The pandemic struck right as both Tame Impala and Still Woozy were about to kick off summer tours, sadly I was supposed to go to both bands’ Chicago shows back to back May 29 and May 30. So this groovy Still Woozy cover of a Tame Impala favorite will have to hold us over until concerts are postponed.

2. This King Princess NPR Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

King Princess, the 21-year-old alternative pop singer-songwriter was scheduled to do a Tiny Desk show for NPR at their Washington D.C. office, but instead had to do an at-home show from an undisclosed location in Hawaii. King Princess performed three of her songs and discussed how quarantine has impacted her creation of music.

3. Phoebe Bridgers’ Instagram Live Concert for Pitchfork

After the release of her new single “Kyoto” on April 9, alternative singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers went on Instagram live the next day for Pitchfork to play favorites such as “Motion Sickness,” and her newer singles “Kyoto” and “Garden Song.” She also covered John Prine’s song “Summer’s End” to honor the late country musician who passed away on April 7, 2020. Bridgers also shared a new unreleased song that fans are speculating to be called “I Know The End.” Bridgers’ newest album Punisher comes out on June 19.

The post Three Must-Watch Quarantine Concerts From Last Week appeared first on Red Roll.

Not only have some concerts that were set to take place in other countries, (such as Khalid’s entire leg of his Asian tour and Green Day canceling in 8 countries affected by COVID-19) but even concerts in America have been impacted (such as Mariah Carey rescheduling her show in Hawaii to November).

It’s not only single night concerts getting canceled and rescheduled, a lot of festivals have been either already canceled or a lot of people speculate they will be canceled. South By Southwest, a multi day festival for music and film that takes place in Austin, Texas every year has been canceled for 2020. The festival was scheduled to begin on March 16th and conclude on the 22nd. This is the first time in 33 years that the festival has been canceled. 

Ultra Music Festival, a festival for electronic dance music that takes place in Miami, has been postponed for the year. The festival was supposed to take place on March 20-22. This is the first time in twenty one years that the festival has been canceled. Another EDM festival, Tomorrowland, that takes place in the French Alps from March 14-21, has also been canceled. 

With the case numbers in the United States rising lately, it’s hard to say what the future of a lot of festivals and tours will be for the rest of the year. 

The post Coronavirus: What Does it Mean for Music? appeared first on Red Roll.

The city speaks in music, so it is only fitting that Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events declared 2020 the “Year of Chicago Music.” With this designation, an investment of $3.5 million will foster the city’s rhythmic collaborators and showcase its musical history. The initiative will focus on the south and west sides of Chicago and leave a lasting pulse throughout the entire city.

Some highlights include an 18-day music celebration called “Chicago In Tune,” enhanced youth and teen programming, a 17-day World Music Festival, pop-up performances in underutilized spaces, increased cultural grants, opportunities for Chicago musicians and much more!

You can become a part of this historic moment in music by applying, auditioning for and supporting the events taking place throughout the year. More information can be found on the City of Chicago website.

Music has the power to drown out our differences and compose individual stories into an anthem—it’s time to show the world how well Chicago can harmonize!

The post Welcome to the Year of Chicago Music appeared first on Red Roll.

Starting July 21, the three artists will start in Texas and cross the country until the tour ends August 23 in Washington.

The Lovemakers and Ashe will be on the tour as well.

AJR consists of three brothers, Jack, Ryan, and Adam Met who have been making music together since 2005. Their latest single, “BANG!” dropped Feb. 11. Check out the music video below.

Quinn XCII started his career in 2011 and has been blending genres together since. His most recent single, “Two 10s,” was released Jan. 10. Check the video out below.

Hobo Johnson hails from California and has been releasing music since 2016. Johnson’s last single, “Typical Story” came out in 2019. Check it out below.

The tour comes to Chicago August 8 at the Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island. Tickets for the tour go on sale February 21.

The post Everything, Everywhere – The Concert Tour You Didn’t Know You Needed appeared first on Red Roll.

GRiZ: “Could U”

On February 6, “Could U” hit all of our favorite streaming services and social media platforms. Grant Kwiecinski himself (AKA GRiZ, duh!) took to Twitter the other day describing this latest jam as, “Funky, techy, bassy house vibes” and I couldn’t agree more. It has that signature funkiness that is always present in GRiZ songs– that high energy sound that grabs your shoulders and insists that you move around (no matter how weird it looks).

This new single came in a pack of two. He dropped an original and the Club Mix, and they both pack a punch (okay, I won’t lie, I can’t really tell them apart). There is an echoey element before the drop, that then bubbles up straight out of the speaker. Songs like this are so surreal when you pop in your headphones and crank the volume. It’s a totally different experience, especially compared to just playing it from a computer. Basically, check out “Could U” and seriously consider splurging on a concert or festival ticket to catch GRiZ in action when he returns to the states.

Louis The Child: “Don’t Mind”

Louis The Child (Robby Hauldren and Frederic Kennett) released their new single, “Don’t Mind” on January 31, shining some well-deserved light on our lives. The duo has been on quite the singles kick lately, putting out six in 2019. They continue that here in 2020 with this latest song. It certainly follows their usual thread of sunny-sounding, electronic pop, which is exactly what I’ve been craving lately. Listening to “Don’t Mind” on the way to class puts a spring in my step and a smile on my face.

I wouldn’t be surprised if every song represented in this article joined hands and ran off into the sunset together– the sunset being the cover art for this Louis The Child song. I would absolutely chase after them, happy to follow that rainbow road as far as it would take me. Hopefully, it would lead through winter and straight to California in time to catch “Don’t Mind” live this April.

San Holo: “Honest”

Sander van Dijck, known to us as San Holo, released a new song on January 31. Similar to much of his music, “Honest” gives me some gentle electronic vibes. He and Broods came together to create a perfect blend of indie-pop and EDM. This latest song truly coincides with San Holo’s “stay vibrant” philosophy, a phrase that grew in popularity in 2019. He promotes positivity and good energy as a spectrum, able to be represented by whatever percentage of “vibrance” you seem to be feeling. He tweeted yesterday, hinting at a “vibrant hotline” (whatever that entails, we don’t know yet), and the replies have been overwhelmingly positive.

This gushing and overflowing of positivity present on his timeline spills out in this new release. With 1 million streams in its first week, “Honest” is definitely a hint of warmth in this dreary February. San Holo is already touring, and if you want to kill two birds with one stone, he’ll be in Detroit with Louis The Child in May!

The post New EDM to Warm Your Winter appeared first on Red Roll.

Press play, lean in close and let Billy Raffoul whisper his new single into your soul, “It’s a Beautiful Life.” The rhythm bounces on the piano keys and reaches inside your heart, opening it to the rush of joy that comes with a refreshed perspective. Each pulse is light, dancing weightless like dust circling through beams of sunlight. The whispers come in slow and quiet, but as fans know, the force of Raffoul’s voice comes not from its volume, but its essence.

“To me it is simple, we needed an angel
There’s no need to let go, this isn’t goodbye.”

With simple words, he paints the depth of death. The gritty pith of his voice brushes each lyric like a gust of wind shaking the air pods out of your ear and putting you right in the studio with Raffoul. Reverberations of his passion echo the joys of a beautiful life to be celebrated, rather than a death built for mourning.

The matching music video takes the viewer onto the stage and invites them to an intimate, candlelit performance that features only the singer and his keyboard. A quiet end card dedicates the song to his late cousin, David Raffoul—a life to be celebrated.

The depth and passion of his performance preview his upcoming tour that kicks off February 28 and runs through April.

The post Billy Raffoul Reminds Us, “It’s a Beautiful Life” appeared first on Red Roll.

February 1: Deadmau5

Hailing from Canada, this EDM artist started in 1998 with three self-released albums. His first studio album, “Get Scraped” was released in 2005 with the Zoolook. Over the years, Deadmau5 released a total of six albums, the most recent one being W:/2016Album/. Catch his 18+ show at Navy Pier on the first day of February to start your month off right. Tickets can be found on ticketmaster.

February 5: King Princess

King Princess rose to internet fame with the release of her song “1950” in Feb. of 2018. Two years later and she is visiting Chicago on Feb. 5 at the Riviera Theatre for her Cheap Queen Tour. Grab tickets soon to see her all-ages performance here.

February 13: Rakim

Starting out in the golden age of hip-hop, Rakim has influenced many artists today such as Jay-Z with his use of internal and multi-syllable rhymes. Hear Rakim along with Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane and Talib Kweli at the Hip-Hop Kickback Concert held at the Chicago Theatre.

February 18: American Authors

American Authors gained notoriety with their single “Best Day of My Life” back in 2013. Since then, they have released three indie-alternative albums with their most recent one, “Seasons.” The band is coming to Thalia Hall Feb. 18 with their all-ages Band of Brothers Road Show featuring Magic Giant and Public. Purchase tickets here.

February 19: Tove Lo

The Swedish singer-songwriter’s hit, “Habits (Stay High)” put her on America’s radar and has held our attention since. In addition to her own four albums, Tove Lo has written for artists such as Lorde, Ellie Goulding, and Alesso. She is coming to Chicago Feb. 19 on her all-ages Sunshine Kitty Tour with opening act ALMA at the Riveria Theatre. Purchase tickets here.

The post Five Chicago Concerts to Check out This February appeared first on Red Roll.

The crowd comes to life when DJ Keezy throws on a Biggie throwback and announces Nikki Jean. She takes her place behind the keyboard in a soft spotlight, pulling the crowd into her dream with a calming welcome. Her music reads like smooth calligraphy from your own diary, swaying you gently into the meditation of her sung stories.

The music is so delicious, much of the crowd doesn’t even notice Sean “Slug” Daley and Anthony “Ant” Davis perusing the balcony, listening. “She has a really sweet energy,” Ant says shyly playing the role of the concert-goer rather than the headliner. The duo makes an effort to roam the venue before every show. “I like to get a feel for the room and honestly, I don’t know what else to do with this time,” Ant confesses as people begin to notice him.

“I’ve been listening to your music since I was 15,” one woman approaches him, “I’m 30,” her age acting as the punchline. I watch as Ant makes his way through the entire venue mingling with fans and posing for photos with a humble, down-to-earth spirit he’s preserved through the duo’s rise to fame.

When The Lioness is announced, the energy in the room intensifies. The strong messages in her lyrics are backed by DJ Keezy to create an explosiveness that turns the crowd’s sway into a hands-up bop. “Everything I do comes from the heart,” she said in a post-performance interview—but to the crowd, it is obvious.

When Atmosphere bounds onto the stage, the excitement shakes the room, overflowing into the merch store where the openers meet their fans. When Slug goes in, the room becomes electric. “I love you Slug,” people scream as they reach toward the stage. Long-time Atmosphere followers as well as new Atmosphereites scream the lyrics to their hits, sometimes even competing with the microphone.

If Slug periodically crying out, “I love you,” to the crowd doesn’t prove the group’s pure devotion to their fans, their high energy piercing through the extended encore has to. The duo makes the crowd leave a little more grateful by showcasing the simple yet powerful joy of being alive echoed by their call to, “Clap your hands if you’re happy to have mother f—ing hands!”

Atmosphere’s lyrics and vitality have the power to form a deep connection with every fan, no matter the age. Their success is best summed up in a quote from The Lioness, “Atmosphere has love. They have the love for what they do and that’s why they have longevity.”

You can catch the cultivated experience during Slug and Ant’s The Wherever Tour now through the end of May.

The post Atmosphere’s Atmosphere appeared first on Red Roll.

April

• Alec Benjamin, Alexander – Lincoln Hall – April 23
• Bea Miller – Lincoln Hall – April 24
• Neon Nite, Synth Jams – Late Bar – April 25
• Bayonne – Schubas – April 26
• San Holo – Aragon Ballroom – April 27
• Rise Against – The Chicago Theatre – April 28
• Julia Michaels – House of Blues – April 28
• The Japanese House, Art School Girlfriend – Bottom Lounge – April 29

May

• Emo Nite – Subterranean – May 4
• Zara Larsson – House of Blues – May 6
• Matt Maeson – Lincoln Hall – May 6
• Passion Pit, The Beaches – The Riviera Theatre – May 15
• Jorja Smith & Kali Uchis – Aragon Ballroom – May 28
• Frenship – Thalia Hall – May 29
• Juice Wrld – Aragon Ballroom – May 30

June

• Tash Sultana – Ravinia Festival – June 1
• Ariana Grande – United Center – June 4 – 5
• Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals – June 4
• Nav – House of Blues – June 6
• Spring Awakening – Poplar Creek – June 7- 9
• The National – Huntington Bank Pavilion – June 28
• Moon King – Empty Bottle – June 28
• Cuco – Metro – June 24, 28

July

• Car Seat Headrest w/ Naked Giants – Millennium Park – July 1
• Yungblud – Lincoln Hall – July 13
• Lord Huron  – The Chicago Theatre – July 26
• The Marias – Thalia Hall – July 26
• Jon Bellion – Huntington Bank Pavilion – July 27
• Beck and Cage the Elephant – Huntington Bank Pavilion – July 31

August

• Lollapalooza – Grant Park – Aug 1 – 4
• Queen & Adam Lambert – United Center – Aug 9
• Backstreet Boys – United Center – Aug 10
• Knotfest Roadshow – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Aug 11
• Smashing Pumpkins & Noel Gallagher – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Aug 15
• $uicideboy$ – Aragon Ballroom – Aug 16
• Westside Music Festival – Douglas Park – Aug 17

There is a good variety of people coming this summer. From Hip-Hop, Pop, and Rock there is something for everyone to enjoy. Some shows range from free to $200, so whether you decide to splurge or not you will still have a great time.

Don’t see something you like yet? Click here to check out other shows around the city.

Who are you excited to see this summer??

The post Shows to See This Summer appeared first on Red Roll.

The Problem:

Musicians don’t make money. It’s a common stereotype, but it stems from an air of truth. According to Kabir Sehgal of CNBC, artists only make “$.006 to $.0084 per stream,” meaning each time you listen to your favorite artist on Spotify or Apple Music, you are giving them less than a cent. As a result, tracks that get 1 million streams may only make around 600 dollars through streaming services.

In the end, most of that money won’t even go to the artist. Amy Wang of Rolling Stone says that, after accounting for labels and other leakage of profit in the industry, musicians oftentimes only get 10 percent of the money made on their music. The 600 dollars made on that Spotify hit amount to a measly 60 dollars for the artist.

How you can help:

There are a number of ways to support the artists you love that extend much further from simply streaming their music.

Concerts

Right now, the most revenue for musicians comes from concert tickets. Yes, tickets are expensive, but this just is a result of artists struggling to make as much on their music because of digitization. Artists need to make a living too, and the best way to do so is to go to their concerts. Not only do you get to give them the money they deserve, but you get the intimate connection with them that only a live concert can deliver. Next time your favorite artist is in town, go see them live!

Merchandise

Buying your favorite artist’s merch is one of the best ways to both give them some extra cash, and give them some free promotion. Smaller artists, in particular, rely on merchandise sales. Where bigger artists can get by on ticket sales alone, rising artists can’t always sell out shows and need to make up for that loss in other ways. Merchandise is often one of the most effective ways for smaller artists to do this, so if you truly enjoy them, buy a shirt or a poster.

Physical Copies of Music

Buying Vinyls and CDs can help artists out a huge deal. Again, the digitization of music has lead to a steep decline in the profits of musicians. Physical copies of music are more fairly priced and can get more money into the pocket of the artist than a simple stream. Good record players are not necessarily cheap, but they give a warmth to music that can’t be produced through streaming compression. If you can afford to buy vinyls, it can be a really good way to allow artists to make an actual profit on their music, itself, rather than them having to do multiple tours in a year just to make ends meet. Otherwise, buying CDs can have a similar effect without making as big a dent in your wallet.

Your Support Matters!

Spotify and Apple Music, alongside all other streaming services, are great in their own regard; they allow smaller artists to get exposure in a way that was unimaginable ten years ago and give greater access to music for people all around the world. Their biggest issue is their lack of support for the artists that allow them to exist in the first place. While streaming services are still duping artists, it is up to us, as listeners to support our favorite artists. After all, they can’t keep on making music if they can’t afford it.

The post How to Support the Artists You Love appeared first on Red Roll.