Photo Spotlight: Plain White T’s

There were a lot of great concerts and tours this summer. I don’t mean to brag, but I believe I attended the best show! I caught Plain White T’s when they came through Pittsburgh and played a show at Jergel’s Rhythm Grille back in June. They brought some super fun opening artists with them. I wish I could go back and relive this night!

HEAR TONIGHT

Hear Tonight is an indie rock band from Pittsburgh. They were the only band that wasn’t on the tour, but I’m so glad they were on the lineup because the night would not have been the same without them.

I attended and photographed their anniversary show in the spring at Hard Rock Cafe in Pittsburgh. As I walked through the venue getting pictures, I recognized quite a few people from their other show. Hear Tonight has a very strong and dedicated fan base in their hometown.

This band radiates summer vibes. If you’ve never listened to their music, you need to know what I’m talking about! Check out their song “Youth” from their EP Whatever You Want and “Sun” from Take Your Time. You’re welcome.

FAIRVIEW

Fairview is an adorable pop/acoustic band from Chicago. They reminded me slightly of He is We. I would love to see those two bands do a show together!

The group’s passion and chemistry on stage was very evident. During their song “Life In Your Years,” vocalists Matt and Lizzy shared a microphone for a chorus or two. It was such a beautiful moment. Their happy vibes seemed to be contagious for the whole audience.

Since the show, Fairview has released a new EP titled Our Little Secret. It gives off crazy happy/peaceful vibes. Definitely check it out, especially if you need a pick-me-up!

OCEAN PARK STANDOFF

Before Fairview left the stage they told the audience that the next band had an insane energy. That was a complete understatement! Ocean Park Standoff is a trio from Los Angeles, and they rocked the stage! They did a perfect job of hyping the audience up for the main act.

Singer Ethan Thompson was constantly moving and jumping around the stage. It almost seemed like the stage wasn’t big enough for him! There were a few times I thought he was going to leave the stage and join the audience.

One song that really stayed with me was “Good News.” It was released in 2016, but it’s still extremely relevant. As the title suggests, the song is about how the writer just wants some good news in a world where the news is constantly being filled with horrible events. It was a nice reminder that despite all the bad in the world, there are still people fighting for the good.

Throughout Ocean Park Standoff’s set I kept thinking to myself, “How haven‘t I heard of this band before? Why aren’t they being played all over the radio?” The other day I heard their song “If You Were Mine” on the radio three times. It made me so happy because they definitely deserve that.

PLAIN WHITE T’S

Finally it was time for the act of the night. The crowd packed in. I had to stand in the pit with the audience if I wanted any chance of getting pictures up close. It was a cool experience because I got to see first hand how diverse of an audience there was at the show.

If you didn’t already know, Plain White T’s are from a suburb of Chicago. They’ve been releasing music since the late 90’s/early 2000’s. They’re responsible for hits like “1, 2, 3, 4” and “Rhythm of Love.” You might also have heard their one song “Hey There Delilah” once or twice throughout the years.

The band ended up coming out on stage about 30 minutes late but I think the wait hyped everyone up a little bit more. There was a girl next to me that couldn’t have been more than ten years old. While we were waiting, her mom told me this was her first concert. When they finally came out on stage, she had tears streaming down her face from being so excited.

The five members of the band made the stage look small. There wasn’t a lot of room for them to move around, but the crowd made up for that. They were having a great time while the band played older songs and a few songs from their new album.

Two new songs they played that I really enjoyed were “Light up the Room” and “Top of the World.” They’re both upbeat and very danceable songs. They released their newest album Parallel Universe in late August. It sounds a lot different than their other music, but it’s SO GOOD.