An Underrated Powerhouse: flipturn’s First Stint in Scotland

By Chloe Hofer

From their first EP in 2017 to the release of their second album, Burnout Days, in January of this year, flipturn, the Jacksonville-based band, has been on the rise for the past eight years. I discovered their music around 2021, captured by their unique indie rock sound, and immediately became invested in their journey. I watched as they toured across the South of the United States in 2022-2023, seething with jealousy from Los Angeles as others got to experience my favorite band. 

Therefore, when the band announced the “Burnout Days Tour” with a stop in Glasgow at the Classic Grand, I jumped at the opportunity. The gig sold out as early as the beginning of October, intensifying my excitement for what was already gearing up to be a remarkable experience.

The Classic Grand, a small venue in the center of Glasgow, immediately generated a sense of intimacy for the crowd of casually dressed gen z, filled with murmurs of excitement and passion for the music. Although the room was absolutely packed, there was no pushing or shoving, just a sense of contentment in their place. An early representation of the dynamics of the crowd. 

The night opened with the cult classic, Colony House, an American indie rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. Having only heard their two most popular songs, ‘You Know It’ and ‘Silhouettes,’ I was excited to hear more of their music, especially with the release of their new album 77 (Pt.1), earlier this year. And without a doubt, they were the most dynamic and engaging opener I have ever seen. The lead singer, Caleb, incited a sense of passion within the crowd, with his raw vocals and energy across the stage, he was non-stop moving. And there was a palpable shift in the crowd when they finally played ‘You Know It,’ the entire room erupted in song, screaming the lyrics, to the point you couldn’t even hear the band anymore. Colony House truly primed the night through their excitement, intensity, and verve. Their sound resonated with each individual in the crowd, and absolutely made new fans, including myself. 

About half an hour later, flipturn took to the stage, the crowd watching on in anticipation as they set up their instruments, mics, and synthesizers. This was a humble opening, exposing the precision of every component of their show. Then they began with a new blend of synth sounds integrating the beats of ‘Juno’ to prime their entrance. And from the beat drop of the first song on Burnout Days, (‘Juno’), the crowd exploded with excitement, jumping and dancing as we were showered in the blue and green lights from the stage. Every component felt intentional and dynamic to immerse me into the music. 

In quick succession, they played ‘Burnout Days’ and ‘Inner Wave,’ and as I stood there, mere feet away from the band, each lyric, beat, and light (they were in fact in my eyes) mesmerized me. Dillon (lead singer) and Madeline (bass) were particularly captivating, dancing and engaging with the crowd, singing with a level of passion that made me understand groupies. Then as ‘Sad Disco’ began, their second biggest song (from their first album Shadowglow), the crowd sang with such fervor, all at once the entire room was shaking. While the recorded version maintains a sense of composure, the live version assumed a much stronger, edgier sound. Within the first 20 minutes of the show, it was deeply apparent that this band had mastered the art of live performance. 

 But they didn’t lose the crowd’s zeal in the next hour; during 'Playground,' we saw a true expression of instrumental performance as both Dillon and Devon (drums) had percussion solos. Devon, who had been tucked away towards the back of the stage for most of the show, the band huddled around him, as he had his moment of glory in his absolutely killer drum solo, playing with such fervor that you could not take your eyes off of him. Then suddenly he came to the barricade, with a cymbal, one drum, and his drumsticks, as fans held up the cymbal and drum, he jammed, displaying a true love for the performance of it all. 

During ‘August’ the dynamism of the band and impassioned concert-goers erupted in a display of elation as they played their most popular song. Every single person was screaming the lyrics and jumping, a euphoria felt within each person in the room. It was unlike anything I had ever seen or felt. Those four electric minutes decided it – this was the best concert I’d ever attended. 

The music transformed a room of strangers into a community, devoted to the band. As flipturn walked off the stage, building anticipation for the encore, the crowd did not subscribe to the traditional chant of the band’s name but rather took it upon themselves to give flipturn the same energy as they’d given us, as we all chanted “HERE THEY FUCKING GO!” And as they walked back on stage, each member played with such fervor, enlivening the crowd again, it was the perfect ending to the concert. During the last song, ‘Nickel,’ Dillon joined the crowd for the bridge, in my section. So, for about 40 seconds, I was dancing, screaming, and honestly freaking out as the lead singer of my favorite band was right in front of me, singing one of my favorite songs. 

So, although I am deeply biased towards flipturn, their performance was the best I had ever seen from any musician in my short 19 years of life. Their sound, songs, and gravitas left me utterly stunned –  I could not stop smiling, dancing, and singing. In the end, I was covered in sweat, and the happiest I had ever been.