Concert Review- DUCKWRTH @ The Independent 9/29 by Saraphina Lacey
Arriving at DUCKWRTH’s “All American Freakshow”, I didn’t quite know what to expect. Although I didn’t arrive as a fan, I definitely left as one. Almost anyone could enjoy one of his shows, his music lies at the intersection of a rock vibe, electronic, slow and melodic, and rap. It sounds like it wouldn’t go together, but the performance was seamless. He can be found on any major social media platform (intragram, twitter, X, facebook) @DUCKWRTH.
We arrived at the show mid way through the opener, DE’WAYNE. He’s on instagram, tiktok, facebook, and X @yeahdewayne. We caught a few songs, including “Highway Robbery” and “I Wanna be your Doll”. He had a strong stage presence, he set the vibe by interacting with the crowd, dancing, and fun lighting. I really enjoyed the opener and his band. I wish I was able to enjoy more of his set, but we missed the beginning because parking was a challenge. He mentioned having audio issues at the start of the show, so I think I arrived at the peak of his set.
Between the opener and DUCKWRTH they played a few songs, there was no on stage DJ but they were cohesive. It was a mix of popular and less popular songs. I really enjoyed them and shamelessly was ‘that girl’ shazaming the setlist. My favorites were 00222ZAY by Kal Banx and Isiah Rashad and ice by Ragz oginale ft. BAMBII.
The show was at The Independent and is pretty intimate. I felt close even from the back of the room. The audio was clear and loud. The crowd was energetic and engaged. The audience was dancing and having a good time. It felt like a time machine because almost nobody was on their phone. I liked being able to let loose and have a break from screens.
My friends and I had an absolute blast at his concert and are still playing the songs he performed. We’re still talking about it over a week later. At some points you felt like the only person in the room, as if the song was written for you. “Grayscale” was my favorite song he performed. The audience, venue and performance aligned perfectly. I guess my friends and I were behind the curve, as the show was sold out. Everyone there was definitely onto something.
To get to the venue, do whatever you can to not have to park. It was exceedingly difficult and considering the show was on a Monday, I can only imagine the challenge of parking on a weekend. We ended up parking far from the venue using a rideshare service to get to the venue. I would strongly recommend taking public transport or something instead of driving. If you need to convert someone to a DUCKWRTH fan, taking them to the “All American Freakshow” would definitely do the trick.
I share the same feeling of no one being on their phone. I think it’s great when people just try to enjoy the shows but I also completely get the other side of the argument. Sometimes it’s great to be able to record stuff for later, especially songs or moments that really stick with you.
Never been to the Independent, but I will take note of the parking situation in case I ever do; that sounded like a horrible experience.
I notice that theres a lot of emphasis on the crowd and the atmosphere at the Independent in San Francisco, I think its great that people get to experience shows with that feeling and energy.
I have also been to The Independent and I agree on the parking situation. Parking in San Francisco in general always feels like a nightmare to me. I have not heard of De’Wayne or DUCKWRTH before but I’ll be checking them out now. The pictures definitely seem to show that this was a high energy concert as well.