First Aid Kit performing at The Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn, NY on September 11, 2018. All photos taken by Andrew Pintado.
Set It Off | Philadelphia
Set It Off (with support from Chapel) performing at Kung Fu Necktie in Philadelphia, PA on September 7, 2018. All photos taken by Madden Levin.
Stereophonics | Chicago
Stereophonics performing at The Vic Theater in Chicago, IL on September 11, 2018. All photos taken by Emma Zanger.
Shambhala Music Festival | Salmo
Shambhala Music Festival featuring Brasstracks and Mr. Carmack in Salmo, Canada in August 2018. All photos taken by Justine Vanderpool.
Shadow of the City Festival | Asbury Park
Shadow of the City festival featuring Bleachers, Hayley Kiyoko, Julien Baker, Turnover, Beachslang, Clams Casino, and Ex Reyes in Asbury Park, NJ on August 25, 2018. All photos taken by Andrew Pintado.
All Time Low / Dashboard Confessional | Philadelphia
All Time Low and Dashboard Confessional (with support from Gnash) performing at Electric Factory in Philadelphia, PA on August 17, 2018. All photos taken by Cami Liberty.
Knox Hamilton | West Hollywood
Knox Hamilton performing at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, CA on August 16, 2018. All photos taken by Alissa Arunarsirakul.
311 | Jacksonville
311 and The Offspring performing at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL on August 7, 2018. All photos taken by Seth Kicklighter.
The Gaslight Anthem | Philadelphia
The Gaslight Anthem (with support from Jared Hart and Matt Mays) performing at The Fillmore in Philadelphia, PA on August 15, 2018. All photos taken by Justin Curtis.
PVMNTS | Brooklyn
Most people may know Tyler Posey from the hit show Teen Wolf. I however, had the pleasure of watching him and his band PVMNTS (with support from Lost in Society and Neverkept) light up the stage at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, NY.
PVMNTS is a pop-punk band consisting of Freddy Ramirez, Nick Guzman, and Tyler Posey. Their debut EP Better Days was self-released on August 17, yet they have already made waves performing at Slam Dunk in the UK in June and hopping on a few dates of the Vans Warped Tour.
The crowd completely lights up the minute the trio step on stage. The set was energized from start to finish and PVMNTS didn’t shy away from major crowd interaction even in a venue that is already so intimate. From cracking jokes, asking questions, and even inviting a fan to join them onstage, there was no shortage of inclusivity. About halfway through the set Posey and Ramirez even switched instruments and positions on stage. There was plenty of dancing, jumping, and overall enjoyment from both the fans and band alike.
If you missed this show, no worries! PVMNTS are heading out on the road with WSTR in the fall.
Words and photos by Ashley Rosario.
Moonrise Festival | Baltimore
Moonrise Festival featuring Marshmello, Nav, Galantis, Vince Staples, Excision, NGHTMRE, and more in Baltimore, MD on August 11 - 12, 2018. All photos taken by Jerome Thomas.
Lydia | New York City
Lydia (with support from Jared & The Mill and Cherry Pools) performing at The Bowery Ballroom in New York City on August 9, 2018. All photos taken by Christina Morgan.
Imagine Dragons | West Palm Beach
Imagine Dragons (with support from Grace VanderWaal) performing at Coral Sky Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, FL on August 9, 2018. All photos taken by Kasey Davis.
Summer Meltdown Festival | Darrington
One weekend every summer, under the peaks of the cascades, the quiet town of Darrington, Washington comes alive with music. Summer Meltdown provides a comfy, cozy, family friendly pleasing venue for music lovers of all ages. If you're the type of fest for that likes to push their way to the front of the stage or mosh to some mind-rattling dubstep, this probably isn't your type of festival. With that being said however the headliner was Bassnectar.
It takes about an hour and a half to drove from Seattle to Darrington. I of course, came from Portland which was close to a 5 hour drive. There are many places to camp, some quieter than others and some farther of a walk than others. If you want to put up your hammock in the shade or want a short walk to the river or the main stage I would suggest getting there early!
Summer Meltdown organized a lineup that was fun, funky, local and bass heavy. My experience included Petty or Not, Josh Clauson, Baby Cakes, Trevor Hall, Chanti Darling, Bassnectar, Chong the Nomad, Psymbionic and Manatee Commune.
Here are my experiences with some of these amazing artists:
Baby Cakes, a local band from Bellingham, Washington, was a very fun and funky performance. It was the first show that had a crowd of people dancing and they came on around 7 and music started at 1:45. Trevor Hall was very chill and vibe heavy music, Summer Meltdown is marketed as an edm festival at times but this was a very alternative chill performance that fit perfectly in this atmosphere of trees and mountains. Bassnectar was the last main headliner and he definitely brought the bass, I nearly disintegrated when I was in the photo pit. The crowd was dancing and head banging their hearts out, and the production was out of this world.
After the main "show" there was some final edm acts at the late night tent and that's when it became almost like an underground rave. Those who could continue deep into the AM came here to rave away. The final set Manatee Commune ended after 3am which is much later than some much bigger festivals that take place in Washington. It was definitely a festival to remember and I can't wait for next year!
Find out more about Summer Meltdown by following their socials here - Twitter, Instagram, Facebook. You can also visit their website here.
Words and photos by Tariq Abdellatif.
Now, Now | Portland
Now, Now performing at Doug Fir Lounge in Portland, OR on August 1, 2018. All photos taken by Joe Hernandez.
Boy Pablo | Washington DC
Boy Pablo performing at Union Stage in Washington DC on July 31, 2018. All photos taken by Cecilia Nguyen.
Summer Salt | Philadelphia
Summer Salt (with support from The Symposium and Hot Flash Heatwave) performing at Everybody Heats in Philadelphia, PA on July 25, 2018. All photos taken by Skylar Watkins.
Lindsey Stirling | Cleveland
Lindsey Stirling has been on tour with Evanescence this summer and is currently doing a short run of solo headlining shows. On August 4th, at Jacobs Pavilion in Cleveland, Ohio, she took the stage along with opening act The Federal Empire.
I first discovered Lindsey Stirling back in 2014 when I came across her music video covering songs from the video game series Dragon Age. She instantly captivated me with her violin playing. I'm usually one to focus on lyrics, so for something instrumental to evoke such an emotional response really surprised me. Ever since that video, I've been hooked on her original music. I've wanted to see her live for quite a while now and I'm so thankful I had the opportunity to photographer her!
The Federal Empire started out the night, hyping up the crowd with their energetic music I can only describe as a perfect mix of Americana, pop, and alternative rock. The trio from California, consisting of Chad Wolf, McKay Stevens, and Marcus Bently, put on a great show. Despite the crowd still slowly making their way into the venue, The Federal Empire gave it their all and the audience was very impressed. I enjoyed their set immensely and so did everyone around me! I highly recommend checking them out!
Lindsey Stirling was next, and you could feel everyone's excitement as soon as the venue went dark. Her set began with a compilation of videos, including music videos and clips from her time on America's Got Talent, on the five screens that spread across the stage. As the videos ended and the venue went dark once again, Lindsey appeared, and the crowd went wild.
She began strong with her song "The Arena". Everything about this show absolutely blew me away from the beginning. The lighting and other visual effects were beautiful. Her four dancers, who joined her on stage mid-way through the first song and many times throughout the night, were very talented and really added to the theatrical aspect of the show. The choreography was breathtaking. Lindsey looked so natural dancing around the stage while playing her violin.
This was more than just a performance, it was an experience. The show included everything from elaborate costume changes, to a rising platform, and even a magic trick. The screens lining the stage played a wide variety of stunning visuals combined with clips from her various music videos that really helped bring the show to life and tell a story.
Lindsey's performance of every song was incredible. She kept the energy going throughout the whole show. A few songs in, she performed a medley of songs from video games such as Dragon Age, Assassin's Creed, The Legend of Zelda, and Skyrim. She dedicated it to all her gamer friends in the audience who "put her on the map" and made releasing those covers a defining moment in her life.
After the medley, she slowed it down with an acoustic song. Prefaced with, "I've decided if I think something was a magical moment, rather than question it, accept it, believe it," she began an emotional cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" that immediately won over the crowd.
Next, she played many of her most beloved originals. The one that stuck out most in my mind would have to be "Roundtable Rival." My favorite part of this song was when she "dueled" back and forth with her guitarist, Kit Nolan. This song brought so much energy and the crowd couldn't help but dance along to the music.
Another memorable moment of the show was a speech she gave before her song "First Light." She talked a bit about her past struggles with depression, anorexia, and how she still gets nervous before going on stage, and how filling herself with good really helped to overcome those things. The quote that really impacted me was "You can't take darkness out of a dark room, but you can fill it with light."
The show was soon coming to a close. As she ended her song "Don't Let This Feeling Fade," the crowd erupted into applause and did not stop until she came back on for the encore. The final songs were "Beyond the Veil" and a beautiful medley of songs from "Phantom of the Opera" that left the crowd amazed. This show is not something you want to miss. Lindsey Stirling is on tour until mid-September, so if you have the chance to go see her, do it!
Words and photos by Kayla Kreller.
All Out! Fest | Miami
All Out! Fest featuring Yardij, Lo Artiz, Meyekal Coree & The Funkship Troopers, Remyz, Marquise Fair, Xander James, Soul Haze, and more in Miami, FL in July 2018. All photos taken by Kasey Davis.
Eric Tessmer | Dallas
Eric Tessmer performing at Sundown At Granada in Dallas, TX on July 28, 2018. All photos taken by Alexandra Thomas.