My First Fest : Float Fest 2017

This weekend, Float Fest hit San Marcos for a 104 degree dance party. 

Day one of Float Fest (for me) started with DJ duo, Snakehips.  The crowd went absolutely nuts for them, so I am probably on my own when I say that this was the most disappointing set of the weekend. Other DJ acts Girl Talk and Zedd were entertaining, even for someone who thrives on indie rock and pop bands. Snakehips lacked a real stage presence, nothing memorable or exciting coming from the performance. (Snakehips fans, don't come for me, I'm sure they're wonderful every other time.... maybe.) 

After about an hour of struggling to keep cool by hovering in front of an air conditioner and chugging more water than I've had in the last 22 years, I made my way over to the Sun Stage to catch Mac Miller, an artist that, honestly, I had no desire to see because again, not really my thing. My opinions quickly changed when, before he went on stage, Mac led thousands of people in a sing along to All Star by Smash Mouth, something that I can 10000% get behind. I knew from then on that his performance would be a fun one, and I was definitely right. He was all over the stage, interacting with as many fans as he could, even pointing out a fan totem that had his face embellished with working bright green LEDs, much to the excitement of the crowd, and girlfriend Ariana Grande who was laughing and dancing on the side of the stage. Despite not knowing any of his music, Mac had me dancing in the photo pit and ready to take on the rest of the day with energy restored from the previous set.

     Next up was another DJ, Girl Talk. OH. MY. GOSH. Y'all. I don't think I've ever been more confused yet excited in my life. The set started with Girl Talk and about a hundred fans rushing the stage, dance music blaring, confetti flying, everyone in awe of how wild everything got in a span of 2 seconds. Then came the toilet paper guns to give it an extra bit of "ok where the hell am I?" With all of this going on, it was hard not to have fun. Everyone was cheering and dancing, slightly puzzled as to what was going on but totally buying into it. Girl Talk played everything from today's hits to a remix of Kelly Clarkson's Since You Been Gone and I loved every last second of it. 

      On the opposite side of the festival, Passion Pit began their set with Little Secrets.The enthusiasm peaked at fan favorites like Take a Walk and Sleepyhead, no one seeming to mind that lead singer Michael addressed the crowd as "Houston" several times, despite the fact that we were nowhere near Houston (he wasn't the only one). Overall, it was a fun, more low-energy performance than Girl Talk, the perfect "cool-down" between two fast paced DJ sets. 

     To end night one, Zedd took the stage with an impressive light display. Stood upon an elevated platform, Zedd played his biggest hits to a crowd of thousands, all entranced by the stunning visuals that accompanied every song. Unfortunately, around the 5th song I had to tap out (heat stroke got me), but trust, I was jammin all the way to the car.

    Day 2 was the most exciting, at least for me. My day began with a band I'd never heard before, Moon Taxi. My initial enthusiasm for the band stemmed from how devastatingly handsome the lead singer is (look in the gallery below, he's got long hair and eyes that could kill you), but the music is what kept me hooked. Moon Taxi is the perfect festival band, they have just the right amount of energy for the late afternoon slot, and a sound that was meant for playing to crowds of thousands. Out of all of the acts from the previous day, Moon Taxi was definitely a little more my speed (gotta tell ya, boys on computers just don't hold a candle to bands with instruments and their own music, sorrynotsorry). They definitely gained a new fan, lucky me they're coming back to Austin this fall at Emo's (not sponsored, just hella exciting.)

    The next group was MGMT, a band that I had been very much looking forward to seeing. Despite being a little bit slower placed to begin with, lead singer Andrew kept everyone wrapped around his perfectly polished finger. I was captivated by how effortless everything looked for him, I didn't mind that he wasn't jumping around the stage, he stood almost completely still, but it just made every bit that more interesting. They played favorites like Kids and Electric Feel that got everyone grooving, singing and dancing even in the peak heat of the day. 

     Then, for my favorite performance not only of Float Fest, but of, so far, my entire life, Cage the Elephant took to the Sun Stage. As a recent fan of Cage the Elephant, this was only my first time to see them live, so I didn't really know what to expect. I definitely wasn't expecting what we got. Lead singer Matt Shultz is overflowing with charisma and a never ending source of energy. He was dancing and jumping and flying and crawling all over the stage, almost in a blur while still nailing every last second of vocals. Never in my life have I seen someone with so much literal stage presence (seriously, this guy was everywhere, even in the crowd). I was devastated when the three songs we were allowed to be in the photo pit for were over, I wanted to stay forever. Thankfully, a kind soul let me go back in to watch for the last few songs, including my favorite, Shake Me Down. I was almost brought to tears by the sound of thousands and thousands of people singing lines of a song that has been a huge part of my life the past year. Cage the Elephant's performance was inspiring, exhausting, and exhilarating and I will never forget it. 

     For the perfect ending to the weekend, Weezer began their set with My Name is Jonas, sending the crowd into a whirlwind of reminiscence. Lead singer Rivers Cuomo rarely budged from a small space in front of the mic, but when you're Weezer, you've earned the right to do whatever the f*ck you want, even if it means relying a little on the nostalgia factor. The audience screamed along to classics like Beverly Hills, Say It Ain't So, King of the World, and even a cover of Hey Ya by Outkast, but the best part of the performance, and my favorite part of the weekend, was when Rivers brought out Matt Schultz of Cage the Elephant to sing Island in the Sun. This collaboration was clearly special, the two frontmen came alive, dancing and swaying to one of Weezer's Greatest hits. Before he left the stage, grinning from ear to ear, Matt addressed the crowd, saying "Weezer has always been one of my favorite bands, I can't believe I'm standing here. Dreams do come true" to which the audience responded with a deafening roar.

      My first (official) festival left me exhausted, a little stressed, but overall extremely grateful for the opportunities that I have been given and thankful for the happiness that I've found in all forms of live music. 

See ya next year, Float Fest (if you'll have me). 

Don't miss the gallery below..... it's my first foray into professional photography so be kind, okay. 

P.S. Huge thanks to the media lounge, a brown box container that provided me with AC and a supply of water bottles to stash in my bag to get me through the two days on the surface of the sun. 

- Marissa        

I've Got a Thing for Coin.

On June 6, 2017 Coin played to a PACKED house at Stubb's in Austin, TX.

It's funny how new bands come into your life, it's no longer "I heard this new band on the radio and I LOVE THEM"  now it's more "I saw people talking about this group on twitter so I had to check them out before curiosity killed me"- exactly how I found Nashville natives, Coin. 

With the release of their new album, How Will You Know If You Never Try (HWYKIYNT), Coin had me completely sold (honestly, keep the receipt, I'm buyin' it). I found myself humming and dancing all day, unable to get the catchy tunes out of my head...not like I wanted to. They announced their tour shortly after the release, including an Austin show, and I immediately jumped at the chance to hear this record live. 

I arrived at the venue 2 1/2 hours early where I met a group of kids that had been there all day, even overnight for some, to claim their spot in the front row of a venue that is only slightly larger than a shoebox. My excitement for the show was only elevated after talking to everyone outside. The majority had been at the show in Houston the night before and told me excitedly what to expect, breaking down the setlist and directing me to where to go after the show for the best chance at meeting the band, they had it all down to a science. For the couple of hours before the doors opened we talked everything from new music we liked to what they had done during their day in Austin (most of them had traveled across state lines), each person making it clear that, despite running on no sleep and whatever food was in walking distance, Coin have some of the nicest fans out there.

Finally, we were led into the venue where I took my spot along the balcony and waited for the opening band, Joan, to take the stage. 

One of my favorite things about live music is discovering my new favorite bands through opening acts (y'all, everyone's favorite band started as an opening act, get to shows early.) In this case, I knew instantly that I was going to LOVE Joan. They walked on stage in the most aesthetically pleasing coordinated overalls and played bop after bop. Take it from me, these guys are it. Fair warning, they only have one song out, so prepare to be devastated when you can't download their entire setlist immediately, I know I was. They were confident, holding the attention of the room start to finish with a total package of 80's influenced jams. 

Almost an hour later, Coin took the stage, starting the set with Feeling, one of my favorite tracks from HWYKIYNT, quickly establishing that this would be a show that would challenge you to keep from having fun (even the parents were bobbing along to every last note).

Lead singer, Chase, can only be described as magnetic. He had the entire crowd wrapped around his finger from the start, including me. I couldn't help but to sing and dance along- it felt safe, like there wouldn't be judgement from the people around you for your crazy dance moves because they were breaking out a set of their own. 

Out of the hundreds of shows I've attended, I can't remember a single artist who has had a stage presence as captivating as Chase Lawrence. Even in the sweltering heat (no joke, I think at some point during the show we moved to the surface of the sun... p.s., Stubb's where the hell was the AC, we were counting on you), he never stopped his quirky, larger than life dance moves and, most importantly, he, and the rest of the group, always maintained a special connection with as many members of the audience as they could get to... at one point Chase even leapt into the pit and disappeared into a crowd of screaming teenagers, the only sign that he was ok the still-perfect vocals coming from within the huddle. They took the time to create a space where everyone felt welcome and for just a few hours, a place where you could forget about everything that was going on outside of this perfect little bubble. 

I think my absolute favorite parts of the show, the parts that I'll talk about first when anyone asks, were all the times that Chase would find someone and hold their hand, singing to only them for a few seconds. This isn't a new concept by any means, but what separated Coin from the rest is how often it happened. So many people were made special, each getting their own little bit of time where they were the star, often cheered on by their friends who were desperately trying to get a photo of the moments that they would remember forever. Even from the balcony I could feel how special those little interactions were. 

After the show I made my way to the merch table and got to talk to Joan a for a few minutes, getting to know the meaning behind their unusual (but so great) band name, and even a mutual love for flor, and, in the biggest plot twist in history, they let me know that this show was only the sixth time they'd ever performed... could've fooled me. Their kindness was so clear in my conversation with them and in their conversations with other fans that had spoken to them before me. They spent quality time with anyone willing to listen, doing miniature photoshoots, joking about anything and everything, they made everyone feel like an old friend, something that is rare and completely refreshing in this type of setting, it eased every bit of nerves that come along with meeting bands and gave us a chance to get to know them beyond the music that we already knew made them special. 

Before I left I got the opportunity to speak to Chase after witnessing him (almost) perfectly recite the names of each girl in the group that I'd been running into throughout the night. I've always said that the most important thing for me, as someone who aspires to be in the music industry, is that I find artists that not only make music that I believe in but that are kind, humble, and treat their fans with respect. That being said, Chase fully met every expectation and then some, he continued to go above and beyond in order to sustain the atmosphere of acceptance and give everyone their chance to be heard. 

I was already a fan of Coin when I walked in on Tuesday night, but I left a full-blown superfan. 

Thanks for a great night, guys. 

- Marissa 

Lany at the Paper Tiger

On April 29,2017 fans packed the Paper Tiger in San Antonio, TX to see Los Angeles heartthrobs Lany. 

After waiting hours (days for some) in the San Antonio heat, Lany fans were eagerly awaiting the start of the show. I made my way to the front of the venue and was greeted with smiling faces. The girls at the front of the line had camped out for almost 24 hours to be front row, but you definitely couldn't tell from their attitudes. They were beaming, telling stories of all the different shows they'd attended on the tour, and even sharing all of the details from a visit from the band that they'd gotten earlier in the day. That's the thing about Lany fans, they're always welcoming, even to me, the girl who had (kind of) cut in line because naturally, I had no idea where I was going. We passed the time by talking about the setlist, they were all screaming with excitement because the band had put the setlist on twitter which included a song that was a fan favorite, but one that was rarely ever played live. 

Finally, everyone was let into the venue and after waiting for everyone that camped out to take their spots along the front of the stage, I stepped into a tiny little corner off to the side to wait for the opening band. We all anxiously chatted until the lights went down and out stepped MachineHeart. 

I am often underwhelmed with the opening acts on smaller tours, but in this case, I was so pleasantly surprised and I think I might have added a new favorite with MachineHeart. Instantly I was awestruck at the stage presence of lead singer, Stevie. She commanded the stage, demanding attention and keeping it with her mixture of dreamy tones and powerhouse runs. My favorite song of the set was Speak in Tongues (which i immediately downloaded and have not stopped listening to), a song that somehow manages to be powerful yet wispy with a chorus that you'll find yourself singing long after the song is over.  Stevie definitely is a fan of the old adage "microphones are for swinging not for singing" and played along with the audience while still managing to absolutely kill me with her vocals. HOW DOES SHE DO IT. 

If it wasn't obvious enough, I effing love MachineHeart now and have since instagram stalked all of them (no shame in my game), and subsequently found that they are quite possibly friends with my fave boys, flor, just another bonus for me, as if they needed one. 

* side note, I tweeted them and they slid into my DMs which we all know is the way to my heart because I LIVE for social media validation. that's all. *

After getting my complete life with MachineHeart, Lany came out and started their set with Yea, Babe, No Way, one of my favorite songs of theirs. By the end of the song, a birthday cake had somehow made its way on stage, becoming a prop for lead singer Paul Klein to dance with (also, he turned it sideways while dancing and it didn't fall so I believe that he may or may not be some sort of wizard as well as a musical maven), The crowd went wild for the birthday cake, and after the song was over burst into "Happy Birthday", catching Paul somewhat off guard, the appreciation and adoration for his fans very apparent on his face. The kindness from the fans and the complete hysteria created the ultimate party in this TINY venue, everyone was dancing, even to songs that they didn't know from the unreleased album. 

The energy in the room was electric, despite the Paper Tiger being one of the worst venues I'd ever been in (sorry, but also, not really), Paul felt it too, even saying that this show would be one that he would remember for the rest of his life, much to the excitement of the crowd. 

They continued their set with a perfect mixture of fan favorites and songs from the album, keeping fans excited to sing along to songs like Where the Hell are my Friends, and ILYSB while showcasing the tracks that they were most excited for their dedicated fans to hear. 

I always appreciate when artists interact with the crowd throughout the show, but especially for this one, because I knew that for these girls, it would be everything. I found myself smiling from ear to ear whenever he would reach into the crowd, grab peoples roses that they'd brought him, and dance with them because just hours before they'd told me all of their stories and I knew I was witnessing moments that were changing peoples' lives. Not many artists take the time to REALLY thank the fans, in a non-bullshit sort of way (if that makes any sense), but Paul sincerely thanked everyone and acknowledged the few girls that had stayed overnight to be in the front row and those that had stuck by them through their skyrocket into fame. 

Lany not only put on an excellent show, but are genuinely kind and gracious artists, something that I take very seriously. I am so excited for where this journey will take them, and cannot wait for their debut album, Lany, coming at the end of June. 

 

 

The Japanese House 3/14/17

On March 14, 2017 I made my way to Dallas and FINALLY got to see The Japanese House live. 

For the sake of total transparency ( I say that way too much.... maybe I'm just a liar..... *insert identity crisis*) I have seen The Japanese House once before when she opened for The 1975 in Austin last year, HOWEVER, at the time, I fully did not appreciate her so I let the opportunity slip and made it my mission to get out and see her on her headlining tour. 

Allow me to sum it up in one word: Breathtaking. 

The Japanese House live show is devoid of anything flashy. Amber Bain (TJH) kept it simple, not needing an elaborate light show or a crazy costume to get the full attention of the audience.  Bain made everyone feel right at home with her quirky remarks and crowd interaction between songs, even taking the time to console a crying fan and check back on her a few songs later. 

With dreamy synth vocals only intensified by the close confines of the venue and a production that was so simple, but powerful nonetheless, the talent that The Japanese House has was undeniable. 

This is only the beginning for The Japanese House, and I'm glad I got to (in a small way) be a part of it. 

 

 

Feels Like Home

There are very few people on the planet that I would fly 1,734 miles for, but for flor and Lostboycrow, I would do it 10 times over.

It's no secret that I have no chill when it comes to flor (sometimes I'd like to think it's a mutual lack of chill). Examples of this can be seen on every form of social media, this website, and even permanently tattooed in Zach Grace's handwriting. Since I'd last seen them in March, we've increased our mostly one-sided twitter interactions (low-key my pinned tweet is still Kyle's tweet from March) and I've upped my free-promo quota at work.  In this time I also discovered the beauty that is Lostboycrow and added him to my ever-growing list of people to promo and tweet relentlessly. Oh and I met Jenna, who would also be making the journey from Texas to San Francisco. 

When I'd heard they were teaming up for a tour of the west coast, I knew that I had to be there (especially since flor announced they would play the ENTIRETY of their debut album). I bought my ticket to the show, worked my ass off to get a plane ticket, then finally made my way to San Francisco for the December 6th show. 

When we got to the venue, a little hole in the wall with not even a sign that said we were in the right place (thank god we recognized the band's van or we would have been in a world of hurt), we were let inside where after I raided the merch table, we scoped out where we would stand for the show. On our way up to the stage we ran into Zach and Kyle who graciously put up with my word vomit and attempts to catch them up on everything that's gone on in the past few months.  They left and Jenna and I headed back to a couch set up by the merch table to wait for their set. 

They opened with Get Behind This, a quintessential indie pop track that skyrocketed the energy of the room with its insanely catchy chorus and a hook that you'll still be humming long after the song's over. This song has all of the makings of a hit, the production is spot on and Zach's unique vocals stand out amongst other artists in the genre.  

 By the first chord I was automatically transported back into the safe space that this band created for me from the beginning. Trying to put this into words is near impossible, and I hope that no matter how big they get (I have no doubt they'll go far) that this feeling never changes. It's like the purest forms of happiness, excitement, love, and pride all rolled into one.

With each song came a new layer of excitement and a mental note of which new additions I would go to first with the release of the album. Despite it being my fourth time hearing it live, Warm Blood was one of my favorites of the night. Not even my singing along (comparable to a dying cat) could ruin the magic of my favorite flor song. 

For the sake of total transparency, I have to be honest and say that even though it was only out for 4 days at the time, I had listened to their newest release, Still Standing Still, an embarrassing amount of times and subsequently lost my shit when Lostboycrow took to the stage to perform it with them.  

An unexpected favorite was a new song that Zach played acoustically. I say it's one of my favorites but as I sit here I can't remember the name for the life of me (typical). Anyway, I know with absolute certainty that this will be the first song I turn to as soon as the album comes out. It was stunning and completely effortless, each note taking us deeper into the story of his design.  It was the kind of song that silenced the room, everyone not daring to talk because we all knew were witnessing something truly outstanding . I was almost brought to tears with how perfect it was and I'm totally kicking myself for not remembering the name because I know it's something totally special. (kind of hard to brag about a song when the conversation goes : "oh my god the new flor song is so beautiful that I almost cried the entire time Zach was playing" "what's it called" "I have no idea") you get me? 

The last song I want to mention, Eye to Eye, needs a little bit of a back story before I can go on to how great it was. 

         Flashback to The 1975 in Houston where Jenna and I were  both talking about how excited we were to see flor and discussing which songs they were going to put on the album. I mentioned Eye to Eye and she looked at me like I was legit insane. I even sang a bit of the chorus and was adamant that it was for sure a song of theirs, but even google wasn't helpful, so I had spent weeks thinking I made up an amazing flor song and was fully prepared to tell Zach that I had written a hit for them. 

So there I was, right in front of the stage, Jenna in the corner taking photos when Zach says something along the lines of "this song was only out for about a month, it's called Eye to Eye". From across the room Jenna and I started dying laughing and had the biggest dance party to the amazing song that, until that point, we both kind of thought I had made up. 

Their set left me wishing I could call up Fueled by Ramen and beg for the album so I could listen to it some more, but mostly insanely proud and grateful to whatever cosmic force brought them into my life.

Lostboycrow is a new addition to my life, but is already making a huge impression. Over the past few months I've become completely infatuated. My playlists became mainly his catalogue with a few others sprinkled in, and my twitter became somewhat of a flor/lbc fan account. Not to mention, a one-sided snapchat relationship that is mainly my friends sending him shit that I would have to explain in person (it's fine.) 

Needless to say, this tour was my dream scenario, and my frail little heart could barely handle the excitement when he came on stage right after flor. 

Lostboycrow is one of those rare artists that sound even better live than recorded. His talents are remarkable and entirely underrated. He exudes confidence and commands a room, and will have you dancing and singing along start to finish.

For my first time seeing him live, I had no clue what to expect, but there we were, bopping away when all of a sudden this small child comes out of nowhere, clears a space in front of the stage and starts breakdancing like a scene out of some weird 2000s movie. It was surreal, like this tiny human was literally on the floor, just doing his thing, while LBC was on stage just absolutely killing it, total sensory overload (in a good way). 

Hands down, my favorite part of not only his set but possibly the entire night  was when he sang The Lost Boy (acoustically, maybe that's just a thing that gets me), and brought Zach up on stage to sing a harmony that killed me, brought me back to life, and then had me sobbing internally. I wanted to live in that moment forever, it was the most at peace I had ever felt. Seriously, guys, stop being so talented. It's not fair.  

After the show we talked to Zach and Dylan for a bit-  I don't think I got my word vomit completely under control because I mainly just found 100,000 different ways to say how proud I am of them. We talked a little more about the album and the show and they made their way outside. 

Then my favorite human, personified golden retriever, and resident dad, McKinley came over and listened to me ramble about airport security woes, my shameless flor promo that should have gotten me fired from the station by now and everything in between. Again, my talk about my overflowing pride did not stop at Zach and Dylan, I had to make sure that McKinley knew that I am their biggest advocate. There's something so special about talking to your favorite band about their music, touring , and life in general and I will never forget these little moments. 

*for the sake of keeping this post's length as short as possible, and the fact that I've already gotten super sappy about flor, I'm going to move on, despite the fact that I could talk about these boys for a while if you'd let me*

We moved our party outside (after venue staff had fully had it with our shit... we shut the place down and then some..... sorry bout it), and finally got the chance to meet with Lostboycrow. After I got all of the apologies about my snapchat streaks out of the way, we all got to talking and ended up staying outside in the cold for a while just getting to know each other like he hadn't just slayed our entire existence on the stage less than an hour beforehand. You'd be hard pressed to find someone as cool and down to earth as LBC. It's refreshing having a conversation with someone you've never met that makes you feel like an old friend, especially when you're an anxious mess. 

At the end of it all, if there was any question about it before, these are my favorite people on the planet. It's strange how these things sort of fall into your lap, I would have never believed you if you'd said that the band that opened for Halsey in 2015 and their best friend would have completely stolen my heart a year later, but I am forever grateful that they did. These 5 people have made me feel completely special and undeniably loved and I am so proud to know them. 

In the nothingness at least we're not alone, it feels like home. 

love,  

Marissa

(aka the girl who freaked out in an uber when most of y'all finally followed me on twitter)