Us For Once Magazine / Issue 1, Nov. 2018

USFORONCE

Issue1 Novem ber 2018

DEBUTISSUE,FEATURING FALLO UTBO Y- ALLTIMELO W- 5SO S- BRUNOMARS- IDKHO W- TRO YESIVAN- statecham ps..andm ore!

"TOBEINGAN USFORONCE, INSTEAD OFATHEM" As 2018 comes to a close, we decided it was out with the old and in with the new. Coming to you live with a new format and a brand new attitude, allow us to re-introduce ourselves.

Hi, we're Us For Once, UFO for short. An independent magazine powered by creative youth passionate about the power of music. Mainly, we're dedicated on two things: chasing the thrill of live music, experiencing one of a kind moments, and expressing it all as art by sharing them with you.

We also want to be a part of the conversation. Interviews and rising artist spotlights help you connect to the scene. W hether it be your favorite singer or a band that's just starting up, we want to talk about it!

This debut issue is all about fresh starts, but we're not forgetting where we started. That's why, apart from our newest photo gallerys, live music reviews, and features, we will also be re-linking some of our favorite UFO articles from a while back, including our Fall Out Boy "Bishop's Knife Trick" Analysis and the beginnings of our "I Bought Tickets To This Show Not Knowing How I Was Going To Get There" series.

Apart from that, this issue you can expect live event reviews and photo galleries of some fantastic shows and events we've been to recently, like All Time Low, 5SOS, Emo Nite Day, Arctic Monkeys, Bruno Mars, State Champs, and Troye Sivan, as well as a review on our favorite interstellar rappers, Eye-C. Thank you for joining us on our newest adventure.

Lexy Bouras, Editor

TABLEOFCONTENTS UFOEXCLUSIVES OCTOBER PLAYLIST

5

BISHOP'S KNIFE TRICK

6

"I BOUGHT TICKETS TO THIS SHOW..."

8

EYE-C

12

STEPHEN JAMES

13

l IVEMUSICREVIEWS KNUCKLE PUCK

14

ARCTIC MONKEYS

17

BRUNO MARS

17

ED SHEERAN

18

phot ogal l er ies IDKHOW TROYE SIVAN STATE CHAMPS

20 22 23

THIS ISSUE'S WRITERS Lexy Bouras | Taylor Dietrich THIS ISSUE'S PHOTOGRAPHERS Lexy Bouras | Yising Kao | Kirsty Leanne

3

YUNGBLUD, PHOTOGRAPHED BY YISING KAO

Oct ober Pl ayl ist ALL OUT OF TEARS - Z Berg KILLER QUEEN - 5SOS (Queen cover) KIDS IN THE DARK - All Time Low THE BALLAD OF M E AND M Y BRAIN - The 1975 DAY TRIP - EyE-C ARABELLA - Arctic Monkeys BLEED M AGIC - IDKHOW TURIN GIRL - Stephen James NO GOOD - Knuckle Puck BABY, YOU'RE A HAUNTED HOUSE - Gerard Way POLYGRAPH EYES - Yungblud LET'S KILL TONIGHT - Panic! At The Disco TIM E WARP - The Rocky Horror Picture Show

5

HIDDENMESSAG ES:AN IN-DEPTHANALYSISO F "BISHO P'SKNIFETRICK" byfall outboy

by Lexy Bouras

It's been months and months since we first wrote this article, but we're still blown away by the enthusiasm it's recieved, and the impact it's made. That's why we've decided to highlight our Bishop's Knife Trick Analysis from January as the very first piece featured on the new magazine (over from the archives).

There's still a trigger warning on this one, just in case. Nothing too graphic, but there is heavy talk about mental illness and suicide .

To put it simply: ?Bishop?s Knife Trick?is the perfect ending to Fall Out Boy?s MANIA. It delivers a heavy dose of emotion that will resonate with any fan, as well as fitting in perfectly with the theme of the album. This song is about mental illness, defeat, power, and finally, hope. Hope and the will to live to see another day, awaiting the mysteries that new day will bring. Pete Wentz?s lyrical art of misdirection protects a devastatingly beautiful ode to love, life, and the fans. W hat can be easily overlooked as just another sad piano song is probably Fall Out Boy?s most moving and powerful message to date. ?Bishop?s Knife Trick?is Fall Out Boy laying it all out for us, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and praying that we still love them anyways."

Read the whole piece on our website! Or google "Bishop's Knife Trick", we're one of the top results ;)

Also, be sure to check out our featured contributions to "Bishop's Knife Trick" on the official gen iu s.com page!

7

"IBought TicketsToThisShow..

NotKnowingHowIW ASG oingToG et There"? ?I Bought Tickets To This Show Not Knowing How I?m Going To Get There? may sound like an anecdote born out of bad decisions, but it goes way deeper than that. This is our very first collaborative series, focusing on the fact that concerts are a fun experience, but every single one is undeniably an adventure. We?ve found ourselves in some pretty odd and unlikely places in our pursuit of live music, and we're documenting our journey... even if we didn't have our journey planned out. Check out the first three pieces below!

PARTO NE: BRENDO NURIEINKINKYBO O TS PARTtwo: fALLO UTBO YA TW RIG LEYFIELD PARTthree: zbergandfriends,LO SANG ELES

PARTFO UR:ALLTIMELO W 'S SUMMEREVERAfTERTO UR

by Lexy Bouras

All Time Low is one of those bands that occupies a strange and special place in my heart. Despite listening to them for years, I just recently got the opportunity to see them live for the first time at the San Diego date of the final Warped Tour. Their set was incredibly fun and definitely unforgettable, but for me at least, one thing was missing: Stella.

Was it surprising that my favorite All Time Low song, track 2 off 2009's Nothing Personal didn't make the six-song Warped cut? No, but after waiting so long to see this band and getting a taste of their contagious onstage energy, I wanted absolutely nothing more than to experience that again; this time magnified by Jack Barakat's fast-paced guitar, Rian Dawson and Zack Merrick's killer rhythm section, and Alex Gaskarth's vocals belting out a desperate love song to a controlling vice. I wanted "Stella".

So, when I watched the band's Summer Ever After pre-tour diary confirming that they were indeed playing this song live again, I jumped at the opportunity and rushed to check out tour dates. I soon realized, however, that there were no SoCal dates to be seen.

The band was slated to stop in San Fransisco, there was only a vague tweet from Gaskarth promising that they had "something special" planned for LA to be announced (this turned out to be their headliner at Emo Nite Day, a story for another day!).

A guaranteed shot to hear "Stella", but no shows around me within a hundreds of miles? I could not let that stand in my way.

9

JACK BARAKAT, PHOTOGRAPHED BY LEXY BOURAS

So, naturally, I did what I thought was logical in this situation: buy a ticket, an All Time Low Meet & Greet, and start looking up airfare from LAX to Phoenix Sky Harbor.

My efficient plan went like this: I'd be in and out of Arizona in less than a day. On Monday, skip class, fly out at 8 am, arrive to my destination around 9:30, get a Lyft from the airport to the venue, and sit out till meet and greet/showtime. Since it was a GA show, lining up ensured I had somewhere to be all day and a secured barricade spot. Then I see the show, Lyft back to the airport, and crash on the floor in lieu of a hotel until my 6 am return flight to LAX, after which I'd get home and take a huge nap. Despite some anxiety over all this (and concerned responses from friends and family), I told myself this was all part of an important personal journey.

It seemed risky for a 19 year old girl to travel solo to an unknown state for a concert, but it was in the name of bravery and independence (and "Stella"). I figured that I had to practice doing things on my own more, and although this isn't the most typical or the safest example of that, this day-trip was one of the best experiences I've had this year.

Although I basically knew how I was going to get there, this piece belongs in this series because it took a lot for me to decide that I was actually going through with it, and the personal uncertainty was mind-numbing. I dealt with a pretty bad anxiety disorder during high school, and even though through the years I've made great leaps of progress managing and overcoming it, the idea of this trip definitely made it flare up. In fact, the Meet & Greet I purchased was solely a push to actually go to this show, since it's much harder to bail on yourself when you spent extra money to meet one of your favorite bands.

The days leading up to the trip were stressful, comprising of me making frantic trips to the dollar store for snacks and triple-checking my flight information and single carry-on to make sure everything was in order. Suffice to say, I did not get any sleep before I left.

Monday, October 8th, at the crack of dawn, I was on my way to the airport, ready for this little great adventure.

When I arrived after my short flight, I bought an overpriced salad at my terminal and made my way to the rideshare pickup area. I made lovely small talk with my driver for about 4 minutes, until we arrived at my destination, The Van Buren in Phoenix. From across the street, I looked around, seeing a very calm and empty area, with the exception of the band's tour buses parked to the side. Walking past the box office and main entrance, a feeling of dread set in, as I realized I was probably going to be sitting on a sidewalk alone in a slightly sketchy part of town.

Luckily, it didn't come down to that, as I turned a corner to see a singular girl in a Motionless In White hoodie sitting against a wall. I instantly knew I'd found the right spot and the right person. Her name was Alicia; I sat down next to her and we started talking, kicking off our hours-long wait with previous concert stories and hilarious anecdotes. As time went on, a few more people arrived, and Alicia and I soon had our very own concert squad of friends we'd made in line (including a wonderful security guard we'll call SG). These people were what made my day so wonderful. To my suprise, I wasn't the only one who had flown out for the show! We came from all over the southwest and clicked instantly over our common passion for music.

What's even better is that we all had each other 's backs. Every good concert I go to is like this- from sharing food, to playing Heads Up to pass the time, or holding your spot at barricade while you get merch, the friends you make in line for a show are your family for that night.

That good energy carried well into the meet and greet and show, which all left me smiling from ear to ear.

All Time Low's meet and greet was a great experience, as I got to hug and talk to the four freakishly tall boys, make jokes about friendship bracelets and sorority poses for our picture, and my personal favorite moment: getting to tell Ashley Osborn how much I love her photography, and telling Jack Barakat to shut up when he jokingly expressed his annoyance at it. The show was obviously fantastic, and I screamed louder than I ever have in my life for "Stella". After all this, I was ready to go home, with the best day ever and a handful of show confetti in my back pocket. Alicia very kindly offered me a ride back to the airport, and remarked, "We're sisters now, text me when you get home safe".

Later that night, as I tried to fall asleep on the hard carpeted floor of Terminal 3, the happy memories of the past 24 hours flooded my mind. As my eyes slowly closed, I let the music in my headphones say everything that was left to say: 11 "... Stella, won't you take me home?".

SpoTLIGHT ARTISTS HighlightsfromEYE-C'SEVO LUTIO NaryNEWALBUM,"SPACEPO P"

by Lexy Bouras It's been almost a year since we first discovered Eye-C and reviewed their debut album, "E". We've been intrigued by the group's experimental, extra-terrestrially inspired hip hop tracks for a while now, and "Space Pop" proved to be an exciting surprise; a genre-bending reach into a more upbeat sound.

"Space Pop" opens with a 40 second ambiance track, typical from Eye-C, and leads into "Flying High", a song that strongly showcases their growth as artists. Compared to "E", the base here is much stronger, seamlessly interweaving the space aged beeps and whirrs to a beat, making for a more unified sound. Furthermore, That Guy's flow is better than ever, his diction is clearer, and he's branching out into newer styles. "310" is notable because of it's musical ambivalence. This is one that if you heard it in passing, it'd be a cool party song, something that might be played on the radio, but it you stop and listen a little harder, you can tune into the unique nuances that make it special, and distinctly Eye-C. The album's promoted single, "Day Trip", highlights the more mainstream sound the group was trying to achieve with this album, doing so with an attention-grabbing intro and a stark shift into deep vocals paired with electronic synth.

"Cruiser" has a twinkly, almost lullaby-like start to it, and lyrics like "I never wanna take you home/ I never wanna say goodbye/ for reasons I don't really know/ I just wanna fly away today". It's a little cute, a little spacey, a little pop, and overall a very enjoyable track on the record. As we near the end of "Space Pop", the album is closed out by "Earthling", opened by big, dramatic, symphony-like sound, and closed in soft pale waves. Once again, Eye-C brings a cinematic, immersive aspect to their music by delivering an album that is a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end.

Far from "E" part II, this album steps the group's game up, definitely bringing the pop in "Space Pop", and evolving as artists while still staying true to their original aesthetic and vision.

Want more from the Space Pop simulation?

Be sure to check out our previous features on Eye-C like our "E" album and "Long Distant Calls" EP review!

"Space Pop" by Eye-C is now available on all major platforms!

To connect with Eye-C and get updates on their latest projects, check them out on their Bandcamp, Facebook, and Instagram!

SpoTLIGHT ARTISTS STEPHENJAMES'TW ISTSANDTURNSTEMPOW ITHNEW ESTSING LE,"TURING IRL"

by Taylor Dietrich

The Stephen James Band is no stranger to Us For Once. Earlier this year, we reviewed their album Optimum. Now, they?re back with a single, entitled ?Turin Girl.?This track is a winding road from start to finish, changing tempos just about every few lines. You know that feeling when you listen to a song for the first time and you can tell by the first line or two that it?s going to be a good one? This feeling settled in immediately upon turning on ?Turin Girl.?The Stephen James Band welcomes you into this new sound of theirs with airy vocals and a plucky guitar. Before you can get too comfortable, however, the tempo changes entirely, as does the vibe of the song. W ith a slow melody and enchanting vocals, you are completely taken by the sounds filling your ears.

And it doesn?t stop there. ?Turin Girl?has so many twists and turns, it is easy to fall more and more in love with each line as they come.

It was pleasing to know that these are the same boys we had reviewed a few months ago. It seems as though they have truly found themselves and their sound. Every aspect of the song fits together musically, giving it a strong, wholesome feeling. From the confident vocals to the romantic lyrics to the clean instrumentals, every feature supported the other in some way. ?Turin Girl?is a playful track that is certain to fill you with joy and lift your spirits, even as we approach the part of the year notorious for its darkness. If you?re trying to get away from those songs of winter blues, this is the single for you. Stephen James has the ability to whisk you away to new places with every chorus and every verse. ?

Want to read more on Stephen James?

Check out our archive for an in-depth album review on their last album, "Optimum" and exclusive interview with the band members!

"Turin Girl" by Stephen James is available on all major platforms now!

To connect with the band and get updates on their latest projects, check them out on their website, Facebook, and Instagram!

11

LIVEMUSICREVIEW : W HYYO USHO ULDCAREABO UTKNUCKLEPUCk H

KNUCKLE PUCK , PHOTOGRAPHED BY TAYLOR DIETRICH

by Taylor Dietrich

W hen watching one of your favorite bands perform at a large venue with at least an hour and a half long setlist, it may be hard to fathom the fact that at one point, they were only the supporting act.

This is why we so often stress how important it is to support opening bands. Usually, I take that to a whole other level. Even if their name is the smallest one on the bill, when I truly love a band, I am going to show up for them. This is exactly what I did earlier this week at Terminal 5 for the Generation Rx Tour.

No disrespect to Good Charlotte, but they were really not my priority at this show, regardless of them being the headliner. Not for any negative reasons; they're just one of those bands that I know all of the popular songs from, yet for whatever reason, never got more into. (The songs I do know, however, are absolute bangers.) But when I heard they were bringing two of my absolute favorite bands on tour with them, buying tickets was a no-brainer. The thought of seeing Knuckle Puck and Sleeping with Sirens in the same night was enough to give me chills. W hen October 29th rolled around, I found myself in a freezing cold wind tunnel in Manhattan, proudly sporting my Knuckle Puck shirt. I was well aware of the fact that I was in Good Charlotte territory and that many of their fans were not happy about my choice of band t-shirt, but here's my concert going philosophy: If you're only staying for half of the concert, it's more respectful if you

leave before the main act than show up after the opening acts. Those bands are trying their absolute hardest to get the audience to actually listen to them. So many people miss out on artists they could potentially fall in love with when they are too caught up with the fact that there are still two more hours until the headlining band comes on. At some point, there were crowds that were blowing Good Charlotte's seven-song setlist off, too. They would have never made it big if people hadn?t just heard them out for a few minutes.

Sleeping W ith Sirens speak for themselves, I think. Everyone who either had an emo phase knows who Kellin Quinn is. Knuckle Puck, on the other hand, are no strangers to crowds who couldn?t care less about them. In fact, on the Generation Rx tour alone, they?ve reported the crowds being entirely still and quiet.

In return, their stage presence has faltered. The interaction between bands and audiences is so crucial to a good concert. They thrive off of each other. That?s why when Joe Taylor sang the opening line to their first song, ?Gone,?I made sure to shout as loud as I could possibly manage. I not only wanted Knuckle Puck to know I was there to support them but I also wanted the people around me in the crowd to realize that they were worth the listening. I mean, if a girl paid sixty dollars to hear seven songs, that must count for something, right? Luckily, I had some help. My beautiful NYC came through with the Knuckle Puck love 15

Right in front of where Nick Casasanto was busy playing his guitar, hands were waving, crowd surfers were passing, and mosh pits were opening. It reflected on the band members?faces. Joe did an amazing job of roping the audience in, feeding off of the energy of the small group of people that knew all the words. Nick?s unclean vocals were hearty and raw. Long story short, they did not disappoint. I found it extremely suiting that they played their song entitled ?But W hy Would You Care??It?s a song about crowds disregarding them and in return, them struggling to break into the music scene. W ith lyrics such as ?I am expendable/ But I guess that's just the way things go/ I'm a ghost in foreign postal codes/ Losing faith in what brings you hope,?and ?You can hear me out/ But why would you care/ No, why would you care at all??

Joe expresses the fears he had when Knuckle Puck first formed and no one would give them the time of day. All they needed were a few people to believe in them but everyone was looking towards bands that already had success, leaving Joe?s band in the dust. All I could hope was that the people in the crowd around me were listening to every last line and letting it all resonate.

Later, after Sleeping W ith Sirens was all packed up and off stage, I wandered over to Knuckle Puck?s merch table. I found Nick chatting with some fans. I'm not nervous to talk to band members anymore but I often worry about having short, surface-level conversations

The last thing I needed to do was worry about that with Nick. He talked to me as if I was a friend he had known for years. He made it very clear to me that he loved his job and had had such an amazing night thanks to myself and the other Knuckle Puck fans that had shown up. That?s when I knew I needed to see them headline as soon as possible. If that was their energy thanks to just a handful of fans, I couldn?t fathom what it might be like when they sold out a venue like Terminal 5 for themselves. I stayed for about six Good Charlotte songs. It gave me immense joy to see the crowd, which was incredibly diverse, have the night of their lives. It showed in their smiles. And I knew that was exactly what I had looked like when Knuckle Puck had been on stage.

So, maybe this is all one big unpopular opinion. But I?m sure people go to shows for the openers more than they?d like to admit. But when those same bands end up selling out bigger and bigger venues as the band with the largest font on the bill, it is so amazingly rewarding.

Want to see what all the fuss is about?

Catch Knuckle Puck live for their Chicago holiday show on 12/22/18 Tickets on sale now!

Every alternative, cuffed jeans-wearing, angsty tumblr teen who spent their high school years blasting AM owes it to themselves to see Arctic Monkeys live. I definitely used to be a part of this demographic, and I'd like to believe that part of my life is over, but one Tuesday night in Hollywood threw it all back. The Arctic Monkeys sound exactly the same live as they do on record, and their dark, unbothered, strangely emotional vibe carries over just as well. To stand in a crowd of 17,000 swaying to "No. 1 Party Anthem", and even newer tracks like "The Ultracheese" transported me back to the nights at 16 I'd spend swaying the same way, laughing a little too loud and trying to act cool, desperately trying to impress boys in cars. This band is nostalgic yet timeless, always packing a punch while never remaining too familiar or blasĂŠ. No matter the time, place, or era, if you were ever hooked on them, they will always be what you're looking for.

ARCTIC MONKEYS, LIVE AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOW L 10.16.18

OCTOBERSPOTLIGHTSHOWS Honorable Mention to the concerts that absolutely blew us away! These acts are a must-see for sure.

BRUNO MARS, 24K MAGIC WORLD TOUR: THE FINALE 10.26.18

We wouldn't throw this heavyweight title around lightly, but we really must admit that Bruno Mars might just have been the best show we have seen all year. Our overpriced nosebleeds seats were a blessing in disguise, as they allowed us to judge this show for what it's actually worth: the setup, the lights, the dancing, the vocals, and all the energy. Mars and his hooligan gang of multi-instrumentalist dancers captivated the crowd with their powerful stage presence and sheer talent. W hether they were showing off their swagger during "Uptown Funk", or charming the crowd with "Marry Me", an adorable track off of Mars' debut album, everyone was left screaming for more. A true entertainer and a future legend who'll one day be compared to the likes of Prince and Michael Jackson, Mars doesn't come cheap, but he makes damn sure to give you your money's worth. See this man perform as soon as you can. You will not regret it.

17

SAMESHO W , DIFFERENTNIG HTS, ISITREALLY W O RTHIT?

by Taylor Dietrich

It seems as though very recently this whole theme of 'following' an artist on tour has become very popular. Fans will buy tickets to multiple shows on their favorite artists upcoming shows, both locally and far away. The point is to not only relive the wonderful experience of the concert more than once but to also see and explore places you have never been before. Even then, it is apparent that people outside the scene don't really understand this really concept. They'll pose questions such as, "Doesn't that get boring?" "W hat's the point?" and "Is it really worth it?" So what about when it comes to seeing them just two times, yet two nights in a row?

Are you overdoing it? Is it really pointless? Maybe we should just settle for the one night and call it a wrap .

This past weekend I saw Ed Sheeran two nights in a row at both of his sold-out shows in MetLife Stadium, which is located in New Jersey on the edge of NYC. I had seen many artists more than once before. Hell, I'd even seen Ed twice before. But always on different shows in different years during different album cycles. So in all honesty, I was worried I was setting myself up for disappointment. I'd be sitting through the same show two nights in a row. But I suppose I should take my own advice more.

Just last week I wrote and submitted an essay for my Underground Music Scenes class.

My thesis statement was that concerts are a liminal space and can be compared to traveling circuses.

Although the content is essentially the same every night of an artists tour, the experience is infinitely different. The city, the people, the weather, the venue; they all have the power to shape and change that concert into something new each night. W hy do you think artists like Ed Sheeran go on such extensive tours over long periods of time?

Because it never gets old to them. It can't. Though you have an outline of where the night may go, stepping onto that stage could bring you the unexpected every single time. The same goes for being in the crowd. .....The first night I saw Ed Sheeran at MetLife was a night to sit back and relax. The crowd seemed to be there for the slower ballads such as 'The A Team' and 'Perfect.' Ed saw this and made his choice song for the night 'Tenerife Sea.' I left that show feeling so calm and at peace with the world. I could not wait to go back the next night and hear those beautiful sounds all over again. And that next night was about as polar opposite from the first as it could get. The people around me were jumpy and rowdy and there for a good time. Again, Ed picked up on this. His choice song for night two was 'I'm A Mess,' a song that required more vocal energy from him and more physical energy in the sense that the loop pedal was needed twice as much..

. I left that show with little to no voice left, tired legs, and an even bigger smile. On the ride home, part of me even considered by tickets for next week's Philadelphia show.

So if it fits in your budget, I say go for it. You will not believe how rewarding going to the same concert more than once can be.

How many times have you woken up the morning after a show and wished you could do it all over again? And what was stopping you? Score those cheap seats in the back so you can focus on paying for transportation. The rate of return that you will get in joy and experience will be absolutely infinite. Don't let anyone tell you that you're wasting your time or your money. And finally, music is a form of entertainment, so how the hell could you get bored of it?

ED SHEERAN, PHOTOGRAPHED

BY TAYLOR DIETRICH 19

P H O T O G A L L ERI ES IDKHOW, PHOTOGRAPHED BY YISING KAO

I D K H O W 10 16 18

P H O T O G A L L ERI ES TROYE SIVAN, PHOTOGRAPHED BY YISING KAO

T R O Y E S I V A N

10 27 18

STATE CHAMPS, PHOTOGRAPHED BY KIRSTY LEANNE

S T A T E C H A M P S

10 26 18

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USFORONCE Issue1 Novem ber 2018

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