Coin with Young the Giant in New Braunfels

After this tour, Coin should just hire me to be their official hype man and i want to live in a young the giant show.

When I say this was one of my favorite tour lineups of all time, I mean it. I couldn’t imagine a more fun pairing than Coin and Young the Giant (both bands that I’ve been listening to forever). I absolutely couldn’t wait until this tour made its way to New Braunfels, at one of the coolest venues only about an hour and a half outside of Austin.

For being the kick off for the whole show, a position that is a challenge for some bands (having to set the tone for an entire show is not an easy task), Coin had a pretty large following in the crowd, much to my excitement , and managed to rope in the rest of the crowd from the beginning.

Despite my best attempts to keep it professional, I couldn’t help but sing along to every song, maybe a little too loud because I got more than a few laughs out of lead singer Chase Lawrence when I got really into the choruses of my favorites, which just so happened to be in the first three songs when I’m right up front without a barricade to hide behind.

Every time I see Coin, which, if you’re keeping track, seems to be more frequent now, they have not only grown tremendously in popularity and their fan base, but as a band they get better and better. Chase has a stage presence like you wouldn’t believe and plays every show as if it’s a headliner at a stadium.

I’m very eager to see Coin on their next headlining tour, I have a feeling that it’s going to be their most exciting yet.

As for Young the Giant, I somehow missed them a few years ago at ACL and had yet to catch a set, so I was beyond excited to finally see their live show. Right off the bat they had the crowd dancing, completely captivated by the elaborate production. They seamlessly blended in their biggest hits with the b-sides, almost telling a story with their setlist. Even when I wasn’t confident on the lyrics, I was singing along and dancing to every song.

Despite it being the middle of the summer and about a thousand degrees outside, everyone was having the time of their lives, including me, all building up to an encore that included a massive firework display set to “My Body” that was a hit with the entire audience.

I had so much fun at this show, there’s no doubt in my mind that I’ll be right back in the crowd the next time Young the Giant rolls through Texas.


Check out the gallery below!

- Marissa

Chase Atlantic in Austin, TX

This June, Chase Atlantic brought their Phases tour to Emo’s in Austin, TX

I saw Chase Atlantic for the first time at Emo’s at the end of 2017 when they opened for Lights, so when they brought their headlining tour back there I couldn't believe how much they’d grown in such a short amount of time.

Despite having a venue change due to bad weather (the story for almost every outdoor show in Austin as of late), fans showed up in droves for Chase Atlantic’s latest headlining tour.

To open the show, Lauren Sanderson completely elevated the energy and had everyone excited and ready for the evening. I loved every second of her set, she was the perfect choice for an opener.

I thought I knew what to expect going into my 6th Chase Atlantic show, but I was completely taken aback by how much they’ve changed since I saw them last at the end of last year. Their confidence had grown exponentially, they dominated the stage and were so comfortable with every aspect of the show. Something in them switched, they were good before, but are full-blown rockstars now.

With a full stage production and a brand new album to go off of, the Chase Atlantic guys were totally in their element. Everything Chase Atlantic is exaggerated, one hundred percent over-the-top and so high-energy that you feel exhausted just watching their performance.

Personally, as someone who’s been a fan for a while, their latest album didn’t excite me as much as the previous one, however, after seeing it performed live, everything came together, this album is definitely made for a live performance.

I’ve seen Chase Atlantic play rooms of all sizes and it’s very clear that these guys are meant to play to a large crowd , their stage presence and production demands an audience and will no doubt only get bigger and better.

- Marissa

Gallery: Billy Raffoul in Dallas, TX

This month I had the chance to see Billy Raffoul at the Granada Theatre in Dallas, TX.

Walking into this show, I had no idea what to expect, but after his set, I am a massive fan of Billy Raffoul.

We all know I love a good singer-songwriter, and Billy Raffoul is no exception. I instantly fell in love with his lyrics and the vulnerability and emotion that he puts into every second of his performance.

With one of the most soulful voices I have ever heard and a completely humble and down to earth demeanor, I was so impressed with his set and look forward to hopefully seeing him again soon.

If you haven’t already, definitely give Billy Raffoul a listen, you won’t regret it. My favorite tracks are “Easy Tiger”, “Forever”, and “You Be Love”.

Check out the photos below!

- Marissa



Morgan Saint in Austin, TX

Recently, I had the opportunity to see Morgan Saint again at The Parish in Austin, TX.

After seeing her open for Leon, I became completely enamored by Morgan Saint. I downloaded every track I could get my hands on and listened to them endlessly for weeks. There’s nothing that I love more than the excitement that comes from finding an artist that you truly connect with, and with Morgan Saint, I found myself relating to every song and feeling like I had truly found something remarkable.

When the opportunity came up to catch her set again, I couldn’t wait. I was so excited to finally be able to appreciate these songs live and rediscover my love for her live performance.

I got to the venue STUPID early, but knew that I had to be there right in the front row. I excitedly told everyone around me how much I loved Morgan and knew they would too, and shared with them my favorite songs and the ones that I’d hoped would be on the setlist.

Opening the set with Sinner Boy, Morgan captivated the audience from the beginning. I think the thing that really sold me on her as an artist was how she performs with such intensity and confidence, while still managing to be vulnerable and open. The way Morgan gets right in your face and makes every song feel very intimate and personal, like she’s singing to you, is so special, her presence on stage demands your full attention and creates this exhilarating energy that is hard to find anywhere else.

I obviously enjoyed her set the first time I saw her perform, but this time, knowing the words to every song and having immersed myself in her music for weeks, I loved it even more.

After her set, I had the pleasure of meeting Morgan and sharing with her how much I have completely fallen in love with every song, and she could not have been nicer. I know that we’ll be hearing a lot more about her soon and I can’t wait, she deserves every bit of the success that is headed her way.

Next time Morgan Saint comes to Austin, rest assured I will be there, front row, singing my heart out.

- Marissa



Betty Who in Austin, TX

This June I finally had the opportunity to see Betty Who when she brought Betty the Tour to Mohawk in Austin, TX.

I have been a fan of Betty Who for years, after having first heard her as a feature on Troye Sivan’s “Heaven”. I absolutely love everything that Betty Who stands for, and the all-inclusive nature of her music. As someone who has struggled with image and confidence, it means everything to be able to see someone who doesn’t fit the conventional standards of beauty completely dominate a stage and redefine what it means to feel self confident (for the record, I fully believe that Betty Who is one of the most beautiful human beings I have EVER seen in my life.)

Betty Who’s performance was incredibly fun, I had a blast dancing and singing along with people that I had never met before, suddenly coming together as if we’d known each other forever. I have never seen someone come onto a stage so self-assured from the beginning, Betty Who made it look easy and effortless to nail a vocal and a dance routine simultaneously with an attitude that exuded complete confidence and demanded attention.

There were a few songs that she played that I was unfamiliar with, but even if I didn’t know the words, I was yelling along with my new friends around me, and by the third song, the group next to me had everyone covered in glitter and smiling ear to ear.

The sense of community that I felt with everyone at this show was second to none, everyone was accepted and loved, there were old people, young people, people of every color and sexual orientation, and everyone was having the time of their lives. It was truly magical and an experience that I will never forget.

Check out the photos from the show below!

- Marissa