15 October 2024

7 mins read

Photography: Eva van den Bosch

Written by: Glenn van den Bosch

what's happening with Stand Atlantic

INTERVIEW: All Things WAS HERE, Touring, Golden Gaytime & More With Stand Atlantic

Get ready to dive into a fun, candid conversation with Bonnie Fraser and Miki Rich, where we talk all things tour life, creative risks, and even their go-to ice cream flavours! From ferry rides to fearless songwriting, they give us a peek behind the scenes of their latest album and their current tour.

Strife Magazine: Let’s start with the most important question: how are you guys?
Bonnie: We’re good. We had a weird sleep last night, going through the tunnel and taking the ferry. Feeling good, though. It’s a beautiful day. We’ve been really lucky with the weather on this tour.
Miki: I actually had a better sleep last night, got up at 4 a.m. for the ferry, but afterwards, I passed out. Longest sleep I’ve had, woke up at 2 today, so I’m feeling good.

Strife Magazine: This is the first show on mainland Europe, right?
Miki: Yeah. The UK was great. Pretty much every show sold out. I’m not sure if tonight’s sold out, but it’s close. This is one of my favourite venues to play.
Bonnie: We played here last summer. It was one of my favourite shows ever. So I’m excited for tonight.

Strife Magazine: Your artwork is always very interesting. What’s the story behind this one?
Bonnie: The idea of the artwork wasn’t that interesting at first. I originally wanted it to be super white and minimal—no band name or anything. Then I found out The Beatles did that already, so good thing we didn’t! I would have ripped them off without even knowing. But as we got the title and songs together, the image of us lying dead on a white background came to mind. I’m very visual, and the contrast of red on white really struck me. We’d never done anything like that before, and I didn’t want our name on the front, just something different. Making it was fun too
Miki: Less messy than I expected. It’s funny because, just before that shot of us lying there, we were all laughing and goofing off. It turned out really cool.

Strife Magazine: You mentioned wanting to do something different, and there are some tracks on the record that are a bit different from what you’re used to. How do you feel the music has progressed?
Bonnie: We’ve always pushed the envelope a little, with one or two weird songs on each album. Miki: We never go in thinking about genre, just making good songs. I think we’ve become less scared with each album. On earlier ones, we might have dialled things back a bit, but now, with the fourth album, we’re even more fearless.
Bonnie: We had a long time to write this one, in LA, Manchester, and Sydney, which was cool. We wanted to take risks we hadn’t taken before, but still keep some tracks that people are used to from us. It’s about blending genres and making something fresh and exciting, not following trends.
Miki: Our main fanbase understands that even if we release a pop song, it doesn’t mean it’s a pop album, and if we release a heavy song, it doesn’t mean the album will be all heavy.
Bonnie: We’re always aiming for the best song possible, with strong hooks and meaningful lyrics, no matter the style.

Strife Magazine: Do you ever worry about taking those risks?
Miki: Sometimes, yeah. For example, rockstar was a bit scary at first because it has a reggae-pop feel. It didn’t seem like us, but the chorus is one of the strongest and catchiest on the record. At the end of the day, a good melody is a good melody, no matter the genre.

Strife Magazine: You’ve been collaborating a lot. Does that help expand your sound?
Bonnie: Definitely, but it happens naturally. We write the song first and then think about if a certain artist would suit it. We’re never set on having someone specific; it’s more like, “That would be cool.” If they vibe with it, great, but we don’t write songs just for features.
Miki: A good example is the Polaris track. It wasn’t written for them, but when Jamie came on, we adjusted some parts, and Dan helped us write a heavier section. It wasn’t planned that way, but it turned out great.
Bonnie: We’ve known each other for years, but it never worked out before due to scheduling and other things. This time, it finally did.

Strife Magazine: On the last record, all the collaborations were over Zoom, did you go into the studio this time?
Miki: All the overseas artists did them themselves. Lyndsey flew over and we got to do the music video. Unfortunately, Bruses couldn’t make it because of a visa issue, but we made it work.
Bonnie: It was fun to collaborate with artists for the music videos as well, we’d never really done that before.

Strife Magazine: You’ve been doing this for a while now, with four records. How do you think the industry has changed?
Bonnie: It’s proven more and more that you can do whatever you want, as long as you have people around you who believe in it as much as you do. We’ve been lucky to have the same team since the Sidewinder EP, and we really value that. Just because you’re growing doesn’t mean you’ve outgrown your team. You can all grow together, and that creates a different kind of camaraderie.
Miki: When we were making our second album, we had label pressure to try new producers, but we stuck with our team. We’ve had the same producer and mixer for all four albums. They understand our sound and don’t need much instruction anymore, which is great.

Strife Magazine: It sounds like you’re very loyal to your team.
Bonnie: Yeah, very much. There’s always the temptation to try new things, but the people who’ve been with you from the start get it. They know the story, they know the sound. It’s tempting when something new is presented, but the reality doesn’t always match. We’ve stuck with what works for us.

Lightning round:

Strife Magazine: Favorite European city to visit on tour?

Miki: I like the Netherlands—Amsterdam and Eindhoven. Prague is awesome too. It’s like walking through a dollhouse, so different from Australia. We always walk around for hours there.
Bonnie: I also love going to Italy. I think it’s because it’s the only place that gets sun during winter tours, and I’m like, “Oh, I can see God again!”

Strife Magazine: Favorite song to play live?

Bonnie: For me, Killer Cobra.
Miki: Sex on the Beach lately. Every time we play it, I’m reminded how great it is.

Strife Magazine: Last one, favourite ice cream flavour?
Bonnie: Chocolate for me.
Miki: We have this ice cream in Australia called Golden Gaytime—it’s honeycomb with cookie crumbs. The slogan is, “It’s always good when you’re having a Gaytime.” It’s childhood ice cream for us.

Stand Atlantic‘s new album WAS HERE is out now!

10 October 2024

9 mins read

Photography: Eva van den Bosch

Written by: Glenn van den Bosch

what's happening with The Plot In You

INTERVIEW: The ‘Volume’ EP Series, Triumphant Return To Europe & More With The Plot In You

Ahead of their sold-out show in Poppodium 013, we had the honour to chat with The Plot In You vocalist and frontman Landon Tewers to discuss all things TPIY, including their latest series of EPs, their triumphant return to Europe in a headliner capacity & more. Find our chat below and make sure to stream The Plot In You‘s brand-new single Pretend right at the bottom of this page!

Strife Magazine: Let’s start with the most important question: how are you doing?

Landon: Good. The tour’s been awesome. All the shows have been, I think all but one sold out. That’s cool because anytime we’ve been to the UK or Europe in the past, it’s been pretty hit or miss for us, especially last time. It was actually pretty bad for us. It didn’t seem like many people cared.

It’s been six years since we’ve been here, so it’s cool to come back to crowds that care. Yeah, we’re all stoked for sure. The last time was in 2018 or 19, right before COVID. It was with We Came As Romans and this band Alaska. Do you remember them? I think they were a German band. That was the last time. So, a long time ago.

Strife Magazine: I remember you skipped the Netherlands on that run.

Landon: Yeah, we were supposed to come. Maybe it was 2020, but it was a week or so before COVID happened. That immediately went away. We hadn’t figured out a good chunk of time to come since then, but we figured it out.

Strife Magazine: Originally, you were booked in the smaller room, and now the bigger room is sold out.

Landon: Dude, it blew my mind. I was in complete disbelief. The last time we were here, it felt like people wanted us off stage as quickly as possible.

Strife Magazine: That leads to my next question. Since COVID, has it been tougher for bands to come across the ocean?
Landon: It was for a while, with all the vaccination stuff. That made it rough years ago, but now everything’s back to normal. It’s not too hard to get over. Since our last record came out, we’ve just stayed busy in the States and hit Australia a couple of times. But we couldn’t find a chunk of time that made sense for everyone. Now we’re here, though.

Strife Magazine: Do live shows influence the way you write music? Do you think about how a song will sound live?
Landon: Maybe sometimes, but usually not. I don’t think about that much, but with some of the heavier parts or songs, I do think, “Oh, that’ll be fun live.” I try not to think about stuff like that too much because it could influence the writing in a corny way. It’s cool when it works out though.

Strife Magazine: Have you ever had a song that turned out differently live?
Landon: Yeah, 50 per cent of the time. I’ll think, “This will slay,” and then it’s just…nope, whatever. Lately, we’ve been getting more hits than misses, which is cool. In the past, it’s been a gamble, but our fans are pretty accepting of whatever we do, which is awesome. It lets me experiment and have fun.

Strife Magazine: You’ve mentioned before that you wanted to mix things up, especially when Dispose came out. Since then, with the two records and EPs, have you done something completely new?
Landon: I think so. The longer you do something, it evolves. With the EPs, especially, I’ve had the chance to take time in between, live life, and focus on other things. It’s not about making everything cohesive. Each EP kind of lives in its own world and none of them are tied together. Some people may not like that, but I find it more challenging and exciting to write songs focused on what that song is about, without needing to tie into a bigger story. It’s been fun. Writing when I feel like it, instead of under pressure, has helped my creative flow.

Strife Magazine: Is that why you’re producing all the songs on the EPs yourself?
Landon: Yeah, luckily. I have to give praise to our label. I had to fight for a minute to get them to trust me, but they finally did. We started with three songs—Divide, Left Behind, and Forgotten. I spaced them out, and it worked well. They let me continue, and I don’t know how long they’ll let me keep doing it, but I’m enjoying it.

Strife Magazine: The new songs are all at the top of your Spotify list. The label knew what they were doing, huh?
Landon: Yeah, fingers crossed they keep letting me do it.

Strife Magazine: Are the EPs going to come together as an album?
Landon: We’re still figuring that out. The music videos intertwine, but we’re working on how to package it together while still letting each EP stand on its own. At least a package for anyone who wants to have all those songs in one place. Hopefully, we’ll have it figured out by sometime next year. It’s just so people can have one physical thing to play all the way through. Some might complain, “I’ve already heard all these,” but that was the point, to space things out over years and not make people wait to hear new stuff. Also, it shows the gradual evolution of my songwriting process too, which is kind of fun for me.

Strife Magazine: You’ve been working on the EPs for two and a half years. Have you thought about what’s next?
Landon: There are still two more songs for Volume 3, and there will be a Volume 4. I’ve started a couple of songs for it, but I was supposed to finish them before this tour, and I didn’t. So now I have to figure that out when I get home. There’s at least one more volume coming.

Strife Magazine: Do you ever write on tour?
Landon: I tried once. I wrote Forgotten on tour when we were in a van for the first time in a long time. I was so bored and depressed, that I had to do something productive. It worked out really well, but I haven’t done it again since. It’s hard with people always coming in and out. I like to be alone when I write. But I also think I’m just making excuses. When I’m home, writing is all I do, so when I’m on tour, I treat it more as a vacation. I’ll play video games and eat crappy food all day.

Strife Magazine: What games do you play?
Landon: We’ve been playing a lot of Mario Golf, Mario Kart, and Mario Tennis. Sometimes Fortnite, but we’re obsessed with Mario games and online poker. We’re just travelling children, but it keeps us occupied.

Strife Magazine: You’ve been around for a while now, 14 or 15 years, right?
Landon: Yeah, it’s crazy. I was in a band before this one, so I’ve been doing this for about 16 years now. The first tour I did was in 2008, which is wild to think about.

Strife Magazine: What advice would you give to new artists starting now?
Landon: It’s hard because things are so different now. When I came up, it was about winning over your hometown scene and playing shows. Now you don’t even have to play shows to be established, which is crazy. But the fundamentals are the same. You need to master your craft and have a social media presence. Labels want artists that already have some worth on their own because it’s less of a gamble. There’s just so much competition out there and the only way to get discovered is to just be great. So, you have to put in the work and show you can attract people. It sucks for advice, but that’s the reality of it. Then again, a lot of people are getting discovered through TikTok and YouTube and stuff, those weren’t available to me whenever I was coming up. The whole landscape is different now.

Lightning round:

Strife Magazine: Favorite European city to visit?
Landon: Probably Prague, Berlin, or Bordeaux. One of those three.

Strife Magazine: Favorite gift from a fan?
Landon: A fan got me two cases of tech decks and painted artwork from Plot and my solo stuff on the bottom. It was meticulous and probably took hundreds of hours. Super cool.

Strife Magazine: Favorite song to play live?
Landon: Probably Don’t Look Away or Closure.

Strife Magazine: What bands do you listen to in your spare time?
Landon: I really liked the new Bring Me The Horizon record. I haven’t been listening to a lot of bands lately, though. I’ve been into Noga Erez, a pop singer from Israel. Her stuff is experimental, weird pop. People should check it out.

Strife Magazine: What comes first, the music or the lyrics?
Landon: Music, always. 100%.

Strife Magazine: If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be?
Landon: I’d love to work with Bring Me The Horizon. I know a few people who’ve written with them, and I like being around ambitious, hard-working people when I’m doing creative stuff. That’d be cool. Noga Erez would be tight too.

Strife Magazine: If not music, what would your occupation be?
Landon: Probably something culinary, something with food.

Strife Magazine: Favorite ice cream flavour?
Landon: Rocky Road or Reese’s Cup Flurries.

Not too long after their show in Tilburg, the band released the second single from ‘Vol. 3’ Pretend. Stream the brand-new single below and get excited for the rest of Volume 3, as well as the Volume 4 which is still in the pipeline!

2 October 2024

3 mins read

Photography: Eva van den Bosch

Written by: Glenn van den Bosch

what's happening with Melanie Martinez

CONCERT REVIEW: Melanie Martinez Takes Trilogy Tour To Amsterdam

Eight years have passed since we first saw Melanie Martinez step onto a Dutch stage. Back then, her debut album Cry Baby had already taken the music world by storm, and she performed to a packed crowd at Melkweg’s Max room, a 1500-capacity venue that had sold out months in advance. As her popularity soared, she graduated to bigger venues during the K-12 tour. But it was her latest album Portals that marked the beginning of her arena shows across Europe.

Now, with the Portals era winding down, Martinez embarked on what could only be described as her version of Taylor Swift’s iconic Eras Tour. Dubbed the Trilogy Tour, this concert series would highlight the full spectrum of her three-album career. For Dutch fans, this meant another step up in venue size, landing her at the 17,500-capacity Ziggo Dome—the country’s largest venue for pure music performances.

Despite the significant increase in capacity from the 7,000 seats of her Portals tour, Martinez nearly filled the venue to its brim. Both rings were open, and the floor was packed with eager fans, ready for a memorable night.

For many, the real thrill of the evening lay in the rare opportunity to hear some of Martinez’s older songs live, tracks she hadn’t performed in years. Songs like Cry Baby, Show & Tell, and Teacher’s Pet took fans on a nostalgic journey through her earlier eras.

The show itself was a spectacle. Martinez’s performance was enhanced by a massive, ever-changing stage setup, with a particularly dramatic transformation for the Portals portion of the show. This album, after all, follows Cry Baby’s journey into the afterlife, and the stage design, not to mention of course Melanie Martinez‘s outfit, reflected that shift in tone and environment.

But it wasn’t just the stage that made this show stand out. Martinez brought a full crew of dancers, just as she had during her previous K-12/Portals tours. Together, they recreated scenes from her music videos and the full-length movie accompanying the K-12 album. Fireworks and pyrotechnics also made appearances throughout the evening, adding even more energy to an already unforgettable performance.

Hearing the older songs live again was a highlight for many fans, especially since Martinez had previously stuck to performing tracks from her latest albums while on tour. However, there was a bit of disappointment when some of these earlier songs were shortened to make room for the lengthier tracks from Portals. Despite this minor letdown, the Amsterdam show will surely be fondly remembered by the nearly 17,000 fans in attendance.

Below you’ll find a gallery from the extraordinary evening with photos from Martinez’s iconic K-12 outfit during the final songs of the K-12 portion of the show, to the intricate costume of the creature that Cry Baby becomes in the afterlife. This show was a true celebration of Melanie Martinez’s journey as an artist—one that her Dutch fans won’t soon forget.

Melanie Martinez @ Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam — #image_title

23 September 2024

2 mins read

Photography:

Written by: Glenn van den Bosch

what's happening with Poppy

Poppy Announces New Album ‘Negative Spaces’

Poppy is back with an exciting new album announcement: her highly anticipated new album Negative Spaces, set for release on November 15th via Sumerian Records. Known for her genre-bending sound and visionary artistry, Poppy continues to push boundaries with this latest project. Fans have already gotten a taste of the album with the recent release of the lead single, they’re all around us, a dynamic track that challenges traditional genre conventions. You can pre-save the record now by clicking HERE.

Negative Spaces arrives on the heels of several successful collaborations, including Bad Omens‘ hit V.A.N, which soared up the Active Rock Radio charts, and Knocked Loose’s Suffocate, a viral sensation on Spotify’s Viral 50 USA playlist. Poppy’s own single New Way Out, released earlier this summer, is also making waves, currently sitting at #30 on the Active Rock Radio charts and climbing.

2024 has been a landmark year for Poppy’s live performances as well. She started the year by joining Bad Omens on their Concrete Forever Tour across Europe, followed by her headlining Zig Tour. Back in the U.S., Poppy supported Avenged Sevenfold on their North American tour in March and later opened for Thirty Seconds To Mars on their summer tour.

With Negative Spaces, Poppy is set to continue her reign as a genre-defying artist, making 2024 another unforgettable year for her fans. The album can now be pre-ordered and pre-saved right here.

Check out the music video for lead single they’re all around us for the upcoming album below and let us know if you are excited for a new Poppy album!

23 September 2024

2 mins read

Photography: Eva van den Bosch

Written by: Glenn van den Bosch

what's happening with Stand Atlantic

PHOTO REVIEW: Stand Atlantic’s Wit & High Energy On Full Display In Eindhoven

On September 21st, a little over a year after their last show in Dynamo, Australian pop-punk band Stand Atlantic delivered a high-energy performance once again at Dynamo in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The band played an impressive set of 20 songs, with 8 of them coming from their latest album WAS HERE. From the very first song, the crowd was immersed in the fast pop-punk tunes, with fans continuously crowd surfing and singing along throughout the night.

Stand Atlantic’s performance was characterized by their infectious energy and engaging stage presence. The band maintained a fast-paced setlist, moving seamlessly between their new material and older fan favourites. Songs from WAS HERE were particularly well-received by the audience, as the fresh tracks blended effortlessly with the band’s signature sound.

In addition to their musical prowess, Stand Atlantic kept the crowd entertained with their sense of humour and excellent communication. The band’s interaction with the audience felt genuine and added an extra layer of connection to the performance. Lead vocalist Bonnie Fraser frequently engaged with fans between songs, making jokes and sharing anecdotes that kept everyone involved and entertained.

The crowd responded with equal enthusiasm, creating a dynamic environment of constant movement and energy. Crowdsurfers were a regular sight throughout the show, adding to the sense of excitement that filled the room. The band’s ability to maintain such a high level of energy while still being relatable and funny on stage made this performance one to remember.

Stand Atlantic‘s show at Dynamo demonstrated their growth as a band, with a well-rounded setlist, engaging performance, and solid crowd interaction, leaving fans eagerly awaiting their next visit to The Netherlands. Next time, hopefully, Stand Atlantic will take on a bigger venue, as this show sold-out. Check out photos from the epic performance in the gallery below.

Stand Atlantic @ Dynamo Eindhoven — #image_title

12 September 2024

1 min read

Photography:

Written by: Glenn van den Bosch

what's happening with Vans Warped Tour

Warped Tour Rumoured To Make Comeback In 2025

Good news might be right around the corner, as the iconic Warped Tour might be looking at a comeback in the summer of 2025.

Outlet Rock Feed brought the news in a new report, stating that the festival will be making a comeback for a series of festivals.

While the festival will be overseen by largest music promoter Live Nation, Rock Feed reports that the founder of the festival, Kevin Lyman, does play an essential role in the return of the iconic Warped Tour.

Below you are able to find the entire report of Rock Feed in video format. Are you excited for a return of one of the best known festivals of the US? Let us know via social media!