Twin Peaks: Live at The Rivera
Review by Sydney Cramer // Chicago // November 2019
“Tonight’s the night.” Rushing into the dark vastness of Chicago’s Riviera Theatre, this phrase looped through my head as the emptiness filled with bodies behind me. “Tonight’s the night.” Overhearing fans conspiring about possible set lineups, my leg bounced with anticipation. “Tonight’s the night.” The sliver of space I had managed to reserve during the opening acts quickly closed in as the floor became shoulder to shoulder. 9:30 couldn’t come soon enough, but when the giant black and yellow Twin Peaks banner descended from the ceiling, that phrase on repeat in my head was affirmed by front man Clay’s 3 magic words into the mic: “Tonight’s the night.”
My mosh pit battle boots peeled off the beer coated floor board with each step I took, and when I say beer coated, I mean Beer. Coated. I’m talking beer down my back during the first song of the set. I guess I would expect nothing less from the beer boys of the Chicago music scene playing a sold out show on their home turf. The energy of the room was alive the second Twin Peaks spilled out onto the stage. Like most other Chicago shows, Twin Peaks warmed up the audience with a cover of local band Today’s Hits head banging, stank facing, gang vocaling live track “What Up Dawg?” Opening their set with this familiar anthem, the crowd immediately knew what they were in for. They followed with What Up Dawg their hit “Making Breakfast” from their first studio album Wild Onion. The crowd burst out cheering with the ring of the opening E chord blasting from the stacked monitors, gearing up to dive into the mosh pit. Jumping and swaying with the hundreds of dancing bodies behind me, I couldn’t wipe the happiness from my face. Twin Peaks’ music begs to be enjoyed with a smile, and their live performances foster that same warm and inviting energy that listeners feel through headphones on the train.
Much to my surprise and delight, Twin Peaks hit home with their set, sticking to older tunes from 2016’s Down In Heaven and 2018’s Sweet 17 Singles. Pulling out tracks such as “Good Lovin’”, “Getting Better”, and “Irene”, veteran fans and first timers alike jammed out to songs from Twin Peaks’ entire music catalog. Hearing the gentle guitar chords of their nostalgic 2017 hit “Blue Coupe” side by side with loose, fun gang vocals of “Butterfly” showed the band’s versatility not only in their songwriting, but in their performing. No matter the vibe of the song, they bring their all, radiating an energy unmatched by their peers in the contemporary indie rock scene. With their newest record Lookout Low only a few months old, they threw in the sentimental “Ferry Song” and “Unfamiliar Sun” from this new record, adding tasty dynamics to their high energy set. The incredibly talented ladies from the first opening act Ohmme added another layer of magic to the stage, backing the boys on these new songs with larger than life harmonies.
Despite the excitement of experiencing these new tunes for the first time on a big stage since their release, the height of the set was undoubtedly “In the Meadow”. This epic composition of layered guitar lines, dynamic drums, and a rich horn section blew the audience away. Lucky enough for Chicago, we caught Twin Peaks on their tour with a 3 piece horn section, perfectly filling in the cracks of their extended jams. Though I’m biased in the fact that this is one of my favorite songs in Twin Peaks’ repertoire, this song was truly incredible to experience live. Hundreds of fans screaming the call and response back to Colin Croom’s distinctly wonderful lead vocals sent chills down my spine. The interactive and communal feel to this song embodied the beauty of seeing live music in Chicago, and showcased that special personal touch that Twin Peaks brings to their live performances.
Closing the night off, the boys had the sold out interior of The Riviera singing their 2019 hit “Oh Mama” at the top of their lungs. Heads bopping, bodies surfing, beer cans flying, there would have been no better song to end the night with. Smiley, sweaty fans poured out of the pit when the night was over, smiles still ear to ear. As I sat people watching outside the venue after the show, the energy created on the dance floor spilled out into the street- it was still alive. I’ve seen them play in, and outside of Chicago and I can honestly say that there is no Twin Peaks show like a Chicago Twin Peaks show.
As my ears rang on the red line ride back from the show, my heart filled with a sentimental joy. Having seen Twin Peaks play everywhere from the back corner of Shuga Records, to Thalia Hall, to a sold out night at the Riviera Theatre, I couldn’t help but feel a rush of inspiration. Twin Peaks is a shining example of the power of Chicago’s DIY music scene. As a musician, Twin Peak’s journey to the spotlight instills hope in home recording, house shows, and the do-it-yourself approach to making and promoting music. The rise of their dedicated following and expanding discography inspires young musicians to keep on playing. And while these dudes are well on their way to international stardom, they will always and forever be adored by, and have an undying, overflowing love for their sweet home Chicago.