Listen local is the new shop local.
By: Kendall Minaldi
While it’s always fun to spend a night out on the town attending chart-topping artists’ concerts, don’t discount the many local artists who have so much talent to offer.
Hall Johnson is a five-piece indie-garage pop/rock group from Colleyville, Texas, and despite being relative newcomers to the Dallas music scene, they have already seen success and are only gaining more. Trevor Stovall, the band’s guitar and piano player and a freshman at OSU, met with me to talk all things Hall Johnson. The name Hall Johnson comes from the name of a major street in their hometown. Their sound stems from the likes of The Strokes, The Cure and The Smiths, giving them a vibe that perfectly blends newer garage rock with influences from the '80s. “[Touring was] definitely the best experience of my life. It was 10 shows and I booked it all independently, so it was just the coolest experience I’ve ever had," Stovall says. Hopefully you caught them at Alpha Tau Omega’s Fright Fest, but if not check them out on their Texas tour with Dent May in December!
Lend a listen on Spotify: Hall Johnson
Follow them on Instagram: @halljohnsontx
On the other end of the spectrum, there’s 51 Junction, a red dirt band based out of Stillwater. Playing together for about a year and a half, the group has honed their sound from influences such as The Troubadours, Led Zeppelin and Casey Donahew. 51 Junction also released an EP titled “One More Round” in October. You can find a 51 Junction show at a Stillwater venue almost every weekend, so it shouldn’t be hard to catch them performing!
Lend a listen on Spotify: 51 Junction
Follow them on Facebook: @51Junction
For someone with music taste more inclined to pop singer/songwriters such as Shawn Mendes, Ed Sheeran or Charlie Puth, check out Cole Norton. While originally from Canada, Norton currently attends OSU where he often performs in the Student Union or at the Seretean Center. His singing career began at age 14 and grew from there, leading him to post covers online, write his first song in 2017, called “Wrote a Song About You" and even gain exposure by a Dallas radio station. Norton describes his sound as “...emotional and true to the stories I tell. I really try to make the audience feel the words.” While he does not have any Stillwater shows planned at the moment, you can find his music on Spotify and Apple Music.
Lend a listen on Spotify: Cole Norton
Follow him on Instagram: @coleanorton
Photos By: Jay Elliby