Squid Inside A Dream
Over the past two years, the band Squid, a post-punk band from Brighton has been gaining traction in the independent music scene. Their first album, released in 2021 called Bright Green Field was a critical success, but it was the release of their latest album, O Monolith early last year that cemented their status as a force to be reckoned with. Featured on the WLUW rotation last year, the record’s sonically diverse palette made for a wonderfully fresh listening experience each time.
Squid returned to Chicago at Thalia Hall after almost two years on February 18, 2024, on tour supporting O Monolith, joined by indie-pop band Water From Your Eyes. Thalia Hall, with its high ceilings, ornate details, spacious balcony, and cheap beer always makes for an excellent home to a concert like the one that night.
Water From Your Eyes took the stage early, and got right into it with songs that immediately got the crowd’s attention. The first song, "Buy My Product" was a fast-paced, punk-inspired rock song satirizing the increasing commercialization of life. Moving through the setlist, songs like "“Quotations,”" "When You’re Around" and "Track Five" stood out as moments that captured the undivided attention of the audience. The lead singer, Rachel Brown had excellent stage presence, even behind their sunglasses their emotion and energy were infectious.
When Squid took the stage at last, they opened with the intro track to their latest album, a song called "Swing (In A Dream)," a song that begins very low-key, but over time builds into a climactic chorus that features continuously rising vocals, creating a feeling of anticipation throughout the crowd. The song did a perfect job of setting the tone for the evening, ultimately leading to an intense jam to finish it off.
The band continued through their set with "Undergrowth," a song that explodes into semi-industrial, semi-punk sections with high-pitched vocals, screaming out “I’d rather melt, melt, melt, melt, melt, melt away!”
Songs like "G.S.K." kept the energy level high, while other songs, like "Documentary Filmmaker" took on a different form, building very slowly over time into an intense middle section, all while the lead singer speaks the lyrics almost as if they’re spoken word, all until the climax where he sings ‘It was warm in the summer, but Snowy in February, Snowy in February!’
The highlight of the night was definitely the 8-minute epic "Narrator." The song is incredibly groovy, with interludes of intense guitar riffs that almost sound like an alarm is going off. The whole crowd was on their feet and singing “I am my own narrator!”’
Squid, as well as Water From Your Eyes solidified themselves as staples in my rotation playlist, and both will be bands that I continue to check out when they go on tour in the future. If you want to see what Squid is like live, check out this live session then go see them for yourself!