Ever bought a concert ticket without knowing a band? I’d consider it if it were recommended to you by a friend with similar music taste. Maybe it’s just me, but when I go to a concert for one of my favorite bands, I always feel as though my expectations were just barely met. Going into concerts with low expectations has always helped me become more present –– the night of April 19 was no different. 

Flipturn, made up of Dillon Basse (lead vocals and guitar), Tristan Duncan (lead guitar), Madeline Jarman (bass), Mitch Fountain (synthesizer and guitar) and Devon VonBalson (drums), first originated as a garage band in Florida when they were high school seniors. They’ve managed to achieve a dream for many young musicians. You can tell Basse, Duncan and Jarman have known each other for eons. They reveled in each other’s and the audience’s presence. Although they were seeing a smaller band, many Flipturn fanatics turned out and turned up. The electric energy of the crowd fueled the slightly tired band, who could not be more appreciative of the enthusiasm after the 10 p.m. door time.

Flipturn performed a dynamic set that ranged from themes of mental health to road trips to the eternal concept of love. Regarding mental health, a topic which is hard to truly encompass in a song without feeling forced, Flipturn wrote “Goddamn my poisoned mind / Goddamn the internet” in their accurately titled song, “Goddamn.” The music reverberated through the young crowd, whose frustrations at the online world were finally being heard. The admission of their struggle was something the under-25 crowd could greatly admire and empathize with. 

Songs about the Windy City seem to never disappoint. While Flipturn’s “Chicago” has sadly been overshadowed by the TikTok sensation by Djo (Joe Keery) which first comes to mind, the young band’s version stands on its own. The song, although seemingly a call out to cross-country locations, captures the essence of the free-spirited nature of the open road. The crowd, almost all young enough to have a summer break, reveled in the joyous lyrics with a heightened anticipation of carefree summer days. Youthful aimlessness is immortalized in the song through the hopeful line, “Who knows where I’ll be tomorrow.”

Like many artists, Flipturn has a few songs up their sleeve about the ever-compelling emotion of love. “August” is one of those songs. It describes the heart-wrenching phenomenon of a couple simply growing apart. In “August,” the narrator feels like they have simply remained the same while their partner has outgrown their relationship. Basse sings, “We don’t talk about it / We don’t have the time… But now you’re a stranger / And I’m still July.” Again the themes of summer seem to permeate the lyrics. By using the months as metaphors, Flipturn is able to convey the inevitable tear that time may cause between two lovers. The circumstance is agonizing and “August” does not fail to express that in the evocative line, “But don’t you remember / August, honey, you were mine.”

The performance itself also did not disappoint. Throughout the set, the band was in a sparring match with the audience over who could headbang the most. In the midst of a tornado of hair, the band jumped and danced around the stage, never staying stagnant for too long. At one point VonBalson even took a drum into the crowd to play a solo. Ever the innovative percussionist, VonBalson finished the solo by putting the drum over his head once he returned to the drum set and continued playing blind. Basse also came into the crowd at one point, not to be outdone by his bandmate. 

Not only did the songs register better live, but the band did not shy away from putting on a show for the eager crowd. The partnership between the audience and the band seemed to enhance the set without one party overly relying on the other. The band, clearly experienced in showmanship, knew exactly what to do to engage the fans. At one point, the disco ball lit up and a hush fell over the crowd as the band played a mesmerizing melody, and all you could do was lose yourself in the music.