Last night, The iconic Australian twin duo The Veronicas made one of their last stops on the USA “Gothic Summer” tour here in the heart of Houston. White Oak Music Hall hosted the highly anticipated event for all of us pop-punk fans to gather for a spectacular night ahead. Once I arrived, I noticed a crowd of many high pitched and excited girls of all ages, in a sea of black and pink blinged out attire along with a well-lit stage and a room full of electrifying energy. I must say, it was a whole vibe. Its bizarre to think of my twelve year old self dreaming of being able to see The Veronicas in concert, as i would spend the night with my best friend and do nothing but listen to “4 Ever” on repeat for hours as we laid on the floor cutting up magazines for our mood boards and eat bowls of ramen noodles. Here I am, almost decades later, being able to not only see them live, but cover and photograph the show as well. I guess that’s considered a full circle moment? I don’t even know, but it was and still is mind blowing to me that I am blessed with such opportunities like this.
California pop artist ‘Jesse Jo Stark’ led the night away with an eleven-song set-list with songs including “Dandelion”, “Skeleton”, “Pussycat”, and more. I’ve never heard any of Jesse Jo Starks music before so i wasn’t sure what to expect… but honestly, this woman has an amazing voice! With hints of ‘Lana Del Rey’, she had a very sweet whispering tone with each note she sang. Through her music she tells stories of love, heartbreak, and self discovery in a way that I feel resonated with a lot of the girls within the crowd that night. She was full of that “woman power” energy and wore sparkly makeup to match her sparkly top and revealing slit skirt layered with a huge puffy fur coat and cow print boots. Jesse Jo Stark is truly a fabulous performer and musician and I am extremely impressed by her overall sound and old fashioned feel to her music… I believe she was a great choice for The Veronicas to have open for them.
The stage was then made ready for the sisters we were all ready for, Aussie twins Lisa and Jessica Origliasso, as many mainly know of as The Veronicas. These talented individuals bursted into our music world back in 2005 with their debut album “The Secret Life Of”. Both quickly gained international obsession from teenage girls and beyond for their edgy pop-punk sound along with their fashioned identical look and stage presence. The Veronicas are obviously also known for their distinctive vocals, both incredible singers with a tiny difference in melodies to set them apart. Everyone in the crowd was absolutely stoked to be there that night. The vibes were positive, everyone was having a great time, and as soon as those stage lights went off and it was show time… Every single human on that floor had their eyes peeled to the stage as screams filled the air in excitement. Opening their fifteen song set with “Take Me On The Floor”, “When It All Falls Apart”, and “Everything I’m not”, it was obvious they were both absolutely thrilled to be there. The fans were so engaged and attentive and that just fed their engagement right back at them. Their sound was pitch perfect, literally sounding just like they did when I heard them on my little CD player as a kid. Does Jessica and Lisa even age?! I was truly blown away and we were only a few songs into the night.
Continuing with more songs from their previous albums along with their newest release from this year “Gothic Summer”. I was geeking out the whole time over how incredible they sounded, I couldn’t help but scream to the songs myself. Along with some acoustic jams, The Veronicas played other tracks including “You Ruin Me”, “In My Blood”, and ended the night with everyone’s favorites (including myself) “4 Ever” and “Untouched”. I was so happy I was able to cover and attend this show that night… After all these years they still hold that little happy place in my heart with their music and even after all this time, they still continue to seamlessly showcase one hell of a performance. With unforgettable sounds and infectious energy, The Veronicas continue to captivate their listeners while leaving us with a memory to last a lifetime.
The Veronicas – Krystiee Lee Photography
Jesse Jo Stark – Krystiee Lee Photography
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