Finally being able to headline their own show at the 9:30 club, Bad Suns brought lots of guitar and lots of dance moves to D.C. Sunday night. Nostalgia and pride filled the air as frontman Christo Bowman reflected on how far they’d come in D.C. specifically, with fans smiling in the moment.
A moment capturing the lights turn from blue to red.
I had never seen Bad Suns before, so I was extremely excited to see them once and for all – especially in the D.C. music scene and legendary 9:30 club.
While the stage was simply donned with a white curtain and reflective Bad Suns logo, the lights cast silhouettes of the band members running across the stage.
It was especially cool when the lights repeatedly changed colors with the beat of the song, the colors mixing on the band members’ faces.
Starting the set with “Disappear Here,” Bad Suns played a mix of both albums, catering to both the old and new fans in the audience. Bowman frequently interacted with the crowd, running to both sides of the stage constantly while playing guitar.
During “Sleep Paralysis” and “Rearview,” Bowman literally stepped out into the crowd, relying on the people beneath him to hold up his feet. Although my friends and I were towards the back, the constantly moving crowd shoved us much closer to the front, and incidentally, right next to Bowman when he jumped in the crowd.
I kid you not, the second he stepped towards the crowd, girls in front me bolted across the pit. People were on top of each other and definitely in each other’s space, but the room was filled with loud screaming and jumping to the beat of “Rearview,” one of the encore songs.
Bad Suns brought a constant sense of energy and excitement to the show, and I actually found myself jumping and singing with my head back. Sometimes, it feels like the concert sounds the same as the songs live, with no extra added riffs or runs. Bowman, however, sprinkled so many riffs and long notes throughout the show, creating an even more exciting environment.
The band recently released “This Was A Home Once,” a song that did not make it onto their sophomore album Disappear Here. The pure passion present in Bowman’s voice and straining neck veins was enough to make anyone clap a little harder and scream a little louder.
“Defeated” landed its spot as the best song performed live because of the powerhouse vocals showcased by Bowman. Coupled with the long riffs and runs, Bowman involved the crowd with a call and response during the bridge, a moment sure to give you the goosebumps.
Some of my favorite songs from the first album, “Transpose,” “Salt,” and “Cardiac Arrest,” did not disappoint live. I would definitely see the same show again, just to experience the happiness and passion fostered in that room last night. 
The openers were QTY and HUNNY, both on two complete different spectrums of performances. QTY was slightly monotone, and they were not very focused on interacting with the crowd or hyping up the audience.
HUNNY performing at the 9:30 Club.
HUNNY, however, took the award for being the craziest band I’ve seen live. In their last song, the frontman literally laid in the crowd, then proceeded to climb up the wall into the balcony. I gotta say, if I was a hardcore fan of theirs, that would have left me SHOOK.
Overall, the concert progressively got better as the night went on. I was a little disheartened by QTY, but HUNNY revived me, and Bad Suns took me back to my grave (in a good way).
Definitely see them next time they tour – I promise they will not disappoint.
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