When we got to our seats, we couldn’t believe it. We were sitting in the last row, but we were determined to have the best time of our lives. Seeing my dad’s face with such a smile was the biggest satisfaction, and I can still feel it to this moment, even before the concert started. We waited for 2 more hours, listening to 070 and other two singers that were amazing until Coldplay finally went on stage. 30 minutes before that, it started raining, and we were afraid that the concert was going to be canceled, but they assured us that the show will go on. For our luck, since we were sitting in the last row we were the only ones with a roof, so we didn’t get wet (perks on sitting in the last row). 3 hours later, with rain, and sixty thousand and four people in the stadium, Chris Martin went on stage and opened the concert with “Adventure of a Lifetime”, which got everyone off their seats to jump and dance.

With every song that went on, my dad’s smile was bigger and bigger and the hugs towards my brother and I were stronger and stronger. This concert was an experience that made an even bigger bond between the three of us. “The Scientist” was played after a couple of songs and the audience went extremely emotional. After that, they played “Paradise”, which in a way it could be said that it was the peak of the concert. Beautiful choreography from the band and amazing interaction with the audience as well, made the experience even better. I’d dare to say that band-audience interaction-wise, Chris Martin is the modern Freddie Mercury. The concert was getting to its end and it felt like it was only a couple of seconds. The moment came, and they sang “Yellow”, I never seen an audience obeying with such admiration after this song, as I never seen my dad so emotional for a song. After that, “A Sky Full of Stars” was performed. This part is big. Best performance I’ve ever seen in my life. Chris Martin asked the audience to put their phones away and to just live the moment for only this song, and absolutely everyone did what he asked. All the bracelets went white and the way Chris interacted with it and the song itself, was superb.

After it was over, we couldn’t believe it. But it was one of the best nights of our lives. 

The post Coldplay: Through the Eyes of the Average Dad Music Enjoyer appeared first on SCAD Radio.

It’s almost Stick Season, and I can’t stop crying.

It all started at the Iron Blossom Music Festival in my hometown, Richmond, Virginia. Noah Kahan stepped out onto the stage, looking like he’d been plucked straight from the crowd of granola 20-somethings. The first chord to “All My Love” strummed from his guitar, and the crowd erupted with toe-stomping energy. People clapped and screamed and sang along with every word. This carried on till about halfway through the show, when everything fell silent. A single spotlight lit Kahan as his bandmates left the stage, and he performed “Call Your Mom.” I’m not a sappy person, and I loathe crying in front of other people. Though, as Noah Kahan poured his heart out alone, I found myself breaking down.

If I’m being honest, I had no idea who Noah Kahan was until his latest album, “Stick Season.” I remember hearing “Northern Attitude” on Tik Tok and wondering where the tune came from. It was only after buying my tickets to Iron Blossom, that I realized Kahan would be headlining and began my deep dive into his discography.

When I first listened to “Stick Season,” something immediately clicked for me. There’s a deeply personal quality to Kahan’s lyrics. His words are uninhibited, laying all his scars, regrets, and desires out for his listeners. “Grab a past box of photos, I rip myself open,” sings Kahan in “Still,” a track lamenting a failed relationship. He puts care into every lyric, crafting a hyper-specific narrative that grounds listeners in his experiences. 

Kahan’s authentic sound matches the message behind his lyrics. His blend of acoustic melodies with fast-paced pop-rock elements puts a modern spin on folk that draws you in. A youthful irreverence threads through “Stick Season,” highlighting an emotional state so singular to coming-of-age that it becomes universal. Kahan pushes that feeling, confronting the bitterness and embarrassment associated with growing up in a smalltown and how one can both resent and yearn for the place they come from.

Grief and loss take many forms in “Stick Season,” where Kahan expresses how loss, whether it be the loss of a relationship or a loved one, can cling to you and drag you down a path you never expected. Mental health has been a focus of Kahan’s well before “Stick Season.” In his 2018 EP, “Hurt Somebody,” Kahan describes feeling trapped by his fear of moving forward. Later, in his “Cape Elizabeth” EP, he stews over the future, his love life, and the inevitability of loss. 

Kahan’s raw depiction of mental health and depression hits home especially in our post-COVID, media-driven society, where disconnection and trauma still linger. To combat the growing mental health crisis, Kahan transformed his own experiences into The Busyhead Project, an initiative to support mental health care and accessibility. Since its foundation in May, Busyhead has raised over 2 million dollars from “Stick Season” Tour tickets and donations.

Kahan’s success is on an exponential incline. After an overwhelming response from fans, Kahan extended his “Stick Season” tour with additional dates in the U.S., Europe, and Australia. Since releasing his extended album “We’ll All Be Here Forever” in June, Kahan has collaborated with musicians Post Malone, Lizzy McAlpine, and Kacey Musgraves. I wouldn’t be surprised to see future collaborations between Kahan and artists like Hozier, Boygenius, and Olivia Rodrigo. Kahan and Hozier have had two viral performances together this year, one of which I had the chance to see at Iron Blossom. Kahan has also shown appreciation for indie supergroup Boygenius and popstar Olivia Rodrigo, who covered Kahan’s song “Stick Season” for BBC’s Live Lounge earlier this month.

Artists like Noah Kahan are hard to come by and a privilege to witness. It’s a truly special experience finding music that makes you feel seen, and Kahan’s art accomplishes just that. Good timing and social media may have aided in Noah Kahan’s success, but it’s his heart that will keep fans like me listening.

The post Noah Kahan: From Hidden Gem To Overnight Success appeared first on SCAD Radio.

Photos by Emilio Garcia and Megan Atwell

On April 13, I had the privilege to be asked to photograph the band Mt. Joy. My friend James reached out to me and I gladly accepted. I had heard of the band before, but I had never listened to them. Though, who am I to deny a free ticket to see some live music. Of course, I had to maintain that the music was of least importance as I was asked to take pictures–the real event of the night. I had not taken concert pictures in a while and to be offered this opportunity was a perfect way to dust off my digital camera. I was accompanied by our General Manager, Megan Atwell, so we could work together as a team.

We got to the venue and were kindly escorted through a side entrance for press (a bit surreal) and got our press passes along with our tickets and seats. We were then taken to the front of the stage where the photographer’s pit was and made our own little camp there with our gear. The band was the only act that night with no opener preceding it, so it took a little while before the band finally came out to play. We were allowed access in the photographers pit for the first three songs where I spammed the shutter button on my camera and tried getting every angle humanly possible of the band and each member individually. There were some very unfortunate stage placements of the band members with both the bassist and drummer being almost five feet behind the rest of the members, so getting proper portraits of them was definitely a challenge. The light show was captivating, with a lot of variety in color adding to the psychedelic ambiance of the performance, which was a very sweet surprise for me.

The three songs had passed, Megan and I had to go to our seat–located right in the middle of the lower seats at the Civic Center where we switched our lenses and continued taking pictures. This was when I finally tuned into the music, no longer immersed through my lens, and realized how average the music sounded. When I say average, I don’t mean bad, but they sounded like every other famous indie band. Again, not a bad thing, but rather an observation of their music. There were a few psychedelic songs that I enjoyed but the rest were not as compelling to me, with one song even making me feel like I was listening to Christian rock. The thing that disappointed me the most out of the whole concert wasn’t the music, but rather the visuals. We easily discerned them as being made by AI, a very disappointing decision made by the artists who do not see the irony in their choice. While being experimental in its nature, it does not have that humanity that makes art impactful and meaningful. To AI, it is only numbers and data. To humans, it is life itself.

During the intermission, Megan and I decided it was a good time to leave. I can honestly say that I had a good time and to be behind the camera in a new setting and context was refreshing and another reminder as to why I could see myself doing this forever.

The post Mt. Joy Review and Concert Photography appeared first on SCAD Radio.

The world has reopened its doors, yet worries remain in some people while others walked back out with no hesitance. Gratitude for gatherings is felt by the whole of every community, but there is no use denying that the isolation and fear of sickness have rendered a collection of people anxious– especially at the prospect of crowded settings, like that of a concert.

That being said, if you are one of those people, you are not alone! We grow accustomed to daily practices and areas at different paces. For some, it starts on a bus or in a classroom. For music lovers, the challenge is familiarizing ourselves with concert venues.

New releases this year, major tours, and a burning desire to see our favorite artists in concert– possibly for the first time in years– have people considering purchasing tickets to attend live performances. While in-person education and work have resumed, recreational or leisurely activities still have a connotation tied to them that may be hard to accept for certain individuals. 

I’m not here to tell you to get over yourself and rejoin society, because this is a genuine hardship and struggle for more people than you would think. However, there is something to be said about concert anxiety in general. Collectively speaking, some of us aren’t made for in-person concerts and that’s okay! 

A lot of factors go into someone’s tolerance and whether it’s noise, claustrophobia, or the chance of catching germs, they are all valid. If you’re someone working toward challenging your worries, though, there are certain ways you can go about breaking those barriers. For example, some may feel most comfortable carrying a mask among their belongings to put on which is more than acceptable in any public setting.

If you want to start with small gigs, check out local venues! There is constantly a cycle of shows, getting into the scene and attending a few with a limited amount of people can be a great way to exercise your tolerance. Work your way up to the big stuff! Not to mention that it is a great way to support artists near you.

Overstimulation is equally as common, and to that, I offer the same advice. Another method of ensuring comfort and safety would be to bring along some materials that may come in handy. Ear plugs, water (if you can), and hand sanitizer just to name a few.

Never feel pressured to attend concerts, either. If it’s not in the cards for you then there is no use putting yourself through an experience that you’re not ready for. These events are meant to be fun, not anxiety-inducing. You are not more or less of a fan whether you attend live performances or not. 

Music is meant to be enjoyed, whether it’s in a large sea of fellow listeners or the comfort of your own bedroom makes a difference. All that matters is your well-being and that you are happy, healthy, and listening to some good tunes.

The post Concert Anxiety: A Retrospective appeared first on SCAD Radio.

The venue was a beautiful amphitheater, with large swathes of open space in a cozy, open, park. Upon entering, the place was packed and we were there for several minutes until Bridgers’ act started. The overall atmosphere was fitting for her concert: cozy and bright, folksy and calm.

When the lights dimmed, right off the bat, Bridgers played a riff to arguably her most popular and iconic song, “Motion Sickness”. The visuals off of the big screen on stage flashed and changed through various motion graphics to complement the song.

After finishing that song, she went through various other songs throughout her album “Punisher”, and while there were breaks in between songs, she would interject something playful, whether that was a message or a story, or even a funny joke, this elevated the experience as she is definitely charismatic and has a wonderful stage presence.

When she started playing her song, “Chinese Satellite”, the visuals changed again, but this time to vary the performance, she brought her friend and opener of the show, Indie artist, Charlie Hickey to duet with. Normally this song isn’t a duet, however, the contrast between their harmonies and singing made his voice a great addition to the performance.

Throughout the various songs she played, the aforementioned screen changed to accompany her, and visually, it was stunning. The whole concert was. She included these varied visuals through all her sets on tour in every city, but each time it was unique. When Kyoto came on as the fourth song, the screen flashed to a beautiful pink and purple with a traditional Japanese house as a shooting star shot across it.

Bridgers’ singing voice projected whilst still being soft, and comforting she sounded as great live as she does in the studio recordings.

At the end of the concert, Bridgers was called up for an encore, and of course, being in Atlanta, the one song she was going to play was Georgia. It was a very visceral performance, a single spotlight, everyone’s phone flashlights waving through the air, and no screen projecting anything, just her and an acoustic guitar pulling the audience into the moment. The performance was amazing and emotionally strong. It was the only way to finish a concert like this.

It was definitely a great night to remember due to her great voice, strong visuals, and powerful duets.

The post Phoebe Bridgers Wows at Concert in Atlanta appeared first on SCAD Radio.

There are many student acts taking the stage, from returning performers Livie Gee to newcomers like Kid with a Ukulele, Jules Santamauro, Hunter Crothers, and Phoebe Covey.

Of course, SCAD Radio’s got some musical talents of their own. Assistant Events Director Cher Shaffer and her cohort Frankie Mendez are the one-two punch behind indie band Vagina Dentata. Also from Radio is Production Director Kristen “Redd” Phillips, as well as SCAD Radio volunteer Jake Sherry, who will be performing with his group, Phaeser.

We hope to see you there for a great night of music, food, and fun. Be sure to follow SCAD Radio on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for info on upcoming events and more!

The post SCAD Radio Acoustic Concert to Showcase Student Musicians appeared first on SCAD Radio.

Ian- Tell us how you got involved in the Wounded Warrior Project.

Tom- Like most people who watch TV, I’ve seen the commercials for Wounded Warrior, and they’re kinda heartbreaking. My dad in particular was a navy vet… My father-in-law, Walter, was a fighter pilot in World War II, he was a marine… I’m watching [a Wounded Warrior commercial], and decided to draw a line between veterans in my family and modern day veterans. It just turns out my father-in-law passed away inexplicably on December 7th four years ago. This past December 7th, my wife was feeling sad on the anniversary of her father’s death and I said “You know what, I’m gonna get the band to do a show for veterans… I reached out to [Wounded Warrior] and got a woman on the phone that day and she said to go online, and then registered us for an event. That’s why the band is playing a show on Saturday night, March 9th at the American Legion hall on Forsyth Park. All the money is going to wounded warriors.

Abby- Being able to perform a show for a cause you’re passionate about must be a very meaningful experience. Have you had any other meaningful live performances as the Park-Daffins?

Scott- As of right now, no.

T- I will say this, and Scott may smack me. The Park-Daffins only play original music, and we have found it extraordinarily difficult to find venues in Savannah to play. I’ve personally reached out to 10 nightclubs, and if you’re not playing cover songs, it’s very difficult to get them to break that barrier. I find it frustrating and sad because Savannah has this great reputation for being artistic and has so many music fests. It strikes me as rather ironic that a band that sticks to its mission of only playing original songs can hardly get to play any gigs. We’ve only played 3-4 gigs because the nightclubs wanna hear cover bands. I’d say any gig is meaningful because it means we’ve broken through.

I- How did you guys meet?

S- Tom and I played tennis together for 3 years, and we played at Daffin Park. Tom came up with a bunch of names, I looked at ‘em. I said “what about Park Daffin? Just switch the names.” Knowing Tom, he says “that’s a good idea, but we gotta add something to it.” So he put “the” in front of it, and a hyphen between “Park” and “Daffin”.

T- I said “I play guitar, and I used to be in a couple bands”, Scott said “I play drums, and I used to be in a couple bands”. After a couple years, we finally looked at each other and said “we have to play together”… My original idea for the band was to call it The Daffin Parkers. I would be Tommy Parker, he would be Scott Parker, just like the Ramones. Everybody takes their own first name and used the band’s name as the last name.

A- Your publisher, Lose the Cat Publications, has an interesting history behind its name.

(Both laugh)

T- Scott and I played together for a few months and the whole idea was we would do original songs. I wrote a bunch of songs, Scott helped me arrange them, and we were looking for a bass player. A neighbor found a guy in Manhattan, very experienced, spoke to him several times on the phone and he sounded like a perfect fit. I said “Scott, do me a favor, send this guy a bunch of our songs recorded and we’ll see if he likes it.” So Scott sends this potential bass player the songs. When I talked to this guy, he told me “I’m allergic to cats”… Scott gets an email back.

S- He said “Lost the cat”. I said “what’re you talking about?” He meant if I lose [my pet] cat, he’ll come to practice.

T- This guy’s from Manahattan, and when they say a New York minute, they mean a New York minute. This email was 3 sentences that said: “Love the songs. Wanna join the band. Lose the cat.” That bass player never even came to rehearsal.

I- What’s the band’s overall favorite classic rock band?

S- There’s one band we have in common we grew up on, The Beatles. We were both 13-14 years old when they came on The Ed Sullivan Show. Then Tom went to the punk era, I went in the Frank Zappa era, and I’m a big Red Hot Chili Peppers fan right now.

T- One day I was at practice, and I warmed up my fingers by playing some random songs. I was playing an early Beatles song by John Lennon called “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away”… Our bass player is 35, and he’s got a different view of music. He likes more current bands, whereas Scott and I prefer- especially for recording- to record live and raw to get the emotion. [Our bass player] wants everything perfect… There’s a generational clash in our group. He wants perfection because he and our keyboard player grew up in the tech world.

To check out the group’s music videos, click here.

The post Interview With The Park-Daffins Prior to Show for Wounded Warrior Project appeared first on SCAD Radio.

Although NPR is primarily known for its sometimes stuffy radio news programming, their music division hosts and makes videos of small concerts played in the venue of the D.C. NPR offices. They’re called “Tiny Desk Concerts”, and a quick search on YouTube will show you a nice sampling of the plethora of bands and musicians that have graced the desk. From old favorites to surprising new discoveries–Tiny Desk Concerts provide a wonderful way to enjoy music, no matter what you’re looking for.

From the looks of it, Tiny Desk Concerts would be more suited to smaller artists–and the majority of the musicians are relatively unheard of. But every once in a while, a star drops by. Mac Miller stopped by just last year to give a fantastic performance. In light of his tragic death, it feels like such a weighty thing to watch, but the truly beautiful thing about it is the joy that fills the whole show. Mac is joking around between songs, laughing as fellow musician Thundercat plays the shaker, and really seeming to genuinely enjoy sharing his songs.

Perhaps the queen of indie rock, St. Vincent, gave a quiet and personal performance of songs off her 2017 album, MASSEDUCTION as well. She’s often seen on stage backed by bright visuals, and she’s best known as an electric guitarist. But at her Tiny Desk, she fittingly flips the script and stands solo with only an acoustic guitar and her voice. The stark simplicity gives the songs a more intimate feeling that gets somewhat lost on the intricately produced album recordings of them.

One of the biggest rappers to ever come to the NPR headquarters has to be Tyler, the Creator. Atypical from the usual Tiny Desk arrangement, Tyler held his show at night and had his set beautifully lit with atmospheric shades of red and blue and pink to match the tone of each song. His live shows are full of intense and concentrated energy, but in the Tiny Desk setting, Tyler’s more soulful songs really got a chance to shine, and his infamous sense of humor was not lost. It’s a remarkable display of the rapper’s talents and consideration for every part of his performances.

It’s definitely a treat to see such big-name artists in a setting other than a huge venue, the real gems of Tiny Desk concerts lie within their videos of smaller artists that you might be able to catch at a house show someday. It’s absolutely glorious to see these artists pour their hearts out into these little performances for the folks at NPR–and the emotions can range from thundering rage to shining happiness.

The saxophone-and-drum trio Moon Hooch gave what was perhaps the most passionate, energetic, and sweaty Tiny Desk Concert of all time. These guys aren’t the saxophonists from your local marching band–their sound is more akin to the musical screaming of punk infused with the complex melodies of jazz and the infectious rhythms of dance music. These guys have an almost inhuman amount of energy, and it’s enthralling to witness. Their set is nonstop, and it kind of makes you want to get up and off the Internet so you can go make something as stirring as Moon Hooch’s music.

The electronic duo Sylvan brings a completely different kind of energy to the tiny desk. Though their music is similar to that of Moon Hooch with its dancy beats and propensity to get people to move, NPR employees on their lunch break aren’t always in the mood for such wild abandon. The pair plays some of the enchanting softer songs from their self-titled debut and singer Amelia Meath jokes about the subdued nature of the concert-goings in an utterly charming manner. It taps into a lovely little awkwardness and subtle that you wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else in the world of live music videos.

One of my personal favorite Tiny Desk Concerts comes from The Music Tapes. Fronted by indie legend of Neutral Milk Hotel fame, Julian Koster, these guys deliver a sweet and whimsical Christmas special that’ll make your day brighter anytime of the year. Complete with singing saws, disarming childhood stories, and one of the greatest hats of all time, this Tiny Desk is one of the best things on YouTube. If you’re in the right mood, it might make you cry. It’s just so inventive and creative– Koster is one of the most genuinely kind people on the planet, and this Tiny Desk is a record of something truly wonderful, and the world is lucky to have it. But I’ll let you judge that for yourself.

There’s so much music out in the world–yet it’s still so difficult to find something to fit your tastes. That’s where Tiny Desk Concerts come in to save the day! There’s something in the seemingly endless catalogue of shows for everyone–from the finest hip hop to the wildest classical. Discovering new artists that you’d never find on your own or even think that you’d be interested in listening to is probably the most rewarding part of consistently checking out new Tiny Desk Concerts. I’ve become a fan of bands after finding them through Tiny Desks. Go search through–try something new. You’re bound to find something you’re interested in!

The post Tiny Desk Concerts Provide Simple But Unique Shows appeared first on SCAD Radio.

The day before my birthday I sent a desperate message to Rainbow Kitten Surprise via Facebook. It read, “Please, it’s my birthday,” and to my surprise, it worked.(Little did I know they had actually been responding to my emails all along, but their responses had ended up in my junk mail.) I checked out a camera, drove to Asheville, NC, and shot one of my favorite bands the next night.

It was a sold-out show at the Asheville-favorite venue, The Orange Peel. The line wrapped around the building even as people poured into the venue. Anticipation grew until — hallelujah — the band finally emerged from backstage, kicking off the show with one of their new singles “Fever Pitch.”

They progressed through new singles and singalong classics, pleasing new and old fans alike. From their characteristically upbeat songs to bassist Charlie Holt’s endearing crazy eyes, to lead vocalist Sam Melo’s hairy bare chest (not pictured), to the constant movement on stage, Rainbow Kitten Surprise kept the audience fully engaged from start to finish, even through two encores. They danced onstage and reached offstage. It was a crazy, exciting, energetic show, and I couldn’t help but want to jump around watching Sam do the same.

Lucky for you, they released their new album How to: Friend, Love, Freefall a few days after the show, on April 6th. Give it a listen and keep a lookout for a Rainbow Kitten Surprise concert near you.

The post It’s My Birthday and I’ll Take As Many Photos of Rainbow Kitten Surprise As I Want appeared first on SCAD Radio.

The first show at The House of Strut was on October 6^th, headlined by relatively newcomer band Solo Collective. They actually played a show the night before at T.J. Tavern that I couldn’t go see, as it was a 21 and older show. Unfortunately, the night got cut short because it rained. On the bright side though, House of Strut bounced back on the following Friday of the 13^th of October for their first annual Psychedelic Night.

Some of the bands that played are as followed:

Solo Collective: consists of Regan Slater on bass, Terrance Boston on drums, Garrett Albury on guitar and singer-songwriter/virtuoso Morgan Lewis.  The band got their start last spring, playing a unique blend of soul, indie rock and contemporary hip-hop, which affectionately coined “Alternative Soul-Hop.”

Ranging in very diverse influences such as Otis Redding, Chicago, Nat King Cole and Kendrick Lamar. Due to some inconsistent weather on Savannah’s part, the bands set ultimately got cut short, as well as having to remove their opening act, but they made most of the time they had and put on a killer show filled with consistent grooves and oozing with sexual charisma.  We all got wet, but hey the gig was a splash! Be sure to hit up the band on Facebook.

The Sound Experiment:  A six-piece group based on Tybee Island, the band comes from years of individual training in music.  Their music has roots in classic American jazz standards but throw in mixes classic rock, funk and fusion. Lead guitarist Alex Bazemore, jokingly described their sound as “Acid Jazz”, stating that “It’s all about intelligence and recognizing your own intelligence so you can choose what to abandon creatively.”

Sound Experiment’s stage presence was quite remarkable, within the first two minutes of their set they managed to get the crowd moving and grooving.  The band had a surprise guest and fellow local musician Max Crisbin who played drums so that drummer/vocalist Timmy Brown could let his voice ring.  Needless to say, Mr. Brown was an excellent front man who channeled bits Michael Buble and at times a rap delivery similar to Matt Schultz of Cage the Elephant.  The standout section of their set however was the challenging energy that horn players Jeremy and Noah Prince brought, akin to the playing of Lou Marini and Steve Madaio members of Stevie Wonders’ original brass section.  Overall, The Sound Experiment were a warm welcome into what was to be a night of great music, check them out on their social media pages.

Partials:  I knew this band were something special when they kicked off their set with a cover of LCD Soundsystem’s “Us V Them”.  I became absolutely entranced by their set, it was filled with standout dance numbers both originals and covers.  They hail all the way from Athens, Georgia. Their current incarnation has existed for a year, with a degree of lineup changes.  Their influences range from Blondie, Talking Heads, New Oder, Radiohead and primarily tip their hats to LCD Soundsystem. Guitarist Jeff Porter explained that they band’s mission was to trace dance music back to its roots in genres such as afrobeat.  Their stage show consisted of mostly synth driven EDM, accompanied by driving bass-lines and the occasional cowbell, because we all know that’s the way Will Ferrell likes it.  Singer Adriana has a hypnotic and angelic quality to her voice, I don’t think of heard anything quite like it before, simultaneously she adds flavor to the rhythm section via cowbells and bongos.  I think it’s fair to say that Partials had a majority of the crowd dancing during their 15-20-minute set as well as a sense of festivity in the crowd.  Partials are releasing an EP on January 26^th. In the meantime, you can monitor their activities on the bands official Facebook page.

Xulu Prophet:  These guys could be considered veterans of the current Savannah music scene. Bassist Oisin Daly explained that the local scene goes through change every four years, due to the nature of Savannah being a college town, “There’s at least an entire summer where we’ve been one of the only live groups.”

Daly, the band’s lead singer, and drummer Rhett Coleman were all accomplished musicians in their own respect but they officially came together in early 2013. Ever since then they’ve been working hard and touring around country playing some very intense but insightful shows.  Xulu Prophets play diverse range of punk rock, reggae, jazz and 70’s funk influenced, kind of like a trippy Rage Against The Machine.  The bands live set was nothing short of awesome, bringing with them a healthy dose of energy and heavy instrumentation, as well as Xulu himself commenting on the importance of live music saying, “It’s a unique experience where it can change mentalities and break boundaries.”

If Xulu Prophet sounds like a group that excites you, then be sure to give their Facebook page a like.

Kilroy Kobra: Initially starting out as a solo project written and composed by lead singer Thomas Uribe, they’ve now become fully fledged touring band. Probably the only group to explore a more theatrical aspect and that’s no coincidence, as Kilroy Kobra had recently completed shooting a short film called Man of the World, in which the group constructs a visual narrative using a few songs off their latest release. The band’s sound is electrifying, playing of mix of 90’s r&b, with funk and fuzz rock tones. Their also open to more traditional Americana influences like Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. But during my discussions with the group they lamented on the fact of having to put a label on their music, in fact Keyboardist Josh Seckman jokingly described it as being GENRE-lized!  For them it doesn’t warrant the creative freedom that they’ve been working towards for the past year, but Kilroy Kobra seem determined to overcome that struggle in whatever way possible, personally I can’t wait to see what that looks like. These have an awesome EP and film out called Man of The World, so be sure to give it a listen (and a watch). Also don’t be stranger, send the band some love on social media!

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