wind walkers are redefining their sound and identity with newest EP
mastering online virality, melrose avenue are turning internet buzz into a full-blown movement broadside’s newest era is inspired straight from the twilight zone
are proving they’re worthy as the pioneers of “heavy pop”,
WIND WALKERS - 8
After a decade in the metalcore scene, Wind Walkers are redefining their sound their latest EP I Don’t Belong Here.
ON YOUR RADAR - 14
Artists that you should know. No, really.
MELROSE AVENUE - 18
With a powerful mix of heavy breakdowns and pop vocals, Melrose Avenue are taking their sound global.
THE HOME TEAM - 22
Seattle’s “heavy pop” pioneers, The Home Team, are defining a new sound and proving that staying true to yourself is the ultimate formula for success.
INFLUENCER VS. FANGIRL - 30
Gabbyycore is showcasing what it means to love music loudly and showing that being a fangirl isn’t a flaw.
BROADSIDE - 32
Broadside are stepping confidently into a darker new era inspired by The Twilight Zone.
TOP TOURS AND PERFORMANCES OF 2025 - 36 2025 was the year that live music ruled again.
BUSINESS BEATS - 38
From Cobra Starship frontman to entrepreneur, Gabe Saporta has mastered music and business.
IN YOUR CITY: ATLANTA - 40
Atlanta’s music heartbeat never stops.
VENUE HIGHLIGHT: THE EASTERN - 41
The Eastern has become one of the city’s premier destinations for live music, and music fans are here for it.
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1,000,000+ artists, teams, volunteers, & fans impacted
160 artist & community partners
84 shows & festivals in 2025 2,000+ leaders & team members trained
503 letters sent to elected officials demanding action
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A few years ago, Shangri-La Fest invited Calling All Crows to lead a Here For The Music training on consent, boundaries, and creating safer spaces in live music. What I remember most was the openness - artists, staff, and fans coming together to learn and to listen.
Even now, years later, when when someone feels unsafe, the response is instinctive: “Go find the Calling All Crows table.” It’s become part of the fabric of the festival. Every year when I return, people thank us festival workers, artists, fans sharing how that one training shaped their community. It’s humbling and heartening to see how a single conversation can create lasting change. That’s what Here For The Music is all about: helping people look out for one another and keeping live music spaces safe, welcoming, and full o
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Photos: Chris Klumpp
Article: Justice Petersen
After spending a decade making a name for themselves in the alternative metalcore genre, Massachusetts-based group Wind Walkers refuse to limit their profound artistry. Since the addition of vocalist Trevor Borg in 2023, Wind Walkers have expanded beyond their initial heavy metal sound, now defining themselves as one of the scene’s most prominent rising stars with their metalcore, post-hardcore and pop-fused sound. Through their lyrics that focus on mental health and their alluring musicality, Wind Walkers continue to redefine the metalcore genre.
The band carries two full-length albums under their belt, including 2018’s The Lost Boys and 2023’s What If I Break? The latter marked the band’s first musical effort with Borg on vocals, and his new presence in the group marked a shift in the band’s hard-hitting sound. On October 3, Wind Walkers continued to hone in on this new sound with the release of their new EP I Don’t Belong Here through Fearless Records. Able to balance soft, pop-infused vocals with visceral screams, Wind Walkers bring their heavy musicality to new heights on I Don’t Belong Here.
On a Zoom call in late October, Borg said that Wind Walker’s latest EP is their most important body of work they’ve released together. “It’s been our biggest release to date,” he says. “The response has been great. People seem to be connecting to it well. All the songs are playing on SiriusXM. It’s been an awesome couple of weeks for sure.”
The release of I Don’t Belong Here rounds out an exciting year for Wind Walkers. For August and September, the band was on the road for an extensive run of dates supporting the band Our Last Night on their final tour. Making their way throughout North America alongside fellow supporting act Grayscale, Wind Walkers were able to celebrate their hundredth show together on this run.
“[Supporting Our Last Night] was different for sure, because we had just played with Memphis May Fire before that, and then we supported The Plot In You before that, [which were] a little rowdier crowds,” Borg says. “I think [touring with Our Last Night] was a really cool learning experience for us. You’re showing up, there are a lot more kids there, it’s a lot more mellow crowds. I think the first week was a really weird adjustment for us, but then we started finding a groove and realizing that people are enjoying it even if they’re not pushing each other around.”
This tour also led to a collab with Grayscale, with the band releasing a new version of their song “Dance With Your Ghost” featuring Wind Walkers. Initially featured on Grayscale’s latest
album The Hart, released back in January, the new collaborative single arrived on October 17.
“[Grayscale vocalist Collin Walsh] reached out to our team, and he presented the idea of having us do a rerelease of the song,” Borg says. “I heard the song and I loved it right off the bat. It’s just a really cool vibe. They’re great songwriters. I agreed to do that faster than I’ve ever agreed to do a feature!”
The excitement continues through the rest of the year for Wind Walkers, with the band reaching yet another milestone as they tour Japan throughout November. On the road to support Japanese rock group CVLTE, Borg says these shows are a dream come true for both him and the band.
“I’m really stoked to see [CVLTE],” he says. “I love Japan and the culture, so I’m really excited for the food and just the cultural intake. I know it’s going to be a little bit of a shock at first. I’ve also heard that fans in Japan are insane. They’re going to be a lot smaller venues than we were playing with Our Last Night…and I’m really excited for that small, intimate energy. Especially if the fans have the energy that I hear they have…It’s just going to be a cool experience. I can’t believe music is bringing me there. It feels like I’m cheating.”
Through their live shows, Wind Walkers bring with them their unmistakable onstage energy and vulnerable lyricism. A band whose music is as passionate as it is honest, Wind Walkers don’t deny that their sound has evolved. If one were to read their Spotify bio, you’d see that it reads, “We’re Wind Walkers. We know we used to be heavier.”
“I’m surprised that Fearless [Records] hasn’t made us change it yet,” Borg laughs of the Spotify bio. “When I joined the group, we came together and just wanted to write music that we wanted to write. When we announced that we were going to be releasing music, there were a lot of questions as to what direction it was going to be. The first song we dropped was ‘Dead Talk,’ and that is one of the softest songs we’ve got. We didn’t get much hate, but there were definitely people going, ‘What is this?’ Honestly, we just didn’t want to play that kind of music anymore. [The Spotify bio] was just kind of a cheeky way to let people know, if you’re looking for the old sound, you’re not going to find it here anymore.”
However, while the band has embraced more soft, pop-inspired influences in recent years compared to early tracks like “Mudblood” and “Monstro,” something heavier may be on the horizon soon.
“We don’t really want to stick ourselves in a box, and we all still love heavy music,” Borg says. “It just got kind of stale after a while playing it for so long. We’re going to be going in the studio soon. In January, we’re going to be spending a lot of time writing. So I’m really hoping we can just shock people and come out with the first single off of some new music and just have it be the heaviest thing we’ve ever done.”
As a metalcore outfit, Wind Walkers are able to remain limitless in their sound. Pulling from a variety of different genres on top of metal, Borg says he is able to keep the music as authentic and real as possible.
“[Metalcore] is something we all grew up on through high school and everything,” he says. “It just really captivated our lives and changed our perspective on music. So I think that’s there naturally, but as we got older, we all just fell in love with different genres. Me specifically, I love R&B, soul, pop, lo-fi, stuff like that. So I think we just try to write these songs that we like with the genres that we like, but the metal just comes out naturally. Metal and alternative music — it’s just different. It connects with people differently.”
The group’s desire for sonic expansion and experimentation remains just as constant as the subject matter that they write about. I Don’t Belong Here is an ode to self-reflection and mental health, with tracks like “Hereditary” and “Eating My Heart Out” exploring self-doubt, inner demons and personal strength. For Borg, writing about mental health is crucial.
“I just want to contribute to that peace for someone else — to make people feel less alone.”
- Trevor Borg
“I found a lot of peace in music [when I was] growing up, feeling those things, and I think that’s just how I’ve always looked at music,” Borg says. “I’ve kind of been turned away from music that doesn’t have that. I still love fun music that doesn’t have much to it, but when something gives me goosebumps and actually makes me cry, I’m like, ‘That is powerful.’ I just want to contribute to that the best I can, if I can.”
When Wind Walkers released I Don’t Belong Here, the band received a great response from the fans for the EP’s deeply moving lyrical content. Essentially, listeners felt less alone after hearing the record, Borg says.
On “Silk & Static,” Borg dives deep into his own mental health, and says that the song has newfound meaning for him after recently being diagnosed with ADHD.
“The ADHD didn’t come as a surprise to me,” he says. “I went and got tested for a reason, you know what I mean? So I definitely didn’t approach ‘Silk & Static’ as being an ADHD anthem. Instrumentally, it just reminded me of how my brain works…I wouldn’t really say getting the diagnosis was life-
changing, but everything started making sense. I was diagnosing myself on this song, essentially. It was really cool. I think a lot of people can connect to it in different ways for sure. But a lot of people are getting diagnosed with ADHD late. I think it’s something that was missed a lot in our childhood. I hope the song does become an anthem for them.”
Through personal songs like “Silk & Static,” Wind Walkers are able to connect with fans in a way that Borg says is unique to alternative music. Hoping to keep the momentum going for this exciting new era into next year, the singer says the band will definitely keep touring and releasing more new music in 2026.
“I just want to keep pushing ourselves,” he says. “I think that’s everyone’s mindset. We all feel very fortunate to be doing this, and if it ended tomorrow, we would still feel fortunate. We’re all a little older, and we thought we were done, and things are working now. I think we just want to keep that development up. We want to keep not putting ourselves in a box, and I want to keep surprising ourselves with what we create.”
Through their genre-defying, post-hardcore musicality, Baltimore-based outfit Cherie Amour are carving their own unique space in the modern pop-punk scene. Through their recently released sophomore album Chrome Hearts, the four-piece group found their signature sound – one that blends nu-metal, poppunk, hip-hop, and post-hardcore so as to redefine today’s nu-punk landscape. Composed of Trey Miller (vocals), Casey Reid (guitar), Brendan Willis (guitar), and Ronnie Sherman (drums), the band initially formed under the name One Life To Lead. However, after the group found that this name didn’t align with their ever-growing artistry, they changed their name to Cherie Amour. In the years that followed, the band has released one EP – 2021’s Internal Discussions – and two full-length albums: Spiritual Ascension (2022) and Chrome Hearts (2025). Having just finished up a run of fall shows supporting As It Is, there’s no doubt Cherie Amour find themselves in a thrilling new era of their career.
FFO: Magnolia Park, In Her Own Words, Arrows In Action LISTEN: “Release Me,” “Orlando,” “Burn”
Following the release of her latest EP KANDY earlier this summer, alt-rock trailblazer Kami Kehoe has made a name for herself as one of the brightest stars among rock’s current “genreless” movement. Pulling inspiration from a variety of musical genres ranging from metal, pop, R&B and folk, Kehoe maintains a hard-hitting and highly emotive artistry. Writing songs about relationships, mental health, and learning to let go, Kehoe’s musicality is as passionate as it is inspiring. Following the release of KANDY and a ground-breaking Louder Than Life performance, Kehoe also just wrapped up her run of tour dates supporting Seether, Daughtry and P.O.D. Whether through her intense live shows or her deeply vulnerable songwriting, Kehoe is keeping raw, experimental and heavy rock ‘n’ roll alive, all while standing as an inspiration for other women and femmes in the industry. With an artistic identity that exudes catharsis and acceptance, Kehoe’s biggest goal through her music is to “kure the world.”
FFO: Jutes, Ally Nicholas, Catch Your Breath LISTEN: “SLEEP WHEN IM DEAD,” “DOPAMINE,” “DIE 4 U”
Despite having only released two singles, Los Angeles hyperpunk duo Chromera have already amassed over 15K monthly listeners on Spotify and over 50K followers across all socials. Composed of Amanda Black and Aris Coover, Chromera are fearlessly making the soundtrack for the apocalypse. In June of this year, the band released their debut single “Save Urself,” co-written and produced by Maxamillion Haunt of The Haunt. In August, they released their highly-anticipated follow-up single, “Beg.” Renowned for their genre-expanding sound, the duo combine industrial rock with electronic pop influences to create their own unique hyperpunk sound, all while being an independent outfit. With no major label behind them, Black and Coover are using pure talent, innovation, and their quickly-amassed fanbase to rise within the ranks of today’s alternative music scene. Chromera aren’t just breaking boundaries between musical genres, they’re tearing down walls between this world and the next.
FFO: Shiv and the Carvers, Goodnight Sunrise, The Anti Groupies LISTEN: “On My Shoulders,” “Kiss Me,” “The End”
Through her fiery and unapologetic musicality, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Megg is one of pop-punk’s most exciting rising acts. Through her latest EP Low Life Club, released October 24, she takes her signature vulnerability and rebellion to new sonic heights, exuding both charm and grit in the same sonic breath. On standout tracks like “Clarity” and “Idc,” Megg decorates relatability with a bratty attitude, representing everything there is to love about the emo and pop-punk scene. Following the release of Low Life Club, Megg embarked on a U.S. tour this fall, taking her unforgettable live shows to select cities. Throughout her career, Megg has shared the stage with the likes of KISS and The Used, and even made her debut at Vans Warped Tour this year. Renowned for the way she adorns nostalgic, pop-punk influences with a modern edge, there’s no doubt that Megg will be one to keep your eyes on in the alt-rock scene.
FFO: DeathbyRomy, Nevertel, The Haunt LISTEN: “Save Urself,” “Beg,” “Beg - DADĒ Remix”
FFO: Cassyette, The Pretty Wild, Colorblind LISTEN: “Dark Matter,” “Moonlit,” “Fake Rich (feat. Elijah Witt)”
When it comes to Los Angeles duo RIVALS, composed of vocalist Katie Wolfe and drummer Joshua Alves, it’s difficult to categorize them into a single genre. While dark-pop is an apt title, RIVALS incorporate heavy elements of post-hardcore or metalcore that break beyond the limits of alternative pop. Their 2018 debut album, Damned Soul, established the band as an electrifying emo pop-rock act, but 2021’s full-length follow-up Sad Looks Pretty On Me brought the band’s artistry to new heights, amplifying both the hard rock and electronic elements that RIVALS embrace so well. Now through their latest EP Medusa’s Home, released August 15, RIVALS dives headfirst into hard-hitting, alt-metal influences. Incorporating heavy riffs and breakdowns into tracks like “Talkin” and “Copacetic,” the duo stands as one of post-hardcore’s most exciting up-and-coming acts. Having just finished supporting Nevertel on their nearly sold-out European tour, there’s no doubt RIVALS will continue to rise with the modern rock landscape.
World domination is a lofty goal few musicians achieve. But it surely seems to be on the horizon for Australian pop metal outfit Melrose Avenue. If you haven’t heard their hard-hitting ragers like “Body Bag” or “Reflections,” you’ve likely seen the band members’ viral TikToks pop up across your feed. Following their signing with Hopeless Records last year, the band has made serious headway in the metalcore scene early on in their career. Through their strategic social media marketing, Melrose Avenue have earned themselves a devoted fanbase and sold-out tours across Australia and Europe this November.
Composed of vocalist Vlado Saric, lead guitarist Mitch Black, guitarist Shawn Mayer and drummer Jed McIntosh, Melrose Avenue are known for their unrelenting sonic identity — one that combines infectious pop vocals with heavy breakdowns and melodic solos. When combining Saric’s signature screams with the band’s catchy sonic edge, the result is a perfect musical balance of punchy pop and high-octane energy.
Earlier this year, the band embarked on their debut U.S. tour, supporting horror rock trailblazers Ice Nine Kills and melodic-metalcore group The Word Alive. After steadily releasing singles this year, Melrose Avenue have only grown in popularity and are now set to hit the road for a completely sold-out headlining tour of Australia, Europe and the U.K. in November. (Not bad for their inaugural European run.)
“It’s funny because we did one show in Australia, which was our first show, and then the next day we left for a tour in the U.S. So that was overwhelming enough,” Black says over a Zoom call ahead of the band’s sold-out dates. “But with the Australia and Europe shows, we couldn’t be more excited. If you play a sold-out show — it doesn’t matter if it’s 1,000 people or if it’s 300 people — the atmosphere in the room is completely different when you sell it out.”
Following these performances, Melrose Avenue will hit the road for an additional run of Australian dates in March supporting Rain City Drive alongside TX2. Then they will make their muchanticipated return to the States in April and May, where they will play a run of headlining shows with support from Autumn Kings and Stray View.
“It’s becoming like a second home for us now,” Black says of the U.S. “We’ve had so much overseas support from the label, producers, fans, just everyone. It’s really a collective effort. It isn’t just four guys playing music. There are so many people supporting this and backing this. I think what makes it work and makes it special is [that] since day one, there have been a lot of people who’ve been backing this and had faith in it.”
Although making a name for themselves on an international scale, it’s Sydney and Melbourne that the band members call home. Growing up in Australia’s thriving rock and metal scene, the band credits the country’s many metalcore bands with playing an influential role in crafting their own approach to the genre.
“I think some of these Australian bands like Parkway Drive and Polaris have just had such a big impact on myself, and I know our guitarist Shawn is a big fan of them,” Black says. “I think that influence kind of creeps in, but I feel like the metalcore scene has been around in Australia for a couple of decades now, and a lot of bands are trying to just really get this heavy sound over here. So we kind of went the other way. Like, let’s go heavy, but let’s make it really catchy as well.”
Through the members’ various musical influences, Melrose Avenue embodies an irresistible popmetal sound. Bringing together the catchy hooks signature to pop music with the unbridled rage and unfiltered aggression found in the metal genre, the group brings together the best of both worlds.
While Black comes from a heavy metal background, he says each member of Melrose Avenue brings something different to the table. While you might find Saric listening to ‘90s rap, Mayer leans a bit more into the Nickelback side of things. Where McIntosh offers the heavy drum beats that fuel Melrose Avenue’s artistry, Black says the drummer isn’t a self-proclaimed metalhead at all.
“I think Vlado has such an incredible, distinct voice that just pops,” Black says. “Then we just throw heavy guitars and heavy drums underneath his beautiful voice, and it gives us our sound. But I think our influences really do range from so many different acts, from pop to rock to metalcore to so many things, and I think we all love quite different bands at times, but somehow we collaborate and make it work together. I think we never wanted to be a super heavy screamo band from the get-go. We just always wanted to show off the best aspects of what we do. That’s going to be Jed’s catchy drum fills, Vlado’s catchy vocals, Shawn’s riffs and then my solo here and there.”
This magnetic sonic identity has established Melrose Avenue as one of metalcore’s most exciting up-and-comers. Since their partnership with Hopeless Records, the band has continued to rise in the metal scene, and it doesn’t seem like their success is going to hit the brakes any time soon.
“It’s surreal,” Black admits. “I think I speak on behalf of everybody where we’ve been given and have also created this opportunity for ourselves, and it’s exciting and it’s all moving very fast.”
However, as this excitement continues to grow for the band, Black says it’s important that the band stops and takes a breather every once in a while.
“I guess the emotions would be very grateful, excited,” he says. “I don’t think any of us are overly nervous. I think it’s what we wanted to do for a long time. So we’re all just very eager to want to jump in and just start playing more shows and get in front of as many people as we can and put on some awesome rock shows.”
The band’s social media marketing has played a crucial role in their recent success. Using popular TikTok trends to promote their new music, Melrose Avenue have mastered the art of being a musician in the digital age. While Saric has leaned heavily into the Book-Tok world, you’ve probably seen Black pop up on your explore page in various reels of him with his pet bunny.
Having initially met Saric, as well as their producer Eric Emery (blink-182, Alice Cooper, Yungblud), through social media, Black says that the success they’ve seen with the band through their viral videos is what keeps them sticking to this method.
“I think what’s worked so well for our band is taking Vlado or myself and showing aspects of our personalities off, whether it be him with his cat or me with my bunny rabbit, to branch out of the metal scene and bring people in who maybe aren’t exposed to metal,” Black says. “They hear our song and go, ‘Hey, what’s this?’ And they find out about it. That’s what’s great about social media is you can reach people from all different walks of life, as opposed to, ‘Hey, let’s just try to find the metalheads.’”
“It’s not really about numbers, it’s more about how we can put out music and have it connect with people.”
Avenue continue to grow their audience through their steady musical releases, which includes the band’s most recent single “Inside Your Mind.” Arriving alongside a music video, which marks Australian TikTok personality Nathan Lust making his directorial debut, Black says the new single came together quite quickly.
“I feel like ‘Inside Your Mind’ was one of those songs where we loved it from the get-go and needed it to be out as soon as we could release it,” he says. “The song was really about a two-perspective thing where you’re seeing the world from your view and someone else’s view. You kind of have to read the lyrics to fully understand it…That’s what I love about the song.”
Throughout the remainder of this year and into the next one, Melrose Avenue plan on sticking with their schedule of touring and releasing singles. While the last year has seen the group find great success so early on in their musical journey, the band’s biggest goal has always been reaching audiences.
“It’s not really about numbers, it’s more about how we can put out music and have it connect with people and communicate with people in a way where they resonate with it and they feel something,” Black says. “That can be through live shows, it can be through music videos, it can be through silly Instagram videos with our pets. I think collectively we just have this unspoken thing, and we all want the same thing internally deep down, which is reaching more people and playing more shows…It’s a very rare opportunity, at least for an Australian band, to be in our position. So we’re all just trying to make the most of it and grab the bull by the horns and see how far we can take this.”
If the phrase “heavy pop” sounds like a contradiction, then leave it to The Home Team to make it feel like the most natural thing in alternative music right now. With their biggest hit to date “Worthy,” the Seattle-based quartet are staking their claim, and rightfully so. From metal and hardcore roots to pop-hook obsession, the band is blending worlds in a way that makes them worthy of the spotlight.
Formed in 2013 in Seattle, The Home Team began as a collaboration between drummer Daniel Matson and guitarist John Baran, both seasoned in the metal scene. They were soon joined by now vocalist Brian Butcher in 2015 and later by bassist Ryne Olson, which finalized their lineup in 2019. The band’s first full-length album in 2018, Better Off , laid the groundwork for their signature sound, which continued to develop until the 2021 release of Slow Bloom. The album, produced by Skyler Acord (Set It Off, ISSUES), was followed by a deluxe edition in 2022, and marked a significant turning point. It was then that they gained increased online recognition from fans and other bands in the scene.
In 2023, The Home Team signed with Thriller Records, a move that provided them with the resources and support to fully execute their creative vision. Their third studio album, t, was released last year, and a deluxe edition arrived in June of this year, which quickly garnered even more traction for the band.
With new momentum behind them, the band also found themselves reconsidering how to describe the sounds that set them apart from the rest of their peers in the metal scene. When explaining how the term “heavy pop” came about, Butcher shares he didn’t quite know if the band fit the title and it wasn’t until the band made and released their first single under Thriller, “LOUD” in December 2023, the term stuck. “Structurally, the songs are made as if they were pop songs, but with the same instruments as a rock song,” he says.
The term wasn’t invented by the band themselves but by Acord after working with each other more and more. Originally labeling his own band as “intercoastal heavy pop,” he pointed to The Home Team and said, “guys, I think this is heavy pop. I think you got it.”
Each member of The Home Team came out of the heavy music world, but they arrived at “heavy pop” by way of curiosity and not being confined into a box. Feeling a lack of creativity in some corners of metal and hardcore as the genres evolved, the band pivoted their sound, and rather than listening to more rock or metal, Butcher found himself drawn to female pop and R&B artists like Doja Cat and Doechii. He and guitarist Baran began using those influences as songwriting fuel.
The tension that the band thrives on — pop sensibility married to rock instrumentation — was finally coming together. Their background in hardcore and metal means that aggression is baked into the music’s DNA, but their taste for R&B, pop, and groove demands something more expansive and once “LOUD” hit, the definition of “heavy pop” felt solidified.
They weren’t interested in following the typical formula within the genre a heavy breakdown paired with a bubble-gum chorus but instead focused on how they could merge these hard and melodic elements in a way that feels cohesive and fun. It took time to land, but when it did, the results started showing. Butcher says being true to themselves has always driven them the furthest and that is something that translates into a deeper connection with fans, not just streams. “I think it’s very obvious when an artist is an artist and true to themselves because you see people show up to their shows,” he says. “They can really resonate with that.”
“I think it’s very obvious when an artist is an artist and true to themselves because you see people show up to their shows.”
“If you look at artists like Tyler, the Creator or Doja Cat and then you look at other kinds of top-40 musicians, there’s a group that sells a ton of tickets and a group that streams way better,” Butcher says. For him, the distinction comes down to authenticity and the kind of connection it builds.
Streaming success is one thing, but ticket sales, fan loyalty, and live energy are other markers and in many cases, some bands who stream less but feel realer sell more tickets. “A lot of those hit-factory songs just come out to get put on the radio,” Butcher adds. “But those artists don’t end up selling nearly as many tickets as someone that maybe streams a third as well but is way more interesting and has a much more cult fan base.”
When it comes to bringing the heavy pop sound to life on stage, Butcher is refreshingly blunt. “We don’t think about live at all when we’re writing, we just think about making the best song.” That mindset has pros and cons, of course. In the studio an artist may sing however they want, add as many layers as possible, but may run into issues replicating it live. Through the years, the band invested in gear, production, and show design to ensure their live versions didn’t compromise the recorded version. “Over time, we kept investing in our live show because we didn’t want to sacrifice anything we made in the writing process. We wanted to give an accurate representation of that music in our performances.”
The Home Team sits comfortably in that space of quality and growth rather than chasing chart metrics. “You can have quantity, or you can have quality, or a little of both,” Butcher laughs. “It’s really cool to play to the same 200 people every night who buy every piece of merch, but it’s also
pretty cool to grow, to have people see you on the street and be like, ‘Aren’t you that guy in that band?’”
After more than ten years, The Home Team’s fans are loyal, engaged, and clearly in it for the authenticity that each member delivers. “Every time we’ve written music that’s true to ourselves, it’s performed the best and been the most popular,” Butcher says.
That realization didn’t come overnight, though and goes back to the band’s start. “It goes as far back as our first album Better Off, which was made as an album we thought people would like and it didn’t take off,” Butcher admits. That lesson in creative compromise led to a major shift in what the band put out. “Slow Bloom was us saying, ‘Alright, well that didn’t work, so let’s just make whatever the hell we want.’ And that did work.”
Following the release of Slow Bloom and riding the momentum that the band was quickly gaining, Butcher says putting out music they resonate with is also what the fans truly resonate with. “We made ‘Worthy’ for the deluxe [edition of The Crucible of Life], a song totally for us, and now it’s our top song.” That mindset also means not second guessing the artistry the band is building song by song.
“Every time we listen to [our intuition], people like it the most,” Butcher says. “It’s the most genuine and I’m really grateful for that because it’s not always the case for every band.” In a time where fans crave honesty and real connection, The Home Team proves that when you trust your vision, the audience trusts you back.
The video for “Worthy” features tongue-in-cheek nods to superstition, from black cats crossing paths and mirrors shattering to Olson parkouring under ladders, Baran spilling salt, and Butcher singing beneath an open umbrella indoors. The video is a playful, yet symbolic visual which Butcher says is rooted in a recurring concept for the band: bad luck. “We’d had the idea to do something related to bad luck for a long time, it actually goes back to the original theme for Slow Bloom,” he explains. “[In our early years] we kept hitting road bumps. We thought we were doing everything right.. staying true to ourselves, touring, making connections, but it just felt like bad luck.”
That lingering feeling inspired “Worthy,” a song about the uneasy balance between success and fear. “It’s about things going so well that you’re terrified something’s going to go wrong because you’ve been conditioned to expect it,” Butcher says. When it came time to bring that emotion to life visually, the band knew they wanted to lean into the superstition theme. “It felt like the right time to bring back the bad luck concept,” he adds. “Sam, the director, totally ran with it.”
“[‘Worthy’ is] about things going so well that you’re terrified something’s going to go wrong because you’ve been conditioned to expect it.”
After years of dodging “bad luck,” it seems The Home Team’s fortunes have finally flipped for the better. Their upcoming second headlining tour, Crucible of Life Tour sold out in less than a week, with several upgraded venues selling out within hours. As the band’s popularity grew, especially after touring with Dance Gavin Dance earlier this year, they found themselves in uncharted territory. “We thought, ‘Okay, we’re getting pretty popular, but we don’t know if it’s gonna translate,’” he explains. “We figured maybe they’d sell out a month before the tour. Definitely not immediately.”
When every show began flying off the map, The Home Team realized just how strong their fanbase had become. “It’s awesome. We’re really excited,” Butcher says. “We just wish we’d booked some bigger venues. But we’ll know for next time!”
Joining The Home Team on tour are their friends in Arrow in Action and Makari. The run will wrap with two back-to-back hometown shows in Seattle in December, but not before making a pit stop at Van’s Warped Tour stop in Orlando on November 15.
The connection between The Home Team and Arrows In Action goes beyond the tour lineup. The extended version of “All Squeezed Out” features Victor Viramontes-Pattison of Arrows In Action, a collaboration Butcher says had been in the works for some time. “I wanted to extend that song no matter what and I also wanted to put Vic on a song
no matter what,” he explains. Previously working with Viramontes-Pattison on “White Eyes” from Arrows In Action’s album Built to Last, Butcher knew the perfect time would come for them to join forces again. “When I realized his performance and vibe would work perfectly for [“All Squeezed Out”], I knew it’d be a slam dunk. He was stoked to do it and absolutely elevated the song. He sings on the extended version more than I do!”
After a decade of groundwork involving risktaking, intentional evolution, and authentic songwriting, The Home Team have turned a contradiction into a genre that has worked and
pushed them further than they ever could have imagined. For a band that never writes with the stage in mind, they’ve somehow mastered the art of translating emotion into a live eruption with every hook hitting harder and every crowd singing louder. If “heavy pop” is the label, The Home Team have made it feel real and those who have gotten to interact with them live — whether in that sold-out crowd or at the merch table — understand the hype.
Bottom line: The Home Team’s momentum isn’t luck. It’s earned. It’s decade-long persistence and self-belief finally paying off. They aren’t just worthy of the moment, they’ve built it.
hi! i’m gabby, I love supporting my favorite bands and telling the world about music that I love.
Let’sset the record straight: being a fangirl is not a personality flaw, but in 2025 it’s rather it’s a cultural engine helping keep the gears of the independent music industry rotating. What used to be dismissed as “too much” passion is now one of the most powerful forces in new music discovery.
The word fangirl has been used as a punchline for years, negatively perceived and shorthand for being “too emotional” or “too invested.” But what if that passion was never the problem?
Being a fangirl today isn’t about obsession, it’s about connection. Connection in finding people who feel the same way you do when a lyric hits just right and how it feels to find someone at a concert you can relate to and belt every word with. These connections are real and authentic. The same connection that influencer and self-proclaimed “certified fangirl” Gabbyycore cultivates online.
Gabby, or “Gabbyycore” to her more than 130,000 of followers online, has turned her lifelong obsession with music into something bigger than playlists and posts. She’s built a community around what it means to feel music deeply and to love it so much that you just have to share it. “I don’t remember a time when I didn’t love music,” she says. “I was a really sad kid and sometimes I just wanted to soak in the sadness, especially when I was numb and just needed to feel something.”
That is exactly what allows her to relate to not only the fans of the music she loves, but also the musicians she now calls friends. Long before she ever had a large TikTok following, she was a fan and music consumer who constantly made playlists for every book she read to help her escape into what she was reading. “The posting really started when I had no way of getting the energy out that I felt when I listened to certain music,” she says. “Social media was that release for me.”
Gabby never planned on being an influencer. She didn’t wake up one day and think to herself, “I’m going to build a brand.” She just wanted to share the songs that she loved. But somewhere between playlists and reaction videos, her genuine love turned into virality.
Understanding where this passion comes from, you don’t need to look much further than her music taste. Her very first concert was Hayley Kiyoko, but the shows that truly changed her life were by Sleep Token and Dayseeker. “I cried my eyes out at both of their shows,” she says. “But honestly, all of my favorite bands put on the best shows.”
TikTok might be where most people discovered her, but she’s quick to admit that Instagram is slowly growing
on her. “Personally, I love TikTok, but it’s changed a lot since I first started,” she says. “Instagram is growing on me, but I honestly just miss Vine.” Still, it’s on TikTok where she finds most of her favorite new music. “Archers and Glasswaves are two bands I discovered there,” she adds. “Both have great music, but they’re also some of the best people I’ve ever met.”
People love to talk about influencers, but few admit how many of them started as fangirls in some form or fashion within music, fashion, gaming, and film. The truth is, fangirls have always been the tastemakers. They just didn’t get credit for it until social media handed them the mic. “Influencing came out of nowhere for me,” Gabby says. “At first it was truly just me publicly fangirling, but I do feel like people began to watch my content because it was authentic and relatable.”
Her videos, whether she’s sobbing to a song’s bridge or doing funny reels with her favorite musicians, are completely unfiltered and extremely relatable. There’s no brand strategy behind them, just whatever Gabby’s emotion is at the time. “Every reaction is real,” she says. “People trust other people who don’t hold back for fear of embarrassment.” That’s the secret sauce of real influence: passion you can’t fake.
Gabby is quick to draw a line between genuine admiration and unhealthy behavior. “The negativity surrounding being a fangirl is based on the fact that certain people have referred to themselves as such but have zero respect for the people they’re fangirling over,” she explains. “To be clear, I respect the people up on that stage. I buy tickets, merch, and hang around to meet them because I admire their work.”
Her respect for boundaries is part of what makes her such a standout of healthy fangirl culture. “True fangirls make the world go round,” she says proudly. “I’ve met so many fangirls in lines at concerts who are the nicest people I’ve ever met and are now lifelong friends. They show up for these artists and create a safe space for not only other fans but the band.”
So maybe it’s time that culture at large stops using “fangirl” like it’s synonymous with “hysterical.” Because if anything, fangirls are the original marketing team: the unpaid PR teams who sell out shows, stream the songs into the algorithm, and turn niche artists into household names before the general public even notice.
“But being ‘Gabbyycore’ is a big part of my life. ,” Gabby admits. “Every time someone comes up to me, it feels like meeting a best friend. It’s become my own community of besties, dude.” It’s easy to see why. Gabby’s not chasing virality, but rather building community and connection. That’s something algorithms can’t manufacture.
Call her a fangirl if you want, she’ll wear it proudly. As Gabby reminds us, “True fangirls make the world go round.” And honestly? The world spins better when people like her are keeping the beat.
Photos: Herb Maximo
Article: Amber Bintliff
With new music steadily being released this year, pop-rock band Broadside are uncovering the shadows and reaching out from the dark. The Richmond, Virginia pop-rockers have spent the last ten years carving out their addictive, deeply personal groove since the release of their monumental debut album Old Bones. With vocalist Oliver Baxxter, guitarist Domenic Reid and bassist Patrick Diaz, the trio now invite their listeners to take a look into the most confident dimension of their sound that embraces this darker, more mature era.
Between grainy black and white glowing visuals, eerie lyricism and daunting production, Broadside’s new releases all take inspiration from a harrowing 1950s classic. “[Our new music is] themed all around different episodes of The Twilight Zone,” Baxxter tells Melodic Magazine.
“We like the air of the grainy, macabre and bizarre [ideas] of ‘What will happen on the next episode?’ But also we feel like we’re living in The Twilight Zone right now so it’s a good time to be creating.”
Broadside first turned down this darker path with the release of “I Think They Know” in April, which coincided with their signing to Thriller Records the same day. The haunting track explores paranoia, perception and imposter syndrome.
“One of the things that I think I lost [from] being in a band for so long was trying to uphold what I thought people expected of me,” he says. “There’s the person you portray and then there’s the person you want to be portrayed or perceived as.
‘I Think They Know’ is basically a catchy song that on the surface level people go, ‘Wow, I just sing it over and over again!’ But the song is about the monotony of life and how the sun gets you out of bed and the moon forces you back into it.”
All four of the band’s recent singles disguise these heavier topics beneath upbeat, catchy facades. “I Think They Know” is poppy and danceable, with lyrics about monotony of life. “Warning Signs” presents itself as a lively song crafted for summer before revealing its details of an all-consuming toxic infatuation. “Someone You Need” and “Blissed Out” also deal with topics of internal struggles over an addicting instrumental.
“[‘Someone You Need’] is a self-serving song, but it’s also an idea of just wanting to be, as gruesome as it sounds, in someone’s skin. I want to be protectant of your feelings, but I know that I’m not safe with my own,” he adds. While the meaning behind “Someone You Need” can be interpreted as turbulent, it can also be seen as a love song about navigating through personal traumas to give someone the love they deserve.
As the band powered through the creative process within their recent music, their focus settled on resonating with the current versions of themselves and the feelings of every person who is going to give it a chance. “Lyrically I was coming from a place of soul searching for myself, trying to tell the story of a troubled childhood,” Baxxter explains. “Some of the stuff,I just genuinely feel, translates in ways that are empowering to somebody that wants to just escape their own brain for a second.”
“Every single song has a moment in it that [makes] you go, ‘Oh shit.’ Whether it’s a production moment, a lyric thing or something, we really made it important for the listening experience and I’m hoping that’s what we nail on a sonic level,” he continues. “We’re trying out a bunch of new style things.”
“The greatest payoff is still getting excited about the people who care about the art you’re creating and seeing how they react to what you’ve created.”
The sonic and thematic shifts aren’t the only major difference in this new era of the band. “I Think They Know” also served as Broadside’s label debut on Thriller Records. “It’s been crazy,” Baxxter says. “Thriller’s definitely on their shit and their team that they have there is really on top of everybody [and] every facet of the industry. There’s people that are on top of trends, overall general visual cues for albums and we’re always being pitched. It’s been really exciting. Not to mention, the roster is super stacked, so it’s a really nice, healthy desire to be as good as [everyone].”
The trio celebrated the ten year anniversary of their debut earlier this year. Old Bones introduced Broadside as an electric up-and-coming band in the pop-punk sphere, with “Coffee Talk” cementing itself as an undeniable classic from that essential 2010s era of the genre. The record changed the trajectory of the group’s career and shaped the current state of who they are, both as artists and individuals. “From a personal level, I never thought that I would be able to look in a mirror, let alone go in front of a bunch of people and make them feel good for 30 [minutes] to an hour,” Baxxter says. “That’s probably one of the most addicting things.”
The lasting impact of Old Bones and the band’s journey can also be felt by watching fans grow up alongside the music. From stories of how couples met through the band to being introduced to those same couple’s children at shows, Baxxter never takes any of it for granted. “The greatest payoff is still getting excited about the people who care about the art you’re creating [and] seeing how they react to what you’ve created,” he explains. “It’s like buying someone you know very well a gift and still wondering if they’ll like it, despite knowing they already have 10 of the same shirt.”
Broadside are set to hit the road with State Champs for select dates of their Around the World and Back 10 Year Anniversary Tour early next year. The band also spent the last year supporting the likes of Silverstein, Real Friends and The Dangerous Summer, but now they’re ready to take the next step. “I want to be a headlining band,” Baxxter explains. “The reality is, we’ve switched members, we’ve changed, we’ve grown. The sound has changed [and] evolved, but the numbers and the shows keep happening.”
On top of the band’s supporting spot to State Champs, Broadside recently also secured a spot in the lineup for next year’s Slam Dunk Festival alongside labelmates, The Home Team. The band last played the U.K. festival in 2018 and are more stoked than ever to return. “It’s super exciting to just have the opportunity to impress a lot of people. I’m gonna make you guys like me, especially if you’re British,” he laughs. Other than trying to weave his way into the hearts of fans overseas, Baxxter just wants anyone attending a show to have a good time and hopes for more opportunities to give people that experience in the new year.
The bands recent releases have already generated anticipation for what 2026 is going to bring. Broadside’s fan community has welcomed their new singles with open arms and are more than ready for whatever this promising new era brings next. “I’m really excited to announce some of these phone calls that we’ve been getting,” Baxxter shares. As the final details continue to be decided behind the scenes, one thing is clear: you’ve just crossed over into the Broadside zone.
Article: Ann Korwan
Kendrick Lamar & SZA
Grand National Tour
April 19, 2025–Dec. 11, 2025
The Grand National Tour is by far one of the most ambitious tours of the year, with Kendrick Lamar and SZA headlining together. With a setlist fifty songs long and paired with a whole crew of dancers, exciting sets and performances of fan-favorite songs like “HUMBLE” by Lamar and “Love Galore” by SZA took over stadiums this year.
Lorde
Ultrasound World Tour
Sep. 17, 2025–Feb. 25, 2026
Despite commencing just a couple months ago, Lorde’s Ultrasound World Tour has already sold out performances and become the talk of the industry. From running through the crowd, to performing “No Better” for the first time in a decade, and even having a special appearance from Charli xcx for a performance of “Girl, so confusing,” the New Zealand singer has proven she knows how to put on a show.
2025 was the year of concerts. Beyoncé took the stage with her tour in support of her Grammywinning album, Cowboy Carter, and Billie Eilish’s sold-out tour for Hit Me Hard and Soft took over arenas. Some honorable mentions include Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet tour, Ethel Cain’s Willoughby Tucker Forever Tour and Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour.
Cowboy Carter Tour
April 28, 2025–July 26, 2025
One of the most highly anticipated tours of the year brought not only music, but huge boosts in the economy. As the highest grossing country tour in history, Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour trotted across the United States and Europe for a total of 32 shows, with some speculating there are more on the way.
The Clancy World Tour & The Clancy World Tour: Breach Aug. 15, 2024–Oct. 26, 2025
Two years after concluding their Icy Tour, Twenty One Pilots hit the road in support of their albums Clancy and Breach starting last summer. The rock duo sold out almost every performance of their 96-show tour, putting on theatrical concerts with epic staging, pyrotechnics and fan-favorite set lists. One aspect of Twenty One Pilots’ shows that have made them stand out among other touring musicians is their interactions with the crowd. During multiple songs, the duo will go into the crowd or have fans in the general admission sections hold them up. The Clancy World Tour is no different and has solidified the rock duo as powerhouse performers.
Billie Eilish
Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour Sept. 29, 2024–Nov. 23, 2025
Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft tour, which kicked off last year, has showcased her latest album with immersive visuals and a carefully crafted career-spanning setlist. Featuring atmospheric production and minimalist staging, the tour has highlighted Eilish’s signature artistry while offering fans an engaging live interpretation of her music.
From the Grammy’s, to the Super Bowl LIX halftime show, to the VMAs, 2025 was full of iconic moments onstage. Doechii took center stage at the Grammys, Kendrick Lamar showed up and out at the Super Bowl and Chappell Roan and Elton John performed a heartwarming rendition of “Pink Pony Club” together, just to name a few.
On February 2, the same night Doechii became the third woman ever to win best rap album for Alligator Bites Never Heal, she stepped out with an electric performance of “Catfish” and “Denial is a River.” The high caliber performance at the 67th annual Grammy Awards not only stunned the audience with Doechii’s ability to put on a show, but proved that she is just getting started.
The 2025 Super Bowl LIX halftime show on February 9 broke records as the most watched halftime show of all time, ranking above Michael Jackson’s performance at Super Bowl XXVII in 1993 where he performed hits like “Not Like Us,” “HUMBLE,” and “All the Stars” with special guest SZA. Lamar’s dancers dressed from head to toe in red, white, and blue and were accompanied by Samuel L. Jackson’s guest appearance as Uncle Sam.
Lady Gaga’s free concert in Rio de Janeiro
As part of her Mayhem Ball tour supporting her recent release Mayhem, Lady Gaga performed for more than two million fans on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro for a free concert on May 3. The concert was performed as an attempt to revitalize Rio’s economy and image, as part of the “Todo Mundo no Rio” project. The pop-star sported Brazil-themed costumes and elaborate choreography to her most popular songs for her first in Brazil since 2012.
During her hour-long performance at Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Award Party on March 2, Chappell Roan invited Elton John on stage for a special rendition “Pink Pony Club.” Roan bestowed her pink cowgirl hat upon John’s head to wear for their performance. The following morning, Elton John AIDS Foundation announced that the viewing party had raised $8.6 million in support of the mission to end AIDS.
Sabrina Carpenter’s VMAs performance
Sabrina Carpenter stunned the VMAs with her Britney Spears-esque performance of “Tears,” from her latest album, Man’s Best Friend. Showing out in a top reminiscent of Spears’ from her 2001 tour and dancing under pouring rain. On September 7, Carpenter performed onstage with drag queens as a show of solidarity against the White House’s continued attacks against transgender rights.
Through his role as the frontman for prolific dance-rock group Cobra Starship, as well his numerous business endeavors outside of his music career, Gabe Saporta is a renowned figure when it comes to the merging of both music and business. At 16 years old, Saporta founded the pop-punk band Midtown in 1998, and formed Cobra Starship in 2005. Rising to alt-rock stardom through hits like “Bring It (Snakes on a Plane)” and “Good Girls Go Bad,” Cobra Starship became well known for their signature blend of electronic pop and poppunk.
After Cobra Starship disbanded in 2015, Saporta moved on to other opportunities in the music business. That same year, Saporta co-founded The Artist Group (TAG), an artist management label, alongside The Academy Is… guitarist Mike Carden. In 2024 he founded Brotege, a male skincare company, and he is an experienced entrepreneur in the worlds of fashion, real estate and more.
Whether through his iconic discography, artist management endeavors or his entrepreneurship, Saporta knows the business like no other. Having dedicated his entire life to music, Saporta carries with him a unique love for the art and knowledge of the craft, making him one of the scene’s most skillful musicians and industry figures.
Article: Justice Petersen
Brotege is skincare for the bad guys who want to look good (while still being bad). Founded in 2024, Saporta’s company aims to provide men with approachable, reasonably-priced and effective skincare products. According to a statement on the company’s website, after Saporta hit his thirties – and found that his longtime favorite retinol-infused moisturizer was no longer available – he soon realized that a lot of his male friends were hesitant to embrace a good skin-care regimen, as the idea itself was a sign that one was growing old.
While self-care has become widely embraced in recent years, there still lies negative stereotypes about men actively choosing to pamper themselves. In fact, a 2023 study from CeraVe found that one in three men don’t have a skincare regimen. Saporta even notes that, once he and his friends all realized they were getting older, many of them found the idea of having a skin-care routine depressing, awkward and, in so many words, cringey.
To combat this apprehension that men have with taking care of their skin, Saporta set out to create the ultimate product aimed specifically at men who loathe the very thought of UV protection. Crafting a single, allin-one moisturizer, Saporta created a product that is easy to use and perfect for those just stepping into the skincare game for the first time. Through affordable prices and humorous, punk-rock branding, Brotege is the ultimate cure for men who shudder when asked if they wear daily SPF.
While Saporta is almost just as recognized for his business efforts as he is for his status as a rock star, it’s truly Saporta’s musical career that launched him into the limelight. Having loved music from a very early age, Saporta loved hip-hop music before falling in love with punk. At 16 Saporta founded Midtown, his very first band. While Midtown only lasted a few years, they developed a serious cult following.
After some legal troubles put an end to Midtown, Saporta decided that being a successful artist would require understanding the business as well. At 21, Saporta became a manager for rock group Armor For Sleep. Finally, in 2005, Saporta founded Cobra Starship. Hoping to find an outlet to create lighter music compared to the pop-punk style of Midtown, Saporta established Cobra Starship as a genre-defying outfit. Combining electronic elements with those of emo and punk, the group rose to multi-platinum stardom and toured alongside the likes of 30 Seconds To Mars, Fall Out Boy and Justin Bieber.
Nearly a decade down the line, several members of the band decided to focus on other projects or personal pursuits. In 2015, Cobra Starship announced they had officially disbanded, canceling plans on what would have been their fifth studio album. However, after releasing a handful of singles in 2021, the group reunited in 2024 to perform at When We Were Young festival and an additional number of select live shows. This year, Cobra Starship played at the 20th Anniversary show of Riot Fest as well as the Long Beach date of this year’s return of Vans Warped Tour.
Atlanta is a cornerstone of American music, with deep roots in hip-hop, R&B, soul, and rock that have shaped both the Southern and national music scenes. The city has fostered iconic artists such as Outkast, TLC and Usher and continues to be a launching pad for emerging talent, like Clairo, Teddy Swims, and The Funeral Portrait. With its vibrant cultural scene, Atlanta blends history, innovation, and diversity, making it one of the South’s most influential musical cities and a city that can’t be skipped on upcoming tours.
INTRODUCING YOUR LOCAL FAVORITES:
as voted on by Atlanta natives
The Eastern Gas South Arena
The Masquerade Terminal West
The Tabernacle Variety Playhouse
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ahmad Barber @ahmadbarber
Alisa Seripap @alisaseripap
Angel Escobar @escofotos
Anmarie Smith@anmariekittysnaps,
Ciara
Clairo
Faye Webster
Latto
Laughtrack
Manchester Orchestra
Music Midtown
Oakhurst Porchfest ONE Musicfest
Shaky Knees
Lindsay Thomaston @retroartiste
Sophie Harris @sophieharrisphoto
Tess @thrashbear
Mariah the Scientist RUSS SILLY GOOSE
Teddy Swims
The Funeral Portrait
97.1 The River
El Patron 96.7 FM
Kiss 104.1
Majic 107.5
Outkast
Sevendust
TLC
Usher
Power 105.3 FM V-103
Housewolf Records in Woodstock!
Red Light Cafe near Piedmont Park puts on a great mix of events! Smaller artists, comedy shows, a little bit of everything.
With state-of-the-art design, The Eastern – one of the most anticipated nightlife openings of its time – is located in the heart of the vibrant Reynoldstown district.
Before The Eastern’s arrival in September 2021, Atlanta’s music scene had no true mid-sized venue that balanced intimacy with arena-level production. While smaller spaces like Terminal West offered closeness, and large arenas like State Farm delivered scale, there was a missing middle ground for artists and fans who wanted a high-quality concert experience without the distance of a stadium.
About the same size as Atlanta’s iconic venue The Tabernacle, which holds 2,600, The Eastern combines top-notch production with sleek, industrial-chic style, featuring polished concrete floors and warm lighting, a large change from some of the other venues within the city.
Atlanta’s rapid cultural growth and influx of touring artists created a demand for more modern, flexible performance spaces. Combined with the multi-level main performance hall and a rooftop stage, bar, patio and restaurant, the venue offers visitors a versatile and immersive entertainment experience that merges contemporary sophistication with a rustic
warehouse feel. The venue hosts live music events but also serves as a space for various special events and private functions, accommodating all kinds of audiences from weddings, to galas, fundraisers, and even networking events.
In a city known for its deep musical roots, The Eastern gives Atlanta’s next generation of talent a professional stage to grow on. Blending live events from up-and-coming artists with established acts across genres, The Eastern has quickly become one of the city’s premier live entertainment destinations hosting artists such as Aly & AJ, Billy Strings, Manchester Orchestra and hundreds of others. Conveniently located just off of Interstate 75, the venue is also located perfectly within the historic Eastern Market district.
Due to its proximity to the rest of the city, the venue offers guests easy access to the market’s attractions. Surrounded by murals, galleries, shops and restaurants, the venue is a major hub for the city’s creative scene, giving visitors see and do before and after performances.
Ultimately, The Eastern filled a vital need in Atlanta’s entertainment ecosystem, reaffirming Atlanta’s status as one of the most important live music cities in the South.
