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POP SUICIDE @ Wall St. Plaza
Ah, music festivals…it seems as though every time I work or assist at a
festival on one day everything seems to go wrong or at least not as planned.
Tonight was that night for me. First, I was running late so I missed the first
band I had intended to photograph. Also, as I was getting my camera bag out of
my car I carelessly shut the door before realizing that my keys were still in
the ignition. Thank everything good in the world for my new friend Ron who was
kind enough to bring me my spare keys later in the night. He was officially my
hero for the night. Needless to say, I was in a foul mood.
As soon as I entered Wall St. blaring guitars hit my ears and almost
instantly brightened my mood. Walking up to the stage I had no idea what band
was performing, but I knew I wanted to photograph them. The music was perfect
for helping me release the recent tension I had found earlier. I was pleasantly
surprised with this band and very lucky that Wall St. was running behind
schedule so I could catch them. They were extremely energetic, it seemed to
radiate off the stage. The guitarists jumped around the stage and even had a
‘stare down’ with each other. I’m still trying to decipher who won. I later
found out that the band was Pop Suicide. I’m going to try to make it to their
next show at The Haven on May 23.
Travisjames and the Truth @ Wall St. Plaza
After settling down from my boisterous Pop Suicide experience, I headed to
the other stage at Wall St. Travisjames and the Truth took the stage and a
mellow vibe was given off as they began their set. Their songs started out slow,
but they progressively began playing more fast-paced songs. All in all, it was a
good show. They had their own unique stage presence.
Willtown @ Wall St. Plaza
Still sticking to Wall St. I caught Willtown performing. They seemed to
have a quiet intensity that I found myself drawn to as they played. The band
didn’t exude an extreme energy, yet there was still something that caught my
eye. It felt like these were guys you could hang out with and just listen to
them jam all the time. My personal favorite from their set was
“California”.
No Circus @ Wall St. Plaza
No Circus, need I say more. It is definitely not a secret how much I adore
these guys. The first time I saw them was at last years FMF. I was instantly
blown away and they were my favorites of the entire festival. I was lucky enough
to have the opportunity to see them at the Anti-pop Festival as well. These guys
are incredibly talented and I hope they continue to play all of the festivals
for years to come. I don’t know how it’s possible, but they seem to get better
every time I see them.
Breathe the Sky @ AKA Lounge
This was another band that I thought stood out while I was researching for
the festival. I was so eager to see them and they put on a great show. They
project an immense amount of energy while performing and also make good use of
the entire stage. “Christine” has quickly become one of my favorite songs and
Breathe the Sky is my newest addiction. I only wish more people could have seen
them. I can’t wait to have a chance to photograph them again!
“Surprise Showcase” Between the Trees @ The Social
Walking to The Social for the “Surprise Showcase”, I honestly had no clue
what to expect. When I entered, there sat Between the Trees ready to play an
acoustic set. It was refreshing to watch them give an acoustic performance.
There was a fairly large crowd gathered and they sang along with the band as
they played. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to stick around for the whole set, but
what I did see was amazing.
Lonely Heroes @ Wall St. Plaza
After receiving a flyer for Lonely Heroes earlier in the night, I made it
my mission to see them perform. Their songs were completely soothing and mellow.
It helped relieve me after being stressed because some of the venues were behind
schedule making it difficult to get coverage of the bands I needed to
photograph. I’m glad I got to see them, even though it was only for a couple of
songs before I was off to the next venue.
The Hip Abduction @ Tanquerays
I attempted to make my way into Tanquerays weaving through people trying to
get to the stage. Usually this is not such a difficult task, however when there
are countless people dancing directly in front of the stage it’s nearly
impossible. Finally making my way up front, I got to take in the music. It isn’t
what I would normally listen to, but a part of me wanted to join the crowd and
dance. It was very calming and yet appeared to evoke energy out of the audience.
Hoots & Hellmouth @ BackBooth
Backbooth was fairly crowded as Hoots & Hellmouth were on stage. The
band members were passionate about their music and their fans danced along with
them the entire time I was there. Yet again I didn’t get to stay for too much of
their performance, but the crowd was really into it. I recall a fan offering the
band a place to crash after the show, they joked back with her about sleeping on
the couch.
Seeking Sui @ Voyage
I was luck enough to run into one of the members of Seeking Sui who
informed me that they would be going on an hour later then what they were
scheduled. As previously stated, some venues weren’t on schedule. Once they took
the stage, my second wind for the night started to kick in. The entrancing
vocals, intense drumming, and great guitar work made for an awesome show. I wish
there would have been more people to see them, just like Breathe the Sky…more
people should come see these truly talented musicians.
Matt Butcher @ BackBooth
Just like the last time I saw him, Matt Butcher had the crowds full
attention. His voice is very captivating and his songs always seem to calm me.
He did a beautiful rendition of “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” that had some fans
singing with him. There were so many people there, I could hardly get to the
stage to take photos. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end my night
that started out so horrible.
