Flipturn • March 13, 2025 • The Complex
Reviewed and Photographed by Morgan Newbold
Last Thursday, Salt Lake City welcomed beloved indie band Flipturn to The Complex! The last time they played in Utah was at Kilby Court! It was so heartwarming to see them jump to a nearly sold-out show with thousands more fans. I’ve been a huge fan of Flipturn for the past year or two, so there was no chance I was missing this show. There were older and younger fans and they came prepared in their merch, ready to sing their hearts out. I saw many of my friends at this show, and it’s always lovely to connect with them over our shared love of music.
Krooked Kings
I arrived halfway through the opener’s set; Krooked Kings is a widely loved local Utah indie band. I hadn’t seen them yet, so I made sure to catch the tail end of it. Everyone loves it when touring artists support upcoming local musicians! They had great energy and the crowd loved them.
Flipturn
Flipturn is an indie rock band from Florida! Dillon Basse (frontman) started the band in high school with friends Tristan Duncan (guitar) and Madeline Jarman (bass), and later brought on drummer Devon VonBalson and guitarist Mitch Fountain after college! They joined together in 2015 and released their very first EP ‘Heavy Colors’ in 2017, and started building a following, but they really got their name out there with their 2018 EP ‘Citrona’.
They had a larger loyal fanbase at this point and were gaining major traction in the indie scene. They’ve put out several stellar singles and EPs since then! In 2022, they put out their full debut album ‘Shadowplay’ after signing to Dualtone Records. They had major success touring the US shortly after, already playing festivals like Lollapalooza, Governor’s Ball, and Shaky Knees! From the beginning, they’ve proven their insane talent and it was a no-brainer that they would eventually get big. Their second full album ‘Burnout Days’ was released this year and is such a true show of musicianship and their skill at producing heart-wrenching and moving music. They are masters at storytelling and taking you on a journey through their music. It honestly makes me emotional. Dillon’s vocals are beyond amazing and unique.
When they finally came out on stage, the entire crowd erupted in overwhelming excitement. It was clear from the VIP kids in the front, that they had a strong and loyal fanbase. People had signs and their merch bundles at their feet, ready for one of their most anticipated shows of 2025. Flipturn is a group of lovely and genuine people, and from the moment they stepped on stage, I could see their chemistry and dedication to putting on a good show. I felt like, if the lighting served, this was going to be a piece of cake.
They opened with Juno and a few singles on Burnout Days! Already bringing insane energy to the room, everyone had huge smiles on their faces. Then they brought out some songs from Shadow Play and the crowd was just always jumping. Tristan was ripping on the guitar and then they occasionally slowed it down for some of their jazzier tracks. I got a little teary-eyed at Glistening and Moon Rocks, those are some powerful songs and vocals from Dillon.
The lighting was primarily white strobes and mixes of blue, yellow, purple, and rainbow, They didn’t have any background visuals but the lighting production was very well done and easy for me to shoot! I meandered around the venue to various high grounds to shoot from, I always love getting shots of the crowd from the back of the pit while everyone is jumping! The middle of the set was pretty chill, bringing out some slower ballads and the crowd knew all the words.
At this point, I found my friend at the back of the pit and she was so happy to be there, so I stayed to vibe with her a bit! When they played August, one of their biggest hits, the fans sang so loudly. It’s always such a special and visceral feeling to be in a full room singing your favorite songs. I’m always grateful to be able to capture that! Every show, during one song, the drummer goes down to the front row to drum, and that was fun to watch! For the encore, they played Chicago and Nickel, and as they made their exit, they expressed their gratitude for the fans and waved to everyone, as well as throwing out some guitar picks and drumsticks. As the lights turned back on, I signed with content.
Flipturn is a special band, so very talented, and I hope they are massive one day. They are currently making rounds around the East Coast, so if you have the chance to go see them, make sure to catch them as they wrap up their Burnout Days tour!