Words & Photos by Anthony Abu-Hanna
The line wrapped around the block before doors even opened. By the time DJO was set to take the stage, the venue was completely packed. Wall-to-wall bodies generating a thick, humid heat that made the whole place feel like a pressure cooker.
Post Animal kicked things off, and here’s where it got interesting. I’ve been to a lot of shows, and I can’t remember the last time I saw an audience sing every word of an opener’s set. Not just a few hits. Every single song. The crowd knew these guys, and they made sure everyone in the room knew it too.
When DJO finally walked onstage, the place erupted. You could feel the anticipation building during the changeover, that restless energy of a crowd ready to lose it. He started quiet with a solo rendition of “Awake,” just him and the audience in a brief moment of stillness. Then he launched into “Uglyfisherman” and the room exploded.
“Basic Being Basic” was a highlight. The kind of song that gets the whole venue moving in unison. From there, he worked through a setlist that hit all the marks: “Gloom,” “Roddy,” “Potion,” and fan-favorite “End of Beginning.” The energy never dipped.
He closed with “Back on You” before coming back for a two-song encore: “Chateau (Feel Alright)” and “Flash Mountain.”
Gallery +
TheWaster.com | Connecticut
9.29.25
