Concert Reviews

JOYWAVE - The Magic Stick

 Detroit, MI // March 2, 2022

Nobody wants you to know about Joywave. That’s a line ripped straight form their mech booth as it adorns a few different items. But I am here to tell you about Joywave! And they are fresh off the February 11 release of their fourth album, ‘Cleanse’, Joywave is hitting the road and touring the US with night two happening in Detroit. Daniel Armbruster, the lead singer of Joywave, even proclaimed on stage that, “Detroit is one of my favorite cities in America, and I don’t say that about every city.” Even if it may have been a bit tongue and cheek the crowd still roared at the sentiment, and it really set a good, fun tone for the show to follow.

Joywave kicked the night off with the lead single “Cyn City 2000” and a stage setup resembling a carwash, a job the group made up of high school friends all shared as teens, complete with the rear end of a Chevrolet Corvette, those spinning washing things, and a custom Michigan license place, the latter of which will be changed out for every state. Daniel even jokingly noted that the Michigan plate having michigan.org in a tiny font was, “a real nice touch.”

A few songs in and Daniel took a short break to talk about the pandemic and having released their third album, ‘Possession’ in March of 2020 just as COVID-19 grabbed hold of the country and how the group never had a chance to tour the album. Luckily, we were all treated to a handful of tracks including “Obsession,” “Half Your Age,” and a personal favorite “F.E.A.R.”

That’s not to say there wasn’t a mix off of the latest album either, they made sure to play “Buy American,” “After Coffee,” and “Goodbye Tommy.” The hit “Every Window Is a Mirror” was certainly a crowd favorite getting heads bopping while at the same time getting everyone singing the name of the latest album.

The night was finished out with a quick discussion about how Joywave historically doesn’t play an encore, so instead, bartered with the crowd for some additional songs. In the end we were treated to what Daniel said was the, “Spotify Top 5 playlist” that unfortunately only gave us 3 songs, but they were the ones even casual fans would know. The barter session started with “Tongues” followed by the collaboration hit with Big Data, “Dangerous,” before giving us what we all wanted, some “Destruction!”

Joywave never disappoints. I can guarantee you will get a kick out of the on-stage antics, you’ll laugh at some good jokes, and you will bop your head for 2 straight hours. With their tour just kicking off and hitting nearly every state between the time you read this and the final night in their hometown of Rochester, NY on April 8, you need to go see these guys!

To keep up to date with the band and what cities they are playing at, check out their websites

Joywave

Website: www.joywavemusic.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/joywave

Facebook: www.facebook.com/joywave

Twitter: twitter.com/joywave

Written by: David Painter, Sonic Live Media

THE RECORD COMPANY - Saint Andrew's Hall

 Detroit, MI // October 13, 2021

Grammy-nominated band The Record Company stopped in Detroit on October 13th to play a captivating show at St. Andrew’s Hall. In the days following up to the show, the band released their 3rd album Play Loud, so fans were in for a treat.

JJ Wilde started out the night with an electrifying performance. Her and her bandmates didn’t stop moving and dancing the entire performance. Wilde played a variety of songs including a few from her new EP Wilde that debuted in May.

Other songs performed were “State of Mind”, “Knees” and “The Rush”. She also did a cover of “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” originally by Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty. It was incredible hearing the audience sing along to this classic tune. JJ Wilde and her band were incredibly entertaining and I cannot wait until they’re back in town. They brought such a wonderful energy to the show and definitely made the audience cheer for more.

Shortly after JJ Wilde warmed up the audience, The Record Company hit the stage. They started out with a song called “Out of My Head” from their new album. I would like to point out that the audience was very diverse in age. Some were young, some were middle-aged and some were even older than that. I love when I go to a show and see so many different people. Even though not everyone in the crowd knows each other, the music is what connects them. It was just extraordinary to see the range of fans The Record Company has gathered over the years.

The majority of their set was nine tracks from the new album as well as numerous fan-favorites including “Rita Mae Young”, “Turn Me Loose” and “On the Move”. Near the end of their set, they played two of their most popular songs, “Off The Ground” and “Life To Fix” and the audience went crazy.

The band closed out the show with a cover of “Boom Boom” by John Lee Hooker, which left the audience cheering ecstatically. The Record Company played their hearts out and definitely left Detroit with some new fans. It was a delightful show filled with rock n’ roll and slick guitar solos. I was very lucky to have been in attendance.

To keep up to date with the band and what cities they are playing at, check out their websites

THE RECORD COMPANY

Website: www.therecordcompany.net

Instagram: instagram.com/therecordcompany

Facebook: www.facebook.com/therecordcompany

Twitter: twitter.com/therecordcomp

JJ Wilde

Website: www.jjwilde.com

Instagram: instagram.com/jjwildechild

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jjwildechild

Twitter: twitter.com/jjwildechild

Written by: Samantha Nork, Sonic Live Media

DANCE GAVIN DANCE - Masonic Temple

 Detroit, MI // September 25, 2021

On April 13, 2020 Dance Gavin Dance (DGD) was set to rock the packed Masonic Temple but, as we all know, that didn’t come to fruition. Instead, Detroit had to wait almost a year and a half for the return of Dance Gavin Dance. After a year and a half of waiting, the road back to touring for DGD didn’t go off as planned.

Band members Tilian and Jon missed shows due to testing positive for Covid-19. The Detroit show at the Masonic Temple was the first time all the band members were healthy but turns out this will also be their last time for this tour.

The night started off hot thanks to performances by Wolf & Bear, Eidola, Veil of Maya, and Polyphia. The crowd went wild when the lights went out and DGD started to play, “Prisoner” from their 2020 album, Afterburner. From the beginning things started off kind of rocky. It was Jon’s first show since testing positive for Covid and there were signs of rust, but he got better as the show went on. The same could not be said, however, about the drummer Matt Mingus. Things really turned for the worse after only the third song of the set, “Son of Robot,” when Matt was coming in late and missing beats. At first I thought it must be due to technical difficulties because knowing how professional and precise Matt is it couldn’t have been his fault but this was not the case.

Towards the end of the song Tilian can be seen visibly upset as he ended up punching a water bottle and slamming a mic stand on the floor before saying, “this is un-f***ing believable guys, our drummer can’t play.” After they concluded playing “Son of Robot,” Matt was kicked off stage and drum tech, Dakota Sammons, filled in to finish the rest of the set.

Even though it started off rocky, the band powered through the setback and managed to give Detroit a solid show. The setlist for this tour was filled with banger after banger, with the show ending with crowd favorite “Inspire the Liars.” People around me were having fun and shouting every clean and unclean vocals back at the band. At the end of the day, Detroit really just wanted to rock to DGD after one and a half years of waiting. 

A few days after the show it was announced that Matt Mingus will be entering rehab and will not be joining the band for the rest of the tour. Speaking of behalf of DGD fans, we just wish the best for Matt and hope he gets through this stronger on the other side.

To keep up to date with the band and what cities they are playing at, check out their websites

DANCE GAVIN DANCE

Website: www.dancegavindanceband.com

Instagram: instagram.com/dancegavindance

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DanceGavinDance

Twitter: twitter.com/DGDtheband

Written by: Paul John Farinas, Sonic Live Media

ILLENIUM / Ekali / Dabin - Credit Union 1 Arena at UIC

Chicago, IL // November 8, 2019

Chicago born ILLENIUM performed at the UIC Pavilion from Ascend, his first album to top Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums charts. The tour itself is in celebration of ILLENIUM’s third studio album Ascend and kicked off on September 18th in Pittsburgh, PA.

It was a long and packed night of heart pumping sounds and dancing. Being not familiar with the EDM/Trap scene nor have I ever attended a rave; however, I now can understand the hype and the work that goes into it. At the beginning of his set he had this guitar solo which was really cool and truly enjoyable. The part of the show I really admired was the visual art throughout each set. There were visuals in his set like fantasy landscapes, crystal balls and digitally drawn characters were very impressive. The show had an amazing amount of energy and it was a good time for all. Throughout the night there were sets from other DJs and producers like William Black, Dabin and Ekali. Compared to other shows where there a lot of vocals, it really was different, but in a good way. It was a completely different aura to be at a show where there are aren’t live vocals and the crowds just go along with music.

A younger crowd with chill vibes everyone had fun with their friends and got to forget about the outside world for a while. This is what everyone needs in their life. Prepare to rise with ILLENIUM’s Ascend tour.

To keep up to date with the band and what cities they are playing at, check out their websites

ILLENIUM

Website: www.illenium.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ILLENIUM

Ekali

Website: www.ekalimusic.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ekalimusic

Dabin

Website: www.dabinmusic.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dabinmusic

William Black

Website: www.william.black

Facebook: www.facebook.com/itswilliamblack

For photos from this show, go to: Sonic Live Media Photo Gallery

Written by: Astrid Elstrom, Sonic Live Media

Maisie Peters / Jack Gray - Schubas Tavern

Chicago, IL // October 16, 2019

Youth, talent, and storytelling filled the intimate Schubas Tavern in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. Performing that evening were singer-songwriters Maisie Peters the 19 year old English musician and “The First Lady of Emo Pop” on her initial North American headline tour along with 21 year old Australian alt-pop guitarist Jack Gray in support.

The atmosphere of the 165 capacity music room, located in an old Schlitz brewery tap house established in 1903, set the stage for an entertaining night out. The venue itself was as charming as the live acts. Listed as “one of the seven most iconic concert venues in America” and having personally seen several acts get their starts there over the past 20 years it is one of my favorites. The real opener was the fried mac and cheese bites which I had the pleasure of being the first ever to try this newest dish on the menu. Severed by the friendly Debbie who along with the rest of the inviting and hospitable staff made for a pleasurable visit. While waiting for the doors to open I noticed famous photographer Paul Natkin walking out from doing a photo shoot with Jack, it was then I knew we were in for a special night.

After a brief wait the musical journey began, Aussie Jack Gray took the stage. Don’t let his good looks and smile distract you from his well versed lyrics and talented guitarmanship. He reminds me of a young John Mayer. The audience locked into this performance instantly. His between melodies banter did not come off as a rehearsed or polished production but rather spoken from the heart. As his set built you could tell from the songs explanations that they came both from a growth of individual understanding as well as an attempt to help others know their own stories and relationships at all levels. This message was most telling in “Bullet”, a song Jack wrote about the young people in his small community back home dealing with a high rate of depression and suicide.

Gray’s instrumental talent is much more advanced than his age would let you believe coming from a very musical family which included a grandmother who was a pianist and himself picking up the guitar at age 6. His authentic interactions with fans before, during, and after were clear as he took the time to listen and pose for post-show photos with those who wanted to meet him. You can tell Jack’s inspirations come from everything he experiences, big or small. This can be seen first-hand in the short video stories posted every few days on his social media captured by the talented documentarist Josh Pulford about their current trek across the United States and Canada.

After Gray’s set, the incredibly relatable Maisie Peters delighted the adoring concert goers. Opening with “Stay Young” and ”Adore You” Peters’ got the crowd moving with her quirky, vulnerable, and catchy tunes. Warning us that were would be plenty of slow and sad tunes played she invited everyone to feel comfortable and dance to their hearts content. Even at only 5 foot tall the Brits energetic and personable stage presence drew you into her organic emo girl pop. You could feel the connection grow as the UK YouTube and internet streaming known musician played her songs live for fans who had been watching her mature online. Her honesty and unconcerned with appearing cool were made evident in the stories, jokes, and quips she shared. She got a warm laugh promising everyone that “she isn’t a witch even though she often ends up living out her lyrics after she writes a song”. She also mentioned her merch modeling boyfriend Spencer who just happens to be a mannequin but quite often finds his way into her Instagram feed and stories.

Each song resonated as a top 10 radio hit from the reaction of her dedicated fan base. Later in the set, alone with her guitar and standing off the mic, she captivated a silent and observant gathering with the unplugged acoustic version of the unreleased “Back to You”. She also pointed out a group of “lads” in attendance and appreciated their moshing to her cute melody “April Showers”. Right before what should have been her encore exit she explained “it might be a safety hazard to leave the stage”, which was true with the sold out crowd, Maisie informed us that she would staying put but these would be her last two songs. She finished her set with favorites “Personal Best” and “Worst of You”.  She was joined by Christina Hizon on backup vocals and keyboard and Joel Peat on guitar and vocals.

The night ended with Maisie and Jack hanging out with anyone who stuck around, Peters even taking the time to video chat with those who could not attend in person and leaving messages on their social apps. She has come a long way from performing to open mic pub crowds in the East Sussex seaside resort town of Brighton. She could have filled a theatre five times the size but again it was the experience that will grow into friends who will bring even more friends to her next tour visits. From her growing catalog, strong social media connection, and industry buzz it won’t be long before Maisie stands out in the crowd with artists such as Sigrid, Billie Eilish and Clairo. The connections and memories will forever be with those who were lucky enough to attend this midweek personal performance.

To keep up to date with the band and what cities they are playing at, check out their websites

Maisie Peters

Website: www.maisiepeters.co.uk

Facebook: facebook.com/maisiepetersmusic

Instagram: instagram.com/maisiehpeters

Twitter: twitter.com/maisiehpeters

Jack Gray

Website: www.jackgraymusic.com

Facebook: facebook.com/jackgraymusic

Instagram: instagram.com/jackgraymusic

Twitter: twitter.com/JackGrayMusic

For photos from this show, go to: Sonic Live Media Photo Gallery

Written by: Attila Hardy, Sonic Live Media

You Tube Video

Maisie Peters at Schubas Tavern in Chicago, Illinois on October 16, 2019.

Maisie’s Set List:

1.    Stay Young

2.   Adore You

3.   In My Head

4.   Place We Were Made

5.   Take Care Of Yourself

6.   Look At Me Now

7.   Back To You (unplugged)

8.   Feels Like This

9.   April Showers

10.  Best I’ll Ever Sing

11.  Favourite Ex

12. This Is On You

13.  Personal Best

14.  Worst Of You