Author Archives: Hayley Parker

Hozier’s rich vocals cascaded across the sold out audience at Huntington Bank Pavilion in Chicago on Tuesday night, providing a transcendent, spiritual, and undeniably unforgettable journey of sound.

Known perhaps best for his hit “Take Me to Church” (which celebrated its 10 year anniversary the following day), Hozier’s storytelling combined with influences of soul, folk, and rock has allowed him to continue creating a steady stream of hits since his debut EP release in 2013.

An expert at making the crowd of 30,000 feel like personally invited guests, Hozier expressed his excitement towards promoting his newest album Unreal Unearth, telling Billboard: “This is the first time that I’ll be singing songs in the Irish language or singing parts of songs that are in Irish Gaelic. So I’m really excited to [play] Madison Square Garden or Hollywood Bowl, and sing in Gaeilge [the Irish language]… and watch as, hopefully, concertgoers and fans learn those lines and maybe even sing it with me.”

Prefacing his new song “To Someone From A Warm Climate (Uiscefhuaraithe),” Hozier explained that this title translates to “the feeling of cold only water brings.” A slow, melodic break in the middle of his set, it was a stunning moment to see Hozier’s wishes come true as the dedicated crowd sang along.

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With nostalgia bleeding into every note, Arctic Monkeys took to the United Center stage on August 27th for the second show of their North American tour.

Whether it’s the porthole screen that projected a ’90s filtered look of the live performance, the band’s effortless style or British charm, the crowd of 20,000 strong were hanging on every word that lead singer Alex Turner had to bestow.

Since the band was formed over 20 years ago, I expected the crowd to be of a more mature age, yet I was met with an eager barricade of mostly those in their teens and early 20s—even seeing young children with their parents, excitedly pressing their bedtimes.

Opening with “Sculptures of Anything Goes” from their 2022 album The Car, the indie band then moved back in time to their 2000’s hit “Brainstorm.” The sheer range of emotions, tempos and genres explored while all still sounding exactly like the Arctic Monkeys is a feat not many bands can execute with such grace. Speaking to The Guardian in 2022, Turner expressed of his songwriting journey, noting that “you have to be comfortable with the idea that things don’t have to be a pop song.”

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Dreamy tunes with a high chance of joy. German band Milky Chance delivered an unforgettable performance at Northerly Island in Chicago on Friday night.

Opening for Young the Giant, the four-piece band has hit the road promoting their newest album, Living in a Haze. Led by guitarist and vocalist Clemens Rehbein, the group of friends have played every festival from Coachella to Lollapalooza, captivating fans around the world with their addictive sound. As I waited for the band to take the stage, I saw them embracing from the sidelines, seemingly pep-talking to each other as only longtime friends can.

Kicking off their set with euphoric dance track “Synchronize” it was clear from the first beat that even the die-hard Young the Giant fans had discovered a new musical world to adore. From their original hit “Flashed Junk Mind” to Gloria Jones cover “Tainted Love” to Culture Club’s “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me,” it was physically impossible not to partake in some form of head bopping/ instinctive swaying/ foot tapping.

Addressing the sea of fans between songs, Rehbein complimented the audience’s moves while pushing them to let loose and enjoy the night. As the sun set over the city skyline, their feel-good hit ‘Stolen Dance’ rang out across the amphitheater—a core memory in the making for both myself and the sold-out crowd.

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From a world-famous boy band to a successful solo career, singer and songwriter Louis Tomlinson took to the stage at Northerly Island on Thursday night promoting his newest album, Faith in the Future. Rising to fame in 2010 as a member of One Direction, the British artist proved he hasn’t lost his touch for performing to a crowd of adoring fans.

In typical Chicago fashion, the “June” weather was a balmy 50F, and with the outdoor venue being right on Lake Michigan called for some gnarly winds—so much so that crews had to delay the show to dismantle hanging lights prior to the performance.

Met with deafening screams, Tomlinson opened with hit “The Greatest,” raising his eyebrows at the crowd as he sang the lyrics “we’ll never be left cold again.” “It is fucking freezing, freezing! Let me start off by saying a massive, massive thank you to all of you incredible people here. This is by far my favorite part of the job, I would not be able to do these shows without all of you…”

Zipping up his jacket as he powered on through the show, Tomlinson got hearts racing with the throwback One Direction hit “Night Changes.” Swinging back and forth in an effortless unison, the crowd instantly warmed up as the nostalgic melody rang out across the amphitheater.

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How many sequins are too many sequins? Taylor Swift proved the limit truly does not exist on Friday night in Chicago. Playing her first of three sold out shows at Soldier Field, the 33 year old performer was met by a sea of bedazzled fans.

With a one minute countdown projected on the big screen, the eruption of cheers was near deafening as the crowd buckled up for a staggering three and a half hours of music. Opening with a shortened version of “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince” and “Cruel Summer,” Taylor’s dancers emerged wearing pastel fans as the singer effortlessly strutted the stage. Moving on to perform “The Man” on a three story high scaffolding, Taylor’s dancers adorned her with a dazzling blazer—one of many costume additions throughout the night that would make audiences swoon.

“Thank you for spending so much… effort… to get here tonight…” the singer joked, referring to the heavily reported Ticketmaster affair that left many fans spending thousands on tickets. Despite the cost to attend, every fan I spoke to has affirmed they have zero regrets forking out a hefty chunk of change for the unforgettable, and often deeply meaningful experience.

Pausing between songs to recognize the beginning of Pride Month, Taylor expressed her admiration for the “brilliant crowds of people who are living their authentic lives,” going on to affirm that “…this is a safe space for you. This is a celebratory space for you. And one of the things that makes me feel so prideful is getting to be with you, and watching you interact with each other and being so loving, and so thoughtful, and so caring.”

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Whether you’ve followed them since their formation in 1999 or are familiar with them thanks to features in pop-culture phenomenons The Fault in Our Stars and Divergent, one thing is for sure: M83 has no problem enchanting an audience.

Promoting their ninth album, Fantasy, earlier this month, the French band was welcomed with a sold out crowd of concert goers ready to escape reality for a night at The Riviera Theatre in Chicago. A sound undeniably unique, frontman Anthony Gonzalez is a known master at blurring genres, with the band’s style teetering between shoegaze/ dream pop/ post-rock/ and perhaps almost any other musical category imaginable.

Bringing Gonzalez’s multi-instrumentalist vision to life, the venue was illuminated with a spectacle of light, immersive fog, and admittedly the desire to simultaneously cry, smile, and applaud by both myself and the nearby patrons.

Despite telling myself I would leave before the encore to beat the crowd, I couldn’t help but stick around for their #1 hit “Midnight City,” and be completely enthralled by every note. If you’re not already a fan and looking for a new musical obsession, I recommend this be your gateway song.

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To know them is to love them. And if you’ve never had the pleasure of listening, allow me to introduce you to your new favorite band: Rainbow Kitten Surprise.

Selling out Aragon Ballroom in Chicago—and not just “selling out” but also emptying all resale sites with some eager fans paying up to 10 times the original ticket value—the five piece alternative indie/rock band kicked off their US tour with a long awaited bang.

Having rescheduled their tour multiple times due to lead singer Ela Melo’s mental health, the magnitude of Saturday night’s show was clear. Opening with nostalgic 2013 hit “All That and More (Sailboat),” the crowd seemed to quickly forget any disappointment they had carried and were ready to welcome them back to the stage. Addressing the crowd a couple of songs in, drummer Jess Haney thanked everyone for sticking by them and admitted he was shaking at the reception they were receiving.

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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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