A note from the directors:
Live music has always gifted a unique experience to every individual in its presence. As someone who frantically searches for the right answer to the question what’s the best concert you’ve ever been to and ends up listing a dozen different shows for a dozen different reasons, it has only become more apparent that it is not only impossible, but unfair, to try and find a “right” answer when the artists, the instruments, the venue, the genre, the crowd and more all take part in the ritual of attending a show.
In the past year, we have sent writers, photographers, and editors to over thirty shows and festivals around the bay area to capture the value of a live music experience in a way that no streaming algorithm ever could. The following are excerpts from full-length articles, including reviews of previously unpublished pieces.
1. Snail Mail @ The Fillmore on 1/24
Written by Chandler Le Francis
After some time, Snail Mail sauntered on stage to a roar from the audience. They started their set with a noisy shoegazy introduction.
Whereas the previous bands distorted their sound in some way, Snail Mail contrasted sharply given how crisp they sounded: Jordan’s vocals—piercing and raw, both familiar and refreshing—were emotional and honest, and corresponded with minor chords and delicately hand-picked scales.
Before finishing, Jordan spoke on the microphone about how she hates encores and would play her last song then and thanked the audience for coming out. She also thanked all the workers at the venue and encouraged everyone to not drink and drive. Then she dove into “Stick,” the indie equivalent of a power ballad. As she sang asking to “stick around,” we hung on her every word until its abrupt end. It left us wanting another encore, one that would never happen.
2. 25th Anniversary of Dookie Tribute @ 924 Gilman on 2/2
Written by Maddi Ghatak
On February 1, 1994, Green Day released their third studio album Dookie, launching the trio’s music into mainstream recognition. The last 25 years have seen the punk rock band rise to legendary status, inspiring in its wake a vibrant and continuous community of punk rock musicians and aficionados. It is in honor of this legacy that on February 2, 2019, 14 Bay Area bands joined hands for an epic tribute album release show at 924 Gilman, the volunteer-run, non-profit punk rock venue where Green Day famously spent their early days.
Right from when the doors opened at 6 p.m., a long line of Green Day fans of all types and ages—including a fair amount of little kids, some the full package with spiky jackets and mohawks—spilled onto the sidewalk outside the venue.
Gilman’s 25 Years of Dookie tribute show celebrated the anniversary of an album that continues, miraculously, to create a convivial sense of community among people from all stages and walks of life. The night was a testament to the lasting power of Green Day’s music to inspire both old and new additions to the punk rock scene of each generation to come.
3. Photo Ops @ Swedish American Hall on 2/4
Written by Samy Long
I had not heard their music before, so I was interested to hear some melancholy and introspective music.
They introduced themselves, and began the first of many folk rock songs with heartbreaking lyrics such as “I’d be dead if I didn’t have you.” The crowd was polite and calm, clapping when appropriate, but no “whoops” and cheers like you would find at a rock concert. Yet, the audience was captivated by Price’s solemn lyrics and soulful singing which were reminiscent of Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie.
Their performance was extremely sentimental and every song clearly conveyed a lot of feeling for Price. It is so touching to me when artists are extremely personal within their music, and I loved to see such vulnerability expressed through my favorite medium of art.
4. In The Valley Below @ The Independent on 2/27
Written by Jisselle Fernandez
I was thrilled to discover that Angela Gail and Jeffrey Jacob of In The Valley Below were returning to the Bay Area with a bang as part of Noise Pop 2019!
While embracing the cold February weather, my fingers were too numb to even tweet on my phone.
Angela is a free-spirit: when she sang, her hands also told a story (when not busy on the bass!). Just the sight of her, you know she felt the music. She and Jeffrey are a compelling couple, inseparable and completely in sync in their performances; they’re each other’s musical yin and yang. My favorite moments of the show were their duets in which they completed each other’s sentences into their crescent moon mic stand.
5. Trisomie 21 @ The Uptown on 3/14
Written by Chandler Le Francis
Before the music even started, I was entertained by the crowd; the amount of eyeliner, spikey hair, and black clothing was enough to make Robert Smith a little jealous. But this was no ordinary goth gathering.
Although there appeared to be some technical difficulties with the projector, they seemed unfazed by them, as did the audience. As they got deeper into their set, the inhibitions of the audience slowly broke down. Dance circles broke out throughout the venue as lace-laden hands bounced above the crowd. The band made sure to show their graciousness to their thankful audience, often saying “Merci” between songs.
It was an honor to be able to see Trisomie 21 at their first Oakland show, and it was definitely a bonus to see the goth scene in full regalia for this sinister soiree. Merci beaucoup, Trisomie 21!
6. TEEN @ Cafe Du Nord on 3/20
Written by Jisselle Fernandez and Elle Henriksen
The lights dimmed in warning of the imminent funk wave about to pass through Cafe Du Nord, and the voices of the audience dropped silent as anticipation grew. Red and Blue lights showered the stage as TEEN sauntered into the spotlight.
The majority of TEEN’s songs are psychedelic neo-soul, but the lyrical notions of serious themes like womanhood, power, and social constructs seep into their music as well.
TEEN is unique because there is no ‘main’ singer. Each member plays a leading role in the band, and even when they sing in unison their voices are distinctive and powerful enough to isolate as vocal instruments. Kristina’s loud and vast vocal range combined with Lizzie’s softer, sweet tone balances the dynamic. TEEN has mastered the back & forth singing style, as if a contemporary version of The B-52’s or ABBA.
Although they played mostly their last two albums, TEEN takes you to a musical trip from each musically significant decade: the psychedelic 60s, the disco 70s, and the synth-riddled 80s.
7. Hatchie @ The Independent on 4/9
Written by Jisselle Fernandez
Hatchie took over the stage to sing her song “Sugar & Spice” wearing a SF Giants t-shirt and the crowd cheered seeing their city represented. Hatchie’s voice is full of sweetness and innocence as she sings, which drew me to her music in the first place. I’m sure The Cranberries, Cocteau Twins, and Sixpence None The Richer would agree that Hatchie is revitalizing dream pop for the next generation.
Hatchie’s music is ethereal in its ability to transport listeners to what the early ‘90s sounded like when romantic music ruled the airwaves. As a ‘90s baby herself, Hatchie captures the essence of ‘90s celestial jangle pop in her ten track album Keepsake with spacey reverb and synths.
8. Parcels @ Regency Ballroom on 4/16
Written by Jisselle Fernandez
Their music was so funkadelic that Regency Ballroom felt like a 70s disco club scene.
When they performed their first half of the set, the audience applauded and cheered. Jules spoke, “We didn’t deserve that. Thank you for being here! We did say we’ll be back. Now everything we say you have to believe.”
They took another moment to address the audience saying “San Francisco has the best city name because it rhymes with disco!”
9. Soccer Mommy @ GAMH on 4/17
Written by Samy Long
It was Sophie Allison and her bandmates’ turn to take the stage. Despite her most recent shows being held in a larger venue, Allison still embodied the same intimacy…
Allison took the time to introduce her bandmates, saying that she hoped that we would cheer louder for them here than in Los Angeles. Hopefully, we did. In the hot air of the Great American Music Hall, Allison exclaimed, “I know it’s already warm in here, but it’s gonna get warmer. Let’s dance!”
I found myself amused by the guitarist Julian Powell, Sophie’s boyfriend, who was jumping around and headbanging like it was a much heavier show than it was.
10. Kero Kero Bonito@ GAMH on 4/21
Written by Samy Long
British J-pop/twee band Kero Kero Bonito made their Bay Area return on Easter Sunday, April 21 to play a show at the Great American Music Hall after performing at two weekends of Coachella.
The crowd was moshing and passionately singing and dancing and the room got significantly warmer almost immediately. The band was high energy as the crowd as Sarah bounded around onstage holding not only her stuffed pink flamingo, but also a cute, green alligator and a pink toy phone she used to “call” her bandmates with in between songs and during interludes.
Before jumping into the next song, Sarah took the time to kneel down and pray to the God of Rock with a quote from the movie School of Rock, “God of Rock, thank you for this chance to kick ass. We are your humble servants. Please give us the power to blow people’s minds with our high voltage rock. In your name we pray, Amen.”
11. Iceage @ The New Parish on 4/23
Written by Samy Long
Even the uncharacteristically hot weather could not keep Danish punk rock band Iceage away from the Bay Area for long. These post-punk rockers made a stop at The New Parish in Oakland, California on April 23, 2019 after playing two weekends at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
During [the opener Shame’s] last song, “Gold Hole,” Forbes made his way into the crowd, with people supporting both of his feet and one of his hands so that he was standing on top of the crowd… Forbes let his hand go, completely balancing on the crowd, before promptly falling face-first into the ready-crowd where he then poked me in the eye, knocking out one of my contacts. Luckily, I was able to put it back in without too much suffering before Iceage’s set.
It was time for the headliners of the night, Iceage. Guitarist Johan Wieth, bassist Jakob Pless, and drummer Dan Nielsen took the stage before vocalist Elias Ronnenfelt strode on with a cool swagger. The crowd erupted in cheers and fist pumps, and the band jumped right into “Hurrah” from their latest record.
Many of the audience members seemed to be in such a euphoria, like they had been waiting a long time for this moment to arrive. At the climax of the song Ronnenfelt plunged into the crowd, who caught him with smooth expertise.
12. The Downtown Boys @ the Rickshaw Stop on 5/20
Written by Kat Cone
The opening, sliding guitar riff for the Downtown Boys’ song “A Wall” filled the spaces between people in the room, growing and wrapping around us. Frontwoman Victoria Ruiz—looking like the gothic goddess of white imperialists’ nightmares decked in dark velvet and a black veil—began with a spoken word piece:
“Sometimes you must find something new
Something maybe you’ve always had
But now you’ll finally use it
To cut, to bite.”
The full band came in—guitars, drums, and saxophone together. One of the great ironies of punk is how often the ideology in lyrics, something so integral to the art, is often lost beneath fast, screamed vocals. However, Ruiz’s lyrics came through clear without losing any energy or passion.
The show was a flow of empowerment for direct action and self-love. Each speaker was an eddy in which we were swirled and stirred with new information on ways we could make change, and the music, vibration, and lyrics of the Downtown Boys was the high-velocity, supercritical flow that surged us all forward, providing the movement that is necessary for action.
13. PUP @ the Fillmore on 6/22
Written by Kat Cone
PUP walked onstage. The phrasing of the intro guitar riff to “Morbid Stuff,” already burned deep into the chasms of my brain cells despite only being out for just over two months, incited a chaotic energy that triggered the spasmatic tendencies of my inner punk guitar nerd. I felt the crowd explode behind thebarricade at my back. I felt the urge to start thrashing chaotically and pushing everyone around me, and then I felt a weight around my neck and remembered why I was there.
F**k I wish I was in the f***’n pit.
It’s hard to describe PUP’s sound. Their music is upbeat but also heavy. Their lyrics can be self deprecating but hopeful. One of the more accurate descriptions I’ve come across is one from a YouTube comment—”ballsy pop punk.” But that still sounds too shallow. I like to think of an energetic balance when I think of PUP.
I asked Steve [of PUP] if this is why, in spite of all the heaviness and intense sense of personal struggle in PUP’s lyrics, the band still manages to not only be catchy, upbeat, and pop-punky, but also, overall, an incredibly funny band to follow.
“The four of us are not naturally [serious] and it’s just not really the band we are. And we all love music and bands and records that have juxtaposition and balance… where it just doesn’t go too far in one direction or too far in the other, and ultimately it then becomes about people coming together and having a good time, and to—not forget, but to have a communal experience that can in some way help them.”
14. Burger Boogaloo @ Mosswood Park on 7/11-12
Written by Kat Cone
Moments of empowerment were peppered throughout the weekend like dashes of spice in mashed potatoes—present, potent, but not enough to fully transform a bland and traditional dish. Femme artists who explicitly spoke up for women at the show were followed by your classic greasy haired rock n’ roller guys and leather clad punks with songs about cars and bangin’ chicks, delivered with sneers that now come off as both cheesey and condescending in 21st Century Oakland.
To be a young woman of color making her way into the East Bay scene, I sought out progressivism and inclusivity at Burger Boogaloo, and while I came home with a list of inspiring moments in my notebook, seeing outdated and offensive acts such as the Dwarves in their studded jockstraps, who proudly expressed their intention to “f*** some sluts”—I questioned how the efforts of progressive artists can be validated when they’re billed side by side with those who explicitly oppress them. I also couldn’t help but wonder why the two day festival only featured two acts with artists of color and what that might suggest about where Burger Boogaloo stands in the changing demographic landscape of Oakland.
15. Cage The Elephant @ Shoreline Amphitheater on 7/16
Written by Carmen Llerena
I stood in the pit with my camera discussing the setlist with other photographers, when suddenly a loud guitar could be heard from backstage as a fogcreeped in.
Out of nowhere, like an absolute madman, singer-songwriter Matt Shultz sprinted onto the stage in goggles, a breathing mask, large headphones, and a tattooed bodysuit while holding a prop resembling a mini gas container.
With a look in his eye that reflected a chilling sense of someone who had lost their mind, he returned to the stage with a hammer, destroying the goggles he had previously been wearing. Once I finished dodging the plastic shards of goggles flying through the air, I had a chance to really look at Shultz and take in his presence because for a brief moment he had paused. After smashing the mask to smithereens, he slowly raised his glance toward the crowd with an expression as if he had just been released from a trance.
16. Bowling For Soup @ UC Theater on 7/25
Written by Jessely Serrano
Perhaps you thought this squadron of 90s and early-00’s pop-punk had faded into the past? Guess again––they’re on tour and celebrating twenty-five years of bandhood.
After ending their set with their hit “Girl All the Bad Guys Want,” Bowling for Soup stood back by the drum set and looked out at the cheering crowd. After the most cursory of beats, Reddik stepped forward with a grin. “We’re back!” he shouted. “See, a lotta bands finish their show and go stand over there,” he said pointing backstage. “We take the guesswork outta encores.” With that, they launched into their biggest hit, “1985,” joined onstage by the brass section from Reel Big Fish.
The night ended with punks young and old staggering into the cool Berkeley night, a 90’s beat still throbbing in their hearts.
17. Better Oblivion Community Center @ Independent on 8/11
Written by Noelle Fa-kaji
Better Oblivion Community Center is as much a performance art piece as a band.
Their candid, slightly morose lyrics and minimal, folksy production hardly make for raucous festival-fodder, but Bridgers’ and Oberst’s dueting vocals demand attention.
“Thanks for coming to our last show ever,” Bridgers closed, a nod to this as the last announced show. Even though the duo released their debut self titled album only at the beginning of this year, they plan to take an indefinite hiatus to focus on solo projects. They ended their last show ever performing “Easy/Lucky/Free,” a song from Oberst’s best known project, Bright Eyes, leaving the stage with the guitar reverb still echoing.
“Hi! Thank you for visiting the Better Oblivion Community Center,” the ubiquitous answering machine picked up as the guitar faded out. “That’s all. Bye now.”
18. Ceremony, Pissed Jeans, Marissa Nadler, Choir Boy @ August Hall on 8/23
Written by Nick Tietjens
Like mosh fertilizer sprinkled over the front rows, these old ragers periodically turned the floor into a hell-pit of limbs.
Can hardcore have keytars? Or is a keytar the most hardcore thing ever?
Caveat/Disclaimer: Cultural gatekeeping isn’t cool and is kinda boring and all artists are allowed the freedom to experiment–but out on the floor, I did overhear the word “keytar” passed back and forth in hushed, incredulous tones more than once. Take from that what you will. Off-hand, the keytar is an amazing instrument, but you can’t ever quite escape the inferences and associations it shares with thick schmaltz, the overpowering cheese …
But the show is over, the album is made, the keytar is mercifully back in its case and the fog machine hangover has mostly abated. So here I am backseat driving this show and judging a genuinely good performance based upon an instrument. What an asshole. It’s like that old Andy Warhol quote, something like, “don’t think about making art, just get it done” and more than anything, last Friday night, Ceremony, Pissed Jeans, Marissa Nadler, and Choir Boy all got it done.
19. Sharon Van Etten @ Chase Center on 9/12
Written by Makaila Heifner
Their soft lyrics yet hard-hitting music evoke the most innate feeling of sensitivity and humility, and after the show I felt more sober than I have in weeks.
Perhaps it’s my own bias towards synths, but I felt myself and the rest of the crowd bending and oozing together.
It felt as if we were in the climax of an indie coming-of-age film. “Holy sh*t,” the couple next to me exclaimed. “She’s really good.”
She is the indie rock queen we should uphold for our daughters, as well as ourselves.
20. POND @ The Independent on 9/25
Written by Tessa Rissacher
It had been a rare 90+ degree day in late summer San Francisco and the bodies filling up the Independant quickly turned the standing-room-only concrete box into a steam cooker.
Anyone who’s remotely keeping up with the state of affairs in 2019 has more than enough fodder for existential angst––sometimes you just want to listen to some music and feel alright, play “Paint Me Silver” and imagine yourself driving down the coast in slanting afternoon sun.
To bid goodnight, Allbrook told the crowd, “Take care of yourself, take care of the grass and the trees and stuff.”
21. The Cover-Ups @ The Golden Bull on 9/29
Written by Jessely Serrano
They’re angry, they’re goofy, and they’re a mix of political rage and Saturday morning cartoons.
The night consisted of strong vocals coming from Jason White. In Green Day concerts, Jason specializes in backup vocals and rhythm guitar, but tonight he was the main star. Jason’s voice is raspy yet melodic, a mix of Axl Rose and Alice Cooper. Billie, of course, took over the much more melodic songs of the night, but he would generally pass off most of the vocals to Jason while he worked on hyping up the crowd and jamming on the guitar.
“Hey! Can you turn up the enthusiasm in my monitor?” shouted Billie Joe at the sound engineer.
“Who has work tomorrow?” shouted Billie into the crowd as he jumped into the next song of the night. Most people did, including me, but no one was complaining because how many times do you get to hear all these classic rock songs played by one of the Rock’n Rock Hall of Fame artists?
22. Starcrawler @ Bottom of the Hill on 10/5
Written by Lauren Anastasia
Donning whatseems to be his standard, but far from lackluster concert garb–a sheeny bright green bedazzled suit topped with flower patches and a lamb’s face on either lapel–Henri crouched by his amp and blared in with a distorted screech from his guitar, building anticipation for the band’s front woman Arrow De Wilde, who soon came scrambling on stage in a sheer white top with flowing gauze hanging off her like a skirt. Right away, every photographer in the room knew there would be no shortage of photo opportunities as Arrow turned her gaze up towards the sky, spreading her arms wide open as if in prayer and began twitching to the rhythm of the music. This was only the first taste of a performance best described as blending the likes of Ozzy Osborne and Iggy Pop.
Naturally, the show came to a close with an act of rebellion. After the last song, right in front of the posted “No Stage Diving/No Crowding Surfing” sign, Arrow climbed on top of the audience and was passed around the whole floor before she returned to the stage and scrambled off just as fast as she first came on. With the music still blaring, Henri pulled an eager fan up and handed him his guitar as he too made his final exit through a tunnel of reaching hands.
The encore never came, but no one returned home that night without stories wild enough to make any thrill-seeker jealous that they did not witness this spectacle first hand.
23. 100 gecs @ Cornerstone on 11/7
Written by Samy Long
Trucks. Horses. Wizard hats. Christmas trees. And magicians. What do all these things have in common? 100 gecs!
100 gecs’s music ranges from excessive autotune to obnoxious dubstep beats to even an homage to ska punk, and even though that sounds like it would be absolutely awful, somehow Brady and Les pull it off in a ridiculously fun and obnoxious 20-minute album.
With all this in mind, I knew the show was going to be absolutely bonkers as the music is already strange enough. The crowd that 100 gecs attracted was definitely exactly what I expected: people wearing chains and big pants reminiscent of the MySpace era, hair dyed in every color imaginable, and heavy, dark eye makeup. So basically everyone there was an e-boy or e-girl (or e-person).
Laura Les and Dylan Brady sauntered out with a plastic Christmas tree to decorate the stage with (a reference to the 1000 gecs cover which features Brady and Les standing face-first towards a giant tree). The pair immediately jumped into one of their biggest hits and their one ska song “stupid horse” and the entire room burst into a massive mosh pit.
24. Tyler, the Creator @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on 10/11
Written by Makaila Heifner
The lights slowly rose to reveal Tyler, the Creator in a pale blue suit and white wig ala Anna Wintour. Sharply outlined against a silver backdrop, Tyler tookhis place center stage and stared out, unphased by the crowd’s cheers. It wasn’t clear what we should expect. Suddenly, just as the beat dropped, he contorted himself and broke into a run.
He finished the night by wailing away to “CAN WE STILL BE FRIENDS?” from an elevated platform. In that moment, he almost seemed like a god figure. What was stranger still was that even as a god, even with this larger-than-life persona, his heartbreak felt tangible and tender.
Before he left the stage, Tyler told the crowd to “make some noise” for his openers (GoldLink and Blood Orange). “Now make some noise for yourselves.” He took a beat. “You don’t need to make noise for me. I know I’m fly as f***.”
25. Caamp @ The Fillmore on 10/21
Written by Makaila Heifner
From the beginning of their set, I couldn’t help but think, “Yup. These are some down-home boys.”
Their ease and charm is simple and doesn’t beg for attention; instead their incredible musicianship communicates a new sense of honesty and humility that seems almost foreign in contemporary music. They just seem like the kind of guys you’d find in a dive bar and play pool with.
The live rendition of “Misty” could make even the most cynical of singles believe in a fairytale ending. The banjo’s chords echoed throughout the Fillmore and felt like a ripple, the first set of waves that a stream endures as you dive in. The same ripples you feel when you fall in love. All evoked by a banjo and the soft yet raspy crooning of Muir.
26. Steve Lacy @ The Fillmore on 10/25
Written by Elliot Gross
The crowd of skullcap beanies and mustard-colored jeans thickened and warmed.
Halfway through the show, Lacy brought a MOOG synthesizer into play. As he twisted and turned the dials of the modulator, the audience underwent the aural equivalent of an alien abduction. It culminated in a ear-splitting ring and a light cue into total darkness. In the black, a soft violin began to come through the speakers– the instrumental“Amandla’s Interlude.” As lights rose, Lacy reappeared in a new, flannel-heavy ensemble, quipping, “UNIQLO needs to sponsor me because I look bomb.”
27. Uncool Halloween @ UC Theater on 10/26
Written by Jessely Serrano
I went to grab a drink. Then the lights unexpectedly became very dim and as any concert-goer knows, when the lights go dim the band comes out. I instantly became energized and dashed into the pit. To introduce themselves, SWMRS had pre-recorded a flight safety video telling the audience to stay safe in the pit, to pick up someone when they fall, and to have fun. The video ended and someone dressed as the Pixar lamp began hopping along the stage. With each hop, the pit got tighter and tighter as everyone pushed to get just a little closer to the stage.
“Berkeley is the place where the hippies and punks got along and made something beautiful,” said Cole as he instructed the audience to open up the pit for a Wall of Love. Basically, moshers create an open circle in the middle of the pit where they run into each other when Cole yells “go” — kind of a Red Rover without the taking turns part. In less conscientious environments it’s called the Wall of Death. I opted to use this time to squish my way to the front of the stage because a Wall of Death is unsafe if one is barely five feet tall.
28. Jordan Rakei Adds the Bassline @ August Hall on 10/28
Written by Elle Henriksen
Rakei diligently crafts his tracks by looping melodies and overlaying vocals with utter ease and artistic precision, but he performs all this production perfection behind only a keyboard and mic, occasionally retreating downstage for a bluesy guitar moment. Similar to concerts of British musician James Blake, the stage is not the show–the sound is the show.
August Hall is typically home to touring artists with a niche fanbase out for the flesh of the underground music industry. Jordan Rakei fits the vibe like a beat-match software’s perfect song sync. Before the encore, Jordan Rakei polishes off the show with “Add the Bassline,” which carries a tune that is resident in his music only. Mate’s got the groove. Can you feel it?
29. Black Midi @ Rickshaw Stop on 11/21
Written by Samy Long
Despite being their first album, Black Midi colored the entire music scene very impressed with their mathy, post-punk, and their live performance did not disappoint.
Before coming out on to the stage, about 10 minutes of drone was blasted into the audience’s ears, setting the tone for the night. Black Midi immediately blasted in the first song on their record “953”, and the crowd began clashing into each other, creating a small, but mighty mosh pit. Given the syncopated and unpredictable nature of the majority of Black Midi’s songs, the mosh pit was a bit hard to maintain with the tracks’ constant swelling of tempo and lack of a stable rhythm. The crowd tried its best to move with the ever-changing music, making for a very entertaining and unstable moshing experience.
Sadly, their set got cut short due to an amp blowing out…
30. Julia Jacklin @ The Independent on 11/23
Written by Lois Bin
The album’s opening track, “Body,” a break-up narrative that guts in all the right places, opened the set:
“I felt the changing of the seasons.
All of my senses rushing back to me.”
“Body” lands the balance between the uniquely personal and the universal, capturing the emotional turbulence of the struggle for sovereignty in a relationship.
Above, the disco ball rotates for a moment and spiraling silver flecks cascade down. Friends chatter excitedly over the bar, couples are wrapped in each other’s arms, single concert-goers cross their arms around themselves. Everyone is embraced by the music and lifted in the room’s cheerful spirits.
We would like to thank the following for all of their hard work:
Writers:
Lauren Anastasia
Lois Bin
Kat Cone
Noelle Fa-Kaji
Jisselle Fernandez
Maddi Ghatak
Makaila Heifner
Elle Henriksen
Chandler Le Francis
Carmen Llerena
Samy Long
Tessa Rissacher
Jessely Serrano
Nick Tietjens
Photographers:
Lauren Anastasia
Lois Bin
Kat Cone
Nirvana Ellaboudy
Noelle Fa-Kaji
Jisselle Fernandez
Makaila Heifner
Elle Henriksen
Adrienne Lee
Carmen Llerena
Jessely Serrano
Nick Tietjens
Editors:
Elle Henriksen
Chandler Le Francis
Adrienne Lee
Carmen Llerena
Sarah Miller
Steve Polta
Tessa Rissacher
Nick Tietjens
Directors:
Kat Cone & Carmen Llerena