Pop

Concert Review: Vacations at the House of Blues

KCR College Radio

Vacations and opener, Harmless, shared a blissful and lively night with the crowd at the House of Blues on Mar. 4, 2022.

Last Friday (3/4), I had the opportunity to go see Vacations at the Voodoo Room in the House of Blues. After waiting almost two years to tour, Vacations kicked off their first U.S. tour in Los Angeles and then made their way down to San Diego for their third show. This Australia-based indie-pop/rock band was a staple in my early high school years, specifically during 2018-2019, so I was excited to see them live and experience some nostalgia. 

The venue completely took me by surprise; the inside was highly decorated with detailed beaded walls and paintings from local artists, which gave off a fancy but rustic feel. Doors opened at 7:00 and even though my friend and I got there around 6, we were just a row behind the barricade. Side note: I’m from the Bay Area, and one thing that always catches me by surprise down here in San Diego is how late everyone arrives at concerts! In San Francisco, people are lining up at 4:00 for an 8:00 show. 

Harmless photographed by: Sofia Dell’Aquila

Opening for Vacations was indie-pop artist Harmless who was not only talented but super entertaining. He was cracking jokes, referencing popular memes, and even whipped out some choreographed dances with his guitarist in the middle of songs. Because of his interaction with the crowd throughout the entire show, you felt like you knew him personally by the end of the set! I had never previously heard of his band, but I knew the last song that he played, “Swing Lynn,” which went viral on the internet a couple of months ago. 

Vacations photographed by: Sofia Dell’Aquila

Vacations came on promptly at 9:00 and opened with their song “Moving Out” from their sophomore album Changes. Their romantic and melancholy lyrics mixed with whimsical instrumentals had the whole room dancing and swaying. The room swirled with soft pinks and blues, perfectly corresponding to the playful and lighthearted aura that their music gives off. Later, they played some songs from their 2016 album Vibes and their 2020 album Forever in Bloom, such as “Home” and “Lavender”. Though there were a lot of technical difficulties, the band made the most out of their spare time by talking with fans in the crowd and expressing their excitement to be touring again, and in a new country nonetheless. They even passed some time by playing the “Cowboy Bebop” theme song and the “Neon Genesis Evangelion” closing song, which totally caught my friend and me off-guard because we love those shows. After getting a new guitar, they continued and played my favorite song “Telephones” with dimmed lights, further amplifying the intimacy that the song already projected. 

Vacations photographed by: Sofia Dell’Aquila

Reading the excitement of the room, the band decided to skip the encore pause and just go straight into their last songs. They ended the night with their hit song “Relax” and then took a big audience photo for the art project that they were working on while on tour. Overall, the energy throughout the entire night was amazing, and seeing Vacations live was a great way to revisit some positive memories from my younger teen years.

Written by: Sofia Dell’Aquila

The Kid Laroi says “Goodbye, for Now” to Music

Mike Stark
Photo Credit: Frazer Harrison | Getty Images

Goodbyes are always the hardest, especially when it comes from our favorite artists.

On Monday, Nov. 15, The Kid Laroi dropped his music video for his song “Still Chose You” with fans. After the premiere, the artist announced he’s closing the chapter of the F… Love era.

Photo Credit: Screenshot from Music Video Still Chose You The Kid Laroi

He shared in an Instagram post “To my beloved fans, I hope you all enjoy the ‘Still Chose You’ video! I know that record is a fan favorite, so I felt that it was only right for that to be the video that finally closes the ‘F… Love’ era.” He continued “It’s been a wild year, to say the least. Seeing the impact of the project and hearing about how it’s helped and changed so many peoples lives is f…. Beautiful – but also incredibly surreal. It’s the reason why I do this s—. My life has also changed so much this past year because of it and I owe it all to every single one of you. There is no way I will ever be able to repay you.”

Photo Credit: The Kid Laroi on Instagram

He concluded the statement with, “Last week I went on a small vacation for the first time in a while. During that time I started thinking, and I made the decision that I need to take some time away from everything and focus on the next project, my debut album. I’m going to miss you all beyond words can describe, but I do believe that this is what I need to do to give you all the best music possible. I’ll be back soon, I promise. I love you, Laroi.”

The Kid Laroi did remove all previous content on his social media but kept the note to fans. Many have sounded off in the comments with support of his decision and encouraging him to get the well-deserved rest after a packed year.

For now, we can continue to stream all his current music to hold us over. I can’t wait for new music and to see what The Kid Laroi comes up with next.  

Written By: Mike Stark | @MikeStarkCA

Britney Spears Ends 13 Year Conservatorship

Mike Stark
[Cover Photo] (Photo Credit: Allen Berezovsky)

Britney Spears is free of her conservatorship, which controlled her life, career, and finances for almost 14 years.

A judge in Los Angeles terminated the court-ordered arrangement on Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, at the request of Britney and her legal team.

The ruling comes after Spears delivered a powerful statement about the conservatorship in court last June. She called it “abusive” and shared she felt “bullied” and “alone.” 

The hearing on Friday marked the first one since Britney’s father, Jaime Spears, was suspended from serving as co-conservator. Her father has denied allegations of mishandling the conservatorship repeatedly. 

Photo Credit: Britney Spears’ Instagram page

The pop star celebrates the ruling on Instagram by sharing a video of her fans celebrating outside the courthouse waving pink “Free Britney” flags and confetti poppers with the caption “Good God I love my fans so much it’s crazy !!! I think I’m gonna cry the rest of the day !!!! Best day ever … praise the Lord … can I get an Amen ???? #FreedBritney”

Attorney for Britney, Matthew Rosengart, also celebrated by sharing “Britney, as of today, is a free woman, and she’s an independent woman,” Rosengart told the cheering crowd after the decision. He continued with “And the rest, with her support system, will be up to Britney.” 

We are so happy for Britney and her freedom. Long overdue!

Written By: Mike Stark | @MikeStarkCA

Album Review: Elijah Rosario’s “Genuine Truths”

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Elijah Rosario is a singer-songwriter from Durham, North Carolina who, in his 10-year long career has taken influences from many different artists and genres, and being the great storyteller that he is, he paints a great picture of where he’s been and where he intends to go through his music. Two EP’s in, you can really hear the growth in his voice, his sound, his identity, and he really knows how to put on a show.

On his album “Genuine Truths,” which releases on all music platforms on Sept. 29, we hear a mix of R&B, pop, Afro-pop, and hip-hop, being graced with features from hip-hop and R&B artist Voyce, Afro-pop artist Livie, and hip-hop artist Kfreshh. His interchangeability from genre to genre, mixed with a knack for writing some incredibly catchy hooks makes this an album I 100% recommend to anyone reading.

This 10-track album is a quick listen, with each song running around two and a half to three and a half minutes long, but each song is jam-packed with beautiful melodies met with great storytelling.

Rosario’s voice is one of his greatest assets, luring you in with his melodies, and leaving you wanting more and more when each track finishes. His hooks remind me of Don Tolliver, PartyNextDoor, and even DVSN when we begin to hear the more sensual tracks. His music can be easily implemented into any R&B playlist you have, and I have a feeling listener’s ears will perk up every time his music comes on from now on.

The songs that I loved the most on the album so far are “Need Me,” “Movie Star” which features Voyce, and “Best of Me” featuring Livie.

“Need Me” was the first song on the album that really grabbed me, featuring the great writing ability that Rosario portrays so well throughout his music. And again, his hooks boost the replayability of his songs tenfold; creating earworms that will have you singing his songs for days.

“Movie Star” featuring Voyce is a quick 2:33 track that highlights some great production, another great hook, and promotes a great time of hanging out with your friends and living large and unapologetic. This album is full of good vibes and songs to play either while driving around, as party anthems, or even a great addition to some of your more R-rated playlists.

Lastly, “Best of Me” featuring Livie features the most prevalent Afro-pop influences and is arguably one of the best tracks on the album. The sensuality of the lyrics mixed with the groovy production and the beautiful vocals from Livie makes for an incredible track. The two artists flow so well together and I’ve mentioned this multiple times already, but Rosario’s hook comes through as the outright highlight of the song, and one of the best on the entire album.

I highly recommend listening to “Genuine Truths” when it releases on Wednesday, Sept. 29, and listening to all of Elijah Rosario’s music whenever you get the chance. His biggest singles to date are “Need Me” and “Survive” and I can tell that several songs on the album will find their way onto many listener’s favorite playlists.

Written by: Sam Esser