julie makes hearts flutter at their Lollapalooza aftershow
Article by Ciara Rose Belfiore, cover photo by Jaxon Whittington
It’s a Sunday night after a jam-packed Lollapalooza weekend, and yet, there’s still a line around the block at Lincoln Hall. And who would draw such a crowd other than indie darlings Lowertown and julie?
Festival aftershows offer concertgoers the unique opportunity to see their favorite artists in a more intimate setting. Oftentimes, many attendees didn't attend the actual festival, but still wanted to catch their favorite band live. Sometimes even some of the bands themselves weren’t a part of the lineup, as was the case with Lowertown. It’s the best of both worlds, and eliminates the heartache of missing your favorite band because that was their only tour stop in your city.
Lowertown an indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, consisting of Olivia Osby and Avsha Weinberg kicked off the night with an amazing energy. Their music is not only danceable but thoughtful. As they preform their fan-favorite track “Best Person You Know”, Olivia asks the listener “What morals do you stand for? Have your standards started to fall?”. In addition, to preforming some songs from their 2021 album The Gaping Mouth, like “Bucktooth”. The band also debuted some songs from their upcoming album, which for the most part stuck to Lowertown’s signature unique and energetic sound while also managing to still be exciting. For their encore, Olivia ends the night with another new track, this time playing the harmonica, something she’s utilized quite a bit in her solo project, Olivia O. Though on the shorter side, their set was undeniably fun and showcased truly just how well Lowertown can entertain a crowd.
julie hails from Los Angeles and consists of bassist Alex Brady, guitarist Keyan Pourzand, and drummer Dillion Lee. They came onto the scene in 2020, with the release of their single “flutter”, and are currently signed to Atlantic Records. Though they dabble across genres, they tend to ride a line between nu-gaze and art-rock. Nu-gaze is a subgenre of shoegaze, characterized by more stylistic freedom. julie take this freedom and run with it. Brady and Pourzand alternate vocals, as the sound of their instruments weave together. Their music is not only balanced but expertly layered. As they work through their singles and songs from their latest album, my anti-aircraft friend, like “catalouge”, you won’t find any mild-mannered head bobbing amongst the crowd. It’s an all out mosh-pit with plenty of crowd-surfing, and it’s abundantly clear truly just how fun their music is. Beyond their high-energy tracks, they’re equally as good at slowing things down. Towards the end of the show, Brady’s softer vocals shine on “stuck in a car with angels”, a track that almost feels like a dream sequence, building and building until it finally crests into a wave of distortion.
At the end of night, when it all comes to a close, Lowertown, julie, and their fans, prove that the kids are alright. They simply just want their rock experimental and their guitars distorted.