Photos and review by: Jason Robey

CHARLOTTE, NC — Indie rock was in the air Wednesday night at the Fillmore, when The Front Bottoms brought their tour for a stop in the Queen City. The evening started out with a unique and interesting set by the one-man-band, Mobley. Emerging on stage with an old TV on as a helmet, Mobley moved between keyboards, drums, and guitar repeatedly in each song of his short, but memorable set. Most notable was having three members of the audience holding electronic triggers in their hands, allowing him to “play” them as an instrument by high fiving them. 

Next, the Joy Formidable hit the stage like a hurricane, blasting into their opening tune, “Cradle.” The Welsh alternative rockers, led by the animated vocalist / guitarist Rhiannon “Ritzy” Bryan, ripped through a 40 minute set, highlighting songs from their month-old album Into the Blue. They kept the energy high for their whole performance, only taking time to breathe and talk to the crowd a couple times between songs. By the time the hit the closing tune, “Whirring,” the room had completely filled up and the crowd was screaming for more. 

After a short break, the lights went down, and the audience went wild. As The Front Bottoms broke into “Lonestar,” waves of crowd-surfers rode towards the stage, along with flowers being tossed by fans. The vibrant indie rock quartet bounced their way around the stage, while the room echoed with the crowd singing along to every word of favorites like “Beers,” “Montgomery,” and “Be Nice to Me.” 

The band kept fans on their toes with little surprises throughout the night, like bubble machines shooting through the air, guys in hot dog costumes running behind them on stage and having Mobley join them on guitar for “Twin Size Mattress.” They also keep the shows fresh with a setlist that changes every night, making for a unique performance every time. The band’s encore started out with vocalist / guitarist Brian Sella doing a solo rendition of “12 Feet Deep,” as the band gradually joined him. Continuing with fan favorites “Lonely Eyes” and “2YL,” the group finally called it a night with a raucous performance of “Father.” Catch The Front Bottoms on tour this winter.