When we first came up with the idea for GirlTalk, we wanted it to be a fun conversation about music, makeup, fashion, and everything in between. So when we had the opportunity to talk with Lauren Pritchard, known to most as LOLO, we knew that we needed to feature her in our first GirlTalk segment. 2015 was an incredibly impressive year for LOLO who released her EP on DCD2 Records, wrote an off-Broadway musical titled “Songbird,” joined the co-headling tour of Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness and New Politics, and was featured on two iTunes Best of 2015 playlists for Songs – New Artists and Singer/Songwriter.
For our first GirlTalk interview, we spoke with LOLO about her latest release, Comeback Queen, her tour must-have items, and her opinion on the lack of female presence in the music industry. Read our full interview with LOLO below! Continue reading GirlTalk with LOLO
Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness, New Politics and LOLO
Saturday, November 21, 2015
Upstate Concert Hall; Clifton Park, NY
Review and photos by Eric Riley
I’ll be the first to admit that, going into Saturday night’s show, I was already bringing a pretty big bias along. An opener with a serious buzz surrounding her, a co-headliner that has become an international sensation, and a top-billed artist who has consistently been one of my favorites since before high school. So, yeah, it didn’t take a lot of convincing to get me there.
Working a 7am-3pm shift isn’t normally a huge deal, but when there’s a show at 6:00, it becomes a little tiring. So, the idea of stopping for coffee beforehand seemed like a good one. However, the power-nap that I took in the small gap of time between the two ran
a bit longer than expected and I had to skip the Starbucks run. Rushing inside just as opener LOLO took the stage, I was able to get into the photo pit after only missing her entrance and a few seconds of her first song. During her set, I kept thinking of how disappointed I would have been had a Tall White Chocolate Mocha made me late enough to keep me from watching her perform. (Also, I specified what I typically order just in case anybody decides they feel like treating me, just saying).
Donned in a floor-length fur coat flashy enough to make Macklemore melt, her pull-no-punches soulful pop quickly got the crowd stirring. With only vocals and guitar played live, the rest done through sampling and recordings, LOLO, born Lauren Pritchard, was able to set herself as the center of attention without putting the weight of the show strictly on her shoulders. And on a semi-related note, as I write this, Wikipedia just informed that LOLO is the same Lauren Pritchard that performed in Spring Awakening. So not only is she currently killing it under her stage name, she’s a serious double-threat from an original cast that has a shelf full of TONYs to back her up. Sorry, that’s off topic, but it’s still pretty cool.
Following next came New Politics, playing a larger role than I had last seen them in when they opened for Fall Out Boy and Paramore on the Monumentour last summer. When they opened that show, their crazed energy and onstage poise both impressed me, even more so given that they were opening for arguably (though I don’t think you’d have to argue very hard) two of the biggest bands in the world. This time around, in a co-headliner spot, they somehow managed to up the ante even further. Still carrying the same huge liveliness, the trio took full advantage of their extended set and deeper catalog.
Tracks like “Tonight You’re Perfect” and “Berlin” had the crowd roaring, and Andrew McMahon joining the stage briefly elevated this even further. Closing with “Harlem” sent them off stage on a high note, wrapping their set up perfectly while simultaneously setting the bar for the next performance.
As I mentioned previously, I have a bias when it comes to Andrew McMahon. To put it simply, there are few people whom I genuinely admire as much as I do him, and that is only partially due to the fact that he is responsible for penning a handful of the most flawless albums I’ve heard throughout my life (I’m not saying that as a hyperbole; every note and key and word on Everything In Transit is literally perfect and we may need to fight if you say otherwise).
Starting things off with a quiet, softly-lit “Rainy Girl,” McMahon eased the audience into the show, warming everyone up before leading into “Dark Blue” and taking his foot off the brake. Throwing in songs throughout each stage of his career, McMahon appealed to fans from all eras, making sure not to stay with one project for too many songs in a row as well as including a few varied renditions of older songs, like an acoustic take on “Punk Rock Princess” or a smoother, slower, almost lounge singer-esque version of “The Mixed Tape” to begin his three-song encore.
There were a few points where I was pleasantly surprised with the song selection. I wasn’t expecting to hear “I Woke Up In A Car,” nor did I expect “Dark Blue” to be the second song of the evening. “Swim” has always been one of McMahon’s heaviest, strongest pieces and his short introduction before it, speaking first about the recent attacks in Paris and his fight against leukemia, then about his recovery and about the need for safe places and positive thinking, added even more heart to an already crushing song.
I don’t want it to sound like the evening was a total downer. Quite the contrary, actually. Even during the few ballads, the energy in the room never wavered, always holding strong thanks to the echo of the crowd singing every word back to the stage. Later, to close out the initial set, there was a roar throughout the room when McMahon pulled his harmonica from his pocket for “La La Lie.” What is normally a ≈ 3:00 song, give or take a few seconds, turned into an extended performance, with McMahon asking the bar at the center of the venue if they were still serving before swimming on a sea of upstretched arms to grab a shot of Jäger. Upon his return, the three members of New Politics were there waiting for him to help bring the song to a close. And, in McMahon’s words (to the best of my recollection), “he [David Boyd] may have some better moves and six-pack abs, but I’ve never seen him do that!” On that note, I had never seen a show come to an end with a room full of grown adults running around beneath a rainbow-colored gym class parachute, but that’s exactly what happened, so I guess it was a night of firsts for everyone, huh?
Setlist:
Rainy Girl
Dark Blue
Canyon Moon
Holiday From Real
Driving Through A Dream
I Woke Up In A Car
Maps For The Getaway
Swim
Bloodshot
Punk Rock Princess
All Our Lives
La La Lie
Encore:
The Mixed Tape
Cecilia and the Satellite
Synesthesia
Who: LOLO, New Politics, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness What: The Wilderness Politics Tour When & Where: 11/21/15, Upstate Concert Hall; Clifton Park, NY By: Eric Riley
It’s that time again, ladies and gents, the Second Annual Journeys Alternative Press Music Awards (APMA’s) fueled by Monster Energy Drink and hosted by Alex Gaskarth and Jack Barakat is just around the corner! July 22nd is only a month and a half away and there are big things in store for those who attend or watch the award show from home! The APMA’s will feature live performances from artists including Weezer, Panic! At The Disco, All Time Low, Halestorm, New Found Glory with Hayley Williams, Motionless in White, Taking Back Sunday, Sum 41, Simple Plan, PVRIS, Black Veil Brides, Corey Taylor of Slipkot and Stone Sour, and Tyler Carter of ISSUES!
In addition to the performances listed above, the APMA’s will also include appearances made by members of ‘68, This Wild Life, Mayday Parade, As It Is, Senses Fail, August Burns Red, Set It Off, Bullet For My Valentine, Parkway Drive, Motion City Soundtrack, Real Friends, While She Sleeps and more to be announced soon! For information on ticket offerings and travel packages, click here!
In addition to the APMA’s, Alternative Press Magazine also announced the launch of their special Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame + Museum exhibit which will open on Tuesday, July 21st. Below you can find more information regarding the exhibit.
On July 21st, the day before the APMA’s, Alternative Press Magazine will be unveiling a special new exhibit, Never Give Up: Alternative Press Magazine at 30, by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum presented by Roadrunner Records, Fueled By Ramen, and Jakprints. The exhibit will feature “a history of the magazine, its best stories and photos, and how the publication contributed a much-needed voice to the underground scene over the years.” It will also include letters to the magazine from fans and celebrities, video interviews, and more! The exhibit will kick-off with a special Sonic Session with New Politics and Vinyl Theatre. More information can be found here!
For Fans of: New Politics, Walk the Moon, Bleachers
It doesn’t always take much to leave a large impact.
Individual lines within entire books can change the course of the story.
A single play at the end of an entire season can solidify a championship.
Or, in this case, three tiny pop songs can kickstart a band’s career.
(Hint: this has nothing to do with sports or storybooks.)
Before their debut full-length is released this June (sharing a label with Foster the People and Peter Bjorn and John), Nashville four-piece COIN tease their listeners with a three-song EP that is bound to draw a crowd.
Led in by their first single, “Run,” the short EP wastes no time. A bright guitar hook and echoing backing vocals lead the song, leaving out anything overcomplicated or gratuitous, finding success by keeping things simple.
“Fingers Crossed” holds the energy high, with racing percussion making it impossible to stand still during before a darker, moodier “Better” closes out the EP making use of swirling background noise and 80’s nostalgia. Well, as much nostalgia one can have for a time they weren’t alive for, but you get the point.
It’s no accident COIN racked up more than 100,000 listens in under three weeks on a single track. Their sharp, energetic sound digs itself into your head, while the briefness of a three-song EP from an infectious new band leaves you craving more. June feels very far away now.
Release Date: February 24th, 2015
Rating: 4/5
Runtime: 10:10
Tracklist:
1. Run
2. Fingers Crossed
3. Better
Lineup:
Chase Lawrence: Vocals
Joe Memmel: Guitar, vocals
Zach Dyke: Bass
Ryan Winnen: Drums
Hellooooo again! We’re back for our third run with Boston Calling and we’re as excited as ever, so we’ve decided to bring back our “Seven Bands To See” feature! The lineup this time around is as great as it has ever been, and the weekend is shaping up to be the biggest one yet. So, here’s who to keep an eye out for!
Today we talk about our #1 pick, twenty | one | pilots.
Finding the words to accurately describe twenty|one|pilots is no easy task.
Their music is nearly unclassifiable, bouncing back and forth between a handful of genres with a frequency that keeps you hooked without pulling you in too many directions. Mixing pop/punk choruses and rap verses with EDM drops, ukulele, piano, and drums, the group is a rarity. With 2013’s Vessel, the duo (Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun) released one of the year’s most daring, interesting, and all-around impressive albums. And while their sound is diverse, their presence never changes. Supported by a following that it more of a family than a fanbase, the group has a dedicated gathering behind it. Though I’ve never experienced their live show in-person, each example I’ve seen, no matter how brief or extensive, has shown something special. I’ve been waiting a long while for a chance to watch this performance, and it’s one you couldn’t pay me to miss.
For fans of: Chronic Future, Panic! at the Disco, New Politics For a taste, check out: “Car Radio,” “House of Gold,” “Guns for Hands” When you can see them: Sunday, 5:00pm, Jetblue Stage
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