WASHINGTON D.C. — We have all learned to pretend audiences are in their underwear to ease stage fright. Now, imagine it the other way around. Lead singer and instrumentalist Kian Stevens-Winston of Sugar Pit created the nightmare many have feared. Thrown onto the stage in his underwear, he got dressed in dead silence. Not sexy underwear either — tighty-whities. 

Opener Sugar Pit and headliner FIDLAR matched each other’s energies perfectly with their dynamic and electrifying performances at the 9:30 Club on October 14, 2024.  

As the audience was asked to rise for Sugar Pit after Stevens-Winston got dressed, the band slammed into their first song. The volume and chaos immediately shook the crowd, and a mosh pit formed in the center of the masses. Stevens-Winston threw himself all over the stage, causing the crowd to follow. The band ensured no one in the audience would forget their name by announcing themselves after each song, then swinging back into fast-paced action in full force.

Eventually, Stevens-Winston announced their new album Shhh..Don’t Jinx It, and later threw himself into the crowd, which was my favorite moment of the night. Limbs all in the air, he surfed the crowd with drumsticks and in his jorts. After my ears were blasted, they finished their set and left the crowd beyond warmed up for FIDLAR. 

FIDLAR stepped onto the stage in a calmer manner. While some of the energy had initially fizzled from Sugar Pit’s performance, it did not last long. During the first song, they came in flying, as their bassist flung himself around the stage. The vibrant neon lights covering the floor created a beautifully blue grunge surf vibe.

Then, vocalist and guitarist Zac Carper directed the crowd to create the perfect setup for moshing. He chanted for the crowd to go faster as they created a whirlpool of cheers and fists. Reactivity was FIDLAR’s strong suit as each song got more rise and more response. With colliding warm and cold lights, FIDLAR rocked all human senses and created a night that will stick with me for a long time.