It’s wonderful what some fresh air can do for you. We caught up with mxtmoon at Outside Lands festival for a few quick portrait shots, and found this fun little backdrop on the perimeter of the polo field. How fun to duck into some trees and feel like you’re the only ones in the field! (Aside from Mavis Staples singing and preaching to the masses in the background. What an incredible weekend!)
Keep up with mxtmoon here.
It had been seven years since we last witnessed Santigold, absolutely captivating the crowd at Stephest Colbchella 2012. At Outside Lands 2019, she didn’t cease to amaze. Her style, her perfectly coiffed (and straight faced ) dancers, and that incredible voice. Saturday afternoon on the polo field was epic.
Keep up with Santigold here.
Maggie Rogers seemed to electrify the energy of the sunset during the final day of Hinterland Music Festival in Iowa. As the glow of the fading sky danced across her face, her vocals rang out across the field in the most enchanting way. Highlights below!
Keep up with Maggie Rogers here.
The performance we were perhaps most floored by was Ella Mai on Day 2 of Outside Lands 2019. We marched ourselves to the Twin Peaks stage as the fog was steadily rolling in, which cast an eery and beautiful effect on the stage itself as Mai crooned her way around the stage.
Keep up with Ella Mai here.
With two sold-out shows in the New York City area at both Brooklyn Steel and Webster Hall, Snail Mail, fronted by Lindsey Jordan, is blowing up. At just 20 years old, Jordan already has two records under her belt: 2018’s Lush and 2016’s Habit EP. With Habit’s irresistibly infectious opening track, “Thinning,” Jordan began to catch the larger industry’s eye.
Signing to seminal indie label, Matador, Lush was an immediate success, gaining Jordan a devoted fanbase. She set to work playing show after show, no matter how big the venue. Between smaller shows at Brooklyn’s Warsaw and then larger shows, such as her performance at the legendary Madison Square Garden, opening for Interpol, Jordan knows how to work a crowd. And frankly, the reason why she resonates so much with others is that she is simply and unapologeticly herself. Nowhere is this more evident than in her lyrics. With sparse, straightforward lines, Jordan is able to effectively and powerfully communicate day-to-day emotions in an understated way. In “Pristine,” Lush’s opening track, Jordan sings about never loving anyone ever again, a statement that, at first glance, seems hyperbolic. However, when one is in the throes of love lost, it’s this emotion that seems to grab us and take hold, as unrealistic as it is. That feeling in and of itself is worth exploring, and listening to Jordan express sentiments that many prefer hide is cathartic. The act of saying something out loud, no matter how seemingly silly or embarrassing, is important. It holds up a mirror to ourselves and our experiences, and compels us towards reexamination.
Further, Jordan’s fans are of all different ages. At Webster Hall, the crowd, many of whom lined up hours early in order to obtain first-row spots, ranged from teens to those in their mid-forties. This speaks directly to the shared human experience and the way music can bring people of various generations together.
Jordan’s set, consisting of both records, was mostly sung with the audience in tow. Almost every track, especially that of “Pristine,” was a group effort. And “Pristine” itself had the added effect of the venue’s disco ball, with lights streaming around the room as squeals from the crowd heralded their addition. Ending with “Iris,” a Goo Goo Dolls cover, Jordan’s dynamic performance came to a close.
Jordan’s career is just beginning, and she’s already accomplished so much. Snail Mail is taking over the world.
Snail Mail Setlist
1) Intro
2) Heat Wave
3) Dirt
4) Slug
5) Golden Dream
6) Thinning
7) Deep Sea
8) Full Control
9) Let’s Find An Out
10) Pristine
11) Speaking Terms
12) Stick
13) Iris (Goo Goo Dolls cover)
Fullerton-based indie rock musician The Late Innings (Vincent Sinex) is coming at us hard with the video premiere for his track “Our Secret”. The song itself takes almost a spoken word tempo, packed with entertaining lyrics. As we get an audible glimpse into simpler times in the bay area, we are drawn to the adventurous nature of topographically-designed lyrics.
Explains Vincent:
I made the ‘Our Secret’ video entirely using topographical maps. I wanted to capture the restless feeling of a traveler going from one place after another, searching for that perfect spot. I’ve always been fascinated by maps and travel. When I was younger, I would spend many hours poring over atlases and maps, studying place names and doing things like learning state capitals. To make the video, I took screen captures from United States Geological Survey topographical maps and used them to illustrate not only the lyrics of the song, but also the types of places (beaches, coves and bays) the traveler encounters in the song.
This song itself is about a guy who travels to a place he considers his ‘secret’ vacation spot, only to find out that the place is now overrun with tourists. He’s disappointed to discover that something he used to think of ‘his’ is now a place that apparently everybody now knows about. The inspiration for this song came from a trip of my own, where we went to a beach that seemingly no one knew about, and we had the whole place to ourselves that afternoon. After that trip, I thought, ‘The next time I want to go back there, will it still be a secret, especially since in the age of social media, nothing is a secret anymore?
Nothing is a secret, and we can all relate. Check out the video below!
Keep up with The Late Innings at thelateinnings.com.
The Nude Party began in the dorms of Appalachian State University, when a group of friends decided to form a band…and play naked. Their reputation as “the naked party band” evolved, and was eventually adopted as the band’s name. Unfortunately, the group was required to wear clothes for their set at Hinterland Music Festival. Despite that, The Nude Party still brought their unique brand of Psych Rock and party-like atmosphere that they are now known for.
Keep up with The Nude Party here.
The Dead South wrapped up their US tour with an appearance at Hinterland Music Festival, playing a raucous set in front of an enthusiastic afternoon crowd. The folk-bluegrass band from Saskatchewan put their exceptional musicianship and infectious energy on display. The set included songs spanning the band’s entire catalog, including the newly released “Diamond Rings” from their upcoming album “Sugar and Joy” to be released October 11.
Keep up with The Dead South here.
During a mid-afternoon set at the Hinterland Music Festival, which leans heavily towards the folk genre, Ron Gallo injected a heavy dose of high-energy garage rock. The carefree attitude of the band is fun to watch. In between playing crowd favorites, including “Kill The Medicine Man” and “Young Lady, You’re Scaring Me,” the guys take turns throwing light-hearted jabs at each other. At times, the concert felt more like an intimate house show than one taking place at a music festival.
Keep up with Ron Gallo here.
