BY: Shannon Maynes

I arrived at the Chelsea Cutler concert lost and confused. This was my first time taking pictures for a concert. Not really sure where I was supposed to go and where I could go without getting in trouble I meandered in. Nervously, I made my way to the photographer's pit where I was able to set up for the concert. After chatting with the other photographers, though, I had a better idea of what I could expect for the evening.

Once Yoke Lore came on stage all that nervous energy went away. In that sense, there's something so magical about concerts. Yoke Lore was the perfect preamble to Chelsea Cutler. His folksy singer-songwriter music is infused with energy that just makes you want to dance. Adrian Galvin, aka Yoke Lore, used to be a member of the band Walk the Moon and if you're a fan of Walk the Moon you should give Yoke Lore a chance. He is a multi-instrumental musician that infuses indie pop with folk with songs like “Beige” and “Goodpain”. His showmanship was electric and when he finished his set I was left wanting more. In an effort to describe this project Galvin said, “Yoke Lore is a cohesive form of expression assembled from a life of dabbling in the becoming.” That is what was felt during his set. There was a sense of becoming. There was a mixture of high energy songs that made you want to let go of everything and dance and slower songs that made you take a breath and remember the small things. 

And like I said, this was the perfect preamble for Chelsea Cutler. The name of the tour “The Beauty is Everywhere” perfectly encapsulates the essence of this concert. Having recently released her third studio album Stellaria, Chelsea Cutler knows how to merge beautiful and relatable lyrics with memorable melodies. Another multi-instrumental musician Cutler showed her range throughout the evening. Her strong vocal performance was matched by her musical abilities on guitar and piano. And I would be remiss if I did not mention how talented her band was. The amount of musical talent on stage was immense. Truly the night was enchanting. Chelsea Cutler made it look effortless.

With songs about heartbreak and finding yourself to the experiences of love and joy, there was a song for everyone. With her songs “Growing Up is Hard” and “I Don't Feel Alive”, Cutler captures how complicated it is to grow up and the changes that come with entering young adulthood. Songs like “You Don't Think about Me At All” and “nj” capture the longing for love lost. And for the encore Cutler closed with “Your Bone” and “this is how you fall in love”, both songs featuring beautiful melodies and the beauty that comes with falling in love. The highlight of the night had to be when the crowd sang “Hunting Season” with Chelsea. There is something truly electric about a bunch of strangers coming together to share a moment where they can be unified in their love for something. And I guess that it really does show that beauty is everywhere.