After the last couple of gigs, I’m starting to develop a theory of the distinction between gigs as things to be experienced and gigs as things to be participated in - the dynamics of whether that’s an individual preference, defined by the crowd, defined by the band, the causation and the correlation. I am very much the former. Unfortunately, the audience around me tonight are very much the latter.
That being said, it’s not too disruptive in the scheme of things. Dallon Weekes is always audible over the adoring crowd, which helps. He’s also, along with his backing band in this now solo project, very strong live.
It’s a strong setlist, with a delightful range of songs from across the discography, even reaching the pre-IDKHOW The Brobecks songs, with a barnstorming Visitation Of The Ghost seeing Weekes part the crowd like Moses and the red sea, politely but firmly affirming that the crowd will not grab at him or touch him or interfere with him as he joins them, returns to the stage, evolves it into a cover of Murder On The Dancefloor, then bringing it back home again.
I don’t know why all pop-punk/alternative/emo-adjacent frontment have the same vocal intonation and way of addressing the crowd, but yet they do. Go figure.
Balancing Act are maybe the most impressive support act I’ve seen this year, if you like that kind of thing. For an audience that feels more than usually keyed in to being only there for the headline set, they present some very good mid-era P!atD affairs (which makes sense given that mid-era P!atD is pretty much defined by Dallon Weekes being involved) that win the crowd over quickly.