Sunlight Magazine (Issue 1) by Sunlight Magazine

Sunlight Magazine

issue one

FEATURING

The Brazen Youth

Letter from the editor Dearest Sunlight Reader, Once you flip this page, you will be immersed in a world crafted so carefully with all my passion and all my love. I started this magazine hoping to inspire myself, as well as those who might feel frustrated with their work or doubt themselves. It’s been a learning process, and of course I’m still learning. I’ve surprised myself with how much I’ve been able to do for Sunlight Magazine within the few months it’s been alive. In my attempts to always delve into new adventures, I thought it would be fitting to release issue one in January of 2018. This, of course, would not have been possible without Sunlight’s amazing team. The Sunlight team is composed of individuals that have big hearts for art and music. We all emerged with no clue of what we were doing, we just wanted to create something. I couldn’t have asked for better people to bounce ideas off of and grow closer with. And you! I would give you my whole heart if I could. It gives me endless joy to be able to share the things I love, and your caring eyes are all I need to be able to do this. Thank you thank you. It means the world to me. So now, I introduce you to the very first issue of Sunlight Magazine. Sophie Minello Founder / Editor in Chief

Letter from the Editor

Meet the team

Hippo Campus

Knuckle Puck

Cocordian

The Brazen Youth

Tour of 2017

Anticipated tours of 2018

The Sonder Bombs

Peach Pit

The Front Bottoms

HUNNY

Collage

The Evening Attraction

Table Of Contents

DENNY

Tori Vintzel

Felicity

2017 in Film

Jonathan Mazaltov

Kalopsia

Break-Up

Colorado Listen Local

Sewn Together

Infromation about Sunlight Magazine

Art by Anthony Sennett

Meet the Team:

Sophie Minello

Cayla Coomer

Anthony Sennett

Planetarium: James Mcalister

Saturation II: Brockhampton

Jade Pike

Gabby Cabacab

Sam Schraub

Hopeless Fountain Kingdom: Halsey

Landmark: Hippo Campus

Somersault: Beach Fossils

Founder / Editor in Chief / Lots more Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset: Richard Edwards

Photographer / Writer

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your favorite album of 2017?

Co-Founder

Photographer / Writer

Artist / Writer

Photographer

Jae Melville

Saara Laidlaw

Sydney Wiggs

Honey Waits: Keilan Creech

How Will You Know If You Never Try: COIN

Sacred Hearts Club: Foster the People

Vinnie Holt

Kayla Thornton

Writer

Graphic Designer / Writer Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t You Worry Honey: Sir Sly

Photographer / Writer

Photographer

Heavy Meta: Ron Gallo

Hippo Campus Review by Sophia DiPierro, Photos by Sophie Minello Where do I even start? I have seen Hippo Campus live three times now, each with an obvious exponential growth in quality. Touring their album Landmark, released in February, Hippo Campus has consistently been nothing short of breath taking. I’ll go song by song through their entire set, recounting the experience as I saw it, and sharing the emotions that rushed through me with each passing moment. Before I jump in, let me just give you a little background to portray exactly how much this show meant to me. I have seen Hippo Campus in 2015, 2016, and now 2017, so they have been a big part of my life for about two or three years now. My life has been extremely different each time I’ve seen them, so hearing their songs brings back many different floods of emotions and memories of significant value to me. Hippo Campus, consisting of Jake Luppen (vocals/guitar), Nathan Stocker (guitar), Zach Sutton (bass), and Whistler Allen (drums), began the show by playing “Way It Goes” from Landmark, their newest album. The excitement of the crowd was bursting through the roof at this point; the anticipation had been escalating for about 20 of the longest minutes known to man as Hippo Campus’s stage was being prepared. When they finally walked on, the audience went wild, everyone screamed and welcomed them to the stage. As “Way It Goes” was played, almost every single person around me was singing along. Everyone was extremely enthusiastic, and there was an invisible, yet very present booming energy in the venue. The second song that they played was “Little Grace,” from their first album Bashful Creatures. Despite this song being an older one, the crowd was just as enthusiastic, if not more so, about the music. My favorite part during this song is the pre-chorus, where it sounds kind of tropical. This particular piece of the song is so light and airy, the crowd was almost in sync as it played. This song always reminds me of summer drives and going to the beach, and all of these feelings were brought back to me in the moment. Even though this is one of their first songs, it’s a classic. The third song was “Simple Season” from Landmark. This was a good song to play after “Little Grace” because it keeps up with the cool and airy theme. The crowd’s energy has not died down one bit yet, and they kept getting more and more excited with each note played. The energy that was in the room during the show is truly indescribable. After “Simple Season” was done, or a little towards the end of the song, something happened with the power of the venue. It went completely dark in the room and none of the band’s mics were working. This just goes to show how personable the members of Hippo Campus are; Nathan yelled out to the crowd, “This might just be happening right now! How are you guys doing?” The audience’s energy was still booming, and the screams of excitement and joy were as loud as ever, if not moreso, despite the short power outage. The lights and mics finally came back on, and the members of the band were all in good spirits, likewise to the crowd.

For the fourth song, Hippo Campus returned to their roots once again, playing “Souls” from Bashful Creatures. One of my friends in attendance of the concert with me turned to me saying, “All of the memories are coming back!” This song definitely made me feel nostalgic. Hearing the songs played live after listening to them for months on end is such a powerful feeling and you can only know what that feeling is like if you experience it yourself. “Souls,” just like “Little Grace,” is an oldie, but a goodie. The next song they played, sticking with Bashful Creatures for a moment, was “Suicide Saturday.” This is one of Hippo Campus’s bigger hits, so the audience went wild when they heard the signature opening riff of the song. During this part of the song, Jake and Zach got closer to each other, playing their instruments face to face, as if they were just jamming out together. I loved that they did this because in a way it unified the room by reminding everyone that they’re just four guys in a band. It was a small gesture, but it made them all that more personable nevertheless. Something done in many of their songs when live in concert, but especially “Suicide Saturday” is the addition of different riffs and solos that aren’t the same as the ones on the recording, yet still as good, if not better. I love that they do this because it really showcases their skills and talents as musicians. I should back up to the beginning of the night for a moment and mention what happened before my friends and I entered the venue. It was a very cold night with a pretty good amount of rain falling. I arrived and began waiting in line at around six o’clock, but some people had been waiting there as early as two o’clock to my knowledge. I should mention that doors were at eight o’clock, and the show began at nine o’clock, so we had a pretty hefty wait ahead of us. Of course, it was, without a doubt in my mind, worth it. When VIP flooded into the venue, for some reason those without VIP also flooded in, trying to get warm. We all waited in the bar area of the venue for about a good hour until it was time to get our tickets checked and enter the main room of the venue. I bring all of this up because between “Suicide Saturday” and the next song, Zack yelled out, “Thanks so much for coming everybody! Especially those who waited in the rain, I would never do that for a band, so thank you!” The crowd screamed in thanks, and Jake went on to remark in transition, “Power’s on, feeling great…this song goes out to Remo Drive [the openers].” I feel the need to bring up these small comments because they are what makes me fall in love with Hippo Campus all over again every time I see them.

The next song they played was one of their new ones, “Western Kids,” from Landmark. Just like “Little Grace,” this song brought back a lot of summer, feel good memories. The chorus of the song is very playful, and makes you feel almost carefree like you are a child again while listening to the song. Everyone in the audience was bouncing and bumping off and into each other, but no one seemed to mind because they were just enjoying the music and simply having a good time. I should mention that Hippo Campus added a fifth member for this tour, I apologize that I do not know his name, but he played the trumpet on some of their new songs, including this one. He is an outstanding trumpeter, and his unique spins on all of their songs were incredible to listen to. This next part of the concert was definitely its climax. It is the most meaningful part to me, and I’m sure that goes for a lot of the people in the crowd. The next three songs played, in order, were “Poems,” “Interlude,” and “Monsoon,” all from Landmark. I’m going to talk about all three of them together here because from the moment that “Poems” began and “Monsoon” ended, there was not one break in the music. They all gracefully transitioned into each other, which made them all the more unforgettable. The crowd quieted down for these songs, perhaps because everyone’s ears were just trying to take everything in. Don’t get me wrong, the energy in the room was still just as present as it was at the beginning of the show, but these songs are just so powerful that sometimes it’s better to just stand there, close your eyes, and listen. When “Poems” came on, the angelic beginning riff made me feel like I was floating. The entire song is euphoric, making one feel completely weightless and free of worry. The song’s bassline is so powerful that when seeing them live you can actually feel the bass vibrating throughout your body. I love when this happens because then I can physically feel the music, making it all the more personal and connecting me deeper to the song. Then, with utmost grace, “Poems” transitioned into “Interlude.” When this happened, I found myself in a dream sequence. The first note of “Interlude,” or the whole song for that matter, is perhaps the most potent of the entire album. It immediately flooded my mind with all of the memories that I associate it with. I stood still for a second so I could truly take in the moment as it was happening. The utter bliss that came over me in that instant is something that can’t be put into words. The trumpeter’s role was prominent during this song, and the fact that the song live was not exactly as it is on the recording made it so much more real and special. It was an unexpected treat to hear “Interlude” performed. Lastly in this part, “Monsoon” was played. There was a long and heavenly transition between “Interlude” and “Monsoon,” which really kept the crowd in a certain mood. For those who have heard “Monsoon,” you know just how slow and significant this song is. Not much more can be said about it other than the fact that tears were shed amongst the audience. After “Monsoon” ended, Jake asked us, “How we doing, are you guys still with us, you good?” The crowd cheered, and somebody yelled out that they were dehydrated. Jake responded, “You’re dehydrated? Who’s dehydrated? You are?” Pointing to the fan, he said “Apparently everyone’s dehydrated, but you’re the most vocal about it, so I’m going to give you this water. Make sure this water gets to her, okay? Here we go!” He then proceeded to throw his water out to the fan, and I found this important to mention because it shows a lot of character. He then said, “Yeah, alright. This one goes out to fucking hydration.” They began to play “South,” a song from a previous single, South. I liked that they followed “Monsoon” with this song because it gradually brought the crowd out of a slower mood and back into a more energetic one. Next, they played “baseball” off of their most recent single, warm glow. This song has a very refreshing and bouncy sound to it, and the crowd immediately began dancing to it as it was played. Something specific that strikes me in this song is the bridge: “Fill the rafters / Right field dances / Baseball diamonds / Take our chances out.” This part truly breaks down the song and gives me that same powerful feeling that I’ve mentioned a few times earlier. “baseball” is an instant classic to say the least. After “baseball,” “traveler” was played, another song off of the new EP warm glow. Going into the concert, this song was one of my favorites, and still is. On each of their releases, Hippo Campus is able to keep with their sound, while still bringing refreshing new melodies to our ears. “traveler” is exactly this: a refreshing melody that one can really let themselves loose to. I can’t wait to roll my windows down and listen to this on summer drives.

“warm glow,” another song off of their new single warm glow, can in some ways be compared to “Monsoon.” The crowd slowed down a bit to truly listen to this song, just as they did when “Monsoon” was played. Despite the fact that this song is so fresh, it still struck a chord with me during the concert. My favorite part of this song is when the band sings, “Arm’s length, shoulders wide / Looking for a fight / Peace sign, getting by / People, we’ll be alright.” These particular lyrics are so impactful, and they are a big part of what makes this song oh so good. At this moment in time, “Buttercup” from Landmark is undeniably my favorite song on their album. Before seeing them last week, I completely overlooked this song, however, I found a new love for it as it was played. I can’t describe exactly how this happened, but this is a prime example of how seeing the music performed right in front of you is a completely different experience from simply listening to the tracks. Although it seemed like “Buttercup” was the last song of the night, “Violet” from the single South truly was. Hippo Campus walked out after “Buttercup,” and the lights went out, however, the audience screamed and screamed until Hippo Campus returned to the stage. When they did this, the room was obviously chaotic, and everyone began to throw themselves around as the first notes of “Violet” played. It was, without a doubt, a great song to end the show to. Just as I struggled to pick a place to begin this piece, I’m having trouble finding a place to end it. Writing this–trying to condense an entire night into one article–was indisputably a hard task, but an enjoyable one nevertheless. This concert is one that I will carry with me throughout the years, and I can now only look forward to the day I meet with Hippo Campus again. Thank you.

Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland, OH November 18, 2017

K N U C K L E P U C K 10

Review & Photos by Gabby Cabacab Irving Plaza, New York City Lights dimmed and the crowd went wild as TV screens on stage lit up, setting the mood for what’s to come. Knuckle Puck arrived on stage greeted by screaming fans as they opened up with “Gone”, the first single off of their new album, Shapeshifter. The band performed a good mixture of songs off of their new album such as “Double Helix” and “Want Me Around”, to favorites off of their earlier albums, Copacetic and While I Stay Secluded, like “Evergreen” and “Bedford Falls”. The raw emotions given off from hearing lead singer, Joe Taylor, sing and scream lyrics resonated throughout the crowd. All members of the band brought a unique energy to the stage, thus not being so sure where to look because everyone is always doing something exciting. I’ve been to many shows of so many genres, but this is the first where I saw how truly involved and captivated the crowd was with the music and artist. Whether it be crowd surfing and opening up mosh pits, to screaming along with emotive lyrics, Knuckle Puck fans made the show just as much of an experience as the group of talented musicians on stage. If you ever have a chance to catch Knuckle Puck live, take that chance. You won’t regret it, trust me.

Photos by Kayla Thornton

CO CORDIAN 12

CO CORDIAN

The Brazen Youth Photos & Interview by Sophie Minello

The Brazen Youth are a folk indie band hailing from Lyme, Connecticut. More specifically, Ashlawn Farms, the place they call home. Living on a farm has proved to be a big influence to their unique and experimental sound. Their debut album, The Ever Dying Bristlecone Man, was written and recorded by Nicholas and Charles over the period of 2014-2016. Sunlight sat down with them on the steps of a church with Nicholas, Charles, and Micah before their set at CODA in Tremont, Ohio. Today is the last date of this tour, how would you describe the experience? Nicholas: I think we all made new discoveries about ourselves, about our individual intentions, about the intentions of our tour bands and band mates and... Charles: ...group dynamic. Nicholas: And also we discovered a lot about... Charles: ...how to have a good tour. Nicholas: And even just the lifestyle. Subscribing to a lifestyle of instability and seeing if it’s something that’s worth doing. Are there any quirky/strange stories you’re going to take away from this tour? Charles: We were playing this one venue in DC and the guy who was running the show, at the beginning of the show he opened up a two liter bottle of coke and he killed the entire thing by the end. He sat at the door and just chugged it. The second he opened the bottle he looked determined to kill it. And he did. Nicholas: And it was with these dixie cups. They were so small. Charles: He took like 40 shots of coke all night. It was crazy. Telling stories through your music seems like a common thing for you guys. What stories have inspired you? Nicholas: Honestly just stories that every human encounters, like romantic stories, or emotion deprivation that exists and is unavoidable, or family structure. Charles: We like writing about stories that have timeless themes. Like Little Red Riding Hood. Nicholas: We live on a farm so we consider the farm to be sort of timeless in a way just because agriculture has existed for thousands of years and the technology of agriculture is more or less fundamentally the same. We kind of just live on this farm and detach ourselves from civility and constructs of civility like time and anything that’s socially normative. We just kind of escape it. I think that manifests into our songs a lot because it’s almost like we feel inclined to challenge social norms not because of who we are but because of where we are. It feels obligatory in a weird way. Charles: I would say also who we are, it’s a nature vs. nurture kind of thing. Having the influence of where we’ve been writing and producing out of has burned a place into us.

Talking about the farm, I think it’s really interesting how living on Ashlawn farms has influenced you guys so much. Last year Nicholas, you were at school in Boston. When you were there did the different location influence you? Nicholas: Yeah, it was very difficult to find time to be alone. There are practice rooms but when you’re alone in a practice room you’re sort of surrounded by 30 other students who are trying to do exactly what you’re doing. It’s way too much stimuli to write. Charlie took the first semester off from school so he was on the farm first semester and I was up in Boston. It was so interesting because for the first time there was a divergence of our writing styles because he was writing a lot of songs that talked about the natural aspects of the world and the discoveries he was making while living on the farm while I was more writing about city life and how deprived I felt. It (Boston) wasn’t a good place for me as an individual. You seem really interested in experimenting with your music, in what ways have you pushed yourself and tried new things? Charles: You don’t really try to do anything you just do what you feel, you do what you hear, you kind of just see if you can turn what’s in your head into something on a daw screen. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but if it doesn’t you just put a chorus effect on it and call it indie. Nicholas: Throw in some distortion. Charles: Run it through tape and you’re just like, ‘this isn’t bad, it’s experimental’. Nicholas: We’re always experimenting. Charles: We don’t listen to very conventional music either, so most of our influences kind of push us in that direction. Micah: There’s a nice blend. Nicholas: I feel like we all have one collective taste in music but we also have our individual taste in music. Charlie’s into rap, he loves Kendrick. I really like classical music and Micah really likes film score. We all just take those influences and we put them together in this pool and then we just take out little bits that might match up.

I think it was I Call to You in Dreams where there were over 100 tracks? Charles: It’s funny you say that because we don’t usually listen to our music very often but on the way here we just decided to listen to I Call to You in Dreams. I think that had about 178 tracks by the end of it and then we condensed it into 50 tracks and sent that to mastering. Nicholas: That song was a shit storm. We worked on that song for over a year to record it, and we were continuously restarting and reimagining it. I made probably 17 demos on my own of that song. It was crazy. That was the kind of song where me and Charlie just had to sit down and completely reimagining. It got stale after a while since we both had this image in our heads of what the song should be and once we realized that it was impossible to meet that standard we were just like ‘okay, let’s restart it.’ Charles: It got to a point where it was mostly damage control. The song was 6 little songs combined into one song. Nicholas: And not to mention the last portion wasn’t added until the end of recording it. We were just fucking around one day and just added it. Charles: It got to a point where it was just so hectic, there were so many tracks that my computer was crashing every time I opened it. We didn’t know what to do so one day me and Nick were up late at night and we put this distortion plug on it and turned it all the way up at the end... Nicholas: ...and we tried to call it art. Charles: We were just like, ‘alright, this is where we’re at. We’re sending it to mastering.’ It turned out a little better than we thought, I thought I was going to hate it within a week. It’s been a year and I only hate it a little more. Nicholas: It’s weird because with the old songs, I feel really detached from them in a way. When I listen to them I don’t feel like I’m listening to us, I feel like I’m just observing a former version of myself. I don’t feel regret or hatred towards those songs because I feel like it was the best we were able to do at the time. Charles: Like ‘he didn’t know.’ Nicholas: We started working on that album when we were juniors in high school. You guys are into the film and music video process, yes? Nicholas: Oh yeah we’re really into film. Charles: We all just take footage throughout the tour and send it to Nick and at the end of those sections of time he puts these little compilations together, these little movies or films that kind of represent that time. We’ve been releasing those on the internet for a couple months now. What would your dream music video be if you didn’t have a budget? Nicholas: I would film a time lapse of the beginning of the universe to the end of the universe and put it within the time frame of a wild song.

You’ve mentioned before that the ever dying bristlecone man is a concept album which I think that is incredibly interesting. Can you explain the whole idea behind it? Charles: It’s very interpretive. Nicholas: It changes so much. Charles: It can be whatever you want it to be, but the idea behind the ever dying bristlecone man is a man who was experiencing death and reincarnation, but then still vividly remembering his past lives. Learning to live, die, forget loved ones, move on-Nicholas: He slowly becomes a psychopath. Charles: Yeah, this crazy ass deranged dude. And then at the end he kind of just outlives all the humans and becomes this weird spiritual being. I feel like that’s the energy behind the ever dying bristlecone man’s concept. Nicholas: Then it became a lot more conceptual because we were like, ‘how are we going to put this tangible character into these songs, we should make it a little more conceptual and more non-physical’. So we turned it into the primal man vs. the modern human and how certain instincts like a desire to procreate or a desire to preserve your body by eating, it’s all about preserving a species which is procreation and preserving yourself which is feeding your hunger. It became that, to me at least. It became a lot more conceptual. Charles: It’s just such an interpretive album. We have that baseline idea behind it and we like writing about timeless themes and that’s kind of what that was. What’s in store for the future of The Brazen Youth? Nicholas: We’re working on an album right now, it’s called ‘Primitive Initiative’. More touring in the fall and winter and spring. We’re not sure, we’re still deciding what’s going to happen after this year. We won’t know until May. Charles: We’re just going to dive into this album as soon as we get back. This is our last date and we’re driving back home tomorrow. As soon as we get back to the farm we’re just going to dive into this next record. It’s a much bigger project, a lot more tracks. We’re just really eager to get some singles out for people to hear. Nicholas: For sure, even on this tour we’ve been playing mostly new songs that we don’t have out. It’s kind of weird that we’re promoting something that doesn’t exist.

Best Tours 2017

KEVIN ABSTRACT By Anthony Sennett

Kevin Abstract’s DOASM Tour came to my hometown, Chicago, March Third of last year. I had grown so attached to Kevin’s music and videography in the months prior, so I was wildly excited for this concert. The day of, I arrived six hours early in the freezing cold to get front row. I went from being unable to feel my legs due to the freezing cold to having them go numb due to the intense pushing, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. The atmosphere of the oddly designed and packed Subterranean was crazy. Everyone singing along to the songs I had adored so much was an amazing thing to witness. Romil warmed up the crowd with a fantastic DJ set that went directly into Kevin performing the heavy and loud track ‘Blink.’ Kevin’s performance was stellar and it was crazy getting to experience his talent in such a small venue.

Heartbreaker Tour By Sophie Minello

On March 6, 2017, it was raining. Just a little drizzle, but an umbrella was necessary. Cayla and I, however, forgot to bring an umbrella to the Grog Shop as we prepared to wait outside its doors for the next four or five hours. We approached the venue, looking at the line. People had blankets and umbrellas, some even had tents, but we weren’t worried. We were entirely content. We were about to see the Heartbreaker tour. From Indian Lakes is the band who Cayla Coomer and I became friends through. We obviously owe them our lives, and she had flown in from Texas so we could witness them perform together. It was a big moment. Bad Suns had also been a long time love of mine, so the night seemed like a pipe dream as soon the tour was announced. But, of course, it was raining that day. The world continued to work in our favor, and we got in line in just the right spot, making us able to stand under a doorway for shelter. The time before the show went by quickly, especially when the bands pulled up. I always find it intriguing to watch a band unpack their gear and shake off the long hours in the van. They wheeled in their gear and the line continued with their small talk, giving side glances at the musicians, trying not to be obvious.

As mentioned above, From Indian Lakes are Cayla and my BAND! I may or may not have kicked her when I saw the vocalist walking down the sidewalk with a vibrant red jacket, and we most definitely stood in line behind the drummer in Chipotle. Let it also be noted that Christo of Bad Suns was seen ordering Chipotle. There are no cons to having this restaurant right new to my favorite venue. Finally, the doors opened and the crowd floated in, full of excitement and good energy. We waited patiently for the openers, chatting and making friends and sharing in our love of music. Finally, From Indian Lakes took the stage. This set was quite a blur, as many of the crowd members didn’t know of the band so Cayla and I took it upon ourselves to be the passionate crowd that they deserved. Even when taking photos I was hopping up and down and singing at the top of my lungs. As From Indian Lakes closed off their set, Joey’s OP-1 malfunctioned and it left us with only his voices coming through the speakers as he tried to improvise. I think hearing his voice singing “I wasn’t making sense / you were lying there / just waiting for me to speak” was the most beautiful moment of my life. After another short wait Bad Suns took the stage. By this point me and Cayla had shimmied out of the pit of people and found a comfy spot in the back of the Grog Shop. We watched the crowd bounce around to my personal favorites of “Daft Pretty Boys” and “Disappear Here”. Like any good show, there was such an excited energy of love for the band and pure passion for the music. The Heartbreaker tour was surely one of my favorite shows of this year.

How Will You Know If You Never Try By Jade Pike

After the release of their second studio album, the band COIN embarked on their first headlining tour, which proved to be one for the books. The era of How Will You Know If You Never Try has been one of inspiration. The album holds a special meaning to all of us at Sunlight. From the vibrant colors used in the album artwork, to the stunning visuals brought with them on tour, this album was truly brought to life.

With a bright neon sign to light the stage, COIN began their show with a shimmery intro. As the lights came up on the enormous gravestone, the energy in the crowd rose to a new level. Throughout the duration of their set, nothing in the outside world seemed to matter and everyone packed into these tiny venues had come together as one. Chase Lawrence, the front man of the band, never failed to capture the attention of the audience either. At any moment, you could catch him singing to a fan in the front row, or even holding their hand as they sang back with just as much passion. From jamming out to songs like “I Don’t Wanna Dance” and “It’s a Trap”, to taking a moment to cry when it came to “Lately” and “I Would”, the shows on this tour definitely had everyone a little emotional. For being such a small band, COIN never fails to show the love and appreciation they have for their fans. Being the first headlining tour they’ve ever taken, these shows truly left ran impression on all of us. The How Will You Know If You Never Try Tour was an unforgettable experience, for all of those who were able to witness it.

Evolve World Tour By Jade Pike

Imagine Dragons is a band that never fails to impress when it comes to live shows. With the release of their third studio album in June, the band embarked on a world tour to bring this album, entitled Evolve, to life. With the support of artists K Flay and Grouplove, the lineup for the North American leg of this tour was stacked. After recently signing to lead singer, Dan Reynolds’ record label, it was no surprise to see Kristine (K Flay) hop on the road with the band. As the lights dimmed to reveal only beaming red screens on the stage, the audience was sure to be surprised with her performance. Including chart-topping singles High Enough and Blood in the Cut, as well as underrated tracks such as Make Me Fade, the set included something for everyone’s taste. To further heighten the energy of the crowd, Grouplove brought their all to the stage following K Flay. Playing from a great range of their discography, they were sure to include crowd favorites such as Welcome to Your Life and Tongue Tied. They even threw in an occasional cover of the Beastie Boys to get everyone off their feet, dancing away. Between the two artists, the crowd was sure to be excitedly anticipating what they had all come to see.

When the time finally came, the lights lowered and everyone was eager to witness the world of Evolve. The approach taken to the stage production was unlike any other I’d ever seen. In order to connect the message of their album to the audience, the band decided upon a surreal opening to their show, in which the process of evolution was graciously explained. Assisted by visuals displayed on enormous screens upstage, the audience is drawn into a new atmosphere which is unknown yet quite familiar. Throughout the production of the show, it is clearly shown that the band has evolved as a whole. Apart from the new album, the passion they have for their music is more apparent than ever. The amount of smiles and laughter they shared with the fans on this tour was countless. It is obvious that the band would never trade their job for the world, and throughout their live show they get to share their passion for music with the world. Covering almost their entire new album, the set opened with a crowd favorite, I Don’t Know Why. Mixing in timeless pieces along the way, like It’s Time and Gold, the band never failed to keep the show interactive. Smoke-filled bubbles flew from the stage during a song called Start Over, in which Dan sings “come alive again” as a message to all those listening. Between interludes on inspiration and creativity, the band continued to lift the spirits of members of the crowd. About halfway through the set, a transition to a second stage was made, in which they stripped down songs like Amsterdam and Shots. These moments were cherished by the fans that have been there since the beginning. Between a vividly stunning production and a setlist filled with beautiful songs, this tour was one that will not be forgotten. As always, Imagine Dragons did not fail to impress. This is a band that will define our generation of music with the amount of passion put into their work, whether it be in studio or onstage. The Evolve Tour truly brought the visions of the band to life, and the experiences that came out of it will last forever.

Anticipated Tours of 2018 The Peace & The Panic By Jade Pike

In the early winter months of 2018, Neck Deep is set to embark on a North American tour to promote their latest album, The Peace and The Panic. With support from punk driven artists such as Seaway and Creeper, as well as acoustic act, Speak Low If You Speak Love, this tour is sure to be an exciting way to kick off the New Year. Aside from the variety of supporting artists, Neck Deep has an eclectic taste to offer themselves. In this new album, they experimented with different sounds, ranging from alt pop to heavier rock, so there’s sure to be something for everyone’s taste. This is a tour you aren’t going to want to miss, be sure to catch Neck Deep out on the road from January 18th – February 28th!

Melodrama By Anthony Sennett

The Melodrama World Tour is finally gracing the USA in 2018. The opening acts include Run the Jewels, Tove Styrke, and Mitski. Of course, the star of the show is the pop icon and songwriting prodigy Lorde. Every audience member is going to be blessed with the presence of one of the best artists of our time. Her unique dancing, wonderful voice, and gorgeous words will all be on display in a way many of us have never been able to experience until now. Pure Heroine is my favorite album of all time, and Melodrama is the best thing to happen to pop music in ages. The 21 year old powerhouse is guaranteed to put on a fantastic and riveting show, and this tour can not come soon enough.

LA to the Moon By Anthony Sennett

LA to the Moon. This is the name of the first tour from the ethereal Lana Del Rey in three years. Spanning from January to April of 2018, Ms. Del Rey will tour, captivating audiences all around the world. She is bringing along with her two other brilliant musicians, JhenĂŠ Aiko and Kali Uchis. This lineup is a dream. All these women have fantastic discographies and will put on wonderful performances. The main act, Lana Del Rey, is one of the most captivating artists Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever listened to. Even before Lizzy chose her latest stage name, she has created wonderful and distinct art. Her spellbinding stage presence is insane to observe, and I just know this concert will be a night to remember.

Town Criers

Virgin Hotels in Chicago, IL By Kayla Thornton

The Sonder Bombs

Photos & Interview by Sophie Minello

The Sonder Bombs are a Cleveland, Ohio based band who fit perfectly into the genre of ‘uke-punk’. Willow Hawks (ukulele & vocals) and Jimmy Wilkens (guitar & background vocals) formed the band in 2016 and brought in Jake Stephans (bassist) and Eric Heald (drums) later on. Recently playing Snowed In fest at the Agora Ballroom and recently releasing their new single called “Switzerland”, they have bright things ahead of them. Read our interview with Willow below!

Was the uke-punk genre always part of your music or did it evolve? Well at first Jimmy and I came up with “uke-punk” as a genre name for the music we made because we had no other way of really describing it. I was writing punk/emo music on such a contradictory instrument for both of those genres and trying to explain it to people who asked “what kind of music do ya make?” was really difficult to do. I started writing on the uke and so I definitely think “uke-punk” was always there, but not fully realized until we became a full band. Jake and Eric are both so creative and we click really well when we write, the elements that they add really bring that genre name to life now! What does the creative process for your songs look like for you guys? I usually write the melody and basic rhythm for our songs as the bare skeleton and then I’ll bring it to the guys and we all collab! Leading up to most songs I’ve written, I’ll go through a month of writers-block which can be hard because I have a lot of ideas bouncing around but no way to get em out. You released a song called “Switzerland” on Friday. Congrats on that, it sounds amazing! What was your inspiration behind this song? Thanks so much! It’s actually the first song all four of us wrote as a band! We’re pretty stoked on how it turned out! The inspiration came from Jimmy and I being in a really stressful and toxic living situation and also combined with the 2016 election/political climate. We were feeling pretty down and out and I remember us hiding in our room and jamming on that song until like 3am. I’m sure our neighbors hated us lol. What made you decide it was a good time to release “Switzerland”? We had a lot of really cool shows lined up and a lot of people asking us about new music. We were also pretty eager to show people the stuff we had been working on as a full band! 29

Describe your experience in the Ohio music scene. My personal experience with the music scene in Ohio has been awesome! I mean there is always gonna be that one guy at every show who doesn’t take me seriously because I’m a chick or because I play the ukulele but for the most part, people are pretty open minded. And we also try to play safe spaces as much as possible. I think especially the DIY scene in Ohio is becoming more and more inclusive and supportive of POC and Queer folks which is fucking awesome to see and really important!! What has been your most memorable live show and why? For me personally, we played a show this summer at a house in Akron, Ohio with a band called Mom Jeans and a bunch of cool locals. This house was like totally bursting at the seams with people and everyone was really sweaty and cramped but people were still dancing and having a good time with each other, while also being really respectful! That was a really beautiful night! What’s the craziest/strangest experience you’ve had during a live show? I once played a show without my pants on. I was having some pretty bad cramps and the pants I was wearing were too tight so I took em off to be more comfortable! Hahah I really love the album art for your self titled EP. What made you choose that photo for the cover? Jimmy and I realized once we finished our EP that we needed artwork and we had no idea what we wanted it to look like. That same week we were cleaning around our apartment and found an old photo album of mine and started looking through it and came across that photo. We both had a moment where we looked at each other and without having to say it, we knew this would be the EP cover! What are you most looking forward to in the new year for the Sonder Bombs? What’s in store? We’re actually going to be recording our album in early 2018! I think it’s safe to say that we are all really pumped about that. And we plan on playing a crap ton of shows next year!

Peach Pit

Photos by Sam Schraub at Great Scott in Allston, MA

The Front Bottoms

At the House of Blues in Cleveland. OH Photos by Sophie Minello

HUNNY

Photos & Interview by Sydney Wiggs

A few weeks ago, I got the opportunity to interview one of my personal favorite bands, HUNNY. Throughout our short conversation, we discussed Santana, Windows 1998, and their future as a band. ___________________________________________________________________________________ What are your favorite songs at the moment? Greg: We’re the repeat offenders Jason:That new Porches track, specifically “Country” even though it’s only like 30 seconds long Jake: We play Dawes a bunch Joey: God what is it? Western Skyline? Jake: Western Skyline! Jason: We’ve been hitting the Dawes a lot recently. Western Skyline by Dawes has been listened to literally 18,000 times Jake: Mostly because Ian, our tour manager can’t get over it. I loved them in high school and we remembered that the other day so we’ve just been jamming them ever since then. Jake: Smooth by Santana Feat. Rob Thomas has been played a lot too Kevin: Was it Rob Thomas feat. Santana or Santana feat. Rob Thomas? Joey: It’s Santana then Rob Thomas Greg: Rob Thomas didn’t doesn’t play that lick right at the beginning so that’s why. I think those three songs are it though. Jason: A solid dichotomy. Greg: In all honesty, we listen to a lot of full albums while we’re driving. It helps with time. I know that you guys have been friends with Bad Suns for quite a long time, how does it feel getting to do your 3rd, right?, tour together? Greg: I think it may actually be our fourth Jake: But it was really only a continuation of the second Jason: Yeah. It’s actually been really nice. We love getting to tour with our friends, but it’s also nice to help meet new bands too like QTY. We actually only met them at the beginning of this tour, but it’s been really fun getting to play and hang out with them. When you’re not on tour or making new music, how do you like to spend your free time? Jake: Play video games, painting, play pool Greg: Ride bikes and skateboards, go to the beach Jake: Play with our dogs Jason: Yes! Lots of dog play Joey: Classic Stuff Kevin: Sit around and eat pizza together and play with our pets basically

Now let’s talk a little bit about Windows I, your most recent EP. Why did you decide to call it that? Jake: We’re going to make them as a series. There’s going to be a two out really soon. Greg: and then a three and a four and so on until we get to 98. Joey: Maybe we’ll get sued by Bill Gates! So can we expect a full length version of Windows or are they all going to be EPs? Jake: The Windows series is just going to be a snapshot into where we’re at musically at the current time, so they’ll all be EPs. I can’t speak into a full length right now, but we have plans for several EPs right now. Jason: We’d like to carry on the Windows series for as long as we’re a band though and continue to intermittently release those even if we decide to make full lengths. Just as a way for us to try out new things and not be bored. Maybe we’ll have one that’s all dance club, Lust for Youth style Cry For Me is personally one of my favorite music videos of all time. I love the theatrics of it and how different it is from most modern day music videos, which leads me into my next two questions. What inspired you to make the video Jake: I don’t really know. It kinda just happened. We spoke with the director and just told him that we wanted to do something kinda funny and like an infomercial because we like thematic music videos and think that straight up music videos are somewhat boring Jason: We wanted something that told a story, but nothing too serious. We’re not a very serious band. We wanted to keep it more fun Are you planning on making a video similar to C4M for Windows I? Jake: There are plans to do one really soon Jason: We actually just bought a camera recently, so we’re hoping to start making more really soon. We know we’ve been slacking, but we’re hoping to start making up for that Since you guys are so theatrical, what are your all-time favorite movies? Kevin: Aw that’s so messed up Joey: We like a lot of stuff Jason: We’re big Wes Anderson heads. I think Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure might top the charts for my favorite movie of all time Kevin or The other one: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Greg: If you went through all of us, our favorite movies are probably all 80’s movies. Mine’s Back to the Future. Kevin: Mine are all John Hughes movies.

Jason: Wes Anderson, Tarantino, John Hughes Jake: I’ll even throw in Tony Scott’s directed Tarantino script, “True Romance”, is one of my favorite movies ever Greg: I’ve also recently gotten really into the Marvel Cinematic Universe Jason: We can’t wait to go see “Thor: Ragnarok” With the tour ramping down and there only being two dates left, what are you going to miss the most about being out on the road? All: The Shows Greg: The road’s the worst part Jason: Everything’s secondary to actually playing the show I saw that you guys are hosting your “Second Annual Winter Talent Show” at the Echoplex in California on December 2nd. Can you tell us a little bit about the show and the story behind it? Jake: We like the holidays, we like playing shows with our friends, and it’s always a good time, people come out, and we’re trying to make it more and more spectacular each year. Are you guys going to do a christmas cover this year? Jason: I think we are because we’re trying to make this year more about the contest and have judges for best cover and best costume and stuff like that. So we’ll have to think of one. What’s your favorite song to play live? All, simultaneously - Televised Where do you guys see yourselves in ten years? Jason: Still doing this, but hopefully, much, much bigger Jake: and being able to have a house Kevin: and not living with my parents Jason: and being able to feed ourselves Jason: Coachella Sunset Set Greg: I hope we get there before ten years Jason: Yeah so ten years is Coachella headlining set Greg: We’ll be doing our reunion set. We’ve broken up by then, we all hate each other and have started separate bands, they all suck, Kev will be turning twenty, and Windows 98 will be coming out.

Photo and Collage by Kayla Thronton

The Evening Attraction

Photos by Kayla Thornton

warik

Photos by Kayla Thornton

Happy Ears and Happy Eyes

D E N N Y After a year of a music drought and months of teasing, on October 19th DENNY presented the world with Girls Like You. It feels like the soundtrack to something important, like you’re being pulled through a storyline as the song progresses, which is exactly what DENNY was going for. It sounds big, and it demands the attention of your ears with its explosive chorus and frontman Alexander Rollins’ powerful, graceful vocals. The unique and beautiful craft of the song is hard to describe if one hasn’t listened to the tune. Scroll down to listen and read through the steps that brought Rollins’ to the creation of Girls Like You .

“Each of our songs starts from a memory… It’s easier to write about my past than it is to write about my current. There’s a lot more joy in my life now and I’m not a big fan of cheery music. Every song starts differently, whether that’s a chord progression on a Casio keyboard in my basement or a noisy voice note while driving or the three of us jamming and something cool happens. I write a lot of music. I write everyday. A lot of our songs are the culmination of several ideas working together.. Girls Like You is actually one of the most romantic stories of one of our songs. About a year ago I was feeling stuck, our first two singles had been one thing because I was into that at the time, then Bloom happened and the response was crazy. Bloom was actually written in 2013 after our first band sort of dissolved. I was angry and started banging on my guitar with my fuzz pedal cranked and from voice note to master the song didn’t really change. Then it started to become a thing and people really resonated with it and as crowds sang it back to me I was standing there thinking, “I don’t relate to this at all anymore…” But there was something about that period of my life that really came out in that song that people resonated with, so I went back to it. I found a journal of mine from when I was 19 or 20 and scrawled on one of the pages was this poem, written about a girl who went to the south of France every summer: “I first saw you on a dark night, your hair in a part to the side. You smelled like champagne and cigarettes. You asked me, ‘Are you here by yourself?’” 44

Photo by Morgan Winston

That was it. I saw it and the melody immediately happened. The entire thing seems to paint a picture of a specific night, but most of the lines have a different meaning to me personally. This was from a time where I was incredibly self absorbed and this girl would always say “It’s like you’re here by yourself.” So I started to reflect on that time and the verses just happened. I sat on the song for a few months before bringing it into the studio with the guys. I couldn’t for the life of me write a chorus that felt right, so I went back to that journal and chicken-scratched into the margins on one of the last pages was “I THINK THIS NIGHT IS PLAYING TRICKS ON OUR HEARTS” and I immediately saw that and started singing it in this David Byrne sort of shouting, sing-song voice and everything just clicked. We tracked a demo that was very 80s and added some heavy fuzz guitar. We always work on songs several times with several different arrangements, but this one just felt simple and perfect right off the bat. I remember sending it to our manager and he said it was like “ripping a bandaid off ” when you got to the post-chorus. The song has a lot of duality in the lyrics, appearing to mean one thing on the surface but meaning something totally different to me personally. Our goal was to create that duality musically, juxtaposing the tender verses with the loud post-chorus. We went to Los Angeles to record a few songs with Eric Palmquist (Bad Suns, HUNNY, Night Riots) in March and that’s where Girls Like You really grew. We talked for months about how we were going to approach the track and our chemistry was really good. We wanted to see the bombast of artists we loved like INXS and Michael Jackson and bring those influences together with the modern influences we love like Anderson Paak, Childish Gambino or Frank Ocean and he was like, “Yes”, to that idea. There was something about the warm LA nights and driving through the hills every morning to the studio that brought out a flamboyance and charisma to the songs we did out there that feels truly DENNY. We want our music to be cinematic since it’s so autobiographical. Not necessarily literal all the time, but still traced from my experiences. I want to soundtrack that.”

Tori Vintzel The creative process behind artist Tori Vintzel’s mixed media masterpeices

En Route This was my first attempt at experimenting with collaging. I had been interested in collaging for a while at this point, and after finding a couple of cheap children’s books and receiving a large basket of embroidery thread, I thought I’d give it a go. [The inspiration for using embroidery thread came from an image I had seen recently of a photograph with a woman holding an umbrella that an artist had stitched blue thread into to look like rain.] The strings connect the woman’s hands to the most important part of the birds: their heads and their wings. Although I wanted to leave this one up to interpretation, I like to think this collage speaks about the will of a person and the unique ability we have to use our hands for good or for bad. One might look at this collage and think the woman is trapping the birds; another might think she is gently guiding the birds to where they need to go; still another might see the birds as a metaphor for the woman’s dreams and the strings attached to them as her success in reaching those dreams. That’s what I like about collaging and art in general – I have the freedom to create something out of anything and the viewer has the personal freedom to interpret it however he or she wants to.

A Child’s Perspective In this collage, I wanted to experiment with the idea of taking things that already exist and putting them together to create a new reality. Often when we get older, we find ourselves getting caught up in the rush of everyday life and taking less time to stop and appreciate our surroundings. I wanted to reflect this idea into the collage by purposely choosing exclusively black and white subject matter. The only colors in this collage are the ones backing the child and the zebra he notices. The colors and the floating zebras are an indication of the child’s imagination; he has not been limited to a dull black and white reality, but instead he is free to create a colorful and imaginative reality for himself. Hopefully we can be more like the child and remember to make the reality we do have a little more fun and bright in our own ways.

Horizons This collage is from a small journal I’ve been working on this year. The purpose of the journal is to allow me to feel free to experiment with different styles and techniques without the added pressure of my art having to meet some sort of standard I set for myself. This frees up my brain to try new things and come up with strange ideas that are potentially out of my comfort zone. I’ve been a huge fan of yellow recently so I’ve incorporated as much of it as possible into my work because it makes me happy. I wanted to create a feeling of depth with the strings, which are interconnecting the people in the collage with some sort of new dimension. The main spectator is gazing into the dimensions above him: first earth, then sky, then space. The strings running through each dimension and off the page on both sides of the collage invite the viewer to wonder about and explore the new dimensions that could come after those we are already familiar with.

Connections I love the idea of hands and the power they possess, and I think that’s a common theme in a lot of my work. One inspiration for this work was the Fates from Greek Mythology. Each person’s life was represented by a single thread, and when it was time for that person to die, the Fates would cut the thread. In that respect, the strings could represent the fragility of life, the color red symbolizing blood because blood is often paralleled to human life. Another interpretation is that each hand could belong to a different person, and the strings represent the bonds between them.

F Since 2013, FELICITY has been creating music that has reached an audience far beyond their hometown of Orlando, FL. With the release of their latest single, Weekend Worrier, the band continues to impress, aiming to captivate the attention of anyone and everyone. The song is quite unique, yet staying true to the roots of the band, with lyrics that are close to heart. Here are some words about the creative process and influences behind the masterpiece that is Weekend Worrier.

E L I C I T

Intro by Jade Pike Photo by Sarah Lucas

F E L I C I

“When we wrote Weekend Worrier we wanted to write a song almost ANYONE could relate to. Basically the song is the anthem for anyone who HATES their job. We all have had a job in the past we couldn’t stand. Basically the song is about the feeling you get sunday night/monday morning, when the weekends over and its back to reality. Anyone who hates their job understands the dread that is associated with that. So many pop punk songs are about a girl or a guy.. about a relationship.. or about hating your hometown… But we wanted to write a song just about anyone could relate to no matter who they were. The song is also about following your dreams. Its about pursuing your passions and not letting life pass you by. While we are in the band, we all still have day jobs that help us get by. Its important to never lose sight of your hopes and dreams while slaving away at your day job. Follow your heart!”

T Y

- 2017 - IN - FILM By Anthony Sennett

AN IMPORTANT WARNING: this list was created in the middle of December, thus I haven’t seen ‘Phantom Thread,’ a few foreign films like ‘Thelma,’ and more. 2017 was a brilliant year for film. The medium has seen so many unique, engaging, and wonderful directors, actors, and more showcase their talent. Within these fantastic 12 months, Greta Gerwig and Jordan Peele released their directorial debuts, A24 had their best year yet, and Timothée Chalamet and Nicole Kidman completely conquered their work. I really hope everyone manages to find a new movie on this list that they are interested in. 15. I, Tonya: The subject of this film is the infamous, hated Tonya Harding. It follows her progression as a skater and as a person from a very young age, and provides an interesting look on a very misunderstood figure. Margot Robbie portrays Tonya and absolutely kills it in this fast pace, crazy biopic. 14. Columbus: Columbus is a town filled with beautiful architecture and mundane human beings. It is oddly poignant, and presents a story dealing with the beginning of a life paralleled with the end of another. The conversations amongst the two main characters are fascinating, and I hope more people take a chance on this film. 13. A Ghost Story : This movie stars Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck, and is distributed by the ever so amazing A24. The cinematography is a major attribute, and is, to me, as important to this film as any character is. Although the story’s message isn’t anything extremely unique, it is presented in a brilliant and emotionally evoking manner. The title truly displays the premise the movie, just don’t expect to be scared. 12. Billy Star: At 22 minutes, this movie managed to convey more emotion than most full length films I’ve seen this year. Even if I knew nothing about Kevin Abstract, the director, I would still enjoy this so much. It’s so great seeing him diving into filmmaking further than he ever has before. This piece of art showcases two lovers in a three part, emotional, and compelling story. It nails every feeling it tries to convey, and is very, very rewatchable. The cinematography is so well executed, and each chapter brings a new feel. Can not wait to see where Kevin goes with his work in the future. 11.Get Out: The first horror movie of this decade that truly already feels iconic. Jordan Peele has managed to completely solidify himself as a director through his debut work. Get Out follows a photographer named Chris accompanying his girlfriend, Rose, on a trip to meet her family. Said trip takes a wild turn, obviously. The racial commentary in this movie is blatant and amazing. Peele captures the eerie feeling of solitude in crowded rooms so well. Any horror buff who managed to miss this movie needs to take the time to watch it. 10. The Shape of Water: In a surprisingly stellar way, Guillermo Del Toro tells a one of a kind love story. Sally Hawkins portrays a mute girl who works in a menacing laboratory, in which she meets a misunderstood and mistreated creature. The universe this story is set in is wonderfully stylized, and the use color separates and combines the moods and intensity of the situations Guillermo creates. This movie is heartwarming and a pretty much guaranteed to be a wonderful experience for anyone.

- 2017 - IN - FILM 9. Dunkirk: The night I saw this was the same night I listened to Lust for Life by Lana Del Rey and Scum Fuck Flower Boy by Tyler the Creator for the first time, and I was far from disappointed by any of these works of art. Back in 2016, I was over on-the-war-front films, and didn’t want to see a new one anytime soon. Then, Christopher Nolan announced his new project. I was instantly interested. Nolan definitely succeeded in creating an epic piece of film. I have never seen a war movie told in such an oddly subtle way while maintaining its intensity. Dunkirk was a pivotal moment in World War II. Hundreds of thousands of British, French, Belgians, and Dutch soldiers were trapped on the beaches of France. The ever growing threat of the German jets is literally looming above their heads. Christopher balances the three storylines of this film so well, and the ending is grand and glorious. 8. The Killing of a Sacred Deer: A human heart. This film abruptly begins with a close up on a heart surgery. The boldness and uncomfortability of this sets the tone for the rest of the restless film. The Murphys are a sterilized, perfected family lead by their father Dr. Steven. Martin, an odd teen and companion to Steven, is the dark force set to destroy their lives. Yorgos Lanthimos extends the off-putting, cold world displayed in his 2015 effort The Lobster, which was my favorite movie of that year. Colin Farrell, playing Doctor Stevens, starred in both these films and completely embodies Yorgos’ vision. Within the first ten minutes of The Killing of a Sacred Deer, I was wishing I could see it for the first time again. This film does everything mother! couldn’t. He brings wild biblical metaphors, darkness, and even subtlety and humor together in this odd-ball yet wonderful piece of cinema. It is not for everyone, but it is sure to leave an impression. 7. The Beguiled: This is a Civil War film centering around a school for girls who take in a wounded soldier. The director, Sofia Coppola, has been an established indie film icon since her debut. Although many have contrary opinions, I feel the distinct style in her writing and aesthetics is wonderful. I love the subtlety of her films. This was Sofia’s first movie in four years, following what I think is her worst effort, The Bling Ring. The fact that her last film was my least favorite did not make me any less excited for this. The cast is stellar, featuring Nicole Kidman, Elle Fanning, Kirsten Dunst, and Colin Farrell. This is Nicole and Colin’s second film together this year, and they craft a strong and tense relationship in both. All of the performances, even of the child actors, are fantastic. The characters are all very interesting and well written, which obviously adds to the great story. Similar to that of A Ghost Story, the cinematography is delicate and beautiful. The title card and final shot of this film are to die for. This film has so many amazing attributes, which is why it pains me to see the way it was falsely advertised. Trying to appeal to a larger audience, the studios tried to make this film seem like a horror movie, which left many fooled audience members unhappy. The Beguiled is a tense film that comments on morality, and sisterhood. I wish more people would give this film a chance, and not expect it to be something it isn’t.

- 2017 - IN - FILM 6. Baby Driver: Edgar Wright balances comedy, romance, action, and emotion effortlessly, but what really sets this movie apart is, of course, it’s use of music. This element adds so much to the film and makes chase scenes more captivating and entertaining than I previously thought possible. Angel Elgort was a great choice for Baby, and the way this character interacts with the world and surroundings is so interesting to witness. Definitely the most fun I’ve had in a theatre this year, and definitely my favorite work of Edgar’s. 5. The Florida Project: This film follows three young kids living in Florida motels. Sean Baker, the director, is astounding. The way he manages to create a story that feels so raw and real yet maintain a forward momentum to the climax is amazing. Bria Vinaite and Brooklynn Prince, the leads, effortlessly display a tight bond. The pure relationship they have together in contrast to their struggles with others is a fascinating dynamic. After I left the theatre, I couldn’t stop thinking about this film. Besides the overall beauty of it, there are so many shots that have stuck with me and evoke more happiness and emotion than any other film this year. Of course, this movie is definitely a light hearted adventure. The hardships this duo and their friends face amongst and around the bright purple walls of their motel reveal a whole new perspective from a lifestyle I’m sure many of us are unfamiliar with. Sean and this cast deserve the best, and it is heartwarming seeing how well this movie has been received. 4. Blade Runner 2049: This film was a daring move, seeing at it’s the sequel to 1982’s mixed reviewed and infamous box office failure ‘Blade Runner.’ The fact that the original was so misunderstood at first already created dilemmas for this movie, but the cult fan base that grew over the past thirty years created even more pressure. To me, this movie went above and beyond. Denis Villenueve is one of the best directors working. Within the past five years, he managed to establish himself so strongly with American audiences. His entire career has been an upward trend in budget and scope of his stories, leading up to this. Denis has managed to make the best sequel I have ever seen. He doesn’t rely on fanfare in the slightest, yet gives the stans everything they need. Ryan Gosling was a perfect choice for the lead character ‘K.’ The world established in the 1982 classic feels even more desolate and heartless than before, which contributes to the beauty of this story. The lack of morality and respect in this landscape adds smart commentary about society. This place is basically the Los Angeles of ‘Her’ if said civilization loses all decency further into a tech dominated future, and there is basically no sun. Also, I can definitely say this is one of the most visually stunning blockbusters I have ever seen. The cinematography is sensational, and Denis’ love for practical effects and real sets adds so much character. This movie was not the success it should have been, and I hope it gets the fantastic legacy and following it deserves.

- 2017 - IN - FILM 3. Lady Bird: Greta. Gerwig. My introduction to this powerhouse was through her work on the insanely brilliant ‘Frances Ha’ in 2012. I fell in love with the character and, subsequently, her. Once I heard news of her directorial debut, I was all in. The time and care she put into learning the craft of directing and shaping this film is inspiring to read about, and her hard work definitely paid off. Saoirse, playing the title role, displays the wild complexities and contradictory behaviors of this teenager flawlessly. It’s hard to balance all of the friendships, hardships, and emotions in this movie but it was pulled off magnificently well. To me, Lady Bird is an instant classic. Coming of age movies of this caliber are hard to not adore, and it will be a favorite of many for years to come. 2. Call Me By Your Name: CMBYN is a film telling the tale of a town, family, and their guest in the midst an Italian summer. It also happens to be, hands down, the most beautiful movie I’ve ever seen. No other film I’ve seen has managed to craft every single aspect in such a poignant and brilliant way. I couldn’t think of a better way to present this film than Luca managed to. The Italian setting is breathtaking, and the perfect framing for the powerful depth of the story. Adding even more to this film are the cinematography and score, both immaculate in their own ways. Elio and Oliver, portrayed by Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet, have such a unique and real relationship. After hearing everyone praise and worship this film, I am grateful I’ve finally gotten the chance to witness this masterpiece. 1 Good Time: Insane. This film is insane. The Safdie Brothers are an incredibly talented set of guys. In the months following my first viewing, I watched all their other work. Their growth as artists is prevalent, and this film is the perfection of the style they’ve been building for years. Said style is wildly realistic, raw, and genuine. Good Time features Robert Pattinson starring as Connie alongside Ben Safdie in the role of Nick. They are brothers, and Nick is mentally handicapped and manipulated into committing robberies orchestrated by Connie. Within the first ten minutes of this film while the credits were still rolling, I was already awestruck. I couldn’t imagine where the movie could go from there or how it could keep up the momentum, and it certainly succeeds in being unpredictable and captivating. The use of vibrant color in this film should, in some situations, feel out of place, but it never does. As a large complement to the stellar acting and visuals, the soundtrack is perfect. The synths are mind blowing and each track adds an infinite amount of energy and aura to any scene. I’ve developed such a deep love for this film and I can’t wait to see where the Safdie Brothers go next.

Jonathan Mazaltov Jonathan is a photographer from Texas, making himself known through his unique editing style and photo tips he posts on his twitter. We talked to him about his work, his process, his inspirations, and more in the interview below. Interview by Sophie Minello, Photos by Jonathan Mazalov

What drew you to photography? Being a designer for a long time before getting into photography years ago. The concepts behind design felt like something I could incorporate into capturing moments, things like composition, process, color palette, aesthetic, etc. Not to mention, just a general love for showcasing all the beauty found within our surroundings on earth. How would you describe your style? It is honestly pretty difficult to pinpoint, even for myself. My visual goals often vary drastically shoot to shoot. One day I might love a certain style involving matte, desaturated colors, which the next day I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand. However, something that has stayed pretty consistent is my love for details that stick beyond a glance. Because of this, double-exposures have quickly become a recent obsession of mine.

How do you go about planning shoots? Of course there a lot of variables, but I generally like to create some sort of mood board containing relevant inspiration images. For instance, if it is a promo shoot for an indie band, typically I would gather images of various promos, artwork, designs, portraying the ideas in my head. This helps me stay focused until the shoot gets rolling. These images then make their way to the client and we discuss favorites, more specifically what visual components best represented their interests. After the initial brainstorming process we get into figuring out the ideal location, if models are necessary, a shot list (to make sure we cover all bases), as well as schedule a shoot date. You have a really good eye for location, what usually draws you to a place? The biggest thing about location for me is a feeling of depth. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plants in front of a building, or windows separating various rooms, doors I can manipulate, anything really that adds another element of visuals into a scene. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve found even simple additions like those mentioned can make a picture feel so much more alive.

You seem very into trying new things with your photos. How to do push yourself and inspire yourself to do new things? This feels like a question I’m constantly re-evaluating myself. It can be very difficult to push forward as certain styles or techniques become more comfortable, that is also part of what makes photography/design enjoyable for me. Every project can be taken with an entirely new set of ideas. The editing process seems really important to you. Do you go into a shoot seeing how you want it edited..? What’s your process once you have your photos shot? For conceptual shoots I typically have an idea of the tone I’m trying to set, causing the shoot to revolve around the intended edits later on. Sometimes I don’t, in which case my Lightroom back catalogue becomes a good reference point to pull previous edits from. The standard go-to process outside of those instances consists of having some sort of caffeine in my system, then importing into Lightroom and flagging photos that off the bat feel eye-catching. Next is when I’ll put on some random presets I’ve made just to get a feel for how the images react to basic edits. Finally, I go down the adjustments top-bottom making sure everything is dialed in before moving to more complex tone curve changes. Sometimes there will be a concept that calls for Photoshop, in which case I do the final tonal edits in Lightroom before exporting them in order to add textures. You often go back and re-edit many photos you’ve taken in the past, what’s your reasoning for going back and changing the look of these photos? A good composition, or subject matter generally feels timeless. However, I definitely go through many different approaches to various editing styles. Often re-editing old photos is sparked by trying something new on future projects, then getting the urge to go back in my catalogue and apply the new found techniques to past pictures.

A little while ago you posted some photos of physical albums in real world environments. You seemed to capture the essence of the albums in these photos which I really admire. How did you get inspiration for these shoot? Oh ya! These were so fun to make. I’m a huge proponent of art inspires art, which is the philosophy that motivated this set. A lot of what inspired this visually was how much I love the large artwork vinyl is represented by. It almost feels like a canvas painted just for me, coming from the mind of my favorite musicians. I approached these compositions as if these awesome bands created a painting and it was my job to structure a gallery type display to fit the vibe of the music. I really love your shoots inspired by albums covers in general. Can you pick your favorite photoset and tell us more about your thought process behind it? One of my favorites is still an early one I made (if not the first) for Peripheral Vision. I was on tour with some good friends of mine from Houston called Talking Forever, and on our drive to Atlanta we encounter some pretty heavy rain, while which we were listening to a spectrum of tunes that included Peripheral Vision. The rain, as well as the sky transitioning into night, motivated me to shoot some long-exposures. When we got back home I had totally forgotten about those pictures, until I coincidently found them again while looking through that catalogue.

How do you capture the music through your photos in both your album photographs and live music shots? It is most often influenced by the aesthetic a band already has, especially if it is band I’m already very much into. The goal becomes “how can I translate what they are going for with artwork, promos, sound, vibe, yet still incorporate my own style.” Another big part of this process for me is putting on a record by said band while editing. definitely helps me get into the mindset visually.

Thoughts on film vs. digital photography? Film is the visual standard. Even when it comes to digital photography, so many of today’s stylings are based in creating edits/photos that emulate the overall vibe given off by old film stocks. Understanding how film works also really helps you appreciate the craft of photography beyond just shooting on burst until at least one photo happens to turn out. However, the downside is cost, in a world where digital photography is so cheap/accessible it is difficult to argue with the convenience offered.

Do you have a message with your photography? How can I convey as much emotion as possible? A question I ask myself whenever shooting or editing. More specifically, how do I showcase what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m feeling while capturing a particular image? Sometimes it can be difficult to answer, or the answer comes to me at a later date causing me to go back and edit old photos.

What is your advice to photographers? Shoot a lot, but with purpose. The best way to actually learn what you like out of photography as well as what style to pursue is simply through trial and error. Something I struggled with for a long time, yet have recently comes to terms with is, people want to see things that genuinely represent you. Trends in all forms of art are inevitable, however it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until I started making things that I truly wanted to make I felt progress.

Break-Ups

A heartfelt message by Saara Laidlaw

Welcome, my dear reader, to my little splurge of thought. I want you to remember going into this, you are loved. Even if it isn’t them telling you anymore. Be fragile with these words for I myself am fragile. Around this time I had hit my true rock bottom. As the cliché goes, nowhere but up from here, right? Sort of. I found comfort in my discomfort. I had held onto a person that had long moved on and changed as a whole completely. Moving forward and letting go is something I find very hard for myself do to when “tragedy” strikes. I was so held on, and jealous of them in their state of “change” while struggling in my state of “stuck”. I was so belittled in the idea that everything they had learned from their mistakes would be put onto their new a shiny, future relationship. A relationship I had thought I was owed. What a selfish thought, huh? I thought I could keep going on in my discomfort. I knew I was unintentionally creating a habit in my mind that was unfair to myself and unfair to my heart, but I was holding it in so god damn well. Wasn’t I? Keeping most of my thoughts to myself became draining and I knew sooner or later I would break. It was within these songs I found my fragile safe haven. The songs that I’ve compiled into this playlist became the friendly advice that I was never given; my shoulder to cry on without having to explain to another human the gory bits of them and I. A word of advice: music doesn’t solve your problems, but it will help you figure them out. Be your own hero, kiddo. My first of three songs that carried me through my breakup, came at a time I was experiencing a temporary distortion in the reality of my late relationship. The song I Think You’re A Contra by Vampire Weekend stacited through my car radio. Melodies echoed and mirrored the slow pace at which I anxiously chewed the inner lining of my bottom lip. Ouch. The song consists of the blurred lines of loving the idea of someone, but not seeing the complexities that person held.

This was comforting to my sore heart. I had felt crazy and insecure of my thoughts for months. This slow indie beat taught me it was okay to be wrong about someone, it was okay that we were not as compatible as I thought, and it was okay to feel nostalgic for the past without wanting them to come back. Time Machine by COIN wasn’t a song I suspected to jump out and wrap it’s electronic arms around me, it was the last song I expected to jump out at me. A big pop up theme here is nostalgia and how it can hurt, but how it may also heal you if you give it the chance to. COIN’s music was that serine thing that we called ours. I hadn’t listen to COIN, let alone anything that made noise in weeks. My days grew silent as the sky grew darker with autumn. I found myself in line awaiting COIN’s show in Buffalo this October, thinking to myself that this was a mistake and it would only make my heart hurt worse by hearing the songs we had danced to in my room all summer, songs I had long retired listening to. The absence of their presence in the stuffy venue couldn’t go unnoticed to my hazy thoughts. Lights went dim and so did any excitement I had kept inside for months. Fortunately, I was wrong. As dizzy fans pushed into each other trying to catch a glimpse of our boys here at Sunlight Magazine, COIN. Within minutes my heart had dug up my lost love for this band and those gracious men on stage. Time Machine was their sixth song on the set list and it came in with a roar. For the first moment in a month I felt myself letting go and coming back down from the clouds and becoming my own person again. My last of three songs that swept me up from the underbelly of heartbreak was Alvvays’ Not My Baby. A loose story relates back to a picture I deleted from Instagram. Inner corners of my crusted lips were stained a faint colour of red and though I could have swore I had a strong distaste for swedish candy my taste buds were swollen with the artificial taste of raspberry. How was this my third bathroom break within half and hour. I vividly remember being stood in front of a cracked picasso like mirror feeling content with where my mental health was riding towards. Whilst reapplying my newly bought lipstick and popping my half broken headphones back in an unfamiliar tune came rolling on. I shuttered with displeased nerves if someone were to catch my shell swaying back and forth to one of my new found favourites, I could not be bothered. Because, with the grace of Molly Rankin’s vocals I fell head over heels in love with myself again.

By Jae Melville

Sewn Together

A photoseries inspired by “Bleary Eye-d Blues” by Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s By Sophie Minello

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Here at Sunlight Magazine, we aim to shed sun on those who radiate passion towards the arts. We care about each and every artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; voice and dreams.

Website: sunlightmag.com | Instagram: sunlightmagazine | Twitter: sunlightmag | Facebook: Sunlight Magazine