On October 17th, The Truman in Kansas City, MO welcomed the incredible Years & Years to the stage, following an absolutely gorgeous set from opener CYN. We nabbed photos of both to make you feel like you were there, and our Years & Years snaps can be found below!
Keep up with Years & Years here!
Saturday, October 13th was a bit of a bummer for us. Sure, the sun was out and the weather was crisp and we were witnessing Minus The Bear‘s live stage show for the umpteenth time. But the reality of it was that we were seeing them for the last time, as they travel across the country on their farewell tour. We managed to capture the warmth and vibrance of their set the way they’ve captured our hearts.
Acclaimed singer/songwriter Greg Holden made his return to New York City on September 23rd. Opening for Butch Walker, who produced his single, “On The Run,” Holden’s performance was like a homecoming. It’s a rare thing for an opener, especially one singularly armed with an acoustic guitar, to hush Irving Plaza from front to back, but Holden managed to wield this uncanny power with effortless ability.
When Holden first emerged from the side of the stage, the crowd’s vigorous, impassioned applause was astonishing. He strolled out with an unassuming, quiet confidence and began strumming as the audience quickly fell silent. As his 7-song set kicked off, Holden was oftentimes chatty between songs, lending an affable familiarity with a room of people whom he’d never met, treating them like valued friends. Constantly encouraging the crowd to sing and clap during parts of his songs, Holden’s set was interactive, a joint, group effort.
On “Home,” Holden issued a command for the audience to stop their feet in time to the beat. In turn, he received an eager assent as the stomps echoed throughout the venue and shook the floor. Holden’s newest track, “The Power Shift,” was prefaced by a quick lament, noting Donald Trump was currently in the city. The audience loudly booed, prompting Holden to launch into this political song, calling others to recognize the link between power and inequality, and one that was more than well-received in New York City.
“Boys In The Streets,” arguably Holden’s most moving song, showcases his lyrical prowess, one that is omnipresent throughout his work. Telling the story of a father struggling with his son’s sexuality, it’s only on his deathbed that he makes a confession: his intolerance was due to what he was taught growing up. He finally understands and encourages his son to be himself. Holden’s live performance evoked the pathos and pain of both son and father, and cheers went through the crowd as Holden reached the uplifting conclusion.
Lastly, Holden performed “Hold On Tight,” a triumphant, empowering song that bursts into a big, gleeful chorus as he sang an urgent warning: “don’t take your life for granted.”
It was an awe-inspiring set from a seasoned musician, one who will no doubt be back to New York City in the future.
On Saturday, October 6th, Hippo Campus took the stage at The Riviera Theatre with support from The Districts. Photographer Sarah Hess was on the scene, nabbing only the best photos of the evening. Hippo Campus regaled the audience with an incredible performance on the second stop of their tour. The set list is included below.
Set list:
Bambi
Honestly
Doubt
Baseball
Simple Season
Bubbles
Why Even Try
Monsoon
South
Golden
Mistakes
Way It Goes
No Poms
Western Kids
Butter Cup
encore: Violet
On September 28th, Car Seat Headrest played to quite the crowd at Crossroads KC in Kansas City, MO. The first chilly night of the year, the band welcomed the crowd with gloves, turtlenecks, and long sleeve tops, clearly prepared for the occasion. We nabbed some fun photos. Enjoy!
Keep up with Car Seat Headrest here.
If you thought the first half of the month had insane amounts of fun new videos, then you’d be hard pressed to say any different of the second half of the month. So while everyone else is singing their praises to Green Day’s “Wake Me Up When September Ends”, we will be enjoying these new visuals from people who have captured the first hints of autumn for us sonically. Enjoy the following videos with us, featuring Cat Power, IAN SWEET, Holy Golden, Roosevelt, MUSE, We Like Jesus, and more!
On September 19th, Andrew W.K. took over recordBar in KC for the second time in the last year, preaching the gospel of PARTY to the midwest. Photographer Ashleigh Lee caught some epic action shots for us, as the crowd went wild with Andrew W.K.’s infinite positive message, brought to us through the power of rock.
**photos by Ashleigh Lee
Lovelytheband hit recordBar in Kansas City on Monday, September 17th. Photographer Ashleigh Lee gets us a glimpse inside with a few phenomenal photos.
**Photos by Ashleigh Lee
On Thursday, September 13th, Kansas-based Toughies and Southern California sweethearts Mating Ritual opened for Rooney at recordBar in Kansas City. We got a glimpse inside their sets, exclusively for you!
