Twin Peaks at Chicago’s Thalia Hall was the first concert I’ve been to in a while that left me dripping in sweat with a smile so big that I didn’t want to talk about anything else for the rest of the night. The energy was immaculate; countless people crowdsurfed, jumped up and down and into each other, did flips in the mosh pit and waved their hands in the air like it was the last night of their lives.
And, if it had been the last night of my life, I would have been perfectly satisfied.
I started the night on the balcony, but midway through I leaned into my plus one and told him we HAD to get down in the pit. He agreed, and we eagerly sprinted down the stairs into the mosh pit and stayed there for the rest of the show. If I didn’t have to pay my rent, I would’ve cleaned out my savings and gone back for the next four days.
Aside from being one of the most present concerts I’ve been to in recent times (the amount of phones was so slight that I almost felt guilty taking a short video on mine) the sense of community that was present throughout the venue was so special. While I was in line for a second round of drinks, I met a girl named Asia when I complimented her earrings; they were made out of real butterfly wings. Asia asked me how I knew the band, and I responded saying I was just a fan. She then told me that she was a friend of Jack Dolan (vocals/bass) and that Twin Peaks, in their early days, had played at her eighth grade dance, where they covered “White Wedding” by Billy Idol. At that moment I realized that this sold out show was not only a commemoration of Down in Heaven, but also a reunion for everyone who had watched them grow into the modern rock ‘n’ roll icons they are now.
After doing some research, including reading GQ’s 2019 article “Twin Peaks Will Be Your Rock ‘n’ Roll Saviors,” I learned that this beautiful night I experienced was reminiscent of Chicago’s golden age of talent.
Dolan, joined by Caiden Lake James (guitar/vocals), Clay Frankel (guitar/vocals), Colin Croom (keys/guitar/vocals) and Connor Brodner (drums) formed Twin Peaks in 2010, when they were still in high school. Soon after, they got their start playing house shows in the DIY scene. In 2013, they released their debut album, Sunken, and began rising to prominence around the same time as Chance The Rapper, who James and Dolan went to high school with.
Also part of the timeline was the Chicago-born psychedelic-rock band Post Animal, who formed in 2014. They released their 2015 debut album, Post Animal Perform the Most Curious Water Activities with Joe Keery, who left the band in 2018 when he was cast in Stranger Things. This perhaps explains the appearance of Keery’s costar Finn Wolfhard, who opened for Twin Peaks on the sixth consecutive night of their sold-out Chicago run.
When you witness the energy that Twin Peaks bring to their live performances, from their jumping around the stage, to head banging and down from the heavenly guitar solos, it feels impossible not to mimic their energy as a crowd member.
For this show, Free Range, a local Chicago indie-folk project led by Sofia Jensen, joined Twin Peaks on stage. Jensen, along with drummer Bailey Minzenberger and producer Jack Henry, delivered a beautiful opening performance for the evening. Yellow, turquoise, pink, green and purple lights lit Free Range, and changed to fit the vibe of each song — a concert photographer’s wet dream. On top of this, Jensen’s lyrics are incredibly poetic and moving, and the influence of their upbringing in rural Ohio seeped through the strum of their guitar. For one song, they put on a harmonica rack and played a Bob Dylan-style solo that sent the crowd into a riot.
“If you weren’t already aware, we’re in one of the best venues in the whole wide world,” Jensen said about Thalia Hall.
Jensen made their final mark on the night by singing “Shake Your Lonely” for Frankel, and left me with a final thought: Twin Peaks, whether they intended to or not, were there to guide and inspire the next generation of indie rockers, inspiring fans and musicians alike. Their presence served as a reminder of what live music is really about: letting loose, connecting with the people around you, trusting those people not to drop you while you crowd surf and making memories that will last a lifetime (like thinking about that eighth grade dance every time you hear “White Wedding” by Billy Idol).
On May 22, Twin Peaks officially re-released their 2016 album, Down In Heaven, with a B-side including four new tracks: “Who’s It Gonna Be?,” “Back Door,” “I Don’t Wanna Miss You” and “Disappear.” Along with the new sounds, they collaborated with photographer Daniel Topete to make a photobook, A Flower To Give To The World, that features photos and personal reflections from the band during the making of Down In Heaven. The book was exclusively available for purchase on every night of the tour.
Keep up with Twin Peaks and Free Range:
Twin Peaks: Website /Instagram / Youtube / Spotify / Apple Music
Free Range: Website / Instagram / Youtube / Spotify / Apple Music
Cover image via Alexa Viscius
