There’s something uniquely intimate about a show at Café Colonial in Sacramento. Tucked into a small venue space that practically glows with DIY charm, the latest leg of the Friendship Bracelet Tour features: Everybody’s Worried About Owen, The Last Arizona, June Henry, and openers Brianna Carmel and The Reverent Marigold. It was a night of catharsis, comfort, and queer magic.
The crowd, a cozy mix of alt and queer folks, created a safe and welcoming energy that made even first-timers feel like they belonged. The show kicked off with Sacramento’s own Brianna Carmel, whose punk-emo-inspired set featured a mix of originals and covers, grounding the night in raw vulnerability and hometown pride.
The Reverent Marigold, a trans-nonbinary folk artist from the Southwest, followed with a stunning and surreal set. Their originals like “JUDAS” and “Ahab, or the Whale” mixed folk-punk storytelling with poetic grit, but it was their unreleased track (complete with an audience-led chant of “F-U-C-K I-C-E”) that electrified the space. Rev. Mari’s voice and presence brought a grounded power that stuck with you long after the song ended.
Then came Everybody’s Worried About Owen, a standout moment of the night. With a rotating mix of fan favorites and unreleased tracks, Owen’s set felt both intimate and electric. Hearing “Mawce” live…a song that sparked a wave of resonance and visibility among trans listeners online was surreal and affirming. Other tracks like “Hydroplaning” and “Introducing Jonah to the Whale” showcased Owen’s emo-folk style and lyrical intensity, while news of an upcoming album and a move to Oregon left the crowd buzzing. West Coast fans, take note: Owen’s not going anywhere.
The Last Arizona followed with a warm, emotionally grounding set of original songs that brought a quieter intimacy to the room. While their performance leaned more subdued than some of the other acts, it was no less impactful. Their lyrics unfolded like quiet confessions, offering a soft landing near the close of the evening. There’s a patience and sincerity in The Last Arizona’s delivery that invites you to lean in, to listen harder.
Finally, June Henry closed out the night in a way only she could. Enchanting and deeply personal. Known for her minute-long viral track “void-adjacent,” June brought a blend of freak folk, lo-fi storytelling, and unflinching emotional honesty to the stage. Her unreleased songs felt like entries from a haunted diary, delicate but fearless. There’s something magnetic about the way June navigates her limerence, longing, and circus lore.
By the end of the night, it was clear this wasn’t just a concert, it was a communion of trans and queer artists and fans alike. Every set bled with care, creativity, and the kind of truth that rarely gets stage time. The Friendship Bracelet Tour lives up to its name: it’s stitched together with love, handmade vulnerability, and the promise that none of us are alone.
On its surface, KRAMON’s latest single “Morning Vapors” is a trance-like ode to early, easy smokes. It opens with an invitation to take a ride, offered via a sweet serenade from Meredith Adelaide over a gentle yet addicting guitar riff. From there, it takes the listener’s on a journey through an atmospheric headspace. The tune feels like a long, slow drive on Highway 70, with very few bumps in the road.
The second single of Josh Kramon’s newest project, simply titled KRAMON, follows in the footsteps of its predecessor “Crush.” It’s a dreamy, joyful rock tune, reminiscent of the psychedelic hippie hymns of the ‘70s.
Like “Crush”, “Morning Vapors” is spurred forward by Meredith Adelaide’s laid-back vocals. The multi-medium artist sounds like an old friend on the track. She overextends herself, rather choosing to float over the crisp instrumental.
It’s the instrumental that holds this piece together. It holds hands with both the lyrics and the vocals, guiding them along the journey the song promises.
The song gains its weight in its final minute and half. A slower, heavier harmonized bridge cues the audience to this shift in musical character. The ending chorus, a steady repetition of the song’s title, fulfills the promise of a new mood with the introduction of a tambourine and an increase in tempo. These last few minutes take the track where it’s been longing to go.
The direction of “Morning Vapors” paints a promising picture for Kramon’s newest project. And that direction is one full of potential for the composer, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.
In what might be his better known work, Kramon has composed for various Television series, such as Veronica Mars. However, in his personal work, Kramon has explored his struggles with addiction and his complex relationship with his Jewish heritage.
Kramon is holding onto his vow to make music that speaks to him, rather than “chasing the latest musical trend.” So far, this latest project seems to break away from the themes of his previous work. Instead, “Morning Vapors” promises a future with less tears and more relaxation. Kramon is taking a ride, away from the heaviness of the past, in a vehicle that feels most authentic to himself – and he wants us to come along for the journey.
Yelawolf has been around in the music industry for a powerful fifteen years: founding record label and brand Slumerican, working with artists ranging from Eminem to Ed Sheeran, and now rapping his way through “Searching for Heaven”, a sneak peek from the album Whiskey and Roses, which will be released on July 11. The album is a collaboration with upcoming artist J. Michael Phillips, who combines raspy country vocals with trap beats, telling stories of his rough past which he has fought tooth and nail to push through.
“Searching for Heaven” aims to highlight the moment where life’s momentum breaks through distracting temptation. Phillips’ vocals traverse pop, rock, and country, piercing with genuine exasperation, as the path to salvation is broken. However Yelawolf plays a mere part in the song, leaving the impression that he is a featured artist rather than a partner. His verse picks apart the song’s rhythm, which is seemingly discombobulated either way.
There’s still a lot of promise with eight unreleased tracks from the Whiskey and Roses which you can pre-save now. The new duo has fresh music and messages for you to listen to and you won’t want to miss them.
Yelawolf & J. Michael Phillips – Summer 2025 Tour June 13 – Colorado Springs, CO at Ford Amphitheater June 14 – Denver, CO at Mission Ballroom July 3 – Charleston, SC at Refinery July 11 – Cleveland, OH at House Of Blues July 12 – Harrisburg, PA at XL Live July 13 – New Haven, CT at Toads July 15 – Albany, NY at Empire Live July 16 – McKees Rocks, PA at Roxian Theatre July 18 – Cadott, WI at Rock Fest July 19 – Grand Rapids, MI at Upheaval Fest July 20 – Cincinnati, OH at Bogarts July 22 – Louisville, KY at Old Forester’s Paristown Hall July 24 – Fayetteville, AR at JJ’s Live July 25 – Jefferson City, MO at Capital Region MJ Healthcare Amphitheater July 26 – Wichita, KS at Cotillion Ballroom July 27 – Oklahoma City, OK at The Criterion July 30 – Salt Lake City, UT at The Complex August 1 – Sacramento, CA at Channel 24 August 2 – Rancho Mirage, CA at The Show at Agua Caliente August 3 – Santa Cruz, CA at The Catalyst August 5 – San Luis Obispo, CA at Fremont Theater August 7 – Santa Fe, NM at The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing August 9 – Sturgis, SD at Iron Horse Saloon August 10 – Sioux Falls, SD at The District
Kansas City is really lucky, because we get to witness Andrew McMahon in all of his forms pretty frequently. While other musicians skip our metropolitan area more often than now, we are seemingly prioritized by his tour manager and team every single time, be it for Andrew McMahon in The Wilderness, Something Corporate, or Jack’s Mannequin.
And we show up.
Kansas City sold out the Tuesday night show at The Truman, a warehouse venue in the downtown area that has space to move — which is great, given the amount of dancing – and llama crowdsurfing – that was happening.
As we head banged through “Holiday From Real,” “Kill The Messenger,” “Amy, I,” and “Miss California,” a genuine feeling of camaraderie seemed to echo through the space. Per usual, Andrew provided anecdotes for a few songs, giving us a true look at what his life was like twenty years ago when MFEO – the album he played in full on this tour – was released. It was during this time that he was battling cancer.
While some fans seemed to be learning of his earlier health woes at this show, he has been touring with his Dear Jack Foundation – which raises funding to improve the lives of young people with cancer and their families – in tow for years.** At this particular show, he was raffling off a signed drum head for donations. Toward the end of the show, he boarded a llama pool floatie and crowd surfed from the stage to the back of the venue to find out the winner of the raffle. Known for being interactive with his crowd, this was a really entertaining approach. (And we didn’t drop him!) **Not for nothing, we played his “Dear Jack” documentary at the inaugural cancer walk at my university, as suggested by my rad twin sister. His story, his strength, and the way he has allowed his life to open up since is quite inspiring and fun.
The set list for The MFEO Tour has varied slightly. The following songs were played by Jack’s Mannequin at The Truman on June 17th. Holiday From Real Spinning The Mixed Tape Release Me Kill the Messenger Crashin Miss Delaney Swim Television I’m Ready Amy, I Bruised Miss California The Resolution Rescued MFEO: Pt. 1 – Made for Each Other / Pt. 2 – You Can Breathe Hammers and Strings (A Lullaby) La La Lie
Foggieraw’s new single “Nefertiti” uses memory-inducing lyrics over a gentle jazz piano to depict 90’s nostalgia and childish love.
The jazzy piano melodies trigger both nostalgia and a sense of timelessness, as Foggieraw begins the song speaking to his “Nefertiti” directly. The premise of the song is a plea to remember the “good ol’ days” and the moments that they shared together, while also acknowledging their faults and insecurities as a couple.
“Nefertiti” is pumped full of references to everything from Betty Boop to Freaky Friday and Spykids. The nostalgia that Foggieraw employs on this track also plays into the immaturity of his love, as he begins to reveal the cracks and instability in his relationship.
He writes about fighting with her cousins, them fighting with each other, and with her friends. It paints a complicated picture of their attachment as even though they have deep love and a prolonged connection, their extended time in each other’s lives has created a muddy and messy situation. Foggieraw ends the song by restating that he does not like her friends, “I don’t like none of your friends, I don’t like Kiana, I don’t like Kiesha and I definitely don’t like Kiki,” which only emphasizes the complex relationship presented in the track.
Foggieraw’s style in “Nefertiti” leans towards conversational, as he uses the softness of the hypnotic backing piano to languidly rap his lyrics to his lover. His lyrics are what really shine as he is able to be honest, nostalgic, and exude confidence all in less than two and a half minutes. Foggieraw encapsulates his struggle in his relationship by saying, “I like you for who you is, you like me for the n**** I could be one day.”
Foggieraw has managed to create a love song that is both romantic and argumentative, which creates a listening experience that is raw, real and nostalgic. “Nefertiti” shows us that relationships are complicated experiences, but that love and romance often keeps us coming back for more.
Tech N9ne was so excited to take the stage as the headliner for Saturday’s Boulevardia Festival in his native Kansas City, that he started his set 10 minutes early. We were on the other side of the festival walking over, so only got one song to grab highlights. But as we walked up to the stage, you could feel the energy oozing from the crowd. And when we approached the front, we saw that – on the day of NO KINGS – or very own hometown hero was wearing a headband that read “KING.”
It has been seven years since his last appearance at the festival, and headlining the 10th anniversary more than makes him Kansas City’s version of a king. Some fun snaps below.
