On November 6, 2022, I was lucky enough to see the band Flipturn play the Paradise Rock Club in Boston. I have been a casual fan of this band for a while, but after that show, they moved much higher up on my list of favorite bands. I have been to a lot of live shows in the past two years, but I can confidently say that this one is the best I have been to in a while. I was lucky enough to witness a hometown show for some of the band, and that made it even more special. This is my overall review of the show with photos included in the end. 

Set List 

A good set list can make or break a show, and Flipturn’s setlist was perfect. They had the perfect mix of fast songs and slower tempo songs. The mash-up of “Burn” and “Weepy Woman” was so strong and enticing. I could barely tell that it was two different songs, they meshed it together so well. The last three songs before the encore, “Goddamn,” “Take Care,” and “Space Cowboy,” ended the show perfectly. “Goddamn” is a faster and heavier song, “Take Care” slows down the show, and then “Space Cowboy” ends with a huge instrumental crescendo. The lights went out and the band left the stage. It was seamless. The band then ended up playing an extra song for the encore called “Churches.” Each song in the encore was from one of my favorite EPs of theirs. Nickel was the best song to end the show. The whole venue was up and dancing; the energy was intoxicating. 

The Show 

The show itself was amazing, with every person in the band having an amazing stage presence. The lead singer interacted with the crowd and the other members of his band. You could tell how much this show meant to Flipturn. They even mentioned at the beginning that this was their biggest show of the whole tour. One of my favorite parts of the show was when the drummer took a symbol and one of his drums and had people in the crowd hold them for an intro of the song “Whales.” I have never seen any other band do that at a concert, and it was so much fun to watch. I loved being able to see my favorite songs live. There is just something about live versions of songs that make them ten times better. The feeling I experienced during the concert was one of overwhelming joy. “Six Below” and “August” were the first two songs I ever heard of Flipturn’s. Getting to hear them live was an unparalleled experience. The energy of the show was intoxicating, and there was never a dull moment. I have spent the last couple days rewatching my concert videos, wishing I could experience it all over again. I have also been looking for more live shows in the area in an attempt to emulate the experience from last Sunday. I know that when this band goes on tour again, I will be first in line for tickets. 

The Encore 

Usually the encore of a show wouldn’t be worth noting, as the formula is the same every time. The lights go out after the last song, the band disappears for five-ish minutes, everyone in the crowd starts to chant the band’s name, and then the band comes back out to play one or two more songs. That’s what I expected on Sunday night. The encore began normally, but the similarities ended there. The band was probably gone for a minute tops, and then they immediately came back out. On the setlist, only “August” and “Nickel” were listed as encore songs, but Flipturn ended up playing “Churches” as well. The energy during “August” was amazing. Every single person in the venue knew the words to the song, and you could see the looks of amazement on the band’s faces. The show ended with “Nickel,” and about halfway through the song, the opening band came out on stage and danced along with Flipturn. Everyone was on their feet and having a great time. This show made me want to go see another live performance immediately, although I know nothing will compare to this experience. 

All photos taken by Grace Pherson

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