Last September (2022) was my first time attending a show at the TLA and my first time writing a show review. Back then, I witnessed one of my favorite bands, Palaye Royale, bring their Fever Dream to Philly. This time, I was there to experience the Favorite Daze of an underrated band that’s quickly joining the ranks of my favorites — the Neon Trees.

Doors opened at 7 p.m., but my friend Stan and I made sure we got to the TLA a little bit before then so that I could pick up my credentials at the box office. At that point, there already was a line of people outside, waiting and set to rush into the venue as soon as the staff members said it was okay to do so.

Once inside the TLA, we waited for the show to begin as people made their way toward the barricade before the stage. Some remained and chatted with their friends, while others went to check out the merch stand or struck up a conversation with someone new; the latter ended up being the case for Stan since a wrestling fan recognized him and asked him about an upcoming show. Shortly after this, the house lights went out, and we were greeted by the stage lights as the first band, Silent Rival, took to the stage.

Knowing nothing about the band, I didn’t know what to expect from Silent Rival’s performance; however, it quickly became apparent that they had the energy to get things going. Between Sara Coda‘s graceful yet powerful vocals, Joz Ramirez‘s immersive guitar playing, Brock Bowers‘ precise drumming, and Yutaka Sao‘s passionate and, at times, wild bass playing (you know, the kind where he’d have the bass over his shoulders behind him while playing), Silent Rival captured the crowd’s attention. At the end of their set, Etai Abramovich (drummer of LAUNDRY DAY) joined them for their final song of the night, followed by the band expressing their thankfulness and a quick set change.

A group of young men donning school uniforms (picture Jack Black in School of Rock) bearing an emblem-style logo containing “LAUNDRY DAY” greeted the crowd. They took no time getting into their set, and after having explained how they were friends that all met in high school, their camaraderie was undeniable. They not only fed off each other’s playfulness and positive energy but also ensured each member had their moment in the spotlight. Examples of these moments included Etai Abramovich and Sawyer Nunes (vocalist, guitarist, and keyboardist) switching places on the drums and keyboard and Sawyer and Jude Lipkin (vocalist) alternating between providing the main vocals.

LAUNDRY DAY’s energy never waived at any point, either. None of the band’s members stayed still for too long, and they moved about and covered the stage. One of the best instances was when Sawyer and Henry Pearl (bassist) got together behind Jude and had their own little instrumental face-off, repeatedly cycling between leaning toward and away from each other while smiling the entire time. Their joy was infectious, and it continued to live on after their final song and thank yous as Etai, upon being handed a sign from the crowd, made sure to sign it (and possibly got his bandmates to sign it) before handing it back to its creator.

Following LAUNDRY DAY’s performance, there was one final set change. The back portion of the stage was lowered, and the dark fabric that was present the whole show thus far was replaced. As the new backdrop rose, the crowd was welcomed by a wall of magenta fabric displaying the logo of the night’s headliner — the Neon Trees.

Except for some blue lights, the stage was dark as the Neon Trees made their way out and began to play “Versions of You,” which brought about a somewhat melancholic ambiance. That particular mood didn’t stay for long, though, as the lighting changed from dark blues to a brighter and wider variety of colors while the band passionately belted out “Favorite Daze,” an upbeat, self-reflective song they released as a single over the summer.

Playing for nearly an hour and a half straight, the Neon Trees took the crowd through the eras of their music thus far. From “Animal” and “In The Next Room” to “Nights” and “New Best Friend,” their set was a carefully constructed kaleidoscope that represented them as artists. For a newer fan such as myself, you couldn’t have asked for more — and that sentiment didn’t just apply to their selection of songs.

From what I saw, it’s safe to say that each member could still express their individuality while working together. No one had to hide any part of their identity to fit into some kind of mold formed by society’s bullshit expectations. Tyler Glenn (lead vocalist) danced across the stage in a shimmering suit, swung the mic around in the air, and playfully teased the crowd here and there. Elaine Bradley (drummer), armed with rainbow earrings and a humorous graphic t-shirt, never missed a beat. Chris Allen (guitarist), dressed in black and white clothing adorned with fringe, glided through space as fabric extensions on his sleeves followed his movements, and Branden Campbell (bassist) swayed and played without losing his hat. All of this exemplified how the band embodies the notion that fully embracing yourself as an individual is just as important as being able to work together. Like the individual pieces inside of a kaleidoscope, each member of the band stood out on their own while coming together to create something truly incredible — a wonderful daze of great music, stunning showmanship, and an intimate connection Philly won’t soon forget.

Neon Trees

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Laundry Day

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Silent Rival

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It has been a big year for Nightmare and The Cat. A few weeks ago, the rising rock band delivered a dynamite performance on the Late Show with David Letterman. Soon, they will release their first full-length album, Simple, which promises to bring their sound to a wider audience than ever before. Their songs are expertly constructed, filled with memorable hooks and sharp lyrical turns, both anthemic and intricate, and they deserve the same degree of public attention as their tourmates, which include Bastille and Neon Trees. Django Stewart, the band’s lead vocalist, kindly answered a few questions in advance of their upcoming album and tour.

Following an EP of the same name, the Simple full-length is set to be released on July 22nd. The entire record, which deals with “personal experiences during the time period of making the album,” was captured on tape with no computer-based intervention. Stewart describes this old-school approach to recording as “magical. It’s warmer and feels more alive.”

This attitude complements their approach to musicianship, which feels natural and authentic. As Stewart says, “we just think in this day and age, there is so much crappy music that’s so processed and easy to make. It has made a lot of musicians lazy and a lot of shows less exciting. Our band really appreciates true, hard working musicians and talent that you can tell is the real deal.”

With Simple, Nightmare and the Cat have set out to prove that they are unquestionably the real deal. Although the new album features many new songs that showcase their breadth, range and increasing maturity as a band, it also features several older songs, described as “fan favorites” that have “changed over the years along with our instrumentation and voices,” growing and developing to become an integral part of the new record.

This development has played out in real time through the band’s impressive live set. The band has partially become known through playing with better known bands, such as 30 Seconds to Mars and Bastille, a process which Stewart hopes has both allowed to broaden their fanbase, and also to expose pop fans, who may have come for their tourmates, to be exposed to the kind of indie-infused music that Nightmare and the Cat makes.

Regarding this, Stewart says that “I think they have only heard a lot of what’s on the radio, and I’m hoping that we’re expanding there musical knowledge and showing them something they’ve never seen before.” The band cites Bjork, Smashing Pumpkins, Sam Cooke, Arcade Fire, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Talking Heads, Dusty Springfield, Blur and Jeff Buckley as recent favorites, and the diversity and depth of taste that a list like that demonstrates is exciting and unique for a band on such a major record label, playing such high-profile shows.

From the sound of it, this horizon expansion has been a resounding success, as audiences have reacted enthusiastically at their “epic, huge shows.” All that time spent on the road may also inform the band’s future material, as they seek to “go in a more rock ‘n’ roll and energetic direction” for their next album, as “playing in clubs to thousands of people is more fun when everyone is going crazy and letting off some steam.”

Along with their recent tours, the band’s most high-profile appearance to date is the infamous Letterman performance, which Stewart describes as “insane.” The booking came as a last-minute surprise, catching the band off-guard during a particularly exhausting stretch of touring. Tucking in to a well-deserved day off, the band “got a panicked phone call from our manager saying we had to book it to New York after our show that night to sound check for Letterman. We were so delirious and excited; we played the show in Pittsburgh, quickly packed our stuff up and made the seven-hour drive to Letterman. It was a dream come true, and actually felt like a dream given the state we were in.”

Despite their state of body and mind, their performance was remarkably assured and charismatic, with Stewart’s confident frontman performance and strong vocals centering a remarkable song performed impeccably, with just enough looseness that complimented the tight harmonies and rhythm work. It’s clear that the whole band takes to the stage naturally, and the Letterman performance unquestionably communicated that. Stewart also says that this watershed moment for the band has led to “more people singing our songs, coming up to say “hi” and ask for autographs and pictures. It’s really exciting!” Given the pace at which their star is rising, Nightmare and the Cat have a lot to be excited about.

Pop Psychology

Reviewed by: Lara Supan

I have a feeling Neon Trees didn’t actually pass their Psych 101 class.

If Pop Psychology means generic lyrics, semi-incoherent choruses and an album that basically sounds like one super long song, then they got it 100% correct. If not, they’ve made a terrible mistake. The first song “Love in the 21st Century” actually had some substance with a comprehensive story line and a catchy chorus, but it was sadly all down hill from there.

“Text Me In The Morning” was the first warning sign, followed by “Sleeping With a Friend” which put the nail in the coffin that this album is completely unnecessary. All grammar nazis will be floored by track five “Unavoidable”, where female vocalist Elaine Bradley says she’s going home to lay “inside her bed”, followed by a chorus that puts the accented syllables of the word “unavoidable” in the wrong place. Another great line in the chorus is “It’s unavoidable, you are the magnet, it’s unavoidable, I am metallic.” Was that last part really necessary? I guess if she was rubber it just wouldn’t be the same.

Perhaps the most ridiculous song on Pop Psychology is “First Thing’s First”, which has a gospel choir backing lead singer Tyler Glenn while he whines about what sounds like high school drama. A better name for the song, and quite frankly the album, would be “#FirstWorldProblems”.

All in all, Pop Pyschology is completely uninspired and sloppily constructed. Contrary to track five’s title, I suggest you avoid this album at all costs.

Rating: No Comment

FREE

3:45PM

Piazza at Schmidt’s in Northern Liberities

By: Emily Meenan

Coming up this Saturday, May 5th, is Radio 104.5’s first Summer Block Party for the year. Neon Trees are playing, along with Eve 6 and Darry Miller & the Veil. From tours to new albums to big comebacks, each of these bands have had lots of new and exciting things going on this year and are guaranteed to please your ear drums this weekend.

Neon Trees gained quite a lot of recognition from their 2010 single “Animal” which won Top Alternative Song in the 2011 Billboard Music Awards. The band has moved onward and upward since, releasing their second album, Picture Show, on April 17th. “Everybody Talks” was the single released from this most recent album, and it has received much acclaim. Neon Trees is now touring the U.S. The May 5th block party is not only their second tour date, but also your only chance to see them in Pennsylvania!

Eve 6 got started in the mid-nineties with platinum hits “Inside out” and “Leech.” After announcing a hiatus in 2004, the three original members finally came together once again in March 2011. In February of 2012, the band released a long awaited single, “Victoria”, which acted as a sneak peak to the new sound fans would hear on their upcoming album. This album, Speak in Code, was released on April 24th and is being closely followed by a tour. Eve 6 will make three stops in Pennsylvania throughout their tour, the first being at this weekend’s block party.

Coming from Central PA, Darry Miller & the Veil developed a prominent fan base and signed to an independent record label, Ripple Creative Records, in 2009. Their first EP was released in 2010, entitled Green. The band consists of five incredibly talented men and most recently released a three song EP in 2011. In addition to the May 5th block party, Darry Miller & the Veil also have two other Pennsylvania shows coming up in the following months.

Be sure not to miss Saturday’s Summer Block Party, the first of five throughout summer 2012!

Can’t make the show this Saturday? Check out all the upcoming block parties here.

By Brian Sweeney

Producer Tim Pagnotta calls them the pioneers of post-punk soul. Makes sense, because Alt-rock trendsetters the Neon Trees are getting some major sun through a new deal they inked on Mercury Records. Last month, the band hit #1 on the Alternative Rock Specialty Charts with “Animal,” the first single from their debut, Habits, which came out March 16th. For a freshman effort, “Animal” delivers melodic lyricism and catchy hooks while managing to make a much deeper statement, giving the listener what she wants without any shortchanging. This can also be said for the album as a whole.

Though Habits is not intended to be a concept album, it’s difficult to overlook the cohesiveness and continuity of the tracks, which makes listening to it a real musical treat. With songs such as “Sins of My Youth” and “Girls and Boys in School,” Habits is a coming of age tale about “the human experience,” says bassist Branden Campbell. “It explores what it means to love and to be loved, it is a reflection of our lives, things you can do better, interactions with people. For us, that is where the music comes out.” This homegrown brand of sincerity comes across quite clear in the album and is well represented by the band’s logo: a human heart with wings, taking flight.

The lead singer of this sturdy-yet-musically-flexible outfit is Tyler Glenn. Glenn grew up in Southern California where he first envisioned the moniker the Neon Trees, literally. Only then it was the Neon Palm Trees, thanks to actual neon palm trees that decorated the outdoor café of one of his favorite hometown spots. Tyler carried the name in his back pocket for a few years with an eye toward the future. The seeds had already been planted.

Originally formed by Glenn and his neighbor, guitarist Chris Allen, Campbell’s joining was almost serendipitous. He recounts, “as a youngster growing up in Vegas, my dad was a sign electrician who was commissioned to make those very same neon palm trees for that café in SoCal. He actually hand delivered them to Temecula.” Once they rounded out their line-up with drummer Elaine Bradley, a few years later the Neon Trees were officially in bloom. And since 2005, they’ve been growing upwards. They received some serious exposure opening for the Killers during their 2008 tour and last month they played Jimmy Kimmel. Like a good electro-indie band, they’ve turned up on the soundtrack to some of your favorite CW shows, too.

The band found the flourishing arts scene of Provo, Utah as the best place to spread their branches and create their first major album. “There is a great energy in Utah, and Provo is a big visual arts city. I studied graphic design at Utah Valley University and always knew I’d be involved in the arts somehow,” Campbell says. Though nowadays they’re in popular demand, they still remain true to their roots as they can often be found rockin’ one of their favorite venues, Club Velour in Provo with up-and-coming area rockers The Devil Whale, Desert Noises, and Shark Speed.

With their earthy, deeply rooted sound, the Neon Trees “like to mix the organic with the electronic. We’re postmodern rockers with an early punk energy, a rock band that writes songs with a pop sensibility. We are responsible to entertain people and as live performers we like to engage the audience. There is a raw emotion in the lyrics and we are certainly not afraid to create a production or put on a show. We enjoy diversity and want to ‘take it there’ while making it as fun as possible. We never want to be predictable yet always do what we believe in. Plus, we’re singing about real life, not about picking up hot chicks in nightclubs. Although,” Branden says, “maybe that will be our second record, after the tour.” The Neon Trees current national tour kicked off April 9th in Vegas, where they were joined by 30 Seconds to Mars. In addition to Philly, which the band’s playing on April 24, Brandon looks forward to getting back to Charlotte, Atlanta, and the Miami/Orlando area. As far as Philadelphia is concerned, Branden is quick to admit that he’s a big fan of Always Sunny. For this elemental foursome from Utah, let’s hope it’s always neon in Provo.