For The Punks

Throughout Charlotte’s nightlife, some of the best Friday nights are celebrated by a trip to Petra’s Bar with either your best friends to kick off the weekend or with your co-workers after a tiring day at work. As for myself, happily clocking out after a long day of work and driving down to Petra’s was one of the best feelings I have ever felt as a concert photographer.

Briston Maroney’s 3rd annual Paradise Festival took over Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville, TN on November 14-16th. This was my first time attending Paradise and it definitely won’t be my last. As I entered the venue I was greeted by a table by Pleaser Magazine. You could get your photo taken, pick up a sticker, and write a note to your favorite artist on the lineup. After checking the table out, I headed to the merch table. There were exclusive Paradise designs as well as Briston’s usual merch.

Last week, Pond delivered an electrifying performance at Revolution Hall in Portland, Oregon, a venue known for its unique history as an old high school turned concert space. The intimate setting, with its high ceilings and old-school charm, was the perfect backdrop for the band’s immersive psychedelic rock sound.

Wrapping up their headlining shows for the 2024 calendar year, Local Natives made a stop through Connecticut at College Street Music Hall. They chose a great venue for their first stop to New Haven along with an even greater crowd in attendance. Krooked Kings started out the night with a vibey set full of songs from their entire discography. Local Natives’ stage design was simple but incredibly fun. A large balloon LN was the backdrop for the electrifying performance.

Closing out a successful North American tour, Sammy Rae & The Friends spent their last night in Boston, Massachusetts at Roadrunner. They spoke on stage frequently that this show feels like coming home since they originate from close by in New York. The show opened with some great music from Jukebox The Ghost. I’ve been listening to them for several years now so it was a nice treat to see them play in any capacity. Roadrunner began to fill up and everyone was dancing along to their set.

November 5th was an amazing day for the Minneapolis metalcore scene with four incredible bands playing a stacked bill at The Armory. The lineup featured up-and-coming post-hardcore band Militarie Gun, DRAIN, The Garden, and, of course, Knocked Loose. Each band brought something different to the table, making for a spectacular evening full of moshing, circle pits, and crowd surfing.

State Champs kicked off their North American tour at Emo’s in Austin on Friday, November 8th. The start of the tour marked the release of their fifth full-length self-titled album. The four-piece from Albany, NY played a mix of their pop-punk hits like “Mine Is Gold,” “Outta My Head” and “Perfect Score.” The crowd showed that they did their homework and sang along with the new songs just as loud as the classics.

The Wldlfe’s Live: In A Place Where You Are Tour stopped in Charlotte, NC at The Underground on October 9th. Young Culture was the opener, and I had a chance to snap some portraits of them before the show. Greeting me with hugs and handshakes, I immediately felt welcomed and excited to capture some of their energy.

The long-awaited return of Dayglow to the Twin Cities finally happened this past week. The indie hitmaker drew quite a crowd, despite potential Halloweekend scheduling conflicts, with the help of opener, Sun Room, another up-and-coming band in the scene. Together, the astounding lineup rocked The Fillmore Minneapolis making for an incredible evening filled with indie classics from both bands.

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