Walking into Ogden Theater, we are immediately met with the smell of body odor and cheap alcohol. I hand my camera to my companion and head to the restroom. Only to catch the heaves of too much alcohol and teens shamelessly gossiping about their “independent lives.”
Past the metal detectors, sensory overload hits like nothing else. Vape clouds devour the air as we find our way towards the front. Here I am informed a photo pass does nothing more than allow me to bring a camera inside and we head off to the higher balcony for a better view of the band, watching as crowds engulf teens from every angle.
The opening band, Toner, brought a stellar show. They had consistent energy in their short, but lively go. While some of their songs had a shoegaze feel, their overall stage presence brought the edgy air of punk to it. Toner’s set was speedy and spirited, showing clear Oakland DIY scene influences in its demeanor. Charging this rowdy energy, Toner introduced Surf Curse and broke for a brief intermission.
It was difficult to tell the caliber of fans who showed up to Surf Curse. The crowd was heavily teenybopper, with few even of drinking age. This seemed out of place with regard to the band’s thirty-something age and nine year run. However, several of their songs recently blew up on TikTok, and that appeared a suitable explanation of the demographic. In speaking with attendants, Madison from Colorado admitted she had “a deep emotional connection to about two of their songs” and came because “all her friends came.” While Cameron from Westminster explained that the show “was a birthday gift” and was not specific about how big a fan he was. Both attendants, who were totally unbeknownst to each other, described themselves as students and felt to be a viable representation of the crowd’s majority.
The lights dim and screams echo the auditorium as Nick Rattigan dramatically takes his seat on drums elevated front/center stage. From the first song, it’s evident that Rattigan’s drums ARE the show. Because it’s rare for the drummer to also be the singer/frontman, this brought a unique flair to the performance. Rattigan had the most stage energy by far, with the other three members looking stiff in comparison. Categorized as “Surf Punk/Indie Rock” according to rateyourmusic.com, the band flew through their hits with a messy/ thrasher style to their sound; which was emphasized by Rattigan sweating convulsively on drums and complaining about the altitude between breaths. The crowd countered this with uncontrollably explosive energy that only the innocence of youth could bring. With a sold out show, the bottom levels of Ogden were so packed that there wasn’t even room for a mosh pit, barring the occasional crowd surfer. Fans were so fierce, the band actually had to break between songs for security to pass out water bottles. Regardless, the show was worth the buck and undeniably something to remember.
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