Live Shows: Ghais Guevara, student 1, and Cavalier, The Cantab Lounge, Cambridge, MA 8/1/26

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Some nights music can transcend the space you're in. This is especially true for shows that you don't have high expectations for. You go kind of on a whim, and end up being blown away by every artist you see. That was the case Saturday night at The Cantab Lounge with the triple bill of Ghais Guevara, student 1, and Cavalier.

Cavalier opened the night. As with most indie hip hop shows, he played his backing music on a laptop. Usually that's not the best option, but Cavalier made it work. He has this ultra laid back flow that immediately engaged the audience. His style was very lo-fi in a way that only added to his sound. This was my first experience even hearing Cavalier, and I was a fan by the time he left the stage.

Up next was student 1. Much like Cavalier, he had an incredibly laid back style. With someone manning his laptop, he came on stage almost immediately after Cavalier and kept the music going. Even the songs he introduced by saying they were aggressive or dance songs were laid back in the best possible way. As great as the opener was, student 1 really got the crowd moving. He joked with the crowd between songs, and gave us many "Would you rather?" scenarios. (Example: Would you rather have four legs or two butts? #Team4Legs) Despite the small venue, student 1's set made him feel like a true star.

Closing out the evening was Ghais Guevara, the artist I was most familiar with. I've been a fan for a couple of years and was thrilled to finally get to check him out. The crowd erupted as soon as he took the stage, and he had that star factor as soon as he took the stage. Guevara felt like a big deal no matter how small the Cantab Underground is. He kept the theme of laid back styles going, and by the time his set ended, we all knew we saw something truly special. All three artists felt much bigger than the room Saturday night.

On Repeat...

Failure - "The Air's on Fire"

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Photo by Lyndsey Byrnes With their upcoming seventh overall studio album, the highly influential band Failure will have released more albums since reuniting in 2014 than they did during their first run. The first single from that album, "The Air's on Fire," shows the band expanding their sound while still being rooted in what has always made them great. The song is a dark and moody one that is always threatening to explode but never quite does. This is an example of 90's alt-rock meets art rock at its very finest. It's the kind of song that could easily have come out thirty years ago, but that doesn't mean it sounds dated. After the first listen, "The Air's on Fire" will sound like a killer alt-rocker from a 90's band that hasn't lost a step at all. The more you listen, the more complex Failure get on the single, and the more the song reveals itself to you. Ken Andrews says of his band's latest single: “That song is directly about my ...
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Hiding Places - "Waiting"

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Photo by Calli Westra Brooklyn's Hiding Places are originally from North Carolina, and that sound is all over their latest single. "Waiting" has a strong alt-country meets dark indie rock sound. The song is as hypnotic as it is heartbreaking. Even if you're not paying attention to the lyrics, the vibe of the song is overwhelmingly dark and somber. There's plenty of country twang and indie rock fuzz throughout the song, with the music carrying the weight of the song as much as vocalist/guitarist Nicholas Byrne's voice does. The song is stunning, both in its beauty and mood. I feel like I've been sitting on "Waiting" for a while now until I could fully wrap my head around it. Hiding Places has something truly special here. Nicholas Byrne says of his band's latest single: "Hiding Places’ first bassist, Anthony Cozzarelli, left the band in July of 2022. I wrote the chorus the day before Anthony left the band. I recalled the slow death of my ...
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Mama's Broke - "How it Ends"

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Mama's Broke, the post-folk Canadian duo of Lisa Maria and Amy Lou Keeler, have just released a break up song that might be their most accessible yet. While the previous singles from their upcoming album have a certain darkness or a sense of foreboding, "How it Ends" sounds relatively upbeat. Considering this is a song about how you never think you'll find someone as good as your ex after a break up, that's quite a feat. This is a traditional folk song with some slightly modern folk harmonies. As much heartbreak as their is in "How it Ends," there is also the warmth of remembering a recent relationship. You can listen to "How it Ends" below. Narrow Line is due out May 13 on Free Dirt Records, and can be pre-ordered here . For more on Mama's Broke, check out the artist's website .
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