A NIGHT AT THE FOX THEATRE WITH ROSEBAY AND DIVA CUP
BY ZACH TIMBERLAKE
Before arriving to the Fox Theatre in Boulder last Saturday night, I carried a quiet fear with me. I had been on a month long break from photographing any concerts, after a period of shooting shows every week for months straight. I was worried once I left that routine, the spark would dull and the passion for shooting concerts wouldn’t return the same. Dry Ice, Rosebay, and Diva Cup made sure that ended up being a total non-concern. This show was a reminder to me why live music matters, and why I’ll always be drawn to capturing it.
The floors of Fox Theatre quickly populated with fans of punk music from across Colorado. Everyone trying to find refuge from the below freezing temperatures outside, by warming up in the middle of a crowded pit inside. Those wishes were quickly fulfilled as Dry Ice stepped onto the stage with their unique grunge, punk tracks. The echoes of distorted guitar harmonies, and the energized beats that send you into a frenzy, all lay the groundwork for the charged and passionate vocal delivery from lead singer Pierre. A pit opened up almost immediately and raged through the whole set, as the dark and moody lighting overtook the Fox Theatre.
The vibe switched up as Rosebay stepped underneath the newly changed, colorful and bright lights. Their signature surf rock sounds feature, rhythmic and spacey guitars that have clear momentum, with clean and soulful drums deep in the pocket, highlighting an utterly smooth vocal performance. This is best showcased in their track “Waiting for Gus”, where the melodramatic vibes had the crowd swaying from left to right like it was written into muscle memory. Rosebay had no problem quickly raising the energy of the room when the syncopated guitar and bass played the opening rift of “LIVITUP”.
The heavy soundscape emanating from the stage completely overpowered the crowd. Shredding guitar solos and a group delivery of the chorus, reminiscent of 90’s surf rock, crashed into the venue in waves of sound that had each person dancing with their heart on their sleeve. The set came to a pinnacle as guitarist and singer Creighton, leapt off the stage into the crowd, temporarily disappearing and resurfacing on top of a collective of hands, as he rode that wave through the entire finale chorus. If you ever find Rosebay on the calendar of your favorite venue, they are a cannot miss experience!
As the fleeting memories of the cold weather outside completely faded, and the crowd was sufficiently warmed physically and spiritually, Diva Cup ran onto stage to an uproar of fans of this all-girl punk adjacent Boulder group. Their fast, unadultered lyrics and rhythms quickly overtook the room, continuing the same energy that was passed off from Rosebay. Tracks like “K.N.I.F.E.” or “Man with a Microphone” burned with intensity.
An unbelievably passionate vocal delivery, over the screeching guitar, and pounding drums, lit your heart ablaze as you lost yourself in the angsty and empowering lyrics. Towards the end of their set, Diva Cup paused and took a moment to reshape the room, instructing every man in the room to take three big steps back, as they invited everyone else to create a, as they called it, “she/they” pit. The electrifying drums from the opening of their song “Girl Hole” was the starting gun for one of the most alive and insane moshes I’ve ever witnessed, pure release and pure joy.
Walking back to my car after the final note rang, one truth was apparent. I’ll never stop capturing concerts.
