Beautiful Chaos With Foxtide
- Susana Gomez
- May 9
- 3 min read
The anticipation for this show was astronomical. Foxtide touched down in New York City with nothing but electric energy. Formed in San Diego, CA, Foxtide has turned into one of the bands with the most potential in the scene right now. These guys have underrated written all over.
Their music keeps getting better and better, and their sophomore album, Entropy, is no exception. Released on April 17th of this year, the record tapped into something more atmospheric, emotionally ethereal, and textured with synths and layered guitar work. The band's earlier surfy indie-rock sound has clearly evolved into something way bigger than them. All I can say is that after hearing these songs in a 250-capacity venue, I can’t stop thinking about how they’re going to sound in front of a larger audience, which is undoubtedly happening very soon, after selling out the majority of their tour.
The night started with the band, Hallpass - who you should definitely keep on your radar if you are an avid indie rock listener - and although their set was short, they’re worth checking out. Especially with their debut album, Spillway, which was released the same day as Entropy.
The clock hit 7 pm, and Eli Gibbins-Croft (lead Vocals and Guitar), Oey James (Bass), Ian Robles (Drums), and Dom Friedly (Guitar and Synths) made their way onstage. Following Entropy’s track list, they opened their set with the title track and transitioned into “Days Move Slow”; the synths filled the sold-out room, and people screamed with excitement for the show to start.
Third on the setlist was my personal favorite from the album, “Can’t Get Enough of It.” The song explores Foxtide's more direct with emotionally raw sounds, which are based on a looping ache of longing and passionate fixation found in the lyrics. The song combines indie-rock guitars with the slightly uneasy emotional tones that the record overflows with. This style complements the band’s overall turn toward the atmospheric melodic rock sound found on Entropy.
Halfway through their set, I was taken aback by a familiar 808 lo-fi beat that frequents my Spotify very often. It wasn't until I heard that famous E major key coming from the speakers that I realized what was going on. The band performed a cover of LCD Soundsystem's "Dance Yrself Clean" as a New York exclusive, which served as an obvious inspiration for the new album. They did a wonderful job interpreting it, Dom (synths) and Ian (drums) took over the stage leading the song while the crowd danced and sang along to one of the city’s national anthems.
One part of the show that really impressed me was their performance of the single “Wait it Out”. It’s one of those songs that really connects with the audience. With emotional vocals, consistent percussion, and a progressive build, the repetition in the outro highlights that concept of perseverance that you hear in the lyrics. Rather than dramatic reconciliation, but a quiet decision to stay, which felt like a dagger stabbing me through the heart. The cherry on top was when Eli (lead vocals) whipped out a harmonica out of nowhere and played a solo to end the song.
To finish it off, they played their all-time hit “My Favorite Girl Loves Reading” from the album Chaos. The song lives up to its hype. You could easily tell by the way people were opening pits, dancing, and screaming the lyrics as if their lives depended on it.
The band spilled their hearts onstage that night, leaving Mercury Lounge buzzing with adrenaline. There's something so special about seeing a band thrive in and at their craft. For Foxtide this is just the beginning of a huge career, with this pace, these guys will be playing huge venues very soon, and I cannot wait to see it.
Written by Susana Gomez
Edited by Rory Perez
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