Show Lineup: Jackie Hayes, Vacations Genre(s): alternative Venue: Hotel Congress Date: 10/19/2022
Given that the last concert I went to was the One Direction Concert in 2015, it is safe to say I was looking forward to the Vacations concert. I started listening to them in 2020, and their Vibes EP helped get me through pandemic learning and the low feelings many of us had as a result.
The concert itself was opened by Jackie Hayes. I did not know who she was, but I really enjoyed her music. Her songs were short and to the point, ending abruptly with no slow fade outs. Many of the songs she played were not out yet, but they are now. I thought she was great. Her music felt very nostalgic of the early 2000s rock and alternative girl bosses we know today. She was reminiscent of Avril Lavigne, even dawning that early 2000s style, and Hayley Williams of Paramore. She is a solo artist and the only person she had with her was her drummer, who was amazing. I enjoyed bouncing up and down and waving my arms in the air to the music, even though the crowd was not giving the same energy. Most of the people seemed disinterested, but I was having the time of my life. The concert was under $25, and for that much I would have been satisfied just seeing Jackie Hayes. Jackie Hayes? More like Jackie Slays. I am looking forward to listening to her new album, Over & Over, in full now that it is out.
Now to get in to the main attraction, Vacations. AMAZING! I cannot hype them up enough. The theme of their concert was "return to the wild west", so all the members of the band dawned some sort of western wear. They also tried to hide their Australian accents, and use a country one instead. They fully committed to the bit. As well, they seemed like very kind individuals who care a lot about the fans. At one point, a person holding a sign stating they could play their song Lavender on guitar, was called onto stage. Campbell Burns, the lead singer and a guitarist for the group, called him up and handed him his guitar. I was in shock that he had so much trust in a fan, but Alonzo killed it. He got up there and played what he knew and Burns sang. It was a lot of fun, and I am sure the fans life was made. It definitely added some spice to their concert plans.
The music itself was amazing, the band sounded great live. I was honestly worried about how good they would sound because many artists sound so different live. However, they sounded better. Now when I listen to their music, I get sad because it does not sound as good as they did live. They played a mix of songs from old and newer albums and EPs, which was really enjoyable because there was a mix of fans. There were the fans that have been listening to them since their very first EP Days, and the people who started listening to them in the last year. I appreciated that they catered their set list to the whole fan base.
The vibes (no pun intended) were great. The music sounded perfect, the lighting was nice, the weather was good, and the fans were excited. Their last song-- Young-- was highly requested by the audience. It sounded great, although I am sure they have grown sick of playing it as it is their most popular song. It was super fun and nostalgic for me personally to hear it though, because that song is off the album I had on repeat. The only thing I would change is where I stood. I was quite far back and combined with the fact I am short, I could not see too much going on near or on the stage. Overall, I had a great time listening to them and I would definitely go to another concert if they come to Tucson again.
Rating: 10/10 would see again Reviewer Name: Therese Peralta Date of Review: 11/3/2022