When flipturn takes the stage, it’s like stepping into a brand new world built from emotion, groove, and colour. Touring in support of their latest album Burnout Days, the Florida five-piece brought their radiant energy to Stage AE for a night that felt both dreamy and electrifying. With their genre-blending style that weaves together surfy riffs and soul-baring lyrics, flipturn has been steadily rising through the indie scene since their early EPs, now landing on larger stages with a confident stride. The Pittsburgh stop on The Burnout Days Tour was a glowing celebration of everything the band has built so far, and a glimpse of the even brighter path ahead.
Opening duties went to The Stews, and they wasted no time in setting the vibey tone for the night. With crunchy guitar lines, groovy bass, and a little Southern rock flair, their sound brought just enough grit to contrast flipturn’s smoother textures. “Fireline” and “Make It Out” gave the crowd something to move to, while the band’s easy stage presence and natural chemistry made it feel like they’d been doing this for years. There was a rawness to their energy, a sense of urgency that made every song feel like it mattered.
When flipturn finally hit the stage, the entire venue seemed to take on a different hue. Literally. From the moment the lights shifted to glowing blues, purples, and reds, Stage AE transformed into a swirling dreamscape that matched the music’s emotional highs and lows. Opening with “Juno,” the first track on Burnout Days, the band quickly pulled the crowd into their world of soaring melodies and groovy beats. Frontman Dillon Basse’s vocals carried with a kind of intimacy that made the room feel smaller, like everyone was connected by the same thread. From soft verses to explosive choruses, flupturn built an entire experience out of sound and colour.
With Burnout Days being the heart of the tour, all of the album’s tracks got plenty of love – and the live versions hit even harder than the already incredibly strong studio tracks. The funky melodies of “Swim Between Trees” and “Inner Wave” brought a burst of life into Stage AE while the slower vibes of “Sunlight” and “Window” made the highs feel even higher. One of the most popular of the night, “Rodeo Clown” brought emotional vulnerability softened by an upbeat chorus that had everyone singing along. The title track “Burnout Days” had everyone movin’ and groovin’ to the unbelievably catchy hooks. The honesty and introspection of the lyrics are where the true power of the album lies, with themes of drugs, identity, existential dread, and even intergenerational trauma all wrapped up in groovy beats and colourful vibes. Every song felt carefully placed, and the band played with the ease and confidence of a group that knows exactly who they are. Burnout Days might mark a new chapter for flipturn, but live, the songs felt as familiar as old favourites.
As the set rolled on, the connection between band and audience only grew deeper. The lighting shifted constantly, matching the moods of each track with an almost cinematic precision. During “Chicago,” the room seemed to float with the band, and for “Nickel,” every hand in the crowd was in the air, riding the final notes like a wave. It was a show that felt effortless in the best way: fluid, colourful, and full of heart. For flipturn, Burnout Days might explore emotional exhaustion, but on stage at Stage AE, the band looked anything but burned out. They looked alive.
April 10th, 2025
