Concert Review: Senses, People R Ugly, Good Boy Daisy, The Summer Set at the House of Blues Chicago

Ashley Piraino
17 hours ago
3 min read

Resonating in the Echo: Why the Front Row is My Therapy

There is a specific kind of magic in the "routine" of the House of Blues Chicago. The familiar weight of the media pass, the nods of recognition from the security staff, and the dimly lit nostalgia of those art covered walls. But this past Saturday night, the air felt different.

Just twenty-four hours prior, I had been laid off from my full-time job.

As I made the pre-concert drive, that familiar knot of anxiety tightened in my chest. I had to remind myself: This is what you love. This is your passion. Be present. I wasn’t just there to cover a show; I was there to find myself again in the feedback.

The Power of the Opener

The lineup was a heavy-hitter: Good Boy Daisy, People R Ugly, Senses, and the pop-punk veterans The Summer Set.

If there is one rule I live by in this industry, it’s this: Always show up for the opener. You never know when you’re witnessing the birth of the next stadium headliner. Good Boy Daisy set the tone, but it was People R Ugly that shifted the energy of the room.

I didn't think I knew their music until the first distorted chords of their "What’s Up" cover hit—an indie-punk reimagining of the 1993 4 Non Blondes classic. It was raw, cathartic, and exactly what a room full of fans needed on this warm March night.

Chaos, Kindness, and a Lost Drumstick

The set ended in peak rock-and-roll fashion. Drummer Tristan Kevitch launched a stick into the crowd, sparking a momentary frenzy. In the chaos, I watched a girl attempt to "crowd surf" her way to it, only to be intercepted by security and escorted out.

When the dust settled, I saw it—the stick, abandoned near the barricade. I managed to snag it and even caught up with the band as they loaded out. Tristan was kind enough to sign it, but despite my best efforts to find the girl who had risked it all for a piece of the performance, she was gone. I tucked the signed stick away—a small, wooden sign from the universe that even when you "lose," something remarkable can still land in your lap.

More Than Just a Setlist

The highlight of the night, however, belonged to Senses. The queer pop-punk duo, comprised of Madison Taylor and Nick Sampson, radiates the kind of authentic energy that makes any venue feel like a living room.

I decided to lean into the community spirit. Armed with my mini-printer, I did a "speed edit" of my favorite shots from their set and printed them on the spot. Handing a physical photo to Madison in the heat of the night was a moment of pure connection; later, chatting with Nick, I saw firsthand how much they value the people that attend their shows. They weren't just rushing to the tour bus; they were staying late, exchanging friendship bracelets, signing autographs and actually listening.

The Final Chord: A Night of Radical Connection

As the night culminated with the sweat-soaked energy of The Summer Set, I found myself reflecting on the set that truly anchored the evening for me. Senses didn't just play a set; they curated an emotional arc that mirrored my own week—from the sharp, frantic energy of "Clean Cut" to the defiant, soaring resolution of "Better Than This."

There is a profound vulnerability in seeing a band like Senses live. When Madison Taylor and Nick Sampson hit the stage, the barrier between "performer" and "audience" thins until it disappears. Whether it was the raw grit of "Diamonds on Your Dagger" or the infectious rhythm of "Tiptoeing," every track served as a reminder that we aren't alone in our chaos.

We often talk about music in terms of charts, streaming numbers, and technical proficiency. But standing in the House of Blues after one of the hardest weeks of my professional life, I was reminded of the "why." It reminded me that the "DNA" of rock isn't just the sound—it’s the soul. It’s the drummer who signs a stick for a fan they’ll never meet; it’s the lead singer who accepts a polaroid from a photographer coming off a layoff; and it’s the lyrics that give us a place to land when the world feels like it’s spinning too fast.

I walked out into the Chicago night with a signed drumstick, a few less polaroids, and a renewed sense of purpose. That job may be gone, but the experience. That’s forever.

Senses Setlist | 3.21.26