The Artsulli Blog

JPEGMAFIA - Bellingham, WA - 11/18/2021

Nov 21, 2021

It's tough to describe a JPEGMAFIA concert to anyone who has never been before. Is it a rap show? Yeah. Is it punk? A bit. Is it pop? Sort of. Is it entertaining? Absolutely. It's a concert you experience, not just one to which you listen. In 2018, Barrington Hendricks (JPEGMAFIA aka Peggy) garnered widespread acclaim for his breakthrough album, Veteran. Few were the year-end lists -from Pitchfork to Spin, Rolling Stone to Noisey - on which the album didn't appear. Ever since, he has continued to use that momentum to build a large and ever-growing fanbase around the world. Case in point: he sold out the Wild Buffalo in sleepy little Bellingham, Washington, on a Thursday night, in the midst of a pandemic, and the majority of folks in the audience knew the words to his songs. The experience started even before the music began, as all concert-goers were given JPEG branded masks at the door - a clever (and much appreciated from a public health standpoint) bit of marketing and branding that will only help to further develop the man's legion of supporters. When Peggy took the stage, half empty champagne bottle in hand and announcing to the crowd he was drunk, bedlam ensued immediately. All energy, no brakes. The man even went into a rendition of "Call Me Maybe" and had the crowd singing along. Legendary show. Catch JPEGMAFIA on tour when you can. Photos + Words by Bodi of Sattva Photo.

Julien Baker - Seattle, WA - 11/10/2021

Nov 12, 2021

It's hard to overstate just how brilliant Julien Baker's live set is. It's intimate and enormous, subtle and euphoric. It's a concert, yes, but it's more than that: it's an indelible hybrid of music and emotion that's as cathartic as it is beautiful. Suffice to say: Julien Baker, sold-out at the Moore Theatre in Seattle, was one hell of a first post-COVID show. Julien is one of those rare artists where the live music somehow sounds even better than the records - and that's saying a lot, because from "Sprained Ankle" to "Turn Out the Lights", "Little Oblivions" to her work with Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus in the supergroup Boygenius - her work is lauded and acclaimed by critics and her rapidly growing fanbase alike. And her set on this rainy Wednesday night kicked off with the transcendent album opener "Hardline", closed out with elegiac "Ziptie" and pulled from each of her previous records in between. One of the pivotal moments in the show was when Julien's (absolutely stellar) band leaves the stage, Julien sitting down solo at the piano. The next three tracks forged an emotional connection that gets into the bones, and I have absolutely no idea how she holds a vocal note for upwards of 10 seconds without seeming to get winded. Though all in attendance were wearing masks, I could still see teary eyes. And if you've ever experienced a Julien Baker show, you'll know why. If you haven't, well...fix that. For our domestic readers, you've got a couple more chances to see Julien in North America this year. For our lucky European readers, you've got a whole spring tour to look forward to, and I'd recommend getting tickets now. Live music is back, and the future of live music is Julien Baker. Words + Photos by Bodi Hallett of Sattva Photo