The Aces made their pit stop in Indianapolis on Saturday, September 21st at the Hi-Fi Annex. While most of the group’s Fall Tour was spent opening for Goth Babe, this performance was one of their three headlining shows on this run. The evening started out with a playful opening set from Indiana native, Crêpe Girl. Her style of pop is refreshing, danceable, & catchy too! ‘DRUG’ was my personal favorite from her setlist, & now an addition to my summer playlist!

The Aces opened their set with ‘Always Get This Way’ from their most recent album “I’ve Loved You For So Long”. Lead singer, Cristal Ramirez, stunned the crowd with how clear & crisp her vocals are live. Her tone & consistency impressed me throughout the entirety of the group’s performance. On top of having a great vocalist, the band brought an absurd amount of talent & vibrant energy to the stage as well. McKenna ‘Ken’ Petty, bassist, showed love to Indiana fans by rocking a pair of royal blue Colts shorts matched with cowboy boots- it truly doesn’t get more midwestern than that!

Before the group played one of their more vulnerable songs, Cristal Ramirez touched on what it was like to grow up in a small town in Utah as a queer person. She also encouraged anyone in Indy relating to that feeling to continue being themselves proudly, “We love you so much, we know exactly how you feel, this song is for you.” The crowd hung onto every word of ‘Suburban Blues’ & did not hold back their applause when it ended. Later in the set, as ‘Stuck’ began to play, the front of the crowd spread out & formed a mosh pit, something I don’t even think The Aces ever expected to see at one of their shows! There was no lack of love, enthusiasm, or pride from the Indianapolis crowd, “This was my fourth time seeing The Aces, but my first time seeing [them] in my home city! They always bring the most insane energy”, said long-time fan Kennedy Ormsby. All in all, if you’re on the hunt for a great indie pop group, The Aces are who you need to listen to.

After releasing her first ever studio album, This Time, Donna Missal has completed her first headlining tour in North America. Donna impressed her listeners by creating a timeless classic rock album with powerhouse vocals. It’s rare to find an artist with such passion for the music that they are creating and sharing with the world; but to say that Donna has deep musical roots would be an understatement. The Missal family has had strong ties to music for years on end. Donna’s father owned a recording studio in New York City and eventually built a home studio where the Missal family would work on personal projects as well as recording annual Christmas albums together. Donna also brought her rockstar guitarist brother, Steve, on tour with her as well. I was lucky enough to watch the pair perform alongside drummer, Derek Taylor, on the opening night of the tour in Chicago. The chemistry that this team has on stage together is inspiring to watch. It’s easy to tell that they are truly in their element when they are playing music. 

Donna has a voice that is incomparable to the current pop sound that most artists gravitate towards, she truly has a style of her own. Nowadays, it’s easy to create great music even if you aren’t a naturally inclined musician, however, she has no issue belting notes flawlessly onstage. Donna’s live performance is one that you will not be let down by, her vocals effortlessly float through the venue and leave the room in awe. The Chicago crowd was full of smiling fans both young & old that were brought closer by their love for Donna’s music. This was a concert experience that I don’t think a single person in the room will ever forget, nothing beats raw talent.

Article & photos by Josie Carletta.

Disney star turned independent business mogul, Bella Thorne, has taken the world by storm in 2018. Bella started as a young actress & dancer on the Disney show “Shake It Up” alongside her co-star Zendaya. When the show came to an end, Bella kept acting & created several businesses of her own. In 2018 alone, Bella starred in 5 movies, released 5 songs, created the Filthy Fangs record label with her sister Dani, directed several music videos, as well as created her own vegan makeup line called Thorne By Bella. 

It’s rare to find an artist that is so willing to work hard enough to be fantastic at so many things. It takes a lot of time, effort, patience, & creativity to have visions & be able to to bring them to life. While many look at Bella Thorne with a judgmental eye, this year has proved to many that she is an incredibly intelligent & dedicated individual. Earlier this year when Bella had a break from filming, she decided to hop on tour with her boyfriend Mod Sun for a few days. She took the stage in an all black outfit with flashy diamond boots & performed her iconic single “B*tch I’m Bella Thorne”. Before she exited the stage, Bella shared an intimate kiss with Mod Sun & waved goodbye to the crowd one last time. The two of them truly put on a fantastic & energetic show together. In 2018, Bella undeniably challenged society’s perception of herself, venturing beyond her comfort zone and reaping numerous remarkable successes.The world is proud of you, Bella.

Article & photos by Josie Carletta.