Category Archives: Show Review

The Main Event Tour With NKOTB & TLC Hits Long Island, NY

There ain’t no party like a Block Party!  New Kids On The Block’s Summer Tour, aptly titled, “The Main Event,” stopped at Nassau Coliseum in Long Island over the weekend.  As with any NKOTB event, it was a nonstop party from start to finish!  It was everything we expected from this tour, and more.  NKOTB know how to BRING IT each and every night on stage.  Our review started as a fangirl keysmash but we managed to recover enough to write actual words.

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Round 1:  Nelly
Nelly got the party started with hits like “Country Grammar,” “Ride Wit Me” and “Hot in Herre,” making everyone feel like they were back in high school.

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Round 2: TLC
T-Boz and Chilli win for best outfits of the night.  Their holographic jumpsuits and their dancers’ “TLC” printed overalls made us feel like we were back in 1999.  The highlight of the set was a singalong to their hit “Waterfalls,” as the crowd held up lights in memory of Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes.

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Round 3: New Kids On The Block
The New Kids just get better and better with age.  NKOTB know how to put on a SHOW.  They also know how to make every fan in the arena feel like a part of the action.  Their stage setup is one of the coolest we’ve ever seen, with moving risers and multiple runways, so everyone has a chance to be close to the band.  And they know exactly what the fangirls want.  Change cam?  Check. Tuxedos?  Check.  Dance Moves?  Check.

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Their set was a mix of old favorites and recent ones, and the year of each song’s release was written on the big screen – from 1984 to 2013.  After singing “Please Don’t Go Girl,” Joey McIntyre said he’d been singing that song for 27 years, and asked the crowd if he could sing for 27 more, generating lots of screams from the audience (YES, PLEASE!)

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Jordan Knight came out for a solo segment, his white shirt billowing open thanks to a couple of wind machines.  Joey McIntyre followed, but decided to take things one step further and abandoned his shirt entirely.   Donnie Wahlberg, once known for his tank top ripping and getting extremely um, close to fans in the front row, is happily married now to Jenny McCarthy, who was also in attendance.   Instead of his old antics, Donnie led the crowd in a singalong of “Lean On Me,” while hundreds of #SelfiesForDonnie rotated on the big screen.

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A highlight of the show was when the band dispersed into the crowd during “Tonight,” getting even closer to some lucky fans.  Joey’s adorable son Griffin kicked off the song,  singing from on top of the piano.  He even did a spinning headstand.  Trust us, this kid is going to be playing arenas with (we hope) his own boyband one day!

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NKOTB are kicking off the 1st of 2 nights at Madison Square Garden tonight.  There’s just a few more stops left on The Main Event Tour, but if you can get to a show, it’s a MUST.

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Setlist:
Block Party
Crash
My Favorite Girl
You Got It (The Right Stuff)
The Whisper
Let’s Try It Again
Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time) / Valentine Girl / If You Go Away / Never Can Say Goodbye / Please Don’t Go Girl
Remix
Summertime
Dirty Dancing
Just A Friend / Good Vibrations
Tonight
Baby I Believe In You (Jordan solo)
Give It To You (Jordan solo)
Sweet Dreams (Joey solo)
Twisted (Joey solo)
I Need You / Lean On Me (Donnie solo)
Cover Girl (Donnie solo)
Games
Step By Step
I’ll Be Loving You Forever
Hangin’ Tough

Visit our Tumblr page for lots more photos from the show, such as the one below.  Be sure to follow NKOTB & Secret Fangirls for more updates!

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The Wheels Up Tour Lands at Jones Beach

A fangirl freakout definitely occurred when we  found out that two of our favorite artists, Sam Hunt and Hunter Hayes, would be on tour together this Summer!   Sam and Hunter are opening up for Lady Antebellum on the Wheels Up Tour, hitting cities across the US throughout the Summer.  We’ve been counting down the days since the tour was announced in January and finally got to check it out when it hit Jones Beach!

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It was a perfect early Summer night for the first show of the season at Nikon Jones Beach Theater.  Sam Hunt got the evening started with hits like “Take Your Time” and “House Party,” and got the whole house on their feet.  He even came out into the crowd to sing and get up close and personal with some lucky fans!   Sam sure knows how to get the party started and leave the night on.

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Sam Hunt Setlist

Raised On It
Ex To See
House Party
Take Your Time
Leave The Night On
Single For The Summer
Breakup In A Small Town

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Hunter Hayes continues to impress us – every time we see him we are blown away by just how talented he is.  You can also tell just how much he loves music and loves performing.  Hunter makes sure that each live performance is a unique experience, and creates new arrangements with extended guitar solos and instrumentation.   We’ve seen him quite a few times now, and have never heard the same song played in the same way.   Hunter also incorporated some new skills, like beatboxing, and showed off his vocal range.

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Hunter is also using his popularity for a good cause, and announced a campaign for the American Red Cross to go along with his new single, “21.”  He’s encouraging 21,000 fans to sign up to donate blood, even if it means conquering their fear of needles.  Read more about the #HH21SleevesUp Campaign!

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Hunter Hayes Setlist

Tattoo
Storm Warning
21
Wild Card
Young and In Love
Somebody’s Heartbreak
Everybody’s Got Somebody But Me
You Think You Know Somebody
Secret Love
Invisible
Wanted
Love Makes Me
I Want Crazy

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Head over to Lady Antebellum.com to check out all of the upcoming Wheels Up Tour Dates!

Be sure to follow Sam Hunt, Hunter Hayes & Secret Fangirls for more updates!

Canaan Smith Plays Showcase at Mercury Lounge in NYC

Country artist Canaan Smith played an intimate show at NYC’s Mercury Lounge last night. The show gave the lucky fans in the audience a preview of Canaan’s upcoming debut album, “Bronco,” out June 23rd. As if we weren’t already excited enough about his album, after hearing some of the new songs last night we are ecstatic. Canaan got the evening off to an energetic start with “Hole In A Bottle,” one of our favorite tracks off his self-titled EP. A song called “American Muscle” is guaranteed to become the next #MERICA theme song you’ll be blasting at your 4th of July picnic. It got the whole crowd rocking, with some over-enthusiastic dancers spilling their beers but no one minded because #MERICA.

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Canaan also shared the meaning behind the title of his album, “Bronco,” explaining that he wanted to share himself and who he is through his album. The album’s title track is in honor of his brother, whom Canaan lost when he was younger. He dedicated the song to him in a touching tribute, giving the audience “a few moments of peace.”

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Canaan ended the night with a singalong to his chart-climbing single “Love You Like That,” before hi-fiving everyone in the front row. We had a blast seeing the nitty gritty boy in the city for a night, and can’t wait until he’s back at the end of June for FarmBorough Festival! You can also catch him on tour with Dierks Bentley on the Sounds of Summer Tour.

Pre-order a copy of Canaan Smith’s “Bronco” now and get a signed CD booklet!

Set List
Hole In A Bottle
Two Lane Road
One Of Those
Stuck
American Muscle
Love At First
Good Kinda Bad
Jealous (Nick Jonas cover)
Mad Love
Stompin’ Grounds
Bronco
Love You Like That

Be sure to follow Canaan Smith & Secret Fangirls for more updates!

The Friday Five: Summer 2015 Tours

Livenation kicked of the summer concert season with a huge show in NYC on National Concert Day, May 5th and that got us super excited about all of the huge tours we’re going to!   This week, we’re bringing you our five summer tours we’re the MOST excited about.

1. “The Main Event Tour” ft. NKOTB, TLC, & Nelly
This tour deserves the name “The Main Event” with three huge acts on one stage, one night, the night of a lifetime!  Yahoo!Screen is also streaming the show next Thursday, May 14th at 10pm EST for 24 hours only – if you can resist tuning in, we salute you.

2. “The Wheels Up Tour” ft. Lady Antebellum, Hunter Hayes, & Sam Hunt
If you are a regular reader you know we’ll go pretty much anywhere to see Hunter or Sam.  We were so excited when this tour was announced we literally screamed in a French restaurant.   Tickets for this tour went on sale in waves which drove us nuts waiting for the email with our dates in it but once it arrived, it was wheels up, baby!  If you can score tickets to this tour, you’ll be treated to some extra special in flight entertainment all night long.  After all, we don’t have to go home we can leave the night on.

3. “Rock This Country! Tour” ft. Shania Twain
Shania announced a brand new tour on the heels of her Las Vegas residency coming to a close but she made sure we knew this was her last tour – EVER!  Put on your cowboy boots and get ready to rock this country with Shania!

4. “Dazed & Confused Tour” ft. Jake Miller
When our bae Jake Miller just released his brand new single “Dazed & Confused” and he announced a tour with the same name, we knew we had to be there to see those arms in person – and hear his angelic voice obviously!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GBhOUutFxA

5. The Vamps USA Tour
It’s been entirely too long since The Vamps last US invasion and we can’t wait for their first headlining tour here this Summer!  They’re bringing Before You Exit along for what’s sure to be a memorable evening.    We have high hopes that you’ll be lovestruck and will shout about it for weeks to come.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7rRSqkO1kc

 

Old Dominion Play 2 Sold Out Shows at NYC’s Joe’s Pub

Even if you haven’t heard of rising country band Old Dominion, chances are you’ve heard a track or two that one of the members have written.   Does “Say You Do?”  ring a bell?  Or “Ex To See?”  Old Dominion is Matthew Ramsey (Lead Vocals, Guitar); Brad Tursi (Lead Guitar, Vocals); Trever Rosen (Guitar, Keys, Vocals); Geoff Sprung (Bass, Vocals); and Whit Sellers (Drums).   They’ve written for Dierks Bentley, Tyler Farr, Sam Hunt, The Band Perry, Dustin Lynch … and that’s just to name a few.   Their own single, “Break Up With Him,” has been slowly climbing the charts and dominating Sirius XM’s “The Highway” countdown.

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“The Highway” hosted two back to back sold out shows with Old Dominion at Joe’s Pub last night.  We’re glad we got to experience the band live before they move onto bigger venues – like oh,  Met Life Stadium in NJ?   They’ll be playing there in August, opening up for Jason Aldean and Kenny Chesney on their Summer tour.

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We’ve heard people ask what’s happened to rock music?  Well if you’re looking for it, country music is a good place to start.  Old Dominion is a country act, but they sure know how to rock.  Their set included a mix of material they have written for other artists, and tracks off of their EP, released earlier this month.  The band is incredibly energetic and fun to watch live, interacting with audience members and each other.  It’s nice to see a full country band as well, with each member bringing something different to the table.

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Pickup a copy of the Old Dominion EP on iTunes or Amazon now!  Head over to OldDominionBand.com to check out their upcoming tour dates.  If they’re playing in a small venue near you, we highly suggest checking them out while you have a chance!  Watch them perform “Break Up With Him” below.

Be sure to follow Old Dominion & Secret Fangirls for more updates!

Dan + Shay’s “Where It All Began Tour” Stops At Starland Ballroom in New Jersey

Dan + Shay’s “Where It All Began Tour” stopped at a packed Starland Ballroom in NJ on Saturday night.  If you’ve been to any concert in New Jersey, you know the crowds can get crazy, and this was definitely one of the best we’ve experienced.   It’s been wonderful to see the support for Dan + Shay grow since we first saw them around a year ago (Mohegan!)  and their live show is not to be missed. There’s nothing like a first time feeling, but they just get better and better each time we see them.

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Opening act Canaan Smith got the crowd pumped up with his hit single “Love You Like That,” and songs from his recently released EP like “Hole In The Bottle” and “Mad Love.” Canaan also played a serious rock cover of Nick Jonas’ smash single “Jealous.” The Virginia native knows how to get a crowd singing and dancing along even if they’re not familiar with him.

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One of the best things about watching Dan + Shay perform is seeing just how much they love being on stage.  If you can find something to do that makes you half as happy as they are performing, then you’d be pretty lucky.   Their passion and energy on stage is unrivaled – they really give it all on stage night after night.   And still make time for a post-show meet and greet.  We still get chills every time during “19 You + Me” when they let the crowd sing, and see their genuine reaction to having people sing one of their songs.  Although really the whole concert is one big singalong from start to finish. They played almost every song from their debut album, “Where It All Began,” a fun new track, “Partner in Crime,” and a few covers for good measure.

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They certainly know their Jersey audience, as their set included covers of Journey and Def Leppard, and a little Guns N Roses, proving they know how to rock.  As we’ve said before, we’re sure they would have found success in any genre they chose, but we’re sure glad they chose country!   Shay Mooney’s voice is also chill-inducing, and harmonizes perfectly with Dan Smyers, who played both guitar and piano during the show.

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As usual, they had a small acoustic set before the concert AKA the return of the Tent Concert Series, where it all began for the duo.  The acoustic set gives fans a chance to ask questions, hang out with the guys, and hear a couple of songs in an intimate setting before the show.  We are always impressed by how great Dan + Shay are to their fans, and how much they appreciate each person that comes out to see them.

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Dan + Shay are nominated for Duo of the Year at the ACM Awards for the 2nd year in a row!  Make sure to tune into the awards on CBS April 19th to cheer them on and catch their performance with Nick Jonas!

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Set List:
Somewhere Only We Know
Nothing Like You
Stop Drop & Roll
Parking Brake
Any Way You Want It (Journey cover)
Partner in Crime
Close Your Eyes
Thinking Out Loud (Ed Sheeran cover)
Show You Off
Pour Some Sugar On Me / Meet In The Middle
What You Do To Me
Red Dirt Road (Brooks&Dunn cover)
Party Girl
First Time Feeling
Can’t Say No
Dynamite / Moves Like Jagger
19 You + Me

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The “Where It All Began Tour” wraps up at the end of the month in Chicago.  Check out all of Dan + Shay’s upcoming tour dates here & pick up a copy of “Where It All Began” on iTunes now!

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Be sure to follow Dan + Shay & Secret Fangirls for more updates!

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Thomas Rhett Rocks The Paramount NY In Sold Out Show

Thomas Rhett played a killer sold-out show at the Paramount in Huntington, NY over the weekend.  It was one of those shows that you’ll always remember – everyone in the crowd could feel something special was happening.  Thomas had already been having a great week: he made history when his single “Makes Me Wanna” hit #1 on the Country Airplay chart, making him only the second country artist to ever have 3 #1 hits from a debut album, and the first to do so in over 20 years.

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When he played “Make Me Wanna,” just 4 songs into the set, the energy in the room went off the charts, as the already hyped up crowd dance and sang along to every word.  It was so overwhelming that Thomas had to pause a couple of times to wipe away tears before he could continue (as did we).  Which only egged the crowd on more, as everyone erupted into cheers and the usual chants of “USA! USA!.”  It was a touching and telling moment, and we get chills just thinking about it.  Ladies and gentlemen, Thomas Rhett has arrived.

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Thomas kicked off the night with a newer track, “South Side,” encouraging the audience to shake their “south sides.”  Thomas proved again and again during his set that he is indeed very good at shaking his south side.  He’s mentioned wanting to bring soul and funk back into country music, and he’s certainly doing just that.  Like most of country’s new artists at the moment, Thomas was influenced by a wide range of music, not just country.  A cover of Lee Brice’s “Parking Lot Party,” (which Thomas co-wrote) included a medley of Weezer’s “Beverly Hills” and David Lee Murphy’s “Dust On The Bottle.”  His intro music was Jason Derulo’s “Trumpets,” and he broke into a little of Justin Timberlake’s “Suit and Tie.”  He ended his set with a cover of Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ hit “Uptown Funk,” further showcasing his funky side.

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Thomas has the unique ability to make every person in the room feel like they are a part of the show – pointing out fans in the front rows and the rafters, signing hats and taking selfies mid-song, and calling out to one fan in the audience who was standing there with his arms crossed.  Boy, you can’t do that at at Thomas Rhett show.  He got the surprise of his life later in the night when Thomas pulled him onstage during his cover of “Friends In Low Places,” handed him his guitar and encouraged him to sing, “play guitar,” and yes, shake his south side.  After spotting a Birthday poster in the crowd, Thomas made sure to get the Birthday Girl’s name before leading a “Happy Birthday” singalong. He asked the girl if she was having a great time – we think it’s safe to say best Birthday, ever.

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All in all, we went in to the show not knowing what to expect, just that we liked his album. And we walked out much bigger fans than before.  We’re not sorry for partyin’ with Thomas on Saturday night.

Thomas Rhett is currently on tour with Florida Georgia Line and Frankie Ballard.  Check out all of his upcoming tour dates HERE!  And if you have the chance to see him, GO!  He’ll be the one headlining Madison Square Garden one day.

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Set List:
Intro
South Side
Something To Do With My Hands
What You Got In That Cup
Makes Me Wanna
Parking Lot Party Medley
It Goes Like This
T-Shirt
Front Porch Junkies
Sorry For Partyin’
Take You Home
Beer With Jesus
Round Here
Get Me Some Of That
Uptown Funk
Friends In Low Places (encore)

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Pickup a copy of Thomas Rhett’s debut album “It Goes Like This” on iTunes now!  Visit our Tumblr for more photos from the show.

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Be sure to follow Thomas Rhett & Secret Fangirls for more updates!

Sam Hunt’s Lipstick Graffiti Tour Hits NYC

Sam Hunt brought his first headlining tour, The Lipstick Graffiti Tour, to NYC last night.  The show, which took place at Irving Plaza, sold out within minutes of going on sale.  And who said New Yorkers don’t like country?  It’s been a whirlwind 8 months for Sam since he signed with MCA Nashville and released “Leave The Night On” last summer.  He gathered support by working as a songwriter in Nashville, writing tracks for Keith Urban, Billy Currington and more, before releasing his “Behind The Pines” mixtape for free online last year.

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His set included tracks from that mixtape and his debut album, “Montvallo,” as well as the songs he penned for other artists.  Do “Cop Car” or “We Are Tonight” ring any bells?  We love going to country shows because they are usually one big singalong – the audience knows every word, and last night was no exception!  You could see how much it meant to Sam to have so many people singing along to the songs he wrote – he seemed genuinely touched.  It’s one thing to be a good songwriter, but Sam is also a talented performer. You can tell how passionate he is about music, and how much he loves being on stage.  It’s just not a good concert unless you get chills at some point, and despite the hot venue we had chills over and over again.  Throughout the set he interacted with the crowd, even coming down to the floor to have a “House Party” with the lucky fans in the front row!  And we’re pretty sure the girls he sang “Take Your Time” to are still recovering from their fangirl coma.

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There is a lot of talk about what country music is now, and if Sam should even be considered a country artist.  But fans aren’t so concerned with what genre an artist is – they just want good music! And he introduces new fans to the country genre, is this such a bad thing?  We’ve all grown up listening to a variety of artists, Sam included, and you can hear the range of influences in his music. Between each song he played, he sampled tracks from everyone from R Kelly to Jay Z to Miley Cyrus, yet this all worked together.  An acoustic medley of 90s songs was also a highlight of his set.  The band led a singalong of hits by Reba, Mariah Carey, Destiny’s Child and Deana Carter.

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Opening act Native Run got the crowed pumped up with an energetic set, including a cover of TLC’s “Waterfalls.”  We were majorly impressed by Rachel Beauregard totally crushing Lisa’s rap. TLC, if you need some help on the Main Event Tour this summer, give Rachel a call!  If you’re heading to a Lipstick Graffiti Tour stop, make sure you get there early to check them out.

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Lipstick Graffiti Tour Setlist
Intro: Speakers/Breakup In A Small Town
Ex To See
Leave The Night On
Raised On It
Saturday Night
Cop Car
Single For The Summer
Take Your Time
We Are Tonight
Acoustic 90s Medley
Speakers
House Party
Make You Miss Me
Breakup In A Small Town

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The Lipstick Graffiti Tour continues through April (and is mostly sold out), but you can catch Sam alongside Hunter Hayes and Lady Antebellum on the Wheels Up Tour this summer. Can you say dream tour lineup? If you have a chance to see Sam on tour, GO! He’ll be headlining much bigger venues, very soon.

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Be sure to follow Sam Hunt, Native Run & Secret Fangirls for more updates!

THE HEYDAZE Play Sold Out Show At Gramercy Theatre

You know when you find a great new band, and you’re so excited you want to tell everyone you know / strangers on the street about them?  Right now for us, that band is THE HEYDAZE.  They just played their second-ever headlining show in Friday night, in front of a sold-out hometown crowd at NYC’s Gramercy Theatre.  It’s remarkable that less than a year ago, THE HEYDAZE did not exist.  The band works so well together, and has the stage presence of a group that’s been doing this for years.  We’re sure we’ll be hearing a lot more from these guys in 2015 and beyond.

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THE HEYDAZE is Jesse Fink (lead vocals, guitar), Andrew Spelman (lead guitar), Andrew Underberg (keyboards, production), and Alexander Glantz (drums).  The band played a high-energy set that had everyone dancing from start to finish.  Seriously, a HEYDAZE show is one big party.  Their upbeat, guitar-driven pop sound make it impossible to not sing and dance along, even if it’s your first time hearing them.  They write extremely catchy songs with original melodies, smart lyrics, and a sense of humor.

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The band introduced some new music, including “Dumb” and “Side Effects,” which have been stuck in our heads since the concert.   The set also included their cover of TLC’s “No Scrubs,” which was a hit with an audience that grew up on 90s music.

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For the encore, the band sat at the end of the stage for an acoustic performance of “The Alphabet Song,” and ended the night with their first single, “Little Bandit.”  They’ve accomplished so much in the short time since the track was released, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for the talented group.

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Watch THE HEYDAZE perform “Dumb” at Gramercy Theatre below and visit our Tumblr for more photos from the show.

Setlist
Don Juan
Adderall
Arnold Palmer
No Scrubs (cover)
Dumb
Side Effects
Young Blood
City Girl
Habits (Stay High) (cover)
Tomorrow Night
The ABC Song
Little Bandit

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Check out THE HEYDAZE on Soundcloud and like them on Facebook for some free music.  Watch our interview with the band to get to know more about THE HEYDAZE.

Be sure to follow THE HEYDAZE and Secret Fangirls for more updates!