Exposed

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Catch Cartel on their 10 Year Anniversary Tour for Chroma. Tickets can be purchased here.

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Best Coast | Milwaukee | Summerfest 2014

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Northlane | Milwaukee | Issue 2 feature 

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THE USED AND TAKING BACK SUNDAY



The attendance of the show was mainly composed of older fans of Taking Back Sunday and The Used. It was Sleepwave and Tonight Alive that brought in new fans. Both bands demonstrated that they are ones to watch (or continue to watch) in this next wave of new music of 2014. Sleepwave, Spencer Chamberlain’s new project, formed just a few months ago. The music was more of a harder rock, carrying elements of the chaos that was found in Underoath’s music. Tonight Alive has been on the rise for a little over a year now, after breaking it on Vans Warped Tour the past two summers. The Australian rockers were fun and brought in a little bit of younger crowd who were eager to finally catch a longer set from the band.



The stage filled with smoke and the preface from their latest release “Happiness Is…” echoed as the band entered. The band immediately started off with “Stood A Chance”.followed by “Timberwolves at New Jersey”. From their 2002 release that started it all “Tell All Your Friends” to now, the band has over 10 years of music to choose from playing. While it seems in today’s day and age, most bands tend to lean towards playing their new music. However this doesn’t hold true for TBS. The band played a great mix of all their albums, leaning towards their first two releases and latest release if anything. Their fans still screamed back all the words, eager to catch their favorite band after a few months. The band’s last tour did not make a stop in Milwaukee, but most fans were willing to make a trip to other Midwest areas to catch their show.



The band has strong crowd control and their setlist is always filled with fan favorites. “You’re So Last Summer” and “Cute Without the ‘E’” received some of the most crowd interaction. The band closed out the night with “MakeDamnSure”. If you catch Taking Back Sunday live, you can expect a solid performance. They have built up their reputation in the music community and live up to those expectations. As they continue to put out new music, elements from their earlier music is still incorporated which is why the band has had such a loyal fanbase over the years.

The Used closed the night. The band has gone through periods of experimenting with new music and some lifestyle changes. The band just put out a new album entitled “Imaginary Enemy”. While this album has more of a pop element behind it, there are still the musicianship qualities and lyricism that fans enjoy from earlier music of the band. In fact, while TBS mixed up a lot of their setlist, The Used leaned towards playing their older tracks bringing most fans back to the nostalgia of high school. Before the band got into the bulk of their set, a girl was surprised by her boyfriend who proposed on stage. The Used took a moment to graciously thank the fans for coming out and keeping up with the band over the years. Most of the fans were older fans, having a variety of merch and tattoos of artwork from “In Life and Death”. As the band started up the second half of their set, the energy doubled. Bert McCracken is on the most fascinating singers, making The Used’s live show one of the most entertaining. This is one band you won’t regret seeing and as they release new music, their performance only gets better.  



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The Used and Taking Back Sunday are out on the road with Tonight Alive and Sleepwave. We will be covering their stop in Milwaukee tomorrow and taking photos to be featured in our next issue. You can still purchase tickets here. Be sure to catch one of the remaining shows and pick up both of the band's new music. 

To see remaining dates and purchase tickets you can visit The Used and Taking Back Sunday's official sites.

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Issue Number 2 featuring Candy Hearts is live. We also have interviews with Magic Man and Northlane. Our local spotlights go to Milwaukee’s Myles Coyne, Comic Books, and GGOOLLDD. We also have a variety of reviews. Check it out and let us know what you think!

You can read it for free here!

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We are excited to finally release our first issue of Exposed. Our cover is Chicago’s Carbon Tigers along with inside stories with Milwaukee’s Vic and Gab and Fable & The World Flat. You can read the issue for free here.

Stay connected with us on Facebook and Twitter.

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TAKE A LISTEN! Fitz and the Tantrums will be in Milwaukee this weekend with Capital Cities. Due to popular demand, the show got moved into the Eagles Ballroom. Tickets are still available here. Be sure to grab your tickets now because their dance pop sounds is guaranteed to have everyone on their feet. 

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Leighton Antelman of Lydia 

Milwaukee, WI 

October 2013

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THE MAINE CO-HEADLINES THE RAVE WITH ANBERLIN

The Maine was welcomed back to The Rave alongside Anberlin this time. The crowd was building up throughout the night, but many dedicated fans were lined up along the front barricade excitedly waiting for the band to take the stage. By far, The Maine is one of the most passionate and caring bands out there. It’s evident that their fans mean a lot to them, whether it be the humble thank you’s or hours spent after shows meeting and getting to know them. With every tour, they make sure that fans are getting the best experience possible.

The band’s setlist was a mix of everything, but favored some of their newer tracks from Forever Halloween. The newer versions of their tracks from Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop are still fun, but fit the band’s developed style. The laid back, indie rock showcases the bands talent more favoring their guitar solos and ability to get lost in the music.

One of my favorites moment of the night was towards the end when the band decided to have the crowd help out with the lyrics. A few lucky fans in the front row had their moment to take over the mic and sing the rest of “Girls Do What They Want”. A few nerves were shown, but singer John O’Callaghan quieted the band to help the fans finish off the song. It’s those little moments that make the fans feel so connected to the band and keeps them coming back time after time.

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TONIGHT ALIVE - THE OTHER SIDE

Tonight Alive has been on the rise since they made their appearance on the Vans Warped Tour in 2012. This year they were welcomed back and as well as landing spots touring with bands like Pierce The Veil and The Story So Far. With their ongoing hype, their new album was definitely something to look into it. Compared to their last album What Are You Scared Of?, The Other Side seemed to be more polished and really complimented Jenna McDougall’s singing style. It still has that rough pop punk feel, but it also explored some slower, more relaxed tracks which showed off the band’s talents. The album has a nice balance between the songs, throwing in some new sounds that weren’t found on their first album. Both new and older fans can enjoy everything The Other Side has to offer.

Right away the album starts off “The Ocean” holding elements similar to the single “Breaking & Entering”. On this album, the lyrics show a lighter side to McDougall. She opens up in her lyrics, making the album come across with a little vulnerability and feeling that sense of honesty and strength. Songs like “Don’t Wish” and “Lonely Girl” go against that vulnerability and back to the tough pop punk style. “Lonely Girl” was the first single off the album and it’s clear why. By far this is one of the strongest tracks off the album with it’s explosive and direct chorus.  

“Hell and Back” and “The Other Side” stray away from the band’s typical style, revealing a new calm and relaxed side to the band. In fact the final track, “You Don’t Owe Me Anything” begins with a piano, much slower than the rest of the album or anything that band has released. The vocals capture the emotion of the lyrics, giving it a very powerful impact when listening. The band has taken a few risks, but they have all worked out and has helped them build up their sound. They no longer have to be compared to other bands, especially female fronted ones, because they have created a style of their own. This album took a lot of their strengths found in their first album and perfected them to put out a very solid second album.

Some of our favorites off the album were “Don’t Wish”, “Lonely Girl”, and “The Other Side”.

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Need some new music? Download Topshelf Records 2013 Label Sampler for free!

We love new music and are always looking for artists that are on the rise in the music scene. Topshelf Records 2013 Label Sampler features 78 tracks from bands like Into It. Over It, Diamond Youth, Citizen, and many more. (Who knows, you might find your new favorite band!) You can check out more information and get the download link here. Did we mention it's free? 

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Beau Bokan of blessthefall

Tinley Park , IL 

Warped Tour 2013

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 Ladies I've gotten some feedback on what bangs are the easiest to keep up and switch around! Here are your winners! These all are suitable for all face shapes, if cut and styled correctly!

Take these pictures in! If they ask for a reference point on your face this is a great opportunity to get your personalized fringe!

Stylist "So, where would you like these to fall?"

For eyes to pop, start next to or above your eye

For cheeks to pop, the longer side of the side swept or the center should rest on your cheek! For the straight/blunt bangs have your stylist face frame and blend your bangs into your cut!

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MILWAUKEE WELCOMES THE NATIONAL BACK TO THE RIVERSIDE WITH A SOLD OUT SHOW

The sold out Riverside show had a line wrapped around the side of the building. When the doors opened, the crowd remained calm and after being let in chose to either stand on the ground floor towards the stage or make their way to the upper balcony of the building. To start off the night, London indie rock band Daughter took the stage.

Singer Elena Tonra showcases her haunting vocals as they echoed throughout the venue. The band’s first album If You Leave received high praise. The songs have emotional lyrics and Tonra’s voice evoked strong feelings to come to life for listeners. Their set was very relaxed, creating a very mature setting. The crowd seemed to enjoy the band’s set and intently listened and cheered along.

The Riverside is known for many of the huge indie shows that have come to Milwaukee like Bon Iver and Passion Pit. When The National was announced it was no surprise and would bring a familiar crowd to the venue. The show featured an older audience. It was on a more serious note, but still everyone was enjoying their time and excited for The National to come on.

As the stage was set up for The National, the downstairs level was packed. Everyone in the lower floor was standing up anxiously awaiting for the band to begin their set. There wasn’t much yelling to get the show started and encourage the band to come out, instead the crowd seemed to be very appreciative of the night and waited until the lights went off as sign to begin cheering. As the band walked out they were welcomed by a loud applause.

The National just played Lollapalooza, which offers a completely different feeling than in a venue. The Riverside called for a much more intimate show. This intimacy caused for singer Matt Berninger’s vocals to give chills. He put such strong emotions into his songs that it made fans feel a special connection. The band started off the night playing some newer songs off of their latest album Trouble Will Find Me, but still mixed up the setlist with some older songs as well. Fans got a treat with a setlist that was over 20 songs.

The night went well. Fans were not disappointed and continued to give great praise back to the band, cheering and singing along. The band was very honored and continued to thank the crowd for coming out.

The band will be back in Wisconsin next month for a sold out show at the Orpheum Theater in Madison. For any upcoming dates you can visit their website for more information. I highly suggest if you have a chance to see The National live to go because the emotion in their music is unlike many of the bands out there today.

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The Color Run continues to wreak havoc on all you blondes I made a list on how to fix your hair! This works for most people! Protect your hair before and you'll be fine!

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WARPED RECAP: MILWAUKEE - JULY 31, 2013

The main gates had a line of kids wrapped all down the sidewalk anxiously waiting to get into the grounds. The Monster stage which was closest to the entrance could be heard tuning guitars and getting ready to kick off the busy day. Luckily for Milwaukee Warped goers, it wasn't too hot and the chance of rain wouldn't have any problems with fans until the later portion of their day. 

One of the first bands we caught was Architects (UK). It seemed like this year Warped's common trend was the oversea bands taking over. From the UK to Australia, everyone was full of energy. 

The Voice contestant Juliet Simms played an acoustic set on the Kevin Says stage. Simms noted to the crowd that she was feeling under the weather, but she still pulled through for fans and carried on with her set. It was a calm performance, but a nice way for fans to break up their day and relax for a moment. 

blessthefall kicked off their set right away with Beau jumping into the crowd. Since it was still relatively early in the day, fans were still entering and running down the aisles to get to the pit area so they could join the crowdsurfers getting launched to the front. 

Chiodos was welcomed on stage by a roar of applause. Having one of the bigger crowds of the day, all the guys in the band kicked up their energy level which caused the crowd to go wild. It was fun to see Craig Owens interaction with the crowd. Crowdsurfers were in and out, yelling back the lyrics as they left the pit area. 

The Early November was another throwback! Ace Enders is one of the most down to earth and humble guys out there. The crowd enjoyed their set and were happy with the mix of older and newer songs. 

We had a few extra minutes and were able to catch a few songs of SIlverstein. It was nice to have some throwback bands playing like Silverstein and The Used again. You could see the excitement from the crowd and as the band continued to play, the crowd continued to grow. 

Just a few moments before The Summer Set took the stage, a downpour began. Luckily the stage was blocked, but kids from the outside came running in and took a seat to wait out the rest of the storm. The Summer Set's fun pop songs filled the pavilion, and whether or not you enjoyed that kind of music, TSS is full of good personalities and welcomed for everyone to join and have a good time.

Just as Issues was getting ready to go on, a few people came out with tarps to cover up the amps and anything else that could get wrecked in the rain. It had become a gentle mist, so the crowd had picked back up and were ready to take on the remained few bands of the day. 

Defeater was one of the last bands playing. Only a couple of sets remained after them. The festival was beginning to be all packed up and heading towards Texas for the last 3 days. Still a decent sized crowd was surrounding the stage, ready to end the day strong. 

Rain or shine, Warped Tour stayed strong all day. For once, it was nice to not have the sun beating down and coming home with a terrible sunburn. Seeing the festival begin to wind down is always bittersweet, but it just builds up more excitement for the next year. We hope to see some more incredible new acts and familiar faces from this years favorites!