Radio 104.5 is celebrating the 12th anniversary of the station this Sunday at BB&T Pavilion across the water in Camden (which, despite how bands list this tour stop on official merchandise, is NOT Philadelphia, but we will continually flock there for bands we love, won’t we?).
I do not condone artist-bashing and in no way mean any disrespect to the main stage acts of Sunday’s show, but HOLY HELL. HAVE YOU SEEN THE B-STAGE ACTS?! If you’ve never attended a birthday show, Mall Chevrolet sponsors the New Music Discovery Stage (AKA, a smaller, b-stage inside the main gates, but out and away from the main stage area), full of acts that are up-and-coming and get occasional airplay from time-to-time.
Opening things up are pop rockers Weathers, hailing from Los Angeles. As they finish their tour with Palaye Royale and Starbenders, the brand-new video for their single, “Problems” JUST dropped. You can that you can check it out here:
Des Rocs will also be rockin’ the birthday gig, fresh off of his run of dates with The Struts on their sell-out Young & Dangerous Tour. I was able to catch two of these opening sets and LET. ME. TELL. YOU. I have not been this excited to see an opener in a hot damn minute. Des Rocs tunes are bluesy, dirty, sexy rockers and his stage energy is off-the-charts. Dig his latest single, “SLO” and come see them play it live on Sunday.
BUT WAIT. The dirty bluesy rock doesn’t stop after that! Canadian duo The Blue Stones are the New Music Discovery Stage’s middle act after playing a string of festivals in past weeks as well as some smaller club shows last month. Blue Stones are touring in support of their debut record, Black Holes, with the title track being their latest visual offering.
As the hustle and bustle of the b-stage starts to build, alternative R&B and indie popper morgxn takes a break from his current run of dates with ARIZONA mid-tour to fly across the country—no, literally—to bring his crazy awesome pipes to the birthday show. Check out morgxn’s latest single, “A New Way:”
Headlining the New Music Discovery Stage this year is Scottish singer/songwriter Lewis Capaldi. Interestingly enough, his debut record Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent, which is full of piano balladry and love songs from start-to-finish does not seem to match up to Capaldi’s self-depreciating brand of humor in interviews. I’m interested to see his set and how—if at all—he uses his charisma to interact with the crowd amongst his music.
While one only needs a lawn ticket to get to the New Music Discovery Stage, it appears general admission lawn tickets are sold out. If you have not yet bought your ticket to Sunday’s event, there is still time—maybe grab a pavilion seat and float back-n-forth between the headliner stage and the b-stage, soaking up the best of both’s offerings. See all your ticketing options for the event, here!
xx WAPS
