With the Ke$ha concert behind us, the next school sponsored concert will probably not be until Spring Fair. While Ke$ha was strangely an improvement over last year’s choices of Neon Trees (who cancelled, which I guess was good) and Grouplove, there is still much room to improve. Let’s be honest: Neon Trees are just a generic and really unimaginative take on the Killers and Grouplove is a forgettable and unoriginal “indie” band (even putting it in quotation marks doesn’t do it justice). Grouplove is pretty much Foster the People, except its hit song “Tongue Tied” isn’t as well known as “Pumped Up Kicks.”
Now here is a list of groups and artists that seem manageable to get and will probably put on a sweet show but, knowing Hopkins, won’t work out ideally.
Purity Ring – The Canadian based Witch House duo features a sound influenced by trap and dream pop, creating a very interesting soundscape. While its studio receives much praise (its debut LP, Shrines, which came out in 2012, is considered one of the best that year), Purity Ring’s live shows heighten the music. Producer Corin Roddick has his sampler and midi instruments hooked up to an interactive light display that light up whenever he hits specific notes or patterns. It’s just a really fun band to see live.
Chvrches – If you want to hear the best synth-pop album of the year, then the debut album from this trio from Scotland is the way to go. The Bones of What You Believe is just a spectacular album. While definitely influenced by music from the 80s, Chvrches’ material still maintains an original and refreshing feel. It doesn’t feel like a relic of the past, but instead something that represents now. After seeing them live at Freefest recently, it is safe to say that their live show matches their studio work very well.
Frank Ocean – If you haven’t heard Channel Orange yet, then you should set aside some time to get the album and give it a listen. It is probably one of the best R&B albums to come out in a while and features songwriting and lyrical skills that just turn the game on its head. While seeing him live would be a more intimate experience compared to most shows, it would still be a very entertaining experience. Honestly, regardless of whether we could get him, you should find a way to see him perform live at some point.
TNGHT – This is the musical duo that features producers Lunice and Hudson Mohawke. They released a self-titled EP last year, and it features probably some of the best instrumental hip hop/trap music to come out that year. You’ve probably, at some point or another, heard their hit song “Higher Ground” or their recently released single, “Acrylics.” I saw them open for Disclosure over the summer and they put on quite a show despite not being the headliner. That being said, they would be a great headliner to have.
A$AP Rocky/A$AP Ferg/A$AP Mob – While I’m not the biggest fan of these guys, I would be ignorant to say that we should not get them. A$AP Rocky alone has a good number of hits to his name and has a lot of recognition, so it would not be a bad idea to get him to perform. In all honesty, they would probably just be a lot of fun to see live. However, whether or not Hopkins would let them come, that’s a different story.
