concert review – Page 3 – that lemon life

Interview with Saint Raymond

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to my blog. I’m sorry for being gone for so long, but I hope you’ve all had a great time and that you’re doing well. I know at the end of my last post I said that I’d be coming back with a huge post about Avengers: Endgame, but, honestly, it’s been over a week since I saw it and I still haven’t been able to fully process it. My plan now is to watch Infinity War and then see Endgame again straight the day after, so I can really say which one I prefer. And then I want to put all my thoughts, emotions and opinions into one long, deserving post for you all to read. Unfortunately, that means it will be packed with spoilers, so I’ll just say it now – if you haven’t seen the movie, don’t read anything about it, don’t ruin it for yourself and just watch it. Also, props to you if you’ve made it this far without coming across spoilers. Well done.

So, now that we’ve talked about that, let’s get to the real deal, which is something I’ve been burning to tell you ever since it happened. Some of you might remember the concert review I did of the Saint Raymond show I went to in March (here’s the link if you want to check it out). I absolutely loved the show, but I didn’t tell you everything that happened on that day. So, here comes the crazy part: I didn’t just go to the concert, I actually met up with Callum (Saint Raymond) before his show in Brighton to do a little interview with him. I know, I know. Holy moly. I still haven’t been able to wrap my head around it either. And oh wow, it was such a lovely interview. I felt so welcome and it was just so chill and nice. And Callum was absolutely fantastic as well. Definitely one of those hours of my life that I’ll never ever forget. And I’m so happy that I finally get to share the piece I wrote about it for my university magazine with you. I really hope you enjoy it. Also, please don’t forget to show Callum some love (here’s the link to his Spotify and his website), he really deserves it. And, as always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts down below and thanks for reading. x

‘It’s a show-off world’

Nottingham born and bred Callum Burrows, aka singer-songwriter Saint Raymond, exploded on to the music scene in 2013 with his EP release ‘Escapade’. Following that the young artist not only went on to open for some of the biggest names in music, but also toured festivals including Glastonbury, right before releasing his No. 1 debut album. After a short hiatus, the singer is now ready to go bigger than ever. I met up with Callum at Patterns in Brighton before his show to chat about standing your ground in the music industry, crime-podcasts and supporting music-star Ed Sheeran.

Did you ever expect to end up where you are now?

No, not at all. Obviously I hoped I would, but I never thought I’d be doing music as a career. I never expected it to get to a point where I get to do it for a living. Which is still weird for me to say, because I think I sometimes take it for granted. Like with anything, you have your highs and lows and I often forget that music is my job. Which is pretty cool. Ten years on, still get to play shows. It’s crazy.

What is the one memory you will never forget?

There was this special moment when I played a hometown show in Nottingham, at Rock City. I actually played it three times, but that first gig was an unreal experience, because I had grown up going to gigs there. And suddenly people were queuing to see me and I just thought ‘what the hell is going on?’. So, that will always live long in my memory. And besides that, the tour with Ed was super crazy as well.

Speaking of that – how did you get to support him?

I met him through a mutual friend and then ended up going to his birthday party, where we had a chat. And then, about a month later, he just texted me out of the blue saying ‘hey man, do you want to go on tour?’. I couldn’t believe it. I actually kept it a secret from my band until the official announcement. I just told them that we would be going on tour in October. That really was an amazing experience, which I’ll be forever grateful for.

Looking back on all your songs – what’s your favourite one?

That would probably be ‘As We Are Now’, because it meant so much to me at the time. I wrote it when I was kind of hoping to do music for a career, but I wasn’t sure that I was going to. All of my friends had gone to university, so they knew what they were going to do for their jobs after. But I was just in this period where I wasn’t a kid anymore and had to take some responsibility. So that one will always be a special one.

Is that why you released two versions of it?

Yes, that was a mad decision, to make the fast version. I don’t want to bitch too much, but I prefer the slow one. You know, there are a lot of things that happen with music, especially when you’ve got a big team around you, where decisions just get made that aren’t always the right ones. Or not solely what you want. But it’s hard when a lot of people are throwing in their opinions, because, at first, you know what you want, but then you get a bit lost in it. So that’s what I’ve learned over the last few years, to stand my ground a bit more and go for what I believe in. I was very young when I made that first record, it was a big learning curve.

What’s another part that you had to get used to?

Definitely social media. I think Twitter is such an important tool as an artist, but I struggle to use it to its full capacity. It’s easier now when I’m on tour because I can talk about that, but it’s really hard to interact when you’re not doing those things. At least for me. I know some other people who are amazing at it, like Lewis Capaldi. He’s got it nailed down. But then again, right now, there are a lot of people in the industry trying to copy that. And that’s when you look like an idiot. Because you’re trying to be someone you’re not. Which is mad. Especially now with the whole Instagram world, I think it’s so important to be who you are on social media. It drives me crazy how people are living a life that isn’t real. It’s a show-off world.

How about using Twitter and Co. to connect with your fans?

Oh yeah, I think it’s so important to interact with them. Before social media, bands were untouchable. You couldn’t access them unless you went to a show or met them somewhere, whereas now you can genuinely have a chat with anyone. You can literally send a message to the president of America, not that you would want to. But that’s how the internet works now. And I think sometimes people forget that if it wasn’t for the fans, they wouldn’t be doing what they’re doing. Because who would buy the tickets, the t-shirts, the albums? They start to think they are on a platform above them. Which isn’t true. That’s why, after every show and not just on social media, I’ll always try to come out and talk to people. I mean, them coming to the show means that I get to do in in the first place, so why shouldn’t I?

And would you call yourself a fan of someone as well?

Of course. Loads of people. But my biggest inspiration right now has to be Ariana Grande. I once saw her perform live at this charity event in Central Park in New York. She came on stage with Coldplay and, until today, it’s the best live vocal I’ve ever heard. The whole day overall was just absolutely crazy. I stepped on Jay-Z’s foot by accident and then met Leonardo DiCaprio. Weirdest day of my life. And besides that, I’m a huge fan of murder podcasts. They’re my jam.

The night of songs and roses

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to another week. Happy Monday – and also Happy Easter, actually. I hope you all had a lovely weekend. I spent most of it down at the beach here in Brighton as the weather has been so incredibly nice the past few days. I’m not doing to lie, I felt like I was on a holiday, lying there, in the sun, my lunch propped next to me. It’s crazy when you realize that you actually live in such a place. I feel incredibly grateful. Especially when I went for a walk in the evening, walking barefoot, feeling the sea water between my toes and the sun setting in front of me. Talk about feeling like you’re stuck in some movie scene. So, yeah, that was my weekend.

But let’s talk about today. Today I’d like to share a very very special evening of my life with all of you. One that I honestly never thought would happen and one that I will definitely never ever forget. The evening I met Tom Rosenthal and saw him live for the very first time. Still sounds absolutely crazy when I say it out loud, to be honest.

It all began last year when Tom suddenly announced the show in London. His very first show ever, like ever ever, to be exact. I couldn’t believe my eyes. But that happens when you listen to a guy who has two young daughters and an info on his official website saying that he’s not planning on going on tour because of them. So out of all the artists and bands I listen to, I wanted to see Tom live the most and was expecting to actually ever get to see him live the least. But there it suddenly was, the date of his first ever show, perfectly scheduled for me as I knew I’d be in Brighton/London around that time. And I mean, I don’t have to make a big story out of it, of course, I bought a ticket the second they were available. And of course, it was sold out within an hour. And of course, Tom had to add another two shows. And guess who’s in the middle of a full-on tour right now? Still can’t believe it, honestly.

For those of you who don’t know who Tom is, here’s why I love him so much in a nutshell: I adore his music with all my heart, listen to it 24/7, he has basically helped me through my whole Bachelor degree and has been my most listened artists for two consecutive years and counting. So, yes, I love him and his music a lot.

And on the 15th of March, it was finally time for me to make my way to London to see him. Obviously, I was very very nervous and uber-excited, but not just because of the concert. Before writing this post, I was debating on whether I should tell you this or not, but it’s just such an important moment in my life, I have to share it. I didn’t drive to London just to attend Tom’s show, I also went there to meet him beforehand and do an interview with him. There, I said it. Yes, guys, it really happened. I really had an interview with the one and only Tom Rosenthal and I still can’t wrap my head around it. And I still feel incredibly honoured and grateful that he agreed to chat with me. I’m obviously not going to make a big story out of it, that’s not who I am. I just want to say that he was incredibly nice and absolutely lovely and I felt so welcome around him, so yeah. Definitely something I will never ever forget. Thanks so much, Tom, for everything. Also, as I did the interview for my uni magazine, I’ll try and post the link of the published article on here as soon as it’s out, so stay tuned for that.

So, after that incredibly unreal interview had happened, I went to get dinner in London and went straight back to the venue – which was a literal church (St. Pancras Old Church) and also the most beautiful place ever. Obviously, the room was already packed, which just proved my point that the world had only been waiting for Tom to finally come out of his shell and do a few shows. He told me that he actually doesn’t want to get big, but I don’t think there’s anything he can do about that. It will just happen, naturally. Because everybody loves him and his music. That’s just how it is. Which was also something you could actually feel in the room as soon as Tom and his lovely band came on stage and started to play. God, it was just such an incredible gig. Tom even sounds better live than on his studio versions, which didn’t surprise me at all. He’s just that talented. And he was so funny, holy moly. Cracking one joke after another. Even though it was his third ever show, he already had the whole stage presence thing nailed down. And I was standing there, watching him and taking it all in, soaking up the beauty of the moment. I think throughout those two hours, I didn’t stop smiling, even when I was crying and silent tears were rolling down my cheeks. Happy, emotional tears, of course. It was just such a beautiful gig, honestly. A small church, about 70 people, Tom’s incredible band and his angelic voice. Nothing can compare.

I remember that I went home, completely mesmerized by what had happened in the past few hours. And I still can’t fully believe that it all happened. I can’t even begin to describe the feeling of gratitude and happiness and incredible luck I feel whenever I think about it. And I hope by reading this post, I could translate some of those feelings over to you as well. As I mentioned before, Tom is currently on tour, so I can just highly recommend attending his shows and experiencing this magic live – here’s a link to his website, where you can find his tour dates. And until then I hope you enjoyed this post. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. And, of course, I wish you all an amazing week. Oh, and just as a short info – I won’t be posting anything until next Friday, as Leni will be visiting me here in Brighton this Thursday until next Monday. We’ll be watching Endgame on Friday and, honestly, if I could put into words how excited and also frightened we both are, I would, but I can’t. So yeah, I’ll see you next Friday, obviously with a whole post about Endgame. What else. And until then, thanks for reading, guys. x

I’m a Bandito //-// Part 2

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to my blog and the second part of this post. Or shall we call it a series? I’ll let you decide. Anyway, I hope you’re all doing good and that you had an amazing weekend. And not to be dramatic or anything, but I honestly can’t wait to tell you all about the second night I got to spend with Ty and Josh, aka Twenty One Pilots, aka one of the best bands ever (here’s all about the first night, if you’d like to check that out first – click me). So, without further ado, let’s get right into it.

Night: Number 2

Okay, so first of all, I probably need to tell you that going to this show was both one of the most spontaneous and also best decisions I’ve ever made in my entire life. I mean, I honestly wasn’t planning on going to the next night until the first one ended. I was literally so awestruck that I just had to see them again. I had to. There just wasn’t any way around it. So, when I got home from the first show, I immediately started looking for a ticket for the next show. I also deliberately looked for standing tickets, as for the first show I had bought seating ones, but as I now knew how the whole show would work, I knew I had to get standing tickets and try to get as close to the b-stage as possible. I knew which way Josh would be running during the crowd and I knew that they would be playing both Bandito and Neon Gravestones on the b-stage – two of my favourite songs – so yeah, it was pretty clear to me what I had to do. I had a plan.

And again, this is the moment I need to thank Graham, the guy who sold me the ticket. It was honestly the easiest and most chilled process ever and I’m so glad it all went down the way it did. I couldn’t have wished for a better overall experience.

So, on the next day (Saturday), I got up, had some lunch, then took the train to London and headed straight to the venue. I got there a bit earlier to make sure I would get a spot at the b-stage. And that’s where my plan came in, because I got in, immediately looked for the one spot I wanted to go for and as luck would have it, there it was, still free and waiting for me. Suddenly I was standing right in front of the b-stage, knowing perfectly well that just in a few hours, Ty and Josh would be playing right in front me, about two metres away. So, you could say I got a bit hyper.

But I still had to wait for a bit, which is exactly when that one thing happened, that reminded me why I freaking love being in different fandoms and being part of the clique and basically being surrounded by people who are a bit like me. Because you just get to know so many different people. Right next to me, there was this group of “older” – meaning full grown-up – couples, who turned out to be American and full-time clique-mums. It was my first time hearing the term, but apparently, that’s the name of clikkies, who are already mums. Super cute, I know. So, we started chatting for a bit and then we met this other girl, who, as it turned out, was part Austrian, part German, and living in London to study here. I mean, how crazy is that? Over 12.000 people in one room and I happen to meet another Austrian. I was shook. And the cutest part is that we also left the show together afterwards and we’re actually still in contact. God, I just love concerts so much. Literally anything can happen.

So we all chatted for a while and then it was finally time for the boys to start their show. And I can just tell you, it was an entirely different experience, standing there in the middle of the crowd. I mean, I couldn’t see as much as I had the night before, which was pretty obvious to me. Getting front row for TOP is like the biggest mission ever. Maybe, one day, I’ll do the whole thing – get there early, get my number, queue the whole day, get front row and then hold Ty’s hand during Holding On To You. But this show wasn’t that day and I was totally fine with it. Just the experience of being surrounded by clikkies like me, all dancing and singing and laughing and crying, was just so beautiful. I felt at home.

I actually cannot say which show I enjoyed more, just because the overall feeling and experience were so different. At least when it comes to the boys, for me, there are two ways: Either you buy standing tickets and try to get there super early or are simply fine with maybe not seeing everything all the time, but get the full-on crowd atmosphere. Or you buy seating tickets with the guarantee that you’ll see everything but also with less crazy crowd dynamics (also depends on how close the seats are to the stage).

Besides that, the biggest difference was definitely what happened as soon as it was time for them to make use of the b-stage. As I mentioned in my first post, TOPs show now features a huge bridge that floats down from above and hovers over the crowd for the boys to walk over to the other stage. And as soon as that came down, I knew it was time to freak out a bit. The first one to come over to us was Ty and shortly after that Josh came running past me and up to the stage. And, guys, I can’t begin to describe the feeling of absolute awe I got. They were so close. I mean, I know I had just seen them even closer the day before after the signing, but that was different. That was a more “normal” situation. But now they were in full concert mode, which meant a 100 percent more awesomeness. Which is actually quite fascinating. I’ve already done interviews with a few artists and bands and during the chats, they are always just normal people, like you and me. But as soon as they step on stage, they become these incredible, mind-blowingly talented human beings, who aren’t normal at all. And that is exactly what happened with the boys that night.

And it just changes so much when you can actually watch your favourite artists play. But not from afar or over a big screen. No. Like, actually watch them, up close. Watch how Tyler’s face changes when he sings and how his emotions translate to his every movement. Watch how Josh’s muscles flex depending on how hard he drums. And just live the moment, together with them. That’s something I will definitely never forget. And that they played Bandito in front of me is just the cherry on top, pretty much.

But out of the whole night, my favourite moment happened during the part when Josh ran through the crowd to get to b-stage. The lights were on him and everyone’s focus switched to him, obviously. Everyone’s but mine. Because while everyone was looking at Josh, I turned around and looked at Tyler, who was already sitting at his piano in front of me. And I don’t know exactly why, but it was just such a magical moment for me. Because I caught him in one of those seconds, where nobody usually focuses on him. I studied his face and suddenly everything around me vanished and I kind of got sucked out of the vortex I had been in. All I could see was Tyler, the talented guy from Ohio who hates bananas and balloons, and not Tyler, the uber-phenomenal artist. And then I felt tears running down my cheeks and with one blink of an eye, reality came back. For me, that was definitely one of the most incredible moments of my life and I’ll never ever forget that. It just felt so real.

And yeah, after that it was all just a mind-blowing night and super-fun party. I danced and screamed and laughed and cried and felt so good and so alive that I never ever wanted it to end. As always, I was bawling my eyes out as soon as Trees started, which then turned into both smiling and crying when at the end, yellow confetti came falling down all around me. Which is another reason why I love standing in the pit – if there’s confetti, you’ll be covered in it. And I’m one of those people, who always look up to the ceiling and watch the confetti fall down. Just another super beautiful moment that can’t really be put into words.

And that was it. I honestly can’t even describe how much I enjoyed those two nights and how absolutely breathtaking the shows were. Tyler and Josh really are two of the most brilliant artists out there right now and I feel so proud and so grateful that I get to be one of their fans and that I get to experience all of these amazing moments with them. I don’t know what I would do without them and their music. And I know it might sound super crazy, but I’m just so thankful that I get to be alive at the same time as them. I know so many people who are into bands from the 70s or 80s or 90s, who will never get to see their faves live simply because of time. But here I am, already counting down the days until Sziget and until I get to see my beans live again. My heart is literally filled with so much gratitude.

Which also brings me to the end of this post. Again, I’m sorry this got a bit lengthy as well, but I just love sharing these special moments with you guys. I dearly hope you enjoyed reading all about them and thanks so much for making it until here. You’re amazing. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. Oh, and before I forget it, just a little info that I won’t be posting anything for the next three weeks as I’ll be spending some time with my family at home. Thanks for understanding. And, of course, thanks for reading. See you in three weeks. x

I’m a Bandito //-// Part 1

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to my blog. Sorry for being gone for a bit, but what I’m about to share with you today was worth the wait – at least for me. Because the past weekend, I got to spend two nights with two of my most favourite artists in the world, also known as Tyler and Josh, also known as the band Twenty One Pilots.

I mean, I know that I don’t need to tell you or explain why I love this band so much and why they are my favourite band, because if you’ve been following my blog for quite some time, you’ll pretty much know all of these things and reasons already. I can just say that they are eternally special and that their music is out of the world. And it might sound a bit crazy or exaggerated for other people, but for me, Ty is pretty much the most creative and most genius artist I know. What they created with Trench can’t even be put into words, it’s just so special and meaningful and unique. And that’s just one small reason why I adore them this much.

As you can probably guess by now, this post is about the Bandito tour, which they are currently on, and the two concerts in London that I went to. Originally, it was only meant to be one, but as soon as the first show ended, I knew that I had to see them again. I would have just sat at home, drowning myself in self-pity and post-concert-depression, if I hadn’t gone to the concert the next day and I know that for a fact. Let’s just say that it wasn’t a surprise, to anyone. So, as soon as I got home, I went on the hunt for a ticket for the next day and then thankfully found one. This is the part where I have to thank Graham, the guy who sold me the ticket, because we just met up at the venue and it was all super easy and quick and just overall a really chill and nice experience. I’m usually a bit nervous about buying re-sold tickets, but this time it couldn’t have been any better. And honestly, I know people might think it’s a bit mad to go to the same concert twice in a row, but firstly, they are my favourite band, so why would I not want to see them again, secondly, the show is freaking amazing and absolutely mind-blowing, I could literally watch it every single day and wouldn’t get bored, and lastly, why the hell not? If your favourite band is playing in your town and you have the chance to see them twice, please just do it, seriously. You won’t regret it.

And, as I’ve got all of these amazing memories now and crazy experiences from two of the most fantastic nights of my life, I thought it would be best to just split them up in day one and day two. I’m also kind of doing this for myself because I loved it all so much and still have so many emotions and happy feelings trapped in my body, that I need to get them out and just tell the world what happened. So, here you go world. Do whatever you want with the information, but most importantly, please enjoy.

Night: Number 1

Okay, so, it would probably be best to just begin at the very start of the day, because oh boy, what a day it was. So, first, I got dressed in my specially created Bandito outfit, that I prepared a few nights before the show. It’s basically an all-black outfit with yellow tape stuck all over it, but there honestly haven’t been a lot of outfits in my life that I’ve been this proud of. It just looked so damn good. I’ll insert some pictures down below so you can check it out. I absolutely love it.

So, with the outfit ready and in full Bandito mode, I went to uni in the morning and then took the train London right after that. The initial plan was to head straight to FOPP, a super cool music store in London, where the HMV signing was being held. I had seen online that the guys had gone out to the fans the day before, so I was hoping for that to happen again. So, the plan was: go to FOPP, wait outside and hope for the best. But as soon as I got there, I knew that this day wouldn’t be going as I had planned it. Because the moment I looked through the window of the store, my whole system basically crashed down. You want to know why? Because Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun were sitting inside the store, just about two metres away from me and I was straight looking at them. I felt like I was dreaming. After not seeing them for nearly three years, that felt like the biggest shock ever. But the funny thing was, all I could think was “Ty, why are you wearing sunglasses inside, you idiot”. Small disclaimer here: when I call someone an idiot, it’s basically me saying I love you. I’m like Robin from HIMYM. So, just so you know, Ty isn’t an idiot, but I call him one because I love him. And then I thought how freaking cute they both looked and how damn good Josh looked. I’m not going to lie, they are both super good looking, so props to Jenna and Debby. Well freaking done. Those four definitely count as some of my most favourite couples out there. They’re just way too cute.

So yeah, there I was, standing outside the store, surrounded by other clikkies, and Josh and Ty sitting two metres away from me. It was quite a surreal experience. So, as any normal, sane human being, I called my mum. And then I called Leni. And then, as soon as the security, who were all super nice, just to mention that, started to get a bit fidgety, I secured myself a good spot next to their car, as by then, it was pretty clear that they would be coming out. But then they told all of us on my side of the road that we had to move, so they basically – in a non-violent way – pushed us onto the other side, which ended up in me suddenly being front row, right next to the car. You can probably guess that by now my heart was basically running a marathon. Which was quite weird, actually, because I wasn’t nervous when I was standing outside the store, looking at them. But as soon as I knew that they would be walking past me, in real life, as real people, I started to freak out.

And then the moment came. First, Mark, their creative and content creator came out (if you ever see a cool vid of them online, it’s basically done by him), and, obviously, we all cheered. And then the two beans finally came. And then Ty, as cool guy he thinks he is, decided to throw up his hands and do peace signs while walking past us, with Josh laughing behind him. And again, I thought ‘omg you idiot’, but god damn, I loved them so much at that moment. Also, maybe I was just the only one who felt like that, but for me, it looked as if their skin was glowing. And they both looked so happy. No wonder Ty had to keep his sunglasses on.

So, that was the first half of my Friday. It was only just 3 pm and already so much more had happened than what I had expected. I can just repeat myself, I felt like I was in a dream. Still do, actually. I then basically spent the day wandering around London, having dinner – which consisted of me following my mission of finding the best ramen/pho in London – and then heading to the venue. I had a seating ticket, which meant I didn’t have to worry about getting there super early, which was nice. I obviously had to buy some merch, so I got myself the tour shirt, which looks freaking amazing. I can’t wait to wear it. And then it was already time to head to my seat, which turned out to be crazy good. I was in the upper section right next to the stage, so I could see everything. Then the support band called The Regrettes came on stage, and although they weren’t really my cup of tea, I have to say that they indeed are a perfect support for TOP. They really managed to get the crowd hyped up and I was very thankful for that.

And just half an hour later after the support had ended their set, it was finally time. The lights went off, some super mysterious music came on and all my thoughts basically vanished. It was just me and them. And oh my god, I can’t even begin to tell you happy I was to see them. It’s so crazy because, during the hiatus, I really did miss them a lot, but only when they came back with Jumpsuit and the video and Trench, I noticed how much I had really missed them. And suddenly there they were, playing that exact same song and I just couldn’t stop myself from crying and smiling like a maniac. When I think about it, that was actually how I mostly spent the two hours of the first night – either crying, or smiling, or just doing both. In short, I was an emotional wreck. But a happy one.

Before I get started on the highlights, I just have to mentally bow down to Ty and Josh for creating Trench and this tour. I’ve been to quite a lot of concerts in the past, but only a few can compete with the absolutely stunning and breathtaking production of their shows. The lights, the lasers, the stage design, the graphics and videos for the screens, the whole concept of movement and most importantly the interaction with the crowd, it was all so out of this world, honestly. I’m not going to go into much detail, because some clikkie might just be reading this right now and actually trying to avoid spoilers, just like I did, so I really want to keep the surprise. All I can say is that it’s a jaw-dropping show production and I cannot even put into words how extremely impressed and proud and thankful I am. Being part of the clique and getting to experience this, even twice, feels like an absolute honour.

When it comes to highlights, there are a few things that I will never ever forget. The most important one has to be the moment when they started playing ‘Bandito’. Just for the context, ‘Bandito’, for me, is the most beautiful song of Trench and it just really means a lot to me. When I first heard the Sahlo Folina part, I felt like it was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard. And like I said, I didn’t know which songs they were going to play, I had just heard that ‘Bandito’ was kind of being slept on, which worried me a little. So if I was hoping for them to play one song, it was that one. And then Tyler suddenly started playing it on his piano and, basically, all the emotions trapped inside my body came flooding out of me, all at once. Like, I literally cried so much, my whole body was shaking. I had this kind of weird family sitting next to me and they were looking at me like I was some kind of crazy person. Yes, I know all the lyrics by heart and yes, I will cry my eyes out now, thank you very much.

So yeah, that probably has to be the most special moment. And straight after that comes the moment when Ty played a bit of “Can’t Help Falling In Love” on his ukulele and dedicated it to all the women in the room, as it was International Women’s Day. Most of you will probably know the cover they uploaded a few years ago. I’m one of those people who listen to it once in a while, just because it’s so beautiful, so I actually felt a bit blessed when he started to play it. I wasn’t expecting it all.

And besides that, it’s just how incredibly talented Josh and Tyler are and how they interacted with us fans that made it all feel so personal and special. The jokes Tyler made in between and just the overall stuff he said during the shows, like “good to see you, my frens” or “let’s show them how we end the show”, it all made me feel very loved. If you’ve ever been to a show of them, you’ll probably know that Josh usually never talks, which totally makes sense regarding his anxiety. But that never ended up in Ty being the guy everyone focuses on because he makes sure that his best friend gets his own moments as well. There are thorough introductions to Josh, once done by a voiceover, once done by Ty himself. And let’s not forget the floating ‘catwalk’ they have at their shows now – which is the coolest thing ever – and the moment when Josh gets to walk over it and casually opens his jacket, which isn’t sexy in any way, I don’t know why you would think that. Hell, Josh, we know you’re good looking, stop it. So, overall, they both get their moments. Also, I just saw a video of Ty actually hiding underneath his piano while Josh has his drum solo and I don’t know if I’ll ever get over how adorable that is.

Besides that, it’s just so cute when the camera focused on both of them during moments when they slightly got out of their serious characters and started to grin like the happy little beans they are. It just cannot get any more adorable than that. And also, there was this one moment when the camera was on the fans and Tyler looked at the screen and blew kisses at it. I know it was one of those things that usually get lost under all the crazy action that is going on, but I will forever remember that exact moment. It’s just so beautiful to see how much they love us, because of how much we love them. That’s why I always say that they’re something special. Their music, their fanbase, their ways of doing things, their incredible talent and their relationship with the clique are just all so unique and make me love them even more. Also, I might just add now that Ty’s sassiness is always part of the show and I honestly wouldn’t want to go without it.

So yeah, overall, that was night one. I can still see myself standing there, singing to Trees, the last song of their set, as always, and bawling my eyes out like crazy because I was so emotional and happy and also a bit sad and just very overwhelmed. It was then that I noticed how much they really meant to me. And how much I wanted to see them again. I remember sitting down after they had gone off stage, tears still rolling down my cheeks, and deciding that I had to see them again. Which is exactly what I did and which is also the exact part at where I will end this post. I know it has already become incredibly lengthy, so I’m super thankful if you made it until here. You’re the best. Please do stick around for part two, which I will upload shortly. And until then, I really hope you enjoyed this post. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your comments down below. And, of course, thanks for reading, my frens. x

The Night of Saint Raymond

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to another week and another concert review. First of all, don’t even act as if you’re shocked, you all knew that concert season had begun. And yep, that’s just the beginning, so get ready for more of this in the future (*cough* Twenty One Pilots *cough*). But until then let me tell you about the very special Friday I got to spend with the very special Callum Burrows, aka Saint Raymond, aka the one guy I’ve been waiting to see live again for nearly five years. And now it finally happened. FINALLY.

But before I get fully into this, let me first introduce you to Callum. Most of you, who’ve been following me for quite some time will probably know him as the amazing support that I got to see before Ed in 2014. I still remember it like it was yesterday. The first support came on, my friend and I got a bit bored and wished for nothing else but a more exciting, upbeat second support. And then Callum came on and we felt like all of our prayers had been heard. He was so damn good. The next day, after Ed’s show, despite all beliefs, I wasn’t listening to Ed, no, I was listening to ‘Ghosts’ by Callum, over and over again. I just couldn’t get enough of it. And since then I’ve been wanting to see this amazing British singer-songwriter live again. And last Friday the day had finally come.

First of all, I have to say that I’ve never ever in my life before encountered such a loud and also partly rude audience. I mean, it was literally perfect when Callum came on stage, because the whole room suddenly turned into one big choir, myself included. But when I think about Nick Wilson, his support, I just thought they were all really rude because they literally didn’t shut up. Like, I had trouble actually hearing him and the room was freaking tiny. I know this shouldn’t really part of a concert review, but I see something like this as a lack of respect for the artist and Nick really didn’t deserve that. He was so so good and the perfect support for Callum. I really loved his voice and I hope he gets some more attention in the future.

So far about the beginning of the show. But like I said, as soon as Callum came on, it was perfect. Again, I’ve never ever encountered such a loud crowd. But in a good way. Because it led to Callum looking like literally the happiest person on earth. The moment he came on stage he broke out into a huge grin and he didn’t stop smiling until he went off again. And he didn’t even really stop there, because when I chatted to him for a bit afterwards, he was still so happy. And I was so happy because he was so happy. It was just so damn cute. And I know it meant a lot to him because the tour he is on right now is his first one since November last year and he told me that he was still a bit nervous, which made it all even cuter. I’m still so happy for him.

And about the show overall – I don’t even know what to say. He’s just so damn good at what he’s doing. And it felt so good to finally see him again after all this time. I still remembered all the lyrics, even those of songs I hadn’t listened to for a bit of time, and when he played ‘Ghosts’ it immediately brought me back to that very morning after Ed’s show. It was such a special moment. And, I can just repeat myself, Callum just seemed so happy and the audience was so happy as well and then his amazing voice on top of that just turned the night into a perfect show. I already miss him so much, but I’m also so looking forward to his new album that’s currently in the making and for his tour, that’s going to go with it. And until then I’ll just listen to his already released stuff and reminisce about this amazing concert.

And when it comes to you guys, who’re reading this now, I can just recommend you to give this fantastic artist a listen. You won’t regret it, I promise. Callum really is special and he deserves every single piece of attention he can get and so much more. I’m so excited for what’s planned for him in the future and I’d love for you all to be part of the journey. As always, I’d also love to hear your thoughts and comments about anything and everything and I really hope you enjoy this post. And, of course, I wish you all a great week and thanks for reading. x

A Hippo Campus Dream

Hola everyone.

Not to be dramatic or anything, but what I’m going to tell you today is something I would have never thought I’d ever be able to write down and tell the world. Never. And I’m not exaggerating. To keep the tension up a bit, I’m not gonna tell you all of it just now, but as you can see by the title, it has got something to do with my beloved Minnesota boys, also known as the amazing band Hippo Campus. And yes, it indeed includes me seeing them live. FINALLY. But let’s start right at the beginning.

So, as most of you guys will probably know by now, I am a huuuuuge fan of Hippo Campus. I won’t go into detail why, because it’s pretty obvious once you listen to their music. Frankly, they are one of the best bands out there right now and their talent is basically unreal, so yeah. They are currently receiving more and more attention, which I’m honestly so happy about. They deserve all of it and so much more.

Last year, they pretty much blew my mind with their new record ‘Bambi’ (here’s the review I wrote about it – click me) and to be honest, if TOP hadn’t released Trench in 2018 as well, Hippo’s LP would have been my favourite album of the year, by far. It’s just a work of art, it truly is. And so when I found out that they would be doing a show here in Brighton, I basically freaked out. I mean, they aren’t as big in the UK as they are in the US and they would never come to my country, not when they’re still so unknown there, so I wasn’t actually expecting to ever see them live. I didn’t expect it to be that easy, at least. I thought I’d have to fly to the US and see them there or whatever. But they decided to come to me and I’m still so happy about it.

So, you probably already know where this is heading by now. Last Sunday was the day. THE DAY. The day I had been waiting for for such a long time. And oh my god, the wait was so worth it. And I’m not just saying this because I’m such a huge fan, I’m saying it because it’s true: the show was literally perfect. And I still can’t get over their talent. I mean, just when you think about all the different instruments and musical abilities they bring together on stage – one trumpet, two drums, two basses, two guitars, one piano, one tambourine and fire vocals on top of that. And there are just five of them who all do this. I mean, honestly, how much more can you wish for? That’s exactly the reason why they are so unique and why their shows are this good. They just absolutely know what they’re doing and you can feel that.

About the show itself – besides it being absolutely fantastic – I basically got to the full thing, as I managed to get to front row (yes, I’m very proud of that, thank you very much). They played Bambi, the title track, as their very first song, which kind of surprised me, as it’s one of their biggest songs, but I didn’t mind at all. And after that, they stuck to a good mix between older and new songs, which was just perfect. And I didn’t really think it was possible, but they really are so much better live than on the studio versions. By which I obviously mean that the studio versions are so good that I never thought that they could even top that. But they can and they did. And I guess it was also just the atmosphere overall and their stage presence. You could really see how much they enjoy doing what they do and that made me so happy.

If I had to pin down my favourite moments of the whole show, I think I’d end up with the following three:

First of all, they played Monsoon, which is basically unbeatable. It’s the first song I ever heard by them – I can still see myself sitting at home in the kitchen and finding the live version on YouTube and listening to it over and over again with my eyes closed. And after all this time, it’s still my favourite. So when they played it, I was immediately thrown back to that very moment in the kitchen and then I watched them play it and then the tears kept coming and I just let them. It was such a magical moment. Most of the people next to me had closed their eyes during the song, which I did too, and you could really feel how calm and emotional everyone had suddenly become. It was absolutely beautiful.

And a few songs after that they played Violet, which is my favourite song right now. It’s just so much fun, so when they played it, I went full party mode and sang and screamed my heart out. I felt so alive and happy and it was then that I realized that this was really happening. And I was so grateful at that moment, for everything.

And last but not least, my third favourite moment has to be one including Zach (what a surprise). He’s their bassist and v v v cute, but I’m not gonna go into more detail. But the scene was that inbetween two songs, girls were screaming “I love you” at Jake (the lead singer) and suddenly Zach just had had enough. So he went up to the mic and said: “Do you actually have an idea how it makes the rest of us feel when you scream things like that at Jake? I mean, what about the rest of us? How do you think this makes-“. And BAMM, suddenly a whole bunch of pink roses hit his face. I literally couldn’t stop laughing. And in the process he had caught one and was just standing there, holding the rose to his face, looking a bit startled. And then he smiled and said: “Oh okay, I feel better now.” And I felt like I’d faint on the spot. It was all just too much cuteness for me to handle.

So, there you go, those are my favourite moments of the show. But let’s be honest, the entire show was just one big favourite moment. One that I’ll never ever forget. I’ve been looking through a few pics and videos I took during the show and their talent really is unreal. I kept watching Nathan (the lead guitarist) during the show and he’s just so incredible. All of them are. And they’re just very cool and lovely people. Which brings me to the one super crazy thing that I never thought I’d be able to tell you that I mentioned at the beginning of this post. I’m not going to go into any detail, but I just want to say it now so it’s out there in the world for me to read when I’m old and want to look back at all the incredible things I’ve done. So, here it comes: I didn’t get to front row because I was waiting outside the venue, but because I got interview the boys before their show and then watch the soundcheck and wait there until the gig. And I know, it’s basically the biggest deal of my career so far – and apart from some family and friends stuff and moving to Brighton also the biggest one of my life – and I still can’t believe that it really happened. Like I said, I don’t wanna go into detail, but I just want to say that they are incredibly nice and real and honest and inspiring people and I’ll forever be grateful for the way they treated me. In a nutshell, it was one of the most interesting, fascinating and fun chats I’ve ever had in my life and probably ever have. I honestly adore them so much.

And this is where this post comes to an end. To be honest, I still cannot believe how lucky I am, I feel like I’m in some sort of trance. You know this feeling when something so big happens that you start to question whether you’re dreaming or it is really happening? This is what the past days have felt like, especially Sunday. Honestly, my life has become a dream and I’m living that exact dream. And I can’t even begin to tell you how thankful I am for that. I feel like the luckiest and happiest person on earth. Always believe in your dreams, guys. Always.

For all of you music lovers out there, if you take one thing from this, then please be it that you need to listen to this fantastic band called Hippo Campus and that you need to see them live immediately. Like, right now. Trust me, you won’t regret it. I’ve already reached the post-concert-sadness, which is why I’m already looking for a way to see them again as quick as possible. And you should all do the same.

And yeah, until then I hope you’re doing good and wish you an amazing weekend. As always, I hope you enjoyed this post and if you’ve got any questions or thoughts, please don’t hesitate to leave them down below. And, of course, thanks for reading. x