The Fruit Bats, an indie folk-rock band, performed on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at the University of Idaho’s International Ballroom.
The concert showcased the band’s newest album, “The Landfill,” which came out June 12 of this year through Merge Records.
According to Eric Johnson who leads and founded The Fruit Bats, the core concept of “The Landfill” is to use the image of a landfill as a metaphor for the “mountain dominating the landscape of [his] heart.”
Johnson, originally from the Midwest, describes his home region as a large, vacant expanse dotted with landfills that symbolize the past as well as prospects for the future, balancing a mournful and emotional tone in his music.
According to Johnson, “It’s both a very personal record, and my most collaborative to date.”
When it comes to instrumentals, David Dawda is on bass, Josh Mease is on guitars and synth, Frank LoCrasto is on piano and synth and Kosta Galanopoulos is on drums.
The opener for the concert was Matthew Logan Vasquez. Vasquez got the audience charged through his passion for indie rock, which was evident through classic head banging, screaming into the mic, and loud instrumentals.
After a brief intermission, the Fruit Bats took the stage.
Their music distinctly crossed genres, combining indie rock, folk rock and alternative country.
On top of their unique musical approach, their songs offered a chance to reflect on serious topics such as life, love and anxiety.
The room was a dark but colorful haze, the simple lighting and setting contributing to a small-town feel. This made it easy for the band to truly connect with the audience.
Johnson talked to the crowd throughout the show.
Near the start of the performance, Johnson revealed that this was his first ever performance in Moscow–however, he’s played several times in the neighboring town of Pullman.
The crowd booed in response, to which Johnson laughed and apologized for being unaware of the small-town rivalry.
Later, he shared a story about when he was a senior in high school. At one of his shows, he was asked if he could play two hours’ worth of music. He said yes, despite having only five songs in his pocket.
Now, he has over two hours of music to perform with.
One such song he performed resembled a waltz, during which Johnson encouraged audience members to find a partner and dance. The audience responded in kind.
Johnson also wished one eventgoer a happy birthday, to which everyone cheered.
Students and adults of all ages attended the concert. For students, the concert offered an opportunity to relax during a busy week of midterms.
According to Nashwa Khan, a UI student who attended the concert, “the vibes were like a low lit, neon haze indie-folk groove session with strangers. And I felt that bass in my chest.”
Khan also noted that the venue gave audience members flexibility in how they enjoyed the music.
“You could be in the crowd if you wanted to or enjoy it intimately by just stepping back a little.”
The band performed for nearly two hours. Before the finale, the crowd chanted “One more song,” their love for the band and their music evident.
Melanie Knapp can be reached at [email protected].