photography, live performances

Machine Girl @ House of Blues, Chicago, IL. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian. I struggled to capture high-quality photos or video clips of their performance because the crowd was wild and constantly shoving and jostling me, lol. Despite being probably the most "unsafe" show I've ever attended, this was marked as "all ages" unlike most shows I went before. The venue was packed with school kids on opposite extremes - some with too many edgy piercings and "coolness", and some being too nerdy and a bit less fresh...

Paul Banks (Interpol) @ The Salt Shed, Chicago, IL. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian. Honestly I think his vocal is not good as before and it just cannot be better even if he decides to quit smoking.

Dan Snaith (Caribou) @ The Salt Shed, Chicago, IL. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian. The vibe was just so good!

Kelela @ Warm Love Cool Dreams, Chicago, IL. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian. Heavenly performance!

Samuel Shepherd (Floating Points) @ Warm Love Cool Dreams, Chicago, IL. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian. Another member of the "UK Nerdy DJ Gang" - He earned a PhD degree in neuroscience and epigenetics from University College London! I wish I could learn from him how to stay focused on research without getting distracted by music sometimes, LOL.

Ophlin Russell (Sister Nancy) @ Warm Love Cool Dreams, Chicago, IL. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian. The first, original, real, authentic Raggae queen Sister Nancy!

Shabaka Hutchings @ Warm Love Cool Dreams, Chicago, IL. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian.

Magdalena Bay (you might be wondering if there is an actual bay named this - yes, in Mexico - check this out ;-)) @ Thalia Hall, Chicago, IL. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian. Undoubtedly they have released one of the best pop albums among these years (other than brat lol), but I do think the vocals in studio versions are kinda weak, especially compared to the delicate music production. But I thought the vocal performance from Mica, the main vocal, in live, was actually better than I expected.

Model/Actriz @ Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago, IL. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian. They are pretty new and I think I started to love this band since their performance there. What a cool idea to get post-rock and post-punk "slutty"!

Jamie xx @ Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago, IL. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian. Jamie is probably one of the few artists that I could love unconditionally - he has been made a huge significance to my music preference and taste since I was a dumb-ass little child in the middle school and he's the partial reason that I fell in love with UK bass. And he's still (one of the) most talented DJ and producer in the entire world alive with no doubt!

Jessie Ware @ Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago, IL. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian. Well it was a dreams come true to me - I have been a music fan of her since her debut as some minor and more underground artist in the UK, and here she was just mothering and slaying on the dancefloor as one of the most significant female artists in the UK right now. BTW Chicago is (one of?) her most fav city in the States as she mentioned.

Water From Your Eyes @ Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago, IL. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian. I appreciated how they brought up a really decent performance as a new-gen indie pop and rock band. Though they just didn't seem to be familar to each other while on stage (just kidding).

Black Pumas @ Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago, IL. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian. They undoubtedly rocked the night, and I'm pretty sure they are one of the few living evidences nowadays that RnR was orignated in the Black culture.

Sudan Archives @ Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago, IL. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian. She's so talented, artistic, and versatile!

Amen Dunes @ Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago, IL. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian. He's cute.

SZA @ Gazebo Festival, Louisville, KY. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian. A 10/10 experience — attending the festival live is definitely the best way to see performances from pop stars. As the headliner, SZA brought her entire set to the stage as if it were her own concert. I agree that she’s truly the pop diva of the next generation.

Molly Rankin (Alvvays) @ Georgia Theatre, Athens, GA. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian. This is actually my second time to see them in person (scroll down for my first Alvvays experience). The show coincided with the night before my graduation from Georgia Tech, in the lively ambiance of a college town, alongside the presence of many fellow students from both UGA and beyond. And yes, Alvvays' bangers matched 100\% to the college vibes. The whole experience was surreal and unforgettable to me - live solid 10/10, atmosphere 10/10, A whopping 100/10 experience!

Black Country, New Road @ Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA. 2024. Photography by Xin Lian. Their performance is probably one of the most remarkable ones for some sense - their performance was short but dense, nearly all songs in the setlist were new (though some of them are included in their latest live album), and they even provided freaking drinking water!

James Blake @ Coca-Cola Roxy, Atlanta, GA. 2023. Photography by Xin Lian. His performance was heavenly, just like the name of the tour.

Ellie Rowsell (Wolf Alice) @ Clockenflap Music Festival, Hong Kong, China. 2018. Photography by Xin Lian. The power vocal of my beloved band.

Dan Snaith (Caribou) @ Clockenflap Music Festival, Hong Kong, China. 2018. Photography by Xin Lian. One shocking fact: Snaith received his PhD degree in mathematics from Imperial College London - but it makes sense as I got to know he's the son of Professor Emeritus Victor Snaith, University of Sheffield in mathematics. :)

Alvvays @ Clockenflap Music Festival, Hong Kong, China. 2018. Photography by Xin Lian.

Paul Banks (Interpol) @ Clockenflap Music Festival, Hong Kong, China. 2018. Photography by Xin Lian.

London Grammar @ Clockenflap Music Festival, Hong Kong, China. 2016. Photography by Xin Lian.