The Frights, a San Diego punk band, played a headlining show at Slim’s in San Francisco, California last week on December 1, 2017. The openers were Hockey Dad and Vundabar.
Price: $$$
The tickets, including fees, were only around $20 and it was all GA. Water and cups were also readily accessible and completely free.
Venue: 8/10
Though this was my first time at Slim’s I really enjoyed the venue. Slim’s is a relatively small venue in San Francisco with a capacity of 500, which is about half the size of the Filmore. Though the show was sold out, it did not feel cramped and there was still space to move around. In addition to that, there was really good air circulation, which is important because the pit can get very overheated. There is bar that serves food (really good fries) as well as drinks, and there is easily accessible free water and cups (VERY IMPORTANT so no one passes out). There is also a second level balcony in the back with tables and chairs in case you are tired or want a better view of the show without having to fight through the pit. My only complaint is that once The Frights began playing stage divers and crowd surfers that got brought toward the stage were ripped out of the crowd or aggressively grabbed off the stage.
Crowd: 6/10
The crowd at this show was good overall. There was great energy from the crowd, a pit started during the first opener and continued for the rest of the show, and there was a lot of (attempted) stage diving and crowd surfing. It was also easy to move in and out of the pit and to get closer to the front. Those in the pit were willing to move around and mosh and no one was on their phones or taking pictures for an extended period of time. However, the crowd was relatively densely packed, especially towards the front and middle. There was not an open or defined pit which led to the collapse of multiple people on top of each other as the crowd swayed and it was difficult to pick them up because it was so packed. There was also multiple people with blood running down their face or splattered on the back of their shirts… which tells you all you need to know.
Lineup: 8/10
The Frights, Hockey Dad, and Vundabar are all great bands that engaged the crowd and played amazing. Though they had a similar overall sound, none of the music seemed boring or repetitive. There was also only three bands, so you could get there early without having to sit through a stream of local bands while waiting for the headliner.
This show was really fun. The key to a good show is how the band and the audience engages, and everybody at this show was clearly having a good time. If you haven’t listened to any of these bands, please check them out.
See you at the next show!
Review by Brigid Ahern
Instagram: @brigid.ahern
The Frights:
Hockey Dad:
Vundabar: