Category Archives: concert

Hypnotic Hangout: Briston Maroney

‘Hangin Round’ at taco bell

It was 1AM in Asheville, North Carolina and a cool breeze swept through the Taco Bell parking lot. The purple fluorescent lights lit up the sidewalk. The only noise was the passing of cars, and Briston Maroney clearing his throat as he sat down next to us on the curb. After playing a packed show at the Mothlight, we were able to sit down with the Knoxville native to get a little more insight on Maroney and his music.

We briefly discussed his tattoos and their stories before jumping into our real questions. Pointing to his black inked outline of Texas, he laughed, “This one is probably my favorite, by far”.

Of course, we needed to know where his passion for music is rooted, and what inspires him to write such personal verses. He adjusted his navy blue hat and scooted a little closer to us, “My grandpa turned me onto a lot of country music when I was younger like Waylon Jennings and Townes Van Zandt,” he laughed before saying, ” I was and still am into that kind of folkier country music. I’ve always wanted to be a cowboy. I have the tattoo and the boots so maybe by 25 I’ll either become a cowboy or just hang up the hat”.

When you listen to the “Caroline” singer, you almost feel as if he opened up your journal or crept into your thoughts and just wrote songs about your worst break-up or deepest fears. We asked,

“So, we want to know about the song writing process but more specifically the emotions that are going into every line. Do you have to be in love to write a song about being in love? Do you have to be going through something difficult in order to write on that experience? Is it more based on feelings or more expeirence based?”

He nodded his head silently, looking at the gravel beneath our feet. “I feel like songs that last and that are genuine are true feelings. I think you can write a love song about being in love in the moment, but I believe you have to have felt those feelings and be wanting to feel those feelings. For me, it’s hard to not make it personal. There are amazing artist who have the ability to just pull words that make sense without having to feel all of that [feelings] in the moment. I just can’t.”

‘SMALL TALK’

Maroney recently went on a UK tour with the Wallows, we were curious to know how this might have shifted his career as a whole, “How do you feel this affected your career and was it a big stepping stone for you?” Maroney responded with “Short term and long term it changed a lot of things for us. It was really important for us as people.” Maroney revealed that he feels closer to his band mates because of these experiences on the road.

Indiana

Maroney released his third album, Indiana on May 17th, 2019. So of course we had to ask, “What does Indiana mean to you compared to the other albums you’ve released?” Maroney went on to explain It was the first one they signed with Atlantic Recording Co.

“It was four songs that I had written in a period of time when I was living with my mom in Florida. Those songs were about living there with her and moving back to Nashville. It was the end of an era and it was an awesome experience to make.” He continued with “I feel like it was the first step towards speaking for what I want to stand for.”

Desert island bands

After much consideration, Maroney carefully chose these three musicians to be stranded on a deserted island with:

  1. Neil Young
  2. Jimi Hendrix
  3. Graham Nash

A special message from briston

Going into this interview we knew that Maroney is an enlightened person and we wanted to convey any messages that he wanted to give to our readers. “I want people to feel relieved when they listen to this music to know that someone else is feeling the way that they feel. Life is complicated and people experience really intense things. I want it to be a symbol of sharing intense experiences {his music}.”

“And finally what do you want your listeners to know about anything?” Briston smiled and replied “My phone number.” We both laughed thinking he was joking. But then he went on to say “865-291-7761, you can text me if you want. Life is pretty short and I’m trying to put my feelings to the side for a little bit, and be nice to everyone.” He started laughing and said genuinely ” I want them to know my effing phone number.”

What’s next?

Briston Maroney is currently on his first head-lining tour in Europe and America and has recently released a new single “Chattanooga” which you can find on all music streaming platforms.

A Hypnotic Hangout: Bedon

“Untitled”

Greenville August 9th- Bedon Lancaster and his band were getting ready for their show at the Radio Room. While on their tour through the south, we had the opportunity to sit down and talk with the “Lazy Eyes” singer about his music.

Not “Tired Tired Tired of Talking”

When asked about his major musical influences, Lancaster replied with some of his favorite artists: Pinegrove, Bon Iver, and Whitney. He then went on to explain why these artists were so unique to him and how they play an important role in creating his music. “They’re very formidable songwriters with amazing music behind it. I love music that you can just get lost in.”

Lancaster explained that besides his musical influences, he writes most of his songs based around relationships and the people around him. He revealed that he takes in the energy surrounding him, internalizes it, and uses it for his music.

Band on the run

Because of his crazy touring schedule, the “Mooky Blaylock” singer has played a variety of shows. Ranging from house shows to college shows, Lancaster let us in on his favorite type of crowd to perform for. “I love any show with an audience who is there to participate. We’re going to do our thing no matter what, we’ll still have our show, but having people jump up down and go crazy is what really makes the show.”

Deserted Island Bands

Lancaster didn’t hesitate when we asked him what his three deserted island bands would be. With his diverse taste in music he replied with:

  1. Pinegrove
  2. Bon Iver
  3. Originally Sturgill Simpson but wisely changed to Led Zeppelin

“look how We’ve grown”

We have been anticipating new music from the “Untitled” singer for quite some time now, and he revealed to us that he is expecting to release an album in February of next year. Coincidentally the date that Lancaster has chosen is a palindrome which in our opinion makes it worth the wait.

Final Thoughts

Bedon is an artist who isn’t afraid to experiment with new sounds and outlets. He proves this by utilizing various instruments in his music and performances. Reigning from Oxford, Mississippi, this group puts on an amazing show while goofing around and smiling the whole time.

Lancaster wants his listeners to know that you can call him Don or Be-don. He laughed and said, “It’s pronounced Bedon, but I don’t really care. You can call me whatever you want.”

Make sure to follow Bedon and his crew on Instragram and social media to stay updated with any upcoming tours and releases!

A HYPNOTIC HANGOUT: WHITEHALL

DOWNTOWN ALIVE!

JUNE 27, 2019– Downtown Greenville, SC was crawling with people; all of them rushing towards NOMA square for Downtown Alive!, a weekly festival hosted by the Metropolitan Arts Council. People crowded around a stage as Whitehall, an idie/rock band from Charleston, began to play.

The sun was beating down on the band as they played, but this didn’t stop the band from keeping the energy and crowd up. Many people began to dance around and cheer as the band played some originals like, “Flammable” and “Vacation Home”, and a few covers like “Dear Prudence” and “Stacy’s Mom”.

This group of four guys brings a type of energy that you can’t resist being apart of. They all contribute to the spark of happiness you get when you listen to their tuneful music. Their vigour combined with their sound, makes you want to bounce out of your seat and dance around.

NOT SO ‘WASTED’ TIME WITH WHITEHALL

Lucky for us, we got the opportunity to speak with the Ocean Fiction band and learn a little bit more about who they are.

The Charleston natives all met their freshman year of College of Charleston, and they have been a inseparable ever since. The reason they began the band in the first place is because of a previous member who thought forming a band would be cool (And he was totally right).

The name for the band was actually the hardest part of forming the band. Their lead singer Paddy laughed and stated, “We all had tons of ideas, but none of them were good. They were all awful, actually”.

The second part of forming a band would typically be finding the right sound, but accoring to their guitarist, Avery, they all contribute something, and it feels natural. He said, “When I listen to music, I listen to the actual music part and not much of the lyrics, and I appriciate that more. But, some of us are more into the lyric’s meaning. So, we all find something that inspires us and we go from there”.

DESERT ISLAND BANDS

We have a new segment where we ask bands what three bands they would want to be stuck on a desert island with. For Whitehall, a lot of thought went into their answers. Each of them had ideas for the vibe of their deserted island so they chose wisely. These are their answers:

  • Avery (guitar): The Clash, Pile, and Kendrick Lamar
  • Davis (drums): Dave Grohl, Katy Perry, and The Beatles
  • Paddy (vocals and guitar): John Mayer, Tom Petty, and The Rolling Stones
  • Brennan (bass): Miles Davis, Guns and Roses, and Queen

FInal Thoughts

Whitehall is a band made up of four of the sweetest guys, who make the grooviest tunes. They just finished up the second part of their ‘Pamplemousse’ tour. But, until their next tour you can stream their most recent album, Ocean Fiction and all of their other stuff on ALL music platforms.

A Hypnotic Hangout: Illiterate Light

Georgia Theatre 5/9– The Illiterate Light duo ended their set with “Growin’ Down” and walked off the stage while the crowd cheered. Their initial thoughts are filled with excitement and positivity about their performance. We got to sit down and talk with Jake (drums, vocals) and Jeff (guitar, vocals) in Athens while they were touring with Shakey Graves.

Mission Accomplished

Illiterate Light is a rock duo from Virginia and their music has been spread far and wide since we last saw them in December. From recently playing Shaky Knees, to upcoming festivals like Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo, Illiterate Light has grown immensely.

After the show, Jeff described to us that “It’s an interesting feeling to play to hundreds of people who have no idea who we are. You kind of have to win the crowd over a little bit.” They make it their mission to impress the crowd with their set. And we believe that they did just that. After seeing them open for Post Animal a couple months ago, we fell in love with their sound and that encouraged us to learn more about them and download their music. At the end of their set on this night in Athens, the crowd was clapping and in awe of the musical ability that these two people possess.

Illiterate Light makes an effort to hang out by their merch table and talk to people after their set. They relayed to us that they really enjoy meeting new people and spreading their music to others. So, if you ever want to chat with these guys, you know where to find them!

Inspirations

Many different artists, have influenced Illiterate Light’s music. Jeff described that he is most inspired by artists like Flaming Lips, Led Zeppelin, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Foo Fighters. Jake explained that he has been listening to a lot of St. Vincent, SZA, Kendrick Lamar, and Big Thief recently. Jeff described that “Artists like Neil Young, Fleet Foxes, My Morning Jacket, and Wilco were my go-to. I really wanted to craft my musical vision based off of these artists.”

Jake told us that he likes to mix aspects of various performers in order to find something that fits with the music that Illiterate Light creates. “I have a really strong love for very weird performers. We like to have the energy for sure and have fun.”

“It sets us apart”

If you’ve ever seen this band live, you have probably seen the beloved floral crop top that Jake wears. One thing that stood out to us when we first saw them, was that half-way during the show, Jake took off his shirt and underneath that shirt, he wore a pink floral top. On this night, we were eagerly waiting to see if the tradition remained and when he showed it off, we were excited to get the chance to ask about the origin of the ritual.

“While touring in another band, while living in Virginia, we used to tour by bike. I wanted to keep the sun off my back while remaining cool. I stopped into a thrift store and was sorting through the racks when I found it. At first, I started wearing it as a joke but eventually it started feeling natural.”

Shaky Knees: “It was killer”

After recently playing Shaky Knees, Jeff relayed to us that “It felt weird performing on the main stage, the stage where Tame Impala played and then having people come up to us and congratulate us on our performance.” There are a lot of new faces at their shows and the continuous growth of the band has brought them many opportunities and experiences. “Some days we truly don’t know what to do with it, but I think that’s a good thing. It means the timing is right for our band.”

“Have you grown up yet? Does the war make sense?”

The songwriting process is always a very important one. Illiterate Light described for us where they get their inspiration for writing. They try to write songs that are moving between their emotional and relational lives. “Also our observations of our culture and of the world at large. Therefore, we don’t stray away from writing about politics and war. We want to be a part of the conversation.” With the world that we live in today, it’s important that there are artists in the industry discussing these topics.

The Show

Before the interview, we had the opportunity to take pictures of the band while singing and dancing to their songs. They opened with their hit “Nuthin’s Fair” and had the whole crowd bobbing their heads and moving to the music. They played through songs off of their EP, Sweet Beast and played an outstanding cover of “Vampire Blues” by Neil Young. You could tell that the crowd was surprised that two people could create the sounds that they were creating. By the end of their set, you could tell that the audience was impressed and eager to listen to more of their stuff!

What’s next for illiterate light?

The band recently signed with Atlantic Records and is planning to release an album in October! They have an EP on Spotify, Sweet Beast, which you should definitely check out! They actually just released a new single a couple days ago called “Carolina Lorelei.” Illiterate Light (@illiteratelight) is constantly creating new music and they will be going on multiple tours throughout the rest of the year. If they come around to your town, you should treat yourself and go! Seeing them perform live is a great time!

A Hypnotic Hangout: Nordista Freeze

‘First time’ MEETING

MAY 7, 2019– It was a gloomy evening in Clemson, SC but as Nordista Freeze and his band showed up, a light was cast over Nana’s Banana Cabana. We got the chance to sit down with the Cosmic Haus singer before a night full of dancing and singing ensued.

Freeze is a Nashville native, but he spends most of his time on the road. When we asked him how he made time for other things he explained, “That’s the million dollar question,” he sighed, looking down at his knees and then back up at us; smiling he continued, “I just really care about it [music], a lot”.

He used the USA Olympic Fab Five team, as an example of what dedication looks like because of all the stuff they had to miss out on in order to perfect their skills. He went on to say “I take it really seriously and I work on it as much as I can”.

When you listen to his most recent album, Cosmic Haus you get a sense of ’60s intertwined with electric pop. His music is full of energy and it makes you want to dance around your living room. Freeze gets inspiration from his favorite band, the Beach Boys. Which is evident when you see his songs “Wysteria” and “Florida” live.

A TRAVELING BAND

Freeze and his crew (Bryce- keys and guitar, Johnny/Future Crib- drums, Grant- guitar, and Sam- bass) travel far and wide to play for new crowds and meet new people. His band is made up of people that he has grown up with and all of them bring something unique to the stage during the show.

We asked him to tell us about his favorite place that he has played so far and he told us, “We play wherever the people are. I have a pretty unique relationship with every city,” he paused, looking onto the crowd of people standing around and socializing, “I’m pretty experiential and moment based, so it’s hard to pick a favorite.”

Each city means different things for Freeze and his band, and they always make an effort to become pals with everyone they come across. It is important to them that they make relatioships with the people that come out and watch them play. The venues that they choose are ones that have a more intimate setting.

He explained, “I think you can make a lot more relationships here [Nana’s Banana Cabana], than sitting in a green room and walking onto a stage and maybe signing an autograph after. I respect bands like that, but I want to meet people”.

TIME FOR A ‘GOOD TIME’

The show was full of energy and moving bodies. Pure enjoyment radiated off of Freeze and his band as they jumped around and played. During some parts of the show, Freeze ran around in the crowd. The energy was nothing but upbeat and exciting.

Freeze was truly a sight to see, as he shook his tamborine and danced around during the instramental parts of “Hey Gigi”. His way of interacting with a crowd and making them dance is unique, and not something you ever expect. If you ever get the chance to see him play, take it and let your hair down. We promise, you will not be disappointed.

What’s Next?

The “Homecoming Queen” singer is going to work on recording new music later this month and over the course of this summer. Thanks to his drummer, Johnny, they have a basement to record some of their songs onto tapes. He is also working on creating new content like music videos.

He is also in the midst of booking more shows this summer, because he wants to reach as many people as possible. So, be on the look out for those dates and go jump around with him and his lovely band.

Stay Groovy and check out Nordista Freeze on Instagram, as well as the rest of his crew and their projects/music: Bryce, Sam, Grant, and Johnny. You can also stream his music on all streaming platforms, so go give him a listen!

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A Hypnotic Hangout: Daddy’s Beemer

‘Time we killed’ before the show

APRIL 19, 2019-We had the pleasure of sitting down with local SC natives, Daddy’s Beemer at the Radio Room here in Greenville. From their Clemson roots to their recent travles, we got some insight on this tight-knit trio. Consisting of Brady Sklar, Dan Fetterolf, and Wesley Heaton, Daddy’s Beemer has made a name for themselves in South Carolina’s music scene.

The three of them met at Clemson University, through a student run radio station. After Daddy’s Beemer took off, they headed up to Charlotte, North Carolina in hopes that it would make touring travels easier. Now, they’re in the process of moving down to Charleston, SC.

When on the topic of moving around, we asked if it inspired their song writing process in any way. Lead singer, Brady Sklar was quick to answer with a simple, “Yes.” He further explained, “A lot of artists talk about how you need to live your life to be able to write songs about it. Otherwise, you’re going to write about things you haven’t done because you haven’t been doing anything.” They believe new experiences, people, and points of view can be useful in their song writing process. Dan Fetterolf, guitarist/drummer, said that seeing bands that he looks up to inspires the actual music part.

Music inspirations play a key role in the band’s sound. Bands like Steely Dan, Otis Redding, The Strokes, and Carole King have had a huge influence on the band and their sound. Last month, the members of Daddy’s Beemer, headed to Texas to play at SXSW. Some of the artists that they performed beside have been great influencers such as, Briston Maroney, Shane T, Big Thief, and Mommy’s Little Boy.

The bassist, Wesley Heaton explained that, “We weren’t sure what it was going to be like, because we had never been. We had been to other festivals like Bonnaroo on our own, but this was completely different from that because it was more of a networking thing.” The band was able to show their music to new audiences and meet new people while attending the festival and touring.

‘Penthesilea’

Sklar describes one of their singles, “Penthesilea” as an eulogy to a parrot that Fetterolf had right before they started the band. Sklar went on to explain that the song is named after the parrot and the lyrics describe the longing and grief that they have for the parrot. Fetterolf went on to show us a colorful tattoo that he got on his chest in honor of his pet.

Final Thoughts

Daddy’s Beemer recently released two new singles, “Indoors” and “Serotonin.” During this interview, they explained that they are writing new songs for a full-length album. Keep your eyes peeled and follow @dadsbeem on Instagram to stay updated with any new releases! This interview was super fun and we want to thank the members of Daddy’s Beemer for giving us the opportunity to sit down and talk with them!

Mystic Truth Tour 2019

“Away We go”

Our first concert since we got home from Texas was Bad Suns… and we were pretty excited about it. I (Britt) spent all of high school listening to their album Language & Perspective and was stoked to see them live for the first time. We left Greenville around 4:30 and made our way to the Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta.

We arrived at the venue while the opener, a very talented 18 year old from Wisconsin, Carlie Hanson was performing. Hanson’s music can be described as pop punk and alternative. She was assisted by a drummer and a guitar/keyboard player and had amazing energy as she was jumping from side to side on the stage!

feels like home

The lights in the venue dimmed and the members of Bad Suns made their way to the stage and opened with “Away We Go”, the first song off their newest album, Mystic Truth. They played through songs off of their other albums, Language & Perspective, and Disappear Here. After performing “The World and I”, the lead singer Christo, approached the microphone and asked “Who’s been here since our first record?” Half of the audience put their hands up and shouted. “Thank you guys for being here for that long! Now who’s ready to fucking dance?” The band then proceeded to play “Rearview” off of their first record. Christo encouraged the crowd to dance and jump along as he sang the lyrics.

The continued playing through their set and then… “Cardiac Arrest” came on. This song is super nostalgic to me because it is the first song that I listened to by them and it introduced me to their music. It was one of my favorite songs to listen to throughout high school and hearing it live felt insane. Jenna and I jumped around and belted out the lyrics with the crowd. Before ending the song, Christo yelled into the microphone, “This feels like fucking home tonight!” And it sure did.

“away we go” Part 2

Unfortunately, after this song, Jenna wasn’t feeling well so we had to cut the concert short and head home. We were thankful to hear some of our favorite songs like “Violet”, “Rearview”, “Daft Pretty Boys”, and “Cardiac Arrest” though! We made our way to the merch table and I bought a record and Jenna bought a t-shirt (per usual). We gathered up our things, took some pictures outside of the venue and made our way back to our car with blisters on our feet from dancing and messy hair.

Overall, we had a great time at this concert. Bad Suns sold out this show and put on a great performance! If you ever have the chance to see them on this tour, you definitely should! The energy and enthusiasm that this band puts into their stage presence and songs is super dope and you can feel the love and gratitude that they have for their fans. 10/10 would recommend!

Texas Travels

About two weeks prior to our spring break we saw an ad for an upcoming music event with some of our favorite artists. The only problem was that it was in Texas. To be quite honest, the distance was never the issue at all, it was the getting there part that seemed a little hazy.

It became clear to us that we were going to go, despite the distance and everyone’s thoughts against our plan. So, I (Jen) began to plan out every detail in order for this to work. Our cars were in no shape to drive across the country, so I asked my biological father if he wanted to swap cars for a week. It took a while to get an answer but he willingly agreed.

Now came the saving up part. This trip was not going to be cheap. Fortunately I have a lot of relatives that live in Texas, so no hotels for us. Our expenses would mostly be food and gas, mostly gas though.

The most difficult preparation was the packing. We both struggled in this area, but what do you expect from two indecisive girls? I (Jen) packed two bags, my 16 y/o cousin brought one, and Britt brought 4. In Britt’s defense, her main suitcase wasn’t as big as ours were. We somehow managed to fit them in the back of our Honda Civic.

On Thursday, March 15 we drove away from Greenville at 4am, and rode into the sunrise. Britt drove first, just like we planned, and then we switched four hours in when it was time to refuel. We kept this up for 14 hours. The ride was filled with music, and naps and our silly “song roulette” game. As we passed through states, our minds were filled with the desire to travel and live our lives on the road. We counted down the hours until we would be in the Lone Star State baby!

We arrived in Burleson, TX around 5:30pm and were greeted by my grandparents. This would be our home for the next week, and we couldn’t contain our excitement about the adventures to come.

VIsta Kicks, but as cowboys

On Saturday, we drove an hour to Denton, TX for the first show of our trip. We got lucky with this show, it wasn’t apart of the plan at first. We decided to leave Burleson around noon so that we could do a bit of exploring, which turned into shopping (watch our vlog to see a full haul of our purchases). We ate, and then headed down to the venue.

VISTA KICKS was still doing sound check as we waltzed in. After they got off the stage, we were quickly greeted with hugs and how-have-you-beens. It was exciting to stand aside and watch all of the new and young fans that they had gained since we saw them last.

Their opener was an energetic band called Jonathan from Croatia. We stood to the side with Sam and Trevor and watched them rock out on the stage.

When it came time for the boys to go on, we made our way to the front so we could get some good shots of them. They played through songs off of their albums and included some songs that we’ve never heard live before like “Mona Lisa” and “Circles”. They put on a great show as usual and we were looking forward to their showcase in San Antonio.

stay bad showcase

We arrived at The Paper Tiger around 6pm and stayed around to explore the venue. The venue was outdoors and had string lights and murals to decorate the area. We sat on one of the a picnic benchs and waited for the show to start.

The Shakes came on around 6:30 and played through their set with a relaxed and mellow vibe. Their song “Golden State of Mind” is super calming and easy to chill to. The next performers were a group called Gymshorts based out of Rhode Island. They jumped onto the stage with high energy and an angsty sound. The lead singer kept the crowd engaged by handing off the microphone and leaping off stage.

The next performer was a solo artist named Derek Ted from California. His music is mainly acoustic and is weirdly reminiscent of summer and old lovers. His sound can be described as being soft and nostalgic. If you’ve never checked him out, you definitely should!

Arms Akimbo was the next band to perform. They had everyone bobbing their heads and tapping their feet to the sound of their music. Based out of California, Arms Akimbo brought the ultimate alternative and rock sound. These goofy guys put on a great show and continued smiling throughout the whole thing.

Hate Drugs came onto the stage around 10pm. Also hailing from the Golden State, they brought the dream indie sound. These guys were so into the music they were playing and it showed. They had the whole crowd engaged and no one took their eyes off of them for a minute. They recently released a new album, Tsunami Soul I, so they played the majority of their set from this album. These dudes are extremely talented and you should check them out on Spotify or any other music platforms!

Vista Kicks were the last set that was scheduled for this show. They came out and opened with “Million Dollar Seller Pt. 1” and played through some of the same songs from previous shows, with surprise performances of “Work for Me” (Thanks Trevor!) and “Love & Paranoia”. We can honestly say that these guys never put on a bad show! The energy and effort that they put into not only their songs but into their stage presence and performance is unlike any we have ever seen. We’ve said this plenty of times before but if you EVER have the chance to see Vista Kicks live, please do! We have a feeling that these guys will be big very soon and you don’t want to miss the opportunity to see them in an intimate environment!

Back to reality

In between concerts, we spent our days exploring nearby cities, going to Target way too many times, and ultimately just living it up while we had the time. This trip was nothing short of amazing and it was a great way to spend our spring break and to get away for a little bit. We already have some new adventures planned, but for the meantime, we will be saving up some money for our next venture! We hope you guys enjoyed this travel post and make sure to check out the vlog that we made regarding this trip! Also make sure to check out the pictures that we took while on this trip on the gallery on this blog or on our instagram @hypnoticbolt! Stay groovy!

United Steaks Tour 2019

Part I

Athens, GA February 27, 2019- The first show we went to was at the Georgia Theater. We had seen Post Animal at this same venue back in December and were excited to be back.

“Fresh Squeezed”

The first performers were a group from Austin, Texas called Duncan Fellows. They played through songs from their album Both Sides of the Ceiling. They had the crowd bobbing their heads and tapping their feet. Their music is reminiscent of summer and reminded us of sunshine even in the dreary February weather. Playing through hits like “Coffins”, “Fresh Squeezed”, and “Sway”. Duncan Fellows introduced their music to the Georgia Theater and gained new listeners.

Flame Impala

Post Animal made their way to the stage around 9pm and opened with “Gelatin Mode”. If you’ve never listened to Post Animal before, we recommend starting with this song. The upbeat sound and heavy guitar that eases into slower parts only to pick back up makes for a great song to dance your butt off to.

They played through songs off of their recent album, When I Think of You in A Castle and older songs like “You Were Not There”, and “When I Get Home”. They created the same dreamy psychedelic experience that you hear in their songs. They ended their set with “Dirtpicker” and gave the crowd something to remember them by.

Who Are You? Point To It!

Ron Gallo entered the stage around 10pm. Jenna and I had been studying his music and we were excited to see him perform live. He and his ensemble put on an incredible show. He incorporates a lot of pedals, instruments, and uses effects like an echo on his mic to give him that grungy, kaleidoscopic sound. He played through songs off of his albums HEAVY META, Really Nice Guys, and Stardust Birthday Party. He kept the crowd engaged by running across the stage, passing the microphone to people in the crowd, and inviting Post Animal back onto the stage to sing one last song. Great guy and an even greater concert!

Part II

Asheville, NC February 28, 2019- The next day we headed up to our favorite place, Asheville for round two. We arrived at the Mothlight and got our spot right in front of the stage. The Mothlight’s atmosphere was a lot different than the Georgia Theater’s. The stage was lower to the ground and it made for a more intimate and insane show.

Duncan Fellows

This show was way different from the first. Duncan Fellows had a bigger fan-base in Asheville and it was enjoyable to jump around and sing along to the lyrics with the members of the band. They were surprised that people knew and listened to their music and we could tell that it meant a lot to them to have people dancing to their music in a confined space. Their set was energetic and uplifting and if you haven’t checked them out, you definitely should!

Ron Gallo

Ron came out next at this show and brought the fire! The whole crowd went crazy when he started playing and the energy of the crowd only intensified as the show went on. When he started playing his crowd-pleasing song, “Young Lady, You’re Scaring Me”, the audience went crazy. Everyone in the venue was jumping and bumping into each other and slowly started forming a mosh pit. Ron finished his set with “You” Are The Problem” and left the crowd giddy and ready for Post Animal.

Everyone Hit “Gelatin Mode”

The members of Post Animal came out shortly after Ron Gallo. We want to preface this by saying that this concert was something we have NEVER experienced before. Once Post Animal started playing “Gelatin Mode”, the crowd went wild! Everyone was jumping, head banging, throwing their fists in the air, and crowd surfing. We have never been a part of such an intense and reckless environment. As the show went on, we became immersed in the crowd and continued screaming the lyrics along with everyone. They absolutely KILLED this show! The raw energy in the Mothlight was indescribable. They were feeding off of the crowd’s energy and the mixture of the vibrating floorboards and sweaty bodies made this show memorable.

“Tire Eyes”

These past two days have been amazing even with our lack of sleep, empty stomachs and our hearts racing from all of the energy drinks we have been consuming. Post Animal always puts on a great show and these shows have introduced us to new music such as Duncan Fellows and Ron Gallo. If you ever have the chance to see any of these bands live, please do, they will not disappoint!