On Sept. 28, ABC aired their newest spin-off of “The Bachelor,” “The Golden Bachelor.” This show has the same set up as any other Bachelor show, only this time, the main star is a man in his 70s. This begs the question: who is the Golden Bachelor?
This season, the Golden Bachelor is Gerry Turner, a 72-year-old from Hudson, Indiana. As a retired restaurateur, Turner currently lives in a house on a lake in Indiana where he likes to host barbecues, play pickleball, go four-wheeling, watch his favorite Chicago sports teams play and spend time with his friends and family.
In 1974, Turner married his highschool sweetheart, Toni. Over their 43-year marriage, they had two daughters – Angie and Jenny – and two granddaughters – Payton and Charlee. In 2017, however, Toni died of an illness, leaving Gerry as a widower.
His family is supportive and even excited for Gerry’s quest for love, as they look forward to watching him put himself out there again. In an interview with Good Morning America, Gerry stated that he would like to find someone who is “high energy” and might like to play pickleball or golf.
At the beginning of the show airing, there were 22 women after Gerry’s heart. According to Turner, these women had actually developed friendships throughout the filming of the show and did not take part in the usual drama that is seen on “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” but we will have to see for ourselves as the season goes on…
Although there is not as much drama among the contestants, it has been noted that Gerry will be seen to fall for more than one woman. This conflict will be seen towards the end of the season. Also seen will be “very specific events” that helped give Gerry clarity towards what his decision ultimately came to be.
Although he could not give away how the season ends, when interviewed by People magazine, Gerry did say that he was happy at the end of filming.
“The Golden Bachelor” airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and the following Friday mornings on Hulu.
After 148 days, the Writers Guild Strike is finally over. Having ended on Wednesday Sept. 27 at 12:01 am PT, this strike is the second longest in the Writers Guild of America’s history, only to follow a 1988 labor action. Now that leadership has voted to return some 11,500 members back to work, tasks such as pitching, selling scripts, taking notes and taking meetings can all be resumed.
Although the end of the strike has been agreed upon, Union members still need to ratify the contract. This will take place within the next few weeks, specifically between Oct. 2 and Oct. 9. Informal meetings that will be held in Los Angeles, New York, and even some on Zoom are taking place within the next few days to help those in leadership positions sell the deal to Union members.
The union and studios announced a tentative agreement about a new three-year contract on Sept. 24 after a weekend full of figuring out the deal. While there was about a month that discussion was at a standstill, the two sides went back to the table around Sept. 20. In attendance were major industry names, including Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, Disney’s Bob Iger, NBCUniversal’s Donna Langley and Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav. While many topics were covered in these discussions, one that showed to be a difficult one was the issue of artificial intelligence. Eventually a compromise was established, a compromise that the WGA called “exceptional.”
Although the exact language has yet to be released, the memorandum of agreement included increases to minimum wage and compensation, increased health fund rates and pension, improvements to the terms of size of writing teams and length of employment and better residuals, especially in terms of streaming. As for artificial intelligence, productions and writers are still allowed to use AI, only as long as the use of the software does not eliminate completely or diminish the writers and their pay.
Despite the end of this strike, only half of the historic entertainment labor standoff has come to an end. SAG-AFTRA still remains out on strike, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, while they bargained with WAG, has not set any date for discussion with SAG-AFTRA. The issues being fought for here are mainly focused on general wage increases, streaming revenue, and, again, artificial intelligence.
In short, the writers are back. So even though the WGA strike has ended, without performers, production will be difficult. Hopefully the agreement made between the AMPTP and WAG foreshadows an agreement with SAG-AFTRA, meaning better conditions for everyone in the entertainment industry.
Katelyn Tarver is an American singer, songwriter and actress who originated from Glennville, Georgia. As an actress, Tarver is best known for her recurring roles in the television shows “Big Time Rush,” “No Ordinary Family,” “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” and “Ballers.” She has also starred in the films “Dead on Campus” and “Babysitter’s Nightmare.” As a musical artist, Tarver is known for her indie-pop style with distinctively smooth and emotional vocals and meaningful lyrics of self-awareness and reflection. Tarver started her music career in 2003 when she was a contestant on the reality television show “American Juniors” where she made the top 10. She has great experience with live performances, as she has gone on to support many worldwide famous artists such as Michelle Branch, James Bay, Nina Nesbitt, and Johnnyswim. Adding to her long list of accomplishments, Tarver has co-written “Crazy Stupid Love” for Cheryl, which peaked at the top spot on the UK Singles Chart in 2014.
Tarver’s forthcoming sophomore album is set to arrive in early 2024. She has recently released several new songs from this album, such as “Starting to Scare Me,” “Cinematic” and “Parallel Universe.” She is currently on her first headlining North American tour. Musicians Rosie Darling and Jack Gray will support on select dates. Katelyn Tarver took the time off from her busy schedule to answer a few questions. Let’s get to know her a little better. I hope you enjoy our Q&A session:
Q (JERIANN): Could you share any exclusive details about your forthcoming album, including what you are most excited to share with listeners?
A (KATELYN TARVER): I’m so excited to share this new chapter with people. I feel like it’s my most authentic work yet, and I’m anxious to share it in its entirety!
Q (JERIANN): What can the audience expect when they see you live in concert?
A (KATELYN TARVER): They can expect a mix of some of my older stuff and new, unreleased music, me saying “thank you for coming” too much, and multiple attempts at trying to be funny.
Q (JERIANN): Growing up, which artists did you listen to that inspired you musically?
A (KATELYN TARVER): My mom was always listening to 70’s music and Christian music. My dad would always be playing the guitar and learning some James Taylor or Eric Clapton. I listened to a mix of female country artists and pop artists like Shania Twain and then N’sync, Jessica Simpson and Britney… it was all over the place! I think all of those different genres have influenced me at different times along the way.
Q (JERIANN): What advice would you give to young aspiring musicians?
A (KATELYN TARVER): I would say to not be too worried about your path looking a certain way for it to equal success. Focus on getting to know yourself, making music that you love, and not putting too much pressure on yourself! Get comfortable with being vulnerable and experiencing a lot of highs and lows. Fall in love with the process, not the outcome.Katelyn Tarver appeared live in concert in Philadelphia on Saturday, Sept. 23 at Milkboy. The singer-songwriter will appear at other US venues until Oct. 6, 2023. On the Katelyn Tarver official website, you can find upcoming tour dates, shop for merchandise, and learn more information.
Joshua Radin is a singer-songwriter from Cleveland, Ohio. The folk artist has a distinctive style of soft and relaxing vocals with authentic and meaningful lyrics. In 2004, he found overnight success when his original song “Winter” debuted during a monumental scene in the NBC television series “Scrubs.” Radin then went on to have a successful career as a songwriter, as his music has appeared in over 200 television shows, films and commercials. Notable television shows that have featured his music are Grey’s Anatomy, One Tree Hill, House, American Idol, and Shameless. First Ladies Michelle Obama and Jill Biden have chosen Radin’s original song, “Brand New Day,” as the soundtrack to a commercial supporting US troops. The singer-songwriter has also performed his music on television. Several talk shows that Radin appeared on are Ellen (where he has been a musical guest numerous times), Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Tonight Show, Conan, and the Today Show. Adding to his long list of accomplishments, Radin has performed to sold out crowds across the world and has shared the stage with many notable artists such as Ed Sheeran, Sara Bareilles, Sheryl Crow and Tori Amos. Radin’s music has over one billion streams and he has sold more than one million albums worldwide. His single “I’d Rather Be With You” has received a gold certification.
Radin has recently released “Though the World Will Tell Me So, part 2.” The first volume, “Though the World Will Tell Me So, part 1,” was released in January 2023. Additionally, the singer and songwriter is currently on his North American fall tour, which kicked off this September. Radin took the time off from his busy schedule to answer a few questions.
Q (JERIANN): Which song off your “Though the World Will Tell Me So” album collection holds the most personal meaning for you?
A (JOSHUA RADIN): Either “My Father’s Eyes” or “Over the City” but it’s very difficult to choose. All my songs are very personal.
Q (JERIANN): What can the audience expect when they see you live in concert?
A (JOSHUA RADIN): They can expect to know me a lot better when the show is done.
Q (JERIANN): You have been a musical guest on Ellen numerous times; are there any favorite televised performances or moments that you could tell us about?
A (JOSHUA RADIN): The first time playing on Ellen was crazy because during soundcheck she started crying and asked if the song I was playing was something I’d consider playing while she got married to Portia. So that memory definitely sticks out.
Q (JERIANN): Growing up, which artists did you listen to that inspired you musically?
A (JOSHUA RADIN): Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Tom Petty, Joni Mitchell, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Elliott Smith, Nick Drake, Randy Newman, Harry Nilsson, to name just a few.
Q (JERIANN): What advice would you give to young aspiring musicians?
A (JOSHUA RADIN): Don’t think about success in terms of money or fame or audience size or any of that. Every time I’ve ever thought about those kinds of things, the songs I write aren’t ones I want to play for the rest of my life.
Joshua Radin recently performed live in concert in Sellersville, PA. The singer-songwriter will appear at other US venues until Oct. 14, 2023. Check out the official Joshua Radin website for merchandise and more information.
Taylor Swift made headlines yet again this weekend, but in a much different arena: the Arrowhead Stadium, to be exact.
Up until the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Chicago Bears, swifties were only circulating rumors about Kelce and Swift’s love affair. In July, Travis admitted to his brother, Jason Kelce, on their podcast New Heights that he was disappointed he was not able to give Swift a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it after attending one of her Eras Tour concerts. Rumors started picking up around mid-September, although Travis claimed the interest to be one-sided. This is, of course, until Sunday’s game, where Swift was seen seated next to Donna Kelce, Travis’ mom, in a private box wearing Chiefs’ merch.
Earlier this month, Jason Kelce was asked whether or not he believed the rumors to be true on the DeCamara & Richie on Audacy’s SportsRadio 94 WIP. Kelce said that while he does not know all of Travis’ business for sure, he believed the rumors to be “100 percent true.”
After being seen leaving the stadium together, a TikTok account claimed that Swift paid for the customers’ meals as a means of clearing out a restaurant for herself, Kelce, his family and his team. Entertainment Tonight, however, reported that it was actually Kelce who bought out the restaurant. The same TikTok account continued their claims by stating that she saw Taylor and Travis making out on the dance floor of a club that was also rented out for the exclusive crowd.
While we still do not know exactly what is happening between the supposed love-birds, excitement can be seen throughout Taylor Swift TikTok and even the NFL. The NFL’s TikTok page even changed its bio to honor her attendance. In a post-game interview, Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes was asked his thoughts on if Travis and Taylor are an item, to which he responded by saying that if they were together, maybe he would get to meet her.
As of Monday night, the NFL was still playing clips of Swift’s appearance, as well as her songs in between plays. With this being the case, it is likely to assume that the buzz surrounding this couple will not subside in the near future. With swifties and now football fans alike tuning into these headlines, we are all interested in seeing the next steps of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce (hopefully together).
On Saturday Sept. 23, I got to see “A Haunting in Venice.” It is the third Agatha Christie murder mystery adaptation where Kenneth Branagh portrays the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot and serves as the film’s director. The film is loosely based on Christie’s 1969 novel “Hallowe’en Party.” I I have watched the previous two movies Branagh has directed (“Murder on the Orient Express” and “Death on the Nile”), so I was quite excited with a third movie coming out.
Though I was excited for this movie since murder mysteries happen to be one of my favorite genres, I was also at the same time quite skeptical because I did not enjoy “Death on the Nile” as much as I thought I would. However, this film definitely did not disappoint.
A strong point of this film was its cinematography. There were a variety of different camera angles such as dutch angles and close shots used to help convey the ethereal and creepy atmosphere of a palazzo in Venice where the movie takes place. Also, I enjoyed the shots outside of the palazzo, as it helped to showcase the beauty of Venice and even got the viewer to see what was going on outside the palazzo while Poirot investigates the crime. The visuals were beautiful and one of the things that kept me engaged as the film progressed.
The story is a “whodunnit” within a haunted house setting. Something to keep in mind is that the movie was spooky, not scary. In my opinion, you will get the shivers. The movie does incorporate horror such as the use of supernatural elements. Additionally, it has some subtle comedy, which helps give the viewer some moments of brevity. The story to me overall did not feel rushed and I appreciated that. I do recommend watching the previous two movies as there are some small references from them, but it is optional as the movie is its own separate story.
The characters to me were all interesting in their own ways. I loved getting to know each of them and their own respective connections to each other and to the overall story itself. Once again, Branagh does a great job of portraying Poirot. With that being said, the rest of the cast did just as great. For instance, Tina Fey’s performance as Ariadne Oliver (Poirot’s friend and crime novelist) surprised me. I thought that I would be distracted because of her past works she has been in like “Mean Girls,” but I enjoyed her interactions with Branagh in the movie.
Out of the three films that Branagh has directed, I can say without a doubt that “A Haunting in Venice” is the best one. I came into the theater excited and left it feeling very satisfied. I recommend this film to any fellow murder mystery fan.
On June 16, Kourtney Kardashian broke the news to her husband Travis Barker that she was pregnant at his band, Blink-182’s, concert. Holding up a sign that said “Travis I’m Pregnant” in reference to the 1999 Blink-182 video for their song “All the Small Things. This pregnancy announcement followed the couple’s first wedding anniversary, as well as a well-documented IVF journey on Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
Barbenheimer
On July 21, both Universal and Warner Bros. released their highly anticipated films “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie”. Bringing in over $500 million worldwide in a four-day time span, these two movies signified that movie-going might make a comeback. For most during that weekend, theaters were packed and audiences reacted together, just like the good old days. For more about these movies, please read “Barbenheimer: Review”.
Threads
Meta’s take on Twitter, Threads, launched earlier this summer on July 5. After 24 hours, the site had more than 95 million posts and 190 million likes. Having gained such traction so early on, Meta creators were excited to see how the future of Threads would turn out. Unfortunately, the site saw a 70% decline in daily users just two weeks after its peak on July 7. Following this news, the popular social media app Tik Tok has announced text-only posts, in addition to the photo and video post options.
The Idol
On June 4, HBO released the first episode of “the sleaziest love story in all of Hollywood,” as said by the show’s leading lady Lily-Rose Depp. Created by Sam Levinson, the creator of Euphoria, and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, The Idol portrays the complicated relationship between a contemporary cult-leader and female pop icon. Viewers were so taken aback by the controversial plot line and almost pornographic scenes, they created a rumor that the show had ended abruptly, scratching the fifth episode and releasing the finale early.
Matty Healy
Matty Healy made headlines a couple of times this summer. The first of which occurred right after news broke that Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn had separated. Shortly after, rumors about Swift and Healy dating began circulating, to later be confirmed by one of Swift’s friends and producers, Jack Antonoff. Although Antonoff confirmed the relationship to be a casual one, Healy was seen at and even in some of Swift’s Eras Tour shows, opening with Phoebe Bridgers. Healy had a few weeks of radio silence after he and Swift broke things off, until he performed at Malaysia’s Good Vibes Festival in mid-July. Following an aggressive rant about Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws, Healy grabbed bandmate Ross MacDonald for a kiss.Not only did the remaining three days of the Good Vibes Festival get canceled, but The 1975 also canceled their upcoming shows in Indonesia and Taiwan. Although Healy likely thought he was performing an act of protest and solidarity, many queer Malaysians are critical of Healy’s actions, calling it an act of his “white savior complex.”
After years of anticipation, beginning back in 2018 with its announcement at E3, Bethesda Game Studios grand space Role Playing Game Starfield has launched to an auspicious start.
The game was released on Sept. 6, though players who pre-ordered the standard edition or the X-box game pass got to experience early access starting on Sept. 1. The game rocketed to over 6 million players worldwide within the first two days of release, according to an announcement made by Bethesda on X.
This is a successful start, but it does not reveal how many players bought the game and how many are simply trying it out using their game pass. For context, Skyrim, one of Bethesda’s biggest hits, sold 3.4 million copies within 2 days, and another major title, Fallout 4, sold 1.2 million copies on the platform steam the day after it was released. If even half of Starfield’s players bought their own copy, it is sitting among lofty company.
Reception among critics has been largely positive, with the game landing a solid 7/10 from IGN, an 87% from metacritic, many claiming that while the game isn’t as groundbreaking as the hype set it up to be, it is still a very good game with solid gameplay and impressive graphics. Audience reactions, however, have been much more varied.
Shortly after its release, the game experienced negative reviews on the public side of Metacritic, with a large number of 0 and 1 out of 10 reviews by angry players. Some users are expressing anger at the game for being an Xbox exclusive, while others refer to it as a “joke,” “outdated,” and a “loading-menu simulator”. The game dipped incredibly low early on, but after a counter-bomb movement by fans, it currently sits at a 5.6 average score.
Some players grew angry for gameplay-unrelated reasons. In the large character creation menu, one field allows a player to choose their pronouns, including “they/them” as an option. One streamer, HeelvsBabyface, who has 350 thousand subscribers on YouTube, went viral after an explicit rant when he came across the pronoun menu. Others, such as Dr. Disrespect, complained about developers making the game “political” by including the option, and many who agree with them have mentioned almost refunding their game when they saw it.
On the other hand, many streamers and gamers have been mocking these sorts of extreme reactions. The streamer The Act Man called the issue “superfluous” since pronouns hadn’t even been brought up in his 8 hours of playtime, and another streamer, Hutch, said that the reactions were “wildly unhinged”, especially as it is a very small option on the menu.
Whatever their opinions, the game is still remarkably popular, experiencing 1 million players online concurrently on the day of release, so one way or another, it seems Bethesda has made an impression with their new title.
The weekend following July 21 was a big one, not only for movie-goers but also for the box office. Bringing in over $244 million to the domestic box office, Universal’s “Oppenheimer” brought in $82 million while Warner Bros.’ “Barbie” brought in a whopping $162 million over a three-day period, making that weekend the fourth-largest in the history of the domestic box office.
Like many of those who saw Barbenheimer, I saw “Oppenheimer” first and followed with “Barbie” for a light-hearted pallet cleanser. To reflect my viewing experience, I will first review Christopher Nolan’s movie, then end with Greta Gerwig’s.
My biggest takeaway from “Oppenheimer” was how beautiful it was. I was lucky enough to see it in a 70 mm theater, but I think even with a smaller aspect ratio, the colors and lighting would still be impactful. Even in the black and white scenes, the contrast was graded very well. Even though I am typically not a fan of different saturations being used to portray different time periods, I understood and almost respected how Nolan’s choice helped the flow of the three-hour film. As fragmented as the plot was, I think this choice was more than just artistic and really helped with audience digestion of the concurrent plot lines.
Although I try not to look into movies too much before watching them, I obviously expected performances from Cillian Murphy, Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr. and Matt Damon, but the rest of the star-studded cast was distracting to me. Naming a few of those who really caught me off guard, Devon Bostick (Rodrick in “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”), Josh Peck (Josh in “Drake and Josh”), Matthew Modine (Papa in “Stranger Things”) and Gary Oldman (Sirius Black in the “Harry Potter” movies) were all distracting me from the actual plot as they were on screen. The most distracting was Rami Malek, although one could make an argument for the importance of his specific talent towards the end of the film.
While I understand these actors’ want to be in a Christopher Nolan movie, the culmination of all of them at once was a lot to take in.
I also don’t have much to say on this last note but I think it’s an important one to include: “Oppenheimer” does not pass the Bechdel test. This does not have to be an important thing to keep in mind, but matched with the arguably unnecessary nudity of Florence Pugh and the fact that no woman speaks for the first approximately 20 minutes of the film, it’s interesting to point out and think about, especially in the 21st century.
I also do recognize that although this review is fairly negative, I rated “Oppenheimer” as 4.5 stars on Letterboxd. It was visually pleasing, beautifully edited, and the actors’ performances were stunning. Overall, I would highly recommend Christopher Nolan’s latest film to anyone who likes World War II history, Cillian Murphy, or movies as a whole.
As for Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” this movie was all I wished it was and more. Not to sound cliche, but the self-reflection that I had at the end of the movie made me so genuinely happy to be a woman. And for those of the viewers who are not women, “Barbie” at the very least makes you more aware of the feminine presences in your life, both within yourself and those close to you.
The casting choices made by Allison Jones and Lucy Bevan were impeccable. Not only were Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling the epitomes of their characters, each cameo was tasteful enough to get recognition without stealing the spotlight. From Michael Cera to Kate McKinnon, each side character was casted with just as much attention to detail as the leading roles, really making Barbieland feel like a fully developed reality.
Although Margot Robbie’s performance was near perfect, I think that America Ferrera as Gloria was the best part of the whole movie. Given her history of roles, Ana in “Real Women Have Curves”, Carmen in “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” and Betty in “Ugly Betty”, Ferrera has fared well in her iconic roles as one of the first Latinas on television to not fit the stereotypical beauty standard in the early 2000s (and that’s not to say that she isn’t beautiful). Continuing on this track of roles, in the movie “Barbie,” Gloria is a woman who struggles with her self-image and self-worth. By creating a Barbie that goes against societal standards of women, in that she thinks of life beyond having perfect hair and a girls’ night every night, Gerwig’s combination of Gloria and Stereotypical Barbie is, in my opinion, brilliant. And the casting that goes hand-in-hand with this plot point furthers my opinion even more.
Overall, I would give Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” five stars. Genuinely. I had high expectations going into this movie and they were exceeded by every element of the film.
In retrospect, the weekend following July 21 was one that will be remembered well, not only by history buffs, but by teenage girls of all ages, as well.
“Hold her while you can, cause someday you won’t get the chance.”
Walking hand in hand with one of my dearest friends, we make our way down to the World Café Live, ready to enter the world of Stephen Sanchez. The World Café Live might very well be one of the coolest live music venues in the city. This space, which runs as an independent, non-profit, music venue was very neat. The main floor was stocked with a full bar with little bar stools around it. This area overlooks the pit, with the stage set up by the front of the room. Above the bar area, there was a balcony that overlooked the whole space.
My friend and I went to the pit, and we were right in the middle, but all the way in the back. Even though we seemed far from the stage, the venue was not too big, so we felt pretty close. There was a wide range of people in the crowd, from college age students, to older couples there for a Valentine’s date night, to even younger children tagging along with their parents. Even though this was my first time at this venue, it felt comfortable and familiar to me. My friend and I passed the time talking with each other and catching up before the opening act took the stage. It had been a very long time since we had hung out, so it felt nice to fall back into our own rhythm together again.
Before long, the lights dimmed and the opening act Kings Elliot took the stage. Her songs were melancholic as most of them were based on her personal experience with mental health. I did not even realize that she was going to be the opening act, but I am really glad that she was because I really loved her sound. Clear and crisp, her voice carried throughout the space and filled the room. Even though her songs were more of a serious nature, they were definitely songs that stuck with me and something that I would add to my playlist.
Soon the atmosphere changed, and I knew it was going to be time to see the headliner of the show: Stephen Sanchez. The lights dimmed once again, and these round lights on the stage began to shine and they were pretty bright, like a dazzling glow. Soon, the main act himself burst onto the stage. I could tell at that moment that Stephen was a born performer. He immediately captivated the audience with his smooth voice, high energy, and lovable personality. I knew then that this was going to be a great show, and it only got better.
Once he wrapped up the first couple songs, he threw his guitar pick into the crowd, but everyone was too mesmerized by him, no one really noticed. Except me. I bent down, turned my flashlight on, and right by my foot, I saw it! His guitar pick! It was a surreal moment; I really felt like I was the main character. However, truthfully, I felt like I wanted to give it to someone else. Standing next to me and my friend were a teenage couple and since Valentine’s Day had just passed, I figured “love in the air” and gave the pick to the girl, after I was able to give it a kiss and grab a quick picture with it.
Stephen did a great job engaging with the crowd. He sampled one of his new songs “Only Girl,” and even taught the crowd the chorus so we could all sing along with him. Some other sweet songs he sang were “Hold Her While You Can,” “Lady by the Sea” and the song that blew up on TikTok, “Until I Found You.” His energy went all over the place, from a soft crooning lovey dovey voice, to jumping around the stage with his guitar in hand. In between songs, it was cute to see Stephen hug his bandmates and show his appreciation for them.
Something that I also enjoyed during the show was towards the end. His band went off-stage, and Stephen played a few songs by himself with just his guitar. It was a nice change of space, without the flashy lights or heavy guitar or drums. Just hearing him have full control of his voice as he serenaded the crowd. During this time, it was sweet to see the couples hold onto each other and sway to his pretty voice.
Although it was sad to see the show end, it was so magical. The venue had a disco ball, and it was so cool to see an actual disco ball shine and glitter during the last few songs. This was my first being in the presence of an actual disco ball and I am so happy I got to experience it. It really was the icing on the cake. It was the perfect ending to a really fun concert. Even though Stephen Sanchez is just at the starting line of his career, I can tell he is going to stick around for a while and I am excited to see where he goes from here.
The La Salle Collegian 
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