REVIEW: flipturn – The Bellwether

Flipturn

Back in August, Florida-based indie-rock band flipturn paid a visit to the newly-minted Bellwether in Downtown Los Angeles, just one week after playing two sold out shows with Mt. Joy at Red Rocks. It seemed like they were still riding the high from Colorado and came to LA to do one thing: put on a fantastic show.

Flipturn’s tunes have an infectious and playful energy, so it’s no wonder the band spends most of the show running and moshing around the stage. The set covered songs from throughout the band’s career, ranging from “Chicago” off their 2017 debut EP to Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” which they released a cover of earlier this year. 

The band maintained an electric connection with the audience throughout the entire show. At one point, pieces of the drum kit were passed into the crowd, and drummer Devon VonBalson banged out a solo while fans held the drums and symbols over their heads. I later found out this drum bit is a flipturn tradition that they break out at most shows. Later on, Frontman Dillon Basse even hopped onto the floor to dance with the crowd during the song “Nickel,” and the whole house lost their minds. The visuals remained lowkey for almost the entire show, but a highlight was when the psychedelic animated music video for “Space Cowboy” was projected behind the band. 

The Bellwether is a new indie music venue that opened in mid-July and is only a 10-minute drive from USC. I enjoyed the show perched from the balcony level, which afforded a full unobstructed view of the stage. I recommend taking the trip up the stairs if you are not in the mood to endure the crowded floor.

After years of flipturn’s music populating my Airpods, it was satisfying to hear the band sing the lyrics “August, honey, you were mine” on a night in late August and “California, I'm okay” while standing here in California. 

– DJ Hit the Hay aka Claire Fogarty