dodie @ marathon music works

dodie @ marathon music works

Dodie blissfully treated us to an evening of honest lyricism and simple–but far from boring–ukulele jams. It is a unique experience to see a YouTube star become an in-real-life star, and oftentimes the wonder and awe doesn’t translate the same past the computer screen, where there are no real-life jump cuts or do-overs. This is far from the case for Dodie, who captivated the flower-crowned and glitter-covered audience. She performed her hits (“She,” “Would You Be So Kind,” “Secret For The Mad”), as well as a charming a cappella cover of “Take Me Home, Country Roads” to celebrate being in Music City. Dodie managed to make Marathon Music Works feel as intimate as one of her YouTube videos, as if we were sitting there, watching her magic unfold in her bedroom.

Keep up with Dodie here.

josh ritter @ the madrid

josh ritter @ the madrid

When Josh Ritter moves across the stage, he doesn’t run or walk. He bounces across it. With a smile on his face from start to finish, his bubbly attitude is contagious. Ritter is also an expert storyteller, in both his masterfully crafted lyrics and his discussions with he crowd between songs. His set list included new and old favorites, including “The Curse,” “The Temptation of Adam,” and “Getting Ready to Get Down.” Ritter released his tenth studio album in April of this year.

Keep up with Josh Ritter here.

savannah conley @ starlight theatre

savannah conley @ starlight theatre

August 16th was a gorgeous evening at Starlight Theatre. The rain had died off, the temperature cooled down slightly, and Savannah Conley took the stage as the last of a few drops of rain came down. She impressed with the simplicity of her arrangements, the range of her voice. We grabbed a few photos, and can’t wait to see her again!

Keep up with Savannah Conley here.

paul simon + wyclef jean @ outside lands 2019

paul simon + wyclef jean @ outside lands 2019

On our way to enjoy the final headliner of Outside Lands 2019, we happened upon a rather large crowd in the middle of the polo field, by the merchant tables. For a moment, I thought the crowd had reached that far back, an hour or so before the performance, and I almost gave up on getting any closer. But then we realized it was a completely different crowd, and Wyclef Jean was singing on the Heineken stage. As the sounds of “Maria Maria” entered our ears, we danced our way over for a peek. Then, of course, we got as close as we could for the indelible Paul Simon. What a way to round out the festivities.

**photos by Andrew Hallen + Meredith Schneider

ben folds @ starlight theatre

ben folds @ starlight theatre

On Friday night, Ben Folds made a spectacular appearance at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, MO. Our city has an affinity for this man, palpable when he sang a song about making Jason Sudeikis his “piano bitch” back in the day when he used to play The Bottleneck in Lawrence. He and his band entertained until the very last second of the sound ordinance, and what a beautiful start to the weekend it was.

Keep up with Ben Folds here.

the war and treaty @ hinterland music festival

the war and treaty @ hinterland music festival

If you haven’t gotten yourself out to a show with The War and Treaty, then you have no idea what you’re missing out on. The roots/Americana duo – comprised of Michael Trotter Jr & Tanya Blount-Trotter – played an afternoon set at Hinterland Music Festival recently, and we got some highlights. Check it out below, and head out to a show soon!

Keep up with The War and Treaty here.

brandi carlile + hozier @ hinterland

brandi carlile + hozier @ hinterland

Apologies if the headline of this photo set made you think we had a round 2 duet featuring Hozier and Brandi Carlile a la Bonnaroo 2019 at Hinterland Music Festival this year. Our photographers were roaming the grounds a little more and captured these two performances from the crowd, so there are a few less angles to share with you. But the lighting and the audience have truly captured the mood on this, a truly intimate experience at a very large music festival.