Greta Van Fleet’s performance at Musikfest on August 1st was only the second concert I’ve ever photographed. Needless to say, it’s a big jump from the tiny, intimate, indoor stage at XL Live in Harrisburg (check out my photos and article from the Stephen Sanchez concert), but no less amazing of an experience.
Clearly, I am far from being a seasoned concert photographer, but everyone has to start somewhere and I will admit…my starting block is a pretty good gig. I’ll always be grateful that I’ve had this opportunity to photograph concerts through WVUD and be mere feet away from artists like Greta Van Fleet. Check out James Kelly’s review on the full concert experience.
Jake Kiszka, electric guitarist (this man does not ever stop moving)
Since starting college, my photography hobby has taken a backseat to things like classwork, feeding myself, and, of course, radio. That being said, I am overjoyed that I was able to take photos that I’m proud of at this concert. I was painfully reminded that concert photography is no joke: the lighting is always changing, the subjects always moving. This show had the added inclusions of a much taller stage, a dozen other photographers jostling for a few feet of space…and a lot of pyrotechnics. But while the conditions can be difficult to work with, they make for some pretty wicked photos if you can catch them.
Sam Kiszka, bassist (he was barefoot the whole time)
You may notice lots of elbows, speakers, and various other objects in the edges of the frames in these photos. These are the unfortunate consequences of being 5’3″ standing next to a stage of about the same height and being surrounded by maybe twenty other media and security folks. Photobombs may not be ideal but I do think they give my work character and remind me of the chaotic reality of live events.
Daniel Wagner, drummer (the only non-brother)
Photographing concerts combines my love of photography with my love of music and I’d do it just about every weekend if I could. It still generates some major imposter syndrome, once I start to think about the fact that my camera is likely the cheapest model in attendance and every other photographer seems much more qualified than myself. But in the end, there’s always that one shot that boosts my confidence again. I’ll round off the gallery with what I consider to be the shot of the night…
Josh Kiszka, lead vocals (yes, he really does just put his hand in the air a LOT)
Summer of 2024 has been a good one for pop music. Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” is topping the charts, Chappell Roan is taking the world by storm, and the eternally iconic Charli XCX is leading the charge for a messy, recklessly fun “brat summer.” I of course have been enjoying all of these incredible songs and artists, as if I am two things and two things only, I am a pop music lover and a girls’ girl.
July has brought in a new round of tunes from some of 2000s pop’s OGs, with both Katy Perry and Kesha releasing singles within a week of one another. The reception of the songs, titled “Woman’s World” and “Joyride” respectively, have been drastically different. And it’s not just because “Woman’s World” is wildly unlistenable (what? Who said that?).
To understand the modern context of these songs, we have to go back and understand the history between Katy and Kesha (trigger warning for sexual assault).
The dawn of the 2010s brought with it a new crop of pop stars, and Katy Perry and Kesha were both among the first to break out into the new decade of music. Despite making songs within the same genre and both donning uniquely flamboyant aesthetics, the biggest similarity between the two was that they each found massive success in that era.
Kesha’s debut single “Tik Tok” dropped on August 7, 2009, as the lead single off her first album, Animal (2010). The song would go on to spend nine weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and has been certified eightfold platinum. It also, on a personal note, is one of the first favorite songs I remember having, despite the fact that I was a first grader with no clue who P. Diddy or Mick Jagger was.
In May of 2010, Katy Perry, who was already a recognizable singer due to the, looking back on it, extremely questionable success of “I Kissed A Girl,” would release the lead single off her upcoming third studio album, Teenage Dream (2010). “California Gurls,” which featured verses by Snoop Dogg, peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks and has been certified diamond in the US.
While researching for this piece, I also learned that Katy Perry is in fact from California, which is a relief considering the song title. For some reason, I could’ve sworn she was from Michigan, but nix that, she is fully qualified to melt your popsicle.
The most important thing to know here is that “Tik Tok” was produced by Dr. Luke and Benny Blanco, the guy now dating Selena Gomez. “California Gurls” was produced by the same duo along with Max Martin. All three of these guys were huge producers at the time, and Blanco and Martin have continued to be successful. However, a little wrench got thrown into Dr. Luke’s rise to stardom when in 2014, Kesha filed a lawsuit against him.
Now, the legal drama here is very difficult to wade through, but here’s the simplified version: Kesha sued Dr. Luke for allegedly repeatedly drugging her and having sex with her, with or without her consent. She also stated in the suit that his abuse was what caused her to develop an eating disorder. Dr. Luke countersued Kesha, her mother, and her management for defamation.
During the very long legal battle, Kesha and her team would claim that Dr. Luke also assaulted Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Gaga’s team denied such an incident occurring (though Gaga has been adamant in her support for Kesha), and Katy herself testified that Dr. Luke had done no such thing.
Ultimately, Kesha would go on to lose her case, in large part due to Katy’s testimony and the lack of corroborated evidence that such assaults had happened.
Now, I’m not saying that Dr. Luke is a rapist, but I am saying that sexual assault is a very difficult crime to prove in the American legal system. I am saying that a lack of evidence in court doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen. I am saying that a man not assaulting one woman isn’t proof that he didn’t assault another. And above all, I am saying that I believe victims.
However, regardless of what you think of the court case, things between Katy and Kesha were pretty icy afterwards. This brings us to the modern day, where the pop phenoms are both still releasing music, albeit extremely different tunes.
Kesha released “Joyride” on July 4, as the lead single off her upcoming sixth studio album and her first release as an independent artist. The song features a kitschy accordion sample, her signature talk-singing verses, and lyrics that embrace a ditzy, party girl aesthetic like “a label whore, but I’m bored of wearing clothes.” As of the writing of this article, there is no official music video for the track.
A week later, Katy Perry dropped “Woman’s World,” the lead single and first track on her upcoming seventh studio album, 143. The song boasts verses discussing the many facets of women (ie. “She’s a flower, she’s a thorn”) and a chorus featuring Katy belting the tagline, “it’s a woman’s world and you’re lucky to be living in it.” Did I mention Dr. Luke produced it?
The accompanying music video is divided into two parts.
In the first part, Katy occupies a Barbie-esque world where women do anything men can do, like be construction workers or pee at urinals (I don’t get how that one works but slay). Yet, they still are catered to the male gaze, wearing outfits that absolutely would not be allowed on real construction sites for fear of somebody losing a boob. I’m happy for these girls in that they’re all absolutely gorgeous, but they’re also clearly being objectified.
Then, Katy and her Rosie-the-Riveter-style bandana are quite literally squashed by a giant anvil mid-chorus. I found this to be slightly jarring.
There’s a weird social media interlude that I really don’t see the point of, then Katy is in what seems to be the real world, strutting around a city in a white bikini and robot-style metallic chaps. For some reason, everyone else in this city seems quite angry, except for two gay guys making out in tennis shorts. I guess somebody liked Challengers.
After Katy legitimately pumps gas into her own butt (I wish I was kidding, I do not understand this video concept AT ALL), Trisha Paytas arrives pulling a monster truck by a rope. After stealing some girl’s phone on a ring light shaped like the female symbol, Katy eventually comes to the heavy-handed realization that she’s allowed to be imperfect because she’s a real woman, not a male fantasy. She of course has this realization while looking perfect.
This music video currently has 597,000 dislikes and only 389,000 likes. When the top comment on your girl power music video is “this looks like something that would be a satire for feminism in The Boys,” you may have done something wrong.
Of course, the criticism of this song isn’t that it’s necessarily a bad message. Women are multifaceted creatures that exist for themselves, not to please men. However, the message feels hollow and outdated coming from Katy Perry.
“Women aren’t objects” is an extremely simple message that you would hope people know by now, and if they don’t get it yet, an extremely generic-sounding pop song isn’t going to change their minds. While this sort of sentiment would’ve done numbers in 2014 when it was enough to simply say that you were a feminist, it takes a lot more to be a champion of women in this day and age. Plenty of people are feminists, it just feels weird and performative to make a song belting about girl power if you aren’t saying anything deeper.
It’s also now time to look back at the fact that Dr. Luke was a producer on this track. Dr. Luke, who, in case you forgot, allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted Kesha.
Pretty tough to be a girl power anthem if an alleged rapist helped make it.
The internet was quick to point this out, saying that Katy can preach shallow messages of women’s rights all she wants but at the end of the day, working with an alleged rapist is not in line with the girl’s girl image she’s trying to project with this song. Just because he didn’t assault her doesn’t mean he didn’t assault other women, and if Katy were a true feminist, she would believe victims rather than continuing to work with Dr. Luke.
Aside from that, this song is also just deeply boring to listen to, so he didn’t even do a good job producing it. Despite the six writers (one of whom was also Dr. Luke), the verses don’t really say anything of substance. The chorus is just the tagline along with the line, “You better celebrate/cause baby, we ain’t going away,” which like…yeah, women will probably continue to be good at stuff, not that this song is evidence of that.
It genuinely sounds like music that plays faintly in the background while you shop at T.J. Maxx. The synths are super bland, the bass in the chorus is weirdly punchy, and there’s pretty much nothing else going on. Standard drums, simple background vocals, and a solid lead from Katy that just isn’t nearly enough to save the song.
This would’ve already been bad, but contrast it with “Joyride” and Katy Perry and her rapist-sympathizing ways might as well be dead in the water.
Kesha has managed to make an absolute masterpiece of dance pop, using all sorts of weird samples and a fun attitude in what I would describe as an absolute tapestry of sound. Starting with an accordion sample is already a refreshingly zany choice, but the song also features clever lyrics, a vocoder on the bridge, and Gregarian-style backup vocals that mix perfectly with Kesha’s biting lead. The song is not only way more fun to listen to, it’s also infinitely better produced as far as I’m concerned.
The producer on “Joyride” is Zhone, a specialist in hyperpop who is also responsible for Troye Sivan’s Grammy-nominated club hit “Rush.” He genuinely might be my favorite up-and-coming producer right now and I cannot wait to see what else he comes up with. I’m a huge fan of songs that are simply fun to listen to while also being notably well-made, which is something I would say Zhone has excelled at so far.
He also hasn’t ever been accused of having sex with an unconscious 18-year-old client who went on to develop an eating disorder from the abuse! Score!
All of this is a very long-winded way of saying, Kesha’s new track is a total hit, while Katy Perry’s is a complete flop. I don’t think Katy Perry is a fundamentally bad person, but I do think this song is a totally awful look for her, especially since she sided with the rapist and still got completely shown up. It’s embarrassing, honestly.
Katy, you and Dr. Luke can keep your shallow empowerment. I’m implored to get in for the joyride, and I recommend you all do too.
If you can get past trying to pronounce their name correctly on the first try, you will quickly be propelled into the world of psychedelic funk. What is psychedelic funk? The answer:
Khruangbin
[ Kruang-bin ] Noun, Adjective, Verb
Meaning: Three musicians creating a kind of marijuana-like serenity in one’s mind that leads to the inability to function; giving zero shits about your problems; funky music.
Use it in a sentence: “Hey! Wanna go see Khruangbin with me?” “I feel like Khruangbin.” “This music is very Khruangbin.”
To save you a Google search: Khruangbin is a musical trio from Houston, Texas. Laura Lee Ochoa, Mark Speer, and DJ Johnson comprise the group. This is the definition of the band in its simplest form, however the meaning of Khruangbin can be whatever you want. The real definition of the word means “airplane” or “flying high” in Thai, which is a great adjective to use when describing a Khruangbin concert experience.
During their latest tour, A La Sala, the group landed in Philly at The Met for two nights. I dragged my friend Chris M., the host of Ctrl. Alt. Delete, with me for one of those nights. This was his introduction to Khruangbin, much like my own when I was first introduced to them. I had never heard of the group when I was first heard them in 2021 at the Firefly Music Festival in Dover.
Hearing a band for the first time ever during a live set has got to be one of the best ways to be introduced to their music and themselves. It is a formal introduction between the band and you that almost goes “hello, we are Khruangbin and we’re going to play you some of our music.” Now, this is very unlike our high-flying trio, as they take to the stage without a word. And proceed to blow your mind.
The Opener:John Carroll Kirby
Unbenounced to me at the time, John Carroll Kirby isn’t just a keyboardist that plays the music you’d likely find in the hot-boxed elevator of a multi-story dispensary – and I do mean live. This guy would be in the elevator with you playing the keyboard. In reality, he is an accomplished musician and producer that has appeared on tracks with artists from Nora Jones to Harry Styles, not to mention countless others in numerous genres.
Alongside Kirby and his keyboard were another keyboardist, a bassist, a drummer, and Newman from Seinfeld, who occasionally switched between a soprano saxophone and a flute. Okay, it wasn’t Newman from Seinfeld, but from where I was sitting he looked like he could pass as everyone’s favorite mailman who lives down the hall. His name is Logan Hone and he’s a very cool dude. Sorry for calling you Newman, Logan.
Trying to keep up with the pace at which my mind was attempting to make sense of their sound, I quickly jotted-down notes to try and capture what I was thinking. Here is what I wrote:
In the first-person of Kirby – “What if we, people who are exceedingly proficient in our respective instruments, smoked a fat-ass joint and played at the same time and tried to make it all work together?” And thus, the psychedelic woodsy jam-band was born, after a few puffs.
That’s not a fog machine on stage, no. That’s Pigpen who uses natural resources to get in touch with his creative side.
It’s all about the room. People want a good time and they’re giving it to them. Granted, everyone here is either nursing a heavy buzz or a decent high. I wish I were among these people. I’d be feeling my way through the M.C. Escher painting of audible-weirdness that is their sound.
Again, much like who they were opening for, it was one big jam session. And just like my introduction to Khruangbin, this live performance was my first time hearing the group. For Kirby’s band, it felt like walking into band practice for the group that plays the Mos Eisley Cantina on Tatooine, only they took a few too many rips off the bong carved from a bantha horn.
Hone (Center) seen here existing between his reality and ours.
The Main Act:Khruangbin
Given that this was the A La Sala Tour, our friends took us through the album and gave us a tour of their latest work. As always, they are the Gods of good vibes. For their new record the vibe appears to be laying on the floor in your favorite room, watching the light streaming through from an afternoon sun as it catches dust particles and casts shadows on the walls. But as the album progresses, it picks you up off the carpet and drops you on the beach with a drink in your hand and the sun slowly sinking below the ocean. There really is nothing quite like Khruangbin.
I wasn’t as familiar with their latest album, which made it all the more exciting to hear it live first, just to take me back to hearing them the first time. Reminiscence, thy name is Khruangbin. It’s just feel-good music. It’s music that gets you through the workday and music you can still enjoy after the day is done during happy hour. It really is perfect for any kind of environment. They are an accent piece, bespoke pinstriping on a hot rod, a tasteful tattoo. Their music doesn’t detract from the room, it ties it together. You don’t listen to their music, you breathe it in. Turn off their music and you’ll know something is missing, like someone has turned off the lights.
The Setlist
Once they had played-through all of A La Sala, they took a quick break and returned to the stage to play some fan favorites. They played “Cómo Me Quieres,” “Maria También,” “August 10,” and “Even Finds the Third Room” from Con Todo El Mundo, “Time (You and I),” “Father Bird, Mother Bird,” and “So We Won’t Forget” from Mordechai, and “People Everywhere (Still Alive)” from The Universe Smiles Upon You. They also played “The Number 4” from The Infamous Bill and “The Recital That Never Happened,” from A Calf Born in Winter. For their encore, they played “Zionsville,” also from The Universe Smiles Upon You and “Bin Bin,” which is featured on their Live at Stubb’s album from their concert last year in Austin, TX.
I will be honest, I am a sucker for the popular Khruangbin songs that put them on the map. I love “Time (You and I)” just as much as I love the lesser-known “White Gloves,” which they unfortunately did not play when I saw them. When Chris and I went to see what is now one of my favorite movies, The Holdovers, in the theater the night before Thanksgiving, I thought I heard Khruangbin playing in the scene where Angus and Mr. Hunham went rummaging through an outdoor book sale in Boston. Chris, who was poking fun at my love for Khruangbin, laughed when I blurted out “Is that Khruangbin?” We were the only ones in the theater, it was blissful. Once the credits rolled and proved me right, I was very happy to have another reason to make the movie my new favorite Christmas movie. “A Calf Born in Winter,” from their 2014 single of the same name, had a cameo in the film.
That’s also what makes them so much fun to listen to. Just like I described how they work at any point in the day for any activity, they are also versatile throughout the year for any event or holiday. Birthday party? Khruangbin. Christmas? Khruangbin. Apple picking? Khruangbin. It just works!
So many artists are perfectionists these days, always finding something they wanted to do better or poking fun at how simple their music is. That’s not found anywhere near Khruangbin. The Texas trio doesn’t play music. They are the music. Lots of bands are the catalysts for their sound, but few can personify the music without the use of lyrics. Khruangbin is one of these bands and there isn’t anyone else like them, nor will there ever be.
On June 22, 2024, 2000s piano rock giant Something Corporate (SoCo for short) rocked Philadelphia’s The Met, the third official stop on their Out of Office Tour!
Destined Premonitions: A Tour that Was Bound to Happen
If there is one thing I tend to live by, I always trust my gut because it’s usually right. Back at the end of 2023, my Instagram feed had become increasingly saturated with posts from Andrew McMahon, most likely because I had recently attended his New Friends Tour in November and consequently had jumped back into his discography. Anyway, long story short, I eventually caught wind that Something Corporate, one of McMahon’s earliest groups, was doing a handful of reunion shows at the When We Were Young Festival in Las Vegas and a couple of New Year’s shows in Anaheim. These events intrigued me for several reasons, the biggest one being the comments, some of which I admit were my own, that appeared underneath every post McMahon had made about a SoCo show. Most asked if they could do an official tour soon- each with hundreds of likes. This phenomenon inclined me to believe that they would soon be announcing a tour. Then in the early months of 2024, SoCo indeed announced their Out of Office Tour for 2024. I knew from the moment of the announcement that I would do everything in my power to try and review this tour on official PR… luckily, everything paid off.
Upon following the media release for this tour, I can report a couple of factors that make it so unique. First, this tour is the first official tour that they have announced in 10+ years! In addition, McMahon’s team made it crystal clear across all social media platforms their plan to crack down on ticket scalpers, which proved effective. From what I understand, they worked vigilantly on the back end to ensure that tickets were going to their fans for fair prices.
To Start: Days Away
The openers for the show were a progressive rock band Days Away. Before this concert, I had never heard of this band before, but I genuinely enjoyed their sound and have consequently added some of their songs to my playlist including “God and Mars,” “Ideas,” and “Mirrors.” A highlight of the openers would have to be when some of the band members brought their children to sing with them on stage. Another highlight of the openers was that there was indeed only one. Trust me, I know that sounds awful of me to say that, but as someone who has attended concerts in the past with two plus openers, it was a nice change of pace sitting through only one.
The Impact of SoCo
As it goes with being a part of the press, there are only certain songs, usually the first couple in the set, that we’re allowed to shoot from the pit. So naturally, after three or four songs, I was back in the lobby. Now normally, at this point, I would have just waited around until it was time to shoot SoCo from the pit, but I guess the spur of the moment got to me, and I felt that it would be so cool if I could manage to connect with some fans, and ask them what Something Corporate’s music means to them.
“They were the band that got me into pop-punk essentially… I remember hearing ‘Konstantine’ for the first time and playing it on repeat. From there, all I wanted to do was go to shows… this tour is basically a dream of mine.”
-Falyn Rasmussen (Former Blue Hen, Class of 2015)
“I think it’s just a lot of nostalgia probably. I first heard Something Corporate senior year in 2002, so a lot of the songs bring me back to that time, of course. Andrew McMahon has done a lot of other iterations of music, and now he’s bringing it back to when I first heard him, and it means a lot.”
-Joe Bridge (Long-time SoCo Fan)
SoCo is so Back!
Finally, the time had come for SoCo to take the stage, and take the stage they did! To start the show, they performed “Straw Dog,” “I Want to Save You,” and “She Paints Me Blue” against a cheering crowd. As most seasoned concertgoers will probably agree, there is always an extra special ambiance about the first couple of songs from the main act, as there is still much undissipated anticipation in the air. From the looks of the reunited bandmates, it was evident that they were relishing that unique energy.
“Fall,” “The Astronaut,” “Only Ashes,” and “Me and the Moon” were the next songs to reverberate through the crowd, which I found to be such a treat considering I had never heard the first three live before. Of course, I love catching some deep cuts live in concert, so “The Astronaut” and “Only Ashes” satisfied an itch I didn’t even know I had.
After this, SoCo rocked out with “Drunk Girl,” “Ruthless,” and “Babies of the 80s,” another three songs I was able to cross off my Andrew McMahon bingo card. While I had never really heard “Babies of the 80s,” which is apparently from an early album called Ready…Break, I was very familiar with the other two. Hands down, the highlight for me here was hearing “Ruthless,” as it is one of my all-time favorite tracks from North and somewhere in my top ten SoCo songs. Just screaming out the unforgiving hook “I could still be ruthless if you let me,” was enough to plaster the deepest smile on my face, let alone the entire song.
“Watch the Sky,” “Hurricane,” and “Death Grip” came next. Now, I have heard the first two songs before in concert, but that does not mean I was hysterically singing along to every syllable of these two weather-based angst-ridden tracks. “Death Grip,” SoCo’s newest dreamscape single was then introduced to the crowd, supplemented by a lyric video playing behind the band so that fans unfamiliar with the lyrics could sing along.
“21 and Invincible,” “As You Sleep,” and “Space,” three solid tracks from North followed up soon after. Once again, these were three songs that I had never heard live before, so I was very glad that I had the opportunity to witness them in person, especially “21 and Invincible,” as that song rarely gets skipped when it rolls up from shuffle in my car.
To end the main part of the show, SoCo performed “Cavanaugh Park,” “Punk Rock Princess,” and “I Woke Up in a Car.” Looking back, I would surmise that the performance of “Cavanaugh Park” was one of the most emotional parts of the show for me, as this was the first official SoCo song that I ever listened to (and bought off iTunes). This moment had me floored as I heard its ever-familiar soothing intro, in addition to finally being able to belt out some of the most relatable lyrics in existence “I’m running out of clock, and that ain’t a shock. Some things never do change. Never do change.” You can never go wrong with “Punk Rock Princess,” the pop-punk anthem made of black band Tees, dark side-swept hair, and sharpie-covered Converse. To complete this performance, McMahon brought out his punk-rock princess, his daughter Cecelia, to help him sing. Finally, to finish things right, McMahon rocked the crowd with the classic banger, “I Woke Up in a Car.”
An Encore Worth Waiting For
As the stage went dark to signify the end of the main set, the tension in the room had now become palpable, as most avid fans of McMahon knew what was coming in the next couple of minutes: the encore. Having peaked at the setlist before this concert, I was almost positive that the ever-elusive “Konstantine” would be played next. For those who are unaware of the lore, “Konstantine” is a nine-and-a-half-minute love song that has become a cult favorite among the SoCo fan base and has been somewhat of a cryptid over the years, as McMahon usually abstains from playing it due to it being so long. I have gone to multiple McMahon shows over the years in hopes of hearing this beautiful song but have come up short every time, so this moment felt like a true rite of passage for my diligence over the years.
With the cheers of the crowd egging him on, McMahon took a seat at his piano, and started playing some light interlude music before making the reassuring comment, “You know, I feel like there are a lot of people in this room who have waited a long time for this moment,” a statement that could not have been truer! This statement was so true that it transcended past the walls of the venue and across the country to California, where my sister Kellie (who is a big reason why I listen to McMahon in the first place) was listening on the other side of a Face Time call in hopes of hearing this song live. Personally, she tried to obtain tickets to the San Fransico show but had come up short. At the end of everything, her words were, “I’m glad I was able to see the unicorn even if it was on my phone, lol.”
Finally, to end the concert, McMahon finished with a proper bang- the post-high school graduate melody “If You C Jordan.” Honestly, this was an ideal song to end the night with. It’s the perfect conglomerate of hilarious, relatable, and absurd that leaves you feeling validated about any ‘Jordans’ that might be plaguing your life.
Overall Evaluation
If I’m being honest, this concert was nothing short of perfection. Usually, I have slight qualms with the setlist. However, this time around, that was not the case. To my surprise, SoCo hit the nail on the head and played every song I wanted to hear, setting up the night for a catharsis unlike any other!
Another facet of this concert that I found to be special was the different home-style videos that played in between every so couple of songs. Specifically, they appeared to be retelling the story of the early days/formation of Something Corporate, including a memorable image of McMahon sporting a very 2000s-coded haircut.
In my experience, there are very few things better than listening to a brand new album from top to bottom and realizing that you haven’t had to skip a single song. Magical, right? For me, it’s a rare phenomenon nowadays and I’ve grown used to passing off numbers of tracks as just “eh.” Now that I write that out, I sound like a real goody two shoes. I promise I’m just picky.
Found Heaven struck me as I listened through it for the first time whilst sprawled out on the Amy Green, making my way through pages of wildlife ecology notes on one of the first spring-like days of the season. I’m not an avid Conan Gray listener, mostly because I suffer from an aversion to trendy artists, but “Crush Culture” and of course “Maniac” were nevertheless part of the soundtrack to my high school years. In working to combat that somewhat judgy mindset, I cued up this album and let it play from top to bottom.
My favorite thing about Found Heaven and what keeps me coming back to it is the blanket of 80’s-style, almost psychedelic, pop-rock that this album is wrapped in. Each synth-ridden track is consistent in that heavy, techno feel that you don’t see in today’s music anymore because it’s so characteristically 80’s. Even the cover art takes you back to that era, as Gray models the restless, leather-clad, long-haired pop stars of our parents’ generation.
The title track feels like the prelude for the album, grounding you, inviting you to see what’s to come. It’s the perfect opener, which is why I encourage you to stay away from the shuffle button with this one. I may not be a creator myself, but I believe there’s an art to putting together a tracklist and each placement is made for a reason so just trust the process. If you’re like me, “Found Heaven” will leave you wondering if you’ve just been dropped into an episode of Stranger Things.
As a whole, I wouldn’t consider this album lyrically dense. It explores themes of lost love, found love, mourning, hurt, heartbreak…you get the idea. But it’s those little bits of songwriting genius sprinkled here and there that stop me in my tracks and make me go “Oh…I felt that.” Take “Alley Rose” and “Winner” for example. Both are set to simple, yet emotional tracks that pack the lyrics with an even heavier punch. I like to say that “Alley Rose” is a hybrid of poetry and narrative. Listening to it feels like reading a novel. It’s a beautiful tale of gut-wrenching passion, with imagery powerful enough to drop you right into our main character’s shoes. “Winner” is a little less poetic in comparison and I would place it in the category of “power ballad” (keeping with the 80’s theme here) but I’m sure we can all relate to the first chorus lines:
The only thing you’ve proven
Is that there’s no one
Who ever has done better
At makin’ me feel worse
Now you really are the winner
“Never Ending Song” is the driving-at-night-in-the-summer song that I have been waiting for. Its addictive drum beat and shimmering keyboard melody give it a feel that I can only describe as celestial and it begs to be enjoyed under a blanket of stars. I’m lucky to have had the chance to enjoy it as such. It took on extra meaning for me this past semester, at a time when I was forced to say farewell to friends who graduated, bringing me back to the unpleasant reality that somehow I’m expected to continue college without them. It really hits once I get to the bridge, and the lines,
Can you make us stay forever
Are we done?
Can you make it play
On and on and on
I will admit that these lines have made my eyes suddenly well up in the middle of vibing to this upbeat anthem. I have a feeling that “Lonely Dancers” is going to be another song for my summer playlist, with its techno beat and “Safety Dance”-esque feeling. It has the ability to make us feel seen with just a few lines:
We’re lonely dancers
Join me for the night
We’re lonely dancers, baby
Dance with me so we don’t cry
It’s the kind of song that you find yourself swaying to even when the world is burning around you, barely keeping it together and all the while choosing to forget about everything anyway. The world stops for two and a half minutes each time you put it on…go watch the music video and you’ll see what I mean. In my experience and opinion, it’s rare for a music video to truly embody how it feels to listen to a song. “Lonely Dancers” is spot on, to the point where I could predict what was going to happen in the video because it simply felt like it needed to be there.
It’s very difficult to have a favorite song from this album, but my consistent heavy-hitter has to be “Forever With Me.” The first time I heard it, I didn’t listen to the lyrics too closely but I found my eyes full of tears at the beauty in this modern day power ballad. Yes, it hits harder than “Alley Rose” and “Winner.” I don’t know whether to say “you’re welcome” or “I’m sorry.” Whatever sounds better, I suppose.
I admit it: I’m a big sap. From that first listen, I was starting to wonder if I should put this on my internal list of potential wedding songs. But then I paid a little more attention to what Gray is actually saying with these lyrics…and I cried all over again. “Forever With Me” is that beautiful wedding anthem…just turned on its head. What I first thought was a “you’re-my-soulmate-I’ll-love-you-forever” song actually turned out to be a “you’re-gone-and-I’m-never-getting-over-you” song. Every line is a contradiction, but nevertheless a contradiction that somehow makes sense. Lyrically, it’s pure genius. And the track has all the musical ingredients for a killer ballad: piano as the base, a wailing electric guitar, drums slowly getting more prominent as the song goes on, a splash of auxiliary percussion, and finally, a staggering key change. As someone who is a sucker for a good key change, I still wind up on the floor every so often when I hear this part.
In talking with friends about the album, I’ve found that “Bourgeoisieses” is an unexpected fan favorite. I think it’s the biggest outlier on the album, a funky little tune consisting mainly of kickdrums, synth, and a bit of bass guitar. While the other tracks tell painful stories of heartbreak and love, no one really seems to know what “Bourgeoisieses” is about. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it at first, but the more I listened to it, the more I realized that it breaks up the spell of sadness from the earlier tracks. Beautiful as they are, I found that it was a welcome pause in that theme. Maybe it’s the pure quirkiness the song exudes or the catchy beat underlying the lyrics that makes it such a beloved song among listeners. Whatever it is, I can proudly say that I love “Bourgeoisieses” just as much as the next person…and I still can’t spell it without some help from the internet.
To get back to the big picture, I believe there are a lot of simple elements of this album that have drawn me in. The lyrical themes and musical elements are satisfyingly synthetic. I’m usually a fan of complex lyrics but the funny thing with Found Heaven is that its themes are not at all outlandish. In fact, you could even consider them ordinary. But it’s the way that the album is put together and the creative elements are threaded through it that makes it truly remarkable and addictive. At a time when songs are getting longer and longer, each track is arguably short, averaging about two and a half minutes. In a way, I find this refreshing and I like that I can listen to a full album in just under 37 minutes.
And with that, I’d like to end this review in the simplest way I know how…
Why are you still here? Go listen.
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Because I couldn’t add them all…here’s my favorite bits of Conan Gray genius:
Found Heaven: “Don’t be scared, little child/ You’re no demon”
Never-Ending Song: “Can you make us stay forever/ Are we done?/ Can you make it play/ On and on and on”
Fainted Love: “I’m the worst if you want it”
Lonely Dancers: “Dance with me so we don’t cry”
Alley Rose: “And I thought if you’d ever leave me/ That I’d be the reason why”
The Final Fight: “And I came right back after growin’/ Yet you’re still the same”
Miss You: “I never meant to break your heart”
Bourgeoisieses: “Mom and dad got my back/ But I don’t need that, I need a Maserati”
Forever With Me: “And after all this time I wonder why you’re still with me/Well, at least in all my memories”
Eye Of The Night: “The memories that I cannot ignore/Fight for my life inside a silent war”
Boys & Girls: “You got a face that’s technologic/ Nobody cares that you’re psychotic”
Killing Me: “I wanna die but you keep me alive/ You’re killin’ me, you’re killin’ me”
Winner: “How do I somehow feel guilty/ When you’re the one who let it get this bad?”
Whether you call her Cry Baby, your nymph, or your muse, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to look at Melanie Martinez’s discography to determine that she is nothing short of a lyrical and narrative genius!
Cry Baby’s Origins
Over the past ten years, Martinez has managed to solidify her presence in the music industry through her first three studio albums, weaving an intricate storyline of a character named Cry Baby, and the struggles she faces throughout the different stages of her life including body insecurity, exploitation, hyper-sexualization, bullying, depression, and anxiety. Her first two albums (Cry Baby and K-12) focus on Cry Baby’s life on Earth, highlighting family dynamics and home life in Cry Baby, and the oppressive environment of her boarding school in K-12. Melanie’s third album, Portals kills off this character, and reincarnates her to another dimension as a four-eyed fairy and touches on subjects such as overcoming depression, finding self-worth, cutting off toxic relationships, and growing from past mistakes.
Appreciation That Grew Like a Wonderful Weed
Personally, my familiarity with Martinez stems back to her humble beginnings on America’s The Voice. From the moment she stepped on stage during her blind audition, it was clear that she was born to be a star. Before she opened her mouth, her presence seemed to emanate a calming aura, a feeling that would only grow once she started to sing, as her voice carried a captivating and borderline haunting edge that no one else on the season possessed. While Melanie did not win her season, she still used the foothold the show gave her to sign with a record label and start making music independently.
Now to say that I was an immediate serious fan of Melanie’s would be a bit of an exaggeration. As the title of this section implies, Melanie had a way of growing on me over the years, garnering exponential respect from me with each album release. While I listened to select songs from her debut album, I did not begin appreciating Cry Baby’s character until Melanie’s sophomore album, K-12. I still have distinct memories of watching the full-length feature film she had released along with it that went under the same name in my college dorm room one day and loving the concept of the continuation of Cry Baby’s character. Not even to mention my affiliation with the songs on K-12 (and yes, After-School EP as well!), as I took an honest liking for the R&B and hip-hop undertones and raw lyricism that influenced their production.
Even though I enjoyed Martinez’s work, my appreciation was nowhere near what it would become upon the release of Portals. Some claim that music has a strange way of finding us in our darkest moments, and that’s precisely what happened to me with this album at the edge of last summer. In fact, I connected with it so deeply that I seriously considered attending the Portals tour. However, outrageous scalper prices and the need to work made it impossible. Defeated, I promised myself I would go next time. Little did I know that “next time” would come just a year later, in the form of her iconic Trilogy Tour. Not only did I attend, but I had the privilege of being there as press!
Pre-Concert Misadventures
The Trilogy Tour took place at the Wells Fargo Center, a massive arena with a capacity hovering just above 20,000, a number Melanie effortlessly sold out. Luckily, getting to the venue and figuring out parking was easy. There were minor hiccups when attempting to obtain my tickets at the box office and finding the media entrance, but everything eventually figured itself out. After all the final logistics were squared away, I truly started soaking in the magic of the Trilogy Tour. Now, this would not be a proper concert review if I did not take a second to rave about the fashion that graced this tour. I even heard a fellow photographer say this crowd was one of the best-dressed he had seen in a while- a statement I would say definitely holds up! Everywhere you turned, people were either decked in threads screaming pastel goth, dolled up in Lolita-style K-12 gowns and overalls, or dressed to the nines in fairy-core dresses.
The Warm-Up
I will admit, every time I entered the pit, there was an air of surrealness that hung just before me, making me feel a bit awkward, as I did not know what to do with myself at times. Fortunately, in the months leading up to the tour, I decided to make some friendship bracelets in hopes of trading some of them. So in blatant determination to sink into the awkwardness until it was no longer, I turned off my brain, approached people in the front row, and asked if they wanted any friendship bracelets, to which they enthusiastically complied- and yes, I did even end up getting some in return!
(photo credits: Shozzett Silva)
In terms of openers, this tour went above and beyond. The first opener was Sofia Isella, an alternative musician and classically trained violinist with enchanting lyricism that has a way folding onto itself like warm silver coils. The second opener, Beach Bunny, an alternative/indie rock band that rose to considerable fame with the aid of TikTok, then performed a beautiful and heartfelt performance that left the crowd pumped for Martinez.
Sofia Isella (left) and Beach Bunny (right) help hype up the crowd for Martinez!
The Trilogy-Baby, Girl, and Nymph
Eventually, it was time for the main woman of the night to shine, and shine she did! Over two glorious hours, Melanie showcased the full birth, life, death, and afterlife of her fully-fledged alter-ego: Crybaby.
To open up the show, Martinez formally introduced the audience to Crybaby’s overly sensitive nature, and disturbed family life with the tracks “Crybaby,” “Dollhouse,” and “Sippy Cup.” After that, Martinez moved into “Carousel,” “Alphabet Boy,” and “Soap,” three songs that address relationship struggles like toxic dynamics and the price of oversharing. Lastly, the Crybaby set ended with “Pity Party,” “Playdate,” and “Mad Hatter,” which dive into themes of loneliness, being taken for granted and accepting every side of yourself- even the ones that are insane. It was during this set that I was escorted to the pit to capture some beautiful moments.
The main highlights of the Crybaby set included the opening song “Crybaby,” where Martinez sang on a platform with a rocking crib visual on the screen behind her, along with backup dancers dressed as either rabbit doctors or in baby-core, a vintage carousel set-up complete with undulating seats that eventually caught into flames for “Carousel,” giant inflatable birthday candles that popped up all around the stage for “Pity Party,” and the picturesque dollhouse backdrop that accompanied “Dollhouse,” and “Sippy Cup.”
(photo credits: Shozzett Silva)
After the Crybaby set, the show transitioned into part two with the big screen displaying a giant ocean filled with Crybaby’s crib and toys, and eventually showing the iconic K-12 school bus. In an overt nod to the K-12 film, the bus floated out of the ocean and into the sky to land before the K-12 boarding school to which Crybaby was finally dropped off. As the chorus of “Wheels on the Bus” sweetly echoed throughout the stadium, the scene transitioned into the first half of “Class Fight,” followed by a powerful video interlude featuring a slowed-down snippet of “The Principal.”
“Show and Tell,” “Nurses Office,” and “Strawberry Shortcake,” were next on the setlist, and touched on topics like exploitation, bullying, and hyper-sexualization of women. By far the most memorable part of this section was the set-up for “Show and Tell,” as Crybaby was depicted as a tortured puppet on strings controlled by a hand on the screen behind her.
Finally, “Lunchbox Friends,” “Teacher’s Pet,” and “Highschool Sweethearts,” rang throughout the stadium to end the K-12 era. Since “Teacher’s Pet,” is considerably a fan favorite, it stole the show, especially when Martinez took to the floor to sing the iconic lyrics “And a lighter when you wanna get high/And mess around ’til you get numb.” Of course, the finale of “Highschool Sweethearts,” was also nothing to sleep on. At the end of the song, cupid flew onto the big screen, and pierced an arrow through Crybaby’s chest, which made a perfect segway into the Portals segment of the tour.
The Portals section began with a 10-minute prelude complete with a cosmic light and smoke show, elegant ballet dancers, and ethereal loaded music before finally opening up to “the creature,” in a graveyard full of mushrooms singing “Death.” Right after this, Martinez brought some much-needed energy to the crowd with “Void,” “Tunnel Vision,” and the glittering “Faerie Soirée,” only to finally slow it down with “Light Shower,” a soothing ballad that tells the charms of true love.
“Spider Web,” “Battle of the Larynx,” and “The Contortionist,” were next, all of which had some outstanding visuals to accompany their performance, including a fly serving sassy choreography after “Spider Web,” the creature slaying a pink dragon during the duration of “Battle of the Larynx,” and some eerie dancing overlining ‘The Contortionist.”
Finally, “Nymphology,” “Evil,” and “Womb,” wrapped up the tour with an unforgettable bang. Looking back, this was probably considerably my favorite part of the show, because there was something so cathartic about singing the feminine-rage anthems “Nymphology,” and “Evil,” in a full stadium- not to mention witnessing the live transition between the two songs which was virtually seamless, just as it is in the album.
The creature sets the stage ablaze to match the feminine rage!(Photo by Shozzett Silva)
Overall Evaluation
All in all, the Trilogy Tour ended up exceeding my initial expectations. From the expressive choreography to the intricate costumes on and off the stage, to the transitions between albums, and the stunning set pieces, this concert was nothing short of a full-blown musical production. In fact, I would say it is one of the most theatrical concerts I have been to thus far, and will probably remain as such for a while! In short, Melanie puts on an excellent show!
Of course, like any other concert, this performance isn’t without its flaws, some of which are subjective. For instance, I could have gone without the long interludes between albums, even though I realize this was most likely due to costume changes. In addition, I was a little bummed to see my favorite K-12 song “The Principal” reduced to a mere interlude, as well as the exclusion of songs like “Training Wheels,” and “Cake” from Cry Baby. Finally, I would have ascended out of my body if “Powder” from Portals (Deluxe) and “Glued” from After School EP were also performed, but at this point, I’m just catering the setlist to my personal preferences.
