Show Lineup: 3l3d3p, Kamixlo, Puzzle
Venue: The Rialto Theatre
Date: February 3, 2023
I bought tickets for Puzzle's concert the day they went on sale, and I still can't believe the day finally came. I was shocked when I saw that Puzzle was touring, and that Tucson, Arizona was one of the four stops on it. I immediately decided to go and dragged one of my friends who had no idea who he was, and we both had the time of our lives. I love the Shears twins with all my heart, and it was like a dream come true to see Fletcher himself a few miles off campus.
Mirina, also known as 3l3d3p, was an amazing opener. I had been listening to her music ever since I bought my ticket in November, and I had no idea what to expect when I saw her live. I initially loved her because she's dating Fletcher, but after seeing her perform my love has only grown. I had no idea what to expect because I've never seen a hyperpop/electronic based concert before, but her stage presence was mind blowing. The whole crowd got into her unique dance moves, and 90% of her set was one big mosh. My friend and I were not prepared for everyone to be pushing, but that's what made it so memorable. Even if every song isn't quite the type to sing along to, I felt connected to everyone in the crowd because of their reaction to it.
Although I loved this concert and would do it again in a heartbeat, Kamixlo was personally not for me. If the lineup was just 3l3d3p and Puzzle, I would have no complaints. However, that wasn't the case. I knew I wouldn't like Kamixlo's music going into the concert based on what songs I listened to, but the stage presence didn't save it either. Kamixlo is very dance/electronic: like a DJ if the song didn't stop for 30 minutes and sampled sound effects that ranged from clown-like laughter to ear-piercing beats. Now, not all of it was bad. Some songs were definitely better than others, but the white strobe lights in my face made me lose energy and feel sick. The crowd tried to mosh at times, and it was near impossible for me to go with it because I felt so gross from the loud noises and bright lights. There were a lot of people in the crowd who enjoyed this set, but I could have gone without it.
Puzzle, on the other hand, did not fall short from my expectations. It felt as if his set flew by because he flowed from one song to the next so naturally. Not to mention his somersaults across the stage added to the exciting aspect of his music. He had such a strong set even though it was just him and a couple drums up on the stage. People once again moshed to most of the set which kept a high energy in the crowd the entire time. The most interesting mosh, though, was when his song "Foghorn" played and people created a pit to a literal foghorn sound effect. Weird, but oddly fun. Needless to say, I was happily pleased by Puzzle's show he put on because of the crowd, and setlist that balanced new songs with older ones.
One of the highlights of this concert, in my opinion, was when "Trgdy Plybck" by 3l3d3p played because that's my favorite song of hers. She doesn't have much of a discography, but every song she has out is just as good as the others. My other highlights were during Puzzle's set when the songs "All the Best", "Kids", and "love is a place to hide" played. Those are some of my favorites of his, and times when the crowd united most. There wasn't a song that made the crowd tired of being there, so even if you didn't fully know each song you would enjoy it just as much as your favorites. All in all, this was a really fun concert to experience, and I hope to see both the twins at a Garden concert some time in the future.
Reviewer Name: Elizabeth McCluskey
Date of Review: February 6, 2023