lovelytheband’s performance Friday night at the Great Hall was a night to remember.

The energy filling the room was contagious to even the most reserved in attendance. The Student Union Board put together a night with incredible sound and energy, leaving audience members not only wanting more, but motivating them to be better than they were when they arrived.

Kicking off the concert was TwinXL, a fairly new band that has only been together for about a year. Right off the bat, TwinXL’s drummer displayed enough talent for an experience in and of itself. Sitting in a chair, the drummer moved twice as much as anyone standing in the entire band. He killed it.

TwinXL performed two new songs, one called “Melt,” a standout track in the setlist, and the second called “Messy.” TwinXL put a lot of character into their verses and choruses, with some added rap parts just to shake it up. The band interacted with the crowd with humor and relatable personality. 

lovelytheband’s performance was an absolutely alien experience. Even in the Great Hall in the Memorial Union, they spared no expense of making sure it felt like being at a full performance hall and giving the absolute best experience. The music was nothing but incredible, killing every song in their set with the crowd following them every step of the way. 

Coming out of the concert, the music wasn’t the biggest takeaway. Well, besides the sudden addition of “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers that made absolutely everyone go nuts.

Mitchey Collins, the lead singer, not only rocked everyone’s minds with music, but also built connections with the audience on a heart-to-heart level.

When going into a concert, the last thing one would expect to do is to suddenly have an introspective analysis of college life at Iowa State. But the way Collins presented each song, with personality and personal stories, brought a reflective atmosphere. Between all of the headaches, the heartaches, the tests, the classes, the professors, the long bus rides and rainy days, Collins pointed out the most important part of our lives at Iowa State is the people we meet, the experiences we have and the memories we make.