By Aisha Espinosa
Staff Writer
@aishaespinosa1

DALLAS – I am standing in a crowded room of mostly college students, as the lights dim and NEEDTOBREATHE plays their last song of the night. The notes of “Brother”, their latest single, start to play, and NEEDTOBREATHE commands the stage with powerful vocals and guitar chords.

As they wrap up a display of impressive guitar skills, confetti falls in a burst of white over the entire audience. The band cuts out their instruments, letting their vocals wash over the room. The crowd joins in, and though my friends and I have already lost our voices, we, too are shouting at the top of our lungs.

I have been to my fair share of concerts in the last year, all at the House of Blues and all with varying levels of enjoyability. This last concert, KVIL’s Poptopia, has to be one of my all time experiences. It might have been the music, or it might have been the people that I was with, but either way, I could not sleep for a solid hour when I got home at 2 a.m.

Though I came mostly for Andy Grammer and Rachel Platten, NEEDTOBREATHE quickly stole my heart. I had not listened to much of their music before the concert, with the exception of “Brother” , but still found myself (attempting) to sing along to their set. They played a few songs off their latest album, including “Wasteland”, “Oh, Carolina”, “Lay ‘Em Down” and “Feet, Don’t Fail Me Now”.

But the song that really stuck in my head was one of their older songs “ Washed by the Water.” It had a softer feel than some of their other songs, and had the crowd joining together in a very different way. The lyrics held a deeper, more religious meaning that seemingly touched everyone in the room.

My other favorite acts were Andy Grammer and Rachel Platten. I have seen both of them perform before, and loved the way they had an authentic air about them. This night was no different – Grammer played songs from his most recent album, Magazines or Novels,  and my best friend Claire and I sang/shouted along to every song of his.

Rachel Platten was incredible. I was first introduced to her music back in March, and have followed her music ever since. She is amazing to watch in person, and to see the artist whose name was barely known react to having almost everyone in the room know the lyrics to her chart topper “Fight Song” was priceless.

The other two acts of the concert were also pretty enjoyable. Banks had an Indie-pop feel to her music, and although I love listening to her song “Under The Table”, it was a little too soft for a concert. Elle King rounded off the acts, and though I loved her edgy music, the profanity she used in between songs was a little off-putting.

Other than that, the night was amazing. Highlights of my night? Meeting Andy Grammer after the show, out by his tour bus. Getting pegged with Elle King’s drummer’s drumstick, and then getting to keep the drumstick.
Arriving home far past midnight, my throat hurt, my feet hurt, and I was dead tired. Almost a week later, and I am pretty sure I got sick from both the concert and homecoming the next night. But was skipping my senior homecoming game in favor of a concert worth it? Absolutely.