The Daily Princetonian
Thursday April 30, 2014
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SPRING LAWNPARTIES 2015
PAGE DESIGN BY LIN KING :: STREET EDITOR
quadrangle club
ALUS
YouTube it: “ORDINARY GIRL” “RELAPSE”
An NJ native, ALUS brings a range of vocals as an opener at Lawnparties. The 20-year-old released her first EP “Alustrious” in 2014 and since then her music has been gaining traction. She turned down a scholarship to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston to sign with Water Music Publishing, which has worked with artists like Leona Lewis and Trey Songz. Her sound has been compared to that of Aaliyah and Janet Jackson and she has command of a variety of genres ranging from soul to pop. ALUS is on the rise so don’t miss a chance to see her this weekend! - CATHERINE BAUMAN, STREET EDITOR EMERITUS COURTESY OF PBS.TWIMG.COM
BIG SEAN
COURTESY OF MINASAYWHAT.COM
quadrangle club
This year’s headliner entered the music scene participating in weekly rap battles on WTHD, a Detroit hip-hop station. In 2005, Sean Michael Leonard Anderson insisted on freestyling for Kanye West, who was at the station for an interview. In 2007, he was signed to West’s GOOD Music label. Big Sean released various mixtapes before releasing his first album, “Finally Famous,” with collaborators like John Legend, Wiz Khalifa and Nicki Minaj in 2011. 2013 was a Big year, with the release of his second album, “Hall of Fame,” and two Grammy YouTube it: nominations for his work on the hit single “Mercy” with Kanye West, “PARADISE” Pusha T and 2 Chainz. Big Sean recently released his third album, “Dark Sky Paradise,” which debuted at number one on the Billboard “I DON’T FUCK 200 chart. The album has received positive reviews and Pitchfork has WITH YOU” described it as “a big leap in the ideal Big Sean full length.”
“BLESSINGS”
- DAILY PRINCETONIAN STAFF
SMALLPOOLS tower club, 1:30 p.m.
LUKE CHRISTOPHER
quadrangle club
Luke Christopher is a California native who cites Elton John, Kanye West, Common, U2 and Tupac as a sampling of his original musical inspirations. Christopher released his first mixtape “Tmrw Tmrw” in 2012 and has since released a second, “Tmrw Tmrw Pt. II.” He also released an independently produced singe titled “Sex With You,” which features a collaboration with Common. In 2013, he signed with ByStorm Entertainment, which has managed artists such as Notorious B.I.G. and Usher. Christopher describes his sound as a blend of feel-good hip-hop with an alternative vibe. - CATHERINE BAUMAN, STREET EDITOR EMERITUS COURTESY OF KARMALOOP.COM
As the late spring/early summer breeze ruffles your hair this Sunday, mosey on over to Tower’s front stage, which will be playing host to Smallpools, the band behind the synthladen “Dreaming” and “Karaoke” — you may not know it by name, but you’ve probably heard it, and you’ve definitely tapped your foot to it when you did. This band’s been on the extremely fast up and up, so make sure to take advantage of this chance to see them before they explode. YouTube it: With beats reminiscent of the unholy love quadrachild of Vampire “DREAMING” Weekend, Passion Pit, Walk the Moon and American Authors, they’re just the right sound for the warm-but-chilly Lawnparties “NO STORY TIME” vibe — kick back and relax, but have raging fun! “MASON JAR” - NINA WADE, STAFF WRITER COURTESY OF ANNALEEMEDIA.COM
“KARAOKE”
BRICK+MORTAR charter club, 1:45 p.m.
COURTESY OF ROCKYOURLYRICS.COM
Charter did it again. They’ve found the next big alt-rock band. Hailing from Asbury Park on the Jersey Shore, Brick + Mortar is an electronic drum and bass pop duo, made up of lead singer and bass guitarist Brandon Asraf and drummer/vocalist John Tacon. The band’s alternative, electronic sound resembles a crossover between Imagine Dragons and 2000s-era Arctic Monkeys. In 2013, the band dropped their second studio album, “Bangs,” featuring “Locked in a Cage,” which reached #36 Billboard Alternative Songs in 2014. In the last three months, Brick + Mortar has released three new singles — “Move to the Ocean,” “Voodoo Child” and “Hollow Tune,” a power ballad sure to make YouTube it: radio waves this summer. A strong foundation for “LOCKED IN A your Lawnparties experience, Brick + Mortar is a band on the rise. CAGE” “BANGS”
“HOLLOW TUNE”
- HARRISON BLACKMAN, ASSOCIATE STREET EDITOR
The Daily Princetonian
Thursday April 30, 2014
HELLOGOODBYE colonial club, 1:30 p.m.
cap & gown club, 12:30 p.m.
CHINGY
Whatchu doin? Nothing, chilling, waiting for St. Louis-born rapper Chingy to come YouTube It: to Lawnparties this Sunday. Chingy grew “RIGHT THURR” up in the Walnut Park section of St. Louis “HOLIDAE IN” and began rapping there in his late teens. In 2003, he released “Right Thurr,” a song “BALLA BABT” that you should definitely be familiar with by Sunday, which put him on the map of the hip-hop industry. His first album, “Jackpot,” certainly hit the jackpot — it went platinum with two million copies sold. The album had guest appearances from famous rappers including Ludacris, Snoop Dogg and Murphy Lee. His second album, “Powerballin’,” featured Lil Flip, Lil Wayne, Nate Dogg and Janet Jackson and starred “Balla Baby,” another song you need to check out before Sunday, as its lead single. Chingy is a real balla and high roller. He calls the shots and thinks that you’s a hater, tryin to play him. Don’t play Chingy — go see him at Cap this Sunday!
Say “hello!” and get all those nostalgic feels with Hellogoodbye! There is literally “no place else [you] could be” but Colonial for Lawnparties, where this rockin’ pop band will help you relive those precious middle school memories with songs from their first full album “Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!” (oh my!), as well as hits from their more recent works like “Would It Kill You?” and “Everything Is Debatable.” In 2007, their megahit “Here (In Your Arms)” made its way up the charts and into iPods across the country, eventually going platinum. Other songs, such as “All of Your Love” and “Oh, It is Love” have been featured on MTV. Current members of this group include Forrest Kline as the lead vocalist and songwriter, Augustine Rampolla on keyboard, Andrew Richards on guitar and Michael Garzon on drums. When they’re not touring and spreading their musical awesomeness, Hellogoodbye YouTube It: also covers songs by The Beatles and Blink-182. Princeton, go out “HERE (IN YOUR and experience one of the best ARMS” feel-good bands EVER!!!
“ALL OF YOUR LOVE”
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- VICTORIA SCOTT, STAFF WRITER COURTESY OF BET.COM
- MAYA WESBY, SENIOR WRITER
COURTESY OF EMERTAINMENTWEEKLY.COM
SENSEMAYA FRENCH KIWI JUICE terrace f. club, 12:30 p.m. & 1:30 p.m.
There will be positive vibes and sweet sounds all around at Terrace this year, with Princeton’s own afrobeat virtuosos, Sensemaya, opening up for legendary electronic artist French Kiwi Juice. Sensemaya’s rhythmic grooves and funky horn section are only amplified by sunshine and green grass, and as a result whenever they perform outdoors they never fail to deliver. Though Sensemaya is a tough act to follow, French Kiwi Juice promises to up the ante and YouTube it: make your feet even happier. Though the French producer’s bouncy, soulful sound has pervaded the “WAITING FT. Terrace music scene for the past few years, FKJ has never crossed the pond until now, and Terrace is MADELYN GRANT” one of the first stops on his first North American tour. This is not one to miss: His uplifting beats and tropical vibes will be like honey to your ears. “INSTANT NEED” - URVIJA BANERJI, PROX EDITOR EMERITUS
THE WILD ONES ivy club, 1 p.m.
YouTube It: “KEEP IT SAFE” “GOLDEN TWIN” “PAIA”
Wild Ones are coming to Ivy! Founded in Portland, Ore. in 2010, the band currently has six members: keyboardist Thomas Himes; lead vocalist Danielle Sullivan; guitarists Clayton Knapp, Nick Vicario and Seve Sheldon; and bassist Max Stein. According to Sullivan, “this band was born out of our desire to have a democratic, all-inclusive music making process.” The band creates music that is an eclectic mix of pop, German techno and American R&B. Spare 3 minutes and 11 seconds of your life and listen to the mellow beats of “Keep it Safe,” and don’t forget to kick it with Wild Ones on Sunday! - VICTORIA SCOTT, STAFF WRITER COURTESY OF CINDYGROOVE.COM
COURTESY OF LUKE CHENG ’14
COURTESY OFLAURENBERCHOTEAU.COM
THE DELOREANS tiger inn, 1:30 p.m.
YouTube it: “GO YOUR OWN WAY “AS LONG AS IT’S YOU”
It’s ’80s morning at TI this Sunday, and Lawnparties staple The Deloreans will take you back to the era of “Like A Virgin” Madonna and Bruce Springsteen. Chances are, you won’t be sporting neon get-ups or legwarmers, but the members of The Deloreans certainly will be, and they will also be pumping out nostalgic tunes, accompanied by energetically off-the-wall dance moves. Trot out to TI’s lawn to catch what’s sure to be a fun and funky show.
THE BIG VALLEY WAHU ACADEMY DJ RELLY cloister inn, 1:15 p.m. - JENNIFER SHYUE, ASSOCIATE STREET EDITOR
cannon dial elm club, 12 p.m.
quadrangle club
Valley Academy may be a new student band, but that didn’t stop Spotify it: the group from winning the USG “LIMITLESS” Battle of the Bands competition with “KIDS” the prize of opening ahead of the USG headliners at Quad. Featuring David Lind ’18, Yaw Owusu-Boahen ’17 and Ben Falter ’17, Valley Academy won the competition before a panel of faculty, alumni and student judges on April 17. Not long before, Valley Academy released its first EP, “Mind Games” on March 27. Valley Academy sports an alt-rock sound inspired by OneRepublic and Ed Sheeran — support your talented classmates and jam with Valley Academy before the headliner at Quad! - HARRISON BLACKMAN, ASSOCIATE STREET EDITOR
ROZAY
Cannon’s having a carnival! Featuring jams brought to you by DJ Relly Rozay, Cannon will also feature the magnanimous presence of Percy the Camel, a real-life dromedary. What else could you ask for? It’s not every Lawnparties that you can meet an even-toed ungulate! For Relly Rozay’s jams, for the carnival and for the love of camels — go to Cannon this Sunday.
Cloister Inn will feature The Big Wahu, a Caribbean YouTube it: band based in Bethlehem, “STEEL DRUM MUSIC BY Pa. The three-piece band JOE MIXON” plays a variety of musical “I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW” genres including authentic calypso, reggae, Caribbean and guaranteed feel-good beach music. Over the past five years, The Big Wahu has built up a steady reputation as a fun and talented group that has played at gigs along the East Coast and even in Costa Rica. With specialty instruments such as flutes, bass and steel pan drums, this band is not to be missed for the diverse sound it will bring to Sunday’s acts. Be sure to stop by Cloister to listen to The Big Wahu perform their summer hits and covers under the big blue sky.
- HARRISON BLACKMAN, ASSOCIATE STREET EDITOR
- OLIVER SUN, SENIOR WRITER
FEAT. PERCY THE CAMEL