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The Vanderbilt Hustler

The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University.
Since 1888
The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University

The Vanderbilt Hustler

The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University.
The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University

The Vanderbilt Hustler

The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University.

Flipturn returns to Nashville more impressive than ever

Flipturn put on a show equally energetic and serene at their Dec. 1 Basement East performance.
Dillon+Basse+jumps+and+plays%2C+as+captured+on+Dec.+1%2C+2022+%28Hustler+Multimedia%2FMiguel+Beristain%29
Miguel Beristain
Dillon Basse jumps and plays, as captured on Dec. 1, 2022 (Hustler Multimedia/Miguel Beristain)

After being kicked out of their concert during the opener last year (don’t ask), I’ve been anxiously waiting to see flipturn—one of my favorite bands—play live. After months of anticipation, I watched flipturn walk onto the Basement East stage after opener Hotel Fiction—hilariously, the same venue and opener as last year—for a performance I will never forget. 

Although they only have around 50,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, Hotel Fiction performs at such a quality that they should have millions of fans. After their impressive performance, they left the stage for flipturn, and out came frontman Dillon Basse, bassist Madeline Jarman, guitarist Tristan Duncan, synth player Mitch Fountain and drummer Devon VonBalson.

Flipturn on stage at the Basement East, as captured on Dec. 1, 2022 (Hustler Multimedia/Miguel Beristain)
Flipturn on stage at the Basement East, as captured on Dec. 1, 2022 (Hustler Multimedia/Miguel Beristain)
(Miguel Beristain)

What I’ve always liked most about flipturn’s discography is the voice of main man Dillon Basse, which shines through on stage as much as it does in studio recordings. Basse has impressive range, with the ability both to belt out a song’s chorus and carry the rest of the song with what I can only describe as the most tender of vocals. His energetic stage presence and Mac DeMarco-esque vibe make him the perfect indie frontman—whatever indie means anyway.

The band mostly played songs from their new album, “Shadowglow,” which marks their first full-length release. They played “Brooklyn Baby” and “Halfway”—my favorites from the album—as well as a few songs I shamefully did not know the lyrics to (yet) but still got my head bopping along nonetheless.

In addition to their newer releases, flipturn played classics that listeners know and love. The entire Basement East crowd sang along to bangers such as “Nickel,” “Chicago” and “August,” and even though I was a tiny bit annoyed the band did not play “Churches” or “Something You Needed” (my personal flipturn favorites), I was thoroughly entertained by the crowd participation.

Dillon Basse of flipturn keeps the audience's attention, as captured on Dec. 1, 2022 (Hustler Multimedia/Miguel Beristain)
Dillon Basse of flipturn keeps the audience’s attention, as captured on Dec. 1, 2022 (Hustler Multimedia/Miguel Beristain)
(Miguel Beristain)

I imagine that, even if I wasn’t already utterly obsessed with flipturn, I would become a superfan after this concert due to the band’s immense on-stage energy. It is obvious that the fivesome clearly loves what they’re doing and shows it through their energetic performances. This mindset is exemplified by drummer VonBalson, who killed it on the drums all night long.

It’s no surprise I enjoyed flipturn’s performance—they made it onto my Spotify Wrapped top five artists, after all—but my love for them definitely grew even more after seeing them crush it just a few feet in front of me. I’m happy I found flipturn at such a pivotal stage of their career, and I’m looking forward to watching them keep growing.

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About the Contributors
Deniz Orbay, Former Senior Staff Writer
Deniz Orbay (25) is a student in the College of Arts and Science double-majoring in Mathematics and Computer Science and minoring in Cinema and Media Arts. He writes for Life and News, is a big movie nerd and is better than average at every sport in which a ball is used. You can reach him at [email protected].
Miguel Beristain, Senior Staff Photographer
Miguel Beristain (’24) is a philosophy and cellular and molecular biology double major in the College of Arts and Science from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. When not shooting for The Hustler, he can usually be found playing Magic the Gathering, exploring new restaurants or practicing guitar. He can be reached at .
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