Hot Flash Heat Wave hits The Casbah in San Diego

Hot Flash Heat Wave brought their nostalgic 2010s punk rock energy to downtown San Diego as part of their tour following the release of their fourth album, Butterfly in a Landslide. The Bay Area band made their second stop on their US tour at the intimate venue, The Casbah. By the end of the night, the small space had transformed into a crowded room filled with dancing, jumping, and fans feeding off the energy coming from the stage.

The night began with Twin Seas, an indie synthpop band from East Los Angeles.

With a collection of songs from past albums and EPs, the band immediately got the crowd moving with song one, “Mountains”. Twin Seas brings a funky vibe to the stage, getting early arrivers’ attention with a lively rendition of their most popular song, “Surf Wave”.

Small Crush followed Twin Seas, bringing their own brand of indie pop to the stage. The Bay Area-based band had previously opened for Hot Flash Heat Wave during their 2022 tour; their return to the lineup was a fitting reunion. Although they experienced some brief technical difficulties during the first song, that setback didn’t slow them down. Vocalist Logan Hammon was a highlight all evening, engaging effortlessly with the audience.

Finally, Hot Flash Heat Wave rounded out the night with an attitude perfectly fit for the small venue. It was raw and the energy was noticeable. Fans moved with the music, as HFHW launched into their popular song “Gutter Girl” with two members of Small Crush back out onstage; before the set, the two musicians doing double-duty swapped instruments, moving between drums and guitar.

The night ultimately felt like a celebration of energetic indie rock and punk-inspired music.

From Twin Seas’ funky synthpop opening to Small Crush’s intimate connection with the crowd to Hot Flash Heat Wave’s explosive headlining set, each band helped build on each other to create a night of close-quarter chaos.

Photography by Alice Rose Turner

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