Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
Boston’s House of Blues was packed wall-to-wall last Friday night, as fans eagerly awaited indie-rockers flipturn. The Florida-based five-piece rose to popularity over the years with a handful of independent EPs, and saw singles like “August” and “Chicago” become passionately adored both online and at their ever-growing shows.
Consisting of frontman Dillon Basse, bassist Madeline Jarman, lead guitarist Tristan Duncan , guitarist/synth player Mitch Fountain and drummer Devon VonBalson, the group have evolved in their sound since their 2017 debut, building off of the gritty stomp of 2010s indie rock, to grandiose choruses and cinematic flourishes that makeup their unique sound.
Colorado folk-rock band Richy Mitch & the Coal Miners kicked the night off with a mesmerizing set that primed the audience for the headlining act. In anticipation of their arrival on stage, the lights dimmed as a wash of music blared through the crowd, ebbing and flowing out of tempo. Setting the atmosphere for an all-out party, by the time flipturn took the stage, the vibes were impeccably high.
Opening track “Churches” took off in full swing, followed by fan-favorites “Vanilla” and “Chicago,” which were sung along to religiously. Opting to play some of their biggest hits early into the set, the energy from both the band and the crowd was palpable.
As the opening synthesizers of “Sad Disco” took off, lights glimmered off the disco ball hanging from the center of the club, immersing the crowd in the shimmering light and creating a dance party in its wake. Dillion Basse, an enigmatic frontman, bopped around the stage in tune with the catchy track, prompting fans to dance along.
“This is always a really special show for me because I grew up down the street in Easton, Massachusetts,” said Basse between songs, much to the crowd’s delight. Decked out in a Boston Red Sox jersey, he made sure to honor the team, as they played directly across the street from Fenway Park. Reuniting with the city he once called home, Boston fans were sure to scream a little extra loud all night long.
With a minimalistic stage setup to leave ample room for movement, platforms held up drummer Devon VonBalson, while the rest of the band unleashed on the glow of the stage below. Encircling him for a jam session that led into the ravenous “Six Below,” the drummer hopped down to join the edge of the crowd with a drumhead and cymbal, pounding away to fan’s excitement.
Interludes between tracks leaned into the band’s cinematic impulses. Atmospheric synthesizers pulsed while the lights glared red and turned into a sci-fi blend of synths and keys that resembled the likes of Stranger Things. While the group experimented with different sounds, they maintained the crowd’s attention throughout, partly due to their frontman’s interactions. With a commanding stage presence and penchant for diverse soundscape, Basse performs like some alt universe’s Alex Turner.
The catchy choruses of “Glistening” and “Halfway” enticed fans to sing and sway along, before the set began to reach its final half. Ear-piercing cheers erupted for breakout song “August,” which was sung along to word-for-word, taking the band aback on stage and setting fire to the remaining tracks.
The opening cry of “Weepy Woman” spurred an enthrallment that lasted until the end of the night, as it exploded into a ferocity as the band trashed around their instruments. By the end of closing track “Space Cowboy” lights blinded as the band gave their all.
Returning for a highly-demanded encore, Basse could barely get a word in as the sold-out crowd screamed. “Thank you so much for selling this show out tonight. This has been a dream come true, honestly it’s so insane.” Taking in the crowd of nearly 3,000 filled around them, the whole band seemed genuinely humbled. With more thanks from Madeline Jarman and promises to be back, flipturn launched into three more tracks to end the memorable night.
The group burst into a fiery cover of The Strokes’ “Reptilia” that did justice to the original, while putting their own distinct flipturn spin on it. “Burn Out Days” roared with crowd approval, and the peppy “Nickel” concluded the night in joyous harmony.
While still riding high on the release of their 2022 debut album Shadowglow, flipturn performed tracks from the album and its predecessors with a freshness and energy that captivated each concert-goer. It is clear why the group have built up such a strong community of devoted fans, as their studio cuts find a new life in their live renditions, that leave fans mesmerized and craving more. As the band exited the stage to the Dropkick Murphy’s classic “I’m Shipping Up to Boston,” we can only wait until they make their way up north again.
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