A Thursday night can either be packed with homework or feel like a Friday. Last Thursday, I luckily got the latter. Instead of staying home and watching TV, I put on my black leather jacket and went out to see Chase Atlantic perform at the Municipal Auditorium. The Australian alternative R&B group was formed in 2014, with three albums under their name as well as several EPs. I had heard of some of their more mainstream songs like “Friends” and was excited to hear some of their new music on the North American tour. The night showcased a mix of all their albums, along with some unreleased tracks from their upcoming fourth album.
With the crowd filling in, 24kGoldn took the stage to set a playful atmosphere as the opener. Alone on stage, 24kGoldn took the opportunity to introduce himself and his sophomore EP.
“My name is 24kGoldn. And I came in here to have a really good f—ing night with y’all, what about y’all?” 24KGoldn said. “So I dropped this project at the beginning of the year called ‘Growing Pains’ and I wanted to play y’all some of my favorite songs off there, is that cool with y’all?”
The set list featured a balance of newer songs like “Rush” and “Good Intentions” while also having more well-known songs like “City of Angels” and “Mood.” 24kGoldn engaged the crowd well, assigning each half of the auditorium a specific lyric to shout during his 2021 hit “Coco.” His charismatic energy propelled the night forward and set a great pace for what was to come.
All three members of Chase Atlantic — Mitchel Cave, Christian Anthony and Clinton Cave — took the stage, accompanied by a bassist and drummer. They kicked off the set with “DIE FOR ME,” one of four tracks released from their latest album, “LOST IN HEAVEN.” The lead singer, Mitchel Cave, took time to address the audience after the first song, building excitement within the crowd.
“If you’ve come here tonight, I hope you’re prepared to have the best f—- night of your life. Are you ready?” Mitchel Cave said. “I mean this s— this will be the best f—ing concert you’ve been to yet until we come back to Nashville.”
The big screen behind the group changed with every song, with various backgrounds that played into what each song was about. Even some anime-style characters made it onto the screen, ensuring that the overall background stayed interesting but wasn’t too distracting from the main show.
A distinct aspect of Chase Atlantic’s sound lies not only in their alternative pop style but also in the R&B tones, often enhanced by the use of a saxophone. Clinton Cave is the lead guitarist for the group, and he also plays tenor saxophone, adding an R&B undertone that supplements an atmospheric touch to the music. Another element that made this concert particularly engaging was some of the unreleased songs in the setlist. Both “DEMON TIME” and “NIGHT CALLS,” stuck to the moody and dreamlike melodies of the band and were unexpected yet memorable moments in the night.
Speaking of memorable, there was one unfortunate moment that stands out. During the beginning of the song “Into It,” a few members of the audience got into a fight. The band immediately stopped playing and called the attention of security to get the individuals involved escorted out.
“Stop that s— right now. No f—- fighting at our show. I’ll be damned. Get him the f—- out of here,” Mitchel Cave said. “This is a place for f—- peace and love, get that s— out of here.”
A few minutes later, after clarifying that all of the people associated with the fight were gone, Mitchel Cave continued.
“We’re good to go, alright, Nashville put some f— hands in the air. Peace and love baby,” Mitchel Cave said.
Chase Atlantic proceeded to play “Into It” and the rest of the show went on without any further hiccups. The concert may have had a bit of a violent moment, but peace and love did continue with guitarist Christian Anthony taking a moment to introduce his girlfriend for her birthday.
“It’s a special someone’s birthday today, so I would like to bring out my girlfriend,” Anthony said. “On the count of three I want to hear everyone sing ‘Happy Birthday,’ can we do that? She’s feeling very shy, so make her feel very welcome.”
The band gave her roses and a cake, and she proceeded to blow out the candles and embrace Anthony before exiting the stage. Chase Atlantic went on to perform other unreleased music like “YOU” and “MESS ME UP” and some of their older work that launched their careers like “Swim” and “Friends.”
This concert had its ups and downs, but overall, it was full of smooth vocals and laid-back vibes. The band’s connection with their fans was undeniable, with the crowd passionately screaming every lyric. Chase Atlantic gave their fans everything they had and took extra care in making sure everyone was safe throughout the night. After hearing some of their unreleased tracks, I can say I’m very excited to hear the rest of their new album and what else they make in the future.
