Last month, I bought a last-minute ticket to see Chase Atlantic in Orlando. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made even though it was an almost $200 resale ticket. As soon as I woke up the next morning, still sore from the concert, I decided I needed to experience it all again so I bought a normally priced ticket to see them in Chicago at the Riviera Theater. I had nothing planned, no set place to stay, not even a plane ticket yet but I was determined to make it happen and I did just that.
About that plane ticket… two days before I was supposed to leave, I still didn’t have one. Then I got paid. So guess what my whole $300 paycheck went towards? I definitely have no self control but I don’t regret any of it and I never will.
One quick two hour plane ride and I was back in the beautiful Windy City, a place I feel at home in. The full first night of being there consisted of reconnecting with old friends, eating good food, and growing more and more excited about the concert.
As soon as I woke up, I immediately started to get ready even though I had about 5 hours until I had to be there. I just couldn’t contain my excitement. I arrived to the venue roughly an hour before doors and the line was already wrapped all the way around the block and then some. Something I definitely wasn’t expecting but I was glad to see how amazing the turnout was.
Right before I was about to get my ticket scanned, Christian (guitarist) walked out of the tour bus, waved to us, and walked into the venue. We were all stunned as you can probably guess. As soon as the line calmed down from seeing him, I noticed Clinton (guitarist and saxophone player) standing directly next to me. I didn’t say anything because then everyone in line would have lost their minds too but I was just thinking to myself “Oh my god what’s going on?” Seeing them really solidified the fact that this night was going to be epic.
Once we were finally inside I made my way down to the pit and not so patiently waited for the show to begin. The stage was set, the music was getting louder, and the lights were dimming. Show time!
De’Wayne
I had the privilege of seeing De’Wayne open for Chase Atlantic in Orlando and to say I was blown away would be an understatement. I honestly didn’t even know who was opening for them that night and when he walked out on stage my jaw dropped. This trip was equally for him and Chase Atlantic. I'll tell you that right now.
The crowd was getting restless and De’Wayne came to save the day. As soon as he jumped on stage I could feel the excitement coming from the band and the audience. One thing you should know about De’Wayne: no matter what, he will put on a show. He owns every stage he stands on; his presence is just that powerful. His whole set was insanely energetic and he was on fire for his whole performance. I expected nothing less.
When I saw De’Wayne in Orlando he covered “I Wanna Be Your Dog” by The Stooges and I lost my mind. Mostly because I wasn’t expecting a Stooges cover at a concert like that but also because it was phenomenal. I knew he was going to play it again and I was itching to experience it once more. So of course I flipped out when he mentioned he was playing a song that was recorded before pretty much everyone in the room was born. It was even better this time around.
He mentioned he was going to be at the merch table after the show so I walked over there to meet him. I sure as hell wasn’t going to pass up that opportunity. We talked about my trip all the way from Florida, how incredible his set was, and how I’m already planning when I can see him next. We took some pictures and he thanked me for all the support. Meeting him made my entire week. He's such a genuine soul.
If you ever want to see an electrifying performance, have some eye candy to look at and have the chance to meet an amazing human, De’Wayne is the man.
Chase Atlantic
As soon as the lights went down again, the screens on the stage lit up with “Chase Atlantic” and the audience knew it was time. The visuals on the screens continued: heads with swirling colors, asteroids orbiting a burning planet, and leaves falling. The bass was hitting hard right in the middle of everyone’s chests; one of the best feelings in the world. When Jesse came out on stage and started his drum solo the crowd roared in excitement. One hell of a way to kick off a show.
“How the fuck you feeling Chicago? Make some fucking noise!” screamed Mitchel as soon as he ran out on stage. The best night of our lives had just begun….
(My personal favorite moments of the night)
PARANOID
Opening with Paranoid is probably one of the best decisions they could have made in terms of their set list. It’s a song that starts off sort of slow and builds to a powerful chorus. The energy that they had on stage while performing this song is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. They came out swinging and did not miss. The band was giving us their all and we were sending that energy right back. And of course, everyone lost their minds at the guitar solo which is always killer thanks to Mr. Pat Wilde on lead guitar.
I THINK I’M LOST AGAIN
Before they started this song, Mitchel and Christian told everyone to put their phones up to light up the crowd. Within seconds the entire venue was lit up by every single member of the audience. I always love when this happens at shows. It’s such a direct display of love and adoration for the artist. This song is probably one of their slowest and deepest songs. In the chorus of the song Mitchel sings,
“I’m so sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. It’s not easy.”
I’m sure every single person in that audience can resonate with these words in more ways than one. This part of the show brought us all back down to earth, allowed us to sit with the music, and relate to one another.
OUT THE ROOF
Now, this track is a total contrast to the one I was just talking about. ‘Out the Roof’ is in my top 5 Chase Atlantic songs ever almost purely because of the liveliness throughout the entire thing. When they came back for the encore they started with this and let me tell you, the energy was unmatched. With Mitchel on stage screaming the words and jumping around we weren’t gonna let him do that by himself now were we? So naturally we joined him. They seamlessly transitioned into the last song of the night “Okay” and the energy just kept flowing until they walked off stage.
Chase Atlantic has quickly become a favorite of mine and out of all the concerts I’ve been to they take the cake for best show. No question about it. They were born to perform and you can see that in their eyes when they’re up on stage giving their all.
I will continue to be astounded by the energy that flows through the air at every single one of their concerts. The exchange between the band and the audience is such an awesome thing to witness and be a part of. They truly love what they’re doing and acknowledge all their fans have done for them. I remember Mitchel stopping after almost every song to tell us how amazing it felt to be up there and how this was one of the biggest shows they’ve ever played. They let you know how much they care and it just makes everything 10x more special.
This night was everything I could have ever asked for and more. I can’t wait to do it again and again until they’re sick of me. If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing them live and raging with them, what are you waiting for?