DIIV w/ HORSE JUMPER OF LOVE & FULL BODY 2
@ THE CONCERT HALL, TORONTO
AUGUST 2, 2024
After the anticipated release of the band’s fourth LP, Frog in Boiling Water, DIIV have been on the road sharing these new songs with audiences for the first time. It was evident after multiple listens that this was an album that required digesting to fully appreciate the time and detail that went into the production and themes. It was going to be very interesting and exciting to hear live.
Philadelphia shoegazers Full Body 2 opened the show and stay true to the genre, adding a few refreshing elements which could be described as digitized. Each song feels as though it’s reaching an epic climax during the chorus that would be appropriate during a battle sequence of an anime film. Vocalists Dylan Vaisey and Cassidy Rose Hammond linger beautifully below the noise to help create this enchanting mood.
Horse Jumper of Love came on next and quieted down the room a bit. They approached the stage so calm and gracefully and everyone was holding their breath for that first guitar note. There’s something therapeutic about the way they perform their songs. You can feel the touch of the drumsticks hitting the cymbals and every word that leaves Dimitri Giannopoulos’s mouth as if nothing else in the world mattered. Each note is quiet yet so pronounced.
FROG IN BOILING WATER ALBUM REVIEW
The room was completely dark except for a projection of a blue sky and some clouds on a backdrop on stage and every few seconds the word DIIV would flash over it. A face then appeared on screen and proceeded to give a PSA before the band walked on stage and started playing “In Amber”, the opening track off the new album. The song was accompanied by lyrics on the projection along with these visuals that were very dystopian which is a strong theme throughout Frog in Boiling Water. This continued during their whole set and made for an incredibly immersive experience. The band invites the audience into the world of Soul-Net which is an interactive website that the band created leading up to the release of the new album that revolves around capitalism and how we consume. They even created fake commercials that would play in between songs followed by a voice that would repeatedly say “thank you.” Visually, it was stunning, and the band backed it up with an incredible performance.
DIIV were able to elevate these songs to another level live and sounded substantially heavier. This was really apparent on tracks like “Take Your Time”, “Somber The Drums”, and “Taker”. These songs were also cleverly placed throughout the setlist and getting to hear them out of context made them stand out more than they do on the albums.
It’s been exciting watching DIIV evolve over the years, and getting to experience that evolution in one evening in this prolific atmosphere that they’ve created was impressive.
(Photography by Jacob Vandergeer)
DIIV Photos
Horse Jumper Of Love Photos
Full Body 2 Photos
DIIV Links
Horse Jumper Of Love Links
Full Body 2 Links
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DIIV – FROG IN BOILING WATER
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