Turnover At The Soma

Austin Getz of Turnover. Photo by Atikis Curiel

Turnover is a band I have been following and enjoying for two years now. I first saw them as a co-headliner alongside Beach Fossils in October 2023 (review for Beach Fossils). I did not know it then, but they would become one of my favorite bands. They are constantly on my rotation when listening to music. I had hoped they would announce a show soon, and sure enough, it was earlier this year that they announced a 10th anniversary tour for their first album, Peripheral Vision. So, I was excited when this specific tour was announced. Their LA show was set to be at the Greek Theater, but I don't like going to that venue. But I saw they had a show in San Diego and made a trip out of that.

Peripheral Vision is one of my favorite albums. Not one song on the album is skippable. From start to finish, it is a dreamy indie rock experience when listening to it, with a heaping serving of shoegaze mixed in. My favorite song from the album is 'Humming', a song dedicated to my girlfriend, and it's a terrific song all around. Now, if you, the reader, have yet to listen to what I think is a record that must be listened to, please, at this moment, listen to it!

Now back to the show. The SOMA was an interesting venue; unlike any I've been to. I don't mean it was awe-inspiring, but it was, what I can say, a gutted movie theater. The entrance resembled a movie theater ticket booth, and the inside looked like a concession stand. But when we got to the room where the stage was, it looked like an empty warehouse, but again, just based on everything, it most likely was a gutted movie theater. I wasn't expecting the sound to be that good compared to the other venues I have been to, but surprisingly, the sound was terrific. The showroom was very dark; the only light source was from the stage. 

This show had two openers. The first was a band called "Horse Jumper of Love," which is a mouthful of a name, I know. The second opener was a band called "Balance and Composure". These bands were among the best openers I've seen recently.  Both bands had a unique sound and energy, and both killed it that night.

Horse Jumper of Love. Photo taken by Atikis Curiel

Horse Jumper of love was heavy and slow, or as my girlfriend said, "Twilight coded". They played great, but the sound guy totally blew it—the lead singer's mic kept cutting out or was way too low, so that I couldn't hear him most of the time.  Their music features a slow grunge style with elements described as emo and shoegaze.  They are a very talented group.

The mood went from calm to restless once 'Balance and Composure' emerged. When they came on stage, things got rowdier for sure. The lead singer of the band was one hell of a performer. He put life into the words he sang, going from left to right on the stage, working the crowd, and having fun. He was jumping around, landing on his knees, the works. If I were to describe their sound, it is post-grunge and a bit of emo revival with some shoegaze. That is one thing all the bands have in common: they all have some shoegaze element.

Balance and Composure. Photo Taken by Atikis Curiel

Once Balance and Composure completed their performance, Turnover took the stage shortly thereafter.  I was so excited, I had been waiting for this show, and they would be playing Peripheral Vision from start to finish. What more could I ask for?   When the band got on stage, the crowd started going crazy. The opening track of their album, "Cutting My Fingers Off," began with an introductory sequence of ambient sounds. As each member transitioned to their instrument, they began performing the piece coordinately.  And man, all I can say is wow, just wow. The show was so amazing. I've heard maybe three of the songs from the Beach Fossils show, but to listen to the whole album live was just something else. It was like watching one of your favorite bands play their greatest hits. Songs like “Take My Head”, “Diazepam”, and “Dizzy On the Comedown” were among my favorites played that night and are my favorite songs from the album. The crowd was getting rowdy, too rowdy for security standards, with security forcibly yanking some other concertgoers while crowd surfing or starting small mosh pits.

Turnover. Photo by Atikis Curie

After finishing the album, they performed more songs, including unreleased material.  It was a fantastic show that will be one of my favorites, from the openers to the main act; everything about this show was perfect. Overall, it was everything a concert should be: entertaining, intimate, and the sound quality and the care from the band or performer. You wouldn’t want to go to a show where the band or person you see is boring or not even engaging with the crowd; it is a waste of your money and, most importantly, a waste of your time.

If you want something new to listen to, I recommend you check out all three of these bands. And when they announce a tour and the show is near you, go!