Article by Cameron Castaldi, Photos by Lillian Hammer and Cameron Castaldi
On October 16, KJHK celebrated 50 years on-air with an unforgettable performance by Mei Semones and Dalima Kapten at The Granada, sponsored by our friends at Student Union Activities.
Mei Semones is a Brooklyn-based artist who blends her virtuosic jazz guitar skills with a beautiful indie rock sound. Singing in both English and Japanese, her music is the culmination of her unique musical and cultural experiences, creating an effortlessly rich and distinctive sound.
Pre-Show Portraits by Lillian Hammer
I first discovered Mei’s music last year while listening to KJHK. Her EP titled Kabutomushi was released in April of last year, and the song “Tegami” became part of our New Music Rotation. I remember instantly falling in love with Mei’s skillful guitar runs and graceful voice. I ended up playing that song on-air almost every week during my radio shows.
The second single from her debut album Animaru, “I can do what I want”, was released this year on March 4th, just two days before I got to travel to New York City with KJHK for the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Conference. As I sat on the flight, roamed the streets of New York, and admired the views of the city from the window of my hotel room, Mei’s music was playing in my headphones. It became the soundtrack to a pivotal moment in my life and career at this station.
Since then, her music has become deeply tied to the wonderful friends and memories I have made through KJHK. So when it was announced that she would be performing in Lawrence for the first time, all to celebrate my favorite radio station, it felt completely surreal.
Dalima Kapten, a local favorite, opened the show and immediately got the crowd moving. Though I had seen them prior at smaller venues, their edgy, genre-bending sounds felt especially powerful inside The Granada. Also deeply influenced by jazz and rock, their performance paired perfectly with the main act. I can’t imagine a better start to the show.
Photos by Cameron Castaldi
When Mei and her band entered the stage and opened with “Tegami”, I was immediately transported to my first memories of her music. Her opening guitar line shimmered through the venue and instantly commanded our attention. The rich accompaniment from the violin and viola blended beautifully with Mei, their harmonies even clearer than any recording could capture.
Photos by Lillian Hammer
Constantly floating between meters, tempos, and genres, the music of Mei Semones transports her audience to a beautiful, ever-changing world I had never experienced before. Between songs, she spoke softly to the audience, expressing her gratitude for being a part of the celebration. We even got to hear a song that was not released until the following week. That evening, we were all welcomed into her magical world, one that lingered long after her final notes faded.
Photos by Cameron Castaldi
Getting to witness and photograph this concert while surrounded by so many friends was a beautiful, full-circle moment—one that celebrated not only my generation’s history with KJHK, but the station’s five decades’ worth of accomplishments. As our 50th birthday celebrations come to a close, I am further reminded of how life-changing this station has been, not only for me, but for countless members of our community over the last 50 years.