Mod Sun’s “God Save The Teen” tour comes home to Minneapolis ft. Pardyalone & Stand Atlantic | Review + Photos

March 13, 2023 Leave a comment

Date: March 4th, 2023 Venue: First Avenue

Even with the chill in the air, March 4th was a beautiful day in Minneapolis.  Along with the chill, you could feel the excitement exuding from the fans making their way into First Avenue.  There was a lot to be excited about.  This was a Sold-Out hometown show for Mod Sun. The crowd was all ages and was a perfect mix of recent fans attending their first concert and longtime fans who have been following and attending Mod’s shows for 10+ years.

           Pardyalone, who also calls Minnesota home, opened the show.   I had not heard of him before this tour. His performance did not disappoint and I fell in love with his unique sound immediately.  He played six songs and sang his heart out and I really loved how often he made connections with the audience during his set.  Mod Sun said later in the show that Pardyalone is the next big thing-and I am inclined to agree with him.  He just dropped a new song and video on March 6th “Alone” ft. Travis Barker. You can check it out here.

            Next was the Australian pop/punk band, Stand Atlantic.  The female fronted quartet had the crowd hyped up and bouncing their whole set.  I had heard of Stand Atlantic in the past because of Warped Tour, but didn’t get a chance to really listen to their music until recently.  I regret not making time to really listen to it sooner, because it’s just so fun to listen to and their live show was amazing!  It was impossible not to bounce around or dance to every single song.  They’re now a staple in a few of my playlists.

            While the energy was already high, it was like an explosion when Mod Sun hit the stage.  His whole set was mostly songs from his 2 most recent albums, God Save The Teen and Internet Killed the Rockstar.  His setlist was uniquely emotional, from love songs like Eyelids and Avril’s Song (tonight it was Minneapolis’ song) to throwbacks to some of his older songs and his cover of Iris (originally by the Goo Goo Dolls). And we can’t leave out the breakup/bad relationship songs, Stay Away and Karma.  I think the most touching moment for me was when he brought his mom up on stage to dedicate and sing her the song “Single Mothers” which is a song off of God Save the Teen that he wrote just for her.  I don’t think there was a dry eye left in the house by the end of the song.  

 Before playing “Battle Scars”, Mod had a few raw, intimate words to say. (TW: Drug use / addiction)

“…I’m standing here before you now, 3 years, 9 months and 14 days without putting drugs in my body.  …. 90% of the shows that I’ve played I don’t even remember because I used to get so fucked up on stage.  But I want you to know, right now, tonight, I am 100% present with you Minnesota, and I will never forget this night.

If anyone in this room is dealing with something similar to me, whether it’s drugs, alcohol, any kind of addiction…maybe it’s anxiety, maybe it’s depression, maybe sometimes you have a negative-ass voice inside of your head when you wake up in the morning that tells you, ‘Stay asleep, fuck the world, you don’t gotta do shit…’ I just want you to know right now … It’s a crazy world outside those doors, but when we are inside this building, inside these walls together, I know one thing for sure…We are all EXACTLY where we are supposed to be tonight.”

            If you are a local or familiar with First Avenue, you may already know why selling out a show at this venue is extra exciting.  If you don’t, let me enlighten you. When an artist sells out a show at First Avenue, they get their name on a star on the side of the building.  Getting one of those stars has been a dream for Mod for years. And now he’s got one.  Although I’ve been to a lot of concerts at First Ave, I haven’t been to any that sold out and that was really cool to experience and I will remember the words he said to the crowd to end the night:

“We officially sold out First Avenue, Minneapolis…I will never, EVER forget tonight.”

Photos and review courtesy of Acacia Marie

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Mod Sun on tour NOW | God Save The Teen Tour ft Stand Atlantic & Pardy Alone

March 3, 2023 Leave a comment

Purchase tickets here

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All 4 Nothing Tour 2022 | Photo Gallery + Review

September 17, 2022 Leave a comment

9/6/2022

Lauv’s popularity has been on an upward trajectory over the past few years. He had a few hit singles in the late 2010s before releasing his debut LP in spring of 2020. Two years on from that release, he has dropped his sophomore LP, “All 4 Nothing.” The summer and fall of this year brought a tour in support of those two releases. It was his first tour in over two years, as well as the first concert I’d photographed in that time, and what a phenomenal comeback it was in both aspects.

Up first was Chicago-based musician David Kushner. The musician rose in popularity over the last several months after snippets from two of his songs went viral on TikTok. The set started with “Burn,” followed by one of the two aforementioned viral songs, “Miserable Man.” For his third song, he switched things up a bit by playing a more recent track, “Look Back & Laugh.” At the time, the track was unreleased, giving the concertgoers a taste of his debut EP, “Footprints I Found.” He closed the set out strongly with what is arguably his most popular song, “Mr. Forgettable.” Kushner is a very talented vocalist and musician who writes very poignant music, and his performance moved the crowd.

On this particular night, he also happened to be celebrating his 22nd birthday. In the middle of the set, people came out on stage with a sign alerting the crowd that they should sing “Happy Birthday” to him, although the crowd had already gotten a jump start on that just a moment prior.

Next up was Hayley Kiyoko, who brought tons of energy to the stage right from the get-go. She was constantly moving and jumping around, especially in the first few songs of her set, and the many fans in the crowd sang along to previous hits and tracks from her newly-released album “Panorama.” The setlist was primarily comprised of more recent tracks, with six out of the eight songs being from that album. The other two were some earlier hits of hers – “Curious,” from her first full-length album, and “Girls Like Girls,” which she concluded the set with, and at which point she waved pride flags handed to her by fans in the audience.

Finally, at 9:30 P.M., the lights once again dimmed and Lauv’s set began. As fog filled the stage, Lauv began playing “26,” the opening track to his new album. About halfway through the song, the spotlight turned towards him. He continued with another single from that album, “Kids Are Born Stars,” before deciding to turn back in time and play a couple of much older tracks of his, “Paris In The Rain” and “Chasing Fire.”

Lauv has always been open about his experiences with mental health, and he took a moment to tell his story to the crowd and promote his new guided meditation before playing “Modern Loneliness,” one of my favorite songs of his. Another highlight of the set was when he played the reflective “Hey Ari,” a song that shows him checking in with himself and looking back on the progress he’s made. Part of what made this part of the set particularly special is that, during the chorus, the crowd asked the question that becomes the main hook of the song: “Hey Ari, are you happy?”

Since this tour was in support of two albums, the majority of his set consisted of those songs and contained a pretty even split of tracks from “All 4 Nothing” (such as “Molly In Mexico,” “Bad Trip,” “Stranger,” and “Stay Together”) and tracks from “how i’m feeling” (including “Tattoos Together,” “Who,” “Lonely Eyes,” “i’m so tired,” and “Drugs & The Internet”). The 23-song set concluded with one of the songs that jumpstarted his career in the first place, “I Like Me Better.”

Each artist on the lineup put on an engaging live show, and it was a great night all around.

Photo gallery + review by Megan Langley

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Sleeping With Sirens w/ Don Broco, Point North, & Garzi | CTRL-ALT-DEL Tour | Photos | 8/4/22

August 18, 2022 Leave a comment

Garzi

Point North

Don Broco

Sleeping With Sirens

Photos courtesy of Jamie Kaufman | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

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Trinity of Terror Tour 2022

April 23, 2022 Leave a comment

April 16, 2022 | The Fillmore Philadelphia, PA

I’m starting this review with the obvious, I am very very lucky. Post covid life for photographers has been pure insanity. I’ve been denied more shows this year than any other in my 4 years of shooting shows. So being able to shoot such a monumental tour for the metal scene, I am beyond grateful. Obviously, this tour was absolutely a treat for me to shoot. I had more fun than ever, made tons of new friends, and was brought back to my days as a teenager with angst in my heart and eyeliner smudged on my face. Let’s recap one of the best nights of my emo kid life. 

Lilith Czar was definitely the artist most unfamiliar to me. I definitely had to jam her album in my two hour car ride, but despite how amazing it was, nothing beat seeing her perform in person. Apart from being stunningly beautiful, she was absolutely radiant on the stage. She was meant to be up there. Despite not bringing any rowdiness to the crowd, everyone was entranced watching her. Her entire band was outstanding, the rock music blended with witchy charm, making everyone in the crowd feel like they could conquer the world. I am definitely looking forward to some of the tour bills she is on in the coming months, as I am eager to see her perform again.  

Every elder-emo knows Black Veil Brides. The scene veterans still absolutely rule even after almost a decade. I found myself singing along to songs I forgot I knew every word to. The band was a very important part of my life and where I am now, as they were my introduction to the scene. And it’s always amazing to see the opener making the crowd wound up. While their music isn’t quite the same as the metalcore that makes people ready to mosh, the fans still made sure to keep the crowd moving. I cannot stress the overwhelming talent of both Jake and Jinxx, arguably the best guitarists in the scene to this day, CC and his outstanding drumming, and of course, the frontman of legend, Andy. Years later, and they still put on one of the best shows to watch live. 

At this point in my professional career, my love of Ice Nine Kills is no secret. And I can’t bring into words how much I absolutely adore this band. So I’ll let my friend’s words sum it up. I took him to his first Ice Nine Show this year, and as soon as we left the venue, he looks at me and says, “ When you said horror metal, I was expecting The Misfits, and you just showed me fucking Rammstein.” And he’s right. Ice Nine is always larger than life. I had a good laugh with a fellow photographer, who had never shot the band before. She expressed how she’s never seen such an insane act in front of her. And I agree. They are forever unmatched in the energy, presence, and entertainment value. The somewhat tame crowd came alive and almost feral as the first chords rang out through the Fillmore. Ricky and Joe are both incredible support vocally for the always outstanding Spencer. Chris is a magician on guitar, and Patrick’s bone shaking drumming is the perfect bow on top of the absolute gift of a show the band always provides. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t counting the days until I get to see them again. 

I was raised in the 570. Motionless in White are something of hometown heroes for me and many others. Philadelphia always ends up being a welcome home show for them, and that usually makes it the craziest show you will ever attend. Even down a man on stage, Motionless in White will never disappoint. I have to give huge credit to their photographer Bryce, as he created one of the most beautiful stage shows I’ve ever seen with LED screens and visuals. It was a treat to be able to take photos of it. I’ve been following Motionless around for years, and they quite literally just get better every time I see them. They have an amazing, natural way of making the entire crowd feel like they’re hanging out with their best friends. They also have a way of making a crowd go feral, and that’s sometimes a photographer’s nightmare. But dodging crowd surfers is worth seeing an entire room of people like me have an amazing time at a concert. Their setlist was packed full of heavy hitters that even the most casual of fans could scream along to. The entire band are outstanding performers, and you can see the joy in their faces while they do so. 

This tour was a really special thing for me, and a lot of people. I truthfully don’t think I will ever have this much fun at a show again. I’m always grateful I get to work with such amazing artists, and am beyond thankful for all the amazing photographers I met that night. I will always be chasing nights like this night I had in Philadelphia. 

  Photos + review courtesy of Emily Sulkowski

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Thoughtz & Prayerz Across America Tour 2022

April 4, 2022 Leave a comment

March 30, 2022, Denver, CO

After announcing their first ever headlining tour, Heart Attack Man set out in early March with Covey, Arm’s Length, and Blood Root. They played at HQ in Denver, Colorado on March 30th, 2022. The bands arrived early to play rounds of cornhole at the venue with the fans before entering the venue. 

Starting off the night were the Nashville, TN locals, Blood Root. The lights were dark and blue, setting an intimate vibe as the fans were still filling inside of the venue. Playing songs off their most recent EP Crux, they played “O.H.E.” with meaningful lyrics and a soft vibe. Picking up the tempo a bit more, they played “Self-Medicating on a Weekday” the fans were more captured by the music. As the set went on, more fans arrived and was clear that the music from Blood Root was enjoyable and relaxing. 

Setlist: 

  1. O.H.E. 
  2. Self-Medicate
  3. Start A Fire
  4. Teeth 
  5. Tether
  6. Your Girl 
  7. Conversations 

Next up was Arm’s Length from Ontatio. I haven’t listened to them before but was presently surprised with their set that night. The tempo picked up more during their set with “Safer Skin” and the fans moved more and sang along. They played more songs off of their recent EP from last year, “Everything Nice,” with a mix of between emo and pop-punk, the wistful guitar interplays and poetic pretensions. Finishing off their set, they surprised the crowd with playing a cover of Taylor Swift’s “Mine.” 

Setlist: 

  1. Object Permanence 
  2. Safer Skin
  3. No Sleep/Blank Slate/Eve
  4. Gallows Humor
  5. Watercolour 
  6. Garamond 
  7. Mine (Taylor Swift cover)

Would you believe it if I said that Covey has over 1.4 million followers on TikTok? Neither would have I if I hadn’t looked it up myself. It’s not everyday that you see bands promoting themselves on social media in a way that benefits them in the best ways possible. Covey came out and played the most interesting set I’ve seen, and in a good way. They played “Sam Jam” which started off slow and melodic but was taken off guard at the end when fans were singing “F*ck that guy, I hope he’s dead.” At one point, I remember him chanting something about teeth and looking around as others were just as confused as I was. During the last song, they had everyone get on the stage with them singing along and dancing as they finished their set. 

The infamous Heart Attack Man was next and was most excited to see them as they’re one of my favorite bands these days. I heard and saw pictures on twitter of Eric coming out into the crowd on a tricycle and doing tricks before getting on stage and that was just the case.  It wouldn’t be right if they started off the set without playing “Puke” to get the energy up even higher. People were pushing, singing, and even two stepping. They played songs off their latest EP “Thoughtz & Prayerz” hence the name of the tour. After a few songs in, Eric asked if anyone had a birthday that night in the crowd and sadly there were none, but that didn’t stop them from playing “Old Enough 2 Die.” I was hoping they would play older songs from “Fake Blood” and they did. I caught myself singing along as they played “Crisis Actor,” probably one of my favorite songs off that album. The crowd was wild the entire night, with people crowd surfing left and right and even Eric himself as well. Finishing off the night, they ended with “Leap Year” as more people ended up on stage with them to jump into the crowd and sing into the microphone with them. 

Setlist: 

  1. Puke
  2. Low Hanging Fruit
  3. Sugar Coated 
  4. Out for Blood
  5. Old Enough 2 Die
  6. Boring
  7. Crisis Actor
  8. Blood Orange Sun
  9. Life Sucks
  10. Cool 2 Me 
  11. Thoughtz & Prayerz 
  12. Blood Blister
  13. Rats in a Bucket
  14. Cut My Losses 
  15. Fake Blood
  16. Bitch Black 
  17. Leap Year