From Florida to London, Flipturn’s First Intimate Tour of Europe

It’s November 20th 2024, 7:28 pm in Hackney, London. It’s 3 degrees outside and true to form, I’m early again. “Being on time is being late” echoes in my head as I stand outside the live music bar, shivering, with an unusually large bag containing an unusually large camera. Tonight, I’m taking photos for flipturn, a band I first stumbled across on Spotify in 2021. Their live version of “August” pulled me into a rabbit hole, and they ended up as the centerpiece of my final A&R project at UCLA. They were my ‘band to watch’. Three years later and I'm in London, queuing for one of their first European shows.

The line moves fast and soon the scent of cigarette-stained walls hits me as I step into the foyer of MOTH Club, a 200-capacity venue flipturn sold out two nights in a row—with another night at the Lower Third (250 cap). Although it’s their first European tour, the size of the venue surprises me. This is the third and final show of their sold-out London run, and by my calculations, they could have easily filled larger spaces like Village Underground (700). But perhaps it's the charm—smaller rooms are more raw and intimate.

MOTH Club is an ex-servicemen’s club turned live music bar, and it wears its history with pride. A glittering ceiling, wooden walls, and a foil fringe curtain behind the stage set the scene—it’s prom night meets dive bar. At the back, giant glitter letters spell out “MOTH”. Tacky for sure, but the yellow matching tones of the whole place radiate nostalgia.

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The opener, Lazy Day, begins their set and between songs, the lead singer pauses to call flipturn “lovely people” and gush about how nice they are backstage. As their set is ending, the room starts to feel smaller and hotter—the sold-out crowd pressing in from every side. Slowly, a synth-heavy, French-touch-inspired track fills the space. At first, it blends into the background, a sort of extension of the pre-show playlist. But it grows louder, sneaking its way into the crowd’s awareness. By the time everyone realizes it’s the intro, the lights dim and flipturn takes the stage. 

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The first chord of "Churches" rings, and the room shifts from dreamy synth ambiance to full-blown indie rock. Band and crowd are jumping in sync—the energy is growing, flipping back and forth between both camps facing each other. After the first song, lead vocalist Dillon Basse steps up to introduce the band.

Flipturn was born in Fernandina Beach, Florida—a long way from London, 4,234 miles to be exact. What started as a high school trio with Dillon on vocals, Tristan Duncan on guitar, and Madeline Jarman on bass, grew into a five-piece when Mitch Fountain (synths) and Devon VonBalson (drums) joined during college. 

After six years of releasing singles and EPs, flipturn dropped their debut album, Shadowglow, in 2022. Beyond their exceptional songwriting and production, they’ve become known as a relentless live band, touring almost non-stop for the past five years—and it shows. 

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At the front of the stage, fans sing along to every word. Two girls stand right in front of the bassist, and bow to her in a funny yet endearing display of admiration. Fully immersed in the performance, she waits until the end of the song to share a few words with the fans. The band maintains an impressive level of concentration despite the cramped stage and the crowd just inches away. Instead, they exchange smiles and glances, a quiet display of their connection. 

Mid-set, the opening chords of “Sunlight” resonate—the newest single from their upcoming album, Burnout Days. So fresh, in fact, it’s being released just hours after the concert ends. “Sunlight” is the third glimpse into their sophomore album and despite its warm-sounding title, it’s a raw and vulnerable song in which Dillon opens up about drug abuse within his family. The track begins with an airy blend of muted guitar and synths, creating a melodic and ballad-like ambiance before gradually layering distorted guitars and crashing cymbals, building up an angsty energy that mirrors the frustration of its lyrics. If this single is any indication, Burnout Days which comes out January 24th, is shaping up to be a very special album.

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The pace picks up and the concert ends with “Nickel”, a song from their 2018 EP Citrona. Dillon jumps into the crowd, and surrounded by fans, they all scream the catchy lyrics in unison:

“I'd rather be drunk or out of my mind
I'm out of my mind”

Then, in a flash, the band is offstage, the lights turn back on, and reality creeps back in. Strangers, once packed inches from each other exchange awkward glances, caught somewhere between euphoria and embarrassment. It’s time to go home.

If you missed flipturn this year, don’t worry—they’ll be back on tour across North America and Europe next year. Find a show near you!