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.
Saturday, February 2nd, wasn’t just a day in the books because Panic! @ The Disco made an appearance at Sprint Center. Kansas City rejoiced that evening because the tow openers were there to party. Betty Who brought her crazy intense dance moves and powerful voice to the stage, leading in to Two Feet‘s display of impeccable guitar skills. We got a few snaps of these energetic performers, and they can be seen below!
Australian pop musician Mallrat has created yet another catchy, beautiful, melancholic track for our ears to enjoy, this time with Basenji in latest track “Nobody’s Home”. The 20 year old has taken it up a notch with the new visual to accompany the song, and it’s quite a vibrant and enjoyable way to experience the song. Theatrical, a feeling of longing ever-present, this video will make you evaluate your own love life. We’re almost certain of that.
Keep up with Mallrat here.
Through almost 15 years of intricate, involved lyricism – the crazy involved titles of the early days, the lineup rotations, the bevy of music videos and the expansion of Brendon’s vocal range – we’ve held on to our deep appreciation for Panic! @ The Disco. So to be asked to photograph Brendon Urie and his team of bandits at Sprint Center on Saturday night, there was zero hesitation. The performance itself was the most involved we’ve ever witnessed from the musical project, Urie’s energy palpable from the first jump out from the hole in the middle of the stage, to his last round of bows and high fives with the audience. The man absolutely thrives off of this life, and you can tell.
What, perhaps, is most notable about his show when comparing it to his performances of yesteryear – think ten years back – is that they have, somehow, become even more theatrical. That was what was so outstanding about Panic! @ The Disco when they emerged on the scene about 14 years ago, they existed as a beacon for the outcasts. The theatre kids, the gamers, the anti-socialites. And now here he is, all this time later, continuing to provide that entertaining escape for other generations, and leveling up with each step. (Just ask whoever he hired as his vocal coach in the past ten years, if you don’t believe us.)
In fact, he even took a moment during his set to bless an unborn child “in the state of Panic” which, to his credit, is a clever saying to have up his sleeve. (Or up his bare arm, depending on if he decides to keep his shirt on or not.)
Either way, here are some fun photos from the inclusive and beautiful evening.
On Saturday, January 26th, Madisen Ward & The Mama Bear took their hometown by storm with an incredible performance at The Truman in Kansas City, Missouri. Their opening act – Me Like Bees – was sure to entertain to the max, and to thank MW&MB for their kindness over the years. The night was incredible, and everyone seemed to be absolutely glowing. Get your peek into the event below!
Keep up with Madisen Ward & The Mama Bear here.
Still in that “puppy love” stage with 2019? The New Year has given you more opportunities, more of a social life, and more things to get done too? Well, why not do it with help from some of our favorite emerging artists? 2019 has been so inviting to us, especially within the music sphere. We have a batch of our 34 favorite videos from the first half of the month that we think are worth checking out. Full screen this bitch while you’re cleaning, cooking, or dancing with you cat. Keep it small if you want to side-eye it while you’re at your desk. Either way, it’s worth a little bit of time to dig into this new, artful work, featuring Nina Nesbitt, American Football, Alice Phoebe Lou, and more!
On January, one woman band Raye Zaragoza made a stunning performance at Rockwood Music Hall. One of our favorites – Mr. Anthony Mulcahy – was on hand to capture the beauty for us.
Keep up with Raye Zaragoza here.
Everybody’s done with those gnarly “Best Of” lists, correct? No? Oh, we didn’t post our favorite music videos of the month quite yet? Alright. You’ve got us. We took a few (much needed) days out of rotation, and we feel like we are already behind on everything! Especially when December yielded so many incredible new collections of music, let alone a host of top notch visuals for our viewing pleasure. So let’s dive in, shall we? Time to enjoy some great new music videos from Chromeo, Roosevelt, Mae Muller, The Faded North, and more!
