Concert Review: Fleshwater Bring the Noise at Paradise Rock Club
Image courtesy of Christian Barker
It’s October 28th, 2023 and Allston is swarmed with undergraduates wearing vibrant corsets and tiaras. The sign above Paradise Rock Club’s entrance boasts tonight’s upcoming performance by Harms Way. Upon entering, however, it’s clear that many of the concertgoers were there for one of the openers: Fleshwater, a shoegaze offshoot of the Boston hardcore band Vein.fm. Fleshwater was conceptualized in 2017 by Vein.fm’s Anthony DiDio and Matt Wood, and formed in 2019 when the two were joined by Vein.fm’s Jeremy Martin and adopted solo artist Marisa Shirar, known professionally as MIRSY, as lead vocalist. Wood is no longer an active member, but the rest remain, along with additional touring members who accompany them at shows. Inspired by a multitude of unique influences, ranging from Sunny Day Real Estate to Deftones to Hum to Björk, Fleshwater puts a fresh twist on the well-known and loved sounds of decades prior. The band has always been successful in sonically emulating their iconic ‘90s shoegaze and 2000s nu metal influences and have quickly garnered a loyal following of people ready to scream every word, even while (perhaps) kicking you in the head attempting to crowdsurf — or crashing down onto you after jumping off the stage.
Watching Fleshwater set up their instruments, the audience began to buzz with excitement. When they finally took the stage, MIRSY stood confidently before the mic and began to, of course, stare down at her feet as she worked with the intricate floor pedals beneath them. The band immediately commanded the room, and when their first song — an unreleased track called “Stand Alone” — started, the crowd exploded with energy. Bouncing along to each chord, it was impossible to stand still: even if you tried, you would inevitably get swept up by the thrashing mob before the stage. The set continued with the brief, yet intense track, “Kiss the Ladder,” a staple of their discography. The song’s iconic spoken word intro, “then why are you here?” melded perfectly with the upbeat, thudding instrumentals and made my heart thump as I screamed in exhilaration along with the crowd.
The third song of their set, a cover of Björk’s “Enjoy,” featured on their debut LP, We’re Not Here to Be Loved, started off with a uniquely layered, hard-rock take on Björk’s original instrumentation. This song featured an incredible vocal performance from guitarist DiDio. He began in his lower range, singing so gently it sounded like a hum over the muffled effects from the pedals — his voice soared through the song’s dramatic finale as he repeated the title over and over. This cover, in particular, is a strong example of something Fleshwater does exceptionally well: juxtaposing muffled, distorted vocals with quick, jerky rock instrumentation, heavy on the bass, guitar and drums. This harder take on a classic shoegaze technique is seen throughout their 2020 EP, Demo, and is something they have continued to refine as their musical career continues. Admittedly, this track is a personal favorite of mine, for all the above reasons. Sonically, it’s incredible and always triggers a dramatic response from the audience.
Throughout the night, MIRSY’s musical prowess was awe-inducing. The focus and skill it takes to sing, play bass and fiddle with foot pedals while members of your audience are repeatedly jumping onstage and landing right beside you, only to run in a tight half-circle around you and leap back into the crowd — is genuinely impressive. The frontwoman never fails to impress with live performances, tonight’s show was certainly no exception. Her vocals ranged from brash and abrasive in the more distorted “Closet,” as she desperately cries out, “I’m sorry for the things I can’t undo,” to ominous and quiet in a more shoegaze-adjacent song from their initial demo, “Linda Claire.” Performing the latter track allows MIRSY to use her voice as an instrument: in classic shoegaze fashion, the fuzzy distortion blends her vocals with the melody so perfectly that the lyrics become difficult to make out. The softness of this track, in comparison to others, did nothing to deter the audience’s energy. Fleshwater’s music transports listeners back in time, to a ‘90s, ambient rock show as they flawlessly resuscitate and blend together the iconic sounds of artists who came before them.
“Fleshwater’s music transports listeners back in time, to a ‘90s, ambient rock show as they flawlessly resuscitate and blend together the iconic sounds of artists who came before them.”
Each song acted as a refresh; the eager audience never tired of the sweat-inducing mosh pit the entire room quickly became. Despite getting fallen on, kicked in the face and nearly smashed by a body leaping off the stage (the volume of crowd-surfers started off relatively small and had reached an apex, at this point), I had no urge to exit. The energy was intoxicating. Fleshwater’s tour bassist circa 2021, Jonathan Lhambouet, has an especially commanding stage presence and is always a highlight of the band’s live shows. While vocalists MIRSY and DiDio are often glued in place before the microphone and fuzz pedals, Lhambouet moves with the music and engages with the crowd: his command of the bass is so strong that it becomes an extension of his body. Headbanging to the beat, members of the audience clamor to get closer to him during such high-energy moments.
Image courtesy of Christian Barker
The band’s energy reached its glorious peak during the final song, “Foreign.” DiDio starts off the track, screaming in a quintessentially nu metal fashion and MIRSY soon cuts in with angelic, feminine vocals to break up the sonic harshness. This vocal performance was a highlight of the show, as MIRSY showed off her range with the lines, “I’ve been falling to pieces ‘cause you / can’t remember how the story goes / This is the sound of grieving.” As the song comes to a close, DiDio again begins to scream, this time while MIRSY harmonized with soft vocal runs. The two vocalists working in tandem on this unique track, notably, much longer than in the rest of their work, made for a truly amazing performance and ended their set with a bang.
Fleshwater are currently on tour with Jivebomb, Ingrown, and Harms Way. In 2024, they are expected to perform at the Sick New World, New Bloom, and Rockville festivals. Their music is available to stream on all music platforms. Physical copies, tour tickets, and merchandise are available for purchase on their official website, Fleshwater.fm.