On Valentine’s Day, fans of 96.5 The Buzz gathered at The Truman for their annual Valentine’s Day show. This year, FIDLAR joined Kansas City as the headliner, with openers The Sluts. It was a night of wonderful entertainment, surrounded by an enormous amount of blue balloons.
Keep up with FIDLAR here.
On Saturday, February 23rd, Emo Nite LA hit The Granada in Lawrence, KS. Photographer Ashleigh Lee hit up the event for us, and nabbed some shots so we don’t feel left out.
Following in our nostalgic-tinged soundscape-leaning pattern, noir pop duo 8MM – Juliette Beavan and Sean Beavan – we hear a little 90s pop woven in with their quintessential sound in “Self-Inflicted Heartache”, the first track off their new released Heart-Shaped Hell. As you may have guessed, the soundscape twists and turns after that, a bit more edge to “Supercrush” before leading into a true pop single with the title track, somehow delivered with an eery twist. “Bring It On” is the most moody of them all, the second half growing powerful with the added male vocals. The pair round it out nicely with “Move With Me” and its accompanying radio edit, slower paced, but filled with emotional range to keep you on a sort of edge regardless.
Stay on edge with Heart-Shaped Hell. It’s a wonderful experience.
Keep up with 8MM here.
Electro-pop stunner Host released her debut EP this week, and you’re in for a real party with Adolescent Content. And – though the lyrics sometimes take a turn for the more serious, like third track “Taste of Your Love” and the way it highlights a breakup – the entire EP is something that will get your heart pumping and leave that glittery, enticing feeling of nostalgia in your veins.
“Goodbye” is sugar sweet 80’s pop, something you immediately feel like you need to bop your head to while wearing a pastel windbreaker. Host’s vocals dim the electric energy slightly, but only to give it a moody, ethereal feel. Second track “B4me” of course follows suit, but is led by ints interesting percussive aspects. It’s one of those songs that, for half of it, you’re not really sure how to dance to it. But it’s intriguing and beautiful as well, not unlike chaotic predecessor “Taste of Your Love”. By the time we get to “Forgetting Me”, we are ready for the slight pace change, luring us into a hypnotic spell with its drawn out notes and swirling soundscape.
Keep up with Host here.
Bill Homans has been a truck driver, petty criminal and a watermelon farmer. He’s also a member of Mensa, made the only Vietnam War protest album to be written by a veteran during the war, and plays a mean slide guitar. The critically acclaimed Watermelon Slim, who has collected a record-setting number of blues award nominations, thrilled a crowd of fans at the Winter Blues Fest in Des Moines on February 1st.
Memphis blues rockers Southern Avenue performed at the Winter Blues Fest in Des Moines. Winners of Best Emerging Artist Album at the 2018 Blues Music Awards, Southern Avenue‘s sound is youth-infused vintage R&B soul electrified by the powerful voice and charming stage presence of front woman Tierinii Jackson.
