So much heat was brought to a chilly, Chicago winter night at the Subterranean venue on Friday, March 8th. Wicca Phase Springs Eternal was responsible for provoking the buzzing energy of a lively crowd gathered inside this two-floored, small but intimate, distinctive venue.

Before Wicca Phase performed, two captivating opening acts Guardin and Angel Du$t took the stage. For most of Guardins’ songs, it was easy to feel the bass vibrating in your chest and running throughout your whole body, revealing the intensity of the live performance. At the same time, the bass frequency rumbling inside the crowds’ chests thrilled them, as they clearly fed off that energy coming from the stage and bounced it back through aggressive dance moves. The crowd was in sync by either throwing fist pumps in the air, head bobbing, or swaying back and forth to the alternative music with rap and punk-rock tinge to it.

Hardcore punk rock band Angel Du$t then took the stage with an outstanding stage presence, with Dirk Thurisch making the stage his own. It was not long until the fast-paced music aroused the crowd to form a mosh pit, resulting in people excitedly jumping up and down, screaming song lyrics, and leaping on stage to crowd surf. There were times where Thurisch would direct his microphone towards a fans’ face, and without hesitation, that person would loudly, aggressively, and passionately sing their heart out.

However, all of this tension was released when Adam Mcllwee from Wicca Phase came on stage to perform his opening song “Together.” The energy of the venue shifted with the audience now calm, as opposed to their reactions to the opening acts. Evidently, there were two different audiences that night; the contrast of their behavior to that of Guardin and Angel Du$t seemed surreal. Mcllwee’s somber, heartfelt, and ballad-like songs released raw emotion into the atmosphere, and the unity generated through the lyrics felt powerful. Wicca Phase and the crowd had a barrier-breaking, mysterious connection to each other. Mcllwee would either extend his hand to the audience or lock fingers with a fan as if he wanted to show empathy for an unexplained yet shared feeling. This enhanced the intimacy of the show and despite the technical difficulties with the sound, Wicca Phase did not let that interfere with the connection he made with the fans. 

One of the most important aspects of the set, however, was the variety of songs Wicca Phase performed. The transition from “High Strangeness” to “Crushed,” for instance, proved that it was important to showcase the diversity of his music. “High Strangeness” is a song composed of what seems to be a mix of electronic music and hip-hop beats, while “Crushed” is purely dependent on acoustic guitar and vocals. This transition represented the night as a whole, a night with an infusion of different genres and variety. The fusion of Guardin, Angel Dust, and Wicca Phase Springs Eternal sought to unite genres which ultimately and successfully created a show that became rich in musical culture and talent.