The launch of Head in the Clouds NYC started off soaking wet, but despite the potential for the rain to complicate logistics, the festival still ran smoothly. The queue for entry was long despite the downpour, and many people were waiting in cold rain to see the strong lineup, from EDM to rap to K-Pop.
Forest Hill Stadium had an interesting venue layout where the 88Rising stage (main stage) and the Honda Double Happiness stage were relatively close together, but this didn’t pose a problem due to no overlap in the schedule, so acts weren’t competing for attention, sound-wise. For those who attended Head in the Clouds LA 2022, it was evident how strong the lineup was, considering that main stage acts from the previous festival were now on the Double Happiness stage. And with how close the stages were to each other, it was easy for festival goers to travel back and forth between the stages to see everyone, if they so wished.
An underrated act that I enjoyed was singer-songwriter Paravi – despite having one leg in a cast, she exuded lots of energy and personality, a bright sunshine character amidst a rainy day. Her husky voice was like a warm hug, delivering a heartfelt performance that offset the drizzling conditions for a little while. A thread that ran through her setlist was that of an Asian American woman honoring both the cultures she grew up in as well as her heritage. While some people may think this is an overdone storyline, I believe the reality is that this narrative still rings true for many people to this day, and I’m thankful that she told her story this way. I’m hoping that she and 88rising will continue to have a flourishing relationship so that she can perform again at Head in the Clouds in the future.
Thai rapper/singer Milli was part of Head in the Clouds LA 2022, and it was a joy to watch her perform again in New York. With dancers to match her energy, she performed her hits like “Sad Aerobic” and “Mirror Mirror.” Her performance was hotter than last year’s cheeky set, though she still touched on her playful side by ending her set with “Mango Sticky Rice,” a nod to the moment she went viral for last year at Coachella for eating mango sticky rice on stage.
Beabadoobee has been on tour with Taylor Swift over the last few weeks, so it was great for KTRU to see her again at this festival. Singing tracks like “See You Soon” (a favorite of hers, she confessed beforehand), “The Perfect Pair,” and “Glue Song,” the indie singer demonstrated with her soft, almost wispy voice still has a strong presence in the industry.
One particular act that had most people buzzed with anticipation for day 1 was ITZY, a 5-person K-Pop girl group that is popular worldwide. What was fun to watch with the girls was they treated their slot like a mini K-Pop concert, squeezing in time for games that the members played.
Another act that had people humming with excitement was XG, a 7-person girl group based in South Korea. Their North American debut was treated like a showcase, with different subunits within the group showing off their skills as either rappers or singers. They would be remiss to not perform “Left Right,” a song that was remixed with Jackson Wang and Ciara at Coachella this year.
Other notable acts include Wolftyla, whose silky voice started Day 2 strong, Loren (South Korean alternative rock singer), whose self-deprecating humor won many people’s hearts;, P-Lo, whose hiphop set brought probably some of the most hype to the Double Happiness stage; and Atarashii Gakko!, whose stunts while performing never ceases to amaze me. (Disclaimer: due to an injury, I wasn’t able to see DPR Live + DPR Ian or Niki, so I wasn’t able to review them).
With another debut of the Head in the Clouds series closing this weekend out strong, I’m hoping that 88rising will continue to hold this festival annually in New York for years to come.
Lewis Capaldi recently finished a US tour in advance of his upcoming album, “Broken by Desire to Be Heavenly Sent.” Capaldi’s 2019 debut album, “Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent,” comprises emotional ballads that primarily address lost love and the dissolution of relationships. While his music is often drenched in melancholia, Capaldi’s public image and stage presence embraces direct and honest humor. This contrast, along with the quality of musical performance, makes for an engaging show that had the audience laughing, crying, and singing along.
The show began with opener Medium Build. They played a short set with a lot of humorous interjections. The lead singer began with a long white wig that complemented their often silly persona. Medium Build’s opening set and overall attitude was a great pairing for Lewis Capaldi.
After a short break, Lewis Capaldi came out onto the stage with his band. He began the show with “Forget Me,” a single from his upcoming album. The set as a whole, primarily consisted of tracks from “Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent” with some of the singles from “Broken by Desire to Be Heavenly Sent.” Touring in advance of his album release is an interesting strategy, but it worked really nicely here. The show made me even more excited for his sophomore release.
Capaldi’s trademark sense of humor helped to make him an engaging live performer, regularly talking to the crowd. Beginning the show, he claimed to the packed room that “at least 100 people here will leave disappointed… there will be no f—ing refunds.” I would be surprised if anyone left disappointed after the show that we saw. Capaldi’s vocals were great, sounding as good as on the studio recording throughout the night. His humorous quips provided a great lightness in contrast to his often heavy subject matter. For example, when introducing “Lost on You,” a song about letting someone go, Capaldi asked if there were any couples in the crowd before dedicating the song to “when you inevitably break up.”
One of the most emotional moments of the show was when Lewis Capaldi played “Wish You The Best” with its full music video playing in the background. The music video, which features the relationship between a dog and an old man, is well known for making people cry and the live version was no exception for much of the crowd.
In his most unhinged moment of humor, Capaldi hyped fans up that he had talked to Ed Sheeran, who co-wrote his new track “Pointless,” about performing with him. He recounted a lot of communications, building up excitement and cheering before letting the crowd know that Ed Sheeran could not, in fact, make it to the show to play with him. He quickly made up for the brief deception with a beautiful performance of the song.
As the show neared its end, Lewis Capaldi told the audience, “I have two songs left, and by that I mean: I’m going to stand just over there and I’m going to wait,” sardonically describing the encore process. The night ended with “Someone You Loved,” as the rapt crowd sang along with Capaldi. Through his combination of heartfelt lyrics and open humor, Lewis Capaldi won over the crowded Dallas venue with a memorable show.
Yves Tumor is an explosive force. Leather-clad and enigmatic, Tumor strutted onto the stage of Warehouse Live on April 27 to deliver a stunning, powerful performance bathed in blue and red light. Tumor’s Houston stop of their “To Spite or Not to Spite” tour left audiences’ ears ringing for an eternity.
Tumor opened with “God Is A Circle,” the first song on their latest album “Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds).” With meticulous breaths and an unshakeable three-piece ensemble, Tumor’s passionate performance was tight, coordinated and precise. Chris Greatti tore up the lead guitar while Gina Ramirez and Rhys Hastings plowed through bass and drums. At one point, Tumor jumped into the crowd, prompting deafening audience screams.
“Echolalia” was Tumor’s next standout track. A pumping, sweaty dance party, “Echolalia” electrified the room. Just when I thought I couldn’t jump anymore, Tumor wailed “helloooo?” whipping out a steel double mic contraption on “Operator.” Though their set generally centered around hits from the newest album, Tumor also included older classics like “Jackie” and “Kerosene,” which had the crowd teeming with energy. Towards the end of the show, I was even surprised to find myself sucked into the vibrant, thumping mosh pit.
Tumor compounds the stylistic excitement of glam metal with technical otherworldly talent. Their driving basslines, show-stealing guitar licks, glitter-covered face and outrageous voice make for a singularly awe-inspiring performance.
On our way into the Lightning Bolt show, we passed someone who told us, "You'd better hurry up; they're tearing down the walls in there!" (We were admittedly running a little late.)
We rushed in wondering how much of the set we'd missed, if the walls would still standing, and where the tallboys were at. However, the enduring question of the Lightning Bolt set was, "how are there only two people up on stage?" You only see Brian Chippendale pulverizing the drums with a contact mic held to his face by a mask and Brian Gibson's bass tuned in fifths with banjo strings up top, yet you hear thunderous crashes and torrential noise as if a tempest were on stage. A noise rock band that we love playing at the station, Lightning Bolt has been playing since 1994 honing their unique mixture of drum and bass. Their origins are house parties, playing right in the middle of whatever crowd they are bringing to a boil, and, while they've now climbed up on stage, they're still completely in tune with the discord they cause. We had headaches on the way home, but we loved it and so did the rest of the crowd. The pits were unlike the testosterone fueled fireworks at punk shows and more like ritualistic dances around a bonfire.
You are never comfortable or completely in tune with Lightning Bolt, but it is breathtaking to see those two dudes tear down a stage.
Yves Tumor is currently embarking on their “To Spite or Not to Spite” tour on the heels of the release of their fourth album “Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds).” Tumor’s experimental rock music lends itself perfectly to live performances that make it feel as if you’re in a club out of a slightly dystopian futuristic movie.
Yves Tumor opened with “God Is a Circle,” the first track from their most recent album. The song, which features heavy breathing as part of the instrumental, felt expanded live, letting me hear more of the guitar and drums. It also gained more of a push and pull in the tempo, starting slightly slower and quieter beginning before opening up to start the show.
Tumor performed in front of a stark stage, with his band behind him and an array of lights to bathe the venue in a variety of colors depending on the song being played. At times, they jumped into the crowd, inspiring cheers and excitement throughout the venue. The crowd was moving throughout the entire night, at one point shifting back to create a mosh pit around the front of the stage.
The setlist primarily drew from Yves Tumor’s newest album by a large margin, but other fan favorites like “Gospel for a New Century” and “Kerosene!” were integrated into the set. Having previously seen Yves Tumor in 2021, it was nice to hear their new tracks live. Tumor did not interact with the audience a ton by talking, rather they focused on performing their songs to the best level possible.
Yves Tumor is one of those artists that pushes the boundaries of rock music through constant experimentation. This hunger for new forms of expression is perfect for a live environment as it brings a strong energy to the performance.
Kali Uchis has already shown the world her talent as a performer throughout her career and during her Coachella performance in April. For her show at 713 Music Hall, Uchis performed her music to a sold out concert hall with an engaged crowd hanging on to every word.
Uchis’ show was the most packed I’ve ever seen 713. Sold out months in advance, the concert drew a line of ticket holders that wrapped not only around the venue but to the back of Post, an attached dining hall. People came out dressed up in high heels and outfits evocative of the attitude Uchis conveys in her music, ready for an unforgettable night of music and visual spectacle.
The show began with opener RAYE, a British singer-songwriter whose music crosses a range of genres, including dance, R&B, and pop. RAYE recently gained more creative freedom of her music after leaving a restrictive label and performed tracks that addressed a wide range of topics. One of the most striking was “Ice Cream Man,” a powerful song that addresses her experience with sexual assault and its after-effects. RAYE talked a lot to the audience about her life and the meaning of the songs she played.
Kali Uchis’ stage setup included the three arches and steps up to those that were seen in her Coachella performance, which gave a lot of room for visual layering with the backup dancers. The show began with an extended intro, juxtaposing images of the sun and rain on the backing display. Then those visuals changed to a heart, and backup dancers led a Uchis up to the center arch, blocked from the audience with what looked like palm leaves. They pulled the leaves aside and Uchis emerged. She and her dancers danced to “Frikitona” by Plan B before opening with “Telepatía” from her album “Sin Miedo.”
Her Houston stop was the second show on Kali Uchis’ “Red Moon in Venus” tour. Songs from her most recent album, for which the tour is named, such as “Moonlight” and “I Wish You Roses” were intoxicating live with the power of their melodies only increased by the live atmosphere. As it was so early in the tour Uchis repeatedly told the audience that she was still working on the setlist, thanking the packed house for being there and enjoying her music.
Kali Uchis interacted with the audience a lot throughout the show, speaking about family members telling her that there were more attractive and better singers than her in an effort to stop her from pursuing music. However, Uchis drove home, “they’re not you,” encouraging the crowd to pursue their own passions and not listen to those who doubt them. With her Colombian heritage, Uchis also discussed how happy she was to see so many Latinos come to the show to support her.
Throughout the show, Uchis’ dreamy music combined with a considered stage design and choreography to create a memorable experience that saw both her Spanish and English language music shine.
thuy has hit the road once again, this time as support for Ella Mai. KTRU got a preview of what’s coming to Houston, having attended the opening of the tour in Wallingford, CT.
She performed some of her hits like “Girls Like Me Don’t Cry” and “in my bag,” as well as “my universe.” If her headlining tour didn’t prove her star power before, her performance as an opener for Mai did – her performance was strong, and she interacted with the crowd like a natural. I’m sure she left an impact for the audience to remember her after that night, and it was a pleasure to watch her again.
thuy is an R&B artist from the Bay area, supporting Ella Mai on her “Heart on My Sleeve” tour.
Most concerts, even big ones, are pretty localized to the date and time of the show. However, Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras’ tour is more than just a show, rather, it is an event drawing people from around the country for each show. Throughout the whole weekend, I saw ‘Eras’ tour shirts everywhere with people eager for the upcoming show or celebrating the one they saw the day before. The metro red line ran an advertisement over the speakers integrating Taylor Swift song names and reminding people that it could be used to avoid traffic. This ad was effective as every afternoon of a show, trains were packed with people not just heading to the concert, but dressed up as their favorite era of Taylor’s music.
Taylor Swift can draw a crowd like no other and makes it incredibly worth it for her fans with an intricate performance and massive setlist. Swift is the first artist to sell out three dates in a row at NRG Stadium, sales numbers she accomplished in multiple cities and that were still not enough to fill the demand. Not only is the show incredible, but it is amazing how clear and pristine Swift is able to keep her voice with so many shows in a row. For those of you who don’t know, each night Taylor Swift plays a 44-song set, with two surprise songs. The massive set is broken into smaller sets from each album that Swift has released, walking the audience through her storied career in a three-plus hour spectacle.
I attended the Saturday show, the second of the three that Taylor Swift performed in Houston, the city where Swift’s mother, a UH graduate, grew up. The metro was again filled to the brim with excited Swifties on the way to the show, by far the most glitter and sequins I have ever seen on Houston public transit. Getting to the venue, there was a giant banner proclaiming “NRG Stadium (Taylor’s Version),” in a reference to her re-recording efforts to gain control of her catalog. Upon entering the area around the stadium, I saw merch booths filled with people trying to get shirts for the tour and other merchandise like bracelets and tapestries. Once I got into the stadium, venue staff gave me a bracelet with a light on it, similar to those given at stops on The Weeknd’s most recent tour. The bracelet’s light was later used for an effect akin to light sticks at a K-pop concert to fill the audience with color that extends the production design to the whole venue.
The show began with opener Gracie Abrams, who emerged onto the vast stage wearing a Taylor Swift shirt. The stage was kept stark for the openers, with the engulfing video board taking on a variety of colors with close ups on the left, right, and center. Having only heard a few Gracie Abrams songs prior to her set, I was impressed at her smooth vocals and stage energy. She spoke to the crowd about how much Swift means to her and her excitement to be on the tour in between songs before skipping off the stage.
The same stage setup was maintained for Beabadoobee’s set. I saw her on her last tour and she did not disappoint in NRG Stadium. Closing with “Cologne,” Beabadoobee brought a rock energy to the venue with her soft, almost whispery voice. She too talked about Taylor Swift and her excitement to be on the tour, describing Swift as “one badass woman.” She ended her set running down the runway, towards the crowd, before blowing a kiss and leaving. Both openers’ apparent awe at opening for Swift and excitement at the opportunity really underscores how big of an event each tour stop is. Even the people who are part of the production seemed amazed at what was to come, as the crowd’s anticipation only grew.
Suddenly, after a break from Beabadoobee’s set, the stage changed to display a giant clock on the screen with accompanying digital countdowns on either side. At two seconds, the lights in the venue went off and on completion the clock moved out shifting into a range of videos being shown. Backup dancers came out with giant, flowing fans before Swift herself triumphantly graced the stage. She began with the “Lover” era, starting with Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince.
After a song or two, Taylor Swift took a breath as the crowd roared in applause, brushing her hair back and glowing in excitement for the experience she was about to provide for the audience. Even at this level, Swift makes the show something deeply personal for fans, showing how much it means to her and imbuing it with more meaning for her long-time listeners by extension. When she talks to the audience, you can tell that she is speaking from the heart and the craft that went into her music. Ending her first segment speaking with the audience, Swift proclaimed, “You’re making me feel like I’m the first artist to play three shows at this gorgeous stadium… you’re making me feel like I’m the man,” a perfect segway to her song “The Man.”
Swift’s stage design heavily utilizes the display behind her, combined with physical elements in a way that led to the band being moved to the wings of the stage. At times, Swift had platforms that raised her up above the rest of the stadium, which also made her easier to see for much of the audience. Physical structures, such as the skeleton of an office used for “The Man,” provided a unique visual texture to the night.
As much as I would like to do a play-by-play of every moment of the night, for concision and to avoid spoiling the whole performance for people who have not gone yet, I will resist and focus on some highlights of the night. First off, Taylor Swift has so many classics. It’s impossible to not know a large number of the songs she played, but eras such as “Fearless” and “Red” were incredibly impactful due to the nostalgia associated with many of the compositions.
“Reputation” is an album that was almost made to be played live. The energy, the aesthetics: everything just meshes so well together to create something captivating to see in the stadium. The era began with a video montage of Swift walking and visuals of snakes, a symbol of that era before breaking into “...Ready For It.” Despite a large number of wardrobe changes throughout the night, her outfit for “Reputation” was perhaps the most striking. Wearing a one-legged black sequined jumpsuit, designed by Roberto Cavalli and finished with red snakes wrapping around Swift, Taylor looked triumphant as she performed songs from an era that saw her redefine her relationship with the media and question many of her personal relationships.
“Red” was another segment that had strong significance for Swift. Within the context of her career, it was a signal of her desire to shed the constraints of country music and explore new sounds. Additionally, it is one of the two albums that she has released re-recordings for as of the performance. Taylor Swift prefaced saying that “Red” is “an album I got to experience twice now,” before thanking her fans for making the re-recordings possible by supporting her and streaming the newer versions. In a classic moment, she began the last song of that era with, “one more song from the ‘Red’ era if you happen to have ten minutes,” before playing the expanded version of “All Too Well” to a captive audience.
“Folklore” brought a woodsy background combined with a house on the stage that Swift performed in. Swift explained to the audience what made “Folklore” different for her in that she created characters, instead of being “so incredibly invasively autobiographical.” One of the persistent things that made the concert so great was Swift’s insight into her work that she shared with the audience. For example, before playing “Betty” in the aforementioned house, she described the song and her writing process, humorously adding that it was a return to her theme of “womansplaining to men how to apologize.”
As stated earlier, the set is not the same every night, Swift includes two “surprise songs,” which are often deeper cuts from her catalog. At this show, she played “A Place in This World” on guitar from her self-titled debut album. Swift followed with “Today Was a Fairytale,” played live for the first time since 2013 on piano. These songs felt particularly meaningful as Swift played alone, accompanying herself, on a bare stage without the visual spectacle of most of her performance. The surprise song section culminated with her famous stage dive, where Swift dives head first into an opening on the stage with video that makes it appear as if she is swimming through the runway, before ending with a selection of songs from “Midnights.”
Taylor Swift is not only one of the most well-known artists of this generation, but also an all-time great live performer. Everything, from the vocals to the visuals and the extra touches, like coordinated lights in the audience given on entry, came together to create something truly memorable. Having last toured for “Reputation,” this tour is the first tour for four of Swift’s ten studio albums. Swift spoke about her excitement to bring those albums to her fans in-person throughout the show, but the real testament to this desire to perform for the people who have been affected by her music was her constant look of joy throughout the show. During the whole performance, Swift’s face was filled with genuine delight that easily transferred to the audience. For around three hours, Taylor Swift provided an escape from the issues of daily life and into the world created by her music for thousands of fans.
NCT DREAM recently invited us, and members of other college media from around the United States, to talk with them in a virtual roundtable event. The third sub-group of popular K-pop group NCT, NCT DREAM was formed in 2016 to capture a more youthful energy. They are currently in the midst of their first world tour, “NCT DREAM TOUR 'THE DREAM SHOW2 : In A DREAM.'” NCT DREAM consists of seven members: MARK, RENJUN, JENO, HAECHAN, JAEMIN, CHENLE, and JISUNG.
MARK began by telling the journalists gathered on the Zoom call why NCT DREAM wanted to talk specifically to college journalists, beginning with the group’s history.
“We started our careers when we were all below or under the age of 18. Even then, we had this goal and our goal was to be a symbol of healing for listeners and to be a beacon of hope to everyone that sees us and that supports us and especially for people that were young like us, young dreamers,” MARK said. “And once we heard that you guys are aspiring and striving to be journalists… It felt perfect and in a way meaningful for us to come by and say hi, and to see that there are people like us, who are just striving so hard for their dreams and, basically, we're here to support too.”
This emphasis on supporting young people as they work to attain their dreams is something essential to NCT DREAM’s ideals as a group. Members also spoke about what it means to them and what it takes to embark on their first US and world tour after having previously played at events like K-CON in the US.
“We've never done this before, even though it's been around eight years since we debuted. We have a lot of history and a lot of reasons for why we're doing it now. But, long story short, we're now beginning to really see the world and to travel all over the world to see our fans and so this first tour really means a lot. We really had prepared very strong performance wise and mindset wise to make sure that we can show the world our capabilities and what we are striving for,” MARK said.
As NCT DREAM embarks on such a monumental tour, members also reflected on the differences between performing at home and for an American and international audience.
“I would have to say that more so than having differences in our stages. It's really just all of the experiences that we were able to gain from all of the past tours and cities that we've gone to and performed at. I think that we are able to try harder and just be able to freely express ourselves even more,” JENO noted.
“I think each city that we perform at has its own different charm and atmosphere and, for example, when we performed in Newark or even Paris, I felt like we were able to really enjoy those moments together with our fans. And that also gave us a lot more strength,” added RENJUN.
Even though touring can be difficult, members of the group still make time to recharge and recover from time on the road and were eager to share how they do this when asked.
“Playing games and shopping and drinking beer,” HAECHAN jokingly remarked. “As soon as I arrived, I went straight to the gym,” added JAEMIN. “I played basketball with MARK,” offered CHENLE. MARK later noted, “when we get some free time and alone time in the hotel… watching movies really does kill time and you can get motivation and inspiration… And going to some good malls, department stores… alleviates stress, you know, getting a new nice looking shirt.”
These activities are complemented by a range of activities specific to the places they visit on tour.
“Things like seeing the Eiffel Tower,” shared RENJUN as JISUNG noted that they “usually go to famous landmarks to take photos and enjoy foods from those countries as well.” Specific to Texas, RENJUN added that they “are very much looking forward to Texas barbeque” at their Houston stop before JAEMIN jumped in emphasizing “I love it… Texas barbeque.”
For those not as familiar with K-pop, RENJUN shared what sets NCT DREAM apart from other groups.
“I have to say that for NCT DREAM, what sets us apart is our history and the story that we’ve created since our debut. Every K-pop group has a different color, but for NCT DREAM, it's really the hope that we're trying to share and give to the youth, the story that we have, and just the fun that we're able to show through our music as well,” RENJUN said.
When asked if they could recall a specific case where they have been able to see their music changing someone’s life, RENJUN recounted a story he had heard.
“I'm not quite sure if I could say that it's, you know, changed the lives of fans. But there was this one event we had, a video call event, and we had a chance to speak with a fan and the fan had to undergo surgery and… was very nervous about that. But before going in they listened to ‘Hello Future’ and through that track, they were able to find peace and strength. When I heard this story, I was very touched and it just made everything that we worked on feel much more meaningful,” RENJUN recalled.
NCT DREAM has grown both as people and as musicians over their years together. The members were very ready to share advice for their past selves and how their growth appears in their music.
“Don’t be scared and don’t be shy,” JISUNG advised “Back then, I was very concerned with what people would think and I was very shy, but I don't think there's a need for that.”
“Our growth is definitely visible in our music… Technically our voices have actually changed as well over the years. But besides that, just our inspirations and the way we convey our emotions in music itself has grown… we really like to put our experiences and our emotions into our music as much as we can and we're still growing and I feel like our fans are going with us,” said MARK.
Additionally, RENJUN had some advice for college students working towards their dreams.
“I would have to say that, you know, your college years are when you have the most passion and the most strength to pursue your dreams… I would want to say to do everything that you want to do, so that you live without regrets,” RENJUN shared.
With two minutes left before they needed to start preparing for their show at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, MARK genuinely thanked the student journalists in attendance and offered a final piece of advice for everyone.
“Don't forget that you guys are still so young. Like if you guys go on the road and feel like, ‘ah, this isn't for me,’ you still have time to do something else,” MARK said.
NCT DREAM is currently on their first world tour and is available to listen to wherever you hear music.
Indian Ensemble on March 24, 23 @ 8:00PM, Wortham Center/Cullen Theater Tickets: IAAHouston.org. Contact 832.315.6586 for Group discounts Student 20% discount with checkout code "IAABIE20". About Berklee Indian Ensemble: The Ensemble was founded in 2011 by Annette Philip, the first Indian music faculty member at the Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA). It is a world renowned collective known for honoring its Indian roots while boldly experimenting with a cross-pollination of genres, and multi-disciplinary art. The ensemble boasts over 300 million YouTube views and has organically transitioned from a university ensemble to a professional band.
Featuring over 400 students and alumni from 52 nations, the ensemble has collaborated with some of the world’s most celebrated musicians such as Pt. Zakir Hussain and A.R. Rahman.
Tumor performed in front of a stark stage, with his band behind him and an array of lights to bathe the venue in a variety of colors depending on the song being played. At times, they jumped into the crowd, inspiring cheers and excitement throughout the venue. The crowd was moving throughout the entire night, at one point shifting back to create a mosh pit around the front of the stage.
Uchis’ show was the most packed I’ve ever seen 713. Sold out months in advance, the concert drew a line of ticket holders that wrapped not only around the venue but to the back of Post, an attached dining hall. People came out dressed up in high heels and outfits evocative of the attitude Uchis conveys in her music, ready for an unforgettable night of music and visual spectacle.
Kali Uchis’ stage setup included the three arches and steps up to those that were seen in her Coachella performance, which gave a lot of room for visual layering with the backup dancers. The show began with an extended intro, juxtaposing images of the sun and rain on the backing display. Then those visuals changed to a heart, and backup dancers led a Uchis up to the center arch, blocked from the audience with what looked like palm leaves. They pulled the leaves aside and Uchis emerged. She and her dancers danced to “Frikitona” by Plan B before opening with “Telepatía” from her album “Sin Miedo.”
Kali Uchis interacted with the audience a lot throughout the show, speaking about family members telling her that there were more attractive and better singers than her in an effort to stop her from pursuing music. However, Uchis drove home, “they’re not you,” encouraging the crowd to pursue their own passions and not listen to those who doubt them. With her Colombian heritage, Uchis also discussed how happy she was to see so many Latinos come to the show to support her.
As stated earlier, the set is not the same every night, Swift includes two “surprise songs,” which are often deeper cuts from her catalog. At this show, she played “A Place in This World” on guitar from her self-titled debut album. Swift followed with “Today Was a Fairytale,” played live for the first time since 2013 on piano. These songs felt particularly meaningful as Swift played alone, accompanying herself, on a bare stage without the visual spectacle of most of her performance. The surprise song section culminated with her famous stage dive, where Swift dives head first into an opening on the stage with video that makes it appear as if she is swimming through the runway, before ending with a selection of songs from “Midnights.”
Taylor Swift is not only one of the most well-known artists of this generation, but also an all-time great live performer. Everything, from the vocals to the visuals and the extra touches, like coordinated lights in the audience given on entry, came together to create something truly memorable. Having last toured for “Reputation,” this tour is the first tour for four of Swift’s ten studio albums. Swift spoke about her excitement to bring those albums to her fans in-person throughout the show, but the real testament to this desire to perform for the people who have been affected by her music was her constant look of joy throughout the show. During the whole performance, Swift’s face was filled with genuine delight that easily transferred to the audience. For around three hours, Taylor Swift provided an escape from the issues of daily life and into the world created by her music for thousands of fans.
