CHICAGO— On Saturday, September 27th, alternative-rock band Fleshwater took the Thalia Hall stage by storm. The jam-packed show was a stop on the band’s tour, supporting their latest release “2000: In Search Of The Endless Sky.” With Chicago’s own Si Dios Quiere and Boise-based Ingrown first on the lineup, the show was off to a brutalist harcore start that established an intense, energetic tone for the night.
Before Fleshwater even took the stage, the stage’s set design proved to be a standout element of the show. With a massive functioning windmill standing tall on stage, surrounded by realistic flying seagulls, this added a striking and unique backdrop to the noisy musical catharsis about to take place.
As the band walked on stage they quickly launched into their set with the opening track off of “2000: In Search Of The Endless Sky,” “Drowning Song.” With the first couple of songs highlighting the effortless blend of nu-metal and shoegaze displayed in the new album, the audience was enthusiastically headbanging, contributing to the sea of movement building amongst the crowd.
When the band commenced the fan favorite track, “Linda Claire,” the crowd greeted the opening riff with a wave of excited screams as the swaying of people quickly turned into pushing, starting a pit. With beloved earlier releases, and their breakout album being highlighted, Freshwater’s set served as a culmination of their entire discography throughout their highly praised career.
Despite the fact that they played for over an hour, Fleshwater absolutely ripped through their set. The band energized the rambunctious crowd with their dynamic and commanding stage presence backed by a blistering wall of sound that felt like a sucker punch of nu-gaze.
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