By eight o’clock on Thursday, The Wilbur Theater was packed with tye-dye wearing, man bun sporting fans dubbed “Villagers ,” all ready to listen to an inspirational performance by the indie/reggae artist Trevor Hall. The stage setup was extremely minimal – a tapestry with clouds hung and a large red rug with a mandala pattern covered the floor. Until then, I had only been to alternative and rock concerts, so this was a big change to see everyone and everything so laid back. From the friendly and peaceful vibe I got, I knew I was in for a relaxing evening. The one thing that was unusual for a concert in this age of technology was the strictly enforced no photo and video rule at The Wilbur. However, it made the show more intimate and allowed the audience to focus entirely on the music, rather than trying to post every song on their social media.

’ upbeat guitar chords filled the theatre as the audience filed in and took their seats. The real show started when singer/songwriter 

 walked on stage with only an acoustic guitar. He made it known that he is a relatively new artist; announcing that it was his first time performing in Boston, and that he would soon be releasing his first album on iTunes. His voice had a pleasantly raw sound to it, and his beatboxing skills were unheard of. While his original songs were full of talent and soothing, they were unfamiliar to the crowd. Still, the audience hummed along to the catchy tunes and swayed to the beats. He closed his set with a medley of well-known sing-alongs such as Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’,” John Mayer’s “Waiting On The World To Change,” and The Black Eyed Peas’ “Where Is The Love .” The reaction from the crowd was positive and fueled Thomas with happiness. Thomas closed his set quickly after this and introduced Trevor Hall to loud applause.

Trevor Hall made his entrance barefoot and wearing his token beanie. After the applause died down, he introduced one of his dearest friends and elders who has studied with “great masters of our time.” The man opened the show with a prayer, and then passed the mic to “Trev the Rev.” Spirits were high and auras were glowing as he sang his most beloved songs such as “Origami Crane,” “Green Mountain State,” and “Unity.” During his hit song “Where’s The Love,” he mixed in the lyrics of Outkast’s “Ms. Jackson,” and M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes,” an unlikely combination that somehow flowed beautifully together. Before performing “To Zion,” one of his older songs, Trevor acknowledged that his parents were in the audience tonight, and much to my surprise they were sitting a few rows in front of me. Throughout the show I kept looking over at them, and noticed that they lit up every time the crowd applauded for their son. The highlight of the show was when he began to sing a fan favorite, “The Lime Tree.” During the song, an unspoken bond seemed to have brought the entire audience together. For his encore, he announced he would be singing “Great Mirror,” a song he had never performed live before. Even though he messed up and had to start over because he forgot his own lyrics, the crowd chuckled and continued cheering. Trevor closed the show with a prayer, saying, “all songs are prayers in my mind.” He spoke about the controversial issue of the DAPL Pipeline, saying “it’s fucked up,” followed by his newest tune, “Standing Rock.”

Trevor Hall’s positive attitude was an inspiration to everyone that night, his tranquil vibe spreading like wildfire. I left the show that night feeling nothing but peace and happiness; it was the perfect little escape from reality.

Trevor Hall @ The Wilbur


November 19th, 2016 at Brighton Music Hall

I arrived at Brighton Music Hall fairly late, but despite the venue being packed, I still managed to make my way to the very front in time to see the opener, 

 perform. The psychedelic folk-rock group from Oklahoma City casually walked onto the stage and just began to play. Lead singer and guitarist, Cameron Neal, was very minimalistic in his movements, but it didn’t draw back from his stage presence because he was so focused on the music itself. A few high pitched screams erupted from the audience, as Horse Thief made it known that they had in fact toured with The Paper Kites before, displaying the prominence of some true fans in the crowd. Before they finished their set, they played a new single from their upcoming record dropping this January.

While the crew started to set up the stage, Christina Lacey from The Paper Kites came out to help them. I watched as she graciously fidgeted with all the wires to her keyboard and told a fan she would sign her copy of their album. The small venue allowed for an intimate experience and for all of the fans to feel acknowledged by the band. The Paper Kites opened with their hit, “Revelator Eyes,” off of 

 is a concept album, where all of the songs were written between the hours of twelve and four in the morning. This allowed the entire performance to have a dreamy, mellow vibe. Fans were delighted when they said they were going to play “Holes,” a song that was recorded for 

, but was never released. In between songs, singer Sam Bentley announced that it was their fourth time playing at Brighton Music Hall, and that they had a prank war going on with Horse Thief, so he’s scared of “what might be coming tonight.”

The highlight of the concert was when they decided to shut the lights off for two songs, including their most popular track, “Bloom.” The venue had some lights that simply didn’t go off, so it wasn’t their complete vision; however the inability to see them play made their voices and harmonies stand out that much more. Everyone closed their eyes, peacefully whistling along, and when the lights came back on the room was silent – everyone in awe of the moving experience that just occurred.

The band closed with two of their more well-known songs, “Electric Indigo” and “Featherstone.” As soon as they exited the stage, the audience craved more, and just like I had hoped, The Paper Kites returned to the stage for an encore. This time, they went a cappella, as all of the band members stepped close together and began to sing “Halcyon,” a soft, emotional track about love. It was amazing to see that the entire band, not just the main vocalists, could sing beautifully.

The Paper Kites seemed to have cast a spell over the audience with their performance. I left the show that night on a musical high created by their elegant rhythms and addicting voices. Don’t worry; even though it was supposed to be a secret, Sam Bentley may have let it slip that they would be back to Boston sometime soon.

The Paper Kites @ Brighton Music Hall


November 10th, 2016 at the Royale Nightclub

Two days after the presidential election results were announced, The Royale was packed with audience members primed to let loose. The crowd was ready to blow off some steam and dance the night away to The Naked And Famous.

, an indie electronic band from Los Angeles, California. In between his dorky dance moves and unpolished vocals, front man Kamtin Mohager declared, “We’re here to enjoy our lives and be happy.” Afterward, brother-sister duo 

 made sure they played one of their hit songs entitled “America,” that includes lyrics that say “

we can’t stay in America, you can be free in America

.” A few songs prior to singing that poignant track, the crowd went wild when they announced they were going to perform “Setting Fires,” a collaboration with the Chainsmokers, live for the first time. When it was over, singer Paige Duddy couldn’t contain her excitement and let out a “We did it! Thank you so much!”

After a long two hours of listening to the openers and waiting around for the crew to break down sets, Royale went pitch black with just a white flashing light on the stage. It was time for The Naked And Famous to come on. A prolonged introduction to “Water Beneath You” began to play. One by one, silhouettes of the band members walked out on stage and lead singer Alisa Xayalith exploded into the lyrics. Before I knew it, the entire venue was ignited by an energetic flame fueled by an intricate lighting system, electronic synthesizers, and dream-pop sounds. TNAF had a packed set list full of all their hits such as “Higher,” “Punching In A Dream” and “The Runners”. Hypnotized by the band’s vocals and bright blue, red, and purple lights, I felt as if I had time traveled back to a club in the nineteen-eighties.

The upbeat, lively mood slowed down as the band played “No Way,” a song off of their first studio album. The crowd sang along with the repetitive, yet dreamy lyrics. Alisa showcased her vocal range in the following track, “Laid Low”. You could easily hear the fire in her voice, especially when she sang the memorable line, “I’m learning to live with ghosts.”

It’s no surprise that The Naked And Famous also made a point to allude to the election like both openers had. Before the last few songs, Alisa Xayalith passionately exclaimed, “Music is an amazing thing in times of need…it brings joy and love and peace and I think it’s what you need right now” After closing with their most popular song, “Young Blood,” the crowd wanted more. They came back on stage and played “Rotten” for their encore, a mellow tune with a catchy rhythm.

One thing is certain, The Naked And Famous know how to put on an electric and up-lifting performance. The crowd seemed to really appreciate the night’s positive energy and the bands’ encouraging words. It was evident that America’s foreboding future was not on the crowd’s mind for the few hours they spent at The Royale.

The Naked and Famous @ the Royale

Kings of Leon – “WALLS”
Released on October 14th, 2016

When I hear the name “Kings of Leon,” the first thing that comes to mind is their unexpected blowout in 2011 when frontman Caleb Followill walked off stage, heavily intoxicated and unable to finish their set at Dallas’s Gexa Energy Pavillion. The rest of their tour to promote

, their fifth album, was cancelled but the band has significantly cleaned up their act since. The 2013 release of their sixth album, 

 was followed by a successful tour and was crucial for the band to crawl their way back up the charts and into mainstream media again. Kings of Leon are following this up with 

 – an acronym for “We Are Like Love Songs” – which was released on October 14th, 2016.

Kings of Leon’s usual recording spot is in their hometown of Nashville, however they decided to get a bit nostalgic and record WALLS in Los Angeles, where their first two albums were created. They figured it would be the perfect change of scenery and hopefully give them a new sense of inspiration, and succeeded – WALLS is full of powerful, yet haunting tracks. The band decided to go extra passionate on this album with topics including heartbreak, death, and addiction. While a majority of the album is fueled by dark thoughts, the sound is light and airy. The third track, “Around the World

has the makings of a summer anthem, perfect for driving on the highway with the windows down. Also on the upbeat side, are songs such as “Eyes on You” and “Find Me,” which contain peppy drum rhythms and stimulating electric guitar riffs.

Although Kings of Leon’s ability to get themselves together and discover a newfound motivation for making music is commendable, WALLS is nothing special. Many of the tracks feature cliché lyrics such as, “My heart will never let you go” and “never ask to be forgiven.” Their sound hasn’t progressed since their older albums. The 2008 hit, “Sex on Fire” is comparable to “Waste a Moment” – Followill’s voice even enters at the same time on both songs following a similar instrumental introduction.

We Are Like Love Songs is a great listen, but there is nothing that specifically sparks my interest. I can’t quite pick a favorite song on the album because they all satisfy me the same amount. If you’re looking for music to listen to on a long car ride, or background music while you’re cleaning your room, WALLS is your album.

Emily Grinberg