One of the most exciting bands to break through the metal scene in recent years is Fleshwater, a Boston-based quintet that blends dreamy shoegaze melodies with harsh screams and crunchy alt-metal riffs. After making a name for themselves as a supporting act for Deftones and The Mars Volta earlier this year, they have finally embarked on their first full headlining tour across North America, which brought them to Jefferson Theater Friday.
The evening kicked off with a ferocious set from opening act Balmora. Hailing from Connecticut, this metalcore band has only a handful of EPs and singles under their belt so far, but their presence on stage was that of a group with years of experience honing their craft on the road. Their crushing breakdowns and bone-rattling bass had the crowd headbanging and moshing in a warmup for the chaos yet to come. A few passionate fans even got to take part in the show when vocalist Chris Misenti passed the microphone into the audience during their last song, “An Angel’s Final Prayer.”
The second opening act was Chat Pile, a more established noise rock outfit from Oklahoma. With sludgy riffs and manic vocals, their music embodies the urban destitution and social decay of America. Highlights included opening track “Why,” which critiques the homelessness epidemic in raw fashion, as well as “Masks,” an unreleased song that frontman Raygun Busch introduced as a protest against ICE.
It was not all dark and sinister, however. Between songs, Busch continued his odd yet charming tradition of relaying movie trivia about the host city — for his first visit to Charlottesville, he mentioned that both “Major Payne” and “Evan Almighty” were filmed in the area.
Finally, Fleshwater took the stage to greet their eager fans. Shrouded in moody lighting, the band kicked into gear with three tracks from their new album “2000: In Search of the Endless Sky” before pulling out a rendition of Björk’s “Enjoy.” Their popular cover, which has amassed nearly 6 million streams on Spotify, transforms the quirky industrial pop song into a rager guaranteed to get the venue jumping.
Afterwards, the crowd erupted at the opening notes of “Linda Claire,” the song that put Fleshwater on the map when they debuted in 2020. Lead singer Marisa Shirar’s voice soared over a sea of wailing guitar and driving drum fills as the temperature in Jefferson Theater started to crank up.
Notably, there was no barricade in front of the stage, and it did not take long for the bravest souls in attendance to take advantage of that. At the behest of guitarist and vocalist Anthony DiDio, fans surged towards the front of the crowd, clambered onto the stage and hurled themselves back into the sea of humanity with reckless abandon. While bodies were flying left and right, the band effortlessly carried on as if they were unaware of the mayhem they created.
These kinds of shows can get out of hand fast, but by and large, metal fans understand concert etiquette — most importantly, look out for each other and pick someone up if they fall. Charlottesville local Avi Estrada, who saw Fleshwater for his first time, praised both the performance and the demeanor of the crowd.
“It was crazy, but it was awesome,” Estrada said. “Everybody was respectful.”
Willa Lancaster, who traveled from Orange, Va. for the show, also appreciated the fervor in the room that was cultivated by the band and fans alike.
“I think it gave it more energy, more rowdiness,” Lancaster said. “It just made everyone feel more comfortable to be themselves and kind of just have fun.”
For a band with a relatively modest following, Fleshwater’s production values were also impressive. Harsh spotlights silhouetted the band members as they stood below the giant windmill and hanging seagulls that represented the band’s unsettling, old-timey aesthetic. Lancaster also enjoyed the cannons that periodically blasted particles across the room, creating the illusion of bubbles or snow that rained over the crowd.
“I really liked the fake snow,” Lancaster said. “I thought that was really fun.”
The erratic lighting also amplified the frantic vibe of the more upbeat songs, causing stage divers to flicker in and out of view. Then, as the show came to a close, the crowd was fully illuminated, giving everyone from the front row to the balcony a perfect view of the euphoric violence taking place in the pit.
More punchy fan favorites like “Kiss the Ladder” and “Woohoo” kept the energy high throughout the second half of the set before they ended the night with the eerie harmonies of “Closet” and the one-minute finale “Standalone.” Overall, they delivered an intense but surprisingly short performance, clocking in at around 55 minutes.
After Fleshwater said goodbye, a mass of happy, sweaty and potentially bruised metalheads poured out of Jefferson Theater and came down from the collective adrenaline high that one can only get from a great concert. For longtime fans and new listeners alike, their tour is a thrilling snapshot of the underground metal scene that’s sure to propel all three acts to greater heights.
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