Sammy Rae and The Friends
On June 15, the perfect blend of indie rock and jazz from Sammy Rae took place on a beautiful summer night in Central Park. It was Sammy’s send-off show before going on her world tour, and we are so happy the Brooklyn-based artist gave us one final smashing show.
The Band walked out with lively and eccentric energy. They were running around the stage and hyping up the crowd like they were born to do it. Sammy Rae and The Friends were as excited to be performing as the crowd was excited to see them.
Sammy hit a very impressive vocal performance as well! From a deep and raspy voice to an angelic tone, Rae has this music thing down.
The crowd was singing along to the first song with their live and large energy. Sammy Rae and The Friends are a band you do not want to miss!!
Written by Mark Bluemle and Ashley Murphy
Photography by Jake Pranian
Kiki Kramer: Pop Star of the East Village
I recently caught Kiki Kramer performing at Heaven Can Wait, and she put on a show to kick off "Femme Fatale Summer." With her edgy sound and honest lyrics, she captivated the crowd.
While her songs remained upbeat and seductive, they also depicted topics unique to her Gen-Z audiences such as social media and hookup culture. Within the catchy lyrics of Kramer's song "Relevant", she captures flags the desperation many faces in effect to go viral and the craving for validation from strangers online. My favorite song of the night, "Painted Black," describes the relatable heartbreak and lack of emotional connection within the hookup culture. She closed her set with a rockin' performance of her single Rotten Core, but the crowd demanded more. She graced them with an encore, singing a cover of Girls by The Dare.
Written by Ashley Murphy
Photography by https://www.instagram.com/finnianlyon/
Savoia, Juniper, The Backfires
On Saturday, June 24th, local indie rock band, Savoia, started off the night strong at Bowery Ballroom, prepping the crowd for a long night of rock music. One of my favorite things to see while watching a band perform is their chemistry on stage. The band as a whole had great energy that not only hyped up the crowd but also hyped each other up. Throughout their set, you could see the bassist of the band, Caleb Rubin, rocking out and smiling at every member, and frontman, Lucas Allan’s eccentric personality, a Jagger -esque stage presence, interacting with the crowd. Overall, insane instrumentals and a powerful performance that was a great kick-off to the night.
Next, Juniper came on with upbeat, feel-good songs that genuinely changed the atmosphere with lead singer, Scott Johnson’s, cheerful energy. The audience jumped up and down matching the vibe of the band’s stage presence. Guitar solos that made everyone stop and stare, and vocals that made you want to sing along. Juniper’s performance was exciting and impressive, along with being a great way to warm up the crowd for the headliners!
The Backfires put on a show that was worth the wait. The anticipation for their arrival on stage made the crowd even more energetic than before. They fired off straight away with their single, “Joyride” that the audience danced and sang along to. The band’s chemistry on stage together was vibrant and exuded through the venue. With a band that goes crazy on the drums, bass, and guitar and a lead singer who owns the stage, it’s difficult not to be captivated by the show. The encore “Blindsided” ended off the show with everyone in the venue absolutely rocking out! The Backfires truly encapsulate what an NYC rock ‘n’ roll band is!
Written by Amy Kapel
Photography by Aspen Rider curiosity of The Backfires
Weston Estate
On June 22, Weston Estate performed at the Brooklyn Bowl in Philadelphia. They played most of their catalog, including some of their most popular songs. The singers laughed with the audience when some of them were holding up signs, and they would pause and ask the left side to scream and the right side to scream to see who is more amped about the concert. Pretty cool!
Estate thanked the audience at the end of the show, but the crowd chanted for an encore. The band came back and played their song “Stoked” to close out the show.
Written by Mark Bluemle
Photography by Shrithik Karthik
Don Toliver: 6/28 at the Mann
Photography by Shrithik Karthik