After a week of nonstop stress, I didn’t need a day off to calm down. All I needed was a visit to Great Scott for a show that provided all the comforts of home short of a warm cooked meal.

Weekend Friends started with a comfortably upbeat tone; consisting of passionate vocals and a generally bold sound. The indie noise band was both refreshing and familiar, a great pick me up for the rest of the night.

Versing reminded me of the great bands of my high school hometown. With harsh electric riffs and an incredibly full sound, Versing’s set was raw but well-polished with infectious rhythms that you can sink into. Songs like “The Draw” stood out because of the swooping melody that i couldn’t keep still to.

Never has a band’s presence on stage put me more at ease than the Courtneys did. The Vancouver trio’s calm and collected personalities translate easily into their music: a combination of relaxed punk and modern girl band pop. The best thing about them is that there’s no gimmick or brand they’re trying to impress their audience with, just their honest selves. They mostly played songs from their new album, 

which is filled with fuzzy guitar riffs and endearingly tenacious lyrics. “Minnesota” was a particular favorite, with its electrifying riffs that continued to pick up steam as the heart-aching song goes on. Their songs all have this lovely moment where their guitarist eggs on the melody to a sweepingly rise. It’s a warm sound that really distinguishes their new music. “Tour”, “Lost Boys” and a song from their debut album “Insufficient Funds” were songs like this that kept the audience riding a steady wave all night. The Courtneys only paused their set a few times to effortlessly converse with the audience about Korean spas, Acadia, and to ask if anyone had a place for them to sleep that night (I’m almost completely sure they were not joking), so the hour was filled to the brim with their charming hometown sound.

The Courtneys @ Great Scott

Of the many new branches forming within the indie genre, the indie-funk hybrid that Magic City Hippies is sporting is one of the more intriguing. The pure and carefree tone of their music induces a hypnotic groove that is familiar due to its foundation in indie rock, but unique enough to keep the listener’s attention. The audience refused to stop moving through the duration of the (especially long) Magic City Hippies set on a Wednesday night.

Tipling Rock was there to warm up the crowd with a classic alternative sound; cooled down but still fresh and bouncy. The set included happy-go-lucky songs like “Campus Fashion” and “Low Tide Love” that really catapulted the room’s energy. They threw in a cover of “Someday” by the Strokes which was a perfect fit for their style and had everyone dancing and singing along. The combination of their fluttering guitar riffs and deeply polished vocals gave them a distinct and solid sound that is lovely to behold.

Magic City Hippies were met with huge uproar the minute they hopped on stage, and their bright enthusiasm radiated off them for the entire night. The group has a sort of charisma that can be detected in their music and stage presence that made every aspect of the show incredibly endearing. They opened with their sizzler song “Corazón” that features the funky rap stylings of their vocalist Robby Hunter, and they set it all loose. The audience was off the walls matching and raising the energy on stage. Magic City Hippies themselves were a machine rolling out one song after another without even a breather. The only dip in the set were songs like “Never Say No” and “Limestone,” which consist of soft, steamier tones that emphasize the side of their music that has a more dreamlike groove. At this point in the set, everyone experienced a moment when they were lulled into a beautiful and almost psychedelic sleep. Easily navigating us out of that stupor, they transitioned into “Bull Ride” that got everyone’s blood running with it many twists and turns. They added some flavor by throwing in tasty and very unexpected covers of “Caroline” and “Big Poppa;” after the initial shock of song choice they were once again attacked with hollering of lyrics.

The set had such a tumbling flow that when it started to come to a halt, the audience realized they were all exhausted… but not exhausted enough that they didn’t beg for an encore. Magic City Hippies came back out after only a hot second and jumped back in as if they had never left, playing their biggest hit and confirmed banger “Fanfare.” With this glittering and fiery track that exudes the Miami culture that produced Magic City Hippies, sitting still is never an option.

Magic City Hippies @ Once Somerville

It hasn’t been long since Middle Kids’ February release of their self-titled EP, but that hasn’t stopped them from making a powerful impact on the music world. It began with the release of hit single ‘Edge of Town’ which eventually gained recognition from Elton John and earned a place on his Beats 1 playlist. I definitely had high expectations for this Aussie indie troupe going into my night at Brighton Music Hall, and they did not disappoint.

The Friday night show had of a strong lineup loaded with empowering female vocalists and energetic bands. Local Bostonian 

 began the night on a solid note, her voice bringing to mind the smooth jazz of Lake Street Dive combined with the lyrics of a harsh Fiona Apple. The set became progressively funkier, topping off with an offbeat cover of Nightmare Before Christmas’ ‘Sally’s Song’.

 and her band, the group providing a complementary but different tone of hard, soul rock. Her voice was deep and brassy; her presence was cool and comfortable. She even held a beer can throughout the performance, as if the microphone wasn’t first priority. The instrumentalists didn’t back down, but instead matched her intensity to create a powerful blues sound.

Middle Kids cultivates a magnetic balance between raucous instrumentals and whimsical, angelic vocals. From the start, they radiated an enticing vibe that drew people in and made the Bostonians there feel proud of their historic city (yes, several Good Will Hunting references were made throughout the night). Beginning the set with upbeat songs like ‘Your Love’ and ‘Fire in Your Eyes,’ Hannah Joy proved her level of comfortability with the venue, singing with the ease of an everyday conversation. Meanwhile, behind her stood the most enthusiastic and active bassist I’ve ever seen, shredding through each song and raising the energy of the entire room. The moment that really captured the audience had to be the piano ballad ‘Doing It Right,’ in which Joy stood alone center stage, belting out a soulful melody that left the venue shook. As her voice dropped, the audience became dead silent, clinging to every chord. ‘Doing it Right’ quickly transitioned into the rousing performance of ‘Edge of Town’ which they (temporarily) dedicated to Boston. This hit song rose with a crescendo of grit, mirrored by the audience’s hollering of the final chant of the song. Middle Kids then brought the tempo down with a mix of songs from their EP and their most recent, unreleased album, ending the high-energy show with a lullaby.

Middle Kids @ Brighton Music Hall

It might be remembered that Wednesday, March 22nd, was perhaps one of the windiest, most unpleasant nights ever, and after an overly complicated journey to Great Scott I was ready to have my spirits lifted. LA based group KOLAJ opened the night, consisting of lead vocalist Teesa Houston backed by an electric guitarist and a keyboardist. Emanating confidence and enthusiasm from the moment she stepped on stage, Teesa belted out their mellow and infectious dance songs with a powerful and controlled voice. Performing songs like “Hitchhike” and “Hold My Own”, they genuinely enjoyed themselves and interacted with the subliminally eased audience; their laid back beats were more than enough to get people moving.

KOLAJ definitely pulled the audience out of its shell, but it was clear everyone was still holding back and saving their energy for the main act. Watching eagerly as the sound tech and drummer set up on stage, we were suddenly shocked awake as the drummer launched into a beautifully destructive solo intro. By the time Quinn came on stage, myself and the rest of the crowd was itching to dance to his breezy but lively style of pop hip hop. Dissipating any memory of the wretchedly cold weather outside, he immediately flowed into fan favorite, “Another Day in Paradise,” with incredible energy that the audience wasted no time in reciprocating. I was at this show alone and a little self conscious about the closeness that Great Scott forces on the audience; all of that was forgotten the moment he started performing. Quinn’s tropical and spirited sound is an immediate mood booster and allowing myself to fall into the celebratory energy of the room was easy. Earnestly thanking the crowd in between every track, Quinn’s obvious delight with performing kept morale high throughout the night. Rolling through his set, every song Quinn performed was filled with zest and vitality, his selection ranging from his well loved album work to a cover of Yellowcard’s “Ocean Avenue”. His voice was not as finessed live but this was made up by the fact that he put so much into his rapping performance. Songs like “Fight Song” which I admittedly found tiresome when I heard them through my headphones, completely transformed after watching Quinn perform them. There was a raw, emotional aspect that can’t be translated to his studio tracks and has changed the way I listened, with no doubt the rest of the audience will listen to him from here on out.

Indulging in performing his most recent singles “Straightjacket” and “Make Time,” which at the time hadn’t been released yet, Quinn delved into complicated relationships and showed that he’s exploring new lyrical depths. Quinn also has a creative approach in his performing, smoothly incorporating lines from “Ignition (Remix)” halfway through his song “Bootleggin’”, followed by chants of “Cash me outside howbow dah?”. In his final closing song, “New Wave”, he seamlessly rolled into his well known “Riptide” cover; the final cherry on top of Quinn’s vibrant show.

Humbled and honored by the fact that the Boston show was one of the only sold out shows in his tour, Quinn XCII insisted, “It means the world to me” before carrying into his encore of “Kings of Summer”. I managed to spot him as he rushed out of the venue; he had to pull himself away from the loving crowd and was clearly sad to do so.

Listen to Quinn XCII’s newest single, “Make Time”, here:

Quinn XCII @ Great Scott


January 23rd at The Middle East Upstairs

Arriving an hour early to see TV Girl at the Middle East, I went to the upstairs lounge, which has a cozy little restaurant filled with dim Christmas lights. The performance room itself was very intimate and relaxed, barely fitting 200 people.

The night began slowly with Austin-born MIT student, 

, singing over pre recorded background synth from her laptop. Reminiscent of a simplified Regina Spektor, Noa’s airy voice and poetic lyrics such as “How many lives do we sacrifice? / The world takes its time like a glass of wine,” in her track “Whine” warmed up the initially sparse crowd. Although not as dynamic as the other acts of the night, her whimsical style was an excellent way to ease into the modern, electronic atmosphere of the night.

The following opener was where the energy started to pick up. 

, the next musician, consists only of Molly Raney arranging her songs live with her keyboard and synthesizer. While vocalizing her views on various social issues, Poppet provided an experimental vibe to the show. It was a special night for her for several reasons; one being that it was her birthday, and second that she was joined by her “old dancing partner” on stage to perform some interpretive dance. Both dressed in leotards and braided hair, the two women danced with synchronized and frenzied movements. Unapologetic in her lyrics, volume, and movements, Poppet provided a proper transition for TV Girl’s set.

TV Girl has an unmistakable sound that hits harder and harder the more you delve into their catalog. Their sound can lead one into the most delicious, synth-induced coma that they could ask for. Lead vocalist Brad Petering delivers brutally honest stories juxtaposed with his comedic, yet oddly calming, tone. The majority of TV Girl’s songs describe modern relationships and people we can all recognize in our day to day lives portrayed in a candid yet cheery manner. Sticking mostly to tracks from their first album 

 , they started their set with “If You Want It” followed by their most popular song “Birds Don’t Sing”. The blending of retro-sounding samples and a modern beat makes this song very difficult not to dance to. This feeling mirrored Poppet’s set, who could be seen dancing harder than anyone in the room on stage, side-by-side with TV Girl. Petering contributed to the audience’s relaxed mood, joking that he and the other members were “risking life and limb to deliver some groovy tunes”. Gliding seamlessly through each song, they performed an excellent cover of The Shirelles “I Met Him on a Sunday”. This was followed by my personal favorite, the fluttery and expressive track “The Blonde”. Topping off the night with the swooning “Lover’s Jam”, they left the audience lightheaded and wanting more of their heavenly dance melodies.

Becca Pariente