Riot Fest 2026 @ Douglass Park - Chicago, IL
September 18-20 2026: Riot Fest @ Douglass Park - Chicago, IL
Photos Courtesy of: Taylor Nettnin
For a weekend plagued with weather issues, Riot Fest persevered. While it was incredibly chaotic manoeuvring through the mud that had to have been at least 5 inches deep in some areas, the music came out on top and drove the dedicated fans back to the park for another year. I was able to catch some amazing sets regardless of the rain and soggy grounds.
The women absolutely kicked ass this year! With acts like Santigold, Alanis Morissette, and Patti Smith on the lineup, it’s easy to forget which bands closed the fest each night, while newer artists like Nobro, Panic Shack, and Violet Grohl held their own and proved exactly why women have always and will continue to rock.
I was excited to catch Angine de Poitrine, an anonymous microtonal math rock duo from Canada. With only a 30-minute time slot quite early in the day, they easily packed a punch with their quick set and solidified themselves as an act to keep an eye on. The debut of 95-year-old William Shatner’s metal group, The Fuckers, was also a highlight. Taking classic metal hits and turning them into a spoken-word performance over the classic instrumentals we know and love, Shatner was inspirational, proving you can do whatever you set your mind to regardless of how old you are.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Sylvan Esso @ Brooklyn Paramount - Brooklyn, NY
October 14th 2026: Sylvan Esso, Arushi Jain @ Brooklyn Paramount - Brooklyn, NY
Sylvan Esso | Photos Courtesy of: Lesley Keller
On a very unseasonably warm evening amongst a line of excited fans wrapped around the building, I thought back to when I first saw Sylvan Esso onstage in 2013, opening for Volcano Choir. Knowing back then they would be a big deal, seeing their name on the marquee with a “sold out” added on the end made their return to NYC all the more sweeter.
Fans spilled into the venue, filling in the spaces as tightly as they could, eager to get the best spot in the house with enough room to dance. But first, we were treated to what I would say was the perfect appetizer to the evening, Arushi Jain. Jain’s ethereal vocals joined by heaving bass and modular synth swells filled our ears. Largely instrumental, it was the perfect start to the evening - a sound bath to live in for a bit with no clear transition from one song to the next. It was more of an experience than a normal set.
A short set-change later and the band members shuffled onstage to their respective instruments, with Amelia bounding out in a fluffy black tutu and black tank top to match. The crowd roared as the set began with “Entertainment & Coca-Cola”, appropriately bathed in red light. The set included a punchy mix of songs from the Sylvan Esso catalogue, including “Numb,” “Dreamy Bruises,” “Back Again,” “Die Young,” “Play It Right,” “HSKT,” and “Sledge” to name a few, but what was infinitely intriguing about this performance compared to the previous times I’ve seen Sylvan Esso is how much the additional band members’ instrumentation lends to the feel of the songs. Now, I am not one to turn my nose up at the original arrangements - I love a good synth heavy, sparse mix any day of the week. But the added drums, and guitars really gave the songs additional heft and helped the old cuts feel much more cohesive with the songs from Ow ∞. Over the years, this duo has done such an incredible job of expanding their sound, while still keeping the core instrumentation and vocals ever-present. The crowd responded gleefully throughout the night by dancing and jumping around wildly, mirroring Amelia’s joyful movements onstage. Hearing the crowd yell “ESSO!” during “HSKT” was another highlight that brings a smile to my face each time I think about it.
But a Sylvan Esso show isn’t complete without some hilarious human moments - Nick’s computer setup somehow malfunctioned directly after “Play It Right,” which he quipped it was the crowd’s fault for being “too hyped,” and of course that gave Amelia the perfect segue to tell a story about how she almost hit some teens while driving in North Carolina. The crowd laughed at the insertion of the story during that moment, then yelped for the North Carolina shoutout, which frankly, I’m shocked there was that much North Carolina representation in Brooklyn, and finally Nick got his computer working and the show churned on. Part of me seriously wondered what other time-filling stories Amelia would conjure up, but luckily for us, that would have to wait until the next show.
Arushi Jain
Boy Harsher @ The Fox Theater - Oakland, CA
October 15th 2026: Boy Harsher @ The Fox Theater - Oakland, CA
Boy Harsher | Photo Courtesy of: Vanessa Solis
Boy Harsher are no strangers to the San Francisco Bay Area. However, Thursday night, they played their first grand show at the historic Fox Theater in Oakland, CA. They are currently on tour in the US to support their new LP, “Get Mean”. The group consists of Jae Matthews and Gus Muller.
The dark wave crowd showed up to dance their black hearts out to the synth-heavy sounds of the duo. Their set consisted of some of their classic songs, like “LA”, “Fate”, and “Come Closer”. Of course, they played from their newest album, which includes more pop/dance tracks that were fun to hear live (“Jeans”) with the deep undertones of heartbreak (“Bleed”). This tour is called “The Heartbreaker Tour” after all.
Boy Harsher never disappoints and always gives their all in their performances. It was a pleasure to be able to capture them during this time around.
Sleeping With Sirens @ Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, OK
October 12th 2026: Sleeping With Sirens, Rain City Drive, Shyeye @ Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, OK
Sleeping With Sirens | Photo Courtesy of: Ally Arens
Hard rock band Sleeping With Sirens are just as alive and emotional as ever as they bring their signature emotional soundtrack to audiences across North America on their An Ending in Itself tour in support of their latest album of the same name, released back in June. An epic night of feelings was had by all who attended their recent sold-out show at Oklahoma City’s Diamond Ballroom, giving fans an equal dose of nostalgia and newness that proves Sleeping With Sirens aren’t going anywhere any time soon.
Kicking off the night was Shyeye, an up-and-coming pop-rock artist from Nashville. Though her set was brief, she got the crowd amped up and had everyone clapping along to tracks like “Falling,” “Wolf,” and “Knot,” the latter of which she recently re-released with fellow up-and-comers Showing Teeth. She had an infectious stage presence, and I look forward to hearing more from the Shyeye camp.
Next up was Rain City Drive, who fit right in on the bill as another band known equally for their passionate lyrics and soulful vocals, courtesy of The Voice alum Matt McAndrew. Their set began with the high-energy “Frozen” and “Concrete Closure”, and that energy continued through their entire performance. Other highlights included their newest single “Slither,” “Wish You the Best,” and set closer “Medicate Me.”
Finally, just after 9 p.m., the crowd let out some ear-piercing screams as the lights went down and Sleeping With Sirens appeared on stage. As the opening notes of “Kick Me” echoed through the venue, the entire room began to dance and sing (and sweat) along as their worries melted away for a couple of hours. Fronted by the charismatic Kellin Quinn, SWS knew exactly how to keep the crowd begging for more all night, performing a mixture of more recent tracks such as their latest album’s title track and the newly released/re-mastered “I’m Coming Home (Big Gulps)” as well as some major throwbacks like “Scene Two - Roger Rabbit” from their 2012 acoustic EP Would Be Your Soundtrack and “The Bomb Dot Com V2.0” from their 2010 debut With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear. Though the venue got uncomfortably warm at times due to the packed crowd, it was worth it to feel the collective energy of over 2000 people singing their hearts out, and Sleeping With Sirens performed a set to remember.
The An Ending in Itself tour continues on, concluding with the band’s appearance at Vans Warped Tour in Orlando, FL on November 14 before the band brings the tour to Latin America in December and Europe/UK early next year. All upcoming tour dates can be found on the band’s website.
Shyeye
Rain City Drive
Bryson Tiller @ KFC Yum! Center - Louisville, KY
October 7th 2026: Bryson Tiller @ KFC Yum! Center - Louisville, KY
Bryson Tiller | Photo Courtesy of: Asia Austin
On October 7, 2026, Bryson Tiller was welcomed back to his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, with open arms as he played a sold-out show at the KFC Yum! Center on his ‘Neo TrapSoul Tour’. It was the first show he has played in Louisville since his last performance at this same venue on September 16, 2017. With help from his openers Austin Millz, Ty Dolla $ign, and Majid Jordan, you could feel the energy from the back of the room as the crowd prepared for an absolutely unforgettable night.
Tiller performed some crowd favorites from his album Trapsoul, such as “Exchange”, “Don’t”, and “Sorry Not Sorry”, while maintaining confidence and gratitude throughout his stage presence. Also joining him on stage was Louisville native Jack Harlow, as Tiller allowed him to perform his radio hits, “Lovin’ On Me”, “What’s Poppin”, and “First Class”. Harlow went on to tell the fans how much of an inspiration Tiller was to him coming up in the music industry and how he will always be a fan of Tiller. Tiller was also gifted a platinum record of his and Harlow’s 2019 collab, “THRU THE NIGHT”, and Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg presented Tiller with a key to the city.
Overall, this was a night that left the City of Louisville buzzing with excitement and warmth, and it’s safe to say that Bryson Tiller’s legacy will continue to be cherished for many years to come.
Medium Build @ Theater of Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA
October 6th 2026: Medium Build, Ken Yates @ Theater of Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA
Medium Build | Photos Courtesy of: Carolyn Lederach
Ken Yates
Emei @ Wonder Ballroom - Portland, OR
October 2nd 2026: Emei, Madeline @ Wonder Ballroom - Portland, OR
Emei | Photo Courtesy of: Christina Hall
Crowds showed up early to the Wonder Ballroom in Portland, Oregon, and concert etiquette was at an all-time high, with many of the younger audience members up front. Anxiously awaiting the second night of Emei’s Night at the Opera to start.
Madeline opened the night with an incredibly girly, cutesy, and well-polished set. Engaging the crowd with many props and playful songs. Not long after, two dancers with masks took to the stage in what seemed like a reference to the Bian Lian, a masked dance from her Chinese descent. This played well into the tour’s namesake and the theatrical theme of the night. This led into a very high-energy beginning of the set, with fans stimming from excitement, jumping, waving, dancing, and singing along. Later in her set, she surprised the crowd by moving to the back stairs to the balcony; everyone sat on the floor as she sang a few slower-paced songs, including Ginger Tea, dedicated to her grandmother, who passed a couple of years ago. The artist sang an unreleased song that felt like a Disney pop song about how things are going well, but life tells you, “nope,” and also Molly, which was released the night before. After pausing to give affirmations to the crowd, the new fans’ awaited song, Scatterbrain, from the viral show Off Campus, was performed. The high energy went all the way through the end of the night, and fans kept up the entire way.
Madeline
Dermot Kennedy @ The Mann Center - Philadelphia, PA
September 22nd 2026: Dermot Kennedy, Jonah Kegan @ The Mann Center - Philadelphia, PA
Dermot Kennedy | Photos Courtesy of: Carolyn Lederach
Dermot Kennedy returned to Philadelphia on a chilly Tuesday evening. The rain from earlier in the day conveninetly disapated before doors opened as everyone filled in the space of the outdoor venue, The Mann Center. Dermot is currently on tour in the US in support of his third album, The Weight of the Woods. Surrounded by his largest band to date on stage in Philly, Dermot embraced the crowd with a whole new set of songs, and not leaving out any of the classics like “Outnumbered”, “After Rain”, and “Power Over Me”. The fans flocked throughout the open space, which was surrounded by the same trees found in the backdrop on stage, which gave the atmosphere a cozy feel of being in the nighttime wooded area. As I took in the different folks attending the show, I was pleasantly surprised to see full families in attendance as well, as their small children sang along to the songs and got excited to hear their favourites.
Setlist
The Weight of the Woods (Reprise)
Honest
Outnumbered
Sycamore
Refuge
Lost
An Evening I Will Not Forget
All My Friends
After Rain
Happiness
Let Me In
Endless
The Only Time I Prayed
The Weight of the Woods
Stockholm
Turnstile
Better Days
Power Over Me
Funeral
