Ladybugs IN the Spotlight: June Divided & Melissa Menago

June Divided

Hailing from: Philadelphia, PA
Genre: Rock / Pop-Punk
RIYL: Paramore, Evarose, The Hype Theory, Stiched Up Heart, Fall Out Boy, Burn So Bright
Performing: Friday, July 21st from 9:30pm-10:30pm on the Main Stage

June Divided have the sort of emo rock sound that could easily place them in a basement of a house in a city along the East Coast somewhere or on the stage at a 50,000 person summer festival, and either way, a sweaty crowd would gather, mosh pits would form and a blast would be had by all. And even for a sub-genre that has seen its share of credible divisiveness among fans of its fractured scenes, the band 100 percent belong, their sound just polished enough, a slick Warped Tour enamel that covers a little of the hard-earned dive bar corrosion. MELISSA MENAGO (guitar, keys, vocals) makes the most of every breath she INhales, the ensuing emission a powerfully delivered voice that isn’t satisfied by any one mere adjective. Her lyrics themselves are introspective and and rhapsodic, given plenty of room to breathe by the rolling pulse and the atmospheric music that on a dime hits every hook with perfect precision, a perfect foil for Menago to bounce her ideas off. And while by no means gone, the once-dominant post-rock leanings of the band—CHRIS KISSEL (guitar), KEITH GILL (drums) and LENNY SASSO (bass)—have progressed to embrace a touch of electronic and dance music in their latest EP Body Wars, a bold admixture that burrows to your core and shivers its way out in pleasurable waves. June Divided: an absolute guarantee to blow you away.

Genre: Singer/Songwriter, Folk
Performing: Friday, July 21st from 6:45pm-7:15pm at Brew HaHa!

On a completely different note, June Divided’s Melissa Menago will warm up her voice earlier in the evening at a special set in between main stage artists at Brew HaHa’s Market Street location. The locally-owned and operated coffee shop is the perfect spot for Menago to play the more dulcet material of her 2016 solo record Little Crimes. Those songs show a different side of the vocalist and classically trained pianist. Lyrically, Melissa Menago’s solo stuff treads similar ground, and with the same rebellious cheekiness present on covers of Leonard Coen, and on Postal Service/Wizard of Oz and Righteous Brothers/Phil Phillips mashups. Mostly acoustic, the songs have an INtimate coffee shop vibe, as hand drums and light instrumentation accompany her astonishing vocals, quavering under complete control, a captivating alternative to her full time band’s edgier sound. 

INterested? Check out more on June Divided and Melissa Menago at the links below!

June Divided
Website
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube

Vids
Bullet
Secrets
The Perfect Storm

Melissa Menago
Website
Facebook
Twitter

Vids

Somewhere Over the Rainbow/Such Great Heights
Behind the Scenes: The Making of Little Crimes

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