Genesis Owusu Throws an Apocalypse Party at the Sinclair

Posted on 10/25/2023 by Andrew McNally

We all need a good little dance party sometimes. Everything in the world feels pretty scary at the moment, even more so than it has in previous years. It’s easy to get bogged down in the relentless churn of the bad news cycle. Staying optimistic about humanity gets increasingly difficult daily. Luckily, we’ve got artists like Genesis Owusu. The Australian-by-way-of-Ghana singer blends chaotic mixtures of rap and R&B into a wholly original concoction that somehow comes out closer to alternative than anything else. Those lucky enough to catch his incendiary Boston Calling set knew they would be in for a treat at an expanded live show at the Sinclair last Thursday. We got a ticket to the party!

Up first on the night was Godly the Ruler. I didn’t do my normal due diligence of mainlining an opening act’s entire catalog before the show, and I only secured my standing spot (in the tired elders’ mezzanine) mere seconds before he came on, so I was truly going into his set blind. Unsurprisingly, his set reminded much of Owusu’s territory – a multi-ingredient blend that strayed well past the bounds of rap. While his opening track was soft and moody, he followed it up with the raucous “Off With Your Head.” His music often resembled emo-rap, but less gimmicky than some of the scene’s biggest artists. Godly made sure the audience was never bored, switching wildly from melancholic songs to bangers to percussive tunes, while adding in a “mosh pit whistle,” something blown when things were about to get crazy. Another highlight was “Revenge,” which he introduced by saying simply, “This is a song about revenge.” The crowd was still filing in during his set, but he played to the back, getting a thick crowd moving quickly. All in all, it was a diverse and fun set, and a perfect preamble for what Genesis brought.

Owusu fans who caught his Calling set likely noticed the minimalist stage show that he brought – one background video showing his name on a loop, and a couple of daredevil dancers. At the Sinclair, he dug even deeper into it, standing alone on stage accompanied by nothing but a large box. The fans didn’t have to wait long to find out that the box was a light structure, as strobes went off almost immediately. Owusu opened with his recent single – and my favorite song of 2023 – “Leaving the Light,” an absolutely rollicking song that set the crowd on fire on impact. This was followed by another banger, “Survivor,” but Owusu slowed things down quickly. He gave excellent performances of the recent tracks “The Old Man” and “See Ya There,” the latter of which is a particularly soft R&B tune that represents the other end of the sonic spectrum for Owusu. He continued with a winding medley of influences and an eclectic set of songs new and old.

Owusu was extremely animated onstage, leaning heavily into his lyrics and dancing like the world was ending, but he didn’t actually address the crowd until late in the show. After an engaging rendition of his comedic, older hit “Don’t Need You,” he paused to formally introduce his new album, STRUGGLER. The album feels especially apropos in the current hyperspecific news cycle, as it hangs on to a concept of perseverance and empathy amidst global chaos. The album’s bouncy and catchy rhythms shield away some deep and metaphorical lyrics about manmade crises and those that overcome them. The record is littered with references to cockroaches, itself feeling like an icky contrast against the groovy melodies. The whole thing serves as a reminder about how easy it is to feel down, and how important it is to not stay down. It was a well-placed banter break, as he then jumped into one of the album’s biggest bangers., “Stay Blessed,” a song that pairs optimism with sheer energy.

Owusu played nine of the eleven tracks on STRUGGLER, with fantastic versions of the brooding “Balthazar,” the funky “Tied Up!” and the bouncy and curious “The Roach,” which was played as the encore. He peppered in a number of older tracks too, like the disco cut “WUTD,” and the super energetic “Get Inspired.” The set proper ended with an extremely emotional performance of his most endearing song, “A Song About Fishing,” which saw him abandon the light box and the stage completely, guided up to my elders’ mezzanine by a sea of cell phone flashlights. The song’s symbolic lyrics about depression took on a whole new life as a giant singalong, and it served as a weeping and phenomenal end to an unpredictable night. The show was an absolute party, and succeeded as a temporary distraction to the outside world. Much like the album it was promoting, it was a rewiring focused on optimism in spite of the state of things. Let’s all hope this party happens again.

Vagabon Won’t Water Crystal Ballroom Down

Posted on 10/24/2023 by Harry Gustafson

By Harry Gustafson

Since releasing her first EP in 2014, Laetitia Tamko – under her stage name Vagabon – has crept up the ranks of indie’s best songwriters. While her first album Infinite Worlds feels like classic 90s indie rock, she followed that up in 2019 with a self-titled album that leaned more heavily into synth pop territory, notably featuring one of this writer’s favorite songs of the 2010s, “Water Me Down.”

In September of this year, she released her much-anticipated follow-up album, Sorry I Haven’t Called, which feels like a synthesis of her early indie roots with her developed pop sensibilities. To achieve this, Tamko enlisted Rostam Batmanglij to help produce.

On Thursday 10/26, Vagabond will swing through the Crystal Ballroom in Davis Square, with support from Nourished By Time. We had previously covered both of these artists when they performed at this summer’s Pitchfork Festival in Chicago. Unfortunately, Vagabon was only able to perform two songs before a lightning warning forced the festival to temporarily evacuate. While it would have been cool to get a preview of Sorry I Haven’t Called prior to the album’s release, at least now we’ve had about a month to marinate in these tunes. Needless to say, we’re excited.

Purchase tickets to Vagabon’s show on 10/26 at the Crystal Ballroom with Nourished By Time here. Also, be sure to check out Vagabon’s interview with Allston Pudding from back in 2015!

Kim Petras Slays Roadrunner

Posted on 10/23/2023 by Andrew Bourque

Review by Andrew Bourque

Photos by Greg Wong

Fresh off of her biggest, and arguably most polarizing year yet, pop queen Kim Petras brought her Feed the Beast tour to Roadrunner to Boston. Having been catapulted into the mainstream this past year with the incredibly popular yet widely criticized Sam Smith joint “Unholy”, and having established herself as the sex-positive songstress with last year’s instant classic “Slut Pop”, Kim is no stranger to scandalized music. Something she seems to be focusing on with this latest outing.

Finally releasing her debut full length album, Feed the Beast this past June, she quickly followed up with her sophomore release, Problematique just last month. With an onslaught of new songs in her roster, Petras has embarked on an ambitious tour with more costumes, choreo and chaos. All backed by a theme of finding your way through your own brand of hell. Show director William Baker explains how it was the “rich map of worlds [within Petras’ music] that inspired a journey through the layers of Hell and Purgatory, that ends in Paradise, all through Kim’s visual worlds.”

Featuring DJ Alex Chapman as the evenings opening act, he riled up the crowd just enough to attract a wild Kim Petras to the stage. The main event kicks off with Act I “Iron Maiden”, as the twisted religious undertones take center stage. Moving through songs “Personal Hell”, “Revelations” and “Unholy”, Kim sets the mood for her bombastic crowd of Boston area twinks, greys, and fruit flies. However it isn’t long until we are thrown, pelvis first, into Slut Pop, the second Act of the night. One of the best features of this EP, is the modest 15-minute run time, meaning fans can get the full experience nearly every night. Tracks “Treat Me Like a Slut”, “XXX” and “Throat Goat” flow seamlessly into each other. Undeniably fun, tongue-and-cheek club classics for the modern age, what Kim does best.

The show continued with more costume changes, more choreography and set pieces, including a particularly phallic microphone hanging from the ceiling. Fan favorites “Claws”, “Hillside Boys” and “Hit It From the Back” took us through Act III “The Garden”, which transitions into offerings from 2018’s spooky season inspired “Turn Off the Light” for Act IV. With Petras noting the October date to the crowd, sleek in a matrix-esque black coat as demonic dancers infiltrate the stage, it was clear it’s now boo bitch time. Whereas Slut Pop plays off of a bright bubblegum fantasy, Turn Off the Light retreats fully into the darkness. Standout tracks included “Wrong Turn”, “<demons>” and “Everybody Dies”, the latter of which always gives Petras ample room to show off her impressive vocals.

Wrapping up the night with Act V’s ascension into Paradise, Petras closed the show with a one-two punch of “Brrr” into “Icy” before an extended cut of “Castle in the Sky”. But fret not, the pop star wasn’t done just yet, coming back for a three part encore including title track “Problematique” and Kim classic “Heart to Break”.

The Feed the Beast tour continues across North America before moving into Europe next year. For more information visit Kim’s website here!

Check out Greg Wong’s photos from the show below.

The Puddcast Episode 41: Sweet Massachusetts Boys Who Like To Say The Word “F*CK” with Fitzgerald

Posted on 10/19/2023 by Harry Gustafson

By Harry Gustafson

Artwork by Cat Elia

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After a couple months break, thee Puddcast is back… with another Boston Music Award nomination for Podcast/Radio Show of the Year, alongside Allston Pudding as a whole for Music Publication of the Year, as well as this writer for Music Journalist of the Year. If you have the time, please consider voting for us in these three categories until voting closes on November 17th. Thank you (heart hands emoji).

But on to the more important thing: for this episode, local guitarist and songwriter Fitzgerald (a.k.a. rvrsr) joins us on the show this week to talk about working on music for his upcoming solo release. He’s been a staple in the background of Boston’s music scene for a few years, playing in the bands of Cliff Notez, Tim Hall, and others. It’s definitely about time that he gets to put out some of his own tunes.

Over the course of the episode, the conversation ranges from Fitzgerald’s influences, living in dystopian times, long distance relationships that run their course, and how it’s important to be tender. It’s real, real sweet.

Listen to the episode below, or wherever you get your podcasts. Also, be sure to check out the companion playlist that features all the artists that we mention on the episode (on Spotify and Apple Music.) Be sure to keep an eye out for when Fitzgerald releases new music.

<a href="https://rss.com/podcasts/allstonpudding/1176930/">Episode 41: Sweet Massachusetts Boys Who Like To Say The Word «F*CK» with Fitzgerald | RSS.com</a>

Join Jill McCracken’s Idle Hearts Society at Warehouse XI on 10/20

Posted on 10/18/2023 by Harry Gustafson

By Tanvi Shah

Photo by Sadie Purnell

Nominated for the New England Music Awards’ Female Performer of the Year (2023) and the Boston Music Awards’ Singer-Songwriter and Vocalist of the Year (2023), Jill McCracken is a force to reckon with in the Boston music community.

Jill describes her genre as retro soul — retro because of her musical influences from the 60s and 70s, including Stevie Wonder and PJ Morton, and soul because her voice is soulful with inspiration from Paul Simon and Margaret Glaspy.

To celebrate the release of her latest EMCP idle, Jill is having a special show on Friday, October 20th, at Warehouse XI in Union Square. “It’s going to be an intimate evening of foreground music where we can connect and be in a safe space. I try to make everything really fucking special.” Going into this show, Jill has been very intentional with who’s going to open for her — Brandie Blaze. Jill not only trusts Brandie musically but also loves how their different styles overlap in terms of the vulnerability of their songwriting.

For people who haven’t seen Jill perform before, she wants them to know that they can turn to her music for a soft and safe space. “It is scary to be vulnerable, but it is also what it’s all about. These songs give a voice to the loudest, most tender, and vulnerable parts of myself. Sometimes you forget other people also have these feelings, and if you can relate, I’m sorry. But it’s something that you can point to,” reflected Jill.

Jill describes the genre of idle as leaning more towards a singer-songwriter vibe as it relates to the sound of the songs. idle features a style that she hasn’t done as much in the past — just Jill on vocals with her guitar instead of the bigger band production of her earlier album Shake Me Up. Her song “help me, hold me, heal me” was the first song she put out that combined the band with a more exposed feel. “With idle, I want to let the songs speak for themselves. This EP is like a whisper, and a whisper can be as powerful as a yell.” Jill chose the name idle for the EP because the songs get at a heart being charged in the world with nowhere to go, so it sits idle on a shelf. She describes the feeling of this EP as tender and a way of storytelling that’s more personal and intimate. idle features 3 songs: “break my heart,” “danger detector,” and “walk to the moon.” In fact, Jill’s favorite lines from “walk to the moon” sum up the sense of isolation that she feels during the song: “baby, i’m a baby grand piano in an empty room, i was made to be played, to be played by you.”

The official fans of idle (including myself) belong to “Jill McCracken’s Idle Hearts Society.” You can even get an official shirt that’s only available until Friday, October 20th. If I were you, I’d be running to order this shirt so you can show everyone you’re a part of the club.

Jill wanted me to make sure I give a huge shoutout to her manager and best friend, JD, who helped put this show together. JD hates the attention, but definitely say hi to him on Friday (he’s the very tall guy who’s probably holding a beer in his hand and singing along to all of Jill’s songs). If Jill could collab with some other local artists, she’d work with Coco Smith because of their songwriting and authenticity, Red Shaydez for her creativity and excellence, and Blue Light Bandits for their endless harmonies and hooks.

Jill also mentioned there may be some unique surprises at this show to make it more of a community experience. If you didn’t know, she’s been running Tuesday Polls™ through Instagram and Patreon for almost 3 years now. There is a chance that she will do live polls on Friday, even though it’s not a Tuesday — “The polls life chose me!” exclaimed Jill as she remembered all the debates we’ve had (ask her about the PB&J saga) via Tuesday Polls™.

So come on out to Warehouse XI this Friday (October 20th), and get ready to be vulnerable at Jill’s release show for idle!

Royale Flush With The Aces

Posted on 10/18/2023 by Harry Gustafson

Photos & Review by Greg Wong

On Tuesday 10/10 The Aces filled Royale with fans on their second visit to Boston this year in support of their latest album I’ve Loved You For So Long.

Singer/songwriter Carol Ades started the show accompanied only by her partner on guitar, but the duo ramped up the energy quickly to get things going. The Aces sustained that momentum as they brought their upbeat style of pop to the stage next. With contagious enthusiasm, the band performed just about all of I’ve Loved You For So Long, which was released shortly after their appearance at this year’s Boston Calling Music Festival. The band had undeniable chemistry on stage, and their polished performance reflected that cohesion clearly. They played a tight set with no encore and few talk breaks, but band lead Cristal Ramirez made a point of thanking the audience and stating that none of them take the opportunity to perform for granted. That warmth was repaid, and The Aces finished their set to a delighted Boston crowd cheering in adoration.

Check out all of Greg’s photos from the show below.

A Month Later, We Look Back at Death Cab & The Postal Service

Posted on 10/12/2023 by Harry Gustafson

Photos by Emily Gardner
Words by Harry Gustafson

Yeah ok so we’re late on this… let’s say it’s just because we were so floored and overtaken by nostalgia on the night of September 12th (and 13th, if you attended night two) that we were unable to really string any coherent thoughts together on this show until now. Yeah. That sounds good. But isn’t that always going to happen when Ben Gibbard and co. come into the fray? You could even argue that even 20 years ago, when Death Cab for Cutie and the Postal Service dropped their unforgettable, undeniably impactful opuses – Transatlanticism and Give Up, respectively – they were already groups firmly rooted in nostalgic sentiment. These are two albums that glance back in time and self-consciously examine failed relationships. Going into this show, jokes like “Take my phone away so I don’t text my ex(es)” were being tossed around the bar. That’s the kind of mood they put you in.

(Unrelated and unsolicited pro tip: you don’t have to stop yourself from texting your exes if you delete their numbers entirely. You deserve better, queen.)

I could gush about these two life-altering, personality-shaping masterpieces simply as the albums they are. But this was more than just an album listening party, a simple stroll down memory lane. This was the 20th anniversary concert of a year when Ben Gibbard was – it seems – down badder than any human male has ever been. Like let’s be for real. Writing just one of these albums would be enough to make any listener think, “Ok this guy needs to get laid and move on.” So to do it twice in the same year, both times redefining the blueprint for an entire genre, is a testament to what one person can do with the perfectly proportioned mixture of heartbreak and horniness (coincidentally, these are the two primary conditions that allow men to compose good music).

Flashback to a year ago when I covered Death Cab’s show at the Leader Bank Pavilion. At first, I was a little disappointed that they didn’t play anything from Transatlanticism. That disappointment quickly dissolved into anticipation when I realized that it would soon be the album’s 20th anniversary. The wait was well worth it.

The evening started with a set from Scottish songwriter Lauren Mayberry. Though only seven songs, she made sure her performance will be remembered by the early crowd, especially with her cover of Madonna’s “Like A Prayer.” She gave a solid, energetic performance that got the crowd ready for what was to come next.

Death Cab was ultimately the first of the two headliners, taking stage fully adorned in all black everything. They promised Transatlanticism, and that’s what we got, front to back. When those opening chords of “The New Year” hit, the entire audience roared, getting ready for a singalong of the whole album. Although I already knew this from their 2022 set, it’s still worth noting that the band is as tight as ever. On top of that, despite being 20 years removed from the album’s release, the band hasn’t lost their energy in regards to Transatlanticism. This anniversary tour isn’t just a cash grab; it’s a genuine celebration that sees the band honoring their own body of work, recognizing that this and the Postal Service’s Give Up are truly cherished by fans (exemplified by the explosive and resounding “BA BAAAAA” refrain on “The Sound of Settling”). This is obviously a biased statement, but the highlights of this set were my favorite tracks from the album: “Title & Registration,” “Tiny Vessels,” “Passenger Seat,” and “We Looked Like Giants.”

“Heartbreak and horniness, coincidentally, are the two primary conditions that allow men to compose good music).”

After a brief intermission, it was time for the Postal Service, who were set to rifle through Give Up cover-to-cover. In a simple yet clever juxtaposition to Death Cab’s look, the band came out in all white everything. Gibbard was of course joined by OG Postal Service collaborator Jimmy Tamborello (a.k.a. Dntel), uniting the duo that had originally conceived this glitchy indietronica masterwork. What was also extremely pleasing was the lineup’s inclusion of Jenny Lewis, who sang backing vocals on the album. Absent however was Jen Wood, the singer who duets with Gibbard on “Nothing Better,” a duty performed by Lewis this time around. Also joining the band was multi-instrumentalist and Death Cab member Dave Depper, the only other musician besides Gibbard who was pulling a double shift.

I had previously seen the Postal Service on the 10th anniversary tour of Give Up back in 2013. While I was undoubtedly into that set, MGM Music Hall makes for a better venue than the Leader Bank Pavilion (which at the time was sponsored by some other bank and therefore had a different name, as it surely will again within the next two years when yet another stupid bank buys the naming rights). Something about the indoor setting just works better for the sound of electronic music than an open-air hatch shell. The undeniably bad sound quality at the Pavilion is a discussion for another piece.

Compared to “The New Year,” which opens with a delightfully resounding bigness, Give Up’s opener “The District Sleeps Alone Tonight” starts more subtly before building itself into a climactic second half. Following that is “Such Great Heights,” probably the album’s most famous and recognizable track. Given the album’s exceptional track order, everything after that just flowed perfectly. By the time penultimate track “Brand New Colony” had its turn, I was sorta hoping that we could just take it from the top. Maybe I should have considered going to night two as well. Alas.

For the encore, Gibbard and Lewis came out to play “Such Great Heights” a second time as an acoustic duo, before all the members of both bands returned to the stage to perform a supergroup cover of Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy The Silence,” which has been their closing track for at least the East Coast leg of the tour. While Gibbard’s prototypical indie-emo vocalizing is a far cry from Dave Gahan’s sultry baritone, it nonetheless fits this song so well. The track’s refrain of “All I ever wanted, all I ever needed is here in my arms” really does sound like something Gibbard might have written circa 2003.

In short, this show did wonders in the continued effort to heal my inner teenager.

Check out Emily Gardner’s full gallery of photos from the show below.

She’s Crazy and We Liked It – Ashnikko at Roadrunner

Posted on 10/11/2023 by Harry Gustafson

Photos & Review by Emily Gardner

It was time to get dirty at Roadrunner on Monday night. Ashnikko brought her WEEDKILLER tour to Boston, with support from Audrey Nuna. Nuna opened the show with a contagious energy. She stomped, spun, and sprinted around the stage. It was the perfect vibe to get the crowd hyped for the grungey, eclectic set that followed. Ashnikko appeared in a tattered, earth-toned outfit that was reminiscent of Tomb Raider or Mad Max. She had two dancers perform at her side for a majority of the show, sometimes appearing alone to do more personal tracks. The choreography was an unexpected bonus to the show in addition to Ashnikko’s stellar vocals. As far as the setlist, it catered to both new and old fans. The tour was to promote her new release, WEEDKILLER, but Ashnikko mixed in some songs from her most popular album, DEMIDEVIL. The crowd screamed along to viral hits like Slumber Party and Daisy, both of which blew up on TikTok last year. It was a blast to see WEEDKILLER come to life and see Ashnikko in all her back-bending glory.

Check out Emily’s photos of the show below.

Rachel Bobbitt Vocally Captures the Crystal Ballroom

Posted on 10/06/2023 by Harry Gustafson

By Abigail Stanicek

Photo by Abby Stanicek

On a Friday night at Somerville’s Crystal Ballroom, Rachel Bobbitt confidently takes the stage to “Dreams” by The Cranberries to open for Jesse Jo Stark. In a long, green silk skirt and black ballet flats, she smiles wide as the crowd performs karaoke to The Cranberries’ hit, similar to the cover of the song she recently released. The abrupt end of the song cues the start of Bobbitt’s set, leading the audience to begin cheering as the band appears to position themselves for the first note.

Bobbitt grew up in Nova Scotia, Canada under the guidance of a musically inclined mother and a music-loving dad. Her mom was her first folk influence, singing folk songs and playing piano as Bobbitt watched. Bobbitt’s first stage appearance was in a first-grade talent show singing “When There Was Me and You” from High School Musical. Though nervous, she enjoyed the sensation of people reacting well to her music and felt influenced to continue her performance career. She eventually moved to Toronto to attend Jazz school, where she met her current band.

Bobbitt and her band are a product of the collaborative and welcoming Toronto music scene. The scene prioritizes supporting one another and lifting each other up for their array of talent. Though R&B is the most prominent genre of the scene, Bobbitt aligns herself with the indie-folk collective of the scene. Toronto is home to multiple notable indie folk artists, such as Broken Social Scene. Immersing themselves within the scene, Rachel and her band record her new EP The Half We Still Have at 80A Studios in Toronto. 80A’s chief engineer Phil Holtz provided Bobbitt and her band with the opportunity to experiment with the EP, relieving them of the financial burden that time can often put on recording sessions. “I think we got to experiment a lot more in his studio space, and just do weird shit like turn the amp knobs all the way up to 10 and get a bunch of feedback,” says Bobbitt. The spacious EP showcases the successes of their experiments, containing a consistent connection between strong emotions and instrumentals.

“Two Bit” intensely opens the EP with immense electric guitar and vocals that accurately portray the pain of young relationships, which the lyrics describe in poetic detail. “Marian” follows as an emotional third-person account of problems within a relationship. At the time of writing the song, Bobbitt was reading multiple third-person short stories and became inspired by them. “I think it also was kind of a way for me to deal with my own relationship issues that I potentially wasn’t super ready to face head-on,” says Bobbitt. The track translates to live performance in a stunning manner, allowing the strong emotions behind the song to impact the audience. The performance of the track encourages artistic freedom, as she wrote the song when she felt restricted by the academic environment surrounding her at jazz school.

“The Call is Inside the House” details a difficult familial relationship that is tainted by betrayal. The lyrics beautifully depict the feeling of adjusting your view on someone you’re supposed to love but can’t anymore because of how they’ve treated you. The strong, consistent guitar and drums feel like the pounding heartbeat one can feel in a difficult situation. Live, the chorus bursts open to fill the entire space of the Crystal Ballroom and the heartbeat fades behind the expansive lead guitar from guitarist Justice Der.

Outside of the EP’s tracklist, Bobbitt also plays “More” and “Again.” Bobbitt’s vocals assume a stunning power for the bridge of “Again,” which conjures loud praise from the audience. “More” ends in a raucous burst from the band, including an intense guitar solo from Der and crashing drums from drummer Stephen Bennett. Bobbitt also graces the audience with a phenomenal cover of Fiona Apple’s “Love More.”

Bobbitt strategically places “Clay Feet” last on both the EP tracklist and her setlist. The track examines the ability to fall short of the power dynamics within a relationship due to intense admiration. On a surface level, the song appears as an impassioned love song. Listening with intent to both the lyrics and instrumentation, you’ll find there’s a disparity in power within the relationship Bobbitt sings of. The chest-pounding drums that the live performance took on emulate the intensity of conflicting feelings Bobbitt sings about. Bobbitt also belts “You can make my world as small as you want” with stunning vocals bursting with sentiment. “We all really like playing “Clay Feet,” just because it has such a satisfying build over the course of the song and I feel like we all have our moments of being able to really let go.”

After her set, a group of fans greets Bobbitt and express they came to the Crystal Ballroom just to see her. After discovering she has dedicated listeners in Boston and being able to explore a small section of the city in Davis Square, Bobbitt is eager to return. Fortunately, Bobbitt will be back in town to support Will Butler at Deep Cuts on October 17, 2023.

Wyn & The White Light and Josh Knowles Healed Us Through Music

Posted on 10/06/2023 by Harry Gustafson

By Tanvi Shah

Photo by Greg Wong

Going into the show at Rockwood, I had heard both Wyn & the White Light and Josh Knowles before but not in this capacity. When I tell you I had goosebumps and my soul felt something, I mean it.

It has been a tradition for the band members of Wyn & the White Light — Lucia, Wyn, and Heidi — to pull tarot cards before a show of theirs. “It is a tradition for us to do card pulls to read the energy and ground ourselves,” exclaimed Lucia. Before the Rockwood show, they pulled trust, abundance, fear, and rejection. Wyn also convinced Josh to do a card pull, and he got passion. There was a bit of nervous and excited energy before the show — in fact, Josh spilled his Chipotle before he could even take a bite of it.

To set the tone for the night, Lucia did a solo acoustic set with her ukulele. I had only seen Lucia on their upright bass with Wyn, so I was intrigued to see her solo music. Her pink and blue hair matched the lighting in Rockwood, which was really cool! Lucia’s vibe was whimsical and reflective, with a hint of sadness and peaceful energy. Her first song was an original, “Moving Song,” whose line, “You say you want a garden without planning the seeds” stuck with me. The addition of minor notes definitely added to the despondent and haunting nature of the song. Lucia performed some songs from their latest EP, Songs From My Cellphone, as well as some newer unreleased songs, including a bit of “Tomato Jam,” whose lyrics are, “I make tomato jam because of you and set more boundaries too.” The song that resonated with me most was a new one she wrote for her birthday in August. It’s currently untitled, but the lyrics felt like a personal mantra and reminder — “Sit, hold, breathe, be still.” Lucia’s music reminded me of a folkier and more haunting version of Billie Eillish (that is possible) and I loved her energy. They also have some cute pins and homemade felt items, too, if you want to support them in another way.

The next part of the show included therapeutic screaming, which I definitely needed. Wyn & the White Light started their set with an acapella version of the iconic line from their debut single “How the West Was Won” — “Who do we have to prove our worth to? ‘Cause minds come undone as we toast to how the West was won.” From the acapella chorus, they immediately dove into a reimagined, full-band version of Wyn’s “Places Unknown.” My favorite part of this song is the bridge with the refrain “Get outta my way,” which builds with Heidi’s drums, Lucia’s upright bass and harmonies, and Wyn’s electric guitar. Wyn & the White Light’s sound plays to everyone’s strengths, and together their harmonies and energy are felt through their music.

Wyn & the White Light want people to feel safe while listening to their music, delving into their deeper repressed emotions that often feel scary. “Once you surface the darkness, it’s not as scary,” Wyn explained. This is especially applicable to her “Miles Above.” There’s a 3-part harmony that gives me goosebumps and which I could listen to all day. The song touches on Wyn’s near death experience — in fact, the band’s shared trauma surrounding life and death actually bonded the band together, which goes back to why the band uses pomegranates (a symbol of fertility and death) to represent their sound. The lyrics of the song represent the feeling of needing and asking for help while knowing that there is more out there for you — “Some say tragedies can help us start anew. Maybe I’m still here ‘cause I have work to do. Oh, oh somebody help me, somebody help me through the night.” I felt the band’s emotions in how they played on stage in their instrumental jam session, and it was powerful.

“If there’s a Josh Knowles in the house, this is my hypothetical wink to you,” Wyn said as Josh came running from the back of Rockwood to the stage. It ended up being a ‘sike I lied’ moment, because it was too early. But it was an indication that Josh and Wyn & the White Light were going to collaborate live, which I was excited to see on stage! Before that great moment, Wyn & the White Light sang one of the first songs Wyn had put out as a solo artist, “Thick of It,” which highlights her challenges with chronic illness. Since this was with the rest of the band, she changed the original closing line, “I’m in the thick of it lately” to “Oh my God, we’re in the thick of it lately.”

Right after this, we got the Josh + band collab that Josh had been pump-faked for. Wyn & the White Light sang their version of the classic Beatles song “Eleanor Rigby” that Josh elevated with his haunting violin. Josh continued to play on a few of their other originals, including “Cigarettes.” The line, “Did you mean it when you left? Broken hearts and cigarettes. Could you feel me when you left ooooh? For our love we do our best,” gives me chills EVERY TIME I hear it. It’s this visceral reaction to the lyrics, music, violin, harmonies, and everything about the song. Fun fact: Josh is featured on 5 of the songs in Wyn & the White Light’s upcoming debut album!

Wyn & the White Light then got off stage and announced they were going to”flip the stage,” walking to the center of Rockwood with all of us surrounding them. From there, they started singing Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black,” with Wyn on ukulele and Heidi and Lucia on vocals and harmonies. It was so quiet while they sang that you could hear a pin drop. Wyn also played a song that she released earlier this year titled “hold on for another day,” which started as a recurring tune that popped into her head over the past few years. Its lyrics are a reminder that, despite the sad and hard times, there is light at the end of the tunnel, evident in the line “There is magic in the tragedies we face. Hold on for another day.”

Wyn & the White Light also debuted their upcoming single “White Noise,” out on November 11th, which has such a rock feel. Lucia even switched to playing an electric guitar. The band is collaborating with local brewery Barewolf Brewing in Amesbury, MA for a “White Noise” IPA that coincides with the release of the single, so be on the lookout if you like pale ales!

To end their performance, they sang their newly released debut single “How the West Was Won,” aka the therapeutic screaming song! Wyn & the White Light even sells a soul rock dedicated to the essence of this song! Back to the screaming…Lucia asked us all a very important question — “Who here has ever screamed as loud as you can possibly scream? I had not ever screamed until we went into the studio and I gave our producer a heart attack. It’s your time to be a banshee!” Lucia told us to get all our shit out and scream “Does it speak of revolution?” after Wyn sang “Does it speak of evolution?” I had heard the song on repeat, so I was aware that there were screams in the background of the song, but I hadn’t expected that to make it to the live performance. Heidi started off the screams, scaring the shit out of me. The coolest part was that the audience members also added their own screaming and yelling to the song, which was very cathartic. This song is a very hopeful song and has this girl power, “we can do anything” vibe, almost giving life the challenge “what’s next, because I can make it through anything.” I’m so excited to hear the rest of Wyn & the White Light’s upcoming singles and EP! You can see Wyn and Lucia play some of the new songs again at EventThem Studios on Thursday, October 12th, when they open for Annabel Lee.

After feeling (all) my feelings, I was ready to experience Josh’s set. The last time I saw him play, he was in his earlier era of violin looping, so I was excited to see this new integration of the violin looping with a more electronic, DJ set. Josh greeted us all with a loud “Helllllloooo Rockwood” and told us he was going to do the “sentimental and sappy shit first.” When asked about his new sound, Josh said that he “wanted to infuse both an emotional and physical catharsis together, and that they don’t have to be mutually exclusive.” I didn’t know how much the violin in his first song “Same” would break me. Josh started off by looping the main melody of the song with his violin, and then added some bass, harmonies, and beats with his laptop. The coolest part was when he looped the word “same” and added a slowed down, reverbed, harmony version of it to the bass of the song. Josh’s voice rang loud and was so honest, especially with his lyrics, “There’s no way to say we haven’t changed, but my love for you still remains the same.” Josh continued to wow us in his set with his violin picking and some emo, punk vibes with a growl in his vocals. “Sentimental Josh Knowles rocks!” yelled an audience member, and I totally agree.

Josh also played some newer songs for us — he performed a classical piece “A Step Back From the Wrong Direction: IV” that he wrote during COVID and had never played before. He said this wasn’t the setting to play the song in, but I loved the change in vibe and the feel of the song. It felt more folky, as if I was in a medieval market. This piece seemed more whimsical — the word that comes to my mind is “enchanted.” He ended this piece with a single note. If you want to hear all the movements of this song, he has an EP, A Step Back From the Wrong Direction, dedicated to this more classical feel.

He also played another original ,“Pattern,” which was the transition song to his more DJ set. This song reminded me of being in a chill club with the “tooom toooms!” After adding electronic vocals and some very cool violin picking, he was joined by Alex Glover, who played piano and added some beautiful harmonies and beats from his laptop. This song means a lot to Josh, as it’s dedicated to his grandmother Alice, who bought him his first violin when he was 4 years old. This song highlights Josh’s connection with Alice in Wonderland, not just because of his grandma’s name, but also through the lyrics, “Why the fuck should I travel back to your side? Grinning wide like the Cheshire.” Josh reflected, “She keeps coming up in my music and I try to infuse her spirit and essence into my creative trajectory.” In fact, his favorite lyrics he’s written are from “Pattern” — “Heaven is a pattern that’s taking shape across your face.” Wyn & the White Light also have a connection to Alice in Wonderland, which comes up in one of their upcoming songs “Heal Me” on their debut album. “One step through the looking glass, I face the aura of a past that’s haunting me.” Wyn mentioned that she’s been on her own “rabbit hole journey” during the past 6 months, so she definitely feels a “recurring synchronicity” to Alice in Wonderland.

To end his set, Josh had Wyn & the White Light and Alex come back up on stage for his version of the Death Cab for Cutie song “Transatlanticism.” He and Alex then performed his own song “Night and Day.” My favorite lyrics of the song were “You know I think of you night and day, no matter how far I walk away.” People were dancing along to this DJ portion of Josh’s set, especially with the epic beat drop, and I even heard an audience member yelling, “I love you Josh and Alex!” Josh’s set showed me that you don’t have to confine yourself to a specific genre or type of music. “We are the authors of our own destiny,” Josh said within the first 2 minutes of our conversation. He’s coming out with new music soon that reflects his newer sound, as well as reimagining and remixing some of his earlier songs. He also has vinyls with a variety of songs, one side having more of a string-and-orchestra feel, and the other side representing his singer-songwriter tracks. If you want to get ready for his new, integrated sound, definitely brush up on Josh’s music! He wanted the audience to feel his own evolution in sound and music, which I really felt. I’m still not sure how to describe exactly what Josh did, but it was amazing and beautiful and catchy and unique!

If Wyn & the White Light could collab with a local artist, they would collab with Grace Givertz for a new folky vibe, or with The Wolff Sisters to do some cool 4-part harmonies and explore a woodsy, haunting sound. Josh said he would collab with Liz Bills to explore more of his electronic sound, as well as with The Phoenix Landing to experiment more with his electronic looping.

Overall, it was one of the best shows I’ve been to recently and it was amazing to feel so many emotions in a span of a night. Also, a fun little tidbit is that, to celebrate the upcoming Wyn & the White Light album, everyone got a rock that aligned with their essence: Josh got a Kabamba Jasper, Heidi a Blue Quartz, Lucia a Unakite, and Wyn a Moss Agate. I think Wyn & the White Light and Josh Knowles successfully brought back the intimate and vulnerable feeling of local music while exploring different sounds and reaching new people. Follow Wyn & the White Light on Instagram and TikTok, and Josh Knowles on Instagram, to keep up with some exciting (and secret) musical updates!