Chase Atlantic in Texas
I had the opportunity to catch Chase Atlantic on their world tour in Austin and Dallas this October.
I had only seen Chase Atlantic twice before, but both times made a lasting impression, so I was very excited to catch them on their first ever headlining tour in Austin and Dallas.
First up was Austin at Stubb’s Jr.. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was taken by surprise when I saw who turned up at their show. For a band in their early twenties that play songs with overtly sexual references and glorify the use of heavy drugs, their fan base was very, very, young, in fact, much to my embarrassment, the doorman at Stubb’s told me that other than the parent chaperones, I was the oldest one he’d seen (I’m only 23). I understand the appeal of their looks, but still can’t grasp how literal children identify with their music, it made me almost uncomfortable to be there, especially because they were so fiercely dedicated to the band that they pushed and shoved and yelled their way to the show, something that’s inevitable with this kind of fan base.
Despite their not-so-friendly fans (ok before I go any further I would like to clarify that this is only my experience, I’m sure other CA fans are lovely), I was excited for the show and decided that on the balcony by all of the parents would be the best place to watch.
Their first opener, Riley, was a great start to the night, I really enjoyed everything that he performed, his set was simple, just him and a backing track, but it was enough to set the energy for the rest of the show.
After Riley came Cherry Pools. To be honest, my first impression was that they were trying a little too hard to emulate the vibe of bands like The Neighbourhood or The 1975, but, looking past that, they were actually a ton of fun. They continued the tone set by Riley, engaging the crowd and building up the energy.
When Chase Atlantic came on, all I could think about was how this venue was way, way, way too small for them. They tried their best to run around the tiny stage, but it was evident that their show was made for a room much bigger than the 200-cap Stubb’s Jr..
Lead Singer, Mitchel, was born to be on stage. His energy is undeniable, from start to finish he was bouncing around the stage, interacting with the audience, and not missing a beat of every song, even with a large group on such a small stage he managed to make everything larger than life.
The next night in Dallas was much the same, but luckily I had access to the side-stage area so that I could enjoy the show from the floor without having to worry too much about the fans that were a little aggressive with their devotion to this band.
Overall, I did enjoy these shows, but I have a feeling that their next tour, hopefully in bigger rooms, will be even better.
Check out the gallery below!
- Marissa
