Photos by: Conner Fornes | April 15-16, 2023 | Riverfront Park in North Charleston, SC The Highwater Music Festival, held at Riverfront Park in Charleston, South Carolina, was an incredible event that local music fans won't forget anytime soon. The beautiful park setting provided a stunning backdrop for the festival, and the warm southern hospitality of the city made the event even more enjoyable. The festival's lineup was top-notch, with a diverse range of talented musicians that included Bleachers, Beck, Orville Peck, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, and Wilco. Lana Del Rey even made a surprise appearance during Bleachers set, to sing their new collaboration song ‘Margaret’. Each artist delivered an outstanding performance, and the energy from the crowd was infectious. Fans of all ages were dancing, singing, and having a great time throughout the entire weekend. The festival's organization was flawless, with ample facilities and amenities available to festival-goers. The food and drink options were diverse and delicious, and the vendor stalls offered a wide variety of merchandise. The stage and sound setup were top-notch, with each artist sounding fantastic and the lighting adding to the overall atmosphere. The staff was friendly and helpful, ensuring that everyone had a safe and enjoyable experience. Overall, the Highwater Festival was a fantastic event that music fans will be talking about for a long time to come. From the beautiful setting to the excellent lineup of musicians, everything about the festival was perfect, and we can't wait to see what they have in store for next year.

Review by: Hannah Vaccaro | Photos by: Conner Schuh | April 8, 2023 | Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA John Mayer began his SOLO tour in the middle of March 2023. After announcing his spring tour dates, he later announced his fall tour dates starting in October as an expansion and acknowledgement of the high demand. The success from his Sob Rock tour last year helped kickstart this special tour that die-hard fans have been waiting for. Joining John for six of his shows was Alec Benjamin. Alec immediately showcased his charm and genuine personality as he introduced himself and thanked John for this opportunity. Alec shared a story in the middle of his set about how his favorite teacher took him to go see John Mayer years ago, and now a dream for him has become a reality, a theme that is woven throughout the concert. With over 16 million monthly listeners on Spotify and an impressive storytelling talent, Alec was made for opening such an artist as John Mayer. With an acoustic guitar, a piano, and his friend, Dylan, on the electric guitar, Alec played his hit songs, including “Let Me Down Slowly,” “Water Fountain,” and “Devil Doesn’t Bargain.” His wit and silly sense of humor while introducing the songs had the audience beaming. As the tour is appropriately named, Mayer went full force into performing his own top hits as a one-man band for this laid back tour. Even with being the only one on stage, Mayer fulfilled and satisfied the sold-out audience with his talent and array of instruments that kept fans on their toes. Mayer set the chill tone right off the bat. After coming on stage in the blackout lights, he made himself comfortable on a cushioned seat and opened his set with his hit “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room.” Fans caught on to the relaxed state of mind as everyone mimicked John’s mellowness while sitting back and admiring the smooth vocals. John’s stripped back, acoustic set was full of 25 songs, switching from hit to hit among his albums from over the years. Between each song was a short lighting transition as he traded instruments – an acoustic guitar to adding a harmonica to going to the piano to the impressive double-headed acoustic. John made sure to check in with the audience and feed them comedic lines and sarcasm. A special element to this show was the interview clips added in the first and second half of the show. The first was from January 16th, 2002 in his “Room for Squares” interview, where fans immediately are enveloped with a nostalgic feeling as they listen to young John daydreaming of having a tour where he would simply sing through his hits back-to-back. The second clip was of an interview for his 2006 album “Continuum," provoking the same nostalgic feeling. As we see, his dream became reality. John’s impressive guitar solos and modulated voice pleased the fans. John made it rather easy for the audience to admire his talent, hard-work, and ultimate dream for what he wanted this tour to be: a comfortable, safe place to enjoy good music, almost imitating a cozy living room. John’s charisma and charm never failed to make the audience laugh and sing along. You can view his full setlist below.

Interview & Photos by Hannah Vaccaro | May 13, 2023 | Fox Theater in Oakland, CA Q: How would you introduce yourself in one sentence? Hi, I’m Olivia, and I care a lot about everything! Q: How did you get started in music? I started in choir in middle school and then started doing musical theater. So, I mostly did choir, musical theater, and a cappella in middle school and high school. After that, I went to Berkeley College of Music. So, I really just started with school stuff. Q: Did you have a good support system in those communities? Oh my gosh, yes, huge! In a lot of my songs, my mentor at the time, sort of like makes an appearance and was really the first person to give me solos and push me to the front. Q: Who or what are your biggest inspirations when you are writing new songs? Well, when I am writing a song, I am trying to figure out how I feel about something. So, my favorite way to write is to just let the process of figuring that out be in the song. Rather than explain something I understand, I am trying to work through it in real time. So that’s really my inspiration. The end goal is to try to understand how I am feeling a little better. That’s the motivation for when I am writing: to make sense of what is happening. Q: Tell us a little bit about your upcoming album: This is a Good Sign - Extended Edition. Any hints on what we should expect? When I recorded the album, I just had such differing tastes in music. As far as genre goes, I definitely am making more music that is stripped down than some others. Even still, the way we produce the album is definitely more produced than the way I initially wrote it – which was just me and my guitar. So, I always sort of had this idea of wanting people to hear how the song started: just me and my guitar. So, we recorded for acoustic live versions, just in my bedroom. Three have come out and there’s one more. So, next Friday, all four should be out! It’s just a re-imagining of them. Q: I love that. I am a big fan of stripped down versions of songs. It’s just so much more intimate and you really get to know the person singing. I agree! I feel like it’s also how I play them live. You wouldn’t hear that unless you were able to come to a show. Q: Do you have a favorite song off your 2022 album that resonates with you the most or that you enjoyed creating the most? That’s how I introduce one of the songs I play as my favorite: “Control Freak.” I think it’s my favorite because it doesn’t really follow a traditional form. I didn't know what I was writing about when I wrote it and I still don’t really know what it’s about. I let the song be a total stream of consciousness. And, like, my writing in general already has an element of that in all the songs, but I felt like that song really just came out that way. It’s short and to the point and really emotional for me. Q: What is one thing you hope your listeners or fans take away from your music? I guess I would preface my answer by saying that I don’t really write with other people in mind. Like, I often write about such heavy topics. I guess what I should say is that it would make sense for my music to be categorized in some sort of “self help” area. I guess I like to reiterate that I really don’t need anyone to get anything out of them. I wrote them because I needed to write them, and I think it’s really just an absolutely wonderful byproduct that I get to connect with people who have felt the same way. When I think of it retroactively, I would say that it’s really hard work to understand yourself in the way that you show up in the world, and that can be really heavy and difficult. The whole point in doing that is to enjoy life more and to have better relationships and to have more ease and joy and beauty in your life. So, I hope that people get that: working through the heavy to find the lightness rather than just one or the other. Q: Who are your dream artists you hope to collaborate with in the future? I already collaborated with one of my dream songwriters. It was an insane thing to come up in the last year. One of my favorite bands of all time is Pinegrove, an indie rock band. So, he and I met and wrote a song together and it was amazing. But, my dream collaborator which I have no connection to at all is The Japanese House. It’s like the moniker of an artist named Amber Bain. It’s sort of electronic pop, in the vein of Moona and stuff like that. It doesn’t sound anything like my music, but I just love it so much! Q: Being it’s your last show, how has this tour and experience been for you? How did you kind of get this opportunity? So, Lizzy and I have some mutual friends. We had never met until her last tour where one of our friends was opening for her, Carol Ades. So, I met her then. We had those mutual friends and that’s how she found my album. So, her team reached out to me saying that she wanted me to go on tour with her. It wasn’t any sort of industry connection; it was really just that she loved my music and asked me to come. It’s so flattering because she’s obviously incredible! This is my first tour, really. I went on a tour in the fall, it was just shorter. It’s been such a whirlwind to say the least. I’ve never done this many shows in this amount of time. 18 shows. And I can’t believe I just played the last one. I am completely exhausted and I can’t wait to sleep in my bed with my partner and my dog. At the same time, I know I’ll be looking back at photos of this and being like “No, it’s over!” It’s been one of the most special things I’ve ever done.

Review by Hannah Vaccaro | Photos by Caroline Zeeman | May 13, 2023 | Fox Theater in Oakland, CA Lizzy McAlpine began her U.S. leg of “The End of the Movie” tour in April and wrapped up the tour in Oakland, California before heading off to the U.K. and Europe next month. Lizzy brought on singer-songwriter Olivia Barton to open for her on this leg of the tour, and the two created a perfect show for the audience. As soon as Barton steps on stage, the crowd rings out in cheers and excitement. Beaming, Barton greets the audience, introduces herself, and begins her set. In between songs, Barton showcases her sweet and goofy personality, especially when introducing what fans call “The Fish Song.” One by one, you can see a sea of phones come out of pockets and begin to film the song that unintentionally went viral, according to Olivia. Olivia Barton was the perfect opener for Lizzy. With a similar stripped back sound to McAlpine, Barton’s light vocals kept the audience’s attention and her lyrics tugged at heartstrings. Her acoustic set consisted of songs from her 2022 album “This is a Good Sign.” Lizzy’s stage set for this tour mimicked that of a theatrical set. Walls of a bedroom were built upstage with posters and a window. A couple of couches were to the right and left of the stage, which McAlpine used to lounge on while singing a new song of hers. Center stage was a keyboard and a lamp, which tied the cozy bedroom vibes together. McAlpine’s set consisted of 11 songs, most of which were from her “Five Seconds Flat” album. She intertwined short introductions to the songs in between playing and encouraged audience interaction when singing her new song, “Broken Glass." The audience could be heard singing every word as Lizzy sang each song. Lizzy expressed how she was a theatre kid growing up as she gestures to her set. To add to this element of her personality, she included sound effects as transitions in between songs, as if the audience was watching a play unfold. Such transitions included rain sounds after “Called You Again,” that fit well with the message of “Ceilings” that followed. Even more so, McAlpine surprised the audience with a cover of “She Used To Be Mine” from the Broadway Musical Waitress. Ending the show with an audience favorite, “Orange Show Speedway”, Lizzy swept the audience away with flawless vocal run offs. From smooth transitions to ambient lighting, Lizzy ended this leg of the tour with a bang. She said “Let’s party!” and everyone did!

Interview by: Abigail Virginia Y’all claim to be the happiest band on earth. Who is to blame for this? What makes y’all so happy? Ed: Sean is very happy. Sean is the happiest member of the happiest band on earth. I think just once we all get together, the general attitude is always happy. We are all very good friends. Someone actually called us that though we didn’t originally label ourselves as the happiest band on earth which I think is an important distinction. We’ve heard 2023 is the year for the 502s and y’all started it off by releasing y’all’s EP “Stories to Tell!” What story are you going to tell this year? Sean: A lot Ed: I think the idea is that the band is about 5 or 6 years old at this point. So we’ve been traveling, touring, growing both inside the group and with the shows and everything. We were just like, "Oh man, this feels like a lot of chapters of our stories." We’re gonna tell them throughout the entirety of our career. We don’t want it to be just "here’s one album" and we retire. So that was kind of the idea. I think we came up with that when we were traveling in Europe. We were like this feels like a cool chapter of our story. Are y’all starting y’all’s tour here at the Hangout? Matt: We went on that 6-week tour of the entire United States this year. So that was like a great start to the year of the 502s. So yeah, this is kinda picking it back up at Hangout, Bottle Rock, like all over, but ready to do it again. What is yall’s favorite song on the EP? Sean: They are all really good. They all have their own story to tell so it depends on what mood you’re in but something I identify with is "Backstage in Glasgow." It’s just a really hype song. It really changes your mood from any mood to a better mood and it’s a lot of fun to play the crowd really loves playing it too so it’s always just a good time. Ed: It feels like maybe you picked that one because there’s a drum solo in it. Sean: What's funny is the lyrics follow what Ed and his wife go through and find love in different corners and I really loved that and how you incorporate that in the songwriting. Ed: Nice, that was a nice pivot Do y’all do all of the songwriting together or is someone primarily writing? Ed: Yeah, we do it all together. Ideas come in then we flush them all out. "Stories to Tell” is a good example. It's 5 minutes long and we all sing a verse on it. It all just kind of came together organically. “Friday Night” is one of my favorites. The first line says “Not gonna waste another Friday Night." So it’s Friday night at the Hangout, so where are we hanging out? Sean: We are hanging out at the Hangout Fest. Ed: Probably in the hot tubs! We know you guys have a busy day, so thank y'all for your time and have fun this weekend! 502s: Thank you!

Photos by: Stephanie Siau Interviews by: Abigail Virginia Welcome to the block party! Priscilla: We are here and ready to party! I love that about you, and I think your music speaks that. What a perfect artist to have here at the Hangout Festival! Priscilla: We are excited to be here! It’s my first ever hangout fest! So you’ve never attended the festival? Priscilla: Well, we went last night and saw SZA and that was crazy, and today we are doing the whole thing! What song are you excited about singing at the Hangout Fest? Priscilla: I’m excited to do “Off the Deep End. "It’s a fun summer, beachy song, and I feel like it’s one of the ones a lot of people that don’t listen to the country are like, “Wait we love this song!" I love your song “Thick Thighs!" Priscolla: Thank you! Everyone’s out in their best fits this weekend, and I’m like “Yes girl you better rock it.” I know a lot of people know you for that song, and “Just About Over You," but I want to go back. I saw in an article you ran into Taylor Swift when you were younger, and it inspired you to keep going. I want you to tell us a little bit about that story. Priscolla: So I moved out straight out of high school. I was 18 and I spent about a year out there losing my mind, and I was working. I had this dream of doing music, but I had no clue what I was doing. I kinda had this moment where I’m like, “Do I go back home and pack up or just regroup and figure this thing out”. So that day, I was leaving work and I used to work at this yogurt shop. Taylor Swift was driving by, and I happened to be wearing a Taylor Swift t-shirt. While walking to my car she saw me and pulled her car over and was like “Oh my gosh I love your shirt so much.” I just looked at her and said, “ Thank you so much I needed this”. I didn’t even tell her I did music. It was that moment that I’m like, “I’m quitting my job, I’m quitting school, and I’m gonna go figure out how to do this." People ask me if that story is real and it is. Right? Who can make that up? Priscilla: No it’s nuts, and that was 8 years ago. It’s been a journey and I guess hats off to Taylor Swift! It’s crazy because people see you on the come-up right now and here at the festival, but 8 years ago you were like “What am I even doing, and should I quit." So I think it’s an inspiring story for people to know, don’t quit! Priscilla: I think also, with social media, a lot of people think I was this girl that kind of just blew up overnight cause of TikTok and everything. I’ve been doing this for 9 years, just hoping for any opportunity and anyone to take a chance on me. Going back to “Just About Over You.” Did you even know that was gonna blow up? Priscilla: No. I had no idea. I wrote it over FaceTime with two of my girlfriends. I was just going to post it on TikTok and see. I’d been posting my music and people were like, “Oh this is awesome," whatever. I posted it the day after I wrote it and then it became this viral storm on TikTok and it wasn’t even recorded. I had just moved out of my apartment. I couldn’t afford rent, I couldn’t go record the song. There was a girl actually out in California. Hr name was Samantha and she started a crowdfunding campaign for that song that said “Let’s help Priscilla record this song,” and it was cool. The fans made this happen for me and I say that because I would not be here right now without those people and truly investing in my career since day one. Or the crazy exes? Priscilla: Or the sad drunk nights! Is he still hitting you up or trying? Priscilla: Oh gosh, there’s a lot to the whole story. We might need to go get drinks and then we can talk more about that story. There’s a lot to unpack there! Priscilla: We might need to write a couple more songs. Well thank you for having us and to end the interview can you tell us what you have coming next or some sneak peeks? Priscilla: We are working on new music. I am going on the road with Shania Twain and that’s crazy cause I’m such a Shania fan. So just put playing shows, working on new music and doing the damn thing!

Photos by: Stephanie Siau Interviews by: Abigail Virginia We’ve got Jessie Murph with us! Jessie: Hello! Can we get a little snoot moment? I’ve never seen these, so were they custom for you? Jessie: These are custom for me, but there’s a dude that all he does is make snoots. I freaking love that! Jessie: It’s fire, it’d be a cool career I think. I was gonna say I’ve seen a video on TikTok of you bringing these to the gym. Do you work out in the snoots? Jessie: If I don’t have shoes with me and I go on tour and just bring these, they work. They are tennis shoes You would’ve graduated high school a couple of weeks ago and you’re traveling the world, so what is that like for you? What is it like seeing your peers graduate and then seeing where you are now? How is that affecting you? Jessie: It’s bittersweet. When they graduated, I remember just being like "Damn." I just feel kind of old you know. But I’m also so grateful to be doing what I’m doing, it’s such a beautiful thing but it is bittersweet. And not being able to do that with them is weird. But yeah, it has its up and downs I think. I can’t even imagine that I’m sure it does age you in a way, in a good way though! Jessie: Yeah 100% it does. But you’ve seen a lot at 18 right? Jessie: Yeah definitely. From your songs, I love how vulnerable you are and that’s another reason why people love you the industry has been shocked cause you’re saying things that you don’t think an 18-year-old would say but that’s why you have an amazing fanbase cause they’re connecting with that and somebody’s actually speaking about things that they have also gone through and you have. So thank you for doing that because it can be really hard. Jessie: Well thank you! I can see you on stage getting emotional. Even though you are so brave to release these songs and write really what you feel, is that hard sometimes to perform those songs ? Jessie: 100%. It’s especially hard when my families there because I don’t want them to see me like that and yeah I think it’s harder to be vulnerable for the people you deeply care about, that you are close to and know so well, so that’s when it feels not great to perform them. On the positive side, “Nothing Else Matters” is on 'Fast and Furious'. Jessie: Crazy dude. You sound so great in that song! Jessie: Thank you! It was a bitch to record. It’s so out of my range and high. We had to recut it like 9 times. Hey, but we got it. Jessie: Yes but we got it! So, how did that opportunity come? Did they come to you saying you’d be the perfect voice on it or did it just kinda fall in your lap? How did that come about? Jessie: I think it was something like that. It had to do with people talking. I don’t know. For a while, I didn’t think it was gonna work because we had to keep recutting it. But yeah, it worked out! It’s sick! You also sang “Cowboys and Angels” for the first time today. Jessie: Yeah I did! It’s almost kinda leaning towards country a little bit, it’s trailering that line. So is that something you’ll probably lean more toward your next releases? Jessie: 100%. There’s so much I just wanna tell everybody cause I have so much planned stuff about that genre. But yeah, it’s always gonna have a little rap. I guess I’m never gonna be full country but I’m more into that. It comes from where I’m from obviously. Well, thank you so much for doing this interview. Jessie: Thanks for having me! I can’t wait to watch your career, you are gonna go far. Jessie: Thank you it means a lot.

Photos by: Stephanie Siau Interviews by: Abigail Virginia So we’ve got Sam with us today! How are you? Sam: I’m so good! I’m on such a high. I just came off stage! I know in your bio it says you’re an "average Aussie." What makes you an average Australian? Sam: I think it’s just more that I’m Australian. I’m just an “average human." I think an “average Australian” or the stereotype would be tan, blonde hair, and surfs. But I swear a lot, I love to drink, and I’m pretty chill for the most part. I’m more just me. I’m just average. “I’m me,” take it or leave it right? Sam: Yes, I’m not used to fans being like “You’re amazing”, and the heaping praise, and stuff. Off the stage, I’m the same idiot as everyone else. Right, you like to get a drink too! What’s your favorite drink? Sam: Right now it’s an Aperol Spritz, but otherwise just beer. I’m in my hazy IPA phase kinda era if you will. So I know you just released “High on You” with Amy Shark. Was that a dream collaboration for you? Sam: Amy is like an Australian institution, and I’ve been a fan of hers for a long time. It was one of those collabs where I was like, “Maybe we could get Amy Shark." It was a pipe dream. During the Pandemic, when “This City” was really big, and it was really big back home, she messaged me. She did it to send support, and just to be like, "Do you need anything, talk anything through, I’ve been through it all, so like I’m here for you." So yeah, she heard the song and wanted to hop on it. It was the easiest collab to put together I’ve ever been a part of. Was this song fully written when you pitched it? Sam: Yes. Amy’s such a good writer. I told her if there’s anything you wanna change, change it. I wrote it with another artist; Alex Sloan, who’s incredible. They have similar “pens” and so when Amy heard it, she said it sounds like I wrote it, so let’s just go with that. And she’s super humble about it. I think it’s because she’s such a good writer. She felt that it was exactly what she would say, and she was just like “I don’t care," I just wanna be on it. Speaking of writing, I know that you’re a multi-genre writer. You’ve written for people like Jessie J, and Max, which I didn’t know about you. I want to ask you more about that. Do you have a favorite kind of genre or someone you have written with or for that you never thought you would? Sam: I would say the person I never thought I would write for is Ciara. I wrote “Dose” for Ciara and I wrote it with Darkchild. And if you don’t know who Darkchild is, he produced "Say My Name." I feel like I was in my early 2000s R&B bag and I wrote that which was crazy. Then the first song I ever wrote that was for an artist was a song called “Confidently Lost” for Sabrina Claudio and that is like a slow jam R&B song. It’s different than the music I make, but it’s what I listen to. I’ve written for a lot of different artists and I think it’s cool. Yes, I think it’s so cool. You don’t have to stay in a box or stay in one avenue. You’re a creative person, and writing gives you the outlet to do it for different people too. Sam: Totally, and I also think if it’s a great song it can translate to any genre. Like, look at Dolly Parton. If I could have Dolly's career then great. So I’ve been looking at your socials and I love the content you’ve been doing with the definitions on your videos that explain your song. How would you define your next song? Sam: The definition or word I would choose would be anxiety. I was in the shower, and I had like a panic attack. I was telling myself "You’re gonna be alright, you’re gonna be alright," and it’s weird because they say to calm yourself down when you are upset "go to a body of water". So I had this weird disposition of like my body is freaking out on me, but I had this calming thing happening and so I kept saying “I’m gonna be alright, I’m gonna be alright” and so I wrote a song called “Alright” and it’s all about anxiety and not letting it defeat you. Wow, I love that story have you told anyone that yet? Sam: So it’s a collab. So I’ve told that story to that person who’s on it and the person who is on it is Meghan Trainor! It’s gonna be fucking sick. Okay I saw an interview where y’all were laughing the whole time Sam: Dude we’re homies man. I related to you so much. You said, “I use humor as a cover-up for my trauma”. I was like “Me too’! Sam: Yes that’s it! Because when in doubt, laugh about it! Exactly you know it’s life. Sam: Exactly! So you’ve heard it guys we’ve got a collab with Meagan Trainer called “Alright” with Sam Fischer! Thank you so much for being here! Sam: Of course, thank you so much for having me!

July 14, 2023 | Images Courtesy of Hayes Warner Hi! Thanks for your time, tell us a bit about who you are! Hey! My name is Hayes Warner and I’m a singer-songwriter from NYC. I love writing about real life experiences - whether it’s about me, my friends, or random stories they tell me. I’m not really a confrontational person in my real life, so my music is an outlet to let out some much needed sass and aggression. Writing helps me figure out how I actually feel, separate from worrying about what I should say or do or think. My favorite artists of all time are definitely Gwen Stefani (her No Doubt era is iconic), Joan Jette, and Blondie. My favorite part about being an artist is getting to perform my music live, and I’m super lucky to have had a year filled with show dates - I performed at SXSW in Texas, sold out a Northeastern Headline tour, and performed at an iHeart Radio Festival showcase in Las Vegas. I’m so excited to be opening for Lewis Capaldi this October and can’t wait to announce more tour dates soon! What was it like signing your first-ever publishing deal with Daniel Glass & Connection Music? As a songwriter, it was surreal to have a music legend like Daniel Glass and his company validate my songs. I’ve been writing lyrics and songs my whole life —in my notes app and the margins of notebooks— it’s such a big part of my life and how I express myself and try to understand things I’m going through. To be able to have this as my full time job is truly a dream come true for me. This is all I’ve ever wanted to do really, so to get a stamp of approval from Glass helped me realize that following my dreams — even though it’s scary and uncertain sometimes — was the right choice for me. People always preach “follow your dreams,” and of course I want to believe in that, but signing my first publishing deal was the first time I really felt the benefits of taking that leap. Your new single is called "Dead To Me." What is the backstory behind the song? I wrote “Dead To Me” when I found out my boyfriend at the time was cheating on me with one of my friends. When it happened, I was obviously devastated, but honestly I was just pissed. Rather than take that anger out by screaming or digging a deep hole and burying him in there, I decided to do what I do and write a song about it. "Dead To Me" is about the moment I confronted him about the cheating — about sitting there as he was trying to apologize, but knowing he was only giving me an apology because I found out. My sarcastic tone throughout the song is my way of expressing my anger and turning this super demeaning thing he did to me into an uplifting, funny event. My sarcasm is me taking back my power. What did the creative process look like for this song specifically? How did it come together? I wrote this song with pretty much the same team I wrote my first single "SHUT UP" with. I knew I wanted to write about the experience of being cheated on, but I wanted to make it uplifting and powerful - an anthem rather than a sad ballad. We started with the chorus - “Are you sorry? No I bet you're not. You’re sorry, 'cause you just got caught.” That immediately set the tone for the song, that I wasn’t begging for any sort of apology. He betrayed me, and one strike and I’m out. Even though the song is about something that hurt me, it’s an empowering way to cut someone who wasn’t good for me out of my life. I think learning to stand up for yourself and say “that’s it, I’m done” when you’ve had enough is a super important and hard part of growing up. "Dead To Me" is my way of expressing that, of cutting someone off, and realizing there isn’t room in my life for people who don’t make me feel good or who treat me poorly. People that betray me like that do not exist to me or exist in my life anymore. If you were to describe your work to someone who has never heard your music before, how would you describe it? Anthemic, uplifting, sassy, high-octane, and in-your-face. What is the most exciting part about releasing 'Dead To Me' in your opinion? "Dead To Me" really reflects an attitude I’ve tried to take-on in my life and is super present throughout my EP. If you are someone who is not good for me, I have no problem cutting you out. For so much of my life, I’ve been so afraid of what people think of me and my music. Although I can still be a people pleaser, my life has improved exponentially now that I only surround myself with people who lift me up and support me. My EP as a whole really speaks to that theme - with "SHUT UP," "Dead To Me," and a bunch of new singles on the way. Describe your journey in music so far and your goals. My sound has definitely shifted over the years, especially as I’ve grown up and matured a bit. I started writing seriously when I was 14 years old and connected with different producers I met growing up in NYC. My sound was definitely more mellow and ballad-like at the beginning - à la my past singles like “Like You’re In Mine.” As I’ve tried to shed my crippling social anxiety and people pleasing attitudes, my music has begun to reflect this newfound confidence with more anthemic and belting melodies. I’m really proud of how I’ve grown these past few years as a person, and that is reflected in my upcoming EP. Over this year, my goal is definitely to play live as much as possible and go on tour so that I can connect with people that like my music. I’m so excited to release my EP and announce some exciting tour dates I have coming up! Speaking about fans, how has it been interacting with them on social media? I feel like I’ve really been able to connect with people around the world because they relate to my music, and in turn, experiences I’ve gone through. There’s a group of people that I feel super close to because they’ve connected to my music, and we keep in touch on social media. I love sending them unreleased music and photos and getting their opinion on what song I should release next, what cover art to go with, or even just chatting about life or what I’m writing about. Whether it's through Discord, Instagram DMs, TikTok comment sections or Zoom, I’m constantly chatting with people who have connected with my music. Connecting in this way is definitely one of my favorite parts about music and what it can do. I’m releasing my songs in hopes to connect with people, so getting people who support my music’s opinion on my next moves is really valuable and important to me! You've done some pretty amazing gigs like opening for Fetty Wap and headlining a tour recently, how was your experience in putting on those thrilling shows? My favorite part of being a singer-songwriter is definitely live shows and getting to connect to audiences that What do you want fans to take away when they listen to your music? Definitely empowered, sassy, confident. My new project is really focused around gaining confidence to be my truest self and speak up - and not care about people judging me for being my truest self.

Review by: Maegan Grendell | Photos by: TAS Rights Management | July 23, 2023 | Seattle, WA When requesting to cover the Eras Tour, I mentioned that it was unlike any other tour and I’d be honored to showcase that. Though I had yet to witness the magic that is Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, I could already tell how special it was. And I was proven right. I had the privilege of attending night two of Taylor Swift’s show in Seattle, WA at Lumen Field. I applied my glitter and made my friendship bracelets, preparing myself for what was to come. My jaw dropped as I made my way to my seats and realized that I was only ten rows from the stage. This was going to be a surreal night. The show opened with artists Gracie Abrams followed by HAIM, all of whom Swift mentions she is close friends with. These two artists warmed up the crowd for the evening and prepared them for the show to follow. Following their sets, a countdown appeared on the screen and the crowd lost their minds. When the countdown finished, the first notes for a song from her Lover album began to play. When I thought the crowd couldn’t get any louder, Swift popped out center stage shimmering from head to toe. You could tell she knew what she was doing, and the crowd did not calm down for quite a while. Taylor mentioned at the beginning of her performance that this show is three and a half hours long. At first, that sounds admittedly far too long for a concert, but by the end, you’ll be wishing it wasn’t over. It was obvious her fans agreed by the uproar of cheers coming from each and every one of them throughout the entire performance of nearly all of her albums, or Eras. These Eras were not performed chronologically which kept you guessing what was next. Swift’s set only included nine out of her ten albums, as she did not include songs from her very first self-titled album. Some found this disappointing, as that album truly set the tone for her career. Swift also only includes two songs from her second album, Speak Now, even though she recently re-released the record in July 2023. However, the rest of her extensive 45-song set list spanned through both the hits and the coveted fan favorites of her discography, leaving no room for complaints following the show. After her graceful performance of Lover, Swift transitioned into singing a few songs from her second album, Fearless, complete with a gold sparkly fringe dress almost identical to the one she wore for her Fearless tour years ago. Her attention to wardrobe only added to the many reasons that the tour lives up to its name. Fans have taken notice of Swift’s iconic outfits throughout her career, with many fans choosing to recreate and wear those looks to the concert. Some even spent hours and hours to do so. In addition to her attention to detail in her wardrobe, this same attention to detail was applied to the sets, production, and visuals. Each Era seamlessly transitioned into the next through the production and visuals of each. Not only did the Eras flow well into each other, but the production served as a storytelling method. While Swift and her lyrics tend to already tell their own story, she took them to the next level by providing captivating visuals, effects, including light up bracelets worn by the whole crowd, a moving stage, and even different sets for different Eras. My personal favorite was the Folklore cabin in which Swift sings from the roof. For an extra sense of dramatics, the show also included fire, fireworks, and confetti which was of course Era themed. Swift continued to take us through her discography for the next three hours. The fact that Swift could perform flawlessly for these hours is already extremely impressive, but somehow her lyricism became even more real as you watched the songs unfold in front of you. It is rare that an artist is as personable, interactive, and as talented—both lyrically and vocally—as Swift. Perhaps that is why some fans were willing to spend far more on tickets than I have ever seen for any other show. Seattle’s audience was particularly surprised by a new song added to the set featuring one of Swift’s openers, HAIM. You could see how all four of them performed as “besties,” clearly having fun together on stage, only adding to the enjoyment for the audience. This was a theme I saw through the whole show as Swift, her dancers, and vocalists also seemed to be having a blast while performing, adding to the already electric atmosphere of the evening. During the entire show, the whole stadium was either crying happy tears or grinning from ear to ear, often switching back and forth. From the transitions, the visuals, the set, to the wardrobe and choreography, it is obvious the amount of thought that goes into these shows. The backup dancers particularly stood out to me. Swift and her team must have hand-picked the best dancers possible for this tour, and it shows. She also did a great job at giving them their space and time, allowing them to show off their talents. Swift even wished one of her dancers happy birthday and introduced us to her new keys player. Not only this, but I noticed a respectable amount of inclusivity and diversity in who Swift chose to perform with her on this tour. The performance was cohesive and well thought out. Swift brilliantly adds a sense of extra excitement and suspense to each of her shows, even for fans who already know the set list, through the use of “surprise songs”. She picks two songs that she has yet to play live on the Eras tour and performs them acoustically at the show. To add to the suspense, the audience does not know which two songs will be played until Swift plays them towards the end of the show. This portion of the concert has easily turned into a fan favorite, and as Swift has mentioned, one of hers as well. Seattle night two lucked out with a performance of ‘Message in a Bottle’, a vault track from her re-released version of Red, and ‘Tied Together With A Smile’, from her debut self-titled album. This meant Seattle’s show was one of the lucky few who got to witness all ten of the Eras. This show and experience was a crowd pleaser for all different types of fans, new and old. Not only did you experience a spectacular show, but Swift’s fans, the Swifties, truly added to the experience. The majority of the crowd was very dedicated to this concert, whether that be through hours spent on outfits, great lengths traveled to get to the concert, or energy put into screaming the songs. Swift even said herself that she witnessed a lot of fans performing as hard, if not harder than her and her team. I too recognized this and was thoroughly impressed. But one of my most favorite parts of the night was trading friendship bracelets with the other fans there. Inspired by her song ‘You’re on Your Own Kid’, fans at each show have been making friendship bracelets with references to songs and even inside jokes within the fandom, then trading them with each other at the show. As soon as I sat in my seats, the girls in my row started trading theirs with me, and because of this, these strangers turned into new friends who I danced with the whole night. A sense of community was created that I have never witnessed at any other artist's shows. When the show came to an end, the air was filled with fireworks and confetti. Swift left the stage and fans were still in shock from the awe of the concert, many of them scrambling to collect confetti as a keepsake before making their way out of the stadium. After leaving the concert and cramming onto the light rail to head back to where we all parked, the crowd was exhausted from all the screaming, dancing, cheering, singing, and for some, crying. I cannot even imagine the exhaustion Swift and her team experience each night after the show, though you could never tell by the way the energy with which the show is put on. Truly, there is no show like the Eras Tour, and no performer like Taylor Swift. My experience at the show made it obvious why this concert has been so highly praised and tickets are so sought after. If you’re not a Swiftie yet, I promise you will be after her show.

Photos & Review by: Jenny Salazar | July 24, 2023 | Smoothie King Center, New Orleans Mickey Guyton opened the show with high energy, upbeat dance moves, and a sparkly nude dress. Halfway through her set, she brought country singer Brittney Spencer to sing Flowers by Miley Cyrus; the crowd loved singing along to this one. She pumped up the crowd with their beauty and excited them for Shania. A spotlight landed on Shania among concertgoers located on the floor level. She sported a pink wig, oversized glasses, and a coat covering her stage ensemble. Waking Up Dreaming was the best song Shania could've started with as the crowd went wild over her surprise entrance. When she took the stage, she wore silver cowboy boots, a bedazzled leotard, and a flowy multi-color top to match her stage graphics. There were tons of pink and purple in the stage graphics. A rocket ship with Shania's face peeking through the window blasted off seconds after she got on stage. Her background dancers were fun, energetic and loved to dance with her. Shania gave this show her all, which showed in the best way possible.

Photos by: Cole Plichta | July 29, 2023 | Bridgestone Arena, Nashville TN Although Nashville isn’t predominantly known for it’s pop music, it definitely has its fair share of pop enthusiasts. Bridgestone Arena was packed with excited fans ready to enjoy the excellent performance that was soon to come from both Sam Smith and his opener Jessie Reyez. Jessie kicked off the night, with her song “MOOD" and stopped to have a conversation with fans introducing herself. With a sense of sassy humor she said to the crowd, “If you don’t know me, we’re gonna treat this set like a first date okay?” Before even finishing the thought she went on to say, “What do people even say on a first date?”, and then went on to play the rest of her set. Jessie made her set unique by introducing unique runs to her songs, getting on her knees to sing, and stopping in between songs to break down tea with the audience. Needless to say, Jessie brought her heart and soul to this show, and did not disappoint. After a brief thirty minute intermission, a lady in gold made her way out to the stage to reveal the focal point prop of Sam’s set before they elegantly kicked the show off with, “Stay With Me”. Throughout the duration of their performance, they made fans feel at home by waving at them, and taking moments to thank them for being a “repeat tour welcomed by Nashville”. Fans were head over heels to experience the variety of backup dancers, elegant fashion, and the unique stage setup which featured a rotating light truss and giant golden body throughout the duration of the show. Needless to say, overall, what made this particular show stand out was the use of unique fashion, production, choreography, and vocal performance. For anyone considering seeing Sam and Jessie on this tour we would highly recommend you do so. Show Rating Based On Category: Show Visuals: 6/10 Opener Continuity/Relevance: 10/10 Sound: 8/10 Setlist: 9/10 Crowd Involvement: 6/10 Artist Performance: 7.3/10 Overall Score: 7.75/10

Photos by: Tom Couture | August 7, 2023 Q: What drew you to the genres of classic '80s synth-pop and rock for this project? Though I was born at the tail end of it, the '80s is my favorite decade. I grew up on that music and those movies. That influence has been in me for a while and it’s definitely not going away, so I figured I would embrace it and do it my way. Q: Let's talk about some of the tracks on the EP. "CRZMKR" and "VHS" are two tracks from your EP that have been released prior to the full release. Can you share the inspiration behind these songs? “CRZMKR” was the first song Bleu and I wrote together and the lyrics came out of brainstorming song titles. It’s the idea of being around someone who constantly puts you into lose-lose situations, making you think you’re crazy. “VHS” is the only song I wrote alone for this release. The title came from my love for 80s film and from listening to a horror movie podcast. The lyrics were inspired by the story of my girlfriend and I. It’s about looking back on an unrequited high school crush, fast forwarding to a decade later when it became real love, and zooming out to consider the future. Q: Could you describe the collaborative process with Bleu in co-writing and producing the EP? How did the partnership come about, and what was it like working together? In the middle of 2020, I started writing songs for the first time in nearly 10 years. Probably due to the isolation of the pandemic, I was itching for collaboration. So, having been a fan of his for years and even though we’d never met, I decided to message Bleu about working together and he said he was interested. We got on a phone call, scheduled our first writing session, and have been collaborating ever since. Every song has only taken a couple days. Each session begins with a musical idea, we figure out the song’s structure, decide on a title, write the lyrics and melody, then my parts are recorded, finally Bleu would mix it, and it’s done and onto the next. Q: Can you tell us more about the concept behind your EP, Dream Fever, and how it ties into the themes of love and relationships? What is the backstory behind creating it? There wasn’t really a concept or game plan for the EP when it started. It was mostly a “whatever we’re feeling, wherever the music takes us” kinda thing. For me, the glue that holds all 6 songs is mostly in the musical landscape and vibe. They all feel like they live in the same world. Lyrically, the EP runs through the emotional ups and downs that can occur in any relationship. The hopefulness, infatuation, and uncertainty you feel at the start of something new, the realities that set in, the struggles that can manifest, and the overall effect or influence others have on you and vice versa. I write what I want to hear and hopefully what someone else may connect with. Q: Tell us about yourself and what you do! I’m a pop/rock singer, songwriter, musician, and wannabe producer from southern Maine. I started playing guitar when I was around 6 years old. I’ve been putting on concerts since I was 10 or 11 and I started recording and releasing my own music when I was 15. Somewhere in between that I learned to play drums, percussion, bass, and keyboards. When I’m not working on my own music, I moonlight as a Prince tribute artist with my band Dean Ford & The Beautiful Ones. If I’m not playing music at all, I’m probably watching a horror movie. That pretty much sums it up! Q: With the release of this EP, how do you envision your music resonating with listeners on a personal level? I don’t really have any expectations. I’m really just happy to have people tune in. I want listeners to take whatever it is they get from the music. The way I look at it is that a song can have a completely different meaning for everyone who listens. I love that. I’ve learned that once I’ve created and released something, it really isn’t mine anymore. It belongs to each person who listens. The music takes on a life of its own, completely unique to everyone who engages with it. Q: Looking ahead, what can we expect from you in terms of future projects or collaborations? Any performances you're excited about? I have some exciting original shows and Prince tribute shows lined up for the rest of the year. Beyond the Dream Fever EP, I’ve recorded a lot of new material and am currently writing more. So, if you’re interested in what I have going on, it’ll all be posted on my website www.itsdeanford.com or on social media @itsdeanford and @deanfordmusic on Facebook.

Photos by Cole Plichta and Review by Dillon Jordan | August 13, 2023 | Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee The Memphis-native rapper took to Bridgestone for his “Larger Than Life” tour, the 7th stop on the 23-date tour. Following the release of his newest record “Hard To Love," this tour was sure to be packed out and did Nashville come through. Fans stacked high into the stands ready for Moneybaggs’ barrage of hit tracks. Close to his home of Memphis, Tennessee, this show was sure to be a rowdy one. The openers got the crowd shaking the arena stands. Pumped up, they sang and danced to Luh Tyler and Big Boogie. “Pistol By Da Bed” played, and Moneybagg took the stage, followed by multiple backup dancers. He was joined onstage by women from the crowd for “Industry” and “Doin 2 Much.” The crowd roared as the piano intro droned into the arena. Impressive visuals covered the back LED wall, including clips of a giant Moneybagg rampaging through a city. Moneybagg closed the night out with “Motion God," and was joined by his dancers and crew for the last song. Bridgestone roared in excitement as smoke covered the stage during the last moments of the show. [Cole]: Moneybagg’s performance also featured special guest appearances by rappers including Starlito, Glorilla, and Yo Gotti which fans were head over heels for. Show Rating Based On Category: Rating Breakdown by Cole Plichta Show Visuals: 3/10 Opener Continuity/Relevance: 9/10 Sound: 7/10 Setlist: 8/10 Crowd Involvement: 8.5/10 Artist Performance: 5/10 Overall Score: 6.75/10

Photos by: Caitlin Woods | August 15,2023 | The Tabernale Atlanta, GA