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thank you to loveless, marianas trench, mayday parade, the vamps, jonny craig, kitty coen, spooky bands, appetite publicity, big picture media, clarion call media, sbg records, pester pr, bodega vintage, and all of our wonderful photographers, staff, contributors and readers.
OUR LOVELESS MIX
Take a listen to some must hear tracks from each artist featured in this issue as you flip through.
“Heart-Shaped Soul” - Loveless
“GIRLS” - The Kid Laroi
“Please Please Please” - Sabrina Carpenter
“Fortnight” - Taylor Swift ft Post Malone
“Dumb Blonde” - Rlyblonde
“Proud” - SERGIO
“Passenger Princess” - Francisco Martin
“I Love It When It Rains” - Loveless
“I AM WOMAN” - Emmy Meli
“Call Me Up” - daydreamers
“Somebody To You” - The Vamps
“Someone Else” - Loveless
“Lightning and Thunder” - Marianas Trench
“Pretty Good To Feel Something” - Mayday Parade
“Thank You For The Patience” - Jonny Craig
“I Had Some Help” - Morgan Wallen ft Post Malone
“Good Luck, Babe!” - Chappell Roan
“Sleepwalking” - ROREY
“Bass Players Brother” - Valley
“hell of a good time” - Haiden Henderson
“happier than ever” - Loveless
“Jamie All Over” - Mayday Parade
“Funeral” - Teddy Swims
“HAPPY HOUR” - HARDY ft Knox
PHOTO BY Ashley Osborn
CLARE GEHLICH
A recent graduate of Stony Brook University, Clare received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. Clare started as a Journalism Intern at Melodic in January of 2024 and now is a staff member who has been promoted to Album Coordinator.
One of the first concerts Clare attended was Big Time Rush in Jones Beach with Victoria Justice. Her favorite summer song right now is “Espresso,” by Sabrina Carpenter. Clare is most proud to have more than 25 playlists on her personal Spotify account, with one nearing 1,000 followers.
WHERE IS CLARE FROM Long Island, NY
MELODIC MAG ROLE
Writer, Interviewer, Album Coordinator
FAVORITE ARTISTS CURRENTLY
Omar Apollo, Gracie Abrams, Noah Kahan
FAVORITE ARTISTS OF ALL TIME Frank Ocean, Lizzy McAlpine, SZA
INSTAGRAM @claregehlich
WEBSITE
sites.google.com/view/clare-gehlich
FAVORITE CONCERT EVER ATTENDED Sabrina Carpenter at the Wellmont Theater in New Jersey in 2017
FUTURE CAREER GOALS
Clare wants to be a professional journalist with a high-quality news organization and a freelance music writer for various music magazines on the side.
become reVamped
n 2014, The Vamps released their first fulllength album Meet The Vamps. Immediately, the British pop band’s song “Somebody to You,” began charting worldwide alongside several other singles that were charting in the U.K. Since then, the band has released five studio albums, headlined multiple tours around the world and created their own record label, Steady Records.
Originally formed in 2012, The Vamps is fronted by lead vocalist and rhythmic guitarist Bradley Simpson, James Brittain-McVey (lead guitar), Connor Ball (bass guitar) and Tristan Evans (drums). The group first went number one on the U.K. albums chart in 2017 with their third studio album Night & Day (Night Edition). Their first two records, 2014’s Meet The Vamps and 2015’s
WRITTEN BY Justice Petersen
PHOTOS COURTESY OF The Vamps
Wake Up, both became certified gold in the U.K. Amidst such success, The Vamps even became the first band to headline London’s famed O2 Arena five years in a row.
Throughout 2022 and 2023, The Vamps performed across the globe for their “Greatest Hits Tour.” Now, they’re getting ready to head back on the road in the U.K. this September for their “Meet The Vamps Anniversary Tour.” As 2024 marks the ten year celebration of their first album, the tour will be a reflection of that, with the setlist including the entirety of Meet The Vamps and complemented by some fan favorites throughout. Gearing up for the new tour is proving to be an exciting time for the group, and they’re thinking about how this tour will differ from their others.
“The last tour was more of a 10-year celebration as a band, covering our entire journey,” Evans says. “This time, we’re focusing specifically on our first album, Meet The Vamps. We’re playing it from start to finish, including the deluxe tracks. It’s a way to honor the album that means so much to us and our fans.”
This tour and their celebration of their debut record is a means of excitement for the band, and they’re looking forward to revisiting many of their songs as they make their long-awaited live performance debuts. “A lot of the songs from the first album we’ve never played live before, so it will be really exciting to see how we do them now,” Simpson says. “The whole tour’s going to be fun and they’re the first shows that we’ve done in a year and a half at this point, so it’s going to be nice to get back on the road.”
After a decade of massive success and evolution as a band, reflection and nostalgia are strong sentiments felt among the group. The band recently re-recorded — or rather, “reVamped” — their hit single “Somebody To You,” to
commemorate the 10 year anniversary of the original release. Throughout the process of revisiting old material, they’ve described it as a “wave of nostalgia.” “That album, for us, was such a big moment in all of our lives, just in terms of the band and kickstarting our career, but also as just mates and all of the experiences that we went through together,” Simpson says. “All of that kind of comes flooding back to you when you start recording it.”
THE FACT THAT WE STILL CAN PLAY SHOWS AND RELEASE MUSIC AND FANS ARE STILL WITH US AFTER 10 YEARS –WE’RE AWARE OF HOW INSANE THAT IS AND HOW LUCKY WE ARE
As they revisit the soundtrack to their early years — and the album that launched them into boyband pop stardom — The Vamps express nothing but gratitude when it comes to their relationships, their music and those who have supported them through the entire ride. “We’re very aware how insane it is that we’re still about,” Simpson says.“The fact that we still can play shows and release music and fans are still with us after 10 years – we’re aware of how insane that is and how lucky we are and we’re very grateful.”
ARTISTS
TAKING OVER FESTIVAL SEASON
With Lollapalooza, Coachella, and many many more, festivals are a popular way of spending the seemingly never-ending summer days and often cheaper than seeing a solo show for your favorite artist at a regular concert venue. This year’s festival lineups have included a lot of wellknown names, but there are some rising artists who are taking festivals by storm this summer. Here is a list of the top five artists that are taking over festival season in 2024.
Chappell Roan TOP
LISTEN: “Good Luck, Babe!,” “Red Wine Supernova,” “HOT TO GO!”
SIMILAR: boygenius, Olivia Rodrigo, The Last Dinner Party FESTIVALS: Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo
As the current obsession of young queer people around the world, Chappell Roan has made each and every show her own. In Vanity Fair, Roan revealed that she sees the version of herself on stage as a drag persona and this shines through in her vibrant performances that attract massive festival crowds. In this summer alone, Roan will be performing at both Lollapalooza in Chicago and Berlin, both weekends of Austin City Limits Music Festival, Osheaga Music and Arts Festival in Montreal, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee and multiple local pride celebrations. As part of her work, Roan invites local drag performers as openers for her shows, and actively donates to the black trans charity For The Gworls, marking her as both an iconic artist and a queer advocate.
WRITTEN BY James Weiners
THE LAST DINNER PARTY
LISTEN: “Nothing Matters,” “Sinner,” “The Feminine Urge”
SIMILAR: The Beaches, Wet Leg, Ethel Cain FESTIVALS: Lollapalooza, Reading & Leads, Hinterland Music Festival
Finding notoriety on TikTok while opening for Hozier with their song “Nothing Matters,” The Last Dinner Party continues to thrill throughout festivals around the world this summer. As they’ve grown in popularity, the band has garnered a reputation for putting on fantastical and otherworldly performances. Appearing in their typical Edwardian costume at Coachella both weekends this year, the British all femme band stomped, danced and rocked operatic elegance on stage in the California heat and will continue to captivate crowds across multiple festival dates this summer.
Prior to the hospitalization of their lead guitarist Violet Mayugba, the band was slated to perform at Lollapalooza in Chicago and Leeds in the UK this summer as part of their tour with Mother Mother and Cavetown. This comes after two straight years of touring throughout the United States. Previously, the band has played at events like Riot Fest and Dia De Los Deftones in 2022. At the moment, it is unknown as to whether or not the band will play the upcoming festival shows. Even on momentary hiatus, this band remains a powerhouse at festival lineups.
LISTEN: “Hertz,” “U Should Not Be Doing That,” “Security”
SIMILAR: The Chats, Viagra Boys, IDLES
FESTIVALS: Primavera Sound Festival, Best Kept Secret
AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS BETTER LOVERS
Beginning the summer strong with the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona followed quickly by Northside festival in Denmark, Australian indie punk band Amyl and the Sniffers is making waves across the festival scene. Donning a bleached mullet, heeled boots and an energetic spirit, lead singer Amy Taylor channels a young Cherie Currie of The Runaways as she performs on stage. This summer Amyl and the Sniffers will tour around the world, opening for the Foo Fighters multiple times in the United States. Afterward, they’ll take the stage at Outside Lands Music Festival. Known for their energetic live shows and signature pub rock and punk rock influence, Amyl and the Sniffers will continue to be a highlight act at every festival.
LISTEN: “30 Under 13,” “The Flowering,” “Sacrificial Participant”
SIMILAR: Every Time I Die, Many Eyes, Foreign Hands
FESTIVALS: Tons of Rock, Jera On Air
A hardcore/metalcore band out of Buffalo, New York, Better Lovers combines the musical talents of multiple seasoned musicians. Often referred to as a supergroup, the band consists of members formerly of Every Time I Die and The Dillinger Escape Plan. Although they’re a new band, only forming in 2023 after the breakup of Every Time I Die, Better Lovers has already played at this year’s Sick New World Festival in Las Vegas. Their summer will be spent rocking on tour throughout Europe with more festival lineups in the not-too-distant future. With one EP and one fulllength studio album under their belts, it’s very clear that Better Lovers is just getting started, and they don’t plan on slowing down any time soon.
WRITTEN BY Victoria Goodwin
PHOTO BY Karolina Turek
DIVING INTO
arianas Trench, known for their signature pop rock sound, incredible live shows and concept albums that blend theatrics with cohesive storytelling, have captivated audiences with their narrative-driven music for 25 years. With albums like Ever After, which tells a continuous story of a fictionalized Josh Ramsay in the fantasy kingdom of Toyland, and Astoria, inspired by 1980s fantasy and adventure films such as The Goonies, the Vancouver natives have consistently pushed the boundaries of their genre. Their most recent project, Phantoms, was released in 2019 and features a ghostly sonic essence, and explored themes of being haunted by past love. As the band now prepares for their first U.S. tour and album release since Phantoms, fans eagerly anticipate what new stories and sounds the group will unveil next.
“A lot has changed since the last time we’ve been out on the road,” lead guitarist Matt Webb says. “We have a whole new record, which is exciting!” Joining in on the excitement, bassist Mike Ayley adds, “It’s kind of miraculous to not have new music out in five years and still have a rabid fan base. I’m excited to get back on tour. We all have children now, but as soon as you get back on that tour bus and get the crew and the band back together, it’s going to be exciting.”
Their upcoming album is slated for a late summer release and promises a richer and more complex sound with already releasing three tracks from the album, “Lightning and Thunder,” “I’m Not Getting Better” and “A Normal Life.”
— “Some of the big differences are there’s lots of guitar and orchestral sounds which really gives it a cinematic kind of feel,” Ayley says. He hints at a strong thematic element incorporated into the new album drawing inspiration from Joseph Campbell’s book, “The Hero with a Thousand Faces,” and says that the album will “capture those essences” while still being a largely autobiographical account of lead singer Josh Ramsay’s story.
I THINK JOSH’S ATTENTION TO DETAIL HAS SOMEHOW REACHED A NEW LEVEL. IT’S A VERY RICH, THICK LISTENING EXPERIENCE
“I think Josh’s attention to detail has somehow reached a new level. It’s a very rich, thick listening experience,” Ayley says. “It’s really cool when you’re listening to those songs. It gives you like this wave of nostalgia on top of that new feeling.” The album promises plenty of hidden musical gems for fans eager to sift through the layers of storytelling and sound.”There’s a lot of easter eggs, throwbacks to old songs, and melodies that come and go between albums,” Webb says. “It’s a little bit of a treasure hunt.”
The band is excited to get back on the road and connect with audiences with their new music. “I feel like the United States is a market
INTERVIEW: MARIANAS TRENCH
that’s constantly growing for us,” Webb says with enthusiasm. Ayley chimes in echoing this sentiment, “The first two albums we did almost zero focus on the United States. On the third album, we really started touring the U.S. hard, more than Canada, and have sort of stayed that course for the last few albums. The tours are getting stronger and stronger.”
Balancing a rich discography with new material can be challenging when deciding what to select for a tour setlist. “There are 10 or 15 songs that have to be on our setlist. You need a little bit from everything,” Ayley says. “There are songs that you have to play because the fans want to hear them and they’re an important part of who we are.”
The band will be giving away a guitar at each show after their performance. “You get the played guitar, go backstage, meet us, we sign it for you and take a picture. If I got to do that with AC/DC or something, that’s a priceless experience,” Ayley says of the groups motivation to offer an experience like this for fans.
As the band gears up for tour and release of their album, Marianas Trench is aiming to deliver an unforgettable experience, blending nostalgia with innovation and reaffirming their place as one of the most dynamic bands in the pop rock genre. “I can’t wait for everybody to hear the album because it’s gonna blow your minds,” Webb says. “It’s the best album we’ve ever done.”
r.World: The future of live music serveware
L WRITTEN BY Brittany Muldoon
ive music is one of the most popular types of gatherings on the planet, and for good reason. They offer passionate listeners the chance to interact with their favorite artists, connect with other fans in person and enjoy live music with a sense of community. What’s not to love?
The environmental impact — including the emissions caused by artist and fan transportation to and from the venue, the energy required to put on a show and the physical waste generated from promo materials to food and beverage packaging — is something often overlooked. For perspective, a music festival the size of Coachella can generate more than 600 tons of waste over the course of just a few days, according to the environmental nonprofit, Dogwood Alliance.
While all these problems can’t be tackled overnight, there is one company specifically targeting the waste generated by food and beverage packaging: r.World.
But what exactly is r.World? In short, r.World consists of the r.Cup, reusable cups, and r.Ware, reusable serve ware like plates and to-go containers. But there’s more than meets the eye as each r.Cup and r.Ware item can be reused up to 300 times, making it a reliable and safe solution that works to eliminate the waste generated from tons of single-use items.
r.World’s mission is to end single-use waste by creating a national infrastructure for the reuse economy to thrive. The reuse economy is a
circular system in which products are reused over and over again as opposed to the more common linear system in which products are used just once and then thrown out.
Michael Martin, CEO/Founder of r.World is a music industry professional and sustainability entrepreneur since 1990, became the Executive Producer of Earth Day stadium concerts, and launched programs aiming to bring sustainability initiatives like tour offsets, composting, and more to the music industry.
The idea that would eventually become r.World was born when Martin first introduced the r.Cup and r.Ware system on U2’s “Joshua Tree Tour 2017.” Martin had been serving as U2’s sustainability advisor since 2009, so it seemed like the perfect partnership. On top of introducing these innovative items to tour, he has acted as the sustainability advisor for artists like Dave Matthews Band and Jack Johnson.
At the time of conception, the reusable products traveled with the touring crew to be used at each venue. However, since the transformation of r.Cup and r.Ware into r.World, wash hubs have been created in major cities like Denver, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and others, eliminating the need for the products to travel with the bands. As the #1 reuse platform in North America, r.World collaborates with
concert venues across the country, as well as artists, concessionaires and event companies such as AEG, NIVA and ASM to work toward their mission of reduced waste at live music events.
r.World takes care of all the logistics, so fans, event staff and venues aren’t burdened with additional work. Event coordinators choose from the r.Ware they need, r.World then delivers the items, and event staff serve as they normally would. But instead of throwing out the serveware after use, r.World collects the serveware in customized bins so fans know exactly where to put the dispose once they’ve finished their food and drink.
After each show, r.World picks up the reusables, sanitizes them at the closest r.World Wash Hub, inspects, repackages and then reuses them at the next show. When an item has reached its lifespan, it’s then upcycled into other usable products.
Venues that have switched to using r.Cups have seen a 94-99% cup return rate thanks to r.World’s thorough support. According to r.World’s website, arenas throw out between one and two million single-use cups every year and r.Cup eliminates this waste entirely. In 2023 alone, r.Cup prevented just over one ton of waste from heading into landfills – which equals about 30,000 single-use cups thrown out per day. This process creates a positive experience not only for concertgoers, who enjoy the
improved durability and convenience of the cups, but also for event organizers, who see higher profits because of faster beverage service during the event and less money spent on single-use materials.
In 2024, r.Cup is already working with over 200 venues across the U.S. and are implementing the cups into some of the biggest festivals of the season including 88 Rising’s Head in the Clouds, Cali Vibes Music Festival and Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw. The cups have also found their way into venues such as New York City’s Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles’ El Rey Theater and Colorado’s Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre. Not to mention, r.World has also strategically partnered with Coca-Cola to expand into venues that serve the brand’s products, including music and sports venues, movie theaters, restaurants and more. Bon Jovi, Maggie Rogers and the Rolling Stones are among artists who have partnered with r.World to emphasize the importance of sustainability at their shows, which indicates that other big names could follow suit soon.
In effect, r.World is creating happy event goers and even happier organizers with their reusable products. The future of live music has the potential to be more sustainable, especially as environmentally friendly solutions are more frequently expected by fans and artists alike. The next time you enjoy a drink at a show, it might just be served in an r.Cup — and if it is, don’t be part of the 1% who doesn’t turn it back in.
CRAFTING A ‘HEART-SHAPED SOUL’ FOR THE NEW ERA OF ROCK
WRITTEN BY Victoria Goodwin
PHOTO BY Ashley Osborn
ince forming in 2020, Loveless have carved out a unique niche in the music world with their signature sound that defies simple categorization, describing themselves as “not too heavy,” and “not too pop,” according to lead vocalist Julian Comeau. Multiinstrumentalist Dylan Tirapelli-Jamail chimes in, saying they craft “heavy pop rock for everyone.” Initially gaining traction through viral covers, Loveless has since captivated audiences with their original material, swiftly making their mark on the industry.
While the duo’s covers on social media have played a pivotal role in catapulting them into the spotlight, they are building quite the distinguished catalog for themselves with their own original material. Their first release of 2024, “I Love It When It Rains,” was the duo’s fastest original song to garner a million streams. Their newest single, “Heart-Shaped Soul,” comes alongside the announcement of their upcoming album, Loveless II and anticipation of their upcoming headlining “I Love It When It Tours Tour.”
From their viral rock rendition of “Middle Of The Night,” by Elley Duhé, to their haunting interpretation of “Happier Than Ever,” by Billie Eilish, Loveless doesn’t mind being referred to as a TikTok artist, however they draw the line at being labeled a cover band. Through their viral covers and open verse challenges, the recognition from big league artists, such as Charlie Puth and Lizzo, isn’t lost on the duo and they’re well aware of how their viral journey has helped put them on the map. “Going viral definitely has helped,” Comeau says. “Charlie — shoutout Charlie — not only did he share our video and tag us, he dueted it more than once.”
Embracing the role of a social media content creator and influencer, Comeau says, “I have no shame in being a social media content creator or ‘an influencer’ if it means that we can share what we make. You can either choose to embrace that and become artistic within that, or you can say, ‘boo hoo, I’m not gonna do this,’ and just do nothing.” Whether through content creation or audience engagement on platforms like TikTok, Instagram or Twitter, Comeau emphasizes the importance of maintaining a social media presence. “Somebody somewhere has to
INTERVIEW: LOVELESS
be engaging with you or you might as well be irrelevant,” he asserts. Comeau views this necessity as an inherent part of modern artistry and remains unapologetic about their approach: “I’m not ashamed of it at all.”
Covers aside, the duo has been working on their next album, Loveless II, slated for release Sept. 13. Compared to their two previous albums Comeau shares, “I think this one’s a lot more hopeful. There’s a little bit more of a tinge of, dare I say, happiness. It still is dealing with complex emotions and feelings of resentment and anger and rage. But I think it’s a little bit less bitter than Loveless I and a little bit more nuanced than End of an era.”
WE BASICALLY WORKED WITH EVERYONE THAT I’VE WANTED TO WORK WITH ON THIS RECORD... I’M REALLY PROUD OF WHAT WE’VE DONE
The duo says that they assembled a “dream team” for Loveless II. Erik Ron (Taylor Swift, Panic! At The Disco), Andrew Goldstein (blackbear, 5 Seconds of Summer), Zach Jones (The Home Team, Fever 333) and KJ Strock (MGK, Ice Nine Kills) have all contributed to the project, making it the group’s favorite to date. “We basically worked with everyone that I’ve wanted to work with on this record,” Comeau says. “I’m really proud of what we’ve done.”
This summer, Loveless is set to grace Chicago’s Riot Fest stage as well as England’s Reading and Leeds Festival. The band recently supported pop rock band Waterparks on their recent “Sneaking Out of Heaven Tour,” but they say nothing is quite like playing their own headlining shows. “There’s a place for both, but we definitely prefer to play our own shows,”
Comeau says. Tirapelli-Jamail chimes in adding that, “when we’re doing tour shows, the day is pretty much the same as the last, you pretty much know what to expect.”
As Loveless prepares for their headline “I Love It When It Tours Tour” this fall with support from Beauty School Dropout and Julia Wolf, the duo promises to add some new music to the setlist but not without having their favorites out of the bunch. “I think ‘Heart-Shaped Soul,’ is my favorite and I’m excited for people to scream it along with me,” Comeau says. “‘Ghost Like You’ is really powerful and I think the feature we have with GAYLE on ‘Lonely in New York’ is gonna be really, really strong!” Chiming in, Tirapelli-Jamail adds that, “I love the closing track on the album, ‘Just A Feeling I Remember.’ It’s a very beautiful ballad-y sort of vibe which is something I don’t really think that we’ve done before.”
Comeau says he hopes to pivot away from personal journaling in their songwriting and dive into more narrative-driven concepts. “I’d love to honestly break away from writing so much journal stuff and start doing some more story-based stuff,” he says. “Breaking into concepts and maybe doing a concept album. We kind of have this trajectory in mind of vision is this trilogy of the Loveless I, the Loveless II and Loveless III [albums]. Then from there, who knows?” Tirapelli-Jamail echoes Comeau’s interest in exploring concept-based music and drawing inspiration from bands they admire. “A lot of the bands that we enjoy listening to are concept-based,” he says. “I think bringing that to Loveless would be really cool.”
Apart from aiming to become the biggest band in the world (as Comeau often jokes), the band is committed to growing their catalog of original material, regardless of the traditional pressures associated with evolving as a musician in the social media era. “We’re building it up like a real organic band, and we wouldn’t have it any other way,” Comeau says. “We’re not in it for the money or the fame; we’re in it for the art.”
SPEED ROUND
LOVELESS ARE LOVERS NOT FIGHTERS, BUT WHAT MUSICIAN ARE YOU TAKING INTO BATTLE?
BURT MCCRACKEN CLAUDIO SANCHEZ /
“he’s seen some sh*t & i think he knows some sh*t”
WHICH TATTOO YOU HAVE THAT WOULD HELP YOU THE MOST? DAGGER DAGGER /
WHICH WOULD BE THE MOST USELESS?
/
BUMBLEBEE THE WORD “HI”
TIKTOK OR INSTAGRAM REELS INSTAGRAM REELS BOTH /
ONE THING YOU CAN’T GO ON TOUR WITHOUT SUNSCREEN SANITIZING WIPES / LAST ARTIST YOU JAMMED TO? NOAH KAHAN PERIPHERY / coheed and cambria honorary mention
& TWO DECADES OF POP-PUNK ON TOURING, THE EMO REVIVAL
WRITTEN BY Victoria Goodwin
PHOTO BY Bridget Craig
WE’VE BEEN FRIENDS FOR OVER HALF OUR LIVES, BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN ANYTHING IF IT’S JUST SURFACE LEVEL. EVERYONE WANTS TO
FEEL LIKE THEY’RE BEING HEARD AND THEIR IDEAS ARE LISTENED TO...
or nearly two decades, Floridian rock band Mayday Parade has been a cornerstone of the pop-punk scene, navigating the ups and downs of the music industry while maintaining a strong bond within the group. Ahead of touring slots on the touring Sad Summer Festival and Las Vegas’ When We Were Young Festival, Jeremy Lenzo, the band’s bassist, considers how they’ve managed to keep the chemistry and camaraderie alive through the years.
“Respect and equal value,” Lenzo explains off the bat. “We’ve been friends for over half our lives, but that doesn’t mean anything if it’s just surface level. Everyone wants to feel like they’re being heard and their ideas are listened to, and that their voice is equal to everyone else, and we do that.”
Jeremy points out both the growth and the challenges of staying true to their sound over the years. “I would like to think we’ve grown to some degree, but I can’t help but also think we’re stuck in a bubble of sorts,” he says. “We try and push boundaries but are also aware that people don’t want us to sound like a new band, they want to hear the band they’re familiar with. We try and keep all that in mind while working and also just making music we like internally.”
Certain songs have taken on new significance over the years, especially fan favorite “Jamie All Over.” “I think I’ve realized just how important ‘Jamie All Over’ is for our band.” Lenzo says. “It was always a popular song, but ever since the emo revival and the popularity of emo nights, I’ve realized how impactful the song was for the
pop-punk scene during that time period.”
Releasing music independently after their most recent record deal ended has brought both challenges and rewards for the band. “I don’t think it’s influenced our music really; we’ve always been in the fortunate position to do whatever we want, minus our major label album Anywhere But Here,” he says. “The only difference now is we have a lot more work behind the scenes we have to do. I think it feels more rewarding though, knowing you have to really work for it.”
“I think figuring out how we are going to release songs has been challenging. With how music is changing, we weren’t really sure if we should do more of the single releases or package everything into an album to release all at once,” Lenzo says. “We’ve been experimenting a little, and trying to find the balance of what works and what people want.”
As they gear up for the fifth Annual Sad Summer Festival, Mayday Parade is excited to share the stage with bands such as The Maine, We The Kings and The Summer Set, all of whom share a nostalgic bond with their fans. “It’s amazing, it really is,” Lenzo enthuses. “At the moment it’s one of the few traveling festivals that cater to this genre of music. There’s no way to describe how important that is for bands like ours who are not radio bands, but rely on word of mouth to make new fans. This is one of the few festivals we can play where we can expect to make new fans who have never heard of us or given our music a chance.”
business beats
musicians in business musicians in business musicians in business
WRITTEN BY Justice Petersen
Bodega Vintage, a unique thrift store in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood, was born from the collaborative vision of George Arthur Calendar and Jane Carten. When the two first became a couple, neither one of them ever imagined owning one of Chicago’s most thriving thrift hubs – or starting music careers. However, the two decided to take the leap, as failure was never a thought in their minds.
the business
When it comes to talking about the beginning of Bodega Vintage, George recounts, “I wanted to support [Jane] and to start an adventure together.” They began with pop-ups at the Logan Square Farmers Market, which sparked their dream of a permanent shop.
Since opening in February, the store has thrived. George shares, “Every week has been better... more than 70-80% of the people that walk into the shop, it’s their first time.” Their approachability sets them apart. “Bodega makes it different... to be something that is very approachable for everyone,” George explains. This inclusivity extends to their curated collections, featuring various vendors and styles, ensuring “there’s always something for someone.”
Music is integral to Bodega Vintage’s vibe. “We have a DJ every Saturday... we also plan to start doing some sip and shop nights Friday nights,” says George. This lively atmosphere, coupled with their diverse selection and community focus, has established Bodega Vintage as a standout in Chicago’s thrift scene. “It’s a place for everyone,” George affirms, reflecting their mission to create an inclusive, vibrant space for all.
the
beats
Influenced by a wide range of artists, from Prince and Rick James to Paul McCartney and Roxy Music, George Arthur Calendar’s music is a vibrant blend of genres and influences, often marked by his collaborations and unique approach to production.
He mentions that his recent album was heavily influenced by reggaeton and cumbia, even though the music doesn’t directly reflect those genres. He often draws inspiration from “lines that I hear in TV or in movies,” which helps him create songs with varied themes and tones.
George’s most recent single, “Lady,” is a collaboration with Blaque Rose, an artist from the East Coast. This track, described as “Spacey, chill, very groovy,” was initially produced in 2022 but took time to finalize due to both artists’ busy schedules. George’s dedication to collaboration and his ability to weave different styles into his music is evident in his description of the song as having a “very unique voice, high-pitched voice.”
THE
OF THE MODERN
WRITTEN BY Avery Heeringa
oodstock. Glastonbury. Rock in Rio. Primavera Sound. Tomorrowland. Coachella. Lollapalooza. The list of the world’s biggest and most popular music festivals goes on and on seemingly forever. From your hometown street festival with a lineup of local talent to the world stage, musical festivals have evolved with each passing year and now find themselves in a momentous place in 2024 — where music, art, commerce and social hierarchy intersect more than ever.
Gatherings to celebrate music date back centuries to the Pythian Games, held in Greece in 6th century B.C., but contemporary music festivals first became popularized with the KFRC Fantasy Fair and Magic Mountain Music Festival in 1967 where The Doors, Jefferson Airplane and Dionne Warwick performed on the side of Mount Tamalpais in Marin County, California. Just a week later, The Monterey International Pop Festival in Monterey, California took place where Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding and the Who were among the performers and brought approximately 200,000 attendees over three days.
These early rock festivals uncoincidentally happened during the Summer of Love, a
phenomenon that took San Francisco by storm and transformed the city into the nucleus of a national hippie movement. A movement celebrating counterculture ideals inspired by the Beatnik generation that prioritized individualistic freedom and emphasized experimentation with drugs and sex. The idyllic aesthetic often associated with the 1960’s owes itself to this concept of “free love,” and emphasis on community popularized by social gatherings in the Bay Area. The birth of what modern music festivals are is intrinsically tied to this idealism of coming together to appreciate each other and enjoy the music that also sometimes reflected this mentality.
Two years after the Summer of Love, Woodstock cemented the modern music festival into popular culture indefinitely. Taking place in Bethel, New York, close to half a million people showed up for three days of “peace and music,” and saw acts such as Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead and Crosby, Stills, Joan Baez, and Nash & Young. Woodstock is immortalized as a blissful communion of togetherness through music, despite the three deaths that occurred and over 5,000
PHOTO COURTESY OF Marjorie Halle
reported medical incidents. In a way, the festival celebrated the end of the 1960’s for all that they were and looked toward the new decade with hope for the new generation. The idealism of the ‘60s would quickly dissolve as the Vietnam war would continue until 1975 and Nixon’s 1972 Watergate scandal altered American politics forever.
In the early days of the modern music festival, these gatherings represented far more than a collection of popular artists playing for audiences — they often represented a concerted interest in changing the way that Americans thought about their politics, lives and the world. Festivals continued to sprout up throughout the following decades, including the start of what would become the U.K.’s Glastonbury Festival in 1970, and reached another pivotal point in the ‘90s as electronic music began to gain prominence.
By the time Woodstock ‘99, an attempt to revive the iconic festival 30 years after its inception, happened, music and the social culture around festivals had drastically changed. Genres such as metal, grunge, hiphop and punk rock were becoming more popular, and the mindset behind festivals such as Woodstock ‘99 were drastically different compared to the festivals of the ‘60s. The more energetic, and sometimes aggressive, music (such as Korn, Limp Bizkit and the Red Hot Chili Peppers) seemed to redefine festivals such as Woodstock ‘99 as opportunities to focus more on die hard partying and mayhem. Woodstock ‘99 is remembered by its pure
chaos, destruction and sheer lack of safety, largely as a result of poor planning.
Though the Woodstock revival failed to recapture the essence of its origin, countless other festivals began sprouting up around the turn of the millennium including Chicago’s Lollapalooza, Barcelona’s Primavera Sound, Belgium’s electronic music festival Tomorrowland, and of course California’s Coachella. As the aughts turned into the 2010’s, technology evolved alongside the impact of music festivals, turning what once were events focused solely on music and community into opportunities for commerce and social status.
Whether it be the prices for VIP packages at Coachella or the phone filled audience during Ice Spice’s performance at Rolling Loud, it’s clear that status and exclusivity have begun to play a bigger role in the music festival scene. Coachella weekend one is notorious for being overly-packed with influencers looking for photo opportunities over fans actually attending for the music. Whether these changes are “good” or “bad” is subjective, but it’s clear that even if there was an effort to regain the kind of uninterrupted and idealist focus on the music and its sociopolitical meanings, that may not be attainable given the now inescapable reality of technology and social media hierarchy.
WRITTEN BY Victoria Goodwin
PHOTO BY Austin Freire
THANKS YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE
Recently debuting “Pray” and “Thank You For The Patience” under his new moniker Old Flame, American-Canadian singer Jonny Craig is reconnecting with his rock roots and embracing a new mindset inspired by his three years of sobriety. Talking about the new moniker Old Flame, Jonny shares that the name
represents a flame that refuses to be extinguished despite the challenges and setbacks he has faced.
Craig, known for his powerful vocals and contributions to bands like Emarosa, Dance Gavin Dance and Slaves, has faced numerous controversies over the years
from drug use, being kicked off of tours and out of bands. His past struggles with addiction and the resulting fallout have cast a long shadow over his career, making his current sobriety and renewed focus on music all the more impactful. His sobriety brings a fresh energy to his rock roots, allowing him to fully immerse himself in the music he loves. “Playing rock music is something that I really enjoy doing and I feel like coming back to it right now is a really good time. Especially sober,” he says.
This time, Craig says his sobriety feels different to him because it comes from a place of self-motivation. “I’ve had band members that struggled so hard to get me sober… family… friends. And at one point, they were all gone. It was just me,” he says. He acknowledges the past pressures from loved ones but emphasizes that his current journey is for himself, marking a significant shift in his approach. “This time I feel like it’s actually for me. Something in my brain just clicked,” he says. “I just actually wanted to be sober for once.”
When asked about the motivation behind the sobriety and what was different this time, there’s no hesitation in Craig’s answer. “My son is just the biggest motivation for me. He’s a small carbon copy of me and it is the coolest thing ever to have a little mini me,” he shares, full of emotion.
As Craig gears up for tour in August, he shares his excitement to be performing again, “I’m happy to be on the stage in general. It can be small. It could be big.” As he forms a setlist that spans his career and encompasses songs to give fans
the best experience, he’s also working on an enhanced stage experience that goes beyond just the music. “We’re gonna do Emarosa, older Slaves, Old Flame, and some JC stuff,” he says eagerly. “We’re trying to set up a different stage side of it other than just getting up there and singing. We want to add something to the actual stage performance.”
Surrounded by supportive people, touring sober in 2023 was a surprisingly smooth transition. However, the transition to performing sober wasn’t without its challenges. “At first, getting on the stage, it was a little difficult trying to loosen up,” Craig says. “I’m very critical of what I’m doing, a little bit too overcritical.”
I FEEL AT PEACE AND THAT’S A CRAZY FEELING IN ITSELF
BECAUSE I’VE NEVER HAD THAT
Reflecting on his journey, Craig finds solace in his progress. “Even through all of the bullsh*t, everything that’s happened, everything that I’ve gone through, I feel happy with where I’m at,” Craig says. “I feel at peace and that’s a crazy feeling in itself because I’ve never had that. So even if things stay the same in this moment, I think for once, I have peace and that’s the most important thing to me.”
WRITTEN BY Justice Petersen
Country has taken over the music industry. Many musicians – specifically big names in pop – are switching to country music. Beyoncé topped the country charts with Cowboy Carter back in March. Lana Del Rey and Post Malone both have country albums in the works despite becoming household names for their work in pop and rap, respectively. Even Ed Sheeran has hinted at going country.
This phenomenon won’t be slowing down any time soon, but the question this trend begs is: what caused it in the first place?
Born in Missouri, raised in Texas and based in Nashville, Kitty Coen is a rising star within the alternative music scene. She dropped her sophomore album Hellcat earlier this year, where she fuses together influences of country, classic rock and alt-pop to create her own unique blend of “y’allternative.”
According to Coen, country has always been cool, but bad perceptions of southern culture led many to shame the genre.“For a while, everything that was associated with the South
was bad,” Coen says. “And I was like that too. When I was living in Texas, I thought places like Tennessee and Alabama were super racist. There’s parts that are, but not everywhere.”
Now, more listeners are embracing country as artists such as Lainey Wilson and Mickey Guyton are reframing rural culture as more inclusive for queer people, women and people of color. Additionally, Ethel Cain in particular is known for criticizing southern religious institutions while also celebrating the iconography and aesthetics of these regions. “It was the paradigm shift of taking these deep, seedy places in America, but then finding the beauty in them,” Coen says.
Spookybands, a Los Angeles rapper-turned-folk musician and a prominent songwriter in the industry – even songwriting for Yung Gravy’s upcoming country record – agrees that country has always been popular among the masses, but was associated with strong stereotypes and thus never fully appreciated in the way it is now. “When Spotify first came out, a lot of the younger audiences were relating more to hip-hop, and I feel like now that same audience
is relating more towards alternative genres of music,” Spooky says.
Now, big names in pop are going country and other artists feel they finally have permission to do the same. However, this hasn’t gone without controversy. When Beyoncé dropped her country debut, “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM,” and “16 CARRIAGES,” many took to the internet to criticize the career move despite the fact that she is originally from Texas and, historically speaking, country music has and continues to be heavily shaped by the contributions of Black artists.
“Country music is just Blues music that white people stole from Black people,” Coen says. “Obviously you have Appalachian music, which is a different type of country, and then there’s your Western Country. But the kind of country you hear coming out of Nashville, that was what Black people made in Memphis.” So, when pop artists now decide to turn country, where does the hate come from? Ultimately, it’s because country is not just a music genre. It’s also a culture.
“When people hear Beyoncé or Post Malone [do country], to the eye, you think this person has so much privilege,” Coen explains. “It’s offensive because a lot of times these [fans] come from nothing. A lot of people have tried to recreate the Ethel Cain aesthetic, and I think that a lot of Ethel Cain’s fans are offended because a lot of those fans are from the middle of nowhere. And that art gave them something to romanticize [their] reality.”
“If one wants to pursue country, doing so requires authenticity,” Spooky says. “You have to do it gracefully for country fans to embrace you,” he continues. “Country fans are embracing Post Malone a lot because he did a whole tour, he went to Stagecoach [Music Festival] and he was playing classic country songs. Back in the day when you wanted to be famous as an artist, it wasn’t about you putting
out your original stuff. It was about you covering people.”
But, the music business is a business, after all, and many country artists switch to pop or rap. Dolly Parton has intertwined both country and pop in her work and Taylor Swift began as a country singer before becoming one of the most famous pop stars in the world. Similar to how country artists change genres, or how musicians such as Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan are leading the current campy aesthetic trend, changing your look or sound is common across all areas of the industry.
“I feel like as long as you’re not trying to claim the culture, it’s different,” Coen says. “I don’t think Orville Peck needed to come from the sticks in order to be Orville Peck, right?” Spooky agrees, saying, “It’s not about what region you’re from, [but] you know if somebody’s faking it or not. But country is all about acceptance, tradition, family, values and love. Those are all things that are very hard to fake.”
In other words, it’s okay to put on those cowboy boots. But people can tell if you’re walking funny.
“I think that with all trends, they’re ever-changing,” Coen says. “The world will spin madly on, and if you find something that you identify with, makes you happy and helps you express who you are – then I say go for it. People are going to feel how they’re going to feel, but that doesn’t change you. The truth of it is that everything is connected and art imitates life. People don’t need to get in their heads about it.”
#INDIE-ROCK, #ALT-ROCK
SIMILAR ARTISTS: Chappell Roan, Courtney Love
LISTEN: ““Girl in Your Story”, “Dumb Blonde”
RLYBLONDE
Before making her musical debut in 2023 with her EP Fantasy, rising alt-rock sweetheart rlyblonde (aka Carina Allen) was a creative director, videographer and photographer for New York’s favorite indie acts. Now, Rlyblonde has released her newest single “Dumb Blonde” – her first release following her two previous singles “Your Angel” and “Girl In Your Story” – and will be featured on her upcoming EP, Star of the Show. A bubblegumdecorated track, “Dumb Blonde” represents a new musical era for rlyblonde as she’s learned to balance two worlds: the carefree passion of rlyblonde and the multidisciplinary that is Carina Allen.
WRITTEN BY Christine Sloman, Clare Gehlich, Justice Petersen, Shauna Hilferty
PHOTOS BY Ashley Osborn, Eva Zar, Hunter Candari, Romarni Brytz
SERGIO
SERGIO’s star began during his time with In Real Life, which formed in 2017 on the reality show Boy Band. In 2020 SERGIO made his solo debut by dropping “No Es Fácil,” which peaked at #15 on the iTunes U.S. Latin Chart and remains one of his most popular songs. Since, SERGIO has worked on integrating both English and Spanish elements into his songs. Recently, SERGIO released his debut mixtape, WHERE THE SILENCE IS LOUD, which features “Take 5” and “Proud.” As he continues on in his career, SERGIO aims to redefine the Pop-Latino genre, using his personal and professional skills to give listeners a lasting and meaningful experience.
#POP, #R&B, #SOUL
SIMILAR ARTISTS: Amy Winehouse, Tyla Jane
LISTEN: “I AM WOMAN,” “Breakthrough”
#R&B
SIMILAR ARTISTS: JAME MINOGUE, MALUMA
LISTEN: “Proud,” “BACK UP”
EMMY MELI
Through smokey vocals, heavy influences of vintage jazz and divine feminine energy, rising R&B pop star Emmy Meli has proven herself as a primal force and magnetic songstress with her debut EP, Hello Stranger. The pop songstress originally found fame in 2021 when she went viral with her feminist anthem “I AM WOMAN.” Now, with her inaugural album release, Meli continues to advocate for feminism, self-love and peace among women. With a vocal prowess and musicality that glitters with femininity, Meli is undoubtedly an electric and ethereal figurehead within the current Gen Z feminist movement.
#POP-LATINO,
FRANCISCO MARTIN
Francisco Martin started his career releasing his original renditions of popular songs, but truly made his mark on the 18th season of American Idol in 2020. Self-taught on drums, guitar, piano and several other instruments, Martin reached the Top 5 on the show, launching a successful solo career thereafter. Since then, he has released “Swollen,” which has accumulated more than eight million streams on Spotify. In 2023, Martin transitioned toward an indie-pop/lofi-fi sound, even while exploring themes of love and heartbreak within the singer-songwriter world with “Lily” and “Evil Eye.”
#INDIE-POP, #INDIE-ROCK
SIMILAR ARTISTS: Valley, milk., The 1975
LISTEN: “CALL ME UP,” “BEACH HOUSE”
#SINGER-SONGWRITER, #INDIE
SIMILAR ARTISTS: JAMES BAY, LOUIS KNIGHT
LISTEN: “Swollen,” “Jekyll N Hyde”
DAYDREAMERS
London’s four-piece indie-pop group, daydreamers, have quickly found their groove. In only a matter of days, views to their debut single “Call Me Up,” climbed to over 2.7 million across TikTok and Instagram. Hopelessly romantic and undeniably electric, “Call Me Up” is blend of feelings and styles from bands you know and love, with a rhythm and a story that is its very own. Since the release of their debut single, “Call Me Up,” daydreamers has also released “Beach House.” Daydreamers makes music that is the backtrack for the main character in all of us.
