Photos by Taylor Blazer
Author: Polyvox Magazine
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GALLERY: The Band Camino with Almost Monday and In Color – Egyptian Room at Old National Centre, Indianapolis, IN
Photos by Ren Pokluda
The Band Camino
In Color
Almost Monday
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GALLERY & REVIEW: Pale Waves at The Waterfront, Norwich, UK
Photos and words by Abi Belsham
Pales Waves returned to The Waterfront in Norwich for their Still Smitten Tour, and came back with a bang (and chandeliers).
Starting with support from Emmma, whose music consists of soulful alt-pop, got the crowd moving and ready for the headline act.
The venue was bustling with anticipation after an emotional performance from the support act. As the lights dimmed, the indie four piece then took to the stage and dove straight into Perfume from their fourth and newest album Smitten.
The fans started singing along and continued through to Not a Love Song and Eighteen, before upping the tempo to Lies, a song which feels more like an early 2000s rock song, and is one of my favourites.
The lighting was great and really fitting the mood of the next songs, especially when Heather performed a cover of The Cranberries emotional song, Zombie.
In the second half of the main set, they performed well-loved singles “There’s a Honey,” “Red,” and “Television Romance,” all from the band’s first album: ‘My Mind Makes Noises’. These are the songs that got me into Pale Waves, so it was a real treat getting to hear these classics live.
Closing the night off, they ended with “She’s My Religion” and “Jealousy.” All of the songs flowed well into one another, and Heather’s vocals were so clear. The crowd roared as the band said their goodbyes, and the energy was really high throughout the night.
Sadly, the set flew by really quickly, but getting to see Pale Waves perform such a mix of songs was magical, and I hope to see them again in the future!
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REVIEW: EP 2 – After
Words by Camryn Lanning
Bandcamp Imagine the year is 2007. The air is crisp but warm, and you are walking home in the afternoon. You can feel the sun touching your skin as you admire the fall foliage. You specifically took this way home because you love the way the sun pokes through the trees. It gives you hope for the future and brings a sense of clarity to the confusion of life. After all, there isn’t a better place to yearn than walking on a quiet, tree-lined street.
When you get home, you log onto the family computer and click on this new website, YouTube. After surfing around a little, you search for a song your classmate told you about in fourth period. You click on After’s “Deep Diving” music video and are blown away by their refreshing sound. Their sound feels fresh, but familiar, like rediscovering a part of yourself you didn’t even realize you lost. You immediately call your friend to thank them for introducing you to this song and make plans to meet up at the local coffee shop to study. You download After EP 2 to your iPod, put on your headphones, and walk down the same tree-lined street, thinking about how different life will be in a year.
This is what listening to After’s new EP feels like. With an undeniable trip-hop influence, LA-based pop duo After evokes a feeling of nostalgia. Nowadays, many artists are chasing the hopeful feeling that music had in the 2000s, but fall short because they sound too manufactured or focus solely on creating viral TikTok soundbites. After has successfully captured this feeling of simpler times, tapping into the sincerity and optimism for that lost era, while also providing something new and refreshing. Each song sounds cinematic, like it belongs in the end credits of a 2000s sitcom.
Trip hop is a genre that emerged in the late 80s and early 90s, focusing on slow tempos, sampled beats, and moody electronics. Some of the key pioneers of this genre include Massive Attack and Portishead. Focusing on atmospheric ambience, After hones in on traditional trip-hop elements to create something authentic and fresh.
As said best on After’s Bandcamp, listening to this EP makes you feel like you have heard it before in a dream (even though it just came out last week). It is the perfect soundtrack to the frutiger aero graphic design aesthetic. Something about it makes you want to crawl through the computer screen and run through a lush field of grass under a vibrant blue sky. It feels like the future we were promised.
If you are yearning for a simpler time, but still want to try something new, you should give After EP 2 a listen.
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GALLERY & REVIEW: Wolf Alice at Fox Theatre – Pomona, CA
Photos and words by Delyla Carline
A cool gray sky hung over Pomona the night Wolf Alice performed at the Fox Theater on October 11. It felt as if the London band had brought the London weather with them. The city knew they were in town.
Inside the scenic venue, the lights dimmed and the crowd erupted, cheering for the band as they walked stylishly onto the iconic Fox stage. Wolf Alice opened with “Thorns,” one of the newest songs from their latest album The Clearing. Ellie Rowsell twirled across the stage with her usual energy, completely in her element.
Moments later came “Formidable Cool,” a standout from their second album Visions of a Life. Mid-performance, a sudden blare cut through the music. What sounded like another Charli XCX remix cue turned out to be the fire alarm. For a few seconds, confusion rippled through the venue before the band calmly exited and the audience waited, patient but buzzing. It was soon announced that the alarm was triggered by a fog machine malfunction. When Wolf Alice returned, the crowd greeted them with even louder cheers. Rowsell laughed and told everyone to forget the last ten minutes ever happened.
Their setlist this tour covered songs from all of their albums. Some of my favorites were “Giant Peach,” “White Horses,” “The Sofa,” and “Smile.”
Later in the show, alarms and flashing red and blue lights filled the room, but this time it was part of the chaos. The intro to “Play the Greatest Hits” exploded to life with Rowsell shouting through a megaphone, owning every inch of the stage.
The encore brought the night to a dreamy close. The crowd sang along to “The Last Man on Earth” from Blue Weekend, their voices echoing through the theater as time seemed to slow. The metallic fringe backdrop glowed with tiny stars and hearts while the band ended with the fan favorite “Don’t Delete the Kisses.” Wolf Alice performed with passion and precision, turning each song into an experience. As the audience spilled out onto the street, I found myself standing outside the venue, still wanting more.
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REVIEW: “Laugh” by Nodes
Words and Photos by Jack Foley
Photos from Nodes garage show, Columbus, OH, June 2025
Kodak Ektar 100, Ilford Delta 100
Nodes has been the focal point of several Polyvox features, and for good reason. The collective released their latest record, Laugh, and I cannot praise their musical prowess enough. Nodes is a revolving door of artists coming together for the common purpose of making incredible music, and their lineup changes from show to show. You truly never know what you are in for at one of their shows, but regardless, you’ll be blown away.
The record features seventeen (yes, 17) artists on instruments ranging from typical guitar, drums, and bass, to marimba, banjo, flute, clarinet, cello, and many others, layered and interleaved to create a psychedelic, noisy masterpiece that made me second-guess my sobriety. The nearly hour-long record is best enjoyed in a dark room, eyes closed, with good headphones or a stereo system. I was lucky enough to be invited to a private listening party at the Nodes house as my first listen, and the experience left me dumbfounded and overwhelmed by the ability of their production. Creating such a rich and intricate sound requires immense talent, and it’s clear that Nodes’ talent has overflowed into this album.
The record incorporates ambient recordings from several locations–street corners, parking garages, and other unconventional spaces. These recordings are layered and built upon in an oscillating, dynamic manner that waxes and wanes throughout the album. The musicianship and mixing on “Laugh” highlight the talent behind the project that dedicated countless hours to put this masterpiece together.
I lay on the floor, eyes closed, letting the music take me where it wants. I’m enveloped in a warm, droning, almost playful sound at points, that takes me back to my childhood bedroom. It’s 7:00 am on a cold autumn morning. The sun has just begun peering over the horizon, illuminating the grass, peppered with frost, the air crisp and heavy, yet invigorating. The window is open just enough to let the balmy breeze caress your hands. You crouch down, sharply breathing in air through your nostrils, exhaling as the warmth from your breath crystallizes on contact with the exchanging air currents. The geometry of the ice on your window catches the sun, just as your eyes dart in its direction, it’s gone, fleeting, yet it dances between your eyes. You are invincible, but at the same time, vulnerable, meek, and in awe at the fact you are present in this very moment–a one-in-a-trillion coincidence to exist in this exact situation. This is what “Laugh” feels like to me. I implore you to tune into this record with an open mind, and ideally, closed eyes. Let the music carry you around the sonic sea presented by Nodes in this incredible work of art.
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INTERVIEW & GALLERY: An Evening With The Laughing Chimes
Interview and photos by Jack Foley
I caught the Laughing Chimes earlier this year, opening for the Chicago group Lifeguard at Ace of Cups. Their sound really caught my attention–it’s truly timeless, you could say it’s ripped off a cassette found in an old shoebox and I would fully believe you. It’s warm, nostalgic, and dripping in jangly angst. I caught up with the group at their latest performance in Columbus at Cafe Bourbon Street to chat about music.
Polyvox: How did The Laughing Chimes first come together?
Evan: Quinn and I are brothers, we started it back in 2020 just as a recording project out of our bedroom. From there we recorded a whole album worth of material, since that was, like, during COVID time and we couldn’t go out and play. But, I mean, playing live was always a goal. And yeah, once we got that first album done in 2021, we went from there and started playing live in 2022. We got Ella on board in late 2023, she plays guitar, and then I taught Kyle how to play bass over the summer.
Polyvox: So, would you say that being in and around the Southeast Ohio area has influenced the way that you’ve approached your music?
Evan: I think so, in terms of the vibe. I feel like we try to bring some of the atmosphere to the music. I don’t know if it’s influenced it in the way that, like, genre-wise, because obviously, where we’re from, there’s a lot of folk and stuff, which I like that stuff, but it’s just not what we play. But we try to bring some of that darker kind of atmosphere to it.
Polyvox: Yeah, definitely. That sort of gothic aesthetic.
Evan: Yeah, totally.
Polyvox: Describe your music in three words.
Evan: (Laughing) Ooh, not too bad, not too bad.
Polyvox: I know this is a super loaded question. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.
Evan: Dreamy, nostalgic, pop.
Polyvox: You can play on a bill with any three artists, defunct or active. Who is on that bill?
Evan: Number one would be R.E.M., number two would be The La’s, and number three would be Guided By Voices.
Quinn: Joy Division, Nation of Language, and Cocteau Twins.
Polyvox: Who are your greatest influences as a band?
Kyle: My goal is to become Simon Gallop of The Cure. That’s like my absolute goal.
Quinn: Keith Moon, Stephen Morris, and Jimmy Chamberlin.
Evan: If we’re going instrument-wise, Peter Buck, the guitar player for R.E.M. is definitely one of my big heroes. Obviously, Johnny Marr, too.
Ella: I’m going to be an outlier here for guitar and say Dean Ween. He’s amazing. He’s like my favorite guitarist ever.
What’s your biggest music hot take?
Evan: Quinn–you want to go for yours? Isn’t it something about Depeche Mode being like, the most overrated band ever?
Quinn: Oh, yeah. Depeche Mode is the most overrated band.
(everyone laughs)
Ella: I like Blur more than Oasis.
Polyvox: (laughing) Unfortunately, I am a huge fan of “Definitely Maybe,” but I see where you’re coming from. The Gallagher brothers are insufferable.
Kyle: I’m gonna have to be real, I think the entire genre of emo shouldn’t exist. Anyone who calls themself an emo should be ashamed.
Polyvox: Not even Midwest emo?
Kyle: No. (laughs)
Polyvox: Fair enough. Last question–what’s next for The Laughing Chimes?
Evan: Well, we’re working on some new demos right now. I kind of had, like, a little bit of a songwriting block over. I always have a songwriting block over the summer, and I was trying to kind of work my way through it, but we’re working on some new demos, trying to get that figured out. Since Ella and I are graduating from college soon, we’re just trying to figure out, like, where we’re gonna go after that, figure out what the move is from there.
Polyvox Magazine 