When Tesla broke into the automotive industry with the Roadster, it got enthusiasts pondering what the next generation of sports cars would look and sound like. The company ushered in a new product and a new perspective, paving the way for modern electric vehicles by creating a car that looked like it was stolen from 10 years in the future. Turns out that’s the trick to car design. 2009 was a good year for automotive design, as the Model S prototype was in good company when it hit the scene. (For reference, see the Ferrari 458 Italia, Aston Martin One-77, and Alfa Romeo 8C Spider.)
The product battleplan from Tesla in the early days was actually a very calculated one, if you can believe that. It went like this: Shock the industry with a Lotus Elise-based electric sports car, move past a questionable incident with Top Gear, and announce plans to manufacture a sedan just a few years later. They delivered on their promise of the Model S in 2012 and with a base MSRP of $57,400, they had lobbed it right into the mid-size luxury market. No one had done that before.
Right around this time, Fisker had the Karma, and Nissan had the Leaf. The Karma wasn’t a true EV per say due to its gasoline range extender, and the Leaf was a compact hatchback with an EPA estimated 71 miles of range. These two cars bookended the EV market at that time with prices around $102,000 for the Karma and $35,200 for the Leaf. Tesla had brought the fight to where the money was, and it worked. Plans for an SUV were announced after the first Model S’s were being delivered, which kept the industry on its toes. This bombshell meant everyone else was going to be further behind than they thought.
I would be doing a disservice to my business professors if I didn’t break this down a little more so bear with me while I make an attempt. They started by making a low-volume sports car that gets the attention of enthusiasts by licensing the technology of an already fantastic car, the Lotus Elise, leaving 80-90% of the costs going towards developing the powertrain. Pricing the car at a premium means profitability is attainable at a lower point when there’s a lack of economies of scale. However, that’s where they were headed. They had made an exciting vehicle with a cult following and plans to enter a more lucrative market with a sedan. All they needed was the capital, and they got it.
After Elon Musk joined Tesla, and just before the Roadster went into production, he invested $70 million into the company. Then, in 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy gave the company a $465 million loan and in 2010, a year after the Model S prototype was revealed, Tesla launched their IPO which earned them $226 million. This went towards funding the Model S and eventually the Model X.
The only logical next move for Tesla was to make an SUV to gain even more traction in the industry. They did. They gave it gull-wing doors, too. The skateboard platform that most EVs have are adjustable to accommodate whatever body is placed on them, so all Tesla had to do was develop an SUV body to put on their current platform, leaving more room in the budget for some fun. Making a bigger vehicle also means getting to charge more money for it. The cash from both the S and the X would then go into the fund for the Model 3, their cheapest vehicle on sale to date.
The model Y entered the compact SUV swinging and became the best selling model the company has ever produced. Every move that Tesla has made to pin them as the best-selling manufacturer of EVs has been calculated and with purpose. They came out of the gates ready to dominate and pinched every penny to stay on top of new development.
But now they’re getting cocky. Well, more specifically, Elon is getting cocky.
Tesla has always had little gimmicks here and there that added to the charm of owning an electric vehicle. They counted on owners having FOMO when hearing a V-8 roar by on a backroad, because why else would they program a Trans-Siberian Orchestra Christmas light show into their car? Sure, an E63 Mercedes AMG could sing like an angel as it eats up miles on the German autobahn… but can it make fart noises? These little party tricks started out as something fun, but now things might be going over the edge.
The Cybertruck debut in late 2019 left Teslaphiles throwing their wallets at Elon, hoping to grab a slot for a preorder. Was this a publicity stunt? No. A pep rally for fanboys? Maybe. Personally, I think Elon got bored with Tesla. The next car in the works was the new Roadster, which Tesla says won’t be delivered until 2025. It was revealed to the public in 2017 at the Semi launch, with availability slated to start in 2020. The Cybertruck, on the other hand, the biggest joke in the industry, struck like lightning.
It touched down without any warning, and it’s already out to owners. The Cybertruck was announced after the reveal of the Roadster, and was delivered to owners before the Roadster. How volatile does executive boredom need to be in order for it to result in producing a street-legal lunar rover? Forget for a moment that Cybertruck buyers are realizing what a mistake it was to buy in the first place– the truck is a danger to pedestrians, vehicles around it, and to owners who worship Elon like he’s going to take them to his Martian promise land. What car company would do this sort of thing?
A car company… That doesn’t want to be a car company.
Apparently, we’ve been looking at Tesla wrong for the last several years. In January, Elon Musk made a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, calling Tesla an “AI/robotics company that appears to many to be a car company.” Confused yet? Tesla, which started out as “Tesla Motors, Incorporated,” was renamed in 2017 to just “Tesla, Incorporated,” to encompass the new business developments being pursued. Some of their efforts have expanded beyond the scope of car manufacturing… so they shaved 50% of their name off in order to keep from looking crazy for straying away from cars. Yeah, that’ll show’em, Elon.
Car companies that are not car companies do not exist. Well, there’s one company that comes to mind. Porsche. The official name of Porsche is “Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH, Konstruktion und Beratung für Motoren- und Fahrzeugbau,” which essentially means they are an engineering and consulting company by name, that happens to build their own cars.
Tesla is currently in talks with another “major automotive company” that is looking to license its Autopilot and Full Self Driving (FSD) technology, so the Porsche comparison isn’t too far off. In a letter from 2014, Musk expressed Tesla’s concern for the climate crisis and the role the company needs to play in combating it. He mentions that Tesla “will not initiate patent lawsuits against anyone who, in good faith, wants to use [their] technology.” Not quite an engineering consulting company, however if you copy their homework they promise not to tattle. But what if they did follow the Porsche mentality? Today, the only piece of Tesla technology that most other manufacturers are starting to integrate into its cars is supercharging compatibility.
Why not go further? They should have worked with other companies to advance their electric vehicle initiatives that encompass more than just a communal charging network.
In that same letter, Elon stated that their competition wasn’t other electric cars, but gas-powered cars. If Tesla really sees gasoline cars as their biggest threat, then why not offer their help to Detroit? Think of a story similar to the Audi RS2 Avant and Mercedes 500E, a pair of revered performance cars from Germany. Porsche helped in the development and manufacturing of both of those cars, and wouldn’t exist without their help. What if Tesla had a story like this? They could offer powertrain designs to companies that looked to create enticing electric cars, and still hold true to all their beliefs about climate change and open source technology. Not a bad idea, right?
I think this could’ve worked sometime between 2014-2017, just after the popularity of the Model S, and right around the time the Model X was being delivered to customers. (This was also before Elon got especially nutty.) This was prior to other companies debuting comparable EVs, and building full force Tesla-beating war rooms, which may have triggered the end of the company’s automotive division. The only hint of Tesla doing something like this was when they sent a letter to major automotive manufacturers detailing how to implement a 48-volt system architecture in their cars.
All I’m suggesting is, if Tesla wanted to go down the Porsche route and help other manufacturers build viable, modern electric vehicles and build their own cars, they could have kicked-ass. They would be less of a joke like they are today, because the Cybertruck is a sad example of what happens when you know you’re about to get beat at the game you started. Who knows, maybe the next time Tesla changes their branding it will be to “what part of ‘not a car company’ didn’t you understand,” and we’ll be the ones who don’t get it.
Frontman Jack Antonoff and Bleachers have outdone themselves with this hair-flipping, foot-stomping anthem. Even as an avid music consumer, I was shocked to learn that this song, now a frequent flier on the alternative radio dial, was released several months ago in September. I must admit…for a moment I was disappointed; a girl who calls herself a radio rebel ought to know these things. Nevertheless, it’s been quite a long time since I’ve encountered a song that makes me dance with unabashed spirit and enthusiasm that would make Hugh Grant proud.
I’ve been noticing a trend of recent releases in popular music that feel like they’ve been lost in the wrong decade, and “Modern Girl” is no exception. Sonically, the track is simple and it’s that driving backbeat from the drums and bass that makes it impossible to resist moving to. And of course, Antonoff’s genius inclusion of that dirty, throaty saxophone riff makes this song unmistakable from just the first few seconds. Its growl opens the melody, underlies the chorus, and keeps coming back to hit you again and again. The sound is bold, fresh, and unique but also still very characteristically Bleachers.
The whole song embodies that dichotomy of unpolished cleanness that I associate with a raucous live performance. You can hear the energy that Bleachers are pumping into this tune, as if they’re on stage every time and they know no limits, putting every last bit of grit that they possess into their final stand.
An 80’s inspired music video followed the release of the track in September and it is a visual embodiment of that pure joy and boundless energy that the song exudes so well. “Modern Girl” will be featured on Bleachers’ upcoming self-titled album, due out March 8. The group is set to embark on a tour of the US and UK, stopping at Philadelphia’s The Met on June 12.
From one unreliable reporter and pop music hoarder to another, Jack Antonoff and Bleachers have won my heart and I’m extremely excited to see what comes from this new album.
By Macayla Cook, Gretchen Hartenstein, James Kelly, Christopher Malinowski | February 4, 2024
Members of the 2023-24 WVUD Ops Board decided to cover the 66th Grammy Awards. This is the result of that decision.
James: Tonight is the 66th annual Grammy Awards, where the Recording Academy honors the best artists in the business through intense screening and voting for months on end simply to produce a program that puts our favorite artists in the same room for three hours. It’s incredible there isn’t a boxing ring in the middle of the Crypto.com Arena. Anyway, Eminem really pulled the wool back from our eyes when he called out the system that determines the winners. Even though he’s won 15 Grammys.
Thanks Eminem.
First performance
J: Dua Lipa’s gymnasium of homoerotica was quite the spectacle.
One word… Ass, not the performance… but I see her ass. What is my case? I have no qualms about this.
Gretchen: That’s a lot of men.
Macayla: She’s so hot.
Post-Dua Lipa
J: Trevor Noah is kissed by “Only Murders In The Building” star, Meryl Streep
M: Lucky him…….I do love him tho
J: I know right.
M: 21 Savage is amazingly Indifferent to everything it’s nuts.
J: Noah, somewhere between age 25 and 60, is already pulling far ahead in professionalism and humor than Jo Koy hosting the Golden Globes.
M: Doja Cat, forgetting that the Grammys were happening tonight, has arrived in a trucker hat.
J: Yeah cause she gotta back that truck up.
M: Trevor Noah really said “slay women!,” a sentiment that the Brits could never echo. He said Boygenius, that’s all he had to do
Anyway, Lenny Kravitz. Also, Terry Cruise CIA era???? NINE NINE– OH OH AND JONI MITCHELL!
J: I will say, I’m looking forward to U2. Two years ago, H.E.R. and Lenny Kravitz did a performance that blew my fucking mind. I still go back to watch that performance at least once a month.
M: I revisit BTS’s Mission Impossible performance frequently…that and Harry Styles in that goddamn leather jacket because at the end of the day, I am just a girl.
First Award
M: Mariah Carey presented the first category: Best Pop Solo Performance. Miley Cyrus won with “Flowers,” earning her first Grammy (believe it or not, “Party In the USA” did not win a Grammy, proving that the Academy is not always the official arbiters of taste).
Miley Cyrus’s hair is epic. Hannah Montana having a great night. Mariah Carey, meanwhile, is absurdly confused.
J: Yes, Miley’s hair has been power washed, dried by a mach 2 blow dryer, and reattached by scotch tape.
Second Performance
M: And now, “Fast Car.” Joy of all joys. My dad hates this song so I learned to hate it too, and the cover is just even more annoying in my mind.
J: Great song, and I do like his version, but it is severely overplayed. It needs to be preserved before I go insane.
Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs performed “Fast Car” as the audience, littered with accomplished performers, lyricists, and producers in their own rights, stood and sang along with enthusiasm. Chapman originally released the song from her self-titled debut album in 1988 and was covered by Combs in 2023, shooting it up to the number two spot on Billboard’s Hot 100.
M: That’s right, Whoopi Goldberg loved that!
Second Award
M: Next, Maluma and Christina Aguilera presented the award for Best Musica Urbana album. The Grammy went to Karol G for her record “Mañana Será Bonito.” This project was her fourth studio album.
Third Performance
M: SZA, channeling the Undertaker, delivered a showstopping performance featuring various songs from her record-breaking sophomore album, SOS. During “Kill Bill,” a dancer emerged from under a table with a katana, nearly beheading Phoebe Bridgers in the process. SZA’s vocals during the performance were certainly notable, delivering insane consistency from the recorded track to live version and demonstrating more-than-sufficient vocal dexterity.
J: Okay are we gonna ignore the fact that Phoebe Bridgers nearly just got her noggin lobbed off by a katana?
M: She’s loving it
Non-Televised Award
Chris: Turn on, turn off the news! Paramore, hot off their recent label contract as well as recent collaboration with A24 Music for a cover of “Burning Down The House” by Talking Heads has won the Grammy for Best Rock Album this year with their work “This Is Why”. They are now a three-time winning band with their first being the Best Rock Song for “Ain’t It Fun” back in 2014 and now with two more wins under their belt including this grammy for Best Rock Album as well as Best Alternative Music Performance for This Is Why.
Fourth Performance
M: In an intimate performance, Billie Eilish performed “What Was I Made For?,” her only accompaniment being her brother Finneas’ piano playing and a few string players. Eilish collaborates frequently with her brother; the two of them wrote this song for the Barbie movie. I will cut this off here because if I start talking about the Barbie movie, I probably won’t stop for a while. That movie was AWESOME.
This hair era for her is ICONIC. Like, the little piece falling down in the front with the teased crown? It’s so Dolly Parton, I love it. I think Dolly Parton should be the president tbh. Like, anyone who disagrees with that woman is wrong. She’s wonderful.
J: Miley Cyrus, after winning her very first Grammy for “Flowers,” performed the song live to celebrate. Rocking hair only her godmother could’ve passed along to her, she called out those in attendance acting a little restrained from wanting to dance along like they should be.
M: Cyrus’s stage presence is not to be underestimated, dancing about the stage in a silver sparkly bikini and skirt while making the whole singing part of her job look incredibly easy.
J: Paying homage to one of her heroes, the late Tina Turner, she repeated the last few verses of the song in a “Proud Mary”- esque way. Miley Cyrus was not the only one to bring home a first Grammy award, though.
Third Award
M: Upcoming artist Laney Wilson took home the Best Country Album award, giving a heartfelt speech dedicated to her small hometown in Louisiana. Wilson is a self-described “fifth-generation farmer’s daughter,” making her win extremely impressive.
M: Hey I did miss this, best part of our jobs honestly
J: The Nazis?
M: … Yes Jamie, the Nazis, that’s totally what I’m talking about
J: Far out
Fourth Award
M: Best R&B Song, presented by Lizzo, was awarded to SZA for “Snooze.” Here at WVUD, we predict this will be the first of quite a few Grammys for SZA tonight. SZA’s speech thanked a sprawling list of people, including the presenter of the award, with whom she has shared an 11-year friendship. She was adorably overwhelmed, trailing off the end of her speech and simply saying, “Hi Taylor. I love you. I…I’m not an attractive cryer, have a good evening.”
Sixth Performance
M: Afterwards, Olivia Rodrigo performed her smash hit “Vampire,” off her heavily-anticipated sophomore record, GUTS. Throughout the performance, she gradually smeared herself with blood that we really hope was fake.
J: Read Macayla’s album review of GUTS here. It was really good, in our unbiased opinion.
Seventh Performance & Fifth Award
J: U2 have been enjoying their residency in Las Vegas, performing in The Sphere, the newest venue in the Nevada desert oasis. After playing “Atomic City,” Bono presented the Grammy for best pop vocal album to Taylor Swift, making this her 13th Grammy. Swift revealed the title of her brand new album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” and said it will be available April 19th.
Eighth Performance
J: Stevie Wonder paid tribute to his late friend, Tony Bennett, who passed away last year due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease. He performed “For Once In My Life,” with background vocals provided by a recording of Bennett from a previous performance with Wonder. A gift from beyond, Bennett joins him on stage for one last song with one of his many partners in crime. Wonder then played “The Best Is Yet To Come,” as the names of those who dedicated their lives to music appeared behind him. Annie Lennox ushered in the bigger names that will no longer be posted to marquis around the world. Performing Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” I guarantee there wasn’t a single dry eye in that arena. Lennox finished her time on stage by saying: “Artists for ceasefire, peace in the world,” with her fist in the air as a picture of Sinead O’Connor appeared behind her. Jon Batiste had the help of an illustrious choir backing him up as he sang “Lean On Me,” that is until Patti LaBelle showed up to join him for “Optimistic.”
Fucking love Proud Mary. I don’t know what it is. Maybe it’s the horns, maybe it’s the story, maybe it’s just Tina. Actually it’s probably Flushed Away but you tell no one.
G: I thought that in my mind and then you wrote it not 2 seconds after.
Ninth Performance
M: Oprah Winfrey also delivered a touching monologue in memory of her friend Tina Turner. Fantasia Barrino followed said monologue with a rousing performance of “Proud Mary,” clad in Turner’s signature fringe.
Jay-Z Is Presented With The Dr. Dre Global Impact Award
M: Jay Z is so high he has just realized he’s on stage/live television…I don’t think he realizes that isn’t Beyonce.
J: He’s in his own Empire State of Mind.
M: HOMIE SPEED IT UP! His poor daughter he just shaded like all the Grammy nominees to their FACES.
J: I feel like The Grammys is just a televised festival at this point and I don’t hate that. I mean it’s nice to see people win and my parents are sitting here wondering when they’re gonna present the next award. I kinda don’t mind this. I noticed that it’s becoming more and more like a musical recap of the past year, which is really cool. It’s a fun reminder of why we love music and that we still get excited about it. I like that it’s becoming this more performance-oriented show rather than a full-on award show. It breaks up the monotony of the traditional award show playbook, as well as putting the concert in your living room. CBS Cares.
M: Totally agree. Like, obviously we want to see some of the fun awards, but it’s mostly about
the performances, and I like that they’re realizing that.
Sixth Award
J: Lionel Ritchie presented the Grammy for Song of the Year, which he won in 1986 for co-writing “We Are The World” with Michael Jackson. The Grammy went to Billie Eilish for “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie.
M: If Lana comes out of this night with no Grammys I will be pissed. She’s been nominated for FUCKING ELEVEN awards and has never won one. Girly looks like she’s mourning her rich husband who she totally killed but if she doesn’t get a Grammy tonight, she’ll be mourning the Academy because I’m gonna burn it down.
Tenth Performance
J: Brandi Carlile introduced “The Matriarch of Imagination,” to use her words, as Joni Mitchell made her Grammy performance debut.
M: Mitchell, now 80, has battled poverty, a near-fatal brain aneurysm, and polio in her life. She has learned to speak three times, making her singing on the Grammys nothing short of a miracle.
J: She sat in a gilded armchair next to Carlile, whom she has mentored and performed with many times before. Both Mitchell and Carlile won Grammys for Best Folk Album and Americana Performance, respectively.
Eleventh Performance
J: I lost a lot of respect for Travis Scott after Astroworld. I get it wasn’t his fault but also it was the weak-ass video afterwards that was a PR nightmare of epic proportions.
M: No, me too. Like, the fact that he never really apologized and seemed to treat it as more of a thorn in his side rather than an incident where people literally lost their lives definitely gave me the wrong vibe.
Trevor Noah
“I used to get Afro-beats from my mother when I came home past my curfew so this is nothing new to me” – Trevor Noah, 2024
M: Trevor Noah’s ability to throw in jokes about beating children and Epstein’s Island then just move right on is truly incredible.
J: He’s such a great host.
M: Agreed, so much better than that guy who made fun of Taylor Swift and Barbie.
J: Yeah, Jo Koy bombed which sucks because he’s decent, but it’s like watching someone shoot holes in the bottom of their boat and wonder why the water is coming in.
M: Literally homie was like “women! Am I right?” and then wondered why the entire world didn’t laugh with him.
J: He did make a joke saying he got the gig like a matter of days beforehand so that could’ve played into it. Maybe it was just a bit but the question has to be asked.
M: Yeah. I get that maybe it was a last minute bit but making women the punchline is just so exhausting and so unfunny… It’s been done so many times and it never was funny and it still never will be.
Seventh Award
J: Damn… Jelly Roll kinda funny. Thought he’d get it.
M: WAIT YAY I thought Ice Spice was gonna get it but Victoria Monet is SO GOOD I’m so hype.
J: I’ve heard bits of the song they played as she walked up, she’s good. Her speech is really good.
M: Literally she’s so talented I’m so happy for her.
Seventh Award
J: Celine Dion, ladies and gentlemen.
M: Icon. Legend. She is the moment.
J: Take it home, Macayla.
M: I AM SAD FOR LANA BUT SO HAPPY FOR HER THIS IS FUCKING HISTORY THAT’S MOTHER OH MY GOD. SHE’S SO MOTHER UGH I’M SO HAPPY FOR HER SHE SLAYS.
Lana still went home without a fucking Grammy but she did get shouted out onstage and all that so I won’t burn the Academy down but they better give her one soon because otherwise I’ll riot just a little tiny bit.
J: And with that, I’m off to bed.
M: Me too. Good night, looking forward to sorting through all of these notes at some point.
It’s difficult to express in words how much Joywave as a band means to me. After an extremely dark period in my life during the backend of 2023, I decided to analyze and reflect upon some albums that I found myself relistening to as a therapeutic way to cope and grieve with the tragedies that had shaken me during this time. For me, the album that ranked highest and was most replayed on my list came in the form of Joywave’s fourth studio album: Cleanse, which was released on February 11th, 2022.
For some background context, I had originally seen Joywave live in concert on April 2nd, 2022 at the Union Transfer in Philadelphia. At the time, I hadn’t really grasped their discography as of yet and chose their concert as a way to celebrate spring break. Reveling in the spectacle at the time, I want to point out that the beauty of Joywave’s live performances comes from the production put on by vocalist Daniel Armbruster (middle) as well as guitarist Joseph Morinelli (left) and drummer Paul Brenner (right). Their live album, aptly titled “Live”, was released on July 29th, 2022 and features the very same setlist from the concert that I witnessed as well as the poignant and satirical commentary from Armbruster that adds to the charm of Joywave as a band. Also, there’s something beautiful in the form of their encore set including “Dangerous” where every single band member played a bass guitar on stage and “Double Destruction” which as the name suggests, hits even harder the second time around.
Author’s Note: After going through my old concert folder that I had saved on my phone, I found a couple of photos that I had taken from the Joywave show mentioned above. These are very low-quality but it’s nice to showcase a few mementos from a concert that introduced me to a band that I hold dear to my heart. Enjoy!
Now, as much as I’d like to write up a concert review regarding something that I saw two years ago… I’d much rather express the significance of Cleanse as an album and why it’s so important to me. Cleanse exudes a form of lyricism and finesse that balances a healthy dosage of both alternative bliss and some hard truths to swallow. According to the Spotify biography tab presented on the band’s page, the album was conceived when touring plans for Joywave’s third album, Possession, fell through when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. With this unexpected shift, it somehow gave way for Armbruster to reflect upon the past and present as well as moments of realization regarding metaphorical chips on his shoulders that he needed to get rid of. When I originally read through this, I realized that I had found myself in a similar position after retrospection and it hit deeper than it needed to.
The album boasts a total of ten tracks with each one sending a motivational message of picking yourself up and pushing forward in life. Some of my personal favorites include singles such as “Every Window Is A Mirror” and “After Coffee” as well as underrated tracks including “The Inversion”, “Have You Ever Lit A Year On Fire?”, and “Why Would You Want To Be Young Again?”. All of these tracks signify a continuation of Joywave’s linear alternative style while also focusing heavily on Armbruster’s fixation regarding the past and turmoils of the present. These tracks, to me, help bolster the presence that Cleanse has in regard to reflecting on the stuff that matters most to you while simultaneously washing off the scars of what affects you.
Music, to me, has always been about how songs make you feel generally as well as the significance behind the messaging of the music itself as well. Upon relistening, Cleanse is able to convey deep emotions in a complex way while still single-handedly touching on subjects that are raw and therapeutic in nature. When evaluating this album, I was touched by the integrity regarding the lyricism written on most of the songs as they focus on heavy subjects as well as the instrumentals behind all ten tracks on the album too. With all of this in mind, the album’s runtime of 35 minutes doesn’t seem to weigh heavily as it gives a lot of repeatability.
Cleanse is one of those albums that feels like a breath of fresh air as you’re listening to it. Each track is packed with so much detail and features an explosive mix of energy as it details themes of technology, humanity, and society as a whole. It felt as though Joywave was trying to make up for the lost time inflicted with the COVID-19 spread between their third and fourth albums and in a way, it really worked. Every song featured on this album exudes a critique on the world and the hardships that come with it but Armbruster sprinkles in his own motivational energy to bring up the album. Overall, compared to Joywave’s other albums, Cleanse holds up on its own as a force to be reckoned with.
On a more personal note, I couldn’t have rediscovered this album at a better time. Without disclosing too much about myself on a student blog for the radio station that I’m the training director for… the last few months of 2023 were rough ones for me. The amount of pain that I went through sort of broke me in ways that I hadn’t really felt before. But, at the same time, it allowed me to gain a deeper appreciation for the better moments with my friends who I consider to be really close with as well as fully grasp the concept of using music as a way to cope with the stuff that I’ve been faced with too. In a strange way, I was able to also start the process of cleansing myself with the help of the songs on this album and I’m eternally grateful for that.
Overall, I can’t recommend this album enough to anybody out there reading this. Not only was this originally an amazing introduction to Joywave’s music as a whole for me but it’s also laced with a fusion of alternative to sink your teeth into. The amount of production that was put into this album speaks volumes as it displays a raw side to Joywave’s music and captivates the listener with glistening forms of motivation during times of uncertainty. I’m also genuinely excited as well to see what Armbruster, Morinelli, and Brenner have planned for their next album as Joywave too. I hope that whoever chooses to listen to this album appreciates the art that was presented to them and I can’t thank Joywave enough, as a listener myself, for producing Cleanse and helping me start the process of praying for the reboot because sometimes, we are all we need at the end of the day.
By Gretchen Hartenstein & James Kelly| Jan. 4, 2024
Stephen has been on my concert bucket list from the moment I discovered he was touring with his debut album, Angel Face, which was released late September of 2023. Needless to say, I was absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to attend his show at XL Live in Harrisburg, PA at the end of November. I can only preface this by saying that it was one of the coolest and most exhilarating experiences I’ve yet had through WVUD.
Jamie and I found ourselves in a momentary state of euphoria when we were told that our names would be on Stephen’s guest list for the show… “momentary” being the key word there. Unbeknownst to us, being on an artist’s guest list does not in fact mean that you get to meet them or have any kind of personal interaction with them or their crew, a truth we learned after being put on such a list. However, the disappointment was fleeting and quickly forgotten once we arrived and realized we would be having a more intimate and up-close concert experience than we anticipated.
XL Live accommodates just over 1,000 patrons with standing room only. And while we were far from being the first ones in line, we were still able to get a spot relatively close to the barricade and off to the far left side of the stage. The room filled slowly as 8 o’clock approached. Some attendees chose to dress in classically 50’s and 60’s style garb to match the feel of being sent back in time, a feat that the Troubadour Sanchez seems to have perfected. While the setup was fairly simple, the stage had the unmistakable look of a jazz show from yesteryear. Most intriguing were the footlights that lined the front of the stage and the platforms that the drum set and keyboards were positioned on, which we later came to find would flash and change color to fit each song, but whose golden glow brought a feeling of warmth, contentment, and old-fashioned classiness to the stage. However, the poster child of this set is undoubtedly the immense marquee-style sign framing the back wall of the stage, spelling the words “Sanchez, Baby!”
Jamie’s Note: Smaller venues usually cater to newer indie artists just getting their bearings in the live performance scene. It allows them to gauge audience feedback and tune their stage presence before they hit the road. That being said, we got to see Sanchez at XL Live in Harrisburg, PA, a smaller venue by nature, but has partnered with Harrisburg University to bring in some bigger names in the past like The Struts, The Roots, Wolf Alice, Elle King, and Death Cab For Cutie.
Given that this was the first concert I’ve attended as press, I was excited to find that we were presented with a photo pass to take pictures during the first three songs of the show. The terror set in once I realized that I was going to be practically kneeling between the stage and the barricade, mere feet away from 21st century Elvis himself, grievously out of my league when it comes to concert photography. Even though I was the one with a digital camera, I hadn’t taken a single photo in months and spent twenty panic-stricken minutes trying to figure out how to turn off the focus assist light so as not to blind Stephen as soon as he stepped on stage. I will admit, I almost let the fear of messing up win. But I knew I’d be an absolute fool to let this opportunity slip past me. So I took a deep breath and let Jamie part the crowd up to the barricade for me (what? He’s tall). As soon as I stepped behind it, I felt the switch flip. For the first time, I was seeing what it looked like on the other side, what it was like to be a little more than a spectator. Yep…it was pretty darn cool. I was still nervous but I felt more secure. I had a job to do and no matter how the photos turned out, I’d made the decision to try.
Three songs go by a lot faster than usual when you’re squinting through a viewfinder, trying to adjust your settings to the constantly changing lighting, and deciding what subject to focus on when your frame is exceedingly limited. I simply tried to snap as many photos as I could and hope that I caught at least a handful of decent shots. The whole experience was a whirlwind and I definitely had a few fleeting moments when I wondered if I was simply hallucinating the entire thing. We were pointed towards the artist’s entrance to the stage after the third song had finished, which dumped us out into the house once more. Once the adrenaline rush started to subside, the sheer realization of what I had just done hit me and it truly was one of the most amazing feelings to experience. I’ve fantasized about photographing every concert I have attended and finally, miraculously, it happened at this one. And perhaps the best part of this experience overall was that I got to return to the audience and just be a spectator once I’d done my job in the pit.
The Angel Face tour was structured primarily around the album, with a setlist that featured just short of its entirety. Angel Face is unique in the sense that it follows the fictional narrative of “The Troubadour Sanchez” through the late 1950’s into the 1960’s and his fatal love affair with the angel face herself, Evangeline. Personally, I think it is this charming persona that has given Stephen’s popularity such a boost over the past year. His name became known in popular culture in 2020, when his single “Until I Found You,” began trending on social media. I suppose he falls under the category of “Tiktok star”…but you’d never guess it when seeing one of his shows.
Jamie’s Note:Sanchez has already found his fit as a late 1950s pop-rock revivalist who pulls inspiration from Paul Anka and Elvis Presley, and turned the XL Live into what I imagine my high school’s prom was like in 1958. The size of the venue helped with that image since you could’ve fit the entire stage and crowd of people within the gymnasium. That definitely helped create that fifties feel Sanchez kicks-off with just a few strokes of his guitar.
Stephen entered the stage to tumultuous screams and applause and opened the show as he opened the album, with the ballad, “Something About Her,” bathed from behind in a single spotlight, saccharine voice accompanied by nothing more than a few notes from the piano. It was a gentle exposition to the show, leading into the crooning love song, “Evangeline.” It was at this point that we got a fully-illuminated look at the Troubadour, dressed suavely as ever in a black satin button down and high-waisted slacks that emphasized the fact that this man is probably 70% leg.
Unfortunately, the evening’s setlist was significantly abbreviated as Stephen had been fending off a cold throughout the day. But despite this, he was still able to provide an impressively strong performance of the songs he could manage. As a spectator, I never would have known he was sick from the way he sang. He still brought unparalleled energy throughout the entirety of the concert, absolutely smashing each of his songs and wooing the crowd with a charismatic rendition of “Oh, Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison. I loved the inclusion of this cover, which fit both his vocal style and the theme of the show perfectly.
After rocking the room with perhaps the most anticipated song of the night, “Until I Found You,” Stephen’s band, The Moon Crests, took their leave and Stephen closed out the night with acoustic performances of “Caught in a Blue” off Angel Face followed by the painfully heartfelt ballad, “The Pool” off his 2021 EP, What Was, Not Now. While I’m not as well versed in his older discography, I, like most of his fans, adore “The Pool.” And hearing it live was as much as treat as it was a punch in the gut. I think it was the first time I listened closely to the lyrics as he sang them. Full disclosure: I’m a sucker for a sweet love song (probably one of the reasons I enjoy Stephen’s music so much) and “The Pool” hits me hard. It was a blissful five minutes and while it wasn’t the closer I expected, it was the perfect, sweet ending to the show, after which Jamie and I hit the bar and downed two Cokes faster than Taylor Swift can write a song about her ex.
Jamie’s Note:When I see young people become icons of pop culture, I’m quick to assume they’re still older than me because most of my life has been spent being a child. Turns out, Stephen Sanchez is only seven months older than me, and while that’s less of a blow than it would have been if he were in fact younger than me, it still makes you question what the hell you’re doing with your life.
Had circumstances been different, I do wish that we had been able to experience a longer set and few more covers, given that they’d been a staple in the shows leading up to Harrisburg. But I really can’t complain because we still got one heck of a show despite the frontman being under the weather. I got to visit a new venue, live one of my artistic dreams, and have a blast at a show that felt like it was lost in the wrong decade. And that, for an old soul like myself, more than makes up for the abbreviated concert.
If there is one thing to know about me, it is that I am a sucker for a well-made pop album. Give me any example of what I call “the Taylor Swift effect” and I will absolutely eat it up. I almost wish I could be a music snob and traffic in indie bands with less than 500k monthly listeners, but alas, I love both the indie underground and the pop girlies. Can’t a girl do both in peace?
My personal favorite example of the Taylor Swift effect? Maisie Peters. I first listened to her music in 2020 after hearing a snippet of her song “Psycho” on Tiktok (I know, I’m sorry), and promptly fell in love with her debut album, You Signed Up for This. On the very first song of that album, the title track, Maisie sings “don’t go out much because there’s too many bugs/and I’m way too obsessed with death to do any drugs,” and from that moment on I knew I was going to be a fan because she’s just so real for that.
After years of being a perfectly normal level of obsessed, thank you very much, I finally saw my opportunity to fully own that obsession on March 27, when I happened upon Maisie’s Instagram post announcing the tour for her then-upcoming album. An opportunity to see one of my favorite artists at the Fillmore, a venue that I love? Sign me up, thanks. One text to my co-host Makena and I was proudly purchasing two tickets to see Miss Maisie Peters on October 10. The countdown to that night began thusly.
Maisie’s album, The Good Witch, came out in May, and it is absolutely one of my favorite albums of this year (according to my AOTY ratings, it’s second only to Caroline Polachek’s flawless sophore record Desire, I Want to Turn Into You). The album moves rapidly from hot girl anthems to devastating heartbreaking ballads, tracing the course of a breakup as Maisie and the listeners come to terms with the end of a relationship that meant a lot. I love a good relationship concept album, as evidenced by my love of Waterparks’ FANDOM, so I was in from the first single, “Body Better.” The album did not disappoint. It all slaps. I accidentally hit a pole while driving once because I can’t back up but also because I was so focused on the perfection that is “Run.”
Suffice it to say, I was very excited for this concert.
Makena and I left for the Fillmore, a general admission venue, at around 4:15. The concert technically started at 7, and we wanted to be near the front. Being barricade at a concert had been on my bucket list for a long time, and I figured there was no better person to do it with than Makena, who has camped out for shows a few times before and knows the ropes at this point. Maisie is also still a decently small artist with a lot of casual fans and a smaller, close-knit community of superfans, so when we got to the line, it wasn’t too long (according to Makena, significantly shorter than the line she waited in to get a good place at a Conan Gray concert last year). We happily made our way to the back of the line, content with the odds of being within the first 10 rows at least.
Then, we heard the magic phrase: fast pass.
What is this, Disney World?
A few women were walking through the line with iPads, notifying us that if we wanted, we could pay $20 a person to essentially be guaranteed a spot on the barricade. We deliberated excitedly and eventually, thanks to girl math, decided to go through with it. After all, the tickets had been roughly $20 each. $40 is a perfectly normal price for a concert ticket, and in this case, that $40 ticket is guaranteed to be at the front. So totally worth it.
After a lot of waiting in line and being the proud recipients of friendship bracelets (mine says “I am unhinged” in reference to Maisie’s song “BSC” and I am obsessed with it), the moment finally came. It was 6 pm. Into the Fillmore we speed-walked, dedicated to our mission. When we arrived at the stage, the barricade was filling up quickly, but we managed to snag a spot in the second row towards stage right. We could reach out and touch the barricade. Personally, I was content to add a green check emoji to my bucket list.
The pre-show playlist was a lot of fun. “About You” by The 1975 played, to which I screeched “HERE?” I am extremely emotionally susceptible to The 1975 songs and was not emotionally prepared for that jump scare. However, “Shut Up and Drive” by Rihanna played right afterwards and Makena started showing me a lip sync from RuPaul’s Drag Race, so all was well that ended well.
There were also three Taylor Swift songs on the pre-show playlist (“Mr. Perfectly Fine,” “Anti-Hero,” and “Holy Ground”), all of which were screamed. I love girls.
The opening act, Grace Enger, came out promptly at 7, just her and her acoustic guitar. She sang for about 45 minutes, and my expert conclusion is that she is incredibly talented. Oftentimes I find myself sort of tuning out the openers, but Grace commanded attention with the simple power of her voice. During her final song, “The Neighborhood,” I found myself getting chills. Definitely check out her stuff, she seems like a super sweet person with a whole lot of talent to be shared with the world.
Finally, 9 pm rolled around. The lights went dark. The crowd screamed. The band entered. After some suspense from the extremely talented band, Maisie’s voice rang out from the speakers, loud and clear. “Still me here/do you think I forgot about you?” The first line of the album’s opener, “The Good Witch.” The crowd went absolutely wild. This was essentially reminiscent of the whole concert from that point on. Philadelphia loves Maisie Peters, and her entrance onto the stage was met with cheers that damn near shook the ground.
Makena and I found ourselves absolutely thrilled at how close to the stage we were. After the second song, “Coming of Age,” an upbeat number that involved lots of jumping and yelling, Makena turned to me and simply said “$20. SO WORTH IT.” I would have to agree. We were so close that we could read the words on Maisie’s shirt, which read “if he makes you smile, he’s blocked.” This is a lyric from “Run,” fitting with the trend of her tour outfits consisting of baby tees bearing lyrics from the album. Some past lines include “the best thing that almost happened to you,” “women’s hearts are lethal weapons,” and my personal favorite, “little miss unstable.” Did I mention she’s a great lyricist? Because she’s a great lyricist.
Maisie puts on a really great show, constantly moving back and forth to different ends of the stage for more upbeat songs and strumming her guitar at center stage for the sad ones. At one point, she played what she described as “a medley of my most heartbreaking songs” that included a segment of “Night Changes” by One Direction. Her mic stand was almost fully covered in fan-made friendship bracelets. During “John Hughes Movie,” she wore a lesbian pride flag that someone threw onstage as a cape. Before playing “Run,” she asked the audience to tell stories of the most unhinged and ridiculous things men have said to them. A girl told a story of her ex-boyfriend messaging her on Pinterest asking her not to get a restraining order against him, which, side note, is truly wild. Maisie knows how to engage a crowd and interact with her fans, creating an environment that feels safe and reminiscent of the ever-sacred girl talk. We can all talk about how crazy that one girl’s ex-boyfriend was together because we’re all just one of the girls, and we’re all friends here. It’s a very cool environment to be in.
As a result of this one-of-the-girls mentality, the fans were really invested, which was really fun to be a part of. There was no difficulty getting audience participation at any point in the set. For example, one song off the album, “Watch,” features a call-and-response throughout the song, and us fans were more than happy to scream “what the fuck?!” in response to Maisie’s “you look better.” However, the loudest audience line of that song was by far the bridge, completing the line “I’m still here/in my loafers” with a rousing “WITH A SMOOTHIE” that echoed throughout the venue. Yet, just when you thought the audience could not possibly be louder, it came time for “The Band and I.”
This song is a special one no matter where you are. Even just listening to it on the album, it pulls on your heartstrings. Personally, I’ve always been a sucker for a song about how awesome bandmates are (think “Guys” by The 1975 and “Best Friends” by 5 Seconds of Summer). This song is that sentiment, with Maisie singing about memories with the band that stands behind her on stage. You could see them reacting to the lyrics about them as they were sung, and I’m sure that it’s a sweet moment no matter what tour stop it’s played at, but it was particularly special at our show because of the bridge.
The end of the bridge, right before the final chorus contains the line, “in Philadelphia, it was crystal clear/we are the best damn band that’s ever played right here.”
It was the loudest moment of the entire show by far.
There are certain moments during concerts that you know you’ll remember forever, or at least, I have quite a few. I’ll always remember Taylor Swift performing “This Love” at the 1989 World Tour, my first concert. I’ll always remember being 11 years old, crying to “Amnesia” at 5 Seconds of Summer’s first headline tour. And I will absolutely always remember “The Band and I,” live in Philadelphia. It was just so clearly special.
Speaking of special moments, the encore. The main show ends with an upbeat single, “Cate’s Brother.” It’s a lot of fun, a lot of jumping, and a great end to a concert. However, after a few minutes of chanting, Maisie re-emerged from the wings, Grace Enger in tow (remember her?). I knew what was coming. A song that made me cry the first time I heard it. A song that still means so much to me. Makena turned to me and said “have your moment.” And all of a sudden, it was happening, the song I’d been waiting for that would solve all of my problems: “History of Man.”
The closing track of The Good Witch is a devastating song about how men have been breaking women’s hearts since the beginning of time. “I’ve tried to rewrite it, but I can’t/it’s the history, the history of man.” It’s a constant in life, unfortunately. And I genuinely think that screaming this song fixed a lot of my problems.
If I want to make one thing clear in this article, it’s that Maisie can write a bridge. She originally went viral on Tiktok for the bridge of “Not Friends (I’m Trying),” another moment during the concert where I was genuinely light-headed by the final chorus. She is the Taylor Swift effect to a t in that if the verses are sad, the bridge is a truly gut-wrenching experience, and “History of Man” is Maisie at her most visceral. Each line just builds so well until it just gets to a truly ridiculous level of catharsis and heartbreak and hope and sadness and every other emotion that the human heart is capable of feeling.
“He stole her youth and promised heaven/the men start wars, yet Troy hates Helen/women’s hearts are lethal weapons/did you hold mine and feel threatened?/hear my lyrics, taste my venom/you are still my great obsession.”
Even reading it gives me chills. I was a mess by the end of this song.
Maisie brings it home with “Lost The Breakup,” a loud, exciting single. The live version features a keytar solo and an extended ending, both of which are so much fun. Experiencing this with tears still drying on my cheeks was odd, but also exhilarating. There’s really no other way the show could’ve ended.
The merch line was super long, but I got a very cute poster and a t-shirt that says “Maisie Peters is my witchy girlfriend,” so I think it was worth it.
Long, long article short, I cannot recommend going to see Maisie Peters in concert enough. It was an awesome night. There was a lot of buildup for a person like me who has been a fan for so long now, but I think anyone would have had an awesome time. The singing, the dancing, the crying, and the laughing all culminated in a very fun, cathartic night, and I think anyone seeking a good time deserves a spot in that room. Not on the barricade, though- you can leave that one to me.
