Christine Doré Miller, a native to the Battle Creek area who graduated from Western Michigan University in 2007 with a degree in Advertising and Promotion from the Haworth College of Business, recently wrote a best selling novel titled Forgiven Are the Starry-Eyed. The novel brings real life, raw, and relatable experiences about teen dating violence to life with eloquent storytelling and character development. Miller, who now lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and their two children while working full-time as a senior marketing manager for a large media company, said that she wanted to bring attention to the epidemic of teen dating violence as she herself had experienced it first hand. During her time at WMU Miller was director of the campus Peace Center, active in the Progressive Student Alliance, Students Against Sweatshops, the Living Wage Campaign, Women's Equality, Ad Club, Student Entertainment Team, Kalamazoo Homeless Action Network, and worked full-time as a receptionist at the Kalamazoo Planned Parenthood. I was fortunate enough to connect with Miller and ask her some questions about her creative journey. Below you can read a transcription of what we discussed. What’s your earliest memory of wanting to become an author or write a book and how did you take that thought and manifest it into becoming a bestselling author? I have always loved using the written word to express complex feelings. As a kid I would write short imaginative stories with talking animals and eccentric characters, as a teen I got really into dark, dramatic poetry (which would probably make me cringe to read now, haha), and then after college I started taking creative writing classes on the side which got me into the world of prose. It has been a lifelong dream of mine to become a published author so I cannot even tell you how excited and grateful I am that this has become a reality. I tried writing books in the past but never connected enough to a story so was never able to finish anything because it always felt too forced. But once I dug deep and found the right story inside of me and mixed that with LOT of persistence and hard work, I was able to get there. What specifically drew you to write about the topic of dating violence? I'm a survivor of teen dating violence and now, as an adult looking back at that experience, it's shocking to remember how many people around me at the time, peers and adults alike, did not know how to handle it (myself included), despite all of the red flags and obvious, public displays of abuse. Because of that, I always assumed that either A) I was making it a bigger deal than it was, or B) it happened so infrequently in our society that it wasn't worth widespread awareness and education. That caused me to minimize my own experience which only further amplified the long-lasting effects of that trauma. After years of therapy and support groups, I was able to realize through my own research and professional help that this is a MASSIVELY common problem in our country. NPR recently reported on a new study that proves 60% of adolescents have been the victim of abuse from a dating partner. This is a staggering statistic that nobody is talking about. Bullying has become a well-known and heavily discussed topic, thank goodness, but for some reason, if the bully and the victim are or were involved in a romantic relationship, people tend to look the other way. And it can be worse for teens because adults tend to minimize young people's stories due to their age and lack of experience, but it's very, very real and can lead to horrific outcomes. When I realized how NOT alone I was a survivor of teen dating violence, it became my mission to educate the public, spread awareness, and offer hope to fellow survivors. The only artistic strength I have is writing, so I decided to build my story around this topic, and Forgiven Are the Starry-Eyed was born. What are your long term goals for your creativity and writing career? Forgiven Are the Starry-Eyed is my debut novel so I think my natural long-term goal is to become a more established writer by publishing more novels. That is hard to do considering I also have a full-time career in marketing and two small children, but writing is truly a passion of mine so it's something I intend to make the time for, even if that means writing my flashlight when everyone else is asleep. Where do you see yourself in five years? I hope that in five years I am still a happy, successful mom, wife, and career woman, but I'd like to have at least one more novel published by then and be more actively speaking out against dating violence, whether it's through speaking at high schools, working with nonprofits, or just continuing to tell stories to raise awareness. How did you manage to find a publisher and truly find your own way in a competitive industry? That may have been the hardest part, and I know it sounds cheesy, but "never give up" is the best advice I can give when it comes to pursuing your dream. This was my first book, so any publisher would've had to take a chance on me since I was NOT a sure bet when it comes to potential sales. But I believed so deeply in my story and the characters and the work that I persisted, despite many, many, many rejections. I heard everything from polite form letters to cruel judgmental rantings to sometimes just no response at all. I just kept reminding myself that even if I got a million "no" answers, all I needed was one "yes." I also spent this time being open and humbled to the process, constantly refining my manuscript, getting feedback anywhere I could, and deciding where I was willing to make changes and what parts of the story felt integral to the integrity of the piece. For those who are reading this that are starting their own writing journey, what is some practical advice you would offer that they could implement? It all starts with a good story, and readers can tell if your story is forced or if it feels authentic and honest. That doesn't mean it has to be from your real life, you can have a story about aliens and talking dogs that feels honest if the emotions are relatable and the descriptions are palpable. Don't think about the publishing part at the beginning, just focus on getting a manuscript that you are really proud of. Once your draft is complete, get a group of beta readers in your prime demographic to go through it. I had several groups of teenagers read my manuscript and offer me feedback on what does and doesn't resonate with modern youth. They made suggestions on everything from the wording of specific dialogue to overall character development, which is incredibly helpful to me. I took their feedback very seriously and made some heavy edits before shopping it to publishers. Once it comes time to find an agent or publisher, it's important to develop a thick skin, not take any rejections personally, and just keep pushing on to the next. Whenever I would get down about it and feel like it was never going to happen, I would Google a really famous book and find out how many times it got rejected before it became a huge success. It made me feel better to remember that everyone was new at this once. Make sure you do your research to find which agents and publishers represent your genre and would be a good fit for your story and then query the hell out of them all. It just says one "yes." Is there a second book coming? The short answer is "yes!" But I don't have a timeline quite yet. I'm still in the outline stages so I don't have much specific to share yet as nothing has been solidified. What I can say, though, is that Andrea has a long road ahead of her and so much more to learn, especially when it comes to love, friendship, and finding herself, so there's a lot left to tell! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forgivenarethestarryeyed/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cdoremiller Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgivenarethestarryeyed/ BUY THE BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1773399489/ Website: https://www.christinedoremiller.com/ Speak Out Forgiven Are the Starry-Eyed comes during a time when one in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of abuse from a dating partner. This is a figure that far exceeds the rates of other types of youth violence. If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, or if you have questions about abuse, please call 1-866-331-9474 or visit loveisrespect.org

The Kalamazoo rap duo VNNY & JAZZ PRINCE, comprised of Vince Cortellessa and Jordon Buell, released their second full-length project “Up Long Enough” on all streaming platforms June 10th, approximately a year after their debut album “Never Mind, Forget It”. The duo traces their roots back to elementary school where they first met in the 3rd grade. Eventually, they fell out of contact because they ended up attending different middle schools but rekindled their friendship in high school. Around their sophomore year in college at WMU, Vince saw that Jazz and his friend Joey, who produces music under the name Breezy, were making music together. Vince saw potential in the two young artists and knew he had something to bring to the table. They all have their various talents but all agree that music is what gets them up and out of bed each morning. They have been working together for 2 years now. Each have aspirations to make solo music someday but affirm that VNNY and Jazz Prince will always be a group. I had the opportunity to sit down and talk about all the time and effort that has gotten them to their second full-length project in two years as well as a deeper look into the inner workings of the project itself, Up Long Enough. Below is a transcript of our discussion. How would you describe your sound or style? Where does that come from, or in other words who or what inspires you to create? JAZZ: I like to be forward thinking when at all possible that way we are able to cross genres and be as original as possible. I think what inspires me, personally, to create is the people I interact with in my daily life. I want to impress people and show them what I am capable of -- what we are capable of. VNNY: I grew up listening to basically every genre, I use a ton of that as my inspiration. Even now I try to listen to as much as possible and pull sounds from anyone that I think I could expand on, that’s the best part about making music for me is that every day there’s something new. To get more in depth, what inspired this album? What are some of the motifs, themes and overarching emotions associated with it? VNNY & JAZZ PRINCE: For us, there really wasn’t anything TOO specific that inspired the album. We try not to pull too much from our personal lives to use in our music, however sometimes we do, but we love coming up with stories and lyrics that paint a picture for whoever is listening, Jordon (Jazz Prince) and I are very different in what we like and what our ears hear, but that’s why we are so close and why we make music that people can relate to. Being best friends helps the creative process because we’re always willing to hear each other out, but for the most part we basically just looked at each other and say-- “let’s make an album that people want to listen to and keep on repeat.” How would you describe your collaboration, creating, and writing process? VNNY & JAZZ PRINCE: We spend a lot of time and a lot of long nights just writing, brainstorming, hours upon hours of making sure the song is going to come out the way we want it to. Sometimes it happens in a night, sometimes it takes months, a lot of the songs on this project have been finished for almost a year, so it’s cool to see them finally out. We both really have to be in the same mindset to make some of our deeper songs you’ll hear like “Fine Wine” but at the same time, we made our song “Taxi” in 2 hours. Is there any significance or story behind the title “Up Long Enough”? VNNY: I came to Jazz with the idea and we both loved it. I’ve been through so much in the last year or so, and for me, it was basically just “I’m over all of this. I’m going through so much and to be honest I’m just done with everything. I’ve been awake for too long and just want to sleep for a year.” It’s pretty dark, but it fits and it works for what the album is about. There are some key collaborations on this album, who did you collaborate with? How did you foster and build those relationships? JAZZ: We collabed with our main producer Breezy. We also worked with Tate Kobang and also worked with PapChanel. Both were just as simple as reaching out via the internet and making it happen. VNNY: For the features, all it really took was for those artists to give us a chance. They heard something in our music that they loved and they took the leap with us, and it turned out great. We have some other big features in the works at the moment and we’re excited to announce them soon. Who’s somebody you hope to collaborate in the future with? JAZZ: Gosh. I think the most personal collabs for me in the future would be like Jack Harlow, Bryson Tiller, Tyga, Tory Lanez, Ski Mask the Slump God, Dababy, Tee Grizzley. Those are the current ones for me. I have a lot of artists I would love to work with. VNNY: For me, from a music standpoint I really want to work with Jack Harlow who is one of my favorite artists at the moment, DaBaby, Halsey, Schoolboy Q, really anything to grow on what we’re currently doing, but those would be my main goals. What are your long term musical aspirations or goals? Our goal is to make it in music and make a name for ourselves as VNNY & Jazz Prince, but also expand into different ventures, grow our merch line, grow our relationships in the industry, and ultimately make a career out of making music. If you would’ve asked us if we’d be where we are right now 2 years ago, I would’ve told you that you were insane, but we put the work in and we prove ourselves with every song we put out that we keep getting better and better, and the album is a good culmination of that. What is Weird is Normal? Weird is Normal is our collective of artists and producers that basically have the work ethic, and drive to continue to make great music and grow as artists and people, right now we’re set to our core few with Myself, Jazz, Breezy, and Saint Boyd who is a newer artist we’re working with that embodies everything we look for in making music and as an artist. Social Media: Twitter: @VNNYMUSIC @JazzPrinceMusic Instagram: @VNNYMUSIC @JazzPrinceMusic

I attended a show at The Stache on May 8th, which is a separate room connected to The Intersection up in Grand Rapids, MI. I have been a long-time listener of Seaway, a Canadian-based pop punk band. I first saw them back in 2015 when they were touring with Sense Fail, Bayside, and Man Overboard. Since then, I have been dying to see them again in concert and was super stoked to hear about their Fresh Produce Tour around the United States. Along with them they brought bands by the name of Young Culture, Heart Attack Man, and Free Throw. Young Culture Young Culture opened up the night. A new band to the scene with a lot of energy. Recently signed on to Equal Vision Record Label. They just released an EP earlier this year titled (This is) Heaven and hosted a CD release show for it back in February. It was my first time listening to any of Young Culture’s music and despite it all being new to me it still felt like it was home. Though they had many instrumental interludes sprinkled throughout their songs, they still had a very strong sense for the drive that comes with a lot of pop punk music. Their lead singer Alex Magnan seemed to have the most energy of them all. He was constantly running around the stage. It was refreshing to see a band that didn’t just stand and sing into the mic. Heart Attack Man Heart Attack Man was second in the lineup that night. They recently released an album titled Fake Blood and also played a release show right after coming off of this tour in Ohio. Heart Attack Man was my personal favorite of the night. They had a wonderful stage presence and have found myself listening to their music the most out of the bands that performed that night. Listening to their music live it sounded like a heavy Weezer and The Menzingers, both bands I love. After the show I followed them on Twitter and can confidently say that they also have a very strong social media presence. I highly recommend spinning their newest record and checking them out. Free Throw Free Throw came on directly before Seaway. They released an album titled What’s Past is Prolouge. Free Throw was an emo band to the core and it released a strong sense of middle school nostalgia. They definitely led with the image of being an emo pop-punk band. They also had a very strong stage presence and seemed to have a lot fans at the show. The lead singer, Cory Castro led the group with charisma despite coming off of what sounds like a stretch of having very little vocals to give. I was also a big fan of their last song titled Two Beers In, a tune I have heard many times but had never put a song to a band. Their sound leaned more towards a classic emo sound, much like that of Real Friends. Right after this tour they played Bled Fest, a festival held in Howell, MI that was headlined by The Wonder Years, another classic emo band. Seaway The headliner for the night was Seaway. Seaway has been one of my favorite bands for a while now. Some of my favorite albums being Colourblind and Vacation. Right before this tour they released a new album titled Fresh Produce which was a collection of B-sides and putting new spins on their older songs. Watching Seaway live this time around was a completely different experience for two reasons. First off, they seemed to have a different energy about them. The lead singer, Ryan Locke, was much peppier than I remembered which led to an entirely different experience. Secondly, I actually knew the songs that they were playing. It was so nice to finally get a chance to jump around and sing along to some of my favorite tunes so close to the band. Overall, I had a really great time at this show. I was worried that I wasn’t going to have as much fun as I did, but I’m very glad that I was able to let the worries and stress of everyday life slip into nonexistence as I danced and sang along to music for the few hours I was there.

Within the walls of Mute City, a very intriguing show took place last night. Unlike the typical format that one would expect where the music gets heavier as the night went on, this show took that format and flipped it on it’s head. Stormo was the first band to hit the stage, although I cannot remember where they are based, but likely in Michigan. This four piece featured two guitarists that rotated between rhythm and melody, a bassist and a drummer. Their sound was derived from a fitting combination of bands like Radiohead, specifically from OK Computer and before, to more modern pioneers of 2010’s indie rock such as Hypoluxo. It was a very pleasing listening experience, as the grooves that were laid down by the drummer really allowed for the opening up of the guitar work. Stormo’s tunes were bouncy, fun, and laid back sometimes even within the same compositions. The song selection was very entertaining to open up the night. Although they have no social media, make sure to check them out at future events, as I imagine they will be back at Mute City sometime this year. The second band to rock everyone’s socks off was the Toledo-based power punk band called Equipment. I am not as well versed in punk bands as others, but based on my observations they had a Green Day vibe from their early 90s days. Again, this is testament to the necessity to learn more about punk bands, as my basis is within math rock and post-hardcore metal. Regardless, this four piece got everyone super hyped, as their chunky and fast guitars combined with excruciating drums caused some broken necks as well as a tumultuous listening experience. Their music was centered around drawing back on past experiences and struggles. The band’s eight day tour concludes tonight in Ann Arbor after traveling and touring around Ohio and Michigan. You can listen to their music at the link here. Next up, in stark contrast, was Greg Ashley, an artist who has been through a tremendous amount of life experience, and his music was strictly done with an acoustic nylon guitar and his soothing vocals. People all sat during this segment in the venue, allowing for an extremely intimate experience that is difficult to find at places other than house shows. Based out of Oakland, California, his tunes are often from a nihilistic point of view, with a lot of emphasis on the effects of drug addiction. Greg even told a personal story from his book about trying cocaine with a friend and how that experience was quite humorous. His music seemed to reminisce on better days, which seems to be a commonality shared within the music community at large, and I can definitely agree with that sentiment. Despite the dark undertones, his music was soothing, similar to the way Mac DeMarco has that type of appeal. In addition, he is a music producer and owns his own recording studio. You can check out Greg’s music here. Finally, to close out the night was the comically adept guitar/banjo duo called Wine Boys of Peppertown. Their approach to music was similar to Greg, but with a slightly more optimistic point of view. The first two songs they played were originals, one about a tree and the other about being haunted by Japan. The band’s lyrics seemed to be more sporadic and metaphorical as a non straightforward approach to songwriting. Later on before the show concluded, they did a round robin type of song where each person would state their name from peppertown. It was an engaging way to close out the night. Overall, this show was interesting, my first Thursday night house show, and was a great way to socialize with new faces. The Kalamazoo music scene is only growing, and I hope that many people are able to hop on the bandwagon while the train keeps moving along. More house venues can be found on the DIT Kalamazoo website here.

*this interview took place after the Audiotree Music Festival in the fall of 2018 and was transcribed by Lexi Terrian L: How would you categorize your music genre-wise? Or is there a subgenre that your band identifies with? MM: Generally, we’re a rock band since we use guitars and drums. We’ve got an electric guitar, bass guitar, and a drum kit. Today we had our percussionist with us. L: Is that not normal? MM: We do it live and in the studio so it is becoming more normal. The fourth member is not apart of the brand as much, but it really adds to the sound. L: Who writes the music? Or do you all write the music? MM: Me (Jacob). L: So is it your band? Do you call it your band? MM: That’s a super good question. I’m the songwriter, so the whole thing is my prerogative. Jacki and Bud are very aware of that, but I think we try to set ourselves up for as much expression as possible from each member. It’s how we approach the songs. It’s totally unique to us. When I write a song, I try to stick to my guitar or stick to my keyboard and I’ll try not to fill it out too much from there. L: What is the songwriting process for you? How do you bring it to the rest of the band? Do you let them put their own spin on it or do you tell them the ideas that you had for that song? MM: Even if you did write out everything exactly and you brought a trio of people together to perform the written music it would change from the way the person who wrote those formulas out. It would become something else and that sound is what bands are. It’s an interpretive thing. We try to just bring our sensibilities to it. L: What happens when you get an idea for a song? Do you start with lyrics or melody? Where does it start? MM: Sometimes the melody comes first, sometimes the lyrics come first. More often a melody or chord progression comes first. I’ll play something on the guitar and say “Oh, I like the sound of that” and start humming along. I might make up words just to fill in the space. There are sometimes where I just hear a word that people are using in daily life and I’ll say “That’s a really weird word” and it’ll inspire me to think about moods that are associated with that word. Then I’ll begin to write down phrases with the word in it and that gets me in the ballpark for sounds. That gets me moving in the right direction. L: How are you feeling about being here before? I’m sure you’ve played in Kalamazoo before. MM: Yeah, we played in Louie’s Trophy House a couple of times. We played Bells. We love playing Kalamazoo. It’s good to be playing regionally, but still reaching a new market. L: Have you toured recently? MM: We went on a tour in June which was the last proper tour we did, but we’ve played quite a bit just around West Michigan after that tour. We played in the U.P. too. L: Where did you play? MM: It was called Farm Block. It’s about as remote as you can get. It was with a band from Kalamazoo called The Go Rounds, so I’m sure you know them. It was Grahm’s family’s farm and it was the 10 th year that they’ve done it. L: I know someone else who does a festival at their farm. Have you heard of the Harvest Gathering? I know Seth Bernard, the person who runs it and I think it’s really cool that people just take their home farms and turn it into a festival. MM: Yeah! We were hanging with Seth at Farm Block. L: What was your last music release? Did you release an album or a single? MM: We had a record called Number One. It was our first full length record, so it’s a pun. We released it in late March and that was a big deal for us. We did a single in July and we did it for charity. We posted it on Bandcamp and if anyone chooses to donate money, we send it to the Detained Migrant Solidarity Committee in El Paso, Texas. They put the funds toward bail bonds for detained migrants. It’s a huge problem and when we released that single it was at the breaking point. We figured we should try to do something. L: What is the purpose of your band? Are you doing it for fun or is there a bigger picture? MM: World peace, equal human rights, black lives matter. Whatever you want to call it. Pride. Just positivity. To me that’s what music can be about. It can be an agent in all those causes. Those things drive me to make music. L: What are some artists you have been listening to lately? Or artists that you think have inspired your sound when you write music? MM: There are local artists that really inspire me and artists that we play with. Labelmates of ours Barrie the Band. They’re from New York City, they live in Brooklyn. We don’t know them all that well, but we play shows and hear their music. They inspire you to keep working and making music. We got to play with Whitney in Kalamazoo which was incredible. We love Sam Evian and he’s coming through Grand Rapids soon. L: Local artists make a much bigger difference in another artist’s lives. Are there any artists you listened to a lot growing up? MM: So many. Christian music was formative for me growing up. If you didn’t have a lot of exposure like that they definitely opened certain doors for me. But I also listened to a ton of classic rock and all that stuff. It’s funny to look back on it now, but back then that was like the best stuff. L: It’s weird growing up and realizing what little things affected you. MM: If I love an artist and try to replicate their sound it’s not until years after that I feel like I’m finally doing it. When I’m not trying it comes out. L: Do you have a certain goal that you want to accomplish with your music? Where do you see yourself going? MM: We’ve got some new songs that we’ve been working on. We’re still pretty early in the process with them, but we have played them live and put together some demos. The sound is changing a little bit and I think we’ve realized when the band started, we wrote songs with broad ideas that we were all interested in and it wasn’t so much based on experience of playing live together. As we’ve done that over the past three years, we know which songs we dig now. We realize which ones we enjoy playing more and which ones the audience like more. We’re focusing in more which I’m excited about. In the spring, we’re probably going to be putting out an EP of demos from our first record Number One. You’ll recognize the songs, but they’ll sound a little different. It’s like a behind the scenes thing. L: I like that. It feels a little bit more intimate since it was the first time you were playing through those songs. Very unpracticed. MM: There’s definitely some rawness there. I’m excited for people to hear it. It’s a totally different feel. More like bedroom pop. We’re kind of going towards the more alternative rock band and moving away from the 70s sound and more towards the 90s, even though there’s still plenty of 70s influence in there. This EP will have an older sound which I have a special place for. Major Murphy played with Post Animal in Holland on December 1st as well as some private events. Keep on the lookout for new music from them.

May 17, 2019 has been a magnificent day for new music. This music ranged from local Kalamazoo artists to well-known artists. For someone who loves rap, like myself, today has been a landmark holiday for new music releases from Tyler, the Creator, Slowthai, Injury Reserve, Amine and Chance the Rapper. These are huge names. Is it a coincidence they were all released today or was this planned? Honestly, I could not care. My ears could not be happier than in this exact moment. A little word of warning, if you are not one to hear explicit content. These albums are not for you. At midnight, I promised a dear friend and the current WIDR GM to listen to his debut album. The album Acatalepsy by ZXA can be found on all streaming platforms. Being someone who is personally going through their life search, I can greatly relate to this album. Acatalepsy is somewhat a coming of age story mentioning the hardships that can be given to students (and those between the age of 17-30) about how life is cruel and exciting all at once. The true and honest meaning I get from this album is how life is constantly being thrown at you. There is no down time but at the same time life is passing you by. You are losing time with those who are leaving you to go do the things they love. Many of us who are growing older can deeply relate to these feelings that ZXA goes through. I would recommend this album to most. If you support local music, this is one to put in your ears. Listen on Spotify by clicking this. Beth’s Picks: Cognitive Dissonance, I Think Therefore I Am I have been listening to Tyler, the Creator albums since I was 14. Tyler was the one who introduced me into the current musical taste that I have. Many “original fans” may say that IGOR is not like his previous dark synthy sound with harsh vulgar language. Now, I would not say he lost his musical synth tones and dramatic pianos. Although, he did change his vocal sound quite a bit since Wolf. IGOR’s vocals are produced perfectly and pitch shifted to give them an airy tone. Much of the public and myself have found this album to be a breakup album. Do I know that for sure? Absolutely not. In EARFQUAKE he says, “Don’t leave this is my fault”. This is just my hunch and finishing this album with three “love” songs. No, I did not immediately fall in love with it. This could have been my lack of sleep when I listened to it the first time around. Once I came back into sanity, I did fall in love and deeply. This album can be found on all streaming platforms or by clicking here. Beth’s Picks: EARFQUAKE, NEW MAGIC WAND, WHAT’S GOOD Sit around kids and let me tell you about my undying love for Slowthai. Tyron Kay1 Frampton is a 24 year old rapper from Northampton in Britain who released the new album called, “Nothing Great About Britain” and was recently featured on the anticipated new Flume Mixtape. This man truly brings back the need for care in the poor areas of Britain that is being neglected by its royal ruling class. In his music videos, he glorifies the embodiment of the lower class in Britain through dark close up shots. In his album, Nothing Great About Britain, Slowthai shows us the twangy meaning for the working class. This has been my favorite album that was released on May 17. I would give this a five star rating and can be listened to here. Beth’s Picks: Nothing Great About Britain, Crack, Drug Dealer There has been plenty of new music that came out and just in time for summer to commence. My heart and ears could not be happier and hopeful for the future of rap. So, I will leave you with this. Go out and enjoy your life and music. Since all of these artists have an overarching theme of fleeting life, there is definitely no time to sit around. Go out and live.

When I saw Sylar’s post on Instagram about their first headlining tour, I was ecstatic. I bought VIP tickets for their Chicago date on May 14th. Chicago was the closest location to Kalamazoo, but always worth the drive. After impatiently driving two and a half hours to get to the Beat Kitchen in Chicago we lined up waiting to get called in for the VIP event. There were maybe 20 people at the VIP session, so it was really close and personal. We got special VIP merch: a t-shirt, a wall flag, and a lanyard. We watched Sylar perform two acoustic songs, and did a Q&A. The guys of Sylar are some of the friendliest, most open minded people to talk to. The main vocalist, Jayden, mentioned how they want to welcome fans with all types of music taste, they just want people to feel good when they listen to their music. One fan asked how the band felt about their song ‘All or Nothing’ being played on Monday Night Football. Their drummer, Cody, explained how he played football growing up and his dad was his coach. Not only was the band stoked to have their song played on Monday Night Football, but Cody’s dad was so proud. After the Q&A we got to take pictures with Sylar. Since we were VIP, we got priority entrance into the venue. We were front row. The venue was small, but not cramped. I waited, antsy, for an hour as the place filled in before the show started. Sylar had three opening bands. First, Bloodline, then Varials, then Cane Hill. Each band was outstanding and the crowd’s energy was unmatched. Finally, at 8:30pm it was Sylar’s turn to perform. I was just as excited as the first time I saw them. I was exhausted from singing, dancing, and headbanging for almost two hours already, but a sudden burst of energy swept over me. I let everything out during Sylar’s set and felt so decompressed when the show was over. The guys of Sylar were giving out the set lists to the crowd, and I got a guitar pick from Travis, the bassist. Sylar is one of those bands whose lyrics help you through the tough times in life. Their shows are powerful with so much energy that you can’t help but leave with a smile on your face. The guys of Sylar are so great at interacting with their fans, you almost feel like friends. I will definitely be seeing Sylar every time they’re performing nearby.

On Monday the 13th the singer and songwriter from Frankfort Illinois, Chase Walsh, blessed the WIDR air waves with a beautiful solo guitar and vocal performance. Walsh's musical journey started when he was 5 years old when he first began to play guitar and write poetry. During the performance we had the ability to ask Walsh a few questions in between songs. When asked about his creative process, he said that he drinks a lot of coffee and that most of his inspiration comes in short bursts. Then the hosts asked him if there was any significant story behind his performance name and he just laughed lightly and said, “actually yeah, my mom gave it to me,” jokingly responding because he performs under his legal name. While on air he played a six song set and with each song he progressively filled the studio with emotion and beautiful acoustic guitar riffs. Walsh blends punk rock with acoustic emo making for a very contrasting yet vibrant sound complemented nicely by the heartfelt sincerity of his lyrics. In the long term Chase hopes to self produce a few full length albums and play more live shows. You can find a majority of his released music on Spotify and iTunes or check him out on social media: Instagram: ChaseWalsh11 Twitter: walsh_chase SET LIST: Summertime Sadness (not the Lana Del Rey kind) The Last Time It Snowed Drab Don’t Look Back in anger N2BH Light Beer Favorite Tracks: N2BH and Light Beer

The day normally known for celebrating Mexican independence is celebrated a little differently in the historic Kalamazoo Vine neighborhood. On Sunday night from 8 pm - 12 am, the Vine district was filled with booming sounds of drums and wailing guitars. In the house known to the local music scene as Mute City, three prestigious Kalamazoo bands filled the old walls of Mute City with their music. The bands are as follows: Lucius Fox, Nothing New, and Team Two. Mute City and many of the other local house venues want to expand the listenership of local bands. This love for local music was greatly expressed by the crowd this night. First up at 9 PM was the heavy metal duo Lucius Fox. The band has been through some membership changes, but currently is composed of Jeremy Cronk on guitar and Jonathon Fleming on drums. Their sound is composed of screaming guitars and pumping drums, resembling their post-hardcore siblings Night Verses and Strawberry Girls. The lack of vocal elements did not stop their passion and push for a big sound, which was greatly emphasized within the confines of Mute City that easily flowed into the Vine streets. Consistent time signature changes, complex rhythms, and a do-it-yourself attitude is what makes their music so grounded and compelling. The simple fact that they are able to get a massive wall of sound without the use of a bassist is impressive. Lucius Fox is a staple in the Kalamazoo scene for metalheads and musicians alike to be reckoned with. Their next album is significantly anticipated. In the meantime, you can listen to their last album that explores the 7 planets surrounding our dwarf star that was released in 2018 by clicking here. Following Lucius is local punk powerhouse Nothing New. They were founded in 2015 in the basement off of Kendall Ave. and have produced two albums during this time; Lettuce Etc. and Next Week. These can be found here and over the 89.1 air waves. The band is fronted by spunky guitar player Matt Jett. Who is backed with funky bass lines from Al Craig and no band would be all the way formed without their drummer, Griffen Buchheit. I have had the pleasure of seeing this band many times and would highly consider you doing so as well. Their vocals are of events that many others can relate to. The feelings of heartbreak, loss, happiness, and growing older makes them extremely relatable for many. Their music is full of passion and the prominent dynamic between its members is where most find their performance to be most enjoyable. Not only was their stage presence phenomenal through creating a joking atmosphere but their instrumentality to portray an up-tempo wholesome punk tone was done perfectly. To finish out the night, Mute City welcomed Team Two, a highly regarded band out of Kalamazoo. This was definitely the band to send out the show. After a five day tour that trekked across the eastern midwest, all emotions were pushed towards this final show. This dynamic four-piece often refers to their sound as an “endearing Midwestern emo mathrock,” and is comprised of Justin Kiddle, Maggie Heeren, Tanner North, and Nate Smith. The constant interplay between polyrhythms and sonic noodling was gourmet to the ear. Let me tell you, it ain’t like eating cold Chef Boyardee out of the can. If you have never been able to listen to their music, I highly encourage you to click this link. Their stirring and intense vocals mixed with their airy instrumentality filled the whole home and spectators hearts. Their stage presence gave off a dramatic musical essence and was high energy. Following the musical tones, there were tears left in some of those in the crowd from the overall energy. The tears were not from sadness, but from overwhelming happiness that everyone gets the opportunity to come together and play music to the public. The DIT community is one of acceptance. So, if you are one of those who may be slightly frightened to go to these shows, do not. They love everyone. No matter who you are. To find more information about DIT/House shows you can go to http://www.ditkalamazoo.com/ and we hope to see you at the show.

I came across the music of Brit band The Vaulted Skies by complete accident as I was doing the usual mindless scroll through social media. And what a happy accident it was! You could say it was *ahem* fate (pun intended) that led me to discover this band. They became one of the biggest influences on the musical direction I decided on for my radio show I host at my university’s student radio station (89.1 WIDR FM at Western Michigan University), and later on, I even got to interview lead singer James Scott on my show. The gratitude that I have for this band is immense, and so I only felt it was right to return the favor by writing this review of their EP of last year No Fate? (Alya Records). This band deserves all the recognition they can get, and the fact that they aren’t bigger than they are is astounding. It has been a long road leading up to this EP. The St. Albans, Hertfordshire-based band started years ago under the name Sunflies, later on changing it to Rorschach’s Journal, and finally The Vaulted Skies, after several line-up changes and new management. No Fate? is a worthy culmination of those years of persistence and dedication. It not only represents the incredible talent of the band, but also their genre-defying, powerful sound. The album kicks off with the energetic “Does Anyone Else Feel (Strange)” , the synth-kick drums burrowing themselves right into your soul, as an echoing guitar line menacingly grows stronger. The five-minute romper slowly builds as the song goes-on, adding further and more complex layers of instrumentation and fusing together elements of post-punk and electronica. The pulsating up-tempo beat remains unwavering throughout. In fact, the entire rhythm section on this release, made up of session drummer Bom and bassist John Melia, is solid as a rock. It is clear that the two have an understanding of each other’s musical strengths and have a dynamic musical relationship that lends itself to the band’s high energy. No time is left for contemplation, as one track goes immediately into the next, “It Starts With You”, which is a testament to the band’s genre-bending sound. The opening notes feature thumping drums and a funky Hammond-organ riff, which then descend into a hard-hitting guitar. Here, there is more of a rock edge than the previous dance-oriented track and the guitar skills of both Scott and co-lead guitarist Ben Singleton take the forefront. The band has elements of goth throughout the entirety of No Fate? but no more is this gothic side evident than in the third track, the slower, wistful “The Falling Man”. Lead singer James Scott’s voice has nuances of post-punk, goth legend Robert Smith of The Cure, a band that Scott has stated frequently as being one of his greatest musical influences. Make no mistake that it’s an imitation,however. Scott brings his own originality and intensity into the mix with his distinct vocals, lamenting with the line “The last thing you see is a leap of faith to bring you to me.It’s the only way...”.That, in combination with the icy cold guitar that weaves itself between the melody sets up a hauntingly beautiful melancholia. Just as you’ve settled yourself in, the next and final track, “The Night” kicks in with a deafening siren, followed by a driving drumbeat and an ominous atmospheric guitar that unsettles you to the core, and it’s absolute perfection. This track also showcases Scott’s piercing vocals at some of their highest potential and intensity, crying out in desperation.This track is easily my favorite off the EP, and sums up everything that is great and unique about this band. The listener is left wanting more as the album ends, with Scott maniacally laughing in confusion “ha ha ha ” (an homage to The Cure’s “Hot Hot Hot” perhaps?). And what better way way to wrap things up, really. The band is currently in the studio working on their next EP. And if No Fate? is just a small sampling of what this band can do, we are sure to be in for a real treat with their next release! Favorite Tracks: “The Night”, “Does Anyone Else Feel (Strange)?” You can keep up with the band on their website www.thevaultedskies.com, as well as on social media: Facebook @TheVaultedSkies Twitter @TheVaultedSkies Instagram @thevaultedskies.

When first diving into Paul Adam Mayer’s music I went first to his YouTube channel. Upon investigating, I noticed that all his videos were filmed in a very plain room with a looper, a piano and a microphone. A few clicks later I found myself on his first upload titled I Just Wanna Give It Back, which was an improvised loop he uploaded in December of 2018. As soon as I started listening to it, I was instantly transported back to summer. Something about the keyboard line at the beginning with the addition of the beat and organ line reminded me of sitting in a hazy, humid summer room with my closest friends. Or driving west toward the sun as it’s setting with the windows rolled down and the volume cranked all the way. Mayer’s melodic lines create the sense of nostalgia for simpler, care-free times. If you listen closely to the lyrics of Mayer’s songs, you will find bits of comedy sprinkled into them. For example, the opening line of I Just Wanna Give It Back is “Broken hearted, forget I farted, forget I started…” On another improvised track of his, also a video on his YouTube uploaded in January, titled Titanic he sings about the Titanic and mentions that “Wonderwall is a crappy song”. Moving to his Soundcloud, I found my personal favorite track which is titled Get By. This track maintains a single repeating vibraphone line underneath all the other layers of guitar, strings, drums and harp. The lyrics for this song talk about being alone, and the feeling of uncertainty that is sometimes brought with it. It also feels like Mayer is trying to convey how sometimes the pressure that is provided from external sources makes you feel like you need to ignore it and just accept the fact that it will linger because we “all have an expiration date”. Even though Mayer still searches for the “peace and tranquility” that will relieve that feeling of not knowing. Mayer’s music, as he describes on his Facebook page, is “a musician doing genre-bending”. Though it’s challenging to put Mayer’s music into a single musical box, he taps into elements of funk and gospel, while also using styles from R&B. If you listen to the homebrew music that Mayer formulates, there is no doubt that you will be able to find sprinkles from many different genres mixed into the final product.

Background The last US tour by Lords of Acid in the Fall of 2017 included a stop in Detroit at St. Andrews Hall, which was unquestionably one of the best Industrial/Electronic type shows I’ve ever witnessed. The tour was meant as a sort of appetizer to the release of the band’s 2018 full-length album “Pretty in Kink,” which was the result of a successful crowdfunding campaign. It ended up being my favorite album released that year. I even wrote a review of it for the Western Herald, stressing that it was not only the Industrial album of the year, but Electronic album of the year overall, and that the band was still “creating sexy, drug-infused rave music unparalleled by their contemporaries.” Despite the fact that the show was a blast, it was missing LOA mastermind Praga Khan behind the decks, who had to miss several dates due to an ear infection preventing him from boarding a plane. It didn’t faze me at all - like the band said, the show must go on. So imagine my excitement when the Lords announced another full-length US tour for Spring 2019. This tour would be very important for two reasons: first, the first US tour since the release of Pretty in Kink almost a year prior. Second, the live US debut of new Lords of Acid vocalist Marieke “Little Bloody Marie” Bresseleers, whose talent as a vocalist simply cannot be understated. Sultry on some tracks, operatic on others, all with an underlying tone of wickedness, Bresseleers brings her own brand of debauchery to the Lords. Part of the deal for supporting the crowdfunding campaign was a pass to the Lords of Acid “Backers Only” Facebook group, and in the months leading up to the show, the band members would periodically host live Q&A interviews with fans to get everyone ready for an unforgettable night in each respective city, a nice touch of class. The rest of the lineup on this tour for the Lords would include DietTrich Thrall on bass (Doyle), Sin Quirin on guitar (Ministry), and Galen Waling on drums (Ludovico Technique, various). Support for the tour was provided by Gabriel and the Apocalypse, Little Miss Nasty, Genitorturers, and Orgy. Genitorturers are a band I’ve been trying to see live ever since I was old enough to start attending shows, so I was as excited for them as I was for the Lords. Unlike the previous tour, the Michigan date was booked in Flint instead of Detroit at a newer club called Buick City Event Center. It had seemingly sprung up overnight - at the beginning of the year, shows started appearing online that would be booked there, such as Soulfly and other larger names. Most of the time, going to a show in Flint would indicate a trip to the Machine Shop, which is the best venue in Michigan in my opinion. So not only would I be getting to see the Lords again, I would also be experiencing a new venue. Along with me on this adventure would be fellow WIDR FM personality DJ Shadowplay, host of The Eleventh Hour on Wednesday nights, along with my friend Austin, a man with low-to-no knowledge of Industrial music or Lords of Acid, but open-minded enough to buy a ticket on a whim and join in. The show was booked for Saturday, March 9th. The Venue The actual venue itself was gorgeous, and I will definitely be returning for future shows. Secure, fenced-in parking lots immediately eased my worries about being in an area of Flint that was new to me, and there were already several cars in the lot when we arrived. The setup is interesting - when walking in, the club appears to be a small Buick/auto museum, and it isn’t until walking further in that you get to the nightclub area. The nightclub part is soaked in purple and blue neon lights with an interior decor scheme similar to the aesthetic of the Motor City Casino and Hotel. In other words, very swanky. In between bands, the hype man / MC of the event would toss out free Buick City Event Center Merchandise to the patrons. “Who wants to play a game? Raise your hand if you want to play a game!” As soon as someone raised their hand, he yelled “You win!” and tossed out free shirts and hats. I forget what he said his name was, but he was a great source of entertainment through the night, and kind of made me want HIS job. He also talked about how excited he was to see LOA, since he used to play them all the time when he was a strip club DJ. We had rail the whole time from start to finish, and later on he noticed me still in the same spot and exclaimed, “Damn dude, you’ve been there ALL night!” Speaking of rail, it was the perfect height, so nobody could be too short for it. The stage is small, but it provided an intimate setting. The size is somewhere between the Machine Shop of Flint and St. Andrews Hall of Detroit. The sound quality for every act was also on point - most instruments and vocals could be easily distinguished from each other, no problem. Like many venues, the sides are equipped with VIP tables. Closed circuit monitors adorn the walls which show a clear view of the main stage. These monitors are apparently equipped in VIP rooms throughout the venue, which are available to attendees for a few hundred dollars upgrade. Not knocking it, but I couldn’t help but wonder why someone would pay extra money for a concert just to be able to watch it from a separate room in the building on a screen. Once the bands busted out the smoke machines, they became practically unwatchable on the monitors, especially with the bass rattling the camera. I CANNOT say what the VIP rooms are like on the inside, but I still have to question who would pay to watch a show like that. Either way, I’ll probably never find out. Gabriel and the Apocalypse This Minneapolis-based Industrial/Hard Rock band has been making waves in the underground in the last few years as a wildly powerful onstage spectacle. My friend (and part-time co-host) Chad Thomas Carsten has done interviews with them in the past, and this tour served as the precursor to the release of their new album “Alpha Bionic,” produced in part by fellow Minneapolis musician John Wheeler of MYZERO and Blue Felix. However, fans attending had the opportunity to grab the new album before its release date. Dressed in the fashion of post-apocalyptic comic book characters, or zombies that became self-aware enough to form a rock band, the band immediately grabbed the attention of the still-arriving crowd as the first performance of the night. Keyboardist Figgles McGee seemingly emerged out of nowhere and immediately started jumping like a madman on a large drum, screaming to the crowd “DON’T BE SCARED! COME UP HERE!” The crowd heeded his call and began to fill in. When the band launched into their high-octane industrial rock sound, they were joined shortly thereafter by lead singer and band namesake Lindy Gabriel. The chemistry between the band members was apparent, and Lindy seemed to be “commanding” the band like some kind of valkyrie. The members were climbing the amps and being generally crazy onstage. The bassist, Will Reisdorf, noticed my Ministry 2018 tour shirt, gave me a big thumbs up, mouthed “I like your shirt!” and threw me a purple Dunlop pick. One unexpected song was a cover of Beds are Burning by Midnight Oil, which will be available on the new album, and which DJ Shadowplay got a kick out of. Overall, it was one of the most entertaining opening sets I’ve seen in recent months, and it’ll be exciting to see what they do next. Lord (no pun intended) knows this tour should gain them plenty of new fans. Little Miss Nasty Not a “band” as much as a rock-and-roll burlesque group, Little Miss Nasty was the “wild card” on the lineup. I had an idea of what to expect, but wasn’t sure how it would play in to the rest of the show. Having viewed their performance first-hand, I’ve concluded that this is EXACTLY the kind of entertainment I would expect from a Lords of Acid tour, and wondered why something like this wasn’t on the bill when I saw them the first time. Four gorgeous women in schoolgirl outfits (and other tantalizing ensembles), accented by G-strings and electric tape, performed several exotic dancing routines to the beats of various hard rock and heavy metal hits, beginning the first block with Korn’s cover of “Another Brick in the Wall.” They would periodically exit the stage for a quick outfit or prop change, so each segment was something different and exciting. They actually performed two different shows, one before Genitorturers and one before Lords of Acid. During the first show, the crowd was mostly hushed, and I realized that I kept forgetting to blink by what I was seeing. Towards the end of the first show, one of the women spat beer all over me, then leaned in real close to caress my face, handing me a (mostly) full can of Coors Light. It was one of the greatest moments of my life, and I even got a free beer out of it! The second set was even more exciting than the first. Since the crowd had warmed up to it, Little Miss Nasty was greeted with wild cheers. The second set involved a large swing bar that was fastened to the stage so that the members could perform suspension routines (not the hook kind), which was even more impressive to see. I kept thinking something bad was gonna happen, but it didn’t, and that made it even better. It’s difficult to explain in words all the things that I saw them do, and I feel that trying to explain it would be an injustice. I would gladly go and see Little Miss Nasty perform again if I had the opportunity, and would highly recommend it for other people. I also need to note that I really like the idea of having some kind of performance group in between bands. It gives a nice break in between sets of rocking out really hard, rather than just going full steam ahead. Maybe next time we can have some sword swallowers or something, too. Genitorturers Of all the openers on this lineup, I was most excited for Genitorturers. I’ve been trying to see this BDSM-infused Industrial Metal band ever since I was old enough to attend shows on my own, but had missed them every single time. Their stage shows are always ridiculous with all sorts of props and freak show routines, and I was eager to see what they would be bringing to Flint. Kicking things off with “Revolution,” lead singer Gen Torture graced the crowd dressed like a bondage-clad war combatant complete with a bizarre gas mask. Despite the costumes, the stage show felt a little more stripped back than with Gabriel and the Apocalypse. The focus was mostly on Gen, with the band members performing the grinding metal tunes like a well-oiled war machine. For the most part, I couldn’t stop headbanging and jumping on the rail, screaming the lyrics to every song. Following Revolution, they launched into “Cum Junkie,” my favorite Genitorturers song. Gen kept exiting the stage to do a bunch of costume changes. Most notably, for the song “One Who Feeds,” she came out with what appeared to be dragonplate armor with hoses (or tentacles) coming out of her breastplates, some of which ended in dragon heads. She handed one of them to me and someone else in the crowd, and I thought you were supposed to drink something (milk?) out of it. So I tried, but nothing came out. It still LOOKED like we were sucking some mysterious liquid out of them, so I’ve had fun making jokes to friends that I really DID drink milk from a Witch’s Tit at the show. Here’s a video from the same tour (not in Flint) to illustrate what I’m talking about. Meanwhile, a woman on stilts dressed as a demoness with electric tape over her nipples and a big, floppy dildo hanging out kept making appearances on stage. The first appearance of this monstrosity was appropriately for the song “Devil in a Bottle,” during which Gen produced a bottle of whiskey and dumped it all over the demon dildo. Later, she would “amputate” that same dildo, neutering the demoness. (I can’t believe I just wrote that in a sentence). Whoever was underneath the costume made several bizarre wardrobe changes as well. In the midst of all this craziness, I happened to look over to the right side of the VIP area, and who do I see but Praga Khan himself? He was standing with another fan enjoying the show, so I waved at him. They both grinned and waved back, and it was kind of a surreal “this guy is actually REAL” moment. Genitorturers finished out their set with “Sin City” to enthusiastic roars from the crowd, and a heavy feeling of elation on my end for finally crossing this band off my list. Meeting Praga Khan After Genitorturers ended, Praga and the fan he was with both pointed at me and gestured for me to go to the VIP area entrance. I immediately jumped off the rail (the only time I left for anything that night), and he greeted me with a handshake and a hug. He said he saw me rocking out during Genitorturers and thanked me for doing so, as they deserve it. We talked for a bit and I thanked him for bringing the Lords back to Michigan. While I don’t use the term “sweet” very much for anything, that’s exactly what he was - a very sweet and warm man. It was definitely one of my best experiences meeting a musician I admire. The fan he was with was kind enough to take a picture of us, which I’m very grateful for. I just wish I could remember what all we talked about exactly, because I was so geeked that this was actually happening. Orgy Orgy clearly had the most level of excitement from the crowd. Once the band members starting filing onto the stage, they were greeted by cheers that might lead one to believe Orgy was actually headlining. And why shouldn’t people be excited? Several people I’ve talked to cite Orgy as some of their earliest influences into heavy music, as well as an early gateway into the world of Industrial music. It might come as a surprise to some, but I’m actually not as familiar with them as I should be, besides the singles and the “Talk Sick” EP. Therefore, I decided to approach this one with a fresh, open mind. I’m happy to report that seeing Orgy live made me appreciate them quite a bit more than I did before; unfortunately, the set was marred by a couple problems. It’s not that the towering frontman Jay Gordon and the rest of the Orgy gang weren’t giving it their all - quite the contrary, they were SELLING it. The band has been performing since the 90’s, and it shows, as they’ve had plenty of time to perfect their blend of industrial and rock sound. For the most part, the band appeared to be having quite a bit of fun onstage together. However, like I said, there were several technical difficulties throughout. Jay Gordon’s microphone was repeatedly cutting out, or would be way too quiet. I lost track of how many times he had to change microphones, and not a single one of them seemed to be working very well. He did appear a bit frustrated at moments, but kept his cool while the rest of the band played on. Therefore, many parts came off as instrumental versions to the songs, or were performed only with backing vocals. It was also sometimes difficult to figure out which song they were on, since there were so many microphone difficulties. For example, I’ve been checking www.setlist.fm to make sure I have my facts straight, and apparently they’ve been playing a cover of “Smack My Bitch Up” by The Prodigy on this tour. That’s nice of them to do, since The Prodigy frontman Keith Flint committed suicide recently, but I don’t remember hearing that played at ALL, because I would have recognized it right away, and neither did DJ Shadowplay. Maybe they played it and we just didn’t realize it at the time because of the difficulties, or maybe we just weren’t paying enough attention. There was also one part where they started to play a song, but then immediately cut it off and decided to play something else, so that could have been it too. All that being said, it was still a very enjoyable set. Their high-energy music is more than infectious, and I was bobbing my head and throwing horns the whole time. The crowd was undeterred, screaming the lyrics along with Jay, even when he wasn’t singing. There were even moments when Jay asked the fans in the crowd what they wanted to hear, which is always more than a classy touch. Ironically, he asked my friend Austin first, who was clueless. Again, Austin is a man with low-to-no knowledge of Industrial music, or what any of this was all about. So Austin turns to ME, but by this time Jay had already asked a different fan. (Please note this for later in the story during Lords of Acid). All technical difficulties seemed to subside towards the end of the show, during which Jay Gordon walked into the audience to perform their well-known cover of “Blue Monday” by New Order. Jay was handing the (now working) mic to fans to sing with, as well as posing for photos and Snapchat stories without missing a beat! He proved that he is a kickass frontman, even with a broken leg! (Later on after the show, I saw Jay in the parking lot. I yelled across the way, asking him how he broke his leg, and he responded with "Man, I wish I had a cool story to tell, but I broke it while moving!”) One of the best parts of the set was when the members of Gabriel and the Apocalypse gathered on the right side of the VIP area and were rocking out, screaming the lyrics, and overall having a blast together watching Orgy. When Jay exited the stage for Blue Monday, they stormed the stage, looking like they were having the time of their lives. I would be happy to see them live again, as they have more then proven that they ARE great live, even in spite of the difficulties. The little touches I noted also show an ounce of class as performers. This set, along with the following extra show by Little Miss Nasty, got the crowd all heated up for Lords of Acid. I couldn’t help but notice that I was shaking with anticipation. Lords of Acid Frankly, there’s so much that needs to be said about this set that I might accidentally forget something. A LOT happened on that stage. Once the lights finally dimmed for the headlining slot, a new wave of energy could be felt surging through the crowd. Praga, Sin, Galen, and DieTrich all joined the stage, each garnering louder cheers than before, with Marieke joining last. For just one second, it felt like the entire Pretty in Kink crowdfunding campaign, the 2017 tour, and the album release had all led up to this exact moment in time - the one just before the Lords started playing. It felt unreal. And then they actually started playing. Unlike the 2017 tour, which mostly featured tracks from the 1994 “Voodoo-U” album, this one had a greater variety in addition to the new “Pretty in Kink” material. The band started off with two tracks from the 2001 release “Farstucker,” opening with “Sex Bomb” and going into “Scrood Bi U.” Perhaps Sex Bomb was the best possible track to open with - it exemplifies most of what the group is all about with buzzing metal guitars, sexual samples, danceable beats, soaring atmospheric synthesizers, and an undeniably in-your-face punk rock attitude. Since the sound is so eclectic, it was difficult to decide whether to jump, dance, headbang, or throw metal horns. I settled on alternating between the choices, but Austin said he didn’t see me stop headbanging the whole time. For new tracks from Pretty in Kink, the setlist included “Break Me,” “Sex Cam Girl,” and “My Demons are Inside.” Although I would definitely say these are three choice cuts from the album, I was a little surprised that the set only included three new songs. I would have liked to have heard a bit more, but I understand how that might be difficult when considering their extensive catalogue. That said, the rest of the setlist had quite a few surprises in store. I wasn’t expecting to hear classic songs like “Out Comes the Evil” from Voodoo-U, which was absent last time; or “You Belong to Me” from the album Our Little Secret, my favorite Lords album. Praga’s wife Inja van Gastel even made a few appearances during the show. Donning a blonde wig, she first appeared for the song “Worship the Lords,” carrying a giant double-sided cue card for the crowd to chant that read “Praise the Lords” and “Fuck the Rest.” It was a really cool touch to an already spectacular show. Marieke surpassed all expectations as a performer and vocalist. Anyone who may have been concerned about how she would do with the old-school Acid tracks should have no reason to worry - the old material sounded amazing through her, and the new material sounded even better! It’s always a testament of talent when a vocalist can take tracks and put their own spin on it, and that’s exactly what happened here. There were a few times where I didn’t even realize they changed songs because I was so entranced. I remember thinking that this must be what a siren song is like, because I’m not entirely convinced she’s completely human. It was also very refreshing to have Praga back behind the decks. As previously mentioned, he had to miss several dates of the 2017 tour, and it was nice to finally be able to see the mastermind himself perform. It’s clear that decades of being the “Lord” haven’t worn on him at all, and he, along with the rest of the band, were clearly enjoying themselves with big grins abound. For a couple tracks, I even air-keyboarded(?) the notes back to him, and he did them back to me, most notably during the intro for “Drink My Honey.” Will from GATA wasn’t the only one who noticed my Ministry shirt. Sin Quirin himself noticed it right away and gave me a big thumbs up, later on giving me a pick as well. Incidentally, I actually met Sin at that same show I got the shirt from (Ministry at 20 Monroe Live in Grand Rapids, 2018). Both Sin and DieTrich are, in a word, cool. The way they carry themselves onstage just screams pure rock-and-roll in a way that can’t be articulated unless seeing them live. Galen’s militant pounding of the drums was also a sight to behold. I am always impressed with club-style drumming on an actual kit, rather than having them all pre-programmed. The multifaceted drummer proved that his industrial metal drumming is flexible across many styles. The show was also filled with several laugh-out-loud moments, mostly thanks to Sin. He kept sticking his guitar neck out into the crowd, and different girls took turns licking it. Cheers of “Go, Sin!” were barely audible over all the noise. During the song “Pussy,” in which female members of the audience are invited onstage to dance, bump, and grind (among other things) with the band, one lady was shaking her booty at Sin, and he took a pick and stuck it in her panties! (I don’t think she noticed though, because it fell out and she didn’t even pick it up). Obviously for the song “Rubber Doll,” a blowup doll was actually brought out and sent crowd surfing. The girl who was standing next to me got ahold of her, propping her in front of the rail so that she could watch the show too. Another thing that happened to my friend Austin was that Marieke got really close to his face, and he FLINCHED. He jumped back, and it could be the imagination of myself and DJ Shadowplay, but we thought she looked a tad disappointed. I don’t know if she was actually gonna kiss him, which is what it looked like, but we’ll never know now either way. Regardless, I will never let him live that down. The irony of the situation is what’s funny about it - out of all the people in the club who she could have picked to get in the space of, she picked the one dude who doesn’t have a CLUE what this is all about, and arguably the most “normal” guy in the audience. The show went on and wrapped up with a bunch of classics. The blistering set came to its conclusion with the classic tracks “I Sit on Acid” and “Let’s Get High,” with the band returning for an encore of “The Crablouse.” Afterwards We all needed a breather after the sensory overload that we had just witnessed first-hand. I caught a torn half-setlist, DJ Shadowplay caught a full one that drifted over the crowd like a paper airplane, and Austin was sporting the new hat he had caught. A sizeable crowd had gathered over near the merch booth, and it was because the band had already come out to meet the fans. DieTrich actually walked up to US, and he signed DJ Shadowplay’s setlist. We thanked him for the awesome performance and for being there. I feel really bad though, because for some reason we forgot to ask him for a photo. At this point, I can’t remember what distracted us, but I chalk it up to still trying to process what just happened that we weren’t thinking clearly. I felt like I was rolling while completely sober. Marieke passed us on her way elsewhere, enough time for a quick hug and a thank you. Meanwhile, there must have been a rush to buy Praga drinks, because everyone seemed to be handing him one. Shadowplay was able to meet Praga for a photo as well. We also met some of the guys from GATA, and they signed a new CD. They told us to go bang on the tour bus and yell “HEY YOU FUCKING BITCHES! SIGN MY CD!” and they would do it, but we didn’t end up doing that. I also saw Gen standing at the Genitorturers booth. I was equally excited about meeting her as I was Praga, and I kind of nervously approached, but she was a very sweet woman. She was surprisingly soft-spoken compared to her onstage presence, but very kind. She apologized for not having a whole lot of merch available (which didn’t appear to be the case), but I had no problem with that. I bought a patch and plan to stitch it onto a pair of worn Tripp shorts soon. After a while, it became apparent that we had spent a little too much time hanging out after the show and needed to jet. None of us accounted for the daylight savings time change, so we didn’t actually get home until about 6:30 in the morning. But it was WELL worth the trip. Closing Thoughts Well, what more can you say? Lords of Acid were twice as good as the last time I saw them, all of the opening bands kicked ass and gained new fans along the way, and I was able to experience a new venue. Half-naked chicks, dragonplate boob tubes, acid-soaked electronics, and a monstrous amount of strobes and fog machines - it all comes together in an extravaganza that could only be described as a Lords of Acid show. Beyond the show itself, when considering that I got to meet some of my favorite artists, I can only conclude that the Flint stop of the “Pretty in Kink” tour was one of the best damn nights of my LIFE! I would like to personally thank the Lords, the bands, the crew, the venue, and all other associates who had a hand in making this happen. In conclusion, Praise the Lords. Fuck the Rest. PS: As for Austin, he was glad he went. He discovered a whole new world of music he was previously unaware of, and I find his open-mindedness inspiring. PPS: I feel really sorry for the guy in the Crystal Method shirt who didn’t know they were doing a free show in Grand Rapids that night. Talk about bad timing.

This past Monday night we had an epic head to head finale for our Battle of the Bands competition generously hosted by Ruperts Brew House. Facing off on the mystical Monday evening was Foxfollow and Shankool. Shankool, who hails from Bay City Michigan, takes his influences from new wave, synthpop, and funk opened the night with his groovy tunes. He engaged the audience well and seamlessly transitioned from one vibe to the next. His lyricism and groove would be tough to match by his opponent. Foxfollow, a Kalamazoo based band, which includes Pat Mehall and Nick Ploof on guitar, Evan Hall on bass, Jim Tumavich on drums, and Derek Mann on lead vocals. The melodic metalcore group played a lively set, screaming right into the hearts and ears of the audience. They engaged the pub well, were exciting to watch, and left the room buzzing with energy even after they had finished there set. After an hour of fantastic live music performances from ranges tastes and styles, it was time to decide the winner. After difficult deliberation by the judges and input from the greater WIDR community Shankool was named the 2019 winner of WIDR’s Battle of the Bands competition. If you missed out on this amazing night of music be sure to check out our Twitch stream for future live events. Shankool Set List: The Vault, Healthy, Backwards*, Poison, Oxytocin*, Dr. Juice, You Never Looked At Me The Same Foxfollow Set List: Poison, Thieves, L’Appel DuVide*, Swollen, Unsound, Interaction No.54*, Wolves Favorites are marked with an *

The local Kalamazoo band that calls themselves “Hello Whoever” consists of Bre Bowen, Grace McElhone, and Jacob Wolf all who are currently students at Western Michigan University. Bowen is from Midland Michigan and is currently a junior studying music therapy, McElhone a native of Mason Michigan is a senior at WMU, and Wolf describes himself as a “fun-loving boy who just loves good music and good ceilings”. The band first came together in the summer of 2018 and has a rather interesting tale on how they came about naming their group. The group’s name originates from when McElhone lived in the Gibbs House, a sustainable living and permaculture research laboratory site. The house is rather prominent in the WMU community and one night a car passed the house and honked, McElhone says that her internal response was “Hello whoever just drove by” and immediately thought to herself that it sounded like a great name for a band. And so “Hello Whoever” was born and the rest is merely history! This Monday “Hello Whoever” was the guest on our weekly Basement Show and played an eight-song set. The band brought their indie folk sound to the WIDR studio with lyrical depth and vulnerability. Each song brought upon a new emotion, with lyrics that carried dark undertones and mental health references, all while sounding dreamy and upbeat. The groups sound is comparable to that of Fleet Foxes, Of Monsters and Men, and Alvvays with raspy male vocals complemented nicely by bright and soothing female vocals, melodic guitar, sweet harmonies, and minimalistic percussion. Keep your eye peeled for their first recorded album in the not so distant future and feel free to check out some of their published work as well as the live recording from the basement show at the links below Bandcamp: https://hellowhoever.bandcamp.com/releases Set List: Post Syndrome, Here Comes the Sun (Beatles Cover), Give Me Love, What Are We Doing, Greggggg, Earth Tones, Beach Boys, Definitely December Favorite Songs: Post Syndrome & Give Me Love

On the first of February the Vernon Hills native N. C. Palma released his first cohesive project. The project titled “7001” is an EP consisting of five tracks. The project takes the listener on a vulnerable and lyrical journey from the beginning of a flourishing relationship, through the tumultuous water that often follow, all the way to the end. The project is rhymically and lyrically diverse but the thematics are consistent throughout keeping the audience engaged while not losing it’s storytelling qualities. It’s evident that Palma really took the time to develop his own flow and sound on this project. Having followed his music since high school I can say with certainty that this is his best release to date and his progression as an artist shows in “7001”. After listening to the project through several times I had the opportunity to ask N. C. Palma a few questions about the project and his musical journey as a whole. Where are you from, and how did you get your start in music? I’m from Vernon Hills— a northern suburb of Chicago. The first content I released was in high school. I probably wouldn’t have continued without friends insisting that I release more; at some point along the way it all started to sound good. Who or what inspires your music? Inspiration for me is more spontaneous— if I’m really feeling some type of way about something it’ll probably come out in the music. What first got you interested in writing songs, specifically the hip-hop genre? I was born in 98’, so hip hop is really what I was most exposed to— I can’t imagine doing any other genre. That being said, I think a lot more influences than just hip hop come through in the work. What’s your favorite style of hip-hop/sub-genre and why? I don’t know that I see subgenres as rigid enough for me to pick a singular favorite. I like good songs Can you elaborate on how you approach the writing and creation process? I don’t have a real process— I like to start with a concept and a tentative cut of the instrumental, but by the time it gets to the writing I typically have a good idea of where I want a piece to go. What’s the meaning behind the Title of your project “7001”? When we were working on the project, each update of a given mix would get a version number; after five or six versions we couldn’t remember what number we were on, and so we started giving songs tags like ‘v5000.’ The final bounce for one of the songs was marked ‘v7001’— I felt like it reflected the content of the EP, the trials of interpersonal relationships, and so ‘7001’ as a title aligned thematically: 7,001 tries to get the music right, 7,001 tries to get these relationships right— if nothing else it’s to say that sometimes things take more than a single try. Social Media Snap: @iAmNickPalma Insta: @iAmNickPalma Twitter: @iAmNickPalma Track List: Down the Block, Icarus, Element, Fuckdemi, Champaign Favorite Tracks: Icarus, Champaign