Drake Bell at Parish

In terms of people that helped shape my childhood, Drake Bell is high on the list, seeing him in 2019 was absolutely surreal.

When I heard that Drake Bell was coming to Austin, I instantly turned back into the kid that was obsessed with The Amanda Show and Drake and Josh, I knew that I had to be at that concert purely out of nostalgia and curiosity about what his new music is like.

I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived at the venue to see that it was a very simple show, no opener, just an hour with Drake Bell and his guitar. Immediately I met several of his biggest fans, some had driven from states away to be at this special show, others had been close to tears all day with excitement about meeting their favorite artist. One fan in particular had driven from another state to be able to see Drake on her birthday, she was the very first one in line, strumming a guitar and singing Drake Bell’s songs ahead of the meet and greet.

The crowd was an even blend of new fans and those who were excited to relive their childhood for the night. Throughout the show people would shout classic lines from Drake and Josh, and, much to their amusement, Drake would call out right back to them. Fans sang along to each track, while others were, like me, interested in hearing the mixture of new music and old and seeing where the years had taken him.

By far my favorite moment of the evening was when Drake pulled up the fan with the guitar I’d met early and they performed “Makes Me Happy” together, it was one of those moments when you know you’re witnessing someone’s life change. The energy in the entire room changed the second he pulled her up onto the stage, everyone was ecstatic, cheering her on and singing along louder than before.

Although my initial reason for attending the show was to see a beloved childhood icon, I was beyond excited to hear how his new music perfectly matured over the years, he made the transition from young tv star to a true artist seem effortless. I’ll definitely be keeping an ear out for new music from Drake Bell, who, as of this month, gained a true new fan.

- Marissa


Check out the gallery below!


Calpurnia at Scoot Inn

First show of 2019 -So excited to start the new year with Calpurnia!

What a way to begin a new year! I have to admit, before their show in Austin, I was pretty unfamiliar with Calpurnia, all that I really knew was that Finn Wolfhard was the lead singer and that the majority of my friends wouldn’t shut up about how good they are.

As a general rule, if I’m not already a fan of the band, I won’t listen to them much before the show so I can be surprised when I get there. To say I was surprised by the talent of both bands would be an understatement. I guess that’s what I get for underestimating these kids but they put on a better show than most grown adults.

The opening band, Lunar Vacation, was so refreshing and fun. I was a little weary about going to a show with such a young crowd, but it was exciting to see their fans sing along to every song and be so incredibly happy to be there (something you don’t really get a lot from older groups).

I have been to several shows at Scoot Inn in the last year, and this one was without a doubt the loudest I’ve ever been to. Calpurnia’s fans are a dedicated bunch, even in the pouring rain the energy didn’t waver, from beginning to end everyone was singing along, dancing, and cheering as loud as they could. My favorite songs of the night were Greyhound (a song that has since been added to every single playlist I can add it to, wow this song is good), and a Pixies cover that was an unexpected gem.

For most, the draw of this band would be the charismatic Finn Wolfhard, known for his roles in Stranger Things and It, and admittedly he was what piqued my initial curiosity, but credit has to also be given to the other members of the band who are wildly talented. I firmly believe that even if they didn’t have Finn’s television success to help catapult their career, they would have made it anyway. Most impressive was their guitarist Ayla, who has not only some of the craziest guitar skills I’ve seen from anyone, but a stage presence that commands attention. Bass player Jack was definitely a fan favorite as well, he interacted with the crowd at any chance he could get- sending the hundreds of fans there into hysterics every time.

If Calpurnia was any indication of the year to come, I think this could be my best year yet.

Check out the photo gallery below, and definitely give Calpurnia a listen, you won’t regret it.

- Marissa

Gallery: Half the Animal and The Night Game at Parish

On November 17th, The Night Game brought their tour with Half the Animal to Austin, TX at the Parish.

Despite it being my fourth time to see them, I was very excited to catch Half the Animal again, as well as discover a new band, The Night Game.

I don’t think I'll ever get bored of seeing Half the Animal. These guys are some of the most fun performers out there, it’s impossible to not have a good time while they’re performing. It’s been amazing to see them over the past year, they’re so incredibly different than the first time I saw them, they’ve now established themselves as true artists and effortlessly command the stage with their own developed style.

I really enjoyed The Night Game’s set, it was high energy, unique, and not what I’d expected. I had been a massive fan of Boys Like Girls, so I was interested to see their lead singer in a totally new band. The Night Game is definitely 80’s influenced, with Martin’s own style woven in. I was pleasantly surprised, they without a doubt gained a new fan, and I will definitely be at their next Austin show!

Check out the gallery below!

- Marissa






Gallery: The Band Camino at ACL Live

Y’all. It finally happened, after missing show after show, I finally got to see The Band Camino live.

If it wasn’t so frustrating, it would be funny how many times I’ve tried to see The Band Camino and it didn’t work out. Whether it was being unexpectedly scheduled for work, or a canceled festival, something always came up, so I was very relieved when I made it to their show at ACL Live.

These guys definitely did not disappoint.

I was a little stressed when I’d realized I brought the wrong lens to this show (such a me thing to do I KNOW), but I’d all but forgotten about it the second they came on stage, I was way too excited to let that get me down.

That being said, check out the lil gallery below, and whatever you do, don’t miss The Band Camino on their headlining tour next year.

- Marissa



Billie Eilish at Emo's

Billie Eilish brought her sold-out 1 by 1 tour to Emo’s in Austin, TX this November.

To say that I was excited to see Billie Eilish live would be a massive understatement. It’s strange, being such a big fan of someone almost ten years younger than me, but it’s hard not to love everything that Billie Eilish releases.

The first opener, Finneas (Billie’s older brother), was definitely a highlight of my night. I hadn’t heard his music before the show, but I was captivated by his style and confidence from the beginning. He kept his performance simple, only him and a guitar, but it was absolutely perfect, in fact, if he ever decides to do a tour on his own, you’ll definitely see me there.

After Finneas came Childish Major. To be honest, I was a little disappointed by his performance, especially after enjoying Finneas’ so much. For me, it was almost like he was trying to embody every rap cliche at once, from spending the majority of his set making the audience yell different phrases back at him, to using every opportunity to promote his instagram or newest merch, something about it just didn’t sit right with me.

Finally, Billie appeared on stage on a platform, surrounded by a giant spider-shaped lighting rig. My energy was low after the second opener, but within the first song, I was dancing and singing along, just as excited as the much younger crowd around me.

Even after witnessing it live, it’s hard to believe someone so young could have a voice so incredible. I was enamored with her ability to sing perfectly and still bounce around the stage, never missing a beat.

The best parts of the show (in my opinion) were Party Favor, You Should See Me in a Crown, and Bellyache. Bellyache is my favorite Billie song, and it was made even better by the fan that she brought on stage, a 3 year old name Elsie who goes by “ Mini Billie Eilish” on Instagram. I loved seeing both of them so excited to be on stage together, everyone in the crowd couldn’t get enough.

I know without a doubt that this is just the beginning for Billie Eilish, she’s destined to do big things.

- Marissa