I’ve always felt that every year needs a thoroughly sweaty, raucous show to signify the start of summer—and this, the FIDLAR Spring Break 2015 tour, was it.
Never mind that a repulsive number of showgoers had parent carpools waiting to pick them up afterwards; I watched these kids get their phones knocked out of their hands while Snapchatting and never pausing for a second, still screaming along.
That, of course, was more of the FILDAR crowd. But that isn’t to say that Metz fans weren’t crazy, too. The Toronto trio ripped through songs that were equal parts sludge and shred, tightening up older songs just enough that they fit seamlessly with new material from their latest release II.
Metz strike something in you—awe, anxiety, pressure, panic, rage. They go out of their way to shove you out of your comfort zone with spastic movement, hideous snarls, and most of all the realization that they’d play this way on any stage, at any time in their career. I would have loved to see them headlining this show, and the sentiment was shared.
FIDLAR aren’t necessarily proud losers, they’re just relatable ones. They make being an awkward, hopelessly eternal teenager charming and anthemic. So when their lengthy set solicited cheers from nearly the entire room at the start of each song; when each number was celebrated with equal enthusiasm and desperation, I understood how important these songs were to younger fans, and how much we underestimate teenagers in this genre.
Superfans are not reserved for pop and hip-hop; indie punk gets them too—yes, even in 2015. It may be the FILDAR/ Wavves/ Best Coast brats leading the charge, but if they have an obsession for loud and thrashy shows like this that belong in smaller rooms, I’m glad they got a ride from their friend’s mom. We need more kids like them to make more nights like this happen.
METZ
FIDLAR
