Concert Review: FIDLAR / DILLY DALLY by Anna Bartusis
FIDLAR / DILLY DALLY at Paradise Rock Club 9/14/18
by Anna Bartusis
FIDLAR performs onstage during day three of the Boston Calling Music Festival at Boston City Hall Plaza on September 27, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. Source: Mike Lawrie/Getty Images North America
It’s not a FIDLAR show until you get a beer spilled on you.
FIDLAR’s return to Boston at Paradise Rock Club since late 2016 was welcomed with a sold-out crowd, buzzing with excitement to hear the energetic LA-punk rock band.
Dilly Dally performed an amazing opening set to warm up the crowd. They played several new songs from their album, Heaven, which was just released earlier in the day. “I Feel Free” was my favorite song of theirs that they performed. I had never listened to Dilly Dally before the show, but “I Feel Free” left me so impressed with the raw energy and strength of this band. The music was guitar-heavy, with powerful, atmospheric vocals from frontwoman Katie Monks.
The crowd could barely contain their excitement as we all awaited FIDLAR’s set. Once they set foot on stage, FIDLAR opened with a recent new single, “Alcohol”, and immediately moshing ensued, and didn’t stop for the rest of the night.
FIDLAR played some old favorites as well, including “No Waves”, “Stoked and Broke”, and “Blackout Stout”. The crowd took over the chorus on “40 Oz. on Repeat”, singing “I’m gonna lock myself inside my room, with this forty ounce on repeat…”.
My favorite part of the night was when frontman Zac Carper briefly mentioned the issue of sexual harassment at music shows, and initiated a “girls only” pit in front of the stage, before playing an even more upbeat rendition of “5 to 9”.
FIDLAR teased that their new album was ready, which has yet to have a release date. They debuted a handful of new songs from their upcoming album, including “Too Real”, an explosive song on their opinion about the current state of affairs in America.
During “Cheap Beer”, it’s almost a tradition for concertgoers to throw their beers in any random place. It’s all part of the experience, hence the beer being spilled on me. My second FIDLAR show and my second pair of wet jeans. And by now, everyone in the entire venue was coated in sweat, even if you weren’t taking part in the crowd surfing and moshing.
At the end of the show, FIDLAR returned to the stage for an encore after a very brief time off after performing “Cheap Beer”, and closed with an old favorite, “Wake Bake Skate”.
FIDLAR is a band that has lyrics that are so fun to scream along to and you can’t help but be absorbed in their rowdy, high energy music. FIDLAR’s performance definitely upped my anticipation for their new album and I’m already looking forward to seeing them again.
Anna Bartusis studies Anthropology at Brandeis University. She is from Aberdeen, South Dakota. Tune into her show Sweet Thing on Wednesdays at 8pm EST.