Emika ft Fifi Rong & Geiste live at The 100 Club

Emika’s show at The 100 Club by Tottenham Court Road was a cosy affair with a friendly, welcoming vibe. The club had chairs for audience members sitting by the side of the stage and everyone was very relaxed. The first support act, Geiste, reminded me of a younger Ellie Goulding in her style and the way that she jumped around onstage. She looked like a fairy onstage and made a lot of effort to talk to the audience and get everyone involved. She was essentially one-man band, singing while simultaneously controlling her complicated-looking equipment, including a loop pedal, creating a synthy electronic sound. At the end of her performance she excitedly jumped into the crowd to hug her friends who had come to support her.

 

The second support act was Fifi Rong, a Chinese-British alternative singer with amazing fashion sense and a beautiful face. Her strong, haunting vocals were combined with expressive dance moves that matched the vibe created by the lights and electronic backing music. She sang in both Chinese and English (I understand a bit of Chinese and realised that in one of her songs she was repeating the names of the colours over and over again – it sounded great!). She totally captivated the entire audience and I would happily watch her perform again.

Finally, Emika came onstage to play her keyboard and give us more electronic synthy vibes but this time with a bit more bass and finesse. She opened with an incredible cover of Wicked Games by Chris Isaak, an already atmospheric song made even more impactful with her use of instruments and breathy, wispy voice. Strobe lights flickered throughout most of Emika’s performance, making for a trippy experience. She would sometimes quickly wave her hand between her mouth and the microphone while singing, creating the same kind of sound that you experience when listening to music through headphones and the sound flits from left to right. She was awesome. Very masterful over her craft. And the audience loved it all.

Overall, a very strong performance from three talented women making strides in electronic, alternative music. I’m glad I got to experience it all in a small venue for maximum impact.

Photos & Review courtesy of India-Mae AlbyInstagramTwitter

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The Octane Accelerator Tour 2019 | Photos + Review

Horror is a word that you either love or hate. The idea of movies filled with slashers and monsters can be frightening to some. But nothing is as beautifully scary as an Ice Nine Kills show. 

I attended their last date of tour at Webster Hall. A sold out room of 1,500 horror lovers like myself has been the norm on this most recent tour, almost every single date selling out. And after seeing this most recent show, I have a feeling bigger, more sold out shows are on the wall. I have seen Ice Nine around 10 times in the past 3 years, and this most recently tour solidified their place in the metal scene. The opening bands packed a punch, and the headliner terrified the crowd in the best way possible. 

Awake At Last is a band every INK fan knows, they’ve opened for them time and time again, and Spencer is featured on their track The Change. They have a bright future, everyone in the crowd seeking to mow know the words to their songs. A frontman constantly preaching positivity, the entire band having high energy around them, it’s hard to watch and not enjoy them. 

 

Light The Torch got the warmest welcome I’ve seen for an opening band. Hailing from LA, the metal band has made a mark on the NYC music crowd. Not overly heavy, but filthy enough to make you bang your head, the feeling of the bass going through your bones is enough to get anyone just a little wound up. 

Fit For A King are veterans in the scene, but that doesn’t make watching them any less fun. Year after year, their sets pack a punch. Crowdsurfer after crowdsurfer was thrown up, breakdowns caused the crowd to move in on chaotic unison. Ryan Kirby can work a crowd with his words, and destroy one with his vocals. Watching them never gets old, and their upcoming headliner will hit harder than anything they’ve done before. 

I have seen Ice Nine Kills 10 times. And I couldn’t get bored seeing them another 10. This headliner was something special, they were the stars of their production. Hearing horror movie intro before a song begins possesses the crowd in such a way, it’s scary. Opening with Thank God It’s Friday, the show was off to a strong start. All 5 members are done up in costumes (Done by on tour artist Shevy) and frontman Spencer Charnas has a costume change nearly every song. Their setlist was full of scary new material, songs from Every Trick in the Book, a cover of Michael Jackson’s “ Thriller “ and a song from The Predator Becomes The Prey for old school fans like myself. Watching INK is a treat, regardless if you like them or not. Their production is so stunning, entertaining, and just makes you want to go insane. There’s nothing that makes someone wanna crowdsurf more than hearing Dr. Loomis’ speech before Stabbing In The Dark kicks in. Any horror and metal lover should do them a favor and go see all 4 bands on this bill. This was by far one of the most entertaining and high energy shows I’ve ever attended and had the pleasure of shooting. 

Ice Nine Kills Photos (here)  | Photos courtesy of Emily Sulkowski

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Interview w RevelRelations artist K.Fox

How did you get into music, and what made you want to pursue a career in this industry.

My parents were the ones to first pass me a love of music. My dad played guitar which is initially what started my interest in playing music. Around high school my friends started listening to a lot of electronic music and I was fascinated with how these EDM producers were making these loud, absurd noises with computers, so I began teaching myself electronic production. I’ve been writing different styles of music since then. Music has been the one consistent skill that I have had a drive and passion for, so it’s hard to imagine pursuing any other kind of career.

Are you currently making new music ? If so , we can we expect a sneak peak or release ?

I am working on new music! I’m looking to at least have a new single out by January, so expect to see some teasers and promos in December

 An artist you would like to collab, and or tour with ?

 The dream collab would be with Omar Apollo. He’s an incredibly talented, young musician who I expect to be blowing up very soon. He can write such a catchy tune and I’d love to sit in and jam with him.

How would you describe your genre of music ?

Indie pop. I have a long list of inspirations–from hip-hop to folk artists–that I pull from while writing, but being a pop artist allows me to be almost genre-less. I’ve always enjoyed exploring different styles, so I always tell my listeners to never expect the same thing twice.

For anyone  that hasn’t heard of you before what song would you recommend the listen to first ? why?

 “Hello” is one of my favorites. It’s fun and catchy, and I think the lyrics contain material anyone can connect with.

What is  the story behind your artist name?

My artists name came from a work nickname! There were two Kevin’s at my last job, so to make the distinction one of my managers started calling me K Fox. I was kind of like “Huh, that would make a pretty sweet artist name.” It’s a concise, easy-to-remember name that still feels personal without having to use my full name. And unlike my last project KMPLT (pronounced “complete”) it requires very little explanation for pronunciation and spelling!

What’s your biggest accomplishment as a artist so far ?

 Making connections with talented people through my own creations. There will always be more shows, bigger crowds and more playlists to have your music heard on, but I’ve been privileged enough to meet some incredible artists and people in Portland that have inspired me and taught me new ideas that I’ve carried since meeting them. Gabe Fleck and Pat Kanji are two artists that saw a talent in me before I really believed in it, and I’ve worked with them extensively over the last two years. Very recently I started working with Jame Doe, another incredibly hardworking, talented artist from Portland, and I’m excited to see what happens from this collaboration.

What is something you are passionate about aside from music ?

I love running. I ran two half marathons last year and I’m currently in the process of training for another. I know that sounds absolutely awful to most people, but long runs are honestly one of the best feelings ever. It blows off stress and nerves, and it’s a great opportunity to have time alone to reflect and set my mind straight. It quite literally keeps me sane.

what has the feedback been like for your newest release ?

The feedback for 5900: SUMMER has been unbelievable. I’ve had friends showing me my music rather than me showing them my music. It’s a work I’m proud of and have no issue showing or sending to new listeners  It’s my first true dive into songwriting and singing, so to hear such positive feedback has motivated me to keep creating more music like that and improve upon my songwriting.

If someone who is reading this is going through a rough patch right now, what would you say to make them smile ?

Focus on what you have, not what you don’t. Focus on the parts of your life you can control, because it will eventually impact what you cannot. In my experience, and this is not everyone’s experience, I believe you are in control of your own happiness. Events outside of your control act to control your happiness, but it’s up to you (with extra help from a therapist if you need or can!) to find what makes you happy. It can be a long journey, but even doing one thing per day to make you happy can have a huge impact.

What are some big differences between the EDM music and r&b/pop music? What made you switch genres?

EDM music is formulaic and straightforward, so I just got bored of it. The same could be argued for pop music, but after spending years making EDM there never felt like there is anything new to say. With pop music, there’s always a new story to tell. I love that I can put a feeling into words and then into a song that people can relate with. To put it shortly, I started making pop because I wanted to connect with people.

Photos by Zac Oser

Interview by Cristine Trimarco 

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Wasting Moonlight – ” No Surprise ” | Music video review

Just over a month ago Wasting Moonlight released their music video for their song “No Surprise” off of their forthcoming album “Honestly, I’m just Angry”, out December 21st. We enjoyed the live-show feel the music video gave off, the lights added beautiful colors which made it visually pleasing. After about 1:23 in bruises, and blood begin to appear on the band members faces. After discussing the video for a bit, Mandy and I came to the mutual decision that this was a visual representation of mental struggling, or perhaps they didn’t help someone who was struggling. Combined with the lyrics and the visuals that is how it comes across to our eyes. The song flows smoothly, vocals and instruments all in tune. The only thing we would change if possible would be to have recorded certain shots at a slower pace, it made us a bit dizzy!

Be sure to watch the music video below

Review courtesy ofCristine Trimarco + Amanda Spring

All-In Moment’s self-titled album “All-In Moment” – Album Review

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Photo courtesy of Crisitne Trimarco

All-In Moment is a 4- piece hard rock/ metal band from Staten Island New, York. The band consists of vocalist Chris Scott, guitarist David Cohen, bassist Luke Lewis, and drummer Daniel Luczak.
Recently they released their self-titled album “All -In Moment” which you can listen to here

The album opens with “Before The Bomb Drops “, which in my opinion was a great choice due to the instrumental fast paced opening, as well as the breakdown that for sure would make anyone want to mosh the second they hear it.

Next up is “Haunt Me “, the vocals are my favorite part of this song, as well as the lyrics. I caught myself singing “haunt me in my dreams but I’ll be alright “ after listening. I enjoy how the vocals fade out, and the instruments end the song
Following Haunt Me, is “Unstoppable”, introducing some screams to this album at the perfect time. To feel unstoppable is to feel powerful. This song, with its fast-paced beat is catchy for sure.
The last song I will be reviewing, and my favorite song on the album is “From Chaos Comes Clarity” , the lyrics “ sometimes we all gotta fall, to find ourselves, from chaos comes clarity” are really important, and true with-in my own personal experiences. I feel many new listeners will related to this song, and they should give it a listen.
My team member Ashley, will be reviewing the second half of the album below,

Song # 5 off of “All-In Moment” is called “For You.” I’m not entirely sure who write the lyrics to this song, but whoever it was loves the person they sing about. They’d do anything for the one they sing about. It’s a heart warming song off a badass album! It picks up heavily at the end as well to keep the flow of the album.

Moving into song #6 “Refuse the Call”. This is song starts off hard and if I was seeing them live, there’d be a mosh pit within the first 30 seconds which I love. The lead guitar line is driving and I love the drums in this song!

“Oblivion” takes track 7. And out of the four I have reviewed, my personal favorite. It’s a headbanger for sure. It has a great pop punk feel to it, but still keeps that hard driving sound All-in Moment has. The breakdown has these dueling guitars which is one of my favorite things a band could do!

Closing out the self titled album is “Not that Far Away.” I honestly dig his style of singing because it reminds me of 90s grunge music, and who doesn’t appreciate that. This song rips. From the heavy flow of guitars, banging drums, and a sick bass line.

All in all I’d review this album a 6 out of 10! I’ve spent 13 years in and out of studio sessions. So in my opinion, the vocals could have been mixed a little bit more post production. Really rad band! Be sure to check them out, social media listed below.

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Photo courtesy of Cristine Trimarco

Review courtesy of Cristine Trimarco  & Ashley Grace

All-In Moment: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify 

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Artist Alert – Raul Del Moral

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Raul Del Moral is a bilingual singer and talented guitarist whose genre influences include reggaeton, acoustic and folk. ‘Quedate Conmigo’ is definitely a club tune and is easy to dance to. The verses are sung in Spanish and the chorus in English, making it easy to remember. The accordion sound in the background is very distinctive. It’s definitely my favourite of his Spotify selection. Campeón is made up of guitars and trumpets and has a strong beat throughout. I loved the trumpet fadeout at the end. It was all in Spanish so I had no idea what the song was about but it sounded really good! The third solo song, Where is My Home? has a very different sound and feel. It tells a story about Del Moral unwillingly leaving his home and questioning where he now belongs in the world. The lyrics emphasize his feeling of displacement. The sprawling electric guitar solo that begins a couple of minutes into the seven minute song and lasts nearly as long as the remainder of the song is moving.

Courtesy of India-Mae Alby

You can follow Raul on all his socials – Spotify  | Instagram| Website

Jame Doe’s ” Garden w/ no Water” | Review

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Portland OR artist Jame Doe recently released his song “ Garden w/ no water”. You can listen on spotify. This song starts with a catchy tune mixed with the sound of dripping water. Which is a great example of the genres definitions. Electro- pop is defined as a pop music with electronically produce sounds. It isn’t something I hear every day, but it’s good change. I’m new to the electro-pop genre, but happy to have been introduced to it. With a memorable chorus, you’ll catch yourself humming along towards the end of the song. Everything about this song flows so clearly, you can tell it was professionally produced. The vocals are calm but make you want to dance. The high notes are just wonderful. Jame is passionate, and it shows through his art. I am a fan of his unique style choices, dressing in outfits I don’t often see on stage. A stage is for a show, with his music and wardrobe it is just that, so keep at it Jame. Be YOU.

Review by Cristine Trimarco

You can keep up with Jame here : Spotify |Facebook |Instagram |Website |Youtube

 

Like Moths To Flames’ “Where The Light Refuses To Go.”- Album Review

Like Moths To Flames have been apart of the post-hardcore scene for quite awhile, though I personally first got into them in 2017 when they released “Nowhere Left To Sink,” and their album that followed, “Dark Divine,” which I also enjoyed. Over the past couple of months, the band has released a trilogy of singles, which make up their most recent release, an EP titled “Where The Light Refuses To Go.”

“All That You Lost” quickly foreshadows some of what’s to come on the rest of the EP through the darker and mostly heavier intro, where the lead guitar really stands out. The verses are pretty heavy as well, where very energetic instrumentals drive the rhythm and the heavier vocals really get to shine, and the bass shows off before and during the breakdown later on in the check. The choruses in between are a lot more melodic, and the melodies are catchy, yet also darker. This fits perfectly with the overall vibe that this track has and makes this chorus as a whole a bit different from those on the other choruses later on in the EP. “Smoke And Mirrors” is a Little Bit slower compared to the opener, and contrasts a lot to begin with. The more melodic vocals in the verses show a ton of emotion, and the screamed vocals blend with those very well. The heavier sections bring a ton of energy, and so does the huge and very memorable chorus, which is one of the best on the EP. Closing out this EP is “Into The Black,” which mixes some synths with the heavier instrumentals in the darker, riff-heavy intro. The more melodic verses bring some softer vocals and give the instrumentation more room to shine, especially the bass and drums. The pre-chorus is a bit reminiscent of the intro, being a lot heavier instrumentally (and also vocally), and it leads up to yet another very catchy chorus that’s upbeat and a really fun one to listen to. The bridge mixes clean and screamed vocals, both of which deliver an emotional performance, especially the clean vocals that finish out the song and the EP, which really impressed and stood out to me on first listen.

On “Where The Light Refuses To Go,” Like Moths To Flames bring a perfect balance of aggression and melody and continue to perfect their post-hardcore sound.

Review by Megan Langley | Instagram

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“Pressure” by Wage War out NOW!

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One of many bands in the metal-core scene who has continued to evolve their sound is Ocala, Florida based Wage War, from their debut “Blueprints,” which showcases the heaviest aspects of the band’s sound to their sophomore effort “Deadweight,” which incorporated some more melodic elements into their metalcore and post-hardcore influenced sound. However, the band’s third LP, “Pressure,” seems to show the evolution of Wage War’s sound the most, as they include elements from past material while also trying out some new styles.

Wage War really experimented with their sound on this record, with quite a few of these songs showing influences of rock and post-hardcore. “Grave” and “Take The Fight” show off Briton Bond’s singing skills through some very raw and passionate performances, “The Line” brings a lot of energy and a bit of aggression through the instrumentals accompanying a mostly melodic vocal performance, and the closing track “Will We Ever Learn” brings some dynamic instrumentals and powerful vocals through both heavier and more melodic performances.

Although the band did experiment quite a bit with this record, there are still quite a few moments on here that are reminiscent of their older material. “Low” is easily the heaviest out of all the singles, “Ghost” brings a ton of energy through the instrumentation and one of the heaviest breakdowns on the record, and “Fury” is one of the most aggressive songs all around, from the vocals to the instrumentals. Two of the singles (and two of my favorites on the album), “Who I Am” and “Prison,” both show off the band’s post-hardcore and metalcore influences with the balance of heavier and more melodic sections. A few of these songs take influence from the more melodic elements found on the band’s previous record, “Deadweight.” “Me Against Myself” has extremely catchy melodies from start to finish and is one of the most memorable songs on the record, “Forget My Name” is just as memorable and even shows some slight alternative rock and pop punk influences in the equally as catchy guitar work, and “Hurt” is a lot slower compared to a lot of these other songs and is a very raw, emotional ballad with a huge chorus.

While Wage War’s album is certainly a little bit different from their previous two LPs, I enjoyed the amount of variety and experimentation on it, and really like the different sounds and styles they experimented with. It not only shows new sides to the band’s sound, but also shows what they are capable of.

Review courtesy of Megan Langley | Instagram

Vans Warped Tour – 25th Anniversary Review

When Founder Kevin Lyman announced last year that 2019 would be the end of Warped Tour (that we know of), fans of all ages, eras, and locations made the decision to flock to one of the three 25th Anniversary events .Located at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Ohio, Atlantic City Beach in NJ, and the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA. I had the pleasure of traveling all the way from Massachusetts to go to Mountain View for the very last days of Warped and the experience was one for the books.

Even before the doors opened you could feel the energy of the other concert goers. The line wrapped around the venue and everyone was giddy to get inside, look at the inflatable set times one last time and experience the magic that is Warped Tour. Both days were memorable and days that everyone that attended will treasure for life.

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DAY ONE

Bright eyed and bushy tailed fans flooded the gates on July 20 for the first day of Warped. There were five stages, three built stages in the parking lot and the amphitheater stage which was split down the middle to create two mini stages.

Plague Vendor kicked off the day on the Monster Energy Stage, setting the scene for how wild the weekend was going to be. After starting off on the stage for a few minutes, lead singer Brandon Blaine climbed over the barricade and made his way into the middle of the crowd. Blaine had the crowd hyped while the band rocked out on stage. At once point Blaine even picked up a young boy who was having fun in the crowd and carried him around for part of the song.

We The Kings absolutely lit up the main stage, bringing back hits from their early years like Check Yes Juliet and Say You Like Me as well as incorporating new jams such as I Feel Alive. Lead singer Travis took time out of the set to thank his bandmates, the crowd and Kevin Lyman for keeping Warped Tour alive for as long as he did. Hands down it was one of the best sets of the day.

Silent Planet started their set with a member of the non-profit Hope for a Day coming out and speaking to the crowd, which I thought was an amazing thing to do. Lead vocalist Garrett delivered powerful vocals and the entire bands’ stage presence was amazing. The crowd was having an equally fantastic time and at one point Garrett climbed the barricade, holding hands with fans and held the microphone out to an enthusiastic crowd surfer to sing the next line of one of the songs. If you haven’t seen Silent Planet, I highly suggest you do so.

The most memorable and all around fantastic in every way sets were Simple Plan and The Offspring who closed out the day on a high note. Both bands absolutely shredded the stage and put their heart into each and every song they performed. Seeing two iconic bands work the stage of Warped Tour one last time was the best way Warped could have decided to end the night.

DAY TWO

Juliet Simms took over the Black Craft stage and performed her heart out while husband Andy Black stood on the sidelines watching with admiration. Simms showed off her vocal range and flexibility with a great mix of her songs, one of them being the ballad she wrote for her husband. Clad in a blue jean jumpsuit and heels, Simms put on a fantastic set.

Rapper Whitney Peyton exploded on the stage, bright blue hair catching your eye. Peyton was one of the most interactive artists I’ve seen, especially so on the stage. Her lyrics and beats were catchy and her vocals were clean and crisp. At one point, Peyton brought out a pineapple pinata and had the crowd absolutely demolish it in a mosh pit before closing out her set while crowd surfing atop a pool inflatable. Definitely catch Whitney Peyton at one of her shows if you get the chance!

The fabulous four piece rock group Doll Skin, compiled of four badass females, was incredibly high energy. Each member captivated the crowd in their own way, especially lead singer Sydney who’s sharp vocals and ever changing expressions made the set even more fun to watch. I had the honor of meeting them after their set and the ladies of Doll Skin are without a doubt some of the sweetest and most down to earth people I’ve met.

The most thrilling set of the day goes to Yungblud who exploded on the stage in a black silk dress along with his signature pink socks. Never once during the set did the energy level die down, either by the crowd or by the man himself. Throwing out a couple of provocative sensual moves here and there, including thrusting against his guitar, Yungblud performed hit after hit. The crowd shocker was when rapper Machine Gun Kelly joined him onstage as a special surprise guest to perform their song “I Think I’m Okay.” The pair got the crowd more hyped than I thought was possible and crowd surfed over to the Monster Energy viewing platform, making it the most memorable “official” set.

Though not officially a set, the most special part of the night took place at the very end of the day when band NOFX ended up running late and fellow artists flocked to the stage to put on an impromptu performance of some of NOFX’s songs. Among the artists who kept the crowd entertained while waiting for the band to arrive were Sum 41, John Feldmann of Gold Finger, Hyro the Hero and Yungblud, along with numerous other artists who felt like joining the party. Watching the artists perform together to really showed how Warped Tour brought together so many people of different backgrounds to one common place for one common passion–music. Spontaneity like what the artists did to fill the time is something that I, along with fellow Warped Tour goers will miss dearly and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that one day they’ll surprise us with another Warped Tour event.

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Review courtesy of Linette Wainwright | Twitter & Instagram  

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