ANCHR Magazine

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Filtering by Tag: Photo Set

Live Recap: Nat and Alex Wolff with Billie Eilish at The United Center

November 14, 2024  /  Josh Darr

The actor/musician brother duo of Nat and Alex Wolff, FKA The Naked Brothers Band, derived their music from a  Nickelodeon show that the brothers starred in earlier in their lives.

The pair are currently on tour with Billie Eilish for her Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour for a string of dates including the two-night stand in Chicago. Coming from a different generation, I wasn’t too entirely familiar with their music, but was equally excited to see what the Brothers Wolff had to offer knowing that artists put in the effort to choose their openers— I figured Billie had her reasons. I’m grateful for the phrase “ a picture is worth a thousand words” because I feel like my photos captured tens of thousands of words encapsulating the amount of entertainment to duo emitted in just the short time allotted for an opening act.

The United Center is definitely no small feat to conquer as an opener and I’ve seen many solid openers in the past not make the mark or hold the crowd’s attention, and that wasn’t the case for last night’s performance. That had a commanding presence and easily connected with the crowd, who let’s face It we know had only Billie on their minds. Some of the fans had even been camping out since Sunday and others were still in their tents on a cold rainy Chicago night for their line spot in the  morning for tonight’s show. Nonetheless, both Nat and Alex held nothing back and showcased how they’re  not only brothers or actors, but also rockstars.

Check out the full gallery of their performance below, and see where you can catch them on tour next here.

categories / Photos, Reviews, Gigs
tags / Nat and Alex Wolff, Billie Eilish, Live Recap, Photo Gallery, Photo recap, Photo Set, United Center

Photos: The Last Dinner Party with King Isis

August 08, 2024  /  Rachel Zyzda

The Last Dinner Party and King Isis closed out the third day of Lolla with a sold out aftershow at Thalia Hall. Check out photos from the evening below and see where you can catch them on tour next here.

categories / Gigs, Music, Photos, Festival
tags / King Isis, The Last Dinner Party, Thalia Hall, Live Show, Photo Set, Lolla aftershow, Lollapalooza

PHOTOS: Lollapalooza 2024- Sunday Recap

August 05, 2024  /  Josh Darr

Lollapalooza 2024 wrapped up on Sunday, August 4th with another jam-packed line up. Check out the photo recap of the final festival day with performances from Blink-182, Conan Gray, The Last Dinner Party, Medium Build, Two Door Cinema Club, Vince Staples, and Waterparks.

categories / Festival, Gigs, Photos
tags / Blink-182, Conan Gray, The Last Dinner Party, Medium Build, Two Door Cinema Club, Vince Staples, Waterparks, Lollapalooza, Lolla, Photo recap, Photo Set, Concert Photography

Photos: All Time Low at Salt Shed

July 29, 2024  /  Rachel Zyzda

This past Friday night, All Time Low brought a special rendition of their Forever tour to the Salt Shed, performing songs from their entire 20-year discography for a nearly two and a half hour set. Check out photos from their set, including support from Games We Play below. See where you can catch the tour next here.

categories / Gigs, Photos
tags / All Time Low, Games We Play, Photo Set, Salt Shed, Concert Photography

Live Recap: Say Anything at Aragon Ballroom

May 21, 2024  /  Rachel Zyzda

On Friday, May 17th, Say Anything returned to Chicago to perform their landmark album ...Is a Real Boy in full to honor the 20th anniversary of the record.

Lead vocalist and songwriter Max Bemis, alongside the full band, had reunited to perform at Riot Fest in Chicago last September, but this show at Aragon Ballroom was Say Anything’s first headline show here since playing The Metro in 2017. While Aragon Ballroom is a significantly larger venue, fans came out in droves to experience the nostalgia of these twenty-year-old songs and completely packed the room even before it was time for the headline event.

The concert setlist stayed true to the album’s tracklist, and the show kicked off with the introductory track “Belt.” The live performance even included the spoken word introduction from Bemis saying “And the record begins, with a song of rebellion!” The audience immediately launched into fervent dancing and singing along with Bemis, that continued throughout the show.

Before playing the third track “The Writhing South,” Bemis took some time to address the crowd and mention the 20th anniversary celebration. "The weirdest part about that, it’s not the nostalgia, it’s not surreal— it’s that I’m only turning 20 myself this year, and I just don’t understand physically how that happened,” he joked. I have to say as someone who listened to these songs on repeat in high school, it definitely felt a little surreal to be hearing them performed all these years later.

For me and for so many of the audience members, every single song on the tracklist has specific memories tied to them, and they’re all so iconic in their own ways, but there were a couple of moments when the crowd amplified the energy they’d been exhibiting all night. During "An Orgy of Critics" I spotted my first crowdsurfer of the night, which was particularly impressive for this concert—considering the audience was made up mostly of millennials and Gen X. Just before playing track 9, "Every Man Has a Molly,” Bemis told the crowd “I wanna hear you guys sing as loud as humanly possible” and the audience obliged by singing the entire first verse before the band fully kicked in. The fans showed off their chorus-like singing again for “I Want To Know Your Plans,” which Bemis performed as a solo acoustic number at the start of the evening’s encore. Bemis introduced the set’s final song “Admit It!!” by telling the audience “We’re gonna put everything we’ve got into this last one” and the band definitely fulfilled that promise to send the evening off on a high note.

Relive the glory of the concert by checking out photos of the Chicago show below, and see where you can catch Say Anything next here.

categories / Gigs, Reviews, Photos, Music
tags / Say Anything, Aragon Ballroom, Live Review, Live Show, Photos, Photo Set, Live Nation

Live Recap: Alice Merton at Lincoln Hall

May 18, 2024  /  Rachel Zyzda

Singer-songwriter Alice Merton returned to Chicago for the first time in five years to headline Lincoln Hall on Tuesday, May 14th.

The highly-anticipated return felt like both a concert and therapy session, thanks to Merton’s deeply insightful lyrics and the vulnerable anecdotes she shared with the audience between songs. And of course, there was also plenty of dancing opportunities during the hour and a half setlist.

The setlist started off with immediate intensity as the band played the introductory track “run away girl” from the singer’s 2024 EP entitled “Heron.” From there, the set ventured through a mix of the brand new EP and other favorites like “Vertigo” and “Homesick” from her albums S.I.D.E.S. and Mint, respectively.

Ahead of performing “how well do you know your feelings?” from “Heron,” Alice took some time to connect with the audience about the importance of listening to your own heart and gut when making decisions. “This song came from a conversation with a friend of mine. This friend always put other people’s happiness in front of theirs and every time I spoke to them, I felt so sad that they couldn’t voice their own opinions and say this is how I feel because they were always worried about what everyone else would think. There were so many people that said ‘next time we play a show it’s gonna be this place or that place’ and I was like but what about if that’s not what makes me happy. What if I want to have really beautiful, intimate shows where I can come out after to say hi to everyone and get to know the people that want to come to the show,” Merton told the audience. That choice to play an intimate venue like Lincoln Hall really helped create a sense of connection and camaraderie amongst the audience and with the band throughout the rest of the show.

The setlist ended on a lighthearted and optimistic note, with Alice and her band closing the main set with “Why So Serious,” which the singer confessed is a catchphrase she stole from The Joker. Merton came back for an encore of “The Other Side,” which describes the feeling of healing from a rough time. In that song, Alice sings “I'm seeing happy, I'm seeing dancin'“ and that’s exactly what I saw during her gig.

Check out photos from the Chicago show below and see where you can catch Alice Merton on the road next here.

categories / Gigs, Music, Photos, Reviews
tags / Alice Merton, Lincoln Hall, Live Music, Live Show, Photo Set

Live Recap: Craig David at The Chicago Theatre

May 16, 2024  /  Rachel Zyzda

On May 13th, British artist Craig David made a long-awaited return to Chicago to headline The Chicago Theatre.

Despite it being a rainy Monday night, fans flocked to the historic venue to see the singer perform here for the first time since 2001. As the crowd filed into their seats, a DJ warmed up them up and got the good vibes flowing. The DJ even shared with the crowd that he first got into Craig David after hearing “Fill Me In” for the first time in the early 2000’s, which I’m sure was a common thread with some of the fans in the audience.

When it was time for the main event, Craig David’s live band and backing vocalists took their places on stage first, before he eventually made his grand entrance. Immediately, the seated show-goers got to their feet and began singing and dancing.

After performing a few songs, including “What’s Your Flava?,” “Ain't Giving Up” and the aforementioned hit “Fill Me In,” Craig took some time to address the crowd and let them know he’d be journeying through a catalog of old favorites and new material throughout the show.

Craig delivered on that promise and even threw in a cover of “Show Me Love” by Robin S for good measure, as well as songs he featured on like “Abracadabra” with Wes Nelson and “Got It Good” with Kaytranada. No matter what he was singing, Craig delivered flawless vocals throughout the show, which were often complemented by his backing singers and accompanying musicians, who added a rich texture to the show’s production. The band members all got introductions and quick showcases of their talents during the song “Time to Party,” which had everyone dancing along and in good spirits.

The main set concluded with “16,” where Craig sings and raps about “doing this since I was sixteen” and it’s clear from the seamless and smooth performance that he’s mastered the craft of being an excellent performer.

The full band took a bow before leaving the stage and returning to demands for an encore. The journey concluded with “Insomnia” from 2008 and the iconic hit “7 Days.”

Check out photos from the Chicago performance below, and see where you can catch Craig David on the road next here.

categories / Reviews, Photos, Music, Gigs
tags / Craig David, Chicago Theatre, Live Nation, Live Review, Live Recap, Photo Set

Photos: Wild Party and Cousin Simple at Lincoln Hall

May 12, 2024  /  Rachel Zyzda

On Friday, May 10th, Wild Party headlined Lincoln Hall in honor of the 10th anniversary of their album Phantom Pop. Check out photos of the evening, including support from Cousin Simple below.

categories / Photos, Music, Gigs
tags / Wild Party, Cousin Simple, Lincoln Hall, Live Show, Photo Set, Photo recap

Live Recap: The Veronicas at House of Blues

April 19, 2024  /  Rachel Zyzda

“I know you guys thought this was a rock show but it’s actually a fucking disco,” Jess Origliasso, AKA one half of the twin sister-duo The Veronicas, told a packed House of Blues this past Sunday night in Chicago.

While there was ample opportunity to dance just like at a disco, The Veronicas also delivered rock ‘n’ roll flair and heartfelt nostalgic vibes throughout their highly-anticipated comeback tour. As someone who repeatedly listened to the duo’s debut album The Secret Life of... on physical CD format, it healed my inner child to hear songs “When It All Falls Apart” and “Everything I’m Not” in the first few moments of the set. The Veronicas kept their throwback songs fresh by weaving in mashups of other hit songs—for example, Jess played the iconic riff of “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes while Lisa sang the introduction to “When It All Falls Apart.” Later in the show, the pair weaved in bits of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and Icona Pop’s “I Love It” during the performance of “Hook Me Up,” which was the title track of their 2007 album.

Just as I was reveling in familiar comfort that these songs provided, I also took in my fellow audience members experiencing sheer joy and camaraderie. The euphoric bliss wasn’t just coming from the audience though— Jess and Lisa made sure to tell the crowd many times how grateful they were to be back and playing music in America. Their appreciative comments included everything from “You’re making two Capricorns very emotional” to “The fact that you guys are coming to these shows is the biggest fuck you to everyone who didn’t believe in us.” At one point, they even brought out a copy of their very first CD as “Jessica and Lisa” (prior to being named “The Veronicas”) entitled Double Trouble, that one of their long-time fans had brought to the show in hopes of getting it signed, and Jess and Lisa joked that it might be their dad selling those old CDs on eBay.

The show was really like an emotional journey sandwiched between two dance parties— it started with Jess and Lisa taking the stage donning sunglasses and performing choreographed dance moves to “Take Me on the Floor” while the floor of the theater shook from the audience dancing, then it traveled to the land of the feels with songs like “Ribcage” and “You Ruin Me” before it ended on an explosive high note with “4ever” and “Untouched,” which the pair introduced saying “Please stand for the National Anthem.”

It may have been awhile since The Veronicas last toured here, but this show served as a reminder that from vulnerable ballads to rock riffs and dance anthems, there’s nothing Jess and Lisa Origliasso can’t do. If you get a chance to catch their show, don’t miss it. See where The Veronicas are touring next here and check out photos from the Chicago gig below.

categories / Reviews, Photos, Music, Gigs
tags / The Veronicas, House of Blues, Live Recap, Photo recap, Photo Set, Live Show, Live Nation

Live Recap: Mitski and Julia Jacklin at Auditorium Theatre

March 28, 2024  /  Rachel Zyzda

This past Sunday night, Mitski and Julia Jacklin closed out a sold-out, four-night run at the historic Auditorium Theatre in Chicago.

Australian singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin took the stage at 8PM sharp to perform for the packed house. The past times I’ve seen Julia, she usually had a full band, but this run was just her and her guitar as she opened her set with “Comfort” from her 2019 album Crushing. Jacklin took a pause to address the crowd, telling us she’d had a wonderful time these past few nights in Chicago, adding “I haven’t seen anything except downtown, and it’s been really cold, but I’ve had a good time because I get to open for one of the greatest rock legends of our lives, Mitski”— which was followed by lots of cheers. As Jacklin continued her performance, I admired her commanding stage presence and ability to keep the audience completely hooked. Towards to end of the show, the singer told the theatre “I’m gonna sing a song A capella. It’s very rare that I get to sing in halls like this, so I have to take advantage” before she sang “Too In Love To Die” from her 2022 album Pre Pleasure. During that entire song, the audience remained utterly silent, soaking up Jacklin’s beautiful vocals in absolute awe. To close out her short, but sweet set, Jacklin performed a fan favorite “Pressure to Party.”

Next up, the stage was set for Mitski and her band to close it all out. The audience greeted the artist with earsplitting applause and cheers and she sauntered her way over to a dim corner of the stage. After a quick greeting, Mitski disappeared behind a giant red curtain in the center of the stage, with only her silhouette in view while she sang “Everyone”—until the curtain dropped at the end of the song.

It was fitting that this particular tour stopped at the Auditorium Theatre instead of a GA-style concert venue because Mitski’s performance was more like an orchestral broadway musical than concert. From her intricate choreography that was mapped out to every single beat to her dramatic expressions and the extraordinary lighting production, this show was a true spectacle from start to finish. Everything flowed seamlessly in the production of the performance, and Mitski let the music take care of the transitions, barely taking time to speak in between the songs on the setlist, which heavily featured songs from her 2023 album The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We. A favorite moment of mine was during the performance of the very popular “My Love Mine All Mine,” Mitski stood center-stage on a platform, while strings of shimmery, butterfly-like objects dropped down from the ceiling around her— picture a mobile you’d hang above a baby’s crib… but way taller.

The entire performance was magical from start to finish, and if Mitski ever had a broadway show, I’d be there in an instant. This show proved she’s a theatrical triple threat with acting, singing and dancing chops.

See photos of the final night in Chicago below, and see where you can catch the tour next here.

categories / Reviews, Photos, Music, Gigs
tags / Julia Jacklin, Mitski, Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, Live Show, Live Review, Photo Set, Photo Gallery