Summer is the season for live music. Big music festivals are budding and there's live music out the wazoo. Our DJs took full advantage of this by attending some bangers of concerts, seeing big name artists such as Blink 182 and The Cure at sold out arenas as well as some local budding artists right here in Columbia at New Brookland Tavern. We called and they delivered: here's some of the best concerts our DJs went to this summer.
Lord Huron
DJ Name / Real Name: DJ Ray / Rachael
Venue / City: Historic Massey Hall, Toronto, Canada.
About the Concert: Lord Huron is my favorite band ever and this concert DID NOT disappoint. I attended with my cohost DJ River and we felt like we were in a different universe the whole time. We were both brought to tears by the ethereal, strange, and utterly beautiful sound that the band crafted. My obsession with the band aside, I would definitely give a 10/10 rating to the concert, it brought so much love into my heart that I really felt like a lonesome cowboy on a quest for my true love.
Black Market Kidney Surgeon & Rotten Stitches
DJ Name /Real Name: DJ Lisa Frankenstein / Issac Czerniawsky
Venue/City: Munsoon House, Atlanta, G.A.
About the Concert: Munsoon House is officially open!!! Adding another incredible independent venue to the long list in Atlanta is always a cause for celebration, and there was no better choice for christening the spiritual energy of that venue than Black Market Kidney Surgeon. A brutal four piece from Tennessee, adorned in red fishnet body suits, armed with a staple gun, and blasting some of the most sonically charged beats of the summer, they've easily been my favorite show of the past few months. And that's without even mentioning the glory and brilliance that is Triangle Fire. An Atlanta/Athens standby, this triad never fails to cause permanent issues to venue flooring, and provide cause for concern when you get your ears checked. Worth every grizzly second, including the staplegun scar on my shoulder. Check them both out on Bandcamp!!
Son Volt With Peter Brutnell
DJ Name / Real Name: DJ Dinero
Venue / City: The Pour House Charleston, S.C.
About the Concert: One of the great Americana/roots rock bands from the 1990s and '00s, playing songs from their recent tribute to Texas songwriter Doug Sahm as well as from Trace, their terrific debut. Probably the least amount of in-show talking I've ever heard by a band, but the Pour House is an intimate venue, and everyone there was a sweaty mess by show's end, so maybe they were just hot? Fun fact: My first Son Volt show, back in the '90s, was the source of my first-ever concert review, for The Daily Gamecock. I still have it somewhere. (4/5 stars)
Boy George, Howard Jones, & Berlin
DJ Name / Real Name: DJ Dinero / Todd Money
Venue / City: PNC Pavilion, Charlotte, N.C.
About the Concert: I was excited to see Boy George, who probably has enough charisma to fuel the city of Charlotte's power grids for a week or so. And while he and his band brought the hits (Karma Chameleon, It's a Miracle, Do You Really Want to Hurt Me, etc.), this show had a strange pace, with heavy ballads weighing down what could've been a high-energy lovefest. It was still a lovefest, though. (3/5 stars) On the other hand, Howard Jones saved all his catchiest '80s synth bops for his shorter (nine-song) set. The still-arriving crowd gradually warmed up to the grandfatherly-looking Brit, and by the end, Jones had most of us happily singing along to hits like No One Is to Blame, What Is Love?, and especially Things Can Only Get Better. (4/5 stars) Sadly, I didn't make it for all of Berlin's set, but I was within earshot of Take My Breath Away (the mega hit from the first Top Gun movie) and The Cult's She Sells Sanctuary, an unexpected but delightful cover choice. (no rating)
Mac Saturn, The Struts
DJ Name / Real Name: DJ Bish / Anna Bishop
Venue / City: The Fillmore, Charlotte, N.C.
About the Concert: DJ Blondie and I went to see Mac Saturn opening for The Struts on July 7th. If you thought rock and roll was dead, these bands will convince you otherwise! Both bands delivered a sound rooted in the genre's past updated for the present day. Complete with ornate outfits and a killer stage presence, Mac Saturn and The Struts tore the house down and left me singing all the way home. 5 out of 5 stars!!!
Slow Funeral, Comma Sutra, Dear Blanca, Daddy's Beemer
DJ Name / Real Name: DJ Bish / Anna Bishop
Venue / City: New Brookland Tavern, Columbia, S.C.
About the Concert: DJ Blondie and I went to New Brookland Tavern to catch Daddy's Beemer on June 10th. This was the final show on the tour for their new Tangles EP. Dear Blanca and Slow Funeral were excellent openers. Comma Sutra, an experimental music group out of Greenville SC, also opened with a set that can only be described as fun and funky fresh. Their music was intricate, fun, and seemed to scratch a brain itch. We've had their stuff in rotation all summer, and it's been a staple on my show these past few weeks. It was so great to see them live! Daddy's Beemer is one of my favorite bands out of South Carolina. This concert was my second time hearing them play. I was elated to hear my favorite songs, as well as some new picks! Their great stage presence along with a great crowd made for a truly amazing time. 5 out of 5 stars!!
Blink 182
DJ Name / Real Name: DJ Angel Hair / Maddie Zediker
Venue / City: Spectrum Center, Charlotte N.C.
About the Concert: I rate the Blink 182 concert a 9/10. It was extremely loud so -1 point for that. However, Tom DeLonge is back in the band and it just made the performance INCREDIBLE! I saw Blink in high school when Matt Skiba stepped in as his replacement, and don’t get me wrong he is incredible, but the classic Blink sound really does come from Tom! Definitely recommend seeing them on their next tour!]
The Cure
DJ Name / Real Name: DJ Dandy Lyon / Emma Laing =
Venue / City: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, G.A.
About the Concert: Being one of the cures last tours most likely I had to see them since they’re getting older, however they put on an incredible show despite their years and it was truly an awesome experience. They played a good bit of their newer music but they played some good old favorites of mine as well. The lighting and graphics were great and Robert smith was just adorable dancing with his British accent, it was overall 10/10
Twice
DJ Name / Real Name: DJ Sunshine / Sun Heslin
Venue / City: Truist Park, Atlanta, G.A.
About the Concert: Despite being in the second to last row in a huge stadium, the energy and my view was still great. Despite a language barrier everyone, including the members and the audience, all had a great time. It even started raining during their encore, but they embraced it and had fun in the rain anyway keeping up the energy.
Stress Fractures w/ Dull Mourning, Tourneforte, & Scumbag Monday
DJ Name / Real Name:Hungry Nikhil
Venue / City: New Brookland Tavern, Columbia, SC
About the Concert: The Stress Fractures album release show with Dull Mourning, Tourneforte, and Scumbag Monday was a night of 5th-Wave emo history in the making. Before general admission, Marty from Stress Fractures opened the night with a VIP acoustic performance of some Stress Fractures originals and some Blink-182 covers. The night then began with local heroes Scumbag Monday ripping a set of not just fantastic originals with the nuttiest guitar solos, but also covers for which the crowd went insane. Following Scumbag Monday was Charleston's Tourneforte who played a set full of sentimental indie emo rock that just puts you in your feels with gorgeous melodies and lush vocals. Up next was Dull Mourning from Winston-Salem, NC who took the stage with heavy riffs in drop-C tuning, aggressive vocals, and a stage presence that made you want to bang your head and bodyslam the person next to you. To close the night, the Carolinas' very own Stress Fractures celebrated the release of their debut full length titled "Stress Fractures" released this past January by playing the album front to back with full band. Their music sounded better than ever with insanely technical two-handed tapping riffs, heavy power chords and songwriting reminiscent of past waves of emo, and vocals to scream-sing your heart out to. This show was a constant ramp of energy from beginning to end and left me absolutely exhilarated in NBT's 90 degree temperature by the end. It was a true celebration of local music with bands from our very own Columbia to across the Carolinas which served as a testament to the Carolina DIY scene. Absolutely one of my favorite shows I've ever been to.