Author Archives: Hayley Parker

You know them for their nostalgic hit “Cough Syrup,” but Young the Giant is here to dedicate their voice to a higher cause than just catchy tunes.

Releasing their first album in four years American Bollywood, lead singer Sameer Gadhia writes on the band’s Instagram, “This record is about identity, belonging, family, sacrifice, love, and mysticism… About the country and world we saw in the mirror of our deep isolation, and our fight to reclaim who we are; who we deserve to be.”

From Gadhia’s Indian heritage to Persian, Italian, Canadian, and British band members, the group is no stranger to immigration struggles, racism, and the isolation that is felt around the world today—a point that hits just the right note throughout their album without ever feeling preachy.

While the raw vulnerability of this release will be enjoyed through streaming platforms in your day to day life, seeing the emotion of the band live was short of a religious experience. Looking back on pictures from the opening act, you can see the goosebumps on Gadhia’s arms as he sang to the crowd “American dreams were hard to conjure, without a bed to sleep in.”

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From humble beginnings performing at a Chik-fil-A open mic night (yes, really) to now selling out back to back nights at the House of Blues in Chicago, Matt Maeson has exceeded even his own expectations in conquering the musical industry.

Initially finding fame after the release of his debut single “Cringe” in 2016, Maeson went on to perform around the world, garnering fans for his laid back approach to music and lyrical ingenuity.

Best known for his hit “Hallucinogenics,” (which has a casual 130 million+ listens on Spotify) Maeson once tweeted “Yes, I am aware that ‘Hallucinogenics’ is not an actual word but rather than basque in my own stupidity I praise myself for being so innovative that I created a word,” and in my opinion that sums up the tone of many of his previous songs—innovative.

His latest project released earlier this year, Blood Runs Red, continues to showcase Maeson’s unique gift for songwriting. Based on success and grappling the heightened ego it brings, if you’re new to Maeson’s music, this head banger-inducing beat is a fantastic place to start.

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Going out with a bang, The Lumineers concluded their Brightside World Tour at Wrigley Field on Saturday night. Spanning 56 shows, 35 states, and over 20,000 miles, this was their biggest tour since forming in 2005.

Met by a sold out crowd of fans of all ages (literally—from children that barely reached my knee to the elderly soaking in the night from their wheelchairs, there was no lack of diversity) they kicked off the night with hits “Ho Hey” and “Cleopatra,” not missing a beat from the moment they hit the stage. One of the original bands to put folk on the mainstream map, the band’s undeniable chemistry made them a joy to watch. Jumping from instrument to instrument, founding member Jeremiah Fraites was seen on the drums, mandolin, backing vocals, and tambourine to name a few, with other touring band members following suit to showcase their musical range.

Making the stage their home, there was never a dull moment throughout the almost 2 hour set, and despite telling myself I would leave early to beat the crowd, it was impossible to vacate the stadium while there was such a spectacle going on. Modest in theatrics by stadium standards, the band focused on their sheer talent rather than flooding the crowd with flashy lights and backdrops, ringing true to their folksy, small town attitudes despite the odd 40,000 people watching on.

Regardless of the inevitable ups and downs of tour I’m sure the entire band and crew experienced, all was forgotten as they ended the night with crowd favorite “Stubborn Love.” You could tell they were happy to be here, and the audience was hanging on every word of thanks expressed from lead singer Wesley Schultz.

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