Students wait in AfterHours for a Valentine’s Day show featuring binki and local band Paper Lady. The show was hosted by Green Line Records, a Northeastern student-run record label.
In an intimate Valentine’s Day performance, lovers, friends and singles all gathered in AfterHours to listen to artists Paper Lady and binki. The event was hosted by Green Line Records, Northeastern University’s student-driven record label focused on supporting emerging artists.
At 7 p.m., Paper Lady took the stage with a unique combination of indie, rock and folk music. The group formed as students at Berklee College of Music and sought to experiment with their sound. They led the audience through their musical journey by performing both crooning jazz-inspired and indie rock-influenced songs. The crowd was in awe during a later song when lead singer Alli Raina broke into high pitched notes that were a mix between whistle tones and screams.
Headlining the show was binki, a Pennsylvania-born, New York City-based artist. He quickly created inside jokes with the audience and his DJ. Running the soundboard, the DJ constantly scared binki with loud sound effects and the two teased each other relentlessly in between songs. When binki spoke to the crowd without a mic, his DJ picked on him, leading to a cheeky response from binki that later became a running joke.
“I know how to project,” binki said. “Any theatre students in the crowd?”
binki performed much of his current discography, including songs like “Marco,” “Heybb!” and “Landline,” as well as a cover of “Linger” by The Cranberries. As he left the stage, the crowd chanted his name before they switched to cheering for his DJ. Excited fans then flocked to meet binki outside the main entrance to AfterHours, where they asked questions, offered compliments and took pictures with the artist.
Alli Raina, frontwoman of Paper Lady, sings and plays guitar in AfterHours Feb. 14. The band was formed in 2021 by five friends from Berklee College of Music. (Quillan Anderson)Rowan Martin, Alex Castile, Alli Raina and Will Davila (left to right) open Green Line Records’ Valentine’s Day show. Paper Lady has described themselves as “the immortal crone, casting spells and wreaking havoc in Boston.” (Quillan Anderson)Pianist Kenzo Divic and guitarist Brady Dallas Jones laugh with each other between songs. Friends of the band came to show their support and were highly energetic throughout both artists’ sets. (Quillan Anderson)Rowan Martin plays the guitar on stage in AfterHours. Paper Lady performed their recently released song “Winter Comes” for the crowd of Northeastern students. (Quillan Anderson)Will Davila plays bass and sings backup vocals on stage during a performance Feb. 14. Paper Lady played songs from their upcoming EP, including their first single of the project “Five of Swords.” (Quillan Anderson)New York City-based artist binki performs in a Valentine’s Day concert at AfterHours. He made his entrance by physically rolling over the edge of the stage as his DJ hyped up the crowd. (Quillan Anderson)binki dances on stage during the third song of his set. When binki talked about his pants falling down during the performance, an audience member shouted, “take them off!” His DJ responded: “I don’t think it’s that kinda party … we can make it that kind of party.” (Quillan Anderson)binki interacts with members of the crowd between songs. He and the audience created multiple inside jokes throughout the performance, one of which was binki repeatedly asking if anyone had seen the movie “After Hours” by Martin Scorsese. (Quillan Anderson)binki performs his greatest hits in AfterHours Feb. 14. Originally from Pennsylvania, binki released his first song “Marco” in 2018, followed by the release of his debut EP “Motor Function” in 2021. (Quillan Anderson)As his DJ teases audience members without Valentine’s dates, binki says he relates. “It’s okay,” he said. “All my songs are about … well, let’s move on because there’s no cool way to say that.” (Quillan Anderson)binki started creating music while at college in North Carolina, but says he “appreciates” the Northeast due to his time living in Hershey, Pennsylvania. “I didn’t go to high school,” he said when asked by an audience member also from Hershey. “Well, I moved before then. I did go to high school, I did graduate. I felt the drop-off. I could have gone to Northeastern.” (Quillan Anderson)Still playing with the crowd, binki closes the show by inviting them to “hit [him] up” in New York City. “Actually don’t, but if you see me … I won’t remember you,” he said. “But come say hi! I’ll be nice.” (Quillan Anderson)
