Before FIDLAR took the stage at the Wonder Ballroom on Thursday night, the air was thin, breathable and cool, much like the outdoor fall weather that crept in through the open doors at the front of the venue. By the end of an hour-long, adrenaline-charged set by FIDLAR, everyone in attendance was drenched in sweat, the floor was covered with loose clothing, stepped-on plastic cups and at least one puddle of booze-laden vomit.
FIDLAR is touring in support of Too, an emotional roller coaster of an album which is mainly about singer Zac Carper’s struggle to overcome his longtime addiction to drugs including heroin, cocaine, meth, speed and alcohol (If you haven’t read the Consequence of Sound interview with Carper from late August, please take a few minutes to do so here. It’s heartbreaking and essential to understanding FIDLAR).
As the lights dimmed, R. Kelly’s “Ignition Remix” began playing, marking probably the only time anyone has ever moshed to an R. Kelly song. Skulls with light-up eyes served as the only stage light until two large, black mannequins cloaked in grey sweatshirts appeared on both sides of the stage, illuminated by the overhead spotlights.
The crowd was ready to erupt as everyone condensed into the front area of the dancefloor. The clashing guitars of “Stoked and Broke” ignited the mosh pit that failed to cease for the duration of the show. Eventually, the pushing and shoving began to drive people to the outskirts of the audience in search of respite.
The energy of the night was high as the set began with five consecutive songs from the band’s 2012 eponymous debut album. “Max Can’t Surf” was second, leading to the hyperaggressive “White On White” and “No Waves.” Although Carper has kicked drugs, he still visibly flinches with shut eyes every time he sings “I feel like shooting up,” showing that the pain of drugs and temptation still affects him to this day.
“Cheap Beer,” FIDLAR’s best known party anthem was played early and with a slow, extended intro before blasting into the main riff. The early placement did not prevent the show from rocketing along at breakneck speed. It even allowed for a partial cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s classic “Sweet Home Alabama,” a sloppy, out of tune rendition of“The Star Spangled Banner” and a scream-heavy Nirvana cover.
As the band transitioned into new material, guitarist Elvis Kuehn (drummer Max and Elvis are brothers) sang on “Drone” and “Why Generation,” while bassist Brandon Schwartzel took over for “Bad Medicine.”
The best moment of the night was “West Coast” followed by “5 to 9.” Both songs blast by like the snippets of the road trip the band is attempting to recollect. The line “Got high and headed up to Portland, but you can’t buy liquor in Oregon” went by so quickly that most people simply put a hand in the air as recognition before belting along to the infectious “Ah ah ah ahs” of the chorus. This is quite possibly the best song to be released this year, and live, it flies by more quickly than normal, leaving the audience begging for a rewind button.
“You guys want to get weird?” Carper asked the audience. He then commanded the crowd to sit down, which most did on the first try. “I’m expecting 100 percent participation. You’ll know when to stand up,” he said as the band slowly turned a disjointed feedback jam into the song “Cocaine.” As soon as the first power chord was struck, the entire crowd jumped up, matching the intensity of the heavy song.
The lights swirled an alternation of green, red and blue coloring, making it appear as if the stage was 3D-ready. Carper unleashed a blood-curdling scream in the final verse of the song that displayed the raw power of his voice. As the show approached sensory overload, FIDLAR finished “Cocaine,” thanked the audience and left without an encore after an hour-long set.
As Carper told Consequence of Sound, “The adrenaline is a drug itself.” Even if “life just sucks when you get sober,” it is easy to understand how delivering a performance like this could be a high potent enough to fill the void of heroin after experiencing a FIDLAR show.
Watch the music video for FIDLAR’s “Cocaine” below.
Review: FIDLAR makes Wonder Ballroom audience sit, scream and sweat
Craig Wright
October 22, 2015
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