TURNOVER: ON TOUR


BY IAN ENGER

Embarking on their biggest headline tour to date, Virginia Beach’s Turnover will bring their melodic dream pop across North America, while also stopping at both Coachella weekends as a performer. The tour began April 5th in Houston, Texas, and will end May 12th in Baltimore, Maryland. Opening up for Turnover is Reptaliens, followed by hardcore act Turnstile. Turnover is signed to Run For Cover Records, and has released three albums through the label. Turnover is Austin Getz (guitar and vocals), Casey Getz (drums), Daniel Dempsey (bass), and touring member Nick Rayfield (guitar).

Tour dates are listed below and tickets can be purchased here.

April 23 / San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom

April 25 / Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom

April 26 / Vancouver, Canada @ The Biltmore Cabaret

April 27 / Seattle, WA @ The Showbox

April 29 / Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex

April 30 / Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre

May 2 / Chicago, IL @ Concord Music Hall

May 3 / Detroit, MI @ The Majestic

May 4 / Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre

May 6 / Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel

May 7 / Worcester, MA @ The Palladium

May 8 / Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom

May 9 / New Haven, CT @ College St. Music Hall

May 10 / Philadelphia, PA @ TLA

May 11 / Norfolk, VA @ The Norva

May 12 / Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live!

 

SUM 41: ON TOUR


BY LISA EGGLESTON

Award-winning Canadian punk-rockers Sum 41 have been tearing up the music charts for over two decades, and they aren’t slowing down any time soon. They embark on their 11th headlining tour later this month, kicking it off on April 30th in San Antonio, Texas, and culminating in Chicago, Illinois on May 26th. This tour is unlike any of their past tours, as the aptly-named No Personal Space Tour will be taking place in much smaller, more intimate venues than those in which they’ve played in the past. The band is currently comprised of musicians Deryck Whibley, Jason McCaslin, Tom Thacker, Dave Baksh, and Frank Zummo. VIP packages are available for each date and consist of a Q&A with McCaslin and Baksh as well as a special VIP merch package. The band will be performing at several military bases throughout their tour as well.

Their latest album 13 Voices was released in October 2016, debuting at #22 on the Billboard Top 100 within the first week of sales. This is the band’s first album released through Hopeless Records, and has received largely favorable reviews from critics. If you are a fan of rock music - whether that is punk-rock, alternative-rock, or even alternative metal, you will not want to miss this tour. Tickets are selling fast!

Tour dates are listed below and tickets can be purchased here.

Tue. April 30 - San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger

Wed. May 1 - Dallas, TX @ House of Blues

Thu. May 2 - Houston, TX @ House of Blues

Sat. May 4 - Orlando, FL @ The Abbey

Sun. May 5 - Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room

Mon. May 6 - Pensacola, FL @ Vinyl Music Hall

Wed. May 8 - New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues

Sun. May 12 - Nashville, TN @ The Basement East

Tue. May 14 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade

Sun. May 19 - Charlotte, NC @ The Underground

Tue. May 21 - New York, NY @ Gramercy Theatre

Wed. May 22 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall

Fri. May 24 - Lakewood, OH @ Phantasy Nightclub

Sat. May 25 - Detroit, MI @ The Shelter

Sun. May 26 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge

 

'WAIT, WAIT, WAIT' / KUN: REVIEW + INTERVIEW


REVIEW BY MIKAYLA LAWLESS

INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANCING DRAGON MANAGEMENT

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANCING DRAGON MANAGEMENT

A woman in white face paint with intricate blue details decorating her face stares you down as the first beats of the song play. As the shot widens, KUN is revealed, in a regal red outfit that displays a stark contrast to the white environment surrounding him. “Wait, wait, wait.”

KUN’s newest song, “Wait, Wait, Wait” is a stellar new hit in the world of electro-pop. Its soft, almost soothing rhythm is bound to catch the attention of any driver listening to the radio on the way to work. The song combines the two worlds of pop and electronic to create a masterpiece unlike any other. It also combines traditional Chinese culture with today’s music, seamlessly blending and harmonizing the imagery of the music video with the music’s synthetic beats. In one scene, he appears to walk through a Chinese painting. Even at the beginning of the video, the women’s makeup possibly hints towards the age-old tradition of Chinese women covering their faces in white powder, most common during the Sui and Tang dynasties. The art in this music video is simply marvelous.

The music video follows KUN’s character as he finds himself in a multitude of different dimensions; a traditional Chinese painting, a busy city square, or an underwater palace. The graphics of the video are absolutely incredible, animation becoming one with reality. Not only that, but the imagery of the video corresponds with the lyrics in the song gorgeously. In one part of the video, KUN sings, “This love is killing me.” He appears to be stuck in glass box, surrounded by multi-colored neon lights. The box represents how useless and trapped KUN feels by his love for this individual. Throughout the entire video, KUN finds himself in situations where he is overwhelmed and surrounded by people. The little amount of space he finds himself in is similar to his options— wait or move on. Not a lot of options, not a lot of space. He waits and waits and waits for the individual, but they never even give him a crumb of the amount of love he feels for them. There is nothing he can do but wait.

KUN’s desperateness in the song can also be heard throughout the music itself. Its tone is soft and harmonizing with the occasional sharp hum of the synth. KUN’s character’s loss is portrayed in this calmness dotted with spikes of anger and hurt.

Check out our interview with KUN below!

Recently you released your latest music video for your song “Wait, Wait, Wait”. Can you tell us a little about the song and video?

KUN: “‘Wait Wait Wait’ is a very meaningful song for me, and we put a lot of thought and creativity into the music video. We collaborated with top director Dave Meyers for the music video. I have seen many of his previous works, which are always thoughtful and innovative. We also reached a consensus - we wanted to do something new, not what anyone else has done before (or even what we have done before).

So we were very happy to see that this music video is indeed very unique and artistic. We hope it is a work of art that can be handed down and left behind. It adds elements of both China and the West. It has such a sense of integration, in both the clothes and the performances, which are extensions of my own personal stories.”

 

What was the process like when creating the concept for the video?

KUN: “First, I met with the director and talked about the creation process of the song, listening to his thoughts on it. I also gave him a lot of space to play, without too many restrictions on both sides. Finally, we shot it almost in a green background, relying on my imagination all the way.”

 

This month you began your debut solo tour in the US and UK. What are you most looking forward to on this run of shows?

KUN: “Introducing everyone to my music! I’ll be showing all the different sides of my music - for example, I’m a DJ, producer, and performer, as well. I hope that through this tour, everyone can get a more comprehensive understanding of me and that they’ll pay attention to my upcoming single, ‘Hard To Get’, which has not yet been released.”

 

How does it feel to know that this tour is nearly completely sold out?

KUN: “I am very happy and grateful for the support from the fans. They have always been so supportive and active, and I’ll return them the favor by giving my best performance!”

 

We also hear that you will be releasing new music in late April! Can you give us any insight on the upcoming release?

KUN: “At the end of April, a new song will be released called ‘Hard to Get’. There will also be a music video for this song. I might sing it in advance on my tour - you’ll just have to listen to find out more!”

 

CHLOE: INTERVIEW


INTRO BY KAT VISTI

INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY

PHOTO BY SHERVIN LAINEZ

PHOTO BY SHERVIN LAINEZ

Singer Chloe has been building her career for many years. Since 2010 she’s been a featured vocalist with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Chloe also has toured on Broadway in the musical Rocktopia. She’s even gotten to step onstage alongside the legendary Janis Joplin. On April 19th Chloe is releasing her long awaited and highly anticipated debut solo album titled The In-Between which features 15 tracks written by Chloe herself about her journey of self discovery.

How did you decide to pursue music?

CHLOE: “Luckily, music found me at a young age.  My mom likes to tell this story that it was basically decided I was to be a singer when I was in kindergarten.   As I was graduating about to head into elementary school, the teachers approached my mom and were explaining my growth and progress.  Basically, they said I knew all my fundamentals but they picked up on a gift I had.  They noticed I had next to perfect pitch and a tone more mature for my age.  My mom joked that she doesn’t think The Met (Metropolitan Opera) takes em’ at my age, but she’ll keep it mind. LOL.  From there, music was just it for me.  I started taking everything from voice to piano, which later landed my first record deal at age 12 with RCA Records and the journey has continued!”

 

 

Who are some of your musical influences?

CHLOE: “Too many honestly!  As a singer, I grew up being heavily influenced by Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Celine Dion.  The Holy Trinity for me. LOL.  Growing into my teenage years, I was more inspired by classic rockers like Anne Wilson and Robert Plant. As a songwriter, the list ranges from Carole King to Allison Mosshart from the Kills to Freddie Mercury to Sia to The Beatles to Diane Warren…on and on and on.  I’m all over the place.”

 

 

On April 19th you will be releasing your debut solo album, The In-Between. What was the journey like creating this album?

CHLOE: “The journey was a tough one indeed.  I began the process of writing this record after a terrible heartbreak that left me pretty empty in all ways one can imagine.  What I didn’t expect to happen through out was something bigger and much more meaningful for me.  I have always been in search for my voice as an artist and it took me going through some serious dark and confusing moments to find that.  The premise of the record is the idea that we don’t live, learn, grow or evolve when we are sublimely happy in a moment.  It’s during the tough days where we are forced to face ourselves and change.  This is exactly what I did.  Most days while making this record I didn’t want to get out of bed, but I had something to say and it was a form of therapy; a way to understand and grow from my feelings.”

 

Are you more so nervous or excited to release it to those waiting to hear?

CHLOE: “I’m beyond excited.  I couldn’t be more proud of this record and all who helped me make it.  It’s an honest record and I’m aware it might not be for all, but my hope is for it to speak to some.”

 

 

How would you describe the album in three words?

CHLOE: “Emotional, Reflective, and Honest.”

 

 

Of the songs on the album, which one would you say represents you best as an artist and why?

CHLOE: “They are all my ‘children,’ so it’s hard to pick… But I think Don’t Let Yourself Down truly encompasses all of what I strive to be.  The song is about weathering any storm by never losing faith in yourself, which is a message I believe in with all my heart.  I have experienced epic highs and tragic lows and with out sounding trite, it’s the faith in yourself that keeps you going.  The production and vocals of the song are also inspirational and heartfelt.”

 

 

You also recently released the video for your song “Renegade”. Can you tell us a little about the song and the video?

PHOTO BY SHERVIN LAINEZ

PHOTO BY SHERVIN LAINEZ

CHLOE: “Renegade was written in about 10 minutes while going through the back and forth of my relationship.  I originally wrote it as a ballad, but my producer (Travis Laws) heard it in a different way which completely brought the song to life.  The video by Digital Sparks Studios directed by Adam Sewell, was completely the brainchild of Adam.  We toyed around with a number of ideas that just weren’t quite right, and Adam came up with the brilliant idea of telling different scenarios of a failing relationship all in one take on one stage, which we used a parking garage to give it some grit.  One of my favorite videos of the whole project!”

 

Once the album is released, is there anything else we can expect from you? A tour maybe?

CHLOE: “A tour is definitely the plan. I can’t wait to sing this music live night after night.  Also, already working on the follow up record, so stay tuned!”

 

'EAT (I MUST)' / VISTA: SINGLE REVIEW


BY BRE CURA

VISTA, an alternative-rock band from New York, has recently released their new single, “Eat (I Must).” Already racking up over five thousand streams on Spotify since its initial release date on March 29th, it has been very well received by fans. Vulnerable lyrics paired with an amazing backtrack has allowed VISTA to orchestrate a fervently raw piece. Guitarist Greg Almeida is able to utilize his masterful skills on the guitar to provide swelling instrumental support for the song. Singer Hope Vista’s smooth tone allows for an easy listening experience, especially when taking into account the heavy material portrayed within the song. A blend of heavy guitar and a heavy message has allowed the band to enter new territory with their musicality. Opening up about something as personal and somber as an eating disorder is not an easy feat. Providing a new platform for youth around the world to discuss the effects and experiences of eating disorders is one of the biggest benefits of releasing a song such as this. This single will expose VISTA to all new audiences, still incorporating their modern rock vibes, but now integrating a serious message known to many people. If this single is any sign of the willingness of the band to be vulnerable in order to create good music, VISTA’s only direction from here is up.

Catch VISTA on tour:

4/18 - Attleboro, MA - Patterson Creations
4/20 - Summit, NJ - Mondo Summit 
4/22 - Buffalo, NY - Stamps
4/23 - Montreal, QC - La Vitrola
4/24 - Long Branch, NJ - Brighton Bar
4/26 - Columbus, NJ - Donatos Basement
4/27 - Philadelphia, PA - Creep Records
4/28 - Amityville, NY - Amityville Music Hall 
4/29 - Brooklyn, NY - Gold Sounds

Tickets available here.

Eat (I Must), an album by VISTA on Spotify