Pre-Christmas-Break Concert

I have a running list of artists that I want to see in concert. Just to name a few, I want to see Angels & Airwaves, The xx, The 1975, Dermot Kennedy, Sigrid, The Japanese House, Bon Iver, and Cold War Kids. Before finals week this semester (a particularly stressful semester at that), I was able to go see one of these artists live - Cold War Kids. They were opening for Phoenix, a band I was vaguely familiar with. Now, as you know, going to concerts is my favorite activity; so, I jumped at the chance.

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I apologize to you die-hard CWK fans out there, but the best way to describe their set is to say that it was underwhelming. I'm still a fan, but I was highly disappointed in their singing and the overall atmosphere they provided. In spite of that, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt since the main singer sounded like he was feeling a little under the weather. (I know, I know, how kind of me.)

Initially, I was more excited to see CWK than Phoenix; I had heard Phoenix's songs, Lisztomania and Lasso a few years prior, but that was about it. Much to my surprise, Phoenix absolutely blew me away, and their performance made up for CWK's subpar one. Phoenix opened with J-Boy and kept the audience involved until their last song, 1901. And here's a fun little fact that I didn't know until that night: the band members are French! (Yes, every Phoenix fan probably knows this; but, as a student of French 203 that semester with only a small knowledge of the band, I got really excited when the main singer responded with, "Merci beaucoup," to the cheering crowd after their first song. Sue me.) 

My advice to you, reader, is that whenever Phoenix is playing in your city, see them. In order to persuade you further, here is a photo I took of that delightful show: 

Phoenix at Cain's Ballroom 

Reagan Fleming

| The Naked + Famous, XYLØ, and The Chain Gang of 1974 | Concert Review

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On November 7th, 2016, The Chain Gang of 1974 started off the night with their high energy singles and matching stage presence. The venue, Newport Music Hall, provided an intimate experience for the concert-goers and performers. The architecture of "America's Longest Continually Running Rock Club" was astounding - ornate with cathedral ceilings and intricate designs. The singer of the Chain Gang of 1974, Kamtin Mohager, swiftly moved about the stage, making me wonder how he wasn't too out of breath to actually sing. The band performed songs such as "I Still Wonder," "Sleepwalking," and even one that is not yet released. 

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The brother/sister duo, XYLØ, is comprised of Paige Duddy and Chase Duddy, whose music style shares similarities to Lana Del Rey, yet with a more electronic twist. (Take a listen to their song "America" and you'll know what I mean). Paige Duddy came on stage sporting an Ohio State University sweatshirt, which was a nod to the university that is in close proximity to the venue. The crowd seemed to be quite engaged in the electronic/pop songs, and Paige did a great job of keeping that energy up in the crowd throughout the set. 

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By the end of the night, when The Naked and Famous was due to come on stage, the crowd had almost doubled. I didn't even try to emerge from the crowd to explore the venue more - I would have never gotten back in. So, I patiently waited to hear what song TNAF chose to start their set with. 

The New Zealand natives surpassed all of my expectations by choosing "The Water Beneath You" as their opening song - the powerful bass and quick tempo got the crowd hyped immediately. Their recent hit, "Higher" quickly followed what I would call The Perfect Opening Song.

I think that anyone in the crowd that night would agree with me when I say that not only did TNAF provide an amazing concert, but they also had a perfectly-timed light show throughout. The entire band wore very neutral colors on stage, which allowed the bright lights not to clash. Red and blue hues flashed on stage at various times, which I believed paid homage to their 2016 album cover of Simple Forms. Later in the night, during the song "No Way," they replaced the epic buildup at the chorus with soft notes on the piano and corresponding bursts of light.

It has been a dream of mine to see my favorite song of all time, "Young Blood" in concert. And on November 7th, 2016, that dream was fulfilled. Obviously they saved this as their second to last song of the night, since it's their most well-known song. Before the song began, Alisa of TNAF told the crowd that she loves it when they sing along with her. So, I sang along here and there, but I mostly wanted to listen to her sing it. I wanted to remember those three minutes - and the rest of the night - in my mind, forever. 

Review: Nashville Live Concert Comes to Tulsa

When I went to school in Oklahoma, I had the privilege of writing a few pieces for the university's newspaper, The Oracle. There was one piece in particular that I had a lot of fun with - it was a concert review. 

I have watched the show Nashville ever since it came out years ago, and I am extremely stoked to see the newest season on CMT in January. Last year, while I was still attending this school, the musicians of Nashville went on tour - the tour was called "Nashville Live in Concert". I offered to attend this concert and write up a review. The review is provided below and can be found on The Oracle's website here.

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Charles Esten (who plays Deacon Claybourne) and Clare Bowen (who plays Scarlett O'Connor) sing and dance on stage during a duet. 

(Photo credit: Reagan Fleming)

The cast from the ABC show, “Nashville” performed a live concert at downtown Tulsa’s Brady Theater this Thursday. The actors and singers sang beautifully-written original songs from the TV series, ranging from season one up until the current season. The lineup included: Clare Bowen who plays Scarlett O’Connor, Aubrey Peeples who plays Layla Grant, Jonathan Jackson who plays Avery Barkley, Chris Carmack who plays Will Lexington and Charles Esten who plays Deacon Claybourne. The singers sang several songs never performed live. In addition, some singers including Carmack, Bowen and Peeples sang original songs, giving the audience a refreshing change.

The Brady Theater has two seated areas for the show: a balcony seating area overlooking the stage and a ground floor. The venue captured the same ambiance as the Grand Ole Opry, allowing for a more intimate and relaxed concert.

The show opened with Carmack singing a much-loved Will Lexington song, “What If I Was Willing.” The other performers came out one by one and performed a single song as their characters on the show. They all portrayed their character’s stage presence perfectly, making it feel as if the audience was watching them on TV.

The highlight of the entire night was when Esten and Bowen came into the crowd. The entire room went ballistic. Esten was the crowd favorite, especially when performing with his on-screen niece, Bowen. Bowen twirled across the stage in her bare feet and Esten impersonated Elvis with a popped collar at one point. The audience could clearly tell Esten was having the time of his life on stage; he is a natural performer.

The cast also performed covers of songs such as “Love Rescue Me” by Bono and Bob Dylan and Prince’s “Purple Rain.” The crowd gave the “Purple Rain” cover the most applause and acclamation. The entire stage took a purple hue during the song and Esten claimed the crew only practiced it earlier in the day. The crowd stood up to sing along to the extremely moving performance.

Nashville Live was the perfect concert to attend to in order to unwind after studying for hours, in spite of the loud, overly-enthusiastic men and women who screamed, “We love you!” to the performers multiple times. Each singer gave a stellar performance with crystal-clear voices, a sharp movement and spot-on harmonies. Catch the season four finale of “Nashville” on ABC, Wednesday, May 4 at 9 p.m.