As a fan of Lovejoy for almost four years, I had the chance to experience my first-ever concert on Dec. 6, 2023, at the Twisted X-Mas event in the Aragon Ballroom. And while my review will most definitely be a biased opinion by someone who only came for one band, and has never had a previous experience, the concert was incredible.
“I was really excited to finally see Lovejoy, since I’ve been such a huge fan ever since I discovered them,” concert attendee and OH freshman Ty Mueller said.
The first two bands to perform at this event, Brigette Calls Me Baby and White Reaper, were not a focus of mine when I originally arrived, however, I listened to both of the bands and enjoyed every second of it.
“Honestly, when I saw the other bands on the official information pages, I was like: ‘who are they?’ But I think they did a good job,” Mueller said.
After White Reaper played, some people cleared out during the countdown and made way for what I can easily describe as a hoard of teenagers and their parents forming to watch the stage. It was an eye-opening moment for me since the concert had seemed pretty quiet and dead before Lovejoy’s appearance.
The most noticeable part of the concert was the lighting that could change the whole ballroom. During certain beats of the songs, the lights would flicker along and make the concert feel more alive. The screen, especially during Lovejoy’s performance, offered similar splashes of color that best suited the EP or specific song.
“The lights were really cool to watch. They made me more hyped up when I watched the concert, and it was also nice to see different lighting against my favorite band,” Muller said, “[and it] made for some good photos, too.”
The Aragon Ballroom itself is also beautiful. Located in Chicago, it was hard to see the ceiling outside of the concert lighting, but it was a work of art if you happened to point your camera at it under bright lights.
Everything about the concert was beautiful. The sound quality was so good that I felt close to the stage even being a hundred or so people away from the stage. Every beat, every strike of the drum, every yelled lyric: I could feel it through my body.
No matter who played, there was a sense that all I had was music. Everything was drowned out, and I could only focus on the good times in front of me. I could barely even hear my friends, so much so that we had to use our notes app to communicate with each other.
An even better part was the music itself, of course. That is why people came: to scream, to sing their favorite songs, and to listen to Soot’s vocals or the other members playing. Lovejoy played 13 songs and barely paused or took breaks outside of Wilbur’s “waffling,” as he put it.
When the concert ended, my friends and I were bubbling and chatting excitedly, just as we had in the cold, long lines stretching blocks away from the ballroom. We talked about the other bands, trying to figure out their names, and we talked about how we needed to hang out more.
“I thought it was a nice experience that brought me closer to my current friends and even introduced me to new people who I adore,” senior Salem Gubricky said.
Mueller shared a similar experience with Gubricky.
“The concert went too fast, and I honestly wish it had never ended. I still can’t believe they exist,” Mueller said. “That Lovejoy concert was a core memory for me, and I need to see them again.”
Hello, I'm Gianna! This is my second year on staff, now as a senior in high school. I'm the head of the News and Artwork sections. I'm currently in Color Guard, B.I.O.N.I.C, NAHS, NEHS, Quill & Scroll Honors Society, and Senior Class Council!
