Categories
Music News and Interviews New Album Review

9/15 – What’s New In Afterhours?

There is just too much music on WKNC. This is especially true of electronic music. Luckily, I’m one of the people who are putting in the automated music queue for Afterhours, so I can tell you what I like to help you sort through it. Here are a few of those that are recent additions to the WKNC rotation.

Categories
Concert Preview Music News and Interviews

Upcoming Local Concerts

MICHELLE – Oct.31

Opener: Nickname Jos

Where: Motorco Music Hall, Durham

When: 8pm Monday, Oct.31

Price: $18/$24

MICHELLE Tickets

It is a shame Halloween fell on a Monday this year, but MICHELLE is here to excite the Monday nightlife and welcome November

MICHELLE is a R&B group from New York City. Their discography is filled to the brim with upbeat tracks and rich harmonies. This vocal-led group is extremely dynamic in rhythm, tone and musical composition. Each member has so much vocal control and range, allowing the group to create some stunning vocal lines. They will put on a fantastic show.

Superorganism – Nov. 3

Opener: Blood Cultures

Where: Motorco Music Hall, Durham

When: 8pm Thursday, Nov. 3

Price: $22/$25

Superorganism Tickets

Superorganism is a psychedelic indie pop band from London. I would also like to highlight their opener, Blood Cultures, an anoynoymus experimental indie pop project from Brooklyn. Both of these bands have such a unique aura.

To add to the excitement of this performance, Superorganism released their album, “World Wide Pop” this year and just released a remix album, “World Wide Pop- Reeeemix!” Oct.28. These two bands will certainly bring lots of new sounds to the stage.

Oso Oso – Nov.6

Opener: M.A.G.S and Anxious

Where: Motorco Music Hall, Durham

When: 8pm Sunday, Nov.6

Price: $19/$23

OSO OSO Tickets

Oso Oso is an alternative emo band from Long Beach, New York. Oso Oso has such a well versed discography, ranging from heavy rock to light alternative tracks. The openers M.A.G.S. and Anxious will complement his wide range of music wonderfully.

Opener, M.A.G.S is an indie garage rock and pop project from Buffalo, New York. Anxious is an dreamo band from Connecticut. This trio of artists have a wide variety of sounds, yet remain unified in their melancholy tone.

Sorry – Nov.12

Opener: N/A

Where: Local 506, Chapel Hill

When: 9pm Saturday, Nov.12

Price: $13/$15

Sorry Tickets

Sorry taps into an astral of genres to create there unique sound– ranging from bubblegrunge, punk, indie rock, and psychedelic. Hailing from London, this duo brings with them a weighty discography.

Their newest album, “Anywhere by Here” released Oct. 7. In my opinion, it contains some of their best work.

The freshness of their album will certainly contribute to an extremely energized show.

Omar Apollo – Nov. 20

Opener: N/A

Where: The Ritz, Raleigh

When: 7:45pm Sunday, Nov.20

Price: $50

Omar Apollo Tickets

Last, but certainly not least, R&B artist Omar Apollo. He released his fourth full album, “Ivory” earlier this year. Although I think it was less successful compared to his previous work– it is clear his energy is ecstatic throughout this tour.

If this show reflects “Ivory”, it will have an excellent variety of high and low energy tracks. Each track in his discography is rich– he just has such a great voice.

Omar Apollo keeps achieving more with each and every release, this performance will be rich in talent, stage presence and musical variety.

Categories
Music News and Interviews

New Singles by Bendigo Fletcher

Bendigo Fletcher is a lovely Americana, indie folk band out of Louisville, Kentucky.

They have an upcoming EP, “Wing Dig” coming out Oct. 21. In anticipation to this release they have release two singles, “Pterodactyl” and “Strange Encounters”.

What I find to be so enchanting about this band is that they have glimpses of so many sounds within them.

They are still such a fresh band, their musical identity has yet to form fully. It is prominent in their latest album, “Fits of Laughter” that this band has so much versatilely. Upon listening to the first beats of the songs on this album it is difficult to believe they all emerge from the same artist.

This unpredictability and mystery to Bendigo Fletcher’s sound is what is so intriguing to me. They have the ability to expand far beyond the box of the modern indie folk sound.

I lot of this flexibility stems directly from the lead singer and songwriter, Ryan Anderson. His fantastical lyrics and rustically delicate voice are difficult to compare. Their track “Evergreen” is an excellent example of his uniqueness. Out of nowhere he pulls out a vocal technique reminiscent of classic rock bands such as the iconic Led Zeppelin. This stripped vocals this this chorus fits perfectly with his lyrics:

“For between death and the baby’s breath / We are all perennial majesty in the daily shine”

All to say I was excited to see what Bendigo Fletcher would be bringing in their newest releases.

The New Singles

I think a lot can be communicated in the first few beats of a song. The first couple measures dictate so much of what the song will set out to achieve.

Having a successful first few measures is like having a solid foundation to a building. Without a good foundation, why continue building? In other words, why continue listening to the rest of the song is the first five seconds are uninspiring?

I don’t believe these two tracks have successful beginnings. They sounded like any other indie folk band and any other indie folk song. This this very disappointing knowing the musical potential of Bendigo Fletcher.

However, “Strange Encounters” really built up my anticipation. The second half of the track is very intriguing– featuring clashing harmonies and great vocal work. This track, although not one of my favorites by them, certainly sets a good tone for the album to come.

“Pterodactyl” was less successful in my option, it holds a really low energy throughout it’s entirety and gives no musical hints to the album to come. It is a pleasant track, ideal for the fall season, just not my hope for Bendigo Fletcher.

Conclusion

I will be anxiously awaiting Oct. 21 to see what sounds they will bring to “Wing Dig”.

Regardless if they bring classic folk or classic rock into this release, it will undoubtedly be a great album for the fall and winter season.

I hope you all are having a great start to the chilly season, I hope to share more excellent fall music will you all shortly. Stay tuned.

Categories
Music News and Interviews

WKNC on World College Radio Day

World College Radio Day is coming up on Friday, October 7.

Of course, your friends at WKNC will be celebrating. In a very similar fashion to last year’s WCRD, starting at midnight and going until midnight, there will be 24 straight hours of DJ sets on HD-1 and select sets on HD-2. All killer, no filler. There will also be a 24-hour live stream featuring various activities for the entire event.

The full schedule for the live stream, HD-1 and HD-2 can be found below.

The schedule for HD-1 is largely unchanged. You can expect Afterhours/Underground from 12 a.m. – 6 a.m., Daytime Rock from 6 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Chainsaw from 6 p.m. – 12 a.m. Some Specialty sets will be thrown into the mix as well.

DJs on HD-2 will have full reign to play whatever music they would like. Tune in at various times throughout the day for some fun sets.

WKNC will also be hosting a live stream to celebrate the festivities on the WKNC YouTube page. The live stream is going to be full of DJ-hosted events throughout the day. Button making, lego building, video games, board games, power points and a WKNC lore iceberg are a few of the things that can be expected throughout the stream.

The live stream of the HD-1 Studio will have to be muted per YouTube’s copyright policy. However, all DJ sets are available on the WKNC web stream. You can also find all the music DJs are playing on our spinitron page.

The tentative schedule of activities is listed below. This schedule is subject to change at the discretion of the DJs. The best way to keep up to date with the schedule is to check this blog post, which will be actively updated.

HD-1 Schedule

TIMEDJTHEME
12 a.m. – 1 a.m.carbon copyPASSING BY AFTERHOURS EDITION SPECIAL EDITION #WCRD #AFTERHOURS Ummmmmm
1 a.m. – 2 a.m.T-TimeThe World Has Turned and Left Me Here / I’m gonna play doom metal
2 a.m. – 3 a.m.ploveraraki WCRDhouse / songs from movie soundtracks and scores that feel at home in the araki warehouse
3 a.m. – 4 a.m.johnny ghostThe Outfit / Old school (mostly ’90s) techno & big beat
4 a.m. – 5 a.m.DJ babycakes, DJ habanero & maddogthe sweet n spicy x doghouse afterhours crossover with some funkadelic house vibes
5 a.m. – 6 a.m.chefFresh Beets and Spinnin’ Platters / I have a set of turntablists and beat-scientists like Kid Koala, DJ Qbert and DJ Shadow, which feels like it fits underground genre the best.
6 a.m. – 7 a.m.Flowers McPowersThe Flowers McPowers Hour
7 a.m. – 8 a.m.President ShrimpoFireside Chats / A Shrimpo sampler player, a real mix of all the stuff that gets played on fireside chats, with garage rock, post punk, and lighter indie rock!
8 a.m. – 9 a.m.KONDEUNCANNY VALLEY/ Video Game Music and/or Possibly Remixes of Video Game Music
9 a.m. – 10 a.m.Hüttemeister & MichelangeloSaloon Tunes
10 a.m. – 11 a.m.ChellThe Testing Chamber / That new Wednesday song is awesome let’s listen to a bunch of songs like that
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.bansheeBlanchin’ With Banshee / 00s chicano rap
12 p.m – 1 p.m.toad maidenSLIME CITY!
1 p.m. – 2 p.m.maddog & leksiproLeksipro and Maddog afterhours pilled. be there or be square
2 p.m. – 3 p.m.DJ ZoinkMore Songs About Buildings And Food
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.last name uttsome songs are better than others / “grandpa mike’s record bin” – midcentury jazz classics from grandpa mike utt’s record collection (edited)
4 p.m. – 5 p.m.space cadet & HermajestyFire Dance With Me / Music from David Lynch Projects
5 p.m. – 6 p.m.ZenPassively Dynamic
6 p.m. – 7 p.m.DMC WOODSTOCK & FULLMETAL RACKETDIGITVL HVRDCORE / Digital Hardcore- the marriage of hardcore punk and hardcore electronic.
7 p.m. – 8p.m.DJ SHEETZBEETZ WITH SHEETZ WCRD EDITION / epic bops and bangers from the one and only DJ SHEETZ including underrated gems from artists you know and love
8 p.m. – 9 p.m.Uncle PaulPenitentiary Rock
9 p.m. – 10 p.m.JedwardThe Yearning & The Burning / The set will begin with some beautiful twee and slowcore music, then conclude with amped-up skramz and assorted emo. yearn then burn! it’s healthy!
10 p.m. – 11 p.m.Wild WasteReturn to WKNC / It’s my first set back on the air in awhile! Tune in to hear a top selection of my favorite metal artists!
11 p.m. – 12 a.m.Young IowaHeadbang to the best metal and hardcore the Old North State has to offer

HD-2 Schedule

TIMEDJTHEME
12 a.m. – 1 a.m.JustinTimeThe Impeccable Sounds of Brazil / Popular music in Brazil during the 60/70s. Antonio Carlos Jobim, Marcos Valle, Joao Gilberto, Astrud Gilberto, Luiz Bonfa
1 a.m. – 2 a.m.AloeSample Platter / a song followed by a rap song that sampled that song
2 a.m. – 3 a.m.chalcopyritedigital vibes / glitch pop. there’s some vocaloid in this?
3 a.m. – 4 a.m.tetrapod(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻ / hyperpop and screaming
4 a.m. – 5 a.m.Velvet WormThe Bug Collection (Soul Edition) / soulful bug music
5 a.m. – 6 a.m.ploverAraki WCRDhouse / only the hardest of noise
6 a.m. – 7 a.m.Velvet WormThe Bug Collection (Breakcore Edition) / breakcore bug music
7 a.m. – 8 a.m.hypySpeeed it UPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP / 160+ BPM.
8 a.m. – 9 a.m.Rodeo RomeoBeta Decay / Chem Lab after hours
9 a.m. – 10 a.m.Velvet WormThe Bug Collection (Ambient Edition) / ambient bug music
10 a.m. – 11 a.m.guppyThe Creek / Murder Ballads, so anything from old folk to some rock, punk, or alternative
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.Velvet WormThe Bug Collection (Percussion Edition) / buggy beats and drums
12 p.m. – 1 p.m.denim poetryA wide variety of Daytime music, ranging from early aught’s
twee to 90’s grunge to 70’s prog.
1 p.m. – 2 p.m.DJ Pon-3Americana, Blues & Co(llege Radio Day) / Kick back with some sweet Americana jams.
2 p.m. – 3 p.m.MalocchioThe Superego / bossa nova and other music defined by latin america
3 p.m. – 5 p.m.The LoafLoafin’ Around (two hours)
5 p.m. – 6 p.m.DJ CranberryAround the World (College Radio Day) / get your passports ready
6 p.m. – 7 p.m.Erik++Regular Point / Krautrock covers
7 p.m. – 8p.m.Erik++Regular Point / Variety set
8 p.m. – 9 p.m.Erik++Regular Point / reggae/dub set
9 p.m. – 10 p.m.DJ Independent Fact CheckerBlue Check Power Hour / Malevolent music; Evil tunes; Suspicious songs; Dastardly dancing; maybe some rap live mixed in too if I can finesse it
10 p.m. – 11 p.m.chalcopyritecell tower nights / mix of mostly dub techno-ish stuff/vaporwave/ambient/etc. “abandoned factory level (night) music.”
11 p.m. – 12 a.m.DJ Little Brown BatLunar / indie stuff that I was listening to during a lunar eclipse

Livestream/Production Schedule

TIMEHOST + EVENTDESCRIPTION
12 a.m. – 1 a.m.cowball, WKNC IcebergCreating one of those iceberg memes with various WKNC lore from over the years.
1 a.m. – 2 a.m.cowball, Speed Build WKNC Studios in MinecraftWe’re gonna try to recreate the WKNC studios in Minecraft in a one hour time period.
2 a.m. – 3 a.m.Zen, Zach’s Knick KnacksBuilding a Lego set and doing bed time stories with the WKNC Training & Operations Manual!!!
3 a.m. – 4 a.m.banshee, WKNC MSPAINT HOURMS Paint art in the style of Ringo Starr: Radio Edition 📻
4 a.m. – 5 a.m.Zen, DJ InterviewsInterviewing DJs LIVE!!!!!!!
5 a.m. – 6 a.m.
6 a.m. – 7 a.m.cowball, College Radio Zoom CallJoin WKNC as we do a live Zoom call with some other radio stations celebrating World College Radio Day.
7 a.m. – 8 a.m.
8 a.m. – 9 a.m.cowball, Live Worm MakingWKNC’s General Manager creates one of her very own handmade worms LIVE to live in the studio!
9 a.m. – 10 a.m.beepo, Live Promo RecordingWe make DJ promos live bc ur right there!!!!!!
10 a.m. – 11 a.m.maddog, amogus and emojisFirst half we can be sussy little baka’s. Second half we can get #real about emojis😎
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.SHEETZ, tier list hourcome in and make tier lists with DJ SHEETZ!!!!!!
12 p.m. – 1 p.mcowball, Geoguessr: Radio EditionDJs will play a custom Geoguessr quiz made by the General Manager that features various radio stations around the world.
1 p.m. – 2 p.m.Banshee, button making 👉👈we makin’ cool ass buttons!!!!!!
2 p.m. – 3 p.m.President Shrimpo’s Presidential HourLive podcast discussing and ranking US presidents and failed candidates. It’s as shrimple as that!
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.DJ PON-3, All The ColorsWe just got a new shipment of our colored logo tees and we gotta sort them. Very fun.
4 p.m. – 5 p.m.Malocchiotba
5 p.m. – 6 p.m.Chalcopyrite, aggie.iowknc draws stuff, the whiteboard is now digital
6 p.m. – 7 p.m.denim poetry, Animus Wormworms, annelids, creatures with multiple sections that consume dirt and excrete dirt…. the video game based on these creatures except they have GUNS and GRENADES
7 p.m. – 8p.m.Chalcopyrite, yume nikki streamspooky scary little rpg!!!
8 p.m. – 9 p.m.beepo, KONDE & Jedward, HDR & smash talkreally cool smash ultimate mod and tournament stories!!!!!!
9 p.m. – 10 p.m.plover, Powerpoint Nightwe share powerpoints!!!!!
10 p.m. – 11 p.m.cowball, WKNC DJ Application QuizA game where DJs have to guess which DJ said what on their WKNC applications.
11 p.m. – 12 a.m.cowball, Three Bears in a CoatFirst, cowball makes a Family Tree for WKNC. Then, Three Bears in a Coat has an ending ceremony to wrap up the event!
Categories
Band/Artist Profile Music News and Interviews

“Ouroboros” by Suave Punk Song Review

Suave Punk is a great representation of modern indie roots. Suave Punk is Justin Kim, a fella who decided to sit down in his bedroom with a borrowed guitar, amp, and laptop and make some mystic music.

Since 2018 he has released an array of singles and an EP. Suave Punk’s discography is filled with heavy guitar riffs, relaxed vocals, and elements of shoegaze, grungegaze, and dream pop.

His most popular single, “Heat Death” caught my ears in 2021, and since I have been keeping up with his releases.

This new single “Ouroboros” did not disappoint; however, didn’t necessarily provide any new elements to his musical arsenal. I love seeing growth through releases, and although there wasn’t much experimentation in this track it’s clear his musical confidence is blossoming.

I really appreciated his lyrics in this track. He has a great voice and a great tone for the genre pocket he is fitting into. In his past work he really veils over the vocals with heavy strings and drumming, but I’m glad to see more of his lovely voice poke through here.

“I’m an ouroboros
No matter which way I go
I’m always trying again”

This theme of incessant self judgement fits excellently with the musical beats. The backdrop is repetitive, active, and grows throughout the track. This track is unified, succinct, and bold.

“You’re not safe from what you’re building
You’re not safe from what you do”

This track is definitely one of my favorites from Suave Punk. It provides a glimpse into the mind of Justin Kim, who up until this release has been allusive and understated.

It is great to hear more confidence in his voice, sound, and themes– I am looking forward to the releases to come. I’ll be waiting for a full album, till then, keep rocking Suave Punk.

Categories
Music News and Interviews

“Bull Believer” by Wednesday Song Review

It is always a good day when Wednesday releases.

Wednesday is an indie rock band from our very own Asheville, North Carolina. Wednesday is made of Karly Hartzman lead vocalist and guitar, guitarist MJ Lenderman, bassist Margo Shultz, drummer Alan Miller, and pedal steel player Xandy Chelmis.

It feels incorrect to put this band in the box of “indie rock”; they have tapped into noise rock, psychobilly and in there latest album, country. “Mowing the Leaves Instead of Piling ’em Up” is a 9 track cover album that was released March 11 of this year.

I could write an entire review of this extraordinary album. It features covers ranging from “She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinking Double)” by Gary Stewart, to “Perfect” by Smashing Pumpkins. Each track taking on a new life through Wednesday.

Their discography truly never disappoints. They bring so much presence with each and every release.

The New Single

The first thing I noticed about this track is that it is a hearty 8 minutes and 30 seconds. I adore a long track. I especially love a long track with good placement, and although this is not in the context of an album, “Bull Believer” arrives with the announcement that Wednesday has signed to record label Dead Oceans.

Dead Oceans has released many influential artists including Mitski, Phoebe Bridgers, and Toro y Moi.

Musically, this song is weighty. One aspect I really respect and admire about Wednesday is the authenticity of Karly Hartzman’s vocals and lyrics. They have no intention of altering their sound for the eyes of the public. Especially in this track, the vocals are stripped and raw.

Stylistically, the vocal bring such rigidity and dominance. The conclusion of this track has an almost wail-like quality. Karly Hertzman is not only providing a voice that is powerful and real into the indie rock world, but begins to break down the expectations of female voices in the music industry. Wednesday captures beauty through sheer musical power.

I want to take a moment to appreciate the lyrics of this track. I adore Wednesday’s metaphorical nature. Their previous releases have had a level of elusiveness to them, and this track is no exception:

“Comfort fools us into faith
Then fate pulls us away again
A corpse with a spirit
Got out of my bed today”

With each release Wednesday takes another step towards a stronger and stronger sound. Their musical prowess and experimentalism astounds me. They has achieved such a unique presence in their music. I look forward to new music to come under Dead Oceans; I sincerely hope this new label encourages more of what is happening in “Bull Believer”.

Categories
Blog Music News and Interviews

New Singles by Mr Jukes and Barney Artist

This is an absolutely remarkable collaboration between British artists Mr Jukes and Barney Artist. The two releases a series of 4 singles between May. 25 and Aug. 25. 2022.

Mr Jukes is the passion project of Jack Steadman, lead vocalist of Bombay Bicycle Club. In his solo work is a bender of genres– tapping into jazz, funk, soul and rhythms and blues influences.

I have been a big fan of Jack Steadman for quite some time. It is exhilarating to see him thrive in his solo work year after year.

His 2017 album, “God First” has some of my favorite tracks of all time including “Grant Green” and “Tears”, but frankly every track on that album is phenomenal.

Barney Artist was just introduced to me through the album, “The Locket”, a prior collaboration with Mr Jukes in 2021. His music has such a vibrant energy.

The pure musical talent between these two artists are simply meant to combine.

“The Locket” Album Cover Art

The New Singles

“93”, this single released May. 25. This track is such a great taste of what these two artists can do together. I honestly think this track is a little revered of a sound for them.

The back tracks are characteristically layered and rich– however the lyricism is a bit repetitive. I would have loved to hear a touch more of the verses.

This song has such a sweet sound. The happy keys and brass in the background complement Barney Artist’s voice beautifully. Mr Jukes has integrated many jazz influences into his past music. The hint of brass in this track brings a energetic jazzy sound to the whole track.

“Air To Your Hidden Lung”, this single related July. 8. The message of this track is that the current state of the music industry is ephemeral.

Barney Artist provides a sharp commentary on other’s artist’s motivations for creating music. The act of making music simply for the love of making music is fading– over shadowed by the drive for fame and money.

“Eternal”, this single was released Aug.5. You can hear how much energy these artists have in this track.

Barney Artist’s lyricism in this track is strong. This track out of the four is perhaps the most hip-hop influenced. It hast fast paced verses and a smooth chorus.

“Run Away”, this track is my favorite of the four. It released Aug. 25, and provided a great conclusion to this set of singles.

It’s unclear whether or not they will be releasing more songs in this set, but they have created a song composition of four with these tracks.

Mr Jukes and Barney Artist have formed such a rich sound together. Especially in “Run Away”, their two voices are paired perfectly. Barney Artist provides such a sharp, powerful tone. Mr Jukes brings such a gentle, smooth sound into the track.

Conclusion

Mr Jukes and Barney Artist are a powerful fusion mixing multiple genres, sounds, and influences into one.

I envy all the folks in the Brighton area that get to see these two live. I will be awaiting the opportunity to see them in concert.

If you would like to hear more of them, I recommend giving “The Locket” a listen. I’m looking forward to all these two will create in the future.

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Similar Kind “Commercial Break” EP Review

Similar Kind is an indie pop band out of Norwalk, Connecticut that just release EP “Commerical Break” Aug 26, 2022.

I had previously discovered them during a Hot Flash Heat Wave concert, Similar Kind was an absolutely stellar opening act. Lead singer, Julia Breen, has so much power in their vocals that is prevalent in every track.

Their energy is intoxicatingly positive. Their discography is filled to the brim with upbeat, energized tracks.

My mood immediately improved upon seeing a new release on their page; their sound is always a mood booster.

New Tracks

In this release there is 4 new tracks, all of them are leaning into a more funk-inspired sound. Their bassist, Nate Porter, deserves much praise in these new releases.

The first track, “Game Show” is absolutely noteworthy. They have great production quality in this one, and it’s clear they are gaining more confidence in their individual talents. The member’s individual sounds are combining beautifully.

“Leonard St.” is the second new track on this EP. Once again, the bassist is shining in this track. I really adore this song. It has much more intense, almost grungy approach compared to their previous work. My only gripe with this track is halfway through the track the vocals are muffed stylistically– Julia Breen has such sharp vocals; I think it is a detriment to hinder them.

Up next is “Waiting”. This track is certainly the most pop influenced on the EP. If you want a good song to dance or tap your foot to, this is the one. It has more repetitiveness compared to the others. I appreciate their efforts in appeasing to multiple genres.

“Thanks for Listening!” is the final track on the ep, which as the title implies, is a musical send off. I don’t have too much to say here, other than I hope Similar Kind is not going to be gone for long.

Conclusion and Tour Dates

I’m looking forward to the next opportunity to see Similar Kind in concert. Their sound live is really electric.

They are currently touring with Post Sex Nachos and will be performing at Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro next Thursday, Sep 1. They will also be stopping in Atlanta and Nashville.

I’m excited for all that Similar Kind will be releasing in the near future; this EP is just an inkling of all they will accomplish.

Categories
Miscellaneous Music News and Interviews

How the Pandemic Influenced Concert Culture

The post-COVID experience has changed drastically whether it’s our preference for working from home or doing classes over Zoom. It’s no doubt that concert culture has adapted as well.

The attendance of concerts, the fashion, the concept of camping out hours or days before shows. 

I’ve heard a common ideology going around these days, that people aren’t working because they want to but because they want money to buy concert tickets. 

Attendance

Attending smaller shows that average $20 a ticket seems simple for people who have survived quarantine buying hundreds of new clothes or supplies for new hobbies from boredom. 

Now there’s less time being bored, so the next best alternative for a fun 3-hour experience is going to a concert.

The class of 2023 to the class of 2026 especially has lost so much of the ‘supposed’ best time of our lives with college and high school years of freedom being obliterated.

Because of this everyone is seeking that missed experience by going to concerts. Celebrating our favorite artists with fellow fans our age.

Fashion

Not only has concert fever increased but the whole culture behind it has changed.

In the past, you wouldn’t typically dress up as if you were going to the MET Gala when getting ready for concerts. However, these days fans go all out by recreating outfits the artist has worn in the past or matching the vibe of the tour. 

I love this new change because it makes going to a concert this event. Of course, it’s not mandatory but gives people another thing to look forward to doing to get into concert mode. 

I know it makes me hype at least.

What I love about the new fashion culture of concerts the most is that you can dress to the nines and wear the most outrageous outfits that you possibly could not wear on a school campus or at work or in your daily life.

It gives you the chance to step outside of your comfort zone while having people dressed as cool as you surrounding you.

Not only is it the outfits, but the hairstyles and makeup looks that people are dedicated to doing just for themselves are what I enjoy the most.

Of course, sometimes concertgoers want to dress their best in the rare chance the artist sees them, but for the most part, they dress in a way they are the most confident version of themselves – for themselves.

Camping Out

Unfortunately, there is a negative aspect to this adapted concert culture, I fear. In the past, people would show up maybe one hour early to a concert before doors opened.

These days, especially when it comes to general admission venues or venues with pits, fans line up eight plus hours in advance just to be at the barricades. Just to be that close to the artists on the stage. 

Not only is this dangerous for the health of the fans but is honestly unreasonable too.

The extremeness only increases as the popularity of the artist increases.

Someone I met at the Wallows concert told me they had been in line for over eight hours just so they could get interactions with the band members. 

Another person stood in line for over 15 hours for a Harry Styles show. Another person was in line for a whopping 21 hours for Olivia Rodrigo.

One extreme situation I read about was that people started camping out at 11 pm the day before a Harry Styles concert that was starting at 7 pm. Full on setting up camping tents and everything.

The list goes on and on, with people waiting 8-9 hours for indie artists like Role Model, Clairo, Wallows, etc., and people waiting 15+ hours for more famous artists like Dua Lipa or The Weeknd.

The max I’ve waited in a line was 2 hours, and I’ve gotten barricade for almost every concert I’ve been to. Of course, all those concerts were at The Ritz in Raleigh so it wasn’t difficult to do so. 

Over quarantine and Post-COVID many artists that we could refer to as “small” have doubled or even tripled in their monthly listeners and this along with the passion of fans has increased the intensity of concert culture.

It’s fascinating how music consumption and concert culture was so drastically influenced by quarantine and the pandemic. 

Regardless of how you want to take part in concert culture, I definitely recommend going to a live show at least once. It’s a life-changing experience.

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Hojean “You Aint Gotta” Song Review

We’re back with another song from Hojean.

As he gets ready to head for 88rising’s ‘Head in the Clouds’ music festival, he seems to have released another song that fans will get to see performed live for the first time.

Right from the start, you can tell this song has heavy 90s hip-hop and soul inspiration. It’s no lie that Hojean is highly versatile in his music and keeps the melodies and style unique with each new release.

The song starts off with a staccato beat and his smooth vocals.

All of his songs are easy to vibe with and because of the simple lyrics of this song, his voice and music production gets more emphasis.

The gist of the song is him saying he doesn’t need much from a relationship and singing “Slow, slow down |  You think you know what I want? | Well, baby I don’t really need it |  Hope you know it now (ah-ah ah-ah) |  Wow, oh wow |  I don’t need what you flaunt |  ‘Cause baby all I really wanna do is love you now” 

The title of the song comes from the chorus where he is essentially saying “you ain’t gotta write me a song” meaning the girl he’s with doesn’t have to do anything extra or surprising for him to be in love.

His vocals really shine in the third verse of the song. As the tempo increases, his singing matches the pace but maintains this lightness that carries you through. He sings in spoken word – not necessarily rap – yet maintains that cadence from the previous verses.

“Don’t you know I’ll take it easy, can’t, believe me, |  I can be there when you need me, they been sleeping on us | And I can’t keep up | Ain’t afraid of getting deeper for once |  And I promise you’re the one that I want |  Get together ’cause you know what I’m on |  And you ain’t even gotta write a song”

This verse highlights Hojean’s vocals as the melody crescendos and his pitch gets higher and higher. 

It’s a track that showcases Hojean’s voice while his previous tracks involve more lyricism or instrumentals. 

If you want a good reason to vibe or feel in the mood to vibe, this song is perfect just for that.

Hojean teased that he’ll be releasing his first EP soon, so we’ll get to see what else is in store from him.

Check out the music video: