SOL // DNCE // PORTER ROBINSON // MADEON // ILLENIUM // NEIL MCCOY // RUN THE JEWLES & MORE
MARTY GRIMES
ISSUE SEVENTEEN
OWNER - DANIELLE ELLIS HEAD EDITOR - DANIEL ZEWDE ART DIRECTOR - TRACI SCHUBERT GRAPHIC DESIGNER - REBECCA MELANSON PR & MARKETING - JESS MCPHEE PHOTOGRAPHER- CHRIS MALDONADO PHOTOGRAPHER- CRISTOBAL ARELLANO PHOTOGRAPHER - EMELLIA MIA PHOTOGRAPHER - FELIX TAVERA PHOTOGRAPHER - GREG STIPP PHOTOGRAPHER - HUNTER LOHR PHOTOGRAPHER - JESSICA PADOVER PHOTOGRAPHER - KIMANI GRAHAM PHOTOGRAPHER - STEPHANIE TACY PHOTOGRAPHER - JAKE TOVAR PHOTOGRAPHER - ERICA MCKEEHEN REPORTER - BETSY SCHULLER REPORTER - GABEALLA JASSO
2
IN THIS ISSUE MEET THE TEAM .......................................................................... 2 ISSUE 17 PLAYLIST ........................................................................ 4 THOREAU ........................................................................................ 6 SOL ..................................................................................................... 8 4 UR EYES ONLY ALBUM REVIEW ......................................... 10 MADEON X PORTER ROBINSON ........................................... 11 DNCE .............................................................................................. 12 ILLENIUM
.....................................................................................
14
YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS THESE SHOWS .................... 16 NEIL MCCOY & GARRY ALLEN ............................................. 18 EDEN ............................................................................................. 20 RUN THE JEWLES ...................................................................... 22 MARTY GRIMES ......................................................................... 24 SWEET SEXY SAVAGE ............................................................... 25
3
STAFF MUSIC PICKS DRIVE // GLADES GRAVITY // EDEN WHAT THEY WANT // RUSS LOCK IT UP FEAT. KEHLANI // MARC E BASSY NEIGHBORS // J.COLE DEJA VU // POST MALONE I SPY FEAT. LIL YACHTY // KYLE CRZY // KEHLANI LOCATION // KHAID PARIS // THE CHAINSMOKERS HIT ME HARDER // SKIZZY MARS WEAK // AJR STOLE THE SHOW // KYGO POWERFUL // MAJOR LAZER F.F.F. // BEBE REXHA
4
Texas based music promotion company, ScoreMore Shows, announced its fifth annual two-city festival JMBLYA. This year heading is Chance the Rapper. The festival also features new up and coming artists you need to know such as Pell, 6Black, Lil Uzi Vert and more. Defiantly not something you want to miss! Tickets are on sale now at www.Jmblya.com starting at just $60 for one day, Jmblya is also featuring limited number of VIP packages. Head over to www.EllisMusicMagazine.com/JMBLYA for more details! 5
ARTIST TO WATCH: THOREAU Writing Provided by: Lindsey Oh
2016 was just the beginning for Boulder, Colorado producer Thoreau. After getting his first release signed to Ultra Records, he began topping Hype Machine consistently, and landed a time slot at Euphoria Festival in Texas. He was also named as an Artist To Watch In 2017 via Tune Collective. Last year he kicked off his remix EP called the ‘Thoreau Backs’ which consists of iconic 2000’s alternative rock songs that have been revamped to give them that electronic grit while keeping the rock element intact with his live electric guitar throughout the project. This ‘Thoreau Back Thursday’ he recreates Paramore’s classic hit Misery Business. While many would be weary at the idea of working with such a powerhouse vocal such as Hayley Williams’, Thoreau seems to effortlessly complement her energy to turn this track into a banger. From the flume style chords, to the adrenaline inducing drum and bass drop, this track will have you hand banging just as hard as you were in 2007. Out 1/26/17. Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/iamthoreau Faceboook: https://facebook.com/Iamthoreau Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamthoreau Instagram: https://Instagram.com/Iamthoreau Streaming Now at EllisMusicMagazine.com/Thoreau 6
ARTISTS TO WATCH
PELL
CALEBORATE
6Lack
7
ARTIST FEATURE: SOL
Writing by: Cristobal Camacho Photos by: Connor Jalbert
Whether it was taking a pause on his music career to travel around the world for 10 months or growing up in the Seattle Hip-Hop scene — Rapper Solzilla, better known as SOL has always been in his own lane. His latest album release, The Headspace Traveler (2016) continues to demonstrate his experiences, global perspective and questions for the future through a personal message and sound. Sol had an interest in learning the everyday role music plays in 8
people’s life around the world, as well as collaborating with music lovers, and finding more inspiration. After graduating from the University of Washington, Sol was awarded the 2011 Bonderman Honors Travel Fellowship. The fellowship aims at students having a beneficial life-changing experience through international travel. Granting him $20,000 for a 10-month journey, would be Sol’s opportunity around the globe later down the road. Sol’s Dear Friends EP Vol. 1-3 helped generate an organic fan base in 2012. Continuing his newfound buzz, he independently released his second album, Yours Truly, which charted on Billboard’s Heatseekers and rose to #1 in the U.S. and #4 on the iTunes Hip-Hop charts. While many artists would capitalize on such a milestone, Sol packed his bags and left. After his travels to numerous countries, Sol returned in April 2013 and reflected on his trip. As no one asked about his venture, Sol turned to his pen and paper, and began writing the lyrics to his next project. His transformative experience helped influence the Eyes Open EP, which
would debut later in September 2013. Following the Eyes Open EP, Sol joined rapper G-Eazy on a rare minitour around the Northwest on select dates, as an opening act in August 2014. After gaining numerous fans at the end of tour, Sol worked hard and kept his head down for exactly one year until releasing his single Ain’t Gon’ Stop in August 2015 as a prelude to a new album for the following year. On March 4, 2016, The Headspace Traveler was released. A week later, Sol would headline his first tour across the United States and Canada for three months.
From rhyming about himself and smoking marijuana in his first album The Ride dating back to 2009, to now writing in open-mindedness...the title of his third album. Sol is connecting with all types of cultures through music and new found global perspective. He continues to organize benefit concerts for third world countries while simultaneously touring and releasing music. Check out his social media below and stream his latest release Stage Dive Remix introducing the future voices of the Emerald City, now on www.ellismusicmagazine.com/SOL 9
ALBUM REVIEW: 4 YOUR EYEZ ONLY BY J.COLE Written by: Stephanie Tacy
J. Cole is known for creating albums that tell a fluid story. In 4 Your Eyes Only, Cole crafts the story of a drug dealer’s life on the streets over 90s inspired beats. The soft music and chill vibes, allow you to easily feel the impact of the loaded verses.Throughout the album Cole takes on the persona of a young man trying to rise out of poverty passing milestones such as having a daughter. Though there are theories that the story is of one of Cole’s late friends, it could also be a tribute to the many young men who have met a similar fate. With a rise in Police brutality and the demand for violence in general to halt, this album is released in good timing. It shows the impact the loss of these young lives has not just on the community but on his/her own family unit. The album begins with a somber 10
intro “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” Feelings of hopelessness are exposed as the main character has reached a point where he feels trapped. The story of how he reached this point is exposed throughout the rest of the album. As the story unfolds you get to see the truth in the character in “Ville Mentality” as he contemplates how much longer he can live this way. In “She’s Mine Part 1” the character finally finds happiness as he finds the love of his life. Along with “She’s Mine Part 2” the softer side of the character is exposed. Between meeting the love of his life and then having a daughter his views on life have changed. He wants to be better for them. It makes you wonder if he had been given a little bit more time if his fate would have been the same. In the last song “4 Your Eyes Only”, Cole breaks character and begins reading a note left from the father.The words were those her dad wanted read to her if he met an untimely demise. The lines discuss the paranoia of the father as he knew his time was coming soon but they also show the undeniable love for the daughter and the hopes he has for her future. J Cole does a beautiful job crafting this story allowing both outsider and insider perspectives. Though the album is beautifully crafted the songs do not hold their own when taken out of the album context. For that reason this album is ranked at a 4.3 out of 5.
PHOTO SET: MADEON AND PORTER ROBINSON Photos by: Emellia Mia
11
SHOW REVIEW: DNCE
Written and Photographed by: TJ Martinez
Brought together in the summer of 2015, DNCE made their entrance into the scene with their hit single “Cake By The Ocean”. The song was followed by another single, “Toothbrush”. They have been recognized internationally for their talents, touring from the United States to Mexico, even to Canada as they prepare to tour Europe. They have played many festivals, including the iHeartRadio Music Festival. The band is fresh off of a U.S. tour with Selena Gomez, playing some 12
of the most famed venues in America. They have been nominated and won many prestigious music awards. The band consists of frontman Joe Jonas (formally a member of the Jonas Brothers), eccentric bassist & keyboardist Cole Whittle, guitarist JinJoo (toured with the Jonas Brothers), and drummer Jack Lawless, (previously toured with the Jonas Brothers as well). The show took place at the historic Aztec Theatre located in the heart of downtown San Antonio. The festivities
started before the band even took the stage as fans shouted lyrics to popular songs and danced the dougie, putting on a show of their own. DNCE made their first appearance on stage with lightsabers and Star Wars masks. Once their stage lights went up, there were many unconventional stage props to be revealed including a gigantic red Air Dancer and a shopping cart full of random articles of clothing. The band closed out the show with their hit song, “Cake By The Ocean�. DNCE exited stage with just as much energy as they entered it with.
13
SHOW REVIEW: ILLENIUM
Written by: Samatha Schubert Photographed by: Traci Schubert
Nick Miller, also known as Illenium, is a one of a kind producer who I got the luck to see on December, 11, 2016 at the Ogden Theater in Denver, Colorado. He can remix just about any song as well as create his own music. Illenium has a very creative way of putting on a show. He will play a really hype song to get the crowd jumping around and then he will slow it down with a deeper song to give meaning to his work. Illenium wants his music to have a meaning but also wants his shows to be fun and hype. In an interview of Illenium’s he once said that during a show he wants to captivate the people in the atmosphere they’re 14
in. I think this shows a lot about what type of artist he wants to be. During a concert you want to completely take in the whole concert and remember it forever and that is what Illenium tries to accomplish. Through countless late nights at concerts this one will be unforgettable. The opening acts were William Black and Dabin and they both put on an amazing show. William Black blew the crowd away with his unbelievable tunes while Dabin amazed us with his awesome guitar skills. They both had very special things to offer that night and did a very good job of getting the audience ready for Illenium.
Illenium’s entrance was awesome and very memorable. He ran up on stage and on the screen behind him was his logo, just his logo. Then as he played Disarm You the screen became this fire and the lights shot lasers, and started off the show in a fun and amazing way. The light show was unreal. It gave a whole new element to the show. Illenium continued the show with more of his Ashes to Ashes album along with some of his most popular remixes of songs. The whole night I was thinking, “this will be one of my most memorable concerts.” The venue was set up pretty basic. The coolest thing about the setup was the lights surrounding the stage. It was a unique way to set up a show. The Ogden Theatre itself was built in 1917 and opened in 1919. This nostalgic theatre held a lot of very memorable people. One of the biggest performances at the Ogden was Harry Houdini. He brought the magic to that theatre in the late 1910’s, while Illenium brought the magic tonight. During the show you are surrounded by a crowd of people who have the same interest in music as you. When you’re standing in a crowd you want to enjoy the music with the crowd. You are with a bunch of people that like the
exact same music as you. That feeling makes you feel more at home. The type of people at this show were people that were chill, and not a care in the world. I specifically remember this one kid right in front of me just taking in the music and not caring about anyone else in that room. All he wanted to do was listen to the music and dance. He was crazy and I absolutely loved it. I loved that he didn’t care about other people. He only cared about what was happening on the stage. The whole room was filled with these type of people and I was blessed to have experienced it. This specific show on his tour was very special because Illenium may not be born and raised in Denver but Denver is like a home to him. Illenium is one of the biggest DJ’s/Producers in Denver.
15
YOU WONT WANT TO MISS THESE
16
17
SHOW REVIEW: NEIL MCCOY AND GARRY ALLEN Written and Photographed by: TJ Martinez
On January 21, 2017, Neal McCoy and Gary Allan took the stage at the 2nd annual Let’s Rodeo Ball in San Antonio, Texas. The ball is a fundraising event for the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo Scholarship Fund. The event is a precursor of all the festivities to come in the following weeks with the San Antonio Rodeo. McCoy opened for Allan and proved himself to be a phenomenal performer. He had fans on their feet the second he stepped into the auditorium and he made sure to interact with everyone from the fans to his crew 18
to the event’s waiters and staff. Half way through his set, each member of Neal McCoy’s band had the opportunity to perform their own solo performance. He cracked jokes frequently and abruptly paused many songs to teach the crowd the lyrics so they could sing along properly. McCoy later brought a friend onstage for a few minutes of stand-up comedy, adding a dash of contagious laughter to the show. Gary Allan’s band claimed the stage later in the night. By that time, the crowd was full of energy and singing along to his
hit songs. The band was energetic and enthusiastic. The layout of the venue made for easy interaction connection between the fans and performers. The stage was located in the center of the floor and rotated 360°, thus every seat in the house was a great one!
19
ARTIST TO WATCH: EDEN Writen by: Danielle Ellis
kelly” received over 3.41 million plays. Following end credits Eden released “I think you think too much of me” which debuted on the ireland charts at #43. Prior to Eden, Jonathon was formally trained in violin and music theory at a young age he later taught himself drums, guitar and piano. Visit Ellis Music Magazine. com to find EDEN’s Music and be
20
Meet twenty-one year old producer, singer and songwriter Jonathon Ng also known as EDEN. Dublin based Eden has released over 40 tracks on SoundCloud prior to the release of his EP “I think you think too much of me” His music is a mix of Indie pop and EDM with a moody twist, covering love, loss, and navigating in the world we live in today. Eden released End credits in 2015 available for streaming on SoundCloud. End credits is a seven track EP released through Eden’s own label MCMXCV. The title track “end credits feat leah
“Gravity” “ Rock+ Roll” and “XO” all avalible for streaming on soudcloud and EllisMusicMagazine.com
linked to his socials! Our current favorite songs are “ End Credits’
www.MCMXCV.eu www.soundcloud.com/iameden www.facebook.com/iameden www.twitter.com/iameden www.instagram.com/iameden
21
PHOTO SET: RUN THE JEWELS Photos by: Greg Stipp
Run the Jewels are currently touring on their “Run the World Tour� with CUZ, Nick Hook, Gansta Boo, and The Gaslamp Killer. Their tour is intense to say the least. Run the Jewels music helps define some culture today talking about issues such as drugs, political issues, and police violence. One of the members or Run the Jewels know as Killer Mike is a big political activist. He is not only a Bernie supporter but a supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement. People from all over Phoe22
nix flocked to see these guys preform. Both floors of the venue packed to the brim, RTJ put on a show for Phoenix to remember. Their unique beats had the crowd bouncing and moving the whole time. Throughout the show small mosh pits occurred that helped influence the chaos of the music. Not only that but with the powerful messages revealed through their music, RTJ was not only throwing down one hell of a show but also showing the youth all the bad and corrupt things that are occurring in the
government. That’s what’s powerful about music: that you can be dancing and having a grand time but at the same time be subconscious learning about the evil and hatred in the world. Overall, I highly recommend catching Run the Jewels at a city near new because they certainly aren’t a show to miss.
23
SHOW REVIEW: MARTY GRIMES Written by: Betsy Schuller Photos: Bryan Luna
Marty Grimes headlined his first solo tour this past January where he included 8 stops through out the west coast including 1 in Salt Lake City, 2 in Colorado, 1 in Arizona and 4 through out California. Along for the ride was Cap Scrubby a rapper from Cincinnati, Ohio. Each stop included different additional openers that were local to each area. The Phoenix show was opened by #TRUGANG and Black Hoodie Cult as well as Cal Scruby. Something notable about Cal Scruby’s act was that he brought up a fan that contacted him through snapchat to rap a verse of a song on stage with him, which is killed. Marty took the stage after each act brought their own unique and different sound to Pub Rock theater on the night of January 31st, 2017. He performed a 50 minute set including songs from his 24
new mixtape entitled Martyjuana along with other hits such as Bang Bang, 101 and Animal. His stage presence is strong and he creates a party vibe where everyone is included in the show which is crucial to small theater shows such as this one. Throughout the set he expressed nothing but gratitude to each and every fan that attended. He did what most fans dream of and met and took a picture with every single person after the show as well as signed merchandise and other memorabilia.
ALBUM REVIEW: SWEET SEXY SAVAGE Written by: Betsy Schuller
Kehlani’s debut album, Sweet Sexy Savage, dropped a few hours before midnight of its anticipated drop date of January 27, 2017. Including her hit singles CRZY, Distraction, Advice, Do U Dirty and Gangsta (from the Suicide Squad soundtrack) the Deluxe edition of the album (contains) 18 new songs that are true R&B that display Kehlani’s raw talent and deep emotions. The 21 year old singer made a daring move by releasing this album with no features despite her close ties with many other big name Bay Area based artists.
Throughout the album you are sent on a rollercoaster of emotions with the track list as you are given a glimpse into some very deep and personal experiences and emotions that the young artist has felt in her short lifetime. One of the most moving pieces of the album is the Intro which is a poem performed and written by Reyna Biddy, which sets the tone for this album. A tone that is very clear and powerful, that promotes self love and over all the power of women. A few personal favorites of mine are Keep On, Piece of Mind and Undercover. Each song is R&B to its core but all sound different and have a different message to promote but the overall theme is girl power and no matter how hard it may be right now, it will get better. Since it’s January 27th release date it is currently sitting at #3 on the Billboard charts #4 on iTunes top albums. Kehlani has set her tone for her place in the music industry and we’ve all noticed. Keep your eye on this babe from the bay. 25
Ellis Music Magazine // POB 227441 Dallas Texas 75222 26