The American Candy Tour

The Maine
Photo by Adam Elmakias

Four bands - The Technicolors, Knuckle Puck, Real Friends and The Maine - kicked off the start of their tour in Tempe, Arizona on April 3. The Maine are headlining the tour in celebration of the release of their fifth studio album, American Candy. It's quite an interesting mix up of bands that took the stage. The Technicolors and The Maine are both Arizona local bands signed to 8123. The Maine toured with Real Friends all last summer on Warped Tour, and they had just me the guys from Knuckle Puck the same day they started touring. The crowd was a pretty fair split between Real Friends fans and The Maine fans. I'm not sure how these bands got to touring together since their music really isn't that similar, but it made for a fun show.

The Technicolors

The first to take the stage are The Technicolors. As I mentioned before, they are an Arizona local band and I've had the pleasure of seeing them twice before - once at the Super Bowl party in Phoenix and once at a short acoustic set at Tempe Marketplace. Like The Maine, they are also celebrating the release of new music. Their new EP, Ultraviolet Disguise, is set to release on April 7, but they were selling the EP early at their merch stand. Listening to their only album, Listener, from 2012, and hearing them live makes you think you are hearing two completely different bands. Listener is more meant for something to be listened to while you chill at home, so it doesn't translate as well when performed live. However, that doesn't mean they didn't do a great job on stage. One of their new songs, "Tonight You Are Mine," and some of my favorite songs like "Hollywood" from Listener helped liven things up.

Unfortunately, I was forced to ditch my great spot close to the stage. After waiting hours before the show, I managed to get a spot very close to the barricade. What I hadn't realized were that Knuckle Puck and Real Friends are much louder bands than I had expected. I'm not too familiar with either band, other than briefly hearing Real Friends during Warped Tour. Anyways, my spot in front of stage left turned out to be where everyone chose to crowd surf and mosh. I'm okay with some of that in moderation, but after quite a few times of getting kicked in the head, I decided to do the walk of shame and leave my spot. I'm not too bummed about it after seeing the tornado of people later crash through where I was standing, plus I had a nice view of the entire stage from my new spot.

Knuckle Puck performed second and, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was impressed. Their songs carried tons of energy and the band looked like they were having a great time. They didn't do too much talking or interacting with the audience, but their performance didn't lack any enthusiasm. Based on the dozens of crowd surfers and the wave of people jumping up and down, it looked like the crowd was having a pretty good time as well.

Real Friends got on stage next with an enormous cheer from the audience. My favorite moments were when there was a back and forth between the vocalist singing and the crowd singing. The crowd was just as pumped and rowdy as before, if not more energetic. Once they finished their set, just about half the crowd left to join the back of the venue. I think I had underestimated the size of Real Friends' fan base.

The Maine

After hours and hours of waiting, The Maine finally took the stage with a song from their new album called "Miles Away." They performed that first song with the biggest smiles on their faces and a hop in all of their steps. It was obvious how much they have longed to be on stage and perform again. They played half of the songs from their new album, plus hits from their four previous albums and one amazing cover for a total of 14 songs. To be honest, I thought they should have played for longer than the hour they got. Those 60 minutes flew by in a blink of an eye.

The guitarists, Kennedy Brock and Jared Monaco, stayed put on their sides of the stage throughout the night, but the smiles never left their faces. Pat Kirch could be seen singing along to the songs and having a great time from his place behind the drums. Garrett Nickelsen, the bassist, moves around the most without a doubt which makes him such a fun performer to watch on stage. I can't remember a time where he actually stood still, unless it was to quickly sing some background vocals. Like Nickelsen, the vocalist, John O'Callaghan, also moved around quite a bit. One of the best things to watch on stage was the chemistry between the band. Whether it was O'Callaghan resting his head on Monaco's shoulder (and giving him a peck on the cheek!) or Nickelsen going over and teasing Brock, they were constantly interacting with each other and the crowd. It was easy to see that The Maine are a group of five best friends.

The band summoned some songs from one of their oldest albums, Black & White, including "Growing Up," "Inside of You" and "Right Girl." "Growing Up" is possibly my favorite song of theirs to see live. It's performed faster than the studio version, and the chorus is catchy and relateable to anyone listening.  The way O'Callaghan shouts Growing up won't bring us down! easily puts the biggest smile on my face and has me singing along.

The Maine

"My Hair," the anthem song to the long locks O'Callaghan sported during Warped Tour up until the finish of recording American Candy, was a huge crowd favorite. It's a song that will definitely be on everyone's summer playlist. The other songs from American Candy played that night included "Same Suit, Different Tie," "English Girls" and "American Candy." I've already been obsessing over the album since the second it came out, but to hear them performed live is indescribably better. One of my favorite parts about the new album are how the the backing vocals are recorded, and I was looking forward to seeing how that would be portrayed on stage. I definitely was not disappointed. I'm not sure if it is a detail that is overlooked or not, but the backing vocals provided mostly by Brock, but also by Nickelsen and Monaco, helped shape that unique sound that surrounds the album, both in the studio and on stage.

Towards the end of the show, O'Callaghan took the stage by himself and performed the band's first hit, "Into Your Arms," acoustically. What made that song special was how loud and strong all the voices from the crowd were. The chorus was mostly sung by the crowd, which put the biggest and cheesiest grin on O'Callaghan's face. I'm sure the rest of the band were listening and smiling as well. The acoustic energy shifted dramatically as Monaco, Brock, Kirch and Nickelsen joined the stage to do an impressive cover of The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction." I knew they were going to do a cover, but I would have never guessed this. It was a fantastic choice for the tour, and everyone had a great time singing along.

The night ended with a performance of "Right Girl" and a stream of blue and white confetti. The Maine put every last ounce of energy into that last song, and they didn't even look or sound tired. This was another song that had the crowd singing every word at the top of their lungs.

Garrett and I   :)

I waited almost an hour after the show behind the venue to hopefully congratulate the guys on an amazing first show. Between the waiting and actually talking to the band, I got to meet my favorite music photographer, Adam Elmakias! After that, they finally came outside one by one and grabbed their own part of the crowd leaning against the barricade to talk to. As soon as Garrett came outside, I yelled his name and he walked right over to my section. After giving him a quick hug, he mentioned that he remembered me from the whole "24 hour thing" (the album release party and acoustic set at Tempe Marketplace which I blogged about in my last post as well as a review of their album). That easily made my night a thousand times better. He hung out for about half an hour and talked about a bunch of random stuff. He was later joined by The Technicolor members, Brennan Smiley and Joseph Schwegler. I also got to talk to Jared that night! We talked about the new songs being played live and about the new album. I don't think that night could have gotten any better. If you're going to one of their shows this tour, I strongly suggest waiting after and trying to meet them.

If you haven't checked out the new album... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??? American Candy is available on iTunes, Spotify and the band's YouTube channel. It contains ten amazing songs that you will end up playing on repeat.


Until next time,
Nikole

The Maine: American Candy

The Maine, a local band from Arizona, released their fifth studio album yesterday titled "American Candy." The guys - John O'Callaghan (vocals), Kennedy Brock (guitar),  Jared Monaco (guitar), Garrett Nickelsen (bass) and Pat Kirch (drums) - spent a month in Joshua Tree, California writing and recording the album. Three singles were released before March 31 including English Girls, Miles Away and Different Suit, Same Tie. The songs suggested something lighter and more relaxed than their darker album, "Forever Halloween." However, the more I listened to the album, the clearer it became that this album is a lot more than what's on the surface. "American Candy" contains ten unique songs that all hold their own special purpose.

Before I get into each song, I want to address the album as a whole. The Maine's music has evolved quite a few times over the last eight years, but this new evolution may be one of my favorites. While the last albums touched on some dark themes, the music said something that isn't as easy to say in words. "American Candy" did that as well, but in a different approach. My first reaction was that it began with some easy going, fun to rock out to tunes, and then it transitioned into some heavier material beginning with the fifth track. Before really taking in the lyrics, I thought of it as being another shorter, slightly lighter version of "Forever Halloween." Surface level, sure, I guess you can still say that. However, this album is truly about hope and progress. I'll expand on that when I delve into the songs, but this album became a million times more important to me when I came to that realization. Every song tells a different moment about having priceless memories with friends, learning, becoming better, not giving up. It encourages you to be you. It's unique and rare to find an album that can have you thinking about the songs and lyrics even when the music isn't playing.

Miles Away
The first song on the album is Miles Away, which is filled with positive vibes that make you want to get up and dance. It's a fun song to sing along to with an easy beat that has you wanting to play it on repeat.

Same Suit, Different Tie
Same Suit, Different Tie is the next song which starts with a pleasing to hear guitar riff that leads into the vocals. This song is great because it makes you feel like a million bucks. Dear you don't need high-priced designs to feel dressed up. It's not about what you wear, it's how you wear it. Just a strut and a little style. It's a great transition into the next song.

My Hair
The first time I saw The Maine was at Warped Tour 2014, and John's hair was really long and he had this Kurt Cobain look about him. When the band left Joshua Tree, John sported a nice clean cut. The reason I'm talking about this is because the third song is called My Hair. It has this great vibe that's saying "I don't care what you think of me or what I should do or what I should look like, because I'm going to be me and that's going to make me happy." It makes me want to drive on PCH with the windows down and shout the lyrics into the wind.

English Girls
English Girls was the first single for the new album, and so far the only one with a music video (although Miles Away does have a pretty cool lyric video). It follows the same feeling as the first three songs - having good times, not caring what anyone thinks. This set such great expectations for the rest of the album. It made me think of their earlier stuff from "Black & White."

24 Floors
This song is the turning point. The happy and fast rhythms are traded in for something softer and has this introspective feeling about it. 24 Floors is about someone contemplating whether or not of jumping off a hotel building. On the surface, it could definitely be just perceived as a sad song. Even beyond the surface, it is still one of the saddest songs on the album, but it is so, so much more than that. After I read the lyrics, I found that it isn't supposed to be a sad song. This is a song about hope, about saving yourself. There's a voice that is talking to the person, calming them down. Every moment's relevant, bittersweet and delicate. Tomorrow may never come again, tonight is all there is. It's an extremely powerful song when you really listen to it.

Diet Soda Society
Just the name, Diet Soda Society, has you interested in this song. The song has a catchy rhythm including some whistles (well, it sounds like whistles) and well placed backing vocals that makes you love it instantly. Personally, I love the word choice in this song. Oblivion, supernova, omnipresent, psyche and the soma, person vs. persona. They aren't words or phrases you hear everyday. There's a lot more I can say on this song, but I was hoping just include a comment or two for each song. Also, I find this song really hard to break down. There are so many aspects to it.

Am I Pretty?
This next one I believe speaks to a lot of people. Am I Pretty? is filled with questions that I find we ask ourselves a lot. I understand that people will have different reasons why they might relate, but I feel like a good majority of us has wondered things like if people like us or not. Even after the efforts of trying to be someone else's definition of "pretty," you may still feel like you're confetti for the gathering. It's the last line in the song that stands out to me most. The more Am I Pretty? is repeated, the more sarcastic I feel it becomes. Then it ends with some murmured comments, and There's beauty and grace in the flaws of your face, all candor and style in the crook of your smile.

(Un)Lost
As soon as this song begins, I get the urge to go outside and just stare up at the stars. Or maybe go on a night drive with no destination in particular. There's a lyric in (Un)Lost that I feel sums up pretty nicely what this song is about: I know I'll take the leap if it is worth the fall. It's that in between area of being lost and being found. A destination isn't important, as long as you keep moving. I loved the piano in the beginning of the song because it is so crucial to the mood of the song. Everything about this one is so well recorded, the emotion is captured perfectly.

American Candy
The title song has been stuck in my head all day. The song is not as cheery as the name may lead you to believe. The same piano vibe that set up the mood in (Un)Lost can be heard in this tune. The vocals are also vital to delivering this song. The chorus has this back-and-forth thing going on that really captures my attention: they've got American candy, (you're sweet and sated, so sedated), for the American kids (you're hooked and baited, annihilated). The American candy is described the same way as I imagine any drug would be.

Another Night on Mars
The second I heard this song, and especially the chorus, I thought of the song We'll All Be from their first album, "Can't Stop, Won't Stop." This song is dedicated to those friends that are there for you through thick and thin, the ones that make you feel comfortable being you. I love in the middle to the end of the song where John cuts into the chorus with his own shouts (What's one more night!? We are here under the stars! I hear you singing!). While I mentioned before that The Maine has gone through quite a few changes over the years, it's obvious that they have stayed grounded. They've grown with their music, but they haven't given up who they are. They are still the same group of friends that sang We'll All Be.

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Daytrotter

On the night of March 30, I got to join The Maine at their album release party at Zia Records in Tempe, AZ. John and Jared played a few acoustic songs and talked with the small crowd for awhile. I got to meet them for the second time ever that night, and they are still the very humble and nice guys that I remember them to be. Also, I had John write inside the album a line from 24 Floors - Every moment's relevant, bittersweet and delicate.

Selfies with The Maine

I also went to the 8123 pop-up store at Tempe Marketplace on March 31. It was beyond chill and I had the greatest time. I picked up The Maine's Daytrotter vinyl which I have never seen before and I'm so psyched to own it now. I talked to some of the guys while they hung out inside the store and then saw them again during the signing. I was so blown away that they actually remembered me from the night before! The moments where I get to watch my favorite bands play live and then meet them (if I'm that lucky) are the moments I live for. After the signing, I watched The Technicolors, This Century and The Maine play some acoustic sets. The Maine did a 24 hour party on Meerkat where they had to stay up for 24 hours. Everything about those 24 hours couldn't have been better.

I am so looking forward to seeing The Maine again on Friday as they kick off the American Candy Tour with Knucklepuck, Real Friends and The Technicolors. "American Candy" is now available on iTunes, Spotify and The Maine's YouTube channel.

Hope you enjoyed my review. :)

Until next time,
Nikole

Sunday's Seven Songs

Week five of Sunday's Seven Songs! I would be lying if I said it's getting harder to remember to do this, especially because they aren't getting that many views. I just keep telling myself that it's good practice that I write every week, even if there is no one reading. This is better then giving up my blog all together. And there's a bunch of concert and album releases coming up, so I promise that this blog should be getting more interesting. 

Anyways, the Academy Awards are on so I'm a little distracted writing this. With that said, here are the seven songs:

1) Polaroid by Imagine Dragons

Imagine Dragons' new album, "Smokes and Mirrors," came out last Monday. I have to say that I don't love it as much as their last album. It's lacking the energy that made their first album stand out. However, I think that this band is extremely underrated. I've read some jokes here and there that poke fun at people who are still fans of this group, but I don't understand. They are an extremely talented bunch. I'm sure the more I listen to their new album, the more it will grow on me. "Polaroid" definitely was the first song to stand out to me. I love the tempo and sound of this song. I might to another blog post this week dedicated to what I though of the rest of this album.

2) One Foot by fun.

"Some Nights" by fun. will always be one of my favorite albums. There is such a deep meaning in every one of the songs that I find so inspiring and so unique. From the first time I heard this album in 2012, "One Foot" has always been my favorite song. When you really take the time to listen to the lyrics, it's amazing how simple yet thoughtful it is. This album is really about living and finding yourself. I hope the band comes out of hiatus soon, however I can't complain about what some of them have been doing in their spare time which leads me to the next song.

3) You're Still a Mystery by Bleachers

Jack Antonoff is the lead guitarist of fun., but he also is the lead singer and songwriter of Bleachers. It wouldn't be fair for me to compare the two bands because they're too different. Bleacher is best known for their radio his, "I Wanna Get Better." I think that song is probably the best on the album because it has a great meaning, not to mention that it is extremely catchy which makes obviously made it a hit. I thought I would make "You're Still a Mystery" the selected song because while it might not be as catchy, it still has a really good and simple sound. 

4) American Candy by The Maine

American Candy was released a couple of weeks ago and I could have sworn I already covered this in a previous Sunday weekly post, but it looks like I didn't. American Candy is a clear throwback to the early days of The Maine, the more poppy and carefree band. This song has almost a complete opposite vibe from the dark and sad, yet thoughtful "Forever Halloween" album. While I loved the last album, American Candy created some high expectations for the rest of the album. I cherished the early days of this band because of their songs were just so much fun and uplifting to sing along to and I believe their new album will bring back that feeling.

5) Reason to Believe by Sum 41

I have listened to a lot of Sum 41 this week and it's amazing to listen to how the band's sound evolved over time. "All Killer No Filler" remains my favorite album of theirs; however, "Screaming Bloody Murder" is definitely an album worth talking about. Their last album released in 2011 definitely shows that the carefree skater punks had grown up. Taking a darker and more serious turn, this album addresses some deep themes that all pack a powerful punch. "Reason to Believe" reminded me of an anthem song, like a song that makes you want to scream the lyrics on the top of your lungs.

6) First by Cold War Kids

I'm a new fan of this band and the reason that made me look them up is that they are coming in town soon (I'm not seeing them though). Their album "Hold My Home" was released last October. I'm not too sure why this song stood out to me the most, but I find it catchiest and it's been stuck in my heads a few times this week. I can't say that I'm totally hooked on this band, but there's no denying their talent. 

7) Rock a Little by Stevie Nicks

I know this song seems out of place, but I recently got a record player and this week I went record shopping and this was one of the vinyls I picked up. I can't say that I have listened to a lot of Stevie Nicks, but she is so talked about so I had to give her music a try. I can totally understand why she is the legend she became. The music is something you can just start playing, close your eyes and tune out everything else. It isn't always that easy to find music like that so I'm glad I decided to bring home this record.

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One week from today Tom Delonge releases "Songs Without A Home," an album with songs that were originally meant for Blink 182, but we know what happened there. 

Academy Awards are wrapping up soon so I'm going to finish watching that and call it a night. 

Until next time,

Nikole xx

P.S. Happy Birthday shout out to an incredibly thoughtful, inspiring, and talented musician, Kurt Cobain, who would have turned 48 years old this week. He is one of the most legendary people in music and he'll never be forgotten.

The Most Anticipated Music of 2015

I got the idea for this post from Alternative Press magazine. Some of the anticipated music I'll be listing is also included in Alt Press's article, but I'm adding my own expectations. 2015 already sounds like it is going to be an incredible year for music and I doubt we barely know even half of the expected music to be released this year.

FALL OUT BOY
American Beauty / American Psycho 
January 20

Little by little, Fall Out Boy have been releasing songs from their album. "Centuries" has been by far the most popular since the song is played everywhere from ESPN to pop radio stations. They have also released "American Beauty / American Psycho," "The Kids Aren't Alright," "Immortals" (featured in Disney's Big Hero 6), "Irresistible" and "Uma Thurman." The songs are extremely promising and set some high expectations for the rest of the album. I've been looking forward to how the band would follow their last album, Save Rock and Roll, since it was such a large success. They've taken a few aspects from that album such as the story-telling technique. Based on their newest music video and comments from the band, the album focuses on an unhealthy love between the "American Beauty," Nancy, and the "American Psycho," Sid. Only a little over a week left until we find out the rest of Sid and Nancy's story.

SLEEPING WITH SIRENS
February

Three months ago, Sleeping With Sirens released their single, "Kick Me." This was the first sound of new music since the release of their last album, Feel (June 2013). The single was followed by another single called "We Like It Loud," which has some more rock vibes than their previous songs. The band decided to end their ties to their previous label, Rise Records, and instead sign with Epitaph in order to work more independently as a band. John Feldmann has also been helping in producing the album. The band is currently on their world tour alongside Pierce the Veil.

IMAGINE DRAGONS
Smoke and Mirrors 
February 17

Imagine Dragons were deemed by Billboard as "2012's Brightest New Stars" and "The Breakout Band of 2013." They also added three more Billboard awards to that list in 2014. Their last studio album was released in September of 2012 which was followed by a live album in April 2013. The band mentioned to Rolling Stone that the new album is mainly rock-driven with more hip-hop influences than their previous work.

THE MAINE
American Candy
Spring

This is one of the most anticipated albums of the year for me personally. I've grown to love this band more and more over the last couple of years and I even joined my first street team to help promote the band. Earlier this week, the band came out of hiding from the recording studio they were living at in Joshua Tree, California. They shut themselves off from the internet and dedicated themselves to the music. There hasn't been any released singles as of now, but they did release information about their new tour (which I have tickets to!). They've mentioned how they brought back some of their early pop sounds and tried to make the album not as serious as Forever Halloween was. The band sounds like they are about to jump out of their skin, they are so excited to release something new.

ALL TIME LOW
Future Hearts
Spring

I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for this album and the new single that premieres TONIGHT. The last time we heard new music was in September of 2013 when the band re-released their October 2012 album as Don't Panic: It's Longer Now! which included some bonus songs. Just two days ago, All Time Low announced on BBC radio the album title and artwork. They were featured on the cover of Alt Press magazine as the most anticipated album of the year and the article by Evan Lucy is absolutely amazing and I recommend everyone to read it. They produced the album with John Feldmann. The band collaborated with Mark Hoppus of Blink-182, Kool Kojak and Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte. I can't think of a better way to describe the band's goals for the album other than how Lucy says it.
"If anything [All Time Low's] goal was simple: harness the parts of their sound that make the band great, amplify them and expand the sonic palette without losing sight of their roots." -Evan Lucy, AltPress

PIERCE THE VEIL 
Spring

Pierce the Veil have been working hard and long on their upcoming album and the only thing coming in the way of them putting on the final details and releasing it is the fact that they are constantly busy on tour. For months now they have been touring next to Sleeping with Sirens and they won't finish until early this summer. The band claims that touring and recording has actually been really helpful because they find a lot of their inspiration for new music while they are on stage and on the road. They plan to design their album based on their performance on stage, including some loud and exciting songs, but not forgetting about the softer places.

TWENTY ONE PILOTS 
Summer

There hasn't been much talk about a new 21P album, but the duo admits that it is definitely in the works and they are very worried about it. It's been quite awhile - two years -  since the guys last released new material. Tyler Joseph mentioned in AltPress that he was scouting in LA for someone to help produce an album. He described that the trouble was finding someone who didn't want to "polish" their sound. I love that the duo are staying close to their roots and not letting anyone change who they are. In the AltPress issue that they were on the cover of, they sounded like they had huge plans for 21P. Despite their confessions of being nervous, I'm looking forward to what they decide to release.

PANIC! AT THE DISCO
Summer

I hadn't heard anything about new P!ATD music until I read the AltPress article. There was an interview in September of last year where Brendon Urie stated that he wasn't sure if the fifth studio album would be a P!ATD album or a solo album, but according to his comment in the latest issue of AltPress, he is calling it a P!ATD album. The band is currently cut down to only two people - vocalist/guitarist Urie and bassist Dallon Weekes - so Urie kind of steals the show whether the music is released as a band or solo. Either way, I'm psyched (despite having to see some really talented guys enter and leave the band). I was impressed with the last album, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!, which was released about a year and a half ago, so I'm looking forward to see what else P!ATD has for fans.

MAYDAY PARADE 
Fall

Mayday Parade have announced that they are planning to experiment with their fifth full-length album. Their goal is to try to bring the raw human element that is seen on stage into the recording studio and onto the album. Their last album was released in the fall of 2013 and featured the pop-rock sounds that they are normally associated with. The band was traveling on their The Honeymoon Tour during the last few months of 2014 and have some international shows set for this year's spring and summer. I'm crossing my fingers to see them again at Warped Tour this year.

BLINK-182
Late Fall

A new Blink-182 album sounds like a myth nowadays. Their sixth
studio album was released in September 2011 and was followed by the Dogs Eating Dogs EP in December 2012. It's not like they've been sitting around doing nothing. Tom Delonge released an album with his band Angels and Airwaves in December 2014. Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker have been busy with their families and their own side projects. Even though whatever they release won't sound like the Blink most of us fell in love with in the late 90s/early 2000s, a new album is still a new album and it will show the band's growth and how they've changed. Delonge commented that the recording process for the new album will begin early this year and will have a lot of similarities with their self-titled album which was released in 2003. Delonge also mentioned in the AltPress issue that they are currently trying to find the perfect producer for the album. (I want to know why they don't produce it themselves since they all have experience in producing. Maybe they can't agree or something. Or hire John Feldmann because I've become a fan of his but his ideas may not reflect Blink's new sound...) I saw a rumor that they could be touring with Fall Out Boy and Cobra Starship this year, but it's unconfirmed (just think of how amazing that would be though).


**GREEN DAY

"I'm in a hardware store in queens. and this
is on my mind. #greenday15 #thefutureisnow
#greendayforever" -Billie Joe Armstrong on instagram

I have no information on a new Green Day album other than Billie Joe Armstrong saying on instagram that the band has big plans for this year. They released ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, and ¡Tré!  in September, November and December of 2012 and that was the last time they released anything new. A lot of events have been happening in their personal lives such as Mike Dirnt's wife developing (and beating!) cancer and the band's guitarist Jason White being diagnosed with tonsil cancer (which is said to be treatable). I hope after everyone is healthy again that they will be back in the recording studio soon and maybe even start touring again.



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As you can see, there is so much great music coming out this year. Think about all of the bands who haven't released information about new music or the artists that we may not even know yet. This year is going to be huge. Along with the music, I'm going to be graduating this year!? Actually, it's just four short months away. Then I move into a dorm at ASU and start my journalism major. Last week I interviewed a local band for the first time and while I noticed I have a lot to improve on in my interview skills, I had a lot of fun with the whole thing. On Monday I begin working at my first job at a local community college bookstore. It may not sound like much, but I am so excited to start. The closest I've come to a job is babysitting and tutoring.

I know it's been awhile since I last blogged but I promise to be more dedicated to this site. I've grown to like it a lot. I'm regretting not committing to this earlier. I love getting all my thoughts down on artists, albums, concerts and whatever else.

Anyways, I'm going to list the upcoming concerts I have coming up:

-Run 2 Cover (along with Jonny Craig, Kyle Lucas, Captain Midnite, Down with Webster, and So Loud) (January 17)
-Pot of Gold festival (March 13, 14, 15, 17)
-The Maine (April 3)
-Warped Tour (June 23, not sure if I'm going yet)
-APMAs (hopefully!!!!!!!!!!!) (July 22)

That's all of them for now. Well, I hope everyone's new year is starting off great and I will blog soooon.


Until next time,

Nikole xx

Happy Birthday to The Maine's "Pioneer"

Happy 3rd birthday to a very special album by a very special band: The Maine's Pioneer. I've blogged about The Maine a couple of times before, but I haven't fully dedicated a post to them and it's about time I did. The Maine are a local band based in Tempe who have been active since 2007 but have gained more recognition as they toured during Warped Tour. Bassist Garrett Nickelsen and drummer Pat Kirch started the band while they were in high school and later guitarists Kennedy Brock and Jared Monaco along with vocalist John O'Callaghan would join the team. Their first full-length album, Can't Stop, Won't Stop, was released in December of 2007 and was characterized by pop-y guitar riffs and vocals. Their lyrics got a more serious in 2010 with their second album, Black & White. The band is currently in the studio putting together their fifth album.

Three years ago today, The Maine took a giant step in their career and released their third album, Pioneer. This marked a huge change in the direction this band way going. Ditching the pop sounds that were featured in their first album and played a small role in the second, Pioneer showed the seriousness of this band. The Maine transitioned into their alternative rock/indie tone that carries into Forever Halloween (2013). Reaching number 90 in the Billboard 200 and selling 12,000 copies in the first week, the album was no failure. Good Love (Pioneer the B sides) was later released that included 7 more songs. 8123 (an artist collective that includes The Maine) recognized the album's anniversary on instagram and commented that "this album proves that if you want to do something you can make it happen with a little hard work."

I'm not going to go into detail about each song, but I do want to talk about some of them that really stand out to me (from the first released version of the album). So this is just my rough idea of what each song is intended to mean or why it stands out. I'll try to keep them somewhat short, but it's kind of hard for me to stop writing once I've started.

Some things are out of my hands

I'm what time and consequence have made me

Sit back and watch the world explode

3, 2, 1 here come the fireworks, baby

(Identify)

"Identify" introduces the album with a subtle guitar riff and John's vocals softly singing the first verse. Then after "here come the fireworks, baby," the drums enter and the guitar gets louder. That's the pattern for the rest of the song. Gentle verses, then screaming the chorus. It's a song that stands out and describes the band at the time. They're building their identity. It's not worth "standing in line," it's time to "identify." I also need to point out the lyric "I bought the last plane ticket to the end of the world" because it emphasizes that the time to identify is now.

I'm feeling pretty dirty, baby

Forgive my sins.

I got the feeling you can save me honey,

My heroine.

(My Heroine)

This song has a very recognizable opening and the first verse (above) draws you into the song. It's pretty self-explanatory. This girl is his heroine - his drug - something he is addicted to and could never get enough of. I like the double meaning of heroine. While in the song, it is mostly intended to be the drug, but heroine is also defined as a "woman admired for her noble qualities." Both definitions make this heroine an irresistible person.

Some days, they taste like lemonade

Some days can feel like razor blades

I wish I could float away, some days

(Some Days)

A little more cheery sound than the first three songs on the album, however it is serious just like the rest. The chorus (above) is powerful and is definitely packed with a lot of emotion. It says what is true for everyone - some days we feel on top of the world, some days can feel agonizingly painful. Then there are days where you wish you could float away, leave it all behind. The line "I hate to say I told you so" makes me think that he has been trying to make a point and it's finally coming across. 

I am selfless, I am selfish,

I'm anything that I want to be.

This is violent, this is honest, 

It's the anthem for a dying breed.

(Don't You Give Up On "Us")

There's a list of ideas of what this could mean in my head and I think every one has a bit of truth in it. Since there are quotations around "us," it makes me think that this song is meant to have multiple meanings. First, I thought of "us" as in a relationship. He doesn't want to break up and this is his plea for her to stick around. I don't really think that is it, although there are some lines that back that idea up. I also thought it could mean "us" as in the band. The song starts with "I am anything you want me to be" then it transitions into "anything I want to be." The band started off as any other pop band, which is probably what many people wanted. It would definitely be something the radio would play. However, the band realized that they will be what they want to be, even if they won't get the same attention. The dying breed could be the genre of music which is definitely different from the "mainstream" music found on the popular radio stations these days.

Looking for misery, but she found me

Lying naked on the floor

(Stay away, sweet misery)

I was headed insane, the devil told me his name

But he's not welcome here, anymore

(Misery)

Possibly my favorite song on the album for many, many reasons. The first time the lyrics really sunk in for me was when I watched the music video. It left me speechless. There's so much emotion that goes into this song, probably more than any other song on this album. Misery is a very intense emotion - it's something deeper than just being sad. Misery is personified in the song and is able to view the speaker at his lowest. I have a lot of questions about the some of the meanings in this song so it's hard for me to go into detail. For instance, why was he looking for misery? And then once "she" finds him, he tells her to stay away? I have some ideas but too difficult and wordy to type it all out now. I love how with every succeeding chorus, John sings louder until the point where he is desperately calling out to Misery.

Turn it up, it's my song

I can't sing, but I'll sing along

I can feel it in my bones

A little rock, a little roll

(While Listening to Rock & Roll)

Finally a more cheery song. Well, I don't think I would call it cheery, but I love message of the song which is crystal clear - don't stop listening to rock 'n' roll. The guitar reflects the old feeling of real rock n roll (although I don't think you can define "real" rock n roll - it's something you feel in your bones like the song says). It's a song that can be related to as well. I love those songs that you can feel. The lyrics and vocals, the drums, the guitar, the bass, the piano/keyboards - everything fits together and rolls along. I can definitely relate to the line "I can't sing but I'll sing along." I know I can't sing, but that will never stop me from singing along.

Oh my gorgeous Arizona

Here's to gettin' caught with you

I was runnin' with the wolves

I was howlin' at the moon

(Waiting for My Sun to Shine)

I'm not going to go really into this song because, well, there's a lot to say about about a 15 minute song. Right now as I'm writing this I'm enjoying the incredible guitar solo that really picks up at 2:38. I like that this song is at the end of the album. It feels like the final toast. All I know is I'm still waiting for my sun to shine. There's a lull that is broken at about the 8 minute mark. It's soft. It kind of feels like a giant sigh. 

Happy birthday, Pioneer.

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I feel like I haven't updated my blog in a long time. Acdec competitions were all last week and I find out if I make the team on Monday. Then I have to deal with the ACT and finals coming up in the next two weeks. I promise I'll write as often as I can. I really enjoyed writing this post so I'll probably something like this again. :)

Until next time,

Nikole xx

Looking Back on Warped Tour

     Quick side note: I really am going to try to blog about the recent concerts I've been to as well as the concerts that will be coming up. I don't really have any order, I'm probably just going to go with whatever concert that comes to mind first. I'm going to start with Warped Tour because that was one of my favorite days this summer.

     On June 18 I went to Quail Park in Mesa to go to Warped Tour for the very first time. I honestly don't know what stopped me from going before this summer but at least I went this year. I got there as soon as the doors opened. It was a pretty cool day for being summer in Arizona. I can't even explain my excitement for the day's lineup. The schedule isn't known until you get there so it's super important to find the giant blown up schedule that is by one of the main stages.

     The first show of the day began at 11:30am and it just happened to be one of the top bands that I was most looking forward to: Mayday Parade. Since it was morning and not as hot, everyone was super pumped and were dancing and singing. The lead singer, Derek Sanders, ran around stage barefoot and sang with a lot of energy to get the day started. They performed songs from their newest album, "Monsters in My Closet," along with older songs from their 2011 self-titled album and "Valdosta" EP.

     I had some time between Mayday Parade and the next act I wanted to see so this gave me some time to scope out my surroundings and check out all of the tents. One that stood out was the AltPress Magazine tent which was where a few signings would be held throughout the day. I picked up a pass from that table to come back later to meet one of my favorite bands (which I will get to soon). Some tables were really interactive where they had photo booths or paint so you can paint your friends (I'm not sure how to describe that because I didn't actually go to that table). Alright, I'll get back to the music.

     The second show was an Arizona native band called The Summer Set. What really stands out about them is their female drummer, Jess Bowen. It's awesome seeing that one girl in a band because I think it really shows that the guitars and drums aren't just meant for guys. They played some of my favorite songs of theirs like "Lightening in a Bottle" and "Chelsea." They were super pumped and kept mentioning how excited they were to be in their hometown.

Raising his middle finger, John O'Callaghan
from The Maine sings every word with
emotion.

     The next act was probably the act I was looking forward to the most. I got to the stage over an hour early and watched a group called The Protomen. After they finished their set, I made my way to the front of the crowd and right up again the barricade. The next band to perform was another Arizonian band, The Maine. It's really hard to describe how much I love this band and if you haven't heard of their music then I highly suggest you look them up. John O'Callaghan, the lead singer, reminded me of Kurt Cobain the way he acted on stage. It's more just the similarity of physical appearance rather than anything else. O'Callaghan has said the secret to his long and messy hair is to never cut it and never wash it. While that may sound gross, the look suits him somehow. The other members of the band include Pat Kirch (drummer), Kennedy Brock (guitarist), Garrett Nickelsen (bassist), and Jared Monaco (guitarist). The emotion that O'Callaghan performs with is truly inspiring and hard to forget. The band played a couple of hits from their first album "Can't Stop Won't Stop" and mixed in some of their newer stuff from their most current album "Forever Halloween." It's a great feeling to watch a band and be able to sing along to every word. I hope everyone gets to experience that sometime in their life. At the end of their set, Brock threw his guitar pick into the crowd and the guy behind me caught it. Luckily, he said he didn't want it because it didn't have the band's symbol or anything on it so he gave it to me (and it is currently taped on my wall right next to my Maine poster. I don't need something to show that it belonged to Brock, I know where it came from). It wasn't over. While they were packing up, Kirch through his drumsticks into the crowd and one of them landed right in front of me so it was as simple as asking the security guy to pick it up and the stick was mine. Amazing.

     After that incredible performance, I stayed at the same stage to watch the next act play which would be We Are The In Crowd. It's a really great pop punk band featuring lead singer Tay Jardine and singer/guitarist Jordan Eckes. My favorite song of their set was called Kiss Me Again which features Alex Gaskarth from All Time Low.

     Things simmered down and I headed over to the acoustic stage. I had no idea this stage even existed until I happened to walk by it. It's designed to hold amazing acoustic shows and it's under a giant tent which was very nice as the day started to become warmer. The only artist I saw on that stage was Nick Santino. I hadn't heard of him before this. This is an example of why I love Warped so much, you can find artists or bands you never knew you liked.

     The reason I was passing the acoustic stage was to make my way back to the AltPress tent. Now was the time I was going to officially meet The Maine. The five guys all sat in a row at a long table, signing posters and whatever else. Sadly, no pictures or hugs were allowed but I'm still thankful that I got to talk to them and thank them for their music. I was so tongue tied when I actually came up to the table, I'm not even sure if I actually said anything or just imagined it. Even though we were limited to one item for them to sign, I still got Kirch to sign the drumstick I caught along with a poster.

As the sun set, Shaant Hacikyan from
Cute Is What We Aim For got up close and
personal with his fans.

     Up next was Jordan Witzigreuter, known better by his stage name, The Ready Set. I was a minor fan before seeing his show at Warped. I knew the words to his hit songs but there was one song I heard him play that really caught my attention. The song was called "Fangz" and it is seriously one of the best songs to listen to to get in a good mood and make you feel invincible. I downloaded all of his albums when I got home and I listened to them nonstop for quite awhile. His latest album is a real "feel good" album so it always makes me smile (so cheesy). I get to see him again this year on Nov. 19.

     The last and final band I saw was Cute Is What We Aim For. My friend recommended this band to me a few weeks before Warped and I'm so glad I was able to get to know their songs before I saw them live. The lead singer, Shaant Hacikyan, was really involved in the crowd and he would stand over the barricade and sing right in our faces. It was a beautiful show because of the Arizona sunset in the background (which are truly underrated). At the end of their performance, I managed to grab their set list. I also got to see them randomly walking behind their stage after the show and complimented them on having such a fun set.
   
     That was my first Warped Tour experience. I love how involved the bands are with their fans and how personal it became, like being able to meet your favorite artists and have conversations with them. I am most definitely planning on going to many more Warped Tours in the future.


✖ Nikole ✖


I didn't listen to any songs while writing most of this because I was watching The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon with special guest 5 Seconds of Summer instead.

Summer Ends Music Festival

     After this weekend it really does feel like summer is over. Not that I'm complaining, I can't wait for this fall/winter. This past Friday and Saturday I went to this really awesome music festival. I'll break it down by days because I feel like so much has happened.

Friday:
     I made my way down to Tempe Beach Park at about 6pm, an hour before my first volunteer shift. I signed up to volunteer on Friday and Saturday which allowed me to get into the entire festival for free so that was really nice. The first act I saw was O.A.R. I didn't think I knew who they were so it was a happy surprise to find that I was able to sing along to a lot of the songs. It was a cool night and the entire park was filled with university students. After O.A.R., I began my shift at the water truck. I spent the next two hours with another girl filling up little water cups. The water table was right next to the main stage so we had the perfect view to see Lindsey Stirling perform. If you don't know who she is, I suggest looking her up. She plays the violin and she resemble a pixie the way she dances and hops around stage.
     After volunteering, I stuck around for a couple more hours to watch the American Authors and Capital Cities. American Authors were my favorite act of the night. The lead singer, Zac Barnett, got really involved with the crowd. He said he felt too far away from us,so he jumped off stage and sang a few songs while leaning across the barricade that separated him from the fans. There was one time that he ran over to exactly where I was standing and he sang with such passion. I love those kind of performers, the ones where you can tell they are doing exactly what they want to do in life.
     Capital Cities did a really good job but I didn't stay for the last half of their set. I was surprised that they attracted an older audience. I don't know where they came from, but a bunch of people in their late 30s, maybe 40s, were dancing and singing. I love seeing that the festival was able to make everyone happy.

Saturday:
     Where do I start. Well, if you don't know, this was the named "the wettest day in Arizona history". Before the rain hit, the day was beautiful. The sky was filled with clouds and there was a nice breeze. I got to see a local band called Katastro play. My dad sat towards the back of the park while I had the best spot in the house, right up against the barricade, slightly right of center stage. There was a reason I made sure to have the best spot. The next act to perform after Katastro was going to be one of my favorite bands, The Maine. I loved being slightly right of center because I was able to see all five members perfectly, especially Garrett, the bassist. I spotted Pat (drummer), Kennedy (guitarist), and Garrett setting up on stage before IT happened.
     A giant, dark cloud was quickly approaching but that was not going to make me give up my spot. Unfortunately, that choice wasn't up to me. Security made everyone at the festival take cover under the bridge. Everyone laughed because, well, it couldn't be that bad. It was Arizona, after all. Oh, were we wrong. The storm was nothing like anyone expected. I later found out that the storm had 60+ mph winds and up to 2 inches of rain in just two hours. I know I would've fallen over a few times if it wasn't for the nice people around me. Police ordered everyone to head towards the parking garage. By the time I made it to the garage, I felt like I just went swimming. I soon got a message saying that the event had been cancelled for the day. I couldn't - wouldn't - believe it. I was literally just about to see The Maine and they had announced that it was their last Arizona show for the year.
     Anyways, I'm going to fast forward a few hours. A new message went out saying that the rest of the shows planned for the day had been moved to the Marquee. If you don't know the Marquee, it holds just about 1,000 people. Good thing there were less than 1000 people who paid for tickets, but people who had comp tickets (like myself) had to rely on "first come first serve" to get into the venue. (Side note: A few weeks ago I won tickets for Day 2 of the festival because I wrote this thing about how much I wanted to see The Maine and a website gave me a pair of free tickets.) I waited two hours in front of the venue, impatiently watching all the paid viewers go inside to get ready for the first act which just happened to be The Maine. I'm not even sure how to say this because I can't even describe how I feel. While I waited outside, The Maine performed their show inside. They had the shortest set - only 20 minutes, just enough time for four songs. The second I got inside, they walked off stage. I was speechless. How ironic was it that I won tickets to see this band and ended up missing their show? Who knew free tickets could be a bad thing...
     Moving on from that huge disappointment, I was still able to enjoy a few other bands. The first band I saw was Switchfoot. Even though I was most looking forward to Taking Back Sunday and The Descendents, these guys were probably my favorite part of the night. They were so energetic and lively. The lead singer and bassist (I think it was the bassist) were brothers so I thought it was pretty cool how they have had the experience of being in a band together. The lead singer was also one of those performers who like to get close to the audience. He stood against the barricade and there was even one part of the show where he crowd surfed!
     The next band was Taking Back Sunday. I felt bad because a lot of the equipment was destroyed in the storm so their sound was a bit sketchy. They still put on a great show though. Unfortunately, they didn't play my favorite song (Flicker, Fade) but they still played a lot of songs I knew and was able to sing along to.
     After TBS, The Descendents took the stage. I never, ever would have thought that I would see The Descendents live in concert. They were first formed in 1978, 18 years before I was born!! Age had no effect on these four guys, they played with as much energy as they probably did in the 80s. I have to admit, it was funny to hear guys in their 40s sing a couple songs about girls and how much school sucks! They are literally the fathers of punk. It was amazing to be able to hear them rock out.
     The next group was The Replacements, which I am sad to say I missed because I left after The Descendents. I heard it was The Replacements first club show in twenty something years which is pretty incredible.


     The third day of the festival still took place. Much of the equipment and stage was ruined during the storm and the power at the park was still not on, so the shows had to go on in the Marquee. I didn't go to third day but I was still able to get something out of it. Volunteers, who were allowed to go to all three days for free because of their help, were unable to get into the venue because it hit full capacity. To make it up to us, the coordinators of the festival are gifting us with a pair of tickets to any upcoming Marquee show. While I'm still bummed that I couldn't volunteer and help out, you can say I'm pretty happy with this news. Some of the bands that headlined Sunday included Foster the People, Violent Femmes, Fitz & the Tantrums and Kongos.


And that was my weekend.

✖ Nikole ✖

Some of the songs I listened to while writing this:
Cigarette Daydreams (Cage the Elephant), Young Hearts (Strange Talk), Bad (The Cab), Off to the Races (Lana Del Rey), When the Sun Goes Down (Arctic Monkeys), Voo Doo Doll (5SOS), Bad Blood (Bastille) and then a bunch of songs from Jimmy Eat World