On October 25th, I had the pleasure of seeing Fleshwater at Soundstage with Balmora and Chat Pile opening. This was my first time at Soundstage and my first time going to a show by myself, so I was unsure of what to expect. Due to some transportation issues, I arrived towards the end of Balmora’s set. I knew I was in for a good time when I could hear the music booming from about a block away. The pre-entry security check was impressively fast, with three separate people checking IDs, bags, and tickets.
The atmosphere inside was electric, enhanced by moody lighting and acoustics that delivered the sound straight into your veins. I wish I had caught more of Balmora’s set, because the two songs I did hear were phenomenal. I was able to move closer to the stage before Chat Pile, and I’m glad I did. They had a pretty unique sound–not exactly something I would usually listen to, but very enjoyable live nonetheless. The vocalist’s energy was contagious, and the mosh pit was very active.
Fleshwater took almost 45 minutes to set up, but the wait ended up being completely worth it. I listened to their entire discography the same night I saw them open for Deftones more than a year ago. Since then, their stage presence has improved dramatically, and I was completely enthralled by their vocalist, Mirsy. My favorite song is “Linda Claire,” and the fact that they played it twice literally made my entire month. I’ve also never seen a more active crowd before; everyone around me was jumping in sync and screaming every lyric.
Best of all, there is no barrier between the stage and the crowd at Soundstage, letting the audience freely interact with the band. I have never seen a venue this large be so trusting of its fans. Along with the multitude of crowd surfers, Fleshwater even let a fan sing a verse from one of their songs on stage! I love audience interaction at a show, so this element made the experience simply unforgettable.
Additionally, I never once felt unsafe at any point. Everyone adhered to the unspoken rule of always looking out for each other–if one person fell, there would be five others picking them up immediately. The onstage security also did an amazing job of ensuring the safety of every crowd surfer. After this overwhelmingly positive first experience, I look forward to seeing many more bands at Soundstage in the future!