in the past few years, WSAM radio, the student-organized college radio station for the university of hartford, has put together the Live From The Lawn series. the day-long outdoor concert event has brought big names to the village lawn in past years, including palehound, open mike eagle, ian sweet, half waif, and crumb. it’s always a good time, but this year? this year has a line-up so stacked and exciting that i’m not even going to waste your time with more exposition. i’ll give you the details, the line-up, and then a little bit about each act:
september 7, 2019
12:00pm – 7:00pm
admission is f r e e (as in zero dollars)
address is 200 bloomfield ave, west hartford, ct 06117
facebook event page is here.
here’s this year’s line-up:
- charly bliss
- hovvdy
- nnamdi ogbonnaya
- horse jumper of love
- adult mom
- michelle
- zanders
- waveform*
- similar kind
- glambat
- k. (from jelani sei)
- standby
and you’re probably familiar with all of those musicians! if not, here’s a quick run-down:
charly bliss: this band played in hamden at the space ballroom earlier this year, and simply put, it was the best live show i’ve seen in 2019. their album, young enough, is hit-after-hit of energized pop songs, filled to the brim with emotion and cathartic moments. oh, and hey, its members grew up in connecticut.
hovvdy: when hovvdy released cranberry in february 2018, it was like a swift kick to the pants. the band’s patient, swirling soft rock is nostalgic — it feels instantly familiar because it sounds like a soundtrack to your own coming-of-age story. their music is gorgeous, warm, and previously described as “pillow-core”. they’ve got a new album right around the corner, too, with heavy lifter coming out in october.
nnamdi ogbonnaya: there are some artists that don’t just occupy genres, but create them. nnamdi ogbonnaya is a boundary-less, genre-less musician from chicago who makes exciting music. his music contains dna from pop, funk, hip-hop, rock, and psychedelia. ogbonnaya’s avant-garde pop is so welcoming, though, that it never feels “experimental”. instead, it feels like a reflection of his playful, thoughtful personality.
horse jumper of love: originally from the boston area, hjol is a strange mix of slow rock, surreal lyrics, and a loose, happy attitude. they played in middletown earlier this year at mac650, packed the place, and put on a mesmerizing show. their two albums (self-titled and so divine) are excellent and highly recommended for anyone looking for something a little unpredictable.
adult mom: and speaking of playing at middletown earlier this year, adult mom graced the nutmeg state back in april! to listen to adult mom is to find yourself privy to someone’s deepest, darkest, wryest secrets. it’s rock-n-roll, but steph knipe’s lyrics (and performance) make adult mom penetratingly personal.
michelle: this nyc collective is 100% pop pleasure. relatively new (the group was formed last year), michelle is both a throwback to the simple pleasures of ’80s new wave and a forward-thinking prediction of what the future of radio would sound like.
zanders: one of my first local music loves. zanders is a piano-pop trio. the last performance of theirs i saw was at the standby album release show, where they treated the audience to an entire set of new tunes (a new album may be on the way soon!). their music is fun, smart, and alex saraceno’s lyrics have a habit of stopping me dead in my tracks (e.g., “poor circulation” or “for granted pt. II”).
waveform*: smart, cool alternative rock that happens to share a lot in common with horse jumper of love (above; they shared the same stage back in middletown). waveform* has a super strong following in connecticut, and for good reason — their music, especially from this year’s shooting star is fantastic.
similar kind: one of my favorite show-going experiences of 2019 was seeing similar kind for the first time at the space ballroom. they opened the night, and really just stole the show. the crowd was ecstatic and energized by this synthpop band’s catchy grooves and hooks. they’ve had a crazy busy summer, playing all throughout connecticut and the east coast, and i can’t wait to see them in front of another audience of folks singing along.
glambat: who doesn’t love glambat? i never get tired of this band’s music or seeing them perform. for my money, “brasil” is their best song, but ask anyone in new haven, and they’ll give you a different answer (“bad self”, “cole-gate”, “andy”, and “breathing ritual” are all answers i’ve heard). perhaps you like glambat for their infectious melodies, or maybe you dig them because of their playful and personal lyrics? either way, let’s celebrate when we see them on the lawn.
.k (kayana g. from jelani sei): the last time i saw .k perform a set was at the standby release show at the wherehouse in hartford. the whole crowd sat on the floor, and .k took us on a journey. starting the show, she lit a bundle of sage and asked us to pass it around, and we were all bound together by her music. avant-pop, her songs simmer and build into beautiful landscapes.
standby: one of the things that i love about standby is that you can appreciate them on whatever level you’d like. if you just want to hang out and hear a good rock tune, standby’s got you covered. but let’s say that you want something a little more adventurous — they’ve got you covered still. and if you want clever, emotional lyrics — if you want lore in your rock-n-roll — standby’s got you covered. they’re kinda emo, kinda prog-rock, and they treat the listener as a beloved friend.
