a very spiritual vibe and it was easy to listen to. For their set, it was easy to forget all of my problems and just simply enjoy music. Their 9 song set list included Run, Hollow Moon (Bad Wolf), Not Your Fault, Windows, Kill Your Heroes, Woman Woman, I Am, Burn It Down, and their most famous tune, Sail.

Finally, it was the moment we were all waiting for. The trumpets from the intro of “Irresistible” echoed throughout the arena, and Patrick, Pete, Joe, and Andy all took positions on stage. Fans all across the arena (including myself) belted the lyrics back to them as each of them ran around on stage and onto the v-shaped catwalk extending into the crowd. They then threw it back to “Sugar, We’re Going Down”, a hit off of their 2005 record From Under The Cork Tree. Out of the 4 FOB concerts I’ve been to, they always know how to shake up their setlist and incorporate new and old songs. Their 22 song set list contains 8 songs from their 6th studio album American Beauty/American Psycho (Irresistible, The Kids Aren’t Alright, Novocaine, Fourth of July, Uma Thurman, American Beauty/American Psycho, Jet Pack Blues, and Centuries), 4 off of their 3rd studio album Infinity On High (Hum Hallelujah, “The Take Over, The Breaks Over”, This Ain’t A Scene It’s An Arms Race, Thnks fr th Mmrs), 4 from their 5th studio album Save Rock and Roll (The Phoenix, Alone Together, Save Rock and Rolle, My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark), 2 off of their studio album Folie a Deux (Disloyal Order of Water Buffalos, I Don’t Care), 2 off of their 2nd studio album From Under The Cork Tree (Sugar We’re Going Down, Dance Dance) and 2 off of their first full length album Take This To Your Grave (Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy, Saturday).

Throughout the show, the guys all moved around onstage, tossed their pics into the crowd, and rocked out. They always throw epic concerts, and this one contained a lot of blue and white confetti, beach balls, and fire.

They slowed it down about halfway through when they brought a piano out and Patrick performed an acoustic version of “Disloyal Order of Water Buffalos” followed by “Save Rock and Roll”, which they played as a tribute to David Bowie. Even though these songs were a little bit slower, the emotions of the song and the energy from the entire night was still lingering in the arena. After taking a short breather, they went right back into their set and played their hearts out.

They all left the stage after “Centuries”, and the arena was almost completely black besides the lit walkways. For their encore, they performed “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark” and “Saturday”, a song off of their first album. I wasn’t surprised to see that people were already getting up to leave during Saturday, since it isn’t a song known by casual fans, and also because this has happened at previous concerts too. Fall Out Boy is notorious for closing with Saturday, while bassist Pete Wentz reaches into the crowd and holds hands with the luckiest crowd members.

All in all, it was an exciting concert and all of the performers put on amazing performances. Till next time!

Click here to listen to a playlist of all of the songs from the concert on Spotify!

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