Quarters of Change performing at El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on April 25, 2024. All photos taken by Kenny Jusino.
Blake Rose | New York City
Blake Rose performing at Bowery Ballroom in New York City on April 24, 2024. All photos taken by Catherine Herber.
The Amity Affliction | Seattle
The Amity Affliction (with support from Currents, Dying Wish, and Mugshot) performing at The Showbox in Seattle, WA on April 30, 2024. All photos taken by Emma-Jane Dotchuk.
Games We Play | New York City
Games We Play performing at Gramercy Theatre in New York City on April 23, 2024. All photos taken by Samantha Crowley.
Worry Club | Detroit
Worry Club performing at The Shelter at Saint Andrews Hall in Detroit, MI on April 20, 2024. All photos taken by Isabel Dowell.
Koe Wetzel | Inglewood
Koe Wetzel (with support from Tanner Usrey and Cam Allen) performing at YouTube Theater in Inglewood, CA on April 17, 2024. All photos taken by Raven Kendall.
Charlotte Sands | Philadelphia
Charlotte Sands (with support from senses and Cloe Wilder) performing at The Foundry in Philadelphia, PA on April 5, 2024. All photos taken by Cami Liberty.
PinkPantheress | Dallas
PinkPantheress performing at House of Blues in Dallas, TX on April 22, 2024. All photos taken by Maia Tharp.
Laufey | Atlanta
Laufey performing at The Tabernacle in Atlanta, GA on April 22, 2024. All photos taken by Chandler Bunzol.
flipturn | Washington DC
From bittersweet beginnings practicing in a Fernandina Beach, Florida garage, to finding their footing playing countless sold-out headline shows across the country, flipturn is a five-piece indie band that is worth rooting for. From hearing their music for the very first time years ago, to now finally getting the opportunity to see them play live for the first time, flipturn has an infectious spirit about them that is impossible to ignore.
Band members Dillon Basse (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Tristan Duncan (lead guitar), Madeline Jarman (bass), Mitch Fountain (synth), and Devon VonBalson (drums) sound as if they were born to play music together. It is clear from the first moment they step on stage that these bandmates have an unbreakable bond with one another and that they each serve as an essential piece to the puzzle that is flipturn.
Once the band takes the stage, it’s not long before their set ignites with “Churches,” an electric and high-energy track that also happens to be one of the band’s first releases back in 2018. From the start of the set, flipturn’s energy is kinetic, inviting the crowd to reflect that energy right back to them. From the constant stream of dancing, jumping, and crowd engagement, it is a captivating experience to watch this band play a live show.
While flipturn’s setlist included nearly two hours worth of addictive songs from their 2022 debut album Shadowglow as well as some fan favorites from the band’s early beginnings like “Chicago,” flipturn was also gracious enough to play a few new, unreleased tracks for the crowd. If these new songs are any predictor of what’s in store next for flipturn, we should all be very excited.
As their set reached to its conclusion, the crowd roared for an encore, and flipturn listened. Back to the stage they came, still not having lost even an ounce of their energy, to flawlessly cover and put their own spin on The Strokes’ “Reptilia.”
The ethos of flipturn lies within the band’s kindred spirit and love for music, both of which shine through during every single one of their live shows on the Something More Tour, which is an experience that fans of flipturn will cherish forever.
Words by Sara Welden
Photos by Ashton Sotiro
Mannequin Pussy | Fort Worth
Mannequin Pussy performing at Tulips in Fort Worth, TX on April 18, 2024. All photos taken by Maia Tharp.
Movements | Toronto
Movements (with support from Tigers Jaw, Webbed Wing, and Paerish) performing at The Danforth Music Hall in Toronto, ON on April 17, 2024. All photos taken by Carly Boomer.
Asking Alexandria | Atlanta
Asking Alexandria (with support from Memphis May Fire and The Word Alive) performing at Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta, GA on April 17, 2024. All photos taken by Alyssa Hudson.
Benson Boone | Philadelphia
Benson Boone (with support from Mimi Webb) performing at The Fillmore in Philadelphia, PA on April 14, 2024. All photos taken by Betsy Brody.
Jungle | Pomona
Jungle performing at Fox Theater in Pomona, CA on April 11, 2024. All photos taken by Kenny Jusino.
Tiny Habits | New York City
Tiny Habits performing at Irving Plaza in New York City on April 7, 2024. All photos taken by Michaelah Reynolds.
AJR + Dean Lewis | Indianapolis
The sky blue and burnt orange watercolor backdrop appeared with Dean Lewis in capitalized white letters. Dean walked to the microphone stand lined with orange guitar picks just eager to be thrown into the crowd. “It comes and goes in waves // And carries us away,” sang Dean as he held up the guitar and strummed it swiftly. He closed his eyes, and let emotion carry his soft yet powerful vocals. The crowd clapped to the chorus of “7 Minutes” as Dean stepped down onto the large speakers to engage with them briefly. “I love it!” yelled Dean after forming a hand heart back to a fan. As the set continued, Dean took the crowd on a rollercoaster ride that crashed into his psyche and gave a glimpse of troubling times.
“I’m about to sing a depressing song. It’s just my thing,” confirmed Dean before performing “Half A Man” on the piano. The songwriting described how difficult it is to love someone when you don’t love yourself, similar to that of a “sinking ship that is burning.” His vocals were bone-chilling, and the audience could feel every word down to their very core. Dean made sure to include his newest single “Last Bit Of Us” during his performance. The track was so well crafted it felt as if the whole arena was present in the room when he said goodbye to the one he loved for the last time. The vibrato in Dean’s vocals accompanied with the view of him sitting at the piano in a sleek all-black suit was picture-worthy. The little sing-along to “Be Alright” was the perfect way to close out the show. “I love your accents,” said Dean in his Australian accent clear as day.
Despite the collection of sad songs with lyrics that can move mountains, Dean radiated happiness and was a ray of sunshine in human form. It was obvious he loves to perform, and there is nowhere else he would rather be. We will be seeing more of Dean as he releases his third studio album this year, and announces an American tour in just a few weeks. Life comes in waves, but Dean Lewis is our constant anchor.
“Can we skip to the good part?” AJR blew the roof off of Gainbridge Fieldhouse during their stop in Indianapolis on The Maybe Man tour. Their mind blowing visuals, thought-provoking songwriting, and indie-pop/electro-pop sound captured the crowd’s attention from start to finish. The trio of brothers, Ryan (ukulele, piano, vocals), Jack (vocals, guitar), and Adam (bass, vocals), and the rest of their band were vibing and dancing collectively with the 11,000 fans in attendance. Everyone was grinning ear to ear, and it was clear there was nowhere else they would rather be. “I feel like we’ve been working our whole lives for this moment,” stated Jack into the microphone as the crowd cheered.
AJR has been a band for 20 years now, and have played in Indianapolis for 10 of them. Back then they performed at Deluxe at Old National Centre to a couple hundred people. Fast forward to tonight where they entertained thousands at Gainbridge Fieldhouse during their first ever headlining arena tour. “Indianapolis, we love you and always have,” said Jack as the trio stood in disbelief and endless amounts of gratitude. Fans who have attended shows throughout the years were scattered throughout the venue, and Jack pointed out someone in the pit that he recognized. The brothers prioritize connecting with their fanbase, and this evening they selected a kid named Sam with a sign saying “Rock, paper, scissors for Jack’s hat?” He was brought on stage, and he did in fact win the competition with the crowd roaring in support. AJR warmed the hearts of everyone further by performing a fan-made mashup of their songs “I Won’t” and “Birthday Party.” “Put your hands up ‘cause I won’t (right on time),” sang AJR as the crowd bounced their hands up and down to the beat.
AJR certainly knows how to keep you on your toes. At one point, the band suddenly appeared in the seats of section 223 and performed “World’s Smallest Violin” and “Steve’s Going to London.” Fans were ecstatic, and AJR checked “play a song in the crowd” off their bucket list. Once they returned to the stage, the energy in the room was at an even higher level than before. As flames were blazing on the screen during “Burn The House Down,” everyone’s hands were in the air with Ryan keeping the momentum going. Jack was frolicking around the stage with his signature 360 spin making an appearance, and Adam swayed back and forth as he shredded those bass lines. The most unique portion of the show involved the trio taking the crowd behind the scenes, and teaching them how they produced “Way Less Sad” piece by piece. They utilized a beat pad to break down what sounds were involved, including a plate hitting the table and the way Ryan had said a phrase. Props, such as a restaurant table with a striped tablecloth and a camera, were used to enhance the experience. The core of the track consisted of bits and pieces of various home movies rearranged in a specific order. Once class was dismissed, AJR performed “Way Less Sad” in its entirety and it certainly was well worth the years it took to perfect it.
The minds of concert-goers were already blown, and yet the visuals on the 3D screen for each track catapulted them into another stratosphere. One moment you were feeling dizzy while traveling quickly through rainbow colored liquid and ice during “Sober Up.” The next moment Jack was dangling from the ceiling during “Yes I’m A Mess.” The screen made it appear as if Jack was riding a bike, skiing down a mountain, and driving a car. “I could hate my guts when the sun comes up // But I guess that’s what this is // I like myself like this,” sang Jack as he disappeared. Red lasers went in every direction as a rapid beeping noise ensued. The car on the screen instantly exploded into a bunch of pieces and flew at the audience with smoke billowing out of the machines. AJR then took fans to outer space during “Inertia” with extras dressed in astronaut suits, and later to the ocean with houses hanging from above during “2085” to close out the show.
Before finishing the track and ending the show with a bang, Jack gave a heartfelt speech that brought tears to the eyes of many. He spoke about their father who was their biggest supporter, and passed away last year. Jack mentioned a life-altering phrase their father had said: “Someday you will find people that see the world the way you do.” He went on to say his father was right, and the thousands of people standing in the arena were proof of that. The incessant amount of effort, dedication, and pure love AJR puts into their music and live experience is unmatched. Their willingness to re-invent pop music is impressive and refreshing. AJR has created a whole new world with their art, and it certainly is one that is here to stay.
Words by Brittany Ormiston
Photos by Everly Ormiston
Alice Phoebe Lou | New York City
Alice Phoebe Lou performing at Gramercy Theatre in New York City on April 4, 2024. All photos taken by Michaelah Reynolds.
William Black | Chicago
William Black performing at Concord Music Hall in Chicago, IL on March 30, 2024. All photos taken by Emma Zanger.
The Driver Era | Grand Rapids
The Driver Era performing at GLC Live at 20 Monroe in Grand Rapids, MI on April 8, 2024. All photos taken by Kaleigh Gieraltowski.