Concert Review: The Front Bottoms

Indie-rock band, The Front Bottoms, ended their tour with an enthralling performance in Providence this past Monday night at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel.

To start, Elvis Depressedly, indie band from North Carolina, brought in Rhode Island’s hippie scene, providing a mellow beat. The Smith Street Band took the stage next, and their folk side encouraged a stronger audience to groove to their quirky sound with a little edge.

Before members Brian Sella, Mathew Uychich, and Brian Uychich went onstage, the entire venue was packed with fans. Three big, blow-up letters lit up in the dark displaying “TFB”, and The Front Bottoms entered on stage. To start off their set, the band began with “Rhode Island”, which they claimed was “fitting” for the night.

“This has been the best tour of our lives,” Lead singer Sella said. “It all ends here, tonight, with me in this blouse. This is my fancy shirt. And my grandmother’s.”

Throughout the show, Sella shared small anecdotal stories about experiences on the tour so far. He said that during their show in Denver, their tour manager quit on the spot. Although all of the members were extremely stressed, one of their friends stepped in to take over. From then on, Sella said that everything went smooth and they’re undeniably happy to be where they are.

The Front Bottoms’ music is surely catching, with relatable and heart-wrenching lyrics. The band continued the night with hit songs “Au Revoir”, “Lipstick Covered Magnet”, “Swimming Pool” and “Funny You Should Ask”. Although they played a variety of songs from their previous albums, “The Front Bottoms”, “I Hate My Friends”, and “Talon of the Hawk,” they included a few songs on their set from their most recent record, “Back on Top.”

Sella said that originally, he was going to “take it easy” at the show, but since it was their last night, he was going to go all out. The night was filled with funny stories, a guest appearance performance and an inflatable man onstage to lighten the mood. All of the members were putting their heart into each song, letting their passion shine through.

“This feels like a hometown show,” Sella said as the audience erupted with screams. “Maybe we should move here.”

The band expressed their genuine thanks to the crowd, and Sella reiterated how honored he felt to be able to play in Providence for their final show. After their 17-song set, they exited the stage and, after much chaos and chants, returned for a two-song encore.

To end their show, the band performed “Twelve Feet Deep”, a 2008 classic, and “Twin Size Mattress”, one of their most popular songs that was released in 2013. During “Twin Size Mattress”, the inflatable man made his final appearance and Sella along with the rest of the band, danced around the stage, offering a final jam session.

The Front Bottoms will continue their tour in 2016, making stops in the UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, and Austria. For more information and music downloads, visit http://www.thefrontbottoms.com/.