EVER ALIVE MUSIC

The things I've learned from a broken mirror How a face can change when a heart knows fear For all the things my eyes have seen The best by far is you -Cecilia and the Satellite

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness - Emo’s 4/29/2017

I have been listening to Andrew McMahon’s solo material for years, and Jack’s Mannequin, his previous band, for even longer. McMahon’s story is inspiring. He is a cancer survivor, and now has a foundation to help other young adults with treatment. This is a man who does not take his life for granted, and proves it.

He brought an incredible amount of energy to this show. Even while sitting at the piano he didn’t sit still. He bounced in his seat, and alternated between the two microphone stands set up. When not seated at the piano, he ran around the stage, jumped on and off the piano, and went in to the crowd itself. 

There were so many highlights to this show I don’t know where to begin. One of the standouts was his giant inflatable duck ride. He got inside what looked like a huge, yellow rubber duck, and rode the crowd as he sang "Don’t Speak For Me (True)”, a song off his most recent album. Not only did he ride the duck, but he gave the lead singer of one of his opening bands (Night Riots) a turn to ride the duck around in the middle of his own set. McMahon does not take his performances too seriously, and lets himself have fun and mess around. 

Another moment which really stood out was when he sang a song from the middle of the audience. Before entering the massive group of fans, he threw out a colorful parachute which the crowd dutifully held above their heads. McMahon himself wanted to be truly with his fans, and as he sang the lyrics “I see colors, I don’t hear the noise” from within the group, he radiated acceptance and love.

He did not limit his performance to promoting his newer material. I heard some of my favorite songs by Jack’s Mannequin, and he even played a song from an older band, Something Corporate. 

This show was special. McMahon’s usual setlist only included two Jack’s Mannequin songs, but for the Austin crowd, he performed four; “Dark Blue”, “Holiday From Real”, “La La Lie”, and “The Mixed Tape”. These are some of my favorite songs of all time, so it was such an amazing experience to hear them live. 

Nearing the end of the show, I accepted the fact that he would not play “The Mixed Tape”. In a last attempt at hearing this song live, I wrote a message on my phone with the words “PLAY THE MIXED TAPE”, and held it up for him to see. He acknowledged my message by saying, “we’ll see”. A few songs went by and he still hadn’t played the song, so I accepted defeat. When he came out for the encore he introduced a song, “we usually play this one acoustically, let’s see if we remember how to play it full out,” and that’s when I heard the first notes of “The Mixed Tape”. 

Exhausting and extraordinary.

But I swam across the ocean to find your memory A trace of all you've left behind And the auld wives swore that you were born to die Without a child for to call out your name -Auld Wives

Bear’s Den - Antone’s 2/11/2017

My decision to go to this show was a last-minute, impulsive decision - and I don’t regret it. This band exudes a feeling of closeness and charm. Each of their songs is very personal to the band and to the fans. Although their music is not the most upbeat, or easy to dance to music to see live, the band made the crown feel included and the concert was incredible. 

I could tell the members of this band were more than just bandmates, they were friends. They danced around the stage at played their instruments in sync during the high points of a song and they rallied around each other during each other’s solos. 

The two highlights of this show were when the band decided to sing without the help of amps or speakers. They went completely acoustic for two songs. The first, “Don’t Let The Sun Steal You Away” was a tribute to who the band used to be. This song was one of their first, and only the original three members performed it on stage while the other, newer members respectfully listened. For the second, “Gabriel” (one of my favorites), the band performed from within the crowd. They got on the same level as us, and again, performed an emotional song directly to us; no amps, no microphone. I value these moments to highly because they create an atmosphere which is very inclusive of the people at a show. These moments, when a band performs purely like this, are not possible with bigger bands at bigger venues. I appreciate these moments because I know they can’t last forever in a band’s career. 

I've been lied to So what's the truth? Now I'm not gonna hide it all, keep it in all from you I've been dying to know what you tried You've been lying so Honey I'm not your honey pie -My Song 5

HAIM - Stubbs 10/5/2016

Everybody wants to be a Haim sister - myself included. This girl band comprises of three wonderfully wild sisters. This show meant a lot to them, and a lot to me. For them, they were coming back and performing at an iconic venue in the city they got signed. Years ago they performed at a SXSW music showcase, got signed to a label, and have made a huge name for themselves since. For me, I finally got to see a band I had known and loved for many years.

The sisters love what they're doing. They spent so much of their set messing around with one another, telling jokes to the audience, and just being genuinely happy about performing. From simultaneously playing on a larger than life drum set to making sure each one of them had an equal amount in the spotlight, these girls have their live shows down to an art.

The real highlight of the show came near the end when their mom came on stage and performed with her daughters. The whole family seemed to be having the time of their lives. They don’t take their shows too seriously, and this carefree aura encompasses the entire crowd. We sang along and danced with the whole Haim family.

Shut up I love you you’re my best friend Get ya under pink skies I know exactly where we should go ‘cause I love the way your green eyes mix with that Malibu indigo Talking under pink skies I think our hearts are starting to show That it’s better you and I under pink skies -Pink Skies

LANY – Antone’s 11/13/2016

This show was not moving. This show was not life changing. However, this show was powerful and surprisingly one of my favorite concerts. The energy was incredibly positive. I felt like I enjoyed the show with a group of friends rather than a room full of strangers.

LANY creates a unique vibe at their shows. The venue was extremely intimate, and their music along with their background lights, through the duration of their performance I felt happiness and peace.

Paul Klein, the lead singer really engages with the audience. Multiple times throughout the show, he noticed a fan Facetiming a friend, so he took it upon himself to grab the phone and sing directly to a fan he knew could not be at our show. Seeing this really exemplified to me that LANY appreciated their fans, and wants to feel as close to them, as the fans to toward the band.

LANY is a smaller band and does not have incredible means to create a specific aesthetic for themselves and for their shows. They do a very commendable job of using what they do have to set them apart from other bands with a similar fan base. From their background image choices to their abundant roses to their outfit choices, they come across both vintage and modern.

I want you I'll colour me blue Anything it takes to make you stay Only seeing myself When I'm looking up at you -BLUE

Troye Sivan – ACL Live At the Moody Theater 10/23/16

This show could not have differed more from when I saw Troye at SXSW. His performance is not what caused this difference; the difference was his fans. Many of the people I encountered during this show were petty, aggressive, and rude to other people there. Once Troye came on stage, people ruthlessly pushed and elbowed each other out of the way to try and get closer to him. I did not get a chance to calmly experience his performance, as I should have.  

Earlier in the day, everyone in line heard that Troye was sick – which he was, and the show may have had to be cancelled.  Troye persevered for his fans, and put on the show anyway, although the set list had been shortened.

Are you searching for purpose? Then write something, yeah it might be worthless Then paint something then, it might be wordless Pointless curses, nonsense verses You'll see purpose start to surface No one else is dealing with your demons Meaning maybe defeating them Could be the beginning of your meaning, friend. -Kitchen Sink

twenty øne piløts – Austin 360 Amphitheatre 7/6/2016

Twenty One Pilots put on the best live performances out of any other band I’ve seen. Their shows are the most fun and most engaging. Tyler, the lead singer, jumps around the stage, climbs around the venue, and dives into the crowd. Josh, the drummer, pours his soul into his instrument, and plays with the crowd holding him up, supporting him.

This band creates music that impacts people. Their lyrics evoke deep emotions. They help people through so much by being honest in their music. Tyler said it best in his speech before the final song, “We make music, we write music, for you to take and for you to use by yourself. Maybe it’s a darker time. I want to thank you so much for using out music to get yourself from one place to the next…sometimes we get asked the question ‘you know guys why, why are your songs and your records so dark and somber but then the show it just seems like a celebration?’ I want you to know it’s meant to be that way…it’s our goal for you to show up to a place like this and celebrate with everyone else around you that you made it to another day my friends.”

A celebration is the perfect way to describe one of these shows. You feel happiness radiating from this group of people coming together to support this band. Twenty One Pilots is not scared to approach darker themes, and they’re not scared of losing their audience because of this darkness. They have stayed true to themselves and their performances for as long as they’ve been a band, and that genuine nature has only heightened their popularity.

It’s making my heart beat so fast In my mind, you’re the angel on the painted glass Looking for high, divine, connection I’m a lover, in need of confession -Holy Ghost

BØRNS – Stubbs 6/7/2016

Ethereal is the perfect world to describe a Borns show. When he performs he gives off an aura of being above this earth, and projects that aura around his entire performance.  He just enjoys his music and sharing it with the world.

I have seen Borns perform four times during SXSW, but this was my first time seeing him do a full set for a headlining show. And I was not disappointed. Although I usually prefer a spot close to the stage, my friends and I uncharacteristically fell towards the back. We danced and screamed the lyrics at the tops of our lungs. It was one of the most fun, happiest, and definitely least stressful show I have been to. We didn't feel removed from the show at all being in the back. Borns somehow made us feel included and important despite our distance from him on stage.

t's not about reciprocation it's just all about me A sycophantic, prophetic, Socratic junkie wannabe There's so much skin to see A simple Epicurean Philosophy -The Sound

The 1975 – Austin 360 Amphitheater 5/5/2016

Every 1975 concert is life changing. Seeing them live is a spiritual experience. Putting my experience into words proved an extremely difficult task for this specific show, because there are not words expressing my amazement, appreciation, and unwavering love for this band. So I asked some other people what they thought. I asked them to describe seeing the 1975 live in a tweet, and these were the responses:

“Feeling completely dead but never more alive at the same time” “Art” “Everything I love about live music” “Sitting in amazement the whole show, I feel like the wind gets knocked out of me” “Their whole set is hypnotic. The colors and sounds keep you in this perfect bubble the whole time and it’s indescribable” “The duality of art and reality, living life and treating it as such”

The 1975 create an inclusive concert atmosphere whether you are in the front row or watching from the back. Their complex light show parallels their songs to altogether express who the band is. They scream their message at you; they are not afraid to express themselves through their music.

This band treats their live shows as art and this philosophy becomes apparent the second the show starts. The lights and the songs tell a story. The intensity of this shows engulfs you. The power of their performance moves you to a place you never thought live music could move you to.

I did not like The 1975 the first time I heard them. Their songs were boring, and all sounded the same. Not until the third attempt at listening to this band, did I relate or like their music at all. But, the more I listened, the more invested I became. Since then, every time I see them live I am blown away and feel something inside of me change. The power this band has to move people through live performance in this magnitude is unprecedented and rare. They are relatable and real in an industry surrounded by so much falsity.

I’m a bit too pop for the punk kids, But I’m to punk for the pop kids I don't know just where I fit in Cause when I open my mouth I know nobody’s listening -Figure Me Out

The Summer Set – The Sidewinder 4/18/2016

The Summer Set has been one of my favorite bands for over seven years, and they’ve only been a band for nine. Given that information, it’s shocking to think this concert was only my second time seeing the band live, and my first time seeing them perform a full set.  And wow was this a full set. Playing 19 songs from four distinctly different sounding albums, the band somehow kept the energy high throughout the entire set.

This tour marks a new beginning for The Summer Set. The band almost broke up before crafting their recently released album. So, this tour exists to remind the bands and the fans not to take this music for granted. I felt, and I hope the rest of the audience felt, distinctly powerful during this show. Collectively, we expressed to the band our appreciation for their music, and their determination to continue their careers. In turn, the band continues bringing the fans music and an amazing performance.

The intimacy of this particular show made it special. From being pressed right up to the stage because there was not barricade, to Brian Dales, the lead singer, having direct conversations with people in the crowd, to every member of the band smile to themselves when hearing repeated requests to play a Taylor Swift cover, the band and the audience were connected during this show. This lack of separation is why I prefer small shows to bigger ones.

Long live the reckless and the brave I don't think I want to be saved My song has not been sung So long live us - Reckless and the Brave

All Time Low – ACL Live at the Moody Theater 4/29/2015

We all went through our angsty phase at some point in our lives, don't deny it. All Time Low was the band to get all of us through that transformative time period. They have been around for about 10 years, and have really made those years count. They continually make new music, but understand that their older music has a special place is all of our still angsty teenage hearts.

Pop punk is the most fun genre of music out there. It’s crazy, it’s loud, and it’s emotional. When All Time Low performs, the music is so overwhelming; thinking about anything except for the actions happening in front of you becomes nearly impossible. I wouldn't classify All Time Low as having the most stellar performance, or being artists in the sense of a live performance aesthetic. They do however; possess the talent of an extraordinary stage presence. When they preform, they put every effort into relaying the message their music conveys. They command attention, and prove to the audience that they love what they’re doing. They have so much fun, and because they don't take themselves too seriously, neither does the crowd.

This specific concert was one of the most fun shows I’ve attended.  The crowd was never self-conscious or interested in anyone other than themselves, in the best way. I was not embarrassed to jump around, dance, sweat, and scream the lyrics at the top of my lungs.

Very obviously, I could tell most of the attendees, at least in the front, were long time fans and supporters of the band. With All Time Low, when you become a fan for a moment, you become a fan for life. The effect of seeing this band live, for many (including myself) the first time, was both unanimous and completely varied. Everyone was so filled with the love and comfort the band brought. But, for so many different reasons. With all bands, but especially with All Time Low, every fan has a unique story, and loves the artist for a specific reason. Seeing all these people, obviously having overcame a life obstacle, and obviously having got through it in part due to this band, made me feel so proud to be a part of this community, and to have witnessed something so profound.

"Without losing a piece of me How do I get to Heaven? Without changing a part of me How do I get to Heaven?" - HEAVEN

Troye Sivan - Pandora Discovery Den [SXSW 2016]

I was blown away by Troye Sivan. From his stage presence to his flawless vocals, Troye impressed me beyond belief. Preceding the concert I was already a huge fan and supporter. However, I failed to comprehend Troye’s live performance talent. He interacted with the crowd, fluidly moved around the stage - connecting with his fans. Troye is one of the only artists that genuinely expresses his appreciation for his fans openly and often. At his concert I felt loved. I felt important, I felt happy.  

The notable thing about Troye Sivan is that he understands his fans. Because of his rise of popularity through YouTube, his fans are not merely a faceless concept, but rather, real people who believed in him enough to get him where he is. And he hasn’t forgotten about this basis on direct connection with his fans. He still semi-regularly makes YouTube videos. Troye knows his personal connection with his fans sets him apart, and he values that relationship. I wish more artists would demonstrate their appreciation for their fans as Troye does by giving us some inkling into his life, and by expressing his gratitude; not taking their success for granted. 

What a week.

SXSW 2016

SXSW 2016 was one of the best weeks of my life. This year, I did not know most of the bands I saw before I saw them, but that’s the beauty of this festival; finding new artists to love. 

“I can feel your breath. I can feel my death. I want to know you. I want to see. I want to say hello.”

-Trees

Twenty One Pilots - Stubb’s Austin 10/18/2014

Finding this band was a blessing. My friend invited me to this show, and I agreed to go not knowing any of their music. I started listening to them so I wouldn’t go to the show blind-sighted. I quickly fell in love. Twenty One Pilot’s music styling is so different and powerful from anything I’ve every heard. 

This concert was the best concert of my life. I have never been happier than I was with Twenty One Pilots. The atmosphere they created at Stubb’s is one I doubt I’ll be able to accurately describe, and one I doubt I’ll ever experience again. Because the venue is relatively small, instead of acting as individuals in an audience, we felt, at least I felt, a part of something bigger. 

Tyler and Josh’s stage presence shows how much they care not just about their music, but about giving their fans the best experience possible at their shows. They come in to the crowd, they are very interactive with us. They love their music as much as we do. 

My favorite part of Twenty One Pilots is that they don’t care about fitting into a mold, and how much money they make or fame is never a priority for them when making music. They have blown up in the past year, but to them, as long as there are people listening to their music, they’re content. They love making music, and love performing. And that mindset is conveyed by their live performances. 

“You’re so indecisive of what I’m saying Trying to catch the beat, make up your heart.”

-What Do You Mean

Justin Bieber - Toyota Center Houston 11/19/2015

I was lucky enough to get floor tickets to Justin’s “Purpose” promotional event in Houston, Texas. He performed exclusively acoustically. And it was amazing. People will say what they have to say about Justin, but his talent is indisputable. 

“Sleep good and hold tight, just know that I'll make it right”

-The Tale of You and Me

Wild Child - Stubb’s Austin 11/28/2015

Wild Child is an amazing folk-y band from Austin. After waiting in the forty degree weather for four hours, I made it to the front barricade. I’ve never experienced so much genuine care from artists. The singers of the band brought us hot chocolate while we were waiting for them to go on. Their set-up was so different from any other band I’ve seen. They care so much about creating an aesthetic to go along with their music. By placing flowers along the stage border, rugs on the floor, and retro furniture throughout the stage, everyone attending the concert feels at home. This aesthetic pairs perfectly with the upbeat songs Wild Child performs. 

This concert was the closing  show of Wild Child’s tour, and they chose to finish in their home city of Austin. They performed an extended setlist for the Austin crowd, and everyone there could tell how excited and grateful the band was to be playing at such an iconic venue.