The Lexicon: Reminiscing on Summer, in Autumn
By Alexis Schlesinger
Editorial Staff I have been to a total of 80 shows this year, and 48 of those were between the last day of Spring 2026 classes and writing this edition of The Lexicon. I could talk for hours about the bands I saw for the first, fifth, or even 12th time between then and now, and I have, when given the opportunity. I had a lot of personal achievements this summer too, as a concert photographer and tour manager, but the people on the other side of my camera are a much more important conversation. I got my first real backstage media pass this summer. I say that because the only venue I’ve had that kind of access in with a real backstage was The Sinclair in Cambridge. I owe that opportunity to my friends in Summers in Autumn and Stringhead. Prior to their show at The Sinclair, I had only seen the two bands in basements, or other small venues. On July 28, they were larger than life. Seeing the two bands so high up on the large stage, with the big crowd and the fancy lights, was only half of it. The level of sound equipment at The Sinclair compared to everywhere else I had heard them was astonishing. Everyone in the room that night heard their music the way it’s really meant to be heard, every time. It was just huge. There’s no other word I can think of to describe it. I was really inspired that night by the way their music completely took over the venue. It’s really something special too, seeing your friends achieve what they deserve, and I’ve been really proud and grateful to be there to witness it. On the topic of large, moving music, there’s another set from my summer I can’t leave unmentioned. The show I attended on June 26 was also in Cambridge, but not at nearly as large of a venue. I went to the Cambridge Community Center that night to see two bands I already knew and loved - Brownie Points and Ruby Red. Both were incredible as always, but I was brought to tears by the band I had never heard of before. rug, a seven-piece, folk-inspired post-rock band from Miami, is not only large in size, but in sound. Out of over 200 sets I saw this summer, I think this is the one stuck with me the most. This is the one I still think about most often. The low ceiling of the Cambridge Community Center basement could’ve been thousands of feet tall that night, the way the music swelled and filled the room. rug’s music is aching, romantic. It holds you and begs you to stay, and the love the band members have for each other seeps into their sound. Any band that has the kind of love for each other as they do is always going to sound infinitely better. It’s even better when there are multiple bands playing the same show, or eight, that feel that same way. From Aug. 18 through Aug. 27, I had the opportunity to tour manage for two bands I absolutely adore - cellardoor and It Helps Me Sleep. The two bands had no prior connection to each other, aside from the ridiculous coincidence that a member from each had gone to School of Rock in Maryland together when they were 12. The coincidence is even more ridiculous knowing that cellardoor is from New Hampshire, and It Helps Me Sleep is from Philadelphia. Watching the bands connect over the eight shows and 10 days we spent together might have been one of my favorite parts of being on tour. They were each other’s biggest fans, always in the front row recording each other, singing along, and cheering louder than anyone else, and there was plenty of competition in those crowds. They both deserved it more than anything too - they’re brilliant musicians and incredible people. There is endless thanks I could give to every band I’ve ever seen for their music, and every connection I’ve made with the talented, loving people in my life and in my community. I will continue to give it every day.
