st. louis: a very ludo christmas

with treaty of paris and ludo

the famous "a very ludo christmas" show! they're so much fun and this was my... third? fourth? i'm not sure. but i was extra excited this time around because my good friends in treaty of paris were coming down from chicago to open the show. treaty isn't exactly broken up, but they tend to stick close to home and only play a select few shows in chicago here and there, not touring anymore and the like. so it was really good to see them again and in such a big venue no less. abby and i went together and eventually met up with molly and claire, and katie, shannon, grant and ryan. we got there in time to catch the tail end of the opening band's set, and then made our way into the pit so i could get rowdy for treaty of paris. clearly only a handful of people in the crowd new who treaty was, because i got some strange sideways glances from people while screaming along and dancing like an idiot. oh well.

after their set we ventured out to meet up with more friends and watched ludo from afar. i've had my fair share of intense ludo pits and it's nice to watch their antics from way back in the venue. they played a good mix of old and new songs as well as some acoustic christmas carols, which they performed in the middle of the pit with the audience sitting around them.

we snuck into the merch room right after the show and talked with the treaty boys for a good while, and eventually gathered the troops for some ihop nomz. another yaer, another great ludo christmas show.

st. louis: the noise fm

the noise boys are back! i feel like i hadn't seen them play a show in ages and it was good to catch up. i went by myself, but met up with molly and claire (who had just gotten back from her study abroad in oxford!) and hung out with hawley and carolina who tagged along with the boys for the show. there were four bands on the bill and the show got started pretty late. i had driven from columbia after a long day of class and work and was so. freaking. exhasuted. but austin was supplying me with a never ending supply of drinks, so that kept me... energized? on my toes, at least. they played third and it was a killer set as always. i believe there were three new sons, which i'm sure we'll see on a new record sometime in this coming year. normally we all get some late night food together, but i'm pretty sure i was hallucinating from tiredness by the time the show was over so i headed home and crashed hard. good times with some of my favorite southern gentlemen.

columbia: empires

this was a last minute decision, but it was a good one. i'd never seen empires live before, nor have a listened to a lot of their music. i have so many friends that love them though, and my friends have damn good taste in music. so when cortney asked if i wanted to with, i said "sure!" plus, it was stop day at school and what better way to celebrate my last day of class EVER than by going to a show and having a couple drinks with friends?

abby, cortney, lizette, and stephanie and i tried to time things well enough to where we would just see empires since they were headlining. none of us had ever heard f the opening bands and we didn't feel like sitting through them. we guessed fairly well and had enough time to get drinks before empires went on. i also met kati, a mutual friend of a ton of my friends, so that was cool. she was sweet and now we're twitter bffs. i love social networks. but empires played a great set, cortney bought a poster, and we headed to steak and shake for some late night dinner. good times. check out empires they're worth your time.

chicago: sixth annual fall formal

featuring: south jordan, super happy fun club, tommy and the high pilots, and state and madison


ohh, fall formal. it didn't go quite as planned this year, but it was a fun time nevertheless. as always, i spend thanksgiving with family and head to chicago early friday morning; i drive five hours while the crazy shoppers shop. this year was even more perfect because urbanites were playing friday night, and formal was on saturday. two shows in one weekend!

but then i got sick. like, really sick. it started a couple hours after thanksgiving and i pretty much spent the next twenty four hours crawling from my bed to the toilet and wimpering and crying the whole time. not a pretty sight. there was no way i could have driven anytime on friday and i felt awful because molly was riding with me. i didn't know when i'd start feeling better so i had to play it be ear and listen to my poor body. we left as late as we could on saturday and while i was nowhere near one hundred percent, at least i could hold food down. we got to meesh's, put on fancy clothes, and headed down to a sold out beat kitchen. south jordan played first and they were lovely. my good friends jesse and benton, formerly of cavashawn,  play drums and bass respectively and i hadn't seen them in aaaages. so it was nice to catch up. super happy fun club just got back from touring europe for a month and this was their first show back in the states. they were lively and hilarious as always. next was tommy and the high pilots who i am absolutely enamored with. they blow me away every time i see them and i just can't get over how. damn. GOOD. they are. and finally was state and madison. i probably sound like a broken record talking about them as much as i do, but they're wonderful. wonderful people who make wonderful music.

we hung out for quite a while afterwards and shenanigans were had with very drunk noise fm brothers, and eventually meesh, sam, molly and i ended up at the traditional big top for a late dinner. meesh made an amazing brunch the following morning and sean and pete (of the heyday) came over to eat and hang out for a while since they flew in from denver for the weekend. i had to head back to school and the seven hour drive was looming over me, so i bit everyone farewell and headed south.

i can't believe i was in chicago for less than twenty four hours. it was nuts, but i'd do it again in a heartbeat.

st. louis: the strummalongs, architects, and am taxi

first night of thanksgiving break, what better way to celebrate than with a punk show?! molly was my obvious sidekick and we had ourselves a wonderful time. the lineup was, funnily enough, the exact same as the last time am taxi was in town and played at the firebird. i definitely can't complain though because it's one killer band after the next. the strummalongs are a great punk rock band from st. louis and they get better every time i see them, which turns out to be a lot because they always seem to open for friends of mine. next up was the architects from kansas city, missouri. i must have been too preoccupied gabbing with friends the last time i saw them. because damn were they great. i have no idea why i didn't buy all of their music the first time around, but you better believe i bought three albums this time. they played a fantastic set and all of them were so nice. molly and i chatted with their bass player for a bit after the show.

and finally, there was am taxi. they came, they got drunk, and they tore that fucking venue apart. i've been to my fair share of taxi shows, but i've never been in a sea of people so drunk in my life. molly and i were squished up front against the monitors and kept getting knocked over onto the stage because it's so low at cicero's. crazy times! we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves though, and they even played maydays and rosaries (normally featuring genevieve of company of thieves) and restless ways. molly and i hung out and talked to luke and adam for a bit after, and eventually parted ways. we probably went to steak and shake afterwards? maybe? but i don't remember. my brain was rocked pretty hard that night.

columbia: harrison hudson

so my friend casey texted me one thursday evening and said "hey, what are you doing tonight?" knowing that she lives in kansas city, i was a bit confused. but nevertheless said "nothing, what's up?"

turns out she was at a show. (where else would she be, let's get real.) there was a band playing who had a a show the following night in columbia and needed a place to stay. she wanted to know if she could offer them my apartment floor to crash on. so of course i said yes, because it's what i do. i let bands, both friends and strangers, sleep on my floor when they need it. so she gave harrison my number and we texted away. they got into town, we had some beer and shared many laughs. they're signed to favorite gentlemen records, which was started by manchester orchestra's lead singer andy hull. so we talked about manchester, and we talked about brand new, and i tried my best to maintain a calm demeanor. we also talked about who they're touring with next and while that's probably not something i should spoil before the band actually announces it... let's just say that i'm pretty stoked. they passed out in the living room, i stumbled to my bed and the night was a success. we watched the goonies and ate pizza the next afternoon, and they eventually headed out to run some errands before the show.

i dragged abby along with me to sideshow and the guys were kind enough to guest list us. there weren't many people there to see them play, but their set was great and abby and i both bought CDs.

it was a short and sweet two days and i made some valuable connections thanks to casey. good times.

check em out: www.harrisonhudson.com

columbia: moonrunner and ha ha tonka

i had the privilege to see ha ha tonka friday with a bunch of friends and it was absolutely incredible. i missed them last time they were in town which means it had been quite some time since i'd seen them. but before i get too far ahead of myself, i'll start at the beginning.

it was a late show, not starting until nine-thirty so i took my time and arrived around ten. i had never heard of the first opener so i wasn't too disappointed in missing them, and the second opener, moonrunner, is a local columbia band in which i know a handful of the seven members. they've improved by leaps and bounds since i'd seen them last and i really enjoyed their set. i found some friends that i worked with two summers ago midway through the set and we chatted while we waited for tonka to set up. there was a great crowd there; every time i see them they have a bigger fan base which is really neat. the blue note is the biggest venue in columbia and they had it pretty filled. the crowd was absolutely wild by the time they started playing and i can't remember the last time i danced so much at a show. they played a good mix of new and old songs, and seemed so humble and appreciative. every person in the crowd was clapping, stomping their feet and singing along and it's no surprise they got called back for an encore. what was surprising though, was the second encore that the crowd absolutely insisted on. i've been to my fair share of shows and that was definitely a first. very cool.

it was really late by the time the show was over so i didn't stick around; i probably should at some point. i've seen them a dozen times and i have yet to really introduce myself. oh well.

www.hahatonkamusic.com

taste of st. louis: civil twilight and fitz & the tantrums

taste of st. louis! the real reason i went home to st. louis for the weekend, with paper route being the added surprise bonus. abby, katie and i made a weekend of it and had carpooled home together, and our friend lizette drove up a bit later to hang out. it was a great time with great friends, and did i mention the heavenly food? 'taste' certainly lived up to its name. we arrived in perfect time to wander a little bit, and make our way to the main stage. and there was nobody there! we literally walked right up to the barricade! civil twilight is so damn underrated and it makes me so sad. they're so talented. so. talented. i've seen them quite a few times now and every show gives me goosebumps. they played for close to an hour and there were quite a few new songs in the mix, with a couple covers. they slowly gained a crowd by the end of their set, and though no one else was really singing along, it looked like they had the attention of some new fans. we had a really great spot, but decided to leave and get some dinner before fitz and the tantrums played.

after stuffing oursleves with various foods from multiple different st. louis restaurants (i had a pulled pork sandwich, a philly cheesesteak with cheese fries, and white chocolate raspberry gooey butter cake. yumba.) we headed back to take our places for fitz and the tantrums. the crowd wasn't too bad and we managed to weasel our way to the front without too much of a fuss. and it was so worth it. fitz and the tantrums seemed to come out of nowhere and shoot straight to fame. and it seems that way besides it's precisely what happened! they played for a solid hour and had the hour crowd singing and dancing. and it was a good thing, because without that crowd to keep us warm it would have been really cold and uncomfortable. such a great night!

st. louis: paper route

i almost forgot about this show. i almost. fucking. forgot. i'll blame it on the copious amount of cold medicine i was taking the entire week beforehand. but holy shit. you know something's up when i almost forget about a show. also interesting to note is how terrible my luck is in regards to seeing paper route perform. i've been trying to see them for TWO YEARS. the first time they played the same night as incubus. as hard as i tried to sell my ticket, nobody would buy it and i didn't want to waste thirty bucks on top of paying to go to another show. so i missed it. the second time i tried to see paper route was at middle west fest in kansas city. i was driving over from columbia and according to the website paper route played second. well the website was wrong, because they played first. i walked in as they were loading out. i literally cried i was so upset. so when i heard they were playing at teeny tiny cicero's in st. louis, i snatched up a ticket as quick as i could. and that was precisely the problem. i bought the ticket online and so far in advance, that i totally forgot about it. i almost always pay at the door for shows at cicero's because there's no way in the hell shows i see there would sell out. but i wasn't so sure with paper route, so i made sure to buy in advance. the fact that the tickets were will call gave me no reminder whatsoever of when the show was since no tickets came in the mail. so it was the day of, when paper route tweeted about driving into st. louis, that i remembered the show. (thank god for twitter.)

i dragged abby and katie to the show with me and it was one of the best decisions. they were amazing. so, so amazing. all of my pain and frustration was now being released; my plans had come to fruition and so many emotions came spilling out that night. paper route holds a lot of memories and deeply rooted emotions and the show was a giant celebration of all those things. so awesome. i highly recommend you pick up a copy of their new album when it drops.

www.paperrouteonline.com

album review: jack's mannequin - people and things

I’ve always been a huge Jack’s Mannequin fan and if I had to pick one word to describe Andrew McMahon’s music throughout the years it would have to be this: consistent. McMahon is no stranger to the world of music, first making it big with Something Corporate, then Jack’s Mannequin. And every single record he’s released has been one hundred percent solid. Of course I’m probably biased because Jack’s is one of my favorite bands and I’ve seen them countless times, but People and Things is great. It’s poppy, catchy and each song is one earworm after another. I recognized a fair amount of them upon first listen; the band  has played a few songs live in recent months, including the previously released single “My Racing Thoughts,” “Amy, I,” “Hey Hey Hey (We’re All Gonna Die),” and “Hostage.” Read more...

st. louis: lucky boys confusion and state & madison

as if two shows in one night were enough to supress my musical appetite. psh. my chicago boys were in town and i was way more excited than i care to admit to see them. molly came to the show with me and we had a wonderful time. this was state and madison show number twenty-something and it was just as good as all the others. they're damn consistent, if not better each time i see them. i also got to meet their new bassist travis so that was fun.

there was quite a large crowd forming by the time lucky boys confusion played, and with good reason. lucky boys has been around for a good decade and all the members have multiple notable projects under their belts: am taxi, super happy fun club, the insecurities, and shock stars to name a few. while i didn't grow up listening to their music and probably can't appreciate it like some of the longtime fans in attendance, i really enjoyed myself. they put on a great show and stubhy really knows how to capture an audience.

album review: mutemath - odd soul

Mutemath has always struck me as overwhelmingly talented for how underwhelmingly popular they are.  They had that awesome backwards music video for “Typical” on MTV quite a few years ago; what happened after that? They seemed to fall off the map completely. Of course that’s according to the average music listener, and I would not consider myself to be the latter. The minute I saw that video I was hooked, and the minute I saw them perform at St. Louis’ Pointfest in September 2007 I was floored. I’ve kept tabs on them ever since and am always speechless after their shows. Read more...

st. louis: without a face || margot & the nuclear so and so's

it was a wild friday night of venue hopping a couple weeks back! my friend henry of without a face was playing an early show at cicero's so of course i had to pop in and say hey. there was a really great crowd there to see him, especially seeing as how early the show was. he's definitely made some fans from opening for ludo so much. he debuted his new twisted sexual assault which he'd sung for me over the summer and it was a huge hit. his new ep dropped about a week ago and while i haven't had the chance to get myself a copy yet, i definitely plan to come next paycheck and you should too.

it was only eight or so when the show ended which gave me plenty of time to drive the couple blocks to the firebird to see margot and the nuclear so and so's. i've been a fan for quite a few years and have only managed to catch them once at a street festival. i was pretty stoked to finally see them in a venue with good sound. and they certainly didn't disappoint. maybe it was the rum and coke, but i was dancing and singing along and having an awesome time. definitely glad to see them and definitely worth the multiple trips on a friday night.

album review: thrice - major/minor

Thrice has always been a band full of surprises, with each album sounding radically different from the one before it. Just when you think you have their sound pinned down and figured out, they find a way to go above and beyond your expectations. While their bold shifts in style may have alienated a handful of fans, if you’ve stuck around over the last decade it’s something to marvel at. Their early work is more punk while Vheissu takes an experimental turn. And then there’s The Alchemy Index, a rather lofty project that in my opinion is a true showcase of the band’s talent and one of my favorites.Beggars just didn’t do it for me and seemed rather forgettable, so I was really excited to see what the band would come up with next. Read more...

st. louis: bon iver

there are favorite bands, and there are bands that have truly stolen my heart. bon iver is most definitely the latter. justin vernon has gotten me through many a despairing and lonely night, and i can only attempt to explain the amount of emotion that i feel when listening to his music. for emma, forever ago has been a favorite of mine for many years and even to this day it doesn't get old. by the time i started listening to bon iver, the possibility of seeing a live show had already come and gone. so when i heard there was going to be a new album, i was equally as excited since this meant a supporting tour. i snatched up my ticket mere hours after they went on sale and didn't even flinch while dropping forty bucks.

abby was excited to come with me and i was grateful for the company, though i warned her about the flood of tears that may come. while they didn't flow freely, there were definitely a couple that slid out here and there throughout the night. there was a good mix of old and new music, and a full band with nine members made for some powerful sound. we watched from the balcony which was a neat experience. we had a great view of the two drum sets and multiple brass instruments. justin was so humble and awkward on stage, it was quite endearing. it was a sunday night show which made for a late night drive back to columbia, but man was it worth it. it was truly a spiritual experience.

columbia: hey penny, stamps, and tommy & the high pilots

what better way to celebrate my last first day of school than with a show?! abby and i went to see stamps and the high pilots with katelyn on our first monday back and it was oh so worth it. there was a decent crowd considering the circumstances and all the bands were great, starting with the opener called hey penny. they were so great and they're from nashville so what's not to love? stamps played next and were wonderfully charming as always. they had a seven hour drive + a flight to catch so they packed up and left as soon as they could. i didn't have a chance to talk to everyone, but i did say hi to andy and my bff robert morris. tommy and the high pilots were up next and as much as i enjoy them in a large venue, it was nice to finally see them in a more intimate setting. tommy has this voice that is just spectacular, i can't even explain it. but it gives you goosebumps and makes your eyes well up. for the love of all things good, go listen to their music. seriously. they're so good. so so good. we didn't stick around long since it was, after all, a monday night and we all had early mornings, but it was a great way to start the semester off with a bang.

album review: blitzen trapper - american goldwing

Blitzen Trapper, with three previous Sub-Pop albums under their belt, have produced quite the wide array of sounds. 2007′s Wild Mountain Nationsounds as if it was thrown together with reckless abandon, a giant mish-mash of sounds and passions. There were indie-rock melodies and folky boot-stomping tunes with a healthy dose of country twang. 2008′sFurr leaned more to the pop-rock side of the spectrum with Americana intertwined through and through. And next was Destroyer of the Void which took on a new sound altogether with prog-rock guitar sounds and a mellower tone. So who could really predict what would be next? At first listen, American Goldwing is a nice homage to Furr with influences of traditional Southern rock. It’s blatantly alternative-country and maybe a little bit indie. If anything, it showcases the band’s versatility to record whatever they want and turn it into an album. And it sounds great. Read more...

chicago: super happy fun club

day two of me and abby's mini trip to chicago: super happy fun club!

we trekked out to bottom lounge after a long day in the rain at northalsted market days for darren criss, and after a delicious meal at taco bell. met up with meesh! and nick! and sir vinci and kristen and lots of friends. we watched the aesthetic play, we ate some garlic fries that easily changed my life, we talked and caught up and laughed and watched a really weird show that was playing on the tv, and we finally watched super happy fun club play. it was great to finally see them. such talented gentlemen. we hung around for a bit, met various people, chatted with various others, drove around for a bit, almost went to house party, then decided not to. probably a good choice since abby and i had a seven hour drive ahead of us the next morning. short and sweet trip!

chicago: am taxi

this little trip actually came into effect because of darren criss. yes, that dude from glee. abby was hellbent on going to chicago to see him play at a street festival, so naturally i found a couple of shows i'd be interested in surrounding the festival, and we made a trip out of it. perfect! we drove straight to metro to catch am taxi which was wonderful. we hung out with sam for the night, and ran into nick and mark outside promoting. we ended up getting some dinner at a nearby bar with them and had some excellent hangs. turns out the entire band and their posse of friends, wives, and girlfriends ended up there as well so sam ash the chicago 'it girl' spent some time introducing us to everyone and taking shots of jameson. what a bad ass. we eventually headed back to her place and crashed hard. good times.

album review: beirut - the rip tide

I've listened to Beirut’s  The Rip Tide several times through and I still feel as if I don’t have a strong opinion about it. I’ve enjoyed every listen, but it’s just not sticking with me and I can’t decide if it’s my own fault or the album’s. It’s good. I don’t have anything negative to say. But then again: it’s good – and that’s about all I can think to say. The Rip Tide is a solid, mediocre album that didn’t live up to  the fantasies I had constructed in my head after so many years of no new releases. Beirut evokes many happy memories and nostalgic feelings for me and the new album seems to have lost a little of the band’s old magic. With all of that said, it’s still an enjoyable album and you should definitely give it a listen. If anything, please prove me wrong and tell me it hits home with you. Because right now it’s just not quite sticking with me, and I really want it to. Read more...

columbia: without a face, stamps, tommy and the high pilots, and ludo

space dracula's basketball expo: take two!

sam and i saw henry off early in the afternoon, and we took our time getting ready and eventually headed to columbia as well. we had a nice late lunch with my family at casa gallardo though, which was awesome. love me some mexican food. we got to my apartment in time to meet up with a bunch of people, carpool to the venue, and just miss the epic storm that was brewing. (i cardinal literally hit my windshield on the drive downtown and no one will let me forget it. angry birds much?) i love the blue note because it's a decent sized venue so it has that 'big show' feel, but it's definitely intimate no matter how far away from the stage you are.

henry played first, stamps played second, tommy and the high pilots played third. we took a break to chat with friends while sparks the rescue played, and made our way back in the middle of the crowd for ludo. once again, it was a fantastic show. we chatted with friends, i said my goodbyes to sam, and left her (warily) in henry's care, as he was giving her a ride back to st. louis in the dead of night so she could catch her train in the morning. and i dragged myself back to my apartment and crashed. nothing like working at 7AM after a weekend full of show and no sleep!

st. louis: without a face, stamps, tommy & the high pilots, and ludo

bear with me, as i seem to have gotten so far behind that the mere thought of attempting to get caught up makes me cringe. but in a burst of creative mania, i'm ready to tackle this beast that has gotten really backed up in regards to show reviews. i've had a lot on my plate with school, work, and popwreckoning, but better late than never, right? here we go.

hometown ludo shows are always my favorite. hometown ludo shows with a bunch of friends in the middle of summer is even better. sam came in town for about a week and we scheduled in some great hangs with molly, claire, chris, tom, and a bunch of awesome people. we made a day of the loop and met for a late lunch at the noodle cafe, wandered around in vintage vinyl, and had some chats with convy and henry before the show. without a face opened and was insane and weird and hilarious and awesome as always. stamps played next and were really great. who doesn't love robert morris, ginger, and former member of the hush sound? i met him while sparks the rescue played (i'm not a big fan) and we pretty much became bffs. so much in fact, that i now refer to him as my bff robert morris. we're tight. after stamps was tommy and the high pilots who i have quickly fallen in love with. so. freaking. talented. sam and i unfortunately gave up our spot in the pit when we went to mingle with friends in the merch room, so we watched ludo from afar. it was a cool experience though; i'm always amidst a sea of hardcore fans so it was neat to see them from a distance. and let me tell you: space dracula's basketball expo is no fucking joke. the entire stage was decorated and every member was dressed head to toe as either an astronaut, dracula, or a basketball player. hilarious. they played a great set as they always do.

we mingled for quite some time afterwards, went to ihop and ate so much food that the waiter even commented, and eventually went home and waited for henry's arrival. he slept in his car outside the venue the night before. i took pity. totally worth it, as i got to hear his superior rapping skills and a new song entitled twisted sexual assault about the tsa.

fabulous.

st. louis: warped tour

i've been going to warped tour for quite a few years. the past four years i've been lucky enough to snag a spot volunteering and getting in free. my friends sam, abby and i worked at the label tent for most of the day, but we still had plenty of time to roam around and see the bands we wanted to see, as well as attend the earn it yourself meet up.

notable friends that i saw throughout the day: molly, cragon, matt, chris

notable bands that i saw throughout the day: family force five, against me!, and jack's mannequin

notable picture of the day:

st. louis: fleet foxes

here's something a little different for you: i met up with my friend jennae for this show and she wrote up a really wonderful review. i thought i'd post hers instead of my own to spice things up a little.

"First off, I arrived to the venue a little early. Anticipating a long line combined with the sweltering heat, I thought it would be wise to attempt to slide into the air conditioning as soon as possible. Doors were at 7pm and the line was still manageable when I got into the venue. The venue itself, The Pageant, was a pleasant area with a decently sized bar and two stories of seating. I grabbed myself a drink, (My first alcoholic coffee drink made with kahlua, which I would not recommend to anyone...) and sat near the bar to people-watch while I waited for the openers to begin. As soon as the lights dimmed, I hopped off my stool and briskly walked to the floor space, gently maneuvering into an empty space that provided a good vantage point and a little elbow room. The opener was pretty good, a bit more folky than I am used to, but they did an excellent job. Next on was the main event, the Fleet Foxes themselves! Honestly, I don't think I will ever be able to put down in words the energy that emanates from those creative souls. Their presence on stage was astounding, in the sense that it was warm and welcoming - not boisterous and obnoxious. They had no need to get the crowd riled up, they came to play sincerely with the intention of making real music, not a scene. After every song, the lead singer Robin Pecknold, would quickly whisper a diminutive 'Thank you" into the microphone to the audience. While Pecknold has the vocal range from his namesake to that of a roaring grizzly bear, (Alright, his scruffy beard might be more similar to a bear than his voice but still...) his introverted demeanor onstage shows just how honest he is concerning his music. The other members of the band were outstanding as well, however the majority of them never said a word - yet it was obvious they were enjoying themselves. I truly believe that Pecknold's voice is his main instrument and if he could, he would probably never say a word if he didn't have to. The Fleet Foxes let their music speak for them."

st. louis: courrier and model stranger

ahh, model stranger. these boys are friends of mine from chicago that i met over spring break this past march. that sounds terrible and sketchy, but i swear it's a more normal story. my roommate and i went to chicago for a long weekend over spring break to hang out, and one night my friend sam said she was going to go see some friends in their practice/recording space and invited me along. thus, the devon + model stranger friendship was born and i'm absolutely in love with them now, both as a band and as individuals. so when i got word that they'd be playing a bar in st. louis while i was there for a bit over summer vacation, i jumped at the chance to see them perform a show and hang out a bit. their show ended up being kind of a flop: they played great and their opening band courrier was great as well, but it was more like a private performance for myself and the bartender. such is life as a touring band in st. louis. i don't know why it is, but it's a tough market to crack open. we had a good time though, and i offered them my floor to sleep on. my friends molly, claire, and cragon came over after the show and we all hung out,, took our shirts off, drank some drank, and had some general shenanigans. it was fun and i can't wait to see them again. check out their tunes and rad facial hair: www.modelstranger.com

st. louis: a great big pile of leaves, fences, fake problems, hellogoodbye

this was probably one of the best shows i've been to in a while. not only was the headlining band fantastic, but all three of the opening bands were amazing as well. i'd heard great things about a great big pile of leaves from my friend brad so i was really looking forward to hearing them. unfortunately i was a little late to the show and only managed to catch the last two songs. but from what i heard, they were great, enough talent to cause me to buy a physical copy of the cd. i'm not gonna lie. i'm all about supporting music. but i do download a lot of it illegally. the way i see, if i download an album illegally, really enjoy it, then buy a ticket to a show to see said band as well as a bunch of merch, and it's justified. and if they're not all that great, the band didn't lose any many because i would have declined paying money for not-so-good music anyway. i also like to buy physical copies of music because it's generally going to be in person from the actual band members, which means they make more of a profit that way instead of off itunes or something like that. but anyways. back to the show.

fences played next and absolutely blew my mind. they weren't what i expected - a pretty mellow, acoustic-type feeling band - but i can dig it. i bought a copy of their cd as well. they've been getting a lot of play-time on both my ipod and in itunes lately, and my last.fm can vouch for that. (might i recommend the mansions/fences split to you?)next up was fake problems who i'd seen a couple times in passing on various warped tour dates last summer... but i'd never given them the time of day and i regret it! they're so fucking great. gritty rock n roll that got everyone dancing, even the sixteen yaer olds in attendance who were strictly there to swoon over forrest kline. i immediately went home and listened to the album of theirs that had been sitting in itunes for ages and metapohrically kicked myself. i can't get enough of the songs 5678 and ADT. check em out! and check out fuckyeahfakeproblems.tumblr.com - my friend runs the site.

and finally there was hellogoodbye. i was so happy with how the show had been going that i almost could ahve left and been content. but i've been listening to hellogoodbye for almost six years now so it was a real treat to finally see them perform. they played a good mix of old stuff (which i love for the nostalgic value) and new stuff (which is so different, but i really love) and i left with a big smile on my face. what a great show.

columbia: the empty spaces

a while back i went to a tiny little show in good ole columbia. i'd heard of the band through my friend casey who also writes for popwreckoning. she's more on the touring/management side of the music world, so when i heard she'd be in town with the empty spaces, i jumped on the chance to meet up with her and well as see the band. i dragged my roommate with me and we had a fun time at sideshow. i've been to sideshow many times; it's kind of the hipster/alternative place to hang out in downtown columbia amongst all the bro bars and college-type places. they also host shows, and it's always a neat place to see a band.

the empty spaces put on a really great show and i'll admit that they exceeded my expectations. for a small midwest band averaging 5'7'' in height, they really packed a punch with toe-tapping beats and punk-ish hooks and vocals. casey and i had some good conversation and we eventually said our goodbyes. it was short and sweet but definitely worth it.

www.theemptyspacesband.com

st. louis: company of thieves

so this one time, many ages ago, i saw company of thieves at the firebird with stamps and sleeper agent. it was about a month ago amidst summer welcome chaos which is probably why i have little memory of it. working mizzou's summer welcome program is sweet but man is it exhausting. i can only assume it was a weekday show that i drove to st. louis and back for because i went alone. not to say it wasn't great though! because it was. i got there a little late and unfortunately missed the opening band stamps whom i was excited to see. some chicago friends of mine (phil kosch, duh) had really been talking them up plus there's a ginger in the band. need i say more? but i guess i either read the venue website wrong or they did a switcharoo. because i got there fashionably late with the intention of missing sleeper agent, but alas. it's not how it worked out. sleeper agent was alright, but my vision was probably skewed by the disappointment.

 company of thieves put on an absolutely fantastic show as always though, and i was pleasantly surprised by how full the venue was. not to say they don't deserve it - they deserve to sell out the pageant - but it was nice to see that they'd gained a solid following in st. louis. it's about time! i ended up bumping into my friend nathaniel who, funny enough, i had met almost exactly a year before at a company of thieves show. so we hung out and watched the set together. and i don't know what else i can say about the band that i haven't said a million times before... they're jaw-dropping.

setlist:
look both ways
queen of hearts
modern waste
old letters
pressure
the fire song
nothing's in the flowers
king of dreams
in passing
death of communication
gorgeous/grotesque


(encore) oscar wilde
(encore) won't go quietly

i skipped out right after the set because of the two hour drive back to columbia coupled with a 6am wake-up time. but it was worth. company of thieves shows are always worth it.

www.companyofthieves.net

kansas city: funeral party, fun., and panic! at the disco

panic at the disco. the band that started it all for me at the tender age of fifteen. i'll be honest here. i grew up listening to top 40 radio. neither of my parents were big on listening to 'oldies' or any of the stuff they enjoyed in their youth. it was pretty much the current mainstream stuff that was on the radio... that's what we listened to. so besides my good charlotte/simple plan/evanescence phase, i had no idea that the 'alternative' world of music even existed. panic at the disco was one of the first bands that scratched the surface though. i listened to a fever you can't sweat out so many times that i'm surprised the cd doesn't have holes in it. i. was. obsessed. and i'd only seen them one other time at the 2008 honda civic tour. so when i heard that panic AND fun were playing in kansas city, my fellow fangirls and i immediately snatched up tickets.

my friend cortney is from kansas city, so she offered to drive the caravan, take us to eat some awesome barbecue, and show us around westport for the day. so we had great food and great shopping fun before the show, and got to the venue around show time. the line was a mile long, but since we're all over 21 we got in early, ahead of the millions of pre-teen fans.

we planted ourselves in the middle of the pit which very quickly grew into one of the most intense crowds i've ever been in. funeral party played a fun set, and while they were a solid act, they weren't so awesome that i went home and immediately felt the urge to download all of their albums. fun was next and the crowd was only getting tighter and the girls surrounding us were only getting cattier. pretty sure lizette started a legitimate throw down which was pretty interesting. we survived fun and finally was panic. i made it about three songs before i had to leave. we were so tightly packed in and it was so hot that i was having trouble breathing and desperately needed water. i staggered out and somewhat blacked out and kind of fell onto the stairs leading out of the venue, where i proceeded to get yelled at by security for sitting. my bad. so i regained my composure and went to the bar to ask for a cup of water. THREE DOLLARS. WHAT. pretty sure i dropped some four letter bombs at the bartender, then went to the bathroom and stuck my mouth on the faucet. no drinking fountain. how is that even legal? but whatever. i found abby and we watched the rest of the show from the back of the venue.

what. a. show. i hadn't experienced a pit like that in ages and i think i'm getting too old... it was fun while it lasted though!

st. louis: little scream and the antlers

originally posted on popwreckoning.com. read the original article here. 

A road trip with all the girls to see a show; what better way to spend a Friday night? That's precisely what I did last week and every painful cent of gas money was worth it.

We arrived at the Firebird with what couldn't have been more perfect timing. We walked in, paid our dues, settled into the crowd, and the show began. There was a large crowd which both bands deserved: The Antlers hadn't been through St. Louis in quite some time, and the opening band Little Scream was an enjoyable forty minutes of music, not just a time waster that a lot of openers can be. Hailing from Montreal, Canada, the trio was reminiscent of female-fronted Company of Thieves mixed with the distorted vocals of Karen O. from the Yeah Yeah Yeah's. I was digging it. They kept the crowd entertained, and with more than just music alone. The drummer recited celebrity birthdays and deaths in between songs. Definitely a first. Maybe a little strange, but hey, it made the band memorable.

The crowd packed in tighter and I somehow found myself right up front by the time The Antlers started their set. Sweet! The heavenly choir of angels - I mean The Antlers - opened with "Parentheses" from their new album Burst Apart and it was absolutely gorgeous. There was no introduction, no "how ya doin' St. Louis," just music. And I couldn't have asked for anything better. They transitioned right into Kettering from 2009 release Hospice before taking a little break for banter about mustaches. Next was a string of five new songs which all ran together into one long symphony. The entire crowd seemed to be in a trance. I had seen The Antlers once before (the previous summer at Lollapalooza) but nothing even comes close to the experience of a small, intimate setting like the one I was experiencing. It was all I could do to not close my eyes and get lost in the depths of my thoughts for the rest of the set. And they played a lengthy one too; ten songs, with an encore of three for a total of an hour and twenty minutes of ethereal melodies.

With Hospice being such a heavy and dense album, one would think that The Antlers' live shows would be a drag. It's really quite the opposite though, and Burst Apart, while still somewhat mellow and somber, is on the lighter side and has its jammable moments. In the words of a Metro Chicago tweet, "FYI, I'm probably gonna cry-dance at The Antlers' show."

Set list:

Parentheses
Kettering
No Widows
I Don't Want Love
French Exit
Rolled Together
Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out
Bear
Hounds
Putting The Dog To Sleep

Two
Corsicana
Wake

www.littlescream.com
www.antlersmusic.com

album review: matt pond PA - spring fools

This five song EP by matt pond PA is, to put it simply, really catchy. I can’t stop tapping my foot and bobbing my head, and after just one spin the songs are becoming familiar, a sure sign of their ability to stick with you. It’s the perfect summer soundtrack with poppy, infectious hooks and light, upbeat melodies. Spring Fools is somewhat of a break between the band’s last album, 2010’s The Dark Leaves, and what will most likely become Pond’s ninth record sometime in the future whether it be this year or next. By whittling things down to just five songs, singer-songwriter and namesake Matt Pond has created a really strong EP with what are some of his best songs. Read more...

columbia: smith westerns and yeasayer

this was a last minute decision and i'm very glad i made it. it was my first weekend back in columbia and a bunch of friends were planning on going to show, getting into some shenanigans, and have a good time. so i succumbed to peer pressure, bought a ticket, and had the time of my life. we'd spent the whole day out at the pool and i'm pretty sure abby was drunk by three, and stayed that way for a good twelve hours. we stuffed five girls into a car, blasted some gangster, and got pumped for the show. none of us were familiar with the first opener, but i wanted to get there in time to see smith westerns so that's what we did. and it turned out to be a really good decision because they were fantastic. and come to find out they're from chicago, one of my favorite places. love.

so by the time yeasayer was ready to play the majority of us were three or four drinks in and having a fucking BLAST. and once they started playing the entire venue turned into a giant dance party. it was a fun crowd of people in the first place and i'm pretty sure most of the crowd was under the influence of at least something or other. so the five of us girls danced our asses off and enjoyed a really great set that lasted for about an hour. i've seen yeasayer once before at lollapalooza and while they sounded great there, it was a totally different experience seeing them in a smaller, more intimate setting. they are a really talented group of musicians and kept the crowd entertained with a really cool LED light show. i had intentions of keeping track of the setlist but obviously that didn't happen. we had a great time though and i highly suggest you check out smith westerns and see yeasayer at least once in your life. whether you know their music or not, it's great entertainment and they're a super talented band.

www.smithwesternsmusic.com
www.yeasayer.net

album review: balance and composure - separation

Anthemic. Epic. So incredibly reminiscent of the pop-punk days of the 90′s. I almost called this a guilty pleasure album, but there’s no reason to feel guilty. Balance and Composure’s Separation is just really good and should have come out twelve years ago. It has Kurt Cobain’s dark feelings to it, but pops and rocks like early Jimmy Eat World. Its twelve tracks clock in at around 48 minutes which means it’s initially a big undertaking. But once you give this album the time of day it deserves it becomes very cohesive and works well as a whole. Read more...

songs for joplin

This was a news post I wrote for PopWreckoning, but felt it was important enough to post here as well.

Songs For Jopin started as an idea to help a tragedy-stricken town. By pursuing his interest in both music and social media, Zach Becker began to accumulate interest in a music sampler to benefit relief efforts. The idea gained momentum with the help of Twitter as a friend of his, singer-songwriter Derek Webb retweeted Becker’s original request asking musicians to donate songs. The response was overwhelming and in a matter of days, Becker and friends had a name for their project as well as an album of songs to back it. The album includes many local St. Louis artists (Union Tree Review, Sleepy Kitty, Beth Bombara) as well as others from Nashville and Los Angeles. It was released on Noisetrade on June 3 and has already achieved over 400 downloads and $1300 in donations, placing it in the top ten most popular downloads.

The day before the album released, Zach was interviewed by local news blog the Riverfront Times, garnering even more interest in an already rapidly growing idea. Album artwork was made, as were promotional designs and a website thanks to St. Louis design studio Rampant Creative Group. Fliers were printed and would be passed out at the coming Riverfront Times Music Showcase.

“Social media has played a huge role in the success of this little idea, and we ask that you help us maintain that momentum by tweeting and sharing this with your friends. With the album now available for download, we are all excited to see how successful it is as a means of getting money into the hands of those who can help the people of Joplin. All profits from the album downloads will be given to the Heart of Missouri United Way, in order to help relief efforts through their “United for Joplin” campaign. With your help, Songs for #Joplin can be a success. Please donate and download the album, and help to rebuild a community.”

Visit www.songsforjoplin.com for more information.

Download the album directly from Noisetrade here: www.noisetrade.com/songsforjoplin