This past Friday, FIDLAR rolled into Portland’s Roseland Theater, bringing Alexsucks along for the ride. Both bands delivered fast-paced, electric performances to a full house in Portland. When the lights went down and FIDLAR, led by frontman Zac Carper, took the stage, the crowd erupted in cheers that echoed throughout the theater.
The band kicked off the night with their party anthem, “Cheap Beer,” setting the tone for a night of songs focused on partying and having a good time. Fans thrashed about to the high-energy riffs, with crowd surfers riding above the audience all night. However, FIDLAR is far more than just a party band. Carper has been open about his personal struggles, and these themes bleed into and shine through in the lyrics of “Sad Kids.” The repeated line, “Sad kids like to party,” in the chorus reflects how heartbreak and personal struggles can weigh heavily on one’s mind, leading to the escapism of a party lifestyle.
There were some memorable moments from the crowd. At one point, Carper asked the audience to make room and form a giant open circle in the middle of the floor. As the space cleared, he invited the women in the audience to move in and form a large circle pit for the next track. Before wrapping up the night, the band asked the fans for one more favor: to kneel down to the ground and, on his signal, jump into the air. The entire crowd followed suit, getting low, and on the count of 1-2-3, they erupted upwards, tearing about in chaos. The night concluded with an encore performance of “Wake Bake Skate.” After a nearly 20-song set, the audience was still fired up, chanting “FIDLAR” and wanting more as the lights came up in the venue.
FIDLAR is on tour through the end of October wrapping up on Halloween in Los Angeles. A full list of upcoming dates and links to their most recent album “Suriving the Dream” can be found on the band website.
