Beach Fossils Bring Euphoric Chaos to the 9:30 Club

By Carrie Smith / November 30, 2023

Beach Fossils’ tour might be for their album Bunny, but it is far from cute and cuddly. Although emitting soothing sounds of indie rock and dream pop, their concerts feature slamming bursts of chaotic energy. Spinning a few of their tracks, one might think a herd of mellow red-eyed individuals would line venue walls, swaying calmly with every fleeting note. But that is not only what the night would hold.

Ascending from Brooklyn, New York, the four-piece band currently includes Dustin Payseur (vocals, guitar), Jack Doyle Smith (bass), Tommy Davidson (guitar), and Anton Hochheim (drums). Earlier this year they released their fourth studio album Bunny, prompting their next string of shows across the globe.

One of those stops was DC. On Saturday, November 25, Beach Fossils geared up their sold-out early show at the 9:30 Club. The band was accompanied by Virginia-based Turnover, an introspective indie rock/pop group that drew listeners into the night.

Opening on an intoxicating note, Turnover roused fans with an ensemble of hits, starting with Tears of Change. Throughout their 30 minute set, echoes of Super Natural, Humblest of Pleasures, and Myself in the Way caressed fans' ears. The group ended with uplifting Take My Head, their second most popular single.

Prompt on their arrival, Beach Fossils took to the stage amongst shrieks of eager fans salivating for the first note. Bunny’s biggest hit Don't Fade Away swirled through speakers, with arms and mouths flying open to every lyric. Shortly after was Sugar off Somersault, a hidden delicacy sandwiched in the set list. At the surf rock tune of What A Pleasure, the crowd grew increasingly excited, digging elbows into one another by the rail.

“Hold on hold on,” said Payseur, cutting the track. He lept down from the stage to inquiry what the ruckus amongst the crowd was. After hearing out a fan he began to explain, “I don’t know if all of you know this, but sometimes at Beach Fossil shows people like to mosh.” He then directed those who wanted to mosh towards the back and verbalized his frustrations for being unable to play What A Pleasure. “I really wanted to play What A Pleasure but now we can’t because there’s a show after this. No fighting at my shows.”

The rest of the night went relatively smoothly as the band scoured their entire discography, sprinkling in at least one song from every album. Of course, most played songs came from Bunny, featuring Sleeping On My Own, Dare Me, and Seconds, amongst others. During Tough Love a crowd surfer that failed march back to the crowd bolted towards the stage, eventually jumping up and down between band members before being chased back stage. But, according to their speech earlier, this was probably wasn’t a huge surprise.

From Clash the Truth, Beach Fossils showcased Shallow and Sleep Apnea, even sharing an intimate moment with the crowd, as played under the illumination of iPhone flashlights. Adversity was the only single from What A Pleasure making it to the show after the scraping of the title track, and Somersault made a few appearances, with This Year and almost show closer May 1st.

With a heroic twist, Beach Fossils returned for an encore, although being pressed for time. Surprisingly, the group played three additional song- Crashed Out, Daydream, and long-time favorite Down The Line. Throughout the night, the band’s infectious energy wound bodies around every note. Even with the three-part encore, fans itched for more. If you’re searching for an electric show, look no further. Catch Beach Fossils during their next performance!

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