Show Review: Two Door Cinema Club

Indie Giant Two Door Cinema Club Dazzle at Leader Bank Pavilion 

By Sofia Giarrusso, Staff Writer

LIVE MUSIC PERFECTLY SET FOR A SUMMER NIGHT

Two Door Cinema Club triumphantly returned to Boston for a night filled with nostalgia, high vibes, and, of course, good tunes! Hits like “What You Know” and “Sun” have continued to delight casual listeners and mega-fans alike, cementing the band as a modern indie great. Their iconic fast tempos, complex synths, and diverse vocal performances have kept their fingerprint relevant and sound fresh. Recent singles include “Sure Enough” and “Happy Customers” as Two Door Cinema Club slowly breaks away from the traditional album format to center their attention on individual track releases. 

Their Roadrunner set in February proved that the Irish indie-pop trio shows no signs of slowing down despite 15 years in the biz. While Roadrunner is the largest general admission venue in Boston with a capacity of 3,500, the seasonal Leader Bank Pavilion truly is the ideal spot for the sounds of Two Door Cinema Club. The 5,000-seat amphitheater set on the waters of Seaport supplies a space large enough for dancing, and scenic enough for the picture-perfect event. There is not one bad seat in the house, and especially not when seeing a TDCC show!

The weather Sunday night was about as Boston summer as you can get–slightly misty and muggy, yet cool. The crowd was notably diverse in age, gender, and background, yet everyone shared the same potential energy for the show that was to commence as plentiful smiles and laughter saturated the amphitheater. This feverishness turned utterly infectious and unstoppable when opener Flipturn and Two Door Cinema Club finally took the stage. 

FLIPTURN SETS THE ENERGY STRONG

WERS favorite Flipturn didn’t just simply warm up Leader Bank Pavilion but rather ignited a flame that burned bright for the remainder of the night. With the crowd quickly pilling in just before sunset, Flipturn kicked off their set loud and explosive. “Fletcher” and “Burnout Days” captivated early with catchy lyricism and booming instrumentation. It became quickly apparent that the five-piece band consisting of Dillon Basse (lead vocals), Madeline Jarman (leader guitar), Tristan Duncan (guitar), Mitch Fountain (guitar and synthesizers), and Devon VonBalson (drums) were having just as much fun as the audience. Each song was tight and about as skillful as it gets, yet Flipturn lacked stereotypical rockstar pretension and those invisible barriers that can often impede the interaction between the band and the crowd. 

“Boston is a special place for us,” Jarman exclaimed, “Dillon grew up here…we love Boston!” The crowd immediately cheered back in admiration to the band. It’s no secret that Boston audiences are some of the best out there, and whenever an act has a connection to the city, we respond accordingly! Later on, Dillon dedicated “Savannah” to his cousin–another native–who was in the audience and slated to be married soon. More hooting and hollering came from the amphitheater seats to cheer on the not-so-expected fellow Bostonians on and off the stage. Flipturn, after all, is known for being based out of Florida where they met in high school. 

Flipturn initially made waves in the late 2010s with their indie rock tunes, particularly the song “August.” The popular track was played halfway into the set with many fans singing back to the band, even rounding out the song with the lyrics, “But don't you remember/August, honey, you were mine,” by themselves as the band watched in awe.

Just before “August,” Flipturn delighted the crowd with an unreleased song titled “Juno.” More highlights included the many tricks and talents of drummer Devon VonBalson. In addition to his fervorous performance on every song, he went into the crowd where a lucky fan was given a drum to hold. VonBalson performed a drum solo as the fan excitedly held out the drum, then immediately returned to his podium where he played a portion of the next track blindfolded by that same drum. 

By the end of their set, Flipturn had practically everybody up and out of their seat. Roaring applause filled Leader Bank Pavilion as the band slowly left the stage, taking it in. If attendees weren’t already fans of Flipturn before their performance, they definitely were by the end!

THE MAIN EVENT AKA “THE WORLD IS WATCHING”

Two Door Cinema Club wasted no time getting the concert up and running again, quickly strutting on stage to open with “This is the Life” off of their most famous album, Tourist History (2010). A whopping ten songs from Tourist History were played throughout the night because, the truth is, this band knows what people show up for. Simply put, Two Door Cinema Club are unrivaled pros at the live music game. From Glastonbury to Coachella, they know how to work with a large crowd by performing an abundance of hits with a relaxed demeanor. Their approach worked as the Leader Bank Pavilion audience was instantly entranced by the world of TDCC.

The band moved from song to song with a sense of ease as well-calculated transitions warded any lull that would typically fill the amphitheater. Tunes from Tourist History and Beacon (2012) never failed to garner synchronized crowd engagement with ample dancing, singing word for word, and a whole lot of cheering. Nostalgia ran rampant throughout the set that also managed to simultaneously demonstrate just how well Two Door Cinema Club has stood the test of time. Newer tracks like “Sure Enough” and “Bad Decisions” received their flowers too as the crowd neither halted their enthusiasm nor dancing prowesses. 

Two Door Cinema Club carries a uniquely theatrical quality about their performance. While every technical nuance is rehearsed to a T, the quirks each member possesses really make their shows as great as they are. Leader singer Alex Trimble, always characteristically dressed to the nines, is expressive with not only his vocal chops, but also his almost outlandishly subtle movements and crowd work. Whenever he got a chance to sing without his guitar, he milked it by reaching for the sky or the audience. Guitarist Sam Halliday is a bundle of joy who often laughed along and grinned at the sound of the crowd singing the lyrics back to him. Kevin Baird wears many hats and did so with intense suave, handling bass, synths, and backing vocals. All three are seasoned performers doing what they do best–an instrumental part of their longevity as indie greats. 

ENDING ON A FAMILIAR NOTE…WITH A BANG!

“We love Boston!,” Baird exclaimed, “As an Irish band, this is pretty much as close as you can get without being in Ireland.” A proper tender acknowledgment led right into one of the trio’s most famed tracks, “Something Good Can Work.” Everyone was jumping up and down, clapping to the beat, and singing their hearts out once again. Throughout the show, the simply tasteful lighting and stage design emphasized the band’s raw talent and playful energy. 

The final quarter of the show could easily make up the A-side of a “Two Door Cinema Club: Greatest Hits” album. “Eat That Up, It’s Good for You” brought its iconic bridge breakdown to Seaport, worthy of confetti cannon explosions (if not for the fact it’s a major litter hazard). Next was “Undercover Martyn,” a track that has recently gained notoriety through social media. “Cigarettes in the Theater” and “Sun” continued this hit streak until the ultimate song of the night–the one everybody was waiting for–“What You Know.” This global festival anthem may just be one of the catchiest songs of the entire decade. The band played a special extended version that the crowd never wanted to end as everybody repeated the chorus over and over again. But, alas, as the saying goes…well, I don’t need to remind you of it. 

No encore, no nonsense, all fun. Immediate concert depression spread throughout the crowd once “What You Know” finally wrapped up. It’s safe to say that both Flipturn and Two Door Cinema Club left a lasting impression on Leader Bank Pavilion, and Boston will welcome them back with open arms whenever they return next!