On November 9th of 2024, I had the incredible opportunity to see Orchid, one of the most influential screamo bands of all time, as a part of their “Doom Loop World Tour.” As a huge fan of screamo and anything adjacent, I could hardly contain my excitement, with this being Orchid’s first tour since 2002. Though I wasn’t familiar with all of Orchid’s discography, my anticipation had been building for weeks and I could not wait for the night to arrive.
The first band that played that night was Cloud Rat, a grindcore band from Michigan. I was thrilled to see them open for Orchid, having first caught their set a few years ago in Carrboro, North Carolina, where they opened for Soul Glo. I loved their performance then and now, with their song “Faster” staying in my rotation ever since. Their sound is everything I love about grindcore, having plenty of fast, heavy, and intense riffs throughout. Each member had incredible skill, with great guitar riffs, precise and loud drums, and a vocalist who tied it all together beautifully.
Up next was The Repos, an older local Chicago punk band that has been around for years. They perfectly embodied what you would expect from a local punk band, with most of their songs clocking in under a minute while delivering a fast and punchy sound. While I came into the show unsure of what to expect due to their lack of social media presence or information online, I was anything but disappointed. The crowd cheered for an encore leaving everybody wanting more, but the set was sealed off with the vocalist fist-bumping the drummer before walking off stage.
Next up was Orchid, with their set being nothing short of amazing. They kicked things off with a theatrical intro, featuring cinematic sound effects and a custom graphic designed for their tour, which had the crowd cheering in excitement. These details only helped amplify how surreal this night was, as it finally sank in that I was about to see Orchid perform live, 22 years since they were last together. From the moment they hit the stage, it was clear that Orchid still had their charm and energy. The songs sounded just like the recorded versions but better, which is impressive considering that this is the band’s first tour since 2002. One of the most memorable moments of the night came when they played “Lights Out”. As the opening chords of the bass rang out, the crowd began chanting the introduction in perfect sync of the vocalist, who held his hands up in the air in anticipation for the song to begin.
I absolutely loved their overall stage design and presence, with stunning projections that helped create an immersive atmosphere for the show. Vocalist Jayson Green walked all around the stage during the show, engaging with the crowd adding a layer of excitement to the performance. For a majority of their set, they projected an image from their iconic 1999 album “Chaos is Me”, featuring a drawing of a skeleton. The combination of their stage design, stage presence, and the energy of the night was all but enough to create an unforgettable experience of being able to see one of the most influential screamo bands of all time. If you haven’t heard of Orchid or experienced them live, I highly recommend catching them at one of their stops on their ongoing “Doom Loop World Tour.”
