DragonFly 2018 was a great kickoff to midterms for students. It featured indie-pop band Walk the Moon, known primarily for their hits “One Foot” and “Shut Up and Dance.” They performed in Lot F on campus Oct. 20.

Walk the Moon is one of those bands who have some music on the radio, but are otherwise  relatively unknown. Unless you frequent the Top 40 hits, it is quite possible you had never heard of Walk the Moon before. The group  has been around since 2006, but they only became popular in 2014 with their album “TALKING IS HARD” which featured “Shut Up and Dance.”

Even though a more popular artist would have been nice to see at DragonFly this year, Walk the Moon held their own. Most of the audience was compelled to “Shut Up and Dance,” because they did not know the lyrics, but the music was physically moving.

For a free show, the concert was unexpectedly engaging and entertaining . They encouraged a lot of crowd participation, which enabled the crowd to connect to a band they were seemingly unfamiliar with. A lot of their songs have the same vibe, with a lot of “oohs” in the background, so they used that to their advantage. It was easy to get caught up in the mood that Walk The Moon had created, waving hands along with the beat and the “oohs.”

The size of the concert was ideal. It was easy to see the stage from wherever you stood, and Walk the Moon’s enticing music drew people closer.  Walk the Moon was a great choice for DragonFly because their upbeat music is great for a night out dancing. The general admission atmosphere was perfect for a band like them.

The disappointment of the night came when the band’s lead singer, Nick Petricca went to crowd surf. He could not even manage to lay down all the way before he gave up. The people in the front were too eager to capture a picture before they had the chance to prop him up.

The setlist was appropriately short. They covered all their biggest hits such as “Kamikaze” and “One Foot” with their lesser known songs like “Different Colors” and “Anna Sun” to keep the crowd interested the entire time. They kept the pace of their show and did not take pauses between songs. There were no slow songs in the set; they kept the atmosphere upbeat and light.

The one time they did pause was to address how important it is to vote. The entire crowd rallied in support of this message which was refreshing to see. Even though the topic of voting can often bring out partisan politics, Petricca did a good job of keeping the message general to not offend anyone.

Overall, the messages behind Walk the Moon’s songs were very positive and encouraging. The perfect vibe for a pre-midterm show.

Walk the Moon does not have any more Philadelphia dates on their tour, so DragonFly was the last chance to see them here in 2018. DragonFly was free for undergrad students, but Walk the Moon would definitely be worth the paid show. As a whole, the concert was extremely refreshing and uplifting. They did not take too many risks, but they did really help bring a sense of community to Drexel at their performance.

40 years ago director John Carpenter crafted a film that is to this day regarded as one of the best horror films of all time. “Halloween” became an instant classic upon release and from it came an entire sub-genre of horror known as “slasher” films. Movies like “Friday the 13th” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street” took many things from “Halloween” and attempted to add their own spin, but none quite hit the heights of the original. They couldn’t match the tension and intimidation that Michael Myers imposed on his audience.

The same can be said of the many sequels. From “Halloween 2” to “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later” to the 2007 Rob Zombie reboot, “Halloween,” the sequels ranged from getting a lukewarm reception to being critical cannon fodder. It was apparent that the care, effort and talent that were instilled into the original were never quite present in the nine sequels. Until now.

David Gordon Green, best known for his work directing films “Pineapple Express” and “The Sitter,” may not be the first name that springs to mind when you’re picking a director for the only John-Carpenter-approved sequel to the original “Halloween,” but it was a solid choice. The plot of the new film revolves around Jamie Lee Curtis’ character, Laurie Strode, 40 years after the events of the first film. In this film’s continuity, all of the previous sequels have been ignored and Michael has only killed five people. He is in prison and Laurie is living a secluded, paranoid life in her compound, a cabin in the woods. Lo and behold: Michael manages to escape and embarks on a murder spree that makes the original film look like a fender-bender. Laurie, however, has been waiting for this night for 40 years and as Michael makes his way to her for their definitive battle, she makes the final preparations for their confrontation. While this is all going on, we also follow Laurie’s adult daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak.) The two try to deal with the traumatized Laurie and eventually Michael himself.

Unfortunately the latter plot, while Greer and Matichak give solid performances, drags the film down from its potential. The portions of the story that revolve around Karen’s tumultuous childhood and Allyson’s completely irrelevant high school adventures detract from the tension of the film and just feel boring and flat.

The film can easily be split into three sections: Michael’s escape, Michael’s killing spree and the final confrontation. The first two of these pieces are rather underwhelming. Other than a few fun callbacks to the original, like Will Patton reprising his role as Frank Hawkins, and some gruesome violence, there isn’t much interesting stuff going on. Following Michael from house to house as he stabs random people, while occasionally punctuated with a jump scare or some hit-or-miss comedic relief, has no tension whatsoever.

I scare very easily during horror movies  and I can safely say there wasn’t a moment in this portion of the film that scared me. What I can say for this portion of the film is that it’s pretty beautifully shot. There are long single tracking shots as Michael navigates the neighborhood, weaving in and out of houses, disappearing and reappearing in windows as he takes out his victims. The original musical theme also holds up very well and adds a great nostalgic and authentic feel to the atmosphere of the film.

There are some weird plot twists and turns that unfold during this portion of the film that feel underdeveloped and underwhelming, which is a shame. However, the third part which is the confrontation between Laurie and Michael is fantastic. It did everything correctly in terms of tension, pacing, violence and scares.

I won’t dive too deeply into the details but having a worthy opponent to Michael, someone who could defend themselves and actually had a shot at beating him, made the film that much more exciting. Jamie Lee Curtis gives an amazing performance throughout the film and it comes to a head in this final set piece. Some moments frustrated me logistically, but you can’t overthink these things too much because at the end of a day this movie is meant to be fun and scare you; it’s not a logical proof. This portion was everything that I wanted the film to be and I was so thoroughly impressed that it almost entirely compensated for the lackluster offered by from the rest of the film. Almost.

It’s not a bad film, and I would go so far as to say it may become many fans’ second favorite, behind the original. It’s obvious that heart and care were put into this film — but maybe not at John Carpenter’s level. It’s definitely worth a watch if you can catch it with a fun audience in the theater during spooky season.

On Oct. 18, indie rock band Hippo Campus brought their fun and lively music to Philadelphia in support of the release of their new album, “Bambi.” The night was a fun one, filled with colors and simple yet engaging musical arrangements that showed off each member’s strengths.

Union Transfer has always been one of my favorite venues. I’ve never been to a show there that disappointed me. Hippo Campus’ performance was no different. From the start of the night, the lighting and sound were fantastic, unmatched by other venues around the city. The night began with a wacky, but entertaining set from Philadelphia’s own Palm. The indie experimental rock group set a solid groundwork for what was to follow. Their set was a bit long for my taste, and slightly repetitive, but the instrumentation, consisting of drum machines and effects laden guitars, was somewhat shoegaze-y and quite enjoyable as well. Once Hippo Campus took the stage, however, you could tell who everybody was really there to see.

The crowd had a festival-like attitude, one that increased my enjoyment of the show tenfold. From the start of their first track “Bambi,” the crowd was dancing and bouncing along to every word. Each member had their moment to stand out, from pulling out multi-instrument performances, to solos, to harmonies, every single member had a chance to shine. However, lead vocalist Jake Luppen and trumpeter/percussionist DeCarlo Jackson shone brightest on stage. Luppen’s vocals and lyrics contributed to most of my enjoyment throughout the night. He effortlessly bounced between vocal ranges and timbres on almost every song, while also being able to perfectly fit the tone and energy of each track. Jackson, on the other hand, was more in a supporting role, but the depth he added to the performance was unmatched. From his beautiful trumpet work to his contributions on auxiliary percussion, he added layers to tracks that enhanced the entire performance wonderfully.

Some stand-out tracks from the evening included the older “Suicide Saturday,” the tender ballad “South,” which featured a standout vocal performance by Luppen and the group’s biggest hit to date, “Way It Goes,” which featured a fantastic back-and-forth singalong segment with the crowd. The varied instrumentation and heartfelt songwriting ensured that there was enjoyment to be found in nearly every track of the set. In conclusion, it was a great night, and I would highly recommend checking out Hippo Campus on their next trip through Philadelphia.

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This is a place where we gather up the pieces of pop culture we’ve been thinking about and feel the need to share. New or old, popular or waiting to be discovered. Here is what you should check out in October.

Music: “Saint” by Blood Orange

A jazzy hymnal about companionship with a hypnotizing drum loop and a collection of voices weaving in and out of the arrangement. Blood Orange is the stage name of singer, songwriter, and producer Dev Hynes, who has worked with artists like Haim, Solange Knowles and Carly Rae Jepsen. I found this song on the podcast “Song Exploder” a couple weeks ago and have added it to a bunch of my playlists.

Music: “Iridescence” by Brockhampton

The “Hardest Working Boy Band in Show Business” is back with another stellar album. The hip-hop collective blew up last year with the independent release of their “Saturation” trilogy which featured a variety of vocal and musical stylings and breathed a refreshing wave of experimentation to the rap game. Now signed to RCA Records, the band has released their first album in their new “The Best Years of Our Lives” trilogy and the album features some deep, emotional themes and great unique music throughout.

Television: “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” (Netflix)

Monty Python’s groundbreaking sketch comedy series may be old, but it still packs 45 episodes worth of clever, gut-busting laughs. The British comedy troupe originally aired the show on BBC from 1969-74 and in those years made a mark for themselves as a powerhouse of comedy. Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle and the rest of the talented cast will take you on a trippy, hilarious journey you won’t want to miss.

Movie: “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”  

This is a very fun and surprisingly emotional movie that is really one-of-a-kind. Though there are some polarizing opinions on it, most college-aged people should find it massively enjoyable from its rapid-fire humor to its stylized feel. Plus it’s recently been put on Netflix, so bum off your friend’s or parents’ account and watch this future classic.

Video Game: “Titanfall 2” (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC)

The sequel to 2014’s debut from Respawn Entertainment was lost in the annual matchup between Call of Duty and Battlefield. You can feel the excitement running under each level as the creators introduce new concepts and push you through the gauntlet. Nothing has given me such a pure feeling of joy than when I’m running across a wall or jumping through time to avoid soldiers, and the multiplayer is varied enough to make it worth returning to.

Book: “Less” by Andrew Sean Greer

This quick novel recently won the Pulitzer Prize. It follows failed author Arthur Less as he goes on an ambitious year-long trip around the world to avoid attending his ex-boyfriend’s wedding. Along the way he finds himself in unexpected situations and not quite as fluent in languages as he thought. It’s a human comedy with a quirky and misleadingly self-conscious narrator that you might just fall for yourself.

Known for their 2013 hit release “Cool Kids,” the sibling trio of Echosmith is back and better than ever. The group took the stage with Calum Scott and Pentatonix this past summer for Pentatonix’s 2018 Summer Tour, stopping by Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pennsylvania, this September.

The night opened with singer-songwriter Calum Scott. He repopularized Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own” with his emotional, piano driven ballad version that was being played on any radio station at any given time. If you’re anything like me, you’ve cried to this song too. Scott performed an emotional set, taking time in between songs and teary eyes to thank the crowd for their immense support over the past years.

Following Scott, Echosmith took the stage in front of nearly 30,000 fans. Sydney, Noah and Graham Sierota, the sibling trio that makes up Echosmith, put on an energetic set to the fans of Pentatonix.

After releasing their debut full-length “Talking Dreams” in 2013, followed by an EP in 2017 titled “Inside a Dream,” the group took a few months off before releasing new music to the world. This past March they released “Over My Head” — their first release since mid-2017. The funky synth-infused track has been a turning point in the group’s sound — differing from “Cool Kids,” but still staying effortlessly cool.

On stage they opened with “18,” a ballad to growing old — assuming you’re considering 18 “old.” Lead vocalist, Sydney, stands as the group’s front-woman — beautiful and badass. At only 21 years old, she has formulated a unique, powerful stage presence that performers twice her age have yet to master.

Following with “Diamonds In a Sea of Pearls” and “Future Me,” the crowd was on their feet dancing along. “Future Me” is an opportunity for bassist Noah to shine. The bass and synth backing, combined with drummer Graham’s catchy beat, makes for a truly good summer song.

Up next, they transitioned back to the old days of “Talking Dreams”  with “Bright.” A delightful love song, “Bright” was released as a single back in 2015 and reached number nine on the Billboard U.S. Adult Top 40. They also played “Tell Her You Love Her,” another song from their 2013 album. Steering towards their recent releases, they performed “Get Into My Car” and “Over My Head.”

Echosmith ended their set with none other than “Cool Kids.” Their first main single, “Cool Kids” changed these kids’ lives. Since it went triple platinum, everyone knew this song. From the moment the fans heard the riff, the arena started to roar. With fans of all ages screaming out the lyrics, it’s evident that “Cool Kids” really made Echosmith into some cool kids.

The main act, Pentatonix, closed out the night with their highly energetic, well choreographed routine featuring acapella versions of today’s greatest hits, including Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” and Camila Cabello’s “Havana.”

Just like most people, commercials are a nuisance to me. But in 2015 when the iPhone 6’s capacity to capture still videos was touted to the sound of “Coming Home,” I had to scramble for my phone and Shazam it to find out whose sultry voice bellowed through my computer. I had discovered Leon Bridges. Music for me has never been the same since, and for two nights this past week Bridges came to The Fillmore on a tour of his new album “Good Thing.”

The set was unfurled at 9 p.m. after a performance by the Texan three-piece band, Khruangbin, who entertained the crowd with psychedelic selections from their album “Dead Oceans.” When the crowd seemed uninspired by the non-lyrical performance, Khruangbin resorted to playing acoustic covers to salvage the situation. At a certain point the music seemed to fade into the background of the performance as the crowd quipped over Laura Lee’s dance moves, Mark Speer’s straight out of the rodeo boots and Donald Johnson’s stoic expression on drums.

For 15 minutes before Bridges took the stage, concertgoers clamored for space, some seeking room close to the front, perhaps to touch the feet of their chosen messiah, while others just wanted some real estate to wiggle to the upbeat tunes that characterize the new album. Behind me, two 25-year-olds from Lancaster stood their ground to prevent late arrivals from stealing the show. On my side an enthusiastic white-haired gentleman, perhaps in his 60s held his wife close, ready to serenade her with some soulful lip syncing. On my right, The Triangle’s assistant news editor, Roy Aguilar, who has enjoyed Bridges’ music since the harsher times when Bridges was a small town artist who could barely secure a solo performance, shouted “all day all night, all right all right!” in anticipation.

Bridges ran into the room and the crowd erupted in excitement. He clutched the microphone which was adorned with glitter and immediately started belting out lyrics to “If It Feels Good” to set the tone for the night. Known for his eccentric ’60s attire, the man did not disappoint. He wore a pair of loose hanging black pants accentuated by a drapey coat that could easily pass for a Sukajan jacket, with a tiger emblazoned on the back. To top it all, a rolled up black beanie. High fashion indeed.

Just 10 minutes into the performance, the upbeat tempo suddenly took a turn with a callback to his 2015 album with a hearty performance of “Better Man.” This was followed by “Shy” from his new album to make the mood even more mellow, as every man and woman swooned at the vocals by backup artist Brittni Jessie. But Leon was not going to let the performance turn into a slumber party. He injected life back into the crowd as he turned the stage into a playground, engaging the crowd in a tug-of-war to see which side would capture the rhythm and tone of his retro funk and modern pop mashup “You Don’t Know.” As Bridges pointed at a specific concertgoer to serenade her with “Ooh baby, ahh baby” the lady behind me quipped, “I’m so jealous.” Bridges had won some hearts.

The night was spent in a back-and-forth between the old and new albums’ classics and dedications to his home state, Texas, and beloved mother as well as clearly well-rehearsed dance moves that are a hallmark of his stylistic renaissance. All of a sudden the lights went out. Bridges and his ensemble walked backstage. The stage manager walked onto the stage and rearranged the microphone stands as though the shop was closed for business. The crowd was having none of it.

“Two more songs! Two more songs!” we chanted, he heard. The messiah and his disciples walked back on stage. Bridges clutched an acoustic guitar while Jessie stood beside him for a riveting performance of “River;” that muse with gospel undertones that propelled Leon Bridges to stardom. The crowd turned on their cell phone lights as though ready to receive the sacrament on the last supper. A hush descended upon the room as each concertgoer took a moment to reflect.

In the final act, Bridges introduced his bandmates and let them take the limelight in individual displays of prowess at their respective instruments. The crowd loved it, but the show had to end. To kiss us goodbye, Bridges performed “Mississippi Kisses,” a fitting end to a soulful night. As I walked out of the Fillmore to catch the subway back to 34th Street Station, I mused to Roy, “what a mature night.” It was indeed.

Angie Thomas’ “The Hate U Give” is an award winning young adult novel about police brutality that transcends the genre’s audience. It elegantly handles difficult themes and illustrates nuanced aspects of life for young black Americans.

The novel has now been adapted into a major motion picture by 20th Century Fox. Directed by George Tillman Jr. (“Notorious,” “The Longest Ride”), the film version might be even more stunning and heartbreaking than the book.  

The movie centers on Starr Carter and her existence between two worlds. She lives in the predominantly black neighborhood of Garden Heights. Her father is a former member of the King Lords, a drug running gang that has a hold over the neighborhood. He makes them memorize the Black Panther Party’s Ten-Point Program and teaches them from an early age that their skin color will affect their interactions with the police.

As she states in the movie, the school in their neighborhood is a place to get jumped, high or pregnant. Starr and her brothers instead go to Williamson, a prep school full of wealthy, white individuals. At Williamson she doesn’t use slang, she doesn’t show her anger and she masks anything that would give someone a reason to call her “hood.” At home, she can’t act as she does  at school, and she definitely can’t talk about her white boyfriend. She has learned to balance the competing aspects of her life, not quite perfectly, but enough for her to maintain the appearance of a normal life in both worlds.

That balance is shattered when she witnesses the shooting of her friend Khalil during a traffic stop. Starr’s life is changed as she faces pressure from her community, law enforcement and the King Lords. She has to decide whether she will risk her life and speak out for her friend or remain silent.

The excellence of this movie stems largely from the driving force of Amandla Stenberg’s performance. She leads the film as Starr Carter. It is a complex role with an expansive emotional range within single scenes. Her performance is vulnerable, passionate and award-worthy.

With subject matter this complicated, a multitude of perspectives have to be represented and the cast of this film all give themselves over to their role. Common (Carlos, Starr’s uncle) has a powerful scene in the latter half of the film that sympathizes with the police force. Sabrina Carpenter’s role as Hailey, one of Starr’s friends from prep school, raises a dialogue on white privilege and microaggressions. TJ Wright, who plays Starr’s little brother, gives a standout performance for someone so young in a film with such mature content. Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby and Issa Rae also give fantastic performances.

Though it is becoming more common, it is still remarkable to see an abundantly African American cast leading a film that isn’t about slaves or a historic figure. Minority communities are starting to see a range of narratives about people that look like them. For black audiences, “Black Panther” was the escapist film of the year and “The Hate U Give” is a reality grounded companion piece.

I was extremely hopeful going into this film. In these tumultuous times we are living in, a movie like this has the potential to act like a salve on the wounds caused by the daily onslaught of emotional pain and stress of the news.

This film exceeded my high expectations, and watching it was a cathartic experience. I found myself crying watching the film, not from any scene in particular, but because of how accurate and moving this fictional work is. It reminds you that Black Lives Matter is more than just the names we know from the hashtags, it’s about all of us who are still living too.

It isn’t all tears either. The film is also funny, heartwarming and empowering. It is a movie you should experience with other people, so that you can feel other people’s reactions and talk about it afterwards. It is an excellent tool for empathy and wonderfully depicts a vein of modern black America. Everyone should watch this film.

It’s that time of the year again in the historic, beautiful streets of Philadelphia. The sun sets a little bit earlier, the leaves turn a light auburn and break off their bond with their colonies and fall softly to the ground, and droves of unsupervised teenagers take to the Parkway to partake in Abercrombie and Fitch’s Made in America Festival.

Did you think I was going to say “Budweiser”? I did too, but it turns out that tides have shifted and Abercrombie is now the primary sponsor of the event. This could be noted by a few large pieces of signage spread around the parkway, as well as a cute little pop-up store near the front gates of the festival.

It’s been a few years since I have attended the festival so some of changes may not be as new as they felt to me, but the addition of a fleet of food trucks was welcome. Signs scattered throughout the parkway depicting a variety of languages, as well as the cause village, gave some diversity to the festival.

But food trucks and civic engagement aren’t why thousands of teenagers drop over $100 to stand in the hot sun for 10 hours. They come for the music, the friends, the alcohol and the vaping. I swear I saw more Juuls on the parkway than I thought existed in the world. But I can get back to roasting the event attendees in a moment. It’s probably most important to discuss the musical offerings at this music festival.

The event was spread across Saturday, Sept. 1, and Sunday, Sept. 2. Due to there being five stages in the festival (Skate, Tidal, Freedom, Liberty, Rocky), it was difficult to see everyone you may have wanted to. Alot of the performances ended up overlapping but they at least tried to overlap artists of varying styles and genres, to try to minimize people missing out on some shows they would have wanted to see.

The first show I saw was Chicago suburbs rapper Kweku Collins. I had been unfamiliar with Collins prior to the show but his mellow and chill flows over an interesting variety of beats made for a great introduction to the festival. He performed a lot of his more popular songs like “Lonely Lullabies” and “Aya,” as well as his newest single “ET.” I was overall impressed and will definitely check him out in the future.

Following Kweku was Saba, one of my personal favorites. Despite suffering from some technical issues and being forced to start late, he gave a great, energetic performance. He performed most of his recent “Care for Me” album from this year, as well as a good amount of songs off his 2016 “Bucket List Project.” The small, intimate vibe of the Skate stage made this show stand out to me and was one of my favorites by the end of Sunday.

Another fun note, controversial rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine came on an hour late and the rush of the crowd as people ran across the Parkway to see him was both terrifying and disappointing.

After that I headed over to the Freedom Stage to check out Snakehips and Louis the Child. Both of their sets were great and it was fun to have a nice little EDM break amidst all of the poorly mixed hip-hop vocals that rang out from the different stages throughout the Parkway.

Unfortunately this is a pretty common occurrence at Made, especially for rap performers. The mixing on the bass of the beat is so heavy it usually drowns out the instrumental and vocal and just makes you physically uncomfortable. I don’t know who exactly wants that. Maybe drunk teenagers do? But I don’t. Anyway, both Snakehips and Louis the Child brought great remixes, with a smattering of originals and the two hours I was at the Freedom stage seemed to fly by.

After the Louis the Child show wrapped up, Meek took the Rocky stage. I’m not a huge Meek fan but I’d be lying if I said the crowd wasn’t super into the show. I sat on the curb some distance away and could hear every note of the set and the crowd chanting along almost every word. He performed “Dreams and Nightmares” because of course he did, and the crowd was really into it. I imagine it was a lot of native Philadelphians’ highlight of the Saturday performances. Meek was followed by Zedd who put on a pretty typical Zedd set, nothing super special, but it was fun and the man sure knows when to drop a beat.

I kicked off Sunday with Belly’s set at the Rocky Stage. I didn’t know Belly before this performance but the set was entertaining enough. He had some fun lines and hooks in his songs that got the crowd, who seemed unfamiliar with him, enticed. Most of the people there were waiting for the next set from Pusha T. Pusha T put on a great, vibrant show. I couldn’t hear most of his vocals over the bass despite standing not too far from the stage. He went through the entirety of his 2018 release “Daytona” and some older tracks for the fans. He also performed “Feel the Love” from Kanye and Kid Cudi’s “Kids See Ghosts.” The crowd, me included, had a great time mimicking Kanye’s nonsensical noises.

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After Pusha T, I swung by Daniel Caesar and Cashmere Cat. They have very different vibes. Caesar put on a great show for the fans, performing a lot of his big hits but the mellowness of his music seemed to clash with the energy that the audience was looking for. Keep in mind you’re dealing with a lot of scantily clad, drunken patriots here. Cashmere Cat had a great set but the crowd kept trying to mosh and Cashmere was having none of it. He’s not the type of DJ who builds up to big drops like Diplo or Zedd. Groups would be preparing to mosh for a good five minutes before the chance arose.

After Cashmere Cat, Kendrick Lamar took the Rocky Stage and delivered what honestly felt like an underwhelming performance. However, I don’t think that was Kendrick’s fault entirely. The audience, at least where I was, was not as engaged as most audiences were and seemed more interested in the guest verses Kendrick perfmored like on Travis Scott’s “Goosebumps” and Schoolboy Q’s “Collard Greens.” Kendrick was followed by Diplo who was then followed by Nicki Minaj. Both gave fine performances, though Nicki’s may have gotten a bit too revealing for some.

Made in America Festival was good, but I think I’m just not the target audience any more. I felt old because relative to everyone else, I was. I suppose a lot of college students could still have a good time there, but it feels like there’s something we lost. A festival that used to have a variety of performers and genres is now boiled down to two genres, the same performers, and preppy, intoxicated teenagers throwing up or making out on every corner.

There’s always something a bit more special about smaller concerts. Intimate venues provide a closeness to both the artist and other fans. This coziness allows for musicians to shine, which is exactly what Snoh Aalegra did. She brought her sensual, seductive show to the Balcony Bar at the Trocadero Sept. 20.

Aalegra is a Swedish-Iranian singer who currently resides in L.A. She released her first full-length project “Feels” back in 2017, and is just now touring the United States in support of it. This is her first headlining tour, having previously stopped in Philly when she opened for Daniel Caesar last October.

Before Aalegra hit the stage, her opener Mereba played a short set. The crowd hushed as she played her first song, which was more of a spoken word-poem. The silence in the room was palpable and a bit awkward, only being broken by Mereba’s slow words and an accompanying acoustic guitar. But her performance ramped up, as she wavered between singing and rapping, and used a DJ set for the rest of her performance. The crowd really started to get into her groove when someone in the audience shouted “happy birthday!” to Mereba, who’s birthday was the day prior. She left the stage after only a few songs, leaving the crowd wanting more but hungry for Aalegra to arrive.

And she made an entrance. The singer sauntered on stage, looking absolutely stunning. She only wore a sports bra and sweatpants, and her long hair waved as she started to groove to her music. She opened up with a medley of tracks off of “Feels,” including “Nothing Burns Like the Cold” and “Fool For You.” Aalegra had a backing band comprised of a keyboardist, two guitarists, and a drummer. Each member of the band was as animated as the last, and helped turn this concert into a true performance.

Aalegra has a very unique sound. Her music is traditionally R&B, but has a certain older cadence to it. Accompanied by strings and orchestral sounds, her songs often sound as if they could be the soundtrack to a James Bond movie from the 1960’s. She blends this with vibrant production to create tracks which aptly do make you feel a lot of emotions.

After running through the bulk of her album, Aalegra took some time to address the audience about the struggles of finding your place in the world. Being from Europe, with Middle Eastern parents, before moving to the United States made her feel very lost for many years. But she was able to find her place through her music and friends. This segued into the stand-out performance of the night, her song “Home” off of her earlier EP “Don’t Explain.” This was an incredibly passionate and heartfelt performance and it was obvious that this song meant a lot to Aalegra.  She finished her set with “Out of Your Way,” an ode to anyone who has given more in a relationship than they have gotten out of it. She then thanked the audience and walked off stage, before coming back to do a lively encore performance of “You Got Me.”

Snoh Aalegra’s star has been slowly rising. After working with major artists such as Vince Staples and Common, she had a major break when her song “Time” was sampled by Drake on the album-opening track “Do Not Disturb” off of  “More Life.” Ever since then her songs have racked up millions of streams, and her first headlining tour across America is selling out. Just recently, her song “Nothing Burns Like the Cold” was featured in the Apple 2018 Unveiling Conference. After seeing her incredible performance and rise, Aalegra is sure to play at stadiums soon.

I came to Drexel University in the fall of 2015 all the way from Kentucky. For my first year, I clung to the campus, only straying for the occasional concert or a bite to eat. But there is so much more to Philadelphia than the few blocks that encompass Drexel’s campus.

As someone who came to Philadelphia with no experience with city-living at all, I was a bit afraid to step out of my comfort zone. But once I did, I saw how fun the city truly was.

First, you should figure out how to get around the city. The easiest way is by taking the SEPTA Market-Frankford subway line. It runs east to Frankford and west to 69th Street, with two stops on Drexel’s campus (30th Street and 34th Street), as well as City Hall, the heart of Center City (15th Street). Cash fare is $2.50 each way.

You can buy individual trip passes but the easiest way to navigate both the MFL and Broad Street lines is with aSEPTA Key, which is a reloadable card that gives you access to the subway, buses, trolleys and more. SEPTA Key functionality is also rolling out at 30th Station for the Regional Rail in the coming months.

Walking is also a great way to get around. Philly is an incredibly walkable city. From Drexel’s campus you can walk to the Art Museum, City Hall, the movie theater on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus or Rittenhouse Square in about 20 minutes. That being said, be careful when walking alone, especially at night or in areas you aren’t familiar with.

There are also a lot of lovely parks scattered throughout the city. Rittenhouse Square is probably the most well known. It’s situated at 18th and Walnut streets and is surrounded by a lot of shopping and dining options. Further down, Washington Square and Independence Mall offer green space surrounded by a variety of  historical buildings. You can also find a lot of other shopping options along Walnut, Chestnut and Spruce between 15th and 25th Street.

But you don’t need to stray too far from campus to find a nice study spot either. Cira Green is an elevated park that’s connected to the Evo apartment complex, at 30th and Chestnut. The Schuylkill River Trail offers a lovely running path from South Street to beyond Boathouse Row. Additionally, behind UPenn’s freshman dorms is James G. Kaskey Memorial Park, a little oasis surrounding a man-made pond.

Philadelphia has a lot of great concert venues. From the Wells Fargo Center to First Unitarian Church (a fully functioning church in which e R5 Productions holds concerts at night), the city is brimming with eccentric concert halls. My personal favorite is Union Transfer. The decommissioned railway luggage storage facility makes for a mid-sized venue with a high ceiling and a permanently smokey look. UT will be hosting acts like Billie Eilish, Joyce Maynor, Mitski, KYLE and many more throughout the fall.

The newest venue is the Fillmore, a massive 3000-plus capacity concert hall that’ll put on a variety of shows from Hozier to Mac Miller later this year. On the second floor of the Fillmore is another, more intimate venue called the Foundry, which will feature acts such as Lovelytheband and Jake Shears this coming fall.

If concerts aren’t your thing, there is plenty more to Philly nightlife. Less than a mile away is Cinemark University City Penn 6, UPenn’s cinema. The Ritz in Old City shows a variety of movies, from new releases to classics and foreign art films. You can read more about that in this very paper!

Good Good Comedy Theatre is a fun, small comedy venue that features cheap stand-up shows and open mics. There are also a bunch of clubs and bars, but I’m not 21 and this is printing in the freshman issue so you probably aren’t either. Don’t try and sneak in with your fake ID you little criminal. Come hang out with me, a nice law-abiding citizen and we can go see movies and walk around and stuff. No? Alright, fine.

If you aren’t feeling the Hans or Urban Eatery, there are plenty of food options throughout the city. For groceries, the closest major grocery stores are the Fresh Grocer on 40th Street and the Trader Joe’s on 22nd Street. For your cheesesteak needs, you can basically find one on any corner. My personal favorite is at Sonny’s on 2nd Street, which is right next to Franklin Fountain, one of the best ice cream shops in the city. There are also a ton of healthy eating choices sprinkled around. Sweetgreen, HipCityVeg, Honeygrow, Real Food Eatery and many more all offer fast options that your body and stomach will love. But I’m not Yelp; you can find some great restaurants on your own.

Drexel’s CAB offers a lot of events throughout the city, and uwishunu.com is Philadelphia’s unoffical city guide blog. But the best way to explore is to grab a couple friends and just go out. So have fun and see what the City of Brotherly Love has to offer you.